Children in Need 2008
Encyclopedia
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. The broadcast was hosted by Terry Wogan
, Fearne Cotton
and Tess Daly
joined by other guest presenters throughout the night, including Alesha Dixon
presenting from BT Tower
. The voice over reading out running totals was Alan Dedicoat
. The 2008 event broke all previous records with a total of £20,991,216 raised by the end of the broadcast.
was screened on BBC Two
. The episode had a Children in Need theme. As with previous Children in Need specials, it guest starred Pudsey Bear, David Mitchell
and Ronni Ancona
, however immediately following the contestant introductions, Terry Wogan appeared to dismiss Pudsey and take his place. Stephen Fry
admitted on Twitter
that the special was recorded in May or June of this year.
was shown in the run up to the 2008 event, again featuring celebrity hairdresser Lee Stafford
and Steve Strange
as lead stylist. The winner was Sabrina Washington with Jeff Leach as the runner up.
"Stay With Me
" by British pop band McFly
. The songs were released for download on 23 November and in stores the following day, with all profits raised going to the appeal. The band performed both songs as part of the 2008 broadcast on BBC1. "Do Ya" charted at Number 18 on the 30 November 2008, making it the lowest chart entry for a Children in Need
song to date.
sold a calendar in aid of the appeal. In 2008, it raised £369,000.
It was announced during the broadcast that since 1980 the appeal had raised over £500,000,000 towards helping children in the UK.
Children in Need
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...
. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One
BBC 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...
on the evening of Friday 14 November, through to the morning of Saturday 15 November. The broadcast was hosted 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...
, Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
and Tess Daly
Tess Daly
Helen Elizabeth "Tess" Daly is an English television presenter. She is married to the presenter Vernon Kay.-Early life:Daly was born in Derbyshire to Vivian , who died of emphysema, and Sylvia Daly...
joined by other guest presenters throughout the night, including Alesha Dixon
Alesha Dixon
Alesha Anjanette Dixon is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records...
presenting from BT Tower
BT Tower
The BT Tower is a tall cylindrical building in London, United Kingdom, located at 60 Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia W1T 4JZ, London Borough of Camden. It has been previously known as the Post Office Tower, the London Telecom Tower and the British Telecom Tower. The main structure is tall, with a...
. The voice over reading out running totals was Alan Dedicoat
Alan Dedicoat
Alan Dedicoat is an announcer and on various programmes on BBC One and BBC Radio 2; he is probably best known as the "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery programmes on BBC One. He also reads the news on BBC Radio 2 where he is nicknamed Deadly.-Early Life:He was born on 1 December 1954...
. The 2008 event broke all previous records with a total of £20,991,216 raised by the end of the broadcast.
Artist performances
- The 2008 show opened with McFlyMcFlyMcFly 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...
performing "Stay With MeDo 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...
", one of the songs from this year's official Children in Need double A side single, before rushing off to BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, to continue their Radio:ACTIVERadio:ActiveRadio:ACTIVE is the fourth studio album by English pop punk boyband McFly, which also is the band's first under their new, self created label, Super Records after leaving Island Records. The first single from the album is "One for the Radio". "Lies", one of the tracks from the deluxe edition of...
tour - Emma BartonEmma BartonEmma Louise Barton is an English actress. She played Honey Mitchell in EastEnders from November 2005 to September 2008....
from EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
performed "You to Me are Everything" - BoyzoneBoyzoneBoyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
performed their latest single "Love You AnywayLove You Anyway"Love You Anyway" is a 2008 single by Irish boyband Boyzone, their first single release for 8 years and their first since their reunion. It is taken from their 2008 greatest hits album Back Again... No Matter What...
" live from the BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
Children in Need event - DuffyDuffy (singer)Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
performed "Rain on Your ParadeRain on Your Parade"Rain on Your Parade" is a song by Welsh recording artist Duffy from her debut studio album, Rockferry. Written by Duffy and Steve Booker, the song was released as the first single from the album's deluxe edition, and fifth overall, on 9 February 2009, by A&M Records...
