Monday, October 29, 2007

BAFTA Birthday line up


Michael Parkinson (left) and Joanna Lumley were the hosts at a variety gala to celebrate Bafta's 60th Birthday. They were joined on stage by a wide range of performers from both the small and silver screens, many of them previous Bafta winners.

Legendary comedian Stanley Baxter and Full Monty and Trainspotting star Robert Carlyle represented the Scots.

Hollywood star Halle Berry took to the stage looking fantastic and legendary diva Celine Dion sounded great singing her infamous Titanic theme. Operatic star Andrea Bocelli sang Maria from West Side story and stunned the audience with his incredible vocal talents.

The boys from Billy Elliot The Musical were excellent and, as ever, the older boys were upstaged by the smallest kid who somersaulted across the stage before stopping, smiling and stretching his hands out like a true professional.

The Kumars interview of Ben Kingsley was dull to watch, but may be edited better for TV and other mildly amusing moments included a revival of a Morecambe and Wise sketch and a Miss Piggy sketch with Sharon Osbourne. Victoria Wood started to raise the laughter levels, though introducing her as "the best comedy talent in Britain", may have been setting her up for a fall.

Finally, no British TV award programme could go without a lineup of soap stars. Some of the cast from Coronation Street were on stage and, for those that remember, Upstairs Downstairs, shared some of the "good old days" with the audience.

Make sure you catch Happy Birthday Bafta on ITV1, Wednesday 7th November at 9pm.

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