Paul McCartney reunites with Ringo Starr during London tour stop

Paul McCartney got back together with his Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr during his final tour stop of the year.

In an early Christmas surprise, McCartney gifted fans at London's O2 Arena with a guest appearance from Starr, the famed drummer, and fellow British rocker Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones on Thursday night.

The pair of McCartney's peers received a rousing welcome from the audience, who joined the former Beatles star during his Got Back Tour performance.

"Should we rock?" McCartney asked Starr at the start of the set, before proclaiming: "Get on your kit!" The duo played "Helter Skelter" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" for their fans.

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After the songs were played, Starr told the crowd, "I've had a great night. I love you all," before throwing up double peace signs and exiting the stage. As Starr walked off stage, McCartney said, "Goodbye Ringo, I will see you soon."

McCartney and Starr are the sole surviving Beatles. John Lennon was shot and killed in 1980 while George Harrison died of cancer at 58 in 2001. In May, Starr opened up to USA TODAY about the special relationship he has with McCartney.

"If he comes to LA we certainly do something, and when I get to England, we'll do something there. It’s just what we do. We went to Paris together (in March) for Stella McCartney's clothing line. But really we went there for the lunch. (Laughs.) But no, really, we were hanging out. We went by train and were all sitting in the same carriage. We had a good time," Starr told USA TODAY.

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In March, the pair reunited at McCartney's youngest daughter's fall/winter fashion show. The two former Beatles were photographed seated together alongside their wives, Barbara Bach and Nancy Shevell.

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In an interview with AARP in November of last year, Starr discussed his brotherly bond with McCartney.

"Paul loves me as much as I love him," Starr said. "He's the brother I never had. As an only child, suddenly I got three brothers. We looked out for each other."

Starr also told AARP that "George (Harrison) was the first one to make a solo album, and I was the drummer. John (Lennon) started the Plastic Ono Band, and I was the drummer. Paul likes to play drums himself, or I would've been on his albums too." Starr, who also sings, said McCartney "loved to work more than all of us," in reference to The Beatles.

The band's story is chronicled in a Disney+ documentary "Beatles '64," recently released on Thanksgiving weekend, that features footage from a rarely seen 1964 TV documentary and fresh interviews with McCartney and Starr.

Contributing: Brendan Morrow

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul McCartney reunites with Ringo Starr at London concert