Lewis Capaldi plays surprise set at charity gig
BBCScottish pop star Lewis Capaldi has made a surprise appearance on stage during a charity gig in Edinburgh.
The chart-topping singer performed six numbers at the city's Assembly Rooms during a benefit gig for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) - which works in suicide prevention.
The night's headliner Tom Walker said the appearance was a last-minute decision from Capaldi.
Capaldi, from Bathgate, announced he was taking a break from performing to focus on his mental health in 2023, after openly speaking about difficulties with anxiety.
It is the first time Capaldi has appeared on stage in those two years since his set at Glastonbury.
However BBC Scotland News understands the appearance does not mean Capaldi has plans to return to gigging yet, and that he simply wanted to support CALM.
Fans at the gig were told to stay around after Walker's set had ended, and that there would be a surprise act in addition to him and Nina Nesbitt.
Capaldi then came on and performed six songs, ending with his No 1 single from 2019, Someone You Loved.
Fans were asked not to film any of the set, with their phones placed in sealed pouches throughout it.
Walker said after the show: "When Lewis confirmed he wanted to do it last minute, I was delighted. We've bumped into each other a few times over the years backstage at fezzys (festivals) and events and he's a total legend.
"I know how much pressure this industry can put on artists at times, especially after a bit of a break.
"So for him to be able to play a little secret gig in a safe space without all the phones, the noise and the expectations was perfect. I'm buzzing to have been a part of it."
Social media videos from excited fans taken after the show praised the "amazing night" and said some were on the verge of tears watching it.
Capaldi, 28, who has Tourette's Syndrome, shot to fame in 2019 with debut album Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, while follow-up Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent also topped the charts in 2023.
His self-deprecating humour is also hugely popular among fans.
However the singer openly spoke about the pressure he felt after becoming famous, with a Netflix documentary showing him expressing his fears about letting people down with his second record.
His Glastonbury set in 2023 was cut short after he struggled with his voice, and he later announced he was cancelling touring for "the "foreseeable future" to help him focus on his health.
The singer has previously raised funds for CALM, playing a virtual acoustic concert in 2020 to support the charity.