GARY’S GREATEST DAY! A RIGHT ROYAL KNEES-UP!
THE TAKE THAT SINGER HOSTS AN ALL-STAR FEAST OF ENTERTAINMENT… JASON MANFORD TELLS US HE’S EXCITED TO BE HOSTING THIS YEAR’S ROYAL VARIETY…
When did you last go to a concert? Yeah, it’s been a while for us, too. But while we might have to wait a little longer to attend to a real-life gig, ITV is offering us the next best thing this week.
Gary Barlow is heading to the Natural History Museum in London, where he and some of his best pop chums will be belting out a few of their most well-known hits, along with some other secret treats…
“It’s going to be amazing!” promises Gary. “We have some great things planned with fantastic special guests. The Natural History Museum is an unbelievable venue – the acoustics and backdrop are beautiful. There will be lots of songs you know, a couple you don’t – yet! – and a few surprises, maybe with a touch of Christmas thrown in!”
During this most challenging of years, busy Gary has been instrumental – if you’ll pardon the pun – in helping to keep the nation entertained during lockdown. His online ‘Crooner Sessions’, with the likes of Rick Astley, Jason Donovan, Alesha Dixon, Beverley Knight, Alfie Boe and Ronan Keating, have put a smile back on our faces. And we hear some – or even all – of those singers will be joining Gary on the night…
“Indeed!” grins the star. “In fact, there’s a feature on this show especially dedicated to the Crooner Sessions. We’re ready for a bit of a sing-song of the classics that everyone knows and loves.
“There’s nothing more we like than a bit of old-school entertainment, and that’s what we’re trying to do with this show,” adds Gary. “We want to make it feel like an era of time gone by: some great songs, a beautiful orchestra… it’s fair to say that we’ve really turned up the dial for this performance.”
The choice of location is a little unusual, although given that the museum is home to some extraordinary exhibits, it surely promises to give us plenty of awe-inspiring visuals during the musical interludes.
“There are very few venues around the world that I haven’t played, especially in the UK,” admits Gary. “But the Natural History Museum is one of
WE’RE READY FOR A BIT OF A SING-SONG!”
Comedian and actor Jason Manford will present this year’s Royal Variety Performance from the Blackpool Opera House in its Winter Gardens – the first time that the event has left London since 2011. And that’s not the only change as, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the audience will be a virtual one. However, Jason promises one thing will remain the same: it’ll be an incredible evening…
“It’s going to be different, and we all accept that,” he shares. “To not have a live audience there is obviously gutting, but we will still make it a fantastic show.”
This year’s stellar line-up includes Gary Barlow (him again!), Britain’s Got Talent
2020 winner Jon Courtenay, Melanie C, Steps, and exclusive performances from Sheridan Smith as Cilla Black, and Frozen The Musical – the latter of which Jason is particularly looking forward to…
“I’m very excited about seeing Frozen
because we haven’t had any theatre most of the year, so to see a big show like that is going to be massive. I’m looking forward to putting on a great night with some very talented people who have been out of work this year.”
Having himself performed at the event three times previously, Jason considers it an honour to be fronting the show.
“Hosting the Royal Variety Performance is like a comedian’s Cup Final!” he jokes. “It’s a big deal in the industry and for the charity. Viewers at home have got the best seats in the house – they can watch it in their pyjamas, the drinks are cheaper, and they don’t have to queue for the toilet!”
The point of my journey was to explore how immigration has affected our culinary landscape,” explains former Bake Off champ Nadiya Hussain of her new series, when Inside TV caught up with her for a chat. “America is home to more immigrants than anywhere else, and we picked California and Louisiana because those are two of the places where immigration is highest.
“When people set up home in foreign lands, they bring with them a wealth of knowledge, culture – and of course, food!” continues the star. “And as the daughter of an immigrant, it’s something close to my heart.”
Before cooking from Los Angeles to San Francisco in her next instalment, Nadiya is first discovering old Creole traditions, fishing in the bayou swamps of Cajun country, before an epic crawfish boil tops off her mouth-watering Louisiana tour. She’ll be adding her own unique twist to a host of traditional dishes en route – kicking off in vibrant style at the New Orleans Mardi Gras…
Hi, Nadiya! So, what did you make of Mardi Gras?
Well, it’s a party that goes on for three months, and they celebrate by eating cake – so could I have been in a better place? Everyone is dancing, singing and wearing colourful beads. It was amazing!
Were there any nervewracking moments?
I was very nervous about the alligators while fishing for catfish in the bayous. Everyone kept telling me we wouldn’t see any because the weather was too warm, and that they’d be right at the bottom of the water – but it was really scary!
You had an emotional time meeting Burnell, who’s rebuilding an area of New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina…
I remember the hurricane happening, but you don’t always think of the enormous impact it has on human life. It was an honour and a privilege to be able to share Burnell’s story – it’s something that is always going to stay with me.
Did you get nervous about adding your own slant to these traditional dishes, before cooking them for the people you met?
Yes! That was definitely a pretty nerve-wrecking thing to do. But then, part of what I love about cooking is taking classic dishes and changing them just a little bit.
Was it a poignant journey as well as a culinary one?
It was quite emotional, so it really helped to have all of that delicious food to hand! I always feel that I make a true connection with the people we meet, because I love nattering and learning about them and their stories. There were a lot of laughs – and hugs.
Did you bring any souvenirs back home with you?
A lot of hot sauce! And during Mardi Gras, every house is covered in these purple, gold and green beads – they’re very cool. Everywhere I went, I’d be given some, so I came home with about six kilos of those!