Making her much-anticipated return to the London stage last week, singer Adele tearfully confessed, “I’m so nervous!” to a star-studded crowd at An Audience With Adele.
And according to an insider, the emotional star, 33, suffered a couple of false starts and was “clearly feeling the pressure” during the performance, which was filmed for an upcoming ITV special at the London Palladium.
Her American sports agent boyfriend, Rich Paul, 39, joined the likes of actress Dame Emma Thompson, supermodel Naomi Campbell and actor Idris Elba, who turned out to watch Adele perform new tracks from her fourth album, 30, which details her painful 2019 divorce from Simon Konecki, 47.
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And insiders say the notoriously private star – who is known for disappearing from the public eye for long periods of time – is struggling to adjust to being thrust back into the limelight. Her fresh torment follows a four-year hiatus, ahead of her rumoured tour next year.
A source says, “While Adele knew it would be an adjustment after spending the last half a decade out of the limelight, she didn’t quite realise how much of a toll this almost overnight global attention would take.
“She loves making music and has been eagerly waiting for the world to finally hear it, but the pressure is something she struggles with. It’s sparked fresh turmoil and a general feeling of unease, which she’d thought she’d got control of during her time away.”
Four years ago, during the final show of her “25” tour, Adele told a 40,000-strong audience, “Touring isn’t something I’m good at,” adding, “I don’t know if I will ever tour again. The only reason I’ve toured is you. I’m not sure if touring is my bag.”
And she previously said that – prior to her knockout headlining performance at Glastonbury Festival in 2016 – she’d turned down the slot in 2011, revealing, “I have anxiety attacks, constant panicking on stage, my heart feels like it’s going to explode because I never feel like I’m going to deliver, ever,” adding, “I’d hate to book a festival and have a f------ anxiety attack and then not go on stage.”
But Adele has recently been doing promotional work for her new album and tour, with – as Closer went to press – an intimate interview with Oprah Winfrey reportedly set to air this week.
Check out: the most shocking celebrity breakups of the decade
Most shocking breakups of the decade - slider
1 of 30Louise and Jamie Redknapp
They were the British A-list couple that we thought would last but the world was stunned in July 2017 when Louise and Jamie Redknapp confirmed they'd split after 19 years together. Months later Louise opened up about the end of her marriage and following the end of the Redknapp marriage, it was reported that celebrities were refusing to sign up to the BBC show because of the Strictly curse.
2 of 30Cheryl and Ashley Cole
Cheryl and Ashley Cole first met in 2004 and quickly became an A-list couple. Two years later they tied the knot in an extravagant wedding. However, in 2010 following cheating allegations that were splashed across the media, Chez split from her footballer husband.
3 of 30Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin
Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin had been together for 23 years and married for 11 but in January 2018, the TV presenter confirmed he was filing for divorce following his rehab stint.However after a drink driving arrest, a second visit to rehab and liking a lot of shady tweets – the pair officially divorced nine months after splitting.
4 of 30Lenny Henry and Dawn French
At the beginning of the decade, Dawn French and Lenny Henry announced they were splitting after 25 years of marriage.
5 of 30Paul and Alex Hollywood
Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood and his wife Alex split after 20 years together. They'd previously split in 2013 after the GBBO star had an affair with his American co-star but they managed to patch things over and make things work. For a while.
6 of 30Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
We still can't believe Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split in 2016 after ten years together and two years marriage. The couple are parents to six children; Maddox, 18, Shiloh, 13, Pax, 16, Zahara, 14, Vivienne, 11, and Knox, 11. Even George Clooney was stunned at the news; well, to be fair he did find out during an interview.
7 of 30Millie Mackintosh and Professor Green
We thought they'd be a real-life Romeo and Juliet (minus the death) but Millie Mackintosh and Professor Green called it quits after being married for three years. We weren't the only ones who thought they were a power couple; remember when Craig Lawson joked he'd be the next Pro Green and Millie with Camilla Thurlow? Yeah, that didn't last.
8 of 30Bruce and Kris Jenner
They're the head of the Kardashian/Jenner household but in 2013 the world was shocked when Bruce and Kris Jenner announced they had separated after 23 years of marriage. A year later, Kris filed for divorce and cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason. A month after their divorce was finalised, Bruce publicly came out as a transgender woman – Caitlyn.
