Geldof's Live Aid story to be a TV drama

Bob Geldof’s battle to stage Live Aid after being inspired by the Ethiopian famine is to be turned into a TV film, it was announced today.

'When Harvey Met Bob' is “hilarious and deeply moving” drama about the singer’s collaboration with promoter Harvey Goldsmith to stage the global concert.

Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the event, staged mainly in London and Philadelphia, which saw many of the world’s biggest music stars performing.

Domhnall Gleeson – son of Brendan Gleeson, Harry Potter’s Mad-Eye Moody – will play former Boomtown Rats star Geldof, while Ian Hart will play Goldsmith.

Filming has already begun in Dublin on the film which will be screened by BBC2 later this year.

It will follow Geldof from the moment he arrives home in 1984 to find his then girlfriend, and later wife, Paula Yates watching Michael Buerk’s BBC broadcast from the camps in Eritrea.

Moved by what he saw, he first sprang into action by organising the Band Aid single 'Do They Know It’s Christmas?' and then the following year staged the massive Live Aid gig.