The pool party had just finished when Katie found the lump.
She’d spent the past few hours partying in Los Angeles – splashing around in sunshine-dappled waters at one of the world’s largest all-female LGBT festivals.
It had been a day to remember, drinking and dancing alongside her fiancé and hundreds of others.
But as she stepped into the shower to cool off, her fingers ran over something raised.
Watching the water circle the drain, Katie double-checked and felt it again.
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Something wasn’t right.
She was a long way from home in Manchester, but Katie knew she needed to get this checked. And quickly.
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By this point, she already knew the warning signs.
***
Bitter winds and warm beer
The Pool Party
Eight years prior to that life-changing bathroom visit in southern California, Katie was at a very different type of party more than 5,000 miles away.
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Before the days of swimming pools, cocktails and techno music of L.A., there were terraced houses, warm lager and bitter winds of Newcastle.
It was 2010 and Katie was a student in the North-East, attending the sort of house party you’ll find happening in almost every student city on any given weekend.
On the surface, it was just another typical uni gathering. But it turned out to be an important one.
This was the night she met Nicola.
Sparks started flying almost immediately, and before the night was up, Nicola asked Katie if she fancied attending another party at her place in the coming days.
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Katie agreed, but it was all a ruse.
“Nobody else showed up,” laughs Katie.
“She ‘honey trapped’ me – and the rest is history!”
Hollywood
The pair quickly fell in love, graduated, moved in together, and even got jobs in the same office – working for a major IT corporation.
On paper, it was all perfect. But something just didn’t feel right.
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“We had a lovely city centre apartment and a car on finance, but we could barely afford our bills,” Katie says.
“It seemed everyone wanted a piece of our income and the ironic part of it all is that we moved to the city to enjoy the nightlife and dining out. We couldn’t afford it once we lived there.
“We were literally living to work.”
The couple flirted with the idea of escaping for a few months, and eventually found themselves consumed by wanderlust.
They’d spend every night staring up at the enormous world map beside their bed, dreaming of exploring the planet together and deciding which places to go.
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To make it happen, they scrimped and saved for months on end, moving into a house-share to cut down on rent expenses, and selling everything they didn’t want to take with them on the plane at car boot sales.
Then, in 2015, they took the plunge. And the adventure began.
***
“You need to cancel your flight”
The Great Wall of China
Katie and Nicola photographed everything the moment they left the UK. And it’s a good job they did.
Without the images, their travels sound too extravagant to be true.
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Sharing breakfast with baby sloths in Costa Rica. Swimming with manatees in Florida. Watched a 3-day sumo wrestling tournament in Tokyo. Riding the world’s longest cable car in Hong Kong. Ice skating in New York City on Christmas Day.
Katie and Nicola seemed to be living in a travel montage from a Hollywood movie (Hollywood being another place they ticked off the list).
Their amazing journey even involved a perfect proposal.
After purchasing a ring in Venice and keeping it stashed away in her luggage until she reached the States, Katie took Nicola to the California beach and revealed the ring at sunset.
Nicola said yes, and when daylight broke a few hours later, the United States legalised same-sex marriage across the country.
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It was cinematic.
Baby sloth in Costa Rica
After a brief return home in March 2016, the pair ventured out into the wild again the following Christmas (2017). They’d caught the travel bug and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
But that was when the fairytale faltered.
During their second trip around the world, Katie was diagnosed with skin cancer.
“We were due to go to Reykjavik in Iceland to celebrate New Year with some friends,” Katie explains.
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“I was trying on clothes for the trip in a shop when I spotted a dark and very obviously changed mole on my back.”
She decided to get it checked out.
The advice was sobering.
“Cancel your flight,” said the doctor.
“You need a biopsy.”
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Katie and Nicola had to stay put.
“I was devastated and worried,” Katie remembers.
“But after the biopsy, we were allowed to travel while we were waiting for the results. We flew to Stockholm for a few days to take our minds off it.”
At Stockholm Central Station, Katie got the news.
