Columnists: Yvie Burnett

This week I’m on tour with the wonderful Sam Smith, which is bit of a dream job. Sam’s tour is such an event. The creative team have come up with such fabulous staging and lighting and Sam’s voice is so breathtaking to hear live, it’s a great night. I hope some of you managed to see him in Glasgow last night or tonight.

Sam and his band had been rehearsing to just a few of us crew and management for quite a while now so to come out to 12,000 screaming fans on the first night in Sheffield was mind blowing for us all.

He has performed live in many huge arenas and to millions of people at major TV events but coming out to thousands of people who have just come to see you must be so rewarding, especially when they know the words to every song you have written.

I feel like a proud mother. I don’t know how his own mum can hold back the tears.

Sam isn’t much older than Emily and Ollie but he is out there on that huge stage on a tour that is heading round the world.

We are always proud of our children though.

Did you see the “carpool karaoke” video of the mothers doing sign language and singing along to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri with their Down Syndrome children? It was World Down Syndrome Day this week. The message from parents whose children are affected always seems to be “I wouldn’t change a thing”. These children seem to be so loving and extra special. Their parents must burst with pride at every little achievement.

I noticed an article written by the lovely Stacey Solomon who has made the decision to home school her two boys.

It’s not a decision she has taken lightly, but something that she really felt would work for them.

When she noticed that her older son’s personality was changing, she questioned the cause and came to the conclusion that his natural energy and enthusiasm was becoming a little bit squashed rather than encouraged. She felt that he would grow more as a person if allowed to blossom without formal schooling restrictions.

Now that sounds like a bit of a risky strategy. However, when you hear in Stacey’s words how keen to learn both the boys are and how she structures the weeks to be a combination of practical learning, day trip experiences and tutors, it seems like Stacey has really succeeded in tailor-making a disciplined but exciting learning experience for her lovely boys.

It most certainly isn’t the easy option. Dropping them off at school, picking them back up and attending a few parents nights seems simple compared to having to make every decision about what they need to learn. Stacey is a great mum and a great girl, so I really believe that if she thinks it is best for her boys it will be.

I was so saddened to hear that Ant McPartlin had been arrested for suspected drink driving.

Ant was looking so healthy and really appeared to have beaten his demons when he appeared back on our screens after spending some time in rehab.

Of course I feel for the families involved in the accident. No one should get in a car over the limit and it is right that Ant is treated the same way as anyone else if he is guilty of drink driving.

We can see though that he is ill and that he needs help and it was a blessing that no one was badly injured. I’ve known Ant and Dec for many years and they are just as nice as they seem on screen. Sometimes with these huge stars, having a few drinks or something similar helps them deal with their natural shyness when suddenly thrown into the limelight in such a major way. Unfortunately it then becomes a necessity.

Get well soon Ant.

Have a good week,

Yvie X

The mezzo-soprano from Methlick and vocal coach to the stars