MATT DAWSON
Earlier this month Matt Joined forces with Team Wholegrain, a team created by Nestle Cereals to help promote the benefits of adding whole grain to your diet. The team recipes will be made with whole grain cereals offering healthier alternatives to traditional desserts, ideal for busy mums/ food lovers. This years Team Wholegrain consits of fellow presenter Zoe Ball, Greg Seane and Juliette Keliow and you can find these at http://www.wholegrain.co.uk/
MERLIN ELITE SIGN SUE BARKER
Merlin Elite are delighted to announce the signing of Sue Barker. During her tennis career, Sue won the women's singles title at the French Open and reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 3. She is now one of the main sports presenters at the BBC. Sue has hosted BBC Sports coverage of the Australian Open, the French Open, Queens Club Championships, Eastbourne, and Wimbledon. Other sporting events she has hosted have included the Grand National (1996-2006), The Derby (2001-2007), Racing at Ascot and Longchamp (1995-1999), Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, rugby league Challenge Cup, The Great North Run, World Athletics Championships and European Atheltics Championships (both since 1999), Commonwealth Games (since 1994), Winter Olympics (since 1994), and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. In 2008, Barker and the BBC extended her contract to cover the London 2012 Olympic Games.
ASHLEY BANJO - GOT TO DANCE
This year's series of Got To Dance is coming to a close on the 27thFebruary! Ashley is one of 3 judges for the second series of GTD, the final this year is set to be at Olympia, to an audience of over 6,000 breaking TV history for the largest live audience.
MERLIN SPORT YOUNGSTERS REPRESENT THEIR COUNTRIES AT U20 LEVEL
Jack Gadd (left) and Mako Vunipola (right), went head to head as Wales U20 played England U20 in Llanelli. England went on to win the game 26 - 20, with both players gaining invaluable international experience.
In the next round of games Jack was part of the Wales team who beat Scotland U20 in a 33 - 3 victory, while Mako was an integral part of the England U20 hammering Italy U20 74 - 3.
Both players will now aim to be involved in the next round of matches after the short 2 week break.
DANNY CARE TOUCHES DOWN AS ENGLAND SMASH ITALY
Danny Care came off the bench to score in England's rout of Italy in their second game of the 2011 RBS Six Nations Championships.
Danny's pace and quick thinking allowed him to confuse the Italian defense at the base of the ruck, before breaking the line to score a great try, complete with celebratory dive! England now have a 2 week break before they head into the crunch match against France on the 26th February at Twickenham.
TIM LOVEJOY JOINS THE MERLIN FAMILY
We are delighted to welcome television presenter Tim Lovejoy to Merlin. Tim found fame producing and presenting the hugely popular football show Soccer AM. Following the success of Soccer AM, Tim became a radio DJ, joining Xfm before moving to Virgin Radio where he presented a Sunday-afternoon show. Since 2006 Tim has co-presented the successful Sunday-morning TV programmeSomething for the Weekend on BBC Two.
JAMIE THEAKSTON - ACTIVIA
You can catch the second run of Jamie's television commercial for Activia to promote their new Pouring Yogurt.
The Ad will be shown this month to highlight the new product.
SHEREE MURPHY - HELLMANS
Sheree teams up with Hellmann's Mayonnaise for the Channel 4 food website to create 3 short easy yet exciting recipes. Each film will show the audience how convenient it is to whip up delicious meals using the items in your fridge that often end up being wasted, but by using one key ingredient - Hellmann's mayonnaise!
JODIE KIDD - THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
Jodie Kidd officially opened the 2011 London International Boat Show earlier this Month. This year’s attraction featured an impressive new centrepiece - a 24m Watersports Action Pool as well as other new features. Live demos took place throughout the 10 day event which drew crowds from around Europe. Jodie, who has a keen passion for sport and the outdoors, declared the annual boating event open at the London Excel Centre
MATT WILLIS - FOOTLOOSE
Following his successful run in the new West End musical Flashdance, Matt Willis will now appear in his first national Theatre tour in Footloose - the Dance Musical. Matt will play the role of Chuck for a guest stint at the beginning of the tour which opens in Newcastle. You can catch Matt’s performances at UK destinations up until March 19th 2011.
DIVERSITY 3D/GOT TO DANCE/TOUR
Sky filmed a 3D documentary which was aired on New Years' Day on Sky1. This followed the story of their 'Diversitoys' tour and included interviews and behind the scenes footage. It received great viewing figures and continues to repeat on Sky1 and Sky3D channel if you missed it.
Ashley Banjo is one of 3 judges appearing in the second series of Got To Dance this year. The live semi-finals begin at the end of January at Pinewood Studios and TX on Sky1 every Sunday until the end of February which will see Diversity performing in the live final.
Diversity ended 2010 with a sell out tour of the country and look forward to future projects which are in the pipeline this year.
ONLY MEN ALOUD - SELL OUT TOUR 2011
OMA completed a successful sold out tour in 2010. They are now looking forward to 2011 and will be appearing at many live events over the course of the year.
MATT STEVENS MAKES LONG-AWAITED RETURN TO RUGBY
Matt Stevens has made his long awaited return to rugby union. After a 2 year absence from the game mate will be pulling on the Saracens shirt, after he signed a 2 year contract to join the London club.
Matt will now focus his efforts on forcing himself into, what already, is an extremely strong Saracens front row.
