Fans of iconic 90s boyband start queuing 36 hours before Norwich concert-Kitty Chrisp-Entertainment – Metro

Take That fans are a dedicated bunch (Picture: Denise Bradley / Newsquest / SW)

Take That fans arrived at Norwich City’s Carrow Road stadium just a little early ahead of tonight’s concert.

Gates opened at 5pm today (Tuesday 28 May) but some diehard fans made camp a whole 36 hours early in order to nab a good spot to watch the 90s boyband legends.

Maria Marshall, Emma Sargent, Nikki Hubbard, Samantha Emmerson, Nikki Foulger, and Nicola Landles were among those who brought their camping chairs and good cheer as they joined the queue ahead of tonight’s installment of This Life On Tour.

Debra Legg, 36, made the near four hour trip from Swindon to be first in the queue outside the stadium, which previously hosted the Shine hitmakers in 2017 and 2019.

Speaking from the queue, Debra – who arrived at 5am on Monday morning – said: ‘I have loved Take That since they first started.’

She added: ‘There is always an amazing atmosphere in the queue – it is very addictive.’

The front of the queue waited for 36 hours before gates opened (Picture: Denise Bradley / Newsquest / SW)

Howard Donald, Gary Barlow and Mark Owen are the three remaining members of Take That (Picture: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Ciara Oakes, 26, from Southampton – armed with a tent, airbed and sleeping bag – was fourth in the queue.

She told the BBC: ‘It’s been really good, it’s always a good atmosphere and everybody gets on really well. You know people who’ve done it before with you.’

‘[Take That’s] shows are amazing, they’re a great group of people,” she added.

The band now consists of three members – Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald – after Jason Orange left in 2014, and Robbie Williams in 1995.

This Life On Tour is set to take them to Milton Keynes in two days, before they hop over to Southampton, Plymouth, Swansea, Bristol, Manchester, Cork, County Dublin and Belfast.

Earlier this month the band were set to play at the Co-op Live Arena, but their dates were moved to the city’s AO arena instead as the former has been plagued with problems since its somewhat premature opening,

The £365million arena, which Harry Styles has invested in, was even dubbed ‘Co-Flop’ after the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, The Black Keys and Peter Kay had to cancel or postpone their performances.

Robbie Williams and Jason Orange left the group years ago (Picture: Tim Roney/Getty Images)

The fans brought their blankets and camping chairs (Picture: Denise Bradley / Newsquest / SW)

Earlier this month a Glasgow-based bar singer described a whirlwind evening, when he was asked to step in for Olly Murs to support Take That at the 11th hour.

Daniel Rooney, 26, was playing in a hotel bar next door to the Ovo Hydro in Glasgow when he was asked to fill Olly’s support slot.

After being approached by Scots TV presenter Ross King, he played in front of 14,000 fans – a crowd over 300 times the size of his usual audiences in pubs and clubs around the city.

The busker was later thanked by Take That frontman Gary Barlow before heading back to his life in Cambuslang, a town in the south-east of the Greater Glasgow area.

Speaking to the BBC, Daniel said: ‘It’s been a whirlwind. My phone’s not stopped for three days. It’s been really fun.’

He added: ‘I usually play to around 40 people. It’s madness. I was more just focusing on what songs to sing. I was more excited than anything else.’

Daniel described the on-stage moment as ‘the craziest 30 minutes ever’ and thanked members Gary, Mark and Howard Donald for calmly discussing his set list with him.

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