Perth Airport has rolled out the red-carpet for Channel 7’s biggest names as they touched down in WA raring to go ahead of Telethon this weekend.
The stars were in good spirits for the 26-hour fundraising marathon ahead, with a steady stream of television personalities, athletes and performers greeted at the gates by a warm west coast welcome from fans.
Leading the charge through the terminal was Channel 7 AFL commentator and Hawthorn premiership great Campbell Brown, who admitted his main goal this years was avoiding a repeat of last year’s cream-pie to the face.
“Hopefully, not getting pied too many times, I was the victim last year multiple times,” Brown said.
“I wasn’t aware that you weren’t allowed to actually tackle the pie man back, Mr (Kerry) Stokes told me in the history of the Telethon, no one had ever crash tackled the pie man, but I did give him a warning.”
For the WA-raised footy hardman, returning home alongside the network’s top talent is a full-circle moment after growing up watching the broadcast.
“Being a Perth guy, growing up in Western Australia, I remember Telethon, I remember Fat Cat, and it was a privilege to be asked last year to come over with all the Channel Seven crew,” he said.
“As soon as they asked me this year to come, I was... well, look I’m the first one here.”
Brown is leading a wave of entertainment and television heavyweights taking part is this years mammoth event to raise money for sick kids.
He’ll be joined by pop star Morgan Evans who also arrived in the west on Thursday afternoon, and The Chase Australia genius Mara Lejins, better known to viewers as The Smiling Assassin.
This is her second year attending the event and she is bracing for another sleepless stint.
“Telethon has a special place in my heart, it’s just really nice how many people come together,” Lejins said.
“There’s nothing really equivalent to it in Australia and all the kids you meet are so adorable.
“Last year I could not believe how crazy it was, I had to get the 5am flight to Melbourne to go home, and I remember I would have had three hours sleep.
“The crazy part is I got to the same part of the airport as Jo Griggs, and she was like fresh as a daisy, I couldn’t believe it.”
Limited tickets to Telethon’s opening and closing shows at RAC are available.