She had a malignant melanoma and required surgery.
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Hurrying back to the UK, Katie got the medical attention she needed, and was relieved to hear she’d “caught it early.”
After a huge sigh of relief, the duo gathered their composure, counted their blessings, dusted themselves down, and went back to what they knew best: Travelling.
This time, they took an epic 4,000 mile road trip to New Orleans for Mardis Gras, crossing Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and parts of Louisiana en route.
Their final destination: Los Angeles.
And the pool party.
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***
“This is my third chance”
Dogsledding in Greenland
“It could just be trauma,” said the doctor in Beverly Hills.
“Leave it for a couple of weeks.”
Katie was having the lump in her breast examined, and the physician seemed to think it could be benign.
Unconvinced, Katie decided she was taking no chances.
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With Nicola in tow, Katie travelled back to Manchester and signed in at the Christie to have more tests.
It turned out to be breast cancer.
“I had surgery to remove the tumor and had an agonising wait for a number of results from the biopsy that lasted around 3 months,” Katie says.
“They found a lesion on my spine and I was tested for bone cancer.
“It was petrifying to think that I might die at 34.”
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The scary news put Katie in a very dark place. But a change in mindset helped to pave the way for a second miraculous recovery.
“After refusing chemo and other conventional treatment, I changed my lifestyle,” Katie says.
“I got into yoga, meditation and herbalism.”
She’s still in that frame of mind today.
“I have never felt better and I count my blessings every single day.
“I am so grateful for a third chance at life.”
After being given the all-clear, Katie and Nicola decided to get out to the Great White North and visit Canada.
But what they didn’t know was that coronavirus was coming.
Just as Katie got out of one set of woods, she found herself locked inside another…
***
“We’ve had no electricity, running water or internet for seven months”
Canada
Moments after Katie and Nicola touched down in Vancouver, the country shut its borders.
They made it into Canada by the “skin of their teeth” in March.
And they’re still there right now.
The original plan had been to do a road trip down to the States, covering the likes of Oregon and California later in the year.
The girls had even bought a camper van with a wood-burning stove inside to stay warm – but all of a sudden, they had nowhere to drive it.
Like almost everyone else on the planet, they’d been told to stay indoors until further notice.
“Our travel insurance couldn’t help us,” says Katie.
“Our families and friends back home were concerned for us but they know that travel is in our hearts and that we’d make this work however we could.”
The first step, of course, was finding some money.
Nicola went out and got herself a Canadian work permit; finding a job in an essential service so the pair could buy food and stay safe.
After looking around for a place to stay, the pair settled on a small mountain town
in British Columbia – around an hour north of Vancouver.
“The real name of the town is Skwxwú7mesh but it’s simplified in English as ‘Squamish’,” Katie explains.
“The town is visually stunning and is a very affluent and desirable area to live.
“Subsequently it’s expensive to rent – and one beds can be in excess of £1500 a month.
“Luckily, we found a nearby non-profit campground on what Canadian’s call ‘Crown land’.
“The campground staff were very understanding of our situation and allowed us to set up there with our camper van with distancing and protective protocols in place.”
This was seven months ago.
In all that time, Katie and Nicola have had no electricity, no running water, and no internet.
“All we have is a plot of land, the rainforest, and ‘pit toilets’ which do not flush,” Katie says.
And the funniest part? They’ve never been happier.
“We have learned to forage wild food, build campfires, hula hoop, play the ukulele, and spent time writing poetry, fiction and music production,” Katie tells us.
“We built an outdoor kitchen powered by propane and protected by tarp… and we had to build [our own] outdoor shower as all gyms and recreation centres were closed at one point.
“We now bathe, drink and wash our dishes using boiled glacial water from the sacred Mamquam river.”
Alice Lake, Canada
For most of us, lockdown has intermittently revolved around Netflix, Zoom, oversleeping and skin-creasingly long hot baths. So, the prospect of being quarantined in a campsite with none of the above may sound nothing short of daunting.
