Singer Becky Hill has surprised youngsters at a Children In Need-funded youth club with a performance of her new charity single.
The star took to the stage at Bolton Lads and Girls Club in Greater Manchester to perform Only You, which features in the McDonald’s Christmas advert.
Ten pence from every UK download of the track will go to Children In Need.
Children at the club, which receives funding from the charity to support music sessions, danced along to Hill’s three-song set on Wednesday, before having the opportunity to take selfies with her and ask for autographs.
She also met youngsters in the recording studio at the centre, where they have the opportunity to take part in sessions on music production, digital arts, photography, film-making and blogging.
Hill told the PA news agency: “I’ve just seen some very talented people in a studio, aged from 13 to 20, making great music, nurturing their talent and giving them the confidence to take that talent forward as well.
“That’s the kind of stuff I wish I had.
“My safe space now is the studio, and to get given that at such an early age, I think is amazing.
“That’s just one of the projects that Children In Need help with so I think it’s very important to give to such an incredible charity.”
She said the reception from the 150 children who gathered for her visit was one of the best she had had all year.
“I’ve had the best time!” she said. “Honestly, I told them they were the best audience I’ve had all summer.
“There is nothing more pure than kids just going for it for a song.
“What an incredible place, and I really enjoyed singing for them all and seeing all their faces, knowing all the words, it was super cute.”
The song, originally performed by ’80s pop duo Yazoo, is the backing track to the McDonald’s festive advert, which aims to show the importance of family time.
Hill first recorded the song following the death of her grandfather in 2019 and said he would be “super proud” to see the advert.
“I really grew up with a very strong family unit, dysfunctional, but I’ve got a very strong family unit and I think that is what Christmas is about,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter the size of your Christmas dinner, it doesn’t matter how many potatoes you’ve got on the table, I think it’s about spending Christmas with people that you love and taking a second to unwind, whatever version of family you have with you on the day.”
– McDonald’s is supporting Children In Need for a second year and has backed more than 60 youth projects with the £1.2 million raised so far. It hopes to raise a further £1 million.