The AJ Bell Great North Run will once again transform the North East into a festival of running this September, with thousands of participants of all ages taking part. Among the highlights of the weekend will be the AJ Bell Junior & Mini Great North Run on Saturday 6 September (the UK’s biggest children’s running event) which is set to welcome some star power from the BBC’s Gladiators.

Returning to the Quayside to ramp up the excitement will be Sheli McCoy (Sabre) and Alex Gray (Apollo), who took part in last year’s event, joined this time by fellow Gladiators Matty Campbell (Bionic) and Karenjeet Kaur Bains (Athena). The quartet will have the honour of starting the races and cheering on the young participants as they cross the finish line.

“We’re delighted to be returning to the UK’s biggest kids running event,” said the Gladiators in a joint statement. “Inspiring a love for sport and staying active in young people is at the heart of our mission and something we deeply care about. It was a true joy to see so many young runners enjoying themselves last year and we can’t wait to ring that bell again to set runners on their way.”

With more than 12,000 children signed up, the 2025 Junior & Mini Great North Run is set to be the largest yet. Minis aged 3-8 will take on a lively 1.2K route, while Juniors aged 9-16 will tackle an impressive 4K course around Newcastle’s Quayside.

If you'd like to know more, visit the Great Run website. 

Image: Great Run