James Arthur to play Middlesbrough FC gig in June

James Arthur is set to play a homecoming gig in Middlesbrough next summer, with guest appearances from McFly and Lauran Hibberd.

The singer-songwriter will appear at Riverside Stadium on Saturday 8 June 2024, in what he has called a "full-circle moment".

"It has been bit of a pipe dream of mine to play my team's ground. I'm really honoured," he said.

The concert will form part of his Bitter Sweet Love world tour.

Childhood memories

The Middlesbrough-born singer shot to fame when he won TV's X Factor in 2012.

Since then, he has had two UK number one hits; Bitter Sweet Love, released in January, will be his fifth album.

Tickets for the June concert are expected to sell quickly, with many of Arthur's arena gigs scheduled for the early part of 2024 already sold out.

For the 'Say You Won't Let Go' singer, there will be something special about performing at the venue he has been going since he was "a young lad" to watch his beloved Middlesbrough team play football.

"It's truly unbelievable. I don't think that I can put it into words," he said.

"As someone who came to the Riverside as a young lad with a season ticket, and walked through the turnstiles, it's just crazy to think that people are going to be walking through the turnstiles to watch me perform.

"It's very much like the end of a movie, a full-circle moment."