Ricky Wilson: Kaiser Chiefs frontman tells his tragic ‘marathon story’ whilst presenting Virgin Radio UK

Ricky Wilson tells his tragic London Marathon story whilst presenting Virgin Radio UK. The Kaiser Chiefs frontman, 45, has been hosting the weekday drivetime slot since January this year, and keeps fans entertained with his anecdotes.

Asking co-hosts Sinead Garvan and Vassos Alexander if they know about his “marathon story’”, he then explained: “I dropped out. I fell over and I woke up in an ambulance. Mile 24 of the London Marathon. I woke up in an ambulance with TV news host Sophie Raworth, she was having a suppository.”

His Virgin Radio co-hosts were shocked and thought it must have been a “fever dream”, but Ricky continued: “I found the place I fell over, because it was in a tunnel near the Mermaid Theatre. I went back there five days later and there was a mark on the wall where I’d slumped against it, and then I ran the last two miles so I did a personal best of five days, four hours and 15 minutes.

The Kaiser Chiefs frontman didn’t disclose any more details of his “very personal” meeting with Sophie - who has completed 11 London Marathons - but said the BBC News presenter had emailed him about talking to him for her book.

The London Marathon is an annual event, and the second largest annual road race in the UK, after the Great North Run in Newcastle. This year it was held on Sunday, April 23, and it will return next year (2024) on Sunday, April 21.