FATBOY Slim is to hold a free concert in Brighton for thousands of emergency services workers.

The DJ, real name Norman Cook, has invited NHS, police, fire and ambulance workers to the event at the Brighton Centre.

He said he came up with the idea after friends who work in the NHS asked him to send a video message to cheer on frontline staff.

He joked that they should all have a “big party” when the coronavirus pandemic was over.

“Everyone has been taking me up on it since I said that, so I thought, ‘why not?’,” said Hove resident Fatboy.

“By the time life returns to normal, we will all want to celebrate together.

“And I would like to do my bit to reward and thank everyone who has been holding our lives together in these most difficult of times.

The Argus:

“So I extend an invitation to all NHS doctors, nurses, support workers, porters and cleaners plus all blue light staff, ambulance, police and fire service – and importantly their plus ones – to let their hair down with me and dance off the cobwebs to rejoice in the end of this emergency.”

Norman said he has been keeping himself busy during the lockdown by home-schooling his ten-year-old daughter Nelly – and even helped her do her own 50-minute DJ set, which was streamed live on Facebook over the Easter weekend.

He said: “I make a mix tape for people to dance to every Friday at tea time, which people can tune into on all the usual social media channels.

“We’re all trying to do our bit at the moment and we’re all trying to help, but my skillset is fairly limited at this time.

“So the concert is something I can contribute to give people something to look forward to.”

The popular DJ has previously hosted a series of Big Beach Boutique events in the city.

A total of 40,000 people attended his first Big Beach Boutique in 2001, followed by more than five times that number for 2002’s sequel, which literally brought the city to a standstill.

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The 2007 New Year’s Day gig followed, when the big beat DJ suffered a series of electric shocks from his rain-drenched equipment.

Then in 2008 he held his fourth open-air show in Brighton.

Big Beach Bootique 5 was held at The Amex, with two gigs on consecutive nights in June 2012.

Norman said he hopes the timing – October – will be right for the free NHS gig and people will be able to go along and enjoy themselves.

He said: “Hopefully we’ll be allowed out again and I can get on with my job of bringing people together, rather than us having to stay apart.

“I think it will be an emotional time.

“I’ve got friends in the NHS and have heard awful stories from them about losing patients overnight.

“The shutters are not going to come up quickly – it’s going to be a long process, but I think it’s important to have something to look forward to.”

Fatboy Slim’s NHS gig will take place on October 28, with 5,000 tickets available free on Ticketmaster at 7pm today.

NHS or frontline members of staff must take their valid NHS, primary care trust ID card, or staff ID card to the show.

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