logo
Mike Peters' heartbroken wife on her 'true love' and honouring his final wish

Mike Peters' heartbroken wife on her 'true love' and honouring his final wish

Wales Online30-04-2025

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
The heartbroken wife of The Alarm frontman Mike Peters has paid a moving tribute to her late husband, who died in the early hours of Tuesday morning, April 29. Jules Peters said Mike, 66, died at home and was now 'totally free' after a 30-year battle against lymphoma.
The North Wales star had been undergoing treatment at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester. In recent weeks he had been taking part in a clinical trial in the hope of finding new ways to treat aggressive lymphoma.
In a social media post, Jules said Mike had been brought back to the family home in Dyserth, Denbighshire, to spend his final moments with his family. 'He passed with us all by his side,' she wrote.
'Michael Peters' dying wishes were for us to be happy, to live our lives, to keep on moving forwards. He told me the other day that he would always be in the other room. Whilst my heart is forever broken after losing my true love in the early hours of this morning, I remain committed to living the best life ever in honour of our beloved Michael Leslie Peters, 1959-2025.'
The Prestatyn-born musician was working in Kwik Save's IT department when he saw the Sex Pistols play in Chester. Inspired, he launched his own band, The Toilets, in Rhyl in 1977.
After several line-up and name changes, The Alarm played their first gig in Prestatyn in 1981. They would go on to sell around five million records, becoming the first Welsh musicians since Tom Jones and Bonnie Tyler to crack the US market, supporting big names such as U2, Queen, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
Following his diagnosis of lymphoma in 1995, Mike later twice battled chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. He and Jules – who fought her own cancer battle - were married for 39 years, having sons Dylan, 20 and Evan, 18. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community
(Image: Arwyn Roberts/North Wales Live)
Despite Mike's overseas touring, he always felt the call of his homeland. Jules said he 'gravitated back to North Wales at any potential opportunity', adding: 'Lucky for me, as that's how I bumped into him in August 1986 and, boom, just like that, we were engaged within a week!'
'I was made for loving him. Aged nineteen he swept me off my feet and I never looked back. We always joked that I was the kisser and he was the kissed…
"He always had his eye on the next tune, the next adventure and kept me wanting more. He was my Alpha Male.'
Urging Mike's fans to 'be happy' for a life well lived, Jules added: 'I will forever be his kisser and will do my best to fulfil all of his desires, heading into the Next Life. Thanks for loving him so much.'
(Image: Jules Peters/PA Wire)
Alongside Jules, he co-founded Love Hope Strength, a cancer charity to encourage action around stem cell donation. Mike himself underwent numerous drug treatments, trying novel therapies to keep his cancer at bay. Last year, he noticed a lump in his neck five days before he was due to fly to Chicago for a 50-date US tour, and a more aggressive form of lymphoma was diagnosed.
Despite everything, Mike often played gigs in support of local causes, and co-arranged events such as Snowdon Rocks and Zip World Rocks. Following his death, tributes flooded in from musicians and bands around the world. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
In a heartfelt message, rock legends The Stranglers said: 'So sad to hear about the passing of our friend Mike Peters. A passionate artist and true gent, it was always a pleasure to see and tour with him, and he was easy, genial company. A fighter right to the end... Rest in peace Mike."
Find out what's happening near you

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Folly Farm's orphaned lamb and goat become inseparable
Folly Farm's orphaned lamb and goat become inseparable

Western Telegraph

time2 hours ago

  • Western Telegraph

Folly Farm's orphaned lamb and goat become inseparable

Ted, a seven-week-old Torwen lamb, and Gary, a three-month-old Golden Guernsey goat kid, have formed a special bond at Folly Farm. Gary is described as 'cheeky' and full of mischief, while Ted has 'everyone wrapped around his little hoof.' Both animals lost their mothers shortly after birth and have been hand-reared together by the farm team, who gave them round-the-clock care. Kim, farm manager, said: "We only hand rear animals when absolutely necessary, and it's taken a lot of dedication to ensure both Ted the Torwen and Gary the Golden Guernsey have the best start, but it's been totally worth it. "They've certainly stolen our hearts and are adored by our staff and guests – especially when we're able to take them out for our meet and greet sessions." Ted and Gary currently live together in the Jolly Barn at Folly Farm. The two young animals are not just adorable—they also represent important conservation work. Both Torwen sheep and Golden Guernsey goats are listed as 'at risk' by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Folly Farm is the first Welsh farm park to achieve rare breeds status from the RBST, recognising its dedication to conserving rare livestock breeds. The farm features paddocks with rare breed farm animals from across the UK, with a focus on Welsh breeds like Ted. Visitors can now see Ted and Gary in the Jolly Barn, where they have become a popular attraction.

