Seven pooches are competing to be crowned the ugliest dog in Britain, as a nationwide competition draws to a close.
From buggy eyes to crooked teeth to patchy fur, these little dogs are all hoping to take the crown as the nation’s most aesthetically-challenged mutt.
Hundreds applied (or their owners did, at least) but now only a handful of dogs remain.
The breeds still in the running are mostly either bulldogs, pugs, or some sort of cross-breed featuring one of the two, with one rogue Brusston (a Brussels Griffon and Boston Terrier mix) remaining.
The competition has been organised by photography company Parrot Print, who ‘believe every pet, no matter how ugly, deserves to feel special’.
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The winner will be treated to a free grooming and photography session to celebrate and champion their… erm… unusual appearance.
Representing the north of England on the shortlist for the Britain’s ugliest dog award is Bella, a pug from Sheffield; Peggy, a pug/Chinese Crested mix from East Yorkshire; and Roger, a pug/toy poodle cross from West Yorkshire.
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Winston George, a British Bulldog from the West Midlands. Credit: Parrot PrintsJazz, a brusston from North Wales. Credit: Parrot PrintsRoger, a pug toy poodle cross from West Yorkshire. Credit: Parrot Prints
There’s also Wiltshire’s French bulldog Marnie, a British bulldog from the West Midlands called Winston George, Jazz (the aforementioned Brusston) from North Wales, and Milo, a blue French bulldog from Kent.
Their most remarkable features include an underbite (Roger, Marnie and Milo all guilty of this one) and squashed faces (which is basically all of them).
But our front-runner has to be the gorgeous Peggy, whose fur sprouts out in patches from her wrinkled skin and whose tongue lolls out sideways.
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Even her own owners described her as ‘Marmite’.
Bella, a pug from Sheffield. Credit: Parrot PrintsMilo, a blue French bulldog from Kent. Credit: Parrot PrintsMarnie, a French bulldog from Wiltshire. Credit: Parrot Prints
They told the BBC: “Sometimes I forget that she doesn’t look like a normal dog and then we walk down the street and you can hear people whispering and saying ‘Oh wow, look at that!’.”
Matt Dahan, founder of Parrot Prints, said: “We received hundreds of entries and these seven were the ones who made our eyes hurt when we looked at them. There really are some ugly mutts out there in the UK and we hope our contest will celebrate the best of them.
“We were clear from the outset that no pretty pets need apply and these seven certainly could not be described as good looking in any way, shape or form.
“Now our judges have the tough task of choosing exactly which of these mutts is the most offensive to look a t.We will select one of these pets for the coveted title of Britain’s ugliest dog and they will win a makeover and photo session. Let’s see if we can transform the winning ugly dog into a beautiful pooch and brighten up its owner’s life at the same time.
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“There have been a number of TV shows where humans get tarted-up and given a makeover so we thought it would be fun to do the same thing for a dog. We believe we can transform them into something truly beautiful and give their owners a fantastic photoshoot experience too.
“We look forward to selecting the winner and sharing their photoshoot experience with the world when we hope to show that every dog is beautiful no matter how ugly they might first appear.”
Featured image: Parrot Prints
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær says just three players have spoken to him since leaving Manchester United
Danny Jones
Club legend and ex-Manchester United player turned manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, has revealed that just three of his former players have been in touch since leaving Old Trafford.
Solskjær was sacked from the role as Man United head coach back in November 2021 after having been given the job permanently following an impressive winning run as interim manager.
The practically perfect start back at the helm of the club – where he starred as the ‘super sub’ during his playing days – was followed by a big slump, and the final decision was ultimately made in the wake of a 4-1 loss to Watford.
However, the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’s’ popularity among the players and the fans alike was never in question, so it’s come as somewhat of a surprise to many fans that Solskjær has said only a specific trio of United players have got in touch with him since his dream job came to an end.
At least two of the names read out might not surprise fans, as not only was then-club captain Harry Maguire one of his first statement signings, but so was Bruno Fernandes, who now has the armband, and both have remained key players and leadership figures pretty much ever since.
Speaking to BBC Sport on the senior duo, Ole said, “For me, Harry has always been a leader and a fighter”, and never had any doubts about him deputising for him on the pitch, before going on to label both the centre-back and Bruno as “top human beings.”
As for the third, although Victor Lindelöf looks set to leave the club this summer, he’s actually been a long-serving squad member, having joined back in 2017 and been a seemingly popular figure around the dressing room, even if injury problems have sometimes hampered his minutes.
He also went on to discuss other matters regarding the club, including confessing that it’s “hard to watch” United amidst their present struggles, both under previous manager Erik ten Hag and now Ruben Amorim – even with a potential Europa League trophy consolation on the cards.
The retired striker also stated that he found the decision to let midfielder Scott McTominay go more than surprising, especially given the incredible performances he’s put on display since moving to Serie A.
Co-op Live has been named the number one arena in Europe following its debut year
Danny Jones
Despite a rocky opening month or so, Manchester’s Co-op Live made the ultimate instant recovery and has now been named the number one arena not just in the UK but all of Europe.
Manc music venues being best in class? Sounds about right.
Yes, even despite some obstacles, delays and early hiccups, Co-op Live‘s debut year as a live music and indoor entertainment venue has seen it beat out the likes of the long-established and iconic O2 in London to take the top spot.
The inaugural 12 months of the arena have not only seen it welcome all manner of music legends, as well as live sporting events such as the UFC and WWE, but the arena welcomed more visitors than any other venue across the continent during that time.
Names to have graced the industry-leading stage so far include Liam Gallagher, Stevie Nicks and Take That; Peter Kay, Elbow, Sabrina Carpenter, Paul McCartney, and so many more.
Commenting on the successful start, Tim Leiweke (CEO and chairman of the Oak View Groupbehind the venue) said: “Our ambition was to bring the world’s best music arena to one of the world’s greatest music cities and we are thrilled with the reaction from fans and artists alike over this past year.
“Co-op Live’s revolutionary acoustics investment has already attracted some of the world’s biggest artists and events to Manchester, with many more to come. And our sustainability commitment will ensure we remain responsible contributors to Manchester and the planet for years to come.
“We believe that amazing venues can transform cities for the better, and Co-op Live has done just that.”
It’s fair to say we’ve had some truly unforgettable nights in there already – and that’s just in the last month alone. Case and point:
With a continued commitment to achieving ‘Net Zero’ status too, the venue’s carbon reduction technologies, solar panels, heat pumps and rainwater harvesting, not to mention the recently refreshed CityLink walking in partnership with the Climate Pledge, are all things we can be proud of.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, went on to add: “We are delighted with the success of Co-op Live’s first year, and to see it taking the top spot off London.
“It shows Manchester is the home of live music in the UK, with Co-op Live bringing so many exclusives from artists like Bruce Springsteen to the city and Oasis playing massive hometown shows this summer – 2025 is going to be one of the biggest ever for our city’s music scene.”
Meanwhile, things are feeling less fortunate at the grassroots end of the spectrum, as the Music Venue Trust is imploring people to get behind a vulnerable Manc music institution.
Daisy Jackson -
20th January 2023 
