Us Mancunians are a famously proud bunch and we always back our own whenever we hear tell of a local doing something important or noteworthy, and that moment when you find out a celebrity you’re a fan of is from Manchester never gets old.
We recently put out a question post on our socials asking people which celebrities they were surprised to learn were either born and/or raised in Greater Manchester. We must admit, there were plenty named in the comments that we had no idea about either.
It also surprised us to see how many famous faces we already knew as Mancs were completely brand new information to others, so it only made sense to round a few of them up.
This is by no means an exhaustive list and some of you might already know a lot of these but for the sake of those who don’t, here are a bunch of celebrities that you may not realise are from around these parts.
15 celebs you didn’t realise were Mancs
1. Martin Lewis
Credit: Good Morning Britain (screenshot via ITV)
Kicking us off, we were genuinely surprised to learn that none other than the ‘Money Saving Expert’ himself Martin Lewis is in fact from Manchester.
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He may have been raised in the village of Norley near Delamere Forest, Cheshire but the 52-year-old journalist, researcher and presenter started out life close by.
Born in Withington Hospital in 1972, the economist has gone on to give financial advice to millions around the UK. Nice one for that by the way, mate.
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2. John Mahoney
The name Charles John Mahoney might not mean much to most Brits but if you ever watched the US sitcom Frasier (the Cheers spin-off) and were a particular fan of the lead character’s dad, Martin Crane, you’ll pleased to know that he’s also a Manc.
He was born in Blackpool where his family evacuated to during WWII but it all started right here in Greater Manchester, spending much of his youth in 0161 after his parents moved back there and he even went on to buy a home in Stockport in later life.
He sadly passed away back in 2018 at the age of 77 but he was a regular early morning and evening face on Channel 4 for years; the lovable and amusing TV dad during many people’s childhoods. His co-star Jane Leeves (Daphne Moon) is also from Manchester as it happens, so consider this a twofer.
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Farewell to John Mahoney, who has sadly passed away, aged 77. Goodnight Seattle, and thanks for all the laughs. pic.twitter.com/nykbU9JASh
Next up is a genuine Hollywood-level star: Olivia Cooke, of Ready Player One, Bates Motel and most currently House of the Dragon fame.
In fact, when the series first started and junkets to promote the show came out, people were surprised to hear her real-life accent wasn’t quite as neutral/RP as her character’s and that a Mancunian had somehow found herself in Westeros.
Common knowledge to a certain generation perhaps, but in case you didn’t know, Simply Red is a simple Manc called Mick Hucknall, a.k.a. the original ginger singer before that Ed Sheeran fella.
While Simply Red is technically the name of the soul and pop band, it was always about frontman and fellow local Mick, who was most popular during the 1980s and 90s but is still performing all over the globe to this day.
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Best-known for tracks like ‘Holding Back the Years’, ‘If You Don’t Know Me by Now’ and ‘Sunrise’ (which you can hear down below), he was born just down the road at Saint Mary’s Hospital back in 1960 and even opened Castlefield’s Barca bar back in 1996 before selling in it 2010. Cheers, Mick.
‘Fairground’ is also a banger.
5. Ian McKellen
Yes, we’re ashamed to admit that it wasn’t until late that we learned that SIR Ian McKellen has roots in Greater Manchester too. You’re damn right we’re adopting him as one of our own given the chance, he’s bloody Gandalf!
From Burnley originally, the legendary British actor and ultimate thespian actually grew up in Wigan during the war and was also part of the Bolton School Boys’ Division from 1951 to 1958.
His super well-spoken voice is singular, there’s no doubt about that, but there’s a bit of Manc twang and Northern gruff buried somewhere in there – though it’s not that aspect of the region that he feels most connected to. We challenge you not to well up with happy tears when you listen to this wholesomeness:
6. Claire Foy
From one actor to another, we’d say Claire Foy is one of Britain’s very best acting talents around and she also happens to be a Greater Manchester native too.
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Hailing from Stockport (don’t start all the Cheshire nonsense again), the 40-year-old First Man, All of Us Strangers, The Crown and The Girl in the Spider’s Web star was born at Stepping Hill like most locals but also spent time growing up in other parts of Manchester and Leeds too.
