The Royal Variety Performance is taking place this month and for the first time in over a decade, it will be held in Blackpool.
The annual show was last held in the iconic Lancashire seaside town 11 years years ago and has now been confirmed to be returning to the Opera House stage in the Winter Gardens Complex during the event on Sunday 29th November.
Mancunian comedian, actor and singer Jason Manford will host the star-studded show.
The line-up for the 2020 performance includes Captain Sir Tom Moore, who of course captured the nation’s hearts with his fundraising efforts during the pandemic, and will be joining forces from his home for an exclusive performance with entertainer Michael Ball who will be on stage at the Opera House with the NHS choir to perform their chart-topping anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
Other stars set to be in attendance include a special solo appearance by local superstar Gary Barlow, exclusive performances from the award-winning Sheridan Smith as Cilla in the heart-warming and spectacular ‘Cilla The Musical’ and a mesmerising exclusive from ‘Frozen the Musical’, starring leading lady Samantha Barks.
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There’s more music from Brit Award winner and rising star Celeste, singer and Spice Girl Melanie C, and high energy choreography from the ever-popular Steps.
Comedian and actor Stephen Mulhern, West End sensation Marisha Wallace, Kenyan acrobats The Black Blues Brothers, musical comedian and Britain’s Got Talent 2020 winner Jon Courtenay, and stand up comedians Jo Caulfield and Daliso Chaponda will provide the rest of the entertainment.
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Speaking on his new hosting gig, Jason Manford said: “After appearing at the Royal Variety Performance three times since 2009, it is an honour and a privilege to be hosting the show this year.
“It’s been a hugely difficult year for everybody, so I hope that for a couple of hours on a cold Winter’s night in Blackpool, we can take people’s minds off things and do what us Brits do best – have a laugh.
The event is staged in aid of the Royal Variety Charity – the patron of which is Queen Elizabeth II – and the money raised from the show goes toward helping people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance.
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Although not due to be present in person this year amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, HRH The Prince of Wales will also deliver a special message to the charity and the artists performing.
The Royal Variety Performance will be screened on ITV in December.
You can find more information about the 2020 show via the Blackpool Winter Gardens website here.
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Liam Gallagher says he’ll ‘gig in Lidl’ if Co-op Live still isn’t ready – and they sound pretty game for it
Danny Jones
Following the ongoing palaver with Co-op Live, Liam Gallagher has joked that he’d happily play his scheduled gigs in a Lidl if the arena still isn’t ready – at least we think he’s joking…
With Liam Gallagher having been named as one of the first acts booked to play Co-op Live last year, many are now wondering whether the venue will even by June, with the former Oasis frontman set to play four Definitely Maybe 30th-anniversary sets. That being said, he’s come up with a solution if not.
Vintage LG, we’ll give him that.
Obviously a bit of a tongue-in-cheek quip at the venue being sponsored by a supermarket and convenience store chain, it could have been any other competitor that the ever-witty youngest Gallagher brother picked but it somehow made it extra funny that he chose a budget brand like Lidl.
However, with the 51-year-old already having fun with stunts like voicing the tannoys on the Metrolink last year, for instance, we wouldn’t put it past him to take this joke a little further.
Better still, not that we’re getting carried away or anything but Lidl themselves seem pretty keen on the idea too; they even spent the time to build an entire setlist for the fictional show. Fair play.
Can you imagine? Liam Gallagher swapping the occasional tambourine shake for beeps from a barcode scanner as he moves back and forth on the conveyor belt. We know it’s absolute nonsense and we definitely shouldn’t be even remotely considering it… BUT it’s the stuff of dreams and strange things have happened.
A lot of stranger things have happened this week alone. As for the latest with Co-op Live, the Chairman and CEO of key-backers Oak View Group, Tim Leiweke, issued a full statement sharing his “sincere apologies”and insisting that they understand “there is work to be done to rebuild your trust in us.”
With the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Peter Kay, The Black Keys and more having their gigs pulled by the venue due to numerous issues, including an air conditioning unit falling from the ceiling, fans are understandably fearful that other upcoming events could face delays or general misfortune.
Much like the venue itself, we imagine we’ll be playing catch-up on this whole saga for the foreseeable, but here’s a recap of the story so far:
Featured Images — Lidl GB/Exit Festival (via Flickr)/The Manc Group
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Gavin and Stacey will return with a 2024 Christmas special for its final episode
Danny Jones
After some pretty big rumblings earlier this year, it’s finally been confirmed that Gavin and Stacey will be returning for a Christmas special this year and what will be its last-ever episode.
The beloved British comedy last aired back in 2019 with their previous Christmas special and fans of the show have been crying out for more ever since.
Well, it turns out they’ll be getting just one more go around the block as co-creators James Corden and Ruth Jones revealed that they have now finished writing their third and final Xmas special which will tie a festive bow on the trio of series which started all the way back in 2007.
Sharing a picture of the script on social media, the pair wrote: “Some news… It’s official!!! We have finished writing the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James”.
However, what was actually going on was a bit of a red herring as she carefully chose to talk down any notions of another series but didn’t categorically dismiss the potential Christmas special.
In fact, she actually went on to add: “All I can say is, if there was something to say on that front, James [Corden] and I would happily announce it, we would.”
And that’s exactly what they’ve done. Well played, Nessa.
As for details surrounding the final chapter in the Gavin and Stacey story, we have very few details at this stage but fans of the iconic show will already be wondering how they might pick up from where certain threads left off.
Production companies Baby Cow, Corden’s Fulwell 73 and Jones’ Tidy Productions are all behind the special and, given the momentous occasion, it will likely have a primetime slot on the TV guide when it finally rolls around this holiday season.
So get your remotes, baubles and bhunas at the ready because Gavin and Stacey is coming back for one last time and it’s sure to be a TV event that people all across the UK will remember for years to come.