NE Online Magazine Issue 66 Ready Steady Shoot with Darren Wardle

Hi Chris and welcome to NE Magazine, for the few readers who must be living in a cave somewhere and don’t know who you are how about giving th em a quick l ow- down o n yourself?

- Hello! Can’t help but think I’m writing your interview introduction for you here, oh well… I’m a stand-up comedian from South Shields and I’m also a bit of an actor now and then… but mainly a comedian… that might not come across as well as it should in print form, but I am.

So there.

At the moment it’s hard not seeing you on the TV when we switch it on as you’re everywhere, but what has been the highlight for you so far?

- Not everywhere though am I? If you turn on QVC and I’m selling a frying pan, just assume you’ll find me floating face down in a river very soon. The highlight for me so far was probably being in Hebburn. Since starting comedy I always wanted to try my hand at being in a sitcom too so I was over the moon to do one with my mate and so close to my heart, and I got to work with Vic Reeves.

I know you had a bit of a crazy time with fans wanting pics and autographs when you were having a few drinks in a South Shields bar recently, how are you finding this, does it put you off going out?

- Not at all. Any person in that position who has been on TV or whatever and people want photos (I’m trying my best not to say celebrity here!) who pretends they hate the attention is a liar. You don’t go for a career on TV because you don’t want anyone to notice you. As long as I’m not eating or having a shit when you want a photo then it’s no problem at all… I meant, like on the toilet, not just in the middle of the dancefloor.

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Have you had any weird fan requests or incidents?

- Not really. The odd person will show up to a gig with my face on a T-Shirt, or bake me a cake, or send me a dead animal in the post but other than that it’s just photos and autographs. A little kid in Hebburn when we were filming asked me to sign his micro scooter… that was a bit weird.

As well as being a bit of a regular on Celebrity Juice, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 out of 10 Cats you are now starring in the North East based sitcom Hebburn, how did that come about?

- My mate and fellow comedian Jason Cook decided to write a sitcom about the town he was from, Hebburn, and he actually wrote me a little side part which he named after me. But when it came to being made the BBC asked me to read for the main character, and when I got it, Jason took the part that he’d written for me! It came about so gradually that I didn’t really realise the enormity of being lead role in a BBC2 sitcom until I saw the advert on TV. I nearly passed out.

How has the response for Hebburn been so far?

- Overwhelmingly positive.

And we just won Best Drama at the RTS North awards too. And we’ve got a second series!

You are now embarking on your biggest tour to date, how do you feel about this?

- Yeah incredible! It’s an extension of my last tour, Feeling Lucky. I did 60+ dates in 2012 but the demand for tickets was so high and people enjoyed the show so much that I’m doing another 40 odd dates this year in much bigger venues. I can’t wait to get back out on the road.

Are there any venues on the tour that you are looking forward to playing or any you’re quite nervous about?

- The Theatre Royal in Newcastle. I absolutely can’t wait. I used to watch panto there when I was a kid. I’m

We l c o m e N o t e .

I t i s t h a t t i m e o f y e a r, w h e r e i t i s j u s t n o n s t o p a s w e a l l p r e p a r e fo r Christmas and the end of another y e a r. . . a n d w h a t a y e a r i t h a s b e e n fo r u s h e r e a t N E . O n c e a g a i n w e j u s t w a n t t o t h a n k y o u a l l fo r y o u r continued support and we hope you have a fantastic Christmas and a very M e r r y N e w Ye a r.

As always, if you have something you want to see in a future issue then d o n ’ t fo r g e t t o d r o p u s a n e m a i l t o wayne. groves@neonlinemagazine. com P l u s r e m e m b e r t o fo l l o w u s o n Fa c e b o o k , Tw i t t e r & I n s t a g ra m fo r our regular updates on events and competitions.

Till next time Ta ke c a r e Wa y n e

O2 City Hall www.o2academynewcastle.co.uk Ocean Beach Pleasure Park www.oceanbeach.co.uk Quasar Elite South Shields www.quasarsouthshields.co.uk For all queries or if you would like to feature or advertise in NE Magazine email wayne.groves@neonlinemagazine.com Unless stated otherwise all competition entries should be sent to win@ neonlinemagazine.com Plus you can catch up with us online for news, events, blogs, competitions and more at www.neonlinemagazine.com Follow us on Facebook - www.facebook. com/pages/N-E-Online-Magazine Join us on Twitter @NEOnlineMag1

EDITOR & DESIGNER Wayne Groves wayne.groves@neonlinemagazine.com

And Instagram @neonlinemagazine

CONTRIBUTORS Peter Mann BSc Inside Mann Media & PR insidemannmedia.wordpress.com petermann78@hotmail.com Madhouse Media www.madhousemedia.co.uk SPONSORS Playhouse Whitley Bay www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk Cineworld Boldon www.cineworld.co.uk The Theatre Royal Newcastle www.theatreroyal.co.uk/

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{THIS} {ISSUE} P6 - Ocean Colour Scene P12 - Fairytale of New York P18 - Ed Byrne Tragedy Plus Time P28 - Darren Wardle Ready Steady Shoot P38 - Cineworld Round-Up P50 - Peter’s Book Tales P52 - Author Interview Annie Doyle P60 - MADNESS ‘Live After Racing’ P66 - Playhouse Whitley Bay P72 - Northern Threads P76 - Becky Hill P86 - Tyne Theatre & Opera House Round-Up

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THE RETURN OF BRIT-POP ROYALTY

Fans can expect to see Ocean Colour Scene frontman Simon Fowler, guitarist Steve Cradock and drummer Oscar Harrison performing their biggest hits and anthems, including The Riverboat Song, The Circle, Traveller’s Tune, Hundred Mile High City and The Day We Caught The Train, when the iconic band finish their tour, in Newcastle, five days before Christmas.

Formed in Birmingham in 1989, OCS spent six years fine-tuning their sound before lighting up the Britpop party with three Top 5 albums - 1996s ‘Moseley Shoals,’ 1997’s ‘Marchin’ Already,’ and 1999s ‘One From The Modern.’

The band has also achieved seventeen Top 40 singles, including a staggering run of nine successive Top 20 singles along with a mantelpiece full of awards.

As with all the best groups, behind the swagger and style were great songs, with words and melodies that found their way into the public’s hearts.

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Honing their craft in the spirit of the soul, folk and blues greats who inspired them, Ocean Colour Scene’s celebrated live shows have cemented the relationship between the band and their fiercely

loyal fan-base.

Each concert regularly serves as a communal outpouring of hope and joy, boasting the most lifeaffirming singalongs you’re likely

to hear anywhere.

Speaking about the upcoming shows, Simon Fowler said: “After starting with a short run of dates

in the summer, it’s going to be great ending the year on the road with Ocean Colour Scene.

more, for some proper pre-Christmas partying with our fans who are the best in the land.”

“We’ll be playing all the hits, and

Meanwhile, guitarist Steve Cradock added: “This feels like the first proper tour Ocean Colour Scene have done in years.

“Last year we managed six dates because of the World Cup, and the year before Covid was still scaring people, so we are going to make it something special.

“Roll up, roll up for the magical OCS Tour!”

A late addition to their final run of dates for the year, Fowler et al will be appearing at the O2 City Hall,

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Newcastle, on 20 December, as the festive season gets into full-swing across Tyneside, and the northeast as a whole.

Tickets for remaining shows can be purchased via the bands’ website www.oceancolourscene.com and the O2 City Hall website https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2cityhallnewcastle/ events/1435203/ocean-colourscene-tickets Keep up-to-date with the indie rock legends via their socials on Facebook https://www.facebook. com/OceanColourSceneOfficial and X/Twitter https://twitter. com/OCSmusic

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SOUTH TYNESIDE

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Direct from the West End and after two sell-out tours of the UK and Ireland, ‘Fairytale of New York’ is continuing its partnership with Tourism Ireland and is back with an even bigger production for 2023.

