Greg James receives honorary University of York doctorate
Other people being honoured by the University of York this year were Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood and historian Greg Jenner.James said receiving his honorary degree had been "very thrilling"."I feel very proud to receive this and it was a real genuine delight to watch all those very clever people receiving their degrees and Masters."It was a fantastic day. It was very inspiring actually."He admitted to a few nerves ahead of his speech to his fellow graduates."It means a lot to all the people who were in there, that they'd done something really magical."All their family and friends are there and you don't want to mess it up."
Long Boi, a 28in (70cm) cross between a mallard and an Indian runner duck, was regularly featured on James' show after gaining fame among students and is believed to have died in 2023 after vanishing from the campus.He admitted the initial idea of Britain's tallest duck had been too funny to resist and it had captured the listeners' attention."It spiralled into this ridiculous movement," he said."I love taking small things on the breakfast show and then taking them to their most ludicrous conclusion."And the ludicrous conclusion was doing a state funeral live on the Radio 1 breakfast show from the same hall where they give out the scrolls."He said he believed "silliness" could really cut through the "world beautifully, the absurd world, the sad bits of the world"."So it was about a dead duck but really it was about everyone being together and celebrating something silly."At the core of everything people want to laugh, that's the one thing that unites every single person."
Listen to highlights from North 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
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
UK's ‘best city for nightlife' crowned despite its small number of bars and clubs
Canvas has unveiled its 2025 Student Nightlife Index, a ranking of the UK's top university cities for students looking to make the most of their nights out alongside their studies A beautiful city has been named the best place for a student night out despite having a relatively small number of bars and clubs. As A Level results day nears, at the forefront of many prospective students' minds will be whether or not their first and second choices offer a good night out. Happily, Canvas has unveiled its 2025 Student Nightlife Index, a ranking of the UK's top university cities for students looking to make the most of their nights out alongside their studies. The index analyses key nightlife factors, including the average cost of a pint of beer and a soft drink (Pepsi/Coke), the total number of student bars and clubs, average ratings of these venues, and the local safety score for walking home at night. Bath tops the list for student nightlife in the UK, offering a blend of quality and safety. In Bath, students can enjoy a well-rated scene with an average venue rating of 4.45 across 98 bars and clubs. Bath's nightlife benefits from a high safety score (66.12), making it a great choice for those who want to enjoy nights out with peace of mind. The city's charming historic backdrop and lively student atmosphere add to its appeal. Bath won the crown despite having the fewest bars and clubs of the top 10 destinations, proving that quality trumphs quality. Manchester ranks second, with the largest nightlife scene among the top three and an impressive 606 bars and clubs. It has the highest venue density for its population. Pints cost an average of £5.50 and soft drinks £1.91, but many venues will offer student discounts or happy hours. With a strong average rating of 4.37 for bars and clubs, Manchester offers a diverse social scene, though its safety score (41.65) suggests students should stay mindful when exploring the city's bustling nightlife. Newcastle comes in third with a slightly more affordable drink scene, featuring £5.00 pints and £2.31 soft drinks. The city hosts 273 bars and clubs, with a solid venue rating of 4.37. Newcastle's nightlife is known for its energetic vibe and friendly locals, but with a lower safety score of 32.57, students are advised to take extra care when out at night. Rank City Average price of a beer Average price of a soft drink Total number of bars and clubs Bars per 10,000 people Average rating of bars and clubs Safety walking alone at night score 1 Bath £5.75 £1.90 98 10 4.45 66.12 2 Manchester £5.50 £1.91 606 15 4.37 41.65 3 Newcastle £5.00 £2.31 273 14 4.37 32.57 4 Leeds £5.00 £1.71 325 7 4.40 47.28 4 York £5.00 £2.14 119 8 4.42 53.78 6 Coventry £4.00 £1.49 101 3 4.27 70.04 6 Sheffield £4.04 £1.82 242 4 4.42 46.76 6 Glasgow £5.00 £1.60 306 5 4.31 59.64 6 Edinburgh £5.25 £1.88 347 7 4.38 40.68 10 Leicester £4.00 £1.45 143 3 4.34 50.43 If you are looking for a great night out but you're not a student, then why not head to Dudley? Article continues below Unless you're in the know - whether as a paid up member of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) or as a pint enthusiast aware of Dudley's qualities - then it's unlikely that you'll have been to the Black Country town for the pubs. Yet you should, as the mid-sized town of 80,000 leads the pack when it comes to excellent places to drink. Although cities like Edinburgh and York have more, Dudley is streets ahead of any other town, especially when the Horse and Jockey on its outskirts is counted alongside the Waggon and Horses, Beacon Hotel, and Old Swan to give the settlement one three-star pub for every 20,000 people.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Why TV dance star made last-minute withdrawal from live show
