Backstage at the BBC

The monument to materialism that is Westfield was surprisingly quiet last night. Instead, the crowds had decamped to the BBC’s Television Centre across the road: some hoping for a glimpse of Girls Aloud, some hoping to talk to Take That, but all happy to dig deep into their pockets for one big yellow bear.

Thanks to bolshy Brand, raucous Ross and chatty Clarkson, the BBC has taken a battering recently, but last night everyone inside Television Centre was getting fired up for a different reason: Children In Need. I spent the night at the backstage party, where the BBC bosses and famous faces I found spilling off the stage and towards the free bar included BBC chief adviser on editorial policy Margaret Hill, Children In Need chief executive David Ramsden, the Eastenders cast, Chris Evans, Lucinda Ledgerwood from The Apprentice, last year’s X Factor winner Leon Jackson, TV personality Gok Wan, and a bevy of newsreaders and presenters.

Bear hugs from Pudsey backstage

But the true stars of the party were the fundraisers: people from all over the country who had sensational stories (and sensational cheques) to show for exploits ranging from synchronised skydiving to corporate karaoke. By the time Pudsey put on his bedtime bandanna at 2am, the combined efforts of these fundraisers and the seven-hour appeal night extravaganza had raised a record-breaking £20,991,216, and host Terry Wogan described it as the “greatest” Children In Need night to date.

Well done, BBC: you’re back to what you do best.

Click below for more images of the night…

Me with Chris Evans

Me with Lucinda Ledgerwood