Adele moved to tears mid-concert by surprise reunion with beloved teacher

Adele, the pop superstar who regularly moves her fans to tears, shed a few herself on Sunday when she was surprised by a beloved former teacher.

While she was performing her U.K. show An Evening With Adele, she took a question from Emma Thompson, one of the many British celebrities in attendance.

Thompson asked if there was anyone in her past who'd supported her, inspired her, or protected her from life's trials and tribulations.

Adele immediately identified her Chestnut Grove Academy English teacher, Ms. McDonald, whom she hadn't seen since she was 12. Adele credited McDonald for sparking her interest in literature, which is present today through her songwriting.

"She was so bloody cool, so engaging," Adele said, recalling that McDonald often wore sequins and gold bracelets. "She really made us care, and we knew that she cared about us."

Adele said McDonald also taught street dance, although she was too scared to participate in it.

When she realized that the "relatable and likable" McDonald was in the audience that night, she immediately teared up and was crying by the time her former teacher joined her on stage for a hug-filled reunion.

"I'm so proud of you," McDonald told Adele. "Thank you for remembering me."

"You really did change my life," Adele replied, marveling that McDonald looked exactly the same. Then she turned to the crowd in search of her mother, calling, "Mum! Mum, can you believe it?"

McDonald said she left teaching to care for her two children, who were also in the audience. Adele asked for her former teacher's phone number so they could stay in touch. Then she briefly left the stage to touch up her makeup, calling on comedian Alan Carr to cover for her with a rendition of "Make You Feel My Love."

The emotional reunion was watched by a host of British celebrities, including Thompson, Idris Elba, David Tennant, and Hannah Waddingham.

An Evening with Adele aired on ITV in the U.K.

Related content:

• Watch Adele perform for Lizzo and chat with Oprah for One Night Only special on CBS
• Hear Adele's moving conversation with her son about divorce in powerful 30 song 'My Little Love'
• Adele says her closest friends weren't impressed with their first listen of 'Easy on Me'