Children in Need
Encyclopedia
Children in Need is an annual British
charity
appeal organised by the BBC
. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan
is a long standing host. Children in Need is one of three high-profile British telethons, the others being Red Nose Day and Sport Relief
, both supporting the Comic Relief
charity.
Day. It raised about £1,143, which equates to about £27,150 by today's standards, and was donated to four children's charities. The first televised appeal took place in 1955 and was called the Children's Hour
Christmas Appeal, with the yellow glove puppet Sooty
Bear and Harry Corbett
fronting it. The Christmas Day Appeals continued on TV and radio until 1979. During that time a total of £625,836 was raised. Terry Wogan first appeared during this five-minute appeal in 1978, and again in 1979. Sometimes cartoon characters such as Peter Pan were used.
In 1980, the BBC held its first telethon, a single programme lasting a whole evening, devoted to raising money exclusively destined for charities working with children in the United Kingdom
. The new format, presented by Terry Wogan
, Sue Lawley
and Esther Rantzen
, saw a dramatic increase in public donations: £1 million was raised that year. The telethon format has been retained each year since and grown in scope to incorporate further events broadcast on radio and online. As a regular presenter, Wogan has become firmly associated with the annual event, continuing to front the event through into 2011 after scaling down his other BBC commitments.
In 1988, BBC Children in Need became a registered charity (number 802052) in England and Wales
, followed by registration in Scotland
(SC039557) in 2008. The 2005 appeal was billed as Children in Need's 25th anniversary "celebrating 25 years of fun and fundraising", with £17 million raised on the night.
is a common favourite. Companies also donate money, either directly or benefits in kind, such as HSBC
donating banking facilities, and BT donating telephone lines and operators.
On the night of the televised appeal, donations are solicited through entertainment acts, intermixed with featurettes showing what the money will be used for. The total raised so far during the telethon is frequently flashed on screen, with presenters urging viewers to part with "any penny they can spare" to help push the total beyond the target milestone.
Fundraising activity also extends across the BBC's other television channels and national and local radio channels. Prior to the start of the Telethon, BBC Radio 2
hosts 4 days of fund-raising for Children In Need. The Radio 2 events culminate with a music marathon, ending just as the Telethon starts. For the last few years, Radio 2 listeners have been able to raise in excess of two million pounds.
, including some appearing in-character, and/or from the sets of their own programmes. A performance by BBC newsreaders has become an annual fixture. Stars of newly-opened West End musicals regularly perform a number from their show later in the evening after "curtain call" in their respective theatres.
to the Children in Need telethon, with the exception of half an hour at 10 O'Clock while BBC News at Ten airs, and activity continues on BBC Two
with special programming, such as Mastermind
Children in Need in 2010.
Unlike the other BBC charity telethon "Comic Relief", Children in Need relies a lot on the BBC regions for input into the telethon night. The BBC English regions all have around 5-8 minute round-ups every hour during the telethon. This does not interrupt the schedule of items which is shown from BBC Television Centre as the host Terry Wogan usually hands over to the regions, giving those in the main network studio a short break. However BBC Scotland, BBC Wales and BBC Northern Ireland do opt-out of the network schedule with a lot of local fundraising news and activities from their broadcast area. Usually they will go over to the network broadcast at various times of the night, and usually they will show some network items later than when the English regions will see them. This is to give the BBC nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland a much larger slot than the BBC English regions because the "Nations" comprise a distinct audience of the BBC. Usually BBC Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland hands back to network coverage from around 1:00 am in the telethon night. For the 2010 appeal this changed, with Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales deciding not to have their usual opt outs and instead they followed the English regions pattern of having updates every hour.
The mascot which fronts the Children in Need appeal is called "Pudsey Bear", created in 1983 by BBC Graphics designer Joanna Ball. The bear was named after her hometown of Pudsey
, West Yorkshire
, where her grandfather was mayor. A reproduction of the bear mascot (made of vegetation) is in Pudsey park, near the town centre. Originally introduced for the 1985 appeal as a brown bear as a mascot, the design was amended the following year to a yellow bear with a bandage over one eye, becoming also the official logo of the campaign. In 2007 Pudsey and the logo were redesigned. By 2009, Pudsey had been joined by another bear: A brown female bear named "Blush". She has a spotty bow with the pattern similar to Pudsey's bandanna pattern, continuing into 2010.
