CELEBRITIES best known for their appearances on film and television will take centre stage at a Christmas charity concert in Oxford.

Award-winning actor Jim Broadbent, journalist and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman, actress Patricia Routledge, and Emmerdale actor Freddie Jones, are top billing for the Macmillan Cancer Support concert at Christ Church, Oxford.

The event, on Saturday, December 7, will see the stars providing readings and joining in the festivities for the 11th annual Celebration of Christmas concert.

Tickets, priced £15, are still available for the event, but are expected to sell out quickly.

Macmillan's fundraising manager for Oxfordshire, Jo Faulkner-Harvey said: "We are so excited about this year's Celebration of Christmas as we think it will be the biggest and best yet.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to our celebrity readers who are giving up their time to take part and, by doing so, will help us raise much needed funds for people living with cancer.

"We are hoping this event will raise in excess of £30,000 and help support cancer services across the county.

"We still have a few tickets left for the event but buy now while stocks last as they are going fast and we are anticipating a sell out!"

The celebrity readers

  • Jim Broadbent is best known for his work in films such as Iris, for which he received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, Moulin Rouge, for which he won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor and Bridget Jones' Diary. He is filming Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, to be released next year and has, in the past week, received an International Emmy nomination for Best Actor for his work on the BBC1 drama, The Street.
  • Jeremy Paxman is known to millions as the presenter of Newsnight, for which he has received several BAFTA Television awards and nominations, and as the host of University Challenge. Mr Paxman is also a notable writer and presented a BBC 1 documentary on war poet Wilfred Owen.
  • Patricia Routledge CBE is best loved for her portrayal of aspiring socialite Hyacinth Bucket on the hit television series, Keeping up Appearances. She is also known for playing the title role of the super sleuth in the television series Hetty Wainthrop Investigates.
  • Freddie Jones started his acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company and went on to appear in numerous television and film roles. Most recently he has been on our screens with his role as Sandy Thomas in the soap opera, Emmerdale.
  • Celebration of Christmas takes place on Saturday, December 7, at 8pm. For more information or tickets, contact the Fundraising Office on 01869 322279 or email oxfordshireappeal@Macmillan.org.uk.