Vernon Kay was moved to tears during his BBC Radio 2 programme on Wednesday morning as he discussed BBC Children in Need, revealing that the charity is only able to fund one in six organisations that ask for help.
The presenter, who has been updating listeners all week on Owain Wyn Evans' 4 Nations Cycle Challenge in aid of the cause, became emotional after hearing the story of Nicola Harteveld, founder of Megan's Starr Foundation in Milford Haven, Wales, in memory of her daughter, as reported by Wales Online. The annual Children in Need programme returns to BBC One on Friday, November 14.
Emotional plea for donations
Reflecting on his own Children in Need Ultra Ultramarathon Challenge completed in 2023, Vernon said: "Unfortunately, Children in Need, they're only able to help fund one in six organisations who ask for help."
He continued: "And that's why the donations are really, really important, and it's only with your support that we can continue to help lighten the load for hundreds of thousands of children when they need it the most, and your donation..."
Struggling to hold back tears, he told listeners: "I'm going now." He then spoke about how Children in Need supports Megan's Starr Foundation, explaining: "The reason why I'm tearing up is because I've seen it first-hand. So I've experienced the challenge, I've experienced what people go through, and I've experienced the way that it helps."
Megan's Starr Foundation story
Vernon described the foundation: "Megan's Starr Foundation in Milford Haven in Wales helps young people with their mental health and wellbeing through counselling, workshops and their community coffee house. Megan's Starr was started by Nicola in memory of her daughter."
A clip aired featuring Nicola, who established the charity in 2017 following the death of her 14-year-old daughter Megan, who took her own life after suffering severe verbal and online cyberbullying. The account left Vernon, who shares two daughters with Tess Daly, struggling to speak, as he said through tears: "Oh God... as a parent you can't imagine, you can't imagine."
Listener's voice note moves the team
Earlier in the show, Vernon became overwhelmed again after receiving a voice note from Doncaster-based listener Tracy, who praised Owain Wyn Evans for his efforts. She said: "I'm cracking on for 60 now, but as a child I went through a lot of trauma from being a very young age up until my late teens, and listening to your radio station, and just listening to Owain doing this challenge, he's such an inspiration."
She added: "I wish that something like this had been around when I [was] younger and I'm so proud of him. He's such a lovely guy and all the kids that are out there that will get help from him doing something like this, he should be so proud of himself. Keep going boy, honestly, you're such an inspiration and I'm sending you lots of love and lots of best wishes, and, do you know what Vernon? What you're doing, what all of you are doing on Radio 2, is absolutely wonderful. Keep going darling, bye."
Following the message, Vernon joked that his assistant producer Janine Maya-Smith had been "cutting onions" in the studio, as everyone was visibly moved. He said: "Thank you Tracy, really appreciate that. Janine, I think it's really rude of you to cut onions whilst Tracy was on there. I mean look at us, all four of us, that plucked at the heartstrings. So, obviously, Tracy has been through it and, back in the day, there was no one there to support her."
He concluded: "But, thankfully, Children in Need is around now, and as we've just heard first-hand from Tracy, she would have absolutely benefited from Children in Need helping her as a young person, and helping her progress through life and, obviously, that voice note was very emotional for Tracy. So, Tracy, we really appreciate you getting in touch."
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