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One Love Manchester raises over £2million in just three hours

It has been reported that Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester benefit concert has catapulted the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund over the £10million mark, with generous viewers donating more than £2million in just three hours.

Broadcast in over 50 countries as well as an official livestream online, during the time that the gig was on air the general public donated in their millions, with all proceeds going towards the fund that was set up by Manchester City Council and the Red Cross.

The general public donated millions.
The general public donated millions.

This figure does not include the money that was raised by ticket sales, which was also thought to be over the £1million mark.

Money is still pouring in to the We Love Manchester Fund thanks to generous members of the public, and the money will help all who were affected by the terror attack at Manchester Arena on May 22.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Mike Adamson of The Red Cross explained: “We expect to raise another one and half million pounds from ticket sales tonight and then further funding from the TV rights and merchandising.”

Ariana has been praised for the star-studded concert.
Ariana has been praised for the star-studded concert.

The star-studded event included performances from the likes of Katy Perry, Coldplay, Take That, and the Black Eyed Peas as well as Ariana herself, with the 50,000 capacity venue selling out in just six minutes when tickets went on sale last week.

Ariana organised the entire concert in little over a week, calling on her famous friends to perform at the benefit for free after her concert was targeted by a suicide bomber, with 22 people losing their lives and countless others suffering serious injury when a homemade nail bomb was detonated as she finished her sold-out show last month.

Heavily involved throughout last night’s gig, Ariana performed duets with the Black Eyed Peas, her best friend Miley Cyrus, her boyfriend Mac Miller, as well as a poignant collaboration with a local school’s choir, moving viewers across the globe to tears.

Ariana met with fans ahead of last night’s show.
Ariana met with fans ahead of last night’s show.

As well as all of the A-list stars, such as Justin Bieber, performing for free, Live Nation also waived their fee for hosting the event, insuring that the maximum amount of profit will reach Manchester attack victims.

Prior to last night’s show, Ariana and her manager Scooter Braun took the time to visit hospitalised victims of the attack, with Ariana being praised by the victims’ parents for how “humble, sincere and compassionate” she was during the visit, where she posed for selfies and gave the children gifts.

Ariana also met with the parents of some of the victims, including 15-year-old Olivia Campbell’s mother, Karen, who inspired Ariana to change the setlist for last night’s show when Karen told her that her late daughter would have wanted her to perform the hits.

Read more:

[ Ariana Grande’s brother heaps praise on the star ]

[ One Love Manchester: Ariana embraces schoolgirl as she breaks down ]

[ One Love Manchester: All of the highlights from the show ]