I had seen The Royal Variety Performance five times before, and I knew this sixth one I had seen had some good acts in the line-up, all performing this time in front of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. What made this year special for the show was that the Queen had previously celebrated her 60th jubilee, and this was the 100th anniversary of the Royal Variety Performance, so it was filled with nostalgia for the audience, including footage from guests of the past on the show and favourites in the line-up. Hosted by comedian David Walliams (who enters on a jet pack like the Queen entering the Olympics 2012 parachuting with James Bond 007), performances and appearances in the show came from: girl band Girls Aloud reunited for their 10th anniversary (since winning Popstars: The Rivals) performing "The Promise", comedian Bill Bailey, singer Kylie Minogue performing an acoustic version of "On a Night Like This", Sir Bruce Forsyth, comedian and television presenter Bradley Walsh, boy band One Direction performing "Little Things" (and Walliams comes in dressed as an obsessed female fan), Amanda Holden presenting stars of Britains Got Talent – Diversity, Spelbound, Stavros Flatley and Paul Potts performing "Nessun Dorma", comedian Rhod Gilbert, comedian Ronnie Corbett, mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins (who also performs the National Anthem) and tenor Plácido Domingo performing Moulin Rouge's "Come What May", singer Robbie Williams performing "Different" and "Mr. Bojangles", the cast of the hit musical Matilda (based on the book by Roald Dahl with song lyrics and music by Tim Minchin), Alan Carr and Walliams spoofing Ashley and Pudsey, Britain's Got Talent winners Ashley and Pudsey the dancing dog, Heather Headley performing "I Will Always Love You" representing the West End musical The Bodyguard, tenor Andrea Bocelli performing "La Donna e Mobile", comedian Jimmy Tarbuck celebrating comedians from past Royal Variety Performances (Laurel and Hardy, Morecambe and Wise, Victoria Wood, Only Fools and Horses, Tommy Cooper, Eric Sykes), singer Alicia Keys performing "Brand New Me", comedian Des O'Connor, singer Rod Stewart performing "When You Wish Upon a Star", Cuban dance troupe Ballet Revolution, violinist Nicola Benedetti playing the theme from "Ladies in Lavender" while stars who have passed away are in a montage on the screen, The 3 Chinese Tenors performing "O Sole Mio" and Chinese folk song "Flower Drum Song", singer Neil Diamond performing "Hello Again" and "Sweet Caroline", and in the audience you can see Gloria Hunniford and Hugh Bonneville. Very good!
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