Latest news with #Bolton-born
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Vernon Kay hits back at 'freebie' backlash after attending several Oasis gigs
Vernon Kay owned up to using his credit card to pay for two expensive purchases that had social media users fuming Vernon Kay has been criticised following an action-packed weekend, as the star made a recent admission about his social life. But fans have shrugged off the criticism, rallying around the presenter to show their support. The BBC Radio 2 star was among the first to witness Liam and Noel Gallagher reunite on stage for the inaugural gig of their Oasis Live '25 tour in Cardiff earlier this month. Not content with just one performance, the Bolton-born star made his way to Manchester to catch Oasis ' comeback at Heaton Park, attending both gigs on Friday (July 11) and Saturday (July 12). Vernon shared a clip from Liam and Noel's first homecoming concert on Instagram, where he was seen donning sunglasses and a New York Cosmos shirt, belting out the lyrics to "Live Forever." He captioned the video: "Manchester! Day1. @oasis The excellence continues! Bravo!!" However, some followers questioned how he managed to secure tickets to multiple shows in the comments of his post. Social media user @lfcarbz queried: "How did Vernon get so many tickets? Cardiff now Manchester!" to which Vernon responded: "Paid for them!!" User @alanthomas1965 also commented: "A lot of people couldn't get tickets for 1 gig you've managed 2 I wonder how that is," prompting Vernon to admit: "Smashed the credit card, Alan!" On Saturday (July 12), Vernon updated his Instagram again, revealing he had stayed in Manchester over the weekend to enjoy the Henley Festival. Donning a crisp white shirt, dickie bow and sunglasses for the event, he enjoyed performances by club legends Hacienda Classical, fronted by Graeme Park. Vernon shared a clip from the concert on social media, exclaiming: "@fac51thehaciendaofficial @graemepark What a superb night @henleyfestival!! B2B Manchester icons in two days! "(And for those who are gonna get the wet wipes out, our dear friend Mr. Park who we've admired since '89! ! Sorted us out!) Rave on Brothers and Sisters!! Nothing but [heart emojis]." Vernon has since posted an update showing how he spent his latest weekend, which included a trip to Wimbledon with his eldest daughter, Phoebe. In his post, the ex-Family Fortunes host wrote: "Well what a weekend! "Not dusted off the cobwebs like that in a long time!! @oasis @fac51thehaciendaofficial classical with @graemepark and @wimbledon with @champagnelanson. Back garden and the new lawnmower await!!" Fans were quick to express their enthusiasm. Social media user @ commented: "Who cares if he bought a ticket or not? Being a Celebrity comes with benefits." While @janetjeans said: "You deserve it!," and @hayley_mc76 remarked: "Good on you Vernon, enjoy the gardening." User @ responded: "LOVED seeing your action packed weekend." Another fan, @rubyeyelashes added: "Glad you enjoyed everything that's what it's about! And a new lawnmower!! Get in!" Meanwhile, @maxiflamingo cheered on: "Good for you Vernon! If you get the chance, go for it!! You still got time to plant beetroots!" @andreacassidy7 chimed in with enthusiasm: "Flipping love it! We only have one life!!"
Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
Radio 2 chaos as Vernon Kay misses show and Sara Cox forced to step in
Sara Cox had to step in for Vernon Kay as her fellow Bolton-born DJ got stuck on a hot train BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay missed the start of his morning show on Tuesday after becoming 'trapped' on a train. The 51-year-old was expected on air at 9.30am but said his train had broken down. Sara Cox, who was presenting Scott Mills' breakfast show on the station, stayed on to cover for Kay. Posting on his Instagram story, Kay said the 'train isn't training!!' and asked Cox to 'hang fire'. Cox, who like Kay is from Bolton in Greater Manchester, told the BBC Radio 2 audience: 'Oh no, I've just realised I'm not gonna be in time for reformer Pilates. 'If you just joined in and you're thinking Vernon is sounding a little extra-manly today, don't worry. It's me: Sara, from the same area obviously, though famously. 'Vernon, poor Vernon stuck on a hot, sweaty train with no coffee, no air-con, no deodorant. So he's going to get in at some point, hopefully.' Cox reassured listeners that veteran broadcaster Gary Davies would be filling in from 10am. When Davies took over, he said: 'If you just tuned in and wondering were Vernon is, he was on his train like usual and the train broke down and so he has been in sweltering hot heat and they had to send a rescue train which also broke down.' Kay took to Instagram himself to share updates on his heated journey with fans. Parts of England face a heatwave with temperatures in London expected to reach 34C on Tuesday, according to the Met Office. Davis also played two voice notes on air from Kay where listeners could hear him thanking the presenter for covering the show and calling him a 'gentleman'. Kay later added: 'We are trapped on the train. We are still not in good spirits but we are trying Gary, we really are trying. All the best.' Former BBC Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce appeared to have had a similar issue after his train broke down on Tuesday. Posting on X, the DJ apologised to his followers, adding that he would be late to his Greatest Hits Radio show due to a broken down train. Kay replaced Bruce on the BBC Radio 2 mid-morning weekday program in 2023.
Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'I played in Champions League with Man Utd but quit at 27 to become a builder'
Lee Roche was an academy graduate for Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, but his time with the Red Devils didn't last long before he quit football altogether for a different career Lee Roche once started a Champions League game for Manchester United – but he found himself out of football completely less than a decade later. The former defender came through the Red Devils academy during the reign of Sir Alex Ferguson, and while he never established himself in the first team, he did make a handful of appearances for his boyhood club. Starting against Arsenal in the League Cup was certainly a highlight for Bolton-born Roche, whose shining light in his short United career came when he started against Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League in March 2003. Given United had already secured their passage into the knockout stages, Roche was one of many youngsters that Ferguson opted to start in Spain alongside senior stars such as Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Laurent Blanc. He lasted 45 minutes and was subbed off at half time with United 1-0 down, before they conceded another after the break to lose 2-0 in their final game of the second group stage. Despite his presence on the European stage, it wasn't long before Roche fell down the footballing pyramid. He had stints with Burnley, Wrexham and Droylsden after being released on a free transfer by United in the summer of 2003, before retiring from the sport at 27 years of age. Now working on a building site in his post-football career, the 44-year-old admitted he didn't expect his sporting career to end the way it did, especially given the success United possess in their academy graduates. Asked if he ever expected to have such a drastic career change, he told LFETV back in 2012: "Definitely not. Especially when you sign for a club as big as Manchester United. You think you're going to be playing football until you're 35. "The way things have turned out I've had to work, I've been working here for nearly three years and it's a bit of a change from playing football, but you just have to get on with it." After parting ways with football, Roche was supported by the PFA and has since become a qualified plumber and owns a cavity wall insulation business. Having had to discover what his next step in life would be after football, Roche said he believes young players should have a back-up plan if their careers don't blossom as they'd expect. "I have had a few fellow workers on the building sites asking me about United and how have I ended up here," he said. "It can get pretty tiresome so I don't go shouting about that I played for United. I do think young players today should be made to train as something, so they know about the real world. Most of them probably don't have a plan to fall back on if they don't make it as a professional." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Helen Flanagan slips into bargain blue swimsuit on solo trip after sad split
Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan flew off to France on Friday after splitting up with her boyfriend, Robbie Talbot, for a heartbreaking reason Helen Flanagan looked deep in thought when she was papped in France on Friday after calling it quits with her boyfriend. Seen sporting a bargain blue swimsuit following her heartbreaking split with Robbie Talbot, the Coronation Street star, 34, walked along the beach in Antibes alone, after reportedly having a 'grown up chat' with Robbie, who she had dated for a year, before calling it quits over claims she wanted children with the former footballer, 45. Following her heartbreak, the mum-of-three is now said to be focusing on the kids she shares with ex, Scott Sinclair - and her career - and decided to jet off abroad on a solo trip as she gets used to her single life again. Seen sporting a stunning £14 powder blue floral swimsuit from Primark while sunning herself at the swanky YOLO beach club in Antibes, France, the Rosie Webster star, cooled off in the sea, with her blonde locks tied up into a bun, sporting a pair of black Miu Miu designer sunglasses. After paddling in the crystal-clear water in the seaside city in the south of France, she then went for a stroll on her own, clutching a bright blue linen shirt, also from Primark and priced at £10, which, along with the swimsuit is part of the high street store's Love the Summer range and available to buy from May 27. It's been a tough time for the I'm A Me Out Of Here! star, who reportedly split from Robbie because they want "different things in life". The Bolton-born actress, best known for playing the role of Rosie Webster in Coronation Street, is said to have wanted children with the dad-of-two, with sources saying the pair had a "grown-up" chat after realising that things were not working out between them. The split comes just weeks after Helen was reportedly worried that her relationship could be "going backwards" after Robbie moved out months after they started living together. Helen reportedly was desperate to make the relationship work, but found it difficult to juggle her role as devoted mum to children Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and three-year-old Charlie, while building something new. She also recently put her 'forever home' up for sale amid reports of financial strain. The actress has been candid about her bank balance and her mental health in recent months, admitting that at one point, she lost all her money. Helen had initially lived in the eight-bedroom house in Bolton, Greater Manchester, with her now ex-partner Scott 36, and their three children, prior to the couple's separation in 2022. Taking to Instagram in January, she shared: "My love life was a s**t show…. I didn't look after my mental health. I felt so s**t and sad. I felt like my whole life was f***ed up now and I had the perfect family. 