LONG AWAITED DVD OF SUNDAY FOR SAMMY 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWS RELEASED
Following the astonishing success of the 2020 sell-out 20th Anniversary shows at the Newcastle Utilita Arena in February, the Sunday for Sammy team have announced that the long-awaited DVD of the shows will be released on Thursday 6 August.
The concerts, locally dubbed The Geordie Command Performance, are held every two years in memory of Geordie actor Sammy Johnson who died suddenly in 1999. The 2020 shows were for many people, the last time they were able to attend a major venue due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic a few weeks later.
More than 12,000 fans flocked to the Arena for the shows which saw the return of Jimmy Nail as well as appearances from dozens of cast members including Johnny Vegas, Joe McElderry, Trevor Horn, Jason Cook, Chris and Rosie Ramsey and of course Auf Wiedersehen Pet regulars, Tim Healy, Christopher Fairbank and Kevin Whately. The DVD also features the magical moment when Billy Mitchell received a surprise tribute from his colleagues after announcing his retirement from the show after being involved in every show since they began in 2000.
In the spirit of encouraging young NE talent the DVD opens with an inspirational short film made by an up-and-coming media company from South Shields. Unified Media were asked to make the film, “Round Here” to celebrate the North East by showing the best of its culture, history and the proud traditions of the Geordie nation. It features music composed by Sunday for Sammy funded Alexander Proudlock and a poem by award-winning writer Scott Tyrell narrated by Tim Healy.
In addition to the full performance, the two disk DVD also features a 30-minute documentary, ‘The Making of Sunday for Sammy’. This was produced by final year students from the University of Sunderland who were given ‘all area access’ behind the scenes of the 2020 show.
Although the traditional launch and viewing of the DVD for cast, crew and helpers was unable to be held due to COVID-19 restrictions, they were ’virtually’ the first to see the show at a special online screening beamed into their homes on Sunday 2ndAugust.
Show producer Ray Laidlaw said:” This is the most talked about and eagerly awaited DVD in the history of Sunday for Sammy. The DVD’s are hugely popular and sales look like being better than ever, the closure of theatres and concert halls has left people starved of live entertainment. The purpose of Sunday for Sammy is to support our young North East performers, the income generated from the DVD sales could not come at a better time as our industry is struggling. We hope the 20thAnniversary Sunday for Sammy DVD will bring a big smile to the faces of our brilliant supporters all over the UK, but particularly in the North East.”
The DVD is available from JG Windows Newcastle and Metrocentre from Thursday 6th August at 10am.
Ends
Photos available from the 2020 shows on request
Media Interviews etc Keith@highlightspr.co.uk 07814 397951