The ultimate feel-good Irishinspired Christmas show is brought to you by the producers of Seven Drunken Nights - The Story of The Dubliners and features an international cast of singers, musicians and dancers.

Fairytale of New York brings you all of your favourite Christmas songs, including Driving Home for Christmas, White Christmas, Oh Holy Night, A Winter’s Tale, Silent Night and of course The

Fairytale of New York.

Just when you think the party couldn’t get any better, this world class Christmas show also features some of the greatest Irish singalong songs of all time, including The Galway Girl, The Irish Rover, Danny Boy, Dirty Old Town and The Black Velvet Band, ensuring people of all ages will be singing, laughing and dancing in the aisles.

Set in Central Park, New York on Christmas Eve, Fairytale of New York’s musical content is punctuated throughout with a celebratory dose of hard-shoe Irish dancing popularised in the UK via Riverdance, as well as soft-shoe dance. There’s

contemporary jazz and pop numbers, too, all of it in the capable hands (and feet) of a cast of eleven dancers, musicians and singers.

The 2023 tour will feature two casts touring simultaneously, performing no fewer than 85 shows to meet phenomenal demand. Beginning in Southport on 31st October and ending in Derry on 22nd December, the tour also includes a prestigious date at London’s Dominion Theatre on 3rd December.

The show’s creator Ged Graham conceived the idea during lockdown, when pondering what do you see at the theatre at Christmas when the kids have

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outgrown panto? His solution was Fairytale of New York, with the star of the show being the show itself.

After launching Fairytale of New York in October 2021, Graham quickly realised he had a hit on his hands, with all tour dates in 2021 and 2022 selling-out.

Despite working in the industry for nearly 50 years, there is no way Graham could have predicted the runaway success of Fairytale of New York. He said: “During lockdown, there was absolutely no guarantee that theatres would ever re-open.

“I was approaching my 60th birthday and I honestly doubted I’d ever step back on a stage.

Then, given that audiences might venture out again, would they like a Christmas show with a strong Irish theme?

“The star of the show though, is the show itself; there are no big names in the production.”

Born in Dublin, but moving to Manchester, in the North-West, at the age of 10, Ged added: “I’ve never lost my love of Irish music.

“Under the umbrella title of the Pogues’s famous song, I decided

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to put together a festive show with an Irish theme.”

With shows selling like hotcakes, and thousands upon thousands clambering for tickets, it’s a guaranteed blockbuster which will have punters singing along, and awarding the production their customary, standing ovations.

This 2023 tour is building on

the show’s incredible success, Ged continuing with: “I’m not exaggerating when I say we get standing ovations after every performance.

“But then, my ambition from the start was to provide two hours of much-needed escapism.

“When you go to the theatre, you’re part of the event in a way that you aren’t in a cinema.

“We do encourage the audience to sing along because it’s their Christmas show.

“Our show is deliberately designed with peaks and troughs in terms of the musical numbers because, that way, you can very much influence an audience”.”

And influence the audience they are, and will; having begun in late

October, Ged Graham’s ‘Fairytale of New York’ still has numerous opportunities throughout the festive month of December still to enjoy; Carlisle, York, Stockton and Darlington have already had the pleasure of the show, the Gateshead International Centre for Music will be showing the festive masterpiece on 18 & 19

December.

Tickets for the Gateshead shows can be purchased from https:// theglasshouseicm.org /whatson/fairytale-of-new-york-2023/ For more information on the show, visit their socials via their website www.fairytaleofnewyork.co.uk and on Facebook https://www. facebook.com/fairytaleofNY

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Is there no end to the man’s talents? A staple of revered panel show Mock the Week, Ed Byrne has also sledded down the side of a volcano for Dara and Ed’s Great Big Adventure, upstaged Martin Sheen and Robert Downey Jr on The Graham Norton Show, and demonstrated his driving skills on Top Gear and The World’s Most Dangerous Road. He’s also proven himself to be quiz show dynamite on the likes of The Chase: Celebrity Special, The Hit List, Pointless Celebrities and All-Star Family Fortunes. Never agree to attend a pub quiz with Ed Byrne. You will lose.

But for all his dalliances with the world of television light entertainment, Ed remains at heart one of the world’s truly great stand-up comedians.

He has honed his craft for a remarkable 30 years now, garnering a hatful of awards and a constant, borderline bewildering stream of five-star reviews along the way. Whisper

it, but it’s tempting in 2023 to take story-telling skills and a wit as sublime as Ed’s for granted.

However, while he prepares to take his 14th show, Tragedy Plus Time, to the Edinburgh Fringe and onwards for a comprehensive UK tour, audiences need to ready themselves because Ed Byrne is heading into highly emotional new territory.

“It’s something of a departure, and I’m slightly worried about that,” he concedes. “I’ve never really had the desire to write a show that had an overly serious element to it. I got a lot of fivestar reviews on the last show [2019’s If I’m Honest], but some four-star ones that opined, ‘well it’s funny, but that’s all it is…’

As if that’s not enough these days. Frankly, just being funny is a furrow I’ve been happy to occupy. But this new show features some heart-wrenching, soul-bearing stuff.”

That much is indisputable. For

Tragedy Plus Time, Ed bravely ventures into the world of grief and loss, a decision prompted by the passing of his younger brother Paul, aged just 44, in February 2022. Comedy that takes death as its cue is not unprecedented, but it’s a path that takes considerable creative courage to explore.

“I was in two minds about whether to do a show of this nature,” Ed explains. “Then I decided this was the subject I was going to tackle but I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.

But once I started down that road, that was it… Then my main worry was, how funny is it going to be and is it going to work?”

These were legitimate concerns.

Of course, there’s funny and there’s funny. In Tragedy Plus Time, Ed consistently delivers the latter while expertly locating the poignancy that sits at the intersection of sadness and loss.

This isn’t gallows humour; this is

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something else altogether.

“The first time I performed it,” he continues, “it lasted more than an hour. That surprised me, but it was too long, so I had to decide whether to cut funny jokes or material that’s meaningful. That kind of decision was new to me, and what’s really annoying is that the one person I would have asked for advice on that is the guy the show’s about. It’s like when you get dumped by someone and you’re heartbroken. The one person you’d usually want to talk to about it is the very person who dumped you.

Says Ed, “I’ve spoken to people who worked with Paul, who was a comedy director, and they’ve said that his thing was, ‘you can be as emotional as you like and as serious as you like, but there has to be a joke’. So the idea of saying something purely for the emotional gut punch was off the table.”

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Nor

is

Tragedy

Plus

Time

unrelenting by any means.

The genius of it is that it takes the most difficult of subject matter and encourages the audience to laugh in its face in a way they would otherwise simply never do. Ed has also deliberately eschewed a linear narrative structure in favour of an approach that mirrors the unpredictable nature of grief itself.

“Obviously I don’t want the whole thing to be an onslaught,” he says. “That’s partly because

of the digressions, and that’s why they’re there. But they also illustrate how grief works in that you can still have a good time, you can still be happy, you can still have a laugh about other things and be frivolous. But grief is always there waiting for you when you’re done with being silly.

“The show does elicit a very pure emotional response in the audience. There’s something about the fact that when somebody dies, everyone

else carries on like nothing’s happened. Because nothing has happened to them. So there’s an anger in grief, too… how can everyone else carry on as though nothing has happened?”

Ed candidly admits that mining his family’s bereavement for comedic effect would challenge his performing skills – and emotional bandwidth – in a unique way. Is this a nightly catharsis for the Irish comedian?

To an extent, yes.

“Death is universal. We will all lose someone. So the best thing to do is laugh at it,” he says.

