Look To The Stars News: David Walliams

Beckhams Design T-Shirts For Sport Relief Charity Campaign

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:30:00 -0000

David and Victoria Beckham are spearheading this year’s Sport Relief campaign.

The whole Beckham family have created a series of one-off designs with the hope of inspiring the nation to rise to the challenge for Sport Relief 2010– and they’re about to fly off the shelves at Sainsbury’s and TK Maxx where they’re now exclusively on sale.
As part of the series of T-shirts, David took a distinctive self portrait showcasing his renowned football skills. Even Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz joined in the creative process, armed with spray cans and a blank canvas, to create a unique one off Beckham family collaboration.

Speaking about his family’s involvement in the campaign, football Legend David Beckham said: “‘Victoria and I are excited to be involved with Sport Relief again this year. Our family had a great time designing the T-shirt range and we hope it will raise much needed funds for many important causes. The most important thing is that the money raised will make a genuine difference to people’s lives.”

The T-shirts are all made with 100% Fairtrade Certified cotton and all net profits from the sale of the t-shirt range will go towards helping people living unimaginably tough lives both across the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

Also taking part in this year’s campaign will be David Walliams, who will cycle the length of the UK, The One Show’s Christine Bleakley, who will be water-skiing across the English Channel, and Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton, who will attempt to become the first woman to sail the Amazon river in a kayak. James Corden will host a BBC TV special on March 19, and other stars involved in the campaign include Jenson Button and Fearne Cotton.

To find out more, visit the Sport Relief website.

Little Britain Star To Get On His Bike For Charity

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British comedian David Walliams is planning to cycle the length of the UK for charity.

The Little Britain star is well known for his charity stunts – in 2006 he swam the English Channel, and in 2008 he swam the Strait of Gibralter. Both swims were to raise money for Comic Relief and Sport Relief – as is his planned cycle ride.

The actor will be joined on his 875-mile trip from John O’Groats to Land’s End – to take place in March – by Jimmy Carr and Miranda Hart, as well as TV hosts Fearne Cotton and Davina McCall.

Money raised goes towards a number of relief programs in the UK and around the world.

Gwyneth Paltrow And Famous Friends Hold Charity Sale

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British store Selfridges hosted a celebrity garage sale for charity in London during the weekend.

Items were donated by Gwyneth Paltrow, Little Britain star David Walliams, TV presenter Denise van Outen, Lily Allen, Davina McCall, members of the All Saints, Jodie Kidd and many more, with proceeds going to Mothers4Children, a charity dedicated to harnessing the compassion of women to create a powerful and enduring platform for change. Established by model and actress Lisa B, the foundation has trustees such as Yasmin Le Bon, Trinny Woodall, Anya Hindmarch and Natalie Massenet, and raises money for charities such as Kids Company and the Foundation for the Relief of Disabled Orphans.

Thousands of people turned out for the event, which featured 45 stalls – many of which were managed by the stars themselves.

Kaiser Chiefs Join Concert For CARE

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

British band the Kaiser Chiefs have been added to the bill for this year’s Concert For CARE.

The Kaiser Chiefs have had a whirlwind past five years; three Top 5 albums, numerous hit singles, and 2009 saw them sign off with a hometown showing at this years Leeds Festival. Since that performance, the band have decided to take some time away from the spotlight, slowly beginning work on album four. Having worked with David Arnold in the recent past, the Kaiser Chiefs are delighted to make an exception to their time off the road and lend a musical hand to ‘Concert For CARE’.

Music and Comedy giants – such as Gary Barlow, Rob Brydon, Damien Rice, David Walliams and more – will join together in a one off event for aid agency CARE International. This one-off live event will take place at London’s Brixton Academy on November 2.

‘Concert for CARE’ is the brainchild of David Arnold, one of Britain’s most successful film and television composers and ambassador for CARE International (CARE). CARE works in 70 countries and helps 55 million people to find ways out of poverty each year.

Announcing the line up David Arnold said: “I have wanted to do this concert from the day I met a 20 year old woman in Rwanda who was orphaned at 14, is HIV positive and has to look after her two younger brothers. Without CARE’s support she would be unable to keep them in school, feed them or keep a roof over their heads. I have asked my colleagues from the music and comedy world to get together to help raise money and awareness of the amazing work CARE does all over the world.”

Geoffrey Dennis, CARE International UK chief executive, said: “We are really proud to have David Arnold as a CARE Ambassador. The money raised from the concert will mean that we can continue to help some of the world’s poorest people.”

Tickets are priced £30 and can be purchased from www.ticketweb.co.uk.

To find out more, click here.

Little Britain Stars Grant Wish For Sick Boy

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Matt Lucas and David Walliams – the duo behind hit British comedy Little Britian – made a young boy’s wish come true last week.

