Helen Skelton and Dan Walker had to face their fears in the upcoming show (Picture: Channel 5)

Dan Walker has opened up about being challenged to confront his biggest fears in an upcoming show with Helen Skelton.

The former BBC Breakfast presenter, 46, has reunited with Helen, 46, for an upcoming Channel 5 travel series about the Pennines.

Ahead of Dan & Helen’s Pennine Adventure, Dan confessed he had been brought to tears as they travelled up the ‘Backbone of Britain.’

Reflecting on the production, the TV personality said: ‘There were a few tears along the way but mostly you have a nice hug, then you crack on.’

Dan revealed the friends, who both appeared on Strictly Come Dancing although in different series, had been challenged to face their fears, explaining his were heights.

He continued: ‘If anything it was more about fear because I hate heights and I don’t really like horses. 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.

Helen said Dan was ‘terrified’ when he abseiled during their trip (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Dan said he teared up over his fear of heights and horses(Picture: PA)

‘As for the emotional side of it, if you’re with somebody for six weeks you go through the full range of emotions – serious, silly and everything in between.’

Helen, who claimed she has never been ‘fearless with anything’, said her motto was to ‘be afraid but do it anyway.’

Recalling Dan’s abseil, she said: ‘Dan was terrified but he did it. Fear is relative. It doesn’t matter whether you’re scared of a spider or abseiling out of a helicopter.

Helen has appeared in a number of TV shows including Strictly 2022 (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘It doesn’t matter what you’re scared of, if you have a go at it anyway I think that’s incredible. Because that’s life, isn’t it?

‘You’ve got to do things that are scary and I think people will get a lot out of seeing Dan out of his comfort zone with the abseiling, although [laughs] there’s a bald patch of grass in North Yorkshire where he tore roots from the ground.’

In Pennine Adventure, Dan and Helen explore the epic mountain range on their doorstep, starting from Dan’s home in Sheffield up to the Countryfile presenter’s home in Cumbria.

Dan also competed in the BBC show the year prior to Helen (Picture: BBC)

 According to the synopsis, the duo will ‘throw away the guidebooks and discover the “real” Pennines, as they ask the people who call the area home, for their suggestions of where to visit.’

It continues: ‘Putting themselves outside their comfort zones they’ll try some adventure sports, learn about the rich history of the places they visit and meet the proud men and women who safeguard this breath-taking landscape.’

As well as her trip, Helen is also reportedly back on the dating scene after splitting from her former husband of nearly 10 years Richie Myler, 33.

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Dan, meanwhile, has been recovering after being involved in a bike crash which he later described as an ‘out-of-body experience.’

Dan & Helen’s Pennine Adventure comes to Channel 5 at 9pm on Tuesday August, 15.

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The pair had to face their fears.