Ed Sheeran praises The Darkness in new documentary

In 2023, the Darkness have celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album Permission to Land

Music stars including Ed Sheeran, Roger Taylor and the late Taylor Hawkins have praised The Darkness in a new documentary about the band.

Celebrity portrait photographer Simon Emmett directed Welcome To The Darkness about the rockers from Lowestoft.

Filming began in 2015 as the band played warm-up gigs in pubs in Ireland.

Fellow Suffolk pop star Sheeran said he had loved the band since childhood because "they didn't take themselves too seriously".

The film coincides with the 20th anniversary of their multi-million selling debut album Permission To Land, which they are touring across the UK in December, and shows may also include their 2003 festive hit Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End).

Director Simon Emmett hopes his documentary provides an intimate character study of the Brit Award-winning band

Mr Emmett, who met the band through a mutual friend, spent eight years filming the group from those modest Ireland gigs until their sold-out arena shows earlier this year.

"When you see them live and spend time with them - they're quite exceptional. You can't not appreciate what brilliant musicians they are," said the director.

Describing what it was like sharing a tour bus with a rock band, he said: "They laugh all the time; they are always messing about; there is always a joke going on."

Mr Emmet is best known for his work as a portrait photographer to stars such as Helen Mirren, Idris Elba and Kylie, and he also photographed Adele for the cover of her 30 album.

He insisted the film was not intended to be a definitive document of The Darkness' history, but instead an exploration of their personalities.

"I wanted to find out about the people - what they're about and what makes them tick," he said.

Reflecting on the eight years it took to explore those characters he said he "would never have done it if I knew it was going to be this long".

Justin and Dan Hawkins appeared in the music video for Ed Sheeran and Elton John's 2021 Christmas single

In the film other music icons join Sheeran in their praise.

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died in 2022, gives his view, while Queen drummer Roger Taylor, whose son Rufus wields the sticks in The Darkness, calls them "the real deal".

Mr Emmett joined the chorus of praise, describing the hard work and dedication to their fans that he had witnessed.

"They never complain, even in the pub gigs in the film, they perform as if they're playing the biggest venue in the world. That for me is what is so compelling about them," he said.

The Darkness are currently touring the world to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album

Mr Emmett believes non-fans will enjoy the film which is showing in cinemas across the country from Thursday, an accomplishment the director is already proud of.

He said: "I never thought it would be in a cinema; for me that's already a win; I can't believe it's even happening."

The band have seen the film and its 54-year-old director said: "I get they feeling they genuinely like it."

He said the rockers "persevered" during the years it took to arrive at a final edit and praised their personal connection.

"The connection between the four of them is incredible, they really are an incredible unit, a band of brothers," he said.