During the pre-recorded concert, the pop superstar took in a question from Hollywood actress Emma Thompson, who asked if anyone in the past has supported her, inspired her or protected her from the bad guys. trials and tribulations in life or not.
In response, Adele shared the impact Ms. McDonald, her English teacher at Chestnut Grove Academy, had on her.
The London-born singer said: “I had a teacher at (south London high school) Chestnut Grove who taught me English. It was Ms. McDonald… She really got me in. English literature. I’ve always been obsessed with English and obviously now I write lyrics.”
“She’s cool. It’s hot,” Adele added, recalling that McDonald’s often wore sequins and gold bracelets. “She really cares for us, and we know that she cares about us.”
Thompson then revealed that McDonald’s, whom Adele hadn’t seen in 20 years, was in the audience. It’s time for the singer, who is used to surprising her fans at her concerts, to swoon.
In a clip shared on the ITV Twitter account from the highly-anticipated UK televised special, Adele hugs and kisses her former mentor after she’s taken to the stage.
“I’m so proud of you,” McDonald said as Adele burst into tears of joy.
During their exchange, the “Easy On Me” hitmaker told McDonald’s, “You really changed my life.”
“Now, I have to redo my whole face,” joked the 33-year-old star while wiping away tears. She then called on host Alan Carr to step in and entertain the audience with a song while she stepped away to regain her composure.
After the special aired, Adele took to Twitter to share her excitement about the reunion.
“Home Sweet Home. I’ve always dreamed of being in the audience with …”, she wrote alongside a series of images from the TV special, adding: “There’s so much love in the room for each other, It felt like a show! Everyone was buzzing and fighting for it! And my teacher Ms. McDonald was there, it was heaven.”
The project, which focuses on Adele’s healing after her divorce from Simon Konecki, has received widespread acclaim from music critics.
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