In November 2006, Intelligent Giving
published an article about Children in Need, which attracted wide attention across the British media. The article, titled "Four things wrong with Pudsey" described donations to Children in Need as a "lazy and inefficient way of giving" and pointed out that, as a grant-giving charity, Children in Need would use donations to pay two sets of administration costs. It also described the quality of some of its public reporting as "shambolic".
In 2007, it was reported that Terry Wogan
, as the show's host, had been receiving an annual honorarium since 1980 (amounting to £9,065 in 2005). This made him the only celebrity paid for his participation in Children in Need. Wogan, however, stated that he would "quite happily do it for nothing" and had "never asked for a fee". The BBC stated that the amount, which was paid from BBC resources and not from the Children in Need charity fund, had "never been negotiated",
having instead increased in line with inflation.
Two days prior to the 2007 event, it was reported that Wogan had waived his compensation.
There has also been concern about the type of groups receiving funding from Children in Need. Writing in The Spectator
, Ross Clark noted how funding goes towards controversial groups such as Women in Prison, which campaigns against jailing female criminals. Another charity highlighted was the Children’s Legal Centre, which provided funding for Shabina Begum
to sue her school as she wanted to wear the Jilbab
. Clark pondered whether donors seeing cancer
victims on screen would appreciate "that a slice of their donation would be going into the pockets of Cherie Blair
to help a teenage girl sue her school over her refusal to wear a school uniform
".
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
appeal organised by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
is a long standing host. Children in Need is one of three high-profile British telethons, the others being Red Nose Day and Sport Relief
Sport Relief
Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries...
, both supporting the Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
charity.
Prior BBC appeals
The BBC's first broadcast charity appeal took place in 1927, in the form of a five-minute radio broadcast on ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Day. It raised about £1,143, which equates to about £27,150 by today's standards, and was donated to four children's charities. The first televised appeal took place in 1955 and was called the Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
Christmas Appeal, with the yellow glove puppet Sooty
Sooty
Sooty is a British glove puppet bear and TV character popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. The children's television show which bears his name has continued in various forms since the 1950s and, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the...
Bear and Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett OBE was a British puppeteer, known as the creator in 1948 of the long running 'Sooty' glove puppet character.He was born in Bradford to coal miner James W...
fronting it. The Christmas Day Appeals continued on TV and radio until 1979. During that time a total of £625,836 was raised. Terry Wogan first appeared during this five-minute appeal in 1978, and again in 1979. Sometimes cartoon characters such as Peter Pan were used.
Children In Need
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The new format, presented by Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
, Sue Lawley
Sue Lawley
- Early life and education:Born in Sedgley, Staffordshire, England and brought up in the Black Country, she was educated at Dudley Girls High School and graduated in modern languages from the University of Bristol and some time later started her career at the BBC in Plymouth...
and Esther Rantzen
Esther Rantzen
Esther Louise Rantzen CBE is an English journalist and television presenter who is best known for presenting the BBC television series That's Life!, and for her work in various charitable causes. She is founder of the child protection charity ChildLine, and also advocates the work of the Burma...
, saw a dramatic increase in public donations: £1 million was raised that year. The telethon format has been retained each year since and grown in scope to incorporate further events broadcast on radio and online. As a regular presenter, Wogan has become firmly associated with the annual event, continuing to front the event through into 2011 after scaling down his other BBC commitments.
In 1988, BBC Children in Need became a registered charity (number 802052) in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, followed by registration in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(SC039557) in 2008. The 2005 appeal was billed as Children in Need's 25th anniversary "celebrating 25 years of fun and fundraising", with £17 million raised on the night.
