This year’s BBC Children in Need fundraising event raised £39.2m on the night, up from a low of £33.5m last year.

This year’s show, which was broadcast on Friday night, raised £5.7m more on the night than in 2023, when it recorded its lowest on-the-night total since 2014.

The highest on-the-night total raised by the event was £50.6m in 2018.

This year’s on-the-night total includes £8.9m raised by BBC Radio 2 presenter Paddy McGuinness’s 300-mile ultra endurance cycling challenge for Radio 2, which saw the TV presenter cycle from Wrexham to Glasgow.

Fresh after finishing his endurance cycle, McGuinness was greeted on the night by the Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy to find out the total he had raised so far.

The total also includes about £2m raised by the ‘challenge squad’ – a group of four young people who have benefited from Children in Need funding – who were championed by the presenters Roman Kemp, Alex Jones, Nikki Fox and McGuinness.

The on-the-night total includes £2.3m raised by the TV show Countryfile, including money raised by a visit to the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire Dales by the show’s presenters and a number of children and young people.

A further £212,063 was raised by a collaboration between the TV show Interior Design Masters and BBC Children in Need. This saw celebrities Darren Harriott, Joanne McNally, Jon Richardson, Leomie Anderson and Martin and Shirley Kemp compete to makeover a centre for Sandwell Young Carers Project, a BBC Children in Need Funded project.

Opening the show, the young children's animated character Bluey took to the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor, joined by Strictly professionals.

The night also featured an exclusive preview of the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special, introduced by the fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa. 

Two highly collectible pieces of Doctor Who history were also put up for auction – Jodie Whittaker’s Tardis which was used on set in the 2022 festive special ‘Eve of the Daleks’ and a costume worn by Kylie Minogue when she appeared on the show in 2007.

The cast of the TV show Outnumbered reunited live on the show before an upcoming Christmas special while stars from Dragons Den were also asked to give a pitch to explain how Gift Aid works.

Simon Antrobus, chief executive of BBC Children in Need, said: “The overwhelming kindness and generosity shown this evening - especially when things are incredibly hard for so many - is remarkable. 

“Children and young people are facing unimaginable challenges, with many carrying burdens that are too heavy for them to manage alone but with thanks to donations we are able to fund more projects and amazing people that work tirelessly to support children and make a positive difference to their lives. To each and every person that gave so generously this evening, thank you.”