Olly Murs had the audience at the AO Arena Manchester sobbing last night after he paid tribute to his late friend, Caroline Flack.
The Heart Skips a Beat singer is best-known for his upbeat pop songs but took the time to honour his former friend with an emotional tribute.
He dedicated an acoustic version of Sweet Caroline to the presenter, who died in 2020.
Speaking to the crowd, Olly urged people to check in on anyone they thought might be struggling, saying: “Make the effort. Because you might be able to change what they decide to do.”
He described Caroline as ‘an amazing human’ and described her love for music and dancing.
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Olly also said: “The fact that she’s not here any more is horrible. I miss her every single day.”
The star then introduced his version of Sweet Caroline, saying ‘this one’s for you, Caz’.
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Fans who were there have reported sobbing their way through his speech and performance.
One person said: “Olly singing sweet Caroline had me sobbing. Cazza would be so proud of you @ollymurs!”
Another said: “Thank you so much for an amazing night! I cried and cried when you talked about Caroline, I lost my sister in April ’20 and I had tears streaming down my face when you talked about grief and loss. Thank you for a fab show! Good luck at your wedding.”
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As always, what a performance by @ollymurs 🤍 and what a tribute to Caroline Flack. 🌹 Sweet Carolineee Du Du Duuuu 🎶 it’s okay not to be okay, check in on those you know, you never know how someone is feeling on the inside. 😢💔 pic.twitter.com/cw25CTosKR
Someone else posted: “Olly Murs just did an acoustic cover of Sweet Caroline as a tribute to Caroline Flack and sobbed the whole way through it. Genuinely very lovely.”
Olly’s full speech about Caroline Flack said: “One of my good friends, in February 2020, took her own life. Miss Caroline Flack.
“It was a really difficult time for me. And it’s mad, because I was looking through some old Instagrams earlier, some old photos that we’ve got, and we used to spend so much time in Manchester because we used to do loads of filming for X Factor and loads of different things.
“So being here tonight is really really special.
“It was one of the lowest moments of my life. She was such an amazing human. We had our fights, we had our rows, we got on sometimes we didn’t, but she was always such a great person to be around, someone I loved very much.
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Olly Murs just did an acoustic cover of Sweet Caroline as a tribute to Caroline Flack and sobbed the whole way through it. Genuinely very lovely pic.twitter.com/vid6zRipqt
“So the fact that she’s not here any more is horrible. I miss her every single day.
“When you’re dealing with something like that it’s super super tough, and the only way that I could deal with it, with grief my way, is by music – by singing, and performing.
“That’s what she loved to do. You guys must have watched her on Strictly. She was incredible on Strictly, and not only that she was an incredible singer. So I wanted to do something on this tour to dedicate to her, a tribute to my lovely friend Caroline Flack who I miss every single day.
“So I’m going to sing this song for her. Before I sing it, if you know anyone who’s struggling real bad, or even if you don’t know it, if you think something’s not right, please speak to them, please give them a call, go round there and see them, make the effort. Because you might be able to change what they decide to do. Please please do it.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is my version of Sweet Caroline. This is for you, Caz.”
Rick Astley is returning to Manchester for his 2024 Swinging Christmas show
Danny Jones
The mighty Rick Astley is heading back to Manchester this festive period for the return of his smash hit Swinging Christmas show.
Move over, Mariah and Micky Bubble, ‘r Rick needs room to thaw out in time for the holiday season too.
The past couple of years have seen Rick Astley more than re-endear himself to the British public and beyond, not just getting himself back on the map thanks to big gigs with Blossoms and stunning festival sets at the likes of Glastonbury and Kendal Calling but with some genuinely wonderful new music.
To be brutally honest with ourselves, we all took the ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ singer for granted; he’s well and truly reminded us of what a wonderful performer he is and with the holiday season coming up, he set to deliver his stunning Christmas set once again.
Excited to announce my Swinging Christmas Tour! 🎺
Tickets go on general sale 9:30am Friday 11 October. For pre-sale access from 9:30am Thursday 10 October, pre-order Never: The Autobiography by 3pm on Wednesday 09 October at https://t.co/Newx2V17K1pic.twitter.com/zYELqOTOrh
This tour is just the second time ‘Swinging Christmas’ has been brought to the masses after its debut back in 2022 and follows Rick’s lifelong passion for the golden age of big band and swing.
