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Comic Relief - Fame Academy

The BBC today announced the names of the 13 celebrities set to take part next month in Comic Relief's Fame Academy.

The launch show kicks off on BBC One on Saturday March 3.

The celebrity students are:
Angellica Bell (presenter)
Colin Murray (Radio 1 DJ, TV presenter)
Fred MacAulay (DJ, broadcaster)
Linda Robson (actress)
Mel Giedroyc (comedienne)
Miranda Hart (comedy actress)
Ray Stubbs (BBC Sport presenter)
Rowland Rivron (comedian/presenter)
Shaun Williamson (actor)
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson (TV presenter)
Tim Vine (comedian)
Tricia Penrose (actress)
Zoë Salmon (Blue Peter presenter)

Regular host Patrick Kielty will be joined by Claudia Winkleman who moves over from BBC Three, to preside over the live event from the Fame Academy's new and fitting venue, the Debating Chamber in London's County Hall. waveguide

Tara Worried About Fame Academy

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson has tried to pull out of Celebrity Fame Academy three times due to nerves, it has been revealed.

At yesterday's launch in London she said her father offered to make a donation to Comic Relief if she did not have to take part.

But she agreed to stay after pressure from producers.

Tara, 35, said: "I'm petrified about singing live."

The BBC One show in aid of Comic Relief begins on Saturday. Heartbeat's Tricia Penrose, Blue Peter's Zoe Salmon, DJ Colin Murray, sports host Ray Stubbs and presenter Rowland Rivron are among the others taking part. waveguide

FAME ACADEMY BABE GETS KINKY
27/02/07
NAUGHTY Tara Palmer- Tomkinson wants some hanky-spanky in the Fame Academy.

The It Girl promises to be a rebellious student when she is locked inside the music school.

The former I’m A Celeb babe says if she is called to headmaster Richard Park’s study for a ticking-off, she will give as good as she gets.

Tara, 35, giggled: “If Richard calls me in for a spanking I won’t mind – but he’d better watch out. I want to be the one doing the spanking!

“I went to boarding school so I know what it’s like being locked away for ages. I am looking forward to this. It’ll be a riot. ”

Tara is one of 13 stars taking part in the BBC’s Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, which launches on Saturday night.

She will be joined by Blue Peter babe Zoe Salmon, 24, DJ Colin Murray, 29, TV sports presenter Ray Stubbs, 48, actress Linda Robson, 48, and actor Shaun Williamson, 42.

Other stars include kids’ telly host Angellica Bell, 30, comics Fred MacAulay, 50, Mel Giedroyc, 38, and Tim Vine, 40, presenter Roland Rivron, 49, and actresses Tricia Penrose, 36, and Miranda Hart, 35,

All the contestants will sing for a viewer vote each night, with the bottom three having to sing again.

Judges Park, 57, Lesley Garrett, 50, and Craig Revel Horwood, 39, will save one celeb, and the other contestants will choose which of the other two gets the boot.

The show – hosted by Patrick Kielty, 37, and Claudia Winkleman, 35 – raised more than £1million when it was staged in 2005.

Comic Relief Does Fame Academy starts on Saturday at 5.55pm on BBC1. It then runs for 10 nights from March 7. dailystar

Link to web page with all the info you need about the show:
BBC

Take That For Comic Relief

Waveguide - Take ThatTake That - Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald - are to perform as part of the BBC's Red Nose Day TV programme on March 16 for Comic Relief.

Other performers include Ricky Gervais, Catherine Tate, Little Britain stars Matt Lucas and David Walliams, and Sacha Baron Cohen.

The Big One, which starts on BBC One before moving to BBC Two, is the culmination of events to raise money for the fight against poverty in Africa and in the UK.

Presenters on the night itself will include Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand, Lenny Henry, Davina McCall, Graham Norton, Chris Evans, Paul O'Grady, Fearne Cotton and Kate Thornton.

Jade Goody was also meant to take part, but was axed from Comic Relief in the wake of the Celebrity Big Brother race row.

A Comic Relief spokesperson said: "Take That have grown up with Red Nose Day and were more than happy to model The Big One." waveguide

Soap star Shaun is Fame favourite

Ex-EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson is the bookmakers' favourite to win Comic Relief's Celebrity Fame Academy, ahead of BBC Radio 1 DJ Colin Murray.

Williamson, who played Barry in the soap, is "the stand-out favourite", Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said.

Birds of a Feather actress Linda Robson and socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson are among the others taking part.

Hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Patrick Kielty, the show starts on Saturday and climaxes with a live final on 16 March.

DJ Edith Bowman and Casualty actor Will Mellor have previously won the charity contest.

A total of 13 personalities will tread the boards this year, including BBC Sport presenter Ray Stubbs and Heartbeat actress Tricia Penrose.


FAME ACADEMY FAVOURITES
Shaun Williamson - 2/1
Colin Murray - 6/1
Tricia Penrose - 7/1
Tim Vine - 10/1
Source: Ladbrokes


Other familiar faces include Blue Peter's Zoe Salmon and CBBC presenter Angellica Bell.

Comedians Tim Vine, Fred MacAulay, Rowland Rivron, Miranda Hart and Mel Giedroyc are also taking part.

There are only 11 places available in the Academy, so Saturday night's opening episode will see the public vote to decide who wins a place.

The competition starts in earnest on Wednesday, after which one student will be thrown out of the Academy every night until the live final on Red Nose Day.

Money from the public phone vote goes to Comic Relief. The 2005 series raised more than £1.3m for the charity.


BBC

Tara P-T faces the chop

March 03, 2007

TARA PALMER-TOMKINSON is joint favourite to be booted off Comic Relief Does Fame Academy opening show tonight.

