Sam Fender joined on stage by music icon and special guest no one expected

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
After much anticipation, Sam Fender's 2025 gigs at St James' Park have now come to an end. However, fans were treated to a spectacular night on Sunday, marking the end of a memorable weekend.
Two years after his highly acclaimed gigs at SJP, Sam and his band returned to the stage at Newcastle United's famous ground this week. They delivered three outstanding shows, with the last one attracting another 50,000 fans.
This brought the total number of attendees over the past few days to around 150,000. Prior to the third and final concert on Sunday, there was speculation about a surprise guest appearance.
This was largely due to the fact that in June 2023, Sam welcomed AC/DC rocker and Newcastle's own Brian Johnson to the SJP stage.
On both Thursday and Saturday, there were significantly more people on stage than just Sam and his bandmates. His brother Liam performed a duet on the opening night, while Sam's former guitar teacher Phil Martin made his first of three consecutive appearances to cover Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back in Town, reports Chronicle Live.
The Easington Colliery Brass Band also began their series of back-to-back star turns, joining Sam for the very moving Remember My Name.
There were also unexpected moments in the spotlight for three musicians who got to play The Borders with Sam, but there were high hopes that someone like a Brian Johnson would be the biggest surprise of the weekend. However, while there might not have been a music legend on stage by the end of Sam's run at SJP, there was a football icon on it, with United defender Dan Burn, who had been in a box to watch Thursday's gig, going one better three days later, by walking on stage with the Carabao Cup, to the delight of the Geordie faithful.
Sam looked thrilled to have him be part of the last show, with Dan also soaking in the moment. His cameo went down a storm with the crowd and there was an added treat for them in the closing moments when an 'extra' song was added to the setlist.
Something Heavy from Sam's third number 1 album People Watching did make an appearance on Thursday, with Liam Fender joining Sam to sing it, before it was then replaced by Olivia Dean duet Rein Me In on Saturday. However it was back as the second to last track on Sunday night's setlists, sandwiched between The Dying Light and the firework drenched Hypersonic Missiles, as Sam invited much enjoyed support act CMAT to sing it with him.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mirror

8 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

Kieran Trippier marriage update after England star addressed Chloe Ferry rumours

Kieran Trippier, who has been married to wife Charlotte since 2016, is reportedly set to divorce just days after the Newcastle United defender was pictured with Chloe Ferry They think it's all over - it is now! Kieran Trippier and his estranged wife are reportedly ready to start divorce proceedings, just days on from the Newcastle United defender being spotted looking cosy with reality TV star Chloe Ferry. Earlier this week, Trippier, 34, took to Instagram to address rumours after being seen with the Geordie Shore star. The England international, who has 54 caps, shared with his followers that he's moving forward after parting ways with his wife and the mother of his two children, Charlotte. ‌ And it's now been claimed that there is apparently no chance of a reconciliation as sources close to Charlotte claim she has been seeking legal advice and "keen to move on with her life." ‌ "Kieran is a devoted dad, but as a partner, it hasn't worked out as Charlotte had hoped," the insider told The Sun. "She has moved house and started anew, so getting a divorce has been the next logical step. Charlotte wants to keep things as amicable as possible with Kieran." The Mirror has approached Trippier for comment on this story. Writing on Instagram on Wednesday night, the footballer told fans: "Myself and Charlotte separated over a year ago. I have not commented previously as it is a private matter, and we want to protect our children. We ask the media to respect our privacy in the same way." Trippier, who transferred to Newcastle from Atlético Madrid last year, was recently spotted at the renowned Ibiza club Ushuaia getting cosy with Chloe, 29, known for her stint on Geordie Shore since 2015. Last May, video footage surfaced showing Trippier hoisting 27-year-old blonde call centre worker, Frankie Carmichael, at Cosy Joes, a karaoke bar in Newcastle. Subsequent images captured months later revealed the defender without his wedding ring at a train station. This May, the Magpies' defender was again snapped alongside another blonde during a night out in Newcastle. ‌ Kieran and the England footballer tied the knot in 2016 in Cyprus. Despite typically keeping a low profile, Charlotte once referred to herself as "a princess who has found her prince." Amidst whispers of marital troubles last year, the couple's lavish £3.8million family abode was put up for sale. In contrast, Chloe Ferry, known for her stint on Geordie Shore, hasn't walked down the aisle before, despite a lengthy three-year romance with fellow cast member Sam Gowland. Their relationship ended in 2020 after Sam had departed from the show, but Chloe continues to be a fan favourite. Hailing from Newcastle, she also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2017 but faced eviction just a week into the show. ‌ The details of how Chloe and Trippier crossed paths remain a mystery. Trippier has been a fixture at Newcastle, clocking in close to 100 matches since his 2022 transfer under manager Eddie Howe, who he previously played for at Burnley. It was there that Trippier's loan spell turned into a full-time commitment in 2012. Trippier's career has been marked by his swift playing style as a full-back, earning his first England cap in 2017 while with Tottenham Hotspur. He represented his country 54 times before hanging up his international boots last summer. His unforgettable moment on the pitch came with a stunning free-kick goal against Croatia during the World Cup semi-finals in 2018.

