Emotional Mollie King received a hero’s welcome from fiancé Stuart Broad and their 16-month old daughter Annabella as she finished her marathon 500km Red Nose Day charity bike ride on Friday.
Having broken down in tears as she prepared to finish the ride in her late father’s hometown of Hull, Mollie was overwhelmed as crowds cheered her over the finish line.
The Saturdays singer, 36, took on the epic journey from London to the East Riding of Yorkshire in memory of her late father Stephen, who died of a brain tumour in 2022.
As a result, Mollie raised a staggering £1million for Comic Relief and said after the challenge: ‘Oh my goodness, thank you everyone for coming down.
‘I am completely overwhelmed… I can’t believe we have raised £1million. It was time for me to think about my dad and to know he was doing the journey with me.’
Emotional Mollie King was greeted by fiancé Stuart Broad as she finished her marathon 500km Red Nose Day charity bike ride on Friday and raised more than £1 million for charity
Mollie cradled her 16-month old daughter Annabella after finishing the epic challenge
Shortly after breaking down in tears as she made her way to her father’s hometown of Hull, Mollie was overwhelmed as crowds cheered her over the finish line
With just hours to go until the end of the challenge and as she approached the final destination of Hull – her late father’s hometown – Mollie became overcome with emotion.
Sitting in the back of a car, Mollie sobbed: ‘It’s the first time in ages I’ve really felt proud of myself and I’m quite tough on myself generally but this is so beyond what I’m capable of physically.
‘I’m not a strong person but to have got to day five, I was thinking, “Mol, you should be proud of yourself here”. This is mad.’
Mollie lost her beloved father Stephen to a brain tumour in November 2022, just days after she welcomed her baby daughter Annabella with fiancé Stuart.
His death came as a huge shock after Mollie explained he had been fit and healthy prior to his diagnosis and had even completed the London Marathon.
On Wednesday morning, Mollie’s retired cricketer fiancé Stuart acknowledged her remarkable achievement.
Taking to Instagram, the former Nottinghamshire and England fast bowler, 37, posted a tribute, ostensibly from their daughter Annabella.
It read: ‘To my amazing mummy, good luck on your cycling challenge! I am so proud of you! I can’t wait to see you at the finish line for a big cuddle.’
The message also included a picture of Annabella, cut and pasted onto a miniature bicycle made from cardboard and lollipop sticks.
Mollie’s co-host and friend Matt Edmondson accompanied her throughout the cycle and by the end of day three, on Wednesday evening, she had made it to Manchester.
Greeted by fellow BBC radio 1 DJ Greg James and two friends dressed as a ‘fajita cuddle’, Mollie later took to the studio to find out how much money she had raised so far.
The Saturdays singer, 36, has taken on the epic journey from London to Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire in memory of late father Stephen (pictured) who died of a brain tumour in 2022
Mollie’s mother Sue was one of the first to greet Mollie after she completed the epic challenge
Mollie broke down in tears moments before she finished her marathon ride attempt
Mollie was greeted by her family after completing the gruelling charity ride
With just hours to go until the end of the challenge and as she approached the final destination of Hull – her late father’s hometown – Mollie became overcome with emotion
‘Mollie, as of a few minutes ago… Pedal Power for Red Nose Day has raised £256,114,’ Greg announced on Wednesday, leaving the TV personality in total shock.
‘Oh my gosh I have no words,’ Mollie exclaimed. ‘I have no words, thank you! I literally could not do this… I couldn’t do it without you guys, your support.
‘Oh my god I’m completely lost for words. I cannot tell you how important this money is.’
Getting choked up, Mollie said: ‘I have seen where the money goes. I have met people who have benefitted so much from this money and it changes lives.
‘It means people can have longer with their families. People can see their friends for longer. It is completely life-changing.’
Earlier that day, before setting off for day three, Mollie was told that £181,023 had been raised so far.
She broke down in tears after hearing the staggering amount of money she had already raised, later to increase by more than £70,000, for Comic Relief just three days into her five day cycle.
Joining her co-star Greg James as she took a break from her bike ride on BBC radio 1, she got the boost she needed for the last stretch of the day.
Greg said: ‘The money raised is extraordinary. Can I give you a total? This might do the trick…’
Mollie said: ‘I’ve got like tears down my cheeks, I’m a mess.’
He added: ‘This might give you the boost you need for the next half hour or so… the total so far for Pedal Power for Red Nose Day Mollie, is £181,023.’