Carl Gizzi: Tributes to ‘legend' boxer who ‘put Rhyl on map'
Carl Gizzi: Tributes to ‘legend' boxer who ‘put Rhyl on map'

Rhyl Journal

time4 hours ago

  • Rhyl Journal

Carl Gizzi: Tributes to ‘legend' boxer who ‘put Rhyl on map'

Mr Gizzi, who was born in Rhyl in 1944, died aged 80 on April 27 following a battle with dementia, with his funeral held at St Asaph Crematorium on May 30. He is survived by his brother, Tony; his daughter, Renee, and son, Carl; and his two granddaughters, Monique and Stevie. As a boxer, Mr Gizzi was Welsh heavyweight champion from 1965 to 1971, and a British heavyweight title challenger in 1971. Carl Gizzi (Image: Jimmy Garland) Making his debut in the ring in 1964, he went on to win 31 of his 43 bouts (with 11 KOs), with opponents including Jack Bodell and Joe Bugner, while he also sparred with Muhammad Ali. After retirement, Mr Gizzi worked as a bouncer, including at the now-closed Rhyl club The Bistro on West Parade, and as a window cleaner. In 1972, he married his wife, Heather, who died in 2016, and became a father in 1974 when Renee was born, with Carl following in 1975. Renee Gizzi celebrated the life her 'amazing' father, who she described as 'the perfect gentle giant'. She said: 'He would give everybody the time of day. He was always there for other people. 'He was big family man; even though he had all the fame when he was younger, he didn't care about that, and it didn't go to his head. 'His boxing was amazing; he was a big gentle giant even when he was in the ring. He would never get in the ring first; he'd always wait for his opponent to get in the ring before him. He thought: 'First in, first out'.' Carl Gizzi with his late sister, Sandra (Image: Jimmy Garland) Donations pledged at Mr Gizzi's funeral will part of a £1,000 offering to the Gwanwyn ward at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, whose staff Ms Gizzi said were 'amazing' in caring for him. She said Mr Gizzi's funeral was a 'really beautiful celebration of his life', with the last song at the service No Limit by 2 Unlimited. Ms Gizzi added: 'He just loved being outside in the fresh air. All the way up to COVID, he was still working. 'He was always there for us. Anything you wanted, he'd be there. When I bought my house at age 20, he was always on hand to help. 'My dad always wanted to celebrate life; he never thought the worst.' Actor Spencer Wilding, from Rhyl, said Mr Gizzi 'put Rhyl on the map' and 'brought so much happiness to the town'. Spencer Wilding with Carl Gizzi (Image: Spencer Wilding) He added: 'He was my cousin, but I called him 'Uncle Carl'. I was glad to have loved him; he was the 'number one'. We all looked up to him. He was a legend. 'Carl fought before I was born, but you'd have trains pulling up to Rhyl full of people coming to watch him fight. 'I used to walk past Carl every weekend and he'd always say hello outside The Bistro. I loved Uncle Carl; I'd go and see him many a time. 'Everyone in the boxing world had so much respect for him. He was a gentleman. He had the best left jab in the business; he was a brilliant boxer. 'He was a very special soul, and I loved him so much.' Spencer Wilding with Carl Gizzi (Image: Spencer Wilding) Peter Trehearn, who got to know Mr Gizzi personally through his cousin, said he was a 'second to none' bouncer who 'greeter customers as friends' at The Bistro. He was, Mr Trehearn added, a 'protective big brother and father figure'. 'I had known of Carl from a distance as 'the' Rhyl icon since my youth, and had seen him box in Liverpool when I was trying out boxing in Rhyl Youth Club circa 1966-67. 'Carl was a thoughtful, gentle and modest person, and above all, a family man who was loved and respected by all. 'He made customers safe to relax and enjoy The Bistro's atmosphere. He is the reason that the Bistro had and still has, in customers' memories, such a good reputation. 'Renee and Carl Jr gifted us a lovely classical statue from their father's home which stands in our garden, and is a reminder of a long and continuing friendship.' Carl Gizzi (Image: Jimmy Garland) Jimmy Garland, Mr Gizzi's nephew, called his uncle 'a gentleman, a giant, and a guardian'. He said: 'In the days when legends like Muhammad Ali reigned in the ring, our very own 'Uncle Mickey' - Carl Gizzi - stood among the world's best. 'Ranked fifth in the world as a heavyweight boxer, he wasn't just a fighter by title - he was one by heart, spirit, and grit; A man whose hands could move with thunder, but whose heart beat with warmth and loyalty. 'Uncle Mickey became a silent guardian at the doors of clubs and venues. With his imposing frame, he kept the peace, not with force but with presence — a protector, not a provoker. And always, with his signature smoking pipe in hand. 'Uncle Mickey was the kind of man whose strength never drowned out his kindness. Whether it was in the boxing ring, on the doors, or at the dinner table, he was deeply respected — and deeply loved. 'A warrior in his youth, a watchman in his later years, and a legend in our hearts forever.'

