Children in Need
BBC Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC.
Overview
Each year since 1980, the BBC has set aside one evening of programming on its flagship television channel,
The appeal gains the majority of its money from donations of private individuals who may themselves have raised the funds by taking part in sponsored events. Sponsored sitting in a bath of baked beans is a perennial favourite. Companies also donate either money directly or benefits in kind, such as HSBC donating banking facilities, and BT donating telephone lines and operatives. On the night of the televised appeal, donations are solicited by celebrities appearing on the seven-hour long programme performing various activities such as sketches or musical numbers, intermixed with featurettes showing what the money will be used for. Featured celebrities often include those from programmes on the BBC's rival ITV network, including some appearing in-character, and/or from the sets of their own programmes. A sketch by BBC newsreaders has become an annual fixture (most recently Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in 2005 and a 'James Bond' theme in 2006). 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. The total raised so far 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.
Though 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.
The money contributed to Children in Need is distributed to small children's charities.
History
The BBC's first broadcast appeal for children took place in 1927, in the form of a five-minute radio broadcast on Christmas Day. It raised about £1,143, which equates to about £27,150 by today's standards. The annual appeal format transferred to television in 1955 and continued each Christmas Day until 1979. The mascot, Pudsey Bear, was created by Joanna Ball. The bear was named after her home town of Pudsey, West Yorkshire, where her grandfather was mayor. [1]
The first televised appeal took place in 1955 and was called the Children's Hour Christmas Appeal, with Sooty and Harry Corbett fronting it. The Christmas Day Appeals continued on TV and radio right up until 1979, with stars such as Terry Hall, Eamonn Andrews, Leslie Crowther and Michael Aspel. 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.
New format: Telethon
The first BBC "telethon" event—a single programme lasting a whole evening devoted to raising money—was held in 1980. 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.
The 2003 event took place in November, raising £15 million on the night and £30 million when all donations were collected. It was once again hosted by Terry Wogan, who has become firmly associated with the annual event, and Gaby Roslin. The 2004 appeal was held on 19 November and billed as Children in Need's 25th anniversary "celebrating 25 years of fun and fundraising". £17m was raised on the night. The 2005 appeal was hosted by Terry Wogan, Fearne Cotton and Natasha Kaplinsky, and included special performances from David Tennant and Billie Piper, stars of Doctor Who. This event just beat the 2004 total when it raised £17,235,256.
Prior to the start of the Telethon, BBC Radio 2 hosts 4 days of fund-raising for Children In Need. Auctions are held during Terry Wogan's radio show (originally, these were also on many of the other presenters' shows). 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 one million pounds. In 2006, the music marathon was 13 hours long [2], and the cumulative total raised by Radio 2 listeners was over two million pounds [3].
Many pop music stars collaborate with Children In Need and sing in the telethon event. Recent contributors include Madonna, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Blue, Kylie Minogue, Spice Girls, Liberty X, Ronan Keating, Robbie Williams, McFly, Take That, Girls Aloud, Westlife, Keane, and The Feeling.
BBC Children in Need became a registered charity in 1989. Its registered charity number is 802052.
Other presenters of the telethon have included: Sue Cook, Joanna Lumley (who famously partly disrobed after a viewer pledged a large sum of money), Roy Kinnear and Andi Peters.
Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group on 27 June 2007 announced that it would donate all receipts from two special performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat's revived West End production to Children in Need, which would benefit from ticket sales for 16 July’s booked-out preview and the sold-out 16 November performance, the night of the telethon. Cast members, the group added, would not get the usual first night gifts on 17 July – the money would, instead go to Children in Need.[4]
Controversy
In 2007 Terry Wogan was reported to be the only celebrity paid for his participation in Children in Need, having received a fee every year since 1980 (£9,065 in 2005). Wogan, however, has stated that he would "quite happily do it for nothing" and that he "never asked for a fee". The BBC stated that the fee had "never been negotiated". While Wogan's fee has been paid from BBC resources and not from the Children in Need charity fund,[5] there is no record of Wogan ever having repaid any of these fees.
