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Stars put on their Sunday best

Jan 31 2010 by Tom Mullen, Sunday Sun

SHOWBIZ stars from the North East are returning home for a charity event in memory of the late Tyneside actor Sammy Johnson.

Geoff Wonfor, Lynn Johnson, Tim Healy, Frankie Gibbon and Ray Laidlaw

Famous faces including Tim Healy, Denise Welch, Kevin Whately and Brendan Healy will gather for a sell-out entertainment extravaganza at Newcastle’s City Hall.

The North East celebrities will appear in the fifth bi-annual Sunday for Sammy show to commemorate the life of their friend Sammy Johnson.

Sammy, who grew up in Springwell, Gateshead, died suddenly in 1998 at the age of 48, after becoming famous for his portrayal of “Stick” in the Spender TV series

His friends Tim Healy and Jimmy Nail later set up the Sammy Johnson Memorial Fund to raise money for new talent.

The fund was established to assist performers from Tyneside to get a start in the entertainment business. The fund has already raised £270,000 and donated over £115,000 in grants to talented groups and individuals to develop their performing skills.

Called Sunday for Sammy, the events grow in popularity every year and the concert returns on February 7 for two performances packed with music, comedy and sketches.

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