Branson celebrates with Blondie

Richard Branson celebrated the launch of Virgin Media last night with a party at London's Cirque Hippodrome.

Virgin staff and press mingled with celebrities including Jermaine Jackson, Cleo Rocos, McFly, Towers of London, Steven Seagal and singer Alesha Dixon at the bash in the Leicester Square club, and were treated to acrobats, line dancers and salsa teachers on the dancefloor, with music from DJ teams the London Reader's Wives and Guilty Pleasures.

Branson came on stage later in the evening and thanked his staff for all their work, before introducing former US vice president Al Gore and welcoming '80s band Blondie onto the stage.

Dressed head-to-toe in Virgin brand colour red, singer Debbie Harry repeated the words "Virgin Media, Virgin Media" in between the band's 30 minute set, and later said: "No Uma Thurman tonight, you've got me."

Hollywood actress Thurman is currently starring in a TV ad campaign for Virgin Media.

Today Branson has announced that with Gore, he plans to organise a Live8-style concert to support efforts to combat climate change, and has offered a £13 million prize to scientists to find a way to help save the planet.