Royal Variety Performance 2006

A host of celebrities and artists from the worlds of music, comedy and theatre will be performing in the 78th annual Royal Variety Performance at the London Coliseum on Monday 4 December 2006 in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. This year the top of the bill will be Rod Stewart, making his first ever Royal Variety appearance.

The king of the Copacabana, Barry Manilow, will be doing a selection of Sixties hits and Meatloaf will be rocking up the stage with his first ever Royal Variety Performance singing a song from his new album and a classic duet with a surprise guest.

It will be girls versus boys as the reformed Take That, the boy band of all boybands, do something old and something new singing two very special versions of their biggest hits and the most successful girl band of the past few years, the feisty Sugababes will also be sassing up the stage with a once in lifetime performance.

Also performing will be burlesque girl band The Puppini Sisters and soulful rocker James Morrison.

From the world of theatre the crème of the West End will come together for one night only.

Tim Curry leads the cast of Monty Python's Spamalot, BBC winner Connie Fisher and the Von Trapp children perform a medley from The Sound of Music, the cast of new West End hit and multi-award winning Wicked hop on their broomsticks and the puppets from Avenue Q show us just how naughty felt can be.

Captain Jack Harness will take some time out from solving alien mysteries as John Barrowman takes to the stage in Forties mood as we revisit the supper clubs of old (and new).

Also appearing at this year's performance will be award-winning comic Omid Djalili, spectacular quick change illusionists David and Dania, comedian Jason Byrne and the inimitable Ken Dodd.

As ever there will be a host of surprise guests and walk-ons.

Other guests on the night will include Katie Price and Peter Andre, Paul O'Grady, Vernon Kay, Noel Edmonds, Patrick Swayze and many many more.

There will also be many surprises for the audience and viewers at home.

The Royal Variety Performance is an annual charity event in aid of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund. It will be shown on BBC One in December.