Author: Jemma Wilson

BBC favourite Michael McIntyre has pulled off the kind of double act most comedians only talk about. He has re-established himself at the heart of British Saturday night television while simultaneously launching his first full United States tour. For UK audiences, and particularly for viewers and live show crowds in Manchester and the North West, it marks a significant moment in one of the country’s most durable comedy careers. This is not just about another series returning to the schedules or another set of tour dates being announced. It is about scale, reach, and timing, with television ratings, arena ticket…

Brassic is filmed primarily in Bacup, Lancashire, with additional locations across Greater Manchester and the wider North West of England. That straightforward fact explains why the series feels so grounded from the first episode. What it does not explain is why the setting resonates so strongly with viewers across Manchester and Lancashire. To properly answer where is Brassic filmed, you have to look at how real Northern towns are brought together to create a fictional place that feels entirely authentic. So, where is Brassic filmed? Rather than relying heavily on studios, Brassic is shot in real locations. Streets, pubs, housing…

When viewers across the UK finished binge-watching Netflix’s twist-heavy drama, one question surged to the top of search results where was Stay Close filmed? Despite its shifting settings and fictional towns, the answer lies firmly in Manchester and the wider North West, where real streets, bars, suburbs and seaside resorts were transformed into the unsettling world of Stay Close. Filmed almost entirely on location between February and July 2021, the eight-part series uses Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire to double for multiple story settings. For locals, it is a familiar game of recognition. For everyone else, it is a reminder…

Manchester audiences have grown used to watching British talent break through on the global stage, but few careers have unfolded as publicly or as steadily as that of Sophie Turner. This January, the Warwickshire-born actor is once again at the centre of entertainment news after the release of the first official images from Prime Video’s upcoming Tomb Raider series. Filming is now underway, and early reaction across the UK suggests this could mark the most important chapter of her post-Game of Thrones career. First Look Images Spark Debate Across the UK Production began in mid-January, with Amazon MGM Studios unveiling…

The question where is Stay Close filmed barely needs answering for anyone who knows Manchester. From the opening episodes, the streets, bars, bridges and neighbourhoods feel unmistakably familiar. Netflix’s adaptation of Stay Close may be based on a novel set in the United States, but the series itself belongs firmly to the North West. Manchester doesn’t just appear in the background. It shapes the mood, the pacing, and the credibility of the story. For local viewers, watching Stay Close became a game of recognition — spotting city-centre streets, suburban homes, and coastal day trips woven into a dark, tightly plotted…

After years of uncertainty, the comeback is finally real. BTS have confirmed a new studio album for 2026 alongside plans for a major world tour, marking their first full group tour since completing military service. For UK fans, and particularly those in Manchester, this is shaping up to be one of the most significant live music events of the decade. What is officially confirmed about BTS world tour 2026 According to reporting by BBC News and The Scotsman, BTS will release a new album in March 2026 and follow it with a global tour later in the year. The announcement…

When Harry Styles swept all four of his nominated categories at the 2023 Brit Awards, his acceptance speech avoided victory laps. Instead, he thanked women overlooked by the newly gender neutral Artist of the Year category and joked about his mother signing him up for The X Factor “without telling me.” It was a moment that felt unmistakably British: modest, self aware, and quietly disarming. For Manchester readers, however, his relevance stretches beyond award ceremonies and chart positions. His financial backing of the Co op Live Arena a £365 million development on the Etihad Campus places him among a small…

In the small hours of a January morning, while much of Manchester is still asleep, screens flicker on across flats, student halls, and late night cafés. Awards season has begun again. For UK audiences, The Golden Globes 2026 is not simply a Hollywood pageant beamed in from Beverly Hills; it is the first meaningful signal of which films and television series will dominate conversations, cinema listings, and streaming queues for months to come. From a Manchester perspective, the ceremony lands at a moment when viewing habits are more fragmented than ever. Streaming platforms compete fiercely for attention, while independent cinemas…

Love Island All Stars returns to screens on Monday 12 January at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX, marking the start of ITV’s first Love Island run of 2026. For viewers searching when does Love Island start, the winter All Stars edition is the confirmed answer, launching with an extended third series expected to run for six weeks rather than the usual five. The winter spin off will again be hosted by Maya Jama, with Iain Stirling returning as narrator, as a group of familiar faces head back into the South African villa for another attempt at romance. Love Island All…

After nine years, five seasons, and a cultural footprint few modern series can rival, Stranger Things has reached its conclusion. When the final episode landed on Netflix, it wasn’t just the end of a show it was the closing chapter of a television era that helped define the streaming age. The stranger things ending arrives with enormous expectations attached. From Manchester to London, viewers who first met the Hawkins kids in 2016 tuned in not just for answers, but for reassurance that the journey had been worth it. According to critical consensus — including analysis from Forbes — the finale…