Janette Manrara, a former Strictly Come Dancing professional, was forced to pull out of a live performance of the musical Chicago on Wednesday, 23 July. Manrara is currently starring as Roxie Hart in the UK tour of Chicago, which is performing at Blackpool's Winter Gardens. She announced on Instagram that she was "unwell" and needed to rest to recover quickly, expressing deep apologies to the audience. Manrara reassured fans that she is "on the mend" and hopes to return to the stage soon, praising the rest of the cast for their performance. Since leaving her professional dancing role on Strictly in 2021, Manrara has co-presented the spin-off show It Takes Two.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Spacey told actor ‘don't worry about it' after alleged assault, documents claim
Kevin Spacey allegedly sexually assaulted a young actor at a party at The Savoy hotel and then told him 'Don't worry about it', court documents for the High Court legal claim suggest. Ruari Cannon is suing Mr Spacey as well as two organisations connected to the Old Vic Theatre in London, claiming he suffered psychiatric damage as a result of sexual and emotional abuse. The 33-year-old has waived his anonymity in the claim. In court documents seen by the PA news agency, Mr Cannon alleges that Mr Spacey, who was a 'powerful figure and a world-famous actor and celebrity' at the time, assaulted him in about June 2013, when he was 'a very vulnerable young man'. Oscar-winning actor Mr Spacey has previously denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour and wrongdoing, and details of his defence are not yet available. According to the documents, filed in June, Mr Spacey was working as artistic director at the Old Vic Theatre at the time of the alleged assaults on a production of a play by Tennessee Williams known as Sweet Bird Of Youth, and Mr Cannon was a member of the cast in this production. They claim that Mr Spacey 'took a particular interest' in Mr Cannon for 'reasons of sexual interest' and sent him a 'lavish' gift of a framed poster of the 1985 production of the play directed by Harold Pinter. After the press preview of the show on June 12 2013, Mr Cannon attended a party at The Savoy in London organised by The Old Vic Theatre Company (The Cut) and The Old Vic Theatre Trust 2000. It is claimed that one of the alleged assaults took place at the event. Setting out the allegations, Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC, for Mr Cannon, said: 'Kevin Spacey pulled the claimant towards him, turned him around through 45 degrees and placed his left hand on the claimant's buttocks and lifted up the recess material of his suit.' It is alleged that Mr Spacey then pushed Mr Cannon's underwear 'as far up' into his bottom as possible, 'so as to cause pain and distress'. Ms Gumbel added: 'Mr Kevin Spacey pulled the claimant closer to him and whispered into the claimant's ear 'Don't worry about it'. 'Mr Spacey made more uncalled for and unwelcome advances to the claimant during the evening.' The following day, Mr Cannon reported the alleged assaults to his stage manager at the Old Vic Theatre, but no action was taken. According to the documents, it is accepted that Mr Cannon did not ask for any action to be taken, and was scared about how any further action might affect his career. Later that year, during the run of the show, Mr Cannon saw Mr Spacey at the Old Vic bar. Mr Spacey allegedly said to him, 'I hear you have a dirty secret', and then said: 'Open up.' Ms Gumbel said: 'Kevin Spacey then forced open the claimant's mouth with his fingers and thumbs and commented 'quite a bad boy' before the claimant could pull away. 'The claimant then left the bar. The forcing open of the claimant's mouth was another assault for which Kevin Spacey was responsible and for which the second and/or third defendants were vicariously liable. 'Further in 2017 when the Old Vic set up a confidential complaints email on October 31 2017 the claimant reported the above complaint again to the Old Vic.' She added that the alleged assaults were carried out by Mr Spacey in the course of his work for the organisations connected to the Old Vic, and they are 'vicariously liable' for the alleged assaults carried out in the context of a theatre production.
