A new female-led BBC Three comedy series about growing up and navigating life in Manchester is hitting our screens this autumn.
Written by and starring Mancunian comedy writer Soph Galustian and produced by Jax Media, Peck’Eds is a female-led, coming-of-age, out-and-out comedy about the testing moments of growing up as a young, working class woman in South Manchester.
Based on lived experiences and real surroundings, it is also a celebration of what it truly means to grow up in this specific part of the country.
The show, which is directed by Bethan Seller – known for work on the Comedy Central sketch series Flaps – will follow the journey of Melissa (Galustian) and her group of best friends, Abbie (Hannah Donelon) and Naz (Leah Choudhry), to get a taste of true council estate, high school life – with everything from period troubles, to sexuality discoveries.
Peck’Eds is set to “blow the dust off these awkward memories and flood back feelings of nostalgia, womanhood and an extra-large portion of cringe.”
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Filmed at @kw_sch in Cheadle, @sophgalustian's Peck’Eds is a female-led coming-of-age, out-and-out comedy about the testing moments of growing up as a young, working class woman in South Manchester.
The show is Soph Galustian’s first television commission.
If you’re unfamiliar with Soph’s work, she a Mancunian comedy writer-performer of Armenian heritage, who making a huge impact for her self-produced sketches and spoken word pieces on social media that have amassed over 1.5 million views and praise from peers and industry names.
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“Writing Peck’Eds has been so exciting for me,” Soph said of the series ahead of its release.
“The thought of creating something based on my own experiences and being able to film it in the exact spots that I grew up in, was truly magical. My upbringing will always play a huge part in my work and I hope that it shines a light on working class, northern voices.
“I am so proud of my background and where I come from. Us council estate lot know how to have a laugh, and that’s what Peck’Eds is all about – learning to make the best of what you’ve got.”
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Peck’Eds is a celebration of what it truly means to grow up in Manchester / Credit: Instagram (@SophGalustian)
Molly Seymour – Producer and Head of Jax Media UK – adds: “Developing and producing Peck’Eds with Soph and the BBC has been a truly fantastic process [as] Jax focuses on telling stories we haven’t seen before, delivered in the funniest and most unique way [and] this is what Peck’Eds is.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be collaborating with Soph and the rest of the team on this original and brilliantly comedic show.”
Peck’Eds will air on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer this autumn.
Featured Image – BBC Three
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Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
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11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
Emily Sergeant -
9th September 2021 