" from her album RockferryRockferryRockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Duffy worked with several producers and writers on the album, including Bernard Butler, Steve Booker,... - Leon JacksonLeon JacksonLeon Jackson is a Scottish singer-songwriter. He won the fourth series of British talent show The X Factor in 2007. Following his win, Jackson was the main star of his on-web series entitled Leon's Life, which ran from 2007 until 2008...
gave an exclusive first performance of "Creative" - the second single to be released from his album Right NowRight Now (Leon Jackson album)Right Now is the debut album by Scottish Jazz singer Leon Jackson, released on October 20, 2008 on Syco Music. Jackson described the album as "a mixture in styles of modern jazz with singer-songwriter elements, and a lot of it is really soulful." The album was released via Syco Music and Sony BMG,... - Girls AloudGirls AloudGirls 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...
performed their Number 1 hit "The PromiseThe Promise (Girls Aloud song)"The Promise" is a pop song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their fifth studio album Out of Control . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania...
" from their album Out of ControlOut of Control (Girls Aloud album)Out of Control is the fifth studio album by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2008 by Fascination Records. Like their previous albums, Out of Control was crafted by the production team of Brian Higgins and Xenomania... - Take ThatTake ThatTake That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
performed their new single "Greatest DayGreatest Day (Take That song)"Greatest Day" is the lead single taken from British pop group Take That's fifth studio album, The Circus.-Song information:"Greatest Day" was written by Take That themselves and was produced by John Shanks. The song was written and recorded at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill and was mixed in Los...
" - SugababesSugababesThe Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
opened the second part of the show with "Girls" - McFly appeared again to perform the other song from the double A side "Do YaDo 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...
." This was pre-recorded due to the band leaving early - Duffy made a second appearance to perform her song "MercyMercy (song)"Mercy" is a soul song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut album, Rockferry . Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success...
" - Alesha Dixon made a second appearance, this time singing "The Boy Does Nothing" from her album The Alesha ShowThe Alesha ShowThe Alesha Show is the second studio album from British R&B recording artist Alesha Dixon, the album is her first album to be released in the United Kingdom. It was released on November 24, 2008 in the UK by Asylum Records...
- One Night OnlyOne Night Only (band)One Night Only is a British Indie rock band from Helmsley, North Yorkshire formed in 2003.-History:One Night Only formed in summer 2003, consisting initially of Mark Hayton, Daniel “Pob” Parkin, Sam “Gunner” Ford and Kai "Kai" Smith. The band did not have a vocalist until George Craig, a friend of...
performed "Just for Tonight" - Il DivoIl DivoIl Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
performed "The Power of Love (La Fuerza Mayor)" from their 2008 album The Promise - Boyzone made a second appearance to perform "Love Me for a ReasonLove Me for a Reason"Love Me for a Reason" is a song by The Osmonds, and released in 1974. Twenty years later, Boyzone covered the song. Both versions were successful, reaching the top ten of the charts in many countries.-Original song:...
", again live from Belfast - Will YoungWill YoungWilliam 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...
performed his new single "GraceGrace (Will Young song)"Grace" is a pop song recorded by British singer Will Young and is the second single from his fourth studio album, Let It Go. The song was released on 22nd December 2008, and performed on The X Factor on the 8th November 2008, and subsequently on Children in Need 2008...
" from his album Let It GoLet It Go (Will Young album)Let It Go is the fourth album from original Pop Idol winner Will Young. The album was released on 29 September 2008. It is Will Young's first album in 3 years, since the release of "Keep On" in late 2005.... - StereophonicsStereophonicsThe Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
performed "Have a Nice DayHave a Nice Day (Stereophonics song)"Have a Nice Day" is the second single from rock band the Stereophonics taken from the their third album Just Enough Education to Perform also known as JEEP. It was released in June 2001. It reached #5 in the UK charts equalling previous single "Mr. Writer."The song is track 5 on Just Enough...
" from their 2001 album Just Enough Education to PerformJust Enough Education to PerformJust Enough Education to Perform, also known by its acronym J.E.E.P., is the third studio album by Welsh rock band Stereophonics. Released on 17 April 2001, the album topped the UK Albums Chart with 140,000 copies sold. and spawned three top-ten singles in the form of "Mr. Writer", "Have a Nice...
from the CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
event - John BarrowmanJohn BarrowmanJohn Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
performed "What About Us" from his second album Music Music Music - Jason DonovanJason DonovanJason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
performed a cover version of "Be My BabyBe My Baby"Be My Baby" is a 1963 single written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, performed by The Ronettes and produced by Spector. When released as a single, the song reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart and #4 on the UK's Record Retailer...
