Record-breaking Olympians Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny have announced the birth of their second child together.
Six-time Olympic champion track cyclist Dame Laura – who is both the most successful female cyclist, and the most successful British female athlete in Olympic history – and fellow track cyclist, Bolton-born Sir Jason, who is both the most successful and most decorated British athlete, have welcomed another baby boy into the world.
The couple announced the news of Montgomery’s arrival by sharing a picture of him next to his older brother, with both little ones dressed in knitted cardigans with their names embroidered onto the back – revealing that the newborn will go by the nickname Monty.
Famous faces and fans in their hundreds flocked to Instagram to congratulate the pair on their newest addition to the family.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fellow sporting legends and Olympic champions Chris Hoy, Jessica Ennis Hill, Rebecca Adlington, Mark Cavendish, and Sarah Storey were just some of the famous people to send their well wishes to the Kennys.
Laura and Jason Kenny announce birth of second child / Credit: Laura Kenny (via Instagram)
The Kennys tied the knot at a private ceremony back in September 2016.
Their first son, five-year-old Albert – who goes by Albie – was born a year later in August 2017, but Dame Laura sadly suffered miscarriage at nine weeks in November 2021, and then had to undergo surgery due to an ectopic pregnancy only months later in January 2022.
ADVERTISEMENT
After a heartbreaking couple of years, the Kennys took to Instagram back in January of this year to announce that they were expecting their second child.
Announcing the news of their pregnancy at the time, Dame Laura – who has been open about her experiences with loss, and has publicly and bravely spoken on her miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy to raise awareness – wrote on her Instagram story: “A year ago today I was sat in A&E knowing I was really poorly but not knowing what was wrong with me.
“When I got the news I was having an ectopic pregnancy my world felt like it crumbled. We had already lost our second baby in November and I remember lying there searching for some sort of answers.
“I still feel this heartbreak today and I don’t think it will ever go away. But today a year on…”
“Today I felt like I couldn’t hide away anymore,” she then continued.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I’m already starting to show and the anxiety I have felt has been unreal. Telling the world means I have to accept we are having another baby and this fills me with all kinds of emotions. I’m scared every single day that I might have to go through the pain of losing another baby. It makes you feel ungrateful for something you’ve so desperately wanted for the last year.
“I know there are going to be so many people, like I was, seeing my post and wishing I would go away with my happy ending.
“But I also know, when I was lying in the hospital bed, I was searching for people’s happy endings because it was the only thing giving me any comfort at the time.
“That maybe, just maybe I would get my happy ending.”
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
24th July 2023 
