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A TV channel playing Christmas films 24/7 is back on air in the UK next week

It's that time of year again... 'GREAT! Christmas' is back.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 30th August 2023

Is it too early to say the ‘C word’? Never mind, too late, you’ve already clicked on this article.

We’ve only got two more days of August left, and given the fact the weather over these past two months hasn’t exactly screamed summer, it already feels like the festive season is around the corner – but whether or not you think it’s too early to be talking about Christmas at this point, it’ll soon be tricky to escape from.

Especially not when there’s a free TV channel showing festive film favourites non-stop set to relaunch in the UK next week.

You heard that right – Christmas films, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

A TV channel playing Christmas films 24/7 launches in the UK next week / Credit: 20th Century Studios | Universal Pictures

If you’re ready to wave goodbye to summer, and welcome autumn and winter with open arms, then there’s arguably no better way of getting into the festive spirit than the long-awaited and highly-anticipated return of the TV channel that’s charmed audiences for the last two years running.

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Not only is GREAT! Christmas the UK’s biggest seasonal channel, but it’s also back “earlier than ever” this year, and is launching in only a few days time.

GREAT! Christmas will replace one of the network’s other channels, GREAT! Romance, bright and early from 8am on Thursday 7 September.

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Taking over the GREAT! Romance slots on Sky, Freesat, Freeview and Virgin Media, and starting with the 2014 festive film Northpole, the channel will then continue for almost four months with back-to-back seasonal movies.

GREAT! Christmas will be back on air from Thursday 7 September / Credit: Universal Pictures

The 24-hour, feel-good, and free-to-air channel will be bursting with non-stop Christmas spirit, and will be showing a heartwarming lineup of festive films – including some absolute fan-favourite classics that make it to screens every year without fail, alongside some cheesy Hallmark classics, new channel premieres, and so much more.

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Viewers will find GREAT! Christmas from Thursday 7 September on Freeview 52, Freesat channel 303, Sky channel 319, Sky Glass/Stream channel 317, and Virgin Media channel 424.

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The channel will run until early January.

Featured Image – Warner Bros.

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Bands panic as Easy Life report they’re being sued by EasyJet

Danny Jones Danny Jones are easyJet really suing easy life over their name?

The music industry and social media at large are taking aim at easyJet in light of what might be one of the most ridiculous stories we’ve ever heard, as the airline is reportedly suing alternative indie-pop band, Easy Life, because their names are apparently too similar.

Like the majority of people who first saw this online, we thought it was a joke at first too. Apparently not…

Despite having been formed in 2017 and having seemingly caused no disruption to the company’s business in the past six years, Easy Life shared a statement on Monday evening claiming that popular UK airline easyJet is set to sue them simply because they share the word ‘easy’ in their name.

Much to our and everyone else’s shock, the lawsuit appears to be real after a spokesperson for the budget flight operator told NME: “Stelios and easyGroup founded and (now) own the right to the easy brand name… We cannot allow unauthorised third parties to simply use it free, gratis and for nothing. That would be very unfair.”

They basically believe they have a copyright on the word ‘easy’. Simply flabbergasting and, as you can expect, it has led to some very low-hanging fruit and amusing reactions:

The full statement by the Leceister-based band reads: “Okay… never imagined having to do this but we’ve no choice but to address the situation we find ourselves in. As some of you have already discovered, we are being sued, easyjet are suing us for being called easy life.

“They’re forcing us to change our name or take up a costly legal battle which we could never afford. we’ve worked hard to establish our brand I’m certain in no way have we ever affected their business.

“Although we find this whole situation hilarious, we are virtually powerless against such a massive corporation. I don’t really know what else to say, will keep you lot updated.”

The five-piece signed off by joking, “for those of you who bought gig tickets and ended up on a budget flight to Tenerife, I apologise, for the rest of you, thank you so much for your support”. Naturally, they aren’t the only ones laughing at the absurdity of it all.