9 of 30Katy Perry and Russell Brand
One of the most heart-breaking celebrity break ups was definitely Katy Perry and Russell Brand, after all, she found out their 14-month marriage ended via TEXT. Their entire split was shown on her documentary Part of Me and remarkably Katy still performed on stage just hours after Russell announced he wanted to end their marriage.
10 of 30Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom
Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom had only known each other for three weeks before they tied the knot. Yes, really. They lasted four years before the Keeping Up with The Kardashians star filed for divorce. However, in 2015 she withdrew the file after Lamar suffered a drug overdose and she had to take control of his health decisions. There were reports that the pair would reunite but in 2016 their divorce was finalised.
11 of 30Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
Kim appeared to have followed in the footsteps as her younger sister Khloe when she got engaged to Kris Humphries after just seven months. She documented her 'dream' wedding on Keeping Up with The Kardashians but their relationship didn't last and they split just 72 DAYS after their wedding. Their breakup was also documented on their show.
12 of 30Stormzy and Maya Jama
We're still devastated about Stormzy and Maya Jama splitting, tbh. They were the dream team and had been together for four years – despite being very private they appeared in Vogue magazine together and the grime artist dedicated a song to her. However in August 2019 they called it quits and the TV presenter unfollowed him on Instagram.
13 of 30Seal and Heidi Klum
Seal and Heidi Klum renewed their wedding vows every year on their anniversary however after a seven-year marriage they called it quits. The A-list couple are parents to four children; Leni (who Heidi had from a previous relationship, but Seal adopted) and during their relationship they also welcomed Henry, Johan and Lou into the world.
14 of 30Gary Lucy and Natasha Gray
After dating for 10 years and then being married for four, Gary Lucy and Natasha Gray called time on their marriage. The pair confirmed the news in a statement saying, "This was a very difficult decision, but was reached mutually and amicably. No other parties are involved."
15 of 30Liam Payne and Cheryl
We're pretty sure the world was shocked when Liam Payne and Cheryl announced they were dating. However they then went on to welcome baby Bear Grey Payne into the world and despite breakup rumours they posed together at the Brit Awards in 2018. Unfortunately a few months later – and a total of two years together - they split.
16 of 30Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy
This break up is still a bit weird and we're not really sure why it happened because – spoiler alert – they're not real people. Anyways, in 2015 the puppets announced the end of their relationship in a lengthy statement.
17 of 30Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick
Another KUWTK break up – this one more surprising than the others – was Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick. The pair had been together for nine years and during that time they welcomed Mason, Penelope and Reign. They'd split a few times throughout their relationship – which included Scott doing to rehab and cheating allegations. However in 2015 they split for good.
18 of 30Cheryl and Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini
Cheryl literally surprised the world when she announced on Instagram that she had eloped with Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after three months of dating. The pair seemed totally in love until Cheryl raised concerns among fans after losing a lot of weight and slammed any split rumours by revealing her father in law had died. Unfortunately their romance wasn't to last and after 18 months of marriage they split.
19 of 30Perrie Edwards and Zayn Malik
Little Mix's Perri Edwards and One Direction's Zayn Malik were X Factor sweethearts. They supported each other's career, posted adorable snaps and even got a puppy together. The singers then got engaged but two years later – following cheating accusations and after Zayn quit One Direction – it came to light that he ended their relationship. While she claimed he dumped her via text, he denied it.
20 of 30Adele and Simon Konecki
She's notoriously private with her life but in 2019 is came to light that Adele and her husband Simon Konecki had split. Awhopping £145m is the figure being talked about in relation to their divorce. In 2012 they welcomed their only child into the world – Angelo.
21 of 30Chris Pratt and Anna Faris
Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announced they were splitting back in 2018 and a few months later their divorce was finalised. At the time they released a statement, saying: "We tried hard for a long time, and we're really disappointed. "Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward."They went on to say they "still have love for each other".
22 of 30Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan
Step Up stars Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan called it quits after being married for eight years. At the time they insisted they'd "lovingly chosen to separate as a couple". During their relationship they welcomed their daughter Everly into the world.