Matt has every intention of showing the rugby public how he has returned to the game as a stronger person and a stronger player. He hopes his performances on the pitch will show this, and draw the attention of the England selectors to allow him to build on his impressive international career.
MERLIN SPORT WELCOMES CRAIG DOWD TO ITS NEW ZEALAND DIVISION
Craig has joined Merlin Sport to head the New Zealand division of athlete management. Craig will be focused on the management of international and domestic rugby players in the southern hemisphere.
Craig played 60 times for the All Blacks between 1993 and 2000, while also playing 64 times in the then Super 12 competition for the Aukland Blues. In 2001 Craig, made the move to the UK where he played 115 times for London Wasps, where he became a fans favourite.
In 2009 Craig hung up his boots and turned his attention to coaching, where he was appointed forwards coach of North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup. Craig is now confident he can use his extensive experience to build our athlete management division in New Zealand.
JODIE KIDD AND ANDREW CASTLE - RATION BOOK BRITAIN
TV Channel Yesterday explores the Spirit Of 1940, with an exclusive, five-episode series that investigates what it was like to live in war-torn Britain.
International model Jodie Kidd and former Olympic tennis player Andrew Castle explore how the spirit of 1940s rationing affected all areas of British life during World War II.
Jodie will explore how women on the home front had to make do and mend when it came to furnishings and fashion, while being expected to look their best at all times to help boost morale.
Whilst Andrew Castle will tell the story of how sport played an essential role in the war effort, by maintaining morale, keeping people fit and entertaining both the armed forces and civilians.
SHEREE MURPHY - NINTENDO
Sheree Murphy has also joined the Nintendo family this Christmas as an ambassador for Professor Layton and the Art academy on the Nintendo DS. The TV adverts include Sheree's husband Harry Kewell and two children Taylor and Ruby demonstrating how to use the game and enjoy it as a family.
DIVERSITY
Diversity are currently half way through their sell out tour of the UK finishing on December 20th in Manchester.
ONLY MEN ALOUD
Only Men Aloud have just started their sell out UK tour which will run throughout December.
DANNY CARE - CHILDREN'S BAFTAS
On the 28th November 2010 Danny was invited to the EA British Academy Children's Awards 2010. The annual Awards celebrate excellence in the art forms of the moving image for Children - from Film and Television to Video Games and Websites.
Danny presented the award for BAFTA winning CGI animation series - The Penguins Of Madagascar.After presenting an award on Sunday night, Danny won the coveted prize of 'Best Bottom' on Monday evening at the Bottom Of The Ruck Charity Awards Dinner.
The evening supported beating bowel Cancer. A fantastic evening attended by many professional players helped raised money for a worthy cause. Danny beat a host of leading rugby stars including Mark Cueto and Jonny Wilkinson and would like to thank all those who voted for him.
MATT DAWSON - MONSTER MUNCHIES
Last month saw the screening of UKTV's new food programme Monster Munchies hosted by Matt Dawson. The show has received great ratings and reviews and you can watch the second half of the series every day the first week of January.
JAMIE REDKNAPP M&S
Jamie Redknapp joins the other faces of M&S and Peter Kay for this year's Christmas TV advert. The 90-second a sees the celebrity cast dabcing to a Bee Gees track You Should Be Dancing whilst Jamie takes to the decks as DJ.
Steve Sharp, Marks & Spencer's Executive Director for Marketing said: "This is one of the sharpest Christmas campaigns we've ever put together."
JAMIE AND LOUISE REDKNAPP - NINTENDO
Jamie and Louise team up with Nintendo again this Christmas, joined with their son Charley and Louise's brother Joe. They demonstrate playing Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo Wii.
MATT DAWSON - QUESTION OF SPORT
Question of sport is also back on our screens - catch the new series on Friday nights' at 7:30.
MATT DAWSON - TESCO MAGAZINE MUM OF THE YEAR
Matt Dawson is going to be a Celebrity Chamption for a new People's Choice category in Tesco magazine Mum of the Year. Now in it's 5th year, this award ceremony celebrates inspirational mums from all over the UK. These women are the unsung heroes of our communities who transform the lives of those around them. This year, for the first time ever, they have opened up one of their categories so that the public can choose the winner. They are giving you the chance to win the People's Choice Award.To find out about Matt's entrant, as well as two other inspirational mums, go to
http://www.facebook.com/mumoftheyear
JAMIE AND FREDDIE FLINTOFF - A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
As series 2 comes to an end you can catch the Xmas special on December 23rd on Sky One. Series two has been a huge success with captains Jamie and Freddie being joined by guests such as Lilly allen, Michael Owen and Tinie Tempah.
JODIE KIDD - BRITISH AIRWAYS
This month Jodie added glamour to a British Airways press trip to Barbados. On arrival Jodie engaged in a photo-call and press conference with BA's Chief Executive Willy Walsh and the Caribbean Tourist organisation. The trip highlights the importance of tourism to the island.
A QUESTION OF SPORT LIVE
The live version of A Question of Sport is now on the road having performed in front of 3 sold out audiences to an unprecedented crowd reaction. The tour, which is hosted by Sue Barker alongside the team captains Phil Tufnell and Matt Dawson, features an array of sporting guests such as Ian Botham, Tim Henman and Dennis Taylor along with added special guests including Jamie Theakston and Tim Lovejoy.
