Children In Need 2019: Star-studded BBC appeal raises £47.9m

Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, Bruno Tonioli — Image caption The Strictly Come Dancing judges in charitable mood

Stars from Strictly Come Dancing, Star Wars, Doctor Who and EastEnders have helped this year’s Children In Need TV appeal raise £47.9m.

The five-hour telethon also featured England football players, a celebrity edition of music quiz The Hit List and songs by Louis Tomlinson and Westlife.

Viewers also saw short films about some of the the 3,000 local projects supported by the charity.

Last year, £50.6m was raised on the appeal night.

Image caption The hosts: Marvin and Rochelle Humes, Mel Giedroyc, Tom Allen, Graham Norton, Ade Adepitan and Tess Daly

Children in Need is the BBC’s official UK charity and raises money for disadvantaged young people around the country, such as those experiencing poverty, with disabilities, or victims of abuse or neglect.

This year, comedian Tom Allen joined a presenting line-up that also includes Graham Norton, Tess Daly, Mel Giedroyc, Ade Adepitan and Marvin and Rochelle Humes.

EastEnders actors Ricky Champ (who plays Stuart Highway), Louisa Lytton (Ruby Allen), Maisie Smith (Tiffany Butcher) and Rudolph Walker (Patrick Trueman) swapped Albert Square for the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom for the night.

Image caption Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood in a sketch with EastEnders’ Ricky Champ and Rudolph Walker

Image caption The EastEnders teamed up with Strictly professionals

Star Wars actors Daisy Ridley and John Boyega challenged YouTuber Colin Furze to build a real working landspeeder [vehicle that hovers], helped by young people from Children In Need projects.

Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker also made an appearance, and Norton gave three children the chance to be on his chat show sofa – and the power to tip joke-telling celebrities out of his famous big red chair.

Image caption Graham Norton gives Julio, Iara and Emma control over his famous lever

Image caption Anneka Rice tried to save herself from being tipped out of the big red chair

Meanwhile, there were special versions of Mock The Week, Crackerjack and Dragon’s Den, along with performances from Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, plus the casts of Big, The Tina Turner Musical and Circus 1903.

England footballers Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling were filmed surprising children from the England Amputee Football Association.

Image caption England stars Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling with children from the England Amputee Football Association and presenter Mark Wright

A special edition of BBC One’s The Hit List featured pop stars including rapper Wretch 32, ex-JLS singer JB Gill, Heidi Range from the Sugababes, Girls Aloud’s Nadine Coyle, Liberty X star Michelle Heaton and Blue’s Antony Costa.

Image caption JB Gill and Wretch 32 on the special Hit List

Image caption Marvin and Rochelle Humes host The Hit List

TV personality Rylan Clark-Neal had already raised more than £1m for the cause with his 24-hour karaoke marathon on BBC Radio 2.