WELLBEING
GO THE DISTANCE
Reality TV star turned endurance runner Josh Patterson on his next challenge and using his privilege to help those in need
INTERVIEW: KATE LOCKETT. PHOTOS: JOSHUAPATTERSON_JP. REECE CHAPMAN
With two world records to his name, Joshua “JP” Patterson is not afraid of a challenge. But now he is pushing himself to the very limit in an effort to help others.
The 34-year-old former Made in Chelsea star is aiming to run 76 marathons in 76 UK cities in 76 days in the Run for 1 Million challenge, which aims to raise £1m for the suicide prevention charity Samaritans. “One million pounds will fund over 200,000 lifesaving phone calls,” he says.
Open about his own mental-health struggles, Josh, the father of five-year-old India, his daughter with ex-partner and former costar Binky Felstead, has spoken about how he considered taking his own life and is now on a mission to break the taboos around the issue.
The record-breaker has already run a marathon in all four UK countries within 24 hours and travelled 900 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End in a wheelchair, in support of a disabled friend, in only 19 days. His latest gruelling adventure kicked off in Inverness on 27 February and will finish at the City of Westminster in mid-May.