Stand Up to Cancer programme line-up

25 September 2012

Stars from television, music and film will come together this autumn for "Stand Up To Cancer" - a unique new fundraising campaign on Channel 4. Joining forces with Cancer Research UK, the campaign will build on air over a week of programming, delivering the best of Channel 4's science and entertainment programming. It will climax on Friday 19th October in a fundraising extravaganza hosted by Davina McCall, Alan Carr and Dr Christian.

Stand Up To Cancer Live 19th October

Bringing together a unique mix of entertainment, science and fundraising, a super-sized group of celebrities will come together over the week to show their support for SU2C UK, including: The Simpsons, Tom Daley, Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Jonnie Peacock, Emeli Sande, Jenson Button, JLS, Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, Anna Friel, The Cast of 8 out of 10 Cats, The English National Ballet, Martin Freeman, Miranda Hart, Simon Bird, and David Hasslehoff.

Alan Carr will front a super-sized chat show with the best green room ever, packed with A-list stars both from the UK and the US. Building on the success of Carr's recent "Spectacular", audiences will also be treated to special sketches, VTs and high octane star-studded stunts.

Davina will host a high stakes version of Million Pound Drop, aiming to raise big money for Stand Up To Cancer - building on the show's successful history of charity editions, which recently saw the recent Celebrity Games specials raise a spectacular £700,000 for 14 different Paralympic and disability charities.

And throughout the night, our doctor in residence Dr Christian Jessen will be on hand to explain some of the science behind the incredible new cancer trials we hope to fund, and to introduce stories of those who have been affected by cancer and whose lives depend on new breakthroughs in cancer research.

Throughout the week and night, there will be a plenty of other surprises and a huge range of opportunities for audiences to get involved and donate to the cause, to show their support and raise millions for the fight against cancer. For inspiration viewers can log on to www.standuptocancer.org.uk/getinvolved

In the run up to the 19 October, Cancer Research UK will be urging the public to get involved by donating money, fundraising, showing support through social networks or snapping up some Stand Up To Cancer merchandise. 

80% of the money raised will be administered by Cancer Research UK with the funds going towards leading UK clinical cancer research projects, in the form of grants to hospitals, institutes, charities and universities. The awards will be subject to an independent selection process and researchers from universities, institutes, charities and hospitals across the UK are invited to submit funding proposals for clinical research. Any proposals will be independently peer-reviewed and considered by world-leading experts. Grants will be awarded on the basis of these reviews. The remaining 20% of the money raised will fund UK-US collaborative research

Whizz Kid Entertainment will produce the main hub for Channel 4. A large range of other companies are also involved in producing content on the night and during the week, and details will be released shortly.

Tesco are proud to be the lead broadcast sponsor across Channel 4's Stand Up To Cancer programme schedule.

 

Stand Up To Cancer Shorts

Channel 4 has commissioned Maverick Television to make a series of five personal and moving short films to run during the week commencing Monday 15th October.  

 

The films will feature five very different cancer stories, self-narrated by those affected and cutting to the heart of the impact cancer has on them.  From parents grieving for their 10 year old daughter, recently taken by a brain tumour, to a family currently battling with the bombshell of their 14 year olds diagnosis, to a young woman faced with a shocking dilemma - should she be tested for the gene that's killing her mother?   

Emotive and powerful, the films will be instrumental in raising awareness and re-enforcing the fact cancer is universal and indiscriminate; it can and does strike anyone, regardless of age, sex, race, status, wealth or a person's state of health. Its impact is as varied, both physically and emotionally, on not just the patient but those closest to them.  

Each short film will transmit daily before featuring across the during the live fundraiser "Stand Up To Cancer" on Friday October the 19th.

Tescos are proud sponsors of the Stand Up To Cancer Shorts

 

Sing For Your Life

The Big C Choir is quite simply, unique.   It isn't that they've been together barely three months or that, prior to joining, many of them had never sung before in public.  What makes this choir so extraordinary is that all thirty five members have been on the same incredible, sometimes terrifying, journey - each and every one them is, or has been, in treatment for cancer.  

The choir has been created for this programme, and is run and supported by Tenovus, Wales' leading cancer charity. The charity carried out pioneering research about the positive effects of singing in a group - and now runs choirs across Wales for people touched by cancer in some way.

The Big C Choir is different. Its singers are all ages, ranging from 10 to 80 years old and they come from all walks of life -from pensioners to professional footballers. They've been recruited from Wales and beyond and every member - some terminal, some just diagnosed, some in remission - have all had, or have, cancer.

From the very first week, The Big C Choir's shared experience of this devastating disease has bound them together. Rehearsals have become joyous occasions - part choir, part support group, part exclusive club. Despite the illness or the debilitating effects of chemotherapy, The Big C Choir singers have been reluctant to miss out on their weekly fix of choir practice.  And while their health has fluctuated, what has never wavered is their newfound love of singing.

Led by choir mistress Cat Southall, every member has been on an incredible journey in and out of the rehearsal room.

They've been taught by opera star and brain cancer survivor Russell Watson, met singers as diverse as Emeli Sande and Shaun Ryder and performed at life-affirming moments like a surprise wedding proposal.

Along the way, they also had a big surprise sprung on them - the climax of their story is a performance at a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall... if they're ready, willing and able to sing.

Plus watch out for the performance on the live show on October 19th....