" - James MorrisonJames Morrison (singer)James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the...
and Keisha BuchananKeisha BuchananKeisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
performed a duet of "Broken Strings", a song he originally recorded with Nelly FurtadoNelly FurtadoNelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy... - Russell WatsonRussell WatsonRussell Watson is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. The self-styled "People's Tenor" had been singing since he was a child, and became known after performing at a working men's club...
performed a cover of "Me and Mrs. JonesMe and Mrs. Jones"Me and Mrs. Jones" is a soul song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. It describes an extramarital affair between a man and his lover, Mrs. Jones. It has been recorded by Billy Paul and Michael Bublé, amongst others.-Billy Paul version:"Me and Mrs...
" - Sharleen SpiteriSharleen SpiteriSharleen Spiteri is a Scottish recording artist and songwriter, best known as being the lead singer of Scottish rock/blues band Texas. Texas began their career in 1986, and shot to fame in 1989 with their UK Top Ten single, "I Don't Want a Lover" released from Southside...
performed "All the Times I CriedAll the Times I Cried"All the Times I Cried" is the debut solo single by Texas lead singer, Sharleen Spiteri, from her debut solo album, Melody. It was digitally released in the U.K. on June 30, 2008, and physically released on July 7, 2008.- Music video :...
" from her solo album MelodyMelody (Sharleen Spiteri album)Melody is the debut solo album from Scottish Texas lead singer, Sharleen Spiteri. It was released on July 14. 2008 and went straight to #3 in the United Kingdom album charts. The first single from the album was All The Times I Cried.-Background:...
in GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... - EnyaEnyaEnya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...
performed "Trains and Winter RainsTrains and Winter Rains"Trains and Winter Rains" is a single by Irish musician Enya, the first to be taken from the album And Winter Came.... The BBC Radio 2 show Wake up to Wogan was given the world exclusive to the new song, which aired on the 29 September 2008...
" from her 2008 album And Winter Came...And Winter Came...And Winter Came... is the seventh studio album from Irish musician Enya. The album was announced by Enya via her official site on September 12, 2008, and was released on November 7, 2008. The songs on the album primarily have a Christmas or winter theme...
from Belfast - Katie MeluaKatie MeluaKetevan "Katie" Melua is a British-Georgian singer, songwriter and musician. She moved to Northern Ireland at the age of eight and then to England at fourteen. Melua is signed to the small Dramatico record label, under the management of composer Mike Batt, and made her musical debut in 2003...
performed "The Closest Thing to CrazyThe Closest Thing to Crazy"The Closest Thing to Crazy" is the debut single of Georgia-born songstress Katie Melua. It is featured on her hugely successful album, Call Off the Search...
" from her first album Call Off the SearchCall off the SearchThe Japanese release has the extra track "Deep Purple".-Personnel:*Katie Melua - guitar, vocals*Mike Batt - organ, piano, conductor*Jim Cregan - guitar*Tim Harries - bass*The Irish Film Orchestra - orchestra*Michael Kruk - drums*Alan Smale - leader... - Revelation, finalists in "Last Choir StandingLast Choir StandingLast Choir Standing was a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. Broadcast on BBC One in July and August 2008, the series saw amateur choirs competing each week to be the 'last choir standing'....
" and Sharon D. Clarke, one of the judges from the show, performed a cover of "Ain't No Mountain High EnoughAin't No Mountain High Enough"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is an R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla Motown label. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, becoming a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes...
"
Cast performances
- The cast of The BillThe BillThe Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
put together a tribute to The Blues BrothersThe Blues BrothersThe Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live... - The cast from the 2009 revival of Oliver!Oliver!Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
performed a medley of songs from the show featuring the winners of I'd Do AnythingI'd Do Anything (BBC TV series)I'd Do Anything is a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom and broadcast on BBC One. It premièred on 15 March 2008...
