Celebrities and politicians are gathering in London for a charity gala honouring former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's 80th birthday.

Sharon Stone and Kevin Spacey are hosting the concert at London's Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday. It will feature performances from legendary acts such as Dame Shirley Bassey, Bryan Ferry, The London Symphony Orchestra and Bolshoi Ballet dancers.

The winner of Gorbachev's "The Man Who Changed the World" award will also be announced. U2 singer Bono, director Steven Spielberg and Google's Sergei Brin are among the nine nominees.

Gorbachev, who turned 80 in March, is revered in the West for liberal reforms that led to communism's collapse, but has been reviled at home, where many hold him responsible for the Soviet Union's breakup.