Tickets to see Michelle Obama at London’s Royal Festival Hall have sold out, with tens of thousands of people missing out on the chance to see the former US First Lady.
More than 40,000 people appeared to be in the ticket queue for the chance to gain a pass to Obama’s book tour at the 2,900-capacity venue on December 3.
Viagogo has been found listing tickets for thousands of pounds, though the venue has stated that any tickets bought from unauthorised third parties will not be admissible.
We have asked Viagogo to remove the tickets available on their site. Tickets bought from unauthorised third parties will be cancelled and invalid for entry. 1/2
— Southbank Centre (@southbankcentre) November 8, 2018
The former First Lady will be talking about her memoir, Becoming, with award-winning novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
The pair will discuss Obama’s experiences from childhood, her work, motherhood and “her time spent at the world’s most famous address.”
Some fans took to Twitter following the sellout announcement, with radio and TV presenter Nick Grimshaw saying: “I was #30562 in the queue…so close.”
With another fan tweeting: “There are 4413 people ahead of me in the queue for Michelle Obama tix at the south bank. *laughs for all eternity then cries for whatever time is left.”
Others tweeted that they had been queuing for a ticket since 4am at the venue in London.
The South Bank Centre tweeted at 10:30am to say they had sold out.
I was #30562 in the queue….so close https://t.co/5araYLvTZK
— nick grimshaw (@grimmers) November 8, 2018
The venue told the BBC it had “worked hard to ensure that tickets are available to as wide an audience as possible, by limiting tickets to two per booker and ensuring there is a lower price point of £30.”
Meanwhile, 300 free tickets have been given to secondary school pupils in London and the UK, as well as local charities.
Obama’s London stop is part of a 13-date tour that kicks off on November 13 in Chicago, where she will sit down with Oprah Winfrey.
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