Channel 4's Comedy Gala of 2010 was a British comedy benefit show organised by Channel 4. It was the inaugural Channel 4 Comedy Gala, an annual charity event held O2 Arena in London in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. Filmed live on 30 March 2010, a two and a half-hour highlights show was broadcast on Channel 4 on 5 April 2010. Billed by Channel 4 as "the biggest live stand up show in UK history" it featured seventeen comedians performing stand-up, as well as a number of others performing live and pre-recorded sketches, to an audience of 16,000. It raised nearly £1 million to open a new anaesthetic room.
Beneficiary
All profits from ticket and DVD sales of the Comedy Gala were to go to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. All performers waived their fees for the show. The money was to be used towards the provision of two new anaesthetic rooms, allowing parents to remain with their children up until the time they enter the operating theatres.
Katie Price made an appearance at the gala, mentioning that her disabled son Harvey is a regular visitor to the hospital. At the end of the performance, Jack Dee presented Lee Evans with a Channel 4 lifetime achievement award, which he auctioned on the spot for £5,000 for the charity, selling it to a member of the audience. Evans told the audience of his personal connection to the hospital, through the loss of his brother's eight-year-old son. Jack Dee's son was also once a patient at the hospital.
The 2010 gala ultimately raised nearly £1 million, enough to open a new anaesthetic room.
History
The Comedy Gala was commissioned by Channel 4 Entertainment commissioning editor, Syeda Irtizaali. Promoted by Off the Kerb Productions, it was to be filmed by Open Mike Productions.
14,000 tickets went on sale on 12 February 2010 for the live show at the O2 Arena, scheduled for 30 March 2010. 2,000 more tickets were released on 26 February. With over 25 performers taking part, Channel 4 promoted the show as "the biggest live stand up show in United Kingdom history", and "the comedy event of the year". All tickets for the show were sold in advance according to promoters Off the Kerb.
The live show was to be opened by Alan Carr, and would feature live stand-up from several comedians, with other artists contributing additional sketches and filmed inserts, in addition to celebrity appearances from the likes of Katie Price and Alex Reid, and Christine Bleakley, as well as musicals performances by Stomp and Bill Bailey. Channel 4 was to screen 2 hours of highlights from the show at 9pm on bank holiday Easter Monday, 5 April 2010. It was announced on 1 April that the Channel 4 broadcast would also feature a special advert break, with Jimmy Carr mocking a selection of willing advertisers.
The live-show went ahead, finishing at 11pm. The Channel 4 programme aired on 5 April, running for an extra 30 minutes over the advertised length. There was a hint at the second gala to come, when Jack Dee closed the first show stating "we'll see you next year, thank you and goodnight". A second gala was duly announced on 10 March 2011.
Cast
Stand up performers
The following people appeared, performing live stand-up: Jo Brand Bill Bailey John Bishop Kevin Bridges Alan Carr Jack Dee Lee Evans Noel Fielding Rich Hall Shappi Khorsandi Patrick Kielty Sean Lock Jason Manford Michael McIntyre Andy Parsons Mark Watson Jack Whitehall
Other in person appearances
The following people also appeared live, either as hosts, special guests, or in sketches or musical performances: Christine Bleakley Rob Brydon Fonejacker James Corden Peter Dickson (voice) Kevin Eldon Ruth Jones David Mitchell Katie Price Alex Reid Jonathan Ross Stomp Catherine Tate Gok Wan
Pre-recorded appearances
The following people appeared during the live show in pre-recorded parts, either in special messages or sketches: Kevin Bishop Derren Brown Alan Carr Jimmy Carr Johnny Depp Ricky Gervais (voice) Kyle MacLachlan Stephen Merchant (voice) David Mitchell Sharon Osbourne Karl Pilkington (voice) Patrick Stewart Rihanna Gok Wan Robert Webb
Notes
Jo Brand performed despite suffering from norovirus. Omid Djalili was due to appear according to some Channel 4 publicity before the show, although he did not ultimately feature. Christine Bleakley, having appeared in her regular role as presenter of The One Show broadcast live from 7pm, ultimately took part in the show accompanying Fonejacker as a host, although she did not ultimately perform any stand-up.