Winnie-the-Pooh gets starring role at Coronation concert: Honey-devouring bear will star in sketches revealing little-known facts about King Charles alongside Tom Cruise, Sir Tom Jones and other famous faces
- AA Milne’s honey-guzzling Winnie-the-Pooh will be featured in Coronation coverage
The moment when the late Queen shared tea with Paddington Bear at Buckingham Palace stole the show at last year’s Platinum Anniversary celebrations.
And BBC bosses may be hoping for a similar coup at this Sunday’s coronation concert by enlisting the services of another much-loved literary bear: Winnie-the-Pooh.
The broadcaster announced yesterday that AA Milne’s honey-guzzling creation will appear alongside Tom Cruise, Dame Joan Collins, Sir Tom Jones, Bear Grylls and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse in a series of sketches revealing little-known facts about King Charles.
Hollywood star Cruise has longstanding ties to the royal family. He hosted part of the late Queen’s platinum anniversary party on ITV last year and joined the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the London premiere of his film Top Gun: Maverick.
Veteran rock guitarist Steve Winwood is the latest name to join a star-studded lineup alongside singers Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, Nicole Scherzinger and Chinese pianist Lang Lang.
The broadcaster announced yesterday that AA Milne’s honey-guzzling creation will star alongside Tom Cruise, Dame Joan Collins, Sir Tom Jones, Bear Grylls and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse in a series of skits revealing little-known facts about King Charles .
Winwood, a veteran of the blues rock scene who has performed in the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith, will sing alongside the virtual Commonwealth choir.
The 74-year-old said: “I lived and almost remember the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, along with millions and millions of other people around the world, am a lifelong monarchist.
“So to be included in the coronation celebrations of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla is a lifetime achievement for me for which I am extremely humbled and honored.”
Other newly added artists include Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage, DJ Pete Tong with his Ibiza Classics project and winner of The Piano TV talent show Lucy.
The moment when the late Queen shared tea with Paddington Bear at Buckingham Palace stole the show at last year’s Platinum Anniversary celebrations
Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise will also be attending King Charles III’s big day
Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor will also deliver a spoken word performance.
Lionel Richie, Take That, Katy Perry and world opera icon Andrea Bocelli are among the stars already announced to appear at the event in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel is also signed up to perform, as is singer Freya Ridings, who will duet with producer and musician Alexis Ffrench.
Some 20,000 members of the public will attend the coronation concert on Sunday 7 May, which will be broadcast on BBC1 and Radio 2, along with catch-up services.
It comes less than a year after the BBC concert, Platinum Party at the Palace, to mark the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, featuring music from Queen, Duran Duran and Diana Ross.