A very talented lady indeed.
Credit: Netflix
7. Ross Brawn
Moving over to sport for a spell, we only recently discovered that Ross James Brawn OBE – yes as in the old Formula 1 team – is a Manc too.
Born in Ashton-under-Lyne, he’s the first Tameside representative on our list and there’s something very surreal about learning that F1’s ex-managing director also probably went to the Hyde swimming baths when he was a nipper.
We don’t know whether they had the wave machine back then but let’s just say he’s gone on to lead a pretty full life even without them.
Switching to a slightly different discipline now, it seems to be a little-known fact that England hero Geoff Hurst is also from Ashton, perhaps because he left the area when he was just six.
Maybe it’s also because we also tend to limit any Manc links to that legendary 1966 World Cup-winning team to the late Sir Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles but, in fact, the man who scored that iconic hat trick in the final against Germany is from around these parts.
He may have spent the bulk of his career down south at West Ham, making over 400 appearances and scoring 180 goals, but his first days of kicking a ball were on Manc cobbles.
One of the greatest moments in football history, courtesy of a Manc.
9. Lee Dixon
From one famous sporting son to another, it seems to be a bit of a running oversight among many footballers who made their name playing for a London club; sometimes it’s easy to forget they weren’t always based in the capital.
Now, while we’ve always definitely known Lee Dixon was from the North given his accent, we could never quite place where exactly in the region – it’s Greater Manchester, as it turns out.
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That’s right, the Arsenal legend might have been the bane of many local football fans’ existence back in his heyday but, as plenty more may know, his dad Roy Dixon was a goalkeeper for Man City in the 1950s and the long-retired centre-back grew up as a boyhood Blue standing on the Kippax.
🏴 Lee Dixon: I remember my first North London Derby game, and Tony Adams literally had me up against the wall by the throat, and it was like ‘You don’t understand. We can’t lose this game!’ ⚪️🔴 pic.twitter.com/so68xydrJb
Once again, those of you who have been around a bit longer than others might not be caught as off guard but not everyone will be aware that legendary broadcaster Judith Chalmers is another famous British celebrity from Manchester.
The long-retired TV host known for the documentary series Wish You Were Here…? is another secret Stopfordian whose eloquent presenting voice meant that any hint of a Northern accent was long hidden and done so very well indeed.
Let’s just say she very much gave old Cheshire village vibes rather than Edgeley.
Another one on our list that often seems to go unnoticed is one of the most well-respected DJs in the UK, Carl Cox.
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Born in Oldham back in 1962, the DJ, MC and producer is an absolute Ibiza icon and has more than two dozen awards within the industry over the years.
Now based in Australia and having even turned a love of his racing into his own motorsports team, he’s lived quite the life.
Milan as always it was an absolute pleasure!! Big thank you to all the party people who joined me at @AlcatrazMilano last night, it was one to remember. Now it’s onto Istanbul, let’s go!! 😎🖤 pic.twitter.com/G8mOAxPsIi
Next up is one that people always raise their eyebrows over when we bring it up. Admittedly, he was born in Germany and has Irish heritage but we will always be proud to call Merry Brandybuck himself one of our own.
For those of you who aren’t Lord of the Rings nerds like us, Dominic Monaghan played the lovable hobbit in one of the most successful films of all time and while he may not have always been here, the recognisable actor spent some of his most formative years as a Manc.
Yet another name on this list of Greater Manchester celebrities tied to Stockport, he moved to the area when he was just 11 and even went on to study at St Aquinas College before making it big in Hollywood as a young man. So there you have it: there’s a hobbit from SK.
Another local actor that we’ve really enjoyed people stumbling across over the past few years is Benedict Wong, who we still remember from that incredible cameo in The IT Crowd but who is now best known for his Marvel character of the same last name.
Yes, the MCU version of Wong in the Doctor Strange and Avengers movies was born in the humble market town of Eccles and has gone on to be in the biggest film franchise of all time, not to mention the likes of 3 Body Problem, The Martian and more.
