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Family, friends, celebrities and fans gathered to witness the unveiling of a statue celebrating the life and legacy of comedy legend Bobby Ball.

More than 2,000 people packed into Lytham’s Lowther Gardens as Bobby’s widow Yvonne revealed the 7ft statue with help from their daughter Joanne O’Sullivan, Bobby’s sons Darren and Rob Harper along with the Rock-On funnyman’s comedy partner and lifelong friend Tommy Cannon.

Ahead of the unveiling Tommy and comedian Lee Mack both spoke to the crowd about Bobby while Bobby’s church minister Ray Bevan formally dedicated the statue.

Speaking to the crowd, Tommy said: “I love Bobby, God bless him.

“I love him today, I love him tomorrow I’ll always love him. Fifty-eight years we were together, it’s been one hell of a ride.”

Lee, who worked alongside Bobby on TV show Not Going Out for 12 years, added: “He was a little guy but he had a big personality, a large amount of mischief and a huge, huge heart.

“Bobby really was a one-off. I love him truly and I will miss him terribly.”

Friends and former co-stars of Bobby were also in attendance including Sherrie Hewson, Stu Francis, Les Dennis, Lady Anne Dodd, Steve Royle and Johnnie Casson.

Fans of the late comedian called for a statue in Bobby’s honour following his death in October 2020 and a huge fundraising appeal was launched to meet the £100k cost.

And Bobby’s widow Yvonne said Bobby would be overwhelmed to know there is a statue in his memory.

Yvonne said: “I am honoured to have a statue of Bobby in the town we called home, our family is, and I know above all else, Bobby would be absolutely delighted.

“This has been a wonderful event made very special with the help of Tommy and Lee, and of course all our family and friends. The number of people that have come out to see the statue is fantastic and we cannot thank them enough for their never-ending support.

“To know that Bobby will forever have a home in Lowther Gardens is very special and we all hope many, many people over the years enjoy coming along to say ‘hello’ to our Bob.”

Also performing at the statue unveiling was the NHS Choir and sculptor Ben Twiston-Davies explained the work involved to create the lifelike memorial.

The bronze statue stands 7ft in height upon a 2ft concrete base and weighs approximately 300kgYvonne added:“With the statue Ben has captured the Bobby known to the nation. His cheeky smile, that glint in his eye and of course, his braces. We are all delighted.”

Music legend Tom Jones brilliantly brought the curtain down on a record-breaking Live At The Piece Hall 2022 – with organisers already pledging next year’s event will be even bigger.

Close to 60,000 people attended this summer’s sensational series of headline shows as some of the biggest names in music took to the stage at the historic Halifax venue over 12 stunning nights.

And Live At The Piece Hallco-promoters The Piece Hall Trust and Cuffe and Taylor are certainly not resting on their laurels as they look to expand the event in 2023 amid a “real buzz” about the venue within the music industry.

‘An epic venue and crowd… thank you Halifax!’ Noel Gallagher

‘I feel so incredibly lucky to be playing in gorgeous places such as The Piece Hall’ Paloma Faith

‘Thank you for the love Halifax. Another unforgettable night of great vibes’ Nile Rodgers

‘Halifax is fabulous… The Piece Hall is just like Venice!’ Jessie Ware

Nicky Chance-Thompson DL, CEO of The Piece Hall Trust, said: “It’s actually quite hard to describe how I’m feeling as Live at The Piece Hall 2022 comes to a close. Epic, incredible, amazing and brilliant are among the words used in the feedback given to me. It was all of that and more.

“It was always the plan to bring world class artists to this iconic building and the partnership with Cuffe and Taylor has made that vision happen. Seeing the sheer joy on faces in the crowds as people came together to experience some absolute musical legends has been so heart-warming.

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all the incredibly talented artists who’ve taken to the stage here this year. The feedback from the performers and their teams has been exceptional and I know the word will spread far and wide about how great it is to play at our unique venue and what a phenomenal reception you get from our crowds.

“It will be some task to top this in 2023 but I actually believe we can. The work has already started and I’m incredibly excited at what we have planned.”

This year saw headline shows from the likes of Duran Duran, Paloma Faith, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Tom Grennan, Paul Weller and Primal Scream.

