Michael Bublé helps say thank you to community heroes

Michael Bublé has joined up with BBC Local Radio to surprise key workers.

Superstar Michael Bublé is helping local BBC radio honour some of the country’s community heroes this Easter. The Canadian singer will surprise key workers as the BBC’s 39 local radio stations thank those who have made a difference where they live.

Michael Bublé:

“I spent a lot of the pandemic advocating for you – and for people like you – because we worried so much about our healthcare system because of what I had gone through with my son, who was ill. I had become friends with so many of the healthcare professionals and we had a mission that we wanted to keep them going.”

The surprises come as part of a special series of programmes broadcast this Easter to celebrate community heroes by introducing them to their favourite stars. Singers Becky Hill and Emeli Sandé join Michael in surprising their fans who deserve a special thanks. Michael meets a nurse who works at St George’s Hospital in Tooting. Marlene Johnson, is head of nursing at the hospital and has worked on wards throughout the pandemic.

She is a huge fan of Michael Bublé and tells him about the challenges of keeping staff going through the crisis. She says: “There were times when it was quite frightening and there were times when you just didn’t know how you would put one foot in front of the other and it was like coming into a battlefield for healthcare professionals, not knowing the enormity of what you would be face each day.”

Michael Bublé:

“In my country Canada, the healthcare system was bending under the pressure and on behalf of all my friends, family and my country and this country, I just say thank you so much. We teach our kids that Spiderman and Batman are awesome, but they’re not the real superheroes, YOU ARE.”

‘Lose Control’ singer Becky Hill speaks to a cleaner from Wakefield and Scottish star Emeli Sandé chats to a supermarket worker from Jarrow. The programmes will be a tribute to the key workers who keep our communities going and feature music from the artists throughout.

From nurses to teachers, the efforts of key workers across England have been highlighted through local BBC radio’s epic ‘Make A Difference’ campaign. Launched in March 2020, ‘Make A Difference’ is a virtual notice board for those offering help and those needing it.

39 local BBC radio stations across England will air Emeli Sandé and Becky Hill, 9am and 9pm Good Friday 15th April and Michael Bublé, 9am and 9pm Easter Monday 18th April.

Chris Burns, Head of BBC Audio and Digital for BBC England:

“Over the last two years our stations, through the Make A Difference campaign, have been hearing about the great work these key workers have been continuously doing in their communities and we wanted to give them the opportunity to be thanked by their music heroes. This Easter schedule looks to celebrate everything people have done and are still doing.”