Harry Styles melted everyone's hearts when he gave a sweet shoutout to his school teachers during his recent gig in Manchester. The pop sensation halted the first of two homecoming gigs at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday night (June 15) after discovering his "very first teacher Mrs Vernon" in the crowds.
Despite 75,000 people flocking to see the former One Direction star in action, Harry couldn't miss an opportunity to remember his roots. The singer, who is from Holmes Chapel, found his old teachers from Hermitage Primary School in the audience and he thanked Mrs Vernon and Miss Wilson for teaching him in his "formative years" in the Cheshire village.
As Harry, 28, who revealed that family and old school friends from his home village were also in the crowds at his huge homecoming show, dedicated a song to Mrs Vernon - leading the crowd into a huge cheer for the teacher, who was flashed up on the big screen looking overjoyed at being recognised by the music superstar.
However, it has since emerged that the REAL Mrs Vernon wasn't in the crowd at all but instead other teachers from the same school. As the actual Mrs Vernon appeared on ITV's Lorraine on Friday morning (June 17), host Lorraine Kelly started by saying: "Well, it's not quite what it seems though," as a clip of the moment aired.
"In fact, Mrs Vernon wasn't at the sell-out concert in Manchester, it was her colleague whose face appeared on the screens," the Scottish TV host went on. She then introduced the real Mrs Vernon live onto the show via video link from Cheshire. "It was such a lovely thing for him to do," Lorraine said. "It's so sad that you weren't there but I know that your phone went crazy as soon as it happened."
"It did," Mrs Vernon replied. "I would have loved to have been there but Mrs Bailey, my colleague who was there, phoned straight away. I've watched the video and it was just such a lovely tribute and a really, really great thing for him to do."
As Lorraine commented that she must have had a 'huge influence' on him to dedicate a song to her, she added; "He's basically just a wee angel, was he always like that?" Mrs Vernon then replied: "Some of the time!" before adding: "He had a cheeky, lovely side to him and he was a great character."
Adorable pictures of Harry then flashed up on screen from his early days as Mrs Vernon continued: "That smile was always so lovely and he loved music, he loved performing right the way through our school and every teacher at Hermitage had a big impact on him."
"It was a really kind thing for him to do," she then added as Lorraine, 61, reiterated how lovely she thought it was. "Teachers do do a brilliant job. Every single teacher works so, so hard and the reward we get is the children in our class and every child we've taught in every previous year."
Asked whether they could tell back then that Harry was going to go onto big things, Mrs Vernon said; "There was something special. A sparkle, a twinkle in his eye. His character was so much there right from when he was four or five and showed us he was going to go on to do something special but I don't think anyone could foresee how mega and crazy and so huge his career would become. It's just outstanding."
Harry said during his on-stage tribute: "I just want to thank you for everything in those formative years. Thank you so much. It means a lot to me that’s you’re here tonight, you were truly wonderful teachers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and it means a lot that you’re here and I’m dedicating this next song to you.”
He led the crowd in a huge cheer for Mrs Vernon. But before launching into Canyon Moon, he couldn't help but quip to the audience: “Can you imagine dealing with me when I was 4?" to huge laughter.
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