Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott have explained the “brilliant” reason why they’ve chosen to cap the price of their tour tickets at £30.
While the going rate for tickets to arena and stadium tours tends to hover around the £70-£80 or more mark nowadays, the pair – who were famously part of pop rock group The Beautiful South, which Heaton formed in 1988 and Abbott joined as lead vocalist from 1994-2007 – have said they are determined to keep prices affordable amid the rising cost of living crisis.
The duo announced their huge UK arena tour towards the end of August, and have released their fifth studio album titled ‘N.K-Pop’ today.
Heaton and Abbott have been on the receiving end of a lot of praise from members of the public after making an appearance on BBC Breakfast this morning to speak about rising costs in the music industry while promoting their new album.
Heaton said he was ultimately “against greed in the industry”.
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“It’s really important that in the coming months, and possibly years, that we tell the fans that we are getting paid enough and want to keep it low for you,” he explained.
“I’m against greed in the industry”
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott are back with their fifth studio album.
“I’m very much against greed in the industry. I feel as though there is quite a lot. We are trying to just battle and say ‘we’ll do it for as low as we can’.”
Heaton – who has some 15 million album sales under his belt, with a celebrated music career that also included a stint as the frontman of The Housemartins – said himself and Abbott are looking to “set a bit of an example” for the rest of the music industry going forward with their decision to cap tour ticket prices at £30.
A clip from the BBC Breakfast interview has been going viral on social media today, with fans of the pair calling them “legends”.
One fan said on Twitter: “What a man. Brilliant. Understands people are struggling and he’s making enough why can’t others think like that. Top top man.”
“Need more Paul Heatons in this world. It’s as simple as that. Legend, hero, good human being,” another fan added, while a third said: “Paul Heaton is one of the absolute greats in the music world and yet rarely gets any recognition. It’s a travesty.”
Paul & Jacqui UK tour announced with special guest @BillyBragg including dates at Manchester @AOArena & London @TheO2. All tickets £30! Qualify for presale access by pre-ordering the new album at https://t.co/iXyR5p7hCq by 4pm Monday. Presale codes/links emailed from 5pm Monday. pic.twitter.com/RTjD2d8DZl
The award-winning duo’s appearance on BBC Breakfast comes after they announced they would be making a return to Manchester on their UK tour in December – which will include some of their biggest-ever shows as a duo, with support from special guest Billy Bragg at all dates.
They’ll be gigging at the AO Arena in Manchester, as well as the O2 Arena in London, and Sheffield’s Utilita Arena as part of the upcoming tour.
This isn’t the first time this year that Paul Heaton has gone out of his way to make life a little easier for his fans, as he cemented his place in the nation’s hearts back in May by putting £1,000 behind the bar of 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland.
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The gesture was done so that people could have a drink on him to celebrate his 60th birthday.
Featured Image – BBC Breakfast
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Netflix drops the first trailer for upcoming Peaky Blinders film
Danny Jones
It looks like Christmas has come early for TV drama fans and cinephiles, because Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.
Popcorn at the ready – even the teaser alone has got us fired up.
ln just 70 seconds, they’ve managed to pull us right back in, and we cannot wait to see Cillian Murphy back in full-on Tommy Shelby mode.
Not exaggerating when we say we have LITERAL chills.
As you can see, they certainly haven’t scrimped on the budget with the first-ever feature-length Peaky Blinders film, neither in terms of production value nor the cast.
Then again, having already hosted the likes of Sam Neill, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy and others in the series itself, as well as going on to become one of the most successful BBC shows of all time, they were never going to.
We’re sure you spotted plenty of them for yourselves, but the debut trailer for The Immortal Man gives us not only our first glimpses of now Oscar-winning Murphy, 49, back in the saddle (both figuratively and literally) but also fellow blockbuster Irish actor, Barry Keoghan.
Other big names set to appear in the movie – set for a limited release in theatres before launching exclusively on Netflix – include Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth. It still remains unclear, however, as to how any of these characters will knit into the new season.
It’s also worth noting that the trailer shares a little snippet of the historical context, this continuation of the Shelby story is playing into, as we see what looks to be Nazi figures meeting on screen.
Creator Steven Knight has already confirmed that the plot will fast-forward some years to meet back up with Tommy at the outset of WWII and his ancestral home of Birmingham during the Blitz.
Having already confirmed 6 March as the theatrical release date ahead of it going live on Netflix a fortnight later, the anticipation was seriously starting to ramp; this latest look has only added to the tinderbox of excitement.
What do you make of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man trailer, and will you be watching it?
Appeal to find two individuals after man is left with ‘serious head and face injuries’ in Altrincham attack
Danny Jones
Trafford Police are trying to find two men following an attack outside a takeaway in Altrincham earlier this year.
The incident, which took place outside Canada Grill on Railway Street a couple of months ago, has left one individual with serious.
Reported to have occurred at around 2am on Sunday, 19 October, the identity of the pair who have since been revealed on CCTV footage is still unknown.
You can see both male suspects pictured below.
#APPEAL | Can you help us identify these men as we believe they can help with our investigation of an assault at Canada Grill, #Altrincham on 19/10/25 at 2am?
The victim has serious injuries to their head and face
Since shared by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at large on social media, officers investigating the case are appealing for anyone who recognises them to come forward.
While the exact extent of the damage done and the condition of the other person involved in the altercation has not been fully disclosed, they are believed to have been left with significant “head and facial injuries”.
Emily Sergeant -
7th October 2022 