“Although I was aware, when I was first writing and performing this new show, that there was a danger I might, you know, lose it onstage. I did a work-in-progress at the Museum of Comedy and there was an audible crack in my voice. On the third performance I did actually cry on stage, and I’m sure for anyone who was there [assumes a very theatrical voice] ‘it was a very powerful experience’. But I don’t want it to be the sort of thing where I rip my heart out and stamp on it for the audience’s delectation.

I’ve been able to throttle back my emotions and keep them in check.”

What of the origins of the concept that comedy is Tragedy Plus Time? It’s widely credited to American writer, humourist and quote machine Mark Twain, as many of these things are. Having researched it, Ed says there’s no conclusive proof that he coined it. Twain’s contribution to the arts might have benefitted from

an audio/visual dimension, if such a thing had existed in the 1880s, but it’s something Ed has avoided. Until now.

“There are WhatsApp messages from Paul that I wanted to share and I could have just read them out. But that wouldn’t have the same resonance, and you have to see them to fully appreciate the context. Then there’s a video of a weird guy who produces celebrity obituaries…to be honest, I’m still tinkering with the audio/visual aspect, so there may well be more of that in the show. It’s a supplementary element, though, it’s not integral. I don’t want anyone to worry unduly about the introduction of technology to the proceedings.”

Tragedy Plus Time isn’t Ed Byrne deconstructing comedy or going meta. That’s not what he does.

Nonetheless, this is a satisfyingly left-field move from one of the undeniable masters of comedy.

It is as moving as it is funny, and vice versa.

“Is it OK to talk about this stuff?

I’d say this. Every night hundreds of people who didn’t know who Paul Byrne was will leave the theatre knowing who Paul Byrne was. I’m happy with that, and I think I give a good account of him on stage. I wouldn’t say he’s up there with me every night, but he’s there every time I think about the show, and I’ve got to make sure I do right by him. I briefly entertained a notion of writing a one-man play, with me sitting and talking to him towards the end of his life. But you know, I’m a stand-up comic. It’s what I do. I said to the audience in one of the early previews, ‘yes, it is sad. But don’t worry because the show is funny. Because believe it or not, I’m actually quite good at this.’”

By Jason Barlow Ed Byrne is touring nationwide.

For more information, please visit http://edbyrne.com/ TWITTER: @MrEdByrne You can see Ed Byrne – Tragedy Plus Time live at the following North East venues...

The Fire Station Sunderland on Wednesday 24th January 2024 Gala Durham on Friday 26th January 2024 Tyne Theatre & Opera House Newcastle on Saturday 3rd February 2024 Darlington Hippodrome on Sunday 4th February 2024 For up-to-date tour listings, please visit https://edbyrne. com/live-dates/

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Ethan was a funny, caring, gorgeous, mischievous & cheeky little lad who lived for his football, loved school & loved entertaining everyone around him.

At the age of 8 years old, on the 2nd December 2020, Ethan was diagnosed with parameningeal embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.

Ethan faced cancer, and his subsequent treatment, as he did with everything in life, like an absolute warrior. Sadly, Ethan lost his life on 5th August 2021, just a week after his 9th Birthday.

Ethan was all about Friends, Family, and Fun, so while Ethan’s Arc has been created to help raise awareness, along with vital funds to support research into finding more targeted and less harsh treatments for Rhabdomyosarcoma, it is also a way of keeping Ethan’s name alive by bringing people & communities together, through various fun

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and/or challenging opportunities & activities.

Ethan’s dad Mark had this to say about Ethan’s Arc… “we have raised £27,000 so far in the short time we’ve been going, from walking Coast to Coast along Hadrian’s Wall, riding ladies bikes from Berwick Upon Tweed to South Shields, charity Boxing matches, Great North Runs, Junior Great North Runs, Children’s Cancer Runs, Music events, Pub Quiz’s …….

Ethan’s school - Harton Primary, have also continued to remember him, and raise money in Ethan’s memory through a number of different events. They also surprised us recently by naming their newly built Sports Hall in his honour Ethan’s football team - South Shields u12’s, along with good friends from Hebburn Town

u12’s, held a football match to remember Ethan, where both teams played for the Ethan Adams Memorial Cup. The idea is that this will become an annual event” You can read more about Ethan’s arc at https://www.alicesarc.org/arc/ethan-adams/ Sadly Ethan isn’t the only child to have an Arc, find out more about the Arcs and what they are all about here https://www. alicesarc.org/about/ If you can donate, or would like to fundraise then please do, if not even just giving this a share would be a big help to Ethan’s family and others going through similar times.

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Hi Darren and welcome to NE, it’s great to finally get you in the magazine for a feature, so how about starting things off by introducing yourself to our readers?

Hey, I’m, Darren Wardle, from South Shields, I have two beautiful daughters Layla (7) and Levi (12) together with my girlfriend Ashleigh.

You are the man behind Ready Steady Shoot Photography, tell us more about that and how it came to be?

Yeah, it all started by accident to be honest, I’ve always admired photographers, what they do, capturing things we take for granted every day, the things in pictures today that are the only evidence of a time in history amazes me. During the wars, before storms, before violence and before death. So I bought a camera about 5/6 years

ago and started taking pictures of random things. I realised quickly that I was absolutely terrible; I had no idea how to use it.

I went hiking in Scotland with my cousin, we hiked for hours up the top of a mountain to camp, we got there and almost instantly the sun set and the milky way rose

over the sky, it was amazing to see with the naked eye so I got my camera out and took about 100 pictures, messing with the settings each time. Not one photograph of the Milky Way was captured that night. That’s when I decided I’m crap and need to learn how to use the camera so that I don’t miss an opportunity like that again.

I started practicing and to gauge how I was doing I started an Instagram account, @Readysteadyshoot and it slowly started to grow. It was random strangers following my account to see my work, it was addictive, trying to get a better reaction with every shot I posted.

What was your aim when first starting out?

My aim was never to start a business, it was just something I enjoyed doing and practicing.

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You have taken some incredible images of iconic landmarks which has helped gain Ready Steady Shoot some phenomenal viewing numbers, did you expect it to take off the way it has?

Thanks a lot. Yeah we’re blessed to have such an amazing part of the world on our doorstep, the Herd Groyne is one of the most photographed landmarks in the north east. I think during covid lockdowns the people stuck in isolating turned to social media for their fix of the outdoors which I tried to provide daily.

Never in a million years did i think my reach would be 3-4 million people per month, and tens of thousands of likes,shares and reactions. People seem.to enjoy what I do so I’m happy with that.

Is there anywhere or anything that you really want to photograph that you haven’t done so yet, if so where and why?

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Yes, Niagra falls, I went there in 2017 before I was interested in learning photography, I’d love to go back and do it again.

What would you say is your favourite location/landmark to photograph?

Definitely the north east coastline and the bridges along the river

Tyne.

When it comes to photography or other photographers, what are your biggest pet hates?

Honestly, I love a lot of other photographers work. I absolutely love Ian Sproats work at MJE Photography, he still amazes me now.

There is also a lot of photographers that don’t like the way others edit, or be creative. Photography to me isn’t just about capturing the same images every tom dick and harry can, it’s about how creative I can be with my edits. But honestly I really don’t care what others think. As long as I like the final images.

What advice would you give to anyone that is interested in photography?

Be creative, you’ll find your own style, keep at it whether you get 1 like of 100,000 likes on social media, the reality is, it really doesn’t

matter. That’s how I started.

As well as being online, you also run a stall at South Shields Market, tell us a little more about that?

Yeah, I have a website www.readysteadyshoots.com and run a market with my mam at South Shields market on Fridays and Saturdays.

We have framed prints, coasters, magnets, slate, keyrings and many more things along those lines.

you used to compete in MMA, tell us a little more about your time as a fighter?

Haha, aye, completely different paths. I fought professionally in MMA for over 10 years, had many fights and many injuries along the

way, that as how we originally met.

I loved every moment but unfortunately time catches up to us all.

You no longer compete, but you still train, is it something you would recommend to others, if

People can buy prints and other items from you, but can people hire you for work or for custom images?

I do offer other services but it really has to be something I’m interested in doing haha.

We actually know you from something totally unrelated, from when

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so what advice would you give to someone interested in starting out?

Yeah I’ve not stopped training, I coached for a lot of years also, my two daughters both train every day now and honestly it’s the best thing ever for fitness, confidence, making friends and learning to be respectful. There is a gym for everyone. Contact your local coach and ask for some advice. In South Tyneside I suggest you check out SBG South Shields where I train, in Sunderland check out TFT MMA, in Durham check out SBG Bishop Auckland. All with great coaches and amazing teams.

and lasses to grow and become confident in all aspects of life.

You are also a military veteran who served Queen and country.

How long did you serve and with which branch?

Yeah I served 5 years in the 1st Battalion the Light Infantry, it is a great opportunity for young lads

Where can people follow you and keep up to date with what you are doing?

You can find me @ready steady shoot on X, Facebook and Instagram for regular posts and updates

Military life is not for everyone, but what advice would you give to anyone thinking of that life as a career?

Yeah it’s definitely not for everyone, but the camaraderie and life experience is second to none. It will be hard at first but stick it out.

It’s worth it.

Tell us 3 random facts about yourself?

I’m far to honest!

I love airsoft.

I love the Walking Dead tv series.

And also the website https:// readysteadyshoots.com/ for orders and info.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I would just like to thank everyone for their continued support over these years. It means so much to me.

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We have teamed up with Cineworld Boldon to give you a quick run down on a few films that are coming soon and really have got us excited.

Plus make sure you check out their Facebook page to keep up to date with their daily competitions and updates. Boldon

Wonka 08 December 2023 Running time: 116 minutes The Story will focus on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory.

Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Mathew Baynton, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Matt Lucas, Calah Lane, Paterson Joseph, Keegan-Michael Key, Timothée Chalamet Director: Paul King

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CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS AND WATCH THE TRAILER

Hi Chris and welcome to NE Magazine, for the few readers who must be living in a cave somewhere and don’t know who you are how about giving th em a quick l ow- down o n yourself?

- Hello! Can’t help but think I’m writing your interview introduction for you here, oh well… I’m a stand-up comedian from South Shields and I’m also a bit of an actor now and then… but mainly a comedian… that might not come across as well as it should in print form, but I am.

So there.

At the moment it’s hard not seeing you on the TV when we switch it on as you’re everywhere, but what has been the highlight for you so far?

- Not everywhere though am I? If you turn on QVC and I’m selling a frying pan, just assume you’ll find me floating face down in a river very soon. The highlight for me so far was probably being in Hebburn. Since starting comedy I always wanted to try my hand at being in a sitcom too so I was over the moon to do one with my mate and so close to my heart, and I got to work with Vic Reeves.

I know you had a bit of a crazy time with fans wanting pics and autographs when you were having a few drinks in a South Shields bar recently, how are you finding this, does it put you off going out?

- Not at all. Any person in that position who has been on TV or whatever and people want photos (I’m trying my best not to say celebrity here!) who pretends they hate the attention is a liar. You don’t go for a career on TV because you don’t want anyone to notice you. As long as I’m not eating or having a shit when you want a photo then it’s no problem at all… I meant, like on the toilet, not just in the middle of the dancefloor.

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Have you had any weird fan requests or incidents?

- Not really. The odd person will show up to a gig with my face on a T-Shirt, or bake me a cake, or send me a dead animal in the post but other than that it’s just photos and autographs. A little kid in Hebburn when we were filming asked me to sign his micro scooter… that was a bit weird.

Are there any venues on the tour that you are looking forward to playing or any you’re quite nervous about?

- The Theatre Royal in Newcastle. I absolutely can’t wait. I used to watch panto there when I was a kid. I’m

As well as being a bit of a regular on Celebrity Juice, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 out of 10 Cats you are now starring in the North East based sitcom Hebburn, how did that come about?

- My mate and fellow comedian Jason Cook decided to write a sitcom about the town he was from, Hebburn, and he actually wrote me a little side part which he named after me. But when it came to being made the BBC asked me to read for the main character, and when I got it, Jason took the part that he’d written for me! It came about so gradually that I didn’t really realise the enormity of being lead role in a BBC2 sitcom until I saw the advert on TV. I nearly passed out.

How has the response for Hebburn been so far?

- Overwhelmingly positive.

And we just won Best Drama at the RTS North awards too. And we’ve got a second series!

You are now embarking on your biggest tour to date, how do you feel about this?

- Yeah incredible! It’s an extension of my last tour, Feeling Lucky. I did 60+ dates in 2012 but the demand for tickets was so high and people enjoyed the show so much that I’m doing another 40 odd dates this year in much bigger venues. I can’t wait to get back out on the road.

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Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom 21 December 2023 Running time: 115 minutes When an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation.

Cast: Ben Affleck, Willem Dafoe, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Vincent Regan, Patrick Wilson, Pilou Asbaek, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Indya Moore Director: James Wan CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS AND WATCH THE TRAILER

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Ferrari 26 December 2023 Running time: 130 minutes It is the summer of 1957.

Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura

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built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier.

Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi.

Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia.

Cast:Penélope Cruz, Patrick Dempsey, Adam Driver, Sarah Gadon, Jack O’Connell, Shailene Woodley, Gabriel Leone Director: Michael Mann CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS AND WWATCH THE TRAILER

Hi Chris and welcome to NE Magazine, for the few readers who must be living in a cave somewhere and don’t know who you are how about giving th em a quick l ow- down o n yourself?

- Hello! Can’t help but think I’m writing your interview introduction for you here, oh well… I’m a stand-up comedian from South Shields and I’m also a bit of an actor now and then… but mainly a comedian… that might not come across as well as it should in print form, but I am.

So there.

At the moment it’s hard not seeing you on the TV when we switch it on as you’re everywhere, but what has been the highlight for you so far?

- Not everywhere though am I? If you turn on QVC and I’m selling a frying pan, just assume you’ll find me floating face down in a river very soon. The highlight for me so far was probably being in Hebburn. Since starting comedy I always wanted to try my hand at being in a sitcom too so I was over the moon to do one with my mate and so close to my heart, and I got to work with Vic Reeves.

I know you had a bit of a crazy time with fans wanting pics and autographs when you were having a few drinks in a South Shields bar recently, how are you finding this, does it put you off going out?

- Not at all. Any person in that position who has been on TV or whatever and people want photos (I’m trying my best not to say celebrity here!) who pretends they hate the attention is a liar. You don’t go for a career on TV because you don’t want anyone to notice you. As long as I’m not eating or having a shit when you want a photo then it’s no problem at all… I meant, like on the toilet, not just in the middle of the dancefloor.

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Have you had any weird fan requests or incidents?

- Not really. The odd person will show up to a gig with my face on a T-Shirt, or bake me a cake, or send me a dead animal in the post but other than that it’s just photos and autographs. A little kid in Hebburn when we were filming asked me to sign his micro scooter… that was a bit weird.

Are there any venues on the tour that you are looking forward to playing or any you’re quite nervous about?

- The Theatre Royal in Newcastle. I absolutely can’t wait. I used to watch panto there when I was a kid. I’m

As well as being a bit of a regular on Celebrity Juice, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 out of 10 Cats you are now starring in the North East based sitcom Hebburn, how did that come about?

