BB FANS

Let's Dance For Sports Relief

The BBC today announced the first celebrity names lining up for this year's Let's Dance For Sport Relief.

Katy Brand, Rufus Hound and Shappi Khorsandi represent the world of comedy, alongside some of the nations favourite Grumpy Old Women, Jenny Eclair, Linda Robson, Lesley Joseph and Susie Blake.

Also taking to the dance floor will be sporting figures such as footballers Peter Shilton and Rodney Marsh and snooker legends Willie Thorne and Dennis Taylor.

This year's contestants will be judged by an all-new panel that sees the judging line-up change for all four shows. The panel of three will predominantly feature faces from the world of comedy and celebrities who performed last year.

Together the viewers and the panel will vote for their favourite dancers to go through to the final.

Comedians confirmed so far are Jack Dee and Frank Skinner.

Claudia Winkleman and Steve Jones return to host the show which kicks off February 20 on BBC One.

The series will run over four weeks, comprising three heats and culminating in a spectacular final dance-off on Saturday, March 13.

Each week a celebrity act (a mix of solo dancers, duos and groups) will perform a number of famous dances such as Single Ladies (Beyonce), Greased Lightning (Grease), Smooth Criminal (Michael Jackson), Bad Guys (Bugsy Malone) and Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire).

They will work with a team of top choreographers to master the dance moves and with a team of stylists to represent their dance icon's look.

Who goes through and who gets a chance to compete in the final will be down to the public and the panel.

The final will see six celebrity acts dance with the hope of being crowned the Let's Dance For Sport Relief Champion on Saturday 13 March.

Proceeds from the voting will go to Sport Relief.

Jo Wallace, Executive Editor, Comedy Entertainment, BBC, said: "Saturday nights on the BBC are all about eventful, big, fun, family entertainment and Let's Dance For Sport Relief absolutely fits that bill.

"Following on from the last series, the celebrity-packed show aims to have audiences singing and dancing along in their living rooms and, no doubt, in fits of laughter, as the stars of the show try to impress them and the judges with their dance moves, all in the name of charity."

waveguide.co.uk

Fearne Cotton's Sport Relief training gets off to a bad start as she crashes her bike into a van Mail

Today David launches The BT Sport Relief Million Pound Bike Ride. Next month he will lead a team of celebrities cycling the 874 miles from John O'Groats to Land's End. Mail

Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones swap Dragon's Den for the dancefloor in aid of Sport Relief Mail

Cycling celebrities set to hit the road

JOHN O'Groats will welcome a number of celebrities on Monday morning as they take part in a Sport Relief challenge to cycle non-stop to Land's End.

Sport Relief veteran David Walliams will be joined on the relay by Jimmy Carr, Fearne Cotton, Miranda Hart, Russell Howard, Patrick Kielty and Davina McCall.

The determined team will be heading south from Groats at 9am on Monday (March 1) for approximately 80 gruelling hours of pedalling before they reach their destination.

The celebrities, who are understood to be staying in Wick on Sunday, will have to battle the elements at all hours of the day and night as they each take turns to cycle through wind, rain and possibly snow in order to cover the 1000 miles and try to reach their massive £1 million target.

johnogroat-journal

Blue Peter presenter becomes first woman to paddle the length of the Amazon - all in aid of Sport Relief charity

Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton today completed a 2,000-mile kayak along the Amazon river for Sport Relief.



MailonSunday

TV stars cycle for charity

David Walliams and Davina McCall are among a host of stars who have begun the challenge to bike from John O'Groats to Land's End to help raise £1 million for Sport Relief.

STV.tv

David Walliams leads Sport Relief team on bike ride

Little Britain star David Walliams and a team including Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton and comedians Patrick Kielty and Russell Howard have set off on their bid to cycle the length of Britain.

The seven celebrities - which also include Miranda Hart, Davina McCall and Jimmy Carr - are hoping to raise £1m for Sport Relief with a non-stop relay from John O'Groats to Land's End.

BBC

Fearne Cotton beams with joy as she hugs Davina McCall after finishing 1,000 mile Sport Relief cycle ride

By Sarah Bull Mail

David Walliams greeted by fiancee after cross-Britain cycle ride www.monstersandcritics.com/