Teens tackle TV tasks after charity’s support

THE One Show will host a new fundraising challenge for BBC Children In Need as five young people complete surprise tasks for projects that are in need of a little extra assistance.

The Surprise Squad will be made up of five people who have been supported by Children In Need and now want to help others.

Joined by show presenters Alex Jones, Ronan Keating and Jermaine Jenas, they will head to locations around the country to complete surprise challenges for BBC Children in Need-funded projects, such as creating a secret garden for a children’s hospice or organising a community fundraising event.

The surprises will each be completed within a day and will be documented on The One Show during BBC Children in Need Appeal Week.

The new challenge was announced as Jones returned to the show after welcoming her third child in August.

She said: “I’m excited to be back on the green sofa and to be joining the Surprise Squad as they deliver these really special challenges for BBC Children In Need-funded projects across the country. “I can’t wait for the audience to see what the squad get up to, and I hope that they’re inspired by their incredible stories.”

Among the group will be Nathan, 17, from Swansea, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was 13.

He has been supported by Teenage Cancer Trust, which receives funding from Children In Need to deliver the Find Your Sense of Tumour weekend to help young people rebuild their lives after cancer.

Also included is Ore, 19, from Barry, who is a young carer who helps look after her 14-year-old sister Ire who has sickle cell disorder.

Joseph, 19, from Liverpool, who has cerebral palsy, has been attending the Children In Need-funded project Stick ‘n’ Step since he was two.

Roisin, 16, from Derry in Northern Ireland, had a stroke when she was 14 which caused life-changing disabilities and she had to relearn how to walk, talk and eat.

She was supported by Brain Injury Matters, which delivers a youth empowerment project with funding from Children In Need.

Also making up the Surprise Squad will be Dylan, 18, from Glasgow, who has autism and who developed a rare condition called MDP Syndrome when he was 18 months old, finally receiving a diagnosis aged 10.

MDP only affects Dylan and 15 other people in the world, causing deafness, fat loss under the skin, joint stiffness and eye problems.

He has been supported by Indepen-dance for many years, which delivers dance sessions for disabled young people.

Keating, who will join the squad for one of the tasks, said: “We’re so excited to be delivering these surprises for worthy organisations across the country.

“We hope that these surprises will make a huge difference to those receiving them and we can’t wait to bring the audience along to see what the Surprise Squad get up to.”

Jenas added: “I’m looking forward to seeing some of the amazing things that the Surprise Squad get up to, and how what they do will benefit communities across the country, and I hope that our audience love watching it all too.”

Audiences can see how the surprises unfold on The One Show from November 15 to 18 at 7pm on BBC One.