Hire a Celebrity Act - List 2

Noel Edmunds

During a 30-year career with the BBC, Noel Edmonds presented some of the Corporation's highest rating entertainment shows.

For an unprecedented 17 years, his television entertainment programmes dominated the BBC's schedules on Saturday nights. His presentation and production credits include Top of the Pops, Top Gear, Juke Box Jury, The Late Late Breakfast Show, Saturday Roadshow, Telly Addicts, Telly Years, the BAFTA's, the Brit Awards, Noel's House Party and the launch of the National Lottery.

Throughout his long and successful broadcasting career, Noel Edmonds engaged in promotional advertising and product endorsement campaigns for many of the UK's most famous brands. He established particularly strong links with not only leading car manufacturers, but also companies such as British Airways, Adidas, Cellnet, BT, Coca Cola and Sony.

Regarded within the broadcasting industry as both a visionary and a groundbreaker, (many of today's shows have their roots in programmes created or launched by Noel), the same vision and dynamism is clearly evident in his approach to business. In 1985 he established the Unique Group of companies that is now an extensive Media and Communications group engaged in both Public Television and Private Television; Event Production; Business-to-Business Communication; Video Communications; Talent Management; Recruitment; and Engineering Design. The privately owned Group is now expanding rapidly across New Media and is at the forefront of the global video communications revolution.

Noel Edmonds is a highly experienced and popular after dinner speaker, regularly hosts corporate and fund-raising events, and addresses business groups on the value of effective internal and external communications, particularly with regard to putting 'IQ before IT'.

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Dame Edna

Barry Humphries was the son of a well-to-do builder. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School, before studying Law at Melbourne University. However, he became more interested in performance art, and dropped out after two years. He soon became Australia’s leading exponent of the deconstructive and absurd art movement, Dadaism.

The first stage sketch featuring Mrs Edna Everage, 'Olympic Hostess', premiered in December 1955, but appeared only occasionally until the 1960s, as Humphries was involved in many other stage projects. In London he began to write for Private Eye, and was a regular on the BBC’s satirical 'Late Show'.

The character of "Dame" Edna Everage took off in the 1960s, making Humphries famous, although "her" name is now much better known than his.

Over a career of nearly fifty years, Barry Humphries has written many books, including a novel, made scores of recordings and written and produced films and television series. Edna has produced records and books of her own, broken theatre records in England, and won fame and critical acclaim in the US.

Humphries' other comic characters, mostly parodies of Australian culture, include Edna’s nephew, Barry McKenzie; inebriated cultural attaché, Sir Les Patterson; and socialist academic, Neil Singleton. He has also remained a serious landscape artist.

Humphries lives in Britain and the US, but makes frequent visits to Australia. Amongst his many awards and honours are the Order of Australia; honorary doctorates from Melbourne and Griffith Universities; the J.R. Ackerley Prize; the Golden Rose of Montreux; a Special Tony Award; and the Outer Critics Circle Award.

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Ronnie Corbett

Ronald Balfour Corbett, OBE is a Scottish comedian and actor who is best known as one of legendary double act The Two Ronnies. His first job was with the Ministry of Agriculture which was followed by his stint of National Service with the RAF. After completing his national srvice he moved to London to pursue his ambition to be on the stage.

He appeared in Crackerjack in its early days during the 1950s and played a minor part in the original version of the James Bond film "Casino Royale". During the 1960s he appeared in cabaret at Winston's, Danny La Rue's Mayfair nightclub. This was very much the 'in' place at the time and it was here that Corbett was first seen by David Frost who asked him to appear in The Frost Report.

In 2005 Corbett was re-united on screen with Ronnie Barker for a series of shows called The Two Ronnies Sketchbook, comprising selections of classic comedy sketches from their original series with original linking material. Also in 2005 Corbett appeared with comedian Peter Kay, another huge fan, in the spoof music video for the number 1 single 'Is This the Way to Amarillo?' . Corbett infamously falling over in the video.

He recently performed in Childrens Party At The Palace as Mr. Tibbs, the Queens butler,for Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday. In 2006, he played a starred as hyper-realised cocaine fiend version of himself in Ricky Gervais's "Extras", caught taking drugs at the BAFTA Awards. He also appeared in "Little Britain Abroad". Corbett was the "castaway" in the BBC Radio 4 show, Desert Island Discs, which was broadcast on 21 October 2007. Corbett appeared on BBC1's Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army on 3 August 2008 and featured in a special Sarah Jane Adventures episode for Red Nose Day 2009.

