Traitors star completes 750-mile Scotland to Wales trek

Traitors star Andrew Jenkins has said he hopes he has inspired those struggling with mental health as he completed a 750-mile walk from Scotland to Wales.

The insurance broker turned reality TV contestant from Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf, spent 42 days walking an average of eight hours a day.

After sustaining a severe brain injury in a near fatal car crash in 1999, and being told he may never walk or talk again, Andrew said he physically recovered but suffered with his mental health for "more than 20 years".

In September, he set off on the 1,200km (746 mile) hike from Ardross Castle in Scotland, where The Traitors was filmed, to Cardiff Castle where he arrived on Sunday.

"My message to people out there, if you're struggling, don't give up, keep believing in yourself, the better days will come," he said after crossing the finish line.

Throughout his walk he was raising awareness and funds for Headway, a charity which supports people with brain injuries.

"I was a big, strong, rugby boy, gym goer... I assumed [my injury] made me weak," he said.

"Obviously it doesn't... I didn't talk to anybody for over 20 years. I only spoke to my family about the accident for the first time last year.

"People that are struggling, they don't want to talk, and they bottle things up and that's the worst you can do - I wish I'd open up a lot sooner.

"Suicide rates are actually ridiculous at the moment, especially in men. I just want to help do my little bit out there for people and try and reduce them."

During his walk, Andrew said he would start at about 07:00 GMT and walk for up to eight hours, passing through Scotland, England as well as visiting Northern Ireland on the journey to Wales.

The final leg of Andrew's walk took him through Knighton, Gladestry, Talgarth, Brynmawr, Cwmbran and Caerphilly Castle before he finished at Cardiff Castle.

While mentally he said there were several "dark days" during the trek, at the finish line he said he felt remarkably fine.

"I feel like a bit of fraud to be honest," he joked.

"I feel okay. I feel fine. I think people would expect me at the finish line to be crawling covered in blood and sweat.

"I think your body just gets conditioned physically after the first couple of weeks of walking through the mountains in Scotland."

At the finish line, Andrew was surprised by Professor Hamish Laing, the surgeon that saved his life 25 years ago.

"I started crying, I wasn't expecting him," said Andrew, who first met Prof Laing 18 months ago.

"It's crazy, it's not very often you get a chance to meet the man who saved your life.

"Whenever I see him, it's like I go into my childlike mode. I just go all shy and nervous."

He said it was Prof Laing who described him as a "miracle patient" who "basically should be dead" when they last met.

"I've just got so much admiration and respect for this man," added Andrew.

Andrew was a finalist on the second season of The Traitors, narrowly missing out on a chance at the £100,000 cash prize.

The 46-year-old has since given several talks about mental health, including to sports and community groups along his trek route.

Jen Murgatroyd, Headway's director of fundraising, said the charity was "immensely grateful" to Andrew.

She said the money would go towards helping family members be at the bedside of their loved ones in critical care, as well as a nurse-led helpline offering information and support to brain injury survivors.

As for Andrew, despite his gruelling 42-day journey, he was in no rush to put his feet up and call it a day.

"If I kept walking for 20 more days... I could get a Lands End," he said.

"I was thinking I should get to the finish line and say to people, like Forrest Gump, 'I'm going to keep on walking'.

"How great would it be to say to people I walked the full length of the UK from the top of Scotland to Lands End via Northern Ireland and Wales.

"My partner gave me daggers at that point," he joked, "so I'm just going to rest and take it all in."