Blue's Antony Costa invited HELLO! to the dress rehearsal of his festive panto to record his special message for our charity advent calendar, and revealed how being father to two-year-old daughter Savannah has forever changed Christmas.
"One of my favourite Christmas memories is probably my first Christmas with my little daughter, two years ago. She was obviously a baby and didn’t understand much; all she was interested in were the boxes the present came in!"
Antony, 35, and his fiancée Rosanna Jasmin are planning a family Christmas in between his fun-filled performances in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Woodville, Gravesend, in which the Blue star plays baddie Fleshcreep.
"This year I’ll be performing in the Panto, then going back home on Christmas eve and spending the whole day with the family, opening all my daughter’s presents,” he says. "I think she really can’t wait. Every toy she sees now on TV, she’s like, ‘I want that one, I want that one, that one’s a girl’s toy, that’s a boy’s toy…"
Anthony, who tells us his favourite Christmas song is Last Christmas by Wham, also gave a heartfelt message in support of our Keeping Family Together campaign for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
"If I could ask Santa to do one thing for Christmas it’s definitely to donate to Great Ormond Street," he says, "because as we all know, Christmas is a time for giving!"
We hope that you will join Antony and HELLO! by supporting this very worthy cause. We all like to be with our loved ones this time of year. For the families of patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital, this is especially true.
With your support, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity could help fund family accommodation so mums, dads, brothers and sisters can stay close by, or help fund the creation of bigger rooms in new hospital wards so parents of the most seriously ill children can stay by their bedside 24 hours a day.
The charity also funds play specialists so that children can enjoy some festive fun despite going through very difficult times, and funds research and equipment that will enable the hospital to find new cures and save more lives.
Every donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity will help keep families together this Christmas. And be sure to check back tomorrow to find out which of our wonderful celebs will be popping out from door number 14!
Make a donation to GOSH CC online, or by texting FIVE to 70111*
*Texts cost £5 plus your standard network rate. Please ask the bill payer’s permission. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity will receive 100% of your gift. We may contact you to tell you more about our work; if you would prefer we didn’t text NOCALL GOSH to 78866. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Registered charity no. 1160024