- My mate and fellow comedian Jason Cook decided to write a sitcom about the town he was from, Hebburn, and he actually wrote me a little side part which he named after me. But when it came to being made the BBC asked me to read for the main character, and when I got it, Jason took the part that he’d written for me! It came about so gradually that I didn’t really realise the enormity of being lead role in a BBC2 sitcom until I saw the advert on TV. I nearly passed out.

How has the response for Hebburn been so far?

- Overwhelmingly positive.

And we just won Best Drama at the RTS North awards too. And we’ve got a second series!

You are now embarking on your biggest tour to date, how do you feel about this?

- Yeah incredible! It’s an extension of my last tour, Feeling Lucky. I did 60+ dates in 2012 but the demand for tickets was so high and people enjoyed the show so much that I’m doing another 40 odd dates this year in much bigger venues. I can’t wait to get back out on the road.

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The Colour Purple 26 January 2024 Running time: 150 minutes An African-American attempts to overcome adversity in the American South.

Cast: Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Louis Gossett Jr., Elizabeth Marvel, Deon Cole, Corey Hawkins, David Alan Grier, Halle Bailey, Stephen Hill, Jon Batiste, H.E.R. , Fantasia Barrino, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Ciara , Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks Director: Blitz Bazawule CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS AND WATCH THE TRAILER

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Sometimes I really need to stop buying books, and actually start reading (or even writing) them, honestly.

Since my last ‘Book Tales’ column, I dread to think as to how many books I’ve purchased, and even more those I’ve looked at along the way – although there is a reason for a good chunk of those purchases which (I hope) will have had more light shed on it next year.

Basically, for now, I’ve added another dozen books this past month to my increasing collection of literary offering from Sudbury/ Suffolk; for those who don’t know, it’s where my mother was born, and where her father, my grandfather, Peter, and his family originates – it is also the main crux of

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my family history research.

Anyway, before I digress any further there, this winter issue’s ‘Book Tales,’ it’s a mixed bag that’s for sure and which began with a trip into the deepest depth of outer space; as we all know, it sometimes takes me a couple of attempts to get into a read and this had been the case here.

I’d purchased ‘ALIEN: Out of the Shadows’ by Tim Lebbon a few years back, as part of a trilogy of books based on the classic ALIEN franchise, and which are set between that of the first two films.

Not only are the films a top notch watch, but the books, what I’ve read so far that is, match it.

Ripley of course continues to make her presence felt and, just like the mainstays in the films,

‘new’ characters are made to feel like they’ve always been there – as for the ALIEN entity, they are exactly as you’d imagine and you expect them at every turn.

October would also see the release of the new, Heather Morris read.

Not only do I have the other four offerings, but have enjoyed reading them, despite the content and true nature of the topic at hand.

For those who aren’t aware, Ms Morris is the critically acclaimed author of ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz,’ ‘Cilka’s Journey,’ and ‘Three Sisters,’ all amazing reads in their own rights; this though, ‘Sisters under the Rising Sun,’ I feel took things up a notch.

I was caught a little off-guard with how the true story panned out, but, having taken things away

from Auschwitz, Ms Morris heads to the Land of the Rising Sun with this one; against set during World War Two, this is the tale of women caught up as Japanese Prisoners of War, going through the highs and lows of what they endured – women of differing nationalities, bonded together forever.

I actually went back to Auschwitz after that read, and took on ‘The Auschwitz Photographer’ by

Maurizio Onnis and Luca Crippa; there’s so many stories of those caught up in what can only be described as the hell of World War Two, and must be so difficult, even decades on, to be able to relive those atrocities.

Stories though, they are told for many reasons, and this, I guess like the Tattooist himself, shows that in order to survive, they made the best of what they knew and hoped that it would get them through something in which many others didn’t.

In a differing end to this issues column, I’ve had the usual ups and downs in my reading, so I’ve not actually finished the book I’m on with (over halfway); however, I’ve finally taken the plunge with local, bestselling author, LJ Ross, and her first literary offering of the DCI Ryan series, and a trip to Holy Island.

A very enjoyable read which I’m looking forward to finishing, and telling a bit about come the new

year, a time when I will also look back on what my festive offerings have been – both readingwise, and present-wise, with both Christmas, and my birthday, before I go again with the next edition of, ‘Book Tales.’

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“Being retired, it’s the best time of my life, and I’m really enjoying doing so much right now.” Annie Doyle, November 2023 It’s strange, yet wonderful, how differing people, get into writing books, and the reasons behind that; the same can also be said for researching one’s family history, and, quite often, the two are eventually combined.

The same can be said of Tynesidebased author, Annie Doyle, who, in the past couple of years has seen two books published, ‘The Cocoa Girls,’ (2021) and the recent, ‘The Village on the Hill,’ (2023) with more to come.

Ms. Doyle’s literary path, it is one which has only really come to fruition in recent years, and has emanated from ancestral research which, in part, was conducted at

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the request of her mother; there is however, quite a bit of creative blood flowing through the family veins.

“Growing up, creativity for me,

it was always encouraged,” began Annie, discussing how it began for her.

“My mother was a librarian, and my father an artist, and I myself had several poems published when I was younger. “(Near six years ago) in 2017 though, I was made redundant from work, then my mother had ill health and I became her chemo-buddy (she’s doing really well now).

“It was she though who asked me, back then, if I could find out about her mother, things she’d never known, and that’s how I quickly became hooked on genealogy.”

Having now retired, Ms. Doyle’s focus, other than family, is pretty much taken up by book writing, and genealogy, combining the two with great effect over the past five

years.

With two books already under her wing, she’s now looking ahead to, and even researching, for books three, and maybe even four, as she continues to ride the wave of success she’s found herself on.

“I’ve learnt so much over the past five years or so, about writing,” continued Annie.

“I’ve attended some classes around creative writing, because there’s so many things that can spark the imagination.

“I began writing ‘The Cocoa Girls’ towards the end of 2017, and it’s something which I’ve always wanted to do.

“At that time though, life’s occurrences catapulted me into it.

“Conducting all that research, it’s fascinating, and you really do have to read a lot, especially about what was happening at specific times.

“To me, that’s important for authenticity, so I hope that I’ve managed to do that.”

Although her work is, in a way, of a biographical nature, Ms. Doyle has turned her work into stories in order to afford a little edge to the tale.

Both of her two areas of interest, glorified hobbies if you will, are helping out the other also; the ancestral research forms the tale of the books, which in turn pushes her to do more research.

“The elements of biographical nature set me off on this journey,” explained Annie.

“But I do try to write my books as standalone ‘stories,’ whilst also including some of the same characters. “’Village on the Hill’ is, pretty much, about the journey of someone wanting to fit in.

“I love being able to think about and research times past, the suffragettes, and the war effort, as it provided many opportunities for women to further their own cause.

“It’s because of that, one of the characters has been placed in a hospital, in London, working as an orderly during the war. – the theme of remarkable women is something which underlines my work.

“When I was writing it (the second book) there was a little gap in my ancestry research (helped by the 1921 census), so I signed myself up to a four-week course, and it was really fascinating.

“I found someone who I didn’t even know about, who served in

the Royal Air Force, in WWI. “Another piece of information which I whooped about, was regarding two sisters I wanted to place in London, that put them there and it connected them to the family I was really wanting, and hoping, they were connected to.

“It’s the little things like that which make it authentic.”

As for moving forward, and into the New Year, Ms Doyle is currently on a trajectory of a book a year (publication-wise). Her next offering, with a working title of

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‘The Good Neighbour,’ is already in the pipeline.

“With my next book, the third one, the story picks up where ‘The Village on the Hill’ ended and follows some of the same characters (my editor has mentioned my development as a writer),” concluded Annie.

“There’s now even the possibility of a fourth also, and maybe more beyond that, one of which was sparked by a tour I’d taken of Gateshead and Newcastle.”

