More than 1,000 people turned out to catch a glimpse of the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh as they arrived at the Opera House for the star-studded event. Comedian Peter Kay, host for the charity spectacular, welcomed the Queen to Blackpool, declaring it “the entertainment capital of the world”. He said his “Nan” was sitting near the monarch and they would be “swapping fudge by the interval”. “She might be in her 80s but she still pulls her wheelie bin out every Tuesday night. I just wish my Nanna would,” he joked. Controversial pop star Lady Gaga put in a relatively conservative performance, perhaps toning down her outrageous style for the Queen. Wearing a red PVC outfit, featuring a 20ft long cloak and Elizabethan-style collar, she played a “floating” piano, which was suspended in the air on giant stilts. “Good evening Blackpool. Let me hear you rattle your jewellery,” she said. Classical singer Katherine Jenkins later performed her single Bring Me To Life, creating the illusion of a butterfly as her dress billowed out as she was raised into the air. Hollywood legend Bette Midler received a rapturous response as she took to the stage to perform two classic songs – In My Life and Wind Beneath My Wings. “Tonight is a dream come true for me, but I feel very, very prepared because I have been singing for queens my entire life. At last I’m singing in front of a real one,” she quipped. The Sister Act cast then led the other performers in a rousing finale, singing Spread The Love Around from the London stage show. Lady Gaga remained tight-lipped on her conversation with the Queen. “That is private,” she said. Katherine Jenkins said she was amazed that the Queen managed to speak to all of the artists. “I am very lucky because it is my third Royal Variety. The line up is amazing this year. “It is always an honour to be here. No matter how big the stars are that come to Royal Variety they realise it is a massive thing to be part of,” she said. The 29 year-old admitted to being starstruck by her idol Bette Midler. “She was standing on the stage during my sound check and I felt so pressured,” she said. Proceeds from the show will go to the Entertainment Artists’ Benevolent Fund, which cares for entertainers who need help as a result of old age, ill-health, or hard times. The show will be screened on ITV1 on December 16.  |
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