Watch a Tearful Adele’s Surprise on Stage Reunion With Childhood English Teacher

Fresh off the release of her acclaimed new album '30,' Adele was reunited with her childhood English teacher during a recent televised ITV special.

Adele performs at 'Adele One Night Only'
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Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images

Adele performs at 'Adele One Night Only'

We never forget the teacher’s that leave an impact. Adele hasn’t either. 

Fresh off the release of her acclaimed new album ‘30,’ Adele was reunited with her childhood English teacher during a recent televised ITV special.

The special moment was set into motion when audience member (and famous actress) Emma Thompson aked the singer if there was ever a person in her childhood who inspired her. As she puts it, it was Ms. McDonald, who taught her English when she was  12.

“It was just one year, but she got me really into literature,” Adele said. “Like, I’ve always been obsessed with English, and obviously now I write lyrics. But she also did street dance — I was too scared to join — but in the canteen they used to do these dances...She was so bloody cool. So engaging. She really made us care and we knew she cared about us.”

As it turns out, McDonald was in the audience, and as she walked toward the stage to greet her old pupil, Adele burst into tears, much to the delight of those in attendance. 

“You’re amazing darling, I am so proud of you,” McDonald said.

“You really did change my life,” Adele offered back, before asking her mother if she was paying attention in the crowd. “Mum! Mum can you believe it?”

In fact, Adele got so teary-eyed that she had to leave the stage to fix her makeup. Watch the delightful exchange up top. 

It’s been a major week for Adele, whose latest studio album is on pace to hit No. 1 on next week’s Billboard 200 chart. She also got Spotify to backtrack on having a “shuffle” button as the main tool when playing a new album—something that music fans have been craving for a minute.

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