BROADCASTER Mike Read will be hosting a special one-night-only fundraising evening at a South Oxfordshire theatre to raise funds for two charities.

He is fronting Mike Read’s Anything Can Happen Night at the Kenton Theatre, Henley, on Sunday, October 13, with the aim of boosting the town’s Chiltern Centre for disabled children and the venue’s own Kenton for Keeps campaign.

And the radio presenter has brought together a line-up of guest performers for a night of music to remember — and theatre-goers add to the fun by putting their own spin on the optional dress code of ‘Rock Chic’.

Read, who made history by becoming the only person to present the breakfast show on three national radio stations, has recruited The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band All Stars, a group from the 1960s with a cult following, Mike Hurst, one of the original members of Sixties trio The Springfields and now a record producer, and Luke Upton, a young singer from Basingstoke who reached the finals of Open Mic UK and the early stages of The X Factor. Also on the bill for the night is songwriter Barry Mason whose songs have been recorded by many top artists including Tom Jones, Rod Stewart and Barbra Streisand.

Currently celebrating ten years of providing respite care for disabled children and young people, the Chiltern Centre in Greys Road is launching a tenth anniversary appeal with the aim of encouraging local people to stage fundraising events and to join its Friends group.

Opened in 1805, the Kenton is the fourth oldest working theatre in the country and, in 2010, the Kenton for Keeps campaign successfully raised the funds to secure ownership of the freehold of the grade II listed building in New Street.

Theatre chairman Ed Simons said: “The Kenton is delighted to host this great evening of entertainment.

“Mike is a wonderful supporter of the theatre, and the proceeds of the evening will help us to continue to present the very best of theatrical performance.”

Chiltern Centre fundraiser Emma Lerche-Thomsen voiced her gratitude: “I’d like to thank Mike and Ed for supporting this evening with such enthusiasm.

“It’s a great start to our tenth anniversary celebrations, and monies raised will help us to continue to provide vital care for local disabled children and their families.”

DJ Read, who has been voted National Broadcaster of the Year ten times and worked on Radio One, Capital Gold, Classic FM and Jazz FM among others, can now be heard on BBC Radio Berkshire. He is also a television presenter, songwriter, author and poet.

Tickets for the show are £30 and are available by visiting www.kentontheatre.co.uk, calling 01491 575698 or visiting the box office Monday to Friday 11am-3pm, Saturday 10am-1pm.