VIDEO: Gold star Tony Hadley's glittering thanks to soaked fans at Wentworth Music Festival

To Cut A Long Story Short the 3,500-strong crowd were singing and dancing in the rain under brollies for a large part of the day at the music and comedy event at Wentworth, on the Rotherham and Barnsley border.

But their continued support for the new festival, now in its thrd year, will be rewarded – it will return for a fourth year next summer, bosses have confirmed.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS: Wentworth Music Festival 2020 early bird tickets go on sale on Tuesday morning, June 18, 2019. More details to follow on Monday, June 19, at 5pm – see www.facebook.com/wentworthmusicfestival.

Ex-Spandau Ballet star Tony, in an exclusive chat backstage - watch the video at the top of this article - praised fans for braving the weather and the work of the festival's co-promoters, radio presenter pals Toby Foster and Steve White.

He said: "Thank you to everybody who came along and braved the rain."

And in a video tweet, on his page @TheTonyHadley he also said: “An early morning thank you to everyone at #Wentworth festival you stood there in the rain, you sang your hearts out and eventually a patch of blue sky appeared! What a gig, have a wonderful Father’s Day love Tone xx”

Tony, in our video chat, was also full of prase for the family friendly event and said: "It's the third year of his festival and I have to say it looks absolutely amazing.

"Steve and Toby are doing a brilliant job.

"It always takes a bit of time for a festival to develop but this is going great guns and there's lots of stuff for all the family.”

He performed Spandau classics, including Gold and chart-topper True, plus new solo material and also revealed he is about to return to the studio with new material.

He said: "I think I'm singing better than I ever could. I'm lucky that I'm still doing what I love. I'm working on new material and I'm in the studio in the next couple of weeks, working on new stuff."

To commemorate 75 years since the D-Day landings The RAF and The Army agreed to a flypast by an Avro Lancaster during the afternoon as the festival got underway set against the spectacular backdrop of the magnificent Wentworth Woodhouse stately home - though currently covered in scaffolding as renovation work begins.

Toby, when asked if the festival will be back for a fourth year, said: "Well, the bank says no. But they've said that for a long time. The crowd say yes. We're back here next year.

"The bands and acts have been amazing and brill. The Lancaster flypast made everyone cry and the kids in the comedy tent have just been great."

Hosts were Barnsley's own Sam Nixon and TV double act parter Mark Rhodes. Also on the bill were S Club, Dr and The Medics, Republica, tribute acts Soul Sensation and Abba Revival.

Making his own first ever festival performance was Sheffield's Grammy award winning singer songwriter Eliot Kennedy, who sung global hits he has written and produced for the likes of Bryan Adams, Take That, The Spice Girls and Boyzone.

He brought new talent with him including Californian David Corbell, who performed live for the first time, singing his debut single, We Are Love, which was released on Friday. Doncaster pop starlet Charlotte Hannah performed here debut single, All About Us, which is released on Monday, June 17.

Sheffeld’s singer songwriter John Reilly joined him to perform Women Of Steel.

Other talent performing with Eliot included newcomers Will Jennison and Georgie Picabo Harrison.

Big Shaun, frontman with The Everly Pregnant Brothers, sung with a band of other pals including Toby Foster.

Six hours of comedy were preseted in The Last Laugh Comedy tent with Joe Zalius hosting, featuring Steve Royle and Justin Moorhouse from Phoenix Nights, Rob Rouse from Upstart Crow, Nina Gilligan and Mandy Knight and star of Radio 4’s Live at 11, Rahul Kohli, along with Scott Bennett and more.

A New Music Tent featured some of the region’s hottest rising stars along with festival favourites, with bands like Kiziah and The Kings, Elephant Trees, Mollyanna and Broken Flowers, metal sensations Fear Lies, Cry, the hugely popular Graceful Harmony and Altamont.

Singing Plumber Paul Ballington, who has featured on local radio and TV, also played, with highlights including brass band The Tin Soldiers Party Hour.