Hear highlights from Paddy's challenge, and scroll down to re-live more of the week's memorable moments.

We're wrapping up our live coverage of Paddy's Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for Children in Need. A huge thank you to everyone who's joined us this week, and to those who've supported Paddy with a donation. A reminder that you can still donate - more details can be found here.

As Paddy celebrates reaching Glasgow and completing his chopper quest, we're saluting him with a few highlights from the past few days.

Sir Chris Hoy makes a remarkable contribution

Paddy's intensive training saw him traipsing up hills with none other than cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy. "It's like having a kickabout with Messi," he said of the experience.

As his challenge started, he received a lovely message of support from the Olympian, who told Paddy: "The next five days are going to be gruelling. Hill after hill after hill. Paddy you must keep pedalling on your little chopper... You're doing this to inspire the nation."

By Day 4, on Thursday, he needed to heed this advice more than ever, as he faced the toughest mental battle to complete the challenge. Step up Sir Chris Hoy once more, who decided to surprise Paddy at a pit stop and join the big man on the road for a few miles.

It’s been a remarkable part of Paddy’s challenge to have Sir Chris by his side - especially with the Olympian recently sharing the devastating news of his terminal cancer diagnosis and his wife Sarra's multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

“Chris is just one of those people in life - if he can help you, he’ll do it,” Paddy remarked.

Deep down, Paddy might have subconsciously expected to see Sir Chris at some point this week, but nothing could have prepared him for meeting Black Lace - the group behind his favourite hit 'Agadoo' - at a motorway service station car park, in pineapple shirts. A sentimental afternoon took a surreal turn.

Vernon and Paddy bring on the tears

Two of the toughest, most salt-of-the-earth northerners on radio, bawling their eyes out on a Thursday morning - this is the magical moment that occurred on Day 4, as Paddy wept after being delivered letters from his kids, and Vernon Kay found himself crying too. Watch the clip here, external.

"They'll never know how amazing they are," Paddy said about his children. "They are doing so good at school, they're the most polite, lovely kids. I love them so much."

"Crikey Paddy," Vernon said. "We're both from the great North West. We both grew up in Bolton. It's a proper working class town. You and I are both on national radio crying our eyes out."

It was a heartwarming moment which summed up the joys of live radio. And the tears flowed even more when Paddy found out his latest total - over £4 million at the time.

"I'm suffocated by love! It's beautiful." Paddy declared.

And tears were a running theme of the week - both on the road, on air and at home for many listeners. One particularly emotional moment took place on Day 3, when Paddy found out he’d reached the £1 million milestone in donations.

A donation pledge has Paddy lost for words

On Day 3, as Paddy found himself in remote terrain with only his own inner thoughts as a soundtrack, he received an enormous boost thanks to a very generous donation.

Sara Cox teased that she had a "very special message" on her show, and she wasn't kidding. Businessman and philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter pledged to double every individual donation from the public, right up to the £2 million mark. "That's blown me away," Paddy said. "It's too much for my mind to take in to be honest."

And once listeners had managed to raise up to £2 million more, Tom Hunter was back on air on Day 4 to pledge a donation match increase to £3 million. "That is an amazing gesture," Paddy remarked.

As Paddy rolled up to Glasgow, he was joined on the last leg by Sir Tom, who had his own original chopper bike! "I just wanna tell you, Paddy: You are now an official National Treasure."

The quest to bring a sentimental gift to Paddy at the finish line

Back in August, Paddy appeared on the BBC One show Who Do You Think You Are?, discovering truths about his family tree. This included the remarkable war efforts of his two grandfathers, one of whom served in the Boer War and received a medal that, upon being revealed, had our Ultra Endurance man in tears.

As the challenge kicked off, Vernon Kay took it upon himself to get this medal delivered to Paddy at the finish line. He knew firsthand how important a sentimental gift can be after finishing a challenge: 12 months after his own Ultra Ultra Marathon in 2023, he still has the painting a listener created of him and Pudsey proudly displayed on his kitchen wall.

But there was a snag in the plan. The medal was being kept in a private collection, so Vernon and his listeners had to discover its whereabouts and get it relocated to Glasgow.

We had a breakthrough on Day 4, when Jim Carver from the auctioneers Noonans phoned in to say they’d sold the medal in 2021, but the collector had kindly agreed to sell it back to them for Paddy’s cause.

And with that, the medal could become a pride of place in Paddy’s home.

