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Pudsey Bear, the beloved mascot of BBC Children in Need, did something he’s never done before – took off his iconic patch. The stunt brought children’s mental health into the spotlight by showing that not all issues facing children are visible on the outside. Countless media outlets and influencers picked up the activity, traffic to the Children in Need website hit an all-time high, and Patchless Pudsey was even used as tool in schools. One simple change got the whole of the UK talking about children’s mental health. Thanks Pudsey.

Since the pandemic, mental health is the biggest challenge facing UK kids. But early conversations can help prevent issues from developing and becoming worse in later life. With no budget and no media, BBC Children in Need needed to do something big to bring the issue to light and get the whole of the UK talking about children’s mental health during Mental Health Awareness Week.

With one simple change, Pudsey helped spark a huge debate about children’s mental health. Countless newspapers and outdoor sites covered the stunt, and the topic was discussed on chat shows and by influencers from across the board. This all led to more people finding the tools to talk to their children about mental health. Patchless Pudsey was even used in UK schools to teach kids about their mental health early on.

We earned an incredible amount of free media, outdoor spaces and influencer reach (88.7 million, to be exact). Traffic to the Children in Need website increased by 1000% year on year. 1 in 3 adults that saw the campaign had a conversation with their children about mental health. Patchless Pudsey was also used in UK schools as a tool to discuss mental health.