But for Katie and Nicola, it’s been bliss.
“We’re surrounded by rainforest – and being in nature at a time like this has really kept us calm and focused,” Katie says.
“It’s been a blessing being here during the pandemic because we’re able to go on long hikes and visit campsites that are secluded and remote.”
Restrictions in rural Canada are also more flexible, meaning they’ve been able to van it across British Columbia to gorgeous beaches by the Pacific Ocean, national parks, and picturesque mountain towns.
Technically, they’ve been trapped.
But for the first time since recovering from her second cancer scare, Katie feels completely free…
***
“Go slow, enjoy the culture, and live with the locals.”
Frozen Sea, Greenland
Between their sled dog expeditions in Greenland and being sucked away by the current on a Guatemalan river, Katie and Nicola have become something of a trusted voice in the travelling community.
The pair started chronicling their experiences via an online blog a few years back, which eventually morphed into a publication titled Round The World Magazine.
Today, it attracts 50,000 visitors a month – offering advice and guidance for anyone globetrotting on a budget.
“It took around 3 years for the blog to really take off,” Katie tell us.
“We got featured on Travel and Leisure which changed everything and much of our LGBT content is ranking top 10 on Google search!”
The duo also have some words of wisdom for anyone hoping to get out and about when the world eventually reopens, whenever that will be.
“When it’s safe to do so, we would strongly suggest visiting Iceland,” says Katie.
“It’s one of our favourite places in the world and we make sure we go at least once a year.
“The whole country is incredibly unique with its volcanic history and weather worn terrain. It’s like landing on Mars and not only will you see the Northern Lights in winter but you can experience the midnight sun in summer.
“It’s one of the most friendliest places we’ve ever visited and we’re in love with the idea of starting up a hostel retreat there one day.”
According to Katie, you don’t need a huge wallet to see the planet, either.
“You don’t need a huge savings pot to do what we did,” she emphasises.
“You can work for free accommodation all over the world and we have resources on our site where you can find free car hire, free RV rentals and work abroad sites in every country.
“Go slow, enjoy the culture of a place, live with locals, go out of tourist zones, start a blog early on, or sell your images to help support you on your way.”
Shanghai
The pair are coming home for Christmas 2020 – with plans to purchase a camper van so they can safely explore their own homeland.
“We’ll be stocking our bellies on chip butties, crumpets and Yorkshire tea – which is something impossible to find in Canada!” says Katie.
“Then, we’re hoping to eventually go back to Canada to start the permanent residency process.”
As for the wedding, that might still be a few months away.
“We had plans to get married in June 2021 in Los Angeles,” says Katie.
“But we’re not too sure what’s going to happen with the travel restrictions.
“We have our wedding dresses ready and I won’t be surprised with our spontaneity if we wake up one day and say: ‘Let’s do it in Manchester!’”
So, after visiting as many as 36 countries, Katie still might tie the knot in the north-west after all.
Mancs often tend to have a bit of a homing instinct. Even the ones with itchy feet like Katie.
“We always think of our people back home,” she tells us.
“Especially in Manchester. It’s where our hearts will always lie.”
Follow Katie and Nicola’s blog, Round The World Magazine, on Instagram. @roundtheworldmagazine
Feature
10 things we can’t believe happened in Manchester in 2025
Daisy Jackson
Another year has passed, and once again, Manchester delivered more than its fair share of surprises.
From the Oasis reunion that took over the entire planet this summer, to silly criminals doing very silly things, to absolutely nuts developments in the world of property, there was a lot going on.
Remember when a Damien Hirst concrete swordfish statue fell into the dining room at Sexy Fish?
Or when that woman commented ‘Hey guys’ on her own wanted appeal and then tried to hide from police under a pile of toys?
Or when that person spent the equivalent of a small terrace house in one night in a local club?
That was all this year – here are the 10 strangest things that happened in Manchester in 2025.
There are a lot of extravagant restaurants interiors in Manchester (especially around Deansgate), but not many boast an actual Damien Hirst sculpture collection.
