BBC Children in Need has raised an incredible £38.7 million following its 2026 appeal, with viewers across the UK coming together to support children and young people. The charity confirmed that £38,720,170 had been raised by the end of Friday night’s live broadcast on 13 November, following an evening of special performances, celebrity appearances and fundraising challenges.

Broadcast live from MediaCityUK in Salford, the 46th annual appeal was hosted by Rylan, Sara Cox, Mel Giedroyc, Alex Jones and Tyler West. The three-hour programme featured appearances from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, alongside stories from children and young people who have benefited from projects supported by the charity.

The evening opened with a surprise from Pudsey Bear, who spoke directly to viewers for only the second time in the charity’s history, encouraging everyone to come together and support children across the country.

One of the night’s biggest highlights saw Dune: Part Three stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa and Anya Taylor-Joy team up to prank Rylan during what he believed was a normal press interview. Unbeknown to the presenter, three children were secretly feeding instructions to the actors through earpieces, leaving Rylan completely baffled as the interview descended into laughter.

There was also a special Strictly Come Dancing performance, with the five presenters taking to the dancefloor alongside professional dancers. Rylan partnered Amy Dowden for a salsa to the Spice Girls’ “Spice Up Your Life”, while Alex Jones danced with Aljaž Škorjanec and Sara Cox performed a jive with Julian Caillon. Tyler West was joined by Alexis Warr, and Mel Giedroyc partnered Neil Jones for a performance of “The Floral Dance” in tribute to the late Sir Terry Wogan.

Another major moment came from BBC Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans, who completed his Four Nations Cycle Challenge after travelling nearly 400 miles across Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales. His efforts raised £4,760,086, contributing to Radio 2’s overall fundraising total of £5,087,086.

The programme also celebrated the achievements of this year’s Challenge Squad, four young people who have benefited from BBC Children in Need-funded projects. Sixteen-year-old Zoe performed alongside the cast of High School Musical, while 22-year-old Serena delivered a drum performance to Sia’s “The Greatest”, bringing their personal challenges to a close.

The Children in Need Choir performed “Stargazing” by Myles Smith and “You’ve Got the Love”, joined by the project workers who have supported them. Morning Livepresenters also formed a band to perform Tom Grennan’s “Little Bit of Love”, while Marvel stars Chris Evans and Letitia Wright helped surprise 13-year-old Freddie with a special Avengers experience.

Throughout the evening, the BBC shared stories highlighting the difficulties faced by children and families across the UK, and how donations help fund projects providing support in their communities. Speaking following the appeal, Claire Hoyle, Chief Executive at BBC Children in Need, thanked the public for their generosity, saying: “Every donation represents more than financial support. It is a statement that children matter and that they deserve to be heard, supported and believed in.”

The £38,720,170 announced at the end of the programme reflects the money raised so far, with donations and fundraising continuing beyond Friday night’s broadcast.

For CultureCues, Children in Need is always one of our favourite nights on the BBC, and it’s lovely to see so much money raised for such a good cause. We loved the prank on Rylan with the Dune cast, and a huge well done to Owain Wyn Evans for his incredible cycling challenge and the amount he raised! But what we love most about Children in Need every year is hearing the stories of the children and young people it supports, and seeing just how much of a difference the fundraising makes. A massive well done to everyone who took part, donated or helped raise money, and of course, Pudsey!

BBC Children in Need 2026 is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. Donations can still be made through bbcchildreninneed.co.uk.