There’s a musical about Princess Diana set to hit the stage in London later this year, and the cast is rather unexpected.
As exclusively revealed by What’s On Stage yesterday, the cult-favourite DIANA will officially be making its way over to the UK for the first time ever this December after becoming a smash-hit on Broadway when it premiered back in autumn of 2021, and also going on to become a viral legend when it landed on Netflix that same year.
In case it’s the first you’re hearing of it, DIANA is the work of renowned American playwrite Joe DiPietro and Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan – who have previously collaborated on Memphis.
Although the People’s Princess may seem like a bizarre choice of stage show subject, with satirical musicals and productions about Prince Andrew, Tony Blair, and even the ‘Wagatha Chrisie’ trial all having already having come to fruition in recent months, perhaps Lady Di being the star of the show isn’t as bizarre as it initially seems.
The cast, however, is still best described as unexpected – or one particular cast member is, shall we say.
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A Princess Diana musical is heading to the UK later this year / Credit: DIANA
We’re not referring to the two musical theatre heavyweight actresses who have been announced to take on the coveted role of Princess Diana at two different stages of her life, Kerry Ellis – who has previously had starring roles in Wicked and Anything Goes – and Greater Manchester‘s very-own Maiya Quansah-Breed, who was born in Eccles and was an original cast member of Six.
Of course, when we say ‘unexpected’, we’re referring to the fact that TV actress and Loose Women panellist Denise Welch has also been announced to guest star in the show.
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And in the role of the late Queen Elizabeth II, no less.
After the cast for the London version of the musical was announced yesterday, the name Denise Welch started trending on Twitter pretty much straight away as fans were so shocked by it all and just couldn’t believe what they were reading.
Am I living on a different planet? Denise Welch will be playing The Queen in the Diana musical?!?!! pic.twitter.com/qylDdHDJaA
I’m convinced this is a social experiment. The fact Denise welch of Corrie Waterloo road loose women matty healy and COVID conspiracy fame. Is playing the queen of England https://t.co/xmQWdelxJD
— sharon mitchells stunning weave (@sharon_weave) June 14, 2023
Essentially, DIANA charts the rise of Diana Spencer as she becomes the princess of the people.
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The show is a tale split into two parts – with an older Diana both narrating and reflecting back on her life and that of her 19-year old self.
Described as being “a new concert version” of the hit original musical production, some of the show’s most well-known musical numbers that audience members can look forward to include ‘Secrets and Lies’, ‘Here Comes James Hewitt’, and ‘She Moves In the Most Modern Ways’.
Doja Cat at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
One of the 2020’s leading female artists, Doja Cat, is heading to the UK for a stop on her newest tour and has chosen to host it at Co-op Live in Manchester.
American recording artist Doja Cat is making her long-awaited return to Manchester and an arena debut, with this artist’s first and only visit to the city being back in 2024, headlining Parklife.
Heading to the UK as part of her Ma Vie World Tour, the California-born star is recognised for her spellbinding performances, extravagant outfits and array of UK Top 40 hits.
Not afraid to blend genres, Amala Dlamini, better known by artist moniker Doja Cat, has lent her voice to rap, hip-hop, pop, R’n’B, and now 80’s synths on her newest LP, Vie.
Gig guide | Doja Cat at Co-op Live, Manchester
Doja Cat is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester for one night of her Ma Vie Tour / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Doja Cat UK tour dates
Sat 23 May – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Tues 26 May – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 29 May – London, UK – The O2
Are there any tickets left for Doja Cat at Co-op Live?
Do you ‘Need to Know’ about grabbing tickets to see this multi-hyphenate performer live? Well, you’re in luck…
After seeing this iconic ‘Woman’ live on stage in Manchester? Well, if I’ve got your ‘Attention’, you can find tickets and more info HERE.
All you ‘Need to Know’ about Doja Cat’s Ma Vie World Tour in Manchester / Credit: Greg Swales (Supplied) / The Manc Group
Doja Cat setlist for 2026 UK tour
Lipstain
Cards
Get Into It (Yuh)
Kiss Me More
Gorgeous
Couples Therapy
Take Me Dancing
Woman
Acts of Service
Agora Hills
Make It Up
All Mine
Ain’t Sh*t
Paint the Town Red
Silly! Fun!
Juicy
Need to Know
Streets
Wet Vagina
WYM Freestyle
Demons
Tia Tamera
AAAHH MEN!
Boss B*tch
Stranger
Happy
One More Time
Say So
Jealous Type
What are the stage times for Doja Cat in Manchester?
Doors for Doja Cat’s Ma Vie Tour at Co-op Live in Manchester are set to open from 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 7pm from one very good warm-up act.
Supporting the rapper and performer on her UK and EU leg of the tour is alternative-r&b artist Naomi Sharon with singles like ‘Better Days’ and ‘Bittersweet’.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
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Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Neighbourhood Weekender guide – lineup, set times and stage splits, how to get there and more
Danny Jones
It’s that time again: Neighbourhood Weekender is BACK for 2026, and we cannot wait to descend back on Victoria Park for another two full days of singing till we’re hoarse and dancing our arses off.
We even love the walk from Warrington Central, down that long strip through the centre and over the gorgeous green space as the vibes start to pick up right from the off.
The years off without NBHD Weekender or just having to settle for the Manchester city centre version of the festival always remind us of how much we miss the big boy, so we intend to make the most of every single moment of the sixth edition.
And so should you – that’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive guide of all the key info, from ticketing and timings
Everything you need to know for NBHD Weekender festival 2026
Are there any tickets left?
For starters, if you’re looking pretty open plan-wise the long weekend and are looking for something fun last-minute, you’ll be glad to hear that there are plenty of ticket options still on offer for Neighbourhood Weekender festival 2026.
