The people of Manchester have spoken and they’ve crowned legendary Bolton-born stand up comic and actor Peter Kay as their favourite ever UK comedian.
Taking the top spot in Manchester’s heart but undoubtedly loved by millions right across the country thanks to his classic observational humour, quick-wit, quotable one-liners, and uncanny character representation in some of the most beloved TV shows and films of the last two decades, Peter Kay is treasure worth celebrating and a seriously worthy winner.
Do you agree with this? Who would be your top pick?
Peter Kay’s new title as Mancunian’s favourite comedian was unveiled as part of a survey commissioned to celebrate the iconic Comic Relief Red Nose Day, which takes place this year on Friday 19th March and is aiming to bring “joy and humour to homes”, all whilst raising money to help people who are “struggling now more than ever”.
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The survey also found that Mancs apparently get “a buzz off our hometown’s sense of humour” as 24% of us stated that jokes relating to Greater Manchester made us laugh the most.
When it comes to other types of comedy, almost a third (29%) of Mancunians enjoy one-liner humour the most, whilst a fifth (20%) revealed that they enjoyed observational humour the most – both of which are well-known features of Peter Kay’s stand-up routines.
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Channel 4 / BBC
And if there’s one thing that seems to unite the entire country, it’s sarcasm.
Perhaps it isn’t the lowest form of wit after all, as over a quarter (26%) of Brits said it was the type of humour they enjoyed the most.
That’s not all either, as the survey also unveiled the regions of the UK where Brits think the funniest people are most likely to come from.
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Unsurprisingly to us, of course, the North West has taken the top spot – was there ever any doubt?
Perhaps not the greatest outcome for Mancunians to hear as a follow-up to that brilliant regional achievement though is that Liverpool – the birthplace of John Bishop, Ken Dodd and Kenny Everett – came out as city with the best sense of humour and ‘the comedy capital of the country’, thanks to the poll of 2,000 adults.
With just over two weeks to go, Comic Relief is calling on Mancunians to support Red Nose Day, as the annual fundraiser will this year help to tackle issues including homelessness, hunger, domestic abuse, and mental health problems, all of which have been exacerbated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, in the UK and around the world.
Speaking ahead of the big day, Sir Lenny Henry – co-founder of Comic Relief – said: “This year, Red Nose Day will be a bit different.
“We all need cheering up, and of course we want to raise as much money as possible for people who really need it in the UK and around the world, but we also want to make you smile and bring you some laughter over the coming weeks”.
You can get involved with this year’s Red Nose Day via the Comic Relief website here.
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The cheapest Christmas Markets in the world for mulled wine have been revealed
Daisy Jackson
The most affordable Christmas Markets for drinking mulled wine have been revealed – and Manchester is nowhere in sight.
With Christmas markets across Europe preparing to welcome millions of visitors, festive fans looking to enjoy a warming cup of glühwein without breaking the bank might want to take note of the latest findings.
Festive experts at Christmas Tree World have analysed mulled wine prices at Christmas markets around the world to discover where visitors can enjoy the seasonal favourite for less.
Topping the rankings is Brussels’ Winter Wonders, where mulled wine is available for as little as £2.14 – about a third of the price of a mulled wine at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
Cologne Cathedral Christmas Markets and Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik share second place, with starting prices of just £2.56.
Other European favourites also feature prominently in the rankings. Budapest’s Christmas Market at the Basilica takes fourth place, with mulled wine costing £3.19, while Prague’s Old Town Square Christmas Market comes in sixth at £3.55.
Germany makes another strong appearance, with Dresden’s Striezelmarkt and Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt (which handily just launched new direct flights from Manchester) both offering mulled wine for £3.85.
Meanwhile, Vienna’s Christmas World rounds off the European entries in ninth place, with prices starting at £4.28.
For those planning a festive adventure further afield, Tokyo’s Christmas Market also makes the top five, with mulled wine costing £3.22.
However, not every destination offers such a bargain. Across the Atlantic, New York City’s Winter Village takes the title of the most expensive market in the study, with mulled wine costing a rather less festive £11.74. Chicago’s Christkindlmarket isn’t far behind, charging £8.80.
Manchester Christmas Markets start on Friday 6 November – we’ll see how our prices stack up then.
Sir Ian McKellen pays emotional tribute to long-time friend and fellow northern actor Sir Patrick Stewart
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has paid an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Patrick Stewart, following his death.
Sir Patrick Stewart – who was born and bred in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, and is best-known for his theatre work alongside an illustrious 60-year screen career, taking on prominent roles in franchises such as Star Trek and X-Men – sadly passed away at the age of 86, with his death being announced publicly yesterday evening (29 October).
And now, his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Ian McKellen, has paid tribute.
Sir Patrick and Sir Ian shared the stage together countless times over their decades-long careers, but also famously starred alongside each other in the X-Men franchise, and subsequent Marvel movies, as Charles Xavier/Professor X and Magneto.
The tribute, shared across Sir Ian’s social media platforms, reads: “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.
“We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions.
“My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”
“Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did, for not just his devoted Trekkies, but film and theatre audiences who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men’ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.
“America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin.
“But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.”
Emily Sergeant -
4th March 2021 
