Children in Need raises £33m as nation digs deep despite own financial hardships

17 November 2023 , 22:07

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Children in Need raises £33m as nation digs deep despite own financial hardships

Children in Need 2023 has raised £33,513,325 for charity after a star-studded spectacular.

Despite the cost of living crisis and the financial hardship faced by so many up and down the country, the BBC charity spectacular has raised millions for good causes, supporting children and young people up and down the country.

Tonight, there were special sketches, challenges and some big celebrity guests, all coming together to encourage people to dig deep and donate to a special cause, which helps to raise money for children and young people.

The 2023 Children in Need presenting team (BBC)

Ade Adepitan MBE, Mel Giedroyc, Jason Manford, Chris Ramsey, Lenny Rush and Alex Scott MBE were all on hand to present the show, with Am I Being Unreasonable? star Lenny being the youngest ever host of the show at the age of 14.

There were brand new sketches including a special one-off episode of Doctor Who, featuring David Tennant's big return as the fourteenth doctor. There will also be a special exclusive episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed on BBC iPlayer, which will give fans of the show an insight into behind the scenes on the BBC series.

EastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likeness

MasterChef will be getting a new look as John Torode and Gregg Wallace are faced with their first ever puppet contestants. The much loved puppets will create and cook a dish in the hope of being crowned MasterChef Puppet Champion - but who will win?

Elsewhere, there will be a special parody of the popular Race Across The World, with three pairs of characters taking an adventure much closer to home. EastEnders characters Ian and Cindy Beale (Adam Woodyatt and Michelle Collins) will race against Birds of a Feather's Dorien and Tracey (Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson) and Waterloo Road’s Noel and Samia (Liam Scholes and Priyasasha Kumari) as they try to become the first pair to make it to the Yorkshire town of Pudsey. Along the way the three teams bump into some famous Yorkshire faces including Emmerdale’s Kim Tate, Marlon Dingle and Cain Dingle, Bradford’s Gareth Gates, Wakefield’s Jane McDonald and one half of Rotherham’s Chuckle Brothers, Paul Chuckle.

Elsewhere, there will be performances from the likes of JERUB, Junior Eurovision act STAND UNIQU3 as well as Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock. It will be the first time Leigh-Anne performs her single My Love on TV.

The cast of musical 'I Should Be So Lucky' will perform a medley of songs from Stock Aitken Waterman including the hit Especially For You, with a very special cameo from a duo taking on one of the writer's biggest hits.

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Jasmine Allday