BOB GELDOF - GELDOF HAPPY HE CURSED ON LIVE TV

SIR BOB GELDOF has defended his foul-mouthed charity plea on live TV during the 1985 LIVE AID broadcast, because it shocked viewers into donating money.

The Irish singer - who was the mastermind behind the fundraising extravaganza - infamously urged music fans to "give us your f**king money", fearing people had forgotten the purpose of the event was to alleviate the famine crisis in Ethiopia.

And while his extreme method launched spectators into action, Geldof admits the more polite campaign work of stars like CHRIS MARTIN - who always pens the Make Trade Fair slogan across his hand before taking to the stage with COLDPLAY - is generally more effective.

He says, "There's a danger you demean the cause with too much swearing. If I'd had the subtlety to write a slogan on my hand it would have been 'Make Trade Fair, You F**kers' and I'd have been denounced as a foul-mouthed Irish idiot. And rightly so.

"But in my defence I swore on Live Aid because it was a beautiful day and I was worried everyone might sit back and enjoy the free show and forget what we were there for."