The Good Friday Appeal, broadcast on Channel 7 in Melbourne and nationally on 7plus on Friday, helped raise a record-breaking $23,368,724 for The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
Managing director of Seven Melbourne and head of network sport, Lewis Martin, said it is always touching to see Victorians dig deep for a cause so close to many people’s hearts.
“It is an honour for Seven to broadcast this iconic event, as we have for the past 67 years,” he said.
“Thank you to all of our special guests, volunteers and staff who made it all possible, and to our partners at The Royal Children’s Hospital and the Herald Sun for another outstanding year.”
The Good Friday Appeal included performances from Conrad Sewell; Kate Miller-Heidke, who is soon to debut as a coach on the upcoming season of The Voice; Mark Seymour and his daughter Eva; 2024 Australian Idol winner Dylan Wright; and a cover of Tom Petty’s I Won’t Back Down by 7NEWS’ Peter Mitchell.
Other guests included The Morning Show and The Chase Australia’s Larry Emdur; 7NEWS’ presenters Rebecca Maddern and Abbey Gelmi; Sunrise’s Natalie Barr, Matt Shirvington, Edwina Bartholomew and Katie Brown; Dream Home host and Dancing With The Stars co-host Dr Chris Brown; and Better Homes and Gardens presenter and MKR judge Colin Fassnidge.
Also in attendance were Home and Away stars Ada Nicodemou, James Stewart, Emily Weir, Matt Evans and Jessica Redmayne; The Chase Australia’s Goliath and Smiling Assassin; 7AFL’s Abbey Holmes and Matthew Richardson; Farmer Joe from the new season of Farmer Wants A Wife; and 2024 Dancing With The Stars contestant and comedian Nikki Osborne.
Joining these Channel Seven names on the panels were Chicago The Musical’s Zoë Ventoura and Peter Rowsthorn; and comedians Ed Byrne, Nazeem Hussein, Ivan Aristeguieta, Christine Ryan, Bron Lewis and Claire Hooper.