Scottish Sun

11 hours ago

• Scottish Sun

Inside Aaron Taylor-Johnson's controversial marriage… and how it survived ‘grooming claims' and vile stepdaughter slurs

SHE'S been labelled a 'cradle-snatcher', 'sexual deviant' and even a 'groomer' - while he has been accused of having 'complex mother issues'. Yet stepping out on the red carpet in London earlier this week for the world premiere of his new film 28 Years Later, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson looked unfazed by the furore that's forever stalked their relationship. Advertisement 16 Posing together this week at the 28 Years Later premiere in London, Aaron and Sam Taylor-Johnson looked loved up ahead of celebrating their 13th anniversary on Saturday Credit: Getty 16 The couple started dating in 2009, when Aaron was still a teenager Credit: Getty 16 The couple have been subjected to vile slurs and 'grooming' accusations Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson From where they're standing, they've proved the critics wrong. Tomorrow marks their 13th wedding anniversary, after all - an impressive feat by Hollywood standards. Advertisement But it's even more startling considering the never-ending noise surrounding their age-gap romance, and its very unconventional beginning. They first met in 2008, when Aaron, then just 18, was cast in the role of a teenage John Lennon in Sam's directorial debut Nowhere Boy. Filmmaker and double cancer survivor Sam was 41, more than double his age, and had two daughters with her ex-husband, the art dealer Jay Jopling - to whom she was married for 11 years before they 'amicably' split in 2008. While seemingly worlds apart, the pair connected and reportedly got together upon completing their film. As Sam told Harper's Bazaar in 2019, 'We were very professional through the entire film… But everyone on set knew. Advertisement 'And as soon as we finished, he told me he was going to marry me. We had never been on a date, or even kissed.' She was quick to stress the fact that he pursued her, seemingly trying - and failing - to squash the 'granny groomer' accusations swiftly lobbed in her direction. Filming concluded in March and, by June - when Aaron turned 19 - they were stepping out together on date nights. Neither confirmed a romance, but the PDAs did the talking. By their film's premiere in October 2009 they were officially a couple. Advertisement Walking the red carpet arm-in-arm - Sam in a glitzy gold dress and Aaron in a tux - they started as they meant to go on: loud and unapologetic. Needless to say, the reaction was deafening. Comments from the time included: 'She looks like his mum!' and 'How can she do this to him? He's only a child who barely knows his own mind yet.' Double standards Some were also quick to point out that any positive reactions would have been very different were things the other way around. Sam wasn't just more than two decades older than Aaron. She was also wealthier, more established and - with friends like artist Damien Hirst and Elton John - enviably better connected. Advertisement What's more, as the director of his breakout movie, she was effectively his boss. But despite the cascade of 'casting couch' accusations, the couple remained defiant - and a year after they met, Aaron got down on one knee. Critics loudly declared it wouldn't last, with one commenter suggesting: 'Let's see how long he sticks around if he makes it big.' 16 The couple first met on the set of Nowhere Boy, in which a then 18-year-old Aaron played John Lennon Credit: Alamy 16 The couple went official at the Nowhere Boy premiere in October 2009 Credit: PA:Press Association Advertisement 16 Sam received her OBE in 2011 with Aaron and daughters Angelica and Jessie Phoenix by her side Credit: Getty 16 Sam shares her two elder daughters with ex-husband Jay Jopling Credit: Getty Another scoffed: 'I give it three months.' By 2010 they'd welcomed their first child together - daughter Wylda Rae, now 14 - and second daughter Romy followed in January 2012. They married five months later at Babington House in Somerset - a lavish do attended by Beyonce and Elton John - and combined their surnames. They now live down the road in a £1.85m farmhouse in Bruton. Advertisement Aaron claimed he wasn't nervous about fatherhood as he'd already settled into the role of stepdad to Sam's two daughters - Angelica, now 28, and Jessie Phoenix, now 18 - despite the fact that Angelica was only six years his junior. He's made a point of stating he considers them both his own daughters, affectionately calling Jessie his 'babygirl' in an Instagram caption last year to mark her 18th birthday. Obviously any suggestion he's anything more than a loving stepfather is unfounded - which is why the latest slew of rumours surrounding Aaron and his stepdaughter must have stung. Last December Aaron and Sam were joined by Angelica and Jessie Phoenix on the red carpet for the premiere of his movie Kraven The Hunter. 16 Aaron wished his stepdaughter Jessie Phoenix happy birthday last year Credit: Instagram@/aarontaylorjohnson Advertisement 16 Attending the Kraven The Hunter premiere last December with elder daughters Angelica and Jessie Phoenix - in a photo op that sparked controversy Credit: Getty 16 The couple still collaborate on projects - like their 2019 film A Million Little Pieces Credit: Getty Images - Getty Posing for the cameras, Aaron put his arm around Jessie Phoenix and gave her a reassuring stroke on the back. The candid moment - a fatherly gesture no doubt intended to reassure the camera-shy teenager - was catnip to twisted internet trolls who branded the it 'disgusting', while TikTok lit up with clips of the moment. Wild conspiracy theories of an illicit affair flooded the comments, with one commenter questioning: 'Are they flirting?' and another writing: 'What if being with the grandma is all a show and