The tour is almost sold out but there are still tickets available at : www.ticketmaster.co.uk
ONLY MEN ALOUD - RYDER CUP
Only Men Aloud were part of the annual Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony Concert alongside Dame Shirley Bassey, and the opening ceremony held at Celtic Manor. They took seats on stage whilst the teams were announced and sang the Welsh National Anthem during the ceremony.
JAMIE THEAKSTON
Jamie joins forces with dairy brand Activia with a TV advertising campaign to launch their new pouring yogurt. Promoting the benefits of this easy and nutritious addition to breakfast.
NINTENDO
September 2010 marked the 25th birthday of Nintendo’s infamous character Mario. Nintendo gathered some of Mario’s higher profile fans and celebrated the occasion with a TV commercial. Jamie Redknapp, Diversity and Jodie Kidd all shared their fondest memories of the character and his many games.
MATT WILLIS - FLASHDANCE
Matt made his West End debut earlier this month in the new stage adaptation of the 1983 classic Flashdance. With co-star Victoria Hamilton Barritt as Alex, Matt plays her leading man Nick Hurley.
SHEREE MURPHY - COWBOY BUILDERS
Sheree Murphy hits our screens for series three of Channel 5’s Cowboy Builders. She joins Dom Littlewood as they expose the builders and rescue the families who have suffered at the hands of the cowboys. As one of Channel Five’s most popular home grown shows the series achieved its highest figures to date with over 2 million viewers for episodes 2 and 3.
DANNY CARE RE-SIGNS FOR QUINS
Merlin Sport is pleased to announce that Danny Care has signed a contract extension, which will keep him at Harlequins until the summer of 2013. Capped 23 times for England, and now an established member of the Elite Player squad, Danny has been at Quins since being brought to the club from Leeds in 2006.
Danny staked his claim as the club's first choice scrum-half in 2007 and his rapid rise brought him his first senior England cap the following year when he came off the bench against the All Blacks in Auckland.
Danny has won national honours at every age group level and has also been an integral member of the England 7s squad. He is a definite favourite with the Quins fans.
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OMA - CHRISTMAS TOUR
After two acclaimed sell out tours in 2009, Only Men Aloud are back with a very special Christmas themed tour in December 2010. The show will be packed with a selection of festive repertoire plus songs from both their albums and a few firm favourites!
Tickets are now on sale and are available at www.gigsandtours.com 24 hr hotline 0871 2200 260
DIVERSITY - CHRISTMAS TOUR
Britain’s most popular dance act are looking forward to their critically acclaimed Diversitoys tour coming back this Christmas. The tour will run through November and December 2010, and includes four arena dates and two homecoming shows at London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo. The first Diversitoys tour sold over 60,000 tickets across the country and received rave reviews from both critics and fans alike and we promise the special Christmas edition of the show will feature even more surprises and will be the perfect family entertainment spectacle this Christmas!
Tickets are priced at £21.50 (£23.50 in London) for general admission, £29.50 (£32.50 in London) for Up Close and Personal tickets (best seats in the house) plus there will be a strictly limited number of VIP Tour Packages available.
We look forward to seeing you in December. Tickets are available at www.gigsandtours.comwww.gigsandtours.com
BETH ROWLEY - NEW SIGNING
Merlin Music & Live is delighted to announce the signing of soulful singer/songwriter Beth Rowley.Hailing from a city with so much musical heritage Beth Rowley is known for her unique rich soulful voice and her love of Blues and old Gospel music. Following the huge success of her UK top 10 chart album Little Dreamer she has been spending time working on her much anticipated second album which is due out later this year.
VANESSA-MAE - THAI OLYMPIC SKI
Vanessa-Mae has announced she is hoping to represent Thailand as a downhill skier at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Vanessa - who has sold more than ten million albums - has been given the green light by the Thai Olympic Committee to compete at the games in Sochi, Russia. “I started skiing around the same time as I began playing the piano, at around four, before moving to the violin at five,” she explains. “And I’m lucky that having begun my musical career so young, it’s rather wonderful that I can now focus on my hobby.
MATT DAWSON - MONSTER MUNCH
Matt Dawson teams up with UKTV and RDF television to celebrate Britain’s best food by supersizing traditional dishes.Dawson will be on a mission to travel across the UK, challenging locals to supersize a food item that their area is synonymous with. This will include serving up a larger than life cream tea in Devon - the size of a car, a giant meal of sausage and mash in Cumbria and an enormous Cornish pasty in Cornwall.
Once the food has been made and measured, local people will be able to tuck in and taste test their giant dishes. Celebrating the ingenuity, local spirit, and delicious taste of the area, not a mouthful will be wasted.
MERLIN SPORT SIGNS PAUL HULL
Merlin Sport is delighted to announce the signing of Bristol Rugby Head Coach Paul Hull. In his first year at the helm Paul led Bristol to 19 victories from their first 22 Championship games, qualifying for the playoffs top of the league.
Paul retired from playing in 1999 having spent twelve years at Bristol Rugby, playing full-back. He captained the team for the 1995-96 season, winning 4 England caps along the way.
Paul’s coaching career also began at Bristol acting as Development Coach, U21 Coach and Academy Manager before a spell as Assistant Coach at London Irish. In 2005, he returned to Bristol to become Assistant Coach and in 2009 also held the same role working with England Saxons. Paul has received his RFU Level V Coaching Award.
A QUESTION OF SPORT - EXTRA DATES
After entertaining millions of viewers every week, BBC One’s A Question of Sport is to embark on its first ever live stage tour to celebrate a staggering 40 years on air.
