Lionel Richie drops big hint about forthcoming Adele collaboration

'Hello, it's me, I was wondering if after all this time you'd like to...hit the studio?'

Lionel Richie posted this mash-up picture to Instagram after hearing about 'Hello' (Lionel Richie/Instagram)

Lionel Richie has confirmed that he is taking his “Hello” bond with Adele one step further and collaborating with the chart-topper on a yet to be revealed project.

The “Dancing on the Ceiling” singer announced that a collaboration is “almost in the works”, but fans will have to wait until Adele finishes promoting and touring her record-breaking new album 25.

“We are going to be doing something together - that’s already almost in the works,” Richie told E! News. “I can almost say that we’re talking but right now she has a mission.

“Her mission is to get her record out and go on tour, so until she finishes that cycle, that won’t happen just yet. She is committed to that.”

Adele’s first single in four years is called “Hello”, while Richie famously released a number one “Hello” of his own in 1984.

Fans quickly made the connection and a mash-up video shared on YouTube, with clips taken from both artists’ music videos focusing on the theme of Adele giving Richie a call.

Richie watched the video and responded on Instagram, posting a screenshot from his video alongside one from Adele’s. “Hello Adele, is it me you’re looking for?” he wrote in the caption.

The 66-year-old initially thought that Adele had covered his “Hello” when he heard the title, before realising he was mistaken. “Someone said to me, ‘Lionel, Adele did ‘Hello’ and I said, ‘Retirement. I am done,’” he said.

“What it did was it blew everything to the ceiling. The conversation came up. If you say Adele and you say Lionel or Lionel and Adele…that’s the best pairing you could have!”

Richie announced a tour last week, with tickets available to buy here:

18 June at Liberty Stadium, Swansea

19 June at Colywn Bay Eirias Stadium

22 June at Sheffield Arena

25 June at Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester

26 June at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester

28 June at Manchester Arena

2 July at O2 Arena, London

3 July at O2 Arena, London

The general sale for Adele tickets is at 9am on Friday 4 December.