The Natural History Museum’s world-famous Dippy the dinosaur is starring in his very own TV documentary that’s hitting screens across the UK this evening.
And his extended stay at Rochdale is set to take centre stage.
The Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure first opened in Rochdale at Number One Riverside and Touchstones as the only North West stop on its national tour back in February of 2020, with almost 115,000 visitors coming to see the dinosaur cast before the first national lockdown was put in place.
His arrival in Rochdale made waves and proved to be a smash hit for the region – especially after it reopened for a short time later in the year with safety measures in place – but the exhibition sadly had to be suspended on a number of occasions due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and so instead, Rochdale Borough Council launched an online offering in its place.
8,000 school children visited with their classes and hundreds joined in with special zoom sessions organised by the council’s children’s services team to enable children to engage with Dippy during lockdown.
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It’s expected that this unprecedented rollercoaster experience for the exhibition will be touched upon in the documentary.
The six-part documentary series – Natural History Museum: World of Wonder – focuses on the famous London museum and its many special artefacts, with film crews getting special behind the scenes access to the institution’s treasures, and in episode two – which airs tonight at 8pm on Channel 5 – the team will feature Dippy’s visit last year to Rochdale as part of the national tour.
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Our friend @DippyOnTour might have left Rochdale, but he's still making waves! The famous dino's visit to our borough features in a new primetime @channel5_tv show, Natural History Museum: World Of Wonder, which airs this Thursday (14) at 8pm @NHM_London@JEMsoc@Touchstonespic.twitter.com/35a4SiSDph
Film crews captured the 21-metre long dinosaur cast alongside local visitors, and had a chat with Rochdale Councillor Janet Emsley and Lorraine Cornish from the Natural History Museum as part of their episode about dinosaurs and other prehistoric treasures.
This isn’t the first time Dippy’s stay in Rochdale has made it to the silver screen either.
Late last year, Dippy made and appearance from Rochdale on the iconic children’s programme Blue Peter, where viewers tuned in to see young dinosaur fan, Warwick Carter, join presenter Ritchie Driss to place Dippy’s head on at the end of the build.
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Speaking of Dippy’s star turn on television screens this evening, Councillor Janet Emsley said: “I’m not surprised that Dippy’s legacy is continuing, even now that he’s left our borough and I’m looking forward to catching up with my favourite dinosaur once more, albeit through my television,”
“Last year was a very difficult year, but Dippy was unquestionably a rare highlight, and it will be wonderful to be reminded of this wonderful exhibit and what a special time it was for our borough.”
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Natural History Museum: World of Wonder continues on Channel 5 at 8pm this evening.
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Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th January 2021 
