±«Óãtv

• Robbie Williams' first UK performance since 2006
• Dame Shirley Bassey celebrates 50 years in showbusiness
• Tickets on sale from 8.00am on 23 September

The ±«Óãtv today announces pop icon Robbie Williams and legendary singer Dame Shirley Bassey as the final headline acts to perform at this year's ±«Óãtv Electric Proms, which takes place at The Roundhouse in London from 20 to 24 October 2009.

Robbie Williams will open this year's ±«Óãtv Electric Proms on Tuesday 20 October. He will be accompanied by a string section, horn section and full band in a show featuring new material from the forthcoming album Reality Killed The Video Star alongside some classic tracks – all overseen by musical director Trevor Horn.

This Electric Proms show at the Roundhouse will be Robbie's first live UK stage performance since his Close Encounters tour of 2006, and will be broadcast on ±«Óãtv Radio 1.

Superstar singer Dame Shirley Bassey will grace the Roundhouse stage on Friday 23 October with an unique performance celebrating 50 years at the top of showbusiness. Dame Shirley will be performing some of her most famous tracks alongside new songs from her forthcoming album, The Performance.

Dame Shirley will be joined on stage by the ±«Óãtv Concert Orchestra for her only live show this year. The show will be broadcast live on ±«Óãtv Radio 2.

Dame Shirley Bassey and Robbie Williams join Smokey Robinson, Dizzee Rascal, Doves, Magazine, Florence And The Machine and Metronomy to complete the stellar line-up of acts at this year's ±«Óãtv Electric Proms.

The ±«Óãtv Electric Proms, now in its fourth year, is dedicated to creating new moments in music and providing a platform to showcase international and UK artists who present one-off collaborations. All performances will be available online. All headline shows will be filmed in high definition, broadcast on ±«Óãtv Two and simulcast on ±«Óãtv HD.

Dame Shirley Bassey said: "What I’m most looking forward to at the ±«Óãtv Electric Proms is performing songs from my new album The Performance for the first time – it really will be a special moment for me."

Robbie Williams said: "I'm looking forward to playing my new songs, working with Trevor Horn again and seeing how people react to what I've been doing."

Festival Director Lorna Clarke commented: "It is a pleasure to announce two enormously influential figures in UK music for this year's ±«Óãtv Electric Proms. We are delighted to be celebrating Dame Shirley Bassey's 50 years in the business and I cannot think of a better opening artist for this year's event than Robbie Williams."

Audiences are guaranteed to see and hear something truly memorable at the ±«Óãtv Electric Proms whether at the venue, watching and listening on the ±«Óãtv, interacting with red button technology or on mobile.

Tickets for Robbie Williams and Dame Shirley Bassey cost £25 and go on sale at 8.00am on Wednesday 23 September.

Electric Proms on the ±«Óãtv

Further artists and performances will be announced over the coming weeks. The festival can be viewed and watched via a number of different platforms on the ±«Óãtv:

Radio – there will be live and recorded broadcasts from all areas of the festival on ±«Óãtv Radio 1, ±«Óãtv Radio 2, ±«Óãtv 1Xtra and ±«Óãtv 6 Music.

TV – highlights from this year's Electric Proms will be screened on ±«Óãtv Two with additional performances available to digital viewers via their red button interactive service.

Online – complete performances will be available to watch for a week after the festival along with photos and interviews at bbc.co.uk/electricproms.

Full listings information will be available on the Electric Proms website at bbc.co.uk/electricproms.

±«Óãtv Electric Proms information hotline: 03703 333 432

Ticket prices:
Dame Shirley Bassey – £25
Robbie Williams – £25
±«Óãtv New Music Shorts – go to bbc.co.uk/electricproms to find out how to register for free tickets.

Notes to Editors

±«Óãtv Electric Proms is a five-day festival featuring music and film taking place in London at the Roundhouse in Camden.

Tickets will go on sale at 8.00am on 23 September.

There will be a very restricted number of reduced price tickets (£5) that will be made available in the week of the festival.

Last year more than 250,000 people visited the Electric Proms website with over 850,000 requests to watch performances.

±«Óãtv New Music Shorts were commissioned to be inspired by the following tracks: On Dancefloors by Metronomy and Dogdays by Florence And The Machine.

±«Óãtv New Music Shorts will go live online and on red button the same day that they premiere at the ±«Óãtv Electric Proms.

The final line-up for the ±«Óãtv Electric Proms is: Robbie Williams – 20 October, Dizzee Rascal – 21 October, Doves with support from Magazine – 22 October, Dame Shirley Bassey – 23 October, Smokey Robinson – 24 October.

HHPR