Russ Cook, who calls himself 'Hardest Geezer' on social media, has announced he is set to become a dad as he took to Instagram on Saturday to share that his girlfriend Emily Bell is pregnant with the couple's first child.
Sharing a series of black and white snaps with Emily the pair couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces as they held up their scan pictures and revealed they are expecting a little girl.
Gushing over his partner, Russ shared his hopes of becoming a father as he penned: 'For a long time I’ve hoped that one day I’d get to become a dad.
'I’ve thought about it a lot on those long, lonely days spent on the road.
'During moments where it felt like I couldn’t carry on, and moments where it felt like I might not even survive to carry on.
'What a lot of those moments showed me is that life’s deepest struggles aren’t always overcome. But they can be carried by love.
'Hardest Geezer' Russ Cook is set to become a dad! The star took to Instagram on Saturday to reveal his girlfriend Emily Bell is pregnant with the couple's first child
Sharing a series of black and white snaps with Emily the pair couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces as they held up their scan pictures and revealed they are expecting a little girl
'Often that’s been the love I share with Em, and the love I could already feel for the family I hoped we would build one day.'
He continued: 'Well… that family is almost here.
'And if she’s anything like us, we’re gonna have an absolute handfull but I can’t wait for the greatest adventure we’ll ever take on; becoming parents to our baby girl.
'My promise is to do the absolute best I can. To help you find your courage, support your biggest dreams, and remind you that no matter how far you go in this world, you will always have a place full of love with your mum and me.
'Let’s get this party started, baby girl'.
Back in 2024 Russ accomplished his dream of running the entire length of Africa and Emily was waiting at the finish line to celebrate his triumph.
Russ covered around 10,000 miles and crossed 16 countries from South Africa to Tunisia across 352 days, completing the equivalent of 386 marathons.
As he completed the mammoth challenge, which saw him survive a gunpoint robbery and a kidnapping, he was embraced by his number one fan, his girlfriend Emily, who joined his family in Ras Angela, the country's most northerly point.
Gushing over his partner, Russ shared his hopes of becoming a father as he penned: 'For a long time I’ve hoped that one day I’d get to become a dad'
Back in 2024 Russ accomplished his dream of running the entire length of Africa and Emily was waiting at the finish line to celebrate his triumph
During his feat, Russ praised his publicity-shy partner as 'an absolute diamond', who he 'puts through the emotional wringer daily'.
Taking to his account on X, formerly Twitter, in November 2023, he wrote: 'Tell you what’s harder than running the entire length of Africa. Being the girlfriend of the bloke running the entire length of Africa.
'My girl is an absolute diamond. Put her through the emotional wringer daily. Deserves the world and everything in it.
'Can’t wait to share a strawberry daiquiri with her on a Tunisian beach and tell her how beautiful she is. Would be in a mental asylum somewhere in Congo without her.'
He also admitted how tough it had been to be without his supportive girlfriend for a 'long time'.
It is not known how Russ and Emily met. Emily already has a son who she welcomed back in 2020.
