Helen Skelton says she was sick of patronising looks after split
Helen Skelton told The Times she was sick of the patronising looks she received after her 2022 marriage split, when outsiders cast her as a poster girl for wronged women. The BBC presenter has since rebuilt her life in Cumbria, reshuffled her broadcasting roles, and credits Strictly Come Dancing with restoring her confidence. The Countryfile and Morning Live host, 42, now frames success around small daily wins rather than extreme endurance feats.
In the Times interview, Skelton spoke about feeling pigeonholed after her marriage to retired rugby player Richie Myler ended. She grew tired of pitying glances and unsolicited concern, lacking the bandwidth to keep answering the same wellbeing questions.
Key Takeaways
- Skelton told The Times she was weary of patronising looks after being cast as a wronged-woman figure following her 2022 split.
- She quit BBC Radio 5 Live's Sunday show for family reasons, then joined Morning Live on a three-days-a-fortnight schedule.
- Skelton remains grateful for Strictly Come Dancing, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like "being in Disneyland".
- She now defines winning as completing everyday tasks — the food shop, work, childcare, and exercise.
- Back on her parents' Cumbrian dairy farm, she embraces village-style family life a friend likened to "living in 1985".
Why did Helen Skelton leave BBC Radio 5 Live?
Skelton stepped down from her Sunday morning BBC Radio 5 Live slot because the timing clashed with her children's weekend activities. She told The Times that all three pursue different hobbies, most on Sunday mornings, making the role unworkable for that life stage.
She was "kind of amused" by the publicity, noting many parents face the same juggle. "It doesn't matter whether you're a mum, a dad, a grandparent or step-grandparent: there are certain chapters of your life where things are just a little bit too much," she said.
She joined BBC One's Morning Live instead, hosting three days every fortnight while continuing Countryfile and Channel 5 work. For how broadcasters are reshaping schedules, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
How did Strictly Come Dancing reshape her confidence?
Skelton entered Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 after her marriage ended. Speaking to Digital Spy, she said she was "just really grateful to be involved" in what she called a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" that felt "like being in Disneyland".
She praised partner Gorka Márquez as "a world-class dancer" and said "every bit is joyous." Digital Spy also reported that Strictly helped Skelton find confidence on the dance floor during a period when public scrutiny had intensified.
What does Helen Skelton count as success today?
Skelton's career once meant kayaking the Amazon, cycling to the South Pole, and tightrope-walking at Battersea Power Station. Yet the Scottish Daily Express reported on 27 June 2026 that she now measures triumph in smaller steps.
"I feel like I've made a success of the day if I've managed to do everything I need to do," she said. "If I've managed to get the food shop, do my work, get the kids somewhere and do a bit of exercise, I'm winning."
Back in Cumbria, she describes an open-door household where village life helps raise her children. A friend recently found two unfamiliar kids collecting cakes from her pantry — the kind of communal home she prefers, even if a London visitor joked she is "living in 1985".