Look To The Stars News: Richard Hammond

Richard Hammond Among Stars Honored By British Scouts

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

A host of stars have been honored by the British Scout Association for their charity work in the organization’s annual birthday honors list.

Eddie Izzard, Richard Hammond, David Attenborough, David Walliams and James Corden were among those honored. A number of winners were Scouts themselves, including novelist Jodi Picoult, chef Ainsley Harriott and Richard Hammond. Hammond – the Top Gear and Brainiac presenter – reflected on his time spent Scouting: “I look back on my days making periscopes and pin hole cameras very fondly. Young people should always be adventurous and inquisitive and Scouting offers a huge amount of opportunities to foster this.”

Another winner, Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton, paddled her way to the Canoeist Award by kayaking down the Amazon to raise money for Sport Relief.

Sport Relief Brings In The Charity Cash

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Britain has just hosted a weekend of sport and entertainment to benefit Sport Relief’s work helping vulnerable people – and a whole bunch of celebrities were involved.

The weekend kicked off with the Sport Relief TV Extravaganza on BBC One and Two on Friday night, hosted by Richard Hammond, Davina McCall and others. The show raised an unbelievable £31.6 million for charity, and featured appearances by Annie Lennox, Robbie Williams, Emma Bunton, Cheryl Cole, Andy Murray, Kylie Minogue and many others. David Beckham even got warm and cosy in the bath with comedian James Corden in a special comedy sketch filmed especially for the event.

Michael Parkinson also took part in an episode of Ashes to Ashes, and there were special charity episodes of TV shows such as Masterchef.

Sport Relief To Hit British TV This Friday

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Sport Relief is back… and British TV viewers will be able to enjoy a weekend of entertainment for charity starting on Friday, March 19.

BBC One and Two will host a special broadcast that brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

The show will include a special performance by Annie Lennox, as well as comedy sketches featuring David Beckham, Jenson Button, Andy Murray and more. Hosted by Richard Hammond, Davina McCall, Christine Bleakley and others, the Friday night extravaganza will feature special editions of shows such as Top Gear and Masterchef.

Celebrities Select Favorite Poetry For Charity Book

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

A book of children’s poems, selected by famous British personalities including Phil Tufnell, Richard Hammond and Sienna Miller as their ‘childhood favourite’, has been launched in aid of The Children’s Trust, Tadworth, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009.

The anthology of poems at just £4.99 – with £4.50 from each book going directly to the charity – will make a wonderful stocking filler for children.

Race The Original Stig For Charity

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Fans of the British motoring show Top Gear – hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May – will be interested to hear about a new charity auction in which you have the chance to race against The Stig – the TV show’s tame racing driver whose identity is a closely guarded secret.

The original Stig was clad in black overalls and a black helmet, but was “killed off” when his identity was revealed as Perry McCarthy. And it is this Black Stig that features in this auction, which aims to raise money for Transaid.

There are 10 chances to race the Original Stig – AKA Perry McCarthy – at London’s premier karting circuit The Raceway on August 25. The day will start with a 10 minute qualifying session followed by 2 intense 25 minute races. The top three drivers will then climb the podium to receive their trophies!

Stars Sign Mini For British Forces Morale

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:30:00 +0000

A car signed by some of Britain’s favorite stars will go up for auction at Bonhams Auction House tonight, July 3, to raise money for the British Forces Foundation’s Lap of Honour charity, which aims to boost morale in Britiain’s Armed Forces.

For the last year, the Mini cooper – adorned with a Union Jack on the roof – has been traveling around Britain, gathering autographs from well-known faces such as Michael Caine, Richard Branson, Sienna Miller, Simon Cowell, Terry Wogan, Joan Collins, Roger Moore, Michael Parkinson, Cliff Richard, Ranulph Fiennes, Tom Jones, Hugh Grant, Judi Dench, James Blunt, Katherine Jenkins, Jackie Stewart, Rod Stewart, Lewis Hamilton, Kate Moss, Joe Calzaghe, Elton John, David Beckham, Magaret Thatcher, Eric Clapton, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, Joanna Lumley, Helen Mirren, Gordon Brown, Paul McCartney and many more.

