Jacqui's Million Bare All For Cancer show

I wanted to raise more awareness of this terrible disease, that I and so many others have, and also raise more funds towards funding a Bereavement Nurse at the Bexley - Leeds Cancer Centre, which is a cost of £53,000 for just one year. It is a role that is vital for patients, their families and loved ones.

I had seen celebrities strutting their stuff on TV's The Real Full Monty and that gave me an idea, but with a difference.

I wanted the people in my show to actually be cancer patients or to have a close connection with the disease. So I set to work on it and it should have happened, but then Covid hit, and everything stopped, including theatre.

Once I was able to, I put a call-out on social media and was delighted by the response. So on Sunday, October 9 we finally stepped up to do Bare All For Cancer at Yeadon Town Hall theatre.

Rehearsing on stage at Yeadon Town Hall (Image: Submitted)

It was a full packed evening of entertainment, with Carl Ashington singing soul, Motown and Lionel Richie hits and comedy by Steffen Peddie.

Then the finale...13 very courageous people joined me on stage to 'bare all' and it was so very well supported; we could certainly feel the love from the minute we stepped on the stage. These people are patients who came together through cancer and became a family in just three rehearsals, all wanting to make a difference, using their story to help others and give hope too about living a 'positive' life with cancer. Everyone’s journey is so very inspirational - ladies who have had mastectomies and no reconstruction, a lady with a stoma bag, a guy who had had testicular cancer, and two of us still on active treatment, and so many more!

Backstage selfie (Image: Submitted)

I have choreographed productions all over Yorkshire, but taking these wonderful people who I call “family” into a theatre and putting them for the first time on stage, and then having to bare all, is truly something else indeed, but an incredibly precious experience. Everyone’s emotions were totally raw, heart on sleeve, but knowing that we were all doing it together for the greater good made it so worthwhile. And they have all said they would in a heartbeat do it again...so watch this space for next year!

The cast in suits before baring all (Image: Submitted)

The event in total raised a staggering £5,136! This now means Jacqui’s Million stands at £326,508 due to everyone’s continued support and generosity. I really do feel truly honoured and humbled to be Jacqui’s Million. I will bring in that well needed million that is for sure, with all your help.

The show raised £5,036 for Jacqui's Million (Image: Submitted)

Moving forward, I'm working with another group of wonderful people on my charity cabaret Positively Musicals from Stage & Screen, taking place on Sunday, November 27 at King's Hall, Ilkley. Two performances in one day, at 1pm and 5pm, and all proceeds will go to Jacqui’s Million for the continued care of cancer patients. We have 28 singers, an eight-piece live orchestra plus nine dancers from Footsteps Theatre School, who will take to the stage to entertain in true West End and Broadway style.

* For tickets visit bradford-theatres.co.uk or call (01274) 432000.

To make a donation to my appeal visit justgiving.com/jacquimillion