'I'm thrilled' - Joe McElderry's delight at headlining the first 2026 Sunday Concert in South Shields
Joe McElderry expressed his delight as he headlined the first South Shields Sunday Concert of 2026.
South Shields’ very own Joe McElderry has described headlining the first Sunday Concert of 2026 as “an honour”.
The X Factor winner performed to a packed out crowd in Bents Park on Sunday, July 19 - with the event coinciding with a Pride in South Tyneside celebration.
The first Sunday Concert, which is part of the This is South Tyneside Festival, also featured 911, Sonia, Channy and Shelley Stevens.
‘I’m thrilled to be here’
Speaking ahead of going on stage, Joe reminisced on how much he has enjoyed performing at Bents Park over the years.
He said: “It’s amazing - I think this is my fifth time here and I’ve done it at numerous points over the last 17 years.
“It is great to be back for Pride in South Tyneside and the sun is shining so I’m really excited - it is always an honour to come back to South Shields so I’m thrilled to be here.
“The Sunday Concerts show what we do so well here with our community spirit and I remember how special it was for me to perform here even before I did X Factor.
“It was a dream back then to come and do my own shows here so to be here 17-and-a-half years later headlining with my band alongside a line-up full of North East talent, I’m thrilled.”
Celebrating Pride in South Tyneside
Joe also spoke about how much it means to him to have the Sunday Concert being a celebration of Pride in South Tyneside as he looked to inspire those younger than him.
He added: “To have Pride in South Tyneside have such a dedicated platform with a crowd this size is a really special thing.
“When I was growing up, there wasn’t anything like this so I’m proud to be a part of that for the younger generations.
“We are living in times of extreme opinions that are amplified on social media so when you look out into the crowd at events like and you see people just wanting to celebrate each other with love.
“It is a celebration and acceptance of letting people be who they want to be and I think that’s really important.”
The Sunday Concerts are set to continue in South Shields - with two more dates on Sunday, July 26, and August 2.