BBC Children In Need raises over £39 million as stars unite for annual charity drive

BBC Children In Need has smashed its fundraising target, raking in a whopping £39 million from its annual appeal show.

The star-studded event featured appearances from big names such as Oscar-winner Gary Oldman, pop sensation Girls Aloud, chat show king Graham Norton, pop princess Kylie Minogue and actor Ncuti Gatwa.

Not to mention the cast of Outnumbered, Gladiators, and the professionals. Ella Henderson and Rag’n’Bone Man were among those who provided musical entertainment during the live programme from MediaCityUK in Salford.

At the end of the show, co-host Vernon Kay expressed his gratitude to viewers for their generosity, announcing that a total of £39,210,850 has been raised so far. TV presenter and radio host contributed a staggering £8,856,580 after his Radio 2 ultra endurance cycle challenge, which saw him travel through three nations and eight counties to finish a 300-mile cycle ride.

Meanwhile, the 2024 charity single for Children In Need was played for the first time during the live show, featuring a new version of Girls Aloud track Stand By You (Sarah’s Version) with the late on lead vocals. The song, originally released in 2004 as a Children In Need single and topped the UK chart for two weeks, features Harding’s solo recording, with unseen archive footage used in the video.

The singer tragically passed away in 2021 at the age of 39. The Children In Need show also saw Rag’n’Bone Man perform an acoustic version of his track Put A Little Hurt On Me. Introducing the singer to the stage, presenter Kay told the audience: "He was so keen – this is a true story – he was so keen to be a part of tonight’s Children In Need, he’s left his honeymoon early. What a dude."

Rag’n’Bone Man reportedly tied the knot with Zoe Beardsall in West Sussex over the weekend. The charity extravaganza, hosted by a star-studded lineup including The Saturdays' Rochelle Humes, Paralympian Ade Adepitan, TV favourite Mel Giedroyc, funnyman Chris Ramsey and award-winning young actor Lenny Rush, also gave viewers a tantalising glimpse of the upcoming Doctor Who special.

The preview featured the 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa and Bridgerton's in the holiday episode 'Joy To The World', where they come face-to-face with a Tyrannosaurus rex. Meanwhile, Kylie Minogue, who starred in the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special as Astrid Peth, appeared in a pre-recorded message urging Whovians to "bid for a piece of that history".

Her iconic waitress outfit from 'Voyage Of The Damned' is going under the hammer, along with Jodie Whittaker’s Tardis from the 2022 New Year's special 'Eve Of The Daleks'. The Strictly Come Dancing pros also teamed up with cartoon sensation Bluey for a recorded dance segment on the show, featuring classic moves like the mashed potato, alligator, and the floss.

Among the celebrities who joined in with the dancing from home were comedians Josh Widdicombe, Miranda Hart and Frank Skinner, alongside Bez from Happy Mondays, star Jane McDonald, and Sir Lindsay Hoyle in the House of Commons. Meanwhile, Hollywood star Oldman read a special CBeebies Bedtime Story written specifically for Children In Need, based on a true story.

After eight years, the cast of Outnumbered also reunited in a skit to promote the Children In Need donation number, ahead of its BBC Christmas special. The live show also featured famous faces including JLS star Aston Merrygold, Strictly’s , and Olympian Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill taking a seat on Norton’s famous red chair, as they attempted to make a group of children laugh.

While stars of the BBC’s Gladiators took part in a dance class alongside unexpected new recruits – host’s Ramsey, Rush and Kay. pop star Henderson also sang a duet of her song Brave with a teenager who has been a hospice ambassador after her father’s death. Children In Need funds family centres, community spaces, youth clubs and refuges, homeless shelters, hospices and helplines across the UK.

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