BBC weatherman Owain Wyn Evans completes 24-hour drumathon, raising over £2.5 million so far

Drumming BBC weatherman, Owain Wyn Evans has completed his gruelling 24-hour drumathon in aid of Children in Need, so far raising more than a whopping £2.5 million for the charity.

Owain shot to fame within the drumming community during the first UK lockdown in 2020 when a video of him playing along to the BBC News theme tune went viral.

Since then, he has reprised his performance, and earlier this year pledged to hold a 24-hour drumathon as part of the BBC's annual Children in Need campaign. 

The Drumathon began on Friday at 8:35am, with Evans kicking off by drumming along to Celine Dion’s version of River Deep, Mountain High. He remained at the kit for the full 24-hour period, only stopping for short, interspersed breaks which allowed him to seek brief respite from the build up of injuries form playing for such a sustained period of time.

He was joined throughout the day and night in-person by a host of famous drummers, percussionists and drumming-celebrities including Mark Richardson (Skunk Anansie), Harry Judd (McFly), Ian Matthews (Kasabian), Steve White, Al Murray and Dame Evelyn Glennie. 

As well as hosting conversations and video interviews during the drumathon with Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain and Blondie’s Clem Burke, Owain was joined by the Royal Marine band and members of the London Philharmonic. He also enlisted 50 other drummers - accompanying him in the studio and remotely -  for a run through of his viral anthem. 

The Drumathon concluded with the BBC presenter jamming to Britney Spears’ 1999 breakthrough, Hit Me Baby One More Time, just a few hours after it was announced that the pop icon has been released from the controversial 13-year conservatorship -the legal arrangement which saw her father control her finances and many other aspects of her life.

Straight after putting his sticks down, an emotional Owain Evans told the BBC’s Jayne McCubbin. “I just can’t believe that we’ve done it. It’s felt like a really long time, and it’s been really hard, but the generosity of people has just been incredible.

"Surprisingly my hands have held up OK but we've had some problems with my arms because they've been moving for 24 hours.

"Thank you so much to everyone who has put your hands in your pocket and donated, BBC Children In Need helps causes which are really close to my heart."

At the time of writing, Owain Wyn Evans' drumathon has racked-up an incredibly impressive total of over £2.5million in donations, with money still coming in and donations still open.

The BBC's official coverage of the Children in Need Drumathon is available to watch online via BBC iPlayer.