He's one of the best-loved pop stars in the world but Glastonbury 2022 headliner Sir Paul McCartney once got into hot water after calling Wales a 'Third World country.' Sir Paul will play the Pyramid Stage on Saturday, June 25 as the festival returns after a three-year absence.
Macca made the comments about Wales back in 2007 and later reiterated that he "loves the Welsh". The world-famous star, who celebrated his 80th birthday earlier this year, was chatting to Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson during a New Musical Express interview and joked about the fact he never gets recognised when visiting a Third World country.
When Wilson replied that the same thing happens to him in Wales, McCartney quipped that was because “Wales is a Third World country”. But the music legend quickly backtracked and stressed his love for Wales. He said: “We love Welsh people, by the way... especially my Auntie Dilys”.
Read more: Glastonbury 2022: Who are the headliners and when can I watch them on TV?
The singer's auntie was not best pleased with his comments about Wales. She told The Express in 2007: “Yes, I read what Paul had to say about the Welsh and I’m going to pull him up on it the next time I speak to him". Dilys said at the time that "when [Paul] calls, he pokes fun at [her] Welsh accent but [she gives] him back, reminding him of his working class roots”.
Sir Paul's appearance at Glastonbury makes him the oldest ever solo headliner at the festival. Dame Shirley Bassey performed at the 2007 festival at the age of 70 when she famously donned a pink sparkly dress and wellies with her initials on them to prevent her feet getting wet during the downpours.
Watch Paul's performance on BBC One at 10.30pm on Saturday, June 25
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