The Voice UK is holding auditions in Manchester city centre next week, and there’s still time to stick your name down.
If you’d consider yourself to have some pretty impressive pipes, and you reckon you’ve got what it takes to impress the producers of one of TV’s toughest singing shows with your vocal talents, then it’s probably worth knowing that ITV is holding auditions for the next series The Voice UK next week.
And it’s not too late to sign up either, if you fancy it.
Part of The Voice franchise, and based off the original Netherlands’ show of the same name, The Voice UK first hit our TV screens back in 2012, and since then, it has gone on to become a popular rival to other singing competition shows, and staple viewing for households nationwide, drawing in millions of viewers each series.
The show’s initial blind audition round sees hopeful singers of all ages take to the stage to perform their chosen songs for the four famous judges.
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The Voice UK is holding auditions in Manchester city centre next week / Credit: ITV
Facing away from the artists, and without any previous knowledge of their looks, personalities, stage presence, dance routines, if a judge likes what they hear, then a button-press allows their chair to spin around to face the performer, which show’s they’re keen to mentor them.
If more than one judge’s chair turns, then the artist selects a coach – but if no coach turns, then the artist is sadly sent home.
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Luckily though, next week’s Manchester auditions won’t be so brutal, as it’s just in front of the show’s producers.
Heading down to Access Creative College’s Manchester campus – which is on Oxford Street in the heart of the city centre – in the hopes of finding “the next singing sensation”, producers will be holding pre auditions next Thursday 13 July, and then, if performers actually get through to the TV series from there, this is when they’ll get to perform for current judges Anne-Marie, Olly Murs, Sir Tom Jones and will.i.am.
The Voice UK judges will.i.am, Anne-Marie, Sir Tom Jones, and Olly Murrs / Credit: ITV
Members of the public from across Greater Manchester are welcome to apply, and will just need to perform one song for the producers.
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“The Voice is looking for people aged 16 and over to audition for the next series,” explained Ian Johnson – who is the Head of Music Industry Partnerships for Access Creative College.
“We have spaces available for members of the public and they need to register with me via my email and then I can send them details.
Up for it then? If you would like to audition for the next series of The Voice UK, then you’ll just need to email [email protected] to book a slot.
Featured Image – ITV
TV & Showbiz
Trailer released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed all across Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The first trailer for a new romcom that’s set and filmed all across Manchester has been released.
The film, titled Finding Emily, tells the story of a lovesick musician, played by Spike Fearn, who meets his dream girl on a night out, but ends up with the wrong phone number, and so teams up with a driven psychology student, played by Angourie Rice, in a bid to find her.
Together, the unlikely duo spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.
The film – which is directed by Alicia MacDonald, and based on a screenplay written by Rachel Hirons – is produced by Working Title Films, is set in the fictional Manchester City University, and is due to be distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures across the UK and internationally this spring.
The talented ensemble cast groups together big names like Minnie Driver with rising stars like Ella Maisy Purvis, Yali Topal Margalith, and Kat Ronney, as well as other established actors including Timothy Innes and Nadia Parkes.
Filming took place in Manchester between August and September 2024.
The two and a half-minute trailer has been shared with the world today, and when we say it’s a Manc film, we mean it… we quite literally lost count of how many of our city’s famous locations can be spotted in just the trailer alone.
The trailer has been released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed in Manchester / Credit: Universal Pictures & Focus Features (via YouTube)
There’s everything from Manchester Central Library and Piccadilly Records, to Canal Street and the Gay Village, the Northern Quarter, the Crown & Kettle pub in Ancoats, and even the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in St Peter’s Square featured for all to see, alongside what’ll, presumably, be dozens of other famous locations.
Oh, and not to mention, if you keep your eyes peeled when watching the trailer, you can even see a small clip of Stockport band Blossoms playing a gig in there too.
Finding Emily is set to be released in cinemas across the UK on 22 May, before it debuts in the US on 28 August.
Featured Image – Matt Squire / Focus Features
TV & Showbiz
Review | ‘This is a night to remember, Manchester’ – Jason Derulo’s Co-op Live debut
Amy Williams
Who’s ready for another throwback night? Because this was absolutely a night already full of nostalgia and one to remember.
American singer-songwriter Jason Derulo hit Co-op Live last night as part of his ‘The Last Dance World Tour’, famous for hit songs like ‘Whatcha Say’, ‘Talk Dirty’, and ‘Savage Love’ – we all remember the Covid TikTok dance, don’t we? – as well as many more.
With over 250 million singles sold and tens of billions of streams, you best believe his one night in Manchester was sold out.
Running through the big hits and everything in between, he and his dancers made it a proper party atmosphere on this fine Saturday evening.
He did his throwback songs and more; from the moment he said, “We’re throwing it back to the beginning, back to 2009″, we knew his first debut single, ‘Whatcha Say’, was about to grace our ears, and that it did.
He also brought back absolute classics like ‘Ridin’ Solo’ (I definitely lost my voice during this one) In My Head and It Girl.
The Last Dance run of shows has seen him visit places like Leeds, London, Glasgow and Birmingham, finishing his UK leg right here in Manchester, before he carries on to Europe, but we’re confident our date had the best crowd so far.
And just when you think this couldn’t get any better, he brought his little boy on stage to say hi to everyone, too – shattered everyone’s hearts.
He has that many hit songs, it wasn’t possible to get through them all, so his DJ halfway through did a mash-up of songs he’s also written and featured in, including ‘I Gotta Feeling’ by Black Eyed Peas, ‘Secret Love Song’ with Little Mix and ‘Replay’ by Iyaz.
We knew his voice was amazing – but can we have a moment for this man’s dance moves, keeping everyone on their feet at Co-op Live tonight, and his dancers made everyone want to start dance lessons tonight too, an absolutely incredible performance by all.
Jason Derulo told the audience, “This is a night to remember Manchester’, and that it absolutely was.
Emily Sergeant -
7th July 2023 
