£19 Million Children In Need Breaks Record

A total of 11.3m people tuned in to support Friday night’s star-studded BBC Children in Need show, which raised almost £20 million, the broadcaster has announced.

The “on the night” total of £19,089,771, raised to support disadvantaged children in the UK, beat all previous records.

And audience figures were the highest for four years, with an average of 9.4 million viewers, reaching a peak just before 9pm at 11.3 million, the BBC said. Between 7pm and 10pm the BBC1 appeal had a 39.3% audience share.

Friday’s 28th annual televised fundraiser, hosted by Terry Wogan, featured songs from some of the UK’s most famous musicians, as well as some more unlikely performances.

The Spice Girls made a much-anticipated live appearance, singing on UK television for the first time since they reunited earlier this year. The group performed the official Children In Need single, Headlines (Friendship Never Ends) as well as 1998 release Stop, ahead of their world reunion tour next month.

Other highlights of the evening included live music from Boyzone, David Gray, Leona Lewis, and Annie Lennox, while Kylie Minogue performed her new single, 2 Hearts.

The EastEnders cast united for a rendition of the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Torchwood star John Barrowman performed Sir Elton John’s Your Song, accompanied by Myleene Klass.

In the BBC newsreaders’ annual contribution to the event, Fiona Bruce sang All That Jazz from the West End musical Chicago, accompanied by colleagues including Bill Turnbull, Dermot Murnaghan and Andrew Marr. And new scenes from the BBC’s hit show, Doctor Who, featured current Doctor David Tennant alongside previous incarnation Peter Davison.

David Ramsden, Children in Need Chief Executive, said: “We are overwhelmed by the response of the British public and want to say a big thank you to all those who donated or Did Something Different for Pudsey.

“Even more money will pour in over the weeks and months ahead and we will now be looking for great projects around the UK that can make a real difference to young lives.”