Radio host's heroic dog rescue attempt takes a twist — he ends up needing help too

An Effort to Save a Pup Goes Sideways

On December 16, around 4 p.m., North noticed a woman standing near Hammersmith Bridge looking distraught. “There’s this woman who seemed really panicked,” North recalled on Capital Breakfast the next day, according to People. “A crowd was forming and everyone was peering over the edge. I took my headphones off and asked, ‘What’s happening?’ Then I saw a dog in the water, clearly in trouble.”

Without hesitation, North climbed over a 6-foot fence and headed for a jetty in hopes of pulling the dog to safety. “I’m down there by myself, using my phone light and calling ‘Come here, boy!’” he described. “But every time I reached for him, the current swept him away,” he recounted to The Daily Mail.

While grappling to save the Labrador, North got himself trapped on a beam. The people above quickly sprang into action, calling the coastguard and using their phone lights to help rescuers locate him.

A Swift Rescue Operation

Within minutes, the RNLI Chiswick crew arrived on the scene. The RNLI later shared a video capturing North and the dog being brought to safety. On his radio show, North gave a heartfelt shout-out to his rescuers: “Huge thanks and love to the RNLI Chiswick who saved me just as I was starting to panic,” People reported.

Reflecting on the moment, North confessed his fear. “I was holding on for dear life, thinking, ‘My legs are going to give out.’ They got there just in time. The true heroes are the RNLI—they wrapped me in a blanket and got me out of there safely.”

Clearing Up Misunderstandings

While many praised North for his courage, some critics accused him of recklessly endangering himself and wasting rescue resources. Responding to the backlash, North clarified on his show: “People think I jumped into the river, but I didn’t. I just climbed over a fence and onto the jetty to help the dog,” he explained to The Daily Mail.

His co-host Chris Stark supported him, saying, “You did a brave thing.” North’s mom, Wendy, however, wasn’t as forgiving. “My mum just said, ‘What were you thinking? You could’ve drowned!’” he shared, according to The Daily Mail.

RNLI’s Safety Message to the Public

Though North’s intentions were noble, the RNLI used the event to issue a crucial safety reminder: Leave water rescues to the professionals. Thames Commander Gavin Simmons told The Daily Mail, “We urge people to call 999 and ask for the coastguard instead of entering dangerous waters themselves.”