If you know any superhero fans who might not be aware of where Wong is from, just play this endearing clip of him on Jimmy Fallon, in which he sounds just like any other Manc you grew up around:
The one we always enjoy bringing up when discussing famous celebrities from Manchester.
14. John Motson
The penultimate name on our list of celebrities you may or may not know are from Manchester is one whose voice you’ll know much better than his face, but he’s nevertheless a broadcasting legend.
When we think of footballing voices, there are exactly three names that come to mind before any other: Clive Tyldesley, Martin Tyler and John Motson.
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The Salfordian commentator sadly passed away in February 2023 but, for generations, he was the soundtrack to their earlier memories of the beautiful game. Proud to have called him one of our own.
Last but not least, it would be weird to overlook arguably one of the most important Manchester celebrities not just in local but national heritage, although he’s less of a celeb in truth and more just a very important historical figure.
Yes, the UK’s Prime Minister for the final two years of WWI Lloyd George was born in Chorlton-on-Medlock and went on to be one of the most influential British politicians ever before retiring to Wales.
A member of the then Liberal Party and the last to ever be voted PM, he oversaw the end of The Great War and was one of the signatures of the Treaty of Versailles. Hard to imagine someone from Manchester being in that room but it’s true.
He helped free the world.He even features on the famous faces wall in Levenshulme.Credit: Library of Congress/Gerald England (via Geograph)
Honourable mention…
The Bee Gees
Oh, go on then, one more…
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We couldn’t rightly compile this list of Manchester celebrities without recognizing the very cool fact that The Bee Gees got their start right here in Manchester – also from Chorlton.
All three Gibb brothers, Barry, Robin and Maurice, were born in the Isle of Man and eventually moved to Australia, but they formed their original band The Rattlesnakes whilst living in the Manchester suburb and even played their first gig together at the old Gaumont Cinema in 1957. Amazing bit of trivia, right?
All the artists performing at the BRIT Awards 2026 in Manchester – so far
Daisy Jackson
The BRIT Awards 2026 are right around the corner, and will be taking place in Manchester for the first time – but who will be performing?
The huge music awards have been drip-feeding us announcements all year so far ahead of the actual BRITs on Saturday, 28 February.
With seven names announced to date, it’s already shaping up to be one of the biggest events Manchester has ever seen.
From the world’s biggest pop stars to a producer who’s worked with the biggest names on the planet, the BRIT Awards have called upon some serious stars who’ll be performing for the audience here in Manchester.
Here are all the names that have been announced so far.
Who’s performing at the 2026 BRIT Awards in Manchester?
1. Harry Styles
Harry Styles will be performing at the BRITs in Manchester (Credit: Johnny Dufort)
Harry Styles will finally be performing at the Co-op Live – a venue he’s a major investor in – for the first time this year, thanks to the BRIT Awards.
The megastar will be performing his new single, ‘Aperture’, which has broken a years-long drought of new music from the former One Direction singer.
And given that his upcoming UK tour dates are exclusively in London, this will be a rare chance to see him on home turf… barring the BRAND NEW ‘intimate’ show announcement here in Manchester.
The first name to be announced as performing at the BRIT Awards was solo singer-songwriting superstar of the moment, Olivia Dean.
Olivia Dean has also been announced as a performer for the BRITs (Credit: Jack Davison)
She’ll be taking to the stage at the Co-op Live as a Grammy Award-winner too, having taken home the Best New Artist trophy last week.
Olivia Dean has also announced an unbelievably intimate show in Manchester, too, as part of the wider BRITs Week for War Child concert series, performing at the Albert Hall.
3. Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice are performing at the Brit Awards 2026 (Credit: Press shot)
Wolf Alice – one of the UK’s most celebrated bands – will be performing at this year’s BRITs, hot off the back of their own headline arena tour, which received serious praise across the board.
The group are nominated for three awards this year – ‘Group of the Year’, ‘Alternative/Rock Act’, AND ‘Mastercard Album of the Year’ for their fourth studio LP, The Clearing.
