A new two-part documentary special about the Manchester Arena bombing is to begin airing on ITV next week.
Featuring what are being described as “emotional contributions” from the families of the 22 victims who tragically lost their lives on 22 May 2017 when a British-born terrorist detonated a home-made bomb in the foyer of the Manchester Arena, Worlds Collide: The Manchester Bombing will air to mark the fifth anniversary of the attack that shocked the nation to its core.
ITV explains that the new documentary special will air across two nights, and uses new revelations to piece together the chilling timeline of that day, and explores how the truth of what happened that night is finally emerging.
Made by Label1, the makers of twice BAFTA-nominated and RTS Award winning series Hospital, the documentary will reveal how multiple opportunities to stop the bomber in his tracks were tragically missed.
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A new two-part documentary special about the Manchester Arena bombing is to begin airing on ITV next week / Credit: ITV Pictures
The films will provide wider context to the attack and present two polarising worlds that tragically collided, ITV explains in the description of the show, one of “innocent young fans attending a concert by American pop superstar Ariana Grande”, and the other of “a radical Islamic extremist who had grown up just miles from his eventual victims”.
ITV continues: “The programmes delve into the role of MI5 and the emergency services, hearing directly from those there on the night and examining why decisions taken left victims helpless inside.”
Viewers will get to watch revealing CCTV footage of the suicide bomber, which follows his steps in the days, hours, and minutes leading to the attacks, all while family and friends of the victims recall their stories and how one night changed their lives forever.
The documentary will feature “emotional contributions” from the families of the 22 victims / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)
The first episode, which is to air on ITV on Monday 11 April at 9pm, will showcase two worlds colliding, with a countdown of the hours leading up to the bombing and a story that begins nearly a quarter of a century earlier..
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The second episode, which is airing on Thursday 14 April at 9pm, then takes over from where the last show left off.
The second hour-long episode will re-live the final minutes and seconds in the run up to the detonation and its aftermath to unravel the emergency services’ response through the eyes of the victims and those first on the scene.
Worlds Collide: The Manchester Bombing will air on ITV from Monday 11 April at 9pm.
The Strokes announce first Manchester gig in two decades
Daisy Jackson
The Strokes are finally set to return to Manchester for the first time in years, announcing a huge arena show today.
The iconic indie rockers have shared details of a new European tour, which includes a night at the massive Co-op Live arena here in Manchester.
The news comes hot off the heels of their celebrated Coachella set over the weekend.
The Reality Awaits Tour, named after their upcoming seventh studio album, will take The Strokes to Manchester as well as London and Newcastle, plus several cities across Europe.
The Strokes broke into the industry back in 2001 with their seminal debut album Is This It, which spawned massive indie anthems like Last Nite, Hard To Explain, and Sometimes.
Since then, they’ve released six studio albums, all of which have climbed into the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart.
You can expect to hear all sorts of fan favourites, like Reptilia, Juicebox, and You Only Live Once, plus new music including their latest single The New Abnormal.
Co-op Live said: “This is set to be an unmissable show as they come to Co-op Live for the first time and we can’t wait!”
Last time The Strokes played in Manchester, it was at the O2 Apollo way back in 2006 – the same year they supported Foo Fighters at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
They played Lytham Festival more recently, but haven’t ventured back into Manchester itself since.
The Strokes will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on 26 October 2026.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 17 April HERE, with a number of pre-sales beginning from Wednesday 15 April.
Manchester Museum to close much-loved section for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has announced that it’s planning to close of its best-loved exhibitions.
Thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Manchester Museum is planning a major redevelopment of its much-loved Vivarium.
The Vivarium has sat at the heart of Manchester Museum for more than 60 years, and is a centre for globally-significant conservation projects, caring for around 30 different amphibian and reptile species – many of which are critically endangered – in a bid to inspire generations of visitors.
Thanks to a pioneering partnership with Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity, which is just one of many projects designed to safeguard the future of endangered species and develop learning programmes that raise awareness of threats to biodiversity, Manchester Museum houses the world’s only captive ‘back-up’ population – which is why the redevelopment of the Vivarium is so important.
The funding grant will help to ‘revitalise’ public displays, and create new state-of-the art facilities and bespoke naturalistic environments for the amphibian and reptile species cared for by the Vivarium.
It will also allow the development of dedicated facilities for schools, teaching, and visiting tour groups, which the Museum hopes will ‘further enhance’ the gallery’s potential for learning.
During the redevelopment – which has been named the ‘Habitats of Hope’ project – new permanent displays will also be created that explore the connections between its wider collections and the animals it cares for.
Manchester Museum is set to close one of its much-loved sections for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment / Credit: Supplied
“Habitats of Hope speaks to how wonderful and how vulnerable the world’s rarest amphibians are” commented Georgina Young, who is the Head of Collections and Exhibitions at Manchester Museum.
“Major investment means Manchester Museum can match the highest standards of animal care with a more accessible visitor experience, while weaving stories of research, conservation, partnership and action that stretch from thriving ponds in Manchester to hyper-biodiverse ecosystems in Costa Rica and Panama.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th April 2022 
