TV & Showbiz

Holly Willoughby’s statement in full as presenter QUITS This Morning after 14 years

Oh this is sad news.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 10th October 2023

Holly Willoughby has quit This Morning after more than 14 years presenting the show.

The 42-year-old star has been off air for much of the last week after an alleged kidnapping and murder plot came to light.

And now she has confirmed that she won’t be returning to the award-winning ITV show, saying she has taken the decision ‘for me and my family’.

Holly’s heartfelt statement shared this afternoon thanked all the viewers of This Morning, as well as the crew who work on the show and the guests who have joined her on the sofa over the last 14 years.

A man was charged earlier this week with soliciting to commit murder over an alleged plot to kidnap the TV presenter.

It’s been reported that the mum-of-three has been under police protection at her home.

Holly’s statement announcing her departure from This Morning is the first time she has spoken publicly since the alleged kidnapping plot.

Holly Willoughby was perhaps best-known for co-presenting This Morning with Philip Schofield, who also quit the programme earlier this year.

Holly Willoughby’s statement as she quits This Morning

I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.

To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you.

Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You’ve been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day.

Richard and Judy said ‘we only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers’. It’s been an honour to just be part of it’s story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however. I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family.

I will miss you all so much.

Holly.

Featured image: Instagram, @hollywilloughby

TV & Showbiz

The first-ever Horrible Histories live concert is coming to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Horrible Histories live concert Manchester tickets

Any fans of childhood favourite Horrible Histories in the house? Well, you might want to pay attention because the iconic kids’ show is bringing its first-ever live concert to Manchester.

The beloved educational comedy by CBBC was, for many of us, the first time we showed a proper interest in history, and we’ll confess, we still go back and comfort-watch it from time to time.

Running from 2009 until 2014, it featured countless funny faces that went on to become stars in the UK comic scene and even spawned a smash-hit live show, which is now celebrating its 20th anniversary.

With that in mind, to help celebrate the milestone, the team behind the cult classic are putting on a special a pretty extensive series of live shows to bring the music of Horrible Histories to domestic audiences, including two right here in Manchester.

horrible histories live show
horrible histories the concert tickets
Credit: BBC/Supplied

Teaming up with Birmingham Stage Company and Lion Television, the BBC and Horrible Histories crew will soon be playing all the hit songs from the TV programme in the flesh.

Based on the books, CBBC show and the success of the theatre show, this unique music-driven live format is written by the TV series’ writers Ben Ward and Claire Wetton.

Led on stage by the Horrible Histories song master, Richie Webb, himself – who has written all the songs from the smash-hit BBC series – you’re getting the full, authentic experience.

Featuring a live band performing the sensational TV songs, including guest appearances from Charles II, Dick Turpin and a bunch of Vikings that we couldn’t stop barging through the stage door, this is one show you don’t want to miss.

You can find all the 32 ‘Horrible Histories: Live (And Dead)! – The Concert’ UK tour dates down below:

Early 2026Spring 2026
– Fri 23 January, Darlington Hippodrome 
– Sat 24 January, Darlington Hippodrome 
– Fri 30 January, Bristol Beacon 
– Sat 31 January, Bristol Beacon 
– Sun 1 February, Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre
– Fri 6 February, Manchester Opera House
– Sat 7 February, Manchester Opera House
– Fri 13 February, Liverpool Empire
– Sat 14 February, Liverpool Empire
– Tues 17 February London Royal Festival Hall
– Fri 20 February, Birmingham Alexandra
– Sat 21 February, Birmingham Alexandra
– Fri 27 February, Milton Keynes Theatre
– Sat 28 February, Milton Keynes Theatre
– Sun 1 March, Cambridge Corn Exchange
– Sun 8 March, Sheffield City Hall
– Fri 13 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre
– Sat 14 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre
– Sun 15 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre
– Fri 20 March, Glasgow Theatre Royal		– Sat 21 March, Glasgow Theatre Royal
– Sun 29 March, Nottingham Concert Hall
– Thur 2 April, Southampton Mayflower
– Fri 3 April, Southampton Mayflower
– Sat 4 April, Southampton Mayflower
– Mon 6 April, York Barbican 
– Tues 7 April, York Barbican 
– Thur 9 April, Brighton Concert Hall 
– Fri 10 April, Brighton Concert Hall
– Sat 11 April, Brighton Concert Hall
– Fri 17 April, Sunderland Empire
– Sat 18 April, Sunderland Empire
manchester opera house
Credit: The Manc Group

Coming to the city centre and the storied Manchester Opera House for two evenings early next year, if you’re a fan of the series or the live theatre act, this one has to be on your list.

The whole cast for the tour is yet to be fully confirmed, but you can expect plenty of humour and talent from start to finish.

ATG+ presale has just gone live, and general admission will be available from Friday, 11 July, with prices starting from £18 and school tickets costing just £13.50

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BBC/The Manc Group

TV & Showbiz

Streamer AngryGinge ‘arrested and banned’ from Silvestone at the British GP

Danny Jones Danny Jones AngryGinge arrested at F1 British GP

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.

According to reports, Ginge and his peers were alleged to have broken part of a display vehicle.

The local lad claimed they had been asked to pay £30,000 in compensation; national outlet talkSPORT has since confirmed the story with Northampton Police (NP) via an official statement.

“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.”

He and his friends have at least seen the funny side, sharing snaps from outside Northampton Justice Centre; Ginge even played ‘Locked Up’ by Akon as he walked out on stream in an orange jumpsuit.

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.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Soccer Aid/angryginge13 (screenshot via Twitch)/Samham (via X)

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