# Helen Skelton
**Helen Skelton** (born 1983) is an English television presenter and broadcaster from Cumbria, known for presenting *Blue Peter*, *Countryfile*, and *BBC Morning Live*, and for endurance challenges completed for [Sport Relief](https://www.edgepedia.org/sport-relief), including kayaking the length of the [Amazon River](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-river).[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983, Cumbria; grew up in Kirkby Thore near Appleby, in a farming family[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) |
| Breakthrough | Appointed a *Blue Peter* presenter in 2008, co-hosting the show from 2008 to 2013[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview) |
| Amazon kayak | Kayaked the 2,010-mile length of the Amazon for Sport Relief in 2010, taking 39 days; holds the Guinness World Record for the longest solo journey by kayak and the longest distance in a kayak in 24 hours for a woman[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) |
| Other challenges | First person to reach the South Pole using a bicycle; walked a 150-meter tightrope between chimneys at Battersea Power Station, 66 meters above ground; completed the 78-mile Namibian ultra marathon in 23 hours 45 minutes[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) |
| *Strictly Come Dancing* | Runner-up in the 2022 series with professional partner Gorka Marquez, beaten to the Glitterball Trophy by Hamza Yassin and Jowita Pryzstal[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/helen-skelton-interview-strictly-come-dancing-back-at-the-farm-b1071515.html) |
| Family | Three children, Ernie, Louis, and Elsie, with former husband, rugby league player Richie Myler; the couple separated in 2022[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) • [4](https://www.independent.co.uk/celebrity-news/helen-skelton-tv-presenter-morning-live-louis-cumbria-b2831131.html) |
| Current work | Presenter of *Countryfile* and *BBC Morning Live*; host of *Lost and Found in the Lakes*, returning for a 20-episode third series in 2027[2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview) • [5](https://www.banijay.com/blog/2026/07/01/helen-skelton-returns-for-third-series-of-bbc-hit-lost-and-found-in-the-lakes/) |
## Early life
Skelton was born in 1983 into a farming family in Cumbria and grew up in Kirkby Thore near Appleby, attending the local primary and secondary schools.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) She has described an outdoorsy childhood in which she and her brother made rafts out of old pallets and floated them down the river; her favorite job was helping her father decide when to cut the silage, lying in the grass at the center of a field so he could confirm she was out of sight from the edge before cutting began.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) She began her broadcasting career at BBC Radio Cumbria before moving to the children's news program *Newsround*.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview)
## Blue Peter, 2008 to 2013
Skelton had been a reporter and occasional presenter on *Newsround* and *Sportsround* when her appointment as a *Blue Peter* presenter in 2008 brought her into the public eye.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) She co-hosted the program from 2008 to 2013.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview) She has said she initially declined the offer because she was enjoying *Newsround*, and that her boss there, former editor Sinead Rocks, told her to go to the audition.[6](https://virginradio.co.uk/the-chris-evans-breakfast-show/124019/helen-skelton-blue-peter-audition) At the audition itself she nearly lost the job by racing through an assault course for the fastest time instead of speaking to camera, and was told to do it again.[6](https://virginradio.co.uk/the-chris-evans-breakfast-show/124019/helen-skelton-blue-peter-audition)
**Sport Relief challenges.** During her *Blue Peter* years she took on a series of endurance feats for the charity Sport Relief. In 2010 she kayaked the 2,010-mile length of the Amazon River, a journey of 39 days that earned her the Guinness World Record for the longest solo journey by kayak and the record for the longest distance in a kayak in 24 hours for a woman.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) She was also the first person to reach the [South Pole](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-pole) using a bicycle, and walked a 150-meter tightrope between chimneys at [Battersea Power Station](https://www.edgepedia.org/battersea-power-station), 66 meters above the ground.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) In 2022 she completed the 78-mile Namibian ultra marathon, only the second woman ever to finish it, in 23 hours and 45 minutes, 15 minutes inside the 24-hour limit, and ran the [London Marathon](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-marathon) a few weeks later.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) Her publisher also lists cycling to the South Pole among her *Blue Peter* challenges.[7](https://www.hachette.com.au/helen-skelton)
## Later television and radio
After *Blue Peter*, Skelton moved into factual and sports presenting. Her credits include *Countryfile*, *On The Farm*, *Holiday Hit Squad*, *The Instant Gardener*, the Rugby Super League, the FA Women's Super League for BT, and the BBC presenting line-up for the Rio 2016 Olympics; she also reported on the London 2012 Olympics and voices Annie in *Fireman Sam*.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview) • [7](https://www.hachette.com.au/helen-skelton) She became a regular host of the BBC daytime show *Morning Live*.[8](https://thespeakerhandbook.com/speaker/helen-skelton/pdf) In 2012 she joined [BBC Radio 5 Live](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-radio-5-live)'s Wimbledon coverage, reporting from around the tournament.[9](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/Wimbledon2012.pdf) She later quit her Radio 5 Live show to spend more time with her children.[10](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/helen-skelton)
