With England firmly within the third national lockdown amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the new year may have felt a little like a continuation of the previous one for many, but Manchester’s leading entertainment complex is looking to “brush away the 2020 blues”.
Printworks has announced the launch of a new campaign this month that’s focusing on “better times ahead” in 2021, and there’s even an exciting competition to go along with it.
Whether it’s spending more time with the family, choosing healthier eating habits, or even just making a promise to stay exactly the way you are, most of us like to set a goal or two at the beginning of a new year, and Printworks is asking Greater Manchester residents to share those resolutions with them for a chance be featured on a digital wall live on the Printworks’ website.
And that’s not all either.
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Sharing your resolution this year also means you could be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher to treat yourself with when Printworks’ doors are back open too.
With over nineteen venues inside the iconic entertainment venue – including several big-name food and drink outlets, as well as various leisure hangouts, from cinema to bowling and more – there’s plenty of choice to spend your winnings on.
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The ultimate post-lockdown day out in the city centre is now up for grabs.
Speaking on the launch of the new competition, Adam Jackson – Marketing Manager at Printworks – said: “We know 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, and it’s likely we’ll all be going through these tough times for a while longer.
“We want to look ahead to the brighter times we can spend together in the future by celebrating everyone’s New Year’s resolutions.”
Five of the best things to watch on TV this Christmas 2024
Emily Sergeant
We all know Christmas is a hectic time.
For some of us, if the run-up to Christmas wasn’t already busy enough as it is, there’s often not a moment to breathe on the big day itself between presents being opened, travelling to see people, entertaining guests, slaving over a hot stove for hours, and eating plenty of food.
Sometimes though, you may find yourself twiddling your thumbs with some time to spare, and that’s why the distraction of festive television is so brilliant.
For others, sitting around to watch the TV is an important part of Christmas itself.
No matter what your situation is, there’s some cracking things to watch on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year – with classic seasonal films, to festive specials of our favourite shows, and a few family-friendly additions all on the agenda.
Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2024 / Credit: BBC
We’ve all come to expect a Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special at this point, haven’t we? After the iconic ballroom dance competition programme has been bringing us smaller, festive editions of the show we all know and love since 2004, it’s back once again this Christmas Day.
Six celebrity contestants will be taking to the floor to impress judges the judges and battle it out for the Christmas glitter ball trophy.
You can catch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One at 3:55pm on Christmas Day.
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Doctor Who Christmas Special
BBC One
Christmas Day – 5:10pm
Doctor Who Christmas Special / Credit: BBC Studios
What would Christmas be without a Doctor Who special?
The long-running sci-fi series is back where it belongs with another festive episode on Christmas Day this year, and we can’t wait.
The episode introduces Joy, played by Nicola Coughlan, who checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs, and the Doctor… but a deadly plan is unfolding across Earth, just in time for Christmas.
You can catch the Doctor Who Christmas Special on BBC One at 5:10pm on Christmas Day.
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Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
BBC One
Christmas Day – 6:10pm
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl / Credit: BBC
Wallace & Gromit make their long-awaited return with a new feature-length adventure.
Wallace and his pre-programmed smart gnome, Norbot, are the main suspects after a recent crime wave of stolen garden goods across the region… but while Wallace proclaims his innocence, it’s up to Gromit once again to battle sinister forces, or Wallace will never invent again.
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Who could possibly be behind such evil actions? Rightfully behind bars after all this time, Feathers McGraw is back with vengeance.
Directed by Nick Park, Reece Shearsmith provides the voice of Norbot, and Peter Kay is Chief Inspector Macintosh, alongside other famous names such as Diane Morgan, Adjoa Andoh, and Lenny Henry.
You can watch Wallace & Gromit: Most Vengeance Fowl on BBC One at 6:10pm on Christmas Day.
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Gavin & Stacey: The Finale
BBC One
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Christmas Day – 9pm
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale / Credit: BBC
9pm. Christmas Day 2024. The end of an era is here.
It’s been five whole years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy and asking him to marry her… and a lot has happened in those five years.
This Christmas, fans of the long-running sitcome will be able to join on the journey to Barry and Billericay as we catch up with the Shipmans and the Wests for the very last time, and maybe find out what exactly did happen on that fishing trip.
You can watch Gavin and Stacey: The Finale on Christmas Day on BBC One at 9pm.
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Outnumbered
BBC One
Boxing Day – 9:40pm
Outnumbered / Credit: BBC
Our final long-awaited Christmas Special comeback is here… are you ready to be Outnumbered once again?
In a moment of adversity, Sue and Pete gather all their children – who are now adults, and have their own hurdles to navigate in the real world – and one grandchild to try to celebrate a traditional family Christmas.
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Their new house is smaller, the children are bigger, and within the chaos, an uninvited house guest overstays their welcome.
You can watch Outnumbered on Boxing Day on BBC One at 9:40pm.
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Fancy something extra?
If you’ve got even more time on your hands to kill, and you’re looking to get stuck into even more festive TV action, not just being newly released this year, then we’ve rounded up what we think are 10 of the best Christmas Specials of all time.
What’s your thoughts on this – do you agree? Or are we missing your favourite pick?
Featured Image – BBC
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Rúben Amorim’s Man United press conference interrupted by Old Trafford roof leaking – again
Danny Jones
Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim has been given plenty doses of reality since arriving at Old Trafford but surely there can’t be any more telling than the stadium’s roof leaking into his press conference?
Poetic irony timed to perfection.
Not only did the new head coach have to sit in front of journalists as he tried to wrap his head around another Premier League implosion following the 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth – a team now sat in fifth, it’s worth noting – but he also got to witness the condition the stadium first hand.
And when we say first hand, we mean literally right in front of his face.
In case you wanted a summary of how much work there is to be done at Man United, the roof started leaking during Ruben Amorim’s press conference. 💦
In this instance, not only was the leak internal but Amorim’s post-match press conference was actually briefly interrupted as drops of water fell on the desk in front of him.
You can hear reporters asking what it is (they knew full well) before United’s press officer can be heard off-camera asking them to quickly move on. Sports writer Sanny Rudravajhala quipped, “A new meaning to the leaks at #mufc”, in reference to dressing room talk and lineups still being fed to the media.
Make what you will of Amorim‘s expressions in this moment but let’s just say he can’t have been expecting to have to worry about things like this when he accepted the job.
A penny for the Portugueseman’s thoughts when he looked up and saw that leak coming from the ceiling:
The moment Ruben Amorim's press conference is interrupted by a leak at Old Trafford pic.twitter.com/gqc8fW20Om
Although many are deeply reticent to let the iconic Theatre of Dreams go after more than a century of history and sporting memories, scenes like this certainly go a long way to arguing the case for a whole new home ground rather than simply renovating as it appears to be in such a sorry state of disrepair.
But even with a brand-new state-of-the-art footballing arena, it doesn’t do anything to address improving performances on the pitch as even with eye-watering sums invested in the squad over recent years, they still look way off it and serious work needs to be done for them to catch up with the pack.
You can watch the highlights from Man United vs Bournemouth below:
The leaking roof wasn’t the only thing raining down on Amorim as the derby day high was followed by a frustrating festive low.
Emily Sergeant -
19th January 2021 