Keep up-to-date with all the literary exploits of Annie Doyle via her socials on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authoranniedoyle and Twitter https://twitter. com/anniedauthor

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Writing books can take on many different forms, for people from different walks of life, and there’s no written rule, per se, as to who does what, and when – if there’s interest, write it.

The same can be said about when you write a book, and have it published, be it early, or late in life – if it’s achievable, the do it, that’s what people like north-east writer, Haydn Watson, has done.

Having already lived a life, first in engineering, then teaching, and now retired, Haydn writes books, and is soon to have his third offering, via The Memoir Club, published, entitled ‘What Have We Done?’ it following that of ‘A Life Navigated,’ and ‘Garn Yem.’ “I began writing some ten years ago,” began Haydn, as he chatted about entering a literary world.

“It all started as a personal tale of my younger life and

resulted in a set of stories based on my teenage years.

“I had no inclination to have them published at that stage and just printed a few of them for friends and relatives.

“Then I remembered the life of my late father-in-law, Fazel Rehman.

“His life was quite a tale that included trekking from his village in Afghanistan aged 11, with a camel train to Karachi.

“Then, at 16 he joined the Merchant Navy and sailed in the Atlantic Conveys.

“He was torpedoed twice and survived twice, and

would go on to spend two years in the United States, finally arriving in the UK, meeting and marrying my late mother-in-law in South Shields.

“I decided to write his story which led to ‘A Life Navigated,’ which was published in 2020 (Diadem Books).”

With ‘A Life Navigated; being the biographical tale of a man witnessing many harsh and dangerous experiences throughout life, overcoming many challenges, ‘Garn Yem,’ the second offering from Haydn Watson, and this via The Memoir Club, is something different indeed.

A selection of stories penned near a decade ago now, and brought together to form one piece of prose, it focusses on the author’s earlier life, with friends, and set during the seventies.

“It has factual incidents within the book and I’ve changed the names of the

characters, so that I would not create any concerns for the individuals in the narrative,” explained Haydn about his most recent release.

“There are some individuals who agreed to have their names included and the book has a lot of humour alongside a little sadness; the 70`s though, it was a period where political correctness was a vision for the future and the book overall is dedicated to friendships formed during that time.”

Whether writing fiction, or non-fiction books, an element of research is needed, more with the latter of the two, literary types.

For Haydn, his offerings are, perhaps, a combination of the two, but on the main, biographical in nature, whereas is next offering is perhaps his greatest challenge, especially when you consider the topic in question.

“It is a fictional story about the Holocaust,” continued Haydn.

“I have created characters and a storyline that follows a father and son on a perilous journey.

“It’s a story of hope and determination, in the face of terrible persecution.

“The title is a question that reflects a statement asking

why us? And secondly, what did we do to stop it?

“For anyone reading my books, they should expect to see honesty, and detailed research.

“The research element has fascinated me and I learned so much working on ‘A Life Navigated.’ “’Garn Yem’ was a joy to write and many people have enjoyed the settings and locals I have created.

“It being a local narrative with many places and venues named in the North East.

“From a personal

perspective, writing has given me so much pleasure, and I am indebted to many people including my partner Christine, my friends David Bartley, Ian Braun, Mel Paterson, and Ray Innerd, whilst my children, Layla, Emma, Geoff, Adam, and Philippa, have been wonderfully enthusiastic throughout.”

Haydn Watson’s two publications, ‘A Life Navigated,’ and ‘Garn Yem,’ can be purchased from that of The Word Shop, South Shields; Featherbed Books, Houghton le Spring; and The Accidental Bookshop, Alnwick and direct from the author via haydnwatson@ sky.com Alternatively, ‘Garn Yem,’ and his upcoming release, can be ordered via Lynn Davidson at The Memoir Club via memoirclub@ msn.com and read more about his second book via https://thememoirclub. b l o g s p o t . c o m / search?q=haydn+watson

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Live After Racing presents MADNESS ‘Live After Racing’ announce Newcastle Racecourse show taking place on Friday 28th June 2024!

Following the success of their No 1 album ‘C’Est La Vie’ this week, get your baggy trousers ready as we are thrilled to announce MADNESS are to perform at Newcastle Racecourse on Friday 28th June 2024!

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Theatre of the Absurd presents: Madness – C’Est La Vie

“The lights go down on some dark theatre in London / For the cruellest comedy...”

Read the headlines and it’s hard not to conclude that the world has gone mad. Mad enough, in fact, to give North London’s finest twelvelegged quorum of Nutty Boys a run for their money. According to keyboard-wrangler Mike ‘Barso’ Barson, the title track to Madness’s lucky thirteenth full-length C’Est La Vie is “about these crazy times we’re living in, and how I just want to stay on my boat and

not be a part of all this madness.

But of course, I’m a member of a group called Madness. Perhaps we should have called ourselves ‘Sanity’...”

If this latest opus is any indication, when the going gets mad, the Mad only get sharper, wilder and more succinct. C’Est La Vie combines the widescreen ambition of masterpieces like The Liberty Of Norton Folgate and The Rise & Fall and the all-killer-no-filler tune factory instincts of classics like Absolutely, 7 and Can’t

Touch Us Now. It’s a 14-song suite packed with lunatic hooks and neon choruses, eerie space-ska and sophisticated pop genius – a giddy gambol across a bouncy castle soundscape that finds time for moments of righteous anger, powerful empathy and the kind of plain-spoken wisdom that’s always operated beneath the group’s nutty veneer. Vintage Madness, in other words.

After twelve albums helmed by renowned producers (including Stephen Street, Dennis Bovell, Owen Morris, Liam Watson and,

of course, Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, the duo who helped shape their career-defining hits), C’Est La Vie is the first Madness opus to be produced by the Nutty Boys themselves, with Matt Glasbey (Ed Sheeran, Rag & Bone Man, alt-J) co-producing. The story begins in Cricklewood[1] where, in 2019, the group took residence in a stark industrial space to write and rehearse new material, soundproofing the gaff with Glasbey and setting it up as a recording studio. “We needed a place we could call home, where all our equipment was,” says gui-

tarist Chris ‘Chrissy-Boy’ Foreman. “We’re scattered across the country now, but this was a place where we could all meet up and get new songs together.”

For Lee, C’Est La Vie was “our best recording session since One Step Beyond – everyone’s there, properly in the zone.” Barso agrees. “It was just us, in our space, playing together,” he explains. “And Madness is whatever happens when I sit at the piano, Lee picks up his saxophone, Chrissy-Boy plays the guitar, Woody and Bedders lay down the rhythm section and

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Suggs begins to sing. It’s a subtle thing – about the personalities of the band-members, who you are and all the things you’ve gone through and all the music you’ve ever loved. That’s what makes it what it is.” And for the four sides of C’Est La Vie’s theatrical adventure, what a wonderful, profound and uplifting sound they make.

Executive Director of Newcastle Racecourse, Paul Elliot, commented, “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Madness to Newcastle Racecourse on Friday 28th June, where they’ll be performing as part of the three-day historic Northumberland Plate Festival.

They are one of the country’s most popular artists. We’re sure that they will blow our customers away with a live performance. We are anticipating a sell-out crowd, so would encourage our customers to

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book sooner, rather than later.”

Madness promise a superb night of entertainment performing all the hits including: Baggy Trousers, One Step Beyond, My Girl, Our House and It Must Be Love along with some new tracks. Don’t miss your chance to see them perform live after racing on Friday 28th June.

This exciting performance is perfect for families and friends to celebrate a day of racing and then dance the night away to spectacular live music. Secure your ticket early to avoid disappointment.

