BY JACK WATSON
The Hull Boy–whose real name is Marcus Skeet–is an English influencer, content creator, and endurance runner from Malton who has risen to prominence over the past couple of years. He began as a Hull City match vlogger before rapidly growing into a national star. A powerful advocate for mental health awareness, Marcus has raised nearly £250,000 for the mental health charity Mind, including £130,000 during his extraordinary achievement of becoming the youngest person ever to run the entire length of the UK–at just 17 years old. His story is remarkable. Not only has he made his hometown immensely proud, but he has inspired the entire country. His support continues to grow daily, and he is fast becoming a household name. He also deservedly won the Pride of Britain Special Recognition award for his pioneering work.
Marcus’s journey is rooted in profound personal challenge. In his early teenage years, his father was tragically diagnosed with early onset dementia. As a result, Marcus and his mother became carers. This life-changing news had a profound impact on him. Already living with diabetes, anxiety, depression, and OCD, Marcus found himself in an incredibly dark place. At one point, he tried to take his own life; thankfully, something within him stopped him. That moment became a turning point. He committed himself to raising awareness around mental health and encouraging people to speak openly about their struggles.
This mission deepened after also losing a close friend to suicide. Marcus decided to raise money for Mind. In 2024, he challenged himself to run a mile a day for a month. This initiative quickly gained national media attention, with many content creators offering their support. Most notably, Russ Cook—better known as The Hardest Geezer, who ran the length of Africa–joined Marcus for the final mile of the challenge. Along the way, Marcus was also accompanied by fellow content creators, actors, and other public figures.
From that initial success, Marcus amplified his efforts. He continued his philanthropic work by increasing the challenge to running 5km every day for a month, before later completing his first marathon. During this time, he received a generous £5,000 donation from NFL star J.J. Watt. Media interest grew rapidly, and Marcus began receiving support from major brands, including Apple and Gymshark.
Yet his most awe-inspiring challenge was yet to come. With only his friend Harry, a camera, and a support car, Marcus embarked on a 58-day, 874-mile journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats to become the youngest person ever to run the length of the UK. Despite countless setbacks—including injuries, mental struggles, a car crash, and the loss of a sponsor—his determination never wavered. He filmed the entire journey and later created a documentary to share his story with the world.
Marcus has been a great friend of mine throughout his journey, as we originally met through travelling to Hull City matches. It was an absolute privilege when he invited me to join him for one of the 5km runs. I always knew his ambition was limitless, but I could never have imagined the scale of what he would achieve.
My brother, my grandfather (a contributor to these pages), and I were invited to attend the documentary premiere in Malton, North Yorkshire before it is released on YouTube. The venue was packed with friends, family, and supporters, highlighting just how admired Marcus truly is. The documentary, which ran for just under two hours, not only followed the run itself but also explored his inspirational journey from the very beginning. It was uplifting, humorous, and full of warmth, while also being deeply emotional as Marcus opened up about his struggles and his father’s condition.
The story is both heartbreaking and powerful. It serves as a reminder that no matter what life throws at you, life is always worth living—and that if you are struggling, reaching out can make all the difference. Marcus openly shares that he is still on his journey, but that he is now in a far better place than he was in his early teenage years.
Marcus Skeet is caring, humorous, and genuinely kind. He possesses one of the most compassionate souls, and the work he is doing to tackle one of society’s greatest afflictions is truly inspiring. We need more people like him in the world. I strongly encourage you to watch his documentary ‘I Became The Youngest Person Ever To Run The Length Of The UK’ when it is released on Thursday 5th February at 8pm—his story deserves to be shared.
Jack Watson is a 17 year-old student in Year 12. You can read his Substack about following Hull City FC here. Follow him on X here.