One of the UK’s best-loved sitcoms of all time has been turned into a smash-hit musical stage show, and it’s heading out on a nationwide tour next year.
There’s absolutely no denying how iconic Only Fools and Horses is.
First hitting our screens back in 1981, and running for seven series – as well as countless Christmas specials – up until 2003, the BBC sitcom starring David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst about two black market traders, the Trotter brothers, who buy and sell anything and everything with a dream of becoming extremely rich someday, has a special place in the heart of many Brits.
Not only was the show beloved by viewers, it was also critically-acclaimed and scooped several TV awards in its time, including BAFTAs, National Television Awards, and more, and was also voted Britain’s Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll.
But would you have ever imagined the show could be turned into a musical stage show? Well it has – and it’s become an absolute record-breaking smash hit on the West End.
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🍻ONLY FOOLS & HORSES THE MUSICAL🍻
The Trotters are on the road after a record-breaking 4 year run in London’s West End! Don’t miss the UK’s funniest show at the Opera House! Book now and join us in the Nag’s Head!
Following a four-year run down in London, Only Fools and Horses The Musical has announced that Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad, Cassandra, Raquel, Boycie, Marlene, Trigger, Denzil, Mickey Pearce, Mike the Barman, the Driscoll Brothers, and all the rest of the gang are hitting the road in 2024 and 2025 for a major tour of the UK and Dublin.
And, of course, they’ll be paying a visit to us here in Manchester around this time next year.
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The acclaimed home-grown musical – which has played over 1,000 performances at London’s Theatre Royal Haymarket – is everything you know and love about John Sullivan’s legendary TV show… but on stage.
An Only Fools and Horses musical is coming to Manchester next year / Credit: Only Fools and Horses The Musical
Directed by the originating West End director Caroline Jay Ranger, and with a script and original score written by John’s son, Jim Sullivan, alongside comedy giant Paul Whitehouse, Manchester audiences are being told to prepare for the classic comedy to be brought to life on stage.
There’s said to be an “ingenious script” and 20 hilarious songs in the show.
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With musical contributions from actual Chas & Dave, the beloved theme tune as you’ve never heard it before, and an array of brand-new songs that are said to be “full of character and cockney charm”, the show is described as being “a feel-good family celebration of traditional working class London life” and a “right ol’ knees-up”.
The smash-hit stage show is going on a UK tour after a record-breaking West End run / Credit: Supplied
The tour kicks off in Bromley in September 2024, and then travels to over 30 towns and cities up and down the country – including Manchester – all before culminating in Dublin at the end of June 2025.
Casting for the show is set to be announced in early 2024.
Only Fools and Horses The Musical will take to the stage at Manchester Opera House from Monday 11 – Saturday 23 November 2024, and tickets are now on sale starting from as little as £13.
Featured Image – Only Fools and Horses The Musical
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Disney are bringing a live music crossover tour featuring three cult favourite films to Manchester
Danny Jones
The latest Disney Concerts live tour is coming to the UK and Ireland in 2027, bringing a music crossover of three straight-to-TV teen movie favourites to Manchester and more.
For any fans of the old Disney Channel films of the noughties and the 2010s, this next musical adaptation might be right up your street.
Set to land at the AO Arena early next year, the ‘Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour’ will be embarking on its first-ever run outside of North America, where it’s already proved to be a big success.
Here’s a trailer from the start of the tour just a few months ago:
They’re bringing the singalong, and the crowd helps bring the energy.
Throw a kids’ cult classic like Camp Rock into the mix, and you’ve got a great lineup with nostalgia spanning across multiple generations.
Sharing the news on social, Manchester’s legendary venue wrote: “Ready for THE family pop show of the year?! The Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour is coming to AO Arena next year, bringing the cast from Descendants, ZOMBIES, and Camp Rock together live for the first time!
That’s right, linking up with a talented cast of live singers bringing the 2015 and ’18 Disney flicks to life, respectively, songs from 2008’s Camp Rock will also be performed to what we’re sure will be an audience of various different ages.
Famously featuring the likes of young Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers and more familiar ‘Disney kid’ faces, people remain super nostalgic for the musical/coming-of-age Disney film; even the memes have gone on to enjoy a life of their own.
As for the concerts themselves, these live shows will include stars from the original theatrical releases, too, such as Malachi Barton, Liamani Segura and Dara Reneé; Mekonnen Knife, Hudson Stone, Swayam Bhatia, Kiara Romero, Alexandro Byrd and more.
Having first hit US stages last year, it didn’t take long for this new Disney production to receive positive reviews, notching sold-out arenas in over 40 huge venues, and being named in the ‘Top Family Tour of 2025’ by Billboard Magazine, not to mention being nominated for ‘Top Family Tour’ of 2025 by Pollstar.
For British and Irish fans who might fancy going along to one of these dates, general admission tickets and VIP packages go on sale this coming Friday, June 12, from 10am.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Deacon Communications/AO Arena)
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Phoebe Bridgers announces long-awaited return with HUGE phones-free arena gig in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s official, Phoebe Bridgers is back on earth.
More than six years since her last studio album, Punisher, was released to the world, cementing her status as one of indie folk’s leading figureheads, Phoebe Bridgers has given fans the news they have been waiting so patiently for.
A new tour North America and EU tour is on the horizon, and she’ll be stopping off here in Manchesterlater this year for a huge arena gig.
Following a sold-out acoustic show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden last night (4 June), Phoebe has now revealed details of ‘The Lost Tour’ for 2026.
Other than the series of surprise pop-up acoustic shows that have wrapped around the country over the last few weeks – beginning in Roswell in New Mexico on 8 May, and continuing on to smaller venues in other US cities before culminating in last night’s dazzling MSG show – this upcoming full band tour marks the first Phoebe Bridgers shows since early 2023.
Phoebe will be taking to the stage at Co-op Live here in Manchester for one night only on 26 November 2026 – with tickets going on sale next week.
And just like the pop-up shows, the use of mobile phones, cameras, and other recording devices will be strictly prohibited on this tour, encouraging fans to be more present in the moment.
This means the Co-op Live event will utilise secure pouches to store all devices during the performance.
Phoebe Bridgers is playing a huge arena gig in Manchester on her UK tour later this year / Credit: Supplied | Raph PH (Wikimedia Commons)
Upon arrival, all phones, smartwatches, and related accessories will be secured in these pouches, the pouches will be unlocked at the conclusion of the show, and any guest observed using a non-permitted device during the performance will be escorted out of the venue.
If the news of Phoebe’s return wasn’t exciting enough for fans as it is, she won’t be the only one making a highly-anticipated return to the stage, as support on the UK & EU leg of the tour is to be provided by former Black Country, New Road frontman, Isaac Wood.
Wood stepped away from the ensemble band – and the limelight as a whole – right before the release of BCNR’s critically acclaimed second studio album, Ants From Up There, in 2022, citing mental health reasons.
Phoebe has also partnered with PLUS1 so that €1/£1 from every ticket sold on the European tour leg goes to local organisations throughout the EU/UK working to support those impacted by sexual assault and violence.
Phoebe Bridgers will be playing Co-op Live as part of ‘The Lost Tour’ on Thursday 26 November 2026.
Tickets officially go on sale first through the Phoebe Bridgers Pass Presale via Fan3, and Co-op Member Presale starting at 10am on Wednesday 10 June, before general sale then begins on Friday 12 June, again at 10am.
Emily Sergeant -
30th October 2023 