And now neither does Sexy Fish…
One of the restaurant’s enormous 3D, glittering, sea creature-inspired art pieces collapsed into the dining room in the middle of a lunch service back in September, sending chunks of concrete swordfish scattering everywhere.
You’ve done the queue. You’ve bought your merch. You’ve forked out almost a tenner for a pint, found your seat, and are ready to see one of the biggest gigs of the year.
JUST KIDDING, it’s cancelled.
That’s what happened to tens of thousands of Mancs back in July, when Jeff Lynne’s ELO cancelled the show with the Co-op Live arena already full of fans.
Obviously, health comes first, but seeing that many people pouring out of the venue just minutes before the gig was meant to start was wild.
Hey, big spender
‘Exclusive’ Manchester nightclub shares customer’s eye-watering £88k bill
The cost of living crisis seems to have skipped this one particular person, who racked up an eye-watering bill of £88,589.60 in ONE NIGHT.
The bill was shared by The Continental Club, otherwise known as The Conti, which stands in the same spot as the old South nightclub.
And this customer spent the equivalent of a small terrace house on drinks, including £9.5k bottles of tequila, £2k magnums of Dom Perignon, and 48 Red Bulls.
The Poznań went global
To be honest, Oasis getting back together was hands down the weirdest thing that happened in 2025. We literally never thought we’d see the day.
But even us lot here in Manchester were stunned at just how much the Live ’25 tour snowballed across the planet, including getting hundreds of thousands of not-Manchester-City fans to do The Poznan.
Never quite understood where the trend for turning your back on Oasis came from? Here’s your explainer.
A new green space! Just not for you
You know what we really love? A brand-new green space that is completely untouched – and by that we mean you literally can’t touch it because its locked off behind big black bars…
This all came about because developers are waiting for planning permission to build a new student accommodation tower block right off Deansgate-Castlefield, but Manchester City Council has insisted the patch of dirt be spruced up in the meantime.
So the developers put turf down. And then put a big fence around it. Okay.
Have you heard of B&M?
Imagine going out for a nice drink in one of the city’s most long-standing bars, and then falling in love with their furnishings so much you decide to take it home with you.
That’s exactly what happened to Atlas Bar at the start of 2025, who shared CCTV of some customers making off with £180-worth of cushions.
And even weirder, that’s not the first time it’s happened in here – back in 2019 they had a similar incident where a woman stuffed a cushion up her top and ran.
News of a new Zara megastore (plus a new Bershka and Pull & Bear) at The Trafford Centre travelled fast – and once the doors actually opened, it was all anyone could talk about.
That’s because the new Zara is so futuristic, it’s like stepping inside ‘Kim K’s wardrobe’.
TikTok suddenly exploded with videos of women getting completely lost inside the concept store, including one who was separated from her friend for so long she thought they’d started a game of hide and seek.
‘Hey guys’
You’re on the run from the police, and doing a good enough job that they’ve had to issue a public appeal for information to find you. So far, so good.
But then it all unravels… because you commented… on your own wanted appeal… on Facebook. Sigh.
This actually happened back in February, when a 22-year-old suspect commented ‘Hey guys’ to Greater Manchester Police’s appeal, leading them to find her attempting to hide under a pile of toys.
The Kardashian of Cheshire
Jack Watkin, also known as the Kardashian of Cheshire / Credit: Cheshire Police
More bizarre news from the crime world came in June, when a Cheshire influencer-turned-fraudster’s lavish lifestyle caught up with him.
Jack Watkin, who called himself the ‘Kardashian of Cheshire’, pleaded guilty to a £200k handbag scam.
He’d been using the lure of an Hermes handbag to scam people out of their cash, to fund a ‘breathtaking’ amount of luxury goods and hotel bills.
Robert De Niro what you doin here?!
Nobu Hospitality co-founders including Robert De Niro broke ground on Nobu Manchester this week
Manchester has its fair share of famous faces passing through (no surprise when we have two of Europe’s largest arenas, plus a couple of football stadiums), but they don’t get much more famous than this.
