Michael McIntyre and Helen Mirren join trading floor for 9/11 charity day

Comedian Michael McIntyre joined stars including Dame Helen Mirren, Hugh Grant and Bill Nighy to raise money for a number of charities in memory of 9/11 victims.

Actor Tom Hardy, DJ Fatboy Slim, Little Mix star Legh-Anne Pinnock and former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate were also among the celebrities who stepped onto the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) trading floor for its annual charity day in honour of the 658 colleagues who died on September 11, 2001.

McIntyre participated in the event in Canary Wharf on Friday to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research and urged men over the age of 50 to get checked.

Michael McIntyre on the phone, during the BGC annual charity day (Yui Mok/PA)

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He told the Press Association: “It’s a very simple message.

“Once you turn 50 you have a very big chance of getting what is a silent killer.

“You do not know that you have it. There are no symptoms, so the only thing you can do is test for it and once you hit 50, it’s very important that you do that because one in eight people actually do get this.

“I had a test, a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test. You can get it from your doctor. The NHS will give it to you. You need to ask for it, and then you can rule that out and have a nice day.

“A friend of mine had it last year, I couldn’t believe how serious it is, a dangerous it is, and how easy it is to prevent it. And the last thing anybody wants is for this to happen, knowing that it could have been prevented.”

The PSA test can indicate prostate conditions including prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate.

High levels may be a sign of a prostate condition, such as an enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer.

The PSA test is not used in routine NHS screening because it is not yet reliable enough to detect prostate cancer that needs treatment.

Hugh Grant on the phone (Yui Mok/PA)

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Launched in 2005, the BCG Charity Day has since raised more than 234 million dollars (£173 million) for hundreds of charities around the world.

The global revenues and broker commissions from the day goes to 60 participating charities including Caudwell Youth, the Mayor’s Fund for London, Saint Francis Hospice, Greenhouse Sports and When You Wish Upon a Star.

Former footballer Jamie Redknapp also joined the trading floor in support of the Laureus Sport for Good, an organisation which offers children around the world opportunities to try different sports.

Redknapp said this type of access to sport could help “change lives”.

He told PA: “I think that’s why it’s so important to me, because I’ve been so lucky.

Jamie Redknapp on the phone (Yui Mok/PA)

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“I think we all recognise how good sports been for us and it’s nice to give a little bit back as well.

“I come from obviously a loving family. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have those opportunities. So charities like Laureus in 300 different countries, 300 different opportunities for people in you know all different parts of the world.

“It’s a fantastic charity and I’m super proud to be working for them.

“They do a really good job.”

On being a trader full-time, he added: “I wouldn’t want to do it for a living. It’s too pressurised for me.”

Broadcaster Kate Garraway also joined the trading floor along with comedian Keith Lemon and Coronation Street star Ellie Leach.

Other charities represented on the day included Help for Heroes, the John Terry Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy UK, Action Medical Research and Action for Children.

Tom Hardy on the phone (Yui Mok/PA)

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BGC’s co-chief executive Sean Windeatt said: “I remember being on the phone and the line just went dead. You never forget a moment like that.

“We lost more than 650 friends and colleagues that day, and everything we have built since has been done in their memory.

“Our first job was looking after their families. Then it fell to London to help rebuild the business, and out of that came the idea of taking something so tragic and building something lasting from it.”