Tommy Fury, Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez among famous faces taking on AJ Bell Great Manchester Run

Boxer and reality star Tommy Fury is lacing up his trainers with brother Roman to take on the Half Marathon distance

Actress and Presenter Gemma Atkinson joins the event again this year running for Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, and will be joined by her partner Strictly’s Gorka Marquez.

Heading from the cobbles are Corrie stars Harriet Bibby, Elle Mulvaney and new comer Jason Callender.

And from the Yorkshire village of Emmerdale are stars Isabel Hodgins, and Danny Miller. Danny will also be joined by his good friend and Co-Founder of their charity Once Upon a Smile, Daniel Jillings.

Music and Manchester legend Peter Hook, who with his family are fundraising for The Christie.

Biggest Great Manchester Run in decade

This year’s Great Manchester Run will be biggest in a decade with over 35,000 participants competing in the 10K and half marathon distance on the Sunday.

This will follow over 1500 young runners taking on the Junior & Mini event on Saturday 17 October in Sportcity. The Junior & Mini runs will take place as a standalone Saturday event and will be started by stars of the TV Show Gladiators, giving the stars of the future their own chance to take centre stage on “SUPER SATURDAY”.

Running for Greatness

Everyone competing in the Great Manchester Run has their own personal reason for taking part, here’s just two inspiring stories.

Emelone Ijeoma, aka ‘Flo’, is an inspiring individual who is on an unwavering mission to encourage both her colleagues and the wider community to experience the joy of taking part in the NHS Blue Wave this year.

After experiencing the Great Manchester Run as a volunteer back in 2018, Flo was immediately captivated by the electric energy she experienced on the day. When a diabetes diagnosis fast tracked her focus on her own health, she took up jogging and walking, joining the run herself soon after was a natural progression. Encouraging colleagues and friends to sign up, fundraise and feel the joy of running together she says to anyone considering this year’s Great Manchester Run ‘Let’s come out, have fun and do our bit!”

James Paton, 27, has suffered from alopecia since the age of 11. James has had to overcome self-esteem and confidence struggles whilst adjusting to his condition, often hiding behind wigs until a liberating turn of events in May last year. After 11 years of wearing a wig James removed it and found strength in the vulnerability of exposing his head. Since then, James has channeled his energy into raising awareness of the condition and inspiring confidence saying, ‘action builds confidence and inaction builds fear.’

In a bid to raise awareness and funds for Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides real hair wigs, completely free of charge, to children and young people who have lost their hair due to cancer , James has renamed his participation this year as the ‘Great Bald Run’ which will see him joined by over 50 people running together wearing bald caps with some taking it a step further and shaving their heads, all in support of alopecia awareness. James explains the mission ‘It’s a bold statement that beauty isn’t defined by hair. We aim to show the world that being bald is beautiful.’

Be part of the action

Over 35,000 runners will take part in the 10K and Half Marathon, more than 100,000 spectators will line the streets to support, and millions more will watch the action live on the BBC from 11am to 1pm.

Places for the 10K, Half Marathon and Junior & Mini kids events are expected to sell out in advance once again, so act fast to secure your spot on the start line. Find out more and enter click here.