Maya Jama, Joe Lycett, Andrea McLean and Greg Rutherford dress up for Stand Up to Cancer 2019

Stars of TV, radio and sport, including Maya Jama, Joe Lycett, Andrea McLean and Greg Rutherford, have channelled their favourite trailblazers to launch this year’s Stand Up To Cancer.

“Stand Up To Cancer means loads to me. Everybody I know has either had someone die from cancer or knows someone who is going through it – sadly one in two people will get cancer in their lives. A trailblazer is someone who goes outside of the box, someone who goes against the norm and sets a trend. Or someone who even just goes against what everyone might expect from them and opens new doors for other people to come after them.” – Maya Jama, BBC Radio One and TV presenter, chose to dress as Prince

The celebrities’ new looks include musical icons, historical figures and fictional characters such as Prince (Maya Jama), Nick Knowles (Joe Lycett), Cleopatra (Sam Thompson) Coco Chanel (Andrea McLean), Michelle Obama (AJ Odudu), Alan Turing (Greg Rutherford), Elton John (Roman Kemp), Bette Davis (Roisin Conaty), and Charlie Chaplin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson).

To mark the return of the campaign, the stars are calling on the nation to take inspiration from their makeovers, raid their dressing up boxes, and transform themselves into iconic trailblazers to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer.

Andrea McLean chose Coco Chanel because she was “strong and driven and supremely talented”, and Greg Rutherford chose Alan Turing, saying, “we can all take a leaf out of Alan Turing’s book and make a difference too.” Roman Kemp’s choice of Elton John was down to how he “really changed the music industry.  For me, that is a trailblazer. He is the very definition of the word.”

On his trailblazer choice, Nick Knowles, Joe Lycett said:

“He is an icon, a unique talent, and a national treasure! He’s someone who has been unpredictable…who saw that album coming?! He’s relentless in trying to improve people’s lives and doesn’t care how he looks doing it. By dressing up in a silly costume and encouraging people to raise funds, I like to think I’m doing him proud.”

The Stand Up To Cancer campaign will continue throughout September and October and there are lots of easy ways that people can get involved. From dressing up as their own trailblazer to organising a feast for friends or taking on a gaming challenge, there’s more than one way to make a difference.

For more information visit www.su2c.org.uk. The event is a joint venture between Channel 4 Television and Cancer Research UK.

“It’s been great to have such amazing support to launch Stand Up To Cancer this year. Trailblazers find new avenues, and don’t stop until they achieve their goals. And that is how we feel in our fight against cancer. Our scientists are leading the way, carrying out life-saving work that will change what it means to get a cancer diagnosis, finding new paths and making progress. One in two people will get cancer in their lifetime and now, more than ever, we need to do everything we can to fund pioneering research that makes a real difference for people with the disease. We hope people across the UK will be inspired to get involved and stand up to cancer.” – Simon Harrison, head of Stand Up To Cancer