13 years is a long time to be with someone. My whole 20s. I had a lot of family fall-outs too and I also lost basically all my money. Me and Scott weren't married we were engaged. "My mental health was so bad I thought maybe my kids would be better off without me and maybe they would be better off with their dad as he's more level-headed than me. I love my kids more than words can say, but when you are not well you're not well." Recently revealing that selling her family home, had left her 'anxious', she explained that while she's looking forward to the "fresh break" she was also worried about "downsizing". Explaining she'd put 'a lot of her savings' into the property to make it 'nice for her kids', she said recently on the Declutter podcast: "It actually makes me sad that I'm going to be leaving this house soon because I actually put so much effort into it. I put a lot of my savings into like doing the house up and stuff, and making it look really beautiful." Conceding it was a lot of work to manage, Helen continued: "It's an eight bedroomed house which is obviously really hard to keep on top of. I mean, I feel really lucky to to live here - well, soon to have lived here - because it is gorgeous but it's a lot to keep on top of." "But I think I'm gonna struggle to... Obviously when I do [move] because obviously I will be downsizing so much."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'We have events that hold a place in our heart' -new series starring Bolton presenter
Bolton TV presenter and radio broadcaster Sara Cox will be starring in a new series bringing alive people's most special memories - in miniature form. The eight-part BBC Daytime series will celebrate 'cherished memories and moments of time' in The Marvellous Miniatures Workshop. Professional model makers will bring places, people and iconic moments in time back to life via miniature models. The Bolton-born presenter said that she "can't wait" to find out the backstory behind each model. She said: "We all have life events that hold a special place in our heart, so I'm absolutely thrilled we are going to be recreating cherished memories and moments in time using the astonishing skills of our miniaturists. "This show taps into our fascination with the tiny, from fantasy film to classic literature and as a naturally very nosey person, I personally can't wait to find out the beautiful backstory that inspires each creation." Sarah Cox will present the new show The special one-off models will celebrate cherished and emotional family stories, as well as cultural heritage around events, design and fashions. Whether it is a life event, a snap-shot of mid-century design or a memory tied to trends of the past, these models say the BBC will serve as "tiny yet powerful windows into the way things were". To ensure the models are as authentic as possible, the miniaturists must embark on an investigative journey to uncover the personal stories behind each request, as well as dig into historical and cultural references to craft them as true and realistic as possible. Production company MGM Alternative will use the latest technology and microscopic cameras to get up close and personal, capturing the minute details and craft that goes into creating these special models. Have a story? Get in touch at The artists will also have to dig into historical and cultural references to make sure that they are as "true and realistic as possible". Rachel Platt, commissioning editor for BBC Daytime, said: 'Many of us will remember our first set of building blocks, train set, or dolls house, so what a thrill to have one of those miniature worlds created around your own special memory. 'Combining the nation's love of model-making with stories that are at once deeply personal and wonderfully relatable, each episode of this genuinely delightful series will be full of emotion, nostalgia - and exceptional skill.' READ MORE: Channel 4 launches Handcuffed fronted by Jonathan Ross READ MORE: Open air 'Wind in the Willows' production set for Ramsbottom READ MORE: Bolton presenter Sara Cox asks whether Facebook friends are real friends in new TV series Audiences will be taken on an emotional journey from start to finish, from meeting the people who want to capture their special moment, their background on why it's so important to them, to the research that goes into getting every detail correct. There will be challenges along the way, from identifying accurate furnishing colours and materials from over half a century ago, to recreating interiors and buildings that have long since been derelict. At the end of each episode is the big reveal; Have the miniaturists faithfully re-created the place of so many memories - and the reaction when childhood memories are recreated. Dom Bird, SVP at MGM Alternative UK, said: 'MGM is delighted to be growing our slate of BBC programmes in 2025, with this original new series combining deeply personal stories and incredible craftsmanship with joyous surprises and reveals. 'These perfect replicas will bring back to life those locations that changed and shaped people's lives, while the models will be small, the heart and joy in this series promises to be huge.'
