Media prepares for the giant Live8
Fans who didn’t win a ticket to Live8 can look forward to a TV treat. The BBC has announced a huge operation to bring the star-studded line-up to viewers and listeners – with presenters across the globe including Sara Cox, Vernon Kay and Chris Evans. Jonathan Ross will be joining the 150,000 fans at London’s Hyde Park to kick start TV and radio coverage of the world’s biggest rock event on Saturday July 2.
As the action unfolds on stage, he will take viewers to the heart of the event, reporting from an all-seeing pod set just above the live acts, which include Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Robbie Williams, Elton John, U2 and Sting.
Special guests will include BBC News reporter and presenter Michael Buerk, whose reports sparked the original Live Aid in 1985, Jools Holland, George Alagiah and Meera Syal. TV viewers at home and on big screens across the UK will see all of the London concert live from 1pm until around 9.30pm and the best of the music from Live8 concerts in Paris, Berlin and Rome. Coverage will start on BBC2 and then switch to BBC1 from 4pm.
At 10pm Graham Norton will bring viewers the Live8 event in Philadelphia, where the line-up, hosted by Will Smith, includes Stevie Wonder, 50 Cent, Kaiser Chiefs and Maroon 5. Norton will be reporting from backstage, interviewing all the stars. He said: “Live8 is one of those moments in time which people will remember for years to come, and those of us who were there will look back on with great affection.
“I would have been more than happy to serve coffee backstage had that been the only job on offer, so I’m over the moon to have been asked to present the American part of this amazing event.” Bolton-born Vernon Kay and Sara Cox will help bring listeners coverage of the London concert on Radio 1, which it will broadcast live, as well as giving a flavour of what’s happening elsewhere in the world.
Warrington-born former Manchester DJ Chris Evans makes another radio comeback to host Radio 2‘s coverage, alongside Davina McCall and Dermot O’Leary, taking a special break from their Big Brother roles. Chris said: “Back in 1985 I was working as a kissogram in Manchester. I had six jobs to do on the evening of Live Aid and I couldn’t wait to get back into the car to listen to the unfolding events on the radio. In fact, I almost missed one of my appointments because I was waiting for Madonna to come on.”
Radio 3 and 4 will broadcast performances from Live8’s Africa Calling concert at the Eden Project in Cornwall, an event hosted by Peter Gabriel. Radio Five Live will shift their focus to Edinburgh in the evening as the Make Poverty History march culminates in the city.
And for those busy elsewhere, the whole Live8 experience from Europe and America will be replayed from start to finish on BBC3, from 7pm that Saturday until 5am the next day.
From Manchester Evening News