Official Singles
- 1997 Lou Reed & various other performers - Perfect Day (1)
- 1998 Denise Van Outen & Johnny Vaughan - Especially for You (3)
- 1999 Martine McCutcheon - Love Me (6)
- 2000 S Club 7 - Never Had a Dream Come True (1)
- 2001 S Club 7 - Have You Ever (1)
- 2002 Will Young - You & I (2)
- 2003 Shane Richie - I'm Your Man (2)
- 2004 Girls Aloud - I'll Stand By You (1)
- 2005 Liberty X - A Night to Remember (6)
- 2006 Emma Bunton - Downtown (3)
- 2007 Spice Girls - Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)
2006 event
The 2006 event was held on Friday November 17 and was hosted by Terry Wogan, Natasha Kaplinsky, Fearne Cotton and Chris Moyles.
Artist Performances
- All Saints
- Emma Bunton
- Deacon Blue
- Alesha Dixon
- The Feeling
- Nelly Furtado
- Girls Aloud
- Jamiroquai
- Keane
- Ronan Keating
- Lemar
- The Magic Numbers
- McFly
- Katie Melua
- Dannii Minogue
- Nerina Pallot
- Status Quo
- Sugababes
- Sandi Thom
- Amy Winehouse
Cast performances
- The BBC News team performed a tribute to James Bond films.
- The cast of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps perform Wham's Club Tropicana.
- The cast of Holby City perform Madonna's Hung Up
- The cast of Bad Girls perform Bananarama's Love in the First Degree
- Chris Fountain, Andrew Moss, Gemma Merna & Carley Stenson from Hollyoaks performed Unbelieveable by EMF in London whilst Gerard McCarthy also from Hollyoaks duetted with Sheila Ferguson live form Belfast.
Others
- West end performances from the casts of Daddy Cool, Wicked, Guys and Dolls, Evita, The Sound of Music and the award-winning comedy musical Avenue Q.
- The new voice of the BT Speaking clock for the next 20 years was announced as Sara Mendes da Costa, a telemarketer and part-time voiceover artist.
- The winner of reality show Celebrity Scissorhands was announced.
- Rory Bremner performed a standup routine which lampooned many famous political people.
Official single
On October 5 2007, whilst in an interview with Scott Mills on Radio 1, Melanie C announced that the new Spice Girls single would be called Headlines (Friendship
Never Ends). On the same day,
Emma Bunton recorded the official single for 2006's appeal. The former Baby Spice recorded a cover of Petula Clark's 60s classic Downtown especially for the charity. The single peaked at Number 3 on the UK singles chart.
Lee Mead, winner of
Totals
- At 17/11/2006 23:40 GMT the total raised was £9,684,158 (According to Televised Show)
- At 18/11/2006 00:40 GMT the total raised was £12,608,849 (According to Televised Show)
- At 18/11/2006 01:03 GMT the total raised was £16,052,161 (According to Televised Show)
- At 18/11/2006 01:03 GMT the total raised was £16,052,249 (According to Official Website)
- At 18/11/2006 01:47 GMT the total raised was £16,950,588 (According to Televised Show)
- At 18/11/2006 02:19 GMT the total raised was £18,300,392 (Televised Show total)
- At 24/06/2007 18:40 GMT the total raised was £30,194,659 (Appeal's website)[7]
See also
- ITV Telethon
- Comic Relief
- Sport Relief
- Pudsey (Town in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom from which Pudsey Bear got his name.)
External links
- Children in Need at bbc.co.uk
- Children in Need at the Internet Movie Database
- BBC's site for Any Dream Will Do! contest
- Lee Mead LiveJournal Community
References
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/about_us/history.shtml
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/cin06/musicmarathon.shtml
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/cin06/
- ^ http://www.josephthemusical.com/news.html
- ^ Wogan charity fee defended by BBC. BBC (March 4, 2007). Retrieved on June 2, 2007.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/singles.shtml
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey
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