Tickets for the MADNESS – Newcastle Racecourse – June 2024 show are available from: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ event/1F005F78FC276E04

Gates Open – 3.00pm / First Race – 4.55pm approx. / Last Race – 8.20pm (please note timings are tbc and subject to change) Adult Grandstand Ticket Price £40.00 + STBF / Adult Premier - £60.00 + STBF and Children - £25.00 + STBF (Under 5’s free admission) but must be accompanied by an adult 18+ For further information on MADNESS, check out the following websites / social media links: Website – https://www.madness. co.uk/ Facebook – https://www.facebook. com/madnessofficial Twitter / X - https://twitter.com/ MadnessNews Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/madnessband/ You Tube Channel - https://www. youtube.com/user/MadtubeMTV

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MTB Brickwork was set up in march 2023, myself Michael and my business partner Lee. Having both been working in the building trade for 20 years, working together building houses for the past few years, we decided to take a risk and set up our company. MTB BRICKWORK Ltd was formed.

We earned an excellent reputation working across various new build housing sites in the north east, winning an NHBC pride in the job award in the process.

and are adapting well to the different daily routine of pricing work and dealing with customers.

We offer all aspects of building work and while we may not do every part of the work, we over see each project to make sure any trades we bring in, meet our own very high standards. Our reputation is built on quality, and trust.

For more info please drop us an Email to Mtbbrickwork@outlook.com

We both wanted a fresh challenge

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On Tuesday 23rd January 2024, indulge in an evening with world champions, commentators, and icons of the game; Steve Davis, John Parrott, Dennis Taylor, Ken Doherty, and John Virgo.

Event highlights will include:

Together, they will transport you to the Crucible, regaling you with exhilarating tales of their triumphs and hilarious untold stories from behind the balkline.

A trick shot masterclass and an exhibition match with audience participation.

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Thursday 25th January 2024

Saturday 27th January 2024

Thursday 11th April 2024

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UK Pop queen Becky Hill is the first headliner to be confirmed for Hardwick Festival 2024, as the much-loved festival gears up for its tenth anniversary celebrations.

The ‘Lose Control’ star - known for her spectacular live shows and epic on stage performance - will head to county Durham on Friday 16th August. Organisers of the eagerly anticipated festival will be announcing the yet more stellar headliners and a full line up in the coming weeks.

Hardwick Festival will be back in the summer of 2024 for its tenth anniversary edition with organisers promising its biggest and best line-up to date across multiple stages. All set to the backdrop of the award-winning Hardwick Hall in the heart of the beautiful County Durham countryside.

Live music fans can now snap up their weekend tickets for next year’s event from and the public will also be offered a flexible payment plan option as a big thanks to the legions of loyal fans and supporters the festival has.

For those that do want to live it up in style and luxury, a limited number of glamping tickets will also be available for purchase.

Over 30,000 people attended August’s Hardwick Festival weekender where crowds took in memorable performances from the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Mel C and The Kooks.

The event is already gaining national notoriety for hosting major heavyweight acts and an unforgettable experience having previously welcomed the likes of The Stereophonics, Madness and Rag ‘N’ Bone Man to the main stage.

Ahead of next year’s tenth edition, organisers have pledged to make the festival one that everyone in the North of England would want to be a part of, appealing to the whole family with something on offer for everyone.

From star studded acts from around the globe, dance arenas where you will get lost in music, children’s areas within the woods, vintage fairground attractions and a huge choice of locally sourced culinary delights, Hardwick Festival will be back next year with a

sonic boom of music and fun for all.

A hit machine since her teens, the pop powerhouse that is Becky Hill has forged her own particular path to fame. As successful as a songwriter as she is as an artist, as fierce behind the scenes as she is on stage and as credible as she is commercial, the 29-year-old has become one of Britain’s most successful musicians entirely on her own terms.

Only Honest On The Weekend, her years-in-the-making debut album, is both Becky as you know her and as you’ve never heard her before. It arrives on the heels of the gold-selling Get To Know, (a collection of singles Becky either released herself or wrote and guested on), which turned the writer of ten Top 40 hits (including eight platinum records) and a singer with over 1.75 billion streams on Spotify alone, into a household name.

For more information, to buy tickets and to be in the loop with further line-up announcements, head to: https://hardwickfestival. co.uk

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New music is always good to come across, it soothes the soul, and brings a warmth to the heart; being introduced to the magic that is Andrew Bradley, a Northumberland-based musician, does just that.

It’s hard to think he’s been around for as long as he has, more than fifteen years, but he’s starting to spread his wings and, since the inception of a global pandemic in 2020, he’s ensured people remember him with the release of THREE EP’s and soon to be TWO albums – yes, he’s been busy.

The type of music in which he releases, you’d be surprised really – there’s a crossover of sorts in there, but it’s very much worth a listen.

Talking to him, shows how much he’s both done, and wants to do, telling ourselves at NE Online Magazine that: “I’ve been involved in some musical aspect for around fifteen years now,” admitted Andrew.

“My dad used to play the guitar, and I just picked it up from him.

“Playing was just a hobby for my dad, and I’d like to make something of it.

“When I started, it was just myself and four mates, in a band really, and we gigged a lot, having fun,

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making a little money, whilst also playing at some busker nights at the same places as Sam Fender.

“That first band I was in, we just started drifting away from music, but I still wanted to be involved myself because you really do miss it after a while.

“I was constantly gigging up until 2018, toured Scotland, played the O2 Academy, now, I’d like to get things moving forward and I’m looking at getting a band together for what is currently, my solo music.

“Hopefully that’s something I can sort for next year; I won’t stop writing though as that, it keeps me focussed.

“I began with releasing some stuff online, that was something like, six years ago now, as well as releas-

ing hard copies, cd’s, but they can be difficult to sell at times.

“There’s also been some single releases, then the three EPs that I released in 2020, prior to the albums, last year (Hypnoteyes) and this (Parasomniac).”

What about the style in music, the topic, to some, may leave a lot to be desired; looking at the titles of his release alludes to just that with, prior to the recent album releases, those three Eps were entitled Outer Space, Shadow Puppets, and Monsters There is, as always, a reason behind the route in which Andrew takes with his music.

“I do try to keep things similar,” continued Andrew.

“The style of music I perform, and really, there’s no real reason for that, I just know, and feel, that they’re the more creative topics for myself.

“I also feel that, over the past few years at least, my music is getting better because of it.”

As for the music itself, the aforementioned, trio of EPs, and te soon-to-be, duo of albums, we asked him what, and how “The three EPs, they were all released in 2020,” explained Andrew.

“They were all written and released during covid; I just picked up the guitar on the first day of the first lockdown, and started work-

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Saving Grace - The SIZE Matters Tour Fri 9 Feb 2024 Grace Keeling, AKA GK Barry’s chart-topping podcast Saving Grace will return to stages across the UK & Ireland for its biggest live tour to date.

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Following the huge success of GK Barry’s debut UK tour in early 2023, which sold out in just two minutes, the Saving Grace live tour, produced by TEG Live Europe, returns to ‘dish the dirt’

across thirteen cities in the UK & Ireland.

Soaring to fame when she started posting her funny and relatable videos to TikTok, Grace went on to launch her famously unfiltered podcast Saving Grace in April 2022, which became an instant chart-topper. In under two years, Grace has amassed over 3.2 million followers on TikTok and has paved the way for digital creators.

The Saving Grace sofa is known

as the ultimate spot for celebrities to confess all and the tour promises the juiciest gossip going. Previous guests on the podcast include Jamie Laing, Mark Wright, Katie Price, Georgia Harrison, Rob Beckett, Mae Muller and many more.

Expect surprise guests, belly laughs and plenty of outrageous stories.

VIP - £81 (includes pre-show meet & greet) All other tickets £34.50 - £29.50 16+

Javed Ali Live in Concert Sun 25 Feb 2024 After the incredible successful shows in 2023, the ever versatile #Bollywood playback singer Javed Ali is all set to return to the #UK in February 2024.

