DOME ROLES FOR SUPERMARKET TORY AND BLACKADDER STAR

FORMER Tory minister Sir Tim Sainsbury and comedian Rowan Atkinson are each to make separate, but substantial, contributions to the success of the Millennium Dome, it emerged today.

Sir Tim, an evangelical Anglican and multimillionaire member of the supermarket dynasty, has been increasingly involved in orchestrating a secret rescue package for the beleaguered "spirit zone", the religious component of the dome.

The religious element had been in danger of collapsing in recent months after too few Christians came forward to help sponsor it. However, Sir Tim, who stepped down as Conservative MP for Hove at the last election, has been in secret talks with Christian businessmen and charities to secure the bulk of the necessary GBP 4 million. It is thought Sir Tim, who still owns shares in Sainsbury's worth millions, is also set to make a substantial personal financial contribution, but today he refused to be drawn on the exact sum. He would only say that "proper Christian representation" was essential to the spirit zone. Rowan Atkinson has written a comic tour of British history which will be screened hourly at the Dome if it is passed by organisers the New Millennium Experience Company. It will feature the cast of the Blackadder series with Atkinson in the lead role.

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