“This fantastic car has been on an amazing journey during our tenth anniversary year,” said Mark Cann, director of the BFF. “It will be a unique addition to any car collection and we’re delighted that Bonhams offered so generously to help us achieve the best bid and raise as much money as we can. The very act of demonstrating support will send a clear message of solidarity to those on the frontline, which will in itself be a significant boost to their morale.”

Emma Watson Among Charity Plate Designers

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:30:00 +0000

The BBC’s longest running children’s show, Blue Peter, has announced a raft of celebrities from the worlds of showbiz and sport who have been enlisted to create their own designer dinner plates for a special auction in aid of its annual appeal, Mission Nutrition.

Bidding starts on Wednesday 28 January 2009 in a one-off special eBay auction.

Top names including Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy, Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park, TV star Richard Hammond and Hollywood actors Emma Watson (Harry Potter_), Claire Danes and Andy Serkis (_Lord of the Rings’ Gollum) have all contributed to the auction.

Children In Need Concert Makes History

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:30:00 +0000

British broadcasters Terry Wogan, Tess Daly, and Fearne Cotton hosted the annual BBC Children in Need charity concert on Friday, November 14.

The epic seven hour show featured performances from the Sugababes, Boyzone, Leon Jackson, McFly, the Stereophonics, John Barrowman, Il Divo, Jason Donovan Russell Watson, Alesha Dixon, Razorlight, Sharleen Spiteri and many others. Girls Aloud also made a special appearance, and there were surprise contributions from Ozzy Osbourne, Jack Black, Will Young, Richard Hammond, and Stevie Wonder. Take That donated £250,000 from their ticket sales and a recent Marks and Spencer modeling deal.

But perhaps the funniest highlights of the night came from a performance of Abba hits from six BBC newsreaders. The cast of Eastenders also took to the stage for a song and dance.

Stars To Attend Coma Patient's Gala

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:30:00 +0000

A gala to raise funds for charity in the name of a 17-year-old British coma patient will take place this Saturday.

Sophie Wilkinson has been in a coma since she was involved in a car accident last October, and her plight has attracted a wide range of celebrities to step forth and help raise the funds needed to provide her with care. Earlier this year her parents set up the Sophie’s Gift Fundraising Program on behalf of the Southampton Hospital Trust to raise the £250,000 (US$500,000) needed to provide Sophie with a Mobile CT Scanner. As well as receiving a video and words of encouragement from Johnny Depp, Sophie has also got support from the likes of Sharon Osbourne, Top Gear’s Richard Hammond, and Chris Tarrant.

Sophie’s parents, Andrew and Alison Wilkinson, have also established a database of celebrity voices to help wake up other coma patients. Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Amanda Holden are just some of the names who have already committed to the initiative.

Johnny Depp Gives Wake Up Call To Coma Sufferer

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:33:00 +0000

A 17-year-old British girl is showing the first signs of waking up from a coma, and her parents are now enlisting celebrities to help with a new charity to help others with the same problem.

Sophie Wilkinson has been in a coma since a horror car crash in November last year, and over the past few days she has started to become aware of what is going on around her, focusing on people, responding to voice commands and making vocalisations. Her parents, Andrew and Alison Wilkinson, are thrilled but say now is the crucial time to get their daughter listening to as many different voice recordings as possible to make sure she continues to improve, and have enlisted the help of several high profile celebrities to help them. And the response from famous voices has been so strong that the couple now want to start up a service for other coma sufferers.

Johnny Depp, Sharon Osbourne, and Top Gear’s Richard Hammond have all pledged their support for the initiative, and Depp also recorded a tape of physical commands for Sophie in the voice of his Pirates of the Caribbean character, Captain Jack Sparrow.