The Children In Need live appeal show raised a record total of nearly £47million in a night of tributes to the late Sir Terry Wogan
Children In Need raised £46.6m during a night of tributes to Sir Terry Wogan, who was the fundraiser's longstanding presenter and who died in January.
Presenter Rochelle Humes said Sir Terry would have been “proud” of the “absolutely incredible” amount raised on the first appeal night since his death.
The veteran broadcaster hosted the annual BBC event for 35 years until 2015 when poor health forced him to pull out. He passed away in January after a battle with cancer.
Friday’s star-studded appeal raised £46,624,259 – an impressive rise from last year’s total of £37.1 million.
Announcing the sum, Rochelle said: “That’s absolutely incredible and I just know how proud Sir Terry would have been.”
In tribute to the former host, his son Mark give out the first Sir Terry Wogan Fundraiser of the Year Award.
He told the audience: “It was his favourite night of the year, mainly because the money raised tonight and through the year actually made a difference to people, that’s why he loved it.”
The first winner of the prize was Lauchlan Muir from West Lothian, a youngster who raises money by acting as a human statue.
Mark Wogan said: “Dad always said Children In Need was the thing he was most proud of in his entire career. He said he was just one player in a massive team and that you at home were the real stars.
“It was always about helping the children, for him.”
Presenters Tess Daly and Greg James kicked off the show with a promise to “give everything” as a tribute to Sir Terry’s years of service.
Graham Norton and Ade Adepitan later took over hosting duties and showed a montage of Sir Terry’s best Children In Need moments, including clips of him performing with Madonna and showing some moves on the Strictly dance floor.
Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne joined forces with The Great British Bake Off’s stars Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, who poked fun at the show’s move from the BBC to Channel 4.
The night also included a Strictly Team GB special, and the cast of EastEnders uniting for a toe-tapping performance of classic movies from the 1980s.
Danny Dyer, who plays Mick Carter on the BBC soap, played Tom Cruise in Top Gun on a motorbike, cruising through the streets of London.
Bonnie Langford traded her role of Carmel Kazemi to take on classic big-screen dance hit Fame.
There was also a glimpse of the Doctor Who Christmas special, with a clip starring Peter Capaldi and Matt Lucas.
Craig David performed the official Children In Need charity single All We Needed, and there were also performances from Take That, Ellie Goulding and Olly Murs.
Children In Need aims to protect every child in the UK and currently supports 2,400 projects across the nation.
Since its creation in 1980, the charity has raised more than £600 million.
