Look To The Stars News: David Walliams

John Bishop's Week Of Hell For Charity

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

British comedian John Bishop is about to have one incredibly tough week as he takes on The BT Sport Relief Challenge: Bishop’s Week Of Hell – the second in a series of celebrity challenges sponsored by BT for Sport Relief 2012. Starting on Monday 27th February, it will be the most physically gruelling test of John’s life as he attempts to cycle, row and run over 290 punishing miles from Paris to London in just five days.

John will start the first leg of his challenge by the Eiffel Tower in Paris and will cycle over 185 torturous miles to the coast in less than 24 hours. For the second leg, John is hoping to row from mainland Europe to the UK – an ambitious task for anyone let alone someone who suffers with bad seasickness. To help John navigate the choppy waters and battle the waves he will be joined by a team of celebrity rowers including Andrew Flintoff, Davina McCall and Denise Lewis.

If all that wasn’t enough the final stage of this epic triathlon will see John take on three exhausting marathons in just three days, finishing in Trafalgar Square in London on Friday 2nd March. When John is on his last legs, celebrity mates including Dermot O’Leary, Frank Skinner and Robbie Savage will provide much needed motivation when they run alongside him.

Little Britain Star Awarded For Charity Swim

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

TV personality and Sport Relief hero David Walliams beamed with pride as he scooped a National Television Award last week. The award was given in recognition of his enormous achievement in swimming the length of the Thames to raise cash for Sport Relief last autumn.

Presented with the award by Dermot O’Leary, an overwhelmed David struggled to speak over the roaring crowd at the 02 centre in London, where they whole audience erupted into rapturous applause and gave him a standing-ovation.

Eventually, David was able to say,‘’It was the best and worst week of my life. The worst because I had to swim 140 miles and the best because all of you came out to support me and most importantly donated your money to Sport Relief.’

Stars Launch Sport Relief 2012

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0000

British stars Jimmy Carr and Fearne Cotton helped launch Sport Relief’s 2012 campaign today.

This year, over one million men, women and children are expected to pull up their socks and take part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile in order to raise some serious cash for vulnerable people across the UK and the world’s poorest countries. The Sport Relief Weekend is taking place from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th March and it’ll be three whole days of energy, entertainment and events to help the nation go the extra mile.

Celebrating the UK’s biggest year of sport, a whole host of famous faces from the world of sport and entertainment will be taking part in Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile events across the length and breadth of the country on Sunday 25th March including Olly Murs, Lorraine Kelly, Kara Tointon and James Cracknell among many others. The public can go the extra mile too by choosing to take on either 1, 3, or 6 miles and entering online at sportrelief.com/mile.

David Walliams To Play Poker For Charity

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:30:00 +0000

LIttle Britain star David Walliams is expected to attend a star-studded charity poker tournament in London tonight, November 22.

The Quintessentially Foundation Charity Poker Night in aid of SOS Children’s Villages will take place at the Savoy, and also expects to attract famous faces such as Emma Crosby, Ben Elliot, Tom Parker Bowles, Zac Goldsmith and many more.

180 players will take their seats alongside A-List faces for a Texas Hold’em tournament in a showdown for 8 money-can’t-buy prizes. As the game tournament unfolds a drinks and canapés reception will also be held for a further 100 guests.

Stars Come Out For Elton John's Celebrity Charity Winter Ball

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Elton John hosted another highly successful Grey Goose Winter Ball in the heart of Battersea Park in London on Saturday night.

This year’s Winter Ball – which once again benefitted the Elton John AIDS Foundation – featured the first ever elBulli experience on UK soil. elBulli has been ranked the world’s number one restaurant a record five times. Its chefs are pioneers in a new way of experiencing taste, stripping food back to a molecular level, isolating components and then rebuilding to their own design or vision.

Among the guests who were scheduled to attend included Sir Elton’s partner, David Furnish, along with Jonathan Saunders, Marc Quinn, Plan B, Graham Norton, Kelly Rowland, Joe Jonas, David Walliams, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michelle Dockery, Tali Lennox, Nicole Scherzinger, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Jaime Winstone, Giles Deacon, Dinos Chapman, Marcus Wareing, Johnny Vaughan, Lulu, Alfie Boe, Ozwald Boateng, Nick Candy and Holly Valance.