With many of the shows selling out, the gig series smashed the box office records. The shows also delivered a multi-million pound boost for the local economy with many of the thousands of concert goers visiting from outside Yorkshire.

Peter Taylor, co-founder of Cuffe and Taylor which is part of Live Nation – the world’s largest live entertainment company, said: “What an incredible summer it has been at this stunning venue. We knew it was going to be amazing, but the shows here have been something else.

“There is a real buzz right now within the music industry about The Piece Hall. A lot of agents and artists are talking about what has happened here, and we are already having some really exciting conversations about next summer.

“We’ve set the bar very high, but we feel certain next year will be even more incredible. Watch this space!”

The Piece Hall is a unique architectural and cultural wonder. Grade I listed, it originally opened in 1779 for the trading of ‘pieces’ of cloth produced by Yorkshire’s famous woollen mills and is the only remaining Georgian cloth hall in the world.

Now an award-winning contemporary cultural, heritage and live entertainment destination, The Piece Hall has welcomed more than eight million visitors through its historic gates since it re-opened in 2017.

Cuffe and Taylor has extensive experience in staging major concerts in Yorkshire. Since 2016, they have exclusively programmed all live music events at Scarborough Open Air Theatre – including massive headline shows by the likes of Britney Spears, Lionel Richie, Kylie, Stereophonics, Biffy Clyro, Sam Fender and Lewis Capaldi.

They are also responsible for staging UK tours with Britney, Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey and Little Mix, while also curating major festivals and events such as Lancashire’s Lytham Festival.

Hit children’s show HEY DUGGEE is to tour the UK for the first time ever in a vibrant and interactive stage show.

Duggee, The Squirrels and some of their friends will come together for HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW in a brand new play packed with non-stop fun, laughs, singing, dancing and even more fun!

The smash hit CBeebies series is brought to life through innovative puppetry and storytelling in this new live show which will tour across the UK from December through to summer 2023.

Visiting no less than 24 theatres, HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW, includes a four-week run at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall (London) from December 14.

Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday July 1 (regional theatres) and 10am Monday July 4 (London) from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and direct from theatres.

Since bursting onto TV screens in 2014, the BBC and Studio AKA creation has won no fewer than six BAFTAs and is an international Emmy award-winning hit.

Hey Duggee was the most streamed children’s show on BBC iPlayer in 2021 and is popular among both children and parents; with fans both young and old, up and down the country now able to join the much-loved character on tour.

HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW is presented by award-winning theatre producer Kenny Wax and theatre and live entertainment promoters Cuffe and Taylor in association with Live Nation.

Producer Kenny Wax said: “We are so thrilled to be working with Live Nation, Cuffe & Taylor, Studio AKA and BBC Studios to create a brand new stage show with lots of surprises touring the country with a sit down month in London over Christmas. I can’t wait.”

Ben Hatton, director of theatre touring for Cuffe and Taylor, added: “This is an incredibly exciting tour. Hey Duggee is quite simply a phenomenon and has taken the world of children’s entertainment by storm.

“We are delighted to be working with Kenny and his team at Kenny Wax Family Entertainment, as well as all the extended Hey Duggee family at Studio AKA and BBC Studios. We look forward to Duggee and his friends filling theatres around the UK.”

Mat Way, Global Director of Live Entertainment, Gaming and Interactive at BBC Studios, said: “Studio AKA’s Hey Duggee is such a fun and iconic show and we can’t wait to bring the humour and adventures to life for families all around the country. We’re delighted to be working with Kenny Wax and Cuffe and Taylor to introduce young people to the wonders of the theatre.”

