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Adele cries on stage when surprised by former English teacher: 'You really did change my life'

Adele did say she loves a surprise while helping a couple get engaged during her two-hour CBS primetime special "Adele One Night Only," which aired Nov. 14, and she was the recipient of a great surprise at "An Audience with Adele" at the London Palladium.

Airing Sunday, Adele was asked by Dame Emma Thompson if she had someone when she was younger who supported and protected her "from all the trials and tribulations of life and inspired you to sort of go on?"

The 15-time Grammy winner responded by describing Miss McDonald, her English teacher from Chestnut Grove. "She left when I was in Year 8," Adele said when Thompson asked if they'd kept in touch. 

"It was just one year, but she got me really into literature," Adele continued. "I've always been obsessed with English, and obviously, now I write lyrics. She also did street dance. I was too scared to join, but in the canteen they used to do these dances and stuff like that. But yeah, she was so bloody cool. So engaging. She really made us care, and we knew that she cared about us. She used to have all these gold bracelets on and gold sequins."

Cut to: Miss McDonald in the audience, being escorted up to the stage as Adele burst into tears. Watch the sweet moment unfold below.

While they hugged, Miss McDonald explained that she no longer teaches and looks after her family — her children, Hayden and Skye — and thanked Adele for remembering her. "You really did change my life," Adele told her, also noting she still has all her books from when Miss McDonald was her teacher.

Because Adele got so emotional, she had to have her makeup redone and needed Alan Carr to hilariously sing "Make You Feel My Love" for the audience in the meantime.

Adele's fourth studio album, "30," arrived last Friday.

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