{{Short description|English charity concert series}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} [[File:Newcastle City Hall.jpg|thumb|The ''Sunday for Sammy'' concerts were hosted at Newcastle City Hall, before moving to Newcastle Arena]]
'''''Sunday for Sammy''''' is a series of biennial charity concerts held in aid of the Sammy Johnson Memorial Fund, which benefits young performers.<ref name="sundaysun">{{cite news |title=Stars all set for Sunday For Sammy concert |date=7 February 2010 |work= Sunday Sun |url=http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2010/02/07/stars-all-set-for-sunday-for-sammy-concert-79310-25780923/2/ |accessdate=13 July 2010}}</ref> The fund was established in memorial to Sammy Johnson, an actor from North East England, who died suddenly in 1998.<ref name="chronicle"/>
The concerts have been held at Newcastle City Hall, with the exception of 2006, when the show was hosted at Sage Gateshead. Due to the popularity of tickets, the 2018 and 2020 events were held at Metro Radio Arena. Following COVID-19, the next event was expected to be held in 2023; however, "due to the cost-of-living crisis" and the high production costs, the charity's trustees decided that the event would not be a good use of the charity's funds.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sunday for Sammy 2023 event scrapped amid cost of living crisis |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-63660363 |date=17 November 2022 |accessdate=8 January 2023}}</ref>
The show is performed twice on one day, with each being recorded for a DVD release, from which 75% of profits go to the fund.<ref name="sundaysun"/> As of 2024, there have been eleven events,<ref name="chronicle">{{cite news |title=Mark Knopfler headlines Sunday For Sammy |url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2010/02/08/mark-knopfler-headlines-sunday-for-sammy-72703-25787092/ |work=Evening Chronicle |date=8 February 2010 |first=Sam |last=Wonfor |accessdate=13 July 2010}}</ref> with nine filmed for DVD release.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/02/06/sunday-for-sammy-brings-the-stars-back-home-61634-25774003/2/ |title=Sunday for Sammy brings the stars back home |date=6 February 2010 |work=The Journal |page=2 |accessdate=13 July 2010}}</ref>
The concerts are hosted by Tim Healy and (until 2008) Jimmy Nail, who were close friends of Sammy Johnson, and features a range of personalities hailing from North East England, including Denise Welch, Billy Mitchell and Brendan Healy. It has featured guest appearances from people such as Ant and Dec and Mark Knopfler.<ref name="gb">{{cite web |title=Interview: Brendan Healy |url=http://www.gigglebeats.co.uk/2012/10/interview-brendan-healy/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510231652/http://www.gigglebeats.co.uk/2012/10/interview-brendan-healy/ |archive-date=10 May 2013 |work=Giggle Beats |first=John-Paul |last=Stephenson |date=13 October 2012 |accessdate=13 October 2012}}</ref> Writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais contribute sketches based on their television series ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'', which have featured guest appearances from the surviving original 'magnificent seven'.<ref name="sundaysun"/> The concerts usually conclude with all of the performers returning to the stage to sing, most commonly Lindisfarne's "Run for Home".
Tribute shows for Sunday for Sammy are also popular. Most recently a competition for sketches was organised by North East-based playwright Ed Waugh.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
==Shows== {| class="wikitable" style="width:99%;" |- " ! Number !! |Date !! |DVD number !! | |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''1''' || 2000 || n/a || |- |colspan="6"| |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''2''' || 2002 || n/a || |- |colspan="6"| |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''3''' || 2004 || || |- |colspan="6"|The first show released commercially on DVD. The ensemble perform Lindisfarne's "Run for Home". |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''4''' || 2006 || || |- |colspan="6"|Performed at The Sage Gateshead. The ensemble perform "That's What Friends Are For", also featured youth ensembles Young Sinfonia and the Swing Bridge Singers. A young Matthew Healy, future frontman of the indie rock band The 1975, also performed a solo rendition of the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah". |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''5''' ||10 February 2008<ref name="journal2008"/> || || |- |colspan="6"|Tim Healy opens the show with "That's Living Alright". Liam Mower, one of the first actors to play Billy Elliot in the musical in which Healy starred, appeared to dance and perform "Electricity". This was the first ''Sunday for Sammy'' concert without Jimmy Nail. Christopher Fairbank and Timothy Spall reprised their roles in an ''AWP'' sketch set in the times of Robin Hood.<ref name="journal2008">{{cite news |url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/02/11/day-the-stars-came-out-for-an-old-friend-61634-20459990/ |date=11 February 2008 |first=Audrey |last=Barton |work=The Journal |title=Day the stars came out for an old friend |accessdate=13 July 2010}}</ref> |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''6''' ||7 February 2010<ref name="chronicle"/> || || |- |colspan="6"|A guest appearance from Mark Knopfler, who played extracts from a number of his songs, before playing, on the orders from a specially-recorded video message from Alan Shearer, "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)".<ref name="chronicle"/> |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''7''' ||2012 || MWMDVD106|| |- |colspan="7"|Performances from Gavin Webster and Joe McElderry, who sings "Big River" and "Nessun Dorma". Mike Neville introduces a ''AWP'' based around King Arthur. Tim Healy sings "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" with Lorraine Crosby, the female vocalist from the original Meat Loaf recording. Healy also performs "With a Little Help From My Friends". The concert concludes with an ensemble performance of "Run for Home". |- | colspan="6" style="background:#fffc72;"| |- |rowspan="1"|'''8''' ||8 February 2014 || || |- |colspan="7"|Chris Ramsey and Jason Cook from BBC sitcom ''Hebburn''; Tim Healy and Lorraine Crosby sing "Up Where We Belong"; Pete Scott; The concert concludes with an ensemble performance of "Blaydon Races".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gigglebeats.co.uk/2014/02/hebburn-stars-join-sunday-for-sammy/ |title=Hebburn stars join Sunday for Sammy |work=Giggle Beats |date=9 February 2014 |first=John-Paul |last=Stephenson |accessdate=23 March 2014}}</ref> |- |rowspan="1"|'''9''' || February 2016 || || |- |colspan="7"|Features a tribute to the late Brendan Healy, during his traditional slot following the interval. |- |rowspan="1"|'''10''' || February 2018 || || |- |colspan="7"|Held at Metro Radio Arena. With Brenda Blethyn, Tim Healy, Denise Welch, Joe McElderry, Kevin Whately, Johnny Vegas, Ryan Molloy, Charlie Hardwick, Chelsea Halfpenny, Stephen Tomkinson, Dave Johns, Jill Halfpenny, Jason Cook, Laura Norton, Christopher Fairbank, Billy Mitchell, Angela Lonsdale, Trevor Horn, Ralph McTell, Julia Tobin, Peter Peverley, Rosie Ramsey |- |rowspan="1"|'''11''' || February 2020 ||MWMDVD132 || |- |colspan="7"|The 20th Anniversary shows were held at Newcastle Arena on 23 February 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title=20 years of Sunday for Sammy: will you be buying tickets? |work=ITV News Tyne Tees |url=https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2019-03-13/tickets-go-on-sale-for-the-20th-anniversary-of-sunday-for-sammy |date=13 March 2019 |accessdate=8 January 2024}}</ref>
|}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|http://www.sundayforsammy.org}} *{{IMDb title|0414552|Sunday for Sammy 2004}}
Category:Benefit concerts in the United Kingdom Category:Culture in Newcastle upon Tyne Category:Recurring events established in 2000 Category:2000 establishments in England