Latest news with #SmoggieQueens
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pride concert will 'pull out the stops'
A free concert to celebrate Pride in Sunderland will bring together a whole host of top entertainment, organisers say. It is the culmination of a the month-long festival in June, which includes film screenings, a family picnic, and a tennis tournament. Following the Pride march on Saturday 28 June, the free event in Keel Square is sponsored by Sunderland AFC and the Foundation of Light. Organisers Out North East said their support would allow the concert to "pull out all the stops". The concert will be hosted by Elijah Young, best known for playing Stuart on the hit TV show, Smoggie Queens, and the line up includes '90s icon Tina Cousins, London LGBTQ+ dance company Homoparody and showcase entertainers The Future Is Queer. Peter Darrant, chair of Out North East said: "The support of Foundation of Light and SAFC means we can pull out all the stops, while ensuring that the concert is absolutely free and open to everyone. "Pride in not just important for the LGBTQ+ community to show their visibility, it's also about us showing pride in our allies and their support. "It is a really vital event to ensure that the voice of the community is heard, along with those invaluable individuals and organisations who stand with us!" Foundation of Light CEO Lesley Spuhler said: "This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming, supportive community for everyone." Sunderland AFC's chief business officer David Bruce said that as a club deeply rooted in the community, it was incredibly proud to be supporting Pride in Sunderland. He added: "Football is for everyone, and we're privileged to play our part in making this event a vibrant and welcoming celebration for all." Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. North East welcomes a summer of Pride celebrations Pride artists 'can be totally free in a safe space' Out North East Foundation of Light Sunderland AFC
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Sunderland Pride concert will 'pull out the stops'
A free concert to celebrate Pride in Sunderland will bring together a whole host of top entertainment, organisers is the culmination of a the month-long festival in June, which includes film screenings, a family picnic, and a tennis the Pride march on Saturday 28 June, the free event in Keel Square is sponsored by Sunderland AFC and the Foundation of Out North East said their support would allow the concert to "pull out all the stops". The concert will be hosted by Elijah Young, best known for playing Stuart on the hit TV show, Smoggie Queens, and the line up includes '90s icon Tina Cousins, London LGBTQ+ dance company Homoparody and showcase entertainers The Future Is Queer. Peter Darrant, chair of Out North East said: "The support of Foundation of Light and SAFC means we can pull out all the stops, while ensuring that the concert is absolutely free and open to everyone. "Pride in not just important for the LGBTQ+ community to show their visibility, it's also about us showing pride in our allies and their support."It is a really vital event to ensure that the voice of the community is heard, along with those invaluable individuals and organisations who stand with us!" Foundation of Light CEO Lesley Spuhler said: "This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming, supportive community for everyone."Sunderland AFC's chief business officer David Bruce said that as a club deeply rooted in the community, it was incredibly proud to be supporting Pride in added: "Football is for everyone, and we're privileged to play our part in making this event a vibrant and welcoming celebration for all." Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Coronation Street star lands new role in rival soap just months after leaving the cobbles
Bill Fellows left Coronation Street last year and has since landed a role in Casualty, teasing his appearance in the medical drama through posts on social media A former Coronation Street has landed a new role in a rival soap just months after leaving the cobbles. Bill Fellows, who played troubled Stu Carpenter from 2021 to 2024, exited Corrie when his character decided to go and live permanently with his granddaughter in Germany. But the 67-year-old actor, who also played George Cartrick in Ted Lasso, has now joined the cast of Casualty. In February, Bill posted a selfie of himself wearing an NHS pass around his neck with the caption: "Another day , Another Casualty." Days later, he posted an image of himself with special effect make up that showed him with arm and head injuries. While it's unclear which role Bill is playing in the long-running medical drama, fans have shared their excitement on social media. One commented: "OMG. Shocking make up. Look forward to seeing you in the Casualty episode." Another said: "Glad you mentioned make-up dept!" Someone else said: "Thank goodness it's just nasty that." When he left Corrie last year, Bill said he had "no regrets at all" before adding: "It is the right time to go for me and for Stu. I will look back with fond memories and I wouldn't rule out coming back in the future. But Stu has evolved, we started off with a homeless guy who was wrongly accused of murder and and then we get to the point three years later where this guy's got almost a quarter of a million pounds and has cleared his name and made it a life for himself." He went on: "When I first started it was a six month contract but with options that took me over three years. At the time it was something that did panic me a little as I have my house down south and it seemed like a long time, I am used to playing lots of different characters and three years seemed a long time to play the same character. "But I needn't have worried, what I realised when I got the chance to play someone for a long time it was heaven really, I wasn't tied into anything and the three years have flown and this felt like the right time to go, I always knew I would go at the end of the three years." Asked if he was happy Stu wasn't killed off, the actor said: "I would have been fine either way and I did say that to the producer, but it is good to know that Stu is out there somewhere helping people, they said they wanted to leave the door open which is nice." He spoked of his plans for the future and said: "I am fortunate in that I have a busy few months coming up. I am doing a couple of Episodes of a BBC sitcom based in Middlesbrough called Smoggie Queens with Mark Benton. And then I am working on a film with Mark again and Stephen Tompkinson about low level gangsters in Middlesbrough. "It is kind of ironic that I am hedging back to the North East to work as it is even further from my home down south than Corrie is! But it is my hometown and I know a lot of people there so I am very much looking forward to that. "There is a Vampire film in the pipeline which is looking promising. I want to keep working on varied projects and I also want to travel a bit, I am quite laid back but excited about the future."
