On this day in 2025, BBC Radio 1’s Jamie Laing completed the first leg of his ultra marathon for Comic Relief after running through Hertfordshire.
The TV personality began his endurance test that morning as he embarked on a 150-mile, five-day journey to Salford.
From March 17 to March 21, Jamie aimed to run across England ahead of Red Nose Day's night of TV.
On the first day, he navigated through the busy streets of London heading north toward Harpenden, passing through Borehamwood, Radlett, and St Albans.
At the time, Jamie said: "I'm exhausted, I'm so tired. It's so far. It's really far, it's a long way. We're not in London anymore. We're in Harpenden.
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"It's 100 per cent harder than I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be hard, it's 100 per cent harder than that."
Jamie was surrounded by friends and family at the start, including his wife Sophie Habboo and fellow Radio 1 hosts Greg James and Charlie Hedges, as he departed from BBC’s New Broadcasting House.
Greg James set Jamie on his way with a special show on BBC Radio 1 Breakfast offering words of wisdom before sending him down to the start line.
Jamie added: "I had the honour of seeing first-hand some of the great work that Comic Relief’s funding provides recently when I met the amazing people at Empire Fighting Chance in Bristol – so knowing I’m doing this for them and so many others is really what’s keeping me going.
"There’s even some projects here this morning to see me off which is amazing, I can’t wait to meet even more along the route.”
[From the Herts Ad of March 17, 2025]
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