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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Nicola Methven

Tina Turner says UK has felt like 'second home' ahead of Christmas Day documentary

Pop legend Tina Turner has thanked British fans for their decades of loyal support ahead of a new TV documentary which tells the story of her long love affair with the UK.

Airing as a Christmas Day special on BBC Two, the film features interviews with the now retired singer, 83, which have never been broadcast before.

Some of the many stars to have worked with her over the years also appear, including Arlene Phillips, who choreographed the video to Private Dancer, Heaven 17's Glenn Gregory and Martyn Ware, singer P.P. Arnold, Skunk Anansie 's Skin and Malcolm Gerrie, executive producer of 1980s Channel 4 music show The Tube.

A new documentary will explore Tina Turner's (pictured) love affair with the UK (NY Daily News via Getty Images)
Tina, pictured in London with Ike Turner (right), has visited the country on several occasions (WireImage)

Tina told the Mirror: "The love, energy and support I've had from Britain over the years has been amazing. I couldn't have enjoyed the career I've had without my time spent in the UK and collaborations with amazing British songwriters, musicians and producers.

"I hope you love watching this documentary. From my very first visit to London in 1966 I always enjoyed visiting Britain and performing for fans across the country - it felt like my second home."

The film, When Tina Turner Came to Britain, begins with that first visit, when she and husband Ike Turner supported The Rolling Stones on tour in 1966, performing in cities including London, Leeds and Glasgow.

When Tina Turner Came to Britain will be broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day (Redferns)

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Two years later the husband and wife duo were back, this time performing in smaller venues including Redcar in North Yorks, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Nelson, Lancs, and St Austell, Cornwall.

The programme then explores Tina's solo reinvention in the late 70s and 80s, including performances at Manchester's Apollo, on The Tube and in front of huge stadium audiences at venues such as the Birmingham NEC. It ends with footage of Tina in 2018 attending the world premiere of Tina: The Musical.

On New Year's Day another special, When Motown Came to Britain, tells the story of the first UK tour by stars including Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

The BBC will also air a Motown documentary about acts including the Supremes (pictured) (Getty Images)

Motown's artists were largely unheard of outside the USA until 1965, when the record label's brightest new stars arrived in the UK for a tour which took them to places including London, Liverpool, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle and Wigan in Greater Manchester, later to become the home of Northern Soul.

The BBC 's head of pop music TV, Jonathan Rothery, said: "Both films take a fascinating look at much-loved stars through the filter of the times they've visited our shores."

Other BBC music TV highlights in the festive period include The Year in Music and New Year's Eve's 30th edition of Jools' Annual Hootenanny on BBC2, with Sam Ryder rocking into midnight on BBC One.

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