Ed Sheeran set to headline Jubilee concert as organisers unveil £15m celebrations
Ed Sheeran is set to be the centrepiece for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as preparations are made for the “people’s pageant”.
Taking place on the last day of four-day holiday weekend on June 5, Sheeran will be joined on stage by music legends including Sir Cliff Richard and Dame Shirley Bassey.
Other national treasures will also play a role in the festivities, with household faces like Kate Moss and Gary Lineker making an appearance.
As reported by the Times, more than 10,000 people will be taking part in the carnival, which will be lining the streets to Buckingham Palace, and costing around £15m.
The show’s director David Zolkwer commented on the upcoming event: “This is very much a ‘people’s pageant’: it’s by and for the people.
“It’s about ordinary people coming together from far and wide to do extraordinary things — real people with delightful, authentic stories to tell — taking centre stage in a spectacular performance filled with wonder, warmth, wit and so much humanity.”
The event will be following the same route as the Queen’s coronation, and the Sheeran is due to perform outside of the palace where the national anthem will be sung.
The government have also moved forward with plans to let pubs stay open until 1am to celebrate the jubilee.
Under the proposal, venues in England and Wales will be allowed to extend their operating hours from 11pm to 1am on Thursday 2 June, Friday 3 June, and Saturday 4 June.
On top of this, nearly 35 top business leaders have written to the Prime Minister today in show of support for a new annual ‘Thank holiday’ honouring Her Majesty the Queen’s 70 years of public service.
Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden was joined by the head of the Confederation of British Industry and Hospitality UK in backing the initiative, put forward by Chancellor of the Exchequer RIshi Sunak, from next year.