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Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page is narrating a new Netflix nature documentary

Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale is set to premiere on Netflix on 3 March 2022.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 8th February 2022

One of the breakout stars of Netflix’s Bridgerton has landed himself a new role following the success of the smash-hit series.

Actor Regé-Jean Page achieved worldwide fame after starring as Simon Basset, aka ‘The Duke of Hastings’, in the 2020 multi award-nominated Netflix period drama Bridgerton – which is set in the Regency era, and tells the story eight close-knit siblings looking for love and happiness in London high society – but despite the show racking up viewing figures of 82 million and becoming the most-watched original series on the platform at the time of its premiere, it was announced that Page would not be appearing in any upcoming seasons.

Since the announcement that The Duke would no longer be a featured character, Page has been cast in several other film and TV projects, but his newest gig is something a little different.

This time round, he won’t be seen in front of the camera.

Instead, Netflix has announced this week that he has been chosen to narrate new nature documentary Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale, which is directed by Matt Meech (Planet Earth II) and Renée Godfrey (Human Planet).

The 78-minute feature will focus on the Okavango Delta, which is described as “a vast oasis, isolated from the rest of the world by unforgiving desert”.

The official synopsis for the documentary, as described by Netflix, reads: “It’s also a refuge, built and maintained daily by its inhabitants; in return, it caters for their every need. Big cats may appear to reign here, but in reality, the fate of every creature, great and small, is intertwined.

“This film explores the blueprints for building the perfect world, managing it sustainably, and maintaining it – despite extremes of drought, famine, and flood.”

Regé-Jean Page achieved worldwide fame after starring as The Duke of Hastings’ in Netflix’s Bridgerton / Credit: Netflix UK & Ireland

The documentary – which is executive produced by James Honeyborne (Africa, Blue Planet II) – is also said to be geared up to champion those who are “passing the secret formula on” to those who come after them, which will most likely be the ones “who will find it harder than ever before to keep their Eden intact”.

Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale is set to premiere on Netflix on 3 March 2022.

If you can’t wait until then though, or you just fancy rewatching the show that made him a star, the full first season of Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix now.

Featured Image – Netflix UK & Ireland

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Royel Otis add second Manchester date due to massive demand

Danny Jones Danny Jones

Australian indie pop group Royel Otis have announced a second Manchester date ahead of their upcoming UK tour due to a huge demand for tickets.

The Aussie duo, who have blown up in the past couple of years with tracks like ‘Oysters In My Pocket’ and two viral covers of Sophie Ellis-Bextor and The Cranberries, are due to play a massive Manchester gig later this year.

Set to make their O2 Victoria Warehouse debut this winter, the ‘Sofa King’ singers saw their ticket allocation sell out quicker than you can say ‘Going Kokomo’.

As a result, there was only one thing for it:

For anyone still unaware of the rising alt-pop outfit led by frontman Otis Pavlovic and Royel Maddell (hence the name), they began breaking onto the scene around 2022 after having released a couple of tracks the year prior.

Although they quickly gained support back in their home country, their presence over here and indeed around the world was helped no end after their tripleJ take on ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ and stripped-back version of ‘Linger’ for SiriusXM hit the internet.

They even managed to land a feature on EA FC 24 – formerly known as FIFA – and we all know how getting on that soundtrack can transform careers.

Since then, their following has grown exponentially, and the rising double act has booked major festival slots such over the past 12 months or so, playing the likes of Kendal Calling, Glastonbury, as well as Reading and Leeds, just to name a few.

With their second record, hickey, having just been released on 22 August, listeners are lapping up the new music, though the album has been considered “controversial” by some.

Regardless, fervent fans haven’t seen their clamour disappear, and now the band have announced an extra date at Victoria Warehouse.

Now set to play the venue on Friday AND Saturday, 28-29 November 2025, they will be supported by an opening act with a cool UK connection: Still Blank.

The transatlantic outfit is made up of Jordy is from Hawaii, and Ben, from right here in Manchester; the two come together to make what Stereogum has described as “sullen folk-grunge” – yet more reason for locals to be interested in the gig.

Once again, while the first gig has sold out, you can grab your tickets for Royel Otis’ second Manchester show HERE.

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Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)

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New ‘postboxes of the future’ are being rolled out across the UK

Danny Jones Danny Jones Royal Mail installing new futuristic postboxes

The Royal Mail is starting to roll out its line of so-called “postboxes of the future” across the UK this year, including right here in Greater Manchester.

It has been dubbed the most important and noticeable transformation to the classic British postbox in its entire 175-year history.

The national postal service teased the modern-day upgrade earlier this year, but the revolutionary new upgrade was officially announced this week, with Royal Mail ushering in a new era of digitally-driven units that should make many lives a lot easier – at least in theory.

Although they might look pretty identical to the iconic red boxes since before the turn of the 19th century have used up and down the country, there are marked differences between the new and the old ones.

new solar post boxes great britain
Credit: Royal Mail

The biggest change made to the Royal Mail’s soon-to-be standard design is a digitally activated drop-down drawer, which will be able to fit parcels as big as a shoebox, hopefully saving us Brits on a fair few trips to the post office.

You will be able to scan a barcode via the updated Royal Mail app to activate the drawer for larger items; meanwhile, there will be a separate slot for letters and smaller packages.

Additionally, the new range of high-tech postboxes will also be solar-powered, helping the public limited company chase its ‘green’ targets.

Now owned by parent firm International Distribution Services (IDS) – who also oversee Parcelforce Worldwide – following the UK government’s approval of its historic sale to Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský at the end of 2024, the group as a whole is undergoing a significant overhaul.

Britain’s new solar postboxes were first trialled back in April in four towns located throughout the Hertfordshire region: Letchworth Garden City, Ware and Hertford. A fifth was later installed in Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, too.

Despite being quickly considered a success on the whole, the initial design featured an entirely black top, with polls of civilians and Royal Mail themselves agreeing that keeping them red all over was more in keeping with the brand.

It’s like the old school phone box, isn’t it? We can’t picture it any other way.

Speaking in a statement, the Royal Mail‘s managing director of ‘out-of-home and commercial excellence’, Jack Clarkson, said: “We are all sending and returning more parcels than ever before.

“This trend will only continue as online shopping shows no signs of slowing, particularly with the boom of second-hand marketplaces. There are 115,000 postboxes in the UK located within half a mile of 98% of addresses, making them by far the most convenient network of parcel drop-off points in the UK.

“Our message is clear – if you have a Royal Mail label on your parcel, and it fits, put it in a postbox and we’ll do the rest.”

The new generation postboxes are now being made permanent in the same locations, with Edinburgh, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester next.

Keep your eyes peeled on the streets as they’ll soon be making a debut in your area.

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

Featured Images – Royal Mail (publicity pictures)

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