ONE of the celebrity readers taking part in this year’s Spirit of Christmas concert has spoken of her excitement.

Actress Sophie Thompson is known to soap fans as Stella Crawford in EastEnders, but she has also appeared in Harry Potter, Gosford Park and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

And next month she will be appearing in Oxford to take part in the concert which raises money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

She said: “Doing Christmas concerts is one of the things that really gets you into the spirit of it, particularly when you have choirs singing all the traditional songs.

“It is about the collective action of the spirit of humanity, and raising money for charity as well.

“The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is an amazing charity and the money will be used fantastically well.”

Ms Thompson was invited to take part in the concert by Matthew Kelly, who is a vice-president of the charity.

The concert, at Christ Church Cathedral on December 5, features choral singing and readings by a range of celebrities including Ms Thompson, Tamsin Greig and Bill Paterson.

Proceeds from the event will go towards the campaign’s work funding groundbreaking research into treatments for the disease and related neuro-muscular conditions, as well as supporting the 70,000 families in the UK who are affected by it.

Ticket prices range from £10-£40.

Contact the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign on 0207 803 2856 or events@muscular-dystrophy.org