An incredibly moving performance by McFly star Tom Fletcher and his 11-year-old son, Buzz, became the emotional highlight of the 2025 Children in Need broadcast, leaving audiences across the UK utterly captivated.
A Father-Son Duet That Stole the Show
The musical father and son took to the stage for a very special reason, performing 'Thread of Hope', an original song written by Tom for the upcoming BBC animation of his children's book, 'Pudsey and the Thread of Hope'. Accompanied by the grand BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the pair delivered a powerful rendition that resonated deeply with the night's charitable theme.
The song's poignant themes of love, loss, and hope, delivered with touching sincerity by the duo, proved too much for many viewers. Social media platform X was quickly flooded with emotional reactions from fans who were visibly moved by the performance.
Viewers' Emotional Reaction
The public response was immediate and heartfelt. One viewer, Rebekah, wrote about the adorable nature of the performance, while another user, Jade, confessed she 'could not cope' with the emotion. Many others, including Hannah Frost and chezzamufc18, reported simply sitting and sobbing at the beautiful song and performance.
Another fan, Arlene, noted that while Tom was incredible, his 'wee mini me' Buzz was stealing the show, calling him a 'kind, talented young dude'. The sentiment was echoed by Rachel, who wondered how Tom managed to hold back tears when his son expressed a desire to follow in his musical footsteps.
The Significance of the Performance
For Tom Fletcher, this was a landmark moment in his career and family life. Speaking to BBC Newsround, the 40-year-old singer and author revealed, 'This is very special for me and Buzz because this is the first time we are performing with each other on TV.'
He further elaborated on BBC Breakfast, explaining that their musical connection runs deep. 'We've been singing together since Buzz was tiny, Buzz is always singing,' Tom said. He also credited his eldest son as a useful and brutally honest sounding board for testing out all of his books and stories before publication.
A Star-Studded Night of Fundraising
The tearjerking performance was part of a larger, star-studded evening dedicated to raising money for disadvantaged children across the UK. In a change of pace, Lewis Capaldi performed his brand new single, 'The Day That I Die'.
Meanwhile, BBC Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox undertook an epic 135-mile marathon challenge, which ultimately contributed a staggering £9.5 million to the final total. All these efforts combined resulted in a phenomenal grand total of £45.5 million raised for the charity.
For those who loved the song, the full animated special, 'Pudsey and the Thread of Hope', is set to air on the BBC over the upcoming Christmas period.