(shown twice throughout the broadcast, the second time was to replace a scheduled appearance by RazorlightRazorlightRazorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second...
who had to pull out at the last minute due to illness) - The cast of EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
performed a tribute to West End TheatreWest End theatreWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
featuring songs from Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
, My Fair LadyMy Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
, Saturday Night FeverSaturday Night FeverSaturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance...
, Billy ElliotBilly ElliotBilly Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
and Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (musical)Mary Poppins is a Walt Disney Theatrical musical based on the similarly titled series of children's books by P. L. Travers and the Disney 1964 film. The West End production opened in December 2004 and received two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical and the other for Best Theatre...
(shown twice throughout the broadcast) - The BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
readers performed a tribute to ABBAABBAABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
as their 2008 contribution - A group of BBC presenters (including Blue PeterBlue PeterBlue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
, Match of the DayMatch of the DayMatch of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
, TMiTMiSam & Mark's TMi Friday was a British children's television show that was presented by Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes . It originally aired on Saturday mornings on BBC Two from its launch on 16 September 2006, until the end of its fourth series on 19 December 2009. Sam & Mark were joined by Caroline...
and also ITVITVITV 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...
's Al MurrayAl MurrayAlastair James Hay "Al" Murray , is a British comedian best known for his stand-up persona, The Pub Landlord, a stereotypical xenophobic public house licensee. In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy...
) lip syncLip syncLip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
ed to "RockstarRockstar (Nickelback song)"Rockstar" is the fifth U.S. single by the Canadian rock band Nickelback from their 2005 fifth studio album All the Right Reasons. It was only released in the U.S. and Canada, and has since been re-released worldwide...
" - The cast of the London production of HairsprayHairspray (musical)Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
arrived straight from the night's production to perform "You Can't Stop the Beat" - The crew from DIY SOSDIY SOSDIY SOS is a British DIY television series made for the BBC, presented by Nick Knowles. The first episode was broadcast on 7 October 1999 and the show is still aired today...
performed a cover of "Addicted to LoveAddicted to Love (song)Tina Turner has made "Addicted to Love" a regular feature of her live shows since 1986, although her version did not make it onto the market until two years later....
"
Others
- Merlin in Need a special 2 minute sketch from MerlinMerlin (TV series)Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure television programme by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps. It began broadcasting on BBC One on 20 September 2008. The show is based on the Arthurian legends of the wizard Merlin and his relationship with Prince Arthur but differs from...
. - A special junior edition of MasterChef
- A special episode of Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
with Terry Wogan and Flavia CacaceFlavia CacaceFlavia Cacace , is an Italian professional dancer. Her professional dance partner is Vincent Simone, and both regularly appear on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Their brand name when performing together is VincentandFlavia...
dancing against regular 'Strictly' presenter Tess Daly who was partnered with Anton Du BekeAnton du BekeAnton du Beke is a British ballroom dancer and television presenter. His professional dance partner since 1997 has been Erin Boag. With Boag, he won the IDTA Classic in England in November 2003.-Family and early life:... - A preview clip from the 2008 Christmas Special of Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
(shown twice throughout the broadcast) - A special, How to Look Good Naked in Weatherfield, a combination of Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
and How to Look Good NakedHow to Look Good NakedHow to Look Good Naked is a television program, first aired on British Channel 4 in 2006, in which fashion stylist Gok Wan encourages women and men who are insecure with their bodies to strip nude for the camera...
(shown twice throughout the broadcast) - A sketch of The Royle FamilyThe Royle FamilyThe Royle Family is a popular, BAFTA award-winning television comedy drama produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series between 1998 and 2000, and specials from 2006 onwards...
sitting watching Children in Need - Another combination, this time Richard HammondRichard HammondRichard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...
from Top GearTop Gear (current format)Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
appeared in a special one off mini episode of Ashes to AshesAshes to Ashes (TV series)Ashes to Ashes is a British science fiction and police procedural drama television series, serving as the sequel to Life on Mars.The series began airing on BBC One in February 2008. A second series began broadcasting in April 2009...