For more information go to www.heyduggee.com

HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW TOUR DATES
Sat 3 – Sat 10 Dec Southampton, MAST Mayflower Studios
Wed 14 December – Sun 8 Jan London, Southbank Centre Royal Festival Hall
Thu 12 – Sun 15 Jan Bradford, St George’s Hall
Fri 20 – Sun 22 Jan Darlington, Hippodrome
Fri 27 – Sun 29 Jan Edinburgh, Festival Theatre
Thu 2 – Sat 4 Feb Liverpool, Empire Theatre
Tue 7 – Wed 8 Feb Brighton, Theatre Royal
Fri 10 – Sat 11 Feb Plymouth, Theatre Royal
Tue 14 – Wed 15 Feb Peterborough, New Theatre
Sat 18 – Sun 19 Feb Canterbury, The Marlowe
Tue 21 – Wed 22 Feb Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre
Sat 25 – Sun 26 Feb Poole, Lighthouse Theatre
Fri 10 – Sun 12 Mar Stoke, Regent Theatre
Thu 16 – Sat 18 Mar Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre
Fri 24 – Sun 26 Mar Salford, The Lowry
Mon 3 – Tue 4 Apr Ipswich, Regent Theatre
Fri 7 – Sat 8 Apr Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre
Mon 10 – Wed 12 Apr Birmingham, Town Hall
Fri 14 – Sat 15 Apr Leicester, Curve
Thu 20 – Sat 22 Apr Bath, The Forum
Mon 1 – Sat 6 May Nottingham, Theatre Royal
Sat 13 – Sun 14 May Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
Thu 25 – Sat 27 May Glasgow, Kings Theatre
Tue 30 May – Sat 4 Jun Kingston-Upon-Thames, Rose Theatre

British astronaut Tim Peake is keeping his feet firmly on the ground as he prepares to extend his hit one-man show My Journey To Space into 2023.

Tim made history in 2015 as the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station.

In 2021 he embarked on his debut tour of My Journey To Space giving audiences a fascinating insight into life as an astronaut, complete with breath-taking photographs and never-before-seen footage.

Now, due to popular demand, the tour is being extended into 2023 and Tim will send fans into orbit as he shares the secrets and science of how and why humans journey into space.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Wednesday June 29, from www.fane.co.uk/timpeake or direct from the venue.

Tim Peake joined the European Space Agency in 2009, after an 18-year career in the Army. In December 2015, he became the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station to conduct a spacewalk while orbiting Earth.

“One thing I never anticipated in being selected for the ESA programme, was just how much my own experiences would inspire and fascinate others,” says Tim.

“I will always be mesmerised by space and space travel, but I am just an honoured to be able to travel the country sharing my story and experiences.”

TIM PEAKE – MY JOURNEY TO SPACE
NEW FOR 2023
Weds Mar 1 – CANTERBURY, Marlowe Theatre
Sat Mar 4 – CHICHESTER, Festival Theatre
Sun Mar 5 – YEOVIL, Westlands
Tues Mar 7 – MILTON KEYNES, Milton Keynes Theatre
Weds Mar 8 – BATH, The Forum
Thurs Mar 9 – READING, Hexagon
Fri Mar 10 – SOUTHAMPTON, Mayflower Theatre
Sun Mar 12 – SHREWSBURY, Theatre Severn
Mon Mar 13 – WARRINGTON, Parr Hall
Sat Mar 18 – SCARBOROUGH, Grand Hall
Sun Mar 19 – LINCOLN, Engine Shed
Tues Mar 21 – BLACKBURN, King George’s Hall
Weds Mar 22 – BUXTON, Opera House
Thurs Mar 23 – ABERYSTWYTH, Aberystwyth Theatre
Sun Mar 26 – ABERDEEN, Music Hall
Mon Mar 27 – MOTHERWELL, Concert Hall
Tues Mar 28 – EDINBURGH, Usher Hall
Thurs Mar 30 – CARLISLE, Sands Centre
Fri Mar 31 – DONCASTER, Doncaster Dome
Sun Apr 2 – KINGSTON, Rose Theatre

Halifax’s very own alt-pop heroes EEVAH have landed the ultimate hometown gig – opening the show for stadium-filling British music icons Duran Duran.

The White Rose purveyors of high-energy indie pop will support the Grammy, BRIT Award and 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees at The Piece Hall, Halifax, on Tuesday July 5.

Final tickets are on sale now via ticketmaster.co.uk

Duran Duran’s show at the historic Yorkshire venue’s stunning open-air courtyard is part of the biggest and best ever line-up for Live At The Piece Hall – with headline shows from the likes of Paul Weller, Tom Jones, Paloma Faith, Jessie Ware and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – plus many more.

