Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr delighted a group of Beatles fans in Liverpool when they made an unplanned appearance during a Magical Mystery Tour bus trip around the city. McCartney's car pulled up at traffic lights beside the tour bus, and he leaned out of the window to wave while on a FaceTime call with Starr, giving passengers an unexpected brush with two of the surviving Beatles. Tour guide Neil Morton described the moment as "surreal", noting that passengers were thrilled and took photos, though no one got the chance to speak with McCartney directly.

The encounter, which took place on Hope Street on 20 July 2026, came as McCartney was in Liverpool to present actor Stephen Graham with an honour from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, which McCartney co-founded. The visit adds to a busy period of Beatles-related news, including the recent first Official Global Beatles Day, a planned four-film biopic series directed by Sam Mendes due for simultaneous release in April 2028, and the announcement that 3 Savile Row will open to the public next year as an official Beatles fan experience.