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The Royal Variety Show will be held in Blackpool this month for the first time in over a decade

Mancunian comedian, actor and singer Jason Manford will host the star-studded show.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th November 2020

The Royal Variety Performance is taking place this month and for the first time in over a decade, it will be held in Blackpool.

The annual show was last held in the iconic Lancashire seaside town 11 years years ago and has now been confirmed to be returning to the Opera House stage in the Winter Gardens Complex during the event on Sunday 29th November.

Mancunian comedian, actor and singer Jason Manford will host the star-studded show.

The line-up for the 2020 performance includes Captain Sir Tom Moore, who of course captured the nation’s hearts with his fundraising efforts during the pandemic, and will be joining forces from his home for an exclusive performance with entertainer Michael Ball who will be on stage at the Opera House with the NHS choir to perform their chart-topping anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

Other stars set to be in attendance include a special solo appearance by local superstar Gary Barlow, exclusive performances from the award-winning Sheridan Smith as Cilla in the heart-warming and spectacular ‘Cilla The Musical’ and a mesmerising exclusive from ‘Frozen the Musical’, starring leading lady Samantha Barks.

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There’s more music from Brit Award winner and rising star Celeste, singer and Spice Girl Melanie C, and high energy choreography from the ever-popular Steps.

Comedian and actor Stephen Mulhern, West End sensation Marisha Wallace, Kenyan acrobats The Black Blues Brothers, musical comedian and Britain’s Got Talent 2020 winner Jon Courtenay, and stand up comedians Jo Caulfield and Daliso Chaponda will provide the rest of the entertainment.

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ITV

Speaking on his new hosting gig, Jason Manford said: “After appearing at the Royal Variety Performance three times since 2009, it is an honour and a privilege to be hosting the show this year.

“It’s been a hugely difficult year for everybody, so I hope that for a couple of hours on a cold Winter’s night in Blackpool, we can take people’s minds off things and do what us Brits do best – have a laugh. 

The event is staged in aid of the Royal Variety Charity – the patron of which is Queen Elizabeth II – and the money raised from the show goes toward helping people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance.

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Although not due to be present in person this year amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, HRH The Prince of Wales will also deliver a special message to the charity and the artists performing.

The Royal Variety Performance will be screened on ITV in December.

You can find more information about the 2020 show via the Blackpool Winter Gardens website here.

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Former Manchester United star Patrice Evra is set to make his MMA debut very soon

Danny Jones Danny Jones Patrice Evra MMA debut fighter

In another somewhat left-field turn of events in the sporting world, ex-Manchester United star Patrice Evra is set to swap his boots for gloves as he prepares to make his MMA debut.

The retired Man United player and French international ended his playing days back in 2019 after a short one-year spell at West Ham, and has mostly worked as a pundit in recent years.

Evra, 43, stunned his millions of followers online and even more football and fight fans alike by announcing he would be trying his hand at combat sports earlier this week.

Hopping on social media to confirm the news, it’s fair to say he’s already relishing the challenge.

The former left-back made 379 appearances for the Red Devils, winning 14 trophies, but this will be his first in the European division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the second-biggest promotion in MMA after the UFC.

As far as we know, Evra has little to no background in fighting of any discipline, even if he was used to the more physical side of the game as a defender.

Writing via X on Friday, 25 April, the 2008 Champions League and ’09 Club World Cup winner, said: “I’m officially training for my first fight with PFL Europe. They will pick my opponent… They asked who I wanna face. I said: Luis Suárez.

“I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me.”

Suárez, still playing at 38, was not only found guilty of at least three instances of biting other players but was famously charged with racially abusing Patrice Evra back in 2011, with the two sharing a strong feud ever since.

Now, since the Uruguayan striker is still playing professional football over in the MLS, alongside the one and only Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, we wouldn’t hold our breaths.

Nevertheless, it seems as though he will be fighting someone on 23 May, once an opponent is selected in the coming weeks.

Evra has been training with Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and friend, Cédric Doumbé, a former kickboxing specialist and now an established fighter in the welterweight class.

Joking aside, although there are a lot of controversial moves that are legal in MMA, biting isn’t one of them – not that it ever stopped the former Liverpool forward in the past.

Let’s just say old habits can die hard…

Speaking in an official press conference, Evra said: “I’ve performed on the world’s biggest stages, won every major trophy in football, but PFL Europe Paris will be an incredibly special night for me.

“I’ve been training alongside the best in the world for years, and they’ll also tell you I’m ready for this. I’m going to put on a show at the Accor Arena on 23 May, so come watch the spectacle.”

As out of the blue as it may seem, he obviously isn’t the only former athlete to have swapped one sport for another after calling time in their first career.

In fact, he’s not even the first United player to change lanes.

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan starts his professional tennis career next month
Evra is set to take on his first MMA fight, and Forlan has already taken to the pro court.

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Featured Images — Professional Fighters League Europe (press shot)/Ian C (via Flickr)

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Mix-up leaves tourists bound for Peak District on a day trip to… Rochdale

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson A mix-up saw two tourists spend the day in Rochdale instead of the Peak District

Who needs rolling hills and country pubs when you could have *checks notes* roadworks and charity shops?

Well, that’s the situation two people ended up in recently after a mix-up rerouted their trip to the Peak District to Rochdale, of all places.

Thankfully seeing the funny side, Canadian TikTok creator Mackenzie shared a video of the day trip they got stuck with.

The pair of mates had been planning a trip to the honeypot town of Castleton in the Peak District, but accidentally ended up heading over to Castleton in Rochdale instead.

In the light-hearted clip, she says: “This is just a reminder to read the small print when you want to do a spontaneous trip. Because Margarita and I thought we were going to the Peaks, and this is where we are…” while panning to the sight of some roadworks.

She continued: “We thought we were going to see gorgeous green hills. Nope.

“Anyways, come with us on our Castleton Manchester, not Peak District adventure.”

Still, it looks like they made the most of their day out to Greater Manchester’s most underrated suburb.

They visited Springfield Park, went to a pub to eat onion rings (with a random giant dog staring at them), erm… went to a charity shop, and looked at some houses.

Okay so not quite the Peak District paradise they were picturing.

One person commented: “Absolutely howling. Come all the way from America to end up in Rochdale” (Mackenzie stressed in her reply that she lives in Manchester and also, is Canadian).

Another said: “It’s the Springfield park for me”

Someone else suggested: “Rochdale should rename all of its areas to encourage more tourists. Hahah”

Dying to know if these girls ever made it to Castleton, Derbyshire.

@mackenziekh2424

don’t trust us to book anything.. @Magui V #castleton #manchester #not #peakdistrict #dayinmylife #sunny

♬ Bar Mediterraneo – Nu Genea

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Featured image: Unsplash, Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

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