EEVAH are singer/songwriter Nicole Hope Smith (vocals/piano) and Richard McNamara of anthemic Yorkshire indie rock chart-topper’s Embrace on guitars and electronics.

With a musical mantra that is all about combining rock and indie, with catchy pop hooks and echoes of the 80s and 90s, they are about to follow up brilliant debut EP ‘Promises’ with new EP ‘Wild Things’. 

Ahead of their appearance with Duran Duran at The Piece Hall they will release new single ‘Out Of Focus’, on July 1 – just in time to soundtrack everyone’s summer!

The Piece Hall show with Duran Duran will be EEVAH’s biggest gig to date – and one they actually had tickets for long before landing the support slot!

Nicole explained: “We bought four tickets for the show the day they went on sale – there was no way we were going to miss this gig. Now we are playing it!

“This will by far be the biggest gig we have ever played and we absolutely can’t wait!”

EEVAH are opening the night for a band whose place in music history has long been assured.

Duran Duran – singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor – have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. They have scored 18 American hit singles and 21 UK Top 20 tunes – cementing them as one of the most successful and influential bands of all time.

Consistently fusing art, technology, fashion and a signature sense of style with their unique and infectious brand of music, they have proven themselves timeless, always innovating and reinventing, to remain ahead of the curve.

Duran Duran’s 2021 album FUTURE PAST – their highest charting album in 16 years – was met with widespread critical acclaim. It was described as an album “that looks firmly to the future” by Rolling Stone UK, “classic Duran” by The Times, “a blast” by CLASH, and “all a fan could want” by the Evening Standard.

The band will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November alongside fellow 2022 inductees Eminem, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Eurythmics, Carly Simon, Judas Priest and Pat Benatar.

Before that they play a series of huge headline concerts in Europe – including their unmissable night at The Piece Hall on July 5.

The show is presented by Cuffe and Taylor and The Piece Hall Trust.  Nicky Chance-Thompson DL, CEO of The Piece Hall Trust, said: “What a moment for EEVAH to be opening the show in our stunning courtyard for music legends Duran Duran.

“I love that we are able to shine the spotlight on local talent by inviting them to play alongside global superstars at Live at The Piece Hall.

“A truly incredible summer of music is heading to Halifax, with the 2022 line up definitely the biggest and best ever.” 

Follow Duran Duran:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

Follow EEVAH:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

Critically acclaimed author and explorer Levison Wood will be taking to the stage for his third UK tour this autumn – The Art Of Exploration.

Travelling across the country, Levison will visit 15 towns and cities with this entertaining two-hour one-man show as he recalls tales ranging from his lifetime of travel and Army career to world-renowned expeditions.

Levison Wood is a best-selling author and photographer who has worked and travelled across more than 100 countries and has written nine best-selling books. In The Art Of Exploration he will share his experiences and learnings from his travels, his Army career including serving in the Parachute Regiment and the front-line of Afghanistan, to his photo-journalism assignments in the Congo and Nepal.

As an explorer Levison has trekked thousands of miles through some of the world’s most testing environments including the Nile, Himalayas and the Arabian peninsula and his UK tour will see him reveal the lessons he has learnt on the road.

Levison said: “The Art Of Exploration presents me with a great opportunity to reveal the life lessons I have learnt and how we can all benefit from applying the philosophy of travel and the Art of Exploration to our normal everyday routines, so we can achieve a positive mindset and get things done.

“We all have our own journeys on which we have to travel – whether that is to the corners of the globe or by balancing day-to-day life. It is a challenge for us all at some point and I hope I can inspire the audience to embark on their own personal journeys.”

The Art Of Exploration is Levison’s third UK tour and along with hearing his fascinating anecdotes and honest experiences, audiences will be able to witness first-hand what Levison experienced through photography and footage from his extensive travels.

For more details and to secure tickets go to nothird.co.uk

Almost two years to the date since releasing the album What’s Your Pleasure?, Jessie Ware will be bringing her classic pop vibes to Halifax next month.

The Brit Award-nominated singer-songwriter opens the three-week season of live music at the town’s historic The Piece Hall with What’s Your Pleasure? Live on Sunday June 19.

And Jessie’s raring to go out and have ‘a lot of fun on stage’.

