Entertainment News

The Accor Group, the world's largest hotel group, has chosen the formula proposed by Bottega for the BOKAN 38th & 39th Rooftop Bar , the quintessence of luxury, located in the Novotel London Canary Wharf in the financial district of the emerging south London, not far from the center of the British capital.

The large space, called Bottega@Bokan, occupies the entire 39th floor of the skyscraper, offering customers a dual experience: the breathtaking view of the London skyline and the tasting of Italian wines and spirits.

The care of the furnishings and the attention to detail, together with the layout of the tables and the quality of the service, make the time spent in this exclusive location an experience that involves the five senses in the sign of relaxation and refinement.

The collaboration between BOKAN and Bottega has an ongoing character and is directly inspired by the Prosecco Bar format. Specifically, a selection of Bottega wines is served, including the prestigious Proseccos with a refined packaging and the great reds from Veneto and Tuscany. In addition to them, there are "signature cocktails", whose ingredients include Bottega's distillates and liquors. Everything is accompanied by Italian dishes or some evergreen of the international cuisine.

Sandro Bottega, President of Bottega S.p.A., states. "Our presence on the BOKAN 38th & 39th Rooftop Bar fills me with pride. From the large windows you can clearly see the course of the Thames, the Tower of London and the silhouette of the famous City’s skyscrapers. The collaboration with Accor represents an important milestone for our project and is at the same time an incentive to maintain and further improve the quality of our products and our service. I would like to thank our staff that even in the hardest days, marked by the lockdown, continued to believe in the potential of the Prosecco Bar format and its exclusive mission: to bring to the world the quality of our cuisine and our wines, as an expression of the best Made in Italy".

The Prosecco Bar format was launched in 2014 aboard Viking Group's Cinderella ship, which operates on the Baltic Sea. Over the years, it was then introduced inside the international airports of Rome Fiumicino, Dubai, Birmingham, Bologna, Milan Malpensa and the two Bulgarian stopovers of Burgas and Varna, in Guernsey (Channel Islands) on the terrace of the Slaughterhouse, inside the Grand Hyatt Hotel of Muscat in Oman, in the Seychelles islands on the beach of the Hilton Labriz Hotel (Silhouette Island), in Tokyo on the terrace of the Anchor Gate Hotel, in the English racetracks of Bath and Windsor and, with a different formula, at the Belluno station.

"Prosecco Bar" is a concept created by Bottega with the aim of enhancing the excellence of our country and gratify the palate of the typical consumer. Specifically, the philosophy of the Venetian bacaro is re-proposed, that is, an informal osteria, where food is presented both as "cicheti", that are appetizers to be eaten at the counter, and as more structured dishes to be served at the tables. The matching with Prosecco, preferred for its versatility, and with other Italian wines closes the circle and contributes to make every moment, short or long, spent in a bacaro, a pleasant experience which enriches the spirit and refreshes the soul.

Bottega Prosecco Bar is therefore an evolution of this philosophy that, extrapolated from the Venetian reality, can be reproduced all over the world. The main axis of the project is the "Perfect Match", that is the ideal matching between the typical foods of Italian regional cuisines and the different wines proposed by Bottega. Therefore it is not a selection of starred recipes difficult to reproduce, but a homogeneous ensemble of traditional dishes, capable of giving great satisfaction to palates of every latitude. The wide range of wines, which includes Prosecco, sparkling wines of fine grape varieties, prestigious reds (Amarone, Brunello di Montalcino, Ripasso, Bolgheri), dessert wines, the selection of white and barrique grappas, together with the wide range of fruit and cream liqueurs, make Bottega a leading player in the beverage scene and make it a solid partner that is appreciated for its ability to offer different products with consistently high quality standards.

Global music star Ed Sheeran has thrown his support behind an England song recorded by a diehard football fan and rapper ahead of the Euro 2020 tournament. T8PES, who releases This Is Football across streaming services on Friday 4 June 2021, counts the best-selling singer-songwriter amongst his friends and fans. 

Sheeran said, “I love this England tune from my old mate T8PES. England’s gonna bring it home – make sure you check the song out!” Described as a ‘people’s anthem’ by Birmingham artist, youth worker and Aston Villa fan Jimmy Davis, who records and performs under the moniker T8PES, the track is a rousing call to arms for fans to get behind Gareth Southgate and team progress through the major sporting event.

