We can only apologise in advance for what we’re about to tell you.
Baby Shark – the cute and ultra-catchy children’s song recorded by South Korean company Pinkfong, which the vast majority of people can admit to hearing at least one time and parents across the globe can admit to hearing one too many times – has just officially become the most viewed video on YouTube of all time.
With a total of 7.04 billion views and counting, it edges past the 2017 single Despacito by Puerto Rican pop/rap stars Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.
And if you want an even more mind-blowing statistic, if played back-to-back, this number of views would mean Baby Shark has been streamed continuously for 30,187 years.
Just let that sink in for a moment.
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The video has claimed the most-viewed crown more than four years after it was first uploaded.
The original writer of the song is unclear as it has long been a nursery rhyme/campfire song, and a version of it had previously been recorded and released in German under the name “Kleiner Hai” by Alexandra Müller back in 2007, but it became a global phenomenon after being recorded by 10-year-old Korean-American singer Hope Segoine.
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Produced by educational company Pinkfong and accompanied by a dance routine arguably as viral as the song itself, Baby Shark first went viral in South East Asia, then later in the US and Europe.
It even reached Number 6 in the UK Top 40 Singles chart, and Number 32 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
The one minute and 21 seconds-long earworm song likely has the lyrics, if you can even call them that, “doo-doo-doo-du-du-du-du-du-du” to thank for the endless replays which contributed to its record-breaking total, and has seen a spin-off live tour, a range of merchandise, books and more come out of it.
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On top of that, a number of remixes of the song – one including Luis Fonsi, again, and another which encouraged a promoted the concept of handwashing for children amid the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic – have also contributed to its popularity.
It hasn’t gone down without a fight though.
As previously mentioned, the origins of the song are unclear and it is actually in the public domain and not owned by Pinkfong, which lead to the company being sued in 2019 by children’s songwriter Jonathan Wright – who had recorded a similar version to Pinkfong’s in 2011 and argued that he held copyright on his own take on the material – but no outcome has yet been reported in the case as of yet.
When it comes to the video though, Pinkfong have undeniably won this one, but we’ll leave it up to you to decide whether you feel like congratulating them on the record, or informing them they’ve potentially ruined your life a little in the process.
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Manchester’s popular board game festival returns this month with hundreds of games to play
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s popular board came festival is set to return later this month, with hundreds of games free to play.
Manchester Board Game Festival is set to kick off 2026 in style, returning for the first festival of the year with a full weekend of board games, role-playing games, indie traders, and community-led fun in the heart of the city.
The festival features a huge board game library, giving fans access to hundreds of games to try out across the weekend – with ‘Library Bees’ on-hand to help people find games, learn the rules, or jump into sessions with other players.
There’ll also be bookable sessions, like RPGs and Blood on The Clocktower, and seminars to take part in over the three-day event.
Manchester’s popular board game festival returns this month with hundreds of games to play / Credit: MBGF (via Facebook)
As well as gaming, visitors can browse the festival’s popular Geek Fayre too, open on the Saturday and Sunday of the event, which showcases indie traders, artists, and tabletop creators from across the UK. From games and accessories, to artwork and geeky gifts, it’s a chance to support small businesses all while discovering something new.
Running from Friday 27 February through to Sunday 1 March, this opening weekend festival marks the start of five events planned throughout 2026.
Events are designed to bring together players of all experience levels for three days of tabletop gaming and social play.
“There’s something really special about the first festival of the year,” commented festival organiser, James Oxley.
“People are excited, they’re ready to play, and there’s a real buzz in the room. Manchester Board Game Festival has always been about bringing people together through games, and we can’t wait to see everyone back in the halls enjoying themselves.
“Whether attendees come for a single afternoon or the full weekend, the focus is on playing at your own pace, meeting new people, and enjoying games in a relaxed and friendly setting.”
Further festivals will follow throughout 2026, including themed Halloween and Christmas editions later in the year, so keep your eyes peeled, but until then, February’s event marks the first chance for players to roll some dice, discover new favourites, and start the year with a table full of games.
Manchester Board Game Festival takes place from Friday 27 February through to Sunday 1 March at Sachas Hotel in the Northern Quarter, with tickets starting from just £13.
Trailer released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed all across Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The first trailer for a new romcom that’s set and filmed all across Manchester has been released.
The film, titled Finding Emily, tells the story of a lovesick musician, played by Spike Fearn, who meets his dream girl on a night out, but ends up with the wrong phone number, and so teams up with a driven psychology student, played by Angourie Rice, in a bid to find her.
Together, the unlikely duo spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.
The film – which is directed by Alicia MacDonald, and based on a screenplay written by Rachel Hirons – is produced by Working Title Films, is set in the fictional Manchester City University, and is due to be distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures across the UK and internationally this spring.
The talented ensemble cast groups together big names like Minnie Driver with rising stars like Ella Maisy Purvis, Yali Topal Margalith, and Kat Ronney, as well as other established actors including Timothy Innes and Nadia Parkes.
Filming took place in Manchester between August and September 2024.
The two and a half-minute trailer has been shared with the world today, and when we say it’s a Manc film, we mean it… we quite literally lost count of how many of our city’s famous locations can be spotted in just the trailer alone.
The trailer has been released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed in Manchester / Credit: Universal Pictures & Focus Features (via YouTube)
There’s everything from Manchester Central Library and Piccadilly Records, to Canal Street and the Gay Village, the Northern Quarter, the Crown & Kettle pub in Ancoats, and even the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in St Peter’s Square featured for all to see, alongside what’ll, presumably, be dozens of other famous locations.
Oh, and not to mention, if you keep your eyes peeled when watching the trailer, you can even see a small clip of Stockport band Blossoms playing a gig in there too.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2020 
