Celebrities imitate childhood heroes to launch Children In Need

Sir Terry Wogan, Children In Need’s lifetime president, chose to imitate singing American cowboy Gene Autry. “I’ve had great fun dressing up as Gene Autry, the singing cowboy and my childhood hero,” he said.

Members of the public are urged to join the celebrities in supporting the campaign by donning costumes for a sponsored dress-up.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly embraced her love of the movie Grease, dressing up as Olivia Newton-John.

She urged the public to “dust off your fancy-dress gear, and let’s make this happen!”

X Factor judge Nick Grimshaw proved his love of Britpop band Oasis by dressing up as lead singer Liam Gallagher.

“His music was the soundtrack to my childhood,” Grimshaw said.

TV presenter Dermot O’Leary went for a slightly different choice, saying: “My childhood hero was the explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton. He was an adventurer from the early 1900s, known for trekking places like the Antarctic.”

“As a young lad, who wouldn’t want to be an explorer? It’s been great fun to don the fancy dress for BBC Children In Need; please do show your support and do the same!”

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor revealed her childhood hero is Sound Of Music star Dame Julie Andrews, while Fearne Cotton said Blondie singer Debbie Harry was her choice because she’s “a musical icon who has remained relevant and at the top of her game to this day”.

Other celebrities such as Peter Andre, Joey Essex, Marvin and Rochelle Humes, Greg James and more will also be doing various fundraising activities to support BBC’s Children In Need.

To date, over £790m has been raised by the public for BBC Children In Need.