Season 81
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family.
The performance showcases a variety of family entertainment including comedy, singing, dance, magic and other speciality acts. The event is organised on behalf of the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund of which Queen Elizabeth is patron. All proceeds are donated to the fund.
The Royal Variety Performance traditionally aired annually in South Africa on M-Net on New Year's Eve. The show moved to DStv's BBC Entertainment channel for 2010 and back to M-Net and DStv's M-Net HD channel in 2011.
The 81st Royal Variety Performance aired on M-Net on Wednesday 31 December 2009, at 22h30. The special was two hours long.
81st Royal Variety Performance
Comedian Peter Kay is to host The Royal Variety Performance 2009 which for the first time since 1955 will come from the home of British variety - Blackpool.
The town’s legendary Opera House – the largest theatre in the UK outside of London with a seating capacity of 3,000 - will play host to this gala evening in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
Peter Kay will preside over the show which promises to be an unforgettable evening of the best UK and international musical performers, show-stopping theatre, comedy and speciality acts as well as a number of sensational surprises.
Acts lined up to appear include: the winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, Diversity; the amazing and multi-award winning, Bette Midler; MOBO and Grammy Award-nominated singer Lady Gaga; Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg, along with the cast of the smash-hit West End production, Sister Act; Canadian singer and Grammy Award winner, Michael Buble; BRIT Award winning singer, Mika; Britain’s Got Talent’s mezzo-soprano, Faryl Smith; and musical extravaganza Here Come The Girls, featuring Grammy Award winner Chaka Khan, multi-award winning singer-songwriter, Anastacia, and singer-songwriter and actress, Lulu, OBE, X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, teen superstar Miley Cyrus, opera star Katherine Jenkins and the critically acclaimed comedians Jason Manford and Paddy McGuinness.
The star studded spectacular will take place on 7 December. It will be produced by ITV Studios, the makers of the 2007 Royal Variety Performance.
The Blackpool production continues ITV’s tradition of staging The Royal Variety Performance in cities and towns outside London. Previous shows have been hosted in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Liverpool.
As is customary, the event is staged in aid of the Entertainment Artistes’ Benevolent Fund, whose patron is Her Majesty The Queen. The money will help to maintain Brinsworth House in Twickenham, Middlesex – the entertainers’ retirement and nursing home which is run by the EABF.