Singer Anne-Marie to perform opening Womens' Rugby World Cup at Sunderland's Stadium of Light
The tournament will begin next month beginning with a match at Sunderland's Stadium of Light when England face the USA on 22nd August.
Sponsors O2 have announced the Rockabye singer will perform hits in an opening show before kick-off.
The 34-year-old is a music industry heavyweight, with three UK top-ten albums, a performance on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage, and a three-year tenure as a coach on ITV's The Voice UK.
Sharing her excitement for the event, the singer said: "Now that I've got a daughter of my own, it means even more to be involved in something that shows the next generation that they can do anything.
"I know Sunderland is going to be going crazy, and I can't wait to be part of it!'
Alongside the opening show, there'll be a range of attractions in Sunderland to welcome the start of the world cup with a fan village, live performances from local artists, and rugby-themed activities and entertainment for all ages.
Running from 22 August to 27 September, Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 will take place across eight venues including Sunderland's Stadium of Light, making it the biggest celebration of women's rugby ever staged.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Recent ‘tough period' is not the real existential threat facing the BBC
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Lewis Capaldi: 'I was convulsing backstage - one big change saved me from brink'
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I had been putting it off.' But, rather than taking immediate steps, Lewis, who has Tourette syndrome, flew back to Scotland that night and went for a boozy last hurrah with pals. He says: "I flew back to Glasgow that night and went out and had pints. I woke up and went straight to the pub. I just had to do something normal and be around mates. So I went out and kicked the arse out of it properly." After that, Lewis started making dramatic changes to his life. As well as reducing his booze intake and getting fit, he saw neurologists and swapped antidepressants for anti-psychotic meds that finally worked. He has also revealed that he had a far worse episode than the Glastonbury debacle in the US a few weeks before. He explains: "A few weeks prior to that show we were playing in Chicago and I had a very similar episode - it was probably even worse. I couldn't come back and finish a song. I was backstage convulsing and having this crazy panic attack and mental episode. 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It could have been really, really horrible. I dread to think what would have happened." Lewis also admits that, while he'd had lots of therapy before his turning point performance, he has never really opened up properly before. "I think for a long time prior to that moment in 2023 I was like 'yeah, I have panic attacks and I get anxious'. I gave people enough that sometimes they think they're getting the whole story and actually I'm holding quite a lot back,' he says, talking about therapy. "So when that happened at Glastonbury it was this real thing of like the mask had been pulled off." Speaking to Theo Von on the This Past Weekend podcast, Capaldi says his management found him a therapist who he connected with, adding: 'I do therapy every week which has been really beneficial for me. That's really maybe the biggest thing that's switched everything around. I've been to amazing therapists, but I've never really had like a connection with any of them, or sort of felt it clicked. 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Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Lewis Capaldi spotted in Celtic top as he arrives for The Tonight Show appearance in New York
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