The best lasagne Paddy's ever had

When he's not shifting gears on his chopper, Paddy can be found hosting Inside the Factory - amongst many other shows - with Cherry Healy.

On one episode, Cherry made Paddy a lasagne that he went on to describe as the "best I've ever eaten." So good in fact, he hasn't stopped going on about it on his Sunday afternoon Radio 2 show.

The lasagne was probably on his mind for most of Day 2, as he journeyed from Preston to Kendal. And as would would have it, at the end of his furthest day in terms of miles, Cherry was there to meet Paddy with his beloved lasagne! It even arrived with bonus garlic bread.

A moment for the ultimate masseuse, Jeff The Thumbs

300 miles. One bike. Three gears. Two calves of steel. Just how on earth did Paddy actually manage to cycle for 10+ hours each day in order to complete his challenge?

The generosity of Radio 2 listeners certainly kept Paddy pedalling, but he also has a lot to thank masseuse Jeff The Thumbs for. Whenever our man on the chopper had a moment of respite during a pit stop, Jeff was on hand to dig his thumbs into tight calves, sprained backs, creaking shoulders and knackered thighs.

Blue make sure Paddy’s All Ride on the night

00s chart-toppers Blue made a surprise appearance on Day 4 with a truly brilliant, hilarious cover of their own song ‘All Rise’.

Changing the title to ‘All Ride’, the four-piece declared “No bikey, no ridey”, and sang the memorable chorus: “Your legs and your calves, they all ache. You’re doing it for kids across the UK. All ride. All ride!”

We had pop aficionado Scott Mills to thank for this moment - he managed to convince the boys to come into the studio and give Paddy their support in the most Blue way possible.

You can watch the full clip on Radio 2’s Instagram, external.

The generosity of the UK blows Paddy away

We already knew this country was full of generous, kind-hearted people, but Paddy McGuinness was reminded of the fact at every street corner, where strangers were cheering his name from the side of the road.

And as the challenge progressed, the thighs burned and the donations tallied up, Paddy felt both broken and full of warmth. “It's the strangest thing because I'm in bits physically and emotionally, but I will miss this feeling of love,” he said on Day 4.

Messages of support poured in throughout the week, but one in particular - from Nanny Gwyneth - had Radio 2’s Vernon Kay in tears. Donating “on behalf of my three gorgeous grandsons, Joshua, Oliver and Thomas,” she said, “even though they're only young, I want to share this message with them to know it's easy to inspire and think of others when they're old enough to understand.”

She managed to sum up the underlying message of the week and the reason Paddy’s challenge has struck such a chord with the nation - being kind is the best thing we, as people, can possibly do for one another.

"On Monday I’m going to walk down to the shop and it’ll be weird without people beeping their horns and waving, and me waving back," Paddy reflected. "I've absolutely loved being involved in this challenge. It’s a real privilege for anyone who does it, and just to say the sheer amount of fantastic people in this country is just wonderful."

A TV programme, Paddy: The Ride of My Life, airs at 8pm on BBC One next Tuesday (19th November) and will document all the love shown to Paddy on his travels.

You can look back at the best photos from each day of the challenge here: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Paddy's Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge is complete, but you can still donate to Children in Need.

If you'd like to support his challenge with a text or online donation, you can find all the details in the graphic below or at bbc.co.uk/paddy

Zoe Ball
BBC Radio 2 Presenter

Paddy, the Radio 2 listeners have been helping Vernon Kay all week.

Earlier this year when you were on BBC One's Who Do You Think You Are? they did a deep dive into your family history - in particular your grandfather William McGuinness. He joined the King's own Royal Lancaster Regiment in 1891, and was later given a medal for his service in the Boer War - which they showed you on the programme.

We thought: what more can we give you but love and respect, and everyone being so generous in their support?

Well, Vernon and his incredible listeners have managed to track down that medal! We'd like to give it to you now. Aren't they clever, our Radio 2 listeners?

You can watch Paddy's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? below.

Image source, BBC / WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

Tonight (7PM): BBC Children in Need returns with a live entertainment extravaganza

Live from Salford, Ade Adepitan MBE, Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay, Chris Ramsey and Lenny Rush present a jam-packed evening of sketches and performances featuring well-known faces as you have never seen them before - Children in Need Live Show 2024.

