Network celebs join in ABC’s Saturday Night Crack-Up

ABC has revealed more on its line-up for the 2hr Live event, Saturday Night Crack-Up, hosted by Eddie Perfect.

Once again it includes celebs from other networks in cameo appearances (these were priceless last year).

This year they include Lee Lin Chin, Waleed Aly, Andrew O’Keefe, Steve Price, Samantha Armytage, David Koch, Natalie Barr, Mark Beretta, Anton Enus, Janice Petersen, Ricardo Goncalves and Scott Cam.

The Crack Up bat signal has gone out and a plethora of talent from around the country and TV networks have answered the call – all to raise money for mental health.

Building on the winning formula of last year’s acclaimed Friday Night Crack Up, host Eddie Perfect will be master of ceremonies leading a modern take on the time-honoured variety show format. There’ll be music and comedy and a fair amount of chaos along the way.

This will be an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza with a show-stopping opening number by Eddie Perfect himself, choreographed by the amazing Kelley Abbey. There’ll be music from The Bamboos, Sammy J and Randy, Deni Hines with the Sydney Street Choir, dance from the Bangarra Dance Company and even The Chase’s Andrew O’Keefe gets in on the act with a song – all led by Musical Director John Foreman.

There will be contributions from Australia’s comic royalty like Gina Riley, Glenn Robbins, Shaun Micallef and Working Dog. Plus Julia Morris heads out on the road – appropriately in a Morris – for a sing-along with the oddest collection of back-seat drivers: Kerry-Anne Kennerley, Nazeem Hussain, Richard Reid, Kate Ceberano, Josh Thomas, Anthony Callea, Dipper, Derryn Hinch, Rob Mills, Fifi Box and Father Bob.

Especially for the Crack Up, comedian Dave Callan has set himself a Herculean task – a 24 hour dance marathon, timed to finish during the live broadcast. His good friend Rove McManus will be there live to help him through his final hours.

Plus, to get us all talking about Mental Health, there’s Peter Helliar, Charlie Pickering, Tom Gleeson, Luke McGregor, Celia Pacquola, Lawrence Mooney, Meshel Laurie, Tom Ballard, Felicity Ward, Anne Edmonds, Tiffiny Hall, Matthew Mitcham, Wayne Schwass and generations of Play School presenters including Benita Collings, Justine Clarke and Andrew McFarlane.

All of this would be for nothing of course without fundraising, thinly disguised as a series of parlour games. HG Nelson joins us this year as host of the Crack Up ‘Grab for Cash’, putting Michala Banas and Toby Truslove through their paces along with a host of other famous faces including Kayne Tremills, Hex and Bajo, Leisel Jones, George Negus, Tim Dormer and a few surprises.

What more can you want from a variety show? Well how about cameos from Annabel Crabb, Leigh Sales, Lee Lin Chin, Waleed Aly, Steve Price, Samantha Armytage, David Koch, Natalie Barr, Mark Beretta, Michael Rowland, Virginia Trioli, The Chaser team; Anton Enus, Janice Petersen, Ricardo Goncalves, Wil Anderson, Todd Sampson, Russel Howcroft; Francis Greenslade, Brian Mannix and Scott Cam?

The Saturday Night Crack Up is the one night of the year you won’t want to miss.

Saturday Night Crack Up screens during Mental As…, the ABC’s week-long initiative in support of Mental Health Week which aims to encourage Australians to start talking about mental illness and to give to mental health research. Visit abc.net.au/mentalas or SMS “MentalAs” to 0455 021 021 to show your support and make a contribution.

7:30pm Saturday on ABC.