Mighty Hoopla will be returning to Brockwell Park next year and the line-up has just got even more iconic, as it was confirmed that Jane McDonald would be featuring in their Gay Icon Slot on Sunday, marking the performer's first-ever festival performance. The news was shared by the festival's social media pages, which said: "JANE MCDONALD IS YOUR SUNDAY GAY ICON! It's been a long time coming. We've seen your requests. It's been years of trying… and we finally got her. The one and only @thejanemcdonald will be cruisin' into Brockwell Park on Sunday 31st May in our Gay Icon Slot at her first EVER festival performance!
"She'll be bringing a big band, big vocals and big surprises to Mighty Hoopla 2026, and this is going to be a show for the ages. Sunday tickets are now very limited, so be quick! Please note if you've purchased a Saturday ticket you can now upgrade to a Weekend ticket for less than the cost of buying a new Sunday ticket. Just head to our ticketing page and click the Upgrade Ticket link. Make sure you get your tickets NOW and don’t miss this moment Mighty Hoopla 2026!"
Jane appeared in a video for the festival, saying: "Well it's me! I'm here, darlings. Yes, I'm going to be at the Mighty Hoopla on the Icon Slon. Big band. Big vocals. In fact, it's going to be bloody lovely, come on! You know you want to come."
The singer and travel presenter later shared a second video, where she joked: "What am I going to sing? How am I going to act? What am I going to wear?" The star later found a bright rainbow-coloured sequin outfit from a rack, deciding it would be the perfect look for the performance.
Even though the LGBTQ+ community has embraced Jane, the singer has previously confessed she isn't entirely sure why she's considered a gay icon. Speaking to Heat in 2024, when asked about being a gay icon, she confessed: "You know what? I don't know. I have no idea but, whatever it is, I hope it stays with me, because I am so honoured." She then joked it could be down to her "big hair, glittery clothes and big voice".
Fan response
Understandably, fans were absolutely losing their minds in the comments at the prospect. Drag performer Danny Beard enthused: "Righttttt…. I'll be there, and if Jai Ho isn't sung I'll be flipping tables," while Strictly's Christmas champion, Tayce, added: "The queen of camp has arrived THIS IS NOT A DRILL."
© InstagramA third fan commented: "Jane McDonald singing Jai Ho on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of South London is what dreams are made of," while a fourth said: "MY PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED!" and a fifth shared: "I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY." A sixth noted that the signing was "epically camp" while another fan wrote: "@thejanemcdonald you have SAVED Hoopla 2026! I was in two minds this year, now it's a certainty. ALL ABOARD, it's our Bloody Jane!"
Who else will be performing at Mighty Hoopla?
Mighty Hoopla 2026 will be taking place in Brockwell Park between 30 and 31 May 2026. The line-up is proving to be incredible; it was confirmed that Lily Allen will be performing the entirety of her new album, West End Girl, in the Saturday headliner slot. Other stars confirmed for the festival include Jessie J, JLS, Tulisa, Perrie, Booty Luv and Cascada.
Jane's second announcement
For fans of Jane's travel series, the 62-year-old confirmed that she would be heading abroad once again for a new Channel 5 series. The star will be embracing the country music genre as she heads for Nashville in a two-part series coming soon to the network. In an announcement, the star could be seen wearing a purple sequin jacket and a white cowboy hat.
A social media post from Channel 5 read: "Yee-haw! Jane's back, and this time she's heading to Music City. From the Grand Ole Opry to Jack Daniel's, join her Nashville adventure in this two-part travel special. Jane McDonald's Nashville. Coming soon to 5."
