George Ezra has had to pull the plug on his upcoming Manchester gig after contracting chickenpox.
The Shotgun singer announced the news on Twitter, sharing a video from his bed.
Visibly covered in the red spots that are so common with the disease, George said he was ‘absolutely gutted’ to have to reschedule three upcoming shows.
He was due to perform at the Manchester Opera House theatre on Sunday 27 February, as well as in Edinburgh and London.
But after being struck down with ‘miserable’ chickenpox, all three gigs have been pushed back to April.
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George Ezra. Credit: Publicity photo
The highly contagious chickenpox infection usually affects children, but you can get it any age.
It’s characterised by an itchy, spotty rash, which blisters and then scabs over.
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Other symptoms include a high temperature, aches and pains, and a loss of appetite, the NHS says.
In the video, with spots across his face and chest, George said: “Hello, as you can see, I’ve got chickenpox, which I never had as a kid, and it is miserable.
Hello 👋 As you can see, I’m pretty under the weather right now with chicken pox so I’m sorry to say that I’m going to need to move my upcoming shows.
The rescheduled dates will be: April 12 – London Palladium April 13 – Manchester Opera house April 14 – Edinburgh Usher Hall pic.twitter.com/tjrJPYygCo
“It’s all of the fatigue and fever of the virus but you also want to scratch at your skin all the time.
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“Erm, yeah, what this means is that I can’t perform at the upcoming shows in Manchester, Edinburgh and London, which I’m absolutely gutted about.
“Recording this video is the last thing I want to be doing.
“Even on a selfish level, I’ve not performed since 2019 and I was so much looking forward to getting back up there and swining my hips, but it’s just not going tohappen.
“I hope you’re all well, and now more than ever, I cannot wait to see you all.
“I’m going to focus on trying to clear this up and get a bit better. Apologies. See you soon.”
George Ezra will now perform at the Opera House in Manchester on 13 April – existing tickets are valid for the new date.
Featured image: Publicity photo
News
Tributes paid to ‘much-loved’ Manchester firefighter who died unexpectedly last week
Emily Sergeant
Tributes have been paid to a ‘much-loved’ Manchester firefighter who died unexpectedly at his home last week.
Francois Childs, who was better known as ‘Frankie’ to his friends and family, served on Green Watch at Broughton Community Fire Station in Salford, where he had been based since joining Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (GMFRS) in January 2018.
Frankie joined GMFRS following a career in banking, and serving with the machine gun platoon of the Bury Fusiliers.
But the 44-year-old sadly passed away “suddenly and unexpectedly” at his home in Prestwich last Tuesday (3 September).
The former Army reservist leaves behind wife Sarah, two children, his parents, and three brothers.
We send our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Firefighter Francois ‘Frankie’ Childs, who passed away suddenly yesterday.
Frankie, 44, had been a much-loved member of Green Watch at Broughton fire station for more than six years.
— Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) September 6, 2024
As well as being a dedicated GMFRS firefighter, Frankie was also one of 12 Fire Brigade Union (FBU) members who volunteered their time to travel to France to support the Care 4 Calais Charity back in November of 2023.
Paying tribute to Frankie following his sad passing, Sarah Nattrass, who is the Assistant Chief Fire Officer and Director of Service Delivery at GMFRS, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the sudden death of one of our colleagues and share our heartfelt condolences with Frankie’s family, friends, and colleagues.
“Frankie was part of our GMFRS family for more than six years as a much-loved member of Green Watch, Broughton, and he will be very sadly missed by all his friends and colleagues.”
The FBU has also paid a touching tribute.
“The charity could not provide this support without dedicated and caring people like Frankie,” an FBU spokesperson said.
“His support will not be forgotten by the FBU or by the many people his efforts undoubtedly helped contributed to making refugees lives better.”
Featured Image – GMFRS
News
US rapper Ice Spice to play massive Manchester show next month on her Y2K World Tour
Thomas Melia
Things are about to get a whole lot chillier in Manchester next month, as Ice Spice is set for a massive show in our city.
Fresh off-the-back of headlining Wireless Festival in July, the princess of rap is coming back to the UK next month, and will be bringing the world of Y2K to Manchester, taking over one of the city’s most iconic venues.
Ice Spice, who is most notable for her heavy-hitting beats and collaborations with acts like Nicki Minaj and PinkPantheress, will be arriving in Manchester in a couple of weeks time for the first of three UK dates on her world tour.
After stopping off in Manchester, the rapper will also performing in Birmingham and London in November, so us Mancs need to set the bar high first.
The 24-year-old only came onto the rap scene three years ago, and since then has seen herself become a social media music phenomenon – with each drop gaining more traction than the last.
Her recent single ‘Did It First’ features UK drill artist Central Cee, who joined her on stage at Wireless Festival as part of her headlining slot this July, where she wowed a crowd of 50,000.
‘Y2K’ is the name of the rapper’s debut album, not to be confused with the early noughties fashion resurgence of the same name. However, the real meaning behind the project’s name is due to the American star being born on 1 January 2000.
She may only be 5ft 3, but Ice Spice sure packs a punch, and if it’s not her fiery orange hair, then it’s her carefree stage presence that sets her apart from the rest.
O2 Victoria Warehouse has been a hotspot for many artists including Mabel, Aitch and Becky Hill since its rebrand in 2018, and now the 3,500 capacity venue will be housing The Bronx native Ice Spice on Wednesday 30 October.
Tickets are now on sale, with a general admission ticket setting you back £58.35, but there’s also the option to purchase a meet and greet package for £216.35.
Daisy Jackson -
23rd February 2022 
