The bombastic vocals of Dame Shirley Bassey are set to help bring the upcoming BAFTAs alive as the star is due to perform one of her Bond theme classics as part of the awards show extravaganza.
Event planners are hoping the 2022 event will be bigger and better than ever before after it was forced to resort to a zoom-based affair last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
And 85-year-old Dame Shirley is due to be something of a jewel in the crown of the night’s events – which will take place on Sunday 13 March at the Royal Albert Hall – as she will take to the stage to belt out one of her iconic Bond songs to mark 60 years of the spy-themed franchise.
Dame Shirley performed three of the past Bond themes – Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker – but show insiders are keeping their own mouths firmly closed over which of the songs the Welsh wonder will perform on the night.
A source told The Sun: “After they were forced to hold the ceremony on a live stream last year, the film Baftas are going all out to make sure this ceremony is the most star-studded ever.”
They went on to explain that a host of other big name stars will be taking part in the night’s proceedings – with Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner, Bridgerton’s Rege-Jean Page, Harry Potter star Emma Watson, acting icon Sienna Miller and Star Wars star Daisy Edgar-Jones all due to take part.
The source excitedly added: “Millie Bobby Brown is also flying over from the States to be a presenter and will join Sebastian Stan and Daniel Kaluuya on stage. It is going to be a night to remember.”
It has already been revealed that American singer and actress Lady Gaga will be jetting to the UK to take part in the event – as both a presenter and a potential award winner.
The 35-year-old star is up for the Best Actress in a Leading Role gong for her starring role as Patrizia Reggiani in the biographical drama House of Gucci.
Gaga will present the EE RIsigin Star Award – which will see Lashana Lynch, Millicent Simmonds, Harris Dickinson, Ariana DeBose, or Kodi Smit-McPhee win the award.
Gaga’s own performance in House of Gucci has divided some fans and critics – while the singer herself opened up about the strain she felt while staying in character as the murderous businesswoman throughout the nine month shoot of the film.
She explained that she would find herself vomiting due to “anxiety, fatigue, trauma, exhaustion, commitment and love” over her performance.
She also explained that the immersive performance took a toll on her mental health, telling Variety last year: “I had a psychiatric nurse with me towards the end of filming.
“I sort of felt like I had to. I felt that it was safer for me. That’s because I was always Patrizia.
“I always spoke in my accent. And even if I was speaking about things that weren’t related to the movie — I wasn’t pretending that Maurizio [her husband played by Adam Driver] was waiting for me downstairs — I was still living my life. I just lived it as her.”
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