Keep a Child Alive Charity Concert

George Michael is confirmed to perform at Keep a Child Alive’s Black Ball, London hosted by Alicia Keys and Mark Ronson on June 15th 2011 at The Roundhouse, London.

Keep a Child Alive provides first class AIDS care, support, nutrition and love to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. There are currently 15 million AIDS orphans in Africa alone and 28 million people have died from HIV/AIDS worldwide.

Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment has transformed the lives of people with AIDS in the West, returning them to health from illness. However, millions of people with AIDS have no access to these lifesaving drugs. KCA funds more than just the pills necessary to fight HIV/AIDS by providing the necessary nutrition, shelter and support to ensure the treatment is taken properly and is effective.

KCA currently provides funding to 9 clinical and orphan care sites in 5 countries: Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and India; with previous projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Zimbabwe and South Africa that have been successfully scaled to new levels of service and self-sustainability within their communities.

“I’ve been a fan of George Michael for as long I can remember. He is a legend and an inspiration. His work raising awareness and funds for those suffering with the HIV virus has spanned three decades.  I’m honoured that George has lent his voice to our KCA cause and I’m so excited that he’s singing for us at the Black Ball in London. It’s going to be an amazing night!” said Alicia Keys.

George Michael has been British pop royalty ever since he took the charts by storm with Wham! in 1982, and since then has gone on to establish himself as one of the world’s most critically acclaimed singer/songwriters.

Keep a Child Alive’s Black Ball is a spectacular fundraiser where celebrity and philanthropy walk hand in hand. The evening celebrates the work of Keep a Child Alive (KCA) while raising money to provide treatment, care, nutrition and a future to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

The Black Ball London 2011 will be held at the legendary venue, Roundhouse on June 15th. Alicia Keys will be joined by co-host and musical director Mark Ronson to present the evening’s programme which will also feature performances from Tinie Tempah and Paloma Faith. Guests of the Black Ball London will enjoy an intimate cocktail party, live auction (conducted by comedian Eddie Kadi and Christies’ Hugh Edmeades) and spectacular seated dinner with extraordinary performances by Alicia Keys and some of the world’s top recording artists.

Keep a Child Alive UK launched the Black Ball London in July 2008. The intimate and exclusive gala featured incredible performances by Adele, Jennifer Hudson, Damian and Stephen Marley and Emmanuel Jal, and was highlighted by duets from Alicia Keys and Annie Lennox performing “Everybody Hurts” and “Sweet Dreams.” Attendees were also privileged to hear the inspirational words of KCA President Leigh Blake, and co-hosts June Sarpong and Chiwetel Ejiofor.  In 2010, Keep a Child Alive’s Black Ball London was co-hosted by Thandie Newton, and featured joint performances from Alicia Keys alongside Bryan Ferry and Kasabian.

To date Alicia Keys has shared the Black Ball stage in New York and London with Bono, Annie Lennox, Sade, David Bowie, Youssou N’Dour, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Chris Martin, Kathleen Battle, Usher and more to create some of music history’s most magical moments.  Since the first Black Ball held in New York in 2004, these events held in London and New York have raised over $13 million to fund children and families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

Please help make a difference by joining us at The Black Ball London. For ticket/table information please log onto www.keepachildalive.org/the-black-ball.

Keep a Child Alive is committed to engaging the global public in the fight against AIDS and is proud to be a pioneer in fundraising. KCA was the first charity to ask the public to donate directly to purchase AIDS treatment and the first to make a documentary, “Alicia in Africa” available for free download. Keep a Child Alive also pioneered text messaging as a means to donate using our innovative Text ALIVE campaign to inspire whole new audiences to support our work. Keep a Child Alive’s latest campaign, BUY LIFE, uses the smart-phone applications to scan bar-code technology to donate directly to KCA. KCA is the first to use this bar-code technology for philanthropic purposes.

For more information on Keep a Child Alive, please visit www.keepachildalive.org/uk.

George Michael

George Michael has once again been charged with possession of cannabis and driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

The 47-year-old singer allegedly crashed into a photography shop in Hampstead, North London last month and will now face trial for the incident.

This is the seventh time that Michael has been under investigation, which was this time caught on CCTV, but insisted that he had not been drinking or taking drugs.

The singer was said to have been driving his Range Rover in the early hours of the morning on his way home from the Gay Pride parade when his vehicle was seen mounting the pavement and slamming into the front of the shop, causing damage, he was charged this morning with the offence.

Gary Barlow

The ‘Take That’ singer Gary Barlow, has been left devastated by the death of his father Colin from a suspected heart attack at the age of 71.

The 38-year-old, has cancelled the launch of the ‘Children In Need’ charity show for BBC this morning and has asked for his privacy to be respected at this sad time

The remaining band members of ‘Boyzone’, have had tattoos to mark the death of their friend Stephen Gately who’s body has been flown home today.

Ronan Keating earlier read out a touching statement to fans and friends before Stephen’s final journey and a spokesperson confirmed that the band had had an ‘S’ and the numbers ‘76 09′ tattooed as a mark of respect to the 33-year-old.

George Michael and his partner Kenny Goss have made a very public appearance to prove that the rumours of their separation were not true.

The 46-year-old former ‘Wham’ singer and his 50-year-old partner, were photographed leaving a Japanese restaurant in London last night, showing that their 13-year relationship is still going strong.

Cerys Matthews

Welsh singer Cerys Matthews, confirmed she is pregnant with her third child after starting a relationship with her manager Steve Abbott in February.

The 40-year-old, has two children from her previous marriage Glenys Pearl y-Felin, 5, and Johnny Tupelo Jones, 3, and her 49-year-old partner also has two children from his former marriage.

Kerry Katona has allegedly been filmed snorting a white powder in her bathroom at home while her older children were at home with the nanny.

It’s the latest drug scandal involving Katona who has previous denied the accusations, only confessing to using cocaine for a year after the split from her former husband Brian McFadden.

George Michael, has allegedly been arrested again after being involved in a car crash in Berkshire, just two-months after the end of his driving ban, however, he was released without charge five-hours later.

According to reports, former Spice Girl Mel B, has agreed to become a guest host of the popular daytime television programme ‘Loose Women’.

The former ‘Men Behaving Badly’ star Neil Morrissey, has allegedly lost millions of pounds after a property scheme he invested in collapsed.

The actor has decided not to file for bankruptcy but has instead made an arrangement where all his earning, minus his outgoing expenses, will go to pay off creditors over the next three years.