Whether it’s the full weekend wristband, just a single day pass, or even VIP packages, there’s a decent amount of allocation left on all fronts. For the first-time ever, there are also payment plans available.
More importantly, NBHD is also a wheelchair-friendly festival, with plenty of accessibility options available, too. Check out all ticket options and prices while you still can.
When does it start and end?
Taking place over this late May Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday, 23 May – Sunday 24 May), the gates will open at 12 noon, and the festival curfew is 22:30pm.
Neighbourhood Weekender lineup, stage splits and set times for 2026
As we’re sure you’ll have already seen by now, we’ve got some big names topping the NBHD Weekender ’26 bill, not least of all Stopfordian indie headliners, Blossoms.
But they’re far from the only Northern name taking to the big stage at Victoria Park, either, as you’ll also be treated to the likes of the legendary Richard Ashcroft and fellow Oasis reunion tour supports Cast, as well as The K’s, Kaiser Chiefs, Jamie Webster, The Royston Club and lots more.
Sadly, Esme Emerson has dropped out due to unforeseen circumstances, but thankfully, local lad John Denton (one of our previous Artists of the Month) will be taking her place on the Viola Beach stage.
Apart from that, there are no other changes, so here’s your full breakdown of the lineup and stage times:
NBHD Victoria Park festival site map and facilities
Besides the stages, toilets, water stations and various food and drink traders located around the roughly 30-acre site, there are plenty of other fun and useful additions that are worth knowing about.
As well as a new cloakroom service run by partners GoHangers – you can see the full bag (basically no bigger than A4) and cloak policy HERE – there are also accessible viewing platforms as alluded to above, along with premium bars by the likes of Brothers Ciders and Tia Maria.
There’s even the ‘corner shop rave’ area taking place over in the southwest corner of the park. NBHD Weekender is also a completely cashless festival, so card machines will be available at all vendors.
You can see the full NBHD Weekender festival map down below.
*It’s worth reminding that there’s no re-entry – once you’re in for the day, you should have all you need.
Travel advice – how to get to NBHD Weekender in Warrington
Now, we would always encourage festival-goers to travel as sustainably as possible, and fortunately, there are plenty of public transport options to get you there and back across the weekend.
By train
Warrington has two train stations – Warrington Bank Quay (BQ)* and Warrington Central, making it easily accessible from most locations. Timetables are obviously always subject to change, but here are some example routes:
Manchester to Warrington Central – 20 minutes
Liverpool to Warrington Central – 22 minutes
Preston to Warrington Bank Quay – 22 minutes
Crewe to Warrington Bank Quay – 17 minutes
Chester to Warrington Bank Quay – 26 minutes
Lancaster to Warrington Bank Quay – 41 minutes
Stockport to Warrington Central – 31 minutes
St. Helens to Warrington Bank Quay – 16 minutes
Widnes to Warrington Central – 7 minutes
Leeds to Warrington Central – 1 hour 20 minutes
*Please note, however, there are some Northern Rail engineering works planned over the weekend of the festival. While operators should be running smoothly throughout both local stations on the Saturday, Sunday, 24 May will see some amended services to and from Warrington BQ:
No Northern trains are operating (this is the current timetable)
Transport for Wales services running as normal.
Avanti West Coast operating with rail replacement buses between Crewe and Wigan
By coach/bus
Big Green Coach are also returning as NBHD’s official travel partner – Parklife attendees will be more than familiar – providing hassle-free coach returns directly to the Neighbourhood Weekender’s official coach park to multiple locations; pick-up spots include:
Ashton Under Lyne | Birkenhead | Birmingham (Jenners Road) | Blackburn | Bolton | Bradford | Bury | Castleford | Chester | Crewe | Doncaster (Interchange) | Huddersfield | Hull | Leeds | Leicester | Liverpool | Manchester (City Centre) | Manchester (Trafford Centre) | Manchester South (Sharston) | Preston | Sheffield | Stockport | Stoke-on-trent | Wakefield | York.
If you’re heading back to Manchester city centre or Liverpool, the company is offering one-way returns on both days to make getting home after the event as easy as possible. Secure your seat from £30 now.
Meanwhile, the Number 11 and 11a bus services stop at Knutsford Road just outside Victoria Park; it takes 5 minutes to walk there from Warrington Bus Interchange located at Warrington Central train station. Pro-tip: just follow the big queue of punters in their festival-wear finery…
By car – drop-off and parking guidance
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For those arriving by car, the designated pick-up and drop-off zone is located at Sir Thomas Boteler School. Please follow the festival signage to Sir Thomas Boteler School and note there are no residential or other roads or areas to wait, drop off or park.
As for parking, the official car park operated by the Neighbourhood festival organisers is also located at Sir Thomas Boteler (again, please follow festival signage), which is approximately a 15-minute walk to the festival site. However, spaces will be very limited – you can reserve from a limited number of spots HERE.
By foot
Finally, if you’re content getting your steps in, as mentioned, the park is a short walk from Warrington Town Centre, and just a 20-minute walk from Warrington BQ, Warrington Central train station or the Golden Square Shopping Centre. Easy does it.
That should just about do you for all the key details and important info you need to know ahead of a brilliant bank holiday weekender with NBHD taking up the bulk of the vibes.
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How nice that we’re getting pure sunshine and warm temperatures, too, eh? What a treat.
We hope you all have a wonderful time. Make sure to stay hydrated, drink responsibly, abide by the festival site rules and be mindful of the heat; there’s plenty of cover and shade in the large outdoor area to make the most of – oh, and bucket hats at the ready, of course.
Keep an eye out for our Audio North team both online and in person, and we’ll see you there for more sing-alongs!
Emily Sergeant -
15th June 2023 