**Lost and Found in the Lakes.** Skelton presents *Lost and Found in the Lakes*, a BBC One Daytime and [BBC iPlayer](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-iplayer) program made by the Wrexham-based company Tŷ'r Ddraig, part of Banijay UK's Workerbee Group, in which she leads a team of divers, detectorists, a social media detective, and an archaeologist who recover people's lost possessions around the [Lake District](https://www.edgepedia.org/lake-district).[5](https://www.banijay.com/blog/2026/07/01/helen-skelton-returns-for-third-series-of-bbc-hit-lost-and-found-in-the-lakes/) The show is returning for a third series with an extended run of 20 episodes, to air on [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) and BBC iPlayer in 2027.[5](https://www.banijay.com/blog/2026/07/01/helen-skelton-returns-for-third-series-of-bbc-hit-lost-and-found-in-the-lakes/) Its reunions have included an engagement ring lost over 60 years ago, a bronze elephant recovered from Windermere after a boat fire, and a pewter tankard raised from Ullswater in under five minutes.[5](https://www.banijay.com/blog/2026/07/01/helen-skelton-returns-for-third-series-of-bbc-hit-lost-and-found-in-the-lakes/)
## Strictly Come Dancing
In 2022 Skelton competed in the twentieth series of *Strictly Come Dancing* with professional partner Gorka Marquez and reached the final, finishing in second place behind [Hamza Yassin](https://www.edgepedia.org/hamza-yassin) and Jowita Pryzstal in December 2022.[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/helen-skelton-interview-strictly-come-dancing-back-at-the-farm-b1071515.html) She took part in the *Strictly Come Dancing* Live Tour in 2023.[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/helen-skelton-interview-strictly-come-dancing-back-at-the-farm-b1071515.html) • [7](https://www.hachette.com.au/helen-skelton) She has said she did not expect to reach the final, and in a 2026 interview named Marquez as the person she would most like to apologize to, for not winning the Glitterball in 2022.[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/helen-skelton-interview-strictly-come-dancing-back-at-the-farm-b1071515.html) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview)
## Personal life
Skelton was married to [Richie Myler](https://www.edgepedia.org/richie-myler), an England national rugby league team player; they separated in 2022 and have three children, two sons, Ernie and Louis, and a daughter, Elsie.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2) • [4](https://www.independent.co.uk/celebrity-news/helen-skelton-tv-presenter-morning-live-louis-cumbria-b2831131.html) She lives in Cumbria.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview) In 2023 she published her autobiography, *In My Stride*, which covers her *Strictly* appearance, the Namibian ultra marathon, meeting the Queen, and kayaking the Amazon.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview) • [6](https://virginradio.co.uk/the-chris-evans-breakfast-show/124019/helen-skelton-blue-peter-audition) She is a qualified tap dance teacher, a skill that helped her in a 2012 Christmas edition of *Strictly*.[1](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2)
## References
1. [Who is Helen Skelton? Everything you need to know about the Countryfile presenter, Countryfile.com](https://www.countryfile.com/countryfile-tv-show/countryfile-presenters/helen-skelton-2)
2. [Helen Skelton: 'Who would play me in the film of my life? Kate Hudson', The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/helen-skelton-broadcaster-bbc-one-interview)
3. [Helen Skelton on Strictly experience, Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/helen-skelton-interview-strictly-come-dancing-back-at-the-farm-b1071515.html)
4. [Helen Skelton: 'Family life is chaotic and a bit rough around the edges', The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/celebrity-news/helen-skelton-tv-presenter-morning-live-louis-cumbria-b2831131.html)
5. [Helen Skelton Returns For Third Series of BBC Hit Lost and Found In The Lakes, Banijay](https://www.banijay.com/blog/2026/07/01/helen-skelton-returns-for-third-series-of-bbc-hit-lost-and-found-in-the-lakes/)
6. [Helen Skelton tells Chris Evans how she 'nearly got kicked off' her Blue Peter audition, Virgin Radio UK](https://virginradio.co.uk/the-chris-evans-breakfast-show/124019/helen-skelton-blue-peter-audition)
7. [Helen Skelton, Hachette Australia](https://www.hachette.com.au/helen-skelton)
8. [The Speaker Handbook: Helen Skelton](https://thespeakerhandbook.com/speaker/helen-skelton/pdf)
9. [BBC Media Centre, Wimbledon 2012](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/Wimbledon2012.pdf)
10. [Helen Skelton, The Independent topic page](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/helen-skelton)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Television presenters and hosts › Lifestyle and property presenters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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