Billions star Damian Lewis leads stars at finance company’s annual 9/11 charity event
Billions star Damian Lewis has led celebrities taking part in a finance company’s annual charity day to raise millions in memory of workers who lost their lives 20 years ago on September 11th.
The British actor, who plays hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod in the hit US series, took part in the BGC event in support of two charities, one of which his late wife, Peaky Blinders actress Helen McCrory, was patron.
Lewis and his late wife Helen McCrory took part in the event together in 2019. Pic: James Veysey/Shutterstock
Lewis was joined by other stars including TV presenter Davina McCall, comedian and author David Walliams and actress Jenna Coleman, taking to the phones for the charity day, which is held at BGC offices around the world and last year raised $12m (about £8.6m) for charitable causes.
Speaking to Sky News’ business presenter Ian King, Lewis said money he raised would go to two grassroots organisations – Cure EB, which supports people affected by the skin condition epidermolysis bullosa, and arts group HVH Arts.
“It’s going to be the 20th anniversary tomorrow of that horrific day, 9/11,” he said. “I come here to support two charities, HVH Arts and Cure EB, and I’m here to try and raise money for them.
“I get on the phone with people who might have heard of me – or more likely have heard of Bobby Axelrod – and we do trades. Thankfully, all fixed interest so I can’t wipe millions off the share price in one morning.”
Lewis said his wife had been a patron of HVH arts before she died of cancer earlier this year and that it is a cause “very dear to my heart”.
He continued: “It specialises in working with underprivileged kids in the north London area, mostly Camden, Kentish Town, giving them an experience of the arts, photography, textiles, theatre, music. It’s an exposure to the arts, which I believe is so important for young kids, but it’s also an experience of self-worth and gives them a self-confidence.”
Lewis said he had worked with Cure EB for some time and that the charity funds clinical trials to try and find a cure for what is a “horrible, horrible disease”, which can cause skin cancer.
Lewis also recalled how he was filming a difficult scene of marital rape for period drama The Forsyte Saga with actress Gina McKee when he received news of the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
“It was much talked about in the lead-up to the filming because it had outraged audiences in the 1960s when the first adaptation was made,” he said of the scene.
“We were in the middle of this rather sensitive scene, myself and Gina McKee, and the first [assistant director] came on to set and said, ‘I’m terribly sorry to stop filming everyone, but a plane has just flown into the World Trade Centre’. And, of course, as we all know now, he arrived 16 minutes later to give us the news again, that the other plane had gone into the south tower.”
The BGC event is held each year in memory of the company’s 658 colleagues and the 61 Eurobrokers employees who lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks.
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‘I sat on the bed crying all day’
TV presenter McCall said she had taken part in the charity day many times and that it is always exciting, but emotional.
“There’s such a buzz here today and there’s so much great energy and goodwill in the room,” she told King. “So many millions of pounds have been raised over the years for charities, in memory of their friends.”
McCall’s chosen charity is Action Medical Research, which funds research into rare childhood diseases. The star first supported the charity as a nine-year-old, encouraged to take on sponsored walks by her grandmother, and said she became an ambassador in later life.
David Walliams and Davina McCall also did their bit to raise funds
“It’s an amazing amount of money for them to get, we’re so enormously grateful,” she said. “But obviously, today is also tinged with sadness for these guys [at BGC], too. So it’s very moving being here.”
McCall said she was heavily pregnant with her first child when the terror attacks happened and recalled sitting and crying “the entire day, clutching my belly, wondering what kind of a world I was bringing my child into”.
She continued: “I just couldn’t see the world ever being the same again. But, I do feel like we’re healing bit by bit, and here we are today trying to do something good out of all of that.”
Entertainment
Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne among celebrities at Olympics-themed Vogue World in Paris
Vogue World took over a square for the last day of Paris Fashion Week on Sunday night, putting on a spectacle themed around the Olympics.
One month ahead of the opening of the Games in Paris, the show marked 100 years since the last Olympics in Paris in 1924.
It also nodded to 23 June 1894, the day the founder of the modern Games French nobleman Pierre de Coubertin launched the International Olympic Committee.
Each decade since 1924 was reflected on the catwalk in the city square of Place Vendome, with the 20s featuring a cycling theme and the 90s focusing on football.
Musician Pharrell Williams and models Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid were among the stars.
Here are some highlights and a look at who else got the exclusive invite.
Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid coming in on horseback. Pic: Kristy Sparow/Getty/Vogue
Pharrell Williams. Pic: Reuters
Jared Leto donned an unorthodox outfit. Pic: Reuters
American singer Normani posed during a photocall. Pic: Reuters
Diane Kruger. Pic: Reuters
Emma Thynn Marchioness of Bath. Pic: Reuters
Actress Joey King. Pic: Reuters
Belgian fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. Pic: Reuters
Eva Longoria arrived at the show. Pic: Reuters
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Social media personality Emma Chamberlain. Pic: Reuters
Anna Wintour. Pic: Reuters
Entertainment
Taylor Swift brings Travis Kelce on stage for the first time – sending fans into a frenzy
Taylor Swift’s American football player boyfriend made a surprise appearance on stage during her performance at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Travis Kelce, 34, appeared in a morning suit, bust out a few dance moves and carried the singer, who pretended to faint, to a red sofa during the middle of the show.
His appearance during the short skit, where Swift appears to “drop dead” during the song The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, sent the crowd of almost 90,000 wild.
The US pop star then changed into a two-piece sequin costume – while Kelce pretended to top up her makeup – and performed I Can Do It With A Broken Heart from her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department.
In another nod to Kelce, Swift ended her show with the song Karma, changing the lyrics to say “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me” – referencing NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs he has played for since 2013.
It is the first time the footballer has appeared on stage, having been in the crowd for the first three shows out of eight Swift will perform at Wembley in total this year.
He has been romantically linked with the pop star since September 2023, with Swift having attended a number of football games, including the Super Bowl won by Kelce’s team back in February.
Pic: AP
Yesterday he joined Swift in meeting the Prince of Wales and his children George and Charlotte who attended the concert on Saturday, the same day as Prince William’s 42nd birthday.
The London concerts drew a host of other celebrity faces including rock legends Sir Paul McCartney and Jon Bon Jovi.
A video, widely circulated on social media, on Sunday showed Beatles star Sir Paul, 82, walking through an area of the stadium separated from fans, while a photo appeared to show rock star Bon Jovi, 62, in shades and a pink hat watching Swift’s performance.
Read more:
Swifties flock to Wembley Stadium
Swift UK shows ‘will boost economy by £300m’
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour breaks Anfield’s attendance record
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Taylor Swift: Prince William ‘shakes it off’
Actor Hugh Grant, broadcasters Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Emily Maitlis, Hollywood legend Tom Cruise, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also appeared to Shake It Off over the weekend.
The billion-dollar Eras Tour takes fans through Swift’s back catalogue, including hits from albums 1989, Red and Midnights.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The revamped set list, which she first unveiled at the Paris shows, also includes songs from her latest album, released in April.
To celebrate her arrival in the capital, murals, a special Tube map, a Taylor trail and a series of events were created.
The tour will now move to Dublin but Swift will return to London to play another five nights at Wembley in August.
The Prince of Wales has thanked Taylor Swift for a “great concert” as he shared a photo of the pop superstar taking a selfie with him and his children George and Charlotte.
Watching the US singer perform at Wembley Stadium, the future king was also spotted shaking his arms to Shake It Off as he celebrated his 42nd birthday.
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Prince William ‘shakes it off’ with dance moves at Swift gig
“Thank you Taylor Swift for a great evening,” Prince William wrote on Instagram.
Swift posted her selfie with William, George and Charlotte alongside her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce.
“Happy Bday M8,” Swift wrote on Instagram. “London shows are off to a splendid start.”
Taylor’s version. Pic: Taylor Swift/Instagram
William’s cousin Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall were among the star-studded crowd, which reportedly included Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan and model Cara Delevingne.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was also present as he took time off from the campaign trail to attend the first night of the London leg of Swift’s record-breaking Eras tour.
Keir Starmer with wife Victoria. Pic: Keir Starmer/X
Prince William previously shared the stage with Swift and Jon Bon Jovi for a performance of Livin’ On A Prayer for a charity event at Kensington Palace in 2013.
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Prince William performs Bon Jovi hit with Taylor Swift
Swift is performing three gigs at the 90,000-capacity London venue this weekend – on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – before returning to the venue for a further five in August.
Taylor Swift performs at Wembley Stadium. Pic: AP
Pic: PA
London has been overtaken with Taylor-mania in recent days, with the city’s iconic Tube map redrawn to celebrate her arrival.
Her hit Shake It Off was also played at the traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Friday.
On Thursday it was revealed that Swift’s fans were expected to boost the London economy by £300m as the capital hosts more Eras Tour shows than any other city in the world, with nearly 640,000 people expected to attend across the eight dates.
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