Record £26m raised for Children in Need

The BBC's Children in Need appeal raised more than £26 million during this year's live television show, beating the 2011 total.

Donors pledged £26,757,446 to the charity extravaganza over the course of the seven-hour live entertainment show, but the amount is set to rise in the coming weeks.

£26.3 million was raised during the 2011 live show, with the total growing to over £46.9 million after the big night.

This year's event was kicked off from London's BBC Television Centre by Sir Terry Wogan, who was joined by co-hosts Tess Daly and Fearne Cotton.

TV and musical favourites taking to the stage to get the party started included One Direction, with a performance of While We're Young.

Girls Aloud also made their long-awaited comeback after three years apart, taking to the stage in matching orange off-the-shoulder tulip dresses.

The group performed the official BBC Children in Need AA side single, Something New, and Beautiful Because You Love Me, for the first time on television.

British stars Leona Lewis and Ellie Goulding also took part in the show while Australian songstress Kylie Minogue performed a medley of her hits.