Helen Skelton’s decision to quit BBC will ‘open doors and drive her to success’: PR experts say presenter’s ‘girl next door image’ will win her new advertising deals and TV roles – and she could be tempted back to Beeb with ‘lucrative’ pay offer
- Helen Skelton announced her departure from her Radio 5 show live on Sunday
- The former Strictly Come Dancing star said she wanted to have more family time
- PR experts say she could get a lucrative pay boost from bosses keen to keep her
Helen Skelton’s move to quit her BBC Radio 5 show could ‘open doors and drive her to success’, with PR experts saying the presenter’s ‘girl next door’ image could win her top advertising and TV roles.
The presenter bid an emotional farewell on her Sunday morning slot as she explained she was leaving the show after just a year as she was struggling to balance work with her family life.
Ms Skelton, 40, has children Ernie, eight, Louis, five, and 19-month-old daughter Elsie with ex-husband Richie Myler, 33, who plays scrum half for rugby league team Leeds Rhinos. She said she wanted to spend more time with her children and that her Sunday show was preventing this.
PR guru Mark Borkowski said Ms Skelton’s career could bloom because of her decision and said she will be buoyed by Hollie Willoughby’s new mega-money deal with ITV – with hope of a similar lucrative offer from the Beeb soon.
Mr Borkowski added the BBC must ‘cling on’ to Helen, who will make big money when she is ready to return to work after a tumultuous two years in her personal life.
And a deal will be in the offing because she is very popular with viewers and listeners alike, who are drawn to her bubbly personality and natural ‘girl next door’ persona, he claimed.
‘With a good team behind her she will be assured of a lucrative future’, Mr Borkowski said. ‘I think with the Holly Willoughby news of her mammoth pay deal, the BBC should cling on to her.’
Helen Skelton has bid farewell to her Sunday slot on BBC Radio 5 Live (she is seen leaving the studio after the announcement)
Ms Skelton said she wanted to spend more of her weekend with her children- Ernie, eight, Louis, five, and 19-month-old daughter Elsie
Ms Skelton, 40, has children Ernie, eight, Louis, five, and 19-month-old daughter Elsie with ex-husband Richie Myler , 33, who plays scrum half for rugby league team Leeds Rhinos. Helen was said to have felt ‘betrayed’ after estranged husband announces new relationship days after their split last year, shortly after she gave birth to their third child.
Mr Borkowski said the BBC will be ‘sympathetic’ to the challenges she faces as a parent – and keen to get her back on TV and radio soon.
READ MORE: Helen Skelton quits her Radio 5 Live show on air after just a year to spend more time with her children… days after BBC bosses pulled the plug on her promoting brands
‘This underlines the pressures of being in the spotlight. It’s truly difficult. Her divorce last year, after nine years of marriage could be taking a toll especially for a working mother. She separated in April 2022, only four months after she gave birth to their third child – that must have been a blow to balance home and work against the backdrop of expectation.
‘Her time in Blue Peter proved she was resilient and up for a challenge presenter. She is a big personality with a proven track record with a girl next door image. I can see bosses being sympatico – therefore with the right format she is a formidable TV personality’.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes leaving the BBC could be very lucrative for Helen, who could win new advertising deals and perhaps a prime spot on Channel 5, where her good friend Dan Walker works.
The former Strictly Come Dancing stars have already joined forces as part of their new glamping series in Channel 5, Dan & Helen’s Pennine Adventure.
Mr Ede told MailOnline: ‘Helen is a very popular presenter and she’s dedicating more time to her family but also we are seeing her pop up on other tv channels. She has a new show with Dan Walker on Channel 5 starting and if it proves popular I am sure she will be making more for the channel.
‘She’s embraced motherhood and as a single parent she’s working smart and committing to a weekly radio show can be a huge commitment with less flexibility than you think. So her move may open more doors for her and drive her success’.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes leaving the BBC could be very lucrative for Helen, who could win new advertising deals and perhaps a prime spot on Channel 5, where her good friend Dan Walker works
Ms Skelton has split from her husband Richie Myler, 33, who plays scrum half for rugby league side Leeds Rhinos
Helen has teamed up with former Strictly Come Dancing star and friend, Dan Walker, as part of their new glamping series in Channel 5, Dan & Helen’s Pennine Adventure (pictured)
The BBC said it ‘respected’ Ms Skelton’s decision to leave Radio 5 Live and called her an ‘excellent host’ – as bosses promised listeners some ‘exciting news’.