BBC News
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
How Hartlepool film production village is set to reshape the town
A new film production village will bolster the north-east of England's reputation as a centre for the screen industry, while boosting its economy and regenerating a town, it is village is planned for Hartlepool and aims to provide film makers with everything they need to make a movie or TV show without having to leave the to the Northern Studios, Hartlepool already has a foundation to build on and has been used to produce feature film Jackdaw, the BBC comedy Smoggie Queens and ITV North East Screen chief executive Alison Gwynn said expanding the studios and creating the village meant Hartlepool could "attract bigger productions with bigger budgets". "The production village gives us a real opportunity to be a bit more dynamic and future facing in terms of where the industry's is going," she said."One thing to think about is how that links up with digital and podcasts and music and the future development of content - not just linear TV." A consultation on the development plans for the village is under way and if approved will consist of two main first is the extension of the Northern Studios on Lynn Street, which is being funded by £15m from the Tees Valley Investment second is the production of the wider village across the Lynn Street and Whitby Street area, which has received £16.5m from the Levelling Up Borough Council leader Brenda Harrison said the campus area would span 300sq m (3,230sq ft) and be located near the Northern School of Art and the local college."There are 10 buildings going to be used and these are derelict buildings at the moment. So we're bringing them back to life," she said."It's to do with the whole regeneration of that area." Raising the roof Ms Gwynn said Northern Studios was the only dedicated studio space in the North East but since it was established the industry has changed."The growth in the sector in the region has been bigger and quicker than anybody could ever have imagined and actually the studios now need to be bigger," she they are only able to accommodate one production at a time but the expansion will allow space for a roof of the studio will also be raised to allow larger productions to use the Gwynn said the changes would ensure Hartlepool was not just a "one trick pony" but could cater to different types of productions, such as pilots and quiz shows with live said the region had previously missed out on some of these productions, including a quiz show being made with County Durham business woman and Dragons' Den star Sara Davies."She's currently making an ITV quiz show in Manchester," said Ms Gwynn."She would have loved to have made that show in the North East and have a North East audience in it but the studio right now just isn't big enough." Jobs and training About 130 jobs are expected to be created once the development is completed in council leader Harrison also believes the village's proximity to the town's colleges will have an impact on young people."It will be a great benefit to students, both while they're doing their courses and hopefully post-course when the jobs will be there for them," she said."By linking with the colleges the production village will benefit from their views and skills and be able to prepare them for the future."Many productions currently only use Hartlepool for the actual filming of their projects as the facilities for pre and post-production work are not currently film village aims to bring these facilities, such as costume designers and editing suites, to the area so crews do not need to leave. These will be located in the newly renovated Gwynn also believes the village will provide opportunities for businesses which may not have considered themselves able to work with the film said having a strong film sector would require a host of professionals such as caterers, accountants, graphic designers, joiners and painters."These businesses already exist in the region, they just hadn't thought a screen industry customer was on the radar for them," she said. Creating a cluster Hartlepool is not the only area in the North East attempting to boost its filming facilities. Sunderland is also set to become a major hub for the industry through the creation of the Crown Works Gwynn does not see the two sites becoming rivals, but believes they will complement each other."To have one studio base isn't enough to create a cluster and a cluster is the thing that's going to really create a long lasting industry in the region," she said."Hartlepool is going to be based on innovation, pilots, digital, music and mid-range drama. Crown Works Sunderland will be looking at multimillion-pound feature films and big, high-end dramas."She said there would be mid-range productions which would not be able to afford to operate in Sunderland but could work in believes Hartlepool will thrive as a supply chain hub for the industry but said its creation would benefit the whole region."What we'll see over the next couple of years is more and more production-based companies basing themselves not only in Hartlepool but also in Sunderland and then everywhere in between."The opportunity for growth in the sector is a whole North East-wide opportunity. It's absolutely not just Hartlepool or Sunderland." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Manjaros set to open brand new restaurant in County Durham
A popular chain restaurant with venues across the country is set to open brand new place in County Durham Excitement is building in Peterlee as new signs go up for Manjaros have appeared at the York Road shops, confirming that the popular chain restaurant is bringing its unique flavours to the town. Known for its bold fusion of African and Caribbean cuisine, Manjaros has become a firm favourite across the UK, especially in the North East- and Peterlee will soon host the brand's 12th venue in the region and 19th overall. Signs go up for new Manjaros in Peterlee (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) New signs can be seen on the windows at York Road shops and has caught the attention of locals, sparking plenty of buzz on social media as fans of the restaurant eagerly await the official opening date. Recently, Manjaros has been the place for celebrities as the likes of Ricky Tomlinson, Paddy McGuinness and James Haskell have been spotted with the 'iconic' orange takeaway boxes. This latest expansion follows a decade of rapid growth for the brand, which first opened in Middlesbrough back in 2012. READ MORE: Manjaros set to open new restaurant in Middlesbrough Paddy McGuinness spotted with parmo at Teesside takeaway Bez from Happy Mondays gets Manjaros Middlesbrough Parmo Since then, it's become especially known for its signature take on the Teesside classic, the parmo, and was even name-dropped in BBC3's hit series Smoggie Queens. Manjaros has grown significantly over the past decade, with locations now spanning the UK, including Darlington, Middlesbrough, Ingleby Barwick, Billingham, Sunderland, Newcastle, Leeds, Birmingham, London Ilford, Preston, Huddersfield, London Southall, London Leyton, London Brick Lane, Leicester and delivery services in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Redcar. Further details about the new site and an opening date remain scarce at the moment.