A BOLLYWOOD MUSICAL EXPERIENCE THAT WILL LEAVE YOU SPELLBOUND will include a special dedicated segment to the 100th Birth Anniversary of legendary golden voice of Bollywood, #MohammedRafi ji.

And after showcasing his versatility and range during his shows earlier in 2022, with renditions of #JagjeetSingh’s ‘Mera Geet Amar Kar Do’, #KishoreKumar’s ‘Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi’ and #LataMangeshkar ji’s ‘Mera Saaya Sath Hoga’, fans can only be excited about what else the talented soulful singer will enact next.

Performing at The Tyne Theatre & Opera House on 25th February 2024, this promises to be a musical extravaganza that you would not Please note: this is a high energy want to miss! concert where, under the encour-

agement of the production, some audience members do get up and dance throughout the show – this may obstruct your view. If this may be an issue, please get in touch with our box office team to discuss seating options in advance of booking.

25/02/2024 7:30pm £125 - VIP Meet & Greet All other seats £76 - £26 Children £31 - £26 (excluding meet and greet tickets) To check out more recently announced shows, head over the Tyne Theatre & Opera House website: https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/whats-on/

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New Chief Executive Officer The Tyne Theatre and Opera House has announced the appointment of Jonathan Higgins in the brand-new Chief Executive Officer role at the historic entertainment venue.

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House is a Grade I listed, Victorian theatre in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, delivering a varied programme of entertainment including comedy, music, theatre, ‘in conversation’ events and more.

The theatre has been operating independently, on a not-forprofit basis, since 2015 and is known for its lavish auditorium, outstanding acoustics, and full set of Victorian under-stage machinery.

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Jonathan moves to Tyne Theatre and Opera House from Croydon’s Fairfield Halls, where he

was Venue Director for operators BH Live. Prior to his role in South London Jonathan was Head of Events for Your Trust in Greater Manchester, and from 2007, spent twelve years heading up the arts and events team at The Sands Centre in Carlisle.

Chairman of the Trust, Mike Wilmot, has said “We are delighted to welcome Jonathan to the unique Tyne Theatre and Opera House as our first Chief Executive Officer. These are exciting times for our theatre as we look to invest in our Grade 1 listed opera house and seek to expand our activities. Jonathan joining us will give us the capacity and expertise to deliver these ambitions.”

Jonathan will work alongside existing Theatre Director, Joanne Johnson, in this new role with a goal of leading the theatre to

Jonathan Higgins becoming a fully refurbished and sustainable independent venue, hosting a variety of entertainment and events with wide appeal.

Jonathan Higgins has said “I’m so pleased to have moved to this beautiful theatre in such an iconic city. The Tyne Theatre & Opera House is a beloved part of the North-East’s vibrant arts and culture scene. Theatre staff, trustees and volunteers have worked so hard, and achieved so many great things, since taking on the independent running of the theatre in 2015. The diary is bursting with a brilliantly eclectic mix of shows, and the annual pantomime goes from strength to strength. I’m looking forward to supporting and leading the team for the next chapter of the Tyne Theatre & Opera House’s story.”

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Celebrating 40 years, Indie Rock legends James performed a sold out show at Newcastle City Hall on their “James Lasted” tour with the now nine-piece James band accompanied by orchestra Orca 22 and choir Manchester Inspirational Voices Gospel Choir all conducted by Joe Duddell. This is no ordinary tour for James the scale of this operation means that it is being done as a celebration of their forty years rather than a financial money-maker. An event fans will cherish forever as its unlikely to happen again. Luckily the new arrangements of some of the bands most loved and recognisable songs have been captured in the new album Be Opened By The Wonderful .

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Back to (driving) school – Young Driver re-opens its Darlington venue for the first time since the pandemic - Innovative lessons reduce accident rates for newly qualified drivers by more than a half - Youngsters as young as 10 drive a real car around a specially created road system - Young Driver will re-open at Mowden Park RFC later this year A specialist driver training scheme, which allows 10-17 year olds to get behind the wheel in a bid to create a new generation of safer drivers, is re-opening its popular Darlington venue.

Young Driver ran at Mowden Park RFC from 2017 until the pandemic, when the site became a Covid testing centre. In the three years it operated, more than 7,000 driving lessons were given to under 17s keen to get a head start in their learning to drive journey.

Young Driver will once again utilise the car park at the site, with lessons re-starting on Saturday 18th November, and taking place on regular weekend dates throughout the year.

Young Driver is the UK’s largest provider of pre-17 driving lessons, having delivered over 1.3 million lessons at venues across the UK. Youngsters have lessons in dual controlled Vauxhall Corsas and other similar cars, with highly qualified approved driving instructors.

A road system is created, with

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traffic signs, roundabouts and junctions, along with special areas to practice manoeuvres such as steering control and parking.

The emphasis of the lessons is on safety and fun and encouraging youngsters to consider how to drive responsibly, giving them time to perfect driving skills such as gear changes, braking and steering without the pressures of public roads.

Shockingly, one in five newly qualified drivers crashes within six months of passing their test. But for those who have taken a Young Driver course, the rate of accidents in that worrying first six months drops dramatically, to fewer than four per cent.

Sue Waterfield, head of marketing at Young Driver, said: “We are really excited to be re-launching in Darlington after all this time. The venue was a really popular one before it had to close. It is a large

space so we can offer lots of different driving activities for young people, whether they’re a beginner or have already had lessons at any of our venues.

“Clearly something needs to be done to tackle the seriously high accident rates of our young drivers. Training drivers over a longer period of time allows youngsters to have a solid understanding of how to drive a car before they get anywhere near a real road. But the lessons are also lots of fun and they’re a great general confidence boost for teens and pre-teens, who take the responsibility very seriously.”

Driving tuition is available for disabled youngsters. Thirty or sixty-minute lessons must be booked in advance and prices start from £42.99.

For more information visit www. youngdriver.com or call 0333 577 9010.

www.manhuacha.com

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Ethan was a funny, caring, gorgeous, mischievous & cheeky little lad who lived for his football, loved school & loved entertaining everyone around him.

At the age of 8 years old, on the 2nd December 2020, Ethan was diagnosed with parameningeal embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.

Ethan faced cancer, and his subsequent treatment, as he did with everything in life, like an absolute warrior. Sadly, Ethan lost his life on 5th August 2021, just a week after his 9th Birthday.

Ethan was all about Friends, Family, and Fun, so while Ethan’s Arc has been created to help raise awareness, along with vital funds to support research into finding more targeted and less harsh treatments for Rhabdomyosarcoma, it is also a way of keeping Ethan’s name alive by bringing people & communities together, through various fun

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and/or challenging opportunities & activities.

Ethan’s dad Mark had this to say about Ethan’s Arc… “we have raised £27,000 so far in the short time we’ve been going, from walking Coast to Coast along Hadrian’s Wall, riding ladies bikes from Berwick Upon Tweed to South Shields, charity Boxing matches, Great North Runs, Junior Great North Runs, Children’s Cancer Runs, Music events, Pub Quiz’s …….

Ethan’s school - Harton Primary, have also continued to remember him, and raise money in Ethan’s memory through a number of different events. They also surprised us recently by naming their newly built Sports Hall in his honour Ethan’s football team - South Shields u12’s, along with good friends from Hebburn Town

u12’s, held a football match to remember Ethan, where both teams played for the Ethan Adams Memorial Cup. The idea is that this will become an annual event” You can read more about Ethan’s arc at https://www.alicesarc.org/arc/ethan-adams/ Sadly Ethan isn’t the only child to have an Arc, find out more about the Arcs and what they are all about here https://www. alicesarc.org/about/ If you can donate, or would like to fundraise then please do, if not even just giving this a share would be a big help to Ethan’s family and others going through similar times.

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