In 1980, the first BBC Children in Need telethon was broadcast to raise money for charities working with children in the United Kingdom. The telethon format was made up of a series of short segments, many with TV stars performing tasks or routines, connected with appeals for different charities. The protest against Children in Need was similar to that against the ITV telethon. ‘It portrays us as tragic, pathetic victims who long to be non- disabled, or plucky heroes who deserve a pat on the head for triumphing over adversity. Well, we’ve had enough of it.’ [Alan Holdsworth, interviewed by the Independent in 1992.] These protests are seen as key moments in British Disabled people’s political struggle to fight for control of how they were viewed by the UK media and society.