Here we go again… one of the most iconic stage musicals of all time is coming back to Manchester next year.
There’s absolutely no denying that Mamma Mia! has millions of fans right across the globe, after all, when you take all of ABBA’s greatest hits and put them into one all-singing all-dancing show, it’s no wonder it’s so popular.
Going from the West End to becoming a global phenomenon, this irresistibly funny show has been thrilling audiences all around the world for more than two decades.
Now in its 26th year, Mamma Mia! has been watched on stage by over 11 million people in more than 10,000 performances just in London’s West End alone, as well as its UK and international tours having visited 42 countries in the past 20 years, performing more than 3,750 shows, and being seen by over 7.3 million people.
Join us at MAMMA MIA! and enjoy the ultimate feel-good factor at the world’s sunniest and most exhilarating smash-hit musical in Manchester for three weeks only!
Oh, and who could forget, it’s also been turned into two record-breaking movie adaptations with all-star casts – the first in 2008, and the sequel in 2018.
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The sensational feel-good musical is returning to the stage where it belongs next spring though, as it embarks on an all-new UK tour – including stopping off to visit the Manchester‘s legendary Palace Theatre from 3-26 March 2026.
Casting for the UK tour is set to be announced in due course.
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Iconic stage musical Mamma Mia! is coming back to Manchester next year / Credit: Brinkhoff Mogenburg
While we wait to see who the stars will be, what we do know is that the music and lyrics for the show are provided by none of than ABBA’s very-own by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, while it’ll be directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast.
Tickets for the highly-anticipated show are expected to be snapped up super fast when they go on sale in a couple of days time on Wednesday (26 February) at 10am.
Olly Murs at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more
Thomas Melia
The ‘Troublemaker’ himself Olly Murs is ready to cause some more chaos, and this time he’s returning to Manchester with throwback boyband, Blue.
X Factor and British star Olly Murs is embarking on his latest UK arena tour, which feels more like lads on tour with a helping hand from UK boyband, Blue.
Back in the late noughties, it was hard to escape the blazer-wearing, trilby-wearing popstar as he was dropping back-to-back bangers like ‘Heart Skips a Beat’ and doo-wop inspired ‘Dance With Me Tonight’.
Now, this cheeky chappy is embarking on the ’15 Years Of Hits – Live 2025′ tour, where he’ll be belting out all those classics as well as some more recent tunes too.
Olly Murs is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester this week.Credit: Marcos Moreno via Wikimedia Commons
Are there tickets left for Olly Murs’ Co-op Live gig?
There are just a few tickets left for Olly Murs at Co-op Live, so make sure you bag yours before your ‘Heart Skips a Beat’.
To see a range of tickets and prices in all sections of this impressive new entertainment venue, Co-op Live, tickets can be found HERE.
Plus, even if you miss out on the Co-op Live, we wouldn’t worry too much, because the British popstar is also coming to AO Arena later this month near the end of his tour with tickets HERE.
Olly Murs 2025 tour – ’15 Years Of Hits’ setlist
This Essex chap might have a solid setlist which he follows night in and night out, but he’s no stranger to being a bit ‘Unpredictable’ – I mean, he’s bringing a flamethrower on stage…
After being on our screens and airwaves for almost two decades, it’s no surprise that this setlist is lengthy, totalling at just over 20 songs, give or take the 80s medley weaved into the mix.
Who doesn’t love a bit of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ paired alongside Murs’ stacked setlist?
Troublemaker
Right Place Right Time
Please Don’t Let Me Go
Thinking of Me
Oh My Goodness
Heart Skips a Beat
Kiss Me
Army of Two
Hand on Heart
Up
Die of a Broken Heart / I Found Her / Dancing on Cars / I Hate You When You’re Drunk (Marry Me Medley)
Seasons
You Don’t Know Love
I’m Your Man / Never Gonna Give You Up / Livin’ On a Prayer / Beat It / Careless Whisper / I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) / I’m So Excited (80s Medley)
Dear Darlin’
Years & Years
Never Been Better
Wrapped Up
Save Me
Dance With Me Tonight
What are the stage times for Olly Murs in Manchester?
Olly Murs sporting his usual blazer and top-hat style back in 2013.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concertgoers can be ‘Wrapped Up’ in the Essex popstar’s hits without having to worry about getting home too late. It’s a school night after all!
Doors for Olly Murs’ ‘15 Years Of Hits – Live 2025’ are scheduled for 6:30pm, with a kick-off time of 7:30pm and support from 2000s UK boyband, Blue.
The BRIT Award winners, Eurovision-performing and one-time chart toppers, are back together once again and about to take us back to pop school as we re-learn the words to boyband textbook classics, including ‘All Rise’, Best in Me’, ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’ and more.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, fortunately, 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; they run until 01:00 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. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
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Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there are limited parking spaces available at the venue but these must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are also 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 come 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
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 through 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.
Featured Images — Mark Hayman/ Edward Cooke/Marcos Moreno(supplied)
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New monthly comedy night with ‘some of the UK’s biggest names’ to launch in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new monthly comedy night comedy with ‘some of the UK’s biggest names’ on the lineup is launching in Manchester.
As a new chapter for stand-up unfolds, you can expect an evening of belly laughs and big names all under one roof, as Club Comedy MCR and local comedy legend Josh Jones brings a brand-new monthly comedy night to Fairfield Social Club.
You might know host Josh Jones from massively-popular national TV shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, Late Night Mash, and most recently starring on ITV’s Dancing On Ice – but now he’s heading back where it all began, and bringing some of the UK’s best new acts along with him for a full comedy showdown.
Launching next week, the exciting new event aims to bring together some of the very best comedy acts from across the UK.
Fairfield Social Club, tucked away down in the city’s Green Quarter, already knows how to put on a big show, but organisers say this ‘loud and packed’ comedy showdown is guaranteed to bring a fresh wave of stand-up talent to the popular venue.
The lineup is packed with big laughs and even bigger community spirit.
On the opening night next Friday (16 May), the bill reflects a mix of favourites and rising stars – with Fairfield Social Clubs’s welcoming both first-timers and comedy die-hards alike, as big names take centre stage.
New monthly comedy night with ‘some of the UK’s biggest names’ to launch in Manchester / Credit: Jason Erst (via Flickr)
Beth Moore, Louise Young, and Faizan Shah are just some of the comedy names appearing on the opening night lineup.
“We’ve been working on this for a good while now, as we were desperate to get Josh in for a regular night,” commented Sam Stroker, who is the Head of Live Entertainment at Fairfield Social Club, ahead of the event kicking off next week.
“We reckon Manchester is going to love this night, and it can only go on to bigger and better things.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th February 2025 