The UK’s longest running and most popular sports quiz will embark upon a UK tour across all major cities from 20th October – 16th November 2010.
The show largely follows the small-screen format, but also becomes interactive in a thrilling live environment. Audience members will be able to participate in the shows, directly posing questions to the teams and getting involved in some of the rounds. Working outside the confines of a TV studio will also allow for more physical challenges including exhilarating live sporting contests between teams!
We are pleased to announce two new dates, Harrogate Int Centre on the 28th October and Doncaster Dome on the 2nd November 2010!
For tickets please visit www.aquestionofsporttour.comwww.aquestionofsporttour.com
JAMIE REDKNAPP AND FREDDIE FLINTOFF
Jamie and Freddie join host James Corden as team captains’ for the brand new series of comedy panel show ‘A League of Their Own’ for Sky One.
The show takes its cue from sporting obsession and sets two teams of comedians, celebrities and sports stars against each other in a test of their sporting knowledge. From record breaking feats to headline grabbing events, the show is stuffed with the kind of sensational take home facts that sports fans just love to quote.
JAMIE REDKNAPP - SKY BET
Jamie Redknapp - Sky Sports football pundit Jamie Redknapp teamed up with leading online bookmaker Sky Bet to front their 2010 World Cup betting promotion. Jamie’s association with Sky Bet continues during the 2010/11 Premier League. Each week Jamie will give his predictions for the weekend’s football action ahead.
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JAMIE REDKNAPP
Jamie teams up with iconic British brand M&S as the face of their Menswear range. Jamie’s billboard and press campaign kick started in May with Fashion, took in Father’s day with his son Charley followed by technology ads tying in with the world cup.
M&S Marketing Executive Director Steven Sharp said “We’re delighted to have Jamie on board. He’s got a great sense of style and I think the ads look fantastic,”
GRAEME LE SAUX
Graeme was part of the penalty 'shoot out in the sky' with former England Goal Keeper Peter Shilton earlier this month. 200 ft above Kingdom Street in Paddington to launch the Titanbet World Cup challenge, offering the biggest betting prize in history. Strapped into a protective harness and trying to get as many balls past Shilton as possible, former England star Graeme highlighted the challenge ahead for the $100 million prize.
JODIE KIDD - BRITISH GAS GREAT SWIM
Jodie Kidd has teamed up with UK swimming sponsor British Gas to promote their Great Swim season; a variety of 1 mile open water swimming events around the country between June and September. Jodie launched the season with media and participated in the London event at Excel’s Victoria Docks on Saturday July 3rd finishing in a very respectable 40 mins and 55 seconds for her first ever open water mile.
ONLY MEN ALOUD
Only Men Aloud had a triumphant night at the NS&I Classical Brit Awards on May 13th by winning the ‘Album of The Year’ category, as well as performing O Verona and O Fortuna with Rhydian Roberts at the Royal Albert Hall.
The award-winning album and a PBS TV special will be released in the USA in August.
CAMILLA KERSLAKE
Merlin Music & Live is pleased to announce Camilla Kerslake as a new and exciting addition to the roster. Camilla, the first signing to Gary Barlow’s label Future Records, received a nomination at the 2010 Classical Brits for her eponymous debut album and has already performed at a number of prestigious events this year including the Epsom Derby in front of Her Majesty the Queen. Camilla is now finishing a successful run in the West End playing the role of Cosette in of Les Miserables. The 25th anniversary version of the show, also featuring Camilla, is coming to London’s O2 Arena on the 3rd October. Camilla is also currently in the studio recording her second album.
MERLIN SPORT SIGNS TIM PAYNE
Merlin Sport is pleased to announce the signing of England International prop Tim Payne. Tim made his debut for England against Australia on the 26th June 2004. In 2005 Tim featured heavily in Premiership winning side and went on to win more caps for England.
Tim went on to be part of England’s Six Nations Squads in 2007 and 2008. In the 2008 / 2009 Tim had a fantastic season, gaining regular caps for England and being called up as a replacement for the 2009 British and Irish Lions, where he played 80 minutes for the Emerging Springboks.
MERLIN ELITE SIGNS COBUS VISAGIE
Merlin Sport is delighted to announce the signing of Springbok legend Cobus Visagie. He won 29 caps for his country and was a key player in the 1999 World Cup Team.
Cobus earned 43 Super 12 caps and has played for the Western Provence and Stormers. In 2003 he moved to England to join Saracens where he became a cornerstone of their scrum.
At the beginning of 2010, Cobus made the decision to retire from the sport but has every intention to maintain his links within rugby.
Cobus has joined Merlin Sport to look at corporate and commercial opportunities in the sport he has served with distinction.
JAMIE REDKNAPP BOOSTS MARKS & SPENCER'S SALES BY 450% IN TWO WEEKS
Click here to read the Daily Star's piece on Jamie Redknapp and his role as the new face of Marks and Spencer's menswear.
ONLY MEN ALOUD WIN ALBUM OF THE YEAR AT THE CLASSICAL BRITS
Only Men Aloud are the winners of the Album of the Year Award at the 2010 Classical Brits. The choir accepted the award during the glamorous ceremony at London's Royal Albert Hall, following their explosive performance of O Verona with Rhydian Roberts. The show will be broadcast on ITV1 on the 18th May at 10.35pm. Only Men Aloud's 2009 album Band of Brothers won the prestigious award which was voted for by the public.
