Sophie Ellis-Bextor breaks down in tears as she completes 24-hour danceathon for BBC Children in Need and raises an incredible £1MILLION
Sophie Ellis-Bextor broke down in tears as she completed her 24-hour danceathon on Wednesday morning for BBC Children in Need.
The Murder On The Dancefloor hitmaker, 42, raised an incredible £1million for charity with her efforts which saw her moving non-stop for an entire day and night.
‘I’m such a mess,’ she told viewers watching the end of the live-stream on BBC iPlayer. ‘I can’t stop weeping.’
Emotional: Sophie Ellis-Bextor broke down in tears as she completed her 24-hour Danceathon on Wednesday morning for BBC Children in Need
During the challenge – which started at 9.30am on Tuesday morning – Sophie was joined by Tony Blackburn as they sang karaoke together as well as a host of other guests including Natalie Imbruglia, Tamsin Outhwaite and Michael Ball.
Gemma Collins, Rylan Clark, Bonnie Langford, Beverley Knight, JLS, Tony Blackburn, Gary Davies, Edith Bowman, Melvin Odoom, Sara Cox and Dawn O’Porter also joined her for stints on the dancefloor.
TOWIE star Gemma, 40, performed a hilarious duet with Sophie to Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman, gushing to the popstar: ‘Soph, I LOVE Murder On The Dancefloor – it is my go to song on a Friday and Saturday night!’
After taking her final step to the Abba classic Dancing Queen Sophie sank to her knees.
Amazing: The Murder On The Dancefloor hitmaker, 42, raised an incredible £1million for charity with her efforts which saw her moving non-stop for an entire day and night
Tough: ‘I’m such a mess,’ she told viewers watching the end of the live-stream on BBC iPlayer. ‘I can’t stop weeping’
Famous faces: TOWIE star Gemma Collins, 40, performed a hilarious duet with Sophie to Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman during the danceathon
Laughing: Gemma gushed to the popstar: ‘Soph, I LOVE Murder On The Dancefloor – it is my go to song on a Friday and Saturday night!’
‘It’s actually been really fun,’ she said. ‘It’s been an honour – but am I allowed to not dance or talk to people any more?’
BBC Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball then revealed that at that point she had raised £803,384 for children’s charities across the UK.
Sophie then wept: ‘That is phenomenal. Thank you so much. This has been extraordinary. I always thought this would be an amazing privilege to have done.’
Good idea: The challenge was inspired by the singer’s Kitchen Disco sessions – a series of live-streamed concerts from her house during the 2020 lockdown
Commanding attention: During the challenge – which started at 9.30am on Tuesday morning – Sophie donned various glamorous stage outfits
Her team wrote on Instagram after the challenge was completed: ‘Sophie’s done it!
‘After 24 hours of dancing, that’s an incredible total to finish on – and with the entire family too, in true Kitchen Disco style.
‘Well done Sophie and thank you so much for all your support during a marathon.
Happy! Her team wrote on Instagram after the challenge was completed: ‘Sophie’s done it! ‘After 24 hours of dancing, that’s an incredible total to finish on!’
‘It’s all for a fantastic cause and supporting @bbccin doesn’t end just because the dancing has.
‘You can still donate at the link in bio. And please keep your messages coming in for Sophie, we know they mean the world! Sophie HQ x.’
Her family including husband Richard, sons Sonny, Kit, Ray, Jesse and Mickey, and mum Janet Ellis, dropped in for the final half hour to support her.
No pain no gain: Sophie sat with her feet in an ice box during her short five minute breaks during the challenge
Ouch! The challenge was tough, with the star taking care of her feet mid-way through
Richard spent the whole night with her and said afterwards: ‘I feel completely deranged. Sophie’s been completely unbelievable’, adding that he had tried to assist with cups of tea, as well as some dancing in solidarity.
Richard, also 42, quipped: ‘We vogued at around 4am with me wearing a horse’s head, which I think helped.’
Sophie told BBC Breakfast: ‘For the last few hours, I’ve had in my head all the faces of all the people I’ve met at all the projects I visited.
Grateful: Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2 said: ‘All of us at Radio 2 would like to say the hugest thank you to Sophie Ellis-Bextor for agreeing to undertake the Kitchen Disco Danceathon’
Celebs: Simon Pegg (pictured on the screen behind) joined the danceathon via Zoom at one point
Overwhelmed: Sophie told BBC Breakfast: ‘For the last few hours, I’ve had in my head all the faces of all the people I’ve met at all the projects I visited’
‘And when I was going around the projects, I didn’t really know what an impact it would make on me.
‘I just think, I cannot complain because the money that is being raised is going to people who really need it, and I’m just dancing.’
The challenge was inspired by Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco sessions – a series of live-streamed concerts from her house during the 2020 lockdown.
Hits: As Sophie neared the end she sang her songs Take Me Home and Murder on the Dancefloor
Work it! Sophie said: ‘It’s been an honour and actually really fun, except for the bits that weren’t fun’
Other celebrities have been getting involved with Children In Need too, with singer Ronan Keating joining the Surprise Squad in Derry, Northern Ireland, for the team’s fourth challenge to fundraise for BBC Children in Need’s 2021 Appeal.
The One Show’s new Surprise Squad have been with Ronan at their fourth challenge, completing surprises and challenges for BBC Children in Need funded projects across the UK.
The challenge will see the team transform a music room at Foyle Down Syndrome Trust, turning it into a creative and welcoming space for the children and young people that the project supports.
Support: Other celebrities have been getting involved with Children In Need too, with singer Ronan Keating joining the Surprise Squad in Derry, Northern Ireland, for the teams fourth challenge to fundraise for BBC Children in Need’s 2021 Appeal
Foyle Down Syndrome Trust receives a three-year grant of £94,594 from BBC Children in Need to deliver music therapy and group sessions for children and young people with Down Syndrome.
The sessions help to improve their confidence and self-esteem, help to develop their skills and socialise in a safe and supportive environment.
On being part of the project with the Surprise Squad, presenter Ronan Keating said: ‘It’s been an absolute pleasure to be a part of this fantastic project and see what the Surprise Squad have created for Foyle Down Syndrome Trust.
‘The Music Room is beautiful and I know it’s going to be a place that will be treasured and used by the children and everyone here for years to come. Tune into The One Show tomorrow evening to see what we’ve been up to!’
Josie Nugent, Music Therapist at Foyle Down Syndrome Trust said: ‘We were over the moon when we were surprised by the Surprise Squad and they told us that they had something exciting in store for us.
‘I would never have dreamt of something like this for us, so we are blown away to have a new music room, which will open new pathways of communication, social interaction, and creative fun for all the young people that we support!’
Amazing work: The One Show’s new Surprise Squad have been with Ronan at their fourth challenge, completing surprises and challenges for BBC Children in Need funded projects across the UK
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