Queen Elizabeth will be honoured with a special celebration at this year’s Royal Variety Performance.
The show – which will be hosted by comedian Lee Mack – will return to London’s Royal Albert Hall later this year with senior members of the royal family in attendance on December 1 following the monarch’s death in September aged 96.
Iconic composer Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Take That singer Gary Barlow and choirmaster Gareth Malone will be accompanied by members of the London Youth Choir for a rendition of ‘Sing’ in honour of the late queen.
Nile Rodgers and Chic, George Ezra, Ellie Goulding, Becky Hill and Eurovision star Sam Ryder are also set to perform, while Rita Wilson and Gregory Porter will perform a duet.
Meanwhile, the cast of ‘Cabaret’ will perform, and Disney’s Broadway musical ‘Newsies’ – which will open in London later this month – will take to the stage with an extract from the show.
Cirque Du Soleil will also take to the stage with a display from the group’s latest show ‘Kurios’.
The Lightning Seeds, Frank Skinner and David Baddiel will perform a rendition of their soccer anthem ‘Three Lions’ after announcing plans to re-write the song as a Christmas track with a new video reflecting the Lioness’ Euro 2022 win and this month’s World Cup in Qatar.
Comedians Al Murray, Maisie Adam, Omid Djalili and this year’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ winner Axel Blake are also on the lineup.
Giles Cooper, chairman of the Royal Variety Charity, commented: “The support from ticket sales for the performance means that the Royal Variety Charity continues to thrive, even given the current economic climate being felt by so many throughout the charitable world.”
And host Mack – who stars in BBC’s sitcom ‘Not Going Out’ – quipped: “I was actually going to buy tickets for this year’s Royal Variety Performance, so not only is it a real honour to be asked to host it, it’s also saved me a few quid.
“I now just have to work out the logistics of introducing these brilliant acts and also rushing back to my seat to watch them.”