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Pleasure Beach teases Feathers McGraw update as five rides close

Pleasure Beach teases Feathers McGraw update as five rides close

BBC News22-02-2025

Five "smaller, less popular rides" will be closed this year, Pleasure Beach Resort has announced.The theme park also teased a possible Wallace and Gromit ride update, saying the team "loved" the Vengeance Most Fowl film and advised visitors to "stay tuned".Eddie Stobart Convoy, Alpine Rallye, Thompson Carousel, Gallopers and Red Arrows Skyforce will all be closed during the 2025 season, the Blackpool theme park has said."The smaller rides were already being run on reduced opening times and our rider data showed that they have some of our lowest throughput," the theme park said in a statement on its website.
"After a great deal of thought, it was clear to us that the right decision is to make changes which will allow us to reinvest into a bigger and better future."Pleasure Beach Resort said Ice Blast, which closed for refurbishment last year, will also reopen this year as Launch Pad.The ride will keep the original format, shooting seated riders vertically into the sky, but will be "more thrilling, immersive and dynamic", the park said.The Grand National will also have a "short period of downtime" ahead of its 90th birthday."As a much older ride, Grand National is in need of extra care to keep her running at her best, so ahead of her birthday we need to carry out some essential maintenance," the theme park said."The nature of this maintenance, coupled with her age, meant it wasn't possible to do during the closed season."
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Robbie Williams goes head to head with Beyonce in pop superstars' North London derby
Robbie Williams goes head to head with Beyonce in pop superstars' North London derby

The Sun

timea day ago

  • The Sun

Robbie Williams goes head to head with Beyonce in pop superstars' North London derby

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Five perform live for the FIRST time in 25 years as they surprise fans at Robbie Williams' stadium gig in London
Five perform live for the FIRST time in 25 years as they surprise fans at Robbie Williams' stadium gig in London

Daily Mail​

time2 days ago

  • Daily Mail​

Five perform live for the FIRST time in 25 years as they surprise fans at Robbie Williams' stadium gig in London

Five sent fans into frenzy as they made a surprise appearance during Robbie Williams ' stadium gig in London on Friday night. Marking the band's first live performance in 25 years, the iconic Noughties boyband, made up of Sean Conlon, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Abz Love and Jason Brown, brought a vibrant energy to the Emirates Stadium. The English group, who originally formed in 1997, joined Robbie, 51, while singing their hit Keep On Movin amid his mammoth UK BRITPOP stadium tour. The jaw-dropping moment marked the very first time Five has performed together with all five members in 25 years, with a reaction that was nothing short of electric. As the hit song began, echoes were heard in the stadium, with Robbie doing a perfect rendition of the track, before joked that he didn't really know the second verse and asked if anyone could help him. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. As the crowd erupted, Abz Love, J, Ritchie, Scott and Sean walked out on stage, stepping into the spotlight together for the first time in a quarter-century for a poignant performance of their signature hit with fans singing along to every word. Uniting pop history and transporting fans straight back to peak boyband mania - it's also the first time Five and Robbie have ever performed together. Five said of their experience: 'Wow, what an honour to be asked by Robbie Williams to join him on stage at his London stadium show. 'Rob has been such a big supporter of ours, from the early days through to the comeback, so when he reached out to ask whether we'd come out on stage for his performance of Keep On Movin', it was the EASIEST yes. 'To get to share that moment with Robbie in front of 60k people was crazy… definitely a version of Keep On Movin' we'll never forget.'' The surprise performance comes ahead of Five's highly-anticipated 25-date 'KEEP ON MOVIN' Tour, which will kick off this October. Recently speaking to MailOnline, the group couldn't help but bicker as they revealed the correct way to spell their name. Five - who went on to sell more than 20 million records worldwide before they split in 2001 - have widely been known as 5ive. Five recently broke out into a row during an exclusive chat with MailOnline as they cleared up a 'silly' myth about the band that's plagued them for 26 years Fans of the band have been referring to them as such for decades, and even the group's Wikipedia page states the name is 'stylised as 5ive'. So last week, fans were left in shock when the group filmed a TikTok video captioned: 'when people call us 5ive instead of Five', showing them kicking bottles and hitting the wall in frustration. Such is the passionate defence that their name has been misstyled that when asked by MailOnline why they decided to 'drop the 5' from their name, Richie immediately exclaimed: 'We didn't!' Revealing they had never spelled their name that way, Scott explained that the trend started when they released their Slam Dunk (Da Funk) music video 26 years ago. He shared: 'In the video there is a 5 but it was never on one of our albums! it's wrong on Spotify, because it's got the 5. We are called F, I, V, E.' Admitting it had been a cause of contention between the group, Sean then said: 'I can't understand - now I know I'm gonna get a lot of backlash - you're going to attack me - I don't get what's so upsetting about it.' The group then immediately started bickering as J bellowed: 'I don't like it!' Scott added: 'It looks silly. Like 5Five. we're not called 5Five, we're called Five, please, please!' Slam Dunk (Da Funk) was Five's debut single and went on to hit number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. Charting in over 20 countries, Five are the only UK act to hit the Top 10 with all of their 11 singles, including three No 1s

