Katherine Jenkins surprised at popularity of her live Facebook concerts

Katherine Jenkins has said it is “different and weird” performing a live concert over the internet with just her husband and their four-year-old daughter watching her at home.

The Welsh opera singer also told of her surprise at how popular they have been after she started streaming Saturday night concerts for her fans over Facebook, which she said she wanted to do to bring people together and lift their spirits as they stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Jenkins’ latest concert has been viewed 218,000 times since she performed on Saturday, and her previous gig had more than 350,000 people watching.

She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that she was surprised at how popular they have been, as she originally thought only 600 people would tune in.

She said: “I’m so happy just to sing for 600 people if that’s going to make a difference; we had no idea that so many people were going to watch it.

“So it’s become something fun for me, and hopefully people are enjoying it at home.”

Asked if she was enjoying the experience, the mezzo-soprano said: “It’s definitely different and sort of weird, because you’re essentially singing to a phone and a blank wall, but I’ve got my own rent-a-crowd, I’ve got my husband and my daughter Aaliyah in the background.

“If you watch the concerts back, often I’m sort of battling Aaliyah who wants to be involved and is trying to get in front of the camera, or telling me off for reading messages that say words I shouldn’t say.

“So it’s very real and it’s something for us to be able to try and do and focus on, I think like everybody we are also getting used to the change in life.

“We’re doing the schooling and we’re missing seeing family and friends, that kind of thing, but that’s why putting this together was hopefully a way to reach out to people every Saturday night.”

She said she will do another one this weekend and told fans to join her.

Jenkins said she came up with the idea to do the concerts “a couple of weeks ago”.

“I’m so in awe of the amazing work the NHS are doing, and I was sat here thinking, ‘How can I do my bit?'” she said.

“And whilst I’ll never be able to do the things that they do, it was about trying to create a moment of respite for people who are isolating by themselves, just trying to keep them company, so I came up with the idea of the concerts and of just playing uplifting music, things that will keep us cheery and will get us involved.”

Jenkins, who joined the programme from her home, also sang Happy Birthday to host Piers Morgan, who turned 55 on Monday.

She is married to American filmmaker and artist Andrew Levitas, and they have daughter Aaliyah together, who was born in September 2015.