'An honour' - Great North Run announcement as Newcastle United hero named official starter
Great North Run 2026: Newcastle United captain Dan Burn will be the official starter for this year’s half-marathon.
Newcastle United captain Dan Burn has been confirmed as the official starter for the 2026 AJ Bell Great North Run.
The Blyth-born England and Newcastle defender joins a long list of ‘local heroes’ who have performed the starting duties at the world’s most famous half marathon event since it started in 1981. The likes of Sting, Ant and Dec, Sir Bobby Robson, Alan Shearer, Mark Knopfler, Jill Scott and Steph Houghton are among the other local stars to have been named as official starters in the past.
Burn also continues the recent trend of Newcastle United-linked official starters after Jacob Murphy and Nick Pope performed the duties last year. In 2023, former Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was the official starter.
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While Burn is currently out injured for Newcastle, he has been a key player at the club in recent seasons, scoring in the 2-1 Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool last year. He also played a key role in England’s third-place finish at the World Cup with strong substitute displays against Mexico and Norway at the tournament.
Now he will be responsible for setting an estimated 63,000 runners on their way to mark the biggest Great North Run in the event’s 45-year history.
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Sir Brendan Foster: “A fitting tribute”
Sir Brendan Foster, Founder of the Great North Run and President of The Great Run Company, said: “This year for us is huge in so many ways – it’s our 45th anniversary and the biggest ever Great North Run with 63,000 runners taking on the famous course from city to sea.
“We needed someone big for this big moment, so we made a big signing… Big Dan Burn!
“The Great North Run is about regional pride, ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and a shared love and passion for the region. Dan epitomises all of this. Since the first event, we’ve seen countless special moments. Kevin Keegan, as England Captain, was our first celebrity runner back in 1981, running the course in a split shirt representing both Newcastle United and Sunderland FC.
“It seemed also a fitting tribute to Kevin by inviting Newcastle United, and Dan as current captain, to start the race this year as we remember Kevin’s impact on the game across the region.”
Dan Burn honoured after being named Great North Run official starter
Following the announcement, Burn said: “It's an honour to be starting the Great North Run on the milestone 45th occasion. I’m so excited to see all 63,000 of you on Sunday. I’d like to wish everyone running all the best of luck!”
The 2026 Great North Run will be broadcast live on BBC One in the UK and to over 170 countries worldwide.
The event will feature some of the world’s leading athletes competing at the front in the elite Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair athlete races, before 63,000 runners take on the 13.1 mile course, spurred on by over 200,000 spectators lining the streets in support as the region comes together.
Ahead of the running action this weekend, tens of thousands of people have already entered the September Ballot for the 2027 AJ Bell Great North Run. For your chance to be on the famous start line - sign up now at greatrun.org/north.