Johnny Depp set to make surprise appearance in Manchester this weekend

Actor Johnny Depp, currently caught up in a defamation trial with his ex wife, is set to make an appearance in Manchester this weekend.

The star unexpectedly appeared at long time friend Jeff Beck's Sheffield gig on Sunday (May 29) as part of his ongoing tour of the UK. He is now set to appear at Manchester O2 Apollo on Saturday June 4. He will also appear in York and Glasgow and will be on stage in in Gateshead tomorrow (Thursday June 2)

The surprise appearance at the concert was Depp's first public appearance, following on just two days from his six-week defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard. A US jury is currently deliberating the result.

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In the case, the 58-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star sued Amber for $50m for an article she wrote claiming to be an abuse victim, with his ex-wife, 36, in-turn counter suing him for $100m. Depp also joined Beck on stage on Monday and Tuesday (30/31 May) at two Royal Albert Hall performances in London. The duo played a combined seven songs together - inclusive of their 2020 collaboration Isolation.

Introducing the guest appearance on Monday, Beck said: "“He came knocking on my dressing room door about five years ago and we haven’t stopped laughing since." Johnny also rocked out on guitar side by side with the 77-year-old to a number of other covers, including Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing, Marvin Gaye's What's Going On?, Dennis Wilson's Time, and A Day in the Life by The Beatles.

And the three performances so far have sent many fans of the collaboration into a frenzy, with many taking to social media after soaking in the atmosphere at the gigs. Martin Ryhmes wrote: