It’s Gemma Atkinson - rock chick
EMMERDALE STAR WOWS REVELLERS AT CHARITY’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
EMMERDALE star Gemma Atkinson showed off her inner rock chick as she dazzled revellers singing with her soap star pal Michelle Hardwick in Bury. Gemma was the hostess with the most at the inaugural Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary Ball – as not only did she welcome guests to the event, but brought the ball to a raucous finale belting out a host of rock classics alongside Michelle.
The two soap stars perform with a host of fellow Emmerdalers in a band, but sang as a duo on Saturday night at the Stables Country Club for the glitzy black tie extravaganza.
They rocked out to Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way, Alannis Morrissette’s You Outta Know, Erasure’s Respect and a brilliant version of Dolly Parton classic Jolene, to the delight of revellers. Gemma admitted she always gets nervous before singing, but was delighted to perform at the first major event of the charity’s 60th anniversary year of celebrations.
Gemma has become vice-president of the Bury animal sanctuary this year, after seeing first hand the great work the charity does in helping and re-homing animals.
She said: “Being local to Bury, this charity means such a lot to me. Bleakholt is an amazing charity, the time and effort that people put into the sanctuary blows my mind. Nights like tonight make a huge difference.”
The sanctuary helps 1,000 animals every year, but relies entirely on public donations, needing £1m a year just to keep running.
Gemma, who hosted the ball alongside her fellow Key 103 Breakfast DJ Mike Toolan, and Michelle were joined at the charity event by super-glam Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley.
Cath had initially been scheduled to sing at the event, but on doctor’s orders had to rest her vocal cords.
It wasn’t performing that rather stunning new theme tune for Corrie, as we revealed on Saturday, was it Cath?
She laughed: “No, no, I’ve been doing a bit of operatic training and I’ve strained my voice doing that so I’ve been told I need to rest the singing voice for a little while.”
The hilarious video of Cath and her Corrie co-stars Shayne Ward and Faye Brookes singing lyrics to Corrie’s legendary theme tune has been something of an internet hit.
“We couldn’t stop laughing recording it this week, it was great fun. So you never know there might be a future in the new Corrie theme tune,” Cath smiled.
The glitzy ball helped to raise thousands of pounds for the charity, with the night of revels kickstarted by a heart-warming performance by children from the Helen’s Angels Performing Arts Academy.