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.
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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.”
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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.
Gary Lineker set to leave BBC this week following more controversy
Danny Jones
Former footballer and veteran presenter Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC earlier than expected following further political controversies and social media backlash.
Lineker has been butting heads with the presenter for a couple of years now, being suspended by the national corporation back in March 2023 for his comments about language used by the Conservative government, and has continued to take issue with certain aspects of their news coverage.
He has since gone on to share a further video expressing his regret over what he called an “honest mistake”, as well as confirming that he will be making a premature exit from the BBC.
As you can see in the clip above, he says: “I apologise unreservedly for the hurt and upset caused,” insisting that he didn’t see the emoji in question
Lineker is now expected to leave following his final Match of the Day programme this weekend after having already confirmed he would be leaving the role after 26 years at the end of the season.
The ex-English footballer was set to present the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer, but given the latest furore, he will be stepping away ahead of schedule.
Having gradually wound down his work with networks like TNT Sports (previously BT Sport) and the BBC in recent years, he has been slowly shifting his focus to his own Goalhanger Podcasts company, which includes several popular audio formats under The Rest Is… brand, including his own flagship The Rest Is Football show.
He goes on to add that he’s “stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all my life.” Since the most recent Israel-Palestine conflicts began, he’s been particularly outspoken on the events. One recent interview with the BBC itself sparked plenty of discussion online.
Gary Lineker, "What's going on there (Gaza), the mass murder of thousands of children is something we should have an opinion on"
Amol Rajan, "The BBC needs to be impartial about it"
Lineker reiterated that he would never “knowingly share anything antisemitic” and removed the problematic post as soon as he was made aware.
Nevertheless, the BBC and director general Tim Davie have been facing pressure to address the situation ever since it happened, with many calling for the household name to be sacked.
It seems the ex-Everton, Leicester, Spurs and Barcelona player has made the decision for them.
As he goes on to conclude, despite expressing gratitude regarding his relationship with the BBC, he feels the “time is right […’ to go our separate ways.”
An outdoor cinema is screening a Wicked sing-a-long this autumn
Thomas Melia
There’s an outdoor cinema screening a sing-along version of the global phenomenon Wicked later this year near just outside of Greater Manchester.
Arley Hall, in Cheshire, is hosting a very special screening of one of the biggest films of 2024, Wicked, where guests will be allowed to sing along during the film.
This one-off event will come as a relief to some fans of the movie-musical, as back when it was released, one attending was encouraged not to sing along as it may disrupt the film itself.
With a musical stacked with hits like ‘Popular’, ‘Dancing Through Life’ and obviously the huge number that is ‘Defying Gravity’, how could you not take a moment to test out the vocal cords?
Maybe we’ll see some mini Elphabas and Glindas showing up at the Wicked sing-a-long, Arley Hall.Sit back, relax, and defy some gravity.
Now, Arley Hall has teamed up with events and entertainment company Adventure Cinema for an outdoor experience that promises to be a fantastic, family-friendly day out watching Elphaba and Glinda on the big screen.
There are various ticket options available for this Wicked sing-along showing, which are all priced under a reasonable £30 range.
The standard ticket, which requires you to bring your own camping chair or blanket, is only £17.37, while the premium ticket (including a premium deck chair and prime position) costs £25.21.
Throughout the weekend, Adventure Cinema are making themselves comfy in Arley Hall‘s grounds, as they are set to play some huge movie titles and host even more wonderful events.
For instance, there will be an ‘Outdoor Cinema ExtrABBAganza’ courtesy of Mamma Mia!, a double-whammy thanks to ‘The Gruffalo’ and ‘The Stick Man’ playing back to back as well as ‘Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration’ and ‘Pretty Woman’ too.
There’s an ExtrABBAganza coming to Arley Hall the same weekend.Just you, your blanket and a crowd of Wicked fans ready to sing their hearts out.
While we wait eagerly for the second part of the Wickedmovie-musicaladaptation, why not let yourself loose and see if you can out-sing the witches of Oz – Think I’ll leave the singing to Cynthia and Ariana.
The movie-musical became one of the backbones of pop culture in 2024, generating various quoted phrases and viral moments, including the unforgettable ‘Holding Space’ meme alongside many others.
Anyone looking to attend the Wicked sing-along at Arley Hall on Friday, 19 September from 6pm to 10:15pm can find all ticket prices and more information HERE.
Danny Jones -
28th September 2024 
