Entertainment
Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer raises highest total ever surpassing an incredible £31million
Alan, Maya, Davina and Adam were hosts for the evening (Picture: Channel 4)
Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer has raised an incredible amount of money in its mission to help fund research into new treatments for the disease, accumulating more than £31million.
This marks the highest total ever raised on the programme since its launch in the UK in 2012, surpassing the last total by more than £6m.
On Friday night, Channel 4’s star-studded Stand Up To Cancer aired on the channel, with Davina McCall, Maya Jama, Alan Carr and Adam Hills hosting the proceedings.
Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran were among the stars who took part in the show to help encourage viewers to donate, while The Wanted musician Tom Parker opened up on the programme about his journey with his brain tumour.
Comedian Bill Bailey paid emotional tribute to his late friend Sean Lock, who died of cancer in August aged 58.
Co-host Davina also honoured the late Sarah Harding, praising the ‘legacy’ left by the Girls Aloud singer, who died of breast cancer in September at the age of 39.
Davina McCall paid emotional tribute to late singer Sarah Harding on the show (Picture: Channel 4)
At the end of the show, Stand Up To Cancer revealed the total amount of money raised from donations, writing on Twitter: ‘Thanks to your donations, tonight we’ve raised an INCREDIBLE £31,169,340 to fund life-saving cancer research – this is absolutely incredible!’
In a second tweet, the charitable programme wrote: ‘To everyone who tuned in to @Channel4 tonight, and to all who donated and fundraised to make this total possible – we want to say a HUGE thank you. Thanks to you, we’re bringing new, life-saving treatments to people living with cancer. Thank you.’
In 2018, SU2C raised more than £24m, having raised more than £15m two years prior.
In 2014, the broadcast total reached £14.5m, while the total raised ended up reaching £15.5m, and in 2012, the broadcast total surpassed £6m, while the total raised exceeded £8m.
Last night’s Stand Up To Cancer featured a special Celebrity Gogglebox, starring RuPaul’s Drag Race UK judges Graham Norton and Michelle Visage, as well as Vigil actors Suranne Jones and Adam James.
Vigil stars Adam Jones and Suranne Jones reunited for Celebrity Gogglebox (Picture: Channel 4)
Bad Habits singer Ed performed a tweaked version of the song encouraging people to donate, while former One Direction star Harry was filmed performing household chores such as hoovering the floor in an unusual segment.
Sir Tom Jones also delivered a musical tribute to his late wife Linda Trenchard, who died from cancer in 2016.
In a statement, Ian Katz, chief content officer at Channel 4, said: ‘It is both heartening and humbling that after such a tough 18 months the British public have shown such extraordinary generosity, and that so many amazing people have done so many amazing things for such a vital cause.
More: Channel 4
‘It’s a sobering fact that one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, and all of us at Channel 4 are incredibly proud that this money will go to speed up life-saving cancer research and accelerate new cancer treatments for UK patients.
‘We are profoundly grateful to everyone who helped fundraise, contribute to our shows and donate.’
Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer is available to watch on All 4.
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