Newsroom’s Got Talent, a star studded talent competition sponsored by Barclays, will see the nation’s favourite news teams step out from behind their desks this autumn (10 October) to battle it out on stage in front of a celebrity judging panel. The annual event will raise thousands of pounds for two charities – Leonard Cheshire Disability and UNICEF.
There are lots of big names taking part in Newsroom’s Got Talent this year. The packed line-up features acts including: Jon Snow, Cathy Newman, Krishnan Guru Murthy, Matt Frei and Liam Dutton (Channel 4 News) Nina Nannar, Lawrence Mcginty and Richard Edgar (ITV News), Aled Jones, Ranvir Singh, Matt Barbet and Laura Tobin (ITV Daybreak), Paul Harrison, Jason Farrell, Jayne Secker, Sarah Hewson, Jacquie Beltrao, Charlotte Hawkins, Nazaneen Ghaffer and Gillian Joseph (Sky News). Emma Crosby, Sian Welby, Polly Whitehouse and Cathy Jones (Channel 5 News).
Closing the night on a high will be an exclusive performance by chart-topping boy band, Blue. Hosting on the night will be Kate Thornton, and the judges will be Pete Waterman and Sherrie Hewson.
Creator Erin O’Toole, the driving force behind Newsroom’s Got Talent, started up the fundraising event in 2009. Originally an opportunity for colleagues to showcase their talents internally, the event has grown into a red carpet extravaganza and it is now a regular fixture in the diary of news teams from networks like ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky and Al Jazeera.
The event, which has raised £150,000 to date, is an opportunity for participants and spectators to let their hair down in a spirit of friendly competition. But the ultimate aim is to raise money for charity and make a difference. At the last event, Mark Austin’s ITN band came out on top to scoop first prize for their rendition of the popular rock track ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ and the night raised over £60,000 for charity.
Leonard Cheshire Disability, a beneficiary of Newsroom’s Got Talent for four consecutive years, is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of services for disabled people. Their services include high-quality care and community support together with innovative projects supporting disabled people into education, employment and entrepreneurship. Worldwide, the charity works in more than 50 countries to support disabled people into education and employment.
UNICEF UK is a beneficiary of Newroom’s Got Talent for the first time this year. UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation, works in over 190 countries to help transform children’s lives, providing medicine, food, water, education and protection to help them survive and realise their potential.
Newsroom’s Got Talent is taking place at indigO2, at the iconic O2 Arena on 10 October 2013. Tickets to the show are available to the public and cost just £20 including a free drink on arrival. VIP packages are also available. For more information visit www.newsroomsgottalent.com. Disabled guests are catered for with allocated seating area and a free companion ticket.
