Children In Need: One Direction Kick Off Fundraising

One Direction Lead Stars In Annual Charity Bash

The Children in Need fundraising extravaganza has kicked off with boyband of the moment One Direction performing their single What Makes You Beautiful.

The third and latest total stood at £15,274,911 raised via the show, hosted by Sir Terry Wogan, Tess Daly, Aleesha Dixon and Fearne Cotton.

Earlier in the evening, Matt Baker arrived at the BBC studios after cycling a rickshaw from Edinburgh to London. The presenter raised £1,263,272 during a journey which lasted eight days and covered a total of 484 miles.

Meanwhile, a record £2,032,642 has been raised by BBC Radio 2 listeners - beating the £1,693,444 raised last year.

Four BBC newsreaders later swapped the newsdesk for the dancefloor as they took part in a Strictly Come Dancing performance with the show's professional dancers which ended with a appearance by Angela Rippon who was lifted into the air as she performed the splits.

The 67-year-old presenter famously got her legs out as she emerged from behind a desk in a Morecambe And Wise TV special in 1977.

Sian Williams, Sophie Raworth, Emily Maitlis and Susanna Reid donned glamorous outfits for the occasion which were then ripped off in Bucks Fizz-style fashion to reveal glitzy pink dresses, slashed to the thigh and adorned with a red tassel trim. Susanna Reid and her partner Robin Windsor were chosen as the winners by three of the four judges but all four couples were praised.

The EastEnders cast put on a musical extravaganza as they performed a medley of Queen hits in Albert Square, with some of the actors adopting looks that made them almost unrecognisable.

Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale, cut a dashing figure as he dressed as a woman while John Partridge, who plays Christian Clarke, did his best Freddie Mercury impression as he flexed his muscles in a white vest.

The cast of The Wizard of Oz raised more than £10,000 for Children in Need and performed a variety of songs from the hit musical on the Friday night show. Danielle Hope, who won the Dorothy role after appearing on Andrew Lloyd Webber's BBC1 show Over the Rainbow, was joined on stage by Michael Crawford who plays the Wizard and other cast members including Toto the dog.

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