Chart-topping sensation Adele, a proud London native, broke a nearly two-decade hiatus from the London Underground.
The 35-year-old songstress had refrained from using the Tube since 2005, following a series of devastating terrorist attacks that rocked the city's public transport system, resulting in over 50 casualties.
During her Weekends With Adele residency in Las Vegas, Adele candidly addressed her long-standing Tube aversion, stating, "I haven't really been on the Tube in England, not since I've been famous. It is since we had a terror attack there. I have been scared because I get claustrophobic."
Last year, Adele found herself compelled to confront her Tube-related anxieties when she returned to the UK. With a tight schedule and the need to travel swiftly from central London to the O2 Arena in north Greenwich, taking a taxi was not a viable option.
During a break from her residency shows, Adele recounted, "[During] the last break, I went home to London and I wanted to go to the Mamma Mia party. It's at the O2. So it was Friday night, and I had an appointment before. So I had to get there in like 45 minutes, and it's like a two-hour drive really in traffic."
Forced to rely on the Tube, she detailed the experience, sharing, "I had to get on the Tube, and my appointment required me to be in full hair and make-up. So I very much looked like Adele the singer.
"I got on the Tube and I had a mask on. I did have lots of security guards with me in fairness and a few friends, but we were all very under the radar, and I felt right at home. You'll never guess what happened, but I … fell asleep!"
Contrary to expectations, Adele found the experience surprisingly positive, expressing, "Anyways, I loved it. And then I got to the O2, and I had to walk through thousands and thousands of people. People started recognizing me then, but I was … out of time. I wasn't even scared to be on the tube. I loved it. It reminded me of my teenage years."
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