Behind the triumphant headlines of Sara Cox’s record-breaking charity challenge, a far more painful story was unfolding — one that the beloved BBC Radio 2 host has only now begun to share with the world.
Just weeks after raising over £11.5 million for Children in Need, Sara, 50, made a final, private journey to a London hospital to say goodbye to the person who had shaped decades of her life: her closest friend, Peta Kennedy.
Peta passed away at just 50 years old, following a sudden and mysterious illness. For Sara, the loss has been nothing short of devastating.
A Silent Battle in Intensive Care
A Silent Battle in Intensive CarePeta was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington on November 18, after her health rapidly declined. Within days, doctors were relying on machines to keep her breathing.
Her father, Wally Kennedy, shared raw updates online during her final weeks — speaking of hope, fear, and the desperate wish for a miracle that never came.
Throughout it all, Sara was there.
Her final visit to Peta took place quietly, without cameras or headlines. It was a goodbye between two lifelong friends — raw, private, and permanent.
Memories That Now Carry a Different Weight
Memories That Now Carry a Different WeightAfter Peta’s passing on December 5, Sara broke her silence in the only way she could — through memory.
She shared a series of deeply personal photos:
• Laughing together in spa robes
• Dancing at parties
• Sitting surrounded by empty glasses after long nights of conversation
• Smiling on red carpets in brighter, simpler days
Alongside the images, Sara wrote only one line:
“You will always be in my heart.”
No statement. No interview. Just heartbreak.
A Family Marked by Loss
A Family Marked by LossPeta leaves behind her partner Anthony and her daughter, as well as parents who have already endured unbearable grief. Nearly 12 years ago, the family lost Peta’s brother Richard, who died suddenly at 36.
Friends now describe Peta as a “force of nature” — joyful, strong, unforgettable.
One tribute read:
“She fought hard. We believed she’d win this battle too. We’ll never forget her.”
A Triumph Shadowed by Tragedy
A Triumph Shadowed by TragedyOnly days before Peta’s death, Sara completed her extraordinary 135-mile ultra-marathon across four counties, raising a staggering £11.5 million for children in need.
When she returned to Radio 2, she thanked the nation through tears — unaware that a far more personal goodbye was still waiting for her.
Among those who later praised her were Prince William and Stormzy, recognizing not just her endurance, but her compassion.
When Public Strength Meets Private Grief
When Public Strength Meets Private GriefTo the public, Sara Cox is strength, warmth, laughter, and resilience.
But behind the microphone and marathon medals is a woman now carrying the quiet weight of loss — mourning someone who walked beside her through life’s most meaningful chapters.
Some friendships shape who we are.
And some endings leave a silence that never truly fades.