Noel Fielding & Penny Smith dance for Comic Relief

Noel Fielding & Penny Smith dance for Comic Relief
Noel Fielding & Penny Smith dance for Comic Relief (Image credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Noel Fielding and former GMTV host Penny Smith are among the stars who will take part in this year's Let's Dance For Comic Relief. The Mighty Boosh comic will be joined by Thick Of It star Rebecca Front and TV designers Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan on the show in which stars tackle famous dance routines. Previous series have been won by comics Robert Webb and Rufus Hound for their hilarious routines. Robert wowed viewers with his take on Flashdance, while Rufus aped Cheryl Cole. Also in the new BBC One series, which returns for a third time next month, will be comics Russell Kane, Andi Osho and Ed Byrne. One Show host Alex Jones will team up with former flame Steve Jones to host the dance spectacular. She replaces Claudia Winkleman, who is now hosting Film 2011 for the channel. Alex said: "I was a huge fan of Let's Dance last year and can't wait to join Steve and the team. It's come at the perfect time for me having just returned from filming in Africa for Comic Relief where I saw first-hand how we can really make a difference." The Welsh pair have already clicked on-screen while Steve has had a guest presenting role on The One Show. They have both been to Africa to film for the series to highlight the problem of malaria. Each of the guest acts on Let's Dance will work with a team of choreographers to master the moves which will include Beyonce's Crazy In Love, I Love To Boogie from Billy Elliot and Michael Jackson's Bad. Stars will be competing for a place in the grand final during the fourth week of the competition.

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Patrick McLennan

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.