 | | Still with hair: Chesney Hawkes |
Chesney Hawkes will find himself a little colder this Christmas. Why? Because he's shaved off his blonde locks for charity. The not-so-hair-raising antic was all part of the inaugural Chesney's Christmas Cracker, a fund-raising party organised by the Ascot-based pop star who had a hit with I Am The One And Only way back in 1991. | "I was willing to go up to £750 NOT to shave it off but what option did I have with a baying crowd and £1000 on the table?" | | Chesney Hawkes |
The party was indeed a cracker, held on Sunday 17 December at Club 1 in Ascot High Street, and raised more than £15,000 for the White Lodge Centre for disabled children. Shane Richie, Kevin Simm, Brandon Block, Nik Kershaw and Bernard Cribbins joined Chesney for the sold-out party, which also included lucky VIP backstage ticket-holders who successfully bid for their tickets on Ebay.  | | Chesney Hawkes: hair today, gone tomorrow |
Arguably the prize lot however was the chance to shave off Chesney's famous golden locks. Julian Lennon had bid £550 but was out-bid on the night by local businessman Jason Jones, who paid £1000 to scalp the star. Chesney said: "I was willing to go up to £750 NOT to shave it off but what option did I have with a baying crowd and £1000 on the table? That's one day of running costs for White Lodge – I couldn't turn that down!"  | | Chesney Hawkes: looking good! |
Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with 'Back By Popular Demand', cheeky Chesney encouraged revellers to part with their cash to help raise much needed funds for White Lodge Centre, based in Chertsey. White Lodge Centre supports disabled children and adults and their families and carers. Nation's favourite Shane Richie compèred the night of festive fun, aided by none other than Bernard Cribbins. The almighty 'Cribmeister' took to the stage to perform a duet with pop icon Nik Kershaw. The unlikely coupling saw the pair perform a one-off rendition of Bernard's hit The Hole In The Ground.  | | Chesney Hawkes: the mullet finally comes off! |
Chesney was joined on stage by fellow 'The Games' contestant and Liberty X band member Kevin Simm to sing some Christmas corkers including Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody. Also treading the boards were Scottish rock band Marmalade but that's not all! Lucky revellers beheld a world exclusive as Chesney's dad, Chip Hawkes, reformed his band the Tremeloes. The line-up were together for the first time since 1974 to perform hits including Silence Is Golden despite Dave Munden being on crutches due to a hip replacement operation last week. Brandon Block finished the night with a resounding set to complete Christmas's most surprising and eclectic line-up. What a cracker! | 
