MICHELLE OBAMA VISITS MADAME TUSSAUDS LONDON
TO CELEBRATE BARACK'S FIRST YEAR AS PRESIDENT

19th January 2010 - Michelle Obama joined her husband at Madame Tussauds London today to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration as US President.  The wax figure of the First Lady will be at Madame Tussauds for a limited period only, featuring alongside Mr Obama’s figure which was unveiled at the world famous attraction exactly one year ago.
 
Guests will have the opportunity to meet America’s first couple in a painstaking recreation of the legendary Oval Office but with a touch of domesticity – a selection of family photographs showing some of the Obamas key moments from their first 12 months in the White House will adorn the iconic Resolute desk.  Michelle lives up to her fashion icon status in a stylish sleeveless red dress with black belt and pearl necklace, while President Obama is in a typical informal and relaxed pose, smiling with arms casually folded, dressed in a tailored suit. 
 
Liz Edwards, PR Manager for Madame Tussauds London, said:  “We are thrilled that Michelle is joining Barack in the attraction to celebrate an historic year in office.  President Obama is one of our most popular figures and guests particularly enjoy being able to step into the Oval Office.  Now they get to meet not just Mr President but the Mrs too, and we’re sure it will be a big hit.”
 
The First Lady will be in residence in London until the end of February, when the stunningly life like wax figure will make its way to its permanent home, Madame Tussauds’ latest new attraction, opening in Bangkok this summer.
 
And coming up...
 
DAME HELEN MIRREN AWARDED LATEST ACCOLADE –
A PLACE AT MADAME TUSSAUDS LONDON

Madame Tussauds London announced today that it is creating a wax figure of one of Britain’s most celebrated and best loved actresses, Dame Helen Mirren.  The figure will debut at the world famous attraction in April. 
 
Her inclusion will be yet another accolade for the ever youthful Dame, who has won numerous awards in a career spanning five decades, including four Baftas, four Emmys and a Best Actress Oscar in 2007 for The Queen.
 
Mirren is one of the most prolific and versatile performers in the world with a diverse body of work.  Her performance as Tolstoy’s wife Sofya in the forthcoming film The Last Station, has earned her a Best Actress nomination for both the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards taking place later this month.  With other titles including The Debt and The Tempest due for release over the coming months, she is set to continue to enthral audiences in 2010.
 
The actress will look her sophisticated best in a floor length black dress by Asprey which she donated to the attraction.  The gown was originally worn at the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards and is teamed with black six inch heels.  She has already given a sitting for the Madame Tussauds studios team, where over 300 measurements and a catalogue of reference shots were taken; the figure will take four months to create and will cost £150,000.

BOOK YOUR LONDON EYE FLIGHT TICKETS ON THE DAY OF YOUR VISIT*

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*Facility for same day booking is, of course, subject to ticket availability on that day.

Simply Red have announced that they will be performing a number of outdoor concerts in 2010. Tickets are available now!

Simply Red are an English pop band, formed in the mid 1980s.

Simply Red’s roots originate from the notorious 1976 Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Manchester art student Mick Hucknall was one of the many young music fans present (along with original members of The Fall, Joy Division, The Smiths and Buzzcocks) who was inspired to form a band after witnessing that gig. The first incarnation of the band was a punk group called The Frantic Elevators. This band existed for 7 years, with limited releases on local labels, but split in 1984 with only limited local attention and critical acclaim for their final single, “Holding Back the Years”.

After the demise of The Frantic Elevators, Hucknall linked up with manager Elliot Rashman. By early 1985 Hucknall and Rashman had assembled a band of local session musicians and began to attract record company attention. Around this time the group adopted the name Simply Red (after Hucknall’s nickname, which denoted hair color, football allegiance to Manchester United and left-wing political affiliation). They signed to Elektra in 1985, with the somewhat changeable line-up of Hucknall, Tony Bowers (bass), Fritz McIntyre (keyboards), Tim Kellett (brass), Sylvan Richardson (guitar) and Chris Joyce (drums). Their first single, released in 1985, was “Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)”, a cover of a soul standard originally recorded by The Valentine Brothers. This single had moderate success, reaching the UK Top 20.

Following on from his first UK arena tour, James Morrison has announced he will be performing a number of outdoor concerts in 2010. Tickets are available now!

James Morrison’s debut album ‘Undiscovered’ established him as an undeniably talented singer-songwriter. It has sold over two million copies yielding no fewer than five singles – ‘You Give Me Something’, ‘Wonderful World’, ‘The Pieces Don’t Fit Anymore’, ‘Undiscovered’ and ‘One Last Chance’. James was the biggest selling British male solo artist of 2006 and Brit Award winner in the Best Male category in 2007.

James’s second million plus selling album, 'Songs For You, Truths For Me' continues on the success of his first. Still in the charts over a year since its release it includes the hit singles ‘You Make It Real’, 'Please Don't Stop The Rain' and 'Broken Strings' featuring Nelly Furtado.