Prepare to get SPOTacular for BBC Children in Need

It’s time to get SPOTacular as this year’s  BBC Children in Need Appeal comes to BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer, from 7.00pm today (Friday 18 November).

All over Northern Ireland hundreds of people have been busy fundraising for the annual appeal.  

This year the show will come live from London, presented by Ade Adepitan MBE, Mel Giedroyc, Chris Ramsey and Alex Scott MBE, who will be joined by comedian Jason Manford for the first time this year. Connor Phillips and Holly Hamilton will bring an update from Northern Ireland tonight and present an hour long special on BBC One Northern Ireland on Sunday

BBC Radio Ulster’s Lynette Fay and BBC Radio Foyle’s Marie-Louse Muir plan to finish their own ‘Walk And Talk’ fundraising challenges to complete 100 miles and 50 miles respectively before this evening, while throughout the week other shows and presenters have been talking to fundraisers and organisations benefitting directly from the support of BBC Children in Need.

This afternoon (Friday) Hugo Duncan and the radio team travel to the Island Arts Centre in Lisburn for a special outside broadcast packed full of live music and requests from 1.30pm - 3.00pm, with BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle chatting all things Pudsey across the day.

And on Sunday, 20 November, Holly Hamilton and Connor Phillips will host a one hour show, Children in Need Best Bits, on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer at 11am.

They are joined by Pudsey, Hugo Duncan and Bellaghy-born singer Brooke Scullion who hit the road earlier this week to find out more about the incredible fundraisers that allow organisations to make such a difference in our communities.

During their travels they called in to meet children in Belfast and Coleraine. Hugo and Brooke also called in on Barra Best’s big fundraising quiz in Belfast, and TV cameras followed Connor Phillips at his outside broadcast from South Belfast Resource Centre, who were busy fundraising for Pudsey. All will be featured in the 60 minute programme this Sunday.

Among those organisations also to be featured will be Gortilea Social Farm near Claudy, and staff and participants of IncredABLE as they take to the slopes of Craigavon Ski Centre.

Singer Brooke Scullion enjoys a dance with some children from Belfast who have been busy fundraising for BBC Children in Need during filming for Children in Need Best Bits, to be shown on Sunday.

And BBC Radio 1’s Dean McCullough travelled to Suffolk Community Centre in Belfast to juggle and stilt-walk with Circusful.

Holly Hamilton said: “I absolutely love BBC Children In Need and am so thrilled to be part of it again this year alongside Connor. Please, please do what you can to help us raise lots of money for this year’s Great SPOTacular themed appeal, as your donations really do make a huge difference to the lives of many children and young people right here in Northern Ireland.”

Connor Phillips said: “It’s always great to be working with Holly, and I am looking forward to meeting some of the many people who have been busy fundraising, helping to raise loads of money for this year’s BBC Children in Need. Let’s make it the best one yet.”

Last year’s national on the night total was £39,389,048 and the overall fundraising total for the 2021 Appeal was £51million.

Here in Northern Ireland the appeal has currently issued 152 grants to projects over the past year to a value of more than £8.5million.

Further information on BBC Children in Need and how to get involved can be found at bbc.co.uk/pudsey .