Manchester

Hollywood actor Will Ferrell becomes ‘best friends’ with Jack Grealish after trip to Manchester

"What a man."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 13th February 2023

Will Ferrell made the trip over to Manchester this past weekend, and it seems he’s struck up a new friendship with a famous face.

Most of us will recognise Will Ferrell as the star of Anchorman, Step Brothers, Elf, and countless other smash-hit comedy films and TV shows – but what many may not be aware of is just how much of a football fan the Hollywood superstar.

The comedy acting legend – who is the co-owner of American soccer team LA Galaxy – is currently in the UK on a tour of football grounds, and after having been previously spotted at a pub in North Wales enjoying a drink with Wrexham FC fans before their game last Saturday, he decide to make a trip over to our neck of the woods.

The 55-year-old made a surprise appearance at the Etihad Stadium yesterday to watch Manchester City take on Aston Villa in a Premier League clash.

And it looks like he left having made a new “best friend”.

ADVERTISEMENT
Hollywood actor Will Ferrell becomes ‘best friends’ with Jack Grealish after trip to Manchester / Credit: Manchester City

After City’s impressive 3-1 triumph over Aston Villa, Ferrell paid a visit to the Sky Blues’ dressing room to meet some of the players, and Manchester City and England star Jack Grealish relished at the chance to grab a couple of pictures with the actor.

Taking to Instagram to share the snaps of the two, Grealish wrote: “Did we just become best friends? What a man.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Grealish was, of course, referencing one of Ferrell’s famous Step Brothers quotes in his caption.

Manchester City also took to Twitter to share a picture of Ferrell on the Etihad pitch holding the match ball before kick off, with the caption: “Looks like we’ve got a visitor at the Etihad this afternoon.”

Also prior to the match starting, Ferrell appeared on Sky Sports to preview the game alongside former Manchester United players Gary Neville and Roy Keane, and dished on the real reason why he’d crossed the Atlantic to visit the UK.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I’m on a recruiting trip for LAFC, I’m seeing if [Man City] measure up to the MLS,” he said.

Read more:

Ferrell continued: “I don’t really have a side over here, I just enjoy following all the storylines, it’s obviously a very good league.

“There’s some really good teams and players here.”

Featured Image – Jack Grealish (via Instagram)

Manchester

Popular night-time indie shopping market returns to Manchester tomorrow

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A unique indie shopping market is returning to Manchester, and you’ll be able to shop from 50 local small businesses all under one roof.

In case you hadn’t heard, the hugely-popular Night Market UK is back by popular demand, and it will be stopping off in our city centre for one night only tomorrow as part of the current leg of its tour across the country.

Returning to Manchester, but this time at a new location down at Fairfield Social Club in the Green Quarter, the unique night-time shopping experience will be showcasing more than 50 local small businesses – with everything from bespoke fashion items and beautifully-crafted homeware, to candles, artwork, silverware, and more on offer.

Brutal Fashion, Lost in Music, Urban Botany, and Dapper Alice are just a handful of the indie traders you’ll be able to shop from.

With event organisers promising there’ll be “a stall for everyone” to browse on the night, some of the other traders in attendance, include artisan producers, artists and bakers, as well as Fairfield Social Club’s resident street food purveyors Isit Kitchen, and pizza pros Killa Carbs.

DJ Clara B will also be taking over the club’s sound system too, and will be blasting tunes to set the scene all night long.

From bespoke fashion items and silverware courtesy of Brutal Fashion, to dazzling musical art prints from Lost in Music, and sculptural candles from Urban Botany to beautifully crafted homeware by Dapper Alice, there will be a stall for everyone on the night.

A popular night-time indie shopping market is returning to Manchester tomorrow / Credit: The Night Market UK | Kunal Mahesh Tewari (via The Night Market UK on Facebook)

The Night Market UK will open at Fairfield Social Club from 6pm tomorrow (Friday 26 July), and will run right through until 11pm.

Tickets are now on sale from just £4 each, and can be purchased in hourly entry timeslots – which organisers say “keeps the atmosphere just right” and ensures there’s enough space for everyone to be able to stay as little or as long as they’d like.

Read more:

You can buy on the door or grab your tickets in advance here.

Featured Image – Supplied

Manchester

Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bada Bing returns to Manchester new Northern Quarter shop

Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!

The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.

Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.

These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:

Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.

If you know, you know…

Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.

The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.

Seriously, they were insane:

@the.manc You need to try the #sandwiches at Bada Bing sandwich #deli in #Manchester 🥪🇮🇹 #learnontik #foryou #foryoupage ♬ Woke Up This Morning – Alabama 3

Read more:

Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.

From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.

Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.

bada bing manchester reopening
Credit: The Manc Group

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Eats

More Manchester

Comedy Sportz competitive comedy show Stretford Mall

Kids & Family

An award-winning competitive comedy show is coming to Stretford town centre

City Centre

Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024

Casablanca. Credit: Unsplash, Youssef Bouhsini

Manchester

You can now fly direct from Manchester to ‘the new Turkey’ where pints are just £2.50

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches