Helen Skelton scolded by fans for blunder on new travel show with Dan Walker

HELEN Skelton and Dan Walker’s Pennine Adventure began last night, but fans were quick to scold Helen for making a small blunder. 

The travel show, which sees Helen, 40, and Dan, 46, explore “the backbone of Britain,” aired at 9pm on Channel 5 last night.

In the series, the pair, who have been friends for over a decade, “head off on a road trip into the mountains in our own backyard.”

Viewers will get to watch along as Helen and Dan “throw away the guidebooks” and travel 150 miles through North England from Dan’s home in Sheffield to Helen’s in Cumbria. 

In the first episode, the presenters started their journey at Bamford’s Edge in Derbyshire’s Peak District, before heading onto Yorkshire via the Snake Pass — with a quick stop in a campsite complete with a hot tub and barbecue on the way. 

Along their journey, the pair tried out a lot of new things, including canoeing through a tunnel. But Helen made a bit of a blunder as she was describing this part of their adventure to viewers. 

Helen referenced that the tunnel begins in Diggle, which she stated is in Lancashire. 

But fans were quick to chime in and tell the star that she was wrong. 

“Great program tonight, but just for clarification, Diggle is in Yorkshire, latterly Greater Manchester but never Lancashire,” one fan pointed out.

“Loving the show and great to see you having coffee in Uppermill! Just one thing — you said the Standedge Tunnel went from Diggle in Lancashire. It’s not — it’s in Yorkshire — although technically it’s Greater Manchester since 1974,” a second fan confirmed.

Helen was caught out by an old Government act from the 1970s which redrew the borders of several counties. At this time, parts of Yorkshire were reclassified as Lancashire. Diggle actually falls into the Greater Manchester council, but in accordance with the restructuring, it is still classified as historic Yorkshire. 

Despite the complicated geography lesson, viewers were very impressed with the show. 

And they’re in for a lot more adventures in the pennines as Dan previously teased what he and Helen have been up to behind the scenes. 

According to the former BBC Breakfast star, the filming process was a bit emotional for the pair as they faced some of their biggest fears for the travel show. 

“I hate heights and I don’t really like horses,” Dan revealed.

“But I had to abseil down a 100-metre cave and go on the back of a horse, but I’m now best friends with a horse called Roger and I made it to the bottom of the cave,” he teased.

Dan & Helen’s Pennine Adventure continues Tuesday at 9pm on Channel 5 and is available for catch up on My5.