Music legend Liam Gallagher is making the launch of the new Bee Network that much better by surprising Mancs with a series of special announcements on Metrolink trams this week.
The former Oasis frontman has teamed up with Transport for Greater Manchester and the Bee Network to be the voice of the Eccles tram line for the entire week as commuters travel in and out of Manchester city centre to make their journeys more entertaining.
Acting as the announcer on the pink line from Eccles all the way to Ashton-under-Lyne via Salford Quays and Media City UK from Wednesday until Sunday, 15 October, the iconic Manc musicians will be updating passengers on which stops they’re arriving at plenty more.
And, of course, in true LG fashion, the youngest Gallagher brother has made his voiceover revolve exactly what you’d expect: him being effortlessly funny, as laid-back as you can imagine and bigging up his beloved treble-winners, Manchester City. Here’s a taster.
Here is just one of multiple Liam Gallagher’s tram announcements.
Also set up as part of the celebrations for Beyond the Music, a brand-new Manc music festival and conference taking place until Saturday, 14 October, aiming to spotlight new music and grassroots venues, they managed to get one of the biggest names in the business to lend his pipes for the week.
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Teasing the surprise announcements in a statement earlier this week, a spokesperson for Liam Gallagher said: “Liam’s doing his bit to get behind the festival and encourage people to get into the city and support new up-and-coming talent.
“When the request was first made by Bee Network champion Andy Burnham, Liam loved the idea of surprising tram users by doing the announcements and he was given the chance to choose his favourite line. You’ll have to get onto a tram into the city to find out which it is!”
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We can now confirm that it is indeed the Eccles line, so if you’re heading that way or simply fancy a fun journey narrated by one of Manchester’s musical heroes, tap on to the tram sometime this week — just make sure to tap off!
Liam Gallagher is voicing Manchester tram announcements this week – and he's got a special message for those arriving at the Etihad stop 😂😂
Greater Manchester Mayor Burnham said it was “truly wonderful” to see the inaugural Beyond the Music finally taking place with such a strong line-up in venues across the city.
The founding member of the Beyond the Music co-operative, alongside Manchester City Council, CityCo and the city centre BIDs, AO Arena, Coop Live and Factory International, added: “We are supporting it all the way and are confident that it will become a fixture in the city’s calendar.
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“True to Manchester’s traditions, Beyond The Music is a cooperative endeavour which aims to give all players in the music industry an equal voice and equal say on the change it needs. By doing that, our aim is to strengthen one of Manchester’s, and Britain’s, most important exports.
“There surely can’t be any better way of marking the launch of the Bee Network and the first Beyond The Music than getting one of Manchester’s most famous voices announcing the stops on his favourite Metrolink line.
“It means a lot to us that Liam has agreed to do this and show his support for his home city”, he continued. “Supporting our music venues and giving people cheaper and better public transport to and from our gigs is what we’re all about.
“I am sure that Liam’s dulcet tones will wake up a few early-morning commuters, brighten up many a journey and produce a lot of smiles along the way.”
More than 100 artists will be performing at 17 different grassroots venues across the city for the inaugural Beyond The Music fest, and punters are being urged to make the most of the new Bee Network system to travel around the city to both enjoy and support Manchester’s incredible music heritage.
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You can find out more about Beyond The Music festival, including a select number of free live sets that you can enjoy around Manchester city centre down below:
The full list of winners from The BRIT Awards 2026 in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Olivia Dean, Lola Young, Sam Fender, and Dave are among some of the major names who took home awards at the 2026 BRITs.
The BRITs has landed in Manchester for the first time in its illustrious 46-year history tonight, electrifying the capital of the North’s newest – and Europe’s biggest – live entertainment arena, Co-op Live, as part of a two-year deal described as a ‘bold new chapter’ for the legendary event.
Tonight is all about celebrating the best British and international music talent the industry has to offer right now – with major awards of the night being handed out to the albums and songs of the year, and the individual artists and groups of the year.
Awards are also being handed out in music genre-specific categories, with accolades for the best pop acts, alternative / rock acts, and more.
Tied for the most nominations this evening are singers Olivia Dean and Lola Young, with five nominations each to their name.
