Robbie Williams entertained thousands at several Manchester gigs this past weekend, and he had an extra special surprise for one famous fan.
The chart-topping solo singer and former member of boyband Take That took to the stage at the AO Arena for three sold-out shows last week, and during one of those shows he dedicated one of his most famous songs to a northern comedy legend – who has called the moment “absolutely crazy”.
Tommy Cannon, who is most well-known for being once half of comedy duo Cannon and Ball, was among the 20,000 fans at Robbie’s gig at Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday 22 October.
During his crowd-pleasing set, Robbie announced the comedian was there in the audience.
Getting ready to introduce his 1997 mega hit ‘Angels’, Robbie told the crowd before launching into song: “Now ladies and gentlemen, there’s a legend in the audience tonight who I am a huge fan of, and I would like to dedicate this next song to him.
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“It’s Tommy Cannon from Cannon and Ball.”
During the brilliant moment – which was captured on video, and shared to social media by Tommy himself – the crowd can be seen instantly recognising Tommy’s name, with many turning round to catch a glimpse at the comic before launching into thunderous applause and erupting in chants of “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy.”
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Robbie then continued to more loud cheers: “How much do you love that man? We love you Tommy, this is Angels Tom, and it’s for you.”
Tommy shared a video of the heart-warming moment on Twitter: “I must say hearing Robbie Williams dedicate Angels to me in front of 20,000 was absolutely crazy.”
He added that Robbie’s dedication of the famous hit song “meant the world” to him.
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Tommy also posted a picture of himself and Robbie hugging, with the words “Wow, overwhelmed… met a legend last night.”
The video of the special moment has been watched by thousands of people online in the following days, with lots of Tommy’s fans commenting how much they loved it, and how brilliant it was to see one entertainer recognise another.
Tommy also has his sights set on his next gig, and says he’s hoping to see Michael Bublé when the Canadian singer performs in Manchester on his UK tour next year.
“Now I need to get myself to see Michael Bublé when he’s in the UK. Another singer I absolutely love,” Tommy said.
Featured Image – Robbie Williams (via Instagram)
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Half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner, new survey reveals
Emily Sergeant
Christmas dinner is one of the key parts of any festive celebration.
No matter whether you choose to tuck into a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy, or you prefer to go for something a little different like a curry or a Chinese instead, your Christmas dinner is a chance to gather round with your loved ones and enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll likely have all year.
However, some shocking new figures have revealed that half of Manchester residents have no clue how to even cook a Christmas dinner.
Through a major study by the UK’s leading electrical retailer, AO.com, it was revealed that the majority of our city’s residents are “losing confidence” in preparing even the simplest of British dishes – with a traditional roast or Christmas dinner being one of them.
As part of its new campaign to get Brits back into the kitchen, AO found that just 57% of respondents reckon they would be able to make a roast dinner, 52% could whip up a classic shepherd’s pie, 58% could cook bangers and mash, merely 61% could prepare a full English breakfast, and again, only 57% could tackle fish and chips.
Classic desserts are clearly a struggle for us Mancs too, according to the survey, as only 19% of respondents said they’d feel confident cooking a Christmas pudding.
The survey also found that nationwide, it was Gen Z – those between the age of 16 and 27 – that are the least confident in their ability to cook great British classics, while on the other end of the spectrum, Baby Boomers are the most capable, proving that culinary confidence increases with age.
Our region’s residents are apparently ‘losing confidence’ at cooking simple British classics / Credit: Freepik
Commenting on the results, Jay Lockton, oven expert at AO.com, said: “Kitchens should be a place of creativity and joy, but our data shows that a lot of people in Manchester are losing confidence in preparing even the simplest of British dishes.
“Based on our findings, many younger people may be opting for convenience foods or takeaways due to their busy schedules and the perception that cooking from scratch is time-consuming or difficult.
“But with simple guidance and the right tools, we believe everyone can rediscover the joy and simplicity of homemade meals.”
Featured Image – gpointstudio (via Freepik)
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New Hairy Bikers documentary to take viewers on ’emotional journey’ in tribute to Dave Myers
Emily Sergeant
A new documentary paying an emotional tribute to late Hairy Biker Dave Myers is set to air on the BBC in the run up to Christmas.
Dave Myers – who was most well-known for being one half of the famous Hairy Bikers duo that starred in the BBC cookery and travel show of the same name, alongside Si King – died earlier this year (28 February 2024) after revealing back in May 2022 that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
The final Hairy Bikers episode aired on 19 March following Dave’s passing, and viewers tuned in in their tens of thousands to watch the beloved show that had been entertaining the masses for close to two decades.
🏍️ Si King celebrates the life of fellow Hairy Biker and best friend Dave Myers in a special one-off BBC documentary
Si picks out key moments from the past 25 years of the pair's TV careers in The Hairy Bikers: You’ll Never Ride Alone
But despite that being the final episode with Dave involved, there’s still one last chapter left to tell.
Set to air on BBC Two on Monday 23 December, viewers will be invited on an “emotional journey” through the Hairy Bikers story with Si King, as he celebrates the life of his best mate and former TV partner.
The documentary follows Si as he leads a motorcycle convoy to Dave’s hometown of Barrow-in-Furness, while archive material, new interviews, and previously-unseen footage is shown to help celebrate Dave’s life.
A new Hairy Bikers documentary will take viewers on an ’emotional journey’ in tribute to Dave Myers / Credit: BBC / South Shore Productions
You can relive the journey that took Dave around the world while cooking up a storm as one of television’s greatest-ever double acts.
“I’m incredibly proud of the programme because it’s a tribute to my best mate,” Si King said.
“It was an amazing experience, I didn’t quite know what to expect. That was the whole thing, none of us did. We thought at the most we’d get 10,000 bikes, we didn’t dream it would be 46,000 motorcycles and a 30-mile tail, it was just insane. I just felt enormously privileged.”