Stars Launch New Sir Bobby DVD

By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Sir Bobby Robson's son, Mark, described this year's special evening of music, memories and laughter to celebrate the former Newcastle manager's life as "one of the best nights of my life", and it can now be enjoyed by a wider audience.

February's star-studded event at the Sage in Gateshead sold out within hours as family, friends, comedians, musicians, football greats and admirers came together but Tuesday saw the release of Sir Bobby Robson - Another (K)Night to Remember on DVD.

Raising funds for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, the DVD includes all the highlights from the event including Sir Bobby's 'Desert Island Discs' along with a host of funny and moving extra interviews from the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Bob Moncur and Lady Elsie Robson.

Lady Elsie said: "We thoroughly enjoyed the celebration of Bob's birthday. It was a wonderful night and we were surrounded by friends and well-wishers. Bob would have been in his element.

"It was just so special to have gathered together such a wonderful line up of performers and football people. And to have raised so much money for charity too, really I'm just blown away. People are still talking about it now and I'm sure the DVD will be very popular."

The team behind the DVD, Brian and Helen Mawson, Geoff Wonfor and Ray Laidlaw, also produced 2009's popular A Knight to Remember DVD, which has raised more than £100,000 for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

The charity night in February was originally planned with Sir Bobby's involvement in 2009 and he filmed what became his last interviews to be shown at the event.

Hosted by Jim Rosenthal and former Lindisfarne singer Billy Mitchell, Sir Bobby Robson - A Celebration featured an amazing line-up of performers and football greats including Mark Knopfler, Stuart Pearce, Joe McElderry, Northern Sinfonia - Orchestra of The Sage Gateshead, The Unthanks, Simon Day, Paul Whitehouse, Russell Watson, Alistair McGowan, Peter Brewis of Field Music, The Cornshed Sisters, Paul Smith of Maximo Park, Ruby Turner, Scarlet Street, Ben Ottewell of Gomez, Andre Villas-Boas and the Magpies' Alan Pardew, Shola Ameobi and Steve Harper.

Faryl Smith, the teenager who had the fastest-selling debut ever for a classical solo artist, performed a stunning duet of Barcelona with Russell Watson. She played for a girls' football team for many years and has since sang at two FA Cup finals.

She told nufc.co.uk: "My dad always says that I had to choose between football and singing, but that's not true!

"I wasn't all that good at football but I really enjoyed it and all of my family are football mad so doing events like this is so exciting for my dad.

"I've really enjoyed all of the sporting events that I've done. It's very nerve-wracking but it's so exciting at the same time. The thrill and the adrenilin that you get during the performance is so good.

"It was an honour to be involved in such a fantastic show - and my dad was so excited, being such a massive football fan and especially a big fan or Sir Bobby."

Billy Mitchell also performed at the event and the Fog on the Tyne singer was proud to help launch the DVD on a beautiful morning by Newcastle's Quayside.

"Here we are on the second day of the Newcastle summer - it finishes at about midnight tonight, of course - and it's a pleasure to be here," he said.

"I'm a Newcastle United supporter and season ticket holder and Sir Bobby was the best. I met him a few times, had some good conversations and a couple of drinks and it was a pleasure to meet a man of his calibre. He was a gentleman, a football man, a great manager and a great bloke.

"On the night, I didn't really have time to enjoy it because I was flying by the seat of my pants. There was no script but everybody did a great job; all the performers, everybody on stage, the choir, the orchestra, the people backstage, the camera crew, the director, the producer... everybody worked professionally and did the job.

"That's why it came out so well and that's why the audience loved the night. Anybody who buys this DVD is not only going to be supporting a fantastic charity for a great bloke but they're also going to see some great performances and some wonderful production."

An ideal Father's Day present, Another (K)Night to Remember is available in Windows, Newcastle, MetroCentre and Darlington priced at £16.99. It is also available in T&G Alan, Morpeth, That's Entertainment in Newcastle and the MetroCentre and Gojo in Hexham.