Entertainment

Bananarama lead line-up for 1980s-themed Children In Need concert

A host of 1980s stars will return to the stage for the event, hosted by Fearne Cotton and Sara Cox.
A host of 1980s stars will return to the stage for the event, hosted by Fearne Cotton and Sara Cox. A host of 1980s stars will return to the stage for the event, hosted by Fearne Cotton and Sara Cox.

Bananarama, Boy George, Erasure and Jason Donovan will take to the stage in a 1980s extravaganza concert for Children In Need.

The themed BBC fundraiser will come to London’s SSE Wembley Arena in October, with presenters Fearne Cotton and Sara Cox at the helm.

Roman Kemp will also be contributing backstage, sharing interviews with stars such as Europe, Imagination, Jason Donovan, Katrina from Katrina & The Waves, Louisa Johnson, Nick Heyward, OMD and UB40 Featuring Ali, Astro and Mickey.

Tickets for the BBC Children in Need Rocks on October 19 are already on sale from £25 each.

Cotton, 35, said: “As a child of the 80s, I am especially thrilled to be presenting this year’s BBC Children in Need Rocks!

“This is an amazing opportunity to party to the finest tunes from the 1980s in aid of an incredibly important cause. It’s going to be a blast!”

Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2017 – Press Room – London
Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2017 – Press Room – London
Sara Cox (left) and Fearne Cotton (centre) with Lauren Laverne (Ian West/PA)

Cox, who presents BBC Radio 2’s Sounds Of The 80s programme, added: “It’s no secret that I am in love with the sounds of the decade and I can’t wait to hear some of the era’s greatest hits performed live at Wembley for a very worthy cause.”

The broadcaster’s charity appeal for children made its debut as a telethon broadcast in 1980, hosted by Sir Terry Wogan with Sue Lawley and Esther Rantzen.

The organisation’s signature yellow teddy bear with the polka-dot eye patch, Pudsey, joined in 1985.