Pudsey Bear is set to speak for the first time in over 40 years as part of a new campaign urging children to discuss their mental health. The iconic BBC Children in Need mascot will feature in a short film titled 'Pudsey Finds His Voice', alongside 11-year-old actor Dexter Sol Ansell, during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Since his debut in 1985, Pudsey has remained silent, but the 30-second film, co-produced by BBC Creative and Blinkink, will finally give him a voice. The campaign aims to highlight the importance of children having a trusted adult to talk to about their worries.
Created by BBC graphic designer Joanna Lane, Pudsey Bear quickly became the face of Children in Need, fronting fundraising appeals and charity events for decades. Research conducted for the campaign found that children who regularly have someone to talk to about their concerns are nine times more likely to report feeling happy than those who do not.
Additional research commissioned by the charity and conducted by Censuswide revealed that nearly a quarter of children keep their worries to themselves. Meanwhile, 38 per cent said their concerns had made life less enjoyable or caused them to stay silent due to fear or embarrassment.
Claire Hoyle, interim chief executive of BBC Children in Need, said: 'Our research shows far too many children and young people are carrying their worries alone, and that silence can have serious consequences for their mental health. We know the difference one trusted adult can make. When a child feels heard, it can change everything, helping them cope earlier and preventing problems from becoming more serious. Pudsey is finding his voice because too many children feel unable to share what they are going through, and too many adults are unsure how to begin those conversations.'
BBC Children in Need is also investing £1.24 million in mental health support for children and young people, with funding going to charities including Mental Health Innovations and The Children's Society, reports the Telegraph. 'Pudsey Finds His Voice' will air across BBC television and radio from Monday, including during The One Show on BBC One at 7pm.
