24/11/2009
THE BELOW INFORMATION IS EMBARGOED FROM ALL PRESS AND NON COMMERCIAL USE UNTIL 00:01 ON THURSDAY 3RD DECEMBER 2009.
Award-winning comedian Peter Kay is to host The Royal Variety Performance 2009 which for the first time since 1955 will come from the home of British variety - Blackpool. The town’s legendary Opera House – the largest theatre in the UK outside of London with a seating capacity of 3000 - will play host to this gala evening in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
The brilliant Peter Kay will preside over the show which promises to be an unforgettable evening of the best UK and international musical performers, show-stopping theatre, comedy and speciality acts as well as a number of sensational surprises. Peter says, “It's an honour and a privilege to be asked to host the Royal Variety, but even more of delight to host it in Blackpool “.
Acts lined up to appear include: the winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, Diversity, the amazing and multi-award winning, Bette Midler, MOBO and Grammy Award-nominated singer Lady Gaga, Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg, along with the cast of the smash-hit West End production, Sister Act, Canadian singer and Grammy Award winner, Michael Buble, BRIT Award winning singer, Mika, Britain’s Got Talent’s mezzo-soprano, Faryl Smith, and musical extravaganza, Here Come The Girls, featuring Grammy Award winner Chaka Khan, multi-award winning singer-songwriter, Anastacia, and singer-songwriter and actress, Lulu, OBE, X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, teen superstar Miley Cyrus, opera star Katherine Jenkins and the critically acclaimed comedians Jason Manford and Paddy McGuinness.
Diversity’s Ashley Banjo says about taking part in The Royal Variety Performance: “We are really nervous to be honest. We have done some big events since winning the show (Britain’s Got Talent) but this really is a massive TV audience, a massive live audience, including Her Majesty The Queen.
“There’s a few things to be thinking about! It’s almost like going back to BGT again, like when you come out, there’s like that kind of pressure again. We’re really looking forward to it but we are quite nervous as well, to be honest.”
What will they be doing for their routine? “We are kind of upping the bar, we are just trying to make the tricks and general level of the routing higher.”
Ashley adds: “I can’t wait to meet Peter Kay, he is such a funny guy…Lady Gaga, she’s really cool…it’s a massive line-up!”
The star studded spectacular will take place on 7 December and be screened on ITV1 later that month. It will be produced by ITV Studios, the makers of the 2007 Royal Variety Performance which attracted an impressive 9 million viewers.
The Blackpool production continues ITV’s tradition of staging The Royal Variety Performance in cities and towns outside London. Previous shows have been hosted in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Liverpool.
As is customary, the event is staged in aid of the Entertainment Artistes’ Benevolent Fund, whose patron is Her Majesty The Queen. The money will help to maintain Brinsworth House in Twickenham, Middlesex – the entertainers’ retirement and nursing home which is run by the EABF.
Click here to download the full release with Peter Kay interview [.doc]