This will be the first time they’ve performed at the Co-op Live, joining the biggest names in the industry for the BRIT Awards 2026.
4. Mark Ronson
Outstanding Contribution To Music winner Mark Ronson (Credit: Supplied)
One of the greatest producers of a generation will be getting a double-whammy at the BRIT Awards 2026 – both a slot to perform, AND the highly coveted ‘Outstanding Contribution To Music’ award.
Mark Ronson has created some of the world’s biggest hits with other top artists, including ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars, ‘Shallow’ with Lady Gaga, and ‘Back to Black’ with Amy Winehouse. He already has two BRIT Awards and nine Grammys – and now he can add a lifetime achievement to that trophy cabinet.
Ronson said: “This is the most meaningful honour of my career. I think of the times I’ve watched artists I revere accept this same award. The idea that I’m now standing in that lineage feels impossible.
“I left England as a kid, but this country runs through everything I’ve made. The UK artists I’ve worked with—their brilliance and refusal to compromise—shaped not just my work but how I understand what music should do. And more than anything, it’s the crowds here who’ve sustained and shown up for me.
“The fans, the festival crowds, the record buyers and streamers—the love has always been overwhelming. I’m beyond grateful for all of it.”
5. Rosalía
Credit: Publicity pictures
As for the most recent name added to the BRIT Awards’ live music lineup for 2026, that goes to Spanish-speaking and multi-lingual pop superstar, Rosalía, who also just so happened to deliver one of our favourite albums of the year this past November.
The Lux singer, still just 33, has seen an incredible rise over the last few years and is understandably huge in Latin American and other Hispanic countries, but her presence continues to grow worldwide, so securing her for a mini Manchester gig at the upcoming ceremony is another real coup for the BPI.
With this being her BRITs debut following a number one record that saw her speak in 14 different languages, this genre-bending solo artist’s performance will be one watched all over the planet.
This was back in 2019, and she’s only got bigger since then.
6. KPop Demon Hunters – yes, the real ones
Golden by HUNTR/X is going up up up!
The original song from KPop Demon Hunters by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI has officially hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global Charts. pic.twitter.com/b3xZSZhQfh
In arguably one of the coolest names on the lineup of BRITs performers, singers EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI – a.k.a. the real voices of fictional girl group ‘HUNTR/X’ from Netflix’s global phenomenon, KPop Demon Hunters – have now been confirmed for a very special performance.
This will be a first for the smash-hit animated movie and musical released last August, and it’s not anything like the annual awards ceremony has seen before, either.
Even if you haven’t seen the feature film for yourself, we can promise you’ll have at least heard that one track which has been nominated for ‘International Song of the Year’ – or even if not, you’ll definitely find your toe-tapping along as you watch from home.
Reacting to being added to the roster, the group of vocalists said,“We are beyond thrilled to be nominated for 2 BRIT awards this year, celebrating the music of KPOP DEMON HUNTERS! We can’t wait to bring a special performance to Manchester. See you soon, UK Fans!”
As if half a dozen names weren’t enough already, another one of 2025’s breakout stars has also been called up to the stage.
Rising pop artist Alex Warren will also be performing in the flesh this month, bringing his folk-influenced solo material to Manc crowds for the very first time.
He was a big success at both the most recent Hits Radio Live and Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball back in December, with the Californian already amassing a strong transatlantic following.
Alex said of the honour: “The UK is where ‘Ordinary’ first broke and changed my life last year. I am so grateful for all the love from my fans there, and I can’t wait to bring a big performance to the BRITs’ stage for the very first time.”
8. SOMBR
SOMBR is the latest artist announced to be performing at the BRITs in Manchester. (Credit: Supplied)
One of the world’s most talked-about new artists – and the man behind the summer’s biggest and catchiest hits – is next up to perform at the BRITs 2026 in Manchester.
SOMBR, a.k.a Shane Boose, is nominated for two BRIT Awards this year, for International Artist of the Year and for International Song of the Year with his hit ‘Undressed’.
His smash single ‘Back to Friends’ topped Spotify’s global and US charts last year, leading to sold-out headline tours in the US, Europe and Australia.
