When Cliff staged his first Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournament back in the early 80's no one could have anticipated that nearly 20 years on, the event would have become an integral part of the Christmas festivities for thousands of people.

The first event, 'Mixed Doubles' was held at the Brighton Centre in 1983, an idea developed by Cliff and Sue Barker to raise funds for the Lawn Tennis Association Training Department. The event drew immediate support from the tennis world with appearances from Anne Hobbs, Jo Durie and Gerald Williams, the voice of BBC tennis.

The team was joined by celebrities Trevor Eve, Tim Rice, Hank Marvin and Mike Read - friends who were to become Pro-Celebrity regulars in the following years. Needlesss to say, 'Mixed Doubles' was a huge success, earning coverage on national television news. With a mix of tennis, comedy, music, entertainment and Christmas cheer, Cliff and his team realised that they had stumbled on to a winning formula.

Over the next few years, the event grew in popularity, drawing support from tennis players which included Annabel Croft, Sara Gomer, Clare Wood, Jo Durie and former British Number One and Wimbledon Champion, Virginia Wade.

The event also benefited from considerable support from show-biz and featured appearances from many diverse talents including Terry Wogan, Mike Yarwood, Ronnie Corbett, Peter Cook, Jimmy Tarbuck and Sir Elton John.

Cliff's Christmas Pro-Celebrity Tournament was soon a regular fixture for thousands of people, becoming a major fundraising event. In 1985 the success prompted the LTA to launch the 'Search for a Star' scheme. The first 3-day assessment course was held at Bisham Abbey where 40 children were selected from 3,000 assessed during the year. Attending the event with long-time supporter Mike Read, Cliff was delighted to see the funds from the Pro-Celebrity Event being put to such good use.

By 1990, the 'Search for a Star' scheme had expanded dramatically. Aided by funds from the Pro-Celebrity and its generous corporate sponsorship from The Mortgage Corporation, the scheme was able to introduce Cliff Richard Tennis Clubs, a new venture developed in Association with the LTA Trust.

The Pro-Celebrity event had become a major fundraising event and an integral part of the tennis calendar. The Christmas celebrations down at the Brighton Centre attracted the likes of Roy Castle, Bruce Forsyth, Paul Daniels, Alvin Stardust and Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons.

1991 saw the creation of the Cliff Richard Tennis Development Trust and the start of the Tennis Trail, the UK's first grass-roots tennis scheme designed to take tennis direct into city primary schools. The Trust was ready to move into the big league and by the end of the year, after a decade of world-class tennis and entertainment, it was clear that the Pro-Celebrity had finally outgrown the Brighton Centre

In 1992 the 10th Pro-Celebrity moved to the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.  Offering a seating capacity of 10,000, twice that of the Brighton Centre, the NIA was to become the new home of the country's best-loved Pro-Celebrity Tournament. The Event also marked the start of a long-standing relationship with Direct Line Insurance, the new sponsors of the Tennis Trail, and the 'Big Red Telephone' soon became synonomous with the Event.

As the Event continued to grow in popularity, celebrities flocked to the NIA every year to join Cliff in his very special Christmas Celebrations.

Frank Bruno, Cannon and Ball, Jasper Carrott, Brian Conley and Michael Ball brought their own distinct brands of entertainment to the show, re-inforced with top tennis playing peformances from Chris Bailey, Jeremy Bates, David Lloyd and Greg Rusedski, who in 1995 was persuaded by Cliff to become the Ambassador for the Tennis Foundation.

Many of our celebrities including Ainsley Harriott, Kevin Keegan, Anthea Turner and Gloria Hunniford soon became Patrons of the Foundation, adding their names to the growing list of people and organisations that pledged to support us.

By the turn of the New Millennium, Cliff's Pro-Celebrity Event had become so popular that the 10,000 seats at the NIA were completely sold-out within a few short hours. Immensely popular with Cliff Richard and Tennis Fans alike, the event had become an essential Christmas diary date for thousands of people, raising valuable funds for the Foundation.

But before you move on to find out what you can expect this year, have look through our special Pro-Celebrity photo gallery. We've included some pictures of some of our favourite moments from the last two decades which we are sure you'll enjoy. And don't forget, it's not too late to get tickets!