What time is Children in Need on and who is performing? - The Independent
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Children in Need returns to TV tonight featuring an all-star cast of famous faces including Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya.
The 47th annual appeal show airs live tonight on BBC One at 7pm from MediaCityUK in Salford, featuring three hours of entertainment to raise life-changing funds for children and young people across the United Kingdom.
This year's fundraising campaign, titled Challenge Yourself 2026, encourages the public to design their own fundraising challenges inspired by the number 26 to support the charity.
The live telethon will be hosted by Alex Jones, Mel Giedroyc, Rylan Clark, Sara Cox, and Tyler West, who will also be taking to the dancefloor alongside Strictly Come Dancing professionals in dedicated routines.
This year’s show will feature Clark as the subject of a stunt involving stars from the upcoming film Dune: Part Three, including Chalamet and Zendaya.
The 38-year-old BBC Radio 2 host believed he was conducting a standard interview with actors from the blockbuster, such as Anya Taylor-Joy and Jason Mamoa.
However, three children secretly directed the Hollywood actors during the segment, feeding them unexpected prompts through an earpiece.
Among their instructions, Chalamet was prompted to interrupt the conversation to look at his mobile, informing a bewildered Clark that he was "bidding on an air fryer" and currently winning.
The actor later exclaims: "No I’ve lost the lead."
Taylor-Joy responds: "Man I’m sorry."
Teaser footage captures a visibly perplexed Clark asking: "Is everyone all right?"
Audiences can watch the complete prank when the charity’s main appeal broadcast airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 13 November.
Other performances by Morning Live presenters who learnt musical instruments in weeks for a Build a Band Challenge.
Additional features of the broadcast include a performance from the cast of the new High School Musical stage show alongside a young campaigner, as well as the BBC Children in Need Choir uniting over 1,000 young singers across the country.
Based on Frank Herbert’s classic novel, Dune: Part Three was helmed by director Denis Villeneuve, and follows on from the previous two films which were released in 2021 and 2024 respectively.
Serving as the final chapter in the popular sci-fi trilogy, the narrative picks up over ten years after the second movie, detailing the aftermath of Paul Atreides ascending as galactic emperor.
The film will arrive in cinemas on 18 December.
It promises to cap off a strong year for Zendaya, who also featured in The Odyssey alongside the likes of Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson.
Chalamet will also be aiming for a strong end to 2026 after starring in Marty Supreme last year, while he also played musical legend Bob Dylan in the biopic A Complete Unknown the previous year.
Zendaya is married to British actor Tom Holland, while Chalamet is dating Kylie Jenner, with the couple going public with their relationship back in 2023.
