Latest news with #Grennan
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Pop star Tom Grennan goes undercover at supermarket in his hometown
Customers at the store in Bedford were invited to sample different flavours of popchips while blindfolded - but little did they know Tom Grennan was waiting to greet them Singer Tom Grennan left fans speechless when he made a surprise appearance at a blind taste test event in his hometown of Bedford. The event, held at the local Tesco store, invited customers to sample various flavours of popchips while blindfolded. But when they removed their blindfolds, they were shocked to find themselves face-to-face with the 29-year-old pop star. Grennan, a Brit Awards nominee, had secretly swapped places with a staff member while the shoppers were sampling the "better-for-you" snack. As a special treat, Grennan presented the lucky shoppers with VIP tickets to an exclusive gig scheduled for later this month. One fan, Liz Sullivan, 46, from Bedford, was overjoyed when she recognised Grennan's voice, exclaiming: "OMG, I know whose voice that is - this is the most ridiculous day." Another fan, Lucas Johnston, 18, from Oxfordshire, instantly recognised his idol and greeted him with a warm, "How are you, boss?" The star, who now resides in London, reflected on his return to his hometown, saying: "Coming back to my hometown, where it all started for me, and pulling off this surprise for my fans was so special. I've got so many fond memories here." He added: "Teaming up with popchips to give back a little joy to the people who have supported me from day one was amazing." Grennan's fourth album, 'Everywhere I Went, Led Me to Where I Didn't Want to Be', is set to be released on August 15th and his UK and Ireland tour commences on the 3rd of September at Bournemouth's BIC. Other gigs in September include a performance at Birmingham's Utilita Arena on the 4th, London's The O2 on the 6th, Cardiff's Utilita Arena on the 9th, and Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena on the 10th. He'll also be gracing the stage at Glasgow's OVO Hydro on the 11th, Dublin's 3Arena on the 13th, Aberdeen's P&J Arena on the 15th, and Newcastle's Utilita Arena on the 16th. The tour will conclude with performances at Leeds' First Direct Arena on the 18th and Manchester's Co-op Live on the 19th.
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Tom Grennan encourages mental health discussions
The singer Tom Grennan said he now found it easier to talk about mental health issues to his friends than when he was 29-year-old Bedford-born singer made the comment during a conversation with a winner of the BBC's Make a Difference Awards (MAD) which recognises ordinary people who have made a difference to their communities. Talking to MAD winner, Kevin Willows, who helped set up a bereavement walking group, Grennan revealed the importance of walking to him. "If I'm ever feeling like I want to get something off my chest, if it's with friends, or my wife or my parents, I always say, 'can we go for a walk?'" said Grennan. Discussing the importance of walking and exercise, Grennan said "a walk can save a life, talking can save a life".The son of a builder revealed how growing up in Bedford meant he often found it tricky to navigate his emotional side."Little towns are very much like alpha (towns), with boys anyway, nobody wants to seem like they're weak," he was his mother who encouraged him to express his emotions, telling him "if you've got emotions then let them out, because letting them out is always the best thing". 'Lots of tears' Grennan described how on a return visit to his home town, he had open conversations with his friends about "our feelings, about what was going on and there was a lot of tears, there was a lot of laughter, those barriers were breaking down," he said."I think as friends we became closer and cut the rubbish out. "And as grown men now we can sit down and talk about what we're going through and how we can lend a hand."Grennan said being the victim of an unprovoked attack and hospitalised with a broken jaw while at university was when he first encountered being depressed."It ruined me (the attack), why did it happen to me, why did these people not like me?," he questioned at the time. It was by joining a music group, where he met his best friend, and talking as well as singing which helped him recover from the trauma. The BBC Make A Difference Awards celebrate those who make life better for others in our communities. Listen to the full broadcast of Tom Grennan meeting some of the Make a Difference heroes with Gaby Roslin. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Tom Grennan named as Make a Difference judge
Singer-songwriter Tom Grennan has announced he will be part of the judging panel at BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire's Make a Difference Awards. Grennan, who performed in Coventry in September, said he was "very excited" to return to the encouraged people to get involved with the awards and "make it happen" for those in the community who deserve to be recognised. "Them people who are going above and beyond need that recognition - and you can do that for them," he said. The singer-songwriter added that the awards "celebrated the heroes of Coventry and Warwickshire".Grennan is known to be fond of the area as his grandmother grew up in Canley. The pair paid a visit together last year ahead of Grennan's busking performance for the Big Issue charity. Other judges include the comedian and actor Guz Khan and Stratford author, Becky Holmes. Nominations close on 31 March and can be submitted online. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Associated Press
05-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Compass Lexecon Adds Healthcare Economist Matthew Grennan
WASHINGTON, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN) today announced the continued investment in the firm's subsidiary Compass Lexecon with the appointment of Matthew Grennan as an affiliate. Dr. Grennan, who is based in Atlanta, is an Associate Professor of Economics at Emory University. He specializes in using empirical and theoretical industrial organization models to analyze competition and innovation in healthcare and life-science markets. Dr. Grennan has served as an expert witness, providing verbal and written testimony in numerous high-profile healthcare matters. His work informs business strategy and policy debates regarding price transparency, relationships between physicians and industry, regulation of new products, and antitrust. He also examines how complex incentives and imperfect information affect how health technologies are developed, adopted and priced. 'The healthcare industry has experienced major disruptions over the last few years, from the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of telemedicine to the implementation of new technologies,' said Daniel R. Fischel, Chairman of Compass Lexecon. 'Matthew adds great value to the firm in the healthcare economics and related fields and strengthens our top-notch roster of affiliates that can provide data-driven solutions to clients.' Dr. Grennan is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and an Editor at the Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics. He has received research grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute for Health Care Management. Commenting on his affiliation with Compass Lexecon, Dr. Grennan said, 'I look forward to collaborating with the Compass Lexecon team to provide the highest level of service to their clients navigating complex economic issues.' About FTI Consulting FTI Consulting, Inc. is a leading global expert firm for organizations facing crisis and transformation, with more than 8,300 employees in 34 countries and territories as of December 31, 2024. The Company generated $3.69 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2024. In certain jurisdictions, FTI Consulting's services are provided through distinct legal entities that are separately capitalized and independently managed. More information can be found at FTI Consulting, Inc. 555 12th Street NW Washington, DC 20004 +1.202.312.9100 Investor Contact: Mollie Hawkes +1.617.747.1791 Media Contact: Matthew Bashalany +1.617.897.1545
New York Times
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
She Ordered an Uber and Found Her Future Husband
When Kristen Rita Grennan got into an Uber outside Nancy Whiskey Pub, in Manhattan's TriBeCa neighborhood, in the wee hours of March 17, she locked eyes with the driver, Guram Robakidze, in the rearview mirror. She immediately noticed how handsome he was. 'He said hello, and I noted his accent and asked him where he was from,' said Ms. Grennan, 35, who had been out with friends. 'I told her Georgia, but didn't say that I was referring to the country, and she replied how great the skiing there is,' Mr. Robakidze, who goes by Guga, said. 'Most people don't know about Georgia and think I'm talking about the state. I liked her from there.' His English was limited, so they chatted for the rest of the ride to her apartment in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan using Google Translate. They discussed his homeland's beautiful mountains, beaches and delicious wines. Ms. Grennan knew when Mr. Robakidze pulled up in front of her building that she wanted to see him again, and inquired if he had a girlfriend. 'When he said 'no,' I asked him for his number and a kiss,' she said. Mr. Robakidze agreed to both requests. The two had their first date hours later, that evening. Mr. Robakidze took Ms. Grennan to one of his favorite Georgian restaurants in New York, Chama Mama, in Chelsea. He picked her up in his burgundy Toyota, but this time, she sat in the front. They talked all the way downtown, again with the help of Google Translate. Ms. Grennan told Mr. Robakidze about her upbringing in Long Island, her interest in public service and her ambitions to be a corporate lawyer. He shared his story about immigrating to the United States and told her that she was the first American he had ever interacted with beyond a casual conversation. 'Guga explained how he lived in a bubble of a tight-knit Georgian community in Kensington, Brooklyn,' Ms. Grennan said. At the restaurant, Mr. Robakidze ordered a spread of dishes, including a pkhali vegetable dip, and khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread. Both discovered a shared passion for travel and swapped stories about their most memorable trips — Rwanda and China for Ms. Grennan; Russia and Ukraine for Mr. Robakidze. They held hands across the table. Despite the language barrier, their conversation flowed easily, both said. The date ended with drinks at the cocktail bar Apotheke Chinatown. 'It was love at first sight with Kristen, and we were an item from that date on,' said Mr. Robakidze, with the help of Google Translate. [Click here to binge read this week's featured couples.] Mr. Robakidze, 31, is from Baghdati, Georgia, and moved to New York in August 2022. He had worked as an events manager for the event planning company the Soko Event Group, in the capital city Tbilisi, and is now an Uber driver in New York City. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Georgia, in Tbilisi. Ms. Grennan-Robakidze, 35, grew up in Massapequa, N.Y., and is the senior director of communications for Mayor Eric Adams's public engagement unit. She is also a student at New York Law School. She received bachelor's degrees in French and history from Binghamton University and a master's degree in public administration from Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. After their first date, Mr. Robakidze and Ms. Grennan quickly fell into a rhythm of texting and talking by video. Mr. Robakidze began learning more English, but said he is not yet fluent. Given their long work schedules, they met only once a week. 'Guga would pick me up at law school in TriBeCa when I finished class, take me out for dinner and drop me off before going back to work,' Ms. Grennan said. By July 2024, they said that they were fed up with being 'ships in the night,' and Mr. Robakidze moved into Ms. Grennan's Hamilton Heights apartment, where they still live. 'We had started talking about getting married in April, and moving in with Kristen got us closer to that,' Mr. Robakidze said. 'It was easy to live together, and we joked about how we were an old married couple,' Ms. Grennan said. The couple made plans to marry in January, after Ms. Grennan finished her law school final exams. 'I didn't think or expect that there would be an official moment we would get engaged,' she said. But on Jan. 3, Mr. Robakidze surprised Ms. Grennan on a trip to the Pocono Mountains by getting down on one knee in the living room of their Airbnb and asking her to marry him as 10 of his close friends stood watching. 'He proposed in Georgian, and his friends translated for us,' Ms. Grennan said. 'After I said yes, they broke out in traditional Georgina wedding dances. It was pure joy.' Ten months to the day that they met, Mr. Robakidze and Ms. Grennan, who plans to go by Grennan-Robakidze, were married Jan. 17 by Yanfang Chen, an officiant at the Manhattan City Clerk's office, before four guests. After the ceremony, they hosted dinner for 12 family members and friends at Fraunces Tavern, in the Financial District. 'We had toasts in Georgian and toasts in English,' Mr. Robakidze said. 'Everyone toasted our love and the bringing of two cultures together. And then we danced.'
