Ariana Grande 'praying for London' as she prepares for Manchester benefit gig
The killings on Saturday were the second terrorist atrocity to hit the country in as many weeks, after 22 died following Grande’s Manchester concert.
Ariana Grande has said she is “praying for London” ahead of the benefit concert for the Manchester terror attack victims.
The American star is due to return to the stage for the first time on Sunday night after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device, killing 22 fans and parents as they left her show at Manchester Arena on May 22.
The One Love Manchester event will take place less than 24 hours after six people died in the London Bridge attack – the country’s second terrorist outrage in less than two weeks.
Ariana tweeted an emoji of a heart, and wrote: “Praying for London.”
Other musicians including Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Take That and Miley Cyrus are to join Grande for the Sunday night event.
Many of those attending the concert were in the crowd at Ariana’s show on May 22.
She visited victims at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital ahead of the show, where she will also be joined by Robbie Williams, Little Mix, Usher, Pharrell Williams and One Direction star Niall Horan.
Marcus Mumford, frontman of Mumford & Sons, is also joining the all-star line-up for the benefit concert, it was reported.
Proceeds from the concert will go towards the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, set up by Manchester City Council in partnership with the British Red Cross, to support grieving families and victims of the bombing.
On Saturday, it was confirmed that the fund had reached £7.2 million.
All Ariana fans who attended the targeted gig were offered free passes to Sunday’s benefit concert regardless of where they bought their tickets.
More than 10,000 people applied for free tickets to the concert despite not attending the original gig.
Ticketmaster set aside tickets for the 14,200 people who were at the Manchester Arena concert, but more than 25,000 people applied.
The £40 tickets that went on sale for the show at Old Trafford cricket ground were snapped up in less than 20 minutes.
It later emerged that some people were looking to cash in on the tragedy by selling tickets online at inflated prices.
One eBay seller was trying to offload four tickets for £1,250 – a potential profit of nearly £1,100.
The listing was taken down shortly after being seen by the Press Association.
Secondary ticketing sites Seatwave, Get Me In, Viagogo and Stubhub pledged to not allow the resales on their websites, while eBay said it would immediately remove any listings attempting to profit unfairly from the terror attack.
The live final of Britain’s Got Talent was moved to Saturday night to avoid a clash with the benefit gig.
The event will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 5 live, and Radio Manchester, as well as commercial radio.
Millions of people around the world will also be able to watch as the concert will be simulcast in more than 50 countries across five continents.
The One Love Manchester Concert will be shown on BBC One from 6.55pm.
