The nation was gripped last night as millions tuned in to watch the first episode of a new BBC documentary series centred around “fighting organised crime” in central Manchester.
With the genre of both true and fictional crime continuing to capture TV audiences, this new five-part BBC Two series – titled The Detectives: Fighting Organised Crime – explores real instances of organised crime in Manchester, and the team of detectives trying to put a stop to it, with each episode covering cases as they happen.
Filmed over the course of two years, what sets this show apart from other similar series’ though is its exceptional coverage of live police investigations.
This is unprecedented access to the Greater Manchester Police.
During last night’s episode, viewers saw the police receive a call after a man was taken from his home by an armed gang in front of his wife and children, before being held hostage, tortured and only released after a £34,000 ransom was paid.
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The victim – a wealthy man suspected to be linked to drug crime – was thought to be one of a list of people the gang plan to target.
After locating the address where the victim was held and tortured, forensic evidence then lead officers to name suspects, but while the hunt was on to find these dangerous criminals, another horrific kidnap happens.
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The Major Incident Team (MIT) then suspected it could be the same gang, and after trawling through lots of CCTV footage, they find harrowing footage of the kidnap in action, leading them to assign specialist undercover and firearms units to find and arrest the gang as the investigation unfolds.
Many viewers gripped by the nature of the events in last night’s episode took to Twitter to share their range of reactions, thoughts and feelings.
I've watched plenty of police documentaries that have numbed me to the violence and depravity that is meted out in this country, but that episode of #TheDetectives has chilled me to the bone. Pure evil. Respect to all the police officers who face vermin like that every day.
Thought Paris Bostock the Manchester gangster on The Detectives (Organised crime) on BBC2 made the police look very very insignificant when they had him at the station. If that was the US, he’d be 6 feet under by now. After watching, perhaps the US are right on occasions?
The Detectives: Fighting Organised Crime continues on BBC Two at 9pm next Tuesday.
There are a total of five episodes in the series, with each episode available to watch on BBC iPlayer directly after airing live.
In the second episode, BBC Two has told viewers that they can expect to watch the team of detectives deal with a separate incident involving drug-related gang crime, which leads to the eventual uncovering of a large-scale conspiracy suspected to have involved up to ten members of the organised crime group.
I’m A Celebrity line-up announced for brand new all-star series in South Africa
Daisy Jackson
The all-star line-up for I’m A Celebrity… South Africa has been announced, with some massive Manchester celebs taking part.
The brand new show is due to air in April and will see some of the series’ most memorable campmates heading to a new setting in South Africa.
Names involved include Bolton-born boxing legend Amir Khan, Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan, and Happy Mondays legend Shaun Ryder.
And that’s just part of the first wave of celebrity contestants – more famous faces will take part in I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, entering the camp as the series goes on.
The new series will ‘push them to their limits and test them like never before’, ITV has said, promising bigger and tougher challenges and an even harsher environment.
Also taking part from the launch episode will be Diversity star Jordan Banjo, TV presenter Carol Vorderman, Olympian Fatima Whitbread, former royal butler Paul Burrell, ex-England cricketer Phil Tufnell, and supermodel Janice Dickinson.
ITV said: “Whilst nodding back to the Australian jungle, I’m A Celebrity…South Africa is a uniquely different series so viewers can look forward to lots of unexpected twists and turns.”
The trailer also shows the celebs taking part in pre-recorded challenges, taking on everything from nasty food to terrifying heights.
I’m A Celebrity… South Africa will air on ITV1 and ITVX from April 2023.
Featured image: ITV
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Commentator Arlo White shows off what the Old Trafford gantry walk looks like
Danny Jones
Ever wondered what it’s like to be up in the gantry in a football stadium, say, Old Trafford? Well, we certainly have.
You see the odd shot of the commentators sat there on the telly from time to time but it never really gives much away either and, at some venues, it’s quite a ways up there. There’s a little bit of allure behind these mysterious parts of footy grounds that most fans will never get to see.
After hours of mindless scrolling on the social media app, we stumbled across the well-known sports commentator‘s channel where he’s been showing off what it’s like to go in the gantry and one of them is his long walk to crow’s nest up at the Theatre of Dreams.
As it turns out, Arlo’s been doing these videos for a couple of years now, revealing how the gantry looks not only at Old Trafford but other big Premier League grounds too, such as down the road at the Etihad, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Tottenham Hotspurs’ sparkly new ground and many more.
Another reason we found ourselves stuck on his TikTok for so long was also because of the other behind-the-scenes details he reveals too, even shedding light on how he prepares for games: note-taking, data sheets, how keeps himself warm up there during those cold nights on comms and so on.
Emily Sergeant -
24th March 2021 