he's with her daughter?' Advertisement A third added: 'If I didn't know their story, I would think that was his girlfriend.' Unsurprisingly the couple, nor their children, dignified the ludicrous furore with a response. Their reaction was the same when, two years ago, vicious rumours swirled that Aaron had an affair with his much younger Bullet Train co-star Joey King, 25. I much prefer being a parent to working. Doesn't everybody? Aaron Taylor-Johnson In his early 20s, father-of-four Aaron claimed he was just as happy playing a stay-at-home dad as he was leading blockbuster films. His early roles in their relationship included Kick Ass, Savages, Anna Karenina and Godzilla. Advertisement When Sam won the highly-contested directing gig for Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015, he took time off to man the fort at home. As he later told The Post, 'I much prefer being a parent to working. Doesn't everybody? The best time I have is with my kids, experiencing their growth and their life with them. I think it's important to have time to enjoy that.' As for Sam, she paid tribute to him while promoting the film, saying, "Being in an amazing relationship, having come out of a difficult one, it felt so good [that he stayed at home while she worked]. 'And I feel like that stability has enabled me to get on with doing this momentous project." She then returned the favour, enabling him to star in 2016's Nocturnal Animals to rave reviews and a Golden Globe Award. Advertisement Paying tribute to his beloved in his speech, he said: "I want to thank my wife for being there with me, supporting me through this. 'Thank you for putting up with me. Jesus, that was not very pleasant in this role, so you're my soulmate and I love you very much… I'm blessed. I have four beautiful daughters: Anjelica, Phoenix, Wylda, and Romy, I love you all very much." Sam has described Aaron as an old soul in a younger man's body, and claims their strong union has come from their ability to ignore the uproar. 16 The couple have been inseparable since the day they met Credit: Getty - Contributor 16 They still post loved-up snaps together Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson Advertisement 16 Sam's ex Jay Jopling, now 62, had a fling with Lily Allen, now 40, when she was 23 Credit: Big Pictures In 2017, she said: 'If I gave a second thought to other people, I would be the unhappiest person, probably still in a miserable marriage. 'People like to talk about [the age gap]. I'm like, 'Yeah, but it works better than my last marriage'. It's lasted longer than a lot of my friends' marriages.' Ironically, months before she and Aaron went public, her ex Jay Jopling was embroiled in his own age-gap romance when he was pictured kissing a then 23-year-old Lily Allen in the Caribbean. The fling fizzled out quickly, but he was never tarnished with the same 'groomer' label as Sam. Advertisement Power play Speaking in 2023, Amelia Kelley, a trauma-informed therapist, told Business Insider that criticism surrounding the Taylor-Johnsons was blatant misogyny. "When we see an older woman with a younger man, it underscores that the woman isn't as young as we think they should be,' she said. 'That could be uncomfortable for someone to see.' Yet Elizabeth Jeglic, a professor of psychology at John Jay College in New York, argued against the gendered critique, suggesting it was Sam who could have abused her position of power. "The person who is older tends to be a person who has more power or more experience,' she said. Advertisement 'They often will select individuals who are younger and more inexperienced because they're more vulnerable. And that creates an unequal power dynamic." Aaron's still surprised by the furore and frenzy his age-gap romance stirs up. 16 The happy couple renewed their vows in 2022 Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson 16 They also have matching tattoos of each other's names Credit: Instagram/@_dr_woo_ Speaking last year to Rolling Stone, he said, 'What you gotta realise is that what most people were doing in their twenties, I was doing when I was 13. Advertisement 'You're doing something too quickly for someone else? I don't understand that. What speed are you supposed to enjoy life at? It's bizarre to me." General consensus is that Aaron wasn't seeking a mummy figure because of any maternal hole in his life. He's in fact remained incredibly close to his own mother, Sarah, who accompanied him to film sets throughout his young career, taught him 'how to be a man' and has played an active role in raising her grandchildren. As for his early dating life there's no sign of any prior 'older woman fetish', with previous flings including actresses Georgia Groome, 33, and Alice Connor, 34. Likewise, it doesn't seem like Sam was simply looking for someone to baby or boss around. Advertisement She may be a bigwig director, but she's just as happy sharing the spotlight with her incredibly successful, increasingly handsome younger husband. Aaron's role in Danny Boyle's latest epic promises to strengthen his position as one of the UK's most successful actors on both sides of the pond - while whispers that he's favourite to play the next James Bond continue. As the couple hit the red carpet this week, now aged 35 and 58 respectively, one cynic wrote, 'son and great-grandma', while another commented, 'She really got her claws in deep, that one.' But refreshingly, many comments now celebrate the pair, with one writing: 'Good on them for proving haters wrong.' Another added: 'Age is just a number when you love each other as this couple obviously do.' Advertisement It's safe to say they'll never stop courting controversy - as every time they step out together, the public are reminded of how it all began. But over a decade later, the Taylor-Johnsons continue to put two fingers up to their doubters.