Click here for an article on the choir's victory in the Times newspaper
JAMIE REDKNAPP IS THE NEW FACE OF MARKS & SPENCERS MENSWEAR
Jamie Redknapp has been chosen as the new 'face and body' of Marks & Spencers men menswear. Jamie features in a new advertising and promotional campaign which was launched on 8th May. Click here to read Hilary Alexander's piece for the Mail on Sunday:
PHIL PACKER: BBC INSIDE SPORT
Click here to view the fascinating BBC Inside Sport documentary on Phil Packer's inspiring journey from army Major to charity campaigner. Phil completed the 26 mile 2010 London Marathon in 26 hours for 26 charities
JAMIE THEAKSTON JOINS MERLIN
Merlin Elite is pleased to welcome a new client - TV and radio presenter Jamie Theakston. Jamie is an established television presenter and house hold name. He continues as long standing host of the ever popular Heart Breakfast Show.
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ANDREW FLINTOFF
Merlin Elite are proud for Andrew Flintoff MBE to join its TV/media division. The first project is Sky Ones hit new sports Quiz show...League of their Own seeing Andrew as Captain alongside fellow Merlin client Jamie Redknapp. With other documentary based concepts being developed we maybe seeing Andrew more on our screens this Year.
JAMIE REDKNAPP AND FREDDIE FLINTOFF - A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Jamie and Freddie join host James Corden as team captains for the brand new comedy panel show A League of Their Own for Sky One. The show takes its cue from sporting obsession and sets two teams of comedians, celebrities and sports stars against each other in a test of their sporting knowledge. From record breaking feats to headline grabbing events, the show is stuffed with the kind of sensational take home facts that sports fans just love to quote .
SHEREE MURPHY - SHEREE JOINS HOLLYOAKS
Actress and presenter Sheree Murphy joins the cast of the long running soap Hollyoaks. Sheree will play Kate, the long-lost mother of teen Anita Roy, April 23rd marks her debut.
MEL AND NIC - THE BRITS
Last month Mel and Nic co-presented ITV2's live backstage coverage of the Brit Awards for the second year running. The girls managed to pin down and interview a whole host of the biggest names in the industry and report the action first hand.
PAUL SACKEY MOVE TO TOULON
Merlin Sport is delighted to announce that Paul Sackey has agreed to join French Top 14 outfit Toulon from the start of next season. Having won 2 Premiership Titles, the Heineken Cup and Powergen Cup with London Wasps, Paul feels that it was time for a "fresh start". In an interview with the BBC Paul went on to explain his decision; "I wanted a real change, by signing for a club that offers me something different and has ambition," Paul also stated how excited he was about linking up with head coach Philippe Saint-Andre and fellow England international Jonny Wilkinson; "I've known him (Saint-Andre) and respected him for a long time and it's clear that his presence influenced my decision." "He's a great coach and the current Toulon players confirmed what I'd always thought about him. He's already tried to sign me twice, when he was coaching Gloucester and Sale. So when he contacted me at the end of December, I didn't really hesitate."
PHIL PACKER - PHIL AND KATE'S 3 PEAKS CHALLENGE FOR SPORT RELIEF, TWO PEOPLE, THREE PEAKS, FOUR DAYS
Phil Packer and Kate Silverton have completed their epic three peak challenge for Sport Relief. Phil Packer, who was injured two years ago whilst on Operational Duty, was originally told it was highly unlikely that he would walk again. His continued motivation to conquer these amazing feats is a true inspiration. He invited the BBC's Kate Silverton to join him on what turned out to be an epic journey, undertaken after one of the worst winters on record. They successfully completed their outstanding challenge whilst raising money for a great cause. Congratulations Phil and Kate!
Jamie and Louise Redknapp's loved up ad boosts Thomas Cook holiday sales
Martina Lees for the Daily Mail:
Footballer Jamie Redknapp has helped Thomas Cook to a 15% surge in summer holiday bookings in the last four weeks.
The ex-Liverpool and Tottenham player and his wife Louise, the former pop star, appeared in TV adverts showing the couple horse riding on the beach, lounging by the pool and dining out at a sun-drenched resort.
Thomas Cook credited the campaign for helping to boost sales after a slow start in the peak January bookings season due to snow and bad weather.
Chief Executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said; 'In recent weeks, bookings for the summer 2010 season have improved significantly, marking a positive response to our current marketing campaigns and highlighting the resilience of the summer holiday.'
Redknapps - Thomas Cook
January saw the launch of Thomas Cook's new advertising campaign - spearheaded with their TV advert featuring Jamie and Louise Redknapp. The beautifully shot ad builds on the company's famous line, "Don't Just Book it, Thomas Cook it".
It follows YouGov research, commissioned by the tour operator, which suggests that consumers place their overseas summer holiday as their most important annual purchase.
Louise Redknapp
Louise has joined Nigel Lythgoe and Arlene Phillips on the judging panel for the BBC One series 'So You Think You Can Dance' to find Britain's favourite dancer. The show is proving very popular, with consistently solid ratings, beautifyul choreography and outstanding technical ability from the dancers week on week.
Prior to the live shows Louise judged auditions and Choreography Camp, helping to select the lucky 14 finalists.
Louise also joins Tim Lovejoy as the new co-host of BBC Two Daytime's hit Sunday morning show, "Something for the Weekend". Now in it's 3rd Year, the show regularly attracts over 1 million viewers and enjoys a consistently strong audience share.
