Tag: Celebrities

15-Year-Old Audrey Mosson, British Railway Queen, Visits Moscow

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Elsie Audrey Mosson (3 September 1920, Preston – 1 September 2009, Hastings) was an English teen celebrity and later a professional dancer. Her youngest daughter, Mandy Tulloch, followed in her mother’s footsteps becoming an accomplished dancer and actress, followed by Mandy’s youngest daughter Makena Ram who became an accomplished ballerina and choreographer. It was, however, Mandy’s eldest daughter Danielle Ashley that Audrey favoured and saw herself in above all her decedents. In 1936, she travelled to the Soviet Union on a peace visit and met Joseph Stalin. Mosson was born in Preston, Lancashire. She was crowned the 10th Railway Queen… Read more »

Alistair Cooke Gets a Firm Footing From Blackpool

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Alistair Cooke, KBE (né Alfred Cooke; 20 November 1908 – 30 March 2004) was a British-American writer whose work as a journalist, television personality and radio broadcaster was done primarily in the United States. Outside his journalistic output, which included Letter from America and America: A Personal History of the United States, he was well known in the United States as the host of PBS Masterpiece Theatre from 1971 to 1992. After holding the job for 22 years, and having worked in television for 42 years, Cooke retired in 1992, although he continued to present Letter from America until shortly… Read more »

Steve Coogan Rides the Big One at the Pleasure Beach

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The Parole Officer was a major theatrical film released on 10 August 2001. It was directed by John Duigan and follows a diverse group of former criminals as they assist their probation officer in proving his innocence after a murder accusation. Steve Coogan plays Simon Garden, a well-meaning but ineffectual probation officer. At the beginning of the film, he is facing a tribunal after all of his colleagues in his department in Blackpool submit complaints against him, Garden having had only three successes in his career. He is transferred to Manchester. He has hypoglycaemia and regularly eats crisps to deal… Read more »

Duncan Bannatyne Opens His Health Club in Blackpool

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Bannatyne Health Club in Blackpool opened in early August 2017, coinciding with the launch of a new spa facility that enhanced the club’s offering. The spa includes treatment rooms, manicure and pedicure stations, as well as access to the club’s sauna and other amenities. The health club combines state-of-the-art gym equipment and a broad selection of exercise classes with luxurious swimming pools and spa facilities, creating a balanced environment for both fitness and relaxation. The club is committed to continual investment, ensuring it remains at the forefront of industry trends while providing excellent facilities, modern equipment, and great value to… Read more »

Robbie Williams Switches Blackpool On

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On Friday 3 September 2010, global pop icon Robbie Williams returned to one of his favourite childhood holiday destinations to switch on the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations. The highly anticipated event drew thousands of spectators to the town’s iconic seafront, officially launching the annual display of lights that would run for a record 66 consecutive nights. The switch-on ceremony has long been a staple of the resort’s calendar, but Williams’ involvement that year added a particular buzz of excitement, thanks to his massive fanbase and his own nostalgic connection to the town. While Robbie did not perform on the night, his… Read more »

Peter Kay Switches on Blackpool’s Illuminations for Star-Studded Weekend

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Britain’s most popular comedian, Peter Kay, switched on Blackpool Illuminations in 2014. In a rare public appearance, the Phoenix Nights star, whose name has been synonymous with Blackpool since his record selling “Live at the Top of Tower” DVD, charmed the 20,000-strong crowd at Blackpool’s seafront Festival Headlands.Fireworks launched from the top of The Blackpool Tower as the lights turned on the Golden Mile and along the length of the town’s famous Promenade. The Bolton-born comedian revealed his delight at turning on the famous display in an exclusive interview with Rock FM. He told the station: “Blackpool is a huge… Read more »

Jonathan Ross & Gary Barlow Switch-On the Illuminations

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Celebrity broadcaster Jonathan Ross flicked the switch for Blackpool Illuminations in 2013, a different show as the event had been extended for a whole weekend! It even made national news that year after The Script had to cancel their appearance at the last minute. With only 48 hours notice, it was a huge challenge for Blackpool to find a replacement but they managed to do it in style by getting Gary Barlow to appear as the headline act. The Take That star, Gary Barlow, brought the Illuminations alive with an amazing show. Plus singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle performed as a special… Read more »

Nigel Farage Speaks at Blackpool’s Imperial Hotel

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On 20 June 2024, Nigel Farage brought his Reform UK campaign to Blackpool, addressing a sold-out crowd at the Imperial Hotel. Prior to his speech, Farage unveiled a new campaign poster in the town and spoke to local media including the Gazette, positioning Reform as the only real alternative to both Labour and the Conservatives. He urged locals to “join the revolt,” claiming that Britain was broken and only his party had the answers to fix it. Responding to a question on what Reform could do for Blackpool, Farage pointed to the party’s flagship pledge: raising the personal income tax… Read more »

Elvis Costello and His Father Were Blackpool Favourites

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Elvis Costello has graced Blackpool with his performances on multiple occasions. On 13 June 2013, he appeared at the Blackpool Opera House as part of his “Revolver Tour.” This distinctive tour featured a giant spinning wheel that determined the setlist, allowing audience members to influence the selection of songs performed each night. He returned to the same venue on 9 March 2020, this time accompanied by The Imposters for their “Just Trust” tour, which highlighted tracks from their 2018 album Look Now, alongside timeless favourites from Costello’s expansive repertoire. Looking ahead, Costello and The Imposters are set to perform at… Read more »

Blackpool Police Confirm David Schwimmer’s Innocence

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On 24 October 2018, Blackpool Police appealed to the public for help identifying a man caught on CCTV carrying a crate of beer—immediately sparking viral attention due to the suspect’s uncanny resemblance to Friends actor David Schwimmer. The image, shared on the police force’s Facebook page, drew widespread amusement and thousands of show-related comments. The post gained even more traction when Schwimmer himself responded with a tongue-in-cheek video. Mimicking the suspect’s actions in a New York store, he furtively glanced at a camera while carrying beer, captioning the video: “Officers, I swear it wasn’t me. As you can see, I… Read more »