North East stars turning out for Sammy Johnson

By Evening Chronicle

SOME of the region’s brightest stars are returning home for this year’s Sunday For Sammy in a sell-out entertainment extravaganza at Newcastle City Hall.

The celebrity favourites are back in Toon to appear in the fifth bi-annual show to commemorate the life of their friend and local hero Sammy Johnson.

The concert returns this Sunday for two performances with a star-studded line-up including Tim Healy, Denise Welch, Kevin Whately, Brendan Healy and many more.

As usual the 2010 Sunday for Sammy shows will be packed with music, stand-up comedy and sketches.

Sunday for Sammy raises money for the Sammy Johnson Memorial Fund set up by Tim Healy and Jimmy Nail in memory of co-star and close friend Sammy Johnson, best known for his portrayal of Stick in the Spender TV series. Sammy died suddenly in 1998.

The fund was established to assist performers from Tyneside to get a start in the entertainment business. The fund has already raised £270,000 and donated over £115,000 in grants to talented groups and individuals to develop their performing skills.

Tim Healy, chairman of the Sammy Johnson Memorial Fund, said: “Sunday for Sammy has become one of the most celebrated events in the North East entertainment calendar.

“The 2010 concerts sold out in record time and we have a fantastic cast of North East-based actors, singers and musicians taking part.

“In addition to the established performers, space will be made on the bill to feature some of the incredibly talented young people we have recently helped. This is a way of showing the public exactly where their money goes.”

The shows at 2pm and 7pm are a celebration of Northern wit and everything Geordie. The full cast and contents are kept under wraps.

One confirmed element is the latest Auf Wiedersehen Pet sketch specially written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais based on the Geordie comedy series which made stars of Tim Healy, Kevin Whately, Jimmy Nail, Timothy Spall and Chris Fairbank.

Ray Laidlaw, producer of the show, said: “Sunday for Sammy is a phenomenon. We sell out 4,000 seats with very little publicity. We have launched the new Sunday for Sammy website which will go live this Thursday enabling fans to keep up to date with future plans and also revisit previous shows.

Visit www.Sundayforsammy.org