Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Paul McCartney to play coronavirus benefit

Lady Gaga is to bring together some of the biggest stars on the planet for a live-streamed and televised benefit concert to mark the “gravity” of the coronavirus pandemic and celebrate frontline workers.
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The pop superstar appeared alongside global health officials to announce the concert, which will feature stars including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish and John Legend.

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette, David Beckham and Idris Elba will also take part in the One World: Together At Home broadcast.

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The all-star event will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert and the puppets of 'Sesame Street on Saturday, 18 April.

Pop superstar Lady Gaga is curating a benefit concertPop superstar Lady Gaga is curating a benefit concert
Pop superstar Lady Gaga is curating a benefit concert

In the UK, BBC One will broadcast an adapted version on Sunday 19 April, featuring highlights from the event, exclusive performances from UK artists and interviews with frontline workers.

Additional content from the live event will be available on BBC iPlayer from Sunday 19 April.

The project, which has been launched in conjunction with Global Citizen and the World Health Organisation (WHO), will “tell the stories of and celebrate the frontline community”, Gaga said at a virtual press briefing.

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The 34-year-old went on to say that the concert will celebrate the “kind global community” as well as highlighting “the gravity of this historical unprecedented moment”.

The event is not a fundraiser, and the money will all be raised before it goes on air.

“When we go live, put your wallets away, put your credit cards away, just sit back and enjoy the show that you all very much deserve,” Gaga said.

She added: “We are very grateful to healthcare professionals across the country and around the world who are on the front line during Covid-19.

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“This global pandemic is a catastrophe. I am so thankful to them and I am praying for those who are sick.

“I would like to reiterate my deep gratitude to the medical community. My heart is aching and warm for those who are ER doctors and nurses who are sleeping in cars to make sure they don’t infect their families and patients.

“They are putting themselves in harms way to help the world and we salute you. You are a triumph.”

The confirmed line-up so far includes (in alphabetical order): Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, J Balvin, David Beckham, Andrea Bocelli, Burna Boy, Billie Eilish, Idris and Sabrina Elba, FINNEAS, Elton John, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan, Lang Lang, John Legend, Lizzo, Maluma, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Paul McCartney, Alanis Morissette, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Kerry Washington, and Stevie Wonder.

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