Atomic Kitten wore rainbow armbands for their Fifa World Cup 2022 performance.
The “Tide Is High” hitmakers – made up of Natasha Hamilton and Liz McClarnon – took to the stage at Boxpark in Croydon before Tuesday’s England win over Wales and showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Their gesture came after footballers including Three Lions captain Harry Kane were told they would be given a yellow card if they sported the One Love armband during the tournament in Qatar, where same-sex relations are illegal.
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Hamilton and McClarnon sported rainbow armbands as they belted out the Gareth Southgate-inspired version of their 2000 hit “Whole Again” alongside a life-size cardboard cut-out of the England manager.
The track was given a new lease of life when fans adapted it into a chant for the 2018 World Cup.
The lyrics “Baby you're the one, you still turn me on, you can make me whole again” were changed to “Southgate, you’re the one, you still turn me on, football’s coming home again”.
Last year, Atomic Kitten re-released the song as part of the delayed Euro 2020 tournament.
McClarnon previously said: “This time three years ago, England were playing in the World Cup because I started being sent videos from three years ago with people singing the song.
“People were singing it in a pub, but it was quite tentative. Whereas fast-forward three years, everyone’s singing it! It’s kind of been a slow burner over three years, which is very bizarre to think.
“It was the fans that changed the words and everyone was like, ‘You’ve got to sing it, girls.’”