Comic Relief for crash victim Dean

Ex-EastEnder Dean Gaffney has strutted his stuff on television just weeks after being involved in a serious car crash.

The 35-year-old actor took part in the first heat of Let's Dance for Comic Relief alongside fellow former soap stars Claire Sweeney, Natalie Cassidy and Ricky Groves - the latter in drag - to perform to a song from the musical Hairspray.

Gaffney, who who shot to fame playing Robbie Jackson in the BBC soap, was knocked unconscious in the accident when his car went into the central reservation of a road in Derbyshire.

The soap quartet went through to the final after winning the judges' vote at the expense of boxer Ricky Hatton, who donned facepaint and a figure-hugging catsuit to perform to Robbie Williams' Let Me Entertain You.

Speaking after their performance, Gaffney - who had a visible scar running down his forehead - said he felt it was important for him to take part. He said: "It is all for charity. Comic Relief is a great cause."

An often chaotic programme saw stand-up comic Tim Vine go through to the final after an energetic routine set to Justin Timberlake's Rock Your Body.

Other acts included Destiny's Dad - the comics Hal Cruttenden and Mark Dolan with radio presenter Shaun Keaveny - taking off Destiny's Child while showing off a little too much flesh. Comedian Olivia Lee was the first person voted out despite a Lady Gaga-themed dance featuring a real dog.

Hatton also took on Vine in a friendly karaoke session as they battled to do their best Elvis impression.

Meanwhile, David Cameron will make his latest Comic Relief appearance by starring in a music video with teen heart-throbs One Direction, a spokesman for the charity has said.

Mr Cameron has followed in the footsteps of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in getting involved in the fundraiser, which has raised £800 million since 1985 to help alleviate poverty. He appears in the official video for One Direction's official Comic Relief single, a cover version medley of Blondie's One Way Or Another and the Undertones' Teenage Kicks.