Marti Pellow: Wet Wet Wet star surprises Portsmouth Covid-19 patient with dedicated rendition of With a Little Help from My Friends

Acute medical technician Hayley Fagan was blown away after Marti Pellow, of Wet Wet Wet, took to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube yesterday to sing With a Little Help from My Friends for her poorly sister, Sam Emmonds.

The 44-year-old was admitted to QA Hospital on Thursday, April 2 and is ‘slowly being weened off’ ventilation as her condition improves, Hayley said.

Scottish singer Pellow, 55, was all smiles as he belted out a live version of Wet Wet Wet's 1988 chart-topping Beatles cover from his London home, saying at the start of the video: ‘This one’s for Sam.’

He also said in a post on YouTube: ‘This one is for Sam Emmonds who is fighting the fight with help from our NHS angels at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.

‘Sing along with me for Sam and all our amazingly brave NHS staff. I have left a wee space for you to scream and let it all out.

‘Stay home and stay safe everyone. Love to love, Marti.’

Hayley, 47, instigated the tuneful gesture with the help of her other sister, Rachel Robinson, and a QA colleague, nurse sister Rachel Shergold.

Not even expecting a reply from the star, she claims his generous actions have gone on to inspire staff from across the hospital.

‘We didn’t actually think anything would come of it,' she said.

‘He first sent a message to Sam and the next day I asked him again – could he please sing – and he did.

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‘He is amazing and the whole hospital has been uplifted by this.

‘Our main aim is to get it played to her in ITU. Our next aim is to get as many staff outside to dance to the song and make it QA’s anthem. Marti did us proud.’

Pellow’s 101,000 social media followers have since praised the ‘class’ gesture, which has been viewed more than 284,000 times on Facebook.

The singer has also garnered the thanks of Mark Cubbon, chief executive of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages QA.

Sam’s father, 67-year-old Phil Lilly, thanked QA Hospital’s healthcare heroes for their vital work after news of her battle with the virus reached social media.

He told The News: ‘I would like to say how grateful I am.

‘Words cannot express enough what QA Hospital and the ICU unit have done for my daughter.

‘Sam shall be eternally grateful to them – they are angels beyond compare and deserve he recognition so much.

‘I’m not sure if she’s out of the woods yet, but she’s going in the right direction. This virus is so unpredictable.’