The glitz and glamour of the Strictly Come Dancing will come shimmying into Manchester this weekend when the hit show’s live tour returns to the AO Arena.
With four shows lined up at the venue over the course of the next two days, it’s one of the biggest events in this year’s cultural calendar.
The massive Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2023 spans 32 shows across the UK, with recent celebrity contestants paired up with the BBC show’s professional dancers.
The Strictly judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke, will be on hand with their pantomime villain-esque take on the performances.
Speaking about the upcoming tour, Fleur East said: “As a huge Strictly fan, being part of the TV competition has been an unbelievable experience and I’m absolutely over the moon to have the chance to get back into those fabulous sequinned outfits for the live tour!”
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Helen Skelton said: “Strictly has been the adventure of a lifetime and I’m so happy that it will continue on the live tour. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fans across the country and performing my favourite dances from the series. I can’t wait!”
When is Strictly Come Dancing Live at the AO Arena?
Host Janette Manrara. Credit: Publicity Picture
There are four Strictly shows lined up in Manchester at the AO Arena, making it one of the biggest stops on the tour.
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Strictly Come Dancing the Live Tour will be on both Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 January 2023.
The shows will take place at 1pm and 6pm on Saturday, and 12pm and 5pm on Sunday.
What’s the show’s format?
Directed again by Craig Revel Horwood, the Strictly Live Tour showcases all the choreography, live music and sparkle of the much-loved TV series.
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Seven celebrity contestants and their professional dance partners will twirl and shimmy their way across the AO Arena ballroom floor, ready for the tour judges to provide their wisdom and scores.
But it’s the audience who ultimately call the shots, voting for their favourites via text from within the arena, with a champion crowned at the end of every show.
Which celebrities are taking part?
The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2023 is on the way to Manchester. Credit: Publicity picture
This year’s Strictly champions Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal are on the line-up, along with runners-up Helen Skelton and Kai Widdrington, Fleur East and Vito Coppola, and Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu.
Also hoping to lift the Strictly Live Tour glitterball trophy are Will Mellor and Nancy Xu, Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin, and Tyler West and Dianne Buswell.
Ready for the huge professional numbers there’ll be six more professional dancers heading out on tour – Amy Dowden, Neil Jones, Robbie Kmetoni, Jake Leigh, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.
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Can I still buy tickets?
You can, actually! There’s limited availability for the afternoon performances but still a fair few tickets for the evening shows.
Those remaining tickets are priced between £42.50 to £64.95.
The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess to host ‘Merch Market’ in aid of bands
Thomas Melia
Tim Burgess, frontman of legendary band The Charlatans, is set to launch a one-off ‘Merch Market’ event, and its core purpose is to support bands.
He might have a ‘Jesus Hairdo’ but he’s currently serving as a good Samaritan as The Charlatans‘ Tim Burgess is putting on an event solely focusing on funding bands via gig merch and other apparel.
Running across a variety of live music locations within Manchester city centre, the day-long event is called ‘Merch Market’, and it’s encouraging music lovers and bands alike to tag along.
Although ticket sales, album sales and streams are critical in funding the careers of all the artists we know and love, one key drive in securing actual revenue in the music industry is merchandise.
Expect to pick up some rare finds and own some limited edition collections.Band merch will be front and centre at this event which is hosted by The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess.Credit: The Hoot/Audio North
‘Merch Market’ is taking place at O2 Ritz as well as adjacent venues Gorilla and Dog Bowl across the road with a special appearance from ‘Tim Peak’s Diner’, the caffeinated brainchild of Tim Burgess.
The whole point of this event is to make sure that bands can receive the full 100% of merch sales without any cuts from any third party.
Fronted by The Charlatans lead singer Tim Burgess, ‘Merch Market’ is building off his 2021 gathering, which had a similar initiative with ‘Vinyl Adventure’ encouraging the sale of physical music and media.
Alongside stocking up your wardrobe with all the latest band t-shirts, hoodies and everything in between, there will be an array of interesting performances and talks happening throughout the day.
Entry to this incredible celebration of bands is completely free of charge and, better still, there are chances to win some seriously cool prizes – including some tasty festival tickets.
Gorilla is one of the live music venues that ‘Merch Market’ is taking place at.The Manc and Antony Szmierek outside O2 RItz, another venue which will be taking part in ‘Merch Market’.Credit: The Manc Group
Expect stalls, live DJ sets, interviews, panels and even a chance to bag yourself VIP tickets for UK festival, Kendal Calling, which Burgess will be returning for 2025.
Burgess is a man of many talents as he will not only be hosting this fantastic initiative, but he will also be hosting a stall of his own and singing a couple of his biggest hits.
Bands don’t have to worry about forking out a fortune for renting a stall either as tables at ‘Merch Market’ are free, the only thing musicians have to bring is their merch and charming personalities.
So whether you’re an artist with leftover stock from your last tour or a music lover who just missed out on snagging a snap back, head down to these three venues on 25 May.
A queer comedy night is coming to Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
A comedy night packed with raunch and hilarious storytelling is heading to Manchester and its fronted by one of comedy’s leading queer comedians.
Titled ‘Queer as F*ck’ (we love a good pun), this night is devoted especially to queer comedy and sees Welsh comedian Morgan Rees taking the wheel with a wonderful roster of acts set to play too.
Taking inspiration from the cult-favourite queer comedy, this leading comedian is no stranger to seeing his work in the limelight as he has written for some of the funniest flagship shows like Mock The Week and The Great American Joke-Off.
Rees also doubles as the co-writer for smash internet hit The Uncle Roger Show, starring fellow comic Nigel Ng, and will definitely be bringing some of his razor-sharp one-liners on the night.
Ben Hodge, the MC for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Morgan Rees, the comedian headlining ‘Queer as F*ck’.Jenny Hart, one of the acts lined up for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Credit: Press Images (supplied)
The event, which has the full title of ‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck comedy night’ will be MC’d by trans-male stand-up Ben Hodge and lesbian comedian Louise Young.
The latter may be a familiar name as she is currently supporting Alan Carr and Tom Allen on their latest tour while also stopping off in Manchester for this very special occasion.
Along with Rees and co., finishing the line-up are two impressive performers ready to raise the roof at this comedy night in Manchester: gay author Martin Dixon and trans comedian Jenny Hart.
Obviously, Rees doesn’t want to give everything away, but he has revealed an insight into what guests can expect to be chuckling away at in their seats.
Morgan Rees is excited to talk about “bad one night stands, growing up queer in a Welsh working class town, coming out late, and starting my first relationship in my 30s – it’s all in there.”
Taking place at Contact Theatre, this much-loved arts space is tucked away just behind the University of Manchester and another impressive city centre venue, Manchester Academy.
And if all this comedy talk wasn’t enough to get you down there, brew will be serving up Detroit-style pizzas with a range of draft beers and ciders – what a night you’re in for.
‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck’ is coming to the Contact in Manchester on Wednesday, 9 April and ttickets are already on sale.
Daisy Jackson -
26th January 2023 