Sing for Your Life is produced by Exclusive TV for Channel 4

ScottishPower are proud sponsors of Sing For Your Life.

 

Embarrassing Bodies Special

The Embarrassing Bodies doctors are Standing up to Cancer and taking the emotional medical journey with patients fighting the big C. Dr Dawn meets 49 year old Julie who overcame breast cancer eight years ago. After a double mastectomy Dr Dawn is helping her to get back her breasts and be the woman she once was using radical surgery with a pioneering technique.

Dr Christian meets designer Josh, who tragically lost half his face following the diagnosis of a rare cancer, orbital melanoma. We join Josh on his amazing surgery to rebuild his face with the UK's leading team of facial and dental surgeons. Natalie was diagnosed with cervical cancer at just 22 making her one of the UK's youngest cases. Having undergone a radical hysterectomy we see her journey unfold as she attempts an egg retrieval procedure to provide her with the only chance to become a mum one day.  Dr Dawn visits her in hospital during her radio therapy treatment and talks about dealing with the disease so young.

Dad of two young boys, Danny, was diagnosed with bladder cancer at just 39. Having met Dr Christian in the clinic we follow his course of treatment using the tuberculosis virus to fight the cancer and we discover if his bladder can be saved.

John went to his GP for a check-up after his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer only to discover he also had prostate cancer too. Following a trip to the clinic to see Dr Christian we follow John's brave decision to have his prostate removed using a state for the art robotic technique, the di vinic robot, a machine so advanced, the surgeon's hands control a computer consol rather than the knife.

We follow the NHS Breast Screening Cancer Bus in Coventry inviting women over 50 for their routine mammograms and Dr Christian is out and about wearing prosthetic breasts encouraging the ladies to have a feel of his lumps and bumps to get to know what's normal for them. Pixie whips up a crowd as she inflates her large bowel and guides the public through the pitfalls of bowel cancer and what symptoms to watch out for. She also tests out the very latest scanning techniques to spot the signs early.

And along the way celebrities share their personal story of how cancer has affected them.

Embarrassing Bodies is made by Maverick TV for Channel 4.

 

Both More4 and E4 are joining the week with themed nights and special guests asking viewers to dig deep and give to fight cancer.

 

 

Please use the following credit when using any material relating to Stand Up To Cancer

(Programme & details) is part of ‘Stand Up To Cancer', a joint national fundraising event from Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK culminating in a live evening extravaganza on 19th October. Follow @Standup2C, Standuptocancer.org.uk or channel4.co.uk/SU2C for further information.

Notes to Editors:

Since Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) began in the USA in 2008 with a telecast across ABC, CBS and NBC, it has harnessed the support of the entertainment industry to raise more than $180 million for cancer research focused on bringing more effective and less toxic treatments to patients quickly.  SU2C is an Entertainment Industry Foundation initiative.

Funds raised through the Stand Up To Cancer campaign will go specifically towards the UK's leading clinical research, ensuring that new treatments get to patients faster. UK-based researchers at hospitals, universities, charities and research institutes across the UK will be able to apply for grants from the Stand Up To Cancer fund through an open call for proposals. Reflecting the collaboration with the USA, 20 per cent of funds raised will support UK-US collaborative research to develop state-of-the-art new treatments to benefit patients here in the UK.

 

About Channel 4

• Channel 4 launched on 2nd November 1982 and is a publicly-owned, commercially-funded, public service broadcaster. It receives no public funding and all profit generated by commercial activity is directly reinvested back into the delivery of Channel 4's public service remit to be innovative, experimental and distinctive.
• In addition to the main Channel 4 service, the portfolio includes E4, More4, Film4, 4Music and 4seven, as well as an ever-growing range of online activities that includes channel4.com, Channel 4's bespoke video-on-demand service 4oD and standalone digital projects. Through its film arm Film4, Channel 4 is also a key supporter of British film making talent.
• Channel 4 is a major investor in the UK's creative economy, working with around 400 creative companies from across the UK every year and investing significantly in training and talent development throughout the industry.

 

About Cancer Research UK 

• Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research
• The charity's pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
• Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.
• Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
• Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
• Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

 

About Tesco

• Tesco is lead sponsor for Stand Up To Cancer in the UK and will be helping to raise money through an in-store stock donation campaign, merchandise sales and staff and customer fundraising
• Tesco is committed to helping the nation fight cancer and since 2000 has raised over £30 million to help a range of UK cancer charities to deliver services in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for people in communities across the UK.
• In addition Cancer Research UK is Tesco Charity of the Year 2012 and together we hope to raise £10 million to fund 32 early diagnosis and detection research projects across the UK
• Tesco is also the lead partner for Cancer Research UK's Race for Life events series which it has been supporting for 11 years

 

About ScottishPower

• In 2012 ScottishPower announced a new three year relationship with Cancer Research UK. The Company aims to help raise over £5m for Cancer Research UK and to date has helped raise over £750,000 through its dedicated energy product and support for Race for Life events.
• ScottishPower's Sponsorship of Stand Up to Cancer will provide a further platform for them to engage their employees and customers to continue to raise funds and awareness for Cancer Research UK through employee fun days and their customer communications.
• On the night of the telethon around 300 ScottishPower telephone operators will give up their time to man the phones throughout the live show to take pledges.
• ScottishPower is the Official Energy Sponsor for Race for Life events. For more information, visit http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/cancer-research-uk/