MALNOURISHED people across Africa have vowed to crawl to their nearest television to watch the BBC’s dramatisation of Live Aid.
The lavish, multi-million production saw hundreds of Africans flown over for filming before being returned to their landmine-strewn villages.
The BBC aslo rebuilt the massive Ethiopian refugee camps in their Shepperton studios by importing real Ethiopian dust and tin shanties, while the Dr Who special effects team has recreated the famous footage of the emaciated baby using state-of-the-art animatronics.
Meanwhile the starving mother will be a rare acting role for a blacked-up Cheryl Cole.
Producer Charlie Reeves said: “This is the story of the chalk and cheese relationship between Bob Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith, set against a backdrop of biblical suffering and civil war.
“We had a great time filming those famous scenes in the camps, and at one stage the actor playing Michael Buerk dropped the robot baby on its head.
“That thing cost eighty grand to make, but we all fell about laughing.”
Rwandan orphan Mto Ngalo said: “The very second I’ve finished looking for beans in this pile of dung I’m going to walk the 3400 miles to the nearest Dixons and watch it through the window.”
He added: “In my country Bob Geldof has been revered since the release of the first Boomtown Rats album. By the time of Live Aid he was viewed as almost a living god, and not just by himself.
“It’s good to know that in these difficult economic times, when malaria medicine and antibiotics can often cost a month’s wages, the BBC can still make quality drama. I just hope my untreated cataracts don’t prevent me from appreciating what I am sure will be some towering performances.”