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Frank Carson

"It's the way he tells 'em!"

How would you describe comedy in its purest form? To put it quite simply, it's a combination of a good joke, well told. Remind you of anything? Here's a couple of clues; "It's a cracker" and "It's the way I tell 'em". For some performers, 'comedian' is a job description. For Frank Carson, it's his species.

Frank Carson in full flow is truly something to behold. Ruthless with his delivery, unrelenting in his gags-per-minute ratio, this is a constant barrage of tall tales and short one-liners that keeps an audience's laughter levels revved up to the max. Resistance is futile. Just sit back and enjoy.

Having been three times outright winner of the grandaddy of new talent shows, Opportunity Knocks, Frank rose to fame via the BBC's classic variety show, The Good Old Days and Granada TV's seminal series The Comedians. A record-breaking tour followed and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since those halcyon days, Frank has become one of the most televised comedians in Britain, with appearances on a long list of top-rated shows, not least of which was the 1992 Royal Variety Performance. He has also received the compliment of being the subject of This Is Your Life a programme which holds the record for the longest period of silence on record from a stunned Frank!

Despite his TV fame, Frank Carson has continued to tour the live circuit and has appeared as far afield as Australia, Canada, Europe and both the Middle and Far East. As if this does not keep him busy enough, he also finds time for numerous charities. His work for communities and charities saw him receive one of the greatest honours in the Catholic Church in 1987 when His Holiness the Pope knighted Frank into the order of St Gregory in a private audience in Rome.

Quite simply, the man is a legend.
And, boy, can he tell 'em!

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The Drifters

The Drifters remain one of the top acts performing live in the U.K. today.

Numerous serious observers have attempted to characterize what special attributes have maintained the Drifters popularity for more than four decades.

The legend is kept alive by the sensational American Drifters featuring the fabulous songs that have sustained the music of the Drifters through time.

In 1960 with “Save the Last Dance for Me” the Drifters not only skyrocketed to the charts in the United States but in Germany, Britain and Australia also. They were the number two, jukebox choice, just behind Elvis Presley.

After accomplishing a million selling record with “Under the Boardwalk”, they followed up with “At The Club” and many other massive hits including “Down On The Beach”, “Up On The Roof”, “Kissin’ In The Back row Of The Movies” “Hello Happiness” and many more.

It comes as no surprise to know that the Drifters are the fifth biggest selling male band of all time

The show is packed full of personality, charisma and brilliant vocals. The group receiving rave revues and standing ovations where ever they perform.

Booked in association with Royal Chimes

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The Real Thing

Original vocalists Chris & Eddy Amoo + Dave Smith. 3 No 1 Singles in both the 70's & 80's. "You to me are everything" "Cant get by without you" & "Feel the Need".

They have an ever growing reputation in the corporate & private function market and as such they now plan to increase their band to seven piece, bringing the total on stage to 10.

Performing all their hits along with classic covers such as "Celebration" "Ladies Night" & "Aint no stoppin' us now" to keep the party atmosphere going. They are also still available for playback shows with the 3 vocalists singing live to track.

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Gwen Dickey "Rose Royce!

Gwen Dickey was the voice of ROSE ROYCE on 70's classics including "Car Wash" "Wishing on a star" & "Love dont live here anymore".

Further chart success with "Aint Nobody" & revamped "Wishing on a star" which gave her a first top 10 solo hit.

Now available solo on playback or with band as GWEN DICKEY'S ROSE ROYCE for a great party night featuring all the above hits plus tracks such as her cover of "Sweetest Taboo".

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Boney M

Maizie Williams - Boney M

Maizie, original singer from the very birth of Boney M, featured on all their top ten hits.

Their greatest hits albums always re-chart and include classics such as "Brown Girl In The Ring", "Rivers Of Babylon" and "Ra-Ra-Rasputin".

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Barbara Dickson

In the early seventies, she sang at a Liverpool folk club run by a young student teacher called Willy Russell. He showed Barbara the first draft of what would later become the award winning musical, ‘John, Paul, George, Ringo….and Bert’ and asked her to perform the music. The combination of fine writing, a superb cast of young unknowns, (including Antony Sher, Bernard Hill and Trevor Eve) and Barbara’s idiosyncratic interpretation of Beatles songs made the show hugely successful.

