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Compare the Market pulls its cartoon meerkats from TV news, stressing ‘they have no association with Russia’

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 1st March 2022

Compare the Market has pulled its series of television adverts that feature animated Russian meerkats from news bulletins and content around the Ukraine invasion.

The price comparison company has stressed that the characters used in their adverts have ‘no association with Russia’.

It says it has reviewed its media strategy in the light of the Russian invasion and escalating crisis in Ukraine, and wishes to be ‘sensitive to the current situation’.

The Compare the Meerkat campaign launched way back in 2009, starring Aleksandr Orlov, a meerkat portrayed as being a wealthy creature of aristocratic stock from a fictional town in Russia.

Oleksandr the Russian meetkat in the Compare the Market adverts. Credit: Compare the Market

As the years have gone on, Aleksandr has been joined by characters like his sidekick Sergei and meer-pup Oleg, as well as celebrity cameos from the likes of Nicole Kidman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Macaulay Culkin.

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The creatures were also turned into a range of stuffed toys, which were sent out as promotional gifts for every policy bought through Compare the Market’s website.

The adverts’ catchphrase of ‘Simples’ was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2019.

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Read more: The Greater Manchester restaurant where you’re served by robots

Compare the Market, which is owned by financial company BGL, said in a statement: “The Comparethemarket meerkats are fictional characters. They have no association with Russia and the current situation.

“We are continually reviewing our advertising to ensure we’re being sensitive to the current situation.”

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Many companies are disassociating themselves with any Russian companies or products following the conflict in Ukraine.

Over the weekend, leading northern bar group Arc Inspirations announced it would no longer serve Russian vodkas in its bars.

Featured image: Compare the Market

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Former Manchester United star Patrice Evra is set to make his MMA debut very soon

Danny Jones Danny Jones Patrice Evra MMA debut fighter

In another somewhat left-field turn of events in the sporting world, ex-Manchester United star Patrice Evra is set to swap his boots for gloves as he prepares to make his MMA debut.

The retired Man United player and French international ended his playing days back in 2019 after a short one-year spell at West Ham, and has mostly worked as a pundit in recent years.

Evra, 43, stunned his millions of followers online and even more football and fight fans alike by announcing he would be trying his hand at combat sports earlier this week.

Hopping on social media to confirm the news, it’s fair to say he’s already relishing the challenge.

The former left-back made 379 appearances for the Red Devils, winning 14 trophies, but this will be his first in the European division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the second-biggest promotion in MMA after the UFC.

As far as we know, Evra has little to no background in fighting of any discipline, even if he was used to the more physical side of the game as a defender.

Writing via X on Friday, 25 April, the 2008 Champions League and ’09 Club World Cup winner, said: “I’m officially training for my first fight with PFL Europe. They will pick my opponent… They asked who I wanna face. I said: Luis Suárez.

“I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me.”

Suárez, still playing at 38, was not only found guilty of at least three instances of biting other players but was famously charged with racially abusing Patrice Evra back in 2011, with the two sharing a strong feud ever since.

Now, since the Uruguayan striker is still playing professional football over in the MLS, alongside the one and only Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, we wouldn’t hold our breaths.

Nevertheless, it seems as though he will be fighting someone on 23 May, once an opponent is selected in the coming weeks.

Evra has been training with Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and friend, Cédric Doumbé, a former kickboxing specialist and now an established fighter in the welterweight class.

Joking aside, although there are a lot of controversial moves that are legal in MMA, biting isn’t one of them – not that it ever stopped the former Liverpool forward in the past.

Let’s just say old habits can die hard…

Speaking in an official press conference, Evra said: “I’ve performed on the world’s biggest stages, won every major trophy in football, but PFL Europe Paris will be an incredibly special night for me.

“I’ve been training alongside the best in the world for years, and they’ll also tell you I’m ready for this. I’m going to put on a show at the Accor Arena on 23 May, so come watch the spectacle.”

As out of the blue as it may seem, he obviously isn’t the only former athlete to have swapped one sport for another after calling time in their first career.

In fact, he’s not even the first United player to change lanes.

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan starts his professional tennis career next month
Evra is set to take on his first MMA fight, and Forlan has already taken to the pro court.

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Featured Images — Professional Fighters League Europe (press shot)/Ian C (via Flickr)

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Mix-up leaves tourists bound for Peak District on a day trip to… Rochdale

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson A mix-up saw two tourists spend the day in Rochdale instead of the Peak District

Who needs rolling hills and country pubs when you could have *checks notes* roadworks and charity shops?

Well, that’s the situation two people ended up in recently after a mix-up rerouted their trip to the Peak District to Rochdale, of all places.

Thankfully seeing the funny side, Canadian TikTok creator Mackenzie shared a video of the day trip they got stuck with.

The pair of mates had been planning a trip to the honeypot town of Castleton in the Peak District, but accidentally ended up heading over to Castleton in Rochdale instead.

In the light-hearted clip, she says: “This is just a reminder to read the small print when you want to do a spontaneous trip. Because Margarita and I thought we were going to the Peaks, and this is where we are…” while panning to the sight of some roadworks.

She continued: “We thought we were going to see gorgeous green hills. Nope.

“Anyways, come with us on our Castleton Manchester, not Peak District adventure.”

Still, it looks like they made the most of their day out to Greater Manchester’s most underrated suburb.

They visited Springfield Park, went to a pub to eat onion rings (with a random giant dog staring at them), erm… went to a charity shop, and looked at some houses.

Okay so not quite the Peak District paradise they were picturing.

One person commented: “Absolutely howling. Come all the way from America to end up in Rochdale” (Mackenzie stressed in her reply that she lives in Manchester and also, is Canadian).

Another said: “It’s the Springfield park for me”

Someone else suggested: “Rochdale should rename all of its areas to encourage more tourists. Hahah”

Dying to know if these girls ever made it to Castleton, Derbyshire.

@mackenziekh2424

don’t trust us to book anything.. @Magui V #castleton #manchester #not #peakdistrict #dayinmylife #sunny

♬ Bar Mediterraneo – Nu Genea

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Featured image: Unsplash, Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

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