The projects transforming Edinburgh's cultural landscape
The projects transforming Edinburgh's cultural landscape

The Herald Scotland

time6 hours ago

  • The Herald Scotland

The projects transforming Edinburgh's cultural landscape

A cultural revolution stretching across the city will involve a rolling programme of openings of new and reborn venues embracing almost every imaginable art form. Significant gaps in the city's cultural infrastructure will be tackled by some projects, while others will see the future of some of the city's most important landmarks secured. The changes are expected to help the city attract a host of performers and companies who would otherwise bypass the city, as well as encourage a greater geographical spread of the city's festivals and events. The first taste of what is to come will unfold this weekend in Leith Theatre, when the venue reopens for the first time in nearly three years to host performances of a new musical inspired by the classic Scottish film comedy Restless Natives. A 'pop-up summer season' of shows, which also feature a stage adaptation of Leith-born author Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting sequel Porno, was announced shortly before an announcement that the National Lottery Heritage Fund had pledged £4.5 million to get a long-awaited full-scale refurbishment off the ground. The building was originally a gift from Edinburgh to Leith following its controversial amalgamation in 1920, although the venue did not open until 1932 and was forced to close in 1941 after almost being destroyed by a bomb blast during the Second World War. The Leith Theatre Trust launched in the wake of a campaign more than 20 years ago and successfully thwarted city council plans to sell off the building, which closed in 1988 due to its declining condition. Leith Theatre has been reopened on a temporary basis for events like the Hidden Door festival since 2017. (Image: Chris Scott) More than two decades after the original campaign and eight years on from the first of a series of temporary openings for events, including Hidden Door and the Edinburgh International Festival, the trust has also finally secured a 50-year lease from the city council, which was seen as critical to unlock the long-term revamp. Leith Theatre has not been open as a year-round venue since the 1980s. (Image: RYAN BUCHANAN / LEITH THEATRE) Trust chief executive Lynn Morrison described the funding breakthrough as a 'zeitgeist moment' after years of behind-the-scenes efforts to get a refurbishment off the ground. She told The Herald: 'It allows us to develop a plan that celebrates this beautiful building design and original intent while preparing it for its future life. 'By celebrating both heritage and innovation we are creating a space that honours its past while we head full steam in to our exciting future. 'Leith Theatre's potential is extraordinary. It's a space where music, performance and community activity can coexist. This building is and will be for everyone – a cultural treasure on your doorstep.' Edinburgh's reborn Filmhouse cinema is due to open to the public on June 27. (Image: Filmhouse) The campaign to reopen the Filmhouse on Lothian Road may not be as long as the one to bring Leith Theatre back to life, but its supporters will finally be able to celebrate its return this month, after nearly three years of efforts to bring the art house cinema back to life. The Filmhouse had been running for more than 40 years when its doors suddenly closed in October 2022 after its operating company went into administration. Both the cinema and the Edinburgh International Film Festival, which was also run by the Centre for Moving Image, ceased trading with immediate effect. The campaign to bring Edinburgh's Filmhouse cinema back to life saw images of classic films, including Gregory's Girl, projected onto the building. (Image: PA) Within weeks, a Save the Filmhouse campaign was up and running, while a group of former staff launched a bid to raised £2m to buy the building from the administrators after it was put on the open market. Although initially unsuccessful, the four-strong team led by former chief executive Ginnie Atkinson persuaded Caledonian Heritable, the Edinburgh-based bar and restaurant operator who snapped up the building for £2.65m, to agree to negotiations over a potential lease agreement to bring the Filmhouse back to life. Their new charity, Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, would go on to secure a 25-year lease, and £1.5m in funding from the UK Government to pay for a refurbishment which was seen as critical to the future success of the reopened cinema. A crowdfunding campaign supported by screen industry figures like Jack Lowden, Alan Cumming, Ewen Bremner, Kate Dickie, Charlotte Wells, Dougray Scott, Brian Cox and Emma Thompson has generated £325,000 to date. The fundraising is expected to continue after the planned public opening date on June 27, with a second phase of work expected to add a fourth screen to the venue later in the summer. New seating has been installed in the three screenings rooms, which will have a lower capacity but more leg room, while the much-loved café-bar Ms Atkinson said: 'The whole place is looking absolutely gorgeous. All the seats are in, the café-bar has been completely redone and the foyer looks amazing. It really will be a different place. 