Robert De Niro, bona fide A-list movie star, popped up in town last month to break ground on his new project, proving that he might actually be quite a hands-on member of the Nobu Hospitality group.
The star grabbed a shovel and market the start of the build of the new Nobu Manchester tower, which will be the tallest in Manchester.
10 of the biggest and best gigs coming to Manchester | 2026
Thomas Melia
Manchester has some fantastic live music lined up for next year, and we’ve rounded up 10 of the biggest live gigs and concerts coming in 2026.
This city is synonymous with having some of the best gigs around, so it will come as no surprise that 2026 is shaping up to be another jam-packed year of live music and unforgettable performances.
Whether your dream gig has to contain some jazz scatting, acoustic guitars or heavy EDM hits, this list has got most music bases covered.
So allow us to present to you 10 of the biggest live gigs and some of the concerts we’re most excited for in the New Year at Audio North, with acts and artists across a variety of genres.
10 of the biggest Manchester gigs in 2026
Mariah the Scientist – Manchester Academy (Wed 14 January)
When Mariah the Scientist last visited the musical capital of the North in 2024, she opted for Gorilla; this time, the US R&B singer-songwriter has chosen Manchester Academy.
She’s added another LP to her discography since, titled Hearts Sold Separately, it features the standout track ‘Burning Blue’, which has become her most successful single to date.
Ms Scientist is playing this venue’s biggest stage, playing out to over 2,000 fans will be ready to sing along to all her impressive hits, like ‘Is It a Crime’: her collaboration with Kali Uchis, and many others that have made her one of our artists to watch in 2026.
Off the back of their Co-op Live gig earlier in December, English folk-rockers Mumford & Sons are the gift that keeps on giving as they’re heading back to the city in February for a more intimate show.
Playing at Albert Hall in Manchester city centre, these London lads will be celebrating the release of their newest musical addition, Prizefighter, popping up in smaller venues across the UK for a one-of-a-kind album launch gig.
The celebrations don’t stop there as the trio will soon surpass a huge milestone with their hit ‘Little Lion Man’ close to one billion streams, a feat most artists dream of achieving – Tickets HERE.
Raye – Co-op Live (Tues 17 and Wed 18 February)
One of our leading vocalists, Raye, is stopping off at Co-op Live twice / Credit: Press shot (supplied)
Tooting talent Rachel Keen, widely recognised by her artist moniker Raye, is taking over Co-op Live for two nights of magical music, but as the title of the shows preface, This Tour May Contain New Music.
Her songs are addictive and distinctive, like the EDM/rap-fusion of ‘Escapism.’, or the big band-inspired ‘Where Is My Husband?’ – this South London star knows how to craft a pop hit.
Her career started in the Dance/EDM genre, where she contributed vocals and writing skills to a number of records. In previous shows, she usually merges these songs into a stripped-back showcase.
Unfortunately, general on-sale tickets have sold out, but you can still try and find premium seats for both dates HERE.
Lily Allen – AO Arena + Aviva Studios (10 and 11 March + 19 and 20 June)
This storytelling vocalist is returning to 0161 as part of the biggest headline tour of her career and getting ready to sing her latest tracks like ‘Tennis’, ‘Ruminating’ and more.
Allen is getting ready to turn both Aviva Studios and AO Arena into her pop-up ‘P*ssy Palace’ for four nights of ‘Lily Allen Performs West End Girl‘.
The London star announced her arena tour after selling out a string of theatre dates one week prior. We expect these extra dates to be just as exceptional; the only thing we don’t know is “Who’s Madeline?”
Both Aviva Studios dates are sold out, but don’t start ‘Ruminating’ just yet, as there’s plenty for her AO Arena shows HERE.
Basement Jaxx – Aviva Studios (Sat 28 March)
EDM icons Basement Jaxx are also coming to Aviva in 2026 / Credit: Jean-Luc Brouard (via Press Shot)
Felix and Simon – more commonly recognised as electronic act Basement Jaxx – are heading to Aviva Studios, and they’re bringing banger after banger.
