Video: Theddlethorpe Academy ‘goes live’ recording song and dance for Children In Need

The excited youngsters dressed in their finest fancy dress costumes to take part in BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Big Fancy Dress Singalong alongside 40 schools from across the country, who all aired live at 9.40am on Friday.

Pupils from one school in each of the BBC’s local radio station regions were invited to take part in the event, which was also filmed for BBC Look North and for the Children In Need TV fundraising spectacular, which can be seen on BBC One on Friday (November 19).

Pudsey came along to encourage the pupils, who had spent a couple of weeks learning the music and choreographing a dance to the Calvin Harris song “By Your Side.”

Academy principal, Susan Cook, was thrilled with the children’s participation in the event and the response from everyone involved. She said: “What a fantastic day. The response from the parents and the children to this event has been overwhelming, not just in their fundraising, but in ensuring that every child had a costume and every child was ready to sing their hearts out for Children In Need.

“It is not just the children who have been excited about this event, the staff have too and preparations have been taking place since before half term.

“It was a very cold morning in the playground, but it was bright and sunny and the children rose to the occasion, singing and dancing first for the live radio singalong and then shooting a piece for BBC Look North.

“I am so very proud of them all. We promote being part of fundraising and looking after others as part of the curriculum and the pupils understand that this money will go to help other children.

“The BBC sent a drone up to get footage for the main show on November 19 and we cannot wait to see it.”

Children from three to 11 years took part in the event at Theddlethorpe Academy and for the majority it was their first time meeting Pudsey.Year five pupil, Olivia Briley,aged nine, who dressed as a Christmas parcel, said: “It was really fun meeting Pudsey. He is so tall and furry.”

Aston Winters (10) who is in year six, said: “We always raise money for Children In Need and we want to help other children who are not as lucky as us. It was amazing taking part in the singing and I cannot wait to see it on TV.”

BBC Radio Lincolnshire presenter Jono, who coordinated the live singalong at the academy with a team of producers and cameramen, said: “We chose Theddlethorpe Academy as our representative school for this region and the school and the children have bought into this experience beautifully, making the whole thing really fabulous.”