Happy Mondays’ legendary Bolton-born percussionist and maraca-shaking dance extraordinaire Bez is competing in this year’s Celebrity MasterChef.
Twenty famous faces form part of the full lineup set to take part in the celebrity version of the ever-popular BBC One cooking competition, with judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace back to cast their eye over dishes.
The series will be shown over six weeks, with the celebrities tackling a new series of cookery challenges each week.
Bez – real name Mark Berry – will be representing Manchester.
He will be joined by Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe, actress Su Pollardare, actor turned presenter Joe Swash, Blue singer Duncan James, Britain’s Got Talent finalist and comedian Nabil Abdulrashid, and The Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant.
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This year’s crop of celebrities also includes comedian Munya Chawawa, Melanie Sykes, former EastEnders actress Rita Simons, singer and reality TV star Megan McKenna and Penny Lancaster.
The Repair Shop’s Will Kirk is also among the contestants, along with TV star Katie Price, ex-England footballer Dion Dublin and journalist, author Gavin Esler, Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox, Love Island star Kem Cetinay, and actresses Melissa Johns and Michelle Collins.
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Alongside resident MasterChef judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace, a number of renowned chefs will also appear as guest judges, including Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona, Nieves Barragan Mohacho and more.
Speaking on the announcement of the full lineup, series editor Katie Attwood said: “This year’s line-up promises a huge amount of humour and entertainment.
“Lockdown has proved productive for our famous faces’ culinary skills and we are set to see some exceptional talent and astonishing dishes as the celebrities swap their day jobs for a spot in the MasterChef kitchen”.
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BBC One / MasterChef
Sarah Clay – Commissioning Editor for the BBC – said: “Celebrity MasterChef is one the highlights of the British summertime schedule and this series is as entertaining and charming as ever.
“The 20 brave celebrities are joined by a host of chefs at the top of their game in brand new tasks which makes this year feel extra special.
“The standard of cooking is like nothing we have seen before”.
Celebrity MasterChef will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this summer.
Featured Image – BBC One / MasterChef
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Home Bargains has announced a special two-day closure of all UK stores
Emily Sergeant
Home Bargains has, once again, announced it’ll be closing all its UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day this year.
And it’s to make sure staff get a ‘well deserved break’.
After what has been yet another busy year for the retail industry, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off, which is why Home Bargains is following on with what has become a now-annual tradition by shutting up shop on two bank holidays.
All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day & New Years Day.
Announcing the move in a post on social media, the discount retailer confirmed: “All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day and New Years Day. We would like to thank all our colleagues for how hard you have worked this past year, and want you to relax and enjoy the Christmas break with your loved ones.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the retailer has kept its doors shut on bank holidays.
Many shoppers will recall it has made the same decision to give hardworking staff a break every year since 2019.
Explaining a little more about the decision taken to close all its stores, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.
“This is our way of saying thank you to our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Emily Sergeant -
22nd April 2021 
