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Bake Off winner John Whaite to compete in Strictly Come Dancing’s first all-male partnership

He has described his partnership as "a great step forward in representation and inclusion".

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 5th August 2021

Strictly Come Dancing has announced it is to have its first all-male partnership this year.

The beloved BBC reality competition show has been on our screens in its current format since 2004, but this the first time in the show’s 17-year history that an all-male partnership will compete.

Former Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite has been unveiled as cast member this morning.

The 2012 Bake Off winner – who was born in Chorley, and studied Law at The University of Manchester – will follow in the footsteps of boxer Nicola Adams, who was the first to have a same-sex partner when she competed with professional dancer Katya Jones last year.

He has described his partnership as “a great step forward in representation and inclusion”.

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“I’m so grateful, excited, and nervous to be joining the Strictly 2021 family,” John Whaite said following the unveiling of his casting.

“I’ve been wearing sequins and jazzy attire since I was three years old and can’t wait to hurl myself, full throttle, around the most glamorous dance floor on earth [but] what’s more exciting for me, is that I’m going to be one half of the first all-male partnership, which is a great step forward in representation and inclusion.

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“Whoever it is I’m paired with, I hope they are up for a challenge as I want our routines to include lots of spectacular lifts.”

He also told Matt Lucas on BBC Radio 2 this morning that it was “an honour” to take part.

“When they asked me if I’d be interested, I just bit their hand off because I thought, to do that and represent the LGBTQ+ community is one thing, but also just to see two men or two women dancing together, it’s not necessarily about sexuality, it’s just about intimacy and respect,” he said.

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This the first time in the show’s 17-year history that an all-male partnership will compete / Credit: BBC Strictly

John added: “I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet and I don’t think it will until I find out who I’m actually dancing with.”

Since winning the baking competition show, John has gone on to present various TV shows and currently has a weekly cooking segment on Steph’s Packed Lunch. He has also written for a variety of newspaper and magazine publications on the topics of food and mental health, and has published five cookery books.

John joins Tom Fletcher, Robert Webb and AJ Odudu in the Strictly 2021 line-up.

Featured Image – Twitter (@BBCStrictly)

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Icelandic airline offering incredible Northern Lights holiday experience including hotel, breakfast and tours

Danny Jones Danny Jones cheap flights to Iceland from Manchester Northern Lights package deal

Icelandair, the nation’s principal airline and proud flag carrier is offering an incredible package to holiday-goers this winter by giving them a chance to book their flights, hotel, breakfast, multiple unique tours and the opportunity to see the Northern Lights all in one affordable deal.

With the Northern Lights being one of the most magical tourist attractions in the world, its popularity only increases by the year and, as a result, so does the cost of going to see it.

That’s where Icelandair come in: the flight operator is offering Brits an amazing new package centred around the legendary natural light display at a discount. Trust us, you seriously want to consider snapping up this one whilst you can.

From this week, Icelandair is offering UK travellers a special package deal which includes a three-night holiday with return flights, a hotel room with breakfast and three unique and unforgettable Icelandic tours for just £459 per person.

iceland holiday packages
flights to iceland from manchester
(Credit: Icelandair)

This deal will see holidaymakers board an Icelandair economy flight from either London, Glasgow or Manchester Airport to the nation’s beautiful capital of Reykjavik, with a complimentary 23kg checked bag allowance, plus a 10kg in hand luggage allowance, your choice when it comes to where you want to seat, seat, on-board refreshments and a personal in-flight entertainment system. 

For your accommodation, you’ll be staying at the four-star Hotel Island Spa and Wellness Resort, located right near the centre of Reykjavik and treated to breakfast every morning for two adults sharing a room. And then you get to make the most of what the country’s incredible landscape.

Onto the main event of your holiday: Icelandair’s Northern Lights experience is a breathtaking three-to-four-hour tour that allows you to see the glory of the incredible natural phenomenon with your own eyes.

