Conventional funerals dying out with no-frills send-offs becoming more popular

"The Fray,” John Smith (Thirty Tigers)Handclaps break out during the first song on John Smith's new album, as if to applaud the sentiments to come.“The Fray” is the British singer-songwriter's response to the year just past, and he offers 12 tunes of resilience, devotion and hope, with determination in the lyrics and buoyancy in the music.“It has been a crazy year; where do I begin?” Smith sings, his sandpaper tenor a voice of recovery.There's a comforting sway to the album's melodic folk-pop,

Arif Hussein, a producer who founded Kaos Films and a British screenplay competition for short films, died Jan. 20 in London of complications from COVID-19, his wife reported.

Sheridan Smith To Headline Channel 5’s ‘Teacher’ BAFTA-winner Sheridan Smith is to headline Teacher, the latest drama series from ViacomCBS’s UK network Channel 5. Smith will play Jenna in the Clapperboard-produced psychological thriller, which follows a state schoolteacher whose life unravels after being accused of a drunken sexual encounter with one of her pupils.

Years & Years’ new album will proceed as a one-man operation.

Mister Smith Entertainment has inked a series of international deals on its comedy-horror Werewolves Within following the culmination of last week’s virtual European Film Market.

direct to your inboxLast week marked the one-year anniversary since the first coronavirus death was reported in the UK.Just days after it was reported, tragedy struck closer to home as the first Covid-related death was recorded in Greater Manchester.Since that first death, we have pledged to pay tribute to the people in our region who have lost their lives to the disease. The M.E.N has published countless tributes from families in our Loved and Lost series.

direct to your inboxLegendary Formula One commentator Murray Walker has died aged 97.Murray, the voice of Formula One, became synonymous with the motorsport through his high-octane commentary.The sad news was confirmed by the British Racing Drivers' Club. The BRDC said in a statement: "It's with great sadness we share the news of the passing of BRDC Associate Member Murray Walker OBE.

The Brit Awards is sticking to old ways, and Sam Smith has something to say about it.

His wife added, “A small saving grace to this tragedy is that he was doing one of the things he loved most and passed away on the beach near the water, which was his temple.

The Duchess of Sussex's half-sister Samantha Markle slammed her sibling after her Oprah Winfrey interview and said that her depression was 'no excuse for her behaviour'.Last night, the UK tuned in to Meghan and Prince Harry's tell-all interview where Meghan opened up about her time as part of the Royal Family and even revealed that she had been struggling with suicidal thoughts.Meghan told Oprah about this dark time in her life and how it was caused by the immense pressure from Royal duties.Last

Samantha Markle has sensationally hit out at her half-sister Meghan Markle following her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Meghan, 39, joined her 36 year old husband Prince Harry for a tell-all chat with Oprah, 67, which aired in the UK on Monday night.

The Cure’s Robert Smith is selling a piece of special artwork for the Heart Research UK charity.The piece of artwork, entitled ‘I WILL KISS YOU FOREVER…’, was originally created last year for the charity’s annual anonymous heART project, which invites a number of artists and celebrities to create original art on an A5 postcard anonymously, with buyers only discovering the identity of the creator upon purchasing.Now, Smith’s artwork created for the project, which sold for over £5,000 at the

straight to your inboxNuno Espirito Santo insists he will not change Wolves' approach when they take on Manchester City, even though the Blues are in such dangerous form.City have won 20 games in a row - an English top flight record - and are in pole position to win back the Premier League title. Three more wins in this run will equal Bayern Munich's record of consecutive wins for a side in a 'top five' European league.

Apparently there are no more chauffeurs for Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle, despite their mega-money deals with Netflix and Spotify. The former senior working British Royals were photographed driving around Santa Barbara, CA not far from their $14.7 million Montecito mansion on Sun.

Married At First Sight Australia star Jessika Power has hit back after she was criticised for saying she was “dying” from a kidney infection. Jessika, 28, concerned fans as she revealed she had been rushed to hospital with “immense pain” as she posted on Instagram on Saturday 27 February.