Sara Cox: Raising £10m for Children In Need means the world

Sara Cox has said it means “the absolute world” that she raised more than £10 million for BBC Children In Need with her 135-mile marathon challenge.

The BBC Radio 2 DJ completed five marathons in five days to raise £10,169,084 and said it was “a lot tougher than I ever expected”.

Approximately £35,000 of the total was donated in buckets by spectators watching from the sidelines en route.

Cox told BBC Breakfast: “Our £10 million is the fivers, tenners, and twenties of Radio 2 listeners and Children In Need supporters, who have each individually given their hard-earned cash, so it means the absolute world.”

Cox crossed the finish line in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, on Friday afternoon, after receiving a message of support from the Prince Of Wales, marking the end of the gruelling 135-mile Great Northern Marathon Challenge for Children in Need.

She then appeared on the live fundraising broadcast on Friday night wearing a pair of Crocs to aid her sore feet.

Speaking to Scott Mills on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Monday, Cox said: “It was a lot tougher than I ever expected and the recovery was much tougher.

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I was thinking: ‘Oh I will get home and Saturday and Sunday I will probably just take the dogs for a gentle walk.’ I can’t really walk!”

Discussing her footwear choice on Friday night, she said: “I had to put the Crocs on and even that was a squeeze.

“I had to really wrestle my Crocs on because my feet have a lot of fluid on them and you know… You know when you have the flu and at the end you make a brew and you are wiped out? I am like that.”

After completing the challenge, Cox said she was helped along by the music of grime star Stormzy and was delighted when she received a message from the musician congratulating her on her achievement.

He said: “Just wanted to say a big congratulations to you for completing five marathons in five days, which is just insane. And it is five more marathons than I’ve done in my life so again massive congrats, and salute to you for raising all that money for such a beautiful, wonderful cause.

“We’re all very proud of you. God bless you and take care, lots of love.”

Reacting to the message, Cox said: “That’s so amazing. Thank you so much. That’s a lovely surprise. I don’t normally like surprises.”

She added: “His voice got me through. His voice got me through on his Chase & Status track on Backbone, I was just rapping along to that. I do apologise, if that makes it into Wednesday’s documentary.”

A BBC TV crew followed Cox’s journey for Sara Cox: Every Step of the Way for Children In Need, which airs on BBC One on Wednesday November 19 at 8pm, and it will be available to view from 6am on BBC iPlayer.