Paul McCartney Gets Behind Meat Free Cookbook

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:30:00 +0000

A new cookbook inspired by the Meat Free Monday campaign – and featuring a foreword by Paul, Stella and Mary McCartney – has hit the shelves of bookstores in the UK

Following the huge success of the McCartney family’s Meat Free Monday campaign, the new cookbook launched yesterday and was inspired by the simple idea that going without meat for just one day of the week can make a huge difference to the planet, our health and even our pocket.

The campaign, which was launched in 2009, came about after the United Nations issued a report which stated that the livestock industry as a whole was responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the whole of the transport sector put together. Meat is in fact responsible for a staggering 18 per cent of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions.

David Walliams Completes Thames Charity Swim

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Despite facing torrential rain, a nasty dose of ‘Thames tummy’ and a drowning Labrador (which he saved along the way), Little Britian star David Walliams has front-crawled his way 140 miles to the finish line and made it home – but not quite dry!

The comedian set out eight days ago to swim the Thames in the UK to raise money for Sport Relief. Not only did David swim 140 miles of the Thames in just eight days, he did it in unusually cold, windy and rainy conditions, enduring a serious stomach upset and severe exhaustion en route. He even found time to rescue a drowning Labrador!

David Walliams To Swim Thames For Charity

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:30:00 +0000

This September, Little Britain star David Walliams will take to the water once again for charity by swimming the Thames for Sport Relief.

Sport Relief legend David Walliams is almost as well known for his incredible cross-Channel swim, which raised £1 million, as he is for co-creating and starring in Little Britain.

On top of his epic Channel challenge, he also swam the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco with James Cracknell in 2008 for Sport Relief.

Celebrity Red Noses Raise Record Amount For Charity

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Comic Relief delivered another spectacular evening of top TV treats in the UK on Friday, as Red Nose Day 2011 entertained the nation while raising an incredible sum of money to help poor and vulnerable people in the UK and Africa. The TV event raised £74,360,207 (US$118 million) – the highest total reached on the night in Red Nose Day’s 23 year history.

“This is more than we ever believed we would raise,” said organizer Richard Curtis. “The generosity of the British public is staggering.”

The TV extravaganza featured appearances by Justin Bieber, Paul McCartney, David Tennant and Susan Boyle.

Naomi Campbell Announces Celebrity Charity Shop

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Model Naomi Campbell and her Fashion For Relief campaign are to open a one-week-only pop-up charity shop in London next month.

The shop will feature items owned by the supermodel and other celebrities – including Little Britain’s David Walliams – as well as labels such as Stella McCartney. Naomi will front the shop, along with other celebrities, to benefit the Prince’s Trust, a charity established by Prince Charles to offer support by training, mentoring and financial assistance to help disadvantaged young people achieve their potential.

The pop-up shop will open its doors at Westfield London with a special preview night on Tuesday 5th April and then stay open to the public until Wed 13th April 2011.

Stars Design Candle Holders For Celebrity Charity Auction

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Some of Britain’s favorite celebrities auction have personally designed candle holders to raise awareness of the race for a cure for Parkinson’s.

Stephen Fry, Ricky Gervais, Alesha Dixon, Kevin McCloud and a host of other celebrities have pledged their support for finding a cure for Parkinson’s by designing their own candle holders which are being auctioned off in support of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust’s ILLUMINATE campaign.

The 34 specially designed candle holders will be auctioned on eBay for 10 days starting 7pm on 22nd FEBRUARY 2011. You are invited to bid for your favourite celebrity’s candle holder on eBay all in the name of an exceptionally worthy cause. The entire collection of designs is also available in a lovely book.

David Walliams' 24 Hour Celebrity Charity Challenge

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Little Britain’s David Walliams has announced a 24 hour comedy challenge as part of Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day next month.

