More than £39m raised for Children in Need

BBC

Stars of Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, Outnumbered and Doctor Who are coming together to help raise money for this year's Children in Need appeal.

The live entertainment extravaganza is taking place on BBC One on Friday with three hours of comedy, music and guests.

The celebrities in the three-hour show include Graham Norton, Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue, Gary Oldman and Hugh Bonneville.

BBC Radio 2 presenter Paddy McGuinness will also appear in the studio in Salford, fresh from completing a five-day cycling challenge on a children's Chopper bike, which raised more than £7.5m for the charity.

McGuinness will discover his final fundraising total during the main Children In Need TV broadcast, after reaching the finish line in Glasgow earlier in the day.

The former Top Gear and Question of Sport host, 51, had set off from Wrexham, almost 300 miles away, on Monday.

The Bolton-born star has said he was motivated to take on the challenge by the people he had met who benefitted from projects funded by BBC Children in Need.

This year's televised appeal is hosted by Ade Adepitan, Chris Ramsey and Rochelle Humes, alongside Vernon Kay, Mel Giedroyc and Lenny Rush.

Highlights included Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa introducing a preview from the show's Christmas special.

And the on-screen family from sitcom Outnumbered reunited for a sketch, ahead of their own forthcoming festive special.

Viewers were also treated to a visit from the stars of Gladiators, while there was a special performance from Strictly Come Dancing as the professionals were joined by cartoon character Bluey.

One poignant moment was the premiere of the video of this year's Children in Need single - a new version of Girls Aloud's I'll Stand By You, with the lead vocal sung entirely by late band member Sarah Harding.

The ballad was originally released as a Children In Need song in 2004 and topped the UK chart for two weeks.

The new version uses Harding's rediscovered solo recording, with unseen archive footage used in the video. Harding died in 2021 at the age of 39.

Also on Friday, there was a performance by singer Ella Henderson, while pop star Kylie recorded a special message.

Oscar-winning actor Oldman also recorded a special CBeebies bedtime story for the show.

Children In Need is the BBC's charity for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

Last year's national on the night total was £33.5 million and the overall fundraising total for the 2023 Appeal was £48.8million.

Overall, Children in Need has raised more than £1 billion for charities and projects since its first major appeal in 1980.