'I've got a massive bum': Helen Skelton on sport, Blue Peter and being a tomboy

She’s completed some of the most gruelling sporting challenges known to man, smashing world records and raising tons of cash for Sport Relief in the process.

We caught up with former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton after she finished her latest feat, the London Marathon, in aid of Cancer Research UK. 

"I haven't run for a long time so this is my first proper running in a while. It's good to get back to it," she told us.

"Running is one of those things where it rewards your body really quickly. It's addictive."

Helen seems addicted to hardcore, physically demanding tests. 

In 2009 she became the second woman to ever finish the 78-mile Namibian ultra marathon, in 23 hours and 45 minutes. 

She kayaked the entire length – 2,010 miles – of the River Amazon in 2010.

In 2011, she walked a 150-metre tightrope between chimneys at Battersea Power Station, 66 metres above ground.

One of her biggest achievements, and one she is most proud of, is becoming the first person to reach the South Pole on a bicycle in 2012.

"It was really hard as it’s such a difficult environment. They really wanted me to be on my own for parts of it and I like being around people. 

"I had to keep reminding myself that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Every time I thought, ‘I missed Christmas. It’s minus 50. I’ve been in the same clothes for two months', I had to remind myself that people save up their whole lives to do things like this.

"To get through that was a big deal."

Helen admits she couldn’t keep signing up to do these challenges without the support of her family and her husband, 23-year-old rugby league star Richie Myler.

“My hubby is amazing. Bless him.

“When I was training for the South Pole I had to go out running for hours and hours. He’d come out on a bike for the middle bit just to keep me entertained. 

“That’s the hard thing about training for those sort of events, it takes up so much time. It takes over your life. You’ve got to have a selfless family.”

Not only are the challenges time-consuming but they're exhausting. Why is she so keen to keep doing them?

“When you’ve done one and push yourself past that limit, it gives you a massive inner confidence," said Helen, 30.

“If you push yourself and you get further than you thought you would, it makes you really proud of yourself.”

For her next challenge she’d like to "do something at sea".

“I’d like to do something in a team. I’m always on my own.

"Maybe a sailing thing. I’d like to learn to windsurf. I had a go at kite surfing, that’s hard. I‘d like to master that as it’s quite cool.”

Helen shot into the limelight when she joined Blue Peter in 2008.

After five years of fronting the UK’s most-loved children’s show she decided to leave and focus on other projects and her family.

“It’s the kind of show that takes over your life. I worked with some people who are my best friends in the world. But I got to the point where I had to start putting my family first.

“I never saw my hubby or my mum. I missed out on so many things.

“It was the best time of my life. But it’s one of those things that is your whole life so it’s good to do it for a chunk of time and focus on other stuff.”

Helen says it is "the most fun job in the world" and she does miss it at times, but is now happily working on other shows such as Holiday Hit Squad, BT Sport and Countryfile. 

“I love Countryfile. I was brought up on a farm and a lot of my friends work in farming. When I filmed in Cumbria I basically just went and talked to my dad’s mates."

She admits she’s a “tomboy” and isn’t precious about getting dirty.  

“I’m always filthy. I stayed in a really nice hotel last night and I went to breakfast covered in dust as I’d been down a slate mine.

"My old boss used to call me 'bruise girl' as I was always falling down, getting muddy, getting smacked by branches. Over the years I’ve had a lot of cow pat in my hair.”

When she’s not busy presenting or doing up her house with husband Richie, she can usually be found down the gym.

“I like to mix up my exercises. I never want to get bored and I do it because I enjoy it. Sometimes I go to Zumba, sometimes I try yoga.

"The last few months I’ve been running and concentrating on that. In the run up to Christmas I was doing loads of weight classes.”

Thanks to her blonde hair, pretty face and thirst for excitement, Helen has become a bit of a sex symbol. 

Type her name into Google and the first thing that comes up is "Helen Skelton's bum". Is she proud of her behind?

“No! I’ve got a massive bum. My legs and my bum are bigger than my husband’s and he’s a professional rugby player.

"We joke about it. One of the first things he said to me when we got together was, ‘Wow, you’ve got such strong legs'. For a girl that is not a compliment!”

She thinks it's more important to "stay fit than in shape".

"I think I’m one of those people that, if I let myself, I could get quite obsessed with losing weight and being thin and stuff. I like to stay fit.”

Helen is an ambassador for Karrimor. Karrimor Elite Running App is available via iOS & Android.