Helen Skelton joined the Blue Peter team in the summer of 2008, as the 33rd presenter of the long-running show.
During this time Helen has achieved some remarkable feats and made a name for herself as the team’s all action girl.
In 2009, Helen Skelton became only the second woman ever to complete the Namibia Ultra Marathon, and two weeks later she was back in her running shoes, taking part in the London Marathon for Leonard Cheshire Disability.
She has climbed out of a moulin on an Alaskan glacier, beaten a world powerboat champion and come in 6th place in the UK Women’s Downhill Skateboarding Championships. To say she is game is an understatement!
In 2010 Helen pushed her limits by kayaking 2,010 miles down the Amazon in support of Sport Relief. Along the way, she broke two Guinness World Records; the longest solo journey by kayak, and the longest kayak by a woman in 24 hours.
Then for Comic Relief 2011, Helen decided to train in the art of high wire walking and completed a spectacular 150 meters long, 66-meter high walk between the towers of Battersea Power Station. ‘Girl on Wire’ was aired as a BBC1 special, and it led to her being nominated for Best Presenter at the 2011 Children’s BAFTAs.
In January 2012 Helen completed her most extreme trial to date, in aid of Sport Relief 2012. Helen’s Polar Challenge saw her tackling the icy and treacherous 500 mile Antarctica terrain, enduring temperatures of -48 degrees, to reach the South Pole by ski, kite and bike. Helen set a new Guinness World Record title in the process, for the fastest 100km by kite ski, and also received a second nomination for Best Children’s Presenter BAFTA nomination for the nine-part series of Blue Peter Specials about the challenge on BBC1.
Helen has reported on numerous occasions for ITV’s topical magazine programme Tonight as well as co-presenting Big Week at the Zoo and Digging Up Britain’s Past.
Helen has been presenting on Countryfile since 2012.
Furthermore, in 2020 Helen was a contestant on Channel 4’s hit show ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins‘.
Motivational Speaking:
Helen’s time on Blue Peter saw her accomplish some phenomenal feats of endurance, strength, bravery and sheer dogged determination.
As a motivational speaker, Helen recounts her remarkable journeys from canoeing the length of the Amazon to cycling to the South Pole.