Jamie Redknapp - Football's Next Star
Jamie leads the search for 'Football's Next Star', on Sky1, following the journey of over 7000 teenagers who applied in the hope of winning a once-in-a-lifetime contract with Italian champions Inter-Milan. Jamie joins the team's head coach Jose Mourinho as mentor in this fascinating show, and plays an important part in guiding the boys towards their ultimate goal of playing for one of the world's best teams.
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Matt Dawson - Channel 4 TV Show
Matt recently appeared in Channel 4's new show 'My Big Fat Diet'. Matt joined Supersize vs. Superskinny presenter Anna Richardson, and a group of women hoping to drop a dress size after the excess of Christmas. To help the ladies along, Matt creates some tasty but low fat dishes, proving that dieting and eating healthily doesn't have to be boring.
Sheree Murphy - Baby Breakfast Club
Sheree hits the screens for the GMTV Baby Breakfast Club, bringing together mums and experts to discuss a variety of challenges that parents are faced with.
Hosting the show weekdays at 09:10 on ITV4.
Phil Packer - Sports Personality of the Year
Major Phil Packer was honoured the receive one of Sport's most prestigious awards at the BBC's Sports PersoIn front personality of the Year awards. In front of an audience of over 10,000 people at Sheffield Arena, Sir Steve Redgrave presented Phil with the Helen Rollason Award, in recognition of his tirless work and fundraising since sustaining devastating injuries whilst serving in Iraq.
Phil has now announced that he will be completing the 26 mile London marathon to support 26 charities, this year aiming to complete it in 24 hours.
Only Men Aloud
After a hugely successful sell out UK Christmas tour in December 2009, Only Men Aloud will be back in New York in March to being their assault on the US by taking part in the Wales Week celebrations with the Welsh Assembly.
They recorded a television special for PBS in 2009 which will air across America in June this year followed by an album and a tour.
Vanessa-Mae
December proved to be a busy month for gifted violinist Vanessa. She joined operatic male group 'Il Divo' as special guest during 2 of their London shows at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo and then joined them across the pond to perform a number of stunnning shows in New York and Boston.
Matt Stevens to join Saracens
Merlin's Matt Stevens, capped 32 times by England and a member of the British and Irish Lions touring party to New Zealand in 2005, is the first of a raft of major signings expected to be announced by the Premiership Club.
The prop forward has been courted by many Premiership clubs eager to sign him.
Saracens Director of Rugby, Brendan Venter, has described the recruitment of Stevens as "a massively significant signing" .
Stevens, who also recently opened a a new coffee shop in Bath with Bath and England hooker Lee Mears, described the move as the next phase in his rugby career: "I have many great memories and friends in Bath, but there's something special happening at Saracens and I'm very eager to be part of it."
"This signing demonstrates the scale of our ambition, and it also shows that top players recognise Saracens as a well-run club with a bright future," said Venter.
"Matt is a world-class prop with his best rugby ahead of him, and I'm sure he'll flourish in our environment."
Danny Care - New Signing
Merlin Sport is pleased to welcome Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care into the fold. Joining other players including Paul Sackey and Tom Voyce, Danny is destined for big things in 2010.
Delon Armitage - New Signing
London Irish and England player Delon Armitage has joined the Merlin Elite group of sportsmen.
Delon has recently signed a two new year contract extension, negotiated by Merlin Sport MD Mike Strange at London Irish, and has been included in the current England EPS Squad.
Mike Strange added: "This signing demonstrates the belief shown by top players that Merlin is the correct choice to look after their careers. Delon is a world class player and a tremendous ambassador for attacking rugby. He is a credit to the renowned Armitage rugby family".
Bevon Armitage - New Signing
Bevon Armitage has agreed to join Merlin Sport alongside his brother Delon, to look after his career with immediate effect.
Bevon is currently having a great season at inside centre playing in the championship with Doncaster Knights.
Lennie Newman added, "We are always searching for clients that can enhance Merlin Sport and also assist to develop the player's career. Bevon not only fitted this criteria with his recent performances with Doncaster, but also as part of the incredible Armitage family of Rugby players."
Steffon Armitage - New Signing
Merlin Sport are thrilled that the third member of the Rugby Playing Armitage family has agreed to join them alongside his brothers Delon and Bevon.
Steffon has also just signed a contract extension with London Irish and has been named alongside Delon in the current England EPS squad for the forthcoming Six Nations series.
Steffon is delighted to be joining Merlin Sport and is excited to be alongside his brothers at the Merlin group.
Only Men Aloud:
OMA completed a successful sold out tour in 2010. They are now looking forward to 2011 and will be appearing at many live events over the course of the year.
Only Men Aloud
OMA have begun promoting their second album ‘Band of Brothers’ which is released on the 12th October. They are currently on a radio tour across the country and will be appearing on GMTV, Alan Titchmarsh, Sky and various other National TV shows throughout October.
They have also recently headlined ‘Proms In The Park’ in Swansea where they entertained an audience of 10,000+ in Singleton Park as part of the BBC broadcast. Pearl Fishers Duet was aired on BBC1 as part of the main Last Night of The Proms program.
The choir has also been a hit on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2r386K1XJY
After recording a duet of the classic ‘Total Eclipse of The Heart’ with Bonnie Tyler, the video had over 100,000 hits in just over a week!
