Ade Edmondson, 80s stars reach Let's Dance final

Ade Edmondson, 80s stars reach Let's Dance final
Ade Edmondson, 80s stars reach Let's Dance final

Funnyman Ade Edmondson and a group consisting of chart-toppers from the 80s have nabbed the final two places in the final of Let's Dance For Comic Relief. Ade was voted winner of the show after wowing both the judges and the public with his comic interpretation of the Dying Swan from Swan Lake - a routine which saw him wearing a tutu and showing off his ballet skills. His comedic partner Rik Mayall also joined him on stage for an anarchic end to the performance. The 80s supergroup - consisting of Limahl, Clare Grogan, Toyah and Chesney Hawkes - who took part despite having had his biggest hit in the early 90s - won the judges vote with their tribute to Greased Lightning from Grease. The quartet fought off competition from former I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here champion Joe Swash and TV presenter Caroline Flack, who paid tribute to the Black Eyed Peas with their take on the song My Humps. Others taking part in Saturday's show included radio presenter Iain Lee, who danced to the Will Smith hit Getting Jiggy With It, comic duo Lee Nelson and Omelette, who took on Wham's Club Tropicana, and comedian Marcus Brigstocke, who tackled the 70s hit Kung Fu Fighting. Afterwards Ade said that he was "nervous" about peforming again in next weekend's final, after Mayall appeared during his routine and hit him with a frying pan. "I'm really just worried about whether Rik's gonna find out where I am next week or not," he said. 80s supergroup member Hawkes, meanwhile, said that he was "totally shocked" to have made it to the final. The foursome secured their place after judges John Bishop and Felix Dexter voted them into the final, although fellow panellist Jo Brand voted for Joe and Caroline's performance. Earlier in the show both acts had won praise from the judges for their routines. "It was like seeing a real swan," John said, "albeit a bald swan with glasses," while Jo Brand added, "that almost turned me into a proper woman". Meanwhile Felix Dexter said of the 80s supergroup, "It was fantastic, coming from a group with a combined age of 211 it was brilliant." "It was like seeing a dream in front of me. This is like I was 16 and someone had transported me to the best party," added John. The pair now join four other performers - Katie Price, Russell Kane, Noel Fielding and duo James Thornton and Charlie Baker - in next Saturday's final.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.