I am often asked to compere charity events and when this latest request came in I knew I had to be there.

17000 crowd – my biggest yet in the largest tent in the world – a pink one in the middle of Hyde Park if you please!

It’s possible you can put it all together and from the photo here to deduce that the event I’m talking about was the Playtex Moonwalk run by the charity Walk the Walk where every single one of those 17000 sponsored walkers including all the 1000 men who attended, were wearing bras for the purpose of raising funds for breast cancer.

At this stage I’d be talking about what I was wearing and you and I would discuss the merits of where I had picked a good look, but today is different because I want to share with you the absolute visual extravaganza that I saw last Saturday!

This was a stadium sized event, so the crowd stretched as far back as the eye could see. The level of creativity in the room was fabulous. Every wearer is encouraged to decorate their bra so groups of women banded together with a themed look.

The buxom baby boomers in daglo pink baby-doll nighties and blonde wigs were comedic and moving both at the same time. And the hand painted artful postcard scenes on white cotton bras with retro styling was sheer inspiration.

But there was something else – a wonderful energy in the room – simply uplifting as everyone waited for midnight to begin the walk.

As soon as I hit the stage however, I saw Liz and Lee in the audience because they were lit up and flashing! When I came off stage between performances I went out into the audience to find them. Liz explained that she had made the bras by sewing in lights and was wearing a battery pack. I hope they both completed their 26-mile walk by the light of the moon with full compliment of disco lighting.

Nina Barough, founder of the event and a breast cancer survivor herself had earlier handed me a scant script, which I queried with furrowed brow, worried that there wasn’t enough to say and how was I going to fill so much time on stage? ‘Don’t worry there will be a lot of love in the room,” she said, “what ever you say will be great.” I didn’t believe her because 7 bored people can be a tough crowd but 17000 – now that involves some work on the compere’s part!

She was right though. It was a very very special evening. Last year’s event raised 5.4million pounds and as I write Nina tells me the first million and a half is already in the bank from this event.

I love my job!

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