Coronavirus: Tom Jones opens up about being quarantined with TB for two years as a child

Sir Tom Jones has told of how he was forced to quarantine for two years due to tuberculosis when he was a child as he joined a number of stars giving UK performances for a global virtual concert celebrating healthcare workers.

The Welsh star performed along with acts including Little Mix and Michael Buble for the One World: Together At Home event, supporting front line coronavirus workers, on Sunday.

Organised in collaboration with Lady Gaga, the show launched on Saturday night with everyone from Taylor Swift and Beyonce to The Rolling Stones and Sir Elton John taking part to entertain millions of people in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sunday, Sir Tom performed The Glory Of Love, which has been recorded by artists including Jimmy Durante, Dean Martin and Nina Simone, and paid tribute to the NHS as he shared his own experiences.

“I’ve lived a long time, I’ve seen a lot of things, I’ve experienced a lot of things,” he said.

Gesturing to a picture behind him, he continued: “Like this house for instance right here, that’s 44 Laura Street, where I was born and brought up.

“I was isolated there for two years with tuberculosis in that house, and I thought that was bad then.

“But the National Health Service helped me then like they’re helping all of us right now.

“So I would like to say thank you so much to the National Health for doing what they did for me then and what they’re doing right now for everybody else.

“We have to do our best to stay home to help the National Health, we should stay home. And follow orders and go along with what we’re being told to do.

“Stick with it, be together and we’ll survive. God bless you.”

The event was staged in conjunction with Global Citizen and the World Health Organisation (WHO), with the BBC covering the highlights and UK exclusives on Sunday.

Little Mix performed their hit Touch and band member Perrie Edwards also paid tribute to the NHS and other key workers.

“We wanted to say hi and we really hope you guys are being positive during this weird, weird time that we are in,” she said.

“I think we can all agree that the love that we feel for the NHS staff at this time and the key workers, doctors, nurses, carers, retail workers, postmen, waste collectors, the list goes on and on.

“You all deserve such a huge thank you and we appreciate you so, so, so much.

“Everybody please take care of yourselves, take care of your loved ones, stay home, save lives, protect the NHS.”

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Buble performed the Beach Boys classic God Only Knows.

The star, whose son, Noah, had cancer when he was younger, said he wanted to thank and celebrate “all those incredible front line healthcare workers and all the people in essential services who day after day have gone and risked their lives to save ours”.

Paying tribute, he said: “On behalf of my own family, I love you dearly.

“You are the real superheroes and right now I’d like very much to dedicate this song to all of you.”

The broadcast also featured highlights from the US show, which was livestreamed around the world, including performances from Stevie Wonder and Billie Eilish, as well as Sir Paul McCartney talking about his mother Mary, who was a nurse and midwife during and after the Second World War.

Hosted by US talk show hosts Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, it also included real-life stories from medical staff on the front line of the pandemic.

The UK show finished with an exclusive performance of Make You Feel My Love by royal wedding singers The Kingdom Choir.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Tom Jones opens up about being quarantined with TB for two years as a child