Amid all the buzz of Manchester Pride 2025, the latest series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK also returns this August bank holiday, and fittingly a Canal Street has joined the lineup for series seven.
The parade and Gay Village Party aside, we genuinely can’t wait for the cult favourite TV show to be back on our screens.
Already a classic among the queer community following many years on the air over in America, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is set to debut its seventh season, and part of the fun is always meeting the cast.
While there’s often a Northern name or two, including multiple Mancunians in the past, we believe this year’s contestant has a good shot at winning the whole thing. Manchester, meet Bonnie Ann Clyde.
Who is Manchester’s adopted 2025 Drag Race star, Bonnie Ann Clyde?
Now, aside from having a fabulous and very classic drag name, the other twist when it comes to this Drag Race debutant is that she’s not technically a Manc.
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What gave it away? Was it the accent?…
Born in Dublin and dubbing herself “Ireland’s best export”, the 30-year-old Bonnie Ann Clyde has been here for the past 12 months, and it’s her time around Canal Street – The Goose and Cruz 101, specifically – that has seen her grow in reputation.
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Speaking to the show’s British broadcasters, she told fans old and hopefully soon to be: “You could say that I’ve been around the block a few times, but I prefer to say that I’m an international queen!
“Bonnie Ann Clyde was created in Dublin, [during] the mid-2010s, when drag was starting to get popular again. I performed in Dublin for six years, then I did a Summer in San Francisco, and after that I moved to Gran Canaria, where I performed for two and a half years.”
Quite the CV, we’re sure you’ll agree, but it’s only since she started gaining a following here in 0161 that she got the call to be the next series of Drag Race UK. After all, we do know a thing or two about the scene in these parts.
— KaMorian (Sparkling Alien 💫) (@ka_morian0121) August 22, 2025
Why we think she should and will win
Aside from being the resident Greater Manchester representative (be it as an ex-pat or not), it’s this kind of globetrotting experience of LGBTQIA+ entertainment culture, pulling knowledge from all manner of drag queen circuits, that we think she’s odds on to push for the crown this year.
Detailing why she thinks she deserves to be named champion in 2025, whilst doing an impression of Holly Jervis from X Factor, she said: “‘This is MY moment’.
“I’ve worked for years doing jobs I didn’t want to do, and I’ve worked so hard. I deserve this crown, I deserve that sceptre, I deserve that £25k, and you know what? I’m going to get it because I’m fabulous, I’m fantastic, I’m Bonnie Ann Clyde, and I’m going to win!”
You’ve got to love that self-confidence, and while there are some other Northern faces among the lineup this year – including the Yorkshire favourite and the first ever contestant from Leeds, Silllexa Diction – there’s no question about who we want to win.
Once again, series seven of RuPaul Drag Race UK gets underway at 9pm this Sunday, 24 August, on BBC Three, as well as iPlayer in case you’re busy partying at Manchester Pride 2025.
Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester – Oh, what a night
Amy Williams
20 years, 65 major awards (including Tonys, a Grammy, and an Olivier), and seen by over 27 million people worldwide – it could only be Jersey Boys, and now it’s back at the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
This is one of those shows where you realise just how many songs you know and love by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, but may not know the story behind the band themselves. How they started, how big they became, how they fell apart, and how they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
It follows the four boys from Jersey (who each narrate their parts of the story), how it started as just Tommy and Nick and a range of different guys along the way, until they found the one who has a voice like an angel, Frankie Valli, and this started to change the direction of their success.
But they were missing a key part, a good song writer – enter Bob Gaudio, and the creation of The Four Lovers, who then became The Four Seasons.
Mixed with issues of debt, loan sharks, prison time and more, it wasn’t the smoothest of sailing for them, and as they said themselves, they didn’t create a movement like the Beatles. But The Four Seasons were for the factory workers, the dads, the working class people who could relate to them.
One thing we need to talk about, is just how INCREDIBLE the vocal performances are in this tour of Jersey Boys, staring Luke Baker as Frankie Valli, Carlo Boumouglbay as Tommy Devito, Lewis Kennedy as Nick Massi, and Toby Miles as Bob Gaudio.
Jersey Boys is back in Manchester, for a run at the Palace Theatre
A special mention for Luke Baker, because as iconic as Frankie Valli’s voice is, he very perfectly matched it.
The musical features some of their biggest hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Beggin’, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Walk Like A Man, and of course, December 1963 (Oh, What A Night) which had everyone up on their feet dancing at the end.
This show is incredible from beginning to end, and would recommend everyone go to see this.
Jersey Boys is running at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 19 September, and you can grab your tickets HERE.
Jane McDonald at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
The lovely people of Manchester are ‘Living The Dream’ because Wakefield wonder-woman Jane McDonald is bringing her tour to AO Arena.
Making her British TV screen debut nearly 30 years ago on The Cruise, before joining the Loose Women panel and going on to present a whole host of travel shows including Cruising with Jane McDonald, now this Wakefield legend returns to AO Arena.
This latest tour, named after her 2026 LP Living The Dream, will see Jane singing hits from both past and present including a couple of covers too.
Earlier this year, Jane’s Mighty Hoopla performance went viral online after she commanded the stage in a red leather jacket, donning a singular rainbow hair extension while belting out RAYE’s ‘Where Is My Husband!’
Audio North even got the opportunity to interview this legendary lady when she visited her hometown HMV store in Wakefield for an exclusive album signing – Oh look, it’s me!
The Wakefield wonder-woman’s latest album Living The Dream was released in March and considering the tour is named after this impressive LP, we’re sure fans can expect to hear quite a few tracks from this album.
Living The Dream
I’ll Not Be Beaten
You Don’t Know What You Got
Don’t Mind If I Do
The Hand That Leads Me
Ain’t Gonna Beg
I Will Always Love You
Islands in the Stream
Jolene
9 to 5
You’re My World
Where Is My Husband!
Let the Light In
Cake by the Ocean
Jai Ho!
APT.
Right Where I Belong
How Do I Move On
Beautiful Soul
All By Myself
You Still Lead Me
Of course, Jane also loves to cover a tune or two, and we’ll never forget her renditions of ‘Cake By The Ocean’, ‘Jai Ho’ or ‘APT.’.
What are the stage times for Jane McDonald in Manchester?
The doors for Jane McDonald’s Living The Dream Tour in Manchester are set for 6.30pm with the event set to start at 7.30pm.
AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning you have enough time to dash home and eat ‘Cake by the (Sofa)’ before ringing in the new day.
Getting to AO Arena
Tram
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through 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.
Danny Jones -
22nd August 2025 
