It can be difficult to know which day is which in lockdown.
With England having been within its third national lockdown amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic for the majority of 2021 so far, the days have really begun blending into one, leaving many with little to look forward to, but thankfully, everyone’s favourite Geordie pair are back on our screens for a new series of their beloved show Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway to give us a reason to celebrate the weekend once again.
And one local primary school teacher was given “the surprise of her life” on last weekend’s episode, as a thank you for her exceptional hard work and commitment over her career.
Deputy Headteacher Kath Crawley – who retired from St Thomas’ CE Primary School in Ashton-in-Makerfield last August after 34 years of teaching last – has taught over 1,300 pupils, inspired generations of youngsters, been at the heart of her local community for four decades, and was known for going the extra mile where possible, by arranging care home visits by the school choir, spending lunch hours with children needing extra help or support, doing walks for charity, and more.
The unsuspecting teacher arrived at ITV’s studios expecting to be interviewed on the news about her lifelong career as a teacher, but instead, and much to her surprise, it turned out to be the culmination of months of undercover filming during her last year before retirement.
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The team from the hit show had staged a series of ‘Operation Thank You Miss’ surprises, making Mrs Crawley the latest community hero to be recognised and rewarded for her selfless efforts.
A tearful Mrs Crawley told Ant and Dec: “Teaching has been my life. I can’t tell you how much I’m going to miss it. Being a parent is the best job in the world, but being a teacher is just like being a parent but to a lot more children.”
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Her daughter Becky told the pair that she was “massively proud” of her mum, who had “dedicated her whole life to putting other people first”.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Kath watched video messages from former pupils over the years, before her current class appeared by video link to say a very special “thank you Miss” to their favourite teacher.
The kids also then comically suggested various retirement gifts for Mrs Crawley, with suggestions ranging from a bottle of gin and some chocolate buttons, to an inflatable unicorn and “a candle that smells like an elephant”, all of which were presented inside her biggest surprise of all.
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A luxury caravan in the Lake District.
After having heard how much Mrs Crawley loves caravan holidays in the Lakes, and had been saving up for years for a new holiday home, the Saturday Night Takeaway team said they thought there would be “no better thank you for her amazing efforts” than to make her retirement dreams come true.
They approached British holiday home manufacturer Willerby to donate a brand new static caravan to the show on behalf of Kath’s pupils.
ITV
Willerby
Speaking on the special surprise, Peter Munk – CEO at Willerby – added: “Mrs Crawley is such an inspirational and deserving person [and] it’s a pleasure to make her retirement dreams a reality and to be part of such an amazing surprise shared with millions of TV viewers.
“We’re looking forward to delivering the caravan and handing Mrs Crawley the keys. We know she will enjoy many happy times in her fantastic new home from home.”
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You can watch the brilliant moment that Kath is surprised in full on YouTube here:
And you can also catch-up on the full episode of Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway if you missed it via the ITV Hub.
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Manchester’s skyline crowned one of the most ‘beautiful’ in the world
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s skyline is constantly changing.
Every day, it seems as though a new crane pops up, or plans get submitted to build another new building that’ll alter the landscape of our city, and although some residents aren’t the biggest fan of this, others can still see Manchester‘s beauty regardless.
There are some stunning – and truly iconic – skylines across the world, from New York City to Dubai, and everything in between.
And according to a new study, Manchester is one of them.
Although our city probably wouldn’t be the first to spring to mind when asked to name picturesque skylines, its growth and evolution means it’s been crowned the world’s 46th most beautiful, according to gaming platform Slingo.
Manchester’s skyline has been crowned one of the most ‘beautiful’ in the world / Credit: Chris Curry | Josh Taylor (via Unsplash)
Famous for iconic buildings like Beetham Tower and Deansgate Square that attract a huge number of visitors each year, Manchester’s skyline is said to be ‘one that every traveller needs to visit and admire in their lifetime’.
Manchester ranks among capital cities, business hubs, and popular tourist destinations on the list of iconic skylines from around the world, with New York City taking the coveted top spot and other legendary places such as Chicago, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Melbourne all featuring in the top 10.
To calculate the most aesthetically pleasing skylines, each city’s skyline was processed to determine its aspect ratio, with the renowned golden ratio (1.618) used as a benchmark for aesthetic balance, and then the final rankings were created by combining this score with the number of Instagram posts and hashtags for each city’s skyline.
It ranks among other iconic cities like New York City, Dubai, and Mumbai / Credit: Fran Serra (via Unsplash)
Manchester’s skyline may already be ‘beautiful’ enough as it is, but of course, it’s set evolve in the future with skyscraper developments planned.
Trinity Islands, a proposed residential development comprising five towers, mixed-use developments St Michael’s and Viadux, and residential skyscraper One Heritage Tower, are just a few of the projects planned.
Manchester has changed a lot over the past decade, but how will it look in the next 10 years? That, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Featured Image – Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
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‘Open-minded’ single Mancs wanted for new series of hit reality show Love Is Blind UK
Emily Sergeant
The next series of hit reality dating show Love Is Blind UK is currently in the works, and Mancs are being encouraged to apply.
‘Open-minded’ and single Mancs that is, of course.
There’s no denying that Love Is Blind has become a smash-hit since the US version first aired on Netflix in the early days of lockdown in 2020, with four additional seasons airing afterwards, and the UK remake hosted by Matt and Emma Willis first hitting our screens last August.
If you’ve never had the chance to watch it before, the show promotes itself as a social experiment where single men and women look for love and get engaged, all before meeting in person.
The cast members are initially paired up in a speed-dating format, but later can choose to have longer dates, and the daters may extend a marriage proposal whenever they feel ready, but a couple only meets face-to-face for the first time after a marriage proposal is accepted.
The series has gained a cult following over the years, receiving mostly positive reviews by critics too.
Following the success of the first UK series, producers have now put a casting call live and are on the look out for people brave enough to fall in love without seeing their partner in person to apply – including Greater Manchester residents.
A casting call on the Love Is Blind UK website reads: “Love is Blind UK is currently on the lookout for single, open-minded individuals from across the UK and Ireland, who are ready to take the plunge into finding true love.
‘Open-minded’ single Mancs are wanted for the next series of hit reality show Love Is Blind UK / Credit: Netflix
The show is all about discovering whether love really is blind, with participants growing deep connections with potential partners without the initial distractions of physical appearance.
“It’s an exciting and unique approach to finding love, and one that has proven successful in the past… so, if you’re ready for an adventure and want to explore the possibility of finding love in a new and exciting way, then why not consider applying for Love is Blind UK?
“It could be the start of an incredible journey towards finding the one.”
Fancy it then? Applications for the second series of Love Is Blind UK are now live, and you must be 18 years of age or over to apply, and have the right to reside in the UK or Ireland.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd February 2021 
