MUMBAI: A series of live auctions, text-in competitions and fundraising events which was organised to support this year’s Children in Need, managed to raise £5,715,167.57.

Presenter Chris Evans auctioned seven packages, with special guests joining him in the studio to help get behind the annual fundraiser, during the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show.

Evans said, “What an incredible week it has been. It always blows me away how generous people are when it comes to Children in Need. The auction packages this year were incredibly sought-after and the response has been exceptional, so a huge thank you from me and everyone on the Radio 2 Breakfast team to all who took part in any activity and gave whatever they could for Children in Need across the week.”

Presenters like Sara Cox, Ken Bruce, Jeremy Vine, Steve Wright and Simon Mayo, sportingly offered their services by connecting passions and interests, with an on-air call back at the end of each show to the lucky winner. Radio 2 listeners were given the chance to win one of five special prizes with a text-in competition. This activity was part of BBC Children in Need day activity.

Evans started off the auctions on Monday with The Ultimate Tennis Package – which raised £2, 44,221, and Tim Henman was on the show talking about Tennis.

On Tuesday, £2, 71,943 was raised during the show which featured Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram. The winner for Seven Marathon package that is running the London and New York Marathons, will have to prepare for the race with a one-to-one session with Radcliffe and Cram, plus Vassos Alexander from the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. Louise Minchin from BBC Breakfast will be looking after the winners at the New York Marathon.

On Wednesday, the station raised £12, 95,769, when Paul McCartney was confirmed to perform at ‘The Dine and Disco’ on 25 June next year at Chris Evans’s pub in Surrey. Tom Kerridge, Mark Sargeant, Giorgio Locatelli and Natasha Evans will be providing the food.

On Thursday, BBC Radio 2 raised £3, 60,194 through auction of packages like Happy Christmas TFI and Happy New Year Top Gear: Tickets to the last TFI Friday of the year and the first Top Gear recordings. There was also Famous Five Go Hyper to Hampshire package raising £195,829. Plus, a Festive Foodie Package - the chance for one lucky listener and three friends to attend a fabulous festive lunch hosted by Evans and Alex Jones, raising £137,421, and 60 Go Bonkers to Brighton, with the top three bids joining the Breakfast team as part of The Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, on Sunday 6 November 2016. They will travel in three vintage buses driven by Chris Evans, Alex Jones and Ken Bruce – raising £131,500. Evans’ annual Carfest – an event that combines classic cars, live music and food while raising money for Children in Need – raised an outstanding £1.7million.

Adding to Evans’ Children in Need efforts was Sir Tom Hunter who donated £1 million.