Totals
A total amount raised is announced at the final minute of broadcast of the telethon. The final total is much greater, with the 2009 appeal raising over £40 million. The 2008 telethon total broke all previous records with a total of £20,991,216 raised by the end of the broadcast. On 19 November 2011 at 02.00 GMT the appeal had raised a new record of £26,332,334 which broke all previous records for the appeal night total.| Event | Broadcast total | Final total |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Children in Need 2004 Children in Need 2004 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for the charity Children in Need. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One on the evening of Friday 19 November and was hosted primarily by Terry Wogan, who was assisted by Gaby Roslin... |
– | £34,200,000 |
| 2005 Children in Need 2005 Children in Need 2005 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for the charity Children in Need. It culmunated in a live broadcast on BBC One on the evening of Friday 18 November and was hosted by Terry Wogan, Natasha Kaplinsky, Fearne Cotton and, from RAF Brize Norton, Matt... |
£17,235,256 | £33,200,000 |
| 2006 Children in Need 2006 Children in Need 2006 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. It culmunated in a live broadcast on BBC One on the evening of Friday 17 November and was hosted by Terry Wogan, Natasha Kaplinsky, Fearne Cotton and Chris Moyles. The voice over reading out money... |
£18,300,392 | £33,600,000 |
| 2007 Children in Need 2007 Children in Need 2007 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One on the evening of Friday 16 November, through to the morning of Saturday 17 November. The broadcast was hosted by Terry Wogan and Fearne Cotton, joined... |
£19,089,771 | £37,500,000 |
| 2008 Children in Need 2008 Children in Need 2008 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One on the evening of Friday 14 November, through to the morning of Saturday 15 November... |
£20,991,216 | £38,500,000 |
| 2009 Children in Need 2009 Children in Need 2009 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One which began on the evening of Friday 20 November and ran through to the morning of Saturday 21 November. The broadcast was hosted by Terry Wogan, Tess... |
£20,309,747 | £40,200,000 |
| 2010 Children in Need 2010 Children in Need 2010 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. 2010 marked the 30th anniversary of the appeal which culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One which began on the evening of Friday 19th November and ran until the early hours of Saturday 20th... |
£18,098,199 | – |
| 2011 Children in Need 2011 Children in Need 2011 is a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. 2011 marked the 31st anniversary of the appeal which culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One which began on the evening of Friday 18th November and ran until the early hours of Saturday 19th... |
£26,332,334 | – |
Sources
The appeal gains the majority of its money from outstanding donations by individuals who may themselves have raised the funds by taking part in sponsored events. Being sponsored to sit in a bath of baked beansBaked beans
Baked beans is a dish containing beans, sometimes baked but, despite the name, usually stewed, in a sauce. Most commercial canned baked beans are made from haricot beans, also known as navy beans – a variety of Phaseolus vulgaris – in a sauce. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, a tomato...
is a common favourite. Companies also donate money, either directly or benefits in kind, such as HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
donating banking facilities, and BT donating telephone lines and operators.
On the night of the televised appeal, donations are solicited through entertainment acts, intermixed with featurettes showing what the money will be used for. The total raised so far during the telethon is frequently flashed on screen, with presenters urging viewers to part with "any penny they can spare" to help push the total beyond the target milestone.
Fundraising activity also extends across the BBC's other television channels and national and local radio channels. Prior to the start of the Telethon, BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
hosts 4 days of fund-raising for Children In Need. The Radio 2 events culminate with a music marathon, ending just as the Telethon starts. For the last few years, Radio 2 listeners have been able to raise in excess of two million pounds.
Beneficiaries
The money contributed to Children in Need is distributed to organisations supporting children in the UK aged 18 and under who have mental, physical or sensory disorders; behavioural or psychological disorders; are living in poverty or situations of deprivation; or suffering through distress, sexual abuse or neglect.Acts
The telethon features performances from many top singers and groups, with many by celebrities also appearing on the seven-hour long programme performing various activities such as sketches or musical numbers. Featured celebrities often include those from programmes on rival network ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, including some appearing in-character, and/or from the sets of their own programmes. A performance by BBC newsreaders has become an annual fixture. Stars of newly-opened West End musicals regularly perform a number from their show later in the evening after "curtain call" in their respective theatres.
