Children In Need raises a record £37m
THIS year’s Children In Need has broken its own fundraising record – with £37million collected during an evening of entertainment across the BBC.
The sum eclipsed 2014’s total of £32.6million as the telethon continued late into Friday night with performances by singer Selena Gomez and the band Years And Years. There was also a special appeal by Sir Tom Jones.
Dermot O’Leary hosted the first part of the evening, stepping in at the last minute to replace veteran presenter Sir Terry Wogan. O’Leary, who was roundly praised, said: ‘It’s been an absolute blast. Thank you so, so much.’
Sir Terry, 77, was forced to pull out due to ill-health.
The star-studded night began with a video presented by One Direction, Sir Tom Jones and Dame Helen Mirren to thank the public for the millions donated last year. They said the money had helped 500,000 children in the UK in 2,500 projects.
Chart star Ellie Goulding debuted her new single Army, but entertainer Bonnie Langford stole the show as the EastEnders cast performed a high-kick routine to songs from the musical Top Hat.
Her Albert Square colleague Shane Richie took over hosting duties after 10pm, from the soap’s pub, the Queen Vic.
He pushed the fundraising effort along as guests including singers Peter Andre, Jess Glynne and Girls Aloud’s Nadine Coyle joined him in the bar. David Ramsden, chief executive of BBC Children In Need, said people ‘should be feeling incredibly proud of what has been achieved’.
He added: ‘Their remarkable generosity will go on to help us change a lot of young lives.’
BBC director general Tony Hall thanked performers and viewers for ‘doing whatever they can’.
The Corporation confirmed in a tweet that the fundraising night had been a ‘record-breaker’.