Next week: A behind-the-scenes Paddy documentary

If you've wondered why there's often a car in front of Paddy as he cycles up those hills, it's because there's a behind-the-scenes documentary being filmed, capturing every up and down from the challenge.

The documentary, Paddy: The Ride of My Life, airs at 8pm on BBC One next Tuesday (19th November)

One for your diaries!

The emotions in the studio are utterly indescribable as Paddy effortlessly glides across the finish line. Did we mention that we're really proud? ❤️

• Number of miles cycled = almost 300
• Number of days on the road = 5
• Number of countries visited = 3 (or 5 if you include the fact that on Monday he left Wales, entered England, then re-entered Wales again, before re-entering England
• Number of people who've mistaken Paddy for Vernon Kay = 2
• Number of Olympic Gold medalists that rode with Paddy = 1
• Number of pop stars that surprised Paddy in a lay-by with a rendition of Agadoo = 2 (3 if you count Sir Chris Hoy pushing pineapple and shaking the tree)
• Number of "Ooooh, Paddy McGuinness" chants (to the tune of 'Seven Nation Army' by The White Stripes) = 50
• Number of times Scott Mills pulled heartstrings and made Paddy sob = 16 (at least once every half-hour of his show)
• Number of lasagnes received at the end of the day = 1
• Number of high-fives given = 1,000
• Number of £ raised = 7,556,853 and counting

Disclaimer: Some of these statistics are estimated. We suspect a lot more people thought Paddy was Vernon.

Paddy McGuinness
BBC Radio 2's Ultra Endurance Man

Every morning when I woke up everything was aching and it was always dark and cold but I've been saying it for the last few days, when you get on the bike, and you get on the road and everyone comes out it just spurs you on.

Even though we're filming stuff and putting things on social media; until you're actually in that moment, I will never be able to get it across fully what it felt like.

All the different sounds, all the cities, all the communities. Everyone came out and everyone were together for something.

And all those faces, all the kids, all the nurseries, all the primary schools, all drawing pictures of Patch - none of them had a clue who I were - but it was just so beautiful to see and the streets were lined with people.

Honestly it's a moment in time I'll take with me to my grave. I'll never ever forget it. It's been amazing.

A colossal £7,556,853 has been raised for Children in Need as Paddy soars over the finish line into BBC Scotland.

Wow. We are so proud! ❤️

The moving moment Sir Tom Hunter surprised a bleary-eyed Paddy! ❤️

Paddy McGuinness
BBC Radio 2's Ultra Endurance Man

Zoe Ball
BBC Radio 2 Presenter

Paddy McGuinness has officially finished his Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge, crossing the finish line in Glasgow to a hero's welcome!

What an epic week, what an incredible human being.

When he's back on his feet, we'll be hearing his latest total...

Richie Anderson: He is turning onto the 'Squinty Bridge'. Here he comes, pedalling very slowly. Waving to people, they are clapping for him, cheering for him. People are stopping in their cars, winding their windows down shouting support.

Paddy we’re so proud of you Paddy! He’s just high fived me.

Zoe Ball he’s en route to you.

Paddy was elated this morning before he set off for the last day of his Ultra Endurance Challenge.

We are so proud. Let's get you across that line Paddy! ❤️

Richie: "I'm on the Clyde Arc bridge about 50 feet above the river Clyde. Hold on, in the distance I can see a man with a bike...

Oh no, it’s not Paddy. It’s just a general man on his bike, on his way to work. Excuse me sir, have you seen Paddy McGuinness on his bike?"

General man on his bike: "I’ve not seen Paddy McGuinness no…"

The wait continues...

Correction from Shirley in the crowd, Glaswegians call it the Squinty Bridge

Emotions are high, the bagpipes are primed and the suspense is killing us.

Come on Paddy, bring it home!

You can here the pipers in action on Radio 2's Instagram, external.

Our final throwback before he crosses the line. Day 4 was possibly the toughest day for Paddy mentally. He had cycled over 200 miles over tough terrain, but still had 64 miles to complete before he reached his final overnight stop in Strathaven.

It was the day that your donations surpassed £3 million, £4 million and £5 million. Incredible.

Check out the highlights below...

Image source, SIR CHRIS HOY / INSTAGRAM

Paddy needs all the encouragement he can get to make it over the finish line.

The Radio 2 family is rallying behind him, with Dermot O'Leary, Scott Mills, Sara Cox, Owain Wyn Evans, Vernon Kay, and Elaine Paige all sending him some support.