Aisha Tukur
Traitors star Andrew Jenkins says he hopes he has shown “there’s always a way forward” amid hard times as he nears the end of a 42-day charity trek.
The insurance broker turned reality TV contestant from Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf, sustained a severe brain injury in a near fatal car crash in 1999 and was told he may never walk or talk again.
He was later described as a “miracle patient”, surviving the ordeal but subsequently going through mental health struggles.
In September, he set off on a 1,200km (746 mile) hike from Ardross Castle in Scotland, where The Traitors was filmed, to Cardiff Castle where he is scheduled to arrive on Sunday.
He is raising awareness and funds for Headway, a charity which supports people with brain injuries.
He said the challenge was “for everyone out there who has been told they can’t do something, who think they can’t achieve anything, and who have lost their self-belief”.
“I want to show them that even though life can feel impossibly hard at times, there’s always a way forward – literally one step after the next can take you a long way,” he added.
“I’m from that generation where you don’t talk about your feelings and emotions, so I didn’t talk about my struggles for years. And I really struggled for a long time.”
Andrew said being told he “should’ve died” given the extent of his injuries from the crash made him reflect on his life and what he wanted.
“I really worked on myself, did a lot of reading and studying. I had a chip on my shoulder, I was pretty resentful, but I slowly started to change that.”
The final leg of Andrew’s walk takes him through Wales, with stops at Knighton, Gladestry, Talgarth, Brynmawr, Cwmbran and Caerphilly Castle before finishing at Cardiff Castle.
He previously walked through Scotland and northern England, as well as visiting Northern Ireland along the way.
“It’s been really good, physically and emotionally challenging but I’ve really enjoyed it. The scenery has been breathtaking,” he said.
“I am so enjoying seeing all these great places along the route, and meeting some lovely people along the way.”
He continued: “The first couple of weeks, we didn’t see anybody because I was in the middle of mountains and forests in Scotland.
“When I came back into Wales it started raining, but apart from that it’s been nice walking weather – not too hot, not too cold.
“I’ve crossed over into England a few times, we’ve really been hugging the border, and I walked for a while through Shropshire and Hereford, but I’m back in Wales now – they won’t get rid of me.”
Speaking to Radio Wales Breakfast from Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, on Friday, he said he had enjoyed the adventure but was excited to reach Cardiff and take a trip to the Principality Stadium to watch Wales play Fiji in rugby’s Autumn internationals.
“I might even take my boots with me and ask Warren [Gatland] if I can have a game,” he said.
Andrew was a finalist on the second season of The Traitors, narrowly missing out on a chance at the £100,000 cash prize.
The 46-year-old has since given several talks about mental health, including to sports and community groups along his trek route.
Jen Murgatroyd, Headway’s director of fundraising, said the charity was “immensely grateful” to Andrew and the money would go towards helping family members be at the bedside of their loved ones in critical care, as well as a nurse-led helpline offering information and support to brain injury survivors.