Make-A-Wish UK helped organize an experience of a lifetime for a 6-year-old boy named Reece, who suffers from Neuroblastoma, a form of cancer. Reece and his family got to travel to London by limousine and was able to meet his favorite TV stars and share afternoon tea with them. Make-A-Wish reports: “he was delighted to have the opportunity to talk about his favorite characters and sketches – and to impress Matt and David with his imitations of their characters’ voices!”

Walliams and Lucas provided presents for Reece during the meeting, and were happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs for the family albums.

Elton John Dedicates Song To Michael Jackson At Charity Bash

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Elton John held his 11th annual White Tie & Tiara Ball to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation on Thursday, June 25.

Held at his Windsor mansion, “Woodside”, the party featured entertainment by Justin Timberlake and attracted guests such as Sam Taylor Wood, Damien Hirst, Elizabeth Hurley, Kate Beckinsale, Shirley Bassey, Lily Allen, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Natalie Imbruglia, David Walliams, Geri Halliwell, Lily Cole and Erin O'Connor.

The annual ball has raised over £27 million since its inception, with last week’s event raising £4 million.

Sir Elton reportedly was told about the death of Michael Jackson during the evening, and dedicated a version of Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me to the singer.

British Stars Sing For Palestinian Refugee Children

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Dozens of British celebrities were out in force at the Cafe de Paris in London last night for the annual Hoping’s Got Talent charity karaoke event.

Judged by Kate Moss and X Factor’s Louis Walsh, the event raised money for the Hoping Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to showing Palestinian refugee children that their struggle to transform their lives is encouraged and supported by people in Britain and throughout the rest of the world.

The evening attracted a plethora of British entertainers, including Lily Allen, Guy Ritchie, David Walliams, Jeremy Clarkson, Sienna Miller, Jemima Khan, Will Young, Tracey Emin, Shane MacGowan and socialite Kimberly Stewart. Lost’s Matthew Fox also made an appearance.

Last year’s event raised £319,000 for the charity, and featured Gwyneth Paltrow singing “Killing Me Softly”. 2007’s event featured Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and Bryan Adams.

The Hoping Foundation provides grants to community projects working with children in Palestinian refugee camps

Red Nose Day TV Special Breaks Records

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

BBC’s Red Nose Day television extravaganza, Funny For Money, raised over £57 million (US$80 million) on Friday night, breaking the previous record of £40 million set in 2007.

Presented by David Tennant, Davina McCall, Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross and others, Funny For Money aired on March 13 on BBC One and Two and featured comedy items performed by Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Robbie Williams, David Walliams, Matt Lucas, Ricky Gervais, Harry Enfield, Peter Crouch, David Beckham, Ronnie Corbett, Sadie Frost, and Kate Moss.

A special version of Top Of The Pops featuring performances by U2, James Morrison and Oasis – as well as Tom Jones and Rob Brydon singing the official Comic Relief single, Islands In The Stream – also aired as part of the extravaganza. The Islands In The Stream single has just topped the UK charts, which will bring in more cash for the cause.

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s – which sold the official Comic Relief merchandise – handed over a cheque for over £9 million to the show’s presenters during the evening, the single largest donation ever made in the event’s 11 year history. Another £20 million as donations keep coming in.

Celebrity Kilimanjaro climbers Alesha Dixon, Ben Shephard, Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles, Denise Van Outen, Fearne Cotton, Gary Barlow, Kimberley Walsh and Ronan Keating also made an appearance, and it was revealed that their efforts had raised £3,326,142 for Comic Relief.

‘It is just incredible to see such a huge amount of money given by the public again on Red Nose Day," said Comic Relief co-founder Richard Curtis. "Red Nose Day is 21 years old this year and its success is down to the unrelenting support and ingenuity of our supporters – it belongs not to the comedians, but to the people who give. It’s wonderful that, in more difficult times, people seem to understand that the need increases for people whose lives were impossibly tough in the first place. The work this money funds helps change and save lives all over Africa and the United Kingdom. A huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who has helped to make this year’s Red Nose Day such a memorable and brilliant campaign."

The evening also featured appearances from Annie Lennox and Take That.

Red Nose Day TV Special To Tickle BBC Funny Bones

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Today, March 13, is Red Nose Day in Britain – the major fundraising event of the year for Comic Relief. And to celebrate, celebrities young and old will appear in a TV extravaganza being screened tonight on BBC One and Two.

Presented by David Tennant, Davina McCall, Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross and others, Funny For Money will feature the last ever French & Saunders film parody – a version of Mamma Mia! performed by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders – plus comedy items performed by Robbie Williams, David Walliams, Matt Lucas, Ricky Gervais, Harry Enfield, Peter Crouch, David Beckham, Sadie Frost, and Kate Moss. There will also be an appearance from Annie Lennox.