Other acts with multiple nominations include Sam Fender, Dave, Wolf Alice, Lily Allen, Raye, Little Simz, Jim Legxacy, Taylor Swift, PinkPantheress, Calvin Harris, and plenty more.
On top of the regular roster of categories, a handful of other special ‘legacy’ awards are also to be given to music icons and industry leaders for their contribution to music, both throughout the past year and their entire careers – including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Songwriter of the Year Award.
The list of winners below is being updated live as the ceremony takes place in Manchester this evening – with the respective winners of each category highlighted in bold.
BRITs 2026 – Full list of winners
Here is full list of nominees and winners across all 16 categories at The BRIT Awards 2026, including international and genre-specific categories.
Album of the Year
Sponsored by Mastercard
Dave – The Boy Who Played The Harp
Lily Allen – West End Girl
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
Sam Fender – People Watching
Wolf Alice – The Clearing
Artist of the Year
Dave
Fred again..
JADE
Lily Allen
Little Simz
Lola Young
Olivia Dean
PinkPantheress
Sam Fender
Self Esteem
Group of the Year
The Last Dinner Party
Pulp
Sleep Token
Wet Leg
Wolf Alice
Song of the Year
Sponsored by Mastercard, and voted for by the public exclusively via WhatsApp
These four awards are special category awards, already announced prior to the ceremony taking place, recognising each recipients contribution to the music industry, both in this past year alone and throughout their career.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Ozzy Osbourne
Songwriter of the Year – Noel Gallagher
Producer of the Year – Pink Pantheress
Outstanding Contribution to Music – Mark Ronson
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard are taking place on Saturday 28 February from Manchester’s Co-op Live, and audiences at home can watch on ITV live or stream later on ITVX.
Comedian and actor Jack Whitehall is returning to presenting duties in 2026 – which is his sixth time hosting the show.
Ozzy Osbourne to be posthumously honoured with BRITs Lifetime Achievement Award
Emily Sergeant
Ozzy Osbourne is set to be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 BRITs tomorrow.
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard has announced that global rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, the celebrated founding member and frontman of Black Sabbath, and pioneering ‘godfather’ of British heavy metal – who sadly passed away last July – will be honoured at this year’s ceremony this weekend (Saturday 28 February).
Ozzy will be honoured with the BRITs Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition and celebration of his ‘inimitable impact and influence’ on music worldwide.
The award will be accepted on Ozzy’s behalf when the BRITs comes to Manchester for the first time ever at Co-op Live.
With over 100 million worldwide album sales achieved over five decades, a legendary catalogue of music – including 19 studio albums, and eight live albums with Black Sabbath, as well as 13 studio albums as a solo artist – Ozzy Osbourne is undoubtedly one of music’s most influential icons of all time.
The many industry accolades awarded to Ozzy across his career include five GRAMMYs, an induction into both the UK Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (both with Black Sabbath and as a solo artist, in separate years), and the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement – and now the BRITs honour is the latest to add to the list.
“Ozzy Osbourne has been a mighty force in modern music,” commented Stacey Tang, who is the Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK.
“Possessing an unmistakable voice and unique presence, he reshaped the sound and spirit of rock, inspiring generations of artists who followed. This Lifetime Achievement Award recognises a remarkable legacy built on originality and enduring influence, that continues to connect with fans worldwide.”
The BRIT Awards are coming to Manchester for the first time in its history in 2026 / Credit: ITV / BRITs / Co-op Live
To celebrate Ozzy’s win, an all-star rock tribute performance – that will close the show on the night – will pay homage to him.
A special arrangement of ‘No More Tears’ – the title track from Ozzy’s multi-million selling 1991 album of the same name – has been curated by Sharon Osbourne.
The performance will boast a phenomenal line up of British and international musical talent, featuring musicians that played as part of Ozzy’s band over the years, and fronted by Robbie Williams, who has been invited personally by Sharon to be part of this special moment.
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 28 February from Manchester’s Co-op Live, and audiences at home can watch on ITV live or stream later on ITVX.
Comedian and actor Jack Whitehall will return to presenting duties in 2026 – his sixth time hosting the show.
Featured Image – John Matthew Smith (via Wikimedia Commons)
Danny Jones -
11th October 2023 