“I’m so ready to go and perform What’s Your Pleasure?, and I hope other people are ready to watch it,” she said.

“I’ve had a good look at The Piece Hall online, and it’s like a lovely, grand stately home – which is very me.

“I’m going to be playing a lot of tents and academies this summer, so somewhere like this really stands out. It feels grand and sophisticated, and I can pretend I’m in Downton Abbey or something like that.

“It’s really exciting and I just hope it doesn’t rain too much!”

While Halifax will be a new box ticked on Jessie’s live show roster, she’s a big fan of Yorkshire gig-goers.

“I love the crowds in the north – they are the best. They’re warm, they embrace you, they’re loud and outrageous, and that’s what you want… I love being able to interact with fans.

“I’ve played Leeds and Manchester, and hopefully people who missed out on tickets there will come along, or if they came, will want to come again.

“The Piece Hall is such a different venue, so you’ll get a different experience from it.

“Coming into gigs like this – that’s when you know it’s summer.

“Outdoors shows are always something else. You get more stuck in! If someone has come out, potentially getting rained on for a few hours, to hear your music, they deserve a lot from you.”

What’s Your Pleasure? Live has been two years in the making, with the album released in June 2020 in the midst of Covid-19 lockdowns, when live music was a distant dream for fans – as kitchen discos filled the gigs’ gap in their lives.

But the album became Jessie’s highest charting release to date and reinforced her reputation as one of the strongest vocalists in UK music, following previous acclaimed studio albums, Devotion (2012), Tough Love (2014), and Glasshouse (2017).

“What’s Your Pleasure? is such a special record for so many people, and it’s very much a record to dance to and be inspired by – so to perform it in beautiful surroundings like The Piece Hall will be really special.

“I make records to be able to perform them, especially this one, and we have had to wait so long to get out turn with What’s Your Pleasure?. The anticipation has been killing me.

“The album took on a different life when it was released, than it was intended to have. It was played in people’s homes, in their kitchen discos instead of at gigs.

“But in a way, that now makes it even more significant to be able to take it out there in a live setting, and certain songs will be great to take out on stage.

“Remember Where You Are is one that has to be shouted at the top of your lungs. Kiss Of Life was a duet with Kylie and is so much fun, it’ll be amazing on stage. Obviously, if you can get Kylie to Halifax, that would be excellent!”

While it’s unlikely Kylie will be stepping out at The Piece Hall – a though not entirely impossible, given that the venue’s new promoters were responsible for the Australian pop princess playing Scarborough Open Air Theatre in 2019 – Jessie is impressed with the acts who will be following in her footsteps this summer.

As the first act in the new for 2022 partnership between Cuffe and Taylor and The Piece Hall Trust, Jessie hopes she ‘can do Halifax proud to set the tone for the rest of an excellent season of music’.

Running through the other acts playing The Piece Hall through June and July, including the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Tom Grennan and Nile Rodgers & CHIC, she could even plan a return trip to join revellers in the in the stunning open-air courtyard.

“It sounds like The Piece Hall is going to be the place to be from the line-up, it’s great!” Jessie said.

“My top pick? Nile Rodgers & CHIC – always. They’re phenomenal. Paloma Faith always puts on a great show, so I’d go for that one too.

“And Tom Jones, of course! We had him on the podcast and he is so funny, and his voice just goes on and on.”

While live music has been off the agenda, Jessie was able to develop her award-winning Table Manners podcast, which features Jessie and her mum Lennie interviewing famous faces over dinner – including the likes of Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa and Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall.

And Jessie hopes podcast fans will be keen to find out more about her music with the live gigs this year.

“Of course the music shows are different to the live podcast shows we’ve done – I can’t go out at Halifax and chat about food,” she laughed.

“But the podcast has given me a confidence that people are happy to hear me in their ears, talking what is, to be honest, quite a lot of faff.

“There is a different audience between the music and the podcast, but there is also a real crossover – where they all just feel like friends.

“It’s exciting winning people over from the two different sides, people who’ve loved the music and then come over to the podcast, and vice versa.”

Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure? Live at the The Piece Hall is presented by Cuffe and Taylor and The Piece Hall Trust. Tickets are on sale now from ticketmaster.co.uk

Follow Jessie Ware:

Official website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

Jane McDonald may well be the honorary Queen of Yorkshire, but she can’t deny her excitement ahead of headlining a special concert celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this summer.

“If there is one thing, one presence, one person who has been consistent, throughout my life – all of our lives really – it’s Queen Elizabeth… and I am so honoured to be celebrating her,” said Jane.

Yorkshire’s Platinum Jubilee Concert will see a sea of red, white and blue take over at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Saturday, June 4 – with Jane flying the flag for her beloved home county, alongside a host of special guests.

“What an occasion to be celebrating just how much work she has done over so many years,” said Wakefield-born Jane said.

“We have all grown up with her, as individuals, and as a nation, and she is still there, at 96-years-old everything she possibly can in her role, her duty, and that really should be celebrated.

“And I’m very much a Yorkshire girl – you know I’m always banging on about it – so to be doing this concert in Scarborough, in Yorkshire, where I have such a wonderful, loyal fan base is so lovely.

“The warmth of a home audience, as well as everyone being there to celebrate, well – you can’t fail with that.”

While Jane’s heart has always been firmly in her home county, it was travelling the world as a cruise ship singer, featured on BBC docusoap The Cruise back in 1998 which made her a household name.

Since winning the nation’s hearts, Jane became a regular face on TV, on the Loose Women panel and performing at no fewer than three Royal Variety Shows. She’s released 10 studio albums and has toured extensively including sell-out shows at the Royal Albert Hall and the London Palladium, as well as The MGM in Las Vegas.

Now with nostalgia in the air, as she celebrates HRH The Queen 70-year reign, Jane will be taking a trip down Memory Lane when she heads to the coastal resort too – revisiting childhood holidays with her family.

“Scarborough has a special place in my heart, it holds such treasured memories for me,” Jane said. “We loved it as a family.

“Looking back, I sometimes think we went there because it was the only place my dad’s van would get to! But that didn’t matter, it was magical.

“It used to take forever to get there, so long, but that was part of the fun too. And it’s a wonder I’ve got a voice when I think about it… The windows of the van were always shut and my mum and dad would be smoking the whole way there, the van was full of cigarette smoke!

“But once we arrived, it was such freedom.

“I loved the fair, although I was sick after the rides – I was pathetic. I wanted to go on the rides, then was sick when I got off.

“And the beaches, they’re stunning – it’s ‘Scarbados’ isn’t it. That whole coast is beautiful, and has these great coastal towns, Bridlington, Filey, Flamborough. They’re all great.

“The other things I remember, the café that sold milky coffee – so milky they’d be cold, before the days of cappuccinos…

“And you know what it was really all about? Spending time with your family.

“We didn’t have phones and tablets, we’d just run and run on the beach. I feel sorry for children of today actually. They haven’t got that same ‘space’ we had, that head space to just be free, to run, to laugh, to dream…”

But being on home ‘sand’ for a right Royal knees up – Jane’s living the Yorkshire dream as she prepares for the one-night only concert, where she will be joined by a host of special guests.

“It’s going to be amazing. A really rousing night, full of song,” she explained. “I’ve been going through what we are going to do with my musical director.

“We’ve got to keep it under wraps, we want it to be a big surprise! But what I can say is it will be a real sing-along event – bring your voices, and it’ll be emotional, without a doubt. A good old party.

“Of course, it’s a celebration of The Queen’s life, but also all our lives and life in general after the past couple of years. A celebration of life as we know it.”

Yorkshire’s Platinum Jubilee Concert is part of a stellar line-up for Scarborough OAT’s 2022 season with other headliners including Bryan Adams, Christina Aguilera, a-ha, Michael Ball & Alfie Boe, Lewis Capaldi, Elbow, Sam Fender, Crowded House, Tom Jones, Ru Paul’s Werq The World, Simply Red, Tears For Fears, The Script, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and Westlife.

Tickets are on sale now from scarboroughopenairtheatre.com

The nation’s favourite doctor and bestselling author, Dr Ranj, is set to release his fourth children’s book – an empowering story about seeing the best in others and yourself.

Exciting new picture book A Superpower Like Mine will help children aged 3-5 discover their own superpowers and celebrate the power to be themselves.

