Blair's fear over Tate sketch

Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair has revealed the anxiety he felt about performing his Comic Relief sketch with comedian Catherine Tate.

Visiting a school in his former Sedgefield constituency to open a new library, the outgoing MP was asked by a pupil to re-enact the sketch.

Mr Blair replied: "I don't think I could do it again. I got up that morning and I saw this thing in the diary and I knew I was doing something for Comic Relief but I didn't know what it was.

"When I realised what I would be doing, I was completely horrified and I thought 'I cannot do this' but she was very good. I managed to watch a DVD of her, and so I cottoned on to it.

"Earlier in the day I was dealing with world events and then this came up. It was strange."

Mr Blair's performance on the charity show saw him meet the comedian's annoying schoolgirl character Lauren and use her famous "Am I bovvered" catchphrase.

During the question and answer session, pupils were told that when he was a teenager he never intended to get into politics, preferring to become a footballer or a rock star.

When the teenage pupils revealed their love for the music of Queen, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and the Rolling Stones, he was surprised and pleased.

He was also asked how he had found the last six days since leaving office.

He replied: "I have prepared for a long time and I realised it's time to move on. It's somebody else's job to do.

"At the moment I'm looking forward to a different life and doing lots of other things. I have this challenge out in the Middle East of trying to help them find peace."

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