Broadcast
The BBC devotes the entire night's programming on its flagship channel BBC OneBBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
to the Children in Need telethon, with the exception of half an hour at 10 O'Clock while BBC News at Ten airs, and activity continues on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
with special programming, such as Mastermind
Mastermind (TV series)
Mastermind is a British quiz show, well known for its challenging questions, intimidating setting and air of seriousness.Devised by Bill Wright, the basic format of Mastermind has never changed — four and in later contests five contestants face two rounds, one on a specialised subject of the...
Children in Need in 2010.
Unlike the other BBC charity telethon "Comic Relief", Children in Need relies a lot on the BBC regions for input into the telethon night. The BBC English regions all have around 5-8 minute round-ups every hour during the telethon. This does not interrupt the schedule of items which is shown from BBC Television Centre as the host Terry Wogan usually hands over to the regions, giving those in the main network studio a short break. However BBC Scotland, BBC Wales and BBC Northern Ireland do opt-out of the network schedule with a lot of local fundraising news and activities from their broadcast area. Usually they will go over to the network broadcast at various times of the night, and usually they will show some network items later than when the English regions will see them. This is to give the BBC nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland a much larger slot than the BBC English regions because the "Nations" comprise a distinct audience of the BBC. Usually BBC Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland hands back to network coverage from around 1:00 am in the telethon night. For the 2010 appeal this changed, with Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales deciding not to have their usual opt outs and instead they followed the English regions pattern of having updates every hour.
Mascot
Pudsey
Pudsey is a market town in West Yorkshire, England. Once an independent town, it was incorporated into the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds in 1974, and is located midway between Bradford and Leeds city centres. It has a population of 32,391....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, where her grandfather was mayor. A reproduction of the bear mascot (made of vegetation) is in Pudsey park, near the town centre. Originally introduced for the 1985 appeal as a brown bear as a mascot, the design was amended the following year to a yellow bear with a bandage over one eye, becoming also the official logo of the campaign. In 2007 Pudsey and the logo were redesigned. By 2009, Pudsey had been joined by another bear: A brown female bear named "Blush". She has a spotty bow with the pattern similar to Pudsey's bandanna pattern, continuing into 2010.
Official singles
| Year | Artist(s) | Song(s) | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Clannad | Almost Seems (Too Late to Turn) Almost Seems (Too Late To Turn) "Almost Seems " is a 1985 single by Irish group Clannad. It is the second single from their album Macalla.The song was used as the official Children in Need charity single for 1985. On its release it was tipped by bookmakers as one of the favourites for the Christmas Number One... |
DNC |
| 1986 | Suzi Quatro Suzi Quatro Susan Kay "Suzi" Quatro is an American singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor.She scored a string of hit singles in the 1970s that found greater success in Europe and Australia than in her homeland, and had a recurring role on the popular American sitcom Happy Days.-Music:Quatro began her... with Bronski Beat Bronski Beat Bronski Beat were a popular British synthpop trio who achieved success in the mid 1980s, particularly with the 1984 chart hit "Smalltown Boy". All members of the group were openly homosexual and their songs reflected this, often containing political commentary on gay-related issues... and Various Artists |
Heroes | DNC |
| 1988 | Spirit of Play with Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100... |
Children In Need | DNC |
| 1989 | Clannad | Almost Seems (Too Late to Turn) Almost Seems (Too Late To Turn) "Almost Seems " is a 1985 single by Irish group Clannad. It is the second single from their album Macalla.The song was used as the official Children in Need charity single for 1985. On its release it was tipped by bookmakers as one of the favourites for the Christmas Number One... |
DNC |
| 1995 | Patsy Palmer Patsy Palmer Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in... and Sid Owen Sid Owen Sid Owen is an English actor, television presenter and former singer, most famous for playing the role of Ricky Butcher in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, which he appeared in from 1988 until 2000, 2002 until 2004 and then again from March 2008.-Career:Prior to his role in EastEnders he had a... |
You Better Believe It (Children in Need) | 60 |
| 1997 | Lou Reed Lou Reed Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades... and Various Artists |
Perfect Day | 1 |
| 1998 | Denise Van Outen Denise van Outen Denise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the... and Johnny Vaughan Johnny Vaughan Jonathan Randall Vaughan is an English broadcaster and journalist. Vaughan has become well known as a television and radio personality and has also built a reputation as a film critic. He co-presented Capital Breakfast alongside Lisa Snowdon on 95.8 Capital FM between 2004 and 2011... featuring Steps |
