Search for a Star

Followers of my exploits will know that I'm an enormous fan of charitable endeavour, so much so I support 29 worthy causes across the world.  Over the last 11 years I've had the honour to be the Patron of the truly amazing children's charity - When You Wish Upon a Star, which is about to celebrate it's 21st Birthday!! 

Never being one to miss an opportunity to help raise much needed funds, I suggested to the charity's founder - Barbara White OBE, that we hold a Gala Concert in Nottingham (the charity's home), which would give talented performers from across the Midlands the chance to join me on stage for a spectacular night of entertainment.  The event itself will take place at the wonderful Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham on Sunday 18th March, 2012, which sounds like a long way off...but trust me it isn't!  Time is of the essence as the hunt for the best acts to join the show gets underway!

So if you're based in the Midlands and have an amazing talent - be it as a budding singer, pop group, choir, magician, dance group, orchestra or barber quartet (to name but a few of the acts we're interested in seeing), we'd love to hear from you!  Auditions are taking place at the Royal Concert Hall on Saturday 10th September, in order to dazzle myself and the rest of the Judges you need to complete an application form which is available from the charity's website: www.whenyouwishuponastar.org.uk

As they say...There's no business like show business!

5live Manchester Madness!

Regular listeners to Tony Livesey's late night show on BBC Radio 5live, will know that I joined a small but illustrious panel of experts on Thursday night live from Manchester Airport, as we celebrated the start of the holiday exodus to sunnier climbs!

The show was full of fun and laughter as we met some of the weary travellers, their friends, relatives and of course taxi drivers!  We even managed to catch a brief chat with Carl Lewis' former manager, who'd flown in with a couple of very tall athletic guys to participate in a Trafford running event.  I have to say, the athletes left us feeling ever so slightly out of shape!!

Throughout the show we stood huddled over what looked like a car battery, connected umbilically to one another by headphones, and thus restricted in movement unless we all shuffled along the concourse together.  Tony Livesey was a superb host, and I for one thoroughly enjoyed chatting with my fellow panelists, Rosie and Bob!

A big thank you to the Manchester Airport Team, especially Russell, for making us all feel so welcome, and of course for keeping the coffee coming!  Much appreciated by me in particular as I'd been on my feet for 20 hours by the time we'd finished the show...and before you all start moaning at me that I'm looking for sympathy I'm not, I just want to emphasise my thanks...honest!