As part of the show, Comic Relief will also present a special version of Top Of The Pops that will feature performances by U2, James Morrison and Oasis, as well as Tom Jones and Rob Brydon singing the official Comic Relief single, Islands In The Stream.

The show will also a special appearance by the celebrity climbers who scaled Mount Kilimanjaro last week. The group – including Take That's Gary Barlow, Ronan Keating, Girls Aloud's Kimberley Walsh, Cheryl Cole, singer Alesha Dixon, television presenters Fearne Cotton and Ben Shephard, West-End star Denise Van Outen and radio DJ Chris Moyles – reached the summit of the 19,300ft (5,900m) peak as dawn broke on Saturday, March 7. They featured in their own BBC One documentary last night, and also met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has pledged £2 million to the charity.

“It has been a privilege for the whole team to meet the Prime Minister … and under such special circumstances,” said Barlow. “To think that our efforts on the mountain and the incredible generosity of the public have inspired school children and have now been supported by the Government is unbelievable. If the money raised can help control malaria and also help poor and vulnerable people in the UK, it will all have been worthwhile. What an unforgettable day.”

The Funny For Money TV special runs from 7pm to 1:30am. Viewers will have the chance to pledge money to go towards helping people in the UK overcome poverty, mental health issues, domestic violence and other issues, and people in Africa affected by AIDS, malaria, conflict and more.

George Clooney Hosts Charity Dinner For Darfur

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor George Clooney raised $14.57 million for charity when he hosted a fundraising party in London last Thursday, December 4.

The dinner party was held at the home of banker Roger Jenkins, a senior executive at Barclays, with guests – such as Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Cindy Crawford, Sarah Ferguson, Bono, David Walliams, Michael Caine, Claudia Schiffer, Christian Slater, and Guy Ritchie – paying up to $20,000 for a ticket. Kid Rock provided the entertainment, while television chefs Antony Worrall Thompson and Ainsley Harriott provided the food.

Proceeds from the evening went to Clooney’s Not On Our Watch, a charity he founded with actor Don Cheadle in 2007 to focus global attention and resources towards putting an end to mass atrocities in Darfur.

Clooney followed up the charity dinner by presenting ‘Golden Heart’ awards to aid workers who have spent time working in Darfur at the Ein Herz Für Kinder charity event in Berlin on Saturday night. Hosted by Thomas Gottschalk, the televised event also featured an appearance by Boris Becker.

Elton's AIDS Bash Attracts Stars

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sir Elton John threw a star-studded gala to raise money for his AIDS Foundations earlier this week – although the Rocket Man himself was unable to attend.

Sir Elton’s partner David Furnish had to take over the hosting duties at the Grey Goose Character and Cocktails party in London on Wednesday night, with proceeds going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

A host of celebs turned up for the glitzy bash, including Little Britain’s David Walliams, model Eva Herzigova, singer Lily Allen, Giles Deacon and Jenson Button.

“I’m having a great night,” said Furnish. “I can’t thank everyone enough for being so generous. After 15 years, I still get nervous before hosting an event like this but then I think of why we’re doing it in the first place and tell myself to get on with it.”

The evening – which included an auction – raised over £350,000 (US$567,000) for the charity.

Matt Lucas Applauds Arsenal's Charity Efforts

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British comedian Matt Lucas has paid tribute to English football club Arsenal’s efforts to raise money for autism research.

The TreeHouse Trust – a British charity that aims to transform the lives of families affected by autism – was the club’s chosen charity in 2007 and 2008, with over £519,541 (around US$1 million) being raised through a number of initiatives. A large portion of the money will go towards a new school for children with autism.

“Im so proud that Arsenal has been able to raise this amount of money for TreeHouse,” said Lucas, who is best known for his work in British comedy series Little Britain with David Walliams. “Its been a pleasure to see the partnership from beginning to end, being so closely involved and seeing first hand the wonderful work the charity does for autism education. I wish the charity good luck for the opening of its new school.”

The 34-year-old took part in Fantastic Feet earlier this year, an event which involved him creating artwork – with the help of TreeHouse pupils – with his feet. Some of the artworks will be used within the new state-of-the-art school, while others were auctioned at TreeHouse’s charity ball in May and raised over £5,000.

Author Nick Hornby, who was also part of fabulous feet, is also pleased with Arsenal’s fundraising.

“I never thought I would see my son Danny, who is a pupil at TreeHouse, up on the big screens at Emirates Stadium,” he said. “I certainly never thought I would get used to seeing him up there. TreeHouse has changed the lives of all of the children lucky enough to attend the school this year. Arsenal has been a huge part of that.”

Arsenal’s chosen charity for next season will be the Teenage Cancer Trust.

David Walliams Splashes Out For Charity

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:15:16 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British comedian David Walliams has completed his second epic charity swim… and swallowed some water at the same time.

