Paddington Star Hugh Bonneville issues Radio 4 appeal as NYT hits 70
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 (NYT).
The appeal marks a major milestone in the NYT’s 70th anniversary celebrations, but the tone is as much a call to arms as it is a celebration. Bonneville, a long-standing NYT alumnus and Patron, is using the broadcast to warn that the "pipeline of British talent" is under threat from a perfect storm of school funding cuts and rising youth unemployment.
Tune into Radio 4 on Sunday 26 April to listen
"I wouldn’t be doing what I do today if it wasn't for the National Youth Theatre"
Hugh Bonneville, NYT Alumnus and Patron
The broadcast comes at a critical juncture for young creative people, with a 40% decline in young people studying drama GCSE in schools in England since 2010 and youth employment hitting a 10 year high in 2026 of 16% (732k.)
The Radio 4 Appeal will air on Sunday 26 April 2026 at 07:54 AM and 9:25 PM, with a repeat on Thursday 30 April.
To donate, listeners can visit the BBC Radio 4 Appeal website or www.nyt.org.uk/donate