'We're really pleased and happy. It's been a long haul, but the reason Filmhouse been sustainable is because we've had so much support from our audiences. 'We also hope that a lot of new people will come and experience Filmhouse for the first time once we reopen.' Although the finishing line will not be reached till next year, the next capital project to completed will be the biggest ever refurbishment of the King's Theatre since it opened in 1906. Laurence Oliver, Noel Coward, Maggie Smith, Simon Callow, Maria Callas, Ian McKellen, Rikki Fulton, Chic Murray, Stanley Baxter, Harry Lauder, Sean Connery, James Corden and Cillian Murphy are among the famous names to have performed at the venue. However, it was said to be at increasing risk of closure without a full-scale refurbishment, which was first explored more than 20 years ago. The revamp, which has been delayed by around three years by the Covid pandemic and a rise in costs, from an estimated £20m in 2018 to more than £40m currently, is finally due to be unveiled in the spring of 2026 ahead of the Edinburgh International Festival returning in the summer. Key improvements include the installation of lifts to improve accessibility throughout the building, refurbished dressing rooms, bar and foyer spaces, the installation of a new 'fly tower,' a new stage and backstage area, a new ground-floor café and box office, and a new studio space. Work is underway to turn the former Royal High School building on Calton Hill into a new National Centre for Music and concert venue. (Image: Richard Murphy Architects) The next big project due for completion after the King's is expected to be the National Centre for Music, the project which will finally bring the long-running saga over one of Edinburgh's most prominent landmarks to an end. Work is well underway to transform the former Royal High School building on Calton Hill into a new National Centre for Music and concert venue after decades of discussion and debate about what it should be used for. The project will open up the A-listed building - last in permanent use when the school relocated to a new site in 1968 - and its grounds to the public throughout the year, is being pursued after a number of previously proposals for the building, including a parliament building before the 1979 devolution referendum, a luxury hotel and a National Photography Centre. (Image: Tom Stuart-Smith Studio) The National Centre for Music, which emerged out of plans to relocate an independent music school to the site, will have three indoor performance spaces and the first new public gardens in the city since the creation of Princes Street Gardens more than 200 years ago. It is one of two city centre cultural projects being bankrolled by Scotland's biggest arts philanthropist, Carol Colburn Grigor, through her Dunard Fund charity, which has committed at least £45m to the £69m project. The National Centre for Music is planned to be 'busy day and night,' with rehearsals, recordings, workshops and performances from orchestras, bands, choirs and small ensembles. The main hall will be able to accommodation audiences of up to 300, while two smaller spaces will each have a capacity of around 100. Chief executive Jenny Jamison, who is planning for a summer 2027 opening, told The Herald that various enabling, investigation and clearing works were currently being carried out in and around the site to allow the main construction work to get underway within the next few months. She said: 'We want this to be a place that celebrates the full richness of Scottish music-making, across all genres and across all levels of experience. 'You might come here to try out an instrument for the first time or you might come here or listen to a top artist. 'We want it to be a place where people are exposed and up-close to music-making and that the inspiring interaction hooks them in to explore further. 'The centre will offer really complementary new infrastructure to what already exists in the city. 