The Royal Variety Performance 2022: viewers praise ‘lovely’ tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Royal Variety Performance viewers have taken to social media to admit that they were moved by tributes to Queen Elizabeth II and other celebrities who passed away this year.

The fundraiser is in its 101st year, having first started in 1921 when King George V reigned. Special guests Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, watched the event at the Royal Albert Hall from the Royal Box, while comedian Lee Mack, 54, hosted.

The event which was broadcasted by ITV last night, was recorded in early December. It feautred performances from singers Sam Ryder, Ellie Goulding, George Ezra, Nial Rogers, and Chic. Comedy acts from Al Murray, Omid Djalili, Maisie Adam, and Simon Cowell introduced the winner from this year’s Britain’s Got Talent Axel Blake.

Viewers were entertained by Cirque du Soleil, Illusionists Ehrlich Brothers, and various musical acts from the shows Cabaret and Newsies.

Actress Rita Wilson and Jazz singer Gregory Porter sang a moving rendition of ‘Songbird’ and dedicated it to Fleetwood Mac singer Christine McVie, as Rita’s husband Tom Hanks watched from the audience.

This year was the first since Her Majesty the Queen died in September, halfway through the show the Royal Variety paid a special tribute to the monarch with a video montage of clips throughout her 70 years.

Many viewers took to Twitter to comment, one wrote: “This part of the tribute to HMTQ & the work of the Royal Variety charity really got to me - we have friends in the theatre & entertainment industry and, although it might seem glamorous, it’s a job and a difficult one at that”

Another penned: “A lovely tribute to the great charity work that HM Queen Elizabeth did throughout her amazing 70-year reign”

Later in the show, a video was shown of all the celebrities that we lost over the past year including Robbie Coltrane, Coolio, Meatloaf, Kay Mellor, Kirsty Alley, Sidney Poitier, Bob Saget, Tom Parker, and Olivia Newton-John.

One person commented on social media, writing: ”When you see all these celebrities dying off you realise that life is just a passing phase and that time is running out for all of us”

Another said: “‘That broke me, we lost so many great people this year”

Closing the show was singer Gary Barlow, composers Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Gareth Malone with a rendition of ‘Sing’ alongside a choir.

The song was originally written by Gary for the Commonwealth games in 2012 and was performed again at the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in June.

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