The BBC’s annual Children In Need telethon is poised for its return, promising an evening packed with engaging sketches and musical performances designed to raise crucial funds for young people across the UK.
This year’s broadcast will be hosted by a familiar line-up including Paddy McGuinness, Big Zuu, Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay, and Lenny Rush.
Viewers can anticipate comedic segments from beloved BBC programmes such as The Apprentice, EastEnders, and Gladiators. Musical highlights will feature performances from McFly singer Tom Fletcher and Eurovision stars Remember Monday.
Tom Fletcher, 40, is set to make his television debut alongside his son Buzz, performing a song titled "Thread Of Hope."
Accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the track originates from a 25-minute animated CBeebies film, also named "Thread Of Hope," which is scheduled for release on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this December.
The film and a companion book, Pudsey And The Thread Of Hope, commemorate 40 years of Pudsey Bear, following a young boy named Jai on a journey of healing with Pudsey, encountering children connected by a "golden thread of kindness."
Fletcher expressed his enthusiasm, stating: "When I was invited to perform a song from the animation with my son for the very first time, I knew it was a truly special opportunity.
“Sharing that moment together will be so incredibly meaningful, especially as it celebrates Pudsey’s 40-year legacy.
“Across the UK, children and young people are facing challenges that no-one should face alone. Everyone needs a thread of hope, and I hope that through this performance, as well as the animation and book, we can raise vital funds and awareness to ensure children have the support, care and connection they need when it matters most."
His son Buzz added: "I am so excited to be performing alongside my dad for the first time on TV, I have seen how incredibly hard my dad has worked on the animation and book, so feel really proud to be standing beside him for such a brilliant cause."
Eurovision representatives Remember Monday will deliver a rendition of Lou Reed’s "Perfect Day," also backed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
This classic, famously re-recorded by a star-studded ensemble including David Bowie and U2’s Bono in 1997 as a charity single for Children In Need, will accompany a montage of testimonies from young individuals who have benefited from the charity’s support.
Remember Monday commented: "All three of us grew up watching Children In Need every year, it’s such a special event, we can’t believe we’re getting to be a part of it. Performing with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra is truly a bucket-list moment for us, and we feel incredibly lucky to get to sing such an iconic song for such an amazing cause."
The BBC Children In Need Choir will also return, comprising 16 children supported by Children In Need-funded projects, performing a special arrangement of Coldplay’s "Yellow."
BBC Children In Need will be broadcast on BBC iPlayer and BBC One at 7pm on Friday.
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