SOMBR said: “I’m so honoured to be performing at the iconic BRIT Awards. I am so thankful to everyone who has supported me this past year. I love the UK and all the British people, it’s my second home!”
9. RAYE
SHE'S BACK 🤩 we're thrilled for @raye to return to The BRIT Awards 2026 stage this weekend 💋
don't miss her performance this Saturday 28th February on ITV1 & ITVX in the UK at 8:15PM and on YouTube globally at 8:45PM GMT pic.twitter.com/yzoyVMgaR3
Announced just days before the actual awards night getting underway, the one and only RAYE has also been confirmed as having now joined the BRITs live music lineup for 2026.
We’ve only just got over seeing her in the flesh after what feels like literally yesterday at Co-op Live already, but now – fresh off two fantastic nights and five-star reviewed shows across the board – soulful solo star is returning to the arena for another go around the block.
Commenting on making a quick comeback, the multi-award-winning artist said: “We are so grateful to the BRIT Awards for having us back on their stage. Me and the band are very excited.”
Honestly, even if we get a little taste of the show she put on earlier this month, we’re in for an absolute treat and then some…
Gosh, we really are being spoiled, aren’t we?
Oh, and if you haven’t heard about all of the incredible acts coming to town for BRITs Week ’26 (as mentioned previously with Ms Dean), you’re about to scream your heads off even more.
Interview | Chatting with the Manchester-based visual artist for the 2026 BRIT Awards
Danny Jones
BRITs Week 2026 is well and truly underway, and with the annual awards ceremony set to finally land in Manchester this week – the debut being just one of at least two years of the event in our part of the country – the city is teeming with art, music, colour and so much energy.
One of those people responsible for all that buzz is locally-based visual artist, Alex Giles. He’s been commissioned by Universal Music to create bespoke artwork to appear across their events during BRITs Week, including their exclusive artist showcase, BRIT Awards after-party and the invitations.
From creating some of the first-ever digital adaptations of his work to preparing himself for seeing a glorious physical re-creation in the form of a VERY big sculpture.
With the partnered War Child charity gigs now well underway across the UK, and people already planning their days before arrival at the arena, we spoke to Alex about what has been nothing short of a whirlwind few months for him.
Straight off the bat, how did the sort of project come around?
So I was working on an installation project in Ibiza for a private client, and you know, there’s no sort of union for artists, so we have to sort of create our own contacts and our own bonds.
I feel very grateful to have a lovely network of people like that, mainly through Instagram. Anyway, I was chatting to someone that I’ve become good pals with, an artist called Matt Dosa, who actually did the artwork in a similar context a couple of years ago.
Essentially, they asked if I could put together a sort of deck of my work and some initial ideas, and then out of the blue, I got the call back saying, “Yeah, we’d love you to jump on board and produce something for us.” It all happened really quickly and unexpectedly.
What a rush that must have been!What’s it like be wrapped up in the BRITs buzz since?
Yeah, but that’s often the way with artistic opportunities: something comes from nowhere. The initial race was to get the design sorted, so that was where all of the focus went to start with – which is a fairly familiar world for me – but this week it’s got even more surreal.
You know, I can immerse myself in a task and think about just that alone, but now it’s got to this stage, I’ve got this continuous low-level kind of… Well, I don’t know whether it’s anxiety, excitement, or just a bit of butterflies, but there’s definitely something going on, haha.
One of the main things I’m really excited about is just seeing my work displayed in so many different ways that I wouldn’t normally do; I’m a two-dimensional artist, I make paintings, so seeing it come to life in 3D, graphic packages and in various digital formats is really exciting.
Yeah, so for those yet to see any of it, what exactly can you tell us about the project and how it’s going to take shape in different forms?
The idea was that Universal Music Group [UMG] wanted to ask an artist to create something that is their visual presence throughout Manchester for the BRITs.
So it needed to be something that was instantly recognisable, something that could be repeated, something with a bit of pattern to it so it can be scaled, but then also something instantly kind of recognisable, and the word that was used a lot at the very beginning was iconic.
