TV & Showbiz

A release date for the Freddie Flintoff documentary has been confirmed

It's sure to be an emotional watch.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 11th April 2025

The release date for the upcoming Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff documentary has been revealed, and it’s coming a lot sooner than many expected.

Simply entitled Flintoff, the documentary has been highly anticipated among UK audiences, especially given events in recent years.

Landing on Disney+ only, the film will follow his glittering cricket career as well as his return to the sport and the public after a life-altering car crash whilst filming Top Gear in 2022.

Much to our surprise, it’s all ready to go and is dropping next month.

The Disney+ doc will run for approximately 90 minutes and follow on from his recent BBC series, Freddie Flintoff‘s Field of Dreams, which saw him start to open up about the difficult period and recovery publicly for the first time.

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An eye-opening and candid show in its own right alongside the inspiring story of a teen cricket team being coached by the Lancashire and England legend, he won even more hearts when the second season launched last August.

It’s no surprise that there is a third instalment on its way next year.

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It’s also worth noting that this isn’t the first time he’s been the subject of his own documentary, as the 47-year-old also released a BBC One called Freddie Flintoff: Living with Bulimia, charting his personal struggles with the eating disorder and mental health even prior to the trauma of his crash.

You can see a snippet of the one-off show down below.

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The Preston-born all-rounder has confessed he still suffers from PTSD following the incident, detailing struggles with anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks of the crash, insisting that it “changed my life forever.”

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All that being said, we’re glad to see that he’s continued to overcome numerous obstacles and remains an extremely funny and personable figure, as well as an eternal icon of British sport that so many admire.

As for Disney’s Flintoff film, the documentary will be available exclusively on the streaming platform in the UK and Ireland from Friday, April 25.

We will most certainly be watching.

Freddie Flintoff opens up on ‘anxiety and nightmares’ after Top Gear crash

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Featured Images — Disney+/Gareth Williams (via Flickr)

TV & Showbiz

The first-ever Gladiators Live Tour is coming to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones The Gladiators Live Tour Manchester AO Arena tickets

Gladiators, ready! Mancs, ready? We certainly hope so because the first-ever ‘Gladiators Live Tour’ is setting across the UK and is coming to Manchester.

When we first heard that the beloved British version of the hit TV show (which first ran here in the UK for eight seasons between 1992 and 2000) was coming back, we were buzzing, and now we’ve heard it’s coming to us live and in person, we’re about ready to fight you with big pugil sticks over a seat.

Since returning in 2024 and the second series beginning at the start of this year on BBC One and Player, with a third season set for January 2026, Gladiators has recaptured imaginations across the country, bringing in both new viewers and those who remember the original back to the screen.

We’ve always wondered what it would be like to take part – not that we’d stand a chance, mind you – but we suppose seeing the Gladiators in action live right here in Manchester is the next best thing.

Set to deliver an action-packed experience, the global debut of the Gladiators Live Tour is ready to drop a superhero landing in the heart of Manchester city centre at none other than the legendary AO Arena.

Promising a thrilling two-hour watch featuring fan-favourite events and, of course, an ultimate Eliminator, the live Gladiators experience has all the charm of the much-loved TV show with the added excitement of different twists each night.

There are a pair of dates in Manchester, as well as two events a pieces available in Liverpool, London and Birmingham, with the AO matinee shows spread across a weekend this autumn.

It goes without saying that the fast-paced and fun-for-all-ages spectacle will see some serious athleticism and stunts, as well as purpose-built sets and state-of-the-art lighting in order to bring the gladiatorial battleground truly to life in front of your very eyes.

We may have just missed out on the latest recruitment drive, but we can guarantee you’ll find us out there in the audience.

Gladiators The Live Tour comes to Manchester on 22 and 23 November 2025, and you have two chances to access pre-sale: first through the AO Arena itself from 10am on Tuesday, 15 April and then again the following day if you’re a Three Mobile member.

As for general admission, tickets go live at 10am on Thursday, 17 April and trust us, these things will go faster than a round of ‘Unleashed’.

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

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Featured Images — Supplied

TV & Showbiz

Respects paid to late frontman of Happy Mondays tribute act as Shaun Ryder joins tributes

Danny Jones Danny Jones Marc James Watmough Happy Mondaze frontman tributes dead

Tributes are being paid to the late Marc James Watmough, frontman of the much-loved Happy Mondays tribute band, Happy Mondaze, who sadly passed away earlier this month.

In terms of tribute acts, you won’t find many as adored as the Happy Mondaze, and with that, the news of Marc James Watmough’s death has hit Manc music fans and avid ‘Madchester’ die-hards, specifically, rather hard.

Watmough was the lead singer who played the role of Shaun Ryder for more than a decade as part of the Mondaze – the number one Happy Mondays tribute band in the world – as well as being involved in other musical projects over the years.

His bandmates shared the following statement below on Tuesday, 8 April.

Speaking on social media, the real Shaun Ryder himself joined the procession of tributes online, writing simply: “RIP Marc James Watmough of Happy Mondaze. Sending condolences to Marc’s bandmates and loved ones.”

He is said to have died suddenly last week; the cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

Fellow tribute artist Laid (who double as another iconic local band, James) said: “Really sad to hear this. God bless you all. Nothing But Love.”

Music event production company M35 Live went on to add: “Rest In Peace Marc. Gutted to hear this sad news. Remember when I first met Marc with his band New Antics many years ago pre-Mondaze. He was a star. We hit it off straight away – I booked his band New Antics and we became pals.

“Always a pleasure to work with, both with New Antics and later with Happy Mondaze. I recall clearly the day he phoned me, telling me he was putting together a Happy Mondays tribute group and he’d love me to be involved, management or whatever. I didn’t – had too much on at the time but wished him luck…

“He was fired up for it – he hadn’t even got the band together at this stage, but he said he was already working on taking it on tour all over the UK and beyond. Well, Marc – you did it ‘r kid – smashed it. There was never any doubt. God bless you pal.” They shared an even lengthier tribute on their own page.

Several other tribute bands have paid tribute to the talented vocalist and charismatic performer, serving as yet more proof that this particular corner of the music world is a close-knit community that means a lot to those who make a living from it and the thousands who watch them every year.

Our thoughts go out to all of his friends and family during this difficult time.

Rest in Peace.

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Featured Images — Happy Mondaze (via Instagram)

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