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Lionel Richie to return to UK next summer for Nocture Live

Lionel Richie is returning to the UK for his first show since 2019.

The ‘Hello’ hitmaker will play the Nocturne Live concert series at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, which takes place between June 14 to 18, 2023.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to heading to Blenheim Palace next summer.

“The UK crowds are some of the best in the world and I can’t wait to get back over there to see you all!”

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 4, via www.nocturnelive.com.

Earlier this year, the music legend was forced to cancel all of his summer 2022 UK and European gigs, including his headline slot at the Isle of Wight Festival, due to the “impact” of COVID-19.

In a Twitter statement in February, he said: “As COVID and its variants continue to impact the world, I have decided to hold off on my European tour this summer.

“The most important thing to me is the health of my fans, band and crew. I hope you all understand and I hope to see you very soon when we can all gather safely.”

The ‘Dancing on the Ceiling’ hitmaker was due to co-headline The Isle of Wight Festival with Lewis Capaldi on June 17.

The 73-year-old singer previously vowed to never stop touring.

The ‘All Night Long’ hitmaker loves performing for people across the globe and has no plans of stopping anytime soon.

He said: “The tour hasn’t stopped. Once someone asked me how long is this tour gonna last, and I said, well I’ve been on tour since ’71.”

Lionel also praised the British music industry for its global influence.

He added: “The British have so much influence on the musical scene. The Beatles came over, and, of course, The Rolling Stones and you’ve got the rush of Ed Sheeran now. As far as I’m concerned, artistry is always kind of a thing that Britain has always stayed right on top of. I always say, if you have a hit record, play it, and make sure you do one thing more importantly, don’t change it, cos they have to know when to come in, the crowd has to know when to sing, you want the original, you want it to sound just like the record, and for god’s sake play it.”