British podcasting pair Jordan North and William Hanson are bringing their beloved comedy podcast, Help I Sexted My Boss, to one of the biggest venues in Manchester.
That’s right, the unlikely but undeniably funny duo are bringing their smash hit pod and YouTube show on the road once again in 2026, after a slate of successful shows last year at the likes of the legendary London Palladium.
Burnley-born North and near-Bristol native Hanson have emerged as a somewhat surprising, albeit almost perfect, double act over the last few years, becoming one of the most popular podcasts in the UK and regularly breaking into the top 100 on the comedy charts.
After plenty of demand for more live shows following the 2024 shows, Help I Sexted My Boss is going on tour once again this coming March.
Confirming just a small handful of UK dates, these are nevertheless their biggest gigs yet, with the team booking some of the biggest arenas in Britain.
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In addition to the legendary AO Arena here in Manchester, they’ll also be heading to Wembley, Glasgow and Cardiff – but you already know we Mancs will bring the best crowd.
Announcing details online, the official Sexted My Boss account wrote: “Oh yes, we’re going on tour. Join William Hanson and Jordan North as they bring their hit comedy podcast to arenas across the UK…
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“Experience what happens when William and Jordan’s wildly different worlds collide, as they take on the hilarious challenges of modern life live on stage. Expect laugh-out-loud stories, brutally honest moments and lots of surprises.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve listened from day one, you’re new to the podcast, or you’re being dragged along, everyone’s welcome!”
Now, if you’ve never heard this modern take on the classic ‘agony aunt’ fan correspondence format, we don’t think there’s a single clip that sums up this nonsense better than this one…
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Be warned, this is a very NSFW listen.
Commenting underneath the post, long-time collaborator and fellow radio hosting peer Siân Welby said, “Seriously, one of the best nights out you can have! Podcast meets panto meets Bongo’s Bingo!”
Pre-sale tickets for Help I Sexted By Boss in Manchester will arrive first for official Three Mobile customers on Wednesday, 24 September, the AO Arena’s own early access window opening the following Thursday – both of which will go live from 10am.
General admission will then be available from the same time on Friday, 26 September. You can get ready to grab yours HERE.
There are plenty of laughs coming to the AO over the next 12 months.
Manchester institution ‘a little emotional’ after receiving a visit from rock icon Hayley Williams
Daisy Jackson
Rock icon Hayley Williams has been spotted shopping at Manchester institution Afflecks.
The legendary independent retail emporium said it was ‘feeling a little emotional’ after its halls were graced with rock royalty.
And not only did the Paramore frontwoman and acclaimed solo singer-songwriter come for a browse, she even gave Afflecks a shout-out on stage later that night.
Hayley Williams headlined two solo shows at Manchester Academy on Monday and Tuesday this week.
The shows are in support of her third studio album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.
And despite being known globally as one of music’s best lead vocalists, this is actually Hayley Williams’ first solo tour (her previous dates were cancelled because of Covid).
While on stage in front of fans last night, she said: “I’ve learnt some Mancunian, and I’ve been to Afflecks!”
It sounds like she’s as lovely as she is legendary, with Afflecks saying that the star hung around to chat and take photos.
Sharing photos of the star inside the building, Afflecks wrote: “So a very special visitor stopped by Afflecks yesterday…
“A huge thank you to Hayley Williams for taking the time to visit us, say hello, and pose for a photo. She was so super lovely, kind, and welcoming, and to top it all off she even gave Afflecks a shout-out during last night’s show.
“Safe to say we’re feeling a little emotional about it. Thank you again Hayley for supporting Manchester’s small businesses.”
Prestigious Edinburgh TV Festival to move to Manchester for first time in 50 years
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester will become the new host city for the TV Festival from 2027 onwards it was announced today.
For the first time in five decades, following an extensive consultation and competitive bidding process – which was launched in 2025 – the prestigious festival is set to move from its home in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh to our region from 2027 onwards, beating out other major northern cities like Newcastle in the process.
As part of a UK-wide strategic review into the event’s long-term future, the Festival’s board of directors say the review was undertaken in order to ‘examine how the TV Festival could continue to grow’ amid increasing challenges around accessibility, affordability, and sustainability across the television industry.
Greater Manchester‘s ‘successful and comprehensive’ bid included commitments around affordability, infrastructure, industry partnership, and long-term growth potential.
Plans include holding the Festival in locations in the newly developed St. John’s creative and cultural district.
“Greater Manchester presented a vision for the Festival that combined genuine creative ambition and future-facing energy with practical accessibility and affordability for delegates,” commented Campbell Glennie, who is the CEO of the TV Festival and The TV Foundation.
“This means we can radically reduce the costs associated with attending the Festival as well as the cost of passes.
“The city reflects the expanding ambition of the UK television industry, while still offering the scale, connectivity and unique cultural identity needed for an event of this significance – it gives us the strongest platform to grow the Festival’s reach and impact in the years ahead.”
Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council, said being chosen as TV Festival hosts is ‘brilliant news’ for Greater Manchester, adding: “It speaks to the growth, success and strength of our screen sector in the city region and the strong partnerships and talent we have here.”
The final Edinburgh edition of the TV Festival will take place this August, and dates and further details for the TV Festival in 2027 will be shared later this year.