Harry Judd picked up unlikely new hobby during global race with his mum
A stitch in time saved McFly’s Harry Judd when he broke down at the start of a gruelling race through 24 countries with his mum.
The drummer and ex-Strictly winner was in pieces at the first checkpoint in Celebrity Race Across the World, after a zoom call with his wife and kids. But his sewing-fanatic mum Emma calmed Harry by giving him a tapestry to stitch. He became obsessed with the hobby which he jokes is “the new rock’n’roll”.
Harry and Emma were up against racing driver Billy Monger and his sister, Bonny; All Saints singer Melanie Blatt and her mum, Helene; and GMB weatherman Alex Beresford and his dad, Noel. They all gave up their mobiles and credit cards in Marrakesh, Morocco, for a 6,000 mile race to Tromso in Norway.
Harry, 37, felt on edge for most of the first episode and said he was really struggling and exhausted at the first checkpoint in Pinhao, Portugal. The star, who has three kids with violinist wife Izzy, said: “We had a 20-minute zoom call with our families and I just completely broke down. I felt I’d never missed someone so much.
Harry with his family (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Entertainment One)
McFly promo poster (UGC)“I really missed my wife. And I went to Mum’s room and had a bit of a cry. She got this tapestry out that she does through the winter months. And she’d got me one. And I was thinking ‘OK.’” It helped focus Harry’s mind and there followed “three weeks of obsessive stitching.”
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He said: “Mum called it ‘stitch and bitch’. It was really therapeutic so that is my one piece of advice [for anyone thinking of applying]. Get some tapestry – it’s the new rock’n’roll.” Crafting helped Harry cope as they often spent more than 10 hours on bus, train or ferry trips. Mother and son reconnected in the month-long TV competition. Emma admitted Harry’s sudden decision to leave home and join McFly at just 17, felt like “a bereavement”.
Harry said: “I didn’t consider the impact that may have on Mum. It was just an exciting time for me. But now, having children myself, I can kind of relate to what Mum went through then.” Harry said they saw incredible sights but chatting to Emma on long train journeys was one of the things he enjoyed most. “We would talk about everything. I learned so much about her life and childhood and that was probably the most special thing for me.”
Emma said it had been a life-changing experience and now she will be going on a bus from London to South of France and will be off to India. She said: “It’s a great big world out there, stop fussing over silly things. It’s been a real opportunity and the best bit was being with Harry. ”
Mel, 48, said the series really helped her confidence. She said: “Because of the show I’ll be able to handle things better than I did before, for sure.” Alex, 42, who married a few weeks before filming began, said: “This is the hardest show on TV. It takes a lot of out you but you get a lot out of it.”
* Celebrity Race Across the World, BBC1, 9pm, Wednesday, September 13.
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