BBC Children In Need's annual appeal show is back on our screens but how much do you know about the charity's mascots Pudsey and Blush?

Up and down the country, the public has been getting involved in sponsored walkathons and bake sales to raise money for no shortage of worthwhile causes.

In the past weeks, ordinary people and some famous faces have been challenging themselves to 'Be Spotacular' with sponsored rambles, bake sales and more.

But before we cuddle up on the sofa for an amazing night of entertainment all in the name of a good cause, let's find out more about the bear that started it all.

Who is Pudsey Bear?

You would be forgiven for thinking that Pudsey has been around as long as the BBC fundraiser but he actually didn't come around until much later. 

The Children In Need telethon was first broadcast in 1980 but it had many names and faces before that with the first-ever children's BBC radio appeal starting in 1927. 

Pudsey might be the iconic mascot of the appeal now but he didn't come to be the face of the charity until 1985, making the beloved bear 37 years old.

He was created by a BBC graphic designer called Joanna Lane, who worked in the design department.

Lane told the BBC: “It was like a lightbulb moment for me, We were bouncing ideas off each other and I latched on to this idea of a teddy bear.

"I immediately realised there was a huge potential for a mascot beyond the 2D logo”.

The BBC has put together a full timeline of the appeal's and Pudsey's history which you see via its website.

Why is he called Pudsey?

The clue is in the name, Pudsey the bear is named after Joanna Lane's home town of Pudsey.

The West Yorkshire town located between Bradford and Leeds is where the graphic designer was born and raised.

Lane named the bear after her beloved home and it's a fitting tribute to her town and her grandfather, Irvine Ball, who had been mayor of the town in 1950.

The town welcomed him with open arms and even made his likeness out of flowers in Pudsey Park.

In 2007, when Pudsey turned 22, our beloved bear had an impressive makeover into the bear that we know today.

The Children in Need logo was updated to include a more colourful bandana ahead of the 30th anniversary of Children In Need's televised shows.

We don't have a clear answer as to why Pudsey wears a bandana and there is a lot of speculation about why he does have one.

The most likely answer is that patch makes him relatable to the children he is helping and makes him seem like he is in need himself.

Who is the female Pudsey?

 

Meet Blush, otherwise known as the female Pudsey. 

She is 13 years old after being revealed by the BBC in 2009 ahead of the 30th anniversary of the televised appeal show.

Blush is still around today and can be purchased from the Pudsey shop alongside the iconic bear. 

The BBC Children In Need appeal show airs at 7pm on Friday, November 17.