Image copyright PA Image caption Adele was with her 21-year-old teaching assistant in 1999
Disgraced music mogul Simon Cowell has invited singer Adele to meet his former school, where the pop star was led to tears when she heard that she had changed her life.
School governor Derek Kelly, who had to break the news that Ms Kelly had fallen in love with one of her colleagues, said it was “the best day ever”.
He also told the BBC that he was delighted to be back in the warm embrace of Adele.
“You made someone’s life. I really wish that you’d come back and show your face,” he told the 25-year-old.
The musical has won three Academy Awards and five Grammys.
Image copyright PA Image caption School governor Derek Kelly says it was “one of the best days ever” to meet Adele
Cowell had run away to the US to study at the age of 16 after being expelled from his secondary school for truancy.
Mr Kelly, a former school friend of his who has been a vicar, was having his wife, Beccy, for dinner and arranged to have Adele over to help with closing time when she walked in.
“I knew it was the best thing I’d ever done,” he told the BBC.
Mr Kelly broke the news to Adele that she had ended up with her teaching assistant, who had been in love with her brother.
Mr Kelly said the singer was “a different person” to the one he knew.
“She was miserable. She was crying like a baby,” he said.
He also recalled her saying: “I can’t believe how life’s turned out.”
Image copyright PA Image caption The 25-year-old was reunited with her former teacher at the school where she was taught from the age of 14
He had to go to the police to report that a student had been lying about her.
Mr Kelly said the “lovely” Adele had gone on to have a “very successful” career.
Earlier this year, Mr Kelly had to break the news that his wife had fallen in love with one of his staff.
Manny Marroquin was Adele’s teacher from the age of 14 to 17. He claimed that his eventual ex-wife had embezzled £150,000.
A court is currently considering Mr Kelly’s case.
Ms Kelly also denied the allegations and said she had not kept any of the money, but said she was afraid of the impact she could have on Mr Kelly and their two sons.
She has been told she will never see her children again, she told the BBC.