VE Day viewers baffled after 90s one hit wonders perform for King Charles

The 90s rock band from East Sussex performed during the live VE Day concert (Picture: Getty Images)

Viewers have been left bewildered after a 90s band who are best known for their one hit song performed for King Charles at the VE Day concert.

Yesterday evening, a live concert was performed from the iconic Horse Guards Parade in London to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allies winning World War II.

Host Zoe Ball presented the gig as King Charles and Queen Camilla sat in the Royal Box alongside veterans.

King Charles himself spent the evening next to 107-year-old bomber pilot Harry Richardson throughout the gig.

But, after a series of Strictly Come Dancing performers took to the stage to accompany Fleur East’s opening, fans were particularly baffled by the choice of one band.

Taking to the stage at one point during the evening was 90s band Toploader, who are renowned for their tune Dancing in the Moonlight.

Toploader are best known for their song Dancing in the Moonlight (Picture: Chris Jackson/PA Wire) The band pose for a picture ahead of the live concert (Picture: Getty Images) A look at Toploader performing at the London Astoria in 2000 during a tour (Picture: Amanda Edwards/Redferns)

Taking to X, fans were quick to question why they were selected as performers tonight.

@gorgeousuk wrote: ‘Oh and they ended with Toploader, of course, why not???!!! I was asleep by then, no honestly, I was…I like Dancing in the Moonlight, but what the hell had that song to do with VE Day, at all??? There were some v strange choices made for the VE Day performance.’

@eastcoaststoat added: ‘Trying to work out how toploader singing dancing in the moonlight fitted in with VE day.’

@smeeho7 also said: ‘Just watching the VE concert here on the national broadcaster. If anything sums up the sacrifice and communal legacy of VE, it’s Toploader singing ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’. William Beveridge would have been delighted.’

@Mendelpol wrote: ‘Toploader’s dancing in the moonlight closing the VE Day concert.. because that’s what everyone sang in 1945 of course.

‘Honestly, all they ad to do for this concert, was basically the Proms.. maybe get Paul Macca out also.’

However, not all viewers were angry with the decision to feature Toploader, as @simplysam1965 argued: ‘Just watched Toploader singing Dancing in the Moonlight on the VE Day Concert. It was a lovely concert. A nice tribute #VEDay80.’

Toploader have over two million album sales and several top-20 hits (Picture: Ian Dickson/Redferns) Viewers questioned why the band were selected to perform at the concert (Picture: PA) Some, however, enjoyed their performance on the night. Here, the band’s guitarist Dan Hipgrave performs at the Cambridge Club Festival in 2021 (Picture: Brandon/Redferns)

Throughout the rest of the night, there were other performances from the likes of Samantha Banks, John Newman, Victor Ray, Freya Ridings and Keala Settle.

Alongside them, Calum Scott, The Darkness, Tom Walker and classical singer Sir Willard White also performed.

Dame Joan Collins, Mary Berry and Sheila Hancock also spoke during the evening as actor Brian Cox delivered a reenactment of Winston Churchill’s wartime speech.

Before the live concert, the royal family were seen arriving at Westminster Abbey for the annual VE Day service with war veterans.

London was filled with red, white and blue this week to mark the emotional moment 80 years ago when Germany surrendered and the Allies declared victory.

King Charles greeted crowds outside Westminster Abbey in central London today as he attended the service with Queen Camilla, Prince and Princess of Wales, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, veterans and 2,000 guests.

Charles was dressed in a pinstripe suit, while Kate donned a dotted turtleneck dress next to William, who wore a classic navy suit and red and blue tie.

VE Day is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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