The socialite, 35, is scared stiff about singing in front of millions of viewers and she is the celeb most likely to be voted off along with actress Miranda Hart as they are rank outsiders with the bookies.

However, the programme’s vocal coach Carrie Grant believes that Tara can survive the first hurdle.

She told us: “I taught Tara the other day and though she is nervous and really petrified, she has a lovely tone to her voice. If she can get her confidence together she can have a really good singing voice.”

Ex-EastEnder Shaun Williamson who played Barry Evans is favourite at 9/4 to win with bookies Paddy Power. Second favourite is Heartbeat actress Tricia Penrose at 7/2.

One of 13 celebs will have to go after a sing-off on the BBC1 show. Another well-known name will be voted off on Wednesday before the 11 remaining C-listers live together in dormitories in the academy. The final is on Red Nose Day March 16.

Also in the show are Birds Of A Feather actress Linda Robson, BBC sports presenter Ray Stubbs, DJs Colin Murray and Fred McAulay, comics Tim Vine, Rowland Rivron and Mel Giedroyc and kids' Tv presenter Angellica Bell.

Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, BBC1, Saturday, 5.55pm and 9.05pm.
Sun

4 March 2007
TARA OUT OF IT


SPACED-OUT Tara Palmer Tomkinson put on a bizarre performance in front of millions of BBC1 viewers on Comic Relief's Fame Academy last night.

The 35-year-old former It Girl - wearing a pink chainmail mini dress and stilettos - sweated profusely and stared wide-eyed into the audience as she gave an astonishingly bad rendition of Elton John's I'm Still Standing.

Judge Craig Revel Horwood described her performance as "absolutely hilarious", and fellow judge Richard Parks stuck the knife in too.

But the public voted to keep her in. Instead, broadcaster Roland Rivron was axed for his version of Stand By Your Man. Sundaymirror

4 March 2007
FAME OVER FOR TV POP FLOP RIVRON People

4 March 2007
TARA TOFF TO BEAT, SAYS FAME RIVAL People

No Fame shame for axed Roland

ROLAND RIVRON laughed off his Comic Relief Does Fame Academy axe.

The comedian was voted off by his fellow students on the opening night.

But he had a quick word of advice for the surviving celebs.

He said: "Good luck and I hope to God you all improve!"

Roland lost the student vote 10-1 against actress Miranda Hart after the panel of judges had saved TV presenter Angellica Bell from the boot.

Ex-EastEnder Shaun Williamson, who played Barry Evans, is still the favourite to win with bookies Paddy Power - despite judge Craig Revel Horwood telling him: "You bored me to tears."

Another well-known name will be voted off on Wednesday before the 11 remaining C-listers live together in dormitories in the academy. The final is on Red Nose Day March 16.

SunOnline

I know I'm sad...

But I still get over excited at the Fame Academy music.

WHAT'S UP ON WEDNESDAY

05 March 2007


Our twelve remaining celebrities will be singing for their supper on Wednesday night when they return to the stage to hit us with another round of pop goodies. And that means we’ll be waving goodbye to another star, while the rest will be allowed into the Academy for the first time. And that’s where they’ll start paying, in sweat!

Eleven celebs will take their places in the Academy on London’s South Bank on Wednesday night. From then on, the doors are locked and a gruelling routine of singing, dancing and leg-warmer wearing awaits them.

Every day they’ll be put through their paces by fitness coach Kevin Adams, who’ll have them toning up their muscles rather than their vocal chords for the next 10 days.

Husband-and-wife singing team David and Carrie Grant will have the celebrity students singing scales as well as choruses as part of their intense vocal coaching lessons. The students have both group and individual tutoring, so expect them to be hitting the high notes in time for the finale on Red Nose Day (Friday 16th March).

Fame Academy is a serious business, and because of that the celebs aren’t allowed to leave the Academy at any time. So instead the celebrity world is coming to visit them, and during their stay there’ll be celebrity masterclasses run by famous faces. Both musical and non-musical, you can expect some surprise guests and some even more surprising insights.

Also stalking the corridors will be head teacher Richard Park and personal tutor Jeremy Milnes. Jeremy will be on hand to mentor the students and monitor how they’re coping with the pressure of their demanding schedule.

And Richard will be keeping an eye on his interns, and sharpening up for his nightly stints on the judging panel.

So tune in at 7pm this Wednesday to watch the celebrities square up for a good clean sing-off before they enter the Academy. And find out who’s going to be left on the pavement in the results show later that evening at 10.35pm.

Comic Relief Does Fame Academy: get ready for term-time!
BBC

Fame Academy: Miranda's out!

It was Nighty Night for comic Miranda Hart on Wednesday, as she was voted out of Comic Relief Does Fame Academy.

Miranda, who played Beth in the surreal BBC3 sitcom, failed to amuse the judges with her comedy performance of the Olivia Newton John hit Physical, with Craig Revel Horwood describing it as "limp, lacklustre and not funny".

Judges voted 2-1 in favour of comedienne Mel Giedroyc, with the other students awarding Birds Of A Feather actress Linda Robson the final place in the Academy.

The remaining 11 students will now enter the Academy in London's County Hall.

Over the next 10 days they will be put through their paces by vocal coaches David and Carrie Grant, and choreographer Kevin Adams.

The celebrity students will sing for survival every night in the run-up to the final on Red Nose Night on Friday, March 16.

Whatsontv

Robson booted out of Fame Academy

Actress Linda Robson has become the third contestant to be booted out of Comic Relief Does Fame Academy.

Robson, best known for her role as Tracey in the hit BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather, failed to win over voters.

Comedians Rowland Rivron and Miranda Hart have already been voted off the BBC One celebrity singing contest.

Ex-EastEnders star Shaun Williamson is favourite to win the talent show's final, which takes place on Red Nose Day, Friday 16 March.

BBC