Gordon Brown has appeared on American Idol urging people to support the fight against malaria.

The US talent show which counts TV celebrity Simon Cowell as one of its judges, is working with the campaign Malaria No More.

In a video-taped appearance made on Wednesday night for the TV special "Idol Gives Back", Mr Brown announced that Britain will provide 20 million extra bed nets to protect people from mosquito bites as they sleep.

But the world needs many more and Mr Brown said: "With 120 million more nets all families could sleep safe at night." He also asked viewers to play their role in eliminating the disease.

Eradicating malaria is one of the eight UN Millennium Development Goals agreed in 2000 and Mr Brown urged other world leaders to take action.

He said: "I am proud to say that Britain is once again taking the lead...by supplying the funds for 20 million more bed nets. That's one in six of the 120 million bed nets the world needs and I'm challenging the rest of the world - governments, business and anyone else who wants to end this killer disease - to join us in this effort by donating money for nets."

American idol is the most-watched TV show in the US with about 27 million viewers a week and it is also broadcast in a taped version to 100 countries worldwide.

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