Olly Murs pays emotional tribute to Caroline Flack before surprise Anastacia debut

Olly Murs replaced one pop diva for another during his slot performing atRadio 2 In The Park today.

The singer, who recently became a dad for the second time, brought Anastaciaon stage to perform his 2015 song Up, which he originally performed with Demi Lovato.

During his set, Olly also paid tribute to his late friend Caroline Flack.The dad-of-two, who hosted The X Factor for one series with the late Love Island presenter, dedicated a song in her honour and admitted he still gets emotional thinking about her passing.

Before bringing Anastacia out on stage, Olly reassured the crowd that despite only rehearsing twice, they would deliver a "flawless performance".

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Addressing his hometown audience, Olly said: "Essex, it's good to be home - it's good to be back in Chelmsford." Olly surprised fans by inviting Anastacia on stage to perform his 2015 hit 'Up', originally a duet with Demi Lovato.

He also shared his joy at becoming a father for the second time just three days prior. He sent a heartfelt message to his partner at home: "Wife, I am so sorry I am here at Hylands Park with all these beautiful people. I love you and when I'm finished I'll be straight home, I promise."

Olly dedicated his song Dear Darlin' to his late friend Caroline Flack, admitting it's one of the hardest songs for him to sing since her passing. He confessed he misses Caroline dearly and didn't anticipate the profound impact the song would have on his loved ones. Caroline died by suicide in February 2020.

As he introduced the song, Olly said: "This next song is one of the hardest songs for me to sing. Five years ago, I lost a really important person in my life, Miss Caroline Flack. She took her own life five years ago, someone I miss every day, someone that I wish was here today to be in this moment.

"When I wrote this song, I didn’t realise the impact it would have, not just on my life but the people around me and particularly some of my fans that are here tonight. So if there’s someone that you wish was here today, someone that you miss very, very much, I’d love you guys to help me sing this song."

Pop legend Anastacia delighted the Radio 2 in the Park crowd in Essex with her noughties hits, opening with One Day in Your Life. She surprised fans by inviting Radio 2's own Rylan on stage for a rendition of Left Outside Alone.

After their memorable duet, Anastacia expressed her fondness for Essex. She ended her set with I'm Outta Love, marking its 25th anniversary this year. As she concluded her soulful performance, Anastacia declared: "I love Radio 2!"

The pop legend recently opened up to the Mirror and revealed the heartbreaking truth behind her biggest hit. Anastacia was just three years old when her parents separated, and her dad, Robert, left the family home and became estranged from his daughter.

Although he attempted to make contact, she remained estranged from him until he died in 2005. This estrangementruns through one of Anastacia's biggest songs, Left Outside Alone.

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