Five surprise Robbie Williams fans with first live performance in 25 years
Five surprise Robbie Williams fans with first live performance in 25 years

Daily Mirror

time2 days ago

  • Daily Mirror

Five surprise Robbie Williams fans with first live performance in 25 years

Former Take That member Robbie Williams is currently travelling around the country as he treats super fans to UK BRITPOP stadium tour Five have surprised Robbie Williams fans at a London concert with their first live performance in 25 years. Concert-goers were sent into a frenzy when the multi-platinum selling band joined Robbie on stage during his performance. Robbie is currently on his huge BRITPOP stadium tour and Five's appearance is their first performance with all five members together for more than two decades. ‌ The band's iconic 1999 chart-topping song Keep On Moving played through the stadium while Robbie admitted that he didn't know all of the words of the second verse and asked the audience to join in to help which is when the band appeared. ‌ Abz Love, J Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon all walked out on stage before singing along to their song. This is also the first time Five and Robbie have performed together. Talking about the opportunity, Five said: "Wow, what an honour to be asked by Robbie Williams to join him on stage at his London stadium show. Rob has been such a big supporter of ours, from the early days through to the comeback, so when he reached out to ask whether we'd come out on stage for his performance of Keep On Movin', it was the EASIEST yes. "To get to share that moment with Robbie in front of 60k people was crazy… definitely a version of Keep On Movin' we'll never forget." The surprise performance comes ahead of Five's 25-date KEEP ON MOVIN' Tour, which will kick off this October. This comes after Robbie recently opened up about her deals with anxiety when he is recognised by fans. The star, 51, said how interactions with fans can "spike" the issue in a heartfelt post on Instagram. ‌ He described a recent incident on board a flight in America saying: "I've had three interactions so far with fellow passengers. One of them handed my a lovely note - kind words about my documentary - and then asked for a photo." Robbie said he sent another note back explaining that he had "been up since 4.30am, had two hours' sleep, and wrangled four kids through the airport". He also confessed to dealing with anxiety before saying anybody approaching him for a photo would cause it to "spike" due to the further attention it would cause. However, he said he hadn't rejected the request, but instead tried to explain how many people had a photo with him, but no-one had the same handwritten note. ‌ Robbie revealed how it's a daily situation for him, with strangers approaching him on average 20 times a day to take a photo. But he then argued that there are some situations that he doesn't want to capture and there should be scenarios in which he can reject a request. "I was on the phone to my wife the other day - she was in flood of tears about her mum. Is it okay for me to say no to a photo request then?," he asked. "What if I'm having a challenging mental health day - is it okay if I don't want that captured by a stranger?" He finished off his post by saying he needed to get that off his chest and it was "not a moan". Fans and celeb friends such as Paris Hilton, Amanda Holden and Kris Jenner all left messages saying they understood the difficult situation.

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