NEWS
Sam Smith, Olly Murs, Tate McRae and KSI light up Manchester’s AO Arena
12 November 2022
Hits Radio Live was back at the Manchester Arena last night [Friday 11th November] after a three-year break, with some of music’s biggest stars playing to a sold-out arena of 15,000 fans.
Kicking off the evening of big hits and even bigger throwbacks was Olly Murs, before Space Man Sam Ryder joined Sigala on stage for an epic surprise performance of their hit Living Without You. And Sigala didn’t stop there with the special guests as Talia Mar was also there to wow the crowd as the pair performed Stay the Night.
Sam Ryder also had a surprise for 10-year-old Charlie Kettle who had a birthday he won’t forget after the Eurovision star sang a huge rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to him.
Mimi Webb rocked the stage in leather trousers and snakeskin sequin top before KSI broke into his set to jump into the crowd and take his Be Real before bringing fellow YouTuber Speed on stage.
Tom Grennan opened the second half of the show – and also had his Be Real moment on stage - before Craig David had the crowd on their feet with a TS5 party.
A high-energy, dance filled performance from Tate McRae was the perfect lead in to headline act Sam Smith who closed a brilliant night of live music with hits including Stay with Me and latest smash Unholy.
Show opener Olly spoke to Hits Radio Drivetime hosts Gemma Atkinson and Mike Toolan just before he went on stage and told them why he won’t ask fellow Voice judge Sir Tom Jones for his number: ‘I hate asking people for their numbers especially when you’re working with them and especially when it’s Sir Tom Jones! If I had it I know if I was drunk on a night out I’d be ringing it! When I met Jennifer Hudson doing The Voice I asked her for her number and then I’m in Sheesh in Essex, off my nut, and Spotlight came on. I was like ‘I’m going to ring Jen’ and I sent her a video message of me singing and she was like ‘Oh Olly are you drinking?’ Can’t do that with Sir Tom! Can you imagine?’
YouTube star KSI revealed to Hits Radio presenter Tom Green which celebs had hit him up for a secret supply of Prime: ‘Literally no one can get it! It’s actually cool though because I'm getting a load of celebrities with kids being like ‘yo, could you sort me out?’ I had Wayne Rooney hit me up and I was like ‘what? Wayne Rooney? I kept it cool but I was gassed internally. Stacey Solomon as well! They're like ‘We can’t find Prime’ and I was like ‘I got you, I got you’.’
It wasn’t all about the music for Craig David who opened up about writing his new book: ‘It was really cathartic... to lean into mental health and depression and lack of boundaries, saying yes when you really meant no and being a people pleaser, impostor syndrome; so many things that were just a human-to-human connection that I felt if I spoke about that, that is something that can hopefully help people and that’s a book that’s worthwhile to make.’
Their latest hit Unholy has gone viral on TikTok and Sam Smith is loving the social media platform: ‘I am enjoying TikTok it’s an authentic relationship - at first I was like I can’t do this but then I got cheesy and it’s fun.’
Tom Grennan is looking forward to his Christmas break: ‘I’m going to celebrate by going to the darts! I went for the first time last year and it was so funny watching so many people dressed up and off their heads.’
Tate McRae on how she copes with her new-found fame: ‘LA is filled with famous people - like no one really cares. There are so many people trying to do the same thing, so you can do whatever there and no-one cares. I also don’t really leave my house!’
Mimi Webb shared her plans for after the show: ‘I haven’t seen Tate for ages, in fact I haven’t seen her since we toured together so I think she wants to do something after the gig, so maybe a little drink...’
Hits Live Manchester will return on Saturday 25th November 2023. Early bird tickets are on sale now - head to ticketmaster.co.uk
Kicking off the evening of big hits and even bigger throwbacks was Olly Murs, before Space Man Sam Ryder joined Sigala on stage for an epic surprise performance of their hit Living Without You. And Sigala didn’t stop there with the special guests as Talia Mar was also there to wow the crowd as the pair performed Stay the Night.
Sam Ryder also had a surprise for 10-year-old Charlie Kettle who had a birthday he won’t forget after the Eurovision star sang a huge rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to him.
Mimi Webb rocked the stage in leather trousers and snakeskin sequin top before KSI broke into his set to jump into the crowd and take his Be Real before bringing fellow YouTuber Speed on stage.
Tom Grennan opened the second half of the show – and also had his Be Real moment on stage - before Craig David had the crowd on their feet with a TS5 party.
A high-energy, dance filled performance from Tate McRae was the perfect lead in to headline act Sam Smith who closed a brilliant night of live music with hits including Stay with Me and latest smash Unholy.
Show opener Olly spoke to Hits Radio Drivetime hosts Gemma Atkinson and Mike Toolan just before he went on stage and told them why he won’t ask fellow Voice judge Sir Tom Jones for his number: ‘I hate asking people for their numbers especially when you’re working with them and especially when it’s Sir Tom Jones! If I had it I know if I was drunk on a night out I’d be ringing it! When I met Jennifer Hudson doing The Voice I asked her for her number and then I’m in Sheesh in Essex, off my nut, and Spotlight came on. I was like ‘I’m going to ring Jen’ and I sent her a video message of me singing and she was like ‘Oh Olly are you drinking?’ Can’t do that with Sir Tom! Can you imagine?’
YouTube star KSI revealed to Hits Radio presenter Tom Green which celebs had hit him up for a secret supply of Prime: ‘Literally no one can get it! It’s actually cool though because I'm getting a load of celebrities with kids being like ‘yo, could you sort me out?’ I had Wayne Rooney hit me up and I was like ‘what? Wayne Rooney? I kept it cool but I was gassed internally. Stacey Solomon as well! They're like ‘We can’t find Prime’ and I was like ‘I got you, I got you’.’
It wasn’t all about the music for Craig David who opened up about writing his new book: ‘It was really cathartic... to lean into mental health and depression and lack of boundaries, saying yes when you really meant no and being a people pleaser, impostor syndrome; so many things that were just a human-to-human connection that I felt if I spoke about that, that is something that can hopefully help people and that’s a book that’s worthwhile to make.’
Their latest hit Unholy has gone viral on TikTok and Sam Smith is loving the social media platform: ‘I am enjoying TikTok it’s an authentic relationship - at first I was like I can’t do this but then I got cheesy and it’s fun.’
Tom Grennan is looking forward to his Christmas break: ‘I’m going to celebrate by going to the darts! I went for the first time last year and it was so funny watching so many people dressed up and off their heads.’
Tate McRae on how she copes with her new-found fame: ‘LA is filled with famous people - like no one really cares. There are so many people trying to do the same thing, so you can do whatever there and no-one cares. I also don’t really leave my house!’
Mimi Webb shared her plans for after the show: ‘I haven’t seen Tate for ages, in fact I haven’t seen her since we toured together so I think she wants to do something after the gig, so maybe a little drink...’
Hits Live Manchester will return on Saturday 25th November 2023. Early bird tickets are on sale now - head to ticketmaster.co.uk
