BBC Children In Need Preview: Girls Aloud, One Direction, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, 'Doctor Who' And A 'Strictly' Special (PICTURES)

PICTURE PREVIEW: 'Biggest Ever' Children In Need

The BBC will hold its "biggest ever" Children in Need appeal on Friday with the wreckage caused at the corporation by the Jimmy Savile paedophilia scandal as a backdrop.

Presented by Sir Terry Wogan, the show will feature the likes of Fearne Cotton, Tess Daly and Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw in a push to match last year's record on-the-night total of £26 million.

Fearne Cotton, Sir Terry Wogan and Tess Daly

With £3,645,530 pledged already, it remains to be seen whether the fundraising extravaganza will be affected by revelations surrounding the late BBC star's predatory sexual behaviour towards children.

MUSIC

This year's entertainment will feature performances from artists such as One Direction, Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis and Tim Minchin.

Pop princesses Girls Aloud will reunite live for the first performance of their Children in Need 2012 official single, 'Something New'.

Kylie Minogue is performing reworkings of some of her classic hits accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

And Britain's Olympic and Paralympic heroes are also getting involved, with the likes of Tom Daley, Rebecca Adlington, Louis Smith and Ellie Simmonds dancing in a music video.

TV SHOW SPECIALS

Strictly special

Britain's Got Talent 2012 winner Pudsey the dog and his namesake, Children in Need's Pudsey the bear, will also be having a dance together.

Meanwhile, a prequel to this year's 'Doctor Who' Christmas special will be screened, showing Matt Smith in Victorian garb.

Matt Smith as Doctor Who

Visiting the BBC One soap, which is set near his birth place of Hackney, Lord Sugar met show favourites Alfie Moon, Billy Mitchell, Ian Beale and Masood Ahmed for the appeal.

Lord Sugar in Albert Square

David Ramsden, BBC Children in Need chief executive, said: "This year's campaign is bigger and better than ever and people right across the country are once again coming together to raise thousands that will help change the lives of disadvantaged children right here in the UK."

Dig deep and make a difference. Children In Need will begin at 7.30pm on Friday on BBC1.

Geri Halliwell

Children In Need

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