Annabel Rackham and
Emaan Warraich
The 2025 Children in Need appeal has raised more than £45m to help children and young people across the UK – with the total likely to rise even further.
Hosts Paddy McGuinness, Mel Giedroyc, Lenny Rush, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay and Big Zuu fronted the annual fundraising show on BBC One on Friday night, live from Salford.
There were sketches involving stars from Gladiators and The Apprentice, as well as a performance from some of the Strictly Come Dancing professionals.
Other acts included Lewis Capaldi, McFly’s Tom Fletcher and his son Buzz, and Eurovision contestants Remember Monday.
The total announced at the end of the three-hour show was £45,507,536 – more than £9.5m of which was raised by Sara Cox for her 135-mile challenge.
The Radio 2 DJ took part in five marathons in five days – running, jogging and walking through northern England, ending – aptly – in the town of Pudsey.
Speaking to fellow Radio 2 DJ Scott Mills at the finish line on Friday afternoon, Cox said: “It’s just been the maddest, most painful, wonderful thing I’ve ever, ever done.”
“I’ve never had shapely calves in my life,” she joked, “But I have now because they are so swollen, it looks like I’ve been hit with a bat.”
She said during the appeal show: “It was like a rollercoaster… literally my mood was changing every three, four, seconds – it was a lot.”
Cox told the hosts she was “absolutely exhausted” but that it had been “the most amazing, painful and wonderful few days of my life”.
During The Apprentice skit, the script was flipped on Lord Sugar as he found himself on the receiving end of an intense boardroom grilling.
The entrepreneur explained that he “owed a favour to Pudsey” and that was why he allowed eight children to ask questions like: “Why is your name Lord Sugar when you are so salty all the time?”
“Well Sugar is my name and that’s it, what can I say?” he replied.
Pudsey Bear – the yellow bear who acts as a Children in Need mascot – and actor Rush, 16, could be seen embarking on new BBC roles as “TV big cheeses” in another sketch.
It showed a children’s takeover that aimed to put children at the heart of all BBC programming.
Rush, who wore a BBC lanyard and suit, said: “You’re always going to face resistance. But remember, who runs the world? I do. Well, kids do.”
In another clip, Richard Madeley threatened to sack Rush, saying: “We both know what’s going to happen if things don’t improve, don’t we? Lenny is going to be fired.”
Friday night’s show reimagined Gladiators – with the team of elite athletes replaced by children.
The so-called “mini Gladiators” went head-to-head with contestants in a range of tasks, but there was one small snag – they were simply too tiny to take on many of the challenges properly.
The live programme also saw Giedroyc and Big Zuu led in a live workout by fitness expert Joe Wicks, which also featured some of Strictly’s professional dancers.
Earlier in the week Big Zuu collaborated with Pudsey Bear and a group of children from a theatre project, funded by Children in Need, to present his first CBeebies Bedtime Story.
He read Basil Dreams Big by Lu Fraser and Sarah Warburton, a story about resilience, bravery, and believing in yourself. It was broadcast on Thursday night and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The rapper and chef said the charities that resonate most with him are “ones that take care of carers, and also take care of parents”.
“I know how crucial it is for young people to have a trusted adult that they can talk to who believes in them and the power this can have in helping unlock their potential,” he said.
Rush, who was hosting for his third year, added that his favourite thing about presenting, along with meeting “so many amazing, inspiring people” was “having the opportunity to hear their stories”.
Newscast, the BBC’s daily news podcast, also got in on the action, with presenter Adam Fleming taking on a 25-hour podcasting mission between Thursday and Friday.
He welcomed a host of BBC radio presenters and podcasters, including the regular Newcast team, the CBeebies Radio and 5 Live Daily podcast teams.
Children in Need is the BBC’s charity for disadvantaged children and young people, and has raised more than £1bn for charities and projects since its first major appeal in 1980.
