Singer Max George and actor Ryan Thomas will be representing Greater Manchester by competing in a new ITV sports-themed game show.
Swinton-born Max George is usually more comfortable entertaining thousands of screaming fans on stage as one fifth of boyband, The Wanted, while actor Ryan Thomas was known for portraying the role of Jason Grimshaw on the long-running Manchester-set ITV soap Coronation Street from 2000 to 2016 – but now, they’ve both bagged themselves a new challenge.
The pair will join 10 other celebrities to compete in new ITV competition show, The Games.
Unveiling the lineup earlier this week, ITV says that the celebrities are currently preparing to lace up their trainers, pull on their swimsuits, and get on their bikes for the new live series.
The six male and six female competitors will battle it out in the athletics arena, the swimming pool, gymnasium, and velodrome, and according to ITV, will each “put their sporting prowess to the test” in events such as the 100-meter sprint, and diving off high platforms in order to rack up points on the medals table.
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As the leaderboard takes shape with each night, ITV says the series will culminate in an “exhilarating final showdown”, in which one male champion and one female champion will be crowned the winner.
Alongside George and Thomas will TV presenter Olivia Attwood, influencer and model Phoenix Brown, ex-Strictly pro and leading man Kevin Clifton, songwriter Chelcee Grimes, Harry Potter actor Josh Herdman, author, model and autism ambassador Christine McGuinness, Coronation Street actor Colson Smith, newsreader Lucrezia Millarini, musician and TV star Wes Nelson, Emmerdale actor Rebecca Sarker, all going head-to-head in a range of sporting challenges for the new series.
The Games will be hosted live by Holly Willoughby and Freddie Flintoff, and will also see former professional footballers and presenters Alex Scott and Chris Kamara as the trackside reporters and commentators.
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The show is set to begin airing this spring, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – ITV Player
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‘Hairy men’ needed to play soldiers in returning major fantasy TV series
Thomas Melia
A huge TV series has issued an urgent casting call for, very specifically, ‘hairy men’ to play soldiers.
The exact show hasn’t been named in the casting call, but it’s definitely a major returning fantasy, and is reportedly House of the Dragon, the hit Game of Thrones spin-off.
This big on demand show is set to start filming in just two months’ time, meaning anyone considering shouldn’t wait to apply.
There are a list of key characteristics candidates should have if hoping for this role, including a great work ethic and a professional attitude, something all Mancs like to think we have.
The job description states that no prior acting experience is required, one of the only other things you need to be good at is waking up early (well that’s me out).
Most importantly, headhunters are looking for individuals to take on that have one big factor in common… lots of hair.
On the official website where you can submit your headshots and photos, you will find a mood board filled with ranging hairstyles that fit the desired look the show is going for.
Just one example of a long-haired man who fits the criteria for the returning series.Another similar hair style choice to the guide from the casting call.Credit via Unsplash
Most of the pictures on the site range from long curly locks to big bushy beards – it’s a shame Santa will be back in the North Pole by now.
All candidates must have grown-out hair, ‘overgrown scruff to longer beards’, this means no short, back and sides, or any ‘modern fades’ as stated by the casting team.
If the rumours are true and this turns out to be a shoot for House Of The Dragon, it would be great to see even more Northern talent feature in this show.
It wasn’t too long ago that fans and Mancs alike realised that actor Olivia Cooke, who plays Lady Alicent Hightower, was a local lass herself, born not too far away in Oldham.
One final and important note is that anyone who is likely to apply must make sure they’re 18+ and have a right to work in the UK.
Filming will take place across North Wales and the South East from March onwards, with rate of pay roughly £140-£300+ per day (depending on hours worked).
To apply for a chance to feature in the returning major fantasy series, you can do so by visiting the site HERE.
Greater Manchester set to be battered by ‘impactful’ heavy rain and wind this week
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester is set to be battered by some heavy rain and wind this week, according to the Met Office.
While things have seemed surprisingly more settled for the time of year over the last week or so, with clearer skies and chilly winter mornings being fairly commonplace, all that will change very soon, as the Met Office has forecasted that the UK is set to be battered by some ‘impactful’ heavy rain and strong winds as the week goes on.
Low pressure systems will bring a more ‘unsettled’ spell of weather, with a severe weather warning for wind issued for certain parts of the UK.
Today is expected to be filled with grey skies and light rain here in Greater Manchester, with cloud covering much of the rest of the country, and other outbreaks of rain elsewhere, whereas on Wednesday, the focus of rain will shift to southern England instead.
The weather looks set to turn more unsettled during the forthcoming week 🌧️ 🌬️
Thursday is where it’s set to take the biggest downturn though, as a front bringing heavy rain moves eastwards through the day, and it’s us here in North West England that are expected to see the highest accumulations too, with 20-30mm could falling over the hills, and some hill snow even possible over the Scottish mountains too.
A deep area of low pressure will also have ‘deepened rapidly’ by Thursday, bringing ‘strengthening winds’ to western parts of the UK along with it overnight, followed by more heavy rainfall.
Greater Manchester is set to be battered by ‘impactful’ heavy rain and wind this week / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“A very deep area of low pressure will bring a very unsettled, potentially disruptive, spell of weather to the UK through Friday and into Saturday,” explained Chris Almond, who is the Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist.
“Winds will begin to strengthen on Thursday night, with the peak gusts forecast through Friday in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. The wind will also be accompanied by heavy rain bringing some unpleasant conditions to end the week.
“We have issued a Yellow weather warning for wind, and with several days before the impactful weather, the forecast details are likely to be fine-tuned during the week, so stay tuned to your local forecast and keep up to date with Met Office warnings.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th March 2022 