Speechless, Mollie said: ‘Oh my god! Aww come on!’
Before Mollie set off on her third circle on Wednesday morning, she said: ‘We’re on our way to Salford today. It feels such a long way away – this is the longest ride of the week. I’m doing 110km, which is 10k more than I have ever cycled.
‘It’s the hilliest day of the week so far and I’m tired, my body is really aching now, my legs have gone – I can’t feel them. It’s getting really tough.
‘Throughout the day, I have been tuning into my dad’s voice in my head. I know he would be saying “Go on Mol, you can do this” and that’s really helping me push forwards.
‘I’ve been checking in with Stuart every day and his support is helping to spur me on and take on the next day of the challenge. The crowds along the way have been phenomenal.
‘The cheering, beeping and waving is giving me such an energy boost – thank you to everyone who is donating and supporting me along the way.’
Mollie’s supportive fiancé Stuart paid tribute to the former singer on Wednesday
Taking to Instagram, the former Nottinghamshire and England fast bowler posted a tribute, ostensibly from their daughter Annabella
Mollie got choked up as she found out that her charity bike ride had raised a quarter of a million pounds on Wednesday evening – it had almost doubled the morning after
Mollie’s co-host and friend Matt Edmondson has accompanied her throughout the cycle and by the end of day three, on Wednesday evening, she had made it to Manchester
Beginning her challenge at Television Centre in London, the singer hugged her family before setting off on her journey.
Former English cricketer Stuart and Annabella were seen clutching on to a sign which read ‘Go Mummy.’
On Tuesday, during an appearance on Dean and Vicky’s radio show, Mollie’s co-star Charlie Hedges admitted that Mollie was ‘seriously struggling’ and ‘absolutely shattered’ two days into the challenge.
Revealing what Mollie had told her off-camera, she recalled the mother of one saying: ‘Do you know what I’ve had it, I’m absolutely shattered.’
Charlie continued: ‘Even tho she still looks beautiful, she looks shattered. She looks ‘like she’s hit her limit already. It’s been a tough day.
‘I think we just need to get her through today, I think she’s seriously struggling. That amount of money we told her is a big deal to her and is spurring her on, but in my heart knowing Mollie, we really need to get her to the end of this day.
‘The only way to do that, is for us to stop talking rubbish and for everyone to pull together and get this money in. This is the only way to get her through.
‘What’s going to help her is the reason she’s doing it in the first place and that is to raise a heck of a lot of money.’
‘Yesterday was crazy, the adrenaline from the start line kept me going, but it wasn’t an easy ride. It took me just under 11 hours to get to Towcester, but we estimated it would take eight. When I finished the journey, it was pitch black, but to see people’s faces and see them smiling, was just what I needed’.
Mollie broke down in tears when she found out she had raised an incredible £181,023 on day three of her 500km Pedal Power charity bike ride, in aid of Red Nose Day
Beginning her challenge at Television Centre in London, the singer hugged her family before setting off on her journey (pictured with fiancé Stuart Broad and daughter Annabella)
It comes after Mollie revealed she has never actually cycled on the road before, but that didn’t stop her embarking on the momentous challenge.
The star set off on Monday and speaking to The Mirror ahead of the challenge she admitted Stuart was baffled at her decision.
‘When I first said I was doing this he was in shock and said, “You are what?” He knows I’m not a cyclist. So he’s been really supportive.’
Mollie also admitted there is some friendly competition between her and the former cricket player, as she teased: ‘I’d been trying to train for about six weeks and the first time we went out, within about 10 minutes he was flying past me.
‘I was not amused. He’s just got it. I can see why he’s the athlete of the family.’
The challenge kicked off during the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James.
Mollie said: ‘Today I start my weeklong journey cycling from London to Hull, via Manchester – we wanted to throw in some extra miles!
‘It’s going to be an almighty challenge, six weeks ago I had never cycled on a road and today is the day I make my way to Hull.
‘I’ve been so nervous over the last few days, but I can’t wait to get going and I know that I have the Radio 1 listeners behind me as well as my amazing friends and family.
Knowing that this journey will make such a difference to so many people will help keep me going to that finish line’.
It comes after Mollie revealed she has never actually cycled on the road before, but that didn’t stop her embarking on the momentous challenge
‘He’s been right behind me and he actually went out to get himself a bike so he could train with me out on the roads because I never cycled on the road. So he’s very protective’
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