Charity Cycling Oxford | Cycle4Sobell

Kevin Whately & John Thaw on the set of "Morse" in Oxford

Yet another unexpected coup for the cycle4sobell team: the actor Kevin Whately is the latest in a growing list of celebrities to rally behind our charity bike ride from Oxford to Paris in aid of the Sobell House Hospice.

Kevin is closley associated with Oxford through his role in the TV detective drama “Morse”, in which he played John Thaw’s long suffering deputy Lewis. More recently, he has been appearing on our screens in the TV series “Lewis” – stepping out of the shadow of Morse and doggedly rounding up the murderous villains of Oxford.

He’s been filming in Oxford for over 20 years now and though avoiding collisions with errant cyclists is no doubt an inherent danger of filming in the City, when we contacted him to ask for his support, his response was immediate:

“Having spent so much of my professional life in Oxford I know it is a city with a strong association with cycling, so it is great to offer my support to the cycle4sobell team and wish them all the very best of luck (and weather) as they set out on their 250 mile ride to Paris!”

A familiar face from his first appearances in “Auf Wiedersehen, Pet” in the 1980’s, Kevin will be on our TV screens later this year, reprising his role of “Lewis” in a new series of the crime drama. He also commented on the work of Sobell House Hospice:

“The team is raising money for a very deserving Oxford institution and the fantastic donations their ride has generated already will help to make a real difference for so many people, helping to ensure that the dedicated staff of Sobell House Hospice continue to offer valuable support and care for its patients and their families. So please try to help them reach their new target of £15,000 – they are so nearly there and every little bit helps. Thank you.”

And thank you, Kevin. Your support is greatly appreciated.