Only Men Aloud’s tour starts on the 1st December and tickets are on sale now - www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Jamie & Louise Redknapp
Catch Jamie and Louise in November’s issue of Red Magazine. As the first couple to ever grace their front cover, inside you’ll find an exclusive interview plus more stunning pictures of the twosome showcasing some of this season’s key designer pieces.
Louise Redknapp
Louise took to our screens this September with the launch of the new Channel 5 show Farmer Wants a Wife. She follows single lovelorn farmers looking to find a mate. Potential partners must live on the farms of their suitors for five days taking on the challenges of modern farm life and finding out if love can blossom in the barnyards and pigsties of rural Britain! You can catch Louise's show Wednesdays, 9pm on Channel 5.
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Jodie Kidd
A breathtaking spectacle at London’s Royal Horticultural Halls was put on to greet the arrival of Maserati’s latest creation: the GranCabrio. As one of Masterati’s official ambassadors, Jodie was invited to unveil the new car to fellow guests including Patrick Kielty, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson & Major Phil Packer.
Matt Le Tissier
Nicknamed "Le God" by the Southampton faithful, Matt Le Tissier was not cast from the same mould as 99% of other professional footballers. A real "one-off" if ever there was one, he was a one-club man in a 16-year career that brought little in the way of trophies but countless plaudits from footballs fans and commentators alike.
Having spent over 60 days in the Amazon charts, ‘Taking le Tiss’ is the great man′s first chance to answer all these questions and many more. It is also a delightfully self-deprecating and witty story from a player who was more of a Big-Mac-and-fries than a chicken-and-beans man.
Merlin Sport Limited
Merlin Elite Management Group (MEMG) has today announced the creation of Merlin Sport Limited. The company will be led by Europe’s longest standing rugby agent, Mike Strange, who has been appointed managing director. He will be assisted by non-executive director Matt Dawson MBE, as Merlin Sport aims to offer the most comprehensive player management offering in Europe.
MEMG manages many current sportsmen, as well as former stars who have flourished in retirement as they did while playing. These include Jamie Redknapp, Graeme Le Saux, Alec Stewart, Andrew Castle, Matt Le Tissier and Paul Sackey.
Richard Thompson, MEMG chairman, said: “With Mike’s wealth of international experience, he is the number one agent in world rugby, while Matt Dawson is a World Cup winner and rugby legend. Together, they will provide a unique offering with unrivalled experience and insight for the modern player. We intend to make further announcements in coming weeks as we demonstrate our expansion into other areas, through acquisition and also organic growth.”
Mike Strange, Merlin Sport managing director, added: “I have been waiting for a challenge like this for some time. Working with Matt really excites me. With the broader Merlin Elite Group offering the most insightful marketing and media support in the industry to a list of amazing clients, it wasn’t a hard decision for me to join.”
Matt Dawson says: “Having been a client of Merlin for the past six years, I know what the group can do for me as a player and in pursuing a career out of the game. The demands on modern sports professionals have changed a lot, but I feel I can offer support in helping them achieve the best from the talents and make the right decisions as their careers grow.”
Louise Redknapp
Continuing as the face of Triumph underwear & Orbit chewing gum, Louise will also be joining the popular Sunday morning BBC show ‘Something for the Weekend’. Co-hosting alongside Tim Lovejoy & Chef Simon Rimmer, Louise will be presenting 3 shows in total.
Tune into BBC iPlayer to catch last Sunday’s show!
Jodie Kidd
July saw Jodie successfully host her 3rd annual Golf Classic. Joined by celebrity friends & supporters such as Bruce Forsyth, Sir Ian Botham and Dougray Scott, the day saw teams take to the famous Downs course at Goodwood in aid of Jodie’s own charity Foundation which in turn supports the NSPCC, The Monsoon/Accessorize Trust, Greatwood and The Fredericks Foundation. With the sun shining and guests in high-spirits, the event was a huge success raising more valuable funds for some very worthy causes.
Jodie returns to West Sussex this week as fashion reporter for Channel 4 Racing and their coverage of Glorious Goodwood.
Matt Dawson
Matt spent the month of June touring South Africa with BBC Radio Five Live where he presented coverage from all of the games including the 3 Test matches. Matt also hosted Five Live’s weekly Lions preview show plus a special Lions 606. Whilst in SA, Matt took some time out to visit a UNICEF project in Johannesburg. Here he met a number of families & individuals affected by HIV/Aids and witnessed first-hand the vital and important work the charity is doing for these people.
July saw the transmission of new ITV show Anonymous. With a prime-time Saturday evening slot, Matt was joined by X-Factor judge Louis Walsh and Coronation Street actress Jennie McAlpine. Disguised using impressive prosthetic make-up and costumes, Matt spent 2 days as ‘Ian Hooper’ a London theatre director. His target was former team mate Austin Healey who fell hook, line and sinker for the gag and much to Matt’s delight!
Jamie Redknapp
As an ambassador for Audi, Jamie attended the famous Festival of Speed at Goodwood to join them in celebrating their 100th anniversary. As part of the festivities, Jamie joined a number of other sporting personalities to take part in a special version of A Question of Sport. Jamie also had the pleasure of interviewing football legend Sir Bobby Charlton as part of the Audi Experience.
Andrew Castle
June & July saw the British tennis season at its finest with both Queens and Wimbledon taking place. As usual Andrew was there to provide expert commentary alongside other tennis greats such as Boris Becker, Tim Henman & John McEnroe. He also joined Tim plus Bjorn Borg and Martina Navratilova at the launch of HSBC’s Champion of Champions event at the V&A where he hosted the morning’s activities including the revealing of a specially commissioned piece of artwork by artist Rolf Harris.
