On a Friday evening in November, the BBC's long-running Children In Need broadcast gathers its familiar mix of laughter and effort into three live hours from Salford, where presenters and celebrities turn private challenges into a shared public act of care. Among the night's moments is a playful prank on the presenter Rylan Clark, staged with the help of visiting Hollywood guests, while a Radio 2 host arrives at the finish of a long journey across the four nations. Behind the spectacle sits a quieter story: young people living with illness and disability who have chosen to test themselves on b
Timothée Chalamet and Hollywood stars join BBC Children In Need's Friday night charity special
Three hidden children help make Rylan sweat
Mark
Why does a celebrity prank sit at the top of a charity broadcast?
Mimi
It's the draw. Chalamet, Zendaya, Momoa and Taylor-Joy are promoting Dune: Part Three, and the prank brings them onto a live show that is ultimately about fundraising.
Mark
And the challenge squad?
Mimi
It's the human centre. Harri, Zoe, Ana and Serena each have a personal mission, from dancing to kayaking to a live performance in memory of a brother and a friend.
Luke
Worth noting that we only know what's been previewed. How the prank plays out, or how the missions go, isn't something the reporting can tell us yet.
Mark
What about the £45m?
Mimi
That's last year's total, and it's the benchmark. The charity supports over 1,600 local charities and projects.
Luke
Right, and the source doesn't give a target for this year. Whether it beats £45m is simply unknown until the night is over.
Mark
Anything else that stands out?
Mimi
The Radio 2 tradition. Wyn Evans follows Sara Cox and Paddy McGuinness in taking on a punishing challenge, and his final Welsh leg is shared with Harri.
Luke
Fair, though how Harri's brain tumour effects or Ana's condition shape their challenges isn't detailed. We shouldn't fill that in.
El Pulso
- A celebrity prank on Rylan Clark is set to unsettle the usual rhythm of the live broadcast from Salford.
- Radio 2's Owain Wyn Evans reaches the end of a punishing 400-mile cycle, with his final leg in Wales shared by a young man living with the lasting effects of a brain tumour.
- Four young people in the One Show's challenge squad push their own limits, from a three-day kayak trip to a live performance honouring a lost brother.
- Presenters and stars are learning instruments and taking on feats of their own, all to reach a target set by last year's £45m total.
- The night's outcome hangs on whether the fundraising total passes that mark, and whether viewers respond warmly to the squad's personal missions.
On a Friday evening in November, the BBC's long-running Children In Need broadcast gathers its familiar mix of laughter and effort into three live hours from Salford, where presenters and celebrities turn private challenges into a shared public act of care. Among the night's moments is a playful prank on the presenter Rylan Clark, staged with the help of visiting Hollywood guests, while a Radio 2 host arrives at the finish of a long journey across the four nations. Behind the spectacle sits a quieter story: young people living with illness and disability who have chosen to test themselves on behalf of others. The night will ultimately be measured in money raised, and the nation will learn whether last year's generosity can be matched.
On Friday evening, BBC One and iPlayer carry the three-hour Children In Need broadcast live from Salford, hosted by Alex Jones, Mel Giedroyc, Rylan, Sara Cox and Tyler West. The show opens a window onto a night of mischief and endurance, most memorably a prank in which Timothée Chalamet, fresh from a Dune: Part Three junket, leaves Rylan Clark sweating, aided by three children hidden behind the scenes.
Radio 2's Owain Wyn Evans arrives at the close of a 400-mile cycle through Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales, following Sara Cox and Paddy McGuinness in pushing himself for the charity. On his final leg in Wales he is joined by Harri, 22, who lives with the hidden effects of a brain tumour.
Harri is one of four young people in The One Show's challenge squad, each pursuing a personal mission. Zoe, 16, who has Down's syndrome, dances with the cast of High School Musical. Ana, also 16, paddles a three-day kayak challenge despite a rare physical condition. Serena, 22, performs live in memory of her late brother and a childhood friend.
The night's theme, Challenge Yourself 2026, runs through the wider lineup, with Morning Live presenters learning instruments to play live and landmarks from Blackpool Tower to Titanic Belfast lit yellow. Measured against last year's £45m, the evening's real test is whether this generosity carries the total past that line.
On Friday evening, from 19:00 GMT, BBC One and iPlayer will carry the three-hour Children In Need broadcast, live from Salford. Among its highlights is a prank: Timothée Chalamet, the Oscar-nominated actor, will be seen making Rylan Clark sweat during an interview.
The setup is a press-junket interview for Dune: Part Three. Chalamet appears alongside co-stars Zendaya, Jason Momoa and Anya Taylor-Joy. Three children, hidden behind the scenes, help carry out the prank.
The live show is hosted by Alex Jones, Mel Giedroyc, Rylan, Sara Cox and Tyler West. They will welcome Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans, who has completed a 400-mile cycle challenge through Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales. He is the latest Radio 2 DJ to put himself through a gruelling effort for the charity, following Sara Cox and Paddy McGuinness.
On Friday, Wyn Evans is joined for his final leg in Wales by Harri, who is 22 and lives with hidden lasting effects of a brain tumour. Harri is one of four young people in The One Show's "challenge squad", each of whom signed up for a personal mission on behalf of the charity.
The others are Zoe, 16, who has Down's syndrome and will be seen dancing with the cast of High School Musical. Ana, also 16, has a rare physical condition and is doing a three-day kayaking challenge. Serena, 22, will perform live in memory of her late brother and a childhood friend.
This year's theme is Challenge Yourself 2026. It has also seen Morning Live presenters Michelle Ackerley and Gethin Jones learn instruments so they can play with a band live on the night. Joe Wicks and Emma Bunton are among other stars who have taken part. Landmarks including Blackpool Tower, the London Eye and Titanic Belfast will be lit yellow for the occasion.
The stakes are measurable. Last year's appeal raised more than £45m for children and young people across the UK. Children In Need supports more than 1,600 local charities and projects. The question after the broadcast is whether this year's total passes last year's figure.
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