Gary Barlow to host special Children in Need gig

Lady Gaga, Coldplay and Elbow are to top the bill for a huge Children In Need concert organised by Gary Barlow. The show - to take place at Manchester's MEN Arena - will also feature Michael Buble, JLS, N-Dubz and Hugh Laurie. David Tennant, Fearne Cotton and Chris Moyles are to host the November 17 concert Children In Need Rocks Manchester, to be broadcast by BBC1 and Radio 1. Further names and surprise guests are to be added to the bill, which ties in with the BBC's annual fundraising spectacular. For the past two years the concert has been staged at London's Royal Albert Hall and the move to the north-west of England ties in with the relocation of several BBC departments to Salford. Take That and X Factor star Gary said: "I'm so thrilled that these incredible artists are giving their time for such a special charity that is very close to my heart. "There are still some great acts we're keeping up our sleeve to announce in the coming weeks and who knows, I might even sing a little something on the night too." Chris said: "It's an amazing line-up and great that it's in the north of England. Handy for Gary and I to go visit our mums." Tickets go on sale on Friday with details at www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey.

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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.