Kate Winslet has revealed the ‘awful, awful’ moment she was convinced she had defecated on stage at a leading Manchester theatre.
The Oscar-winning actress appeared on The Graham Norton Show and spilled all the details of the hilarious near-miss incident.
Kate explained that she was in a production of What the Butler Saw by Joe Orton at the Royal Exchange Theatre, which is right here in the heart of Manchester.
She told the audience, as well as enraptured fellow guests Sir Lenny Henry, Nadiya Hussain and Jack Whitehall, that she was ‘convinced I’ve totally sh*t myself’ live on stage.
Speaking on the show on Friday night, the Titanic star said: “Well I nearly did a poo on stage once.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I’m just sitting here realising that you’re now going to make me tell that story.”
Kate Winslet. Credit: BBC, The Graham Norton ShowCredit: Royal Exchange Theatre
Of course, the entire audience and her fellow celebrity guests immediately start to egg her on.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kate explains a part of the play where her character is asked to strip for a physical examination in a medical setting – and the logistics of the theatre’s stage that made the whole scenario so much worse.
“This theatre was in the round,” she said. “So little me, I go behind the curtain and I do what I’ve done for nights on end and I take everything off, and I’m behind this curtain sort of shaped like [a semi-circle] so all the people above me are looking straight down at poor little Kate.
“I have to lie on this bed and I would lie there really kind of uncomfortably and awkwardly, and I’m lying there and suddenly… “
At this point, she grips the couch and starts writhing, saying: “‘It’s happening, it’s happening, it’s happening. Oh my god I’m gonna sh*t myself.’
“And I’m lying on a white sheet, naked on a stage!
“I’m convinced I’ve totally sh*t myself. So I think ‘Well what am I gonna do, because in a minute I have to stand up, come out from behind the curtain, and look for all my clothes that he’s hidden in the plant pots, and I’ve done a f***ing poo! This is horrific!’
“So I start to sort of runkel the sheet, I try and skrunkle up this sheet as best I can, I do this kind of ninja flip move and I twist myself and I bind this sheet all around myself, and I’m still thinking ‘Ah, happening, happening, behind the curtain’ standing in front of an audience who can see me from every f***ing angle, and I’m absolutely just convinced that if I move my body, there’s going to be poo on the floor.
Kate Winslet on the Graham Norton Show. Credit: BBC
“This is the most awful, awful thing.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Honestly, I practically slither off the stage, and I hide in a corner thinking ‘I’ve gotta check this sheet’.
“Ladies and gentleman, I had not actually done a poo. But the second I got into my dressing room and I ran into that bathroom – gunfire.”
You can watch the full clip here:
On YouTube, one person said: “Kate should get an award for that story. That’s why she so beloved.”
Another commented: “I knew Kate was talented but this is beyond hysterical.”
Someone else wrote: “Ladies and gentleman, witness the creation in real time of an all time classic Graham Norton Show story.”
A new Shrek-themed cafe has opened at Primark in Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s a new Shrek-themed cafe in Manchester city centre – and Donkey’s prayers for waffles have finally been answered by none other than clothing retailer Primark.
The back corner of the bargain fashion store on Market Street has been taken over by vines and fairytale characters as Shrek comes to town.
The cafe has been home to many iconic brands since its launch, one of the most notable being its 2019 debut as Central Perk, the go-to coffee hot-spot from TV Series Friends.
Shrek himself will also be paying a visit to the store in the coming weeks to sample some of the delicious delights customers can try such as nachos, waffles, shakes and bubble teas – each one with an ogre twist (yes, that is green cheese you see).
The Cafe is Shrek-ogeddon from head to toe with the menu paying homage to some familiar faces from the franchise.
Shoppers can indulge in ‘Fairy Godmother’s Potions’ which are a selection of sweet fruity concoctions, or treat your tastebuds to some Swampchos or Toastie ‘Slabs’, which are more appetising than they sound.
The grand entrance to the Shrek cafe in ManchesterA mural dedicated to the main ogre himself – Shrek!Inside the Shrek Cafe at Primark Credit: The Manc Group
After all those scrumptious snacks you’ll definitely be saying ‘I Need A Hero’ as you face your own battle – the dreaded food coma.
The Shrek Far Far Away Cafe will be a Manchester mainstay til the beginning of November, giving everyone the opportunity to have their happy ever after.
There’s also a handful of Shrek merchandise available storewide that fans and customers alike can get their hands on all-year-round.
Tim Kelly, director of new business development at Primark said: “We’ve gone Far, Far Away to find the inspiration for our latest cafe theme, bringing all the fun in the kingdom to our Primark cafes”.
“Our revolving themes have been so popular with our customers, giving them more reasons to visit their local store. We can’t wait to welcome fans to the cafes and hope they enjoy our limited-edition menu fit for a fairytale!”
And if that wasn’t enough to whet your appetite, fans of the iconic film franchise have just over two years to wait until Shrek 5 debuts in theatres on 1 July 2026.
You can visit the Shrek Cafe at Primark on Market Street and at the Trafford Centre in Manchester now.
Mancs wanted for new BBC adventure travel show with ‘life-changing’ prize
Emily Sergeant
Are you a fan of travelling? Got a bit of a competitive streak in your nature? This might just be your calling then.
The BBC is currently casting for a brand-new travel adventure series.
At this point, not a great deal is known about the new series, with a lot of the details seemingly being kept under wraps, but the broadcaster has revealed that the show currently has the working title of ‘Destination X’, and is being described as “the world’s biggest guessing game”.
The show’s producers, Twofour, are on the look-out for budding travel enthusiasts who love solving clues, playing detective, and outsmarting their competition.
Not only does the experience promise to be “an epic journey”, but there’s also the chance to win a life-changing prize.
Casting is closing towards the end of this week (6 September), and filming for the show is set to begin next month and run through to November.
Putting out a UK-wide casting call for the show on the BBC website, producers Twofour wrote: Have you got what it takes to play the world’s biggest guessing game? Twofour are now casting for the BBC’s brand new travel adventure series. If you love solving clues, playing detective and outsmarting your competition, then we want to hear from you.
“This experience promises to be an epic journey, with a chance to win a life-changing prize.”
Fancy it then? Applications for the exciting new series are now open for anyone over 18 years of age, with a deadline date of this Friday (6 September 2024), and you can find out more information and apply via the BBC website.
Daisy Jackson -
13th December 2022 
