katya has confirmed on twitter there will be a pro dance on children in need on friday and its looking great

i hope all the professionals will be involved this year

the professional dancers are suppose to be starting off children in need on friday

will anyone be watching???

I won't. Not unless I can get a fix on the time of the dancing.

I'm afraid that I don't want to watch an evening of showbiz dross that lost its sparkle a very long time ago.

One of the presenters is Alesha Dixon, to make matters worse. (Sorry, great to watch as a dancer, as someone I'd have to listen to for long periods as a presenter, no thanks).

I agree about Alesha.

I'll still watch CiN though.

Is Tess not presenting it as well?

All depends what time it starts. If I am in I will watch the pro dancers and then switch off as marathon shows do not appeal to me, especially if a large chunk of it is being hosted by Alesha Dixon who cooked her goose in Blackpool as far as I am concerned.

I'm sick to death of Children In Need.

Why can't the BBC choose an alternative for once or, let viewers choose their own charities to whom they wish to contribute?

There's only so much money people are willing to contribute to charities and many worthwhile ones consider this and "Red Nose Day" have affected contributions.

But they are big "ratings winners" for the BBC so will continue to be hyped up by them at every opportunity.

Reading your posts on various threads, they all strike me by their negativity. Would you contribute constructively to a thread called "These are a few of my favourite things"?
I'm being serious. Say yes and I'll start one.

Try reading my post again, I'm suggesting the BBC choose another charity to support for a change, after decades of support for this one.
How much more "positive" can that be?

I've no time for those who can't; "separate post from poster."
That means those who can't disagree with an opinion, without getting "personal." You should include yourself on this occasion.

Children In Need is great, if you have the patience to stick with. It's been a few years since I've watched the whole show.

Alright, it's for a good cause and that's brilliant, but to be screened for 7 hours straight, or whatever, takes someone with a lot of patience to stick with it.

I love watching the SCD related parts, so I either stick it on in the background whilst I'm on my laptop, or just wait until my mum or sister lets me know the SCD bunch are on.

I used to watch the whole show, but as the years have gone on, I've just gotten more and more fidgety throughout.

Hopefully, I'll see the SCD bunch though.

I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Alesha and I love watching all the soaps casts doing their little cameos.

lol, that's what is so brilliant about having sky+ - I'll watch it after it's been on an hour or so and fastforward all the crap

I'm quite happy to donate to the charities I feel strongly enough about on an individual basis. Thankfully for the last six years I've managed to avoid CIN by going away on the Friday for the weekend...

I will be drinking beer instead...and can do without even the SCD fix...

I hate, hate, hate...no not strong enough, loathe Children in Need!! My children ask me why I don't like it, because they would watch it all if we allowed it. Its twofold...I don't have a problem with the BBC trying to raise money for charity. What I don't like is the way that it has assumed the importance it has, and the way TV presenters try to make me feel I'm being mean for not contributing, especially when it also serves as good publicity/revenue for the BBC!! Secondly and more prosaic, none of the usual programmes are on, and I'm "forced" (er this is tongue in cheek as I actually enjoy going for a weekend without the kids) to find something else to do on Friday

I wonder if Alesha will Perform with the strictly dancers, that would be great

I still usually watch a bit of the start of CIN, but years ago I would watch until it finished.

Now, because it is jam packed with singers and groups promoting their songs and who don't even sing live, I just record the show and then FF through it watching the bits I wanted to see. It might still be raising megabucks every year, but the tone of the show has totally changed.

Children In Need is a charity run by the BBC, so that's why the BBC has 'supported' it for decades.

It's a grant giving charity, insofar as it doesn't do any actual work on the ground, but distributes the money donated between other charities and organisations who work for the benefit of children.

yes,Alesha's going to perform The Boy Does Nothing with pros including Matt C.

I think the strictly bit is at the beginning of the evening (either starting the whole thing off or definitely in the first 30 mins/hr....).. so you can watch that and then switch off if necessary.

Not her awful "non hit" single from months back?

TBDN was a hit, it reached the top 5!

Arghhh surprised Alesha is presenting. I really hope she doesnt say ''you was'' or anything. Can't stand her after the way she spoke to Craig.

If you want to support a different charity, then you're welcome to do so. No one is forcing you to donate money to either Children in Need or Comic Relief. Just because a charity has a televised showcase, it doesn't mean that you absolutely have to make a donation if you don't want to.

Personally, I also have other charities that I prefer to support. I try also to donate to Cin and Comic Relief but I'm realistic enough to know I can't give money to every single charity, so I choose which ones I want to support and try not to feel guilty about the rest.

Good for you!

But I wouldn't tell you what charity to support, so please don't tell me.

What I am saying is the BBC supports two charities year on year. These are their choices, not the viewers.

I just think it time that they gave other charities the same sort of support for a change.

But then they wouldn't get the same viewing figures would they?

The full name of the charity is BBC Children in Need. Its like suggesting that SOS children's villages should give all their funds to Oxfam for a year. All the children supported by them would then do without. Children in Need is a BBC charity so if the BBC drops it then those its support will not have the income.

It is also one of the few charities where every single penny donated goes to good causes. Everything else like administration costs is paid for by from the interest earned on the original donations.

The BBC guidelines state that the broadcaster cannot be seen to endorse any individual charity group other than CIN, Comic Relief and Sports Relief.

Once again, all the money donated to BBC Children in Need is distributed to a variety of already established charities and organisations working to benefit children and young people.
CIN is just a fundraising tool - the money goes to charities who actually do the work.