Take Femi. Femi has SUPERPOWERS! But not the superhero kind – she can’t really fly or turn invisible. Femi’s dad says she has lots of superpowers on the inside that make her special.

From kindness to creativity, bravery to patience – join Femi as she discovers all the special powers that her, her friends, and the incredible people around her, bring out in one another every day.

A Superpower Like Mine follows the publication of Dr Ranj’s first picture book A Superhero Like You and non-fiction titles Brain Power: A Toolkit To Understand And Train Your Unique Brain and Sunday Times bestseller How to Grow Up (and Feel Amazing).

Dr Ranj said: “A Superhero Like You was a celebration of all the wonderful people and professions who help make the world a better place for others.

“I wanted this book to be a celebration of positive human qualities that any child could embody, no matter who they are. And that’s why I’m so proud that we have once again created something that not only seeks to inspire, but also puts a focus on diversity in all its different shapes and forms.

“Any child can pick up this book and see a bit of themselves, and hopefully feel a little bit more special.”

International singing sensation and Lancashire’s most famous tenor Alfie Boe is to headline a special Last Night of The Proms concert in Lytham.

Taking place in the grounds of historic Lytham Hall on Sunday August 28, the exclusive show will see Fleetwood-born Alfie perform alongside a full orchestra while the concert will be opened by special guest and fellow Broadway and West End star John Owen-Jones.

Last Night of The Proms is presented by Lytham Festival directors Cuffe & Taylor and follows the success of their WonderHall festival last summer which saw £153,000 donated to the continued restoration of Lytham Hall from the Russell Watson Proms concert. All money raised from Alfie’s spectacular will also be gifted to the Grade 1 listed venue.

Tickets go on sale at 9am this Friday from www.lythamfestival.com

Lytham Festival Presents Last Night of The Proms will be the first time Alfie has performed on the Lancashire coast since his sell-out Homecoming show at Fleetwood Town FC in 2018.

Speaking about his return, Alfie said: “I cannot wait to get back to perform on homeground. As a proud Lancastrian it will be very special for me and to stand in front of an audience which I am sure will have many familiar faces is just the icing on the cake.

“This will be a brilliant night in a magical setting and I look forward to seeing everyone there.”

Alfie’s unmistakable voice has cemented him as Britain’s biggest selling and best loved vocalist of his generation.

A hugely successful recording artist, he has achieved two Number 1 albums and amassed multi-million, multi-platinum record sales. Alfie has conquered the world’s greatest stages and arenas from leading the cast of Les Misérables as Valjean in both the West End and Broadway, the 25th Anniversary Concert and most recently the London Staged Concert, to taking the lead role of Jimmy in The Who’s Classic Quadrophenia, while also wowing audiences in theatre performances including La Bohème, Finding Neverland and Carousel.

Alfie will be joined on the evening by special guest and fellow tenor John Owen-Jones. John too is famous for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables in the West End and on Broadway – and still holds claim to being the youngest actor in history to have played the role. He has also played the title role in The Phantom of The Opera more than any other actor in the show’s West End history.

Peter Taylor said: “We have had the pleasure of working with Alfie on numerous concerts and tours over the years so we are delighted to have secured him for our 2022 Last Night of the Proms at Lytham Hall.

“He is beloved globally but the people of Lancashire and particularly our coastal towns feel a natural closeness to their locally born star.

“It is also exciting to have John Owen-Jones on the bill too. John is a wonderful talent and to have both Alfie and John performing on the same stage on the same evening will make this special for everyone.

Lytham Hall is managed by the Heritage Trust for the North West and all profit from Last Night of The Proms will be used for further restoration and projects at the heritage venue.
General manager Peter Anthony said: “We are absolutely thrilled Cuffe and Taylor are bringing yet another world-class artist to our fantastic Lytham Hall.

“The money raised by the Russell Watson concert was an incredible boost to enable our ongoing projects so to know we now have the benefit of an Alfie Boe concert to look forward to this summer is just wonderful.”

Lytham Festival Presents Last Night of The Proms is a picnic proms-style event.

Tickets go on sale at 9am this Friday from www.lythamfestival.com