November 17, 2005
It promises to be a star-studded night of fun and fundraising for a good cause, and this Friday's Children in Need telethon should be the biggest and best yet.
People all over the country will be performing wacky stunts and digging deep into their pockets for the 26th annual BBC event, not to mention a few well-known faces making fools of themselves for charity.
Madonna, the casts of Casualty and EastEnders, Bruce Forsyth, Rod Stewart and many more stars will join the dependable Terry Wogan, who is appearing this year with Top of the Pops host Fearne Cotton and the ubiquitous Natasha Kaplinsky.
Terry Wogan says: “It's another show jam-packed with money-raising madness and I am excited to be joined by my new co-stars, Fearne Cotton and Natasha Kaplinsky. I just hope these two young ladies can keep up with me!”
The broadcaster's TV and radio teams in Norfolk will also be doing their bit in the national BBC event.
BBC Look East presenters Stewart White and Julie Reinger will be on the ski slopes at Xscape in Milton Keynes, broadcasting live for BBC Children in Need on BBC 1.
And there's a world record attempt taking place on the EDF Energy skating rink outside the Forum in Norwich, which the programme will be covering live.
BBC Radio Norfolk is also doing its bit by challenging the Broads Authority to a canoe race on Whitlingham Broad in Trowse, near Norwich between 12.30pm and 2pm.
However the fundraising process is already well under way.
It kicked off on Sunday night with The Great Big Bid, a star-studded charity auction, which is continuing throughout the week.
All kinds of items are up for grabs on eBay, ranging from a copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire signed by author J K Rowling - for which the latest bid is £4151 - to a pair of gloves worn in Kim and Aggie's How Clean is Your House? for which some charitable person has bid £102.
Viewers can also bid for the chance to meet the stars, or alternatively have their stars read.
You can try to win tea at The Ritz with actor Joseph Fiennes, or go for a private consultation with top astrologer Jonathan Cainer.
And if bidding hundreds of pounds is a step too far for your bank account, you can also do your bit by entering the Bid for a Quid competition by phone or text message. Prizes on offer include a golf lesson with Nick Faldo.
Children in Need is live on BBC 1 from 7pm on Friday November 18.
From the
EDP24