23 of 30Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk
We were devastated in June 2019 when one of the hottest A-list couples – Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk – split after four years together. Apparently the parents to their daughter Lea De Seine hadn't "been good for a few months".
24 of 30Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes dated for seven years and were married for six but in 2012 it came to light that she had filed for divorce. He later spoke out and admitted he "did not expect" the turn of events.
25 of 30Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux
Friends star Jennifer Aniston and her husband Justin Theroux called it quits after being married for two years. At the time they said the "decision was mutual and loving" and it appeared to be the truth because a year later to paid tribute to his ex-wife to celebrate her 50th birthday.
26 of 30Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom
Victoria's Secret model and Hollywood actor Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom broke up after six years together. After being married for three years they announced they'd been "amicably separated for the past few months" before confirming their relationship had ended.
27 of 30Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth lived a real-life story after falling in love on the set of The Last Song. However after four years together they split. They were then on/off but decided to call it quits AGAIN after eight years together. Their relationship didn't end there though because they reunited and got married but eight months after their wedding they split again.
28 of 30Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
Another couple who took the world by surprise were Twilightstars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. They met on the set of the vampire phenomenon back in 2009 and fell in love. While we all thought it would last, it didn't. Their relationship hit a rough patch in 2012 when Kristen's affair with her married director Rupert Sanders was exposed by paparazzi. Robert forgave her and they tried to make it work but they split a few months later.
29 of 30Fergie and Josh Duhamel
After eight years together Fergie and Josh Duhamel announced their split. Fast forward two years and Fergie filed for divorce.
30 of 30Matt Leblanc and Aurora Mulligan
In news that shocked Friends fans the world over, In February 2022 it was reported that Matt LeBlanc - best known for playing Joey Tribbiani on the show – had split from his girlfriend of six years, Top Gear producer Aurora Mulligan.
And pop culture and PR expert Nick Ede – who has worked with some of the world’s biggest stars – says that being a superstar is far tougher than many of us imagine. He says, “People think stars or performers can easily flit in and out of having a showbiz life and a personal life. But it’s really tough for many people, it’s a lot for your mind or mental health to take. If you’re someone who is a homebody and likes a private life, but also a world-famous singer who sells millions of records, you have to give yourself to your fans, and do interviews and performances. And with that comes scrutiny from the public, social media and critics, so it’s hard.
“Adele’s an international star and we all love her because she’s relatable. But to promote her music, she does have to put herself out there and share her life, do tours, do interviews, do everything. That would take a massive amount of physical and mental energy for anyone, let alone someone who’s very private and struggles in the spotlight.”
But it does seem that Adele has found methods to curb her anxiety. In her first comeback interview with Vogue, the London-born star – who moved to LA five years ago – revealed how exercise helped her following her marriage breakdown, which led to her 7st weight loss. The mum-of-one – who shares seven-year-old son, Angelo, with her ex – also confessed to having “a lot of therapy” and using sound baths and meditation to cope.
And pals say Rich – who she met through mutual friends earlier this year – has urged her not to stray from the techniques that helped her before.
The source says, “Rich has been Adele’s rock over the last couple of months, and he’s seen how deeply she’s been affected. She was in her blissful, more reclusive stage when they first started dating. He’s encouraged her to make time to work out, even if it means sacrificing something, so she can prioritise her wellbeing.
“Rich has made her realise the importance of self-care and that, no matter how busy or how under pressure she is, it can’t be neglected now she’s back in the limelight.”
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Unlike most of her A-list neighbours who reside in her exclusive Beverly Hills compound, Adele has managed to fly under the radar in LA and is rarely spotted in public. But since her comeback last month, she has been pictured numerous times by paparazzi and has become one of the most talked-about celebs on the planet.
Within 24 hours of her latest single, Easy On Me, being released last month, it shattered records – becoming Spotify’s most-streamed song in a single day and becoming Apple Music’s most pre-added album ever.
The source says, “Adele went from living her everyday life again back as a ‘normal’ mum, hanging out with friends and having time for herself and self-care to suddenly being catapulted back to a global star on the world’s stage. She’s having to deal with the hectic schedules again, the interviews, the mass attention and all the stress and pressure of having to live up to that bar she’s set.
“All of this has been a very difficult transition for her behind the scenes, but she’s got a solid support system around her, so she’s doing the best she can.”