Children in Need – November 20, 2026

History of Children in Need

December 25, 1927, welcomed the very first B.B.C. radio broadcast appeal for children. This event raised more than £1,300 (around £70,000 in today’s value) for four children’s charities in the U.K. These five-minute Christmas Day Appeals continued on T.V. and radio until 1979. During that time the appeal raised a total of £625,836.

The first B.B.C. Children in Need telethon was broadcast in 1980. It took the format of a series of short segments linking the evening’s programming instead of the usual continuous show. The telethon was devoted to raising money solely dedicated to charities working with children in the United Kingdom.

Terry Wogan, Sue Lawley, and Esther Rantzen were the presenters of this new format. There was a dramatic increase in public donations, with £1 million being raised that year. In 1985, B.B.C. graphic designer Joanna Lane, who worked in the B.B.C’s design department, created the appeal’s mascot. It was a brown, cuddly teddy with a bandana over one eye named Pudsey Bear. The mascot brought new life to the appeal compared to the 2D logo.

Over the years, Pudsey underwent a couple of makeovers that saw changes to his bandana and buttons. Also, Pudsey now has a smiling expression rather than a sad one in the previous logo. In 2009, Pudsey was joined by a brown female bear named Blush. She comes with a spotty bow with a pattern similar to the one on Pudsey’s bandana.

The charity goes beyond providing for children’s physical needs. In partnership with Boots, B.B.C. Children in Need launched a new £10 million three-year funding program in 2019 called ‘A Million and Me’ that focuses on children’s emotional well-being.