Tommy Fury filmed shoving runner at Great North Run as victim's mother calls him 'our real hero'

A video from the Great North Run on Sunday shows reality star and professional boxer Tommy Fury appearing to shove plumber and charity runner Diarmaid Warner as Fury dashed past on the final bend toward the finish line, sparking social media backlash and comments from the runner’s family and the charity he was supporting.

Warner, 38, from Dumbarton, Scotland, was running to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy UK when footage circulated online showing Fury, 26, weaving through other competitors and making contact with Warner in the closing metres. Warner told a tabloid he felt a hand on his shoulder and was pushed to one side as he negotiated the last corner.

Warner’s mother Elaine posted on social media after the race, calling her son "the real hero" and noting he finished the half-marathon 12 minutes ahead of Fury. Muscular Dystrophy UK also commented on the incident, saying: "Barged by Tommy Fury but not defeated." Organisers of the Great North Run did not immediately issue a statement and Fury has not publicly commented on the footage.

Video clips show Fury moving rapidly through a pack of runners before the apparent contact on the last bend. Warner said the contact occurred as he took the right-hand turn that leads into the final straight and described feeling upset by what he considered poor race etiquette. He later told reporters he recognised the man who pushed past him and relayed the encounter to his wife.

Warner, a father of two and a plumber by trade, told one newspaper he was running for charity and later issued a light-hearted challenge to Fury for a running race, distancing the incident from Fury’s boxing career. The encounter comes months after another video of Fury’s finish at a 10K went viral when he appeared to nearly collide with another runner, and follows controversy in August over Fury’s participation in a 100km triathlon in the French Riviera, where race tracking data suggested he had not completed the cycling stage; organisers later said road closures had affected the figures.

The Great North Run, which runs from Newcastle to South Shields, routinely attracts elite and recreational runners alongside celebrities who take part to raise money for charities. Incidents of physical contact in crowded finishes occasionally draw scrutiny, and race directors typically emphasise maintaining space and observing standard race etiquette in congested conditions.

Warner’s supporters on social media praised his composure under pressure. Fury has been known for strong sprint finishes in road races, and the latest footage has reignited debate online about conduct among high-profile entrants in mass-participation events. As of Tuesday afternoon there was no formal complaint recorded by race officials and no public response from Fury or his representatives.

The Great North Run organiser or Muscular Dystrophy UK have not indicated whether they will pursue further action; Warner’s family framed the episode as a moment of pride for his fundraising effort and his finishing position relative to the celebrity runner.