Jane McDonald made a splash at her first-ever festival performance, headlining the Gay Icon slot at Mighty Hoopla on Saturday. The 63-year-old singer, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, arrived on stage in a cruise ship, waving to the crowd and exclaiming 'Hoopla!' before launching into a cover of Whitney Houston's 'Queen of the Night'. She also performed her rendition of 'Dance Yourself Dizzy', originally by her late partner Ed Roth's band Liquid Gold.
Fans were quick to demand that McDonald be given a Legends slot at Glastonbury. Taking to Instagram, one fan wrote: 'Glasto legends slot right there', tagging festival organiser Emily Eavis. Another said: 'The best ever!! Glasto legends slot when!!' Former Loose Women co-star Denise Welch, who also performed a surprise set at Hoopla, commented: 'Brilliant, OMG.' Radio presenter Clara Amfo added: 'Very good!'
McDonald, who first rose to fame in 1998, has gained a new legion of fans through her travel show 'Cruising with Jane McDonald'. She has become an icon in the LGBTQ+ community, telling the Mirror: 'Everybody is welcome at my shows. I'm not judgmental in any shape or form and maybe that's it. I'm also very 'camp', so I've been told.'
Her 11th studio album, 'Living The Dream', released in March, marks her first foray into country music and was recorded in Nashville. Later this year, she will tour with the new record. McDonald admitted she is unsure how she will perform the track 'Beautiful Soul', dedicated to her late partner Ed Roth, saying: 'It's about how he can't compare to the stars; he outshines them. It's a very, very personal album.'