“Swimming and throwing up… it shouldn’t really go together,” said the star of Little Britain. “It was really tough.”

The 36-year-old swam across the Strait of Gibraltar, from Spain to Morocco, with Olympic rower James Cracknell. The event was part of Cracknell’s 10 day “Swim To Africa” adventure, which raised money for Sport Relief.

Cracknell’s trip started from Dover on February 27, when he rowed across the English Channel in atrocious weather conditions. This was followed by cycling 1,400 miles through France and Spain.

The final leg of the trip was the 12-mile swim, and having Walliams along was a boost for Cracknell’s morale. Walliams is certainly no stranger to swimming long distances – in 2006 he swam the English Channel and raised $2 million for Sport Relief in the process.

“I can’t believe David volunteered to do that after having done the Channel,” said Cracknell. “[The swim] was horrible.”

But Walliams had his own way of dealing with the cramp-inducing swim, and hummed Elton John songs to himself to keep his mind off the sharks that seemed to circle around the pair.

“I was singing to try and get me through it,” he said. “I was singing Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word and Your Song. When you’re in the water, if you start thinking about where you are, you think ‘I want this to be over.’ But if you think about nice things like Elton John songs, it kind of passes the time. I found it really tough. About two hours in I started to get seasick. The sea was really rough and I swallowed a lot of seawater. I started feeling really nauseous and throwing up. I got really demoralized so I had to talk to myself and say ’you’ve got to do it, you’ve got to do it.”

The pair completed the swim in four and a half hours.

Stars Gather For Cystic Fibrosis Benefit

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:15:01 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A cold London night was made a little warmer on Thursday, when a host of stars came out to raise money for sufferers of a chronic genetic disease.

The “Liv” Gala and Auction was held on January 31, with 420 guests paying up to $2,500 to attend the black tie event. The evening, which included performances by British comedians David Walliams, Matt Lucas, and Jimmy Carr, rasied over $4 million, with proceeds to be split between the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in England and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in America.

Last minute schedule changes by soccer club Barcelona FC meant that host Thierry Henry was unable to attend, but he thrilled the audience by appearing via live video when his match finished. However, English International players Peter Crouch and John Terry did attend, and they were joined by singer Natalie Imbruglia, photographer Sam Taylor-Wood, and British television hosts Trinny Woodall and Davina McCall. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose youngest son suffers from cystic fibrosis, also attended the gala.

But the evening’s biggest applause was reserved for Sir Elton John, who received a standing ovation for his performance.

Cystic Fibrosis is one of the world’s most common life-threatening diseases that can be inherited from parents, with over 70,000 sufferers around the globe. It is a debilitating condition that affects internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick and sticky mucus. Sufferers experience difficulties in breathing and digesting food, and the average life expectancy is only 31 years. Money raised from the gala will be used to provide care for sufferers and provide life saving medicines.

Crikey! Irwin Featured On Stamp For Charity

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:01:44 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The life of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin is to be commemorated with a new postage stamp in his homeland of Australia, a year after his tragic death.

The new stamp, produced in association with New Idea magazine, features Irwin alongside his daughter, Bindi, his son, Bob, and a very large snake, in an image that was used as the magazine’s commemorative cover shortly after Irwin was killed by a stingray on the Great Barrier Reef in 2006.

The stamp is the result of a survey held by New Idea, in which readers were asked to name the Australian celebrity they would most like to see honored in a postage stamp – the public voted unanimously for Irwin.

“We were overwhelmed with the response to the public poll, and are happy to support New Idea in this initiative,” said Australia Post’s Michael Zsolt. “This is the first time that an Australian magazine cover has been made available to the general public on an Australia Post product.”

Proceeds from the 46 cent stamp will go to Irwin’s charity, Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, a non-profit organization dedicated to conservation set up by Irwin and his wife, Terri, in 2002. It will also be released in time for the inaugural Steve Irwin Day on November 14, a day set aside by the state of Queensland to honor him. Steve Irwin Day hopes to celebrate the three things Irwin was passionate about – wildlife, family, and fun – and Irwin’s Australia Zoo is backing the event with several fundraising initiatives to benefit Wildlife Warriors Worldwide. These include Khaki Day, in which people in workplaces are encouraged to wear shirts of the color made famous by Irwin, and Backyard Campout, in which people are encouraged to gain sponsorship to camp out in their garden – and anywhere else they choose.

The charity will also be holding several auctions on the day and in the following months. Items for sale include a Harley Davidson motorcycle that features a special Wildlife Warriors design, and a khaki shirt signed by celebrities such as Jesse McCartney, Johnny Knoxville, surfing legend Kelly Slater, Aussie rocker Jimmy Barnes, and Little Britain’s Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

More information on Steve Irwin Day can be found at www.wildlifewarriors.org.au.

Look To The Stars News: David Walliams

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