Celebs channel their heroes to kick off SU2C 2019

NEWS
CELEBS DRESS UP AS TRAILBLAZERS
TO CALL ON THE NATION
TO GET INVOLVED

To kick off Stand Up To Cancer 2019, we asked a host of celebs from the entertainment and sporting worlds to channel their favourite trailblazers. 

Trailblazers are relentless, unpredictable and unforgiving in their determination to break boundaries, just like the groundbreaking research Stand Up To Cancer funds. The stars are calling on the nation to get inspired, raid dressing up boxes, or do whatever you do best to raise cash and fund life-saving cancer research.

The celebs’ new looks include musical icons, historical figures and fictional characters such as Prince (Maya Jama), Nick Knowles (Joe Lycett), Cleopatra (Sam Thompson) Coco Chanel (Andrea McLean), Michelle Obama (AJ Odudu), Alan Turing (Greg Rutherford), Elton John (Roman Kemp), Bette Davis (Roisin Conaty), and Charlie Chaplin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson). Here's what they had to say. 

MAYA JAMA AS PRINCE
Maya Jama, BBC Radio One and TV presenter, chose to dress as Prince. She said: “Stand Up To Cancer means loads to me. Everybody I know has either had someone die from cancer or knows someone who is going through it – sadly one in two people will get cancer in their lives.

"I chose to dress up as Prince because I think he’s an absolute legend. He’s the perfect example of someone who did push boundaries, opened up so many doors in terms of masculinity and men not feeling like they had to be a certain way. We can all fundraise, dress up and stand up to cancer and beat it at its own game.”

ANDREA MCLEAN AS COCO CHANEL
Andrea McLean chose Coco Chanel because she was “strong and driven and supremely talented”.

GREG RUTHERFORD AS ALAN TURING
Greg chose Alan Turing: “we can all take a leaf out of Alan Turing’s book and make a difference too.”

ROMAN KEMP AS ELTON JOHN
Roman's choice of Elton John was down to how he “really changed the music industry.  For me, that is a trailblazer. He is the very definition of the word.”

JOE LYCETT AS NICK KNOWLES
On his choice of Nick Knowles, Joe Lycett said: “He is an icon, a unique talent, and a national treasure! He’s someone who has been unpredictable…who saw that album coming?! He’s relentless in trying to improve people’s lives and doesn’t care how he looks doing it. By dressing up in a silly costume and encouraging people to raise funds, I like to think I’m doing him proud.”

GET INVOLVED

Feeling inspired? You could dress up as your favourite trailblazer, take on a fundraising challenge of your own, or donate today to speed up life-saving cancer research. Get involved and help beat cancer at its own game.