Holly PhillipsEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
BBC/Studio Lambert/Paul Chappells
Alan Carr, second left, has donated his Traitors’ winnings to Neuroblastoma UK
A woman whose parents founded the charity Alan Carr donated his Celebrity Traitors’ winnings to says the gesture has left her family “flabbergasted”.
Neuroblastoma UK was set up in 1982 by Neville and Janet Oldridge, who live near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, after their son, Matthew, died from the cancer aged five.
An average of 11.1 million people tuned in to watch comedian Carr triumph in the final of the TV show, winning a total of £87,500.
Victoria Oldridge, who is a trustee of the charity, said her mum broke into tears when she found out, adding that his gesture would help fund research and create greater awareness of the cancer and their charity.
According to the charity, Neuroblastoma affects about 100 children each year in the UK and usually affects children under the age of five.
The charity, run primarily by volunteers, funds research into improving both diagnosis and treatment of the cancer, as well as raising awareness.
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Neville and Janet Oldridge set up Neuroblastoma UK in 1982 after their son, Matthew, died from the cancer aged five
Victoria told presenter Frances Finn on BBC Radio Lincolnshire that Carr had been a patron of the charity for about nine years and “has been incredible”.
She said Carr got involved after meeting a trustee at an auction, where a sculpture of his head was on offer.
Victoria told how the comedian thought no one would want the sculpture, so he bought it himself. Victoria has been told it is in his bathroom.
After learning about what the charity did, Carr met parents who had lost children to neuroblastoma and immediately said it was something he wanted to be involved in.
The charity said since then he had been a “tireless advocate”.
Carr has previously said it was a “privilege” to support the charity and that he was pleased he could use his platform “to show how amazing this charity is”.
However, Victoria said neither she nor her family knew it would be his chosen charity for the TV show until he announced it during the final.
“We weren’t privy to that information so the excitement when he won and announced the charity … we were absolutely elated,” Victoria said.
“It was a range of emotions from glee [to] emotional … Alan being able to keep the legacy of the charity out there, and the hope of the awareness he was going to be creating for us on the back of this.”
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Victoria, right, with her mum, Janet Oldridge
Celebrity Traitors, aired on the BBC, is a spin-off of the TV show Traitors UK, which sees some of contestants assigned as “traitors”, while the remaining “faithful” contestants must attempt to root them out.
After announcing Neuroblastoma UK as his chosen charity, Carr said: “It’s a wonderful children’s cancer charity… that money will change lives.”
Victoria was six years old when her brother died of the disease.
Matthew had behavioural issues and it was thought he was autistic. But Victoria said he might have acted out because he could not explain his pain.
He then lost his appetite, started walking with a limp and developed pains. He was eventually diagnosed with Neuroblastoma.
Alan Carr’s Celebrity Traitors’ winnings will help fund Neuroblastoma research
Victoria said the treatment route for the disease was “very aggressive” and “distressing” for the child and the family.
She said Carr’s donation would help with their investment into research for “kinder treatments” and “eventually a cure which we all hope for”.
“As a small family unit based in Lincolnshire, we couldn’t imagine that somebody like Alan would be able to give us this platform to create the awareness,” Victoria said.
“I just don’t think Alan would be able to comprehend the enormous sense of gratitude we have to him for being our patron and for putting himself through all that lying and deceit.”
She said the charity had seen donations pouring through from people who watched the show.
“There was one message I saw on the donations the other day which said ‘thank you Alan for reminding us what to be a human is all about’. Which I thought was lovely,” she said.
