Who is Strictly's Helen Skelton? Countryfile presenter's age, accomplishments and ex
This season of Strictly Come Dancing may have come to an end but there’s one thing we know for sure: the show catapulted TV personality Helen Skelton into the spotlight.
Making it to the final, the 39-year-old didn't take home the glitterball trophy, but she consistently impressed viewers and judges on the BBC show with her routines alongside dance partner Gorka Marquez.
Celebrities even took to social media to praise the presenter throughout the series, with The Last Leg’s Adam Hills tweeting: “Just so blown away by @HelenSkelton. How can one person be so ace at everything she does? And such a wonderful person to be around. She deserves every accolade that comes her way.”
Read more: Helen Skelton's 'iconic' revenge dance thrills Strictly Come Dancing fans
Strictly 2021 contestant Dan Walker also tweeted: “Helen is so good, Gorka is a genius… her mum and dad were wonderful on the #Strictly film… just give them all the glitterball right now."
We can next look forward to seeing the dancing star – one of the most searched-for celebs on Yahoo Search in 2022 – on the UK live tour kicking off in January. In the meantime, here's everything we know about her.
Who is Helen Skelton?
Helen Skelton is a television personality who hails from Carlisle in Cumbria.
She was born on July 19, 1983 and grew up on a dairy farm in the village of Kirkby Thore before going to the Cumbria Institute of the Arts to get a BA in journalism.
“I was brought up on a farm on the edge of The Lake District so life was always outdoors,” Skelton told Blacks in an interview earlier this year.
Skelton now lives in Yorkshire, but also lived in France for several years when her ex-husband, rugby player Richie Myler, moved to the Catalan Dragons team in 2015.
“I didn’t speak the language and I felt so isolated that I used to go into the local tourist office just to talk to someone who could speak English,” Skelton told You Magazine in 2018.
Read more: Helen Skelton was 'battle-hardened' by her break-up before 'Strictly Come Dancing'
“The loneliness was crushing even though the French wives and girlfriends would invite me on their nights out, which was kind.
“I would try to keep up by laughing and nodding – then somebody would ask if I understood and I would say no. They thought I was bonkers.”
Myler and Skelton share three children, Ernie, seven, Louis, five, and Elsie, 10 months. They split in April 2022, four months after they welcomed Elsie.
What are Helen Skelton’s biggest personal achievements?
Skelton has a number of personal accolades under her belt. In 2009 she became the second-ever woman to complete the Namibia Ultra Marathon, a 78-mile course through the Namibian desert, which she finished in under 24 hours.
At the time she told BBC Newsround: “It was a gruelling experience, but one I'll never forget. There were tough times but also amazing times.”
Read more: Helen Skelton felt 'really stupid' after losing life savings in phone scam
Skelton, a qualified tap dance teacher, has also completed the London Marathon three times, in 2009, 2014 and 2019.
In 2010 she kayaked the entire length of the Amazon River for Sport Relief. The solo 2,010-mile journey took just over a month and she achieved two Guinness World Record entries for completing it: the longest solo journey by kayak, and the longest distance in a kayak in 24 hours by a woman.
Following the journey, Skelton published her first novel, a young adults book called Amy Wild: Amazon Summer, in 2015.
For another Sport Relief special, Skelton became the first person to reach the South Pole by bicycle in 2012. The bike was custom made for the journey, and included eight-inch tires.
Which TV shows has Helen Skelton been on?
Skelton began her career as an extra in Coronation Street and Cutting It while she was still studying. She briefly worked in public relations before switching to journalism and becoming a breakfast presenter on BBC Radio Cumbria in 2005.
After working at Newsround, Skelton then became a presenter on Blue Peter in 2008 before becoming a presenter of live FA Women’s Super League in 2013 for BT Sport.
Skelton presented her first Countryfile episode in 2008 and has regularly presented episodes ever since. She also took part in a Christmas special edition of Strictly in 2012.
The presenter also hosts a weekly slot on BBC Radio 5 Live on Sundays.
Watch: Helen Skelton selling her and ex husband Richie Myler’s belongings on auction show
