ARIANA Grande is to return to Manchester to headline Pride 2019 – 2 years after a bombing attack that killed 22 people at her Manchester Arena concert.
She is heading back to the city to headline the LGBT+ event at a new 9,000-capacity outdoor venue at an old railway depot on Sunday August 25.
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She Had previously said she would play a “a special show” in Manchester as part of her forthcoming world tour.
Ariana said in December, when her tour was announced: “We are of course coming and we love you!”
A suicide bomb attack at Ariana’s gig in Manchester Arena killed 22 concert-goers – mostly young girls.
Sick jihadi Salman Abedi set off a nail-filled explosive in backpack as fans poured out following the gig on 22 May.
Handout – Getty
The Sun’s Bizarre column was the first to reveal she was in talks to headline the event.
A source close to the American singer said: “Manchester holds a very special place in Ariana’s heart and she’s made it clear she wants to do whatever she can for the city.
“She was in talks to perform at Manchester Pride[in 2018] but unfortunately they just could not make it work due to various reasons down to space and security.
“But the council and Ariana were so eager to make it happen, they have picked up conversations for 2019 and it is now looking like she will headline the Sunday evening.
Getty Images – Getty
“It is going to be really special if it does work out, particularly given how much Ariana means to everyone in the city.”
The plans come as bosses work on a massive overhaul of Manchester Pride in 2019.
Organisers say the event, running from the Friday through to the Monday, will be “radically different” to previous years.
Known as The Big Weekend, it will also be moved to a new venue despite traditionally taking place in Manchester’s “gay village” around Canal Street.
Just two weeks after a suicide bomber attacked Ariana’s Manchester Arena concerton May 22 last year, she responded by organising the Manchester One Love concert with the likes of Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Coldplay — and her latest return will be equally poignant.
Ariana, who is now an honorary citizen of Manchester, recently announced she had delayed announcing a date for the gig on her Sweetener tour because she was planning something “special”.
She said: “We need a bit more time getting things together before we can announce that date but we are of course coming and we love you.”
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