Skip to content

Greg James to go ahead with Comic Relief challenge after dad suffers stroke

Georgia Levy-CollinsBBC Newsbeat
News imageBBC Greg James is wearing a burgundy jumper and is wearing headphones on his head. He is sitting at a desk in front of a microphone with a Radio 1 muff. BBC
Greg James will start his Comic Relief cycling challenge on Friday

BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James has said his dad is "fighting hard" after he suffered a stroke last week.

The radio DJ took Friday's breakfast show off last minute to be with his family when his dad's heart surgery didn't go to plan on Thursday.

As he returned to the airwaves on Monday, Greg told listeners his dad was "not very well at the moment" but he is "still with us".

He said he was "very happy to be back" on the radio and knows his dad would want him to get back to presenting the show.

In an Instagram post over the weekend, Greg also confirmed he still plans to kick off his Comic Relief challenge on Friday.

"He really wanted me to do this challenge which is coming up on Friday," he said.

"I've been training my tits off, and he knows that and he knows how much it means to me."

News imagePA Media Radio 1 DJ Greg James stood behind a black tandem bike with his left hand on the handlebars and his right arm in the arm with his fish clenched. He is wearing blue trousers and a red jacket and has a red nose on his nose, with a white cap. The photo is taken in a studio setting so there are two big bright photography lights behind him and a canvas style picture of Edinburgh Castle.PA Media
Greg James is going to cycle 630 miles across the UK over eight days

The 40-year-old presenter plans to cycle 630 miles (1,000km) across the UK on a tandem bike over eight days.

He is due to start in Weymouth on Friday and will finish in Edinburgh on 20 March for Red Nose Day.

It'll be Greg's third Red Nose Day challenge after completing five triathlons in five days in 2016 before cycling between Scafell Pike, Snowdon, and Ben Nevis - climbing each of them - two years later.

'Extra mad and extra emotional'

In the social media post, he said his plans might change if his dad's condition takes a turn as he revealed "he's not really there at the minute".

However, he confirmed at the moment his dad is "steady" and "slowly but surely improving a bit".

But admitted he will "really need some support" on his challenge.

"It's going to be extra mad and extra emotional now, hopefully I can count on you to be there," he said.

The presenter also thanked the doctors and nurses who have been helping his dad, and to those who have sent him messages of support, saying: "In times like these it's so nice to feel the love from people."

In the post, Greg said he wanted to share the personal update as "life isn't plain sailing but we've got to carry on".

He ended in the post by asking people to keep "big Al in your thoughts".

News imageA footer logo for BBC Newsbeat. It has the BBC logo and the word Newsbeat in white over a colorful background of violet, purple and orange shapes. At the bottom a black square reading "Listen on Sounds" is visible.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

More like this