Coronation Street is workingwith a local charity to create a hate crime storyline based on a horrific real-life murder.
The ITV soap is collaborating with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation – which was set up in memory of a young girl who was murdered for ‘dressing like a goth’.
Sophie and her boyfriend Robert Maltby were attacked by a gang of teenage boys whilst walking through Stubbylee Park in Bacup in 2007.
Robert was left in a coma as a result of the attack. Sophie never recovered and died from her injuries 13 days later.
Working with members of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, Coronation Street’s upcoming story will explore the “issue of intolerance and hatred towards people from different cultures and subcultures”.
Series producer Iain MacLeod said: “The issue of intolerance and hatred towards people from different cultures and subcultures is arguably more relevant now than it’s ever been.
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“This incredibly hard-hitting storyline, which centres on a senseless act of violence, will draw in characters from all corners of our narrative universe and will, we hope, leave the audience with a clear message – everyone, regardless of how they look, how they dress or any aspect of how they live their life, should be treated with tolerance and respect.
“The story will run across the rest of the year and beyond, with many twists and turns, and will be heartbreaking and dramatic in equal measure.
“In the end, the story will see an optimistic outcome emerge from the traumatic attack.”
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EXCLUSIVE: Coronation Street is set to tackle the issue of hate crime when Nina and Seb are subjected to an unprovoked violent attack because of her alternative identity.
Sophie’s mother Sylvia – who set up the organisation – said: “I know first-hand the abuse, harassment and violence that alternative people suffer.
“Hate crime is usually directed at already stigmatised and minority groups and Sophie was assaulted three times before that final, sustained and brutal attack that took her life – but she never reported the earlier assaults.
“Coronation Street covering this issue means such a huge amount to me. We want alternative people to know that they shouldn’t be putting up with this prejudice and intolerance, and they should report it.
“We want the wider community to really appreciate the horror of this violence and understand that difference in itself, is not frightening, it just makes us all who we are.
“We will also use this platform to continue raising awareness of Sophie’s case with the police and judiciary to make sure that hate crime against alternative people is recognised and treated with the degree of severity that it deserves.”
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The episodes – which will centre around characters Nina and Seb – will air in May on ITV.
Featured image: ITV
TV & Showbiz
John Cena keeps following random people on Twitter and Lancashire Cricket Club had the best response of all
Danny Jones
If you told us that we’d one day be writing about professional wrestler-turned-actor John Cena and Lancashire Cricket Club in the same sentence, we’d probably have given you a funny look.
However, as weird a combo as it may sound, that day has come.
You’d be forgiven for not knowing this but it turns out John Cena follows A LOT of people on social media and not exactly people you’d expect him to be following.
We’re talking everyone from random fans, comedian-actor Danny Wallace, various regional journalists home and abroad; even our lovely editor — though that makes much more sense, we admit (great content, boss, please don’t sack me).
Honestly, you only have to type in ‘John Cena followed me’ on Twitter to pull up literally thousands of results. This was one posted literally minutes before we started writing this:
As it turns out, Cena follows some over 533, 700 different people on Twitter alone and we seriously can’t find much of a thread that links any of them, but that doesn’t make any it less fun to dive into.
With that in mind, it recently came to light that the 45-year-old WWE legend and Suicide Squad star just so happens to follow Lancashire Cricket Club. Because why not?
Playing just down the road at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Lancashire Cricket might sound like a far cry away from the Hollywood sound stages and giant entertainment arenas where he made his name, but the familiar face has actually played a bit of cricket in his time.
Better still, thanks to the social media guys over at the Manchester-based cricket club and their absolutely impeccable response to spotting a certain Cena in their likes, he’s been put in Lancs colours. Turns out you can see him after all:
Somebody give that social admin a pay rise, right now.
Not so long ago, Cena did address the question as to why he follows so many people and the answer was actually quite a simple but wholesome one.
“It’s tough to follow the timelines because of how many people I follow. But I am trying to learn more about the world.”, he told ESPN‘s ‘Pardon My Take’ podcast, confessing that he even went down “a rabbit hole following EDM dance culture and non-fungible tokens and also Twitch streamers”.
He said that part of the reason is that he simply knows “nothing about any of these avenues of the world” and gets a kick out of people following him and vice versa, adding: “I am learning a little bit about each and every person as I go.” Well that’s just nice, isn’t it?
Guess we have a new favourite wrestler. Give us a follow while you’re at it, John.
Featured Image — Wikimedia Commons/Lancashire Cricket Club (via Twitter)
TV & Showbiz
People are loving Netflix’s new number one film about a real-life Burnley millionaire
Emily Sergeant
Did you know that a new biopic about a real-life millionaire from Burnley has surprisingly shot to the top of the Netflix charts?
It’s probably not what you’d expect, but in what has proved to be an unlikely smash-hit success for the streaming service, Netflix’s newest original film, Bank of Dave, has become the number one movie on the platform, beating out some genuine heavy-hitting features.
And people are absolutely loving it.
Bank of Dave is now available to stream on Netflix / Credit: Netflix UK & Ireland
Based on the true-life experiences of Dave Fishwick, Bank of Dave tells the story of how a working class man from Burnley became a self-made millionaire and fought to set up a community bank, so that he could help the local businesses of his beloved town not only survive in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, but also thrive.
Starring BAFTA-nominated actor Rory Kinnear as the title character, in his bid to help his beloved community of Burnley, Dave has to take on the elitist financial institutions of London and fight to receive the first new banking license to be issued in over 100 years.
The film also stars / Credit: Netflix UK & Ireland
Alongside Kinnear stars Stockport-born Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor as feisty local doctor Alexandra, and Joel Fry – who audiences may know for his roles in Yesterday, and 2021 live action Disney remake Cruella – as young London lawyer named Hugh who is hired by Dave to fight his case against the British banking system.
Legendary British actor Hugh Bonneville also stars in the film, and there’s even an unexpected cameo from rock band Def Leppard.
As you can probably tell by the synopsis, Bank of Dave isn’t quite the film you’d imagine to have captured the hearts of audiences nationwide as much as it has.
/ Credit: Netflix UK & Ireland
But in the first week since its release, the movie has been watched millions of times and has already become on of the feel-good success of the year so far.
People who’ve had the chance to see it have been taking to social media to share how much they love the film.
Fans are also encouraging others to give it a watch too.
Living in East Lancs we're known for poverty, football & our dodgy history with witches but how brilliant to see the real warmth of #Burnley in @netflix hit @BankofDave. It tells the story of @FishwickDavid taking on the establishment & is guaranteed to warm the❤️on a cold night
#BankofDave is a brilliant watch on @NetflixUK. Well worth a couple of hours of your time. Amazing true story and credit to everyone involved. Great example of community spirit and community power. @FishwickDavid
We’ve just finished watching #TheBankOfDave on @netflix – what a fabulous feel good film for a Friday night. Inspirational and truly beautiful – so happy for @BankofDave and all the residents of Burnley.
One enthusiastic fan wrote on Twitter: “Just watched Bank of Dave on Netflix. Fantastic. Brilliant. Feel-good film, and paints burnley for what it is – a reyt grand place.”
Another fan said on Twitter: “The Bank of Dave on Netflix is the feel good film of the year. A film about community has never been so timely. Every government minister should watch it,” while a third added: “I need a Bank Of Dave sequel immediately.
“One of THE most beautiful, heartfelt, poignant, magical and amazing films I’ve ever seen. I adore it. To everyone involved, thank you. Oh and thanks to the credits, I just found out it’s a TRUE STORY.”
Bank of Dave is now available to stream on Netflix.
The Manc -
26th April 2021 
