The University of Cumbria in Carlisle is to play host to BBC Look North’s annual Children in Need event.
The university’s Brampton Road campus will be the base for an evening of performances and celebrations on Friday 16 November, all aimed at highlighting fundraising in Cumbria and the North East in aid of the children’s charity.
Last year’s telethon raised £60.7m and 2018 will be hoping to go even higher.
“We’re delighted that Pudsey wants to come and see what the Institute of the Arts has to offer and look forward to making him and his supporters welcome,” Roddy Hunter, the director of the University of Cumbria’s Institute of the Arts, said. “It’s great also to collaborate with the BBC who will be hosting some of our students at BBC Newcastle in the future so they can gain an insight into a career in broadcasting. On the night, students from our TV and film course will be assisting the BBC’s technical team at Brampton Road to ensure the programme runs smoothly.”
The event is being managed by BBC North East and Cumbria who will be producing three inserts into the national programme broadcast on BBC1 live from the Carlisle campus which will be specially illuminated for the event. While the event is closed to members of the public, producers say viewers will be able to enjoy the atmosphere throughout the evening.
The Head of BBC Regional and Local Programming, Phil Roberts said, “Children in Need is one of the most important nights in the BBC calendar and we’re really pleased to bring Pudsey to Carlisle to celebrate the fantastic work of the charity in our region. It’s a great opportunity to work in collaboration with the University of Cumbria and give their students a chance to gain behind the scenes experience of a large-scale BBC Outside Broadcast.”
“The programme is one of the most popular staged by the BBC and the chance to showcase the university in front of a large audience is a real coup for Cumbria,” Vice Chancellor Prof Julie Mennell said.
