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.
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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.
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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.
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“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.”
Mancs start crowdfunder for Mani mural in honour of late, great, local music legend
Danny Jones
A group of Manchester artists, audiophiles and residents have started a fundraiser to create a new mural in memory of the late, great local music legend, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield.
Following The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bass player’s passing last year, the city and Greater Manchester as a whole have been finding ways to honour the Manc musician ever since.
Be it lining his funeral cortege from his home in Heaton Moor, Stockport, or peers like The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess penning heartfelt tributes, anyone and everyone has found their own way of paying their respects in the months since.
Taking the sustained sentiment even further, local art collective GRIT Studios is now planning to erect a massive mural in his memory.
We’re doing a massive mural for Manchester’s most loved son – Mani. All profits to @maggiesmanc a charity that was close to his heart.
Writing on the fundraising page’s description, GRIT say: “Inspired by Ian Brown’s eulogy to Mani at Manchester Cathedral, a major community crowdfunder is being launched to create a large-scale mural honouring the beloved bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream and to raise funds for Maggie’s Manchester.
“The mural, which will be created in Failsworth, where young Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield grew up, has been initiated by the team at GRIT Studios following an overwhelming outpouring of love from fans across Greater Manchester and beyond.
“Mani’s brother, Greg Mounfield, is supporting this campaign and has facilitated a prominent, large wall space for the mural and chosen the design.
They go on to to explan that the piece “will be painted by the renowned artist Pic.One.Art, whose recent portrait of Noel and Liam Gallagher outside the iconic Sifters Records in Burnage became an instant landmark and received widespread attention.”
Speaking of Brown’s now viral speech, it still remains one of the most touching bits of public observance and shared mourning this city has ever seen – with a healthy little dose of Northern levity, of course.
@the.manc Yesterday, Manchester laid one of the city's greatest music legends, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, to rest at Manchester Cathedral. 🍋 Fellow band member and life-long friend Ian Brown read out a speech as hundreds gathered outside the cathedral to pay their respects to The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist. Mani will be missed by many, and we send love to all his family and friends. ❤️ #manchester#mani#ianbrown#thestoneroses#stoneroses♬ original sound – The Manc
“Since Mani passed away in November, countless fans have expressed a desire to see a tribute in the place that shaped him in North Manchester”, they continue.
“GRIT Studios, the not-for-profit art studios organisation, has stepped forward to organise a community-led, crowdfunded project that celebrates Mani’s life, music and spirit.
“It will not only fund the creation of the mural, but all profits will go to Maggie’s Manchester, which was close to Mani and his wife Imelda’s hearts during her cancer treatment and for whom they fundraised.
With a target of £10,000 set and more than £6k already raised in just a matter of days, it looks to be a matter of when, not if, we’ll see Mani immortalised in paint, on brick and with typical Manc grit over in the borough of Oldham.
For anyone who wishes to contribute to the fast-growing Mani mural crowdfunder, you can do so HERE.
J. Cole to play biggest ever Manchester show on first world tour in half a decade
Danny Jones
Calling all those living in Cole World since 2007, J is coming to Manchester on his first world tour in more than five years, and we’re collectively losing our minds.
You could even say we’re in Dreamville.
Announcing a run of just half a dozen live gigs here in Britain, his UK leg will be kicking off this autumn, amid other shows over in mainland Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the States and the rest of North America, even South Africa.
Confirming Co-op Live as the chosen room for his long-awaited return to Manchester, this will be his debut at the massive indoor venue.
He’s even done a cool twist on the tour announcement.
Set to tour his latest release, The Fall-Off – his seventh studio album, which is rolling back the years after being pushed as a double-disk mixtape-esque CD – this feels like a full circle moment, nearly two whole decades on from his actual breakout mixtape, The Come Up. Time flies.
Moreover, it feels like Mancs have had to wait almost just as long to see him again.
The last time J. Cole visited Manchester was on the ‘4 Your Eyez Only Tour’ in 2017, meaning it’ll be nearly 10 whole years by the time we watch him live back up in the North West of England.
It’s also been widely publicised that this record was made with the intentions of it being his last (say it ain’t so), meaning this could also be one of your last chances to see the hip-hop legend live – at least for another VERY long time.
All told, the 41-year-old is set to perform in a total of 50 cities across 15 different countries on this upcoming tour, which gets underway in October.
31 October – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
As detailed by the arena already, official Co-op members can get first in line for tickets, but you can also try your luck with presale by ordering a copy of The Fall-Off.
Otherwise, general admission will be available from 9am this Friday, 20 February, so you’d best be quick about getting them in your basket, all bought and paid for.
If this is set to be his final hurrah, it’s been one hell of a ride for someone who will, without a doubt, go down as one of the best rappers of all time.
Emily Sergeant -
24th July 2023 
