Love it or loathe it (or quietly acknowledge that it’s not aged all that well while continuing to ingest it every year), Love Actually is a Christmas classic.
It’s one of the biggest festive films of all time, starring some incredibly famous faces, as a light-hearted plot follows nine different couples in the run-up to Christmas.
There’s family tension, unrequited love, language barriers, questionable workplace practices (looking at you, Prime Minster Hugh Grant. And you actually, Alan Rickman), heartbreak, heartache, dodgy dancing and even dodgier flirting.
But this is a Richard Curtis film, so as much as people may take issue with some the storylines – if you’ve never read this Jezebel article, please do – Love Actually certainly warms the cockles.
A couple of years ago though, people found a new thing to be outraged about, and that is the age gap between two of the show’s stars.
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The age gap between these two Love Actually stars is wayyy smaller than you think. Credit: Universal
When people found out the age difference between Keira Knightley and Thomas Brodie-Sangster at the time they starred in the film, they were stunned.
For at the time of filming, there was a mere five-years between the two – Thomas was 13, and Keira was just 18 years old.
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Keira Knightley was actually closer in age to Thomas than she was to her on-screen husband, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who is eight years older than her.
Yearly reminder that there is only a five year age gap between Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Keira Knightley in Love Actually pic.twitter.com/ciC4v75ZPO
On Twitter, one person said: “Recently found out that Thomas Brodie Sangster and Keira Knightly had a 5-year age gap in this movie. The math isn’t mathing.”
Another wrote: “oh yeah there’s only a five year age gap between Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Keira Knightley in Love Actually who knew??????”
Someone else said: “There was a FIVE YEAR age gap between these two when Filming Love Actually. What. The. Heck.”
Featured image: Universal
Christmas
Peek inside the space-themed festive tipi bar that’s appeared in Manchester city centre
Daisy Jackson
A gigantic new festive tipi has appeared in Manchester city centre, and this one’s out of this world.
Nova Star is an intergalactic, space-age tipi, filled with twinkling stars and shimmering galaxies.
The space-themed pop-up bar has appeared in Sadler’s Yard, right outside New Century.
Inside, you’ll be able to get your mitts on festive food specials from beloved Christmas Markets favourites Parmogeddon.
Their menu includes raclette-covered roast potatoes, with additional toppings like hot honey, brie, stuffing crumbs and gravy.
There’ll also be pigs in blanket hot dogs topped with cranberry and chilli ketchup and stuffing crumb, with an indulgent pot of gravy for dunking, plus profitteroles with a homemade brandy cream filling.
Nova Star’s bar will have a menu of shimmering cocktails and ice-cold beers too, with a full menu of Cosmos, including a Nebula Cosmo (which tastes a lot like a pina colada but is blue), a Cosmic Amore (close to a classic Cosmopolitan), and the Milkyway (a sweet and creamy concoction with hazelnut and vanilla).
Loaded raclette roasties at Nova Star, Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupA pigs in blanket hot dog. Credit: The Manc GroupProfiteroles from Parmogeddon. Credit: The Manc Group
Nova Star will be serving up their very own signature ‘Nova Staro’ pints, created in collaboration with Czech Pilsner specialists Staropramen in their first ever rebrand.
It’s a far cry from your typical Bavarian Christmas experience, swapping out holly and ivy for stars and shimmers.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy a line-up of festive entertainment.
Abby Moore, managing director at New Century, said: “Nova Star is all about celebrating Christmas at its most magical – and for us that means with all the dazzle of the space age.
“It’s a chance to escape the traditional and enjoy a spectacular atmosphere, stellar cocktails and incredible food.
“We can’t wait to welcome the people of Manchester to our space-age Christmas destination.”
Nova Star opens at Sadler’s Yard on Friday 22 November.
A Christmas train in Wigan has been delivering donated toys galore
Thomas Melia
Yuletide wishes have come true as a donation of toys and goodies have been delivered via a Christmas train in Wigan, right in time for the big day.
The Amazon toy train, which is a new initiative running this festive season, is dropping off presents from now right up until Christmas day itself.
Already visiting Wigan earlier this month, the locomotive has its sites set on three more stops including London, Swansea and Scotland as it makes its journey across three nations.
In partnership with Multibank’s Brick-by-Brick project, the train hopes to provide and offer gifts to families in need across the UK with Wigan marking the closest stop off in Greater Manchester.
Credit: Lee Boswell (supplied)
All the toys that are being transported across the country in this Amazon-fronted train are featured on the company’s ‘Top Ten Toys 2024’ list.
Hatchimals, Screamerz and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza were some of the exciting gifts found on the Christmas train in Wigan at the start of this month.
This lighthearted and fun-filled Christmas-themed project is kitted out with toys from top brands like Play-Doh and the brickmasters themselves, LEGO Star Wars.
So far, Multibank has helped over 400,000 families and provided three million essential items across their operations in England, Scotland and Wales since launching in 2022.
This collaborative local project doesn’t just operate at Christmastime either: Brick-to-Brick Multibank run all year round collecting surplus business requirements like furniture, hot water bottles and hygiene products to be used by those less fortunate.
The Christmas train in Wigan filled with Amazon’s top toys.The Wigan toy train features some well known brands.Credit: Supplied
This roster of children’s favourite companions and interactive games is inspired by the consumers themselves. Every toy is related to or the exact match of what Amazon customers have been searching for the most. A real Christmas list come true.
The list of the top toys isn’t extortionate either, offering customers some affordable and still as fascinating options with prices starting from £9.99.
Even old-school classics like Play-Doh have a spot on this wish list. This poses the really big question: where’s the adult version?
You may have finished your Christmas shopping not too long ago or might still be looking for inspiration, browse the top-ranked teddies and more HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
23rd December 2022 
