McFly have shared a daft vlog of them having a big day out in Manchester – and they really managed to cruise around a lot of local attractions.
Two members of the pop-rock group – bassist Dougie Poynter and guitarist Danny Jones – popped over to soak in the sights and activities the city has to offer.
Throughout the video, they’re both putting on thick northern accents (even though Danny is legitimately Northern and from Bolton), leading to several people thinking it was Gary Barlow doing the voice over. But it does look like my idea of a very nice day out.
The duo managed to get up to plenty of mischief on their day out here, from finding phallic graffiti to getting up to no good in photo booths.
McFly’s big day out in Manchester started with them getting a bit lost in Manchester Piccadilly (not even Platform 13 – amateurs) before heading off to ‘a nice little coffee shop’.
They sat and had a ‘little cortado’ in the original Takk, an Icelandic-style cafe on Tariff Street in the Northern Quarter.
Then Dougie posed for a brief photo next to a sign at Yard & Coop that politely asks ‘Please do not ride the cock’.
After that it was time for brunch at Hampton & Vouis’ newest cafe in the Northern Quarter (maybe they were influenced by The Manc Eats), which they said was ‘very Instagrammable’.
McFly in Hampton and Vouis in Manchester. Credit: Instagram, @mcflymusicMcFly explored Manchester for a day. Credit: Instagram, @mcflymusicMcFly explored Manchester for a day. Credit: Instagram, @mcflymusicUsing poop as a navigational tool around Manchester, apparently. Credit: Instagram, @mcflymusic
Danny and Dougie were then off for a game of darts at the newly-refurbished Twenty Twenty Two, closely followed by an action-packed trip to arcade bar NQ64.
They said: “Shot some screens, popped some caps in asses, and then we shook some asses,” with videos of them busting a move on the dance mat.
The pair then got a little bit naked in the photobooth and joked ‘You cannot take us anywhere’.
Apparently not quite satisfied with all the activities so far they then took a trip to DNA VR where they ‘hit the wall a few times but also hit a few zombies’.
And finally, it was off for a ‘great, great dinner’ at the excellent Higher Ground, adding another celebrity endorsement to the restaurant’s repertoire.
“All in all we had a lovely, great bloody day,” McFly said – which is always nice to hear.
Honorary Manc Ariana Grande announces huge world tour – but skips Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Ariana Grande has announced details of a huge world tour, but the honorary Mancunian will be skipping Manchester again.
The 32-year-old, Grammy Award-winning star has instead booked five nights at The O2 in London for her only UK stop on the tour.
Ariana Grande was made an honorary Mancunian back in 2017, in recognition of her work following the Manchester Arena terror attack.
She is the first person to have ever received this honour.
Since the atrocity in the city, which took the lives of 22 people, Ariana has only performed here twice more – once at the One Love concert she organised as a fundraiser for the victims and their families, and once as a headliner of Manchester Pride.
It’s been six years since her last tour, but Ariana Grande is now back, sharing details of her hotly-anticipated The Eternal Sunshine Tour next summer.
As well as her five-night residency in London, she’ll play four nights in LA and Brooklyn, as well as cities right across North America.
Ariana Grande has announced The Eternal Sunshine Tour
Her London dates will be her only European shows on The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Eternal Sunshine was released in 2024 and was her seventh studio album, spawning singles ‘Yes, And?’, ‘We Can’t Be Friends’, and ‘The Boy Is Mine’.
Ariana Grande is now also an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress thanks to her starring role in Wicked as Glinda the Good Witch.
Tickets for her tour will go on sale from Tuesday 16 September with an artist presale as well as an O2 Priority Presale. Remaining tickets will be available during the general ons-ale beginning Thursday 18 September at 10am.
Ariana Grande – The Eternal Sunshine Tour Dates 2026
BBC needs outspoken Mancs to share their hottest TV takes in brand-new show
Emily Sergeant
Outspoken Mancs are being urged to apply to take part in a new BBC show where they share their hottest TV takes.
We all have opinions when it comes to television, right? Whether it be which show had the best and worst ending, which characters deserved better arcs, or which shows are the most underrated – you name it, someone will have an opinion on it.
Some people, however, like to broadcast or shout about their options a little louder than others do… and it’s these people the BBC is looking to speak to.
The broadcaster is currently in the process of casting for a new digital pilot called People Watching that will give people from across the UK a chance to share their hottest TV takes, straight from the comfort of their own sofa, and is looking for outspoken people from across Greater Manchester to talk the talk and take part.
The BBC needs outspoken Mancs to share their hottest TV takes in a brand-new show / Credit: CoWomen (via Pexels)
A casting call for the new show on the BBC website reads: “Subtitles on or off? What would your winning strategy be on The Traitors? And what is the most overrated show ever made?
“If you have a big personality, an interesting living room, or are part of a household group who love a binge watch – we want to hear from you.”
People Watching is being produced for the BBC by BBC Socials, which likely means it’ll be a show primarily made for online audiences.
To apply to feature on the show, you’ll need to be 18 years old or over, and you must be willing to allow the BBC to film in your home.
Applicants will need to send casting directors a short ‘expression of interest’ in the form of a paragraph or video link, telling them a bit about yourself, your favourite BBC show, and most importantly, your most controversial TV opinion.
The closing date for applications is 1 October 2025, and you can apply by sending an email to [email protected]
Daisy Jackson -
26th August 2024 
