S Club 7 have shared an emotional video updating fans on their touring plans after the death of bandmate Paul Cattermole.
The group shared a video thanking fans for all their support and giving an update on their 25th anniversary reunion tour, which begins here in Manchester this autumn.
Notably absent from the video was Hannah Spearritt, who they confirmed has stepped back from the huge tour in light of the tragic news.
But the remaining five members of the pop group, visibly tearful, confirmed that they would be continuing with the live shows in Paul’s memory.
S Club 7 also announced that their tour would be rebranded to The Good Times tour in his honour.
In the video shared by Jon Lee, Jo O’Meara, Rachel Stevens, Tina Barrett and Bradley McIntosh, the group paid tribute to their late friend.
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Jon said: “Sorry it’s been a while since you’ve heard from us, but in all honesty we’ve been in a bit of shock and it’s taken a while for us to find the right words to describe how we feel about losing our brother Paul.”
Rachel added: “Just taking the time to process and get our heads around it all, and also taking time to share time together so that we can remember Paul and all the memories that we had together.”
A tearful Jo O’MearaThe remaining members held each other tightly in the video
Tina said: “It’s just really sad. It’s really really hard to process it right now.”
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Bradley then added: “We’re all in still in so much disbelief. Paul was a big brother to us, all of us, and even you guys out there. He truly was a unique specimen of human being. No one could ever ever replace our Paul. But he lives on inside each and every one of us.”
Jo said through her tears: “Whenever Paul would walk into the room, you definitely knew that he was there, because he would just light it up with humour and love and… just a really special person. That’s it.”
Moving on to the S Club 7 tour updates, Jon said: “You’ve probably noticed that there’s only five of us here today, and although Hannah will always be a part of S Club 7, she won’t be joining us on this tour. But we wish her all the best for the future.
“However the five of us are really excited and geared up to crack on. It’s gonna be our tribute to Paul. So we are actually renaming the tour, The Good Times tour, which is the song that Paul was going to sing- sorry.”
At this point he chokes up and stops speaking, but Tina steps in and continues: “Yeah we’re calling the tour The Good Times tour in tribute to Paul, because that was his song and all the fans know that that was his song. It just feels right.”
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“He’s always going to be with us,” Rachel said. “He was such a huge part of this tour, so involved in everything that we are planning. We’re just going to keep his memory alive and share it with all of you, and it’s gonna make it even more special.”
Jo finished: “Thank you to all the fans out there that have sent so many beautiful messages to us all. We’ll see you all really soon guys.”
Tickets for S Club 7’s tour are on sale now with See Tickets. They will perform at the AO Arena in Manchester on 12 October and 21 October.
Manchester institution ‘a little emotional’ after receiving a visit from rock icon Hayley Williams
Daisy Jackson
Rock icon Hayley Williams has been spotted shopping at Manchester institution Afflecks.
The legendary independent retail emporium said it was ‘feeling a little emotional’ after its halls were graced with rock royalty.
And not only did the Paramore frontwoman and acclaimed solo singer-songwriter come for a browse, she even gave Afflecks a shout-out on stage later that night.
Hayley Williams headlined two solo shows at Manchester Academy on Monday and Tuesday this week.
The shows are in support of her third studio album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.
And despite being known globally as one of music’s best lead vocalists, this is actually Hayley Williams’ first solo tour (her previous dates were cancelled because of Covid).
While on stage in front of fans last night, she said: “I’ve learnt some Mancunian, and I’ve been to Afflecks!”
It sounds like she’s as lovely as she is legendary, with Afflecks saying that the star hung around to chat and take photos.
Sharing photos of the star inside the building, Afflecks wrote: “So a very special visitor stopped by Afflecks yesterday…
“A huge thank you to Hayley Williams for taking the time to visit us, say hello, and pose for a photo. She was so super lovely, kind, and welcoming, and to top it all off she even gave Afflecks a shout-out during last night’s show.
“Safe to say we’re feeling a little emotional about it. Thank you again Hayley for supporting Manchester’s small businesses.”
Secret stages, surprise sets and non-stop sunshine – here’s what went down at Parklife 2026
Clementine Hall
Parklife 2026 has officially wrapped up, and dare we say it might have been the best one yet?
Well, that’s it folks. One of the biggest weekends on Manchester’s musical calendar has been ticked off, and what a time we had.
The rolling hills of Heaton Park welcomed thousands of ravers who two-stepped from the moment the gates opened until the final vibrations echoed from the speakers.
So, while we nurse our sore feet and slap on the aftersun, let’s reflect on Parklife 2026 and catch you up on what you might have missed.
Images: The Manc Group
For once, the weather actually delivered.
Blue skies and glorious sunshine stuck around all weekend, giving festival-goers the perfect excuse to stay out from open to close and making Heaton Park look more like Ibiza than north Manchester. We’re exaggerating, of course, but you get the picture.
While headline sets from pop princess Zara Larsson and grime MC Skepta drew huge crowds, some of the biggest moments happened away from the main stages.
Images: The Manc Group
After all, when else can you watch Manc icon Bez DJing on a rooftop at a secret garden party? It truly was a sight to behold.
The festival introduced three brand-new secret stages this year, which we think were a fantastic addition. Our favourite was the Bossmans Tent – an exclusive stage hidden behind the facade of a corner shop, where festival-goers had to enter through a fridge to discover the music inside.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without a few cheeky surprise sets thrown into the mix. Enter Aitch.
At this point, the Manchester rapper is basically a Parklife resident, popping up each year to surprise crowds with a song or two. This year, our hometown hero joined Bou on stage, sending fans into a complete and utter meltdown.
Images: The Manc Group
The city was also well represented through a number of stage takeovers across the weekend. Ghosts of Garage, the Manchester-born brand that has built a loyal following across the region, brought together a host of local DJs on Sunday for a takeover that felt like a celebration of the city’s thriving dance music scene.
One of the most anticipated additions for 2026, the new Panorama stage was a real standout. Featuring a belting 100m LED screen, huge dance platforms and behind-the-booth access, there wasn’t a quiet moment there all weekend – and it’s not hard to see why.
Sheffield DJ Silva Bumpa drew one of the busiest crowds of the weekend at Panorama, creating relentless energy from start to finish. Fans were packed shoulder-to-shoulder as one of the UK’s fastest-rising names delivered a set worthy of all the hype.
Daisy Jackson -
15th May 2023 