Unlike previous international tournaments, the FA has not endorsed an official single ahead of the delayed championships as yet. As bookies slashed the odds of England winning the tournament – moved to June 2021 following the global pandemic – to clear favourites, the song comes at the perfect moment to rally support following a difficult year for sports and music fans alike.

T8PES said: “The last 14 months have been a rollercoaster for musicians, footballers and their fans. It’s a dream to be combining two of my biggest passions – I’m putting This Is Football out there for supporters of all teams to unite under one song and help cheer England all the way to the final. The great England songs of the past like Three Lions and Vindaloo were not official so I'm hoping the country takes this tune to their hearts as we all get behind the team.

"After the year we have all had, the Euros could be a joyous explosion and This Is Football will be part of it.” The track features a myriad of musical styles, including rapped verses from T8PES, guest vocals from emerging local talent Wolverhampton indie singer Jack Cattell and Hertfordshire pop artist Zoe Philips, as well as the brass section from UB40’s favourite tour support band Kioko.

Jimmy said: "This is 2021 and women's football is thankfully now part of our culture so it would have been unthinkable to release a song with just blokes on it. Zoe's vocals give the track a fantastic feel of euphoria which is hopefully what we will all be feeling when England go all the way!" The track’s cross-over appeal could see it rocket up the charts as England progresses through the tournament which starts on June 11.

Villa-supporting T8PES has penned football-based lyrics and freestyles about the ups and downs of the beautiful game in his weekly Premier League Wrap Up which led to MUTV asking him to perform on the channel. And whilst his great grandparents hailed from County Mayo in Ireland, T8PES is a diehard England fan. The 39-year-old has watched every England game in European and world tournaments since the age of 9 when he was holidaying in Italy during Italia ‘90.

“I’ve wanted to write a football song for as long as I can remember. I’ve tried before but never quite hit the mark. I even remixed one of my songs into a footy-related track but it just didn’t really work. The fact that I’ve managed to nail it and write an England song this time around makes it even more special.”

Jimmy's personal story is one of triumph over adversity overcoming drug addiction, petty crime and homelessness to become a music star and a mentor to a generation of youngsters in his native Birmingham as a youth worker. His career highlights over the last two decades include performing with Ed Sheeran at Glastonbury in a long term collaboration which the global star has credited with contributing to his spectacular success.

This Is Football is out across all streaming platforms from 0001 Friday 4 June 2021.

here were smiles all around as Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum finally welcomed back visitors on Saturday, May 29^th after 432 days of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With pre-booked reduced capacity slots in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit, the re-opening weekend was hugely successful with over 2000 visitors being welcomed back.  Further slots are available to book across the half-term week as the museum is open every day of the holiday from 10am to 5pm.

Thinktank Science Museum’s re-opening gives visitors their first opportunity to explore a world of wonder at the museum since it closed in March 2020, and to celebrate the occasion a brand-new gallery, Our Changing Planet exploring how humans have impacted the natural world, is now open to the public.

Laurence Butler, Museum Manager at Thinktank Science Museum said: “It’s been absolutely fantastic to be able to finally open our doors again after 15 months of closure. To hear children and families enjoying the museum and bringing it back to life has been thrilling and it was obvious that visitors were loving the chance to be back!

“We’ve had so many people say they were glad to return and many clearly delighted to be able to do something normal following months of lockdown and isolation.  It looks like we are going to sell out for the half-term week so if you are planning on visiting make sure you book in advance!”

Thinktank Science Museum is open every day from 10am – 5pm until Sunday 7 June. From 7 June it will open Wednesday – Sunday between 10am and 5pm.

Aishani Ghosh: who is getting back to face-to-face classes at university, London Contemporary dance School at The Place.

Alanis Morissette announced new tour dates for her 2021-2022 world tour to celebrate 25 years of Jagged Little Pill.  The 35-date US tour will kick off August 12, 2021 in Austin, TX. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will hit cities like Dallas, Nashville and Denver before wrapping in Los Angeles, which by popular demand, will include a two night special at The Hollywood Bowl on October 5th and 6th. 
 
