99 Year Old Captain Tom Moore Takes The UK, And The Weeknd, By Storm

Retired 99-year-old military veteran Captain Tom Moore who rose to fame raising over £28 million for the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) is challenging The Weeknd for number one on the U.K. singles chart through an adaption of Gerry and the Pacemarkers’ classic You’ll Never Walk Alone, featuring Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care Choir. The veteran is now also confirmed to be the subject of a documentary through British broadcaster ITV around his experiences in the Second World War. 

National hero

Rising to viral fame, Captain Tom Moore raised money for the NHS walking 100 laps of his 25 meter garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire with his frame. In the process he has inspired people across the nation to donate. His actions resulted in him being gifted the Pride of Britain Award. 

The documentary

The 30-minute documentary special, which will air on Victory In Europe Day (VE Day) in the U.K. next month, will chronicle Captain Moore serving on the frontline in Burma, where Allied troops fought against the Imperial Japanese forces over a three year period. At the time he fought to secure a British colony in the territory and was involved in a number of daring missions. 

In a statement, ITV’s Controller of Current Affairs, Tom Giles, said: “Captain Tom’s War will shed light on a campaign which comparatively goes unmentioned but in which our troops suffered unthinkable hardship and tens of thousands of British soldiers fought and died. 

“Hearing this from Captain Tom Moore, who fought in Burma, means we will find out a lot more about the man who has done so much to raise our spirits at this time and the experience he and many others faced during World War Two, on an occasion when we rightly come together to thank them for their sacrifice.”

The music

Meanwhile in music, the battle for number one took an unusual turn when The Weeknd backed Captain Moore publically, urging his fans to help get him to number one for his 100th birthday on April 30 after the Canadian musician’s numbers shot up suddenly. The surge forecasted the Blinding Lights singer overtaking before the cut off of sales and streams on midnight Thursday British Summer Time (BST). If The Weeknd gets his wish the military veteran will end his eight week run at number one. 

The final Official Chart Top 40 will be revealed on BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart with Scott Mills on Friday at 4 pm BST and the documentary will air on Friday, May 8, at 8 pm.