For the first time in more than 40 years, BBC Children in Need's iconic mascot Pudsey Bear has spoken. The landmark moment comes as part of a campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, urging adults to take responsibility for children's mental health by checking in, listening, and being someone young people feel safe talking to.
A new survey commissioned by BBC Children in Need of 2,500 parents and 2,500 children aged 10-14 reveals the scale of the challenge. Almost a quarter of children (24%) say they regularly keep worries to themselves because they don't know who to talk to, while one in five (21%) haven't been shown how to talk about mental health in a safe way. More than a third (38%) say their worries have made life less enjoyable or caused them to stay silent due to fear or embarrassment.
In a special film titled Pudsey Finds His Voice, created by BBC Creative and Blinkink, Pudsey speaks with British child actor Dexter Sol Ansell. The 30-second film airs across BBC television and radio from this evening, with an exclusive premiere on The One Show at 7pm. The film delivers a simple but vital message: every child deserves an adult who will listen.
BBC Children in Need has partnered with The Children's Society to create practical guidance and tools, available at bbc.co.uk/Pudsey. The charity is also investing £1.24 million in new funding for mental health support, including £745,000 to Mental Health Innovations to expand the Shout digital counselling service for 13–18 year olds, and £500,000 to The Children's Society for the Space to Grow project.
Claire Hoyle, Interim Chief Executive at BBC Children in Need, said: "Our research makes clear that far too many children and young people are carrying their worries alone. When a child feels heard, it can change everything. Pudsey is finding his voice because too many children feel they can't share what they're going through."