He’ll be performing festive classics in stunning venues, including right here at Manchester Bridgewater Hall, to truly capture the magic during the most wonderful time of the year.
For a man who is arguably the contemporary king of covers in this country, the first iteration of the show was a dream come true and he’s even more excited to be pulling these old classics once again to a crowd who have been crying out for another edition.
Speaking on the upcoming tour, Rick said: “These classic songs have been a part of me for so long. Singing them with a big band was a dream come true. I can’t wait to share this special experience with you again this Christmas. See you there!”
Trust us, with plenty of Rat Pack covers under his belt, not mention numerous nods to iconic old-world orchestras, he knows a thing or two about big band-style cabaret celebration.
Better yet, Manchester is fittingly the final festive stop of Rick’s seasonal tour, rounding off a run of shows in Brighton, Wolverhampton, Portsmouth, London and Edinburgh.
The Newton-le-Willows-born singer brings his festive show to Bridgewater Hall on Friday, 20 December 2024 and now we’re thinking more about this than we are the big day itself.
What better way to get into the festive spirit than a true celebration of Rick’s love of music, the roaring swing sound, classic tracks and many more?
Tickets for Rick Astley’s Swinging Christmas go on sale at 9:30am on Friday 11 October – you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
Featured Images — Raph_PH (via Flickr)/Press Images (supplied)
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Stereophonics announce huge Stadium Anthems tour – but Manchester is set to miss out
Thomas Melia
Welsh rock band and all-round music legends Stereophonics are embarking on their first tour together in three years next summer, announcing a series of massive ‘Stadium Anthem’ dates.
Formed in 1992, the band have enjoyed plenty of commercial and critical acclaim over the years, with 11 UK top ten hits and despite only managing one chart-topping single in 2005, the unforgettable ‘Dakota’, they’re known for countless other hits like ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ and ‘A Thousand Trees’, just to name a few.
Led by the instantly recognisable voice of frontman, Kelly Jones, the band has gone from making music together as neighbours to becoming one of Wales’ biggest exports and a beloved British group. It’s no wonder that more than 30 years later they’re still headlining huge stadiums.
However, we’re sure you were right on track to ‘Have A Nice Day’, but we sadly have to break the news that they’ll be skipping Manchester as well as other big Northern cities like Leeds, Sheffield and more.
Announcing the ‘Stadium Anthems’ tour on Monday, 7 October, the boys from Cwmaman village in the Cynon Valley are doing their bit to back that same small-town feel and show some love for cities that often get overlooked when it comes to big arena tours.
Notably including Cork and Huddersfield’s John Smith Stadium among the small handful of sure-to-be sell-out concerts.
Crowds can expect all the usual suspects: ‘The Bartender And The Thief’, ‘Mr Writer’ and ‘Pick A Part That’s New’, their iconic ‘Handbags and Gladrags’ cover, alongside songs from their discography which dates all the way back to 1997 and their debut LP, Word Gets Around.
As well as hearing all the favourites in the flesh, crowds can also expect to be treated to some more live music from special guests, although the support act(s) will be announced at a later date.
The rock band are ready to deliver an unforgettable performance to a crowd of almost 25,000 as they bring their UK and Ireland tour to the home of Huddersfield Town and Giants on 14 June 2025, but Manchester fans will have to travel for a change.
On top of their incredible achievements with smash hit singles, the band also managed to amass eight number-one albums, a feat which many aspiring artists dream of.
Catching attention throughout the turn of the millennium, their second studio album Performance and Cocktails released in 1999 was when Kelly Jones’ unmistakable vocals got us all hooked for the foreseeable future.
Eager fans who want a bigger chance of securing tickets can do so by pre-ordering the band’s newest album, the title and artwork for which are yet to be revealed.
Tickets for Stereophonics’ stadium tour including the West Yorkshire date go on general sale Friday 11th October at 9am HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
6th May 2023 
