Hundreds more tickets for The Big Night of Musicals have just been been released ahead of the show here in Manchester later this month.
And the best bit? They’re all FREE and up for grabs tomorrow.
In case you haven’t heard, the huge event will be taking to the stage at the AO Arena in the heart of Manchester city centre in just a couple of weeks time – with families and musical theatre fans of all ages set to be treated to a lineup of jaw-dropping performances from the biggest West End and touring musicals.
The cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, A Chorus Line, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Guys & Dolls, and the UK and Ireland tour of GREASE are just a handful of the superstars on the lineup.
Taking place on Monday 22 January, the National Lottery’s massive musical theatre celebration will be hosted by local comedian Jason Manford for the third year running, alongside special guest presenter, West End legend Beverley Knight.
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Hundreds more free tickets to The Big Night of Musicals at the AO Arena have been released / Credit: Supplied
Manford and Knight are gearing up to guide the audience through a whistle-stop tour of an impressive selection of “the most mesmerising shows”.
“I’m thrilled to be back hosting The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals,” Jason Manford commented.
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“[The show] once again has an incredible lineup of smash hit shows for the Manchester Arena audience to enjoy, and is a huge thank you to National Lottery players who have helped keep the magic of theatre alive across the UK.”
If some the already-announced musicals on the lineup aren’t enough to get you all excited as it is, just today, the show’s organisers have revealed that Hamilton, Disney’s Aladdin, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Mrs Doubtfire have all been announced to perform at the musical extravaganza too.
Echoing Manford’s commented, Beverly Knight added: “It’s great to be coming back to be part of this incredible show, as the support National Lottery players make to the theatre industry is crucial to the performers and myriad of people, both at large and small venues, who help make a night at the theatre so special.
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The highly-anticipated show will be hosted by Jason Manford and Beverly Knight / Credit: Supplied
“I can’t wait to see this astonishing lineup of talent all under one roof.”
And, following the first ticket release for the hugely-anticipated event selling out in less than 24 hours, The National Lottery is offering fans one last chance to be a part of the musical spectacle by releasing hundreds more free tickets.
They’ll be up for grabs tomorrow morning (4 January).
All National Lottery players need to do is head on over to The Big Night of Musicals website here at 10am to be in the running for grabbing one of the final tickets.
The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals returns on Monday 22 January at the AO Arena, and is also set to be aired on BBC One, BBC Radio 2, and BBC Sounds at a later date too.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Robbie Williams at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
The self-proclaimed entertainer, Robbie Williams, is making his way to Manchester for not one but two nights of golden hits.
Mr. Williams last touched down in Manchester back in 2022 when he brought his ‘XXV Tour’ to our lovely city for three nights, so it’s no surprise this new tour features a double bill right here.
This time, Robbie has opted for Co-op Live, and we’re sure that the 23,500 fans in the crowd both nights will be ready to belt out ‘Angels’ word for word – it’s already ingrained into our brains after all.
Never out of the spotlight, he has seen a lot of media attention lately surrounding his biopic, Better Man, which famously shows the pop star’s Life thru a different* Lens by portraying him as a monkey.
Robbie Williams Manchester gig guide – all the important info
Robbie Williams is bringing his latest UK tour to Co-op Live in Manchester.
Robbie has always been a big fan of the music capital of the North, especially during the long period he spent up here as part of Take That, who themselves have performed at Manchester’s AO Arena 46 times – a record they still hold to this day.
He’s done a fair few as a solo act himself, and now his debut at Europe’s largest indoor entertainment venue is next on the list.
Tickets, as you can expect, are far and few between as everyone wants a chance of watching the ‘Better Man’ sing out to the crowds of Manchester.
If you do manage to bag yourself some last-minute tickets to see this music legend, make sure you’re not paying ‘Somethin’ Stupid’… to be fair, like millions of others, we’d still pay plenty to see Robbie.
You can find your tickets HERE, with an extra batch of allocation just added.
Robbie Williams setlist
Rocket
Let Me Entertain You
All My Life / Song 2 / Seven Nation Army / Rim Tim Tagi Dim / Minnie the Moocher (The Ho De Ho Song) / Livin’ On a Prayer
Monsoon
Old Before I Die
Rock DJ
Love My Life
Keep On Movin’
Strong
The Road to Mandalay
Let Love Be Your Energy
Sexed Up
Candy
Relight My Fire
Something Beautiful
Milennium
Theme From New York, New York
Come Undone
Kids
I Could Be So Good for You
She’s the One
My Way
Feel
Angels
This setlist is based on his recent show at Emirates Stadium in London, where he surprised the audience by bringing out boyband Five to sing their smash hit ‘Keep On Movin’.
Five are also heading out on the road later this year, choosing AO Arena to host the Manc date of their comeback tour, which is set to make ‘Everybody Get Up’.
We recently had the pleasure of interviewing them, and they really were a joy/
What are the stage times for Robbie Williams in Manchester?
Robbie starring in his music video for ‘Lost’, as part of his album XXV.Same energy as always.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning everyone can soar like a ‘Rocket’ while also making sure they’re nice and tucked up under the covers before the clock strikes twelve.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 7:30pm and support from local talent The Lottery Winners, get in!
In fact, frontman Thom Rylance has already got to live out a real boyhood dream of his on this tour, joining Robbie Williams on stage for a very special moment – here’s hoping for something similar in Manchester.
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
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Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes via the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
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For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Little Mancs who love LEGO can take part in a series of interactive building workshops in Manchester this month.
Following the launch of its campaign aimed at championing and standing up creativity last year, The LEGO Group hosted a series of free interactive workshops throughout 2024, and now, in a bid to keep encouraging children across Greater Manchester to ‘play without limits’, the next round of dates for this summer have been announced.
Aimed at young creators aged six to 12, the workshops will be botanical themed, and will focus on igniting imagination and nurturing children’s social skills.
The hands-on workshops where kids can build their own butterfly garden will take place down at the Trafford Centre on selected Sundays this month, as well as online for those who can’t make it in person.
LEGO is back hosting more interactive workshops for kids in Manchester this month / Credit: Supplied
The in-person ‘Creativity Workshops’ – which will be held at the LEGO Store Trafford Centre on Sunday 15 and Sunday 22 June – will be led by expert Brick Specialists who’ll provide a guided interactive experience that sparks curiosity, encourages creativity, and fosters a deeper appreciation for the beauty of plants and nature.
And the best bit? Tickets to the workshops will only cost £5 per child.
But you will need to make sure you book them in advance on the LEGO website here, however, as they’re expected to be snapped-up fast.
For those who aren’t able to attend the workshops in person though, you can make the most of this year’s ‘Creativity at Home’ online workshop series instead, which this month led by content creator Plant Kween, also known as Christopher Griffin.
Workshops are happening down at the Trafford Centre these next two weekends / Credit: Craig A Rodway (via Flickr)
“I’ve always felt a deep connection to nature, and love decorating my home with botanicals,” Plant Kween said, “so I’m so excited about this opportunity to connect with families, and celebrate the joy and beauty that plants bring into our lives, one brick at a time.
“What makes this especially meaningful is seeing young people get involved, using their imaginations to build, explore, and develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
“It’s hands-on, joyful learning that truly plants the seeds for creativity and connection.”
Emily Sergeant -
3rd January 2024 
