Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People

Here’s some guest announcements as well as some exciting news about some things are going to be taking place over the entire 24 hours.

The cast list for Nine Lessons and Carols for Socially Distanced People continues to expand so we thought we’d let you know about nine more fabulous performers and speakers who’ll be joining us for this 24 hour marathon of science, comedy, music and performance. Oh, and there’s some news about some special 24 hour long events taking place as well.

And remember, it’s all for charity so you can donate and buy a virtual ticket right here. We’re broadcasting live from the studios of Kings Place where we hope to be able to welcome a small socially distanced audience too. Tickets are here. 

And so, here’s nine new names we’re excited to reveal today.

• Donna Lynne Champlin – The Gracie Award winning actress best known for playing Paula in the Golden Globe winning Crazy Ex Girlfriend
• Dave Coplin – Author, technologist and ‘envisioner’.
• Femi – Acclaimed blues performer who’ll be no stranger to Nine Lessons audiences
• Gecko – Singer-storyteller whose new lauded album Climbing Frame has just been released
• Professor Claudia Hammond – Best selling author, psychology lecturer and host of BBC’s All in the Mind
• Guy Pearce – Multi-Award winning actor from such iconic films as Memento, LA Confidential and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
• Dr Rebecca Wragg-Sykes – Archaeologist, Neanderthal expert and author of Kindred
• Zahara – One of South Africa’s most acclaimed and popular singer-songwriters
• Helen Zaltzman – Writer, broadcaster and host of The Allusionist

In addition to this a number of our performers have some special tasks planned…

• Professor Chris Lintott and the Zooniverse team will be leading a special citizen science project where viewers will be involved in the hunt for genuine new supernova in the Universe.
• Ginny Smith has set a series of reaction and reflex tests for Robin to undertake throughout the show, at regular intervals, to study how his brain reacts the more tired he gets.
• Dr Helen Czerski will be doing a rapid fire advent calendar when she arrives in the studio on Sunday morning. So we want you to send in photos from around your home and garden, and Helen will find some interesting everyday science in 24 of them, in 24 minutes.
• As well as being on stage the entire time, playing music and other things, Steve Pretty will also be creating a song during the song that will feature samples and bits and pieces from as many of the 120 odd performers as humanly possible. We’ll debut the ‘single’ at the end of the show.
• Artist Matt Kemp will be creating an illustrated history of the show. He will be drawing a mural, for 24 hours non stop, of everything that happens and everyone that appears during the show! This bit of art will then sold for charity!
• And finally a 24 hour long Science AMA! With so many guests joining throughout the show, there’ll be an expert on, at some point, on basically any topic you imagine!

Thanks for the support, it's going to be fun/mad!