WHO'S THAT THEN?

Collins and his old pals roll up to rock Tommy for the kids

CO-STARS: Patti LaBelle and Phil after the triumphant show

STAR ATTRACTIONS: The Who in action – for needy kids. Pictures BRENDAN MONKS and RICHARD YOUNG

STAR TURNS: Phil earns his stripes as Uncle Ernie – and Elton, right, shows he is still a Pinball Wizard

JUNK BOX JURY

TV’s new Juke Box Jury has been voted a miss by the show’s original host David Jacobs.

The veteran DJ gives it the thumbs-down “because I don’t like that kind of music.”

Jacobs, who was consulted by new presenter Jools Holland about the BBC2 series, said: “When I was doing it in the Sixties there was more melody. I'm a sentimentalist and I don’t want songs saying ‘Get your clothes off.’”

EXCLUSIVE by ANTON ANTONOWICZ

THE balding bloke in the funny suit had rock fans in a spin. Who was the mystery singer?

He turned out to be cool Phil Collins… wowing the fans as nasty Uncle Ernie in a sensational new performance of the rock opera Tommy.

The Daily Mirror persuaded The Who to stage the show in Britain for the first time in 21 years to help under-privileged children.

And for 2½ hours the old stagers turned London's Royal Albert Hall into a bopping house of pop.

Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle came on to the strains of Land Of Hope And Glory – in a rocking version not a bit like the one sung there on the last night of the Proms.

Then Phil, Elton John, Patti LaBelle, Steve Winwood and Billy Idol all joined in – to thunderous applause. Elton, 42, defied doctors’ orders to do his Pinball Wizard spot. He had collapsed with nervous exhaustion in America. But he was determined not to miss the big night.

Roger was feeling rough, too, with flu. But he sang on until his voice gave out one song before the end.

The audience rocked in awe.

But Pete wanted them to remember the reason behind The Who’s special performance.

“Why are we here?” he yelled. “For the kids. We’re giving it for the children.”