Tag: Shows

Hamish Hamilton Directs 82nd Academy Awards & Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Hamish Hamilton, born Mark Hamilton on 8 April 1966 in Blackpool, is a British film and television director known for his work on some of the world’s biggest live events. Since 2010, he has directed the Super Bowl halftime show annually and has also been at the helm of prestigious productions such as the Academy Awards, the MTV Video Music Awards, and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. His career has seen him collaborate with major music artists, including Mariah Carey, Eminem, Madonna, The Who, and U2. Hamilton began his career at BBC Scotland, where he… Read more »

Gary Miller – Born to Teach, Play Football and Sing

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Gary Miller, born Neville Williams on 3 May 1924 in Blackpool, was a popular singer and actor during the 1950s and 1960s. His passion for show business emerged early, often distracting him from his schoolwork and even influencing his wartime service in the Royal Navy, where he combined active duty with performing in concert parties. After the war, a grant allowed him to pursue a university degree in languages, but he left to focus on singing full-time. Over the years, he worked as a schoolteacher, interpreter, yachtsman, footballer, and cricket coach for Blackpool. He also owned a 20-acre property near… Read more »

Lesley Daine Stars with Sir John Mills

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Lesley Daine was born ‘Lesley Dainty’ on 20 May 1947 in Blackpool. She was an actress, best known for ‘Without a Clue’ (1988) and ‘The Family Way’ (1966), the latter being a film featuring music by Beatle Paul McCartney. The film also starred Sir John Mills with his daughter Hayley Mills. The two clips below show Lesley Daine appearing in the 1970s drama series ‘Within These Walls’. But she also appeared in ‘Coronation Street‘ in two roles: firstly in August 1976 as stripper Josie Steel; and she returned to the programme as Irene Sherratt, an old school friend of Audrey Potter, who attended… Read more »

Molly Wright Wins London Film Critics Circle Award

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Molly Florence Wright is an actress who was born 20 March 1996 in Blackpool. For her debut film Apostasy (2017), she was named Young British/Irish Performer of the Year in 2018 by the London Film Critics’ Circle and nominated for two British Independent Film Awards. On television, she is known for her role in the BBC drama ‘The A Word’ (2016–2020). Wright attended Blackpool Sixth Form College and took the Foundation Acting course at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA). She joined an extras agency and made her television acting debut when she starred in the BBC One… Read more »

Bunny May was off to a Good Start with Enid Blyton

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Bunny May was born ‘Bernard Lawrence May’ in 1940 in Blackpool. He was an actor, perhaps best known for EastEnders (1985), Up Pompeii! (1969), Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (1973) and for the first episode of Going Straight (1985) (see full episode below). He was also in Coronation Street from September to October 1963 and played Ethel Tyson’s nephew Jim Pickup. He began his career as a teenager on BBC children’s television in the early to mid-1950s, but later moved into adult roles in series such as Emergency-Ward 10, The Chem. Lab. Mystery, The Liver Birds, Crown Court, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave… Read more »

Robert Lawrenson Lands Role in SyFy’s Sanctuary

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Robert Lawrenson was born in Blackpool on 12 November 1971. He is an actor, film editor and director, perhaps best known for his role of Declan MacRae in the SyFy TV show Sanctuary (2008) – where he appeared for three series, and Underworld Awakening (2012). He began acting as a child in musical theatre, and went on to study acting in York, and performed in theatre in York, and in several productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Lawrenson played P.C. Glaister and a police officer in Coronation Street from 2002 to 2007. He also appeared in Crossroads, Holby City, Heartbeat,… Read more »

Showzam! is Back in February 2025

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SHOWZAM! is back, bringing something magical to Blackpool this February for Half-term. Showzam’s love, magic and mystery returns to Blackpool from 14-22 February. It brings an exciting blend of live performances, incredible illusions, and show-stopping variety to Blackpool. Enjoy cutting-edge street acts, mind-blowing tricks from world-class magicians, and fun-packed entertainment for all the family. The 2025 festival will also feature unique workshops and experiences, including a Grand Theatre heritage tour with afternoon tea, a magic school for budding young magicians, and talks on Blackpool’s history with joke and magic shops. Celebrated magician Paul Zenon will host interactive sessions exploring classic magic… Read more »

Ron Sharples Starts Blackpool’s First Professional Recording Studio

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Berlin Recording Studios was founded in the 1980s by Blackpool entrepreneur Ron Sharples, who recognised that despite the town’s thriving music scene, there was no professional recording facility. At the time, he was also running a sign-making business, RS Plastics, one of the first in Blackpool to use cut vinyl lettering technology. Seeing the demand for a high-quality studio, he embarked on a project to create a space where artists could record professionally.   The studio was carefully designed and acoustically treated by professional builders, incorporating sand-filled walls and sound-absorbing carpet to ensure optimal sound quality. After extensive preparation, Berlin… Read more »

Sonny Flood Lands Role in Hollyoaks

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Sonny Flood, born on 18 November 1989 in Blackpool, was educated at Rossall School near Fleetwood, where he excelled academically. In 2006, he achieved ten GCSEs, all graded A or A*, followed by four A grades at AS level in English Literature, History, Media Studies, and Philosophy in 2007. The following year, he attained an A in English Literature and a B in History at A2 level, opting to focus on just two subjects to balance his studies with his acting commitments on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. A devoted Blackpool FC supporter, he appeared on Sky Sports’ Soccer… Read more »

Cuffe & Taylor Bring Major Acts to the Fylde Coast

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One of the UK’s top 10 live music and event promoters, Cuffe & Taylor are experts in promotion, production, and event management. Offering exceptional experiences for artists and audiences like no other, they produce and promote major festivals, stadium tours, arena concerts and theatre shows across the UK and internationally. Founded in 2010, business partners Daniel Cuffe and Peter Taylor dipped their toe into the live music world with the one-night Lytham Proms in their hometown of Lytham, Lancashire. This has now grown into the huge five-day Lytham Festival attracting in excess of 100,000 fans each summer. Alongside Lytham Festival, Cuffe… Read more »