Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton broke down in tears on Friday as she revealed a touching tattoo tribute to her late twin brother Alex during the Stand Up To Cancer telethon. The 43-year-old appeared on the Don't Look Down special, where she joined other contestants and host Paddy McGuinness to discuss the challenges they had to overcome.
Wearing a black dress with a low square neckline, Pendleton displayed a delicate anatomical heart tattoo in the centre of her chest, with Alex's name written across a banner. The tattoo is placed near her heart as a permanent tribute. Co-host Davina McCall comforted her with a hug during the emotional moment.
Pendleton's twin brother Alex passed away in June at the age of 42 after battling an aggressive brain tumour. He had been diagnosed with leukaemia as a child and, after more than three decades in remission, the cancer returned. In a previous Instagram post, Pendleton described him as her 'kind, brave twinnie' and said he would be 'painfully missed by many'.
Speaking about her decision to take part in Don't Look Down, Pendleton told The Mirror: 'I needed to do something, get back into the swing of things and it was the perfect opportunity coming around at the perfect time.' She added that she felt fortunate to have been asked, despite initially thinking organisers might not consider her so soon after her loss.
Pendleton previously revealed that Alex's battle with cancer inspired her to take part in the gruelling reality show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2019. She recalled how he was diagnosed at age four after a rose thorn caused blood poisoning, leading to leukaemia, and expressed gratitude for the medical care that saved his life.
