Bill Bailey, Rob Brydon and Jo Whiley announced for Bradford Live
He added: "We've assembled the kind of opening season that this magnificent venue and Bradfordians deserve and there's more to come with further artists being announced over the coming weeks."Bill Bailey will perform his tour show Thoughtifier on Sunday 31 August. Actors and comedians Bradley Walsh, Brian Conley, Shane Richie and Joe Pasquale - dubbed The Prat Pack - will perform the next day with a "spectacular variety show", including comedy routines and musical performances.
Brydon's Christmas show will be staged at the venue on Wednesday 10 December, a festive performance of music, stories and impressions, accompanied by an eight-piece band.On Saturday 4 October, comedian Ed Gamble will host a stand-up comedy night headlined by Phil Wang, with performances by Lou Sanders, Lucy Beaumont and Bradford comic Jonny Pelham.
New Model Army, which formed in Bradford in 1980, will perform a homecoming gig alongside Keighley band Terrorvision and Halifax group Paradise Lost on Saturday 13 December.DJ and TV presenter Whiley will bring her 90s Anthems show to Bradford on Friday 26 September.Other shows include jazz vocalist Clare Teal, dance group Diversity, Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance and naturalist and explorer Steve Backshall, with events scheduled through the later part of Bradford's year as the UK City of Culture and into 2026.
Bradford Live was taken over by Trafalgar Entertainment when NEC Group dropped out of running the venue. It had been mired in controversy as tickets had been sold for two tribute act shows, but customers were refunded without explanation. Trafalgar Entertainment signed a 25-year lease over the venue in April. Tickets are being sold at Bradford Live's website.
Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Shoppers spot new flavour of chocolate Maltesers pouches on shelves with twist on festive favourite
CHOC SHOCK Shoppers spot new flavour of chocolate Maltesers pouches on shelves with twist on festive favourite Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOPPERS have spotted a new flavour of Maltesers pouches on the shelves with a twist on a festive favourite. One user picked up dozens of likes and comments this week for her review of the treat on Instagram after finding a pack of five in a huge supermarket. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The new flavour has not gone down well with one reviewer Several chocolate fans have posted photographs of Maltesers Mini Reindeers Gingerbread Flavour on social media. It comes just days after shoppers spotted White Chocolate Maltesers as part of the meal deal options at Asda. The Mini Reindeers snack is on sale in Asda for £1.80. They are currently out of stock at Tesco and not yet listed at Aldi or Lidl. Another_snack_reviewer described the new pouches as "milk chocolate with a gingerbread flavour malt filling and honeycombed pieces". They added: "Yes, I realise this is a Christmas product and yes I realise it's only July. But I've always said if it's on the shelves then I'm gonna buy it! "I'm a big fan of the reindeer/bunny range (white chocolates are obviously the best) so I was super excited to see a new flavour!" Foodies race to Iceland to get their hands on a giant Maltesers bubble bar that's perfect for a Christmas dessert The review continued: "Unfortunately these didn't quite do it for me. "While the malty, honeycomb flavour was there and the texture was the usual creamy yet crunchy one which I love, the gingerbread just wasn't strong enough against the other elements. "It did come through more in the aftertaste but I still would have preferred it to be a tad punchier." This prompted several responses from other users. One wrote: "Shame as I was so excited for the gingerbread flavour of these" while another wrote: "OMG Christmas food reviews in July? I kid I kid! "If they're selling it, you've gotta review it. "Very sad to hear they aren't that tasty though. I'll stick to my favourite reindeer, the mint one." 'Add the ginger!' Another posted: "Aww nooooo I was so hoping these would be full on gingerbread." A fourth user said: "Just add more ginger, don't know if its a cost saving or worried people would find them too gingery but seriously, people who don't like ginger aren't gonna buy them so people who will buy them clearly like ginger. Add the ginger!" One user lamented: "The saddest news I've heard all week. "Was so looking forward to these as well!" Maltesers' new white chocolate snacks are available at major retailers — but sweet lovers will need to act fast before they sell out. Originally aimed at "dieting women", White Chocolate Maltesers were the white-chocolate version of Maltesers. The key difference between them and the original was that, instead of being covered in milk chocolate, they were covered in a delicious white chocolate coating. Maltesers are round balls of malted milk covered in chocolate. They were launched in 1937 after being created by American Forrest Mars Sr. Maltesers were first released in the UK and were originally aimed at "dieting women" as a "lighter" way to enjoy chocolate. They have since become popular across Europe and in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Bath Pride community event spreads 'joy and resistance'
Hundreds of people have marched through the streets of Bath for a Pride event to spread "joy, resistance and community spirit".On Saturday, the Somerset city played host to a parade, live music, various stalls, demonstrations and performances in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Nathan Maradei, one of the organisers, said the festival was a chance to "celebrate queer identity and protest in the face of overwhelming negative pressure".The event returned for its second year following the success of the first official Bath Pride parade, held on 18 August last year. Bath Pride says it celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and raises awareness about the challenges they face, including discrimination and the advancement of LGBTQ+ Maradei said the volunteer-run event was an opportunity to "really get connected to the community" and celebrate diversity. "I think the idea that an older city can't have change is a little bit self-defeatist, and we don't have to stick with that narrative," he said."It feels really important to march through the streets of the places we walk through every day and be visible. "Show that we don't want to be quiet. We are here and we are not hiding."Liz Kombate, who works for the charity Mind, attended the march to champion awareness of mental health among the LGBTQ+ community. "We're here to show ally ship for the community and put Bath Mind on the map, to show we're a safe space," she said."I think it's really important, especially now, more than ever, given the social and political climate."Her sister, Dolly Kombate, added: "I think there's often this idea of places like Bath as a smaller city that it's maybe not as progressive, but we're here to show people that's wrong."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Secrets of the 'world's greatest hotel' after insane 8-year transformation but it remains steeped in nostalgia
