[Milkshake]

Has anyone actually got last years Grand total? They used to publish this rather promptly over the summer months but not this year.

[RhysJR]

Two completely different sets of graphics from network and Cardiff airing at the same time (good that they don't clash).

up.metropol247.co.uk 

[scottishtv]

The Reporting Scotland studio looked rather lovely earlier as they did a handover to a preview of Jackie Bird's Scottish Children in Need programme:
up.metropol247.co.uk 

up.metropol247.co.uk 

up.metropol247.co.uk 

[South]

They don't even do regional opt out's anymore, just national ones so why would the set get any money spent on it. It's a very sad shell of it's past self.

There was a small opt out at 7.30 for a couple of minutes.

[London Lite]

Looking back on Look East, Susie mentioned the opt at 7.40.

[JAS84]

Today's Bargain Hunt had a bunch of Pudseys in the titles.

[fanoftv]

The Reporting Scotland studio looked rather lovely earlier as they did a handover to a preview of Jackie Bird's Scottish Children in Need programme:
up.metropol247.co.uk 
up.metropol247.co.uk 

up.metropol247.co.uk 

That’s what I was expecting to see, when looking at the website and branding elsewhere in programmes and for donations, etc. 
It seems like Salford didn’t get the memo, or the template. Those glittery style graphics have been in use since 2013 also. 

Why do they need 6 presenters for 3 hours, especially when Terry and Sue/Gaby used to do all 7? Speaking of Gaby, I wonder if she’d ever come back to the fundraiser, especially as she does a lot of work on Radio 2 at the moment. 
I do sometimes feel that it is missing a main presenter associated with the whole campaign.

[Stooky Bill]

They don't even do regional opt out's anymore, just national ones so why would the set get any money spent on it. It's a very sad shell of it's past self.

I'm pretty sure they do, but they're nicely edited packages of things about the region rather than the old style of regional presenters doing their own thing. 

It's a lot slicker these days

[Brekkie]

Sidelining Gaby felt like a mistake when it happened, and even more so once Terry had gone and there was nobody with the long association with the night on the show anymore.

I think Mel has done it most years since Terry died but I'm not sure the viewer really makes that connection, especially when there is often a team of 5 so she gets somewhat lost amongst it. To be honest they should probably exploit it's links with Radio 2 and The One Show and pull on the talent from both to anchor the event rather than a mix and match of what quite frankly is the BBC's B-team at best rather than some of their flagship names.

[JMT1985]

I'm pretty sure they do, but they're nicely edited packages of things about the region rather than the old style of regional presenters doing their own thing. 

It's a lot slicker these days

A big change from the late 80s, 90s and 00s, when viewers in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland opted out entirely from the network from around 7.30pm until 1am, with viewers there seeing their own local content, with those three regions placing some network comedy routines, musical numbers etc into their own schedule and not airing it at the same time as London. 

In fact BBC One Northern Ireland used to drop a lot of network content, with BBC One Northern Ireland viewers missing out on some key specials. One instance was a Paul McKenna Celebrity Hypnosis Special for 1996, viewers in Northern Ireland never saw it, as they had their own regional thing going on and they chose not to air it. When BBC One Northern Ireland handed back to London at around 1.20am, viewers were surprised in the "Highlights" of the night, that they missed out on a lot!

---

Sidelining Gaby felt like a mistake when it happened, and even more so once Terry had gone and there was nobody with the long association with the night on the show anymore. 

I think Mel has done it most years since Terry died but I'm not sure the viewer really makes that connection, especially when there is often a team of 5 so she gets somewhat lost amongst it.    To be honest they should probably exploit it's links with Radio 2 and The One Show and pull on the talent from both to anchor the event rather than a mix and match of what quite frankly is the BBC's B-team at best rather than some of their flagship names.

The problem is no one else wants to host it. It is a telethon which is really a shadow of it's former self, in the same way Comic Relief has turned out, just Comic Relief feels that it still has a tiny tiny edge to it. 

It is also a show which some people find annoying, the begging bowl coming out each year and also the critics argue it is simply an advertising plan for big stores to get their name on BBC One like Asda did earlier this evening. Free advertising for them whilst fundraising of course.