Some deeply sad showbiz news this weekend as it has been announced that British acting royalty Dame Maggie Smith CH DBE has died aged 89.
The legendary English actor was confirmed as having passed away on Friday, 27 September, following an official statement from her sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin.
They wrote: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.
They go on to thank the hordes of fans paying their respects online, adding: “[we] ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
With a career spanning six decades and known to generations of movie lovers for appearances as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, Lady in the Van, Downton Abbey and Oh! What a Lovely War, just to name a few of her countless iconic roles, she is the definition of a household name.
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She appeared in more than 85 films and TV programmes all told but was arguably most famously known to kids all around the world as the stern but enigmatic and fiercely loyal Hogwarts witch who first welcomed them into the live-action universe of the much-loved wizarding world.
Her theatre career is arguably even more revered, with the BBC dubbing her “a piercing presence on stage and screen” in their official obituary. By all accounts and judging from the tributes online too, a lovely human being with a razor-sharp wit.
Making her acting debut way back in 1952, she went on to win two Oscars five BAFTAs, four Emmys; three Golden Globes, not to mention a Tony as well as nominations for six Laurence Olivier Awards – she quite literally did it all.
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Made Dame Maggie back in 1990, Smith is one of the few performers to ever earn the so-called ‘Triple Crown of Acting’, which should tell you everything you need to know about her status within the industry.
Rest in peace to a true legend and thank you for the memories in some of our most formative years.
‘One, two, three – Vera Verto’.
RIP Maggie Smith, this was one of my favourite scenes from Harry Potter with professor mcgonagall 💔 pic.twitter.com/Qe61BS7u9w
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.”
Danny Jones -
27th September 2024 
