Visiting stars ‘amazed’

Press, 29 June 1981, Page 1

Visiting stars ‘amazed’

“I thought it might be a little local show: I didn’t expect a national uprising,” said.. a tired and “overwhelmed” Bob Grant at the end of Telethon.

Besieged by dozens of children demanding autographs, Christchurch’s guest panelists, the British comedians Bob (“On the Biises”) Grant and Jimmy (“Mr Glum’) Edwards were both amazed at the $5 million raised by Telethon.

Bob Grant, who is in New Zealand starring in the musical, “Oh Calcutta!” described the 24 hours of Telethon in Christchurch as the “most overwhelming experience” of his life.

It had been “magical,” he said, admitting that it had even brought a tear to his eye. Mr Grant said that he had been involved in a telethon in Australia “but it

was nothing like this. It’s been about five million times better than what I had expected.” Jimmy Edwards looked shell-shocked at the end of the 24 hours. Asked what he thought, he said that he just didn’t know.

“All I can say is, ‘Just amazing’,” he said. “They told me at the start that they didn’t expect to make even $3 million and, look, they’ve gone and made $5 million." In Wellington television stars Basil Brush and Kenny Everett schemed ways on screen to smuggle out the loot. Basil summed it all up: “It’s been the biggest thrill of my life, apart from being chased by Princess Anne.” In Dunedin the “Goodies” TV star Bill Oddie said: “It couldn’t have happened in England. Some people would have spoilt it.”