Earlier this week it was revealed that the Big Gig and Legends in the Park shows will not go ahead this year after the planned headliners for the Legends gig pulled out at the last minute.
Organiser Caroline Strachan, who admitted that she had lost out financially as a result of the cancellation, said she was
‘totally gutted’ that she had to pull the event, as it had been her ‘baby for nine years’.
Mrs Strachan said that it was too late in the day to start looking for an alternative Legends headliner and it was not financially viable to continue with just the one night.
She said: ‘We had a really exciting headliner who was keeping us waiting and waiting. We thought we would wait because it was such a good name and three days ago they said they weren’t able to come to Jersey. The gamble to wait didn’t pay off.
‘However, in the background we have been talking about somebody for next year and if we can pull that one off I think Jersey will forgive me. It will be the biggest headliner I have ever had to deal with – so that is the tiny chink of light.’
She added that talks had been progressing well with their preferred Legends choice for 2019, while adding she hoped to work with UK garage star Craig David – who had been booked to headline the
Sure Big Gig – again either this year or next.
‘Craig David’s management have been fantastic and we are seriously looking at trying to do something else with him. The tickets had sold really well – that is why we are so keen to bring him here because he was such a successful choice.’
Mrs Strachan also said that the Teenage Cancer Trust, Jersey Appeal and Help a Jersey Child had been invited as the event’s charities to mark next year’s tenth anniversary.
The two organisations had been due to be the main beneficiaries of this year’s shows.
Last year’s event was headlined by popstar Olly Murs, while former Frankie Goes to Hollywood frontman Holly Johnson closed the Legends in the Park show.
