One of the hottest actors on the planet right now, Aimee Lou Wood, has described her perfect day out in Manchester – and this woman really knows her stuff.
The Stockport-born actor is currently starring in The White Lotus, which will air its final episode of the season this weekend.
And in an interview with Elle, the 31-year-old star has spilled the beans on how she’d spend the ‘ultimate day out’ in Manchester.
The local lass has shouted out several independent businesses across Ancoats and the Northern Quarter, including some Manc favourites too.
Aimee Lou Wood said her perfect Manchester day would start with coffee and breakfast at Idle Hands, an independent coffee shop that’s also famed for its brunches and its pies.
ADVERTISEMENT
She said in her interview that it does the ‘best’ coffee, adding: “And they also have cherry pie, which is really delicious, which I try not to have for breakfast. I try and have an actual breakfast meal.
“They have this thing called divorced eggs. I would eat the divorced eggs and then possibly have the cherry pie.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Idle HandsKerb wine bar in AncoatsErst in AncoatsThe Norah Store in AncoatsSome of the Manchester spots Aimee Lou Wood recommended. Credit: The Manc Group
From there, Aimee Lou said she’d hit the many, many vintage shops around the Northern Quarter, name-checking favourites like Blue Rinse, Cow, and Pop Boutique.
“They always have amazing leather jackets and that’s my fixation, is leather jackets,” she said.
She then told Elle: “Later on in the day, I would stay in the Northern Quarter, but then maybe I would go to Ancoats, which is really really cool now, and I would go to Erst, which is an amazing restaurant. It’s the bread. The bread there is just so good.
ADVERTISEMENT
“But also, ooh, my friend’s shop! The Norah Store, which is in Ancoats, which is an incredible little shop, and then next door to it is this little wine bar, natural wine bar, called Kerb.
“And that is kind of the perfect day. It’s an amazing day.”
Aimee Lou Wood also said: “I love Manchester, so much.”
Erling Haaland is set to make his acting debut later this year
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Erling Haaland is set to make his debut film appearance later this year in his first proper voice acting job as part of an animated movie.
Let’s just say our obsessive countdown until the release date starts NOW.
The Premier League player and sporting superstar has obviously featured on camera plenty since bursting onto the scene – not least of all for his own YouTube channel – but this will be new territory for the Norwegian.
Rather fittingly for the Scandinavian striker, he’s not only playing a Viking character in the upcoming animation, ViQueens, but he’s also basically set to play a version of himself.
Soccer Superstar Erling Haaland to Play Animated Viking in Film Debut (Exclusive) https://t.co/r6uxxOClJI
As per The Hollywood Reporter, the new film by fellow compatriot and director, Harald Zwart, who is best known for the likes of Agent Cody Banks, the 2010 Karate Kid reboot, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
He also directed comedian Steve Martin’s second outing as The Pink Panther, so it’s safe to say he’s got a funny bone or two.
That being said, it feels like the 25-year-old will be able to have some fun with this script, in which he is set to play a Viking of the same name – because of course he is.
While it’s still yet to be revealed as to just how big a role he will have in the feature film set to arrive this winter, what we know so far is that the film is an action-comedy adventure revolving around a “world of fearless warrior girls, icy fjords, and Silk Road mythology.”
It’s also worth noting that this isn’t even the first time we’ve seen a cartoon version of Erling Haaland brought to life, as he also popped up in the world of gaming a little while back.
The career of a top footballer really can be a crazy one, can’t it?
Speaking on the film, director and co-writer Zwart told the outlet: “As a Norwegian storyteller making a Viking adventure for a global audience, having Erling Haaland join ViQueens feels incredibly exciting.
“Erling has already become a kind of real-life Viking icon around the world – powerful, fearless, and uniquely Norwegian. Bringing him into this universe as himself gives the film an unexpected energy and authenticity that felt completely right for this story.”
Other famous faces set to star in the animation, which is set to release this December, include singer-turned-actor Rita Ora and Ella Purnell (Fallout, Arcane, Sweetpea), who are starring as the two lead characters and voice actors.
Channel 4 takes all episodes of Married at First Sight UK off air after rape allegations
Emily Sergeant
Channel 4 has stripped all episodes of Married at First Sight UK from air following rape allegations from previous participants.
The broadcaster said ‘very serious allegations of wrongdoing’ have been made against a small number of past participants in the popular reality TV series, which sees single people – matched by experts – ‘marry’ strangers who they meet for the first time on their wedding day, leading to the show being fully taken off air.
It comes as the BBC and a Panorama special reported allegations from two women who alleged they were raped during filming of the show, and a third described an allegation of a non-consensual sex act.
Each of the past participants all alleged that the show did not do enough to protect them.
Channel 4’s recently appointed CEO, Priya Dogra, confirmed that the broadcaster had instructed an external review of contributor welfare on Married at First Sight UK (MAFS UK) last month.
The broadcaster says it expects the review to report in the coming months, and will share a summary of findings and recommendations at the ‘appropriate time’.
Channel 4 takes all episodes of Married at First Sight UK off air after rape allegations / Credit: James West (via Flickr)
A formal statement issued by Channel 4 addressing the matter reads: “In April, Channel 4 was presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied.
“The channel is mindful of the privacy and continuing duty of care towards all contributors, and cannot comment on or disclose details of those allegations.
“Related to those allegations, Channel 4 was asked to respond to claims of failures in welfare protocols. Channel 4 believes that when concerns related to contributor welfare were raised through existing welfare and production protocols, prompt and appropriate action was taken, based on the information available at the time.
“Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary.”
Explaining the decision to remove all episodes of the show from air and streaming services, the statement continued: “While the review is ongoing and until we receive any conclusions and recommendations, all previous seasons of MAFS UK have been removed from Channel 4 streaming and linear services at this time, alongside Channel 4’s MAFS UK social channels.”
Channel 4 says this move considers the ongoing duty of care to all contributors, the seriousness of the allegations levelled against a small number of past contributors, and is made ‘out of an abundance of caution to avoid fuelling speculation or jigsaw identification’.
Daisy Jackson -
4th April 2025 
