OLLY MURS:
THE RELENTLESS DAY

Olly Murs breaks down as he completes day two of brutal Soccer Aid for UNICEF challenge with surprise celebrity support whilst admitting he “wanted to quit”

On Tuesday 12 May, live on Heart Breakfast, Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston revealed to Olly that it would be The Relentless Day.

Olly took on 100km of Derbyshire’s Peak District pedalling through the stunning Hope Valley before facing a mighty climb from Wye Dale over to the Tissington Trail. On foot, he descended off-road into Ashbourne but, just as Olly thought he was done for the day, Heart’s JK and Kelly Brook surprised him with the news that, in order to finish, he needed to take on his fear of open water and complete a punishing row along the Trent and Mersey Canal. 

Olly wasn’t impressed when he heard the news saying: “Are you joking?! I could cry right now. That last 5km on the bike ride I kept thinking ‘I can’t wait, I’m one step closer to the hotel.’ I reached the finish line and I thought that was it. Now I’ve got to get in a boat for an hour. I’m exhausted.”

But he did it!

Speaking at the finish line, he said: “Part of me wanted to quit earlier and say ‘I’m not doing it, I’m going back to the hotel’ but this is what it’s all about. I’m going into the unknown. I’m doing it for UNICEF. For the kids that are in difficult places and difficult situations. This money, I’ve seen, does amazing things. Every stroke in that canal I was thinking of those families, thinking of those kids. I was thinking of my own kids, my wife. I may be exhausted. It may be the most relentless day. But I will still get up tomorrow and do it all again.”

Throughout the day, Olly was joined by Soccer Aid England teammate and UNICEF Ambassador, Alex Brooker, and the perfect cycling companion, Olympic legend Sir Jason Kenny, as they both supported him in two separate stretches in the saddle.

As Olly heads towards the halfway mark of his epic five-day, 400km challenge, he needs your support more than ever. Share his journey with friends and family, show your support, and donate today to get behind him!

Every £1 you donate – up to £6 million – will be doubled thanks to the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, so you can make double the difference for children.