Scotsman

14 hours ago

• Scotsman

Best show nominee Sam Nicoresti returns to the Fringe with 'Baby Doomer'

Described as 'simultaneously smart and silly' by Chortle, Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year Winner and Chortle Best MC Nominee Sam Nicoresti returns to Edinburgh Fringe from 30 July to 24 August (except 11th) at 5.40pm at Pleasance Bunker 2 with Baby Doomer (Best Show Nominee Leicester Comedy Festival 2025), a show about losing your mind and finding the perfect skirt suit. In the summer of '23, following a sartorial emergency in a TK Maxx changing room and a stressful house move a whole minute round the corner, the acclaimed comedian and burgeoning trans icon lost their mind. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sam Nicoresti's previous Edinburgh Fringe show, Cancel Anti Wokeflake Snow Culture, was picked out by The Guardian and The Week among others before becoming the genre-defying breakout hit special Wokeflake, whose bold routines on the trans experience have blown up online, amassing over 4.5million views on Instagram with celebrities including Sarah Silverman reposting them. Baby Doomer is a story about breakdown, recovery and the persistence of love. In a time of unprecedented mental health crisis amongst marginalised folx and a growing attitude of doomerism towards the problems of the world, Sam Nicoresti offers a disarmingly relatable deconstruction of the human experience hidden by the labels we place on others and ourselves. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Baby Doomer is also about a comedy night in a care home, a strange proposition in the sperm bank, changing your name and joining a cult… Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer Sam Nicoresti is a multi-award-winning comedian from Birmingham known for creating cerebrally silly shows informed by absurdism, cinema and music which explore states of consciousness, identity, and cosmic dread. Sam won Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year in 2021, has had two Fringe shows transfer to London's Soho Theatre and was nominated for Best Compere at the Chortle Awards 2024. In 2025 their new show Baby Doomer, was nominated for Best Show at Leicester Comedy Festival. Sam has also been part of projects including The Glang Show, Weirdos Comedy Club and the Panel Prize-winning Iraq: Out & Loud. Sam lives in North London and is also a film-maker, musician and friend to cats.