TV & Showbiz

Manchester’s Kai Fagan crowned Love Island 2023 winner with Sanam Harrinanan

The fan-favourite couple beat runners-up Ron Hall and Lana Jenkins to take home the £50,000 prize money.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 14th March 2023

Kai Fagan and Sanam Harriananan were officially crowned the winners of Love Island 2023 in South Africa last night.

Nearly two months after the smash-hit ITV reality competition show returned to our screens for its ninth series and it’s second Winter edition, and a whole new lineup of hopeful singletons made the trip to South Africa in the look for love, viewers tuned into ITV2 in their millions last night to see who would take home the title of Love Island 2023 winners.

And after a suspenseful wait, new host Maya Jama announced that fan-favourite couple Kai and Sanam had clinched the coveted win.

The 24-year-old PE and Science teacher from Manchester, and the 24-year-old Social Worker from Bedford beat runners-up Ron Hall and Lana Jenkins to take home the £50,000 prize money.

Tom Clare and Samie Elishi came in third, while Tanya Manhenga and Shaq Muhammad took fourth.

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With a romance that blossomed in Casa Amor after Sanam entered as a ‘bombshell’, and relationship that survived all other challenges thrown at it throughout the series, Kai and Sanam went on to capture the hearts of Love Island fans.

Kai – who fans found out before he entered the villa claims to have three different degrees from three different universities, and also played semi-professional rugby for Burnage RFC alongside his teaching career – told presenter Maya Jama that Sanam had “blown me away straight away” after her introduction on the show.

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“I think it was the eyes,” he said, adding: “Now she doesn’t leave my side. I don’t leave her side and I absolutely love it.”

Sanam admitted to Jama that “it was always Kai”.

“I always said he was my number one and that, of course he is a very attractive guy, but apart from the looks, like I was just like… he’s an amazing guy, everything about him.”

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Manchester’s Kai Fagan crowned Love Island 2023 winner with Sanam Harrinanan / Credit: ITV

In what is a typical Love Island final tradition, the couple also shared their declarations of love with each other during last night’s episode – where Sanam told Kai: “You charmed me with your smile and melted me with your warm brown eyes.

“I was hooked by your intelligence, values, kindness and you always manage to make me laugh. You’ve made me realise my worth and I can’t wait for us to one day be official.”

Kai replied: “My time here has been a dream since I met you.

“Sanam, you’re one of a kind and I’m so happy to have you in my life because I adore you and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.”

Read more:

Kai and Sanam are the first winners in the show’s history to have coupled-up in Casa Amor.

Featured Image – ITV

TV & Showbiz

The Hundred is calling for up-and-coming presenters to co-host this year’s tournament

Danny Jones Danny Jones The Hundred new presenters applications

The Hundred 2025 is fast approaching and cricket’s fastest-growing tournament is once again asking for aspiring presenters to join their roster of co-hosts and help cover the action.

The fast-paced 100-ball format is entering its fifth year and next to T20, you find a more accessible and thrilling form of cricket, so it’s no wonder the competition is gaining a greater audience each year.

With that in mind, the need for a top-notch broadcast team is more crucial than ever but just like those who backed The Hundred in its infancy, they’re looking to invest in future creatives and on-screen talent.

Are you someone looking to get into presenting or know someone who is? Keep reading.

The Hundred – Rising Hosts

So how does it work? Well, it’s pretty straightforward: The Hundred is looking for eight up-and-coming presenters to join their team of main venue hosts up and down the country.

Tasked with guiding and talking fans through an action-packed five weeks across all host cities, successful applicants will be responsible for building excitement and atmosphere inside the seven cricket grounds on each match day.

From player and pundit interviews to crowd engagement and interactive other activations with partnered brands, not to mention members of this year’s live music lineup, you’ll be a key part of putting out the top-quality sports and entertainment product they promise every year.

The best part of all is that no prior hosting experience is necessary – this is all about platforming you and The Hundred as a whole.

presenting opportunities manchester
present for the hundred
Credit: The Hundred (Press Shots)

Successful applicants will be mentored by the main hosts at their respective venues and will attend a two-day workshop with special guests to get them ready to hit the stage this summer.

The ‘Rising Hosts’ scheme has been set up in tandem with their dedicated event production agency, Progress Productions, which will be in charge throughout the application and selection process.

Shortlisted applicants will then have their details shared with the ECB (English Cricket Board) who will be involved when it comes to making their final decisions.

It goes without saying that even if you just love sports or just want to find a way into the industry, this is an opportunity that is not to be missed.

You can find the full terms and conditions online and apply HERE – best of luck to you!

Manchester Originals sign seven new players in The Hundred Draft as 2025 squads are confirmed
We might not know all of our presenters for The Hundred this year, but we do know our teams.

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Featured Images — The Hundred (press images)

TV & Showbiz

Sarah Harding breast cancer study has helped save over 80 women

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

A life-saving study set in memory of Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding has seen her lasting legacy extend far beyond music, as now women across the country are getting cancer tests more frequently thanks to the research.

Funded by The Christie, The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal began its first phase of the BCAN-RAY (Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Younger Women) back in May 2023.

Led by Dr Sacha Howell, who was Harding’s consultant, the work explores risk factors and creates personalised early screening options for women as young as 30.

This is extremely important as currently women are only invited for routine breast screenings every three years from 50 onwards. Awareness and being proactive are just as important as research.

Sarah Harding has a mural dedicated to in her memory situated in her hometown of Stockport.
Sarah Harding, who passed away in 2021, has a dedicated mural in her hometown of Stockport.
Credit: The Manc Group

The studies set up in Sarah‘s legacy are vital now more than ever as breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 35-50 years in the UK.

These more frequent and routine checks from a younger age will be vital, especially since an estimated 10,000 women a year are diagnosed under 50. 

The BCAN-RAY study has recruited 500 women aged between 30 and 39 years old, who have had their risk assessment appointments.

Out of this number – 404 patients have been given their risks – 316 as ‘average risk’ and 88 were found as ‘increased risk’.

88 were found as ‘increased risk’ with 58 of these receiving telephone calls to discuss further implications and discuss strategies to reduce this such as diet, exercise and medication.

So far 18 women have had their first mammogram, with no recalls or cancer identified. Following this, each woman is offered regular screening every year until their NHS breast screening starts at age 50. 

Dr Sacha Howell commented, “We’re really confident that we have a system that is working, from the results so far, which is great news, these findings mean that we may be able to offer personalised ways to predict and prevent breast cancer more widely in the population in future”.

Just last year, Girls Aloud embarked on their first tour together in a decade and each night of the show featured a glorious tribute to the Stockport-born star.

Girls Aloud featured a glorious tribute to Sarah Harding each night of the show.
Girls Aloud featured a glorious tribute to Sarah Harding each night of the show.
Girls Aloud featured a glorious tribute to Sarah Harding each night of the show.
The lovely Sarah Harding singing to Manchester one last time.
Credit: Audio North

In 2022, The Christie art and relaxation room received a wonderful makeover from proceeds raised at the Primrose Ball organised by Girls Aloud.

Within this room, visitors can find a lovely framed picture of Sarah Harding with the quote, “The darkest nights produce the brightest stars” and with all the work accomplished so far, we couldn’t agree more.

If you would like to show your support and help fund this life-changing research set up in Sarah’s legacy, you can donate HERE.

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

Featured Images – The Christie (supplied)

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