'Our main hall will be at a really nice level for an emerging artist looking to step on to a bigger stage, but equally for established artists who are wanting to do something a bit more experimental.' Edinburgh's new indoor concert arena is due to open by 2028. (Image: AEG Europe) Concerts and events of a completely difference scale are to get underway less than a year after the National Centre of Music's planned opening. The first quarter of 2028 is now earmarked for the opening of a long-awaited new indoor arena for the city. AEG, the company behind The O2 in London, is spearheading the 8500-capacity complex, which is expected to host up to 150 shows and attract 750,000 ticket-holders a year once it is up and running. Edinburgh is due to get a new 8500-capacity indoor concert arena by 2028. (Image: Canva) The project, which is earmarked for a new 'urban quarter' already taking shape in the Edinburgh Park area, was backed by the city council a year ago after decades of complaints from music fans in the capital about having to travel to Glasgow or England to see the biggest names in the music business. Alistair Wood, executive vice-president of real estate and development at AEG Europe, told The Herald: 'Securing planning permission last year allowed us to move ahead with our plans, from progressing design work to entering discussions with contractors and sub-contractors. 'We have funding in place, and now we're in the procurement phase. Once we have a final design, suppliers and contractors we'll break ground. We hope to begin construction early in 2026. 'We're excited to start the build process as soon as possible so that we can bring world-class acts to Edinburgh. We're hoping that the new arena will open its doors during the first quarter of 2028, with fans able to purchase tickets to the first shows during 2027. 'We've initiated discussions with a range of brands regarding naming rights opportunities. As expected, there's been strong interest in what is set to become one of the UK's most iconic venues. 'While we're still three years away from opening, these conversations mark the early stages of an exciting journey.' Edinburgh's first new concert hall for a century is due to be created in a gap site off St Andrew Square by 2029. (Image: David Chipperfield Architects) Back in the city centre, a gap site in the New Town, just off St Andrew Square, has already been cleared for what will become Edinburgh's first new concert hall for a century, which is pencilled in for a 2029 opening. The project is the second in the city centre being bankrolled by the Dunard Fund, this tune to the tune of £35m. Another £45m worth of private donations are said to have been pledged to date, with a further £25m in total committed by the Scottish and UK governments, and the city council. The Dunard Centre is due to open in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town in 2029. (Image: David Chipperfield Architects) First announced almost nine years ago, the Dunard Centre will be created on the site of former Royal Bank of Scotland offices, which were built in the 1960s behind Dundas House, the historic building which was acquired in 1825 for the bank's new headquarters and is still the registered head office. The 1000-capacity all-seater venue will provide a year-round home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and become one of the Edinburgh International Festival's key venues. The Dunard Centre is being designed by the award-winning British architect David Chipperfield and the world-leading Japanese acousticians Nagata, for the company's first venue in the UK. The venue is expected to host combines classical, pop, rock, folk, jazz and electronica concerts, as well as spoken word events. Chief executive Jo Buckley told The Herald: 'Edinburgh is a cultural capital, but that is only going to keep being a cultural if it keeps investing in that future. 'We have astonishing venues in the city, but they are not modern purpose-built concert halls. The Dunard Centre is about what the city already has. 'There have been a raft of reports showing the need for a mid-sized concert hall in Edinburgh – it's the gap in the market that we don't have. 'There is a whole range of artists who are just not coming to Edinburgh at the moment. They are coming from the United States or Europe to do a gig in London, but don't come up to Scotland. 'The infrastructure is missing but also missing is a promoter curating a programme that brings together quality and diversity in the one place. A lot of Scottish artists are going elsewhere to perform but I don't know that we are seeing the return traffic as much as we should be. 'I think people will travel to Edinburgh for the building and its acoustics, as I don't think you will get better sound anywhere else in the UK.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store