The 40th anniversary of the BBC’s fundraiser Children in Need, raised more than £37 million by the end of the programme on Friday night.
Pudsey the bear returned with a host of celebrities on this years show, which was shorter and audience-free due to Covid-19, but there was still plenty of fun to be had.
Peter Crouch and Andy Murray went head-to-head in a game of Paddle Tennis and an all-star cast covered Oasis’ Stop Crying Your Hear Out.
So @petercrouch challenged me a while back to a game of tennis, apparently he used to be quite good. Not sure he was quite prepared for padel tennis though… He tried every trick in the book to try and get the win… tune in to @BBCCiN tonight to find out how he got on…. pic.twitter.com/1JIOGJSZ8t
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) November 13, 2020
Mel Giedroyc, one of the four hosts of Friday night’s live show, thanked viewers for supporting the fundraiser.
“Children In Need has been going for an astonishing 40 years and we have only been able to do so because of you,” she said.
“Despite the challenges that we have come up against this year, and will continue to face while this pandemic plays out, we are strong because the hearts of the people who keep these projects alive are strong.”
Charity Oasis single
The charity Oasis single featured Kylie, Cher, Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams, Lenny Kravitz, Paloma Faith, Nile Rodgers, Gregory Porter, Jess Glynne and Ava Max.
It first aired in The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on Radio 2.
“Children in Need is such a special charity and so loved by everyone, including me,” said Kylie.
“It was a privilege to take part in this recording with so many amazing artists.”
Joe Wicks’ Challenge
Of course, earlier in the day, Joe Wicks had completed his 24 hour workout challenge and was joined by a bunch of stars including Mel C, Louis Theroux and Sam Smith as he completed a range of activities such as cycling, boxing and rowing alongside his signature high intensity workouts.
Wicks who appeared on the live show, was presented with a gold Blue Peter badge and described his efforts as “the longest day and night of my life.”
It was announced that his workout marathon had raised £2,108,229 for the charity.
DIY SOS
A special edition of DIY SOS, screened on BBC One on Thursday, saw a group of volunteers build a new, all inclusive surf school in Swansea and raise a total of £844,000.
Photo by: screenshot from BBC iPlayer DIY SOS Children in Need special 2020
Host Nick Knowles, wiped away his tears after being informed of the total raised, on BBC’s Morning Live on Friday.
Challenging times
The main Children in Need show started 19:00GMT on BBC One and was hosted live in London by Mel Giedroyc, Alex Scott, Chris Ramsey and Stephen Mangan.
Giedroyc told BBC News ahead of the show that the format was “a bit stripped back” but apart from that, the comedy elements, famous faces and vibes, not much had changed.
The telethon which raises money for disadvantaged children in the UK, raised a total of £47.9m last year, on the night.
The show also included a special clip from the Doctor Who team, while TV presenter Emma Willis narrated Life in Lockdown – a short film showing the lives of youngsters and their struggles during the coronavirus pandemic.
The feature follows research done by the charity, which found that 94% of children and young people have had a need to feel sad, anxious or worried in the last six months.
Words: Dina Nazari | Subbing: Grace Staley