The star will host the UK’s first ever 24 hour panel show – 24 Hour Panel People – which will be streamed live online on March 5/6th. The show will then be edited into 5 30-minute shows for BBC Three, and highlights will be shown on BBC One’s coverage of Red Nose Day on March 18.

Celebrity Doodles To Go Under Hammer For Charity

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:30:00 +0000

National Doodle Day will hit the UK once again on February 11, with hundreds of celebrities donating drawings to raise money for Epilepsy Action.

Henry Winkler charity doodle.

JustGiving.com Announces Top Celebrity Charity Fundraisers

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0000

JustGiving.com has released the results of a survey into the top celebrity fundraisers in the UK.

Adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes – who has raised over £2.5 million for Marie Curie Cancer Care over the past two years – came out in top place in the report. Other stars to feature include Little Britain star David Walliams and his wife, Lara Stone, as well as singer Katherine Jenkins, rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio and Dragon’s Den star Peter Jones.

The survey is based on an analysis of total funds raised from January 2009 to December 2010.

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.

Gary Barlow Plans Second Charity Adventure

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:30:00 +0000

At the ripe age of 39, Gary Barlow is up for anything – even if it’s hiking to the North Pole. For charity, of course.

Don’t underestimate the Take That singer though. Barlow raised more than 1.3 million euros for Comic Relief for leading a team of nine celebrities to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the fourth highest freestanding mountain in the world.

The Spring 2012 trip will raise money for BBC Sport Relief, a charity in the UK that has a history of attracting celebrities, such as David Walliams swimming across the English Channel and Eddie Izzard’s 43 marathons in 52 days.. BBC Sport Relief incorporates physical activity into fundraisers like their Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile and uses the money for disadvantaged people around the world, whether they be homeless children or people in disease-infected conditions.

Stars Give Land Mines The Boot With Celebrity Charity Auction

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:00:00 +0000

The Mines Advisory Group is launching a very special celebrity charity auction this week to raise money for people affected by landmines.

Stars such as Katy Perry, Pink, Shirley Bassey, Twiggy, Joanna Lumley, Nelly Furtado, Alan Shearer and Tony Blair’s wife, Cherie, have donated their shoes to the auction, which launches on July 22 and runs till August 1.

“We’ve been totally overwhelmed by the support we’ve had from celebrities who’ve given up their shoes to help those affected by conflict every day,” said MAG’s Give Landmines The Boot auction organizer Zoe Corden. "MAG chose to run a celebrity shoe auction because often its peoples’ feet that are the most at risk from landmine blasts, and the stars that donated did so to help us stamp a link between shoes and the dangers that lurk beneath them for millions worldwide.

White Ties And Tiaras Dominate Elton John's Charity Ball

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Over 700 guests – including Peter André, David Walliams, Lara Stone, Lily Cole and Paloma Faith – attended Elton John’s annual White Tie and Tiara Charity Ball last week.

Held at Sir Elton’s home in Windsor, guests were treated to a performance by Lady Gaga, as well as an auction that included an Audi car hand-painted by Damien Hirst. The car raised £350,000, which contributed to the massive £5.6 million raised during the entire evening.

Money raised will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Other guests spotted at the event included Elizabeth Hurley and Shirley Bassey.

Stars Come Out For Annual Gorbachev Charity Gala

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev hosted a glittering charity gala at Hampton Court on Saturday night that saw a number of celebrities show up to support the fight against cancer in children.

Newly-wed couple David Walliams and Lara Stone joined famous faces such as Hugh Grant, Tracey Emin, Yasmin Le Bon, Alan Rickman, Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson and Anjelica Huston to raise money for the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation – a charity established by Mr Gorbachev following the death of his wife in 1999.

The evening featured an auction that included lots such as dinner with Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullum, lunch with Kevin Spacey, a jelly fight with Lara Stone to be refereed by David Walliams, and much more.

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.

Little Britain Star To Get On His Bike For Charity

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

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.

Gwyneth Paltrow And Famous Friends Hold Charity Sale

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

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.

Little Britain Stars Grant Wish For Sick Boy

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

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

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.