Telethon raises $25.8m in WA

Seven’s Telethon in Perth has raised a staggering $25,854,524 over the weekend for the Princess Margaret Hospital For Children and the Telethon Kids Institute.

The record-breaking amount eclipsed the $25.2m raised in 2014.

The Telethon weekend featured a 26 hour live broadcast, included its concert at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, and involved more than 600 entertainers, 300 TV production crew, 55 hair and make-up artists, 1,000 volunteers and required more than 100 Virgin Australia flights.

The Telethon Home sold at auction for $707,500 while an Online Auction raised $92,000 but there were donations from community, business and government, beginning with a $1m donation from the federal government.

Telethon CEO, Steve Mummery said, “It’s been a tough year out there for everyone in Western Australia, but it feels like every single person has dug as deep as they can to help make this Telethon the best one ever. Reaching another record of $25,854,524 is something that every West Australian should be incredibly proud of.”

Over the past 47 years the people of Western Australia have donated over $200 million to Telethon.

A huge line-up of Seven Network talent flew in from around Australia including Benson Jack Anthony (Arlo Turner), Michelle Langstone (Fiona), Emma Leonard (Tracey), Erik Thomas (George Turner) and Melina Vidler (Shay Turner) from 800 Words; Adam Doville from Better Homes and Gardens; Brydon Coverdale (The Shark) and Matt Parkinson (Galiath) from The Chase Australia; Charlie Clausen (Zac Macguire), Kassandra Clementi, (Maddy Osborne), Tessa De Josselin (Billie), Jackson Gallagher (Josh Barrett), Isabella Giovinazzo (Phoebe Nicholson), Scott Lee (Hunter), Matt Little (VJ), Lynne McGranger (Irene Roberts ), Ada Nicodemou (Leah Patterson-Baker), Philippa Northeast (Evelyn MacGuire), Johnny Ruffo (Chris Harrington), Jake Speer (Oscar MacGuire ) and Nic Westaway (Kyle Braxton) from Home and Away; Carolyn Burns-McCrave, Wendy Moore and Joe Snell from House Rules, Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies from the Morning Show; Ky Baldwin (young Peter Allen), Joel Jackson (Peter Allen) and Robert Mills (Chris Bell) from Peter Allen; Candice Dixon and Teigan Nash from Saturday Disney; Samantha Armytage, Natalie Barr, Mark Beretta and David from Sunrise; Nick Russell (Gabe Reynolds) from Winners and Losers
Local West Australians who appeared on our screens throughout the year, Brian and Karina Day from House Rules; Eva and Debra, Kat and Andre, Bianca and Drasko from My Kitchen Rules.

They were joined by 7’s Perth stars – Rick Ardon, Susannah Carr, Basil Zempilas, Angela Tsun, Geof Parry, Adrian Barich, Alexis Donkin, , Blake Johnson , Ryan Daniels, Jessica Vanderende, Kate Smithers, Amelia Broun, Rebecca Marsh, Rebecca Picton-King, Jordan Cutts, Rob Scott and Grant Wynne from Seven News Perth and Today Tonight’s Monika Kos, Mark Gibson, Graeme Butler, Cassie Silver, Mark Readings, Syan Dougherty, Belinda Wilkinson and Tina Altieri. Plus many of Perth’s radio personalities from Mix 94.5, 92.9, Nova 93.7, 6PR, 96FM, 6iX and Curtin FM.

Also making their way to Perth to perform were Samatha Jade, Nathaniel, Reigan Derry, Taylor Henderson, Pseudo Echo, Dennis Locorriere ( the voice of Dr Hook), Rachel Beck and two of the Top 12 in this year’s The X Factor, Dan Hamill and Perth’s own Fisher Boys, and a special performance from Darryl Braithwaite, who wowed the audience at The Lexus Ball earlier on Saturday night.

In 2016 Telethon will be held on October 15 and 16.