Hugh Bonneville Radio 4 Charity Appeal
Sunday, April 26 - Saturday, May 02, 2026
Downton Abbey and Paddington star Hugh Bonneville will take to the airwaves this Sunday, 26 April 2026, to deliver a poignant BBC Radio 4 Charity Appeal on behalf of the National Youth Theatre.
Listen now as Bonneville, an alumnus and Patron of the charity, shares what being part of National Youth Theatre gave him and call for much-needed support.
'Without you, we can’t make these stories possible, and a whole generation will miss out on the opportunity that I had' Hugh Bonneville
The appeal marks a major milestone in the NYT’s 70th anniversary celebrations and comes at a critical juncture for young creative people, with a 40% decline in young people studying GCSE drama in schools in England since 2010.
Bonneville will also share Samira's story, one of the thousands of young people who benefit every year from access to inclusive creative opportunities from National Youth Theatre around the UK.
It costs the National Youth Theatre £70 to create a free day of industry training for a young person.
Listen to Hugh Bonneville on Radio 4 on BBC Sounds
The broadcast will be repeated live on Thursday 30 April at 15.27.
