A brand-new rom-com set in Manchester has begun filming in the heart of the city centre and there are some recognisable names attached to it.
Manchester is no stranger to a movie set or bit of filming, with the Castlefield canals and viaduct having featured in Peaky Blinders and numerous ad campaigns, not to mention Northern Quarter doubling as New York on numerous occasions, but the latest project looks set to be based all over the city.
Film crews have been spotted along those very same canals we just mentioned, outside the likes of Evuna tapas restaurant in NQ, staging queues outside Band on the Wall, walking down Canal Street in the Gay Village and more.
Seemingly set and filmed almost entirely within the heart of various Manchester districts, the film is called CC: Emily and stars young duo Angourie Rice and Spike Fearn.
📹 | Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice filming scenes for “CC: Emily” in Manchester Gay Village, England — via Celeb Media on TikTok. pic.twitter.com/bBvmzYP7wz
Principal photography is said to have started back in August but more and more shoots have been spotted popping up at various different recognisable locations.
Rice, 23, is an Australian actor who is best known for roles in the Mean Girls remake, action comedy The Nice Guys and the new Spider-Man movies, whereas English talent Fearn (24) has most recently appeared in the Amy Winehouse biopic, Aftersun with Paul Mescal and the latest Alien film, Romulus.
As for the plot itself, the IMDb listing explains that a “lovesick musician teams up with a psychology student to find his dream girl, sparking a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their hearts and ambitions.”
The conceit comes from Fearn’s character – all character names are still unknown – being given the wrong number and, as we’re sure any regular cinephile can guess already, the love story takes an unintended even if albeit predictable turn.
Not everyone is exactly happy about the space the Manchester-based rom-com is taking up though, as a now-deleted post criticised the crews for closing off sections of streets where independent businesses were losing footfall and blocking signage with large trucks.
📹 | Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice filming “CC: Emily” in Manchester, England on September 8th, 2024 — Via Celeb Media on TikTok. pic.twitter.com/Z06C72UDs8
CC: Emily is being directed by Alicia MacDonald, the woman behind recent TV favourites like Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws and will be distributed by Focus and Universal – two studios behind the likes of Shaun of the Dead and the Bridget Jones films – though there’s still no release date as yet.
This being her feature film debut after and only one of a few movie outings by writer Rachel Hirons, the equally young and still relatively unproven cast makes this an exciting original that we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on – especially since it’s filming around our way.
Along with the 90s aesthetic, the rom-com era looks to be back in full effect as another iconic franchise is also returning very soon.
Streamer AngryGinge ‘arrested and banned’ from Silvestone at the British GP
Danny Jones
Popular Manc influencer, ‘AngryGinge’, was arrested, fined and ultimately banned from Silverstone at this year’s British GP.
The Salford-born Twitch streamer, YouTuber and social media personality (real name Morgan Burtwhistle) was detained at the circuit after being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
Ginge recently starred in Soccer Aid 2025 and is a well-known face both on the internet and in the sporting world, regularly working in and around football, and is an avid Manchester United – even featuring in the club’s third kit launch video last year.
The 23-year-old and two other fellow streamers, ‘Chazza’ and ‘Samham’, were accused of criminal damage after sitting in an F1 car whilst recording around the Silverstone complex.
AngryGinge returned to streaming after being detained by police for 15 hours
The streamer and several friends were arrested for climbing into a display F1 car at the British Grand Prix pic.twitter.com/WDSYb6MVtj
“On Friday, July 4, NP received a report that a classic Formula 1 car on display at Silverstone Circuit during the British Grand Prix event had sustained several thousands of pounds worth of damage, which was alleged to have been caused by someone accessing the display stand and climbing into the vehicle.
“Officers carried out initial inquiries, and suspects were identified. Three men, aged 23, 25 and 27, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a vehicle and taken into police custody.
“Following a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the incident, all three men were released with no further action.”
Burtwhistle went into more detail on the incident on socials, explaining that the trio were taken away in handcuffs and “locked up” for several hours – 15 hours, according to SamHam (Samuel Imie).
All three individuals deny causing any damage to the racecar, even despite users sharing clips from the livestream footage captured for the Red Bull online Content on the day that many argue incriminates them, or at least sounds like it – we’ll let you watch and decide for yourselves.
Ginge himself went on to detail that ridculousness of the situation, explaining how he was effectively detained for watching someone else climb into the vehicle.
He’ll be dining out in this one for some time, you can be sure of that.
He’s literally a brands dream isn’t he 😂 so quick and smart with it
Featured Images — Soccer Aid/angryginge13 (screenshot via Twitch)/Samham (via X)
TV & Showbiz
Liam is paying a subtle nod to another member of the Gallagher family in the Oasis reunion set
Danny Jones
In yet another cute and rather unexpected moment about the Oasis reunion set during the first two nights in Cardiff, Liam Gallagher paid a lovely tribute to an unsung member of the musical family: his adopted dog, Buttons.
Because rock stars do whatever they want.
That’s right, while most people were understandably keeping their eyes firmly fixed on Liam and Noel as they still try and get to grips with the fact that they’re both actually there, on stage, in the flesh, other eagle-eyed viewers noticed a subtle nod playing on the massive telly behind them.
Flashing up right in the middle big screen was a technicolour image of none other than Buttons himself, whose adorable little face appeared during ‘Roll With It’ on night one at the Principality Stadium.
I’ll share more of Buttons story today on my insta for the day that’s in it…https://t.co/B8ruKgLn4p
This video from Niall Harbison – the person who was responsible for putting the two together in the first place – was likely something the animal rescuer was made aware of ahead of time, but it’s nevertheless still a very lovely touch.
For anyone unfamiliar with the full story, Niall has spent years saving dogs and other pets from poverty and the street over in Thailand, and one of those was Buttons.
During a visit from Liam and partner Debbie Gwyther (also his manager), the pair ended up being introduced to the pup and instantly fell in love.
Arranging to have what would soon be his favourite pet shipped over to the UK, he and LG have now been pretty much inseparable since September 2023.
This isn’t the only touching gesture seen so far on the Live ’25 tour:
Buttons the dog wasn’t the only soul that Oasis paid tribute to.
The Burnage boys’ comeback was always going to be unforgettable, even if they just got up there and did little more than play the songs, but it’s extra touches like these that are helping make the memories even more special.
In the case of Niall, regardless of whether he knew this was going to happen or not, it must have been an incredible feeling to see one of the countless street dogs he’s saved, not only now rehomed and happy but quite literally getting his own moment in the spotlight.
There were a lot of little details we noticed on night one of Live ’25 in Cardiff, and who knows how many of them will remain in the set for the rest of the reunion tour, but it’s great to see Oasis being reactive and the crew going the extra mile.
'I Hope, I Think, I KNOW' #Oasis Manchester homecoming is going to be nothing short of a religious experience. 🙏