This year’s Children in Need appeal has raised more than £39m to help disadvantaged young people across the UK – with the total figure likely to rise further.
It includes £8.8m raised by the presenter Paddy McGuinness on his five day cycling challenge from Wales to Scotland, on a children’s Chopper bike.
The annual live televised show took place on BBC One on Friday night, with the stars of Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, Outnumbered and Doctor Who coming together to help raise funds.
The celebrities in the three-hour show included Graham Norton, Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue and Gary Oldman.
‘It’s an honour’: Paddy McGuinness completes charity bike ride
BBC Radio 2 presenter McGuinness appeared in the studio in Salford, fresh from completing his epic cycle ride which ended in Glasgow earlier in the day.
The former Top Gear and Question of Sport host, 51, had set off from Wrexham, almost 300 miles away, on Monday.
There were huge cheers from the audience when Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy turned up to reveal McGuinness’s final fundraising total during the main Children In Need TV broadcast.
“I am literally, underneath these clothes, it’s all Sellotape and safety pins,” said McGuinness.
The Bolton-born star has said he was motivated to take on the challenge by the people he had met who benefitted from projects funded by BBC Children in Need.
Co-host Vernon Kay visited a Children In Need-funded project in Bolton
The televised appeal was hosted by Ade Adepitan, Chris Ramsey and Rochelle Humes, alongside Vernon Kay, Mel Giedroyc and Lenny Rush.
Highlights included Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa introducing a preview from the show’s Christmas special.
And the on-screen family from sitcom Outnumbered reunited for a sketch, ahead of their own forthcoming festive special.
Viewers were also treated to a visit from the stars of Gladiators, while there was a special performance from Strictly Come Dancing as the professionals were joined by cartoon character Bluey.
Girls Aloud have released the official Children In Need single as a tribute to Sarah Harding
One poignant moment was the premiere of the video of this year’s Children in Need single – a new version of Girls Aloud’s I’ll Stand By You, with the lead vocal sung entirely by late band member Sarah Harding.
The ballad was originally released as a Children In Need song in 2004 and topped the UK chart for two weeks.
The new version uses Harding’s rediscovered solo recording, with unseen archive footage used in the video. Harding died in 2021 at the age of 39.
Also on Friday, there was a performance by singer Ella Henderson, while pop star Kylie recorded a special message.
Gary Oldman said he hopes his bedtime story “brings warmth and encouragement and hope to children and families watching”
Oscar-winning actor Oldman also recorded a special CBeebies bedtime story for the show.
Children In Need is the BBC’s charity for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.
Last year’s national on the night total was £33.5 million and the overall fundraising total for the 2023 Appeal was £48.8million.
Overall, Children in Need has raised more than £1 billion for charities and projects since its first major appeal in 1980.
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