Children in Need 2023 presenters and highlights

The presenting team for this year's Children in Need.

Children in Need will be back on the BBC this week, as a star-packed night of comedy, music and surprise guests, help raise vital funds to help children and young people overcome the challenges they currently face.

First screened back in 1980, the annual fundraiser supports children and young people living in poverty, provides emergency support to families in crisis, provides comfort to children feeling sad, lost and alone, helping them overcome social injustice and supporting children to feel safe and secure.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's event.

When is Children in Need 2023?

This year's BBC Children in Need will air at 7pm on BBC One and will be available to catch up on BBC iPlayer. There will also be a live broadcast from Pacific Quay by BBC One Scotland at 10pm.

Who is hosting Children in Need?

The six-strong team on presenting duties are presenter and wheelchair basketball player Ade Adepitan MBE, comedians Mel Giedroyc, Jason Manford and Chris Ramsey, Bafta-winning teeanged actor Lenny Rush, and former Lioness Alex Scott MBE.

The Scottish segment will be hosted by Jackie Bird.

What are the highlights?

Here are some of the most highly-anticipated sections of this year's broadcast:

Doctor Who

A special-one-off Doctor Who scene starring the fourteenth Doctor, David Tennant. Fans can also catch a glimpse behind the scenes of making the scene in an exclusive episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed, which will be available on BBC iPlayer.

Masterchef

It’s mayhem in the MasterChef kitchen as John Torode and Gregg Wallace are joined by some of Britain's best-loved puppets all competing to cook and create a dish to win over the judges. Who will be crowned MasterChef Puppet Champion for BBC Children in Need?

Race Across Yorkshire

The race is on for three pairs of TV characters in Race Across Yorkshire, a parody of the hugely successful Race Across The World. With cameos from Yorkshire icons and pitstops to earn cash along the way, who will make it to the town of Pudsey first?

Musical stars

In the studio, singer songwriter JERUB takes to the stage to perform his latest single ‘There Till The End’, the UK’s Junior Eurovision act STAND UNIQU3 sing their anthemic entry ‘Back to Life’, and Leigh-Anne who – having performed on BBC Children in Need with Little Mix many times - performs her track ‘My Love’ for the first time on TV.

I Should Be So Lucky

The cast of the brand-new stage musical ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ perform a medley of songs from Stock Aitken Waterman acts (Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley etc.) including classic hit ‘Especially For You’, with a very special duo taking on one of the trio’s biggest hits...

Disney debut

To celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary, viewers will be treated to a British TV debut performance from Walt Disney Animation Studios upcoming film Wish, sung by West-End musical star Merryl Ansah. The amazing BBC Children in Need Choir is back, drawn from the Nations and Regions of the UK, to sing a heart-felt rendition of ‘You Raise Me Up’.

Challenge Squad

The One Show’s Challenge Squad, which features young people who’ve been supported by BBC Children in Need projects will culminate in live performances with special guest performers.

Graham Norton

Celebrities take on The Graham Norton Show’s infamous Red Chair where a group of children have their hands on the lever to decide their fate.

What's happening in Scotland?

Scotland's own Children in Need programme, will follow the UK-wide show and take place from 10-11pm.

Jackie Bird will welcome guests from the comedy and music scene in front of a live studio audience, while there will be eports from around various projects around the country. highlighting heart-warming stories of young people who have benefited from Children in Need funding.

Providing some banter are Burnistoun supremos Robert Florence and Iain Connell, who are also at the heart of hit Scottish comedy series The Scotts in which they play brothers Henry and Vincent Scott.

There will be also be music from rising star Rianne Downey. The singer-songwriter from Bellshill, who was one of the stand-outs hits of this year’s TRNSMT performing with Paul Heaton.

Among the Scottish projects to feature in the show, with stories of children who have had invaluable support, are East Ayrshire Young Carers, The Ocean Youth Trust and Sports Driving.

BBC Children in Need 2023: When is the charity event, who's presenting and highlights - including Doctor Who