As for the FlyOver Iceland tour, this unique experience is the ultimate flying ride which utilizes state-of-the-art technology to give you the exhilarating feeling of flight. During this virtual journey, you’ll experience the more remote but no less spectacular areas of Iceland through motion, wind, sound and even scents.

northern lights iceland
where are the northern lights?
People wait their entire lives to experience the Northern Lights. What’s stopping you?

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Last but not certainly least, you have the lava show, which is one of the top-rated attractions anywhere in Scandinavia, receiving numerous awards for innovation and educational value. You literally get to watch as they recreate a volcanic eruption and allow you to safely experience hot lava in close proximity.

Once again, all this is yours to enjoy from just £459 per person. We believe the phrase you’re looking for is ‘value for money’.

Available right now until 4 October 2023, you can book to travel to see Iceland and the Northern Lights from November 2023 right up until March 2024.

You book your flights HERE and find out more information about this incredible package via the Icelandair website.

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

Featured Image — Icelandair/Supplied

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This Greater Manchester area has just been named one of the best in the UK to raise a family

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

We all know Greater Manchester is home to a wide range of neighbourhoods and residential areas to suit every need.

But one area, in particular, has just been named among the best in the UK to raise a family.

Fresh off the back of two of our region’s towns being highlighted as places that first time buyers should consider looking at to get onto the property ladder, and not long after another two local towns earned themselves a place within the top 20 ‘most desirable’ in Britain, Greater Manchester has now got another title to talk about with pride.

After the team at home security experts ADT decided to do some research into the best places in the country for those looking to raise a family, Trafford has made it into the top 10.

The Greater Manchester borough has earned seventh place on the list after a number of factors were analysed for the research – including the quality of the local schools, the general safety of the area, and the number of parks within walking distance.

The top 10 most family-friendly areas in the UK 

RankAreaCrime Rate Per 1,000 People, Year ending March 2023Burglary Rate Per 1,000 People, Year ending March 2023Average number of Parks, Public Gardens, or Playing Fields within a 1,000 m radiusPercentage of Oustanding and Good Rated Schools and CollegesMedian House Price, Year Ending Dec 2022Cost of a single bus fare, adultFamily Safety Score /10
1Waltham Forest823.2682.8%£520,000£1.757.23
2Kirklees1113.5677.6%£181,000£1.607.12
3Havering762.9489.5%£445,000£1.756.99
4Bexley652.4481.3%£425,000£1.756.96
4Bromley693.1679.7%£529,000£1.756.96
6Wirral962.6677.8%£200,000£2.006.80
7Trafford884.4583.2%£193,000£2.006.72
7Newcastle1243.7881.6%£178,000£2.006.72
9Hounslow884.2583.2%£478,000£1.756.64
9Hillingdon803.6580.5%£485,000£1.756.64

Waltham Forest in London takes the top spot for the most family-friendly area in the UK, according to the research, as it ranked within the top 15 for both the lowest crime and burglary rates, and also ranked seventh for schools – with 82.8% having a “good” or higher rating from OFSTED. 

Kirkless in West Yorkshire took second place, followed by Havering, Bexley, and Bromley all rounding out the top five.

As well as Kirklees placing second and Trafford being in the seventh spot, the Wirral and Newcastle-upon-Tyne are also fellow northern representatives within the top 10.

Trafford has been named one of the best areas in the UK to raise a family / Credit: ADT

Sadly, on the other end of the spectrum, the least family-friendly area in the UK was found to be Birmingham, according to ADT’s research, as despite the average house price being £221,000, with a crime rate of 141 per 1,000 people, and a family safety score of just 2.5/10, the Midlands city takes the bottom spot.

On a more positive note though, when it comes the postcode area with the lowest crime rate in the UK, the North West is representing once again, as this has come out as CW12 3 in Cheshire East.

Read more:

For the year ending June 2023, the crime rate for this postcode area was just 4.7 per 1,000 people. 

Featured Image – Alexandra Park

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