BBC Children in Need will be broadcasting live from MediaCityUK in Salford for a SPOTacular evening of entertainment.
From Blankety Blank to The Weakest Link, the annual fundraiser will be jam-packed with exclusive sketches, exciting performances, music, dance and a few BIG surprises! The appeal night will be a brilliant spectacle not to miss and will raise money for children and young people across the UK facing a range of challenges, who need help now more than ever.
This year the show will be hosted by Ade Adepitan MBE, Mel Giedroyc, Chris Ramsey, Alex Scott MBE and, for the first time, comedian Jason Manford.
Money raised through BBC Children in Need’s 2022 Appeal will enable us to provide vital frontline support to children and young people across the UK during the cost of living crisis, supporting them to thrive and be the best they can be.
BBC Children in Need Appeal Night Show - Friday 18 November from 7pm on BBC One & iPlayer.
Q&A With Jason Manford
Jason this is your first-time presenting BBC Children in Need, why did you want to take part?
It's always been a charity that I've been involved with. I've fundraised for it in the past and obviously watched the night from when I was a child myself. It's a charity that helps children from lots of different areas and backgrounds, but specifically for me, being from a background- an underprivileged background- myself, being able to help a charity that helps those children means a lot to me.
What does the charity mean to you?
I'm involved in lots of different children's charities throughout the country and certainly in the North West. I know that these charities are helped by BBC Children in Need, and I know how much it does for them. I've seen first-hand where this money goes and who this money can help and so to be able to be part of a show that helps raise that money to help those charities is a real privilege.
Has anyone given you any good tips or advice for presenting the live show?
Not really, obviously I've hosted live shows before and I work live every night on tour. Chris Ramsey rang me and said it's a long night, wear comfy shoes! He also said the accumulator at the end of the night, when you find out the money you've made is one of the most exciting things in all of television.
What are your fondest memories of BBC Children in Need?
Well, the good bit about BBC Children in Need is that it's been there for most of our, well certainly most of my life. I think it’s fantastic to see people doing things they don't normally do. I remember back in the day when you'd have the BBC newsreaders doing Rocky Horror Show and when EastEnders and Coronation Street did a little mashup called ‘East Street’. I remember that happening twenty years ago. Also, somebody sawed Simon Cowell in half, that was pretty good! A standout memory for me was when they did that wonderful song Perfect Day I remember that being a real moment. But I just love seeing anybody do different things you know, and that's what's great about the show, that anything can happen.
Finally, why should viewers tune in to this year’s Appeal show?
This is going be a difficult year for lots of people, we know that it's going to be a tough one. BBC Children in Need is fundamentally an entertainment show, a few hours where you can watch some great charities and great appeals that have been helped by BBC Children in Need over the years.
You may have donated previously over the years, and you can see where that money has gone, how it is helping those charities in need, which I think is important.
It really is a wonderful evening, we're there all night to entertain you and to be together. It's live, which means anything could happen, but of course as you know the most important thing is that we raise money for these charities and these appeals all over the country. To help children who in their worst time need somebody else to look out for them.
So, it's an entertaining night, it's a heart-warming night, and it's a life-affirming night because we all know that even in the darkest of times there are charities like BBC Children in Need that can really make a difference.
Main picture: BBC/Guy Levy/Ray Burmiston
Jason Manford picture: BBC/Guy Levy
