A woman who looks so much like Kate Moss she tricked half of Manchester into believing the supermodel was shopping in the Ancoats Aldi has gone on to actual fashion stardom.
The stunner has just this week made a surprise appearance on the runway at Paris Fashion Week, walking for French designer Marine Serre.
And it’s not the first time she’s hit headlines – although the first time, it was a case of mistaken identity.
Denise Ohnona, from Ormskirk, who is a complete doppelganger for supermodel Kate Moss, was booked by Aldi for a very clever publicity stunt when Manchester was in the grips of Chanel fever.
Wearing dark sunglasses, a long leather coat and heeled boots, she managed to trick the public and several press outlets (not us though, we hasten to add) into believing fashion royalty was having a brew outside a Northern Quarter coffee shop.
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Which was obviously not the case.
Denise said people have often told her she looks like Kate Moss but didn’t think much of it until she was approached by a lookalike agency.
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She said: “It’s one thing to be hired as a ‘Lookalike’ to attend a store opening or red carpet event, where everyone knows it’s not actually the celebrity, it’s just for a bit of fun, but it’s another thing when a company like Aldi comes to you with a PR stunt, where they want to fool not only the public, but the press.
“These sort of jobs always come with slight anxiety, because you think to yourself, will people know who I’m supposed to be? Will people really believe it’s Kate Moss?
“Well thankfully they did and Aldi caused quite the controversy, with all the major papers running the story.
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“I guess I should thank my Mum and Dad for these cheek bones. And although I’m a stay at home mum, who’s life is anything but glamorous, it’s always nice to put on some heels and shades for a day and put a smile on people’s faces”
And now Denise has struck fame once again after her appearance at Paris Fashion Week.
The 43-year-old appeared on This Morning yesterday to discuss her whirlwind journey.
She said that she’s naturally a shy person and when her agent initially asked her about a job in Paris she said no.
But after being persuaded by a friend, she was suddenly on the catwalk at the world’s most famous fashion event.
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Denise said: “I didn’t release how big it was. The models and the whole production and everything. I was like a little girl who got to play dress up for the day and be one of the catwalk models. So it was fun but scary.
“I’m so glad I did it. ‘If it scares you do it anyway,’ that’s what I tell my kids. “
Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre
Danny Jones
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Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!
The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.
Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.
These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:
Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.
If you know, you know…
Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.
The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.
Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.
From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.
Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.
Will Mellor’s new BBC documentary about real-life Post Office scandal victims airs tonight
Emily Sergeant
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A new BBC documentary about real-life victims from the Post Office scandal fronted by Will Mellor is hitting TV screens tonight.
As the country finally starts to wake up to the full scale of the Post Office scandal – which involved the British postal service pursuing thousands of innocent subpostmasters for apparent financial shortfalls caused by faults in an accounting software system between 1999 and 2015 – actor Will Mellor is on a mission to find out what happened to the real-life sub-postmasters in this new BBC documentary.
The Stockport-born actor famously played the part of Lee Castleton in the ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, and says he feels a “real affinity” will the families he spoke to for the programme.
For the new documentary and accompanying five-part BBC Sounds podcast series – which is titled Surviving the Post Office – Will actually speaks to Mr Castleton himself, as well as four other affected people and their families whose lives have been “torn apart”.
Will Mellor has fronted a new BBC documentary about real-life Post Office scandal victims / Credit: ITV
Surviving the Post Office ventures to all four corners of England, including East Yorkshire, County Durham, Lincolnshire, West Sussex, and Cornwall, as Will discovers that many of the sub-postmasters want to “take back control of their lives”.
According to the BBC, for some facing the past, that proves to be a “troubling experience”, while for others, it ends up being a “liberating” step forwards.
As well as exploring the financial losses for many, including the people featured in the documentary and podcast series, Will also gets to find out how they are coping with their emotions, trying to move on from the whole ordeal, and how the victims are finding support in unexpected ways.
📢 Actor Will Mellor meets the real-life victims of the Post Office scandal in a brand new documentary from BBC Local
Surviving The Post Office is coming to @BBCOne and @BBCiPlayer tonight at 8.30pm. The podcast series is on @BBCSounds now
“I feel a real affinity with these families, so it was a privilege to hear their stories for this documentary and podcast,” Will said ahead of the documentary airing on BBC One.
“What shocked me the most after meeting so many sub-postmasters is just how far the impact and trauma has spread – the effect it’s had on people’s health, their children, and their whole communities has been massive.”