Michael McIntyre show to raise funds for beloved charity

Comedian Michael McIntyre is due to perform a live show to support a children's hospice charity after having "fallen in love" with its work.

Julia's House, whose main hospice is located in Poole, Dorset, has said it was "hugely grateful" for the upcoming performance from the star of Michael McIntyre's Big Show and The Wheel on 10 May.

The charity said McIntyre would perform "greatest hits and new bits" to help its work providing specialist care for children with life-limiting conditions and support for their families.

Tickets for the show at Poole Lighthouse go on sale at 11:00 GMT on Tuesday.

Martin Edwards, chief executive of Julia's House, said the comedian had been supporting them for more than a decade, having initially taken part in a fundraising auction.

"He's visited one of our hospices, met some of the children, and he's fallen in love with what we do at Julia's House - not just the way we care for the children, but how we look after their parents and their brothers and sisters as well," he said.

Edwards said the charity was expecting "a full house" for the event, which he hoped would raise "a very healthy five-figure amount".

"We're also going to be doing a collection on the night as well, so it depends how that goes.

"Julia's House is very well known and much loved in the local area, we've been looking after children in Dorset for over 20 years now, and we really hope that people will be generous on the night."

Edwards said the charity was "very excited" about the upcoming show.

"If there is an iron law of celebritydom, it is that the more famous the celebrity, the less available they are," he added.

"So we were very lucky to get the opportunity."

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