The infamous New York City hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, has reopened its doors after a massive eight-year renovation gave the nostalgic building a modern facelift - but the essence of old Park Avenue money hasn't disappeared. After eight years of renovations, delays, and ownership scandals, the iconic hotel is back, with many nods to its roots. The Waldorf Astoria has a long history of influencing culture, fashion, and architecture, donning a unique Art Deco style that put the hotel on the map. Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain, once referred to the Waldorf Astoria as 'the greatest of them all'. The newest version of the hotel has significantly cut down on rooms from 1,400 to only 375, increasing the exclusivity and making it even more difficult to book a stay. The reduction has also made the rooms some of the largest in the city, starting at 570 square feet. The hotel's infamous Peacock Alley, which once connected the Waldorf and the Astoria before it became one building, has been restored to its original grandeur. The alley got its name from the promenade that guests would take to show off their wealth. Now that the building is one hotel, Peacock Alley has become the Waldorf Astoria's breathtaking lounge. The grand Waldorf clock is the star of the show in the center of the lounge. It was once commissioned by Queen Victoria for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Also featured prominently in Peacock Alley is a beautiful Steinway grand piano that once belonged to the famous American composer Cole Porter. Porter composed scores for several Broadway shows, including Kiss Me, Kate, and the 1965 film, High Society, which starred Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra. He lived in the Waldorf Astoria from 1934 until he died in 1964. The tribute to him goes beyond decoration, as the hotel plans to have a pianist play the instrument for guests in the lobby. Setting the scene The doors to the Waldorf Astoria have seen many celebrities and political figures, including Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, and even Queen Elizabeth II, walk through them. The hotel is steeped in history, with the Grand Ballroom being the first venue to host the Tony Awards. Monroe is said to have met former President John F. Kennedy at the awards ceremony. The Waldorf Astoria also introduced the world to the famous Waldorf salad, a classic fruit and nut salad created by the maitre d'hotel Oscar Tschirky in 1893. The hotel's kitchen is responsible for producing other staples like red velvet cake and eggs Benedict. Lemuel Benedict, a retired Wall Street stockbroker, is believed to have ordered the combination to cure his hangover, which inspired Tschirky to popularize the dish. The Waldorf Astoria was the first to offer 24-hour room service for its guests and was even the first to start hiring female chefs, starting in 1931, according to Culture Now. In addition to food, the Waldorf Astoria was famous for cocktails. One of the bartenders, Johnnie Solon, invented the Bronx Cocktail behind the hotel's bar. The cocktail is a mix of gin, orange juice, and a dash of vermouth. History riddled with drama The hotel's story begins in 1897 when cousins William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor IV built two separate hotels on Fifth Avenue. The cousins turned their mansions into hotels during a bitter feud to one-up each other. A cruel twist came in 1929 when they were forced to demolish their hotels for construction of the Empire State Building. They then made a deal to combine the Waldorf and the Astoria into one hotel, moving the location to Park Avenue. The grand opening came two years later when the Waldorf Astoria debuted as a 47-story skyscraper with a coveted Grand Ballroom that saw Frank Sinatra perform and Albert Einstein speak. In 1977, Conrad Hilton achieved his dream of acquiring the property, but sold it to Chinese firm Anbang Insurance Group in 2014 for a whopping $1.95 billion in 2014. Over a decade later, the sale remains the most expensive hotel sale in history. In 2017, the insurance group began renovations. However, just two years later, the firm's chairman, Wu Xiaohui, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for fundraising fraud and embezzlement by the Chinese government. Anbang declared bankruptcy, and the Waldorf Astoria was acquired by another Chinese firm called Dajia Insurance Group. The legal woes further delayed the hotel's current renovations, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 pushed it back even further. A new era With a rich history of scandal, art, culture, and wealth, the Waldorf Astoria has now entered a new era. The renovation was overseen by architects from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the leading architecture firms in the country. The team told the New York Times that they spent years sifting through archival photos to create new designs that rang true to the hotel's origin. Chef Michael Anthony, who previously won a Michelin Star at New York's Gramercy Tavern, is spearheading the cuisine at the Waldorf Astoria's Lex Yard restaurant. The Waldorf Astoria has consistently been at the forefront of cocktail innovation, with drinks such as the Rob Roy cocktail and Bronx Cocktail originating there. Pictured a bartender makes a Rob Roy at the hotel on Wednesday The hotel also features a massive 30,000 square foot spa with a sprawling fitness center. The brand is staying true to its ballroom roots, reimagining the Grand Ballroom to accommodate new technology. The bordering rooms have undergone renovations to make them soundproof, so guests can still rent them out during events. A gaudy crystal chandelier that used to be the centerpiece of the ballroom has been removed and replaced with a modern lighting system. Frank Mahan, a principal architect with SOM, told the Times that the lighting of the ballroom, 'never quite worked the way it was intended'. The chandelier's harsh lighting damaged the paneling and metalwork of the ballroom, but now light comes through from coves in the ceiling. The hotel's third floor features a stunning hallway called the Silver Corridor, connecting the Grand Ballroom, the Astor Room, and the Basildon Room. The hallway's grandiose chandeliers light up the jaw-dropping murals on the ceiling, painted by Edward Emerson Simmons. Guests are also promised ultimate comfort in their rooms, which feature dressing areas and private bar areas. The Waldorf Astoria is officially open for guests and has rooms available starting at a whopping $1,500 a night.
