Girls Aloud - British Charity Children In Need Raises A Record $42.2 Million

The star-studded telethon saw the newly re-formed girl band perform the official Children in Need double A-side single, Something New, and Beautiful Because You Love Me, for the first time on television.

Australian pop star Kylie Minogue performed a medley of her greatest hits and videos were shown of Britain's Olympic medallists taking part in comedy dance routines. Boy band One Direction also took to the stage at the event, while British music stars Leona Lewis and Ellie Goulding also took part.

The $42.2 million (£26. 7 million) total exceeds last year's (11) fundraising efforts, which raked in $42.08 million (£26.3 million).

David Ramsden, chief executive of BBC Children in Need, says, "(The) total is phenomenal. It is amazing that people across the U.K. have once again come together to raise such a massive sum. Thank you so much for helping to change thousands of young lives across the U.K."