The Great Scott Treadmills Challenge Announced

Scott Mills joined Zoe Ball and Ken Bruce live on Radio 2 to reveal The Great Scott TreadMills Challenge for Radio 2, which will see Scott walking, jogging and even running for 24 hours on a treadmill for BBC Children in Need 2022.

The challenge will launch at 8.20am on Wednesday 16 November, finishing at 8.30am on Thursday 17 November, and will be broadcast live on Radio 2, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds for the full 24 hours.

The Great Scott TreadMills Challenge takes place just a couple of weeks after the launch of Scott’s new weekday afternoon show on the station, which is broadcast Monday to Friday from 2-4pm.

During the challenge, Radio 2 presenters will be broadcasting their regular shows live from the BBC Radio Theatre in London where it’s all taking place. Zoe Ball (6.30-9.30am), Ken Bruce (9.30am-12pm), Jeremy Vine (12-2pm), Sara Cox (4-7pm), Jo Whiley (7-10pm), Trevor Nelson (10pm-12am), OJ Borg (12-4am), Nicki Chapman (4-6.30am) and, to finish, The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show will be keeping Scott energised and motivated through his final few hours. Scott will also be broadcasting his own afternoon show live whilst undertaking the challenge! Plus he’ll be joined across the 24 hours by a whole host of special guests to provide even more support and encouragement as they walk and run with him on one of the four other treadmills that will be set up alongside his.

Mills said: "As the newbie here at Radio 2, I just hope I can step up to this epic challenge for BBC Children in Need. I can’t let the side down for the station, especially after seeing the incredible feats of endurance in previous years by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Joe Wicks and Rylan. To get in shape, I’m walking, doing lots and lots of walking!"

Helen Thomas, Head of BBC Radio 2, said: "What better way to welcome Scott Mills to the Radio 2 family by inviting him to undertake the network’s annual 24 hour challenge for BBC Children in Need this November. Go for it Scott, we’re supporting you all the way!"

Audiences can send their own messages of support to Scott and donate via text and online at bbc.co.uk/scott. The money raised will go towards supporting children and young people across the UK facing a range of disadvantages.

Simon Antrobus, BBC Children in Need Chief Executive, said: "We are enormously grateful to Radio 2 and Scott for their commitment to helping children and young people across the UK at a time when it really is needed most, and will be cheering Scott on from the sidelines as he undertakes this mammoth 24 hour challenge for BBC Children In Need! Thank you so much and good luck!"

In the lead up to The Great Scott TreadMills Challenge, listeners will be able to listen along to motivational playlists to help them work out on BBC Sounds. Get Fit With Scott Mills will launch as a pop up today and include special editions of Sara Cox’s Half Wower, Sophie’s Kitchen Disco, One Hit Wonders, Sound of the 80’s Mastermix, Sounds of the 90s Mixtape and Jo Whiley’s Shiny Happy Playlist. If you want to join Scott on his fitness journey just head to BBC Sounds, tap the music tab and press play on Get Fit with Scott Mills.

There will also be a special kick off show available on BBC iPlayer from Wednesday 9 November where Scott will look back at some of the epic 24 hour challenges that Radio 2 has put on in previous years, as he gets himself ready for the feat ahead.

Scott's challenge follows in the footsteps of Radio 2' s previous 24 Hour challenges for BBC Children In Need including Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco Danceathon which raised more than £1 million in 2021, and Joe Wicks 24 Hour PE Challenge which raised over £2.5 million in 2020. Also in 2020, the station brought together some of the most iconic global artists for the official BBC Children in Need single, a reimagined cover of Oasis’ Stop Crying Your Heart Out (BBC Radio 2 Allstars). Performers included Cher, Clean Bandit, Mel C, Jamie Cullum, Jess Glynne, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Lenny Kravitz, Kylie Minogue, Gregory Porter, Nile Rodgers, Jay Sean and Robbie Williams and many more. The single, curated by Radio 2’s Head of Music, Jeff Smith, was recorded and filmed by artists in locations across the world and was produced by Grammy award winning producers Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling.