Latest news with #Aherne
Metro
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Hidden gem documentary that inspired 90s comedy legend free to watch on BBC iPla
BBC iPlayer is secretly home to one of the most influential documentary films of the 1990s – and barely anybody in Britain knows it's there. Three Salons At the Seaside – directed by Philippa Lowthorpe – was first aired in 1994 and, over 40 minutes, followed the story of three real hair salons in Blackpool. Focusing on the staff and customers at Vanity Box, Tricia's Hair Salon, and Mary's Way, Three Salons At the Seaside has been retrospectively celebrated as a touching time capsule of 20th century Britain. The documentary was thought to be lost to history, only surviving in bits and pieces on YouTube, but the BBC uploaded the entire thing to iPlayer in 2022. Renewed interest in the documentary film inspired a 2022 American parody called Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport, which starred none other than Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett. But most importantly, its resurrection encouraged Stockport-born comedy writer Craig Cash – of The Royle Family, Early Doors, and Gogglebox – to reveal that his writing partner Caroline Aherne had been a huge fan. Together, Craig and Aherne – who died of lung cancer in 2016 – co-wrote The Royle Family, which ran for three seasons and numerous specials between 1998 and 2012. Set in Manchester, The Royle Family was situated inside the home of the titular TV-obsessives, who were played by Ricky Tomlinson, Ralf Little, Liz Smith, and Sue Johnston, alongside on-screen couple Craig and Aherne. It won several awards during its run and is often celebrated as one of the best British sitcoms of its time – it drew in 10 million viewers at its peak in 1999. Speaking to the Radio Times in 2023, Craig said: 'We took inspiration from real life and our families. We watched the documentary about hairdressers, Three Salons at the Seaside, which we thought was hilarious. 'Sometimes people get bogged down in plot and narrative at the expense of character and dialogue. For us it was all about the pauses, how people really are.' In particular, viewers have noticed that Hilary – a hair stylist and administrator working at Vanity Box – bears a striking resemblance in appearance and personality to one of Aherne's characters, Mrs. Merton. The Mrs Merton Show ran between 1993 and 1998 on the BBC, and some estimations put the average viewing figures at somewhere between seven and eight million. On Facebook, Paul Davies thought aloud: 'I wonder if Caroline Aherne took a little bit of the spirit of these wonderful ladies for her Mrs Merton character.' Many fans of the documentary cite its peaceful atmosphere and honest portrayal of northern working class life as reasons for repeatedly watching it year after year. Others have cited that it reminds them very precisely of the world before reality TV and social media, and even in the days before widespread internet usage and Sky TV. Karen O'Mahoney said on Facebook: 'There's something so heartwarming about [Three Salons At the Seaside]. Hard to believe it's only 30 years ago, feels like another age.' A scene which has stuck with viewers focused on a 'funeral bag' that Vanity Box handed out to its customers whenever they were having their hair done in order to say goodbye to a friend or relative. The women in the salon would be given the funeral bag by Hilary upon their arrival at the salon – the clutch bag contained a small amount of money and a complementary mint. Fiona Botham commented: 'I love the kindness of the funeral bag with a bit of money and a mint. The hairdresser owner seems such a lovely woman.' In 2022, Three Salons At the Seaside was officially named by the Grierson Trust charity as one of the finest British documentaries made in the last 50 years. More Trending As for the status of each of the three salons – Mary's Way closed down some time between 2008 and 2012 according to Google Maps, while the shop unit that used to be home to Tricia's was renovated for housing in 2016. However, the Vanity Box is still going strong, with Google reviews from as recently as nine months ago still thanking the staff for their dedication and hard work at the centre of Blackpool's community. The short film's creator, Phillipa Lowthorpe, went on to direct episodes of Netflix hit series The Crown and the long-running BBC wartime drama Call the Midwife. Three Salons At the Seaside is streaming on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Wimbledon to be shown on new TV channel to end BBC's 88-year monopoly MORE: All EastEnders cast returns, exits and new arrivals coming up in 2025 MORE: EastEnders pulled from TV schedules as statement is issued – but there's a twist
Agriland
25-05-2025
- Health
- Agriland
Agri-homeopathy event ‘by farmers for farmers' heads to Castlecomer
The inaugural agri homeopathy conference, 'Beyond Chemicals, Homeopathy for Natural Disease Prevention',' will take place in the Avalon House Hotel, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny on Thursday, June 5. Hosted by Whole Health Agriculture (WHAg), a non-profit organisation based in the UK, in partnership with National Organic Skillnet (NOTS), the conference is organised by farmers for farmers, according to its national representative for Ireland, Co. Cork dairy farmer, Pat Aherne. In-person tickets cost €95 while online/streaming tickets are priced at €45. A range of international and Irish speakers are lined up for the conference. Homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine that is based on the use of highly diluted substances which practitioners claim can cause the body to heal itself. The effectiveness of its use on humans and animals has its sceptics – for instance, the National Health Service in the UK stating that there is no quality evidence that homeopathy is effective as a treatment for any human health condition. A wholecrop (pea and barley) being grown on Pat Aherne's farm. However, Aherne believes the use of homeopathy has been life changing for him. He began to explore a more unconventional approach to farming when his farm had a major outbreak of mastitis 15 years ago, with 16 cases being treated at one time. Aherne told Agriland: 'I remember one morning going into the parlour and feeling like I was going into a war against nature and that I wasn't even winning the battle. 'I swore that I would never subject my cows to the same level of antibiotic treatment again. I felt it was unsustainable economically, as well as taking its toll on both man and beast.' This led him to explore alternatives to antibiotics. He first discovered homeopathy through a homeopathic company in the west of Ireland. However, it was the Homeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming by Tineke Verkade – who is originally from The Netherlands before moving to New Zealand – that was the gamechanger for Aherne and made him want to learn more about homeopathy. Aherne attended a week-long course on homeopathy in the UK, which he has since brought to Ireland. 'The one thing that I would say to any farmer interested in learning about homeopathy is that vets are qualified to diagnose disease and treat it. 'Farmers with homeopathic knowledge assist their animal through the disease of an infection with the help of antibiotics,' Aherne said. Homeopathy conference The conference programme includes a morning workshop on the 80/20 approach – preventing 80% of common livestock health problems with 20 key remedies, with Jackie Pearce-Dickens, the CEO of WHAg, UK-based vet Chris Aukland, and New Zealand dairy farmer Tracey Simpson, who uses natural remedies in her approach to calf rearing and farming. There will also be a presentation using homeopathy for healthier crops and increased yields, featuring Aherne with Charlotte Southall, who is pursuing a PhD to eliminate copper in viticulture, and conducting research into plant health in both the UK and Brazil In the afternoon, the 'Irish Farmers' Forum' will explore the impact of homeopathy on the farm health and the personal journeys of Irish farmers. Alongside Aherne, this forum will also feature Lisa Anderson from Rossnowlagh, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal; David and Laura Hannon from Derrypatrick, Drumree, Co. Meath; Katherine Foran, Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford; and Sean Clancy, Ballyporeen, Co. Tipperary. Pat Aherne speaking on the potential benefits of homeopathic remedies. Lisa Anderson is a dairy farmer who completed the WHAg foundation course. She said that homeopathic remedies are given on their farm to heighten the vital force of their animals and to prevent stress – for example, when going to the mart, tagging, and in cases of heat stroke and windy weather. Anderson said: 'We have had little or no antibiotic use on our farm in the last five years. It's a big saving on vet bills.' Suckler to beef farmers, Karen and Mervyn Johnston from Lanesborough, Co. Longford, also found the results from homeopathy had been positive. Karen said: 'Our use of homeopathy on the farm is continuously evolving and we have found it especially beneficial in alleviating stressful periods for cattle such as calving and weaning.' They plan on increasing their use of homeopathy both on their livestock and the land. Co Tipperary dairy farmer Sean Clancy said that homeopathy had been invaluable this year on his farm. According to Clancy: 'We have significantly reduced antibiotic use and veterinary intervention. It's cheap and easy to administer the remedies so it's convenient for the farmer. 'Personally I have found studying homeopathy endlessly fascinating and addictive. It has opened my mind about alternative healing methods.' David and Laura Hannon from Co Meath said that doing the WHAg course made them challenge how they approached herd health on their dairy farm in the past. David Hannon said: 'We now focus on keeping the cows healthy and preventing stress periods in calving. Learning homeopathy has helped us reduce antibiotic usage and the cows are healthier overall. 'We don't do a huge amount of it in the treatment of animals because I find it complicated. We need to go further with it and we do have to reduce antibiotics. We have a large vet bill every year. I'm very happy to look at an alternative, 'One thing the course showed us was that prevention is better than cure. If you can reduce stress, you will have less sick animals.`' Organic suckler farmer Katherine Foran from Co. Waterford said that as a late entrant to full-time conventional farming, then to organics then also to sucklers, she found homeopathy an invaluable support. 'The WHAg foundation course brings a practical structure and clear pathway of how to include and assess everyday challenges to maximise animal/farm health to the individual farm. It works in tandem with veterinary care when needed, providing valuable support to both animals and the farmer.' Pat Aherne on his Co. Cork farm A spokesperson for the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) confirmed that Chapter 2 of the council's code of professional conduct deals with competent and appropriate care and provides guidance on complementary therapies. According to the VCI code, if a veterinary practitioner wishes to use any form of complementary or alternative therapy as part of a treatment plan, or to refer an animal for such therapy, they may only do so in the context of a pre-existing client-patient-practice relationship with the benefit of the threshold of knowledge necessary to enable the delivery of informed clinical care to an animal. A veterinary practitioner has a responsibility to consider the evidence and be satisfied that, on balance, the therapy is likely to be of benefit to the animal and will not adversely affect its health or welfare. In addition, the vet has an obligation to monitor the effectiveness of the therapy. If they are carrying out the therapy themselves, they must ensure that they are competent in its use. If a veterinary practitioner is referring an animal for such therapy, they must ensure that the person to whom they are referring the animal is appropriately qualified.
Times
21-04-2025
- Health
- Times
How to get a beach body for life: the Oxbridge scientists' guide
An extra few glasses of rosé or a few Easter eggs too many may have stopped your weight-loss goals in their tracks, but don't allow that to cause your motivation to flag. That is the message from Dr Amy Aherne, a researcher in the prevention of obesity at the University of Cambridge Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, and her colleagues, who have spent decades researching the small lifestyle changes that make a difference to our weight. Even those using appetite-suppressing jabs such as Ozempic and Wegovy need a similar mindset, Aherne says. Such drugs may have helped people to lose up to 20 per cent of their body weight but, she says, they 'are not a silver bullet' in the long term. 'We know
The Independent
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
What Alan Brazil revealed about the men who hate women's football
Perhaps, if Alan Brazil had the capacity to care, the moment he could have realised he had gone too far was at the mention of his granddaughter. You see, Brazil may be the rolling, often sunburnt, 'voice' of TalkSport's early morning airwaves, who has been hooked off the microphone and sacked multiple times during his broadcasting career, but he is also a family man. For example, the former Manchester United and Scotland striker spends part of his weekends on the sidelines and watches while his granddaughter plays football; an occupation he can apparently hold while simultaneously telling her that nobody would be bothered should she go on to one day play at Old Trafford. The news that Brazil, who for years has brought drama to his TalkSport breakfast show by appearing to be on the brink of literally bursting at the seams, does not hold women's football as a priority in his life should not come as much surprise. He would, after all, understand TalkSport's target market, which judging solely by its commercial breaks stands as a military-sized fleet of men circling the M1 in Ford Transit vans. While TalkSport currently broadcasts live radio commentary of up to 20 Women's Super League matches a season, plus the Women's League Cup, Brazil may feel he is better off leaving the discussion of the women's game to someone else. Or perhaps not. Brazil's heated exchange with his female TalkSport colleague Shebahn Aherne has gone viral since Thursday morning; the discussion, though that hardly feels the right term for such a one-sided spouting of contempt from the host of the station's flagship breakfast programme, has been viewed over two million times alone on X after being posted by a male football journalist. For broadcasters such as TalkSport, such levels of social media engagement are gold-dust but, conspicuously, they have yet to post their own content; in the clip Aherne is dismissed, patronised and spoken down to on live radio, for having the temerity to mention women's football in the same breath as the men's game. Aherne's robust response to Brazil's views – she called the 65-year-old a 'dinosaur' after he said 'people around the world are not bothered' about United's women's side – and wider defence of the sport has earned praise, at a time where counter-opposition to its growing popularity and evident success in recent years has never been more open. After all, this was not former Manchester City midfielder and one-cap England international Joey Barton, sitting at home and rattling off sexist and misogynistic tweets from behind his phone in an attempt to earn a quick like or two. Rather, this was a host of a national radio station gaslighting a colleague and tearing down her entire industry while she was sat four feet away. Take, for example, the subject that sparked this all off. Manchester United's Project 150 is a three-year plan, announced to staff by chief executive Omar Berrada last September, to win both their 21st Premier League title and first Women's Super League titles in 2028, the year that coincides with the club's 150th anniversary. Aherne was merely highlighting a story in The Times that reported on some details around Mission 21 and Mission 1, the dual areas of United's Project 150 plan. 'This is men's football we're talking about,' Brazil responded, sternly, as if Aherne had set such targets herself. Aherne was well within her rights to fire back – even if it has led to a pile-on in the comments of her own social media posts. But, hey, it probably made good radio for some. Certainly more people have viewed online than have probably listened to a TalkSport programme this year. TalkSport, for what it is worth, welcomes opinion and debate, and stood by both Brazil and Aherne. Both returned to the air on Friday – Brazil opening his show with a lengthy discussion about the conditions Ray Parlour encountered on his round of golf the previous day; Aherne interviewing a mournful Jermaine Jenas as he explained the 'inappropriate' actions that led to his dismissal from the BBC. It was quite the time for that interview to drop, as Jenas addressed concerns ahead of his return to broadcasting with the station this weekend. And so the show goes on. Brazil will continue to steer his morning agenda; Jenas restarts his career, while promising to be better to the women in his life. Women's football will be fine without Brazil's support. It did, after all, survive a 50-year ban imposed by the Football Association between 1921 and 1971, only for the Lionesses and the Women's FA Cup final to be selling out Wembley within half a century of that ban being lifted. Those within its bubble care deeply, and those wider fans who switch on to support their national teams at major international tournaments, purely for the love of football, do as well. For those that don't, move on; there is hardly a shortage of men's football, nor, contrary to what some may believe, is the women's game being shoved down anyone's throats. But is revealing of the climate that it now exists in, where those who hate can hate loudly and vocally and, seemingly, without consequence, because they are able to claim they are at least hating honestly. It comes in a week where not one but two of the leading players in the Women's Super League, in Khadija Shaw and Millie Bright, have reported abuse – in Shaw's case, it was racial, and has now been passed on to the police. It is tiring and exhausting but it will not win.
The Independent
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Alan Brazil branded ‘dinosaur' by talkSport co-host in live argument about women's football
Alan Brazil has been dubbed a 'dinosaur' by his talkSport radio co-host after a heated on-air argument about women's football. The 65-year-old was talking about the importance of Manchester United 's dreams of a trophy, when his fellow presenter, Shebahn Aherne, said that the women's team winning a silver cup should be the club's main focus. 'With the greatest respect, women's football is getting more important now but when you talk about Manchester United, this is the men's we're talking about, the Premier League when we're talking about mission impossible, not the women's,' he said. He continued: 'It isn't [a priority]. I'm sorry, people around them are not bothered. It is true. They're not [bothered]. Within the bigger picture, they're not.' Aherne insisted that fans were interested in the progress of the club's women's team, but Brazil doubled down. 'No, the bigger picture is fans want to see Manchester United in the Premier League challenging,' he said. 'That's the bigger picture. It's not that important compared to the bigger picture. I'm not going to sit here and lie because it's not.' Ex-footballer Gabby Agbonlahor watched on as the back-and-forth continued, with Aherne growing visibly angry at Brazil's comments. 'Al, stop being like that,' she said. 'You sound like a proper dinosaur this morning. I don't know why you're being like that.' Brazil hit back: 'You're kidding yourself on.' Aherne then implored the host to reflect on his personal life as she said: 'That's unbelievable from you. You're the one with the granddaughter playing football, listen to yourself. Right now that's important.' Brazil is used to controversy, having been sacked three times because of his hell-raising lifestyle and having faced rebukes by Ofcom after a series of offensive on-air gaffes in the 2000s. The former Ipswich Town star, who was first sacked for missing a Cheltenham Gold Cup show after a drinking session, was reinstated after agreeing to pay a £5,000 fine for any subsequent show he missed due to alcohol. He survived censure by Ofcom for referring to Japan as 'the Nips' during the 2006 World Cup. In 2014, he was carpeted by talkSPORT for implying that Robin Williams had been selfish in his decision to take his own life.