(shown twice throughout the broadcast) - A short sketch of Alex SalmondAlex SalmondAlexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
MSP (Scottish First Minister), portraying Rikki FultonRikki FultonRobert Kerr Fulton, OBE , more commonly known as Rikki Fulton, was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, Scotch and Wry. He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, Francie and Josie, alongside...
's Rev I M Jolly. This was only shown in the Scottish region - WWE wrestler Kofi KingstonKofi KingstonKofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah , is a Ghanaian American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Kofi Kingston. He is currently signed to WWE and works on its Raw brand where he is one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions with Evan Bourne as Air Boom...
and Hardeep Singh Kohli had a match on a WWE video game. This was only shown in the Scottish Region.
QI
During the customary break for the BBC News at Ten the first episode of the 6th series of QIQI
QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
was screened 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...
. The episode had a Children in Need theme. As with previous Children in Need specials, it guest starred Pudsey Bear, David Mitchell
David Mitchell (actor)
David James Stuart Mitchell is a British actor, comedian and writer. He is half of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb, whom he met at Cambridge University. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo star in the...
and Ronni Ancona
Ronni Ancona
Ronni Ancona is a Scottish actress, impressionist and author. Ancona won the Best TV Comedy Actress award at the 2003 British Comedy Awards for her work in Big Impression.- Career :...
, however immediately following the contestant introductions, Terry Wogan appeared to dismiss Pudsey and take his place. Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
admitted on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that the special was recorded in May or June of this year.
Celebrity Scissorhands
A third series of Celebrity ScissorhandsCelebrity Scissorhands
Celebrity Scissorhands is a reality show that is part of the BBC's Children in Need charity campaign, in which celebrities attempt to cut people's hair to raise money for the campaign while trained and watched by professional hairdresser Lee Stafford...
was shown in the run up to the 2008 event, again featuring celebrity hairdresser Lee Stafford
Lee Stafford
Lee Stafford is an award-winning celebrity hairdresser.-Biography:Stafford opened his hair salon in 1984 in Essex called The House That Hair Built. His career took off in 1997 when he won the title of Men's British Hairdresser of the Year. In 2000 he opened his second hair salon in Wardour Street,...
and Steve Strange
Steve Strange
Steve Strange , is a Welsh pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage...
as lead stylist. The winner was Sabrina Washington with Jeff Leach as the runner up.
Official single
On 30 October 2008 the BBC announced that the 2008 Children in Need official single would be a double A side of "Do Ya" and a cover of FacesFaces (band)
Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of the Small Faces after Steve Marriott left that group to form Humble Pie...
"Stay With Me
Stay with Me (Faces song)
"Stay with Me", written by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, was first recorded by their band Faces for the 1971 album A Nod Is as Good as a Wink...To a Blind Horse. The song has also appeared on various Faces compilations and on albums by both songwriters. The lyrics describe a woman named Rita with...
" by British pop band 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...
. The songs were released for download on 23 November and in stores the following day, with all profits raised going to the appeal. The band performed both songs as part of the 2008 broadcast on BBC1. "Do Ya" charted at Number 18 on the 30 November 2008, making it the lowest chart entry for a Children in Need
Children in Need
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...
song to date.
Other activities
As in previous years, the TV show CountryfileCountryfile
Countryfile is a British magazine-style television programme produced by BBC Birmingham, first aired on 24th July 1988, which reports on rural and environmental issues within the United Kingdom. For its first 20 years it was fronted by broadcaster John Craven, until he stepped back from the role of...
sold a calendar in aid of the appeal. In 2008, it raised £369,000.
Totals
The following are totals with the times they were announced on the televised show.| Date | Time | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2008-11-14 | 20:05 GMT | £5,979,296 |
| 21:05 GMT | £7,595,182 | |
| 21:33 GMT | £10,461,062 | |
| 21:59 GMT | £11,461,855 | |
| 22:45 GMT | £13,736,493 | |
| 23:33 GMT | £15,709,376 | |
| 2008-11-15 | 00:31 GMT | £18,127,452 |
| 01:06 GMT | £19,934,232 | |
| 01:53 GMT | £20,991,216 |
It was announced during the broadcast that since 1980 the appeal had raised over £500,000,000 towards helping children in the UK.