A BBC spokesman told MailOnline her departure ‘has nothing to do with any other issue other than those outlined in her sign off’.
READ MORE: Helen Skelton shows off her sensational figure in a black bikini as she relaxes in a hot-tub while Dan Walker cooks up a meal in new Channel 5 glamping series
They added in an official statement: ‘Helen is an excellent broadcaster who has done a fantastic job hosting Sunday mornings.
‘We respect her decision and look forward to working together with her in the future across 5 Live programming.
‘As for what’s next for Sunday mornings, we will update our listeners with some exciting news in due course.’
Ms Skelton first shot to fame after hosting Blue Peter between 2008 and 2013.
She married Mr Myler in 2013 and they had three children together. They lived for a time in Perpignan, France, before their separation, and Skelton has now returned to her childhood roots in Cumbria.
Ms Skelton announced her split from Mr Myler – who also plays rugby league for Ireland – in April last year.
Speaking to The Telegraph last year while competing on Strictly Come Dancing with Gorka Marquez, her dance partner, she said of the change following her separation: ‘You know how they say it takes a village? Well, I am literally in my childhood Cumbrian village with all my school friends, and so everyone just kind of mucks in together.’
She added: ‘I think you don’t realise who your mates are and how much family you’ve got – and I didn’t. It’s little things like, my kids have ended up going to a school with one of my friend’s kids, and we all help each other out.’
Ms Skelton announced her split from Mr Myler – who also plays rugby league for Ireland – in April last year. The former couple are pictured together at the British Academy Children’s Awards in London in November 2012
Ms Skelton was in good spirits as she left the radio studios on Sunday, carrying gifts from her colleagues
During her dramatic departure on Sunday, her voice broke as she told co-presenter Lloyd Griffith the reason for her moving on.
She said: ‘I am not all right about it but needs must. The juggle is real.’
The TV and radio star said she wanted to be able to watch her children at their weekend sports fixtures, telling listeners ‘there is an eight-year-old with a sideline who needs me’.
As her show came to an end, Ms Skelton said she had ‘loved every minute of the last year’.
She continued: ‘Thank you to all the team and thank you to all of you. It’s hard to know what to say without getting emotional.’
Ms Skelton took over from Laura Whitmore on the 5 Live show last August.
Last week, it was reported Ms Skelton had been spoken to by network bosses after plugging brands during her time on BBC1 show Morning Live.
Ms Skelton recently came under fire from BBC bosses after plugging brands during her time working on TV show Morning Live. A BBC spokesman told MailOnline that her departure ‘has nothing to do with any other issue other than those outlined in her sign off’
The broadcaster had gone against the corporation’s strict guidelines by tagging the brands of clothing, jewellery and cake makers in posts on her Instagram account during her time working for the BBC.
The presenter had plugged brands in her posts including footwear provider Kurt Geiger, luxury womenswear label ME+EM and high-end designer WYSE London.
Regulations state ‘no on-air talent should promote products, goods, services or clothing they use’.
The BBC, which is funded by licence fees, does not allow advertising or product placements on its television or radio outputs, or on its website.
Ms Skelton has since removed the tags and did not receive payment for naming the brands.
A BBC spokesman previously said: ‘Helen pays for the clothes she wears on the show and does not have relationships with the brands tagged. She has now removed brand mentions from social posts linked to the programme.’
It comes as Ms Skelton recently launched herself back into the dating scene.
The television presenter, 39, announced her split from England and Leeds Rhinos rugby league star Richie Myler, 33, in April last year
A source told Closer Magazine: ‘Helen’s family and friends encouraged her to get back out there and she was happy to dip her toe back into the dating scene, but she has had some wobbles and found herself feeling guilty. She’s concerned about who to let into her life and worried about being judged for any decisions she makes.
‘There have also been some people who have made comments about her not trying hard enough to make it work with Richie, and it’s made her think about her marriage and what went wrong.
‘Ultimately, she knows she tried everything she could, and once the trust was broken there was just no going back. But dating again has brought up some unexpected feelings that she’s been struggling with.’
It comes after a source told OK! magazine: ‘After her trust was broken, she’s nowhere near ready for an all-in long-term romance.
‘But she’s not closing herself off to anything anymore. She’s open to new adventures in all respects and is making it her aim to say ”yes” to more things that excite her.’
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