Helen Skelton has left her fans ‘gutted’ after she waved goodbye to a popular TV presenting role.
The Countryfile presenter, 40, has hosted Channel 4’s Super League Rugby since 2022 but is bidding farewell to the project after two years.
She posted an emotional montage of her time on screen to her Instagram feed after the behind-the-scenes final aired over the weekend.
Helen’s experience on the show was helped by years of watching her ex-husband Richie Myler playing rugby.
She wrote on Instagram: ‘What a two years!!!! THANK YOUUU for giving us so much freedom and access.
Sad: Helen Skelton has left her fans ‘gutted’ after she waved goodbye to a popular TV presenting role
Moving on: Helen celebrated a wonderful two years hosting Channel 4’s Super League Rugby
‘We have loved bringing Superleague live games to terrestrial telly. So much love and respect to @joeygardiner_ for steering the ship and crafting something special.
‘If you’re a sports fan I hope you will enjoy it, and if you’ve been around pro sport you will understand some of the special hugs shared in this reel with people who have become family. Sport ..,, it’s wonderfully, irrationally all consuming.’
But despite Helen’s positive attitude, fans were left devastated at her departure.
One wrote: ‘Gutted to see the channel 4 coverage has ended. Breath of fresh air.’
Another added: ‘Absolutely brilliant reel Helen..!!!!…love this….thank you to all involved for the last two years of super league on channel 4…its been brill..!!!…great coverage…analysis…and great banter between you all…!!’
However fans can breathe a sigh of relief after it was revealed Helen is set to take on a new starring role.
The former Blue Peter star is set to debut in Fireman Sam as the new farming character Annie Morris.
Helen, who quit her BBC5 Live gig earlier this year, was captured in high spirits as she posed in front of a green tractor while sporting double denim.
Saying goodbye: Helen posted an emotional montage to Instagram after filming wrapped
The mother-of-three said: ‘I’m thrilled to be a part of the Fireman Sam family and lend my voice to the spirited character of Farmer Annie Morris.
‘This series is packed with adventures and important life lessons for kids, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.’
Featuring 26 episodes, series 15 of Fireman Sam will premiere on Cartoonito from October 21.
Helen is a mother of three and has Ernie, eight, Louis, five, and 19-month-old daughter Elsie with ex Richie.
She announced her split from England and Leeds Rhino rugby star Richie in April last year – and finally broke her silence earlier this month.
While she was left devastated by the break-up she said she wants to keep the sportsman in her life to a certain extent for the sake of her children.
Helen, who shares sons Ernie, eight, Louis, six, and 22-month-old daughter Elsie with Richie, has opened up about her love life in her new autobiography In My Stride, in which she wrote according to The Sun: ‘I was in shock.
‘I know that following break-ups, people often say they didn’t see it coming and it sounds like a cliche, but that was me.’
End of the road: The television presenter announced her split from England and Leeds Rhinos rugby league star Richie in April last year
Career move: Helen has announced that she will return to children’s TV – the former Blue Peter star is set to debut in Fireman Sam as new farming character Annie
Despite her hurt she will ensure Richie is a constant in her life so her children always have a father figure.
And she is refusing to delete pictures of herself and Richie taken during the happy times they shared together which she has posted on social media.
She insists: ‘I want them to know that we loved each other, but things change and that’s OK too.’
Helen was so distraught after her split from Richie that she was unable to tell her parents at first.
She claims she kept it a secret from them for some time as she did not want to ‘inflict’ pain on them.
But when her father noticed her spending a lot of time on her own with her children at her marital home, he surprised her with a visit from Cumbria.
Helen wrote: ‘He immediately stepped in, knowing I needed him, even though I didn’t want to admit it.’
Since his split from Helen, Richie has gone on to have a baby with new girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill, 32, the daughter of Leeds Rhinos president Andrew.
Family: Helen, who shares sons Ernie, eight, Louis, six, and 22-month-old daughter Elsie with Richie, wants the sportsman as a constant in her life so their children have a father figure
Former Strictly Come Dancing star Helen and Richie married in 2013 and moved into their Yorkshire property together seven years later.
Meanwhile, it was recently reported Helen is dating again, one year after her ‘trust was broken’ by Richie.
She is now ‘reluctantly dipping her toe back into the dating pool’, with a source telling 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.’