Whether you’re ready to groove to ‘Romeo’, dance the night away to ‘Red Alert’ or lose control when ‘Do Your Thing’ blasts out the speakers, this night will be stacked with some huge tunes.
This EDM duo know how to command a crowd, so don’t wait for your friends to ask you, ‘Where’s Your Head At’ – get those tickets booked HERE.
The Scottish star is touring up and down the country, including Wigan, Preston and Blackpool, just to name a few, and has kindly decided to bless Manchester with her bouncy and upbeat tracks.
Get ready to be ‘Dancing At The Edge Of The World’ when soul singer-songwriter Brooke Combe plays out her cathartic tunes at this packed-out Manchester gig hotspot HERE.
Lusaint – Band on the Wall (Tue 14 April)
Local artist Lusaint is coming to Band on the Wall / Credit: The Manc Group
This time, Stretford soul singer Lusaint has chosen to bless Northern Quarter institution Band on the Wall with her next hometown performance.
She’s been slowly adding to her music catalogue since her last Manchester gig, and with the newly-released single ‘Blind’ as well as her latest EP, Apothecary Pt.1, Lusaint is ready to wow crowds with her incredible vocals – Tickets HERE.
Olivia Dean – Co-op Live (Sat 25 and Sun 26 April)
Superstar Olivia Dean is ready for Manchester – are you? / Credit: Jack Davison (via supplied)
2025 was Olivia Dean’s year; four singles charting in the UK Top 10 simultaneously and a number one album in the form of The Art of Loving, she’s unstoppable.
Playing two nights at Co-op Live in Manchester and a SIX-night residency (yep) at The O2 in London, Dean has captured audiences across the country with hits like ‘Nice To Each Other’ and ‘Man I Need’.
Her success is no surprise, being a Brit School graduate and her middle name inspired by R&B royalty Lauryn Hill, now she’s playing out to a combined 47,000 over two nights.
As you can expect, tickets for this one were snapped up pretty quickly, but there are a number of premium tickets for both dates HERE.
If you missed out on your chance to catch Neo-soul hitmaker Olivia Dean, why not check out this class local act at O2 Ritz Manchester instead?
Titled after one of Manchester’s busiest motorways, M60, this indie rock band aren’t just one of our favourite artists right now, they’re Gary Neville’s too.
Their biggest song, ‘I Don’t Mind,’ has amassed over five million streams, and ‘Honey’ is not far off with over one million streams. Give them a listen and catch them live HERE.
Doja Cat – Co-op Live (23 May)
Multi-talented musician Doja Cat knows how to put on a performance, and she’ll be doing just that when she arrives in Manchester with her ‘Tour Ma Vie‘.
Her music pays homage to her pop predecessors like ‘Jealous Type’, an ode to the aesthetics and sounds of 80s music, or her smash hit ‘Say So’, which is heavily inspired by 70s funk and disco.
This indoor Co-op Live date will be a lot drier than her last visit to Manchester took place at Parklife Festival, where the star found herself performing during one of this city’s infamous downpours.
‘Get Into It’ with Doja Cat as there’s an array of tickets available HERE.
The Weeknd – Etihad Stadium (11 June)
The Weeknd is returning to the Etihad / Credit: Sebastian Nagy (supplied)
Initially, The Weeknd had Manc fans contemplating the four-hour journey down to the Big Smoke with his tour dates originally listed for Wembley Stadium in London.
Since the first announcement, the Canadian R&B record-holder surprised Northern fans with a large-scale gig right here in Manchester city centre at the Etihad Stadium next June.
This latest live appearance is labelled as ‘The Weeknd: After Hours Til Dawn Tour’, but it now incorporates his most recent album Hurry Up Tomorrow and features support from Rap act and collaborator Playboi Carti, and you can still get your hands on tickets HERE.
The Manc -
20th October 2020 