Especially for You Especially for You "Especially for You" was the fifth international single released from singer Kylie Minogue in time for the Christmas 1988 market and is a duet with Jason Donovan. It did not appear on her debut album but was included on Jason Donovan's 1989 debut album Ten Good Reasons. The track did appear on the... |
3 |
| 1999 | Martine McCutcheon Martine McCutcheon Martine McCutcheon is an English singer, television personality and Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress. McCutcheon had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s; however, it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell in BBC's EastEnders that made her a household name in the UK... |
Love Me | 6 |
| 2000 | S Club 7 | Never Had a Dream Come True Never Had a Dream Come True "Never Had a Dream Come True" is a song by S Club 7, released as a single on 27 November 2000. It was chosen to be the official 2000 BBC Children in Need song. The song was a great success in the UK, where it became the group's second #1 single on the UK Singles Chart and becoming the ninth... |
1 |
| 2001 | S Club 7 | Have You Ever Have You Ever (S Club 7 song) "Have You Ever" was a single released by UK pop group, S Club 7 on 19 November 2001. Following the success of the 2000 Children in Need track, "Never Had a Dream Come True", the BBC asked S Club 7 to perform the 2001 track for the charity too. "Have You Ever" was co-written by Cathy Dennis, A.... |
1 |
| 2002 | Will Young Will Young William Robert "Will" Young is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominenceafter winning the 2002 inaugural series of the British music contest Pop Idol, making him the first winner of the now-worldwide Idols-format franchise... |
Don't Let Me Down / You and I You and I (Will Young song) "You and I" is a pop song, co-written by Ed Johnson, Henry Johnson and Mike Peden, and performed by Pop Idol UK series 1 winner Will Young. It appeared on his debut album, From Now On, and was released as his fourth single, along with the track "Don't Let Me Down". It reached number two in the UK... |
2 |
| 2003 | Shane Richie Shane Richie Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:... |
I'm Your Man | 2 |
| 2004 | Girls Aloud Girls Aloud Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor... |
I'll Stand by You I'll Stand by You "I'll Stand by You" is a 1994 song recorded by The Pretenders from their sixth studio album, Last of the Independents. Written by Chrissie Hynde in collaboration with the songwriting team of Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg , it was the Pretenders' most recent significant hit single, and their last... |
1 |
| 2005 | Liberty X Liberty X Liberty X were a British pop vocal group formed by the five contestants eliminated from the final ten qualifiers from the 2001 ITV show Popstars. The group consisted of Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Michelle Heaton, Kelli Young and Jessica Taylor... |
A Night to Remember | 6 |
| 2006 | Emma Bunton Emma Bunton Emma Lee Bunton is an English pop singer/songwriter and TV and radio presenter. She was a member of the 1990s girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was known as Baby Spice as she was the youngest member. In 2010, she joined the judging panel on ITV's Dancing on Ice... |
Downtown | 3 |
| 2007 | Spice Girls Spice Girls The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30... |
Headlines (Friendship Never Ends) Headlines (Friendship Never Ends) For the Alcazar song, see Headlines ."Headlines " is a song performed by British group the Spice Girls. It was released as the only single from the group's compilation album, Greatest Hits on November 12, 2007... |
11 |
| 2008 | McFly McFly McFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records... |
Do Ya/Stay with Me Do Ya/Stay With Me "Do Ya"/"Stay with Me" is McFly's third single taken from the album Radio:Active and was the official Children in Need Single for 2008. It was released physically on 24 November 2008 and for download on 23 November 2008. "Stay with Me" is a cover of a song by The Faces, and was the main Children... |
18 |
| 2009 | Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band Peter Kay Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay... |
The Official BBC Children in Need Medley The Official BBC Children in Need Medley "The Official BBC Children in Need Medley" is a cross-over single by Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band. It is the official Children in Need Single for 2009, and was released on 21 November 2009. The song was shown for the first time on Children in Need 2009. The cover art is a parody of the cover... |
1 |
| 2010 | JLS JLS - Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :... |
Love You More Love You More (JLS song) "Love You More" is a pop song by English boy band JLS from their second studio album, Outta This World. The song, written by JLS, Wayne Hector, and Toby Gad, was released as the band's second single from the album on 12 November 2010. The track serves as the official Children in Need charity single... |
1 |
| 2011 | The Collective | Teardrop Teardrop (song) "Teardrop" is a song by Massive Attack, which was first released on their 1998 album Mezzanine. It was released as a single on 27 April 1998. The song became another UK hit for the group, peaking at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart... |
24 |
- The Collective includes Gary BarlowGary BarlowGary Barlow is an English singer-songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is frontman and lead vocalist of pop group Take That and is currently the head judge on the eighth series of The X Factor. Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters...