The show’s co-producer, Robert Stigwood, signed Barbara to his record label, RSO Records, where she recorded the album ‘Answer Me’, the title track becoming a top ten hit in l976. This led to her guest residency on the much loved series ‘The Two Ronnies’, which brought Barbara’s singing to the attention of more than 10 million viewers every week. Also impressed by Barbara’s performance were Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who invited her to record ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ from the new musical ‘Evita’, which became her second hit in l977. Other hits including ‘The Caravan Song’ and ‘January, February’, followed in 1980.

In 1982, Willy Russell asked Barbara to star in his new musical ‘Blood Brothers’ in the pivotal role of the mother, Mrs. Johnstone. Although at first reluctant to accept, having never acted before, (not even in a school play!), she rose to the challenge, in the process garnering critical acclaim as well as Actress of the Year in a Musical from the Society of West End Theatres in 1984. Later that year, Tim Rice approached Barbara to take part in the cast album recording of the musical ‘Chess’, which included the song ‘I Know Him So Well’, a duet sung with Elaine Paige. This song remained at number one in the UK charts for several weeks and went on to become a worldwide hit.

In the 1990’s Barbara appeared in various TV dramas including ‘Taggart’, the award-winning ‘Band of Gold’ and ‘The Missing Postman’. Acclaimed writer and director Chris Bond created a show for Barbara in 1996 called ‘The Seven Ages of Woman’ which won her the Liverpool Echo Actress of the Year Award. It premiered at the Liverpool Playhouse and toured extensively in 1997 and 1998.

In 1999 and 2000, Barbara starred in ‘Spend, Spend, Spend’, a new musical by Steve Brown and Justin Greene. The show, based on the rollercoaster life story of pools winner Viv Nicholson, played in the West End to capacity audiences. For her portrayal of Viv, Barbara was awarded ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ at the 2000 Laurence Olivier Awards.

In 2004 she had great success with ‘The Platinum Collection’, which featured some of her most successful recordings, and ‘Full Circle’, a journey back through her musical history. Barbara’s 2006 CD featured an eclectic collection of the songs of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison called ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change my World.’

Barbara continues to tour, playing to sell-out audiences throughout the UK. She has recently been acting again on television in the BBC drama series ‘Doctors’ and she has also just completed her first appearances on Channel 4’s long-running quiz show ‘Countdown’. Barbara is also due to appear on ‘Songs of Praise’ in April 2008, where she will perform a new arrangement of the beautiful hymn ‘My Song is Love Unknown’.

The new CD, ‘Time and Tide’, released in January 2008, again features the bold new direction which Barbara is making a feature of her music, by blending old and new songs together with a distinctive atmosphere prevailing throughout. It features such varied songs as ‘Lady Franklin’s Lament’ and ‘Palm Sunday’, the first writing collaboration between Troy Donockley and Barbara. The album is produced by Troy.

The new DVD, ‘Into the Light’, a concert recording from November 2007, has also recently been released and it includes, as well as Barbara’s hits, several tracks from the new CD and other favourites she has made her own through the years. As a multi-million selling recording artist with an equally impressive Olivier award-winning acting career Barbara has firmly established herself as one of the most versatile performers in the UK. 2008 will see her celebrating 40 years as a professional musician.

Barbara is a Companion of Liverpool’s LIPA and a Fellow of Liverpool’s John Moores University.

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Elkie Brooks

Born in Manchester, Elkie Brooks has become one of the most successful and respected singing talents in the UK. Her career has spanned nearly five decades, produced 19 studio albums, and earned her numerous awards and accolades. 

Early professional engagements included appearances with the Eric Delaney Band and British Jazz hero Humphrey Lyttelton, a relationship that still thrives today.  On signing to the famous Decca label, Elkie released her first single Something’s Got A Hold On Me in 1964. Several more single releases followed but chart success proved elusive and Elkie spent the next few years appearing on package tours with various artists including The Animals and The Beatles.

In 1970, her career took on a whole new direction after meeting guitarist Pete Gage and together they formed rock fusion band, Dada. The group worked well but changes were brought about with the arrival of another future star by the name of Robert Palmer and Dada transformed into Vinegar Joe.

In 1975 she returned to the UK and signed a deal with A&M Records which saw the release of her first solo album, Rich Man’s Woman. After many years of glowing acclaim but limited chart success, the single Pearl’s A Singer was released, providing Elkie with her first Top 10 hit. The song became an instant anthem, proving so memorable that even today it remains Elkie's most popular and enduring hit.

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