Rock On The Variety Show: Star-studded line-up announced for special night in memory of comedy legend Bobby Ball

Rock On The Variety Show will take place at Blackpool’s Opera House on Friday, November 12, with tickets going on sale at 9am on Friday, October 1.

Bobby’s long-time stage partner Tommy Cannon will be accompanied on the night by a host of actors, comedy stars and singers who are all coming together to raise money for the

charities closest to Bobby’s heart - Lytham’s Lowther Pavilion and Blue Skies Hospitals Fund.

Olivier and BAFTA award winning actress and singer Sheridan Smith, people’s tenor Russell Watson, musical theatre boyband Collabro, The Nolans and Spandau Ballet’s Steve

Norman will all perform on the night.

There will be comedy routines from Jason Manford, ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent finalist Steve Royle, Bobby’s sons The Harper Brothers as well as Jonnie Casson and Phil Walker.

Bobby’s former Mount Pleasant co-stars Sally Lindsay, Sue Vincent, Ted Robbins and Dan Ryan will all perform together, as will TV stars Sherrie Hewson and Cheryl Fergison.

There will also be performances from Fylde-based artists who all knew and loved Bobby, including D3VA featuring Tracey Jordan, Caz Kay and Diane Lee Carol, Peter Anthony, Mark

Jay, Paul McCormick, Paul Dobie, Kel Wood and Jane Dean.

The NHS North West Ambulance Choir will also perform and will be accompanied by the Heart of England Philharmonic Orchestra.

Further performances are still to be announced and organisers promise some surprise appearances on the night.

Bobby sadly died in October last year at the age of 76. His widow Yvonne said her beloved Bobby would be thrilled at the line-up for Rock On.

Yvonne said: “I am absolutely blown away by the artists who have all agreed to perform in Bobby’s memory.

“To see that stage filled with people who are helping raise money for the charities that were so close to Bobby will be very special.

“I cannot thank the performers and all the people who are supporting this night enough. It is going to be a wonderful evening and one which I hope raises a lot of money for these two

incredible organisations.”

Rock On The Variety Show is one of two planned events organised by the charitable foundation The Bobby Ball Foundation to raise money for the charities Bobby was a patron of, and

also includes a glittering ball – The Bobby Ball – being held on Saturday, November 13 in Blackpool Winter Gardens’ Empress Ballroom.

The Bobby Ball Foundation was launched earlier this year to support the organisations Bobby was so passionate about across the Fylde coast.

Money raised from Rock On The Variety Show and The Bobby Ball will be given to Lytham’s Lowther Pavilion and Blue Skies Hospitals Fund – two organisations Bobby was an active

patron and supporter of, as well as supporting the cost of the planned Bobby Ball statue to be erected in Lytham’s Lowther Gardens.

Tickets for Rock On The Variety Show from www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk

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