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| Stars out for Nelson Mandela gig | Stars out for Nelson Mandela gig |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Stars including Annie Lennox, Queen and Leona Lewis are performing at a concert in central London to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. | Stars including Annie Lennox, Queen and Leona Lewis are performing at a concert in central London to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. |
| Actor Will Smith kicked off proceedings by introducing Razorlight on stage, adding: "The party begins now." | Actor Will Smith kicked off proceedings by introducing Razorlight on stage, adding: "The party begins now." |
| As well as marking the former South African president's birthday, the concert will raise funds for Mr Mandela's HIV/Aids charity 46664. | As well as marking the former South African president's birthday, the concert will raise funds for Mr Mandela's HIV/Aids charity 46664. |
| The concert will be screened in the UK, with a time delay, on ITV1 at 2100 BST. | The concert will be screened in the UK, with a time delay, on ITV1 at 2100 BST. |
| Smith came on stage with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. | Smith came on stage with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. |
| He quoted singer Peter Gabriel as once saying: "If the world could only have one father, the man that we would choose to be our father would be Nelson Mandela." | He quoted singer Peter Gabriel as once saying: "If the world could only have one father, the man that we would choose to be our father would be Nelson Mandela." |
| Reporter's log: All the latest news from Hyde Park | Reporter's log: All the latest news from Hyde Park |
| Singer Josh Groban told the BBC News website: "What better way to celebrate your 90th birthday than to have this great concert - it's going to be a lot of fun. | Singer Josh Groban told the BBC News website: "What better way to celebrate your 90th birthday than to have this great concert - it's going to be a lot of fun. |
| "It's going to be a great combination of the best pop artists today, with some of the best traditional pop music in Africa right now," he said. | "It's going to be a great combination of the best pop artists today, with some of the best traditional pop music in Africa right now," he said. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| A preview of the concert preparations | A preview of the concert preparations |
| "Audiences are going to get a magnificent, eclectic, energetic celebration of an extraordinary man. | "Audiences are going to get a magnificent, eclectic, energetic celebration of an extraordinary man. |
| "At 90 years old he still has the reach and inspiration and power to make change. It really just goes to show us how strong his legacy and his legend is." | "At 90 years old he still has the reach and inspiration and power to make change. It really just goes to show us how strong his legacy and his legend is." |
| Other performers at the concert include Sugababes, Andrea and Sharon Corr, Eddy Grant and Simple Minds. | Other performers at the concert include Sugababes, Andrea and Sharon Corr, Eddy Grant and Simple Minds. |
| Momentum | Momentum |
| Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr performed his song Mandela Day 20 years ago at Wembley Stadium, when Nelson Mandela turned 70 and was still being held in jail in South Africa. | Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr performed his song Mandela Day 20 years ago at Wembley Stadium, when Nelson Mandela turned 70 and was still being held in jail in South Africa. |
| "We wrote a song for that occasion called Mandela Day, and within the song is the lyric 'Mandela's free'. People were saying, 'doesn't Jim know that Mandela's not free?'. | "We wrote a song for that occasion called Mandela Day, and within the song is the lyric 'Mandela's free'. People were saying, 'doesn't Jim know that Mandela's not free?'. |
| "But I guess what we were saying, at the time, was that we felt the momentum was coming and we did feel there would be an end to apartheid and that Mandela would be freed. | "But I guess what we were saying, at the time, was that we felt the momentum was coming and we did feel there would be an end to apartheid and that Mandela would be freed. |
| "We didn't envisage 20 years later coming to Hyde Park and celebrating his 90th birthday. So this a much more joyous occasion," he told the BBC News channel. | "We didn't envisage 20 years later coming to Hyde Park and celebrating his 90th birthday. So this a much more joyous occasion," he told the BBC News channel. |
| Josh Groban is an ambassador for Nelson Mandela's 46664 charityMany African artists have also flown in for the birthday gig, including Papa Wemba of DR Congo, and South African singers Loyiso and Kurt Darren. | |
| "Anybody who believes in peace or equality should come to this concert," said Groban, who is also an ambassador for 46664. | "Anybody who believes in peace or equality should come to this concert," said Groban, who is also an ambassador for 46664. |
| The charity was named after the prison number which Mr Mandela was given during the 27 years he spent behind bars for his stand against South African apartheid. | The charity was named after the prison number which Mr Mandela was given during the 27 years he spent behind bars for his stand against South African apartheid. |
| The concert began at about 1830 BST (1730 GMT) and is expected to last four hours. | The concert began at about 1830 BST (1730 GMT) and is expected to last four hours. |
| Families have travelled from across the UK, including Andrea Hawker from Sussex and Debbie McElhatton from Surrey, both of whom brought their daughters. | Families have travelled from across the UK, including Andrea Hawker from Sussex and Debbie McElhatton from Surrey, both of whom brought their daughters. |
| "We came to be a part of the excitement," said Mrs McElhatton. | "We came to be a part of the excitement," said Mrs McElhatton. |
| Her daughter Louise added: "We thought it would be good fun to see loads of different artists and different types of music." | Her daughter Louise added: "We thought it would be good fun to see loads of different artists and different types of music." |