As part of this year’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign, Channel 4 has ordered a doc from Spun Gold about boyband star Tom Parker who has been been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour.
Tom, Kelsey and their children, two-year-old daughter Aurelia and seven-month-old son Bodhi, have invited the cameras into their lives as they look to make every future moment count.
The film will follow Tom as he plans a huge concert at the Royal Albert Hall with proceeds split equally between Stand Up To Cancer and The National Brain Appeal.
Despite not knowing how his health will hold up over the coming months Tom is determined to make the concert happen and has called on his famous friends to help pull together the showstopping event. The cameras will also follow Tom and the family as they manage his diagnosis, explore possible treatments, meet with fellow brain cancer patients and attempt to pull together this ambitious fundraising concert.
The as yet untitled feature-length documentary from Spun Gold TV will air as part of the channel’s Stand Up To Cancer programming.
Tom Beck, Channel 4 Head of Live Events and Commissioning Editor for Entertainment said, “From taking on terrifying ski jumps on The Jump to stripping off on stage for The Real Full Monty, Tom is a brave and strongminded man. One in two of us will develop cancer in our lifetime and we are incredibly grateful that Tom, Kelsey and their family have agreed to let us follow their story for what I know will be an emotional, intimate and candid film.”
Tom Parker adds, “Almost a year ago, my world was turned upside down by my diagnosis. It’s been an emotional few months for me and my family, but I’m determined to both fight the disease and fight the terrible situation of the chronically low level of research that goes towards finding a cure and treatment for glioblastoma. In this documentary, as well as exploring the medical and human aspects of this disease, I am determined to raise awareness and raise as much money as we can through the concert to help advance crucial cancer research and develop new treatments.”
Nick Bullen, Executive Producer, Spun Gold TV said, “We loved working with Tom on The Real Full Monty back in 2018 and we were devastated for him and his family when he told us that he’d been diagnosed with a brain tumour. We are honoured to be working with him again now to raise funds and awareness for such an important cause. Tom and Kelsey’s positivity throughout is an inspiration to us all.”
Channel 4 will also be broadcasting the concert with details of the line up to be announced in due course.
The documentary was commissioned by Tom Beck, Head of Live Events and Commissioning Editor for Entertainment and Phil Harris, Head of Entertainment and Events at Channel 4. The 1 x 75’ programme is a Spun Gold TV production. It is directed by Dan Howell, the Executive Producers are Nick Bullen and Lee Connolly, and it is distributed by All3Media International.
To get involved or to donate, go to channel4.com/su2c
Jon Creamer
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