Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Actor denies OAP attack
Gary, Mark & Howard play for birthday
EMMERDALE actor Mark Jordon has denied attacking a pensioner.
The 53-year-old, who plays Daz Spencer, pleaded not guilty to wounding and common assault at Manchester’s Minshull Street crown court.
Andy Potts, 68, was injured in an incident in July that began in a pub in Oldham, Gtr Manchester.
A trial is scheduled for July 29 next year and Jordon, of Dobcross, Oldham, was granted unconditional bail. HERE’S a birthday treat worth a million love songs – Take That singing to you in your own back garden.
A healthcare tycoon paid an estimated £500,000 for Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald to play at his wife’s 50th birthday party.
The pop legends put on such a storming 50-minute set that police turned up over a noise complaint – and could not believe who was making all the racket until they saw for themselves. Ian Watson, 56, and wife Carol had not told their 160 party guests what they had planned – and there were gasps of astonishment as the band appeared.
Carol said: “At the end of the meal Ian stood up and said, ‘We have a bit of a surprise’. The curtains at the back of the marquee opened and there was Take That and they launched straight into Shine.
“At first people were shocked, then they just went crazy. “They could’ve played two or three songs and we’d have been happy, but they did a 50-minute set with a full light show.
“It was absolutely incredible and they were such lovely, genuine, friendly guys.
“I got to spend some time with them before they went on stage. They were every bit as pleasant as they appear when they’re on TV.”
Carol, from Newcastle, who has sons, Mark , 20, Craig, 17 and Max, 11, with her husband of 22 years, added: “The band told us it’s the smallest gig they’ve done. My friends were astounded I’d managed to keep it secret.”
A family friend said: It’s not every day you see Take That play a back garden.” Ian runs a group of luxury care homes in the North and North East of England and has a number of charitable projects.
Beyonce performed as part of celebrations for the wedding of Isha Ambani, daughter of India’s richest man, to the son of another Indian billionaire this week.