From being paid a salary to play Animal Crossing, to becoming a professional wine taster and getting paid to watch Netflix in your pyjamas, there’s been some pretty exciting and unique job opportunities cropping up over the last few months of lockdown, but now that elements of normality have begun to resume, there’s a new career prospect that dogs and their owners are bound to love.
This one takes the dog biscuit.
Luxury dog-friendly cottage provider Canine Cottages is currently recruiting for 10 lucky dogs and their owners to become 2020’s Canine Critics and enjoy a free staycation to a destination of their choice in the UK.
The chosen pups – who must be from the UK – will become “paws on the ground” and be responsible for reviewing cottage holidays, posting on Canine Cottages’ social channels, sniffing out adventures along the way and just generally living the doggy dream.
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Each lucky pup will receive a £1,000 voucher for a cottage holiday, and they’ll also get some some delicious treats, goodies and other freebies to try out too.
Canine Cottages
The ‘job’ description for a Canine Critic as found on the Canine Cottages website reads: “The lucky winners get to give us the lowdown on how fantastic it is to stay in our dog-friendly cottages as they’ll win a free stay in a UK location of their choice.
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“They’ll also get the chance to review the property and the local area, helping dog lovers to discover the best places for their four-pawed pals to fetch, play and run.”
The competition has exploded in popularity from 7,000 hopeful applicants in its debut year to more than 50,000 in 2019.
Dogs all over the UK dreaming of being crowned a Canine Critic celebrity.
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Speaking on the 2020 search, Shannon Keary – Digital PR Manager at Canine Cottages – said: “Our 2019 campaign was phenomenally successful and we were overwhelmed with the calibre and quantity of entries.
“The chosen 2019 Critics have been amazing and we’ve loved having them as ambassadors for our brand. Now we cannot wait to recruit ten, new top dogs for 2020. We’re on the hunt for a diverse selection of ‘real’ dogs who love to explore the UK and have their photo taken, as well as a willing human to sit, stay and lie down with.”
She also revealed that one of last year’s winners – Woody, from the Midlands – had a fantastic time being a Canine Critic.
His owner commented: “There were so many amazing things about being chosen as the Midlands’ Canine Critic but I think if we had to pick one, it would be the getting chosen part. Woody’s my hero and for one year, he was also the Midlands’ hero – that’s pretty special and I don’t think anything can beat that feeling.
“I just wanted to bottle it up.”
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How could you pass up on this perfect staycation opportunity?
It couldn’t be easier to stick an application in either, as all you’ll need to do is fill out a simple application form and provide a photo of you and your furry friend to be in with a chance of being picked.
The 2020 Canine Critic competition is now open and deadline for applications is 29th October 2020.
You can apply via the Canine Cottages website here.
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Trailer for Clayface gives closer look at Batman villain in new DC film shot in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
DC have dropped a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Clayface film: a new ‘body horror’ movie by the Hollywood studio and superhero franchise.
Giving the first extended look at the cult favourite Batman villain, it’s set to be one of the darkest and most disturbing big-budget DC projects for some time.
Set to release on 23 October, it drops in just time for ‘spooky season’, and judging by this latest trailer, they’re certainly doubling down on the creepiest sides of the character. If you’re a bit squeamish, we’d say proceed with caution:
It’s certainly a striking reveal and has some of the most mature themes we’ve seen from DC over the years; that’s what you get when you park a supervillain like this.
For anyone who hasn’t come across Clayface before, it is an alias used by multiple individuals in the comics, including Basil Karlo and Preston Payne.
However, this version of the alter ego follows the story of Matt Hagen, a struggling actor who suffers serious disfiguration and experiments with experimental science before embarking on a tale of revenge.
While this differs somewhat from Hagen’s original backstory, without straying into spoiler territory, there’s plenty to be made from the trailer, as you can see.
If you’re wondering what kind of film to expect beyond what you’re now already aware of, it’s worth noting that James Watkins is known for films such as The Woman In Black (2012), Bastille Day (2016), and the heavily nominated James McAvoy-led movie, Speak No Evil (2024).
We were lucky enough to walk past their other major period of filming over in Manchester city centre last September, where the often-used Castlefield doubled as Gotham.
Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? named biggest UK studio album EVER by Official Charts
Danny Jones
You’re damn right: Oasis continue to be MASSIVE as new figures from the Official Charts Company have confirmed that (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? has clocked in as the biggest UK studio album of all time.
The Britpop icons and history go hand in hand.
Yes, according to the latest numbers by our domestic chart-crunchers, only two other albums surpassed Oasis‘ second LP – and they’re both greatest hits collections.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, 22 July, just over a whole year on from those reunion world tour shows at Heaton Park. How fitting.
Starting off by channelling Liam Gallagher energy and quipping that “Oasis vibes are in the area”, they go on to explain the colossal cumulative record.
“Oasis claim one of the biggest honours in British music history, they write, “as (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? is named the UK’s Official biggest studio album of all time, according to new Official Charts Company data.”
Combining UK sales of the record – both physical and digital over the years – along with modern streaming statistics, the sophomore outing from the Britpop giants has amassed approximately 6.2 million UK chart units. Staggering stuff.
Last year’s Live ’25 shows have no doubt helped give an added boost to their metrics, but it’s still gargantuan stuff from the local band.
Yet another incredible stat not just for the Burnage boys but the Manchester music scene as a whole.
2026 looks to be just as big a comeback, by the looks of things.
In case you were wondering who beat them out in the race for the top spot, they were pipped to the post by Queen’s Greatest Hits and the same again from ABBA, two worthy opponents to take third place after.
You can see the rest of the list in full right HERE.
Oh, and Definitely Maybe also made the list, too, coming in at number 39 – making that two in the top 50 even amongst all the compilations.
It feels like last July all over again, doesn’t it? And if now isn’t the perfect time to stick on the title track, we don’t know what is.
Actually, sod it – we’re sticking the full thing on…
Emily Sergeant -
30th September 2020 