Andrew also continues to be in great demand for corporate events with previous clients including Emap, Abercrombie & Kent, The Sunday Times, the Learning & Skills Council and Ariel.
Alec Stewart OBE
As English cricket revels in its recent Ashes win, Alec continues to be in demand as one of the countries best-loved sporting heroes. As a popular pundit for BBC Radio Five Live, Alec is also an ambassador for Vodafone & Clydesdale Bank.
Tune in to Five Live Sport to hear Alec’s expert commentary over the summer. For more information visit www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/
Paul Sackey
Paul is now half-way through his tour of some of the most popular UK coastal resorts in support of O2’s Scrum on the Beach. The idea is to get kids outside and playing rugby during the holiday season and what better place to do this than the beach! As Scrum on the Beaches main ambassador Paul has spent lots of time meeting and chatting with fans as well as talking to regional radio and press about the initiative.
Sheree Murphy - ITV1's This Morning
Last month saw Sheree feature as a guest presenter on ITV’s This Morning talking about the latest baby gadgets on the market. Viewers were even treated to an appearance from Sheree’s baby daughter Matilda who ‘demonstrated’ the various products live on TV!
Louise Redknapp - ITV1's Super Skinny Pregnancies
April saw Louise return to our screens in the ITV documentary ‘Super Skinny Pregnancies’. The show saw Louise investigate the shocking phenomena of women who actively diet to stay slender during pregnancy. This was part of the 3-part series ‘The Truth About Beauty’ produced by RDF and also featuring shows presented by Fearne Cotton and Coleen Nolan.
Last month also saw the release of Louise’s new Triumph underwear ads featured in magazines and on billboards across the UK.
Jodie Kidd
Aside from working on her forth-coming golf day, Jodie has just returned from a once in a lifetime trip to India with the Monsoon/Accessorize Trust – a charity linked to Jodie’s own Foundation. Here Jodie got to visit some of the projects supported by the Trust including a number of schools and hospitals within the slums of Delhi and Udaipur.
Back at home, Jodie recently launched St Tropez’s new odourless range ‘Aromaguard’. Taking place at Boots flagship store on London’s Oxford Street even the shop’s security ‘sniffer’ dogs couldn’t detect the new tanning product!
Andrew Castle - new ITV1 quiz show
Merlin Elite are very excited to announce the launch of Andrew’s new prime-time quiz show Divided. The brand new show from Endemol will air on ITV1 at 5pm every week day. The show features three complete strangers who must work together to win tens of thousands of pounds. But when it comes to dividing their winnings, can they stay united or will they be Divided?
Tom Voyce - move to Gloucester Rugby
Last month saw Tom play his final game of the season and his last game for London Wasps after 6 years at the club. The game was a triumph as Wasps thrashed Gloucester with a 34 – 3 win. Tom assisted in the outstanding result scoring a well earned try in the first few minutes of injury time.
Gloucester Rugby will benefit from Tom’s performance as he joins them next season as their new winger/fullback. The move has come at a great time in Tom’s career and we wish him all the best.
Sarah Webb - charity challenges!
Last month saw Sarah take part in a sky dive in aid of the Jubilee Sailing Trust. As a keen supporter of the charity, it took Sarah away from her usual comfort zone on the water and 13,000 feet up into the air!
Sarah’s charity work continues into June too when our double Olympic gold medalist prepares for 882 mile bike ride. Athletes from Be Number 1 are joining Sarah to tackle the route from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) in aid of Be Number 1 and The British Heart Foundation. The project aims to raise £100 per mile as athletes join forces to travel the distance in all forms of self driven transport (bike, wheelchair, kite surf).
We wish Sarah the very best of luck with her latest challenge!
Paul Sackey – Powerade & Six Nations
International star Paul Sackey was persuaded to strip naked for the latest Powerade campaign. Joining England captain Steve Borthwick and Welsh winger Shane Williams, Paul impressively illustrates the real make-up of a professional rugby player in these strong and powerful images.
Currently representing England in the Six Nations Championships, Paul and his fellow team mates took on Italy in their first game of the tournament, storming their way to a 36-11 victory. The London Wasps winger showed much enthusiasm on the pitch and we hope for continued success for the England squad throughout the competition.
Jodie Kidd
In the midst of the Strictly Come Dancing training Jodie found time to guest present the popular Capital Breakfast show alongside Johnny Vaughn. Jodie - out of her usual comfort zone - thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was a perfect fit for the role!
Jodie was also the cover star and feature interview in ‘Red’ magazine. Shot by David Gubert, the full length interview is featured in their February edition.
Matt Dawson – Young’s Seafood
After the brilliant success of UKTV Food’s ‘Mitch and Matt’s Big Fish’ we are delighted to announce Matt as the new face and ambassador for Young’s Seafood. Starring in their latest TV campaign, Matt demonstrates how easy it is to cook simple & healthy food with their new frozen fish range. To see Matt’s ad click on the following link - www.youngsseafood.co.uk
Jamie and Harry Redknapp – EON
Jamie and his father Harry Redknapp have joined forces with FA Cup sponsor EON and their ‘Family Football’ initiative. The campaign gives families a chance to apply for free FA Cup tickets, entrance into family lounges, competitions and much more. Surely Jamie and Harry are the perfect family duo to encourage family attendance within the game!
