Helen Skelton

Helen Skelton is a television presenter, radio broadcaster and author, known to UK audiences as a regular host of the BBC's daytime programme Morning Live. Her career combines live broadcasting with physical challenges that have taken her from the Amazon to Antarctica, and she brings both to the stage as a speaker and event host.

Helen joined Blue Peter in 2008 and presented the programme until 2013. During that time she took on a series of challenges for Sport Relief and Comic Relief. In 2010 she kayaked 2,010 miles along the Amazon from Peru to Brazil, setting two Guinness World Records, including the longest solo journey by kayak. In 2011 she walked a 150-metre tightrope between the chimneys of Battersea Power Station, 66 metres above the ground. In 2012 she became the first person to reach the South Pole by bicycle, covering the journey by kite ski, bike and cross-country ski and setting a record for the fastest 100 km by kite ski along the way.

Her broadcasting work spans factual, rural and sports programming. She has presented on BBC Countryfile, reported from the London 2012 Olympics and presented swimming coverage at the Rio 2016 Games. On Channel 5 she has hosted On the Farm, Yorkshire Great and Small, Coastal Adventures and Dan & Helen's Pennine Adventure with Dan Walker, and on the BBC she leads Lost and Found in the Lakes, reuniting Lake District finds with their owners. She has also worked on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 2, and in 2022 she reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing, finishing as runner-up.

In 2023 Helen published her autobiography, In My Stride: Lessons Learned Through Life and Adventure, which draws on her expeditions and her life in the public eye. Her talks follow the same thread: saying yes to hard challenges, preparing properly, keeping going when conditions turn, and staying grounded under pressure.

As a host, Helen brings the pace and warmth of live television to conferences, awards ceremonies and agricultural and outdoor events. She has worked with brands including Go Outdoors, Argos, Victoria Plum and Lloyds Bank, and supports charities including Mind.