Dean Andrews bike ride

EMMERDALE actor Dean Andrews got on his bike alongside his agent to ride all the way London.
Dean Andrews and his teamDean Andrews and his team
Dean Andrews and his team
 

Rotherham-born Dean and three of the country’s leading entertainment agents embarked on the two-day, 158-mile charity ride from Sheffield — finishing in the capital on the day of the Euro2020 final.

“It was a great incentive to keep pedalling as we didn’t want to miss kick off,” said agent Simon Quarmby, who has represented Dean for ten years.

Three friends also made up the seven-man team — two of which had tickets to the match at Wembley and set off early from the 100-mile half-way point in Northampton.

Simon (55) said crossing the finish line had been “euphoric” moment.

“The elevation had been the biggest problem for me,” said Simon.

“There had been 4,000ft of elevation.”

Ashes to Ashes star Dean is a keen rider, said Simon, and has taken on several coast to coast challenges in the past.

“Dean got me into cycling,” added Simon. “This is the first time I’ve done two big rides on consecutive days.”

The ride brought in thousands for The Entertainment Agents’ Association Benevolent Fund, Rotherham Hospice and Cancer Research UK. 

 

Simon, of SQP Live in Rotherham, and fellow riders Paul Winteridge from Vern Allen Group in Exeter and Peter Chittenden from Live Business in Watford, are also council members of The Entertainment Agents' Association (TEAA). 

The TEAA promotes and protects the work of its member agents, lobbies government, communicates up-to-date legislation and its members commit to working to a strict code of conduct that is fair to all parties. 

They had been due to cross the finish line at The Entertainment Agents’ Association headquarters in Pimlico, London, but due to the England match, changed their route to finish in Stanmore, North London. 

Simon, former association president, said: “It has been a particularly tough time for everyone in the entertainment industry throughout the pandemic, but we wanted to come together and do something positive.”

Dean, who is currently starring in Emmerdale and is the voice of Screwfix, could be reprising his role in the classic cop show which made him famous.

“It’s no secret the writers of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes are putting another script together and want to get the team back together,” said Simon.

“Everybody involved, including Dean, John Simm and Keeley Hawes, are keen to do it, it’s just in the early stages.”

There’s still time to donate to the charity ride appeal at https://bit.ly/3zeNamL.

Pic: Front to back: Simon Quarmby, agent Paul Winteridge, actor Dean Andrews, and friend Paul Pointer, of Braithwell, at the finish line.

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