From Blush Ball to election call for Emily Maitlis

BBC newsreader Emily Maitlis played Cinderella as she dashed from her position as host of the annual Blush Ball at the Natural History Museum, to the BBC studios where she fronted a live-stream election result program throughout the night.

Other guests included property presenter Kirstie Allsopp and ballerina Darcey Bussell.

Maitlis, who has recently been made a presenter on Newsnight, quashed all recent critics who deemed her dress-sense too "racy" for the BBC, by arriving in a backless, skin-tight fuchsia ball gown in honour of the charity Breast Cancer Haven's dress code of pink.

She joked about how fortunate she was to have to exchange partying for politics. She said: "Ladies and Gentlemen, I seriously am the lucky girl as I now have to run to Westminster and comment on politics till 6am, definitely without this wonderful dress."

Impressionist Rory Bremner, who hosted a live auction that amassed £93,000 for the cancer charity, added: "I'd really rather be out planning Tony's surprise leaving party. In fact I think the Blush Ball people wanted John Reid tonight instead of me, but when we tried to find him at the Home Office, he wasn't anywhere to be found."

The Blush Ball was organised by financier John Armitage who made his debut in the recent Sunday Times Rich List thanks to his £80m fortune.