Join Hugo, Barra, Jo and Pudsey to Do Your Thing for BBC Children in Need

Published: 9 November 2016

That’s the message from this year’s BBC Children in Need Appeal which takes places on Friday 18 November.

Launching this year’s appeal locally earlier today (Tuesday) were TV presenters Barra Best, Jo Scott. The pair will be fronting this year’s local contributions to the appeal on BBC One Northern Ireland.

Throughout next week leading up to the big night BBC Radio Ulster will be looking at local projects which have benefitted from funding from the Appeal, as well as chatting with fundraisers across NI, culminating in the now annual ‘Hugo-thon’ hosted by Hugo Duncan live on a specially extended edition of his popular programme on Friday 18 November from 1.30-5pm.

The on-air auction, now in its 11th year, will offer a wide range of items all up for grabs to the highest bidder.

Later on in the day, fellow presenters Barra Best and Jo Scott will be live from Titanic Belfast for this year’s local television programme.

Greg James and Tess Daly will open the TV show on BBC One NI from London at 7.30pm with some of the biggest names in music, comedy and entertainment, who all come together to help raise money for the UK’s most disadvantaged children.

One of the highlights of the night will see 178 children from Northern Ireland joining thousands of others from across the UK to form a choir taking part in a nationwide live performance of Lean on Me.

Viewers across Northern Ireland will hear stories from local children and young people who have been supported by the Children in Need charity here and will see the fun and unusual ways in which people have been raising money to make a difference this year.

Then on Saturday, Barra, Jo and Pudsey will be back for a special 70-minute programme on BBC One Northern Ireland from 5.45pm giving viewers the chance to relive the highlights from Friday night.

The programme will meet some of the many people who fundraise for the charity in Northern Ireland, and look at several BBC Children in Need supported projects that have helped make a difference to the lives of local young people and their families.

Saturday’s programme will also take an extended look back at how 178 pupils from across Northern Ireland who took part in the nationwide performance of Lean on Me, prepared for their TV appearance and will feature performances from award-winning Irish pop tenor Eamonn McCrystal and Chloe Agnew, Irish singer/songwriter and original former member of Celtic Women.

Pictured: BBC NI presenters Jo Scott and Barra Best with Hannah Rose from Belfast