, Tulisa ContostavlosTulisa ContostavlosTula Paulinea "Tulisa" Contostavlos is an English singer-songwriter and actress of Greek and Irish descent. She is best known for being a member of the Camden-based hip hop group N-Dubz, with her cousin Dappy and their friend Fazer...
, Wretch 32Wretch 32Jermaine Scott , better known by his stage name Wretch 32 , is a Black British rapper and former Grime MC from Tottenham, London where he grew up the son of a local reggae DJ in the Tiverton Estate. He was a member of the grime collective "Combination Chain Gang", before forming The Movement with...
, Ed SheeranEd SheeranEdward Christopher "Ed" Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter who is currently signed to Asylum / Atlantic Records. Sheeran broke through commercially in June 2011, when his debut single "The A Team" debuted at number 3 on the UK chart.-Early life:Sheeran was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire to...
, Ms. DynamiteMs. DynamiteNiomi Arleen McLean-Daley , who performs as Ms. Dynamite, is a double BRIT Award and three time MOBO Awards winning UK garage, R&B and hip hop singer and rapper.-Biography:...
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.
Criticism
Although Children in Need is welcomed by a large proportion of the British public, there are some who offer an alternative view, that the portrayal of children, particularly disabled children, as victims is unfortunate and counter-productive. It is argued that a change in social attitudes will benefit the disadvantaged more than money and public sympathy.In November 2006, Intelligent Giving
Intelligent Giving
Intelligent Giving was a website for charity donors run by a small charity based in Bethnal Green, London. It was founded in 2005 by two former journalists, David Pitchford and Peter Heywood, and launched on 1 November 2006...
published an article about Children in Need, which attracted wide attention across the British media. The article, titled "Four things wrong with Pudsey" described donations to Children in Need as a "lazy and inefficient way of giving" and pointed out that, as a grant-giving charity, Children in Need would use donations to pay two sets of administration costs. It also described the quality of some of its public reporting as "shambolic".
In 2007, it was reported that Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
, as the show's host, had been receiving an annual honorarium since 1980 (amounting to £9,065 in 2005). This made him the only celebrity paid for his participation in Children in Need. Wogan, however, stated that he would "quite happily do it for nothing" and had "never asked for a fee". The BBC stated that the amount, which was paid from BBC resources and not from the Children in Need charity fund, had "never been negotiated",
having instead increased in line with inflation.
Two days prior to the 2007 event, it was reported that Wogan had waived his compensation.
There has also been concern about the type of groups receiving funding from Children in Need. Writing in The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, Ross Clark noted how funding goes towards controversial groups such as Women in Prison, which campaigns against jailing female criminals. Another charity highlighted was the Children’s Legal Centre, which provided funding for Shabina Begum
Shabina Begum
R v Governors of Denbigh High School [2006] is the leading House of Lords case on the legal regulation of religious symbols and dress under the Human Rights Act 1998.-Facts:...
to sue her school as she wanted to wear the Jilbab
Jilbab
The term jilbāb or jilbaab is the plural of the word jilaabah which refers to any long and loose-fit coat or garment worn by some Muslim women. They believe that this definition of jilbab fulfills the Quranic demand for a Hijab...
. Clark pondered whether donors seeing cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
victims on screen would appreciate "that a slice of their donation would be going into the pockets of Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
to help a teenage girl sue her school over her refusal to wear a school uniform
School uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
".