On this special anniversary tour, Alanis will perform her iconic album Jagged Little Pill in its entirety, as well as a variety of hits including tracks from her latest album, Such Pretty Forks in the Road. The tour has also added some new stops including, Kansas City, MO, Denver, CO, San Diego, CA and Las Vegas, NV. The tour will then travel to Europe stopping in various countries including Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Hungary, Italy and Spain, before wrapping in the UK with 2 nights at the O2 Arena in London. The Australia, New Zealand and Philippines leg of the tour has been moved to November 2022.
 
Alanis also released a new duet with Willie Nelson of his song, “On The Road Again” via Epiphany Music. Get it here! 

The Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer frogi has been on the cusp of gaining wider attention since releasing ‘moonlight’ eighteen months ago. She has since ascended Hype Machine, hitting the Top 5 Trending Songs and Top 10 Trending Artists, and been embraced by the fashion world with in-store playlists from H&M and Ralph Lauren.
 
Having released everything to date independently, including her most recent and biggest streamed track ‘Dylan’, frogi now shares her new single ‘phantom limb’, which is the first release from the new label Apartment 22.

One listen to ‘phantom limb’ demonstrates frogi’s immense potential. It’s glitch-pop balladeering with a pensive poetic slant, topped by the soothing beauty of her vocal. She has the confidence to really experiment with her voice, at first allowing its unembellished purity to shine, but also manipulating it with swathes of echo and reverb. Blurring the lines between organic recording and digital artifice, it makes for a warm and hyper-modern take on heartbreak.
 
“I like to travel in time when I write songs and visit different versions of myself,” says frogi. “This song is a visit from present me to a younger me. I look back at myself when I was a teenager and send her love. Her self esteem was pretty low, and her self worth was so based on a relationship that was doomed from the start. I find it healing to talk to my younger self and show her love she didn’t know back then. I think it pieces broken parts of my present self back together.”
 
The song was entirely written and produced by frogi, with mixing and mastering by Jonas Karlsson (Zayn, blackbear).
 
frogi’s kaleidoscopic creativity creates an experimental tapestry of sounds. As evidenced by her debut EP ‘introvert’, it’s far more sonically diverse than folk and more intimate than alt-pop, but has clear roots in each genre. It’s a mix that’s growing traction at streaming, including Spotify playlists such as Fresh Finds, Pop Chillout and Chilled Alt.Pop.  

Sky Studios and Birmingham Repertory Theatre have announced the launch of 'Sky Comedy REP’, a new partnership that aims to discover and develop new regional comedy writing talent from across the UK, particularly from communities that have traditionally been under-represented in the Arts. 

The scheme which features Dame Julie Walters as Patron – will see nine writers selected to develop a one-act stage play. This year, all the plays will focus around a simple premise: a meeting on a park bench. All nine plays will then be performed at a three-day comedy festival at The REP early next year, featuring up-and-coming actors and emerging directors.

Throughout the six-month programme, writers will be paid for their work and receive one-to-one mentoring from huge names in British Comedy including Meera Syal (Goodness Gracious Me, The Kumars), Simon Blackwell (The Thick of It, Veep) Danny Brocklehurst (Brassic, Shameless) and Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen). The scheme will also include a series of workshops and Masterclasses at The REP featuring insights into all aspects of writing and production.

Based in Birmingham, an international hub that is Europe’s youngest and the UK’s most ethnically diverse city, this partnership between Sky Studios and The REP will offer significant talent development in Comedy, helping new writers, who may not have access to conventional networks, emerge and progress, ultimately benefitting the TV, theatre, film and wider creative industries. 

The initiative will be overseen by The REP's Artistic Director, Olivier Award-winning Sean Foley (The Play What I Wrote) and Sky Studios Creative Director of Comedy, BAFTA Award-winning Anil Gupta (Goodness Gracious Me, The Office). 

Dame Julie Walters, Patron of Sky Comedy REP, said: "I am honoured to be Patron of this important new initiative to provide a platform for new comedy writing talent. Participants will be given access to some of the very best in the business whilst being given a paid opportunity to develop their skills and materials. I very much look forward to seeing, and enjoying, the final results."

Anil Gupta, Creative Director of Comedy at Sky Studios, said: “At Sky Studios, our ambition is to work with the funniest, most talented writers wherever they may be. When new and underrepresented voices are nurtured and encouraged, it creates better comedy, that speaks to more of our audience, a belief