It had to be quite clear; there was a lot of back and forth, and I think at first I was maybe complicating things or overthinking things, as you can imagine for something this big, but eventually we started to refine it, and we got something really nice out of it.
Probably the most exciting thing is that there’s going to be a huge eight-foot sculpture of it [the core design] being made to go in the foyer of the Kimpton Hotel. There are flags, there’s loads of printed graphics, you know, little details like beer coasters and menus – it’s just going to be everywhere.
Incredible, and obviously, you’ve lived in Manchester for a long time now, so how special does it feel to play a part in such a big moment for the city?
You know, I’ve been here for 17 years, and it’s a special place that’s deserving of it. I’ve worked in the creative industries for nearly two decades now, and we’re very proud of what we do up here.
I work in the film industry as well, and there’s always a bit of a groan amongst Manchester crew when, you know, a load of people come up from London to do a job instead of hiring Mancunians, but any myths about the North are always dispelled quite quickly.
Yeah, no one can question our work ethic. What is it about Greater Manchester that inspires you?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. Inspiration for me is like through osmosis: it’s a gradual thing, and it sort of steadily shapes who I am and my creative output.
I can’t just pinpoint any one specific thing about Manchester, but it’s a place that has had a profound effect on who I am, what I like, and what I like doing. I’ve enjoyed the fruits of Manchester to the full – probably a little bit too hard at times, hence these dark circles under my eyes!
Ha, glad to hear it. What about that ‘music being universal’ brief – how do you go about being referential in your work, or do you create it for yourself and just hope it connects with others?
That’s a really nice question, actually. So the audience always starts with me; I feel like if I’m producing something that I like, then hopefully others will also like it. It can be tricky at times NOT to try and second-guess what your audience might like. I think a lot of artists do that in all disciplines.
But yeah, I have to be quite strict now, and make what feels right to me, because if I like it, then I can talk about it and present it with pride. I think with that, it will eventually find its own audience.
Love that – now, I know it’s a hard question, but if you had to sum the visual style of this work in just three words, what would they be?
Oh, come on, haha! Erm… OK, well I’m going start with that word that kicked it all off: iconic. I’m going to put the word ‘fruity’ in the middle – you know it’s bright and juicy – and I’m going to say the word accessible to finish it off.
Iconic, fruity, and accessible – I was never guessing that one, haha. As for the night itself, which famous faces are going to make you double-take?
Well, I know Pulp are up for an award, and so I’m from the era of, you know: being glued to the Brits and, you know, the whole Michael Jackson-Jarvis Cocker saga, etc. I think that’s a pretty iconic moment in British history, so I’d love Pulp to because I think Jarvis has always got something very interesting to say.
For sure, and how do you think the spectacle of the BRIT Awards has changed over the years?
I think the shape of performance has changed a lot in the last decade. People really put on big shows, don’t they? Like it’s not it’s no longer just, you know, a backdrop with the band name on it, it’s pyrotechnics, dancers, massive visual effects, and so much more.
Last but not least, which of those big performances from that unreal lineup are you most looking forward to seeing?
I think, deservedly, up for an Achievement Award: Mark Ronson. I think that’s going to be great, and I’m looking forward to seeing Wolf Alice, too.
It’s not necessarily the kind of gig that I would go to, to be honest – I love electronic and a lot of older music a lot – but I’ve actually got tickets to see Mogwai on Friday as well, so it’s set up to be a very energetic weekend.
It was a pleasure chatting with Alex, and we definitely caught the extra tailwind of his enthusiasm, as if we weren’t buzzing enough already.
Like the man himself, a few members of our Audio North team will be at the 2026 BRIT Awards themselves, and we can’t wait to see all the glitz and glamour in the flesh.
Stay tuned to our socials over on Instagram, as well as our usual The Manc pages, to make sure you don’t miss a second of the coverage.
Happy BRITs Week, and for those of you going to Co-op Live on the night, soak it all in!
What a busy week we've got – board game festivals, new foodie openings… oh, and The @BRITs comes to our city this weekend for the first time ever too. 🎶🐝🏆
Danny Jones -
18th October 2024 
