EXCLUSIVE: Drift director Anthony Chen is gearing up to direct his first US-set project, Heartbeat: A New York Story, about the rarely-told experiences of the Asian gay community during the AIDS epidemic in 1980s New York.
21.02.2023 - 16:09 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A huge new family attraction celebrating much-loved children's book characters The Gruffalo, Zog, The Highway Rat and more is to open next to the seaside in Blackpool this summer. £2.3mn has been spent to create the new Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse which celebrates the colourful characters from popular author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler.
The first images of the play park have been unveiled today by the partnership behind the venture - Blackpool Council, operator Merlin Entertainments and Magic Light. The attraction is set to open in May, although the exact date of launch has yet to be confirmed.
In what is billed as a "world first", The Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse will bring together six of the best loved stories to create an "indoor play adventure" like no other. It has been 18 months in the making and Merlin say its part of their aim to bring the "very best stories and brands to life in their family friendly attractions".
Read more: The adorable miniature railway through fairy woods that kids love
The attraction is set to open next door to Sea Life Blackpool right on the Promenade. The new experience will join Merlin’s seven other attractions in Blackpool including The Blackpool Tower, SEA LIFE Blackpool and Peter RabbitTM: Explore and Play, making it a key tourist destination for families here in the UK and from abroad.
In the new Blackpool experience, guests will get to burst through the pages of some of their favourite stories and into a magical 3D world. From The Gruffalo’s deep dark wood, to Princess Pearl’s castle in Zog, guests will embark on an adventure of imagination, discovery and play as they join their favourite characters.
Distinct play zones are inspired by The Gruffalo, The
EXCLUSIVE: Drift director Anthony Chen is gearing up to direct his first US-set project, Heartbeat: A New York Story, about the rarely-told experiences of the Asian gay community during the AIDS epidemic in 1980s New York.
Kristin Bjorklund, a longtime member of the Family Feud game show producing team, died in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 5 of sepsis after undergoing a kidney transplant. She was 67.
Nia Archives.•READ MORE: Nia Archives on the cover: “Jungle music has always been a strong sound of the underground”The mural, is to celebrate the Bradford-born’s third highly-anticipated EP, ‘Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall’. The artwork took four days to complete and Nia Archives had a chance to add some finishing touches to the mural herself.The 80-square-metre mural was created by the Shoreditch-based street art collective Graffiti Life, who also done murals dedicated to other musicians including late Nipsey Hussle, Giggs and Charlotte Black.You can currently visit the mural at 455 Hackney Road, E2 9DY until March 24.In addition to the mural, Nia Archives and Spotify have teamed up to offer fans a chance to win exclusive press-on nails, designed by Suki Nailz, inspired by Nia’s synonymous nail sets.In other news, Nia Archives released her third EP ‘Sunrise Bang Ur Head Tha Wall’ today (March 10) via Island Records/HIJINXX.Also, she will support Slowthai on his ‘UGLY’ European tour alongside Sainté.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have had a lot to celebrate recently, and now there's another family milestone for the two to mark.Ryan shared on his social media that it was his brother Terry's birthday, posting a photograph of the two lookalike siblings dressed in matching suits on his Instagram Stories. Ryan shared a cheeky birthday message for his brother Terry"Happy birthday," Ryan wrote, before cheekily adding: "You don't look a day over [expletive] you," which Terry responded to by reposting on his own Instagram Stories.The two brothers definitely share a close relationship, with the Canadian star also close to his two other older siblings, brothers Jeffrey and Patrick.MORE: How Ryan Reynolds responded to being asked about gender of fourth baby with Blake LivelyTRENDING NOW: Sarah Ferguson has surprising response when asked about Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleThe family unit are even spotted on outings together, with Blake recently sharing a glimpse of one of their family nights out that ended in disaster for her appearance.Blake and Ryan attended the New York City Ballet with Terry and her half sister Robyn back in December, not long before they reportedly welcomed their fourth child.
prescribed for her heavy periods and mood swings in Emmerdale have helped, it seems that the teen is still a long way from feeling like her old self. She disrupted the opening of the B&B with her angry outbursts, accidentally destroying a cake that Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) had spent a long time making, and trampling on an amethyst pendant that Bernice gave her. Before Christmas she told her brother Heath (Sebastian Dowling) how her mood swings feel: ‘It’s like this thing comes down and I hate everything and I’m scared.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have reportedly finally found the perfect home for their blended family – and it will set them back a whopping $64 million!The couple, who had two weddings in 2022, is said to be in escrow on an eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom mansion in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood just days after pulling their offer on a $34.5 million home in the same exclusive community.WATCH: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's movie-style love storyAccording to TMZ, Jennifer and Ben decided against the purchase last week after eyeing up the new property, which has canyon-side views and is worth nearly double the home they were initially considering.Should the A-list couple finally close a deal on the new house, they will be surrounded by luxury as it boasts 16,000 square feet of space and sits inside a 1.13-acre compound.TRENDING: Gwen Stefani shares 'incredible' news as fans rush to congratulate her: 'We can't wait'POPULAR: Denise Richards sizzles in skintight swimsuit - and wait 'til you see her legs!The jaw-dropping home also features an 800-square-foot gym, and enough entertainment to keep their children happy thanks to a media room, a game room, and a massive garden with a pool, and spa.
convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh.To kick off the episode, Mikey Day, Gardner and Bowen Yang returned as Fox News hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, and Brian Kilmeade respectively, first complaining about being in New York, a Democrat-run city. But, things quickly turned to the ongoing suit against the network, with the hosts acknowledging recent testimony from Fox CEO Rupert Murdoch, admitting that some Fox News hosts knowingly touted election lies on-air.Yang’s Kilmeade admitted he was surprised by the conflict, noting that he loves “da minions,” referring to the yellow babbling creatures from “Despicable Me.” Day’s Doocy quickly corrected him, only for Earhardt to make the bigger mixup.“This whole trial has been so unfair!” she whined.
Coming face to face with a burglar who potentially wants to hurt you is nothing short of a nightmare.
just welcomed a new addition to their family—just not the one you were probably expecting.On March 3, the Big Bang Theory and Flight Attendant star shared that she and her partner have rescued a chihuahua from in Beverly Hills, California. “We did a thing…again,” the wrote on Instagram Stories alongside a photo with her new pup. “We welcome Miss Opal (little widdle girl) into our growing family.”While Cuoco is clearly referencing her with Pelphrey, the pair also share numerous other pets.
Travis Scott is being accused of causing $12,000 worth of damage at Manhattan, New York City nightclub Nebula early Wednesday morning.
Carrie Mathison and Nicholas Brody are together once again!
Emily Longeretta From the start, Courteney Cox was different. She was from Alabama — a place where, she recalls, people were steelworkers or doctors — and didn’t know anything about show business. So, she sought it out. Never in her wildest dreams did she think it’d lead her to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, to be unveiled Feb. 27. The summer after she graduated high school, Cox moved to New York City and began modelling. “I got a job right away and I thought, that was easy,” she recalls. Then the changes came. “It was a makeover. They took the Alabama fresh face and made a little funky style and it was really fun. They changed everything about me — they said I was Kentucky-born and they changed my last name to Myles. I don’t know why! But I never thought that when I was 18 it would lead to a career that I love and have really learned so much … I just kept doing things that led me to something else and I just kept learning and learning and learning.”
Taylor Swift's boyfriend Joe Alwyn has shared a series of rare pictures with fans including one with Jack Antonoff that had many, jokingly, wondering if the British actor is embarking on a new career.One of the pictures posted on the 32-year-old's Instagram account saw Joe and Jack, a close friend and producer of Taylor's, posing side by side with a serious look on their faces; Joe wore black thick-rimmed glasses and someone had photoshopped black glasses on to Jack's face.WATCH: Taylor Swift opens up about relationship with boyfriend Joe AlwynMORE: Inside Taylor Swift's incredible $81m property portfolio: from New York to Nashville"Joe Alwyn solo debut album coming ah yessir," tweeted one follower, as another quipped: "Lover (Joe’s Version)," suggesting Joe may be working with Jack on a new cover of Taylor's love song.It's not out of the realm of possibility though, for Joe to consider releasing his own music, as the Conversations With Friends actor has contributed seven songs to Taylor's last three album.He also won a Grammy for his work on her 2020 album Folklore.Among the tracks that Joe has writing credits on - under the pseudonym William Bowery - are "Exile" and "Betty" from Folklore, "Champagne Problems," "Coney Island," and "Evermore" off Evermore, and "Sweet Morning" from her recent release Midnights.
Wendy Williams is enjoying a rare night out.
Jeremy Strong is opening up like never before.
Jeremy Strong prefers to do his own thing on the “Succession” set.
King Charles has met with Ukrainian military recruits at a Wiltshire training camp to mark one year since the outbreak of war with Russia. At an undisclosed location in Wiltshire, the King looked on intently as the men – many civilians who have no experience of the military – stormed a trench a few hundred metres away as the mock gun battle raged.The royal was all smiles as he greeted the men, who will return to fight in Ukraine once their training complete.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis sidestepped several attempts from “Fox & Friends” to get him to announce a run for president during an appearance on the conservative cable news network on Monday. Gov. DeSantis, who is widely predicted to become a presidential candidate in 2024, was visiting Staten Island, New York, as part of a pro-police tour.“Are you recruiting officers to go from these liberal cities like New York, Chicago and Philadelphia down to Florida or is this one of those things people who might be running for president would do to go ahead and start to get the ball rolling?” “Fox & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy asked.DeSantis replied that it is “definitely the former,” noting that Florida has put a lot of money into police recruitment.
Anthony Mackie picked up Steve Rodger’s iconic shield and became Captain America in the final episodes of his Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, is his character Sam Wilson going to follow in Chris Evans‘ footsteps and lead the rest of the Avengers?
In today’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo sits down to talk about con man movies with director Benjamin Caron (“The Crown,” “Andor,” “Wallander”). The director is currently promoting his film, “Sharper,” which follows multiple con men and women in New York City who are all searching for the perfect mark and the biggest take.