While a large proportion of the comments are versions of “surely they are joking?” and “this has to be a p*** take?”, for those that have clocked on to the fact this is somehow real, easyJet are currently being called every name under the sun.

Big up the guy who commented, “Jet from Gladiators should sue Easyjet. Pretty sure she was around before they were a thing.”

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As for the company’s stance on the matter, they went on to insist to the NME that “Stelios and easyGroup founded and (now) own the right to the easy brand name.

So yes, although it might sound silly that they are basically trying to copyright a common word in the English language which has been used in various different phrases since the start of the Middle Ages, easyJet have indeed been trademarking a number of different names including easyVan, easyProperty, easyCurrency and more — the suggestion being that they could be angling for easyLife insurance next.

It goes without saying that we find this whole thing stupid we’re still in disbelief that it’s actually genuine. Then again, we shouldn’t be too surprised as the company’s owner Stelios Haji-Ioannou has tried to sue everyone from the creators of Come Fly With Me, who parodied him back in 2010, to a small taxi company that also had easy in their name.

What they’ve actually done is just lost even more faith amongst Brits who travel from time to time and might have been considering using the airline and given easy life one of the best bits of inadvertent publicity and nationwide exposure we’ve ever seen.

Here’s hoping the boys’ nightmares turn into daydreams soon and in case it wasn’t already hammered home just how daft this whole thing is, just check the comments underneath this statement of solidarity from music label Blood Records.

Featured Image — easy life (via Instagram)/Bene Riobo (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes rolls back the years and goes to work at Flat Baker in Ancoats

Danny Jones Danny Jones Matheus Nunes works at Manchester bakery Flat Baker

Manchester City star Matheus Nunes has already impressed many during his short time at the Etihad so far, but he impressed a few more this weekend not with his skills on the pitch but in the kitchen after moonlighting at a popular Manchester bakery, The Flat Baker in Ancoats.

The recent Man City signing might only have the one assist to his name during his time as a Blue thus far, but he’s served up more than a baker’s dozen to local Manc residents thanks to a quick shift as a pastry chef this past weekend.

However, it was by no means his first time in the kitchen, as Nunes revealed that he used to work in a bakery during the earlier days of his footballing career.

Getting put to work on one of The Flat Baker‘s bestsellers, their unbelievably addictive pastel de natas — trust us, they’re utterly sinful these things — the bakery’s owners Débora and her husband, also called Matheus, got the City star back up to speed. You can see the full video here:

Matheus Nunes surprised a fair few locals after popping up at this beloved Manc bakery.

That being said, as you can see, the 25-year-old midfielder was a bit of a dab hand after a few goes at it; the fact he not only had prior experience but also shares the same heritage as the bakery’s founders no doubt helped.

Born in Brazil but raised in Portugal — two places where these unmistakable sweet treats are most famous — Nunes explained how he, his mother and English step-father moved to Europe for “a better life” and to help his chances of becoming a footballer.

The former Wolves player went on to explain how he “failed a lot in school” and eventually his mum gave him a choice: “give up football or school, in order to start working”.

Starting out in his godfather’s bakery, he went on to spend a fair bit of time making bread and pastries and even appeared in a similar video back in Portugal after signing for Sporting Lisbon.

matheus nunes used to work in a bakery
Credit: Sporting TV (via YouTube)

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Naturally, the trio did eventually touch on football a little bit, with Nunes discussing what it’s like to play under Pep Guardiola and how nice it’s been to arrive at a club where there are plenty of Portuguese-speaking players like Ederson, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and others.

Débora also joked about how he has fared getting used to ‘Rainchester’ and he was polite enough to smile it off and simply reiterated that playing for City was oppurtunity he culdn’t pass up.

So, if things don’t work out in the Premier League, he can always swap the sky blue shirt of city for a lovely chef’s apron and help out over at The Flat Baker.

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

Featured Image — Manchester City/Sporting Club de Portugal (via YouTube)

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