Music megastars Sting, Kanye West, Kings of Leon and legendary singer/songwriter Bill Medley converged on Maidstone last night to mark a special 300th edition of Later...with Jools Holland.

The performances signified the first show of the new BBC2 series, filmed at The Maidstone Studios at Vinters Park and beamed live to the nation.

Elder statesman Sting - whose global hits include Every Breath You Take, Englishman in New York and Message in a Bottle - kicked off proceedings, ably supported by backing singer and fellow Geordie Jimmy Nail.

The former Police frontman gave stirring performances from his new project, The Last Ship, the soundtrack to a play inspired by his upbringing in the northeast, due to open on Broadway in 2014.

Asked by host Jools about his 10-year absence from new material, Sting replied: "If you've nothing much to say then it's best to say nothing".

Despite hip hop star Kanye West's best attempts to dominate the studio - it is rumoured his entourage arrived in a fleet of blacked-out double-decker buses - he was very nearly upstaged by former Gap Band singer Chris Wilson during a scintillating stripped-down duet of Bound 2, from his latest album Yeezus.

Jools - who lives in Cooling - took to the piano with Bill Medley, one half of the Righteous Brothers and the voice behind (I Had) The Time of My Life, which is due to be shown on the extended TV show this Friday.

Kings of Leon seamlessly completed the line-up - which also included New Zealand teenager Lorde making her UK TV debut and garage rock brothers Drenge - with tracks from their new album Mechanical Bull.

The Later...show moved to The Maidstone Studios, which produce a host of top-ranking shows including ITV's Take Me Out, last year and has welcomed many music greats to the County Town, including Bonnie Raitt, Stereophonics and Liam Gallagher's Beady Eye.

An extended Later...With Jools will be aired on BBC2 Friday, September 20 at 11.05pm

Did you see any of the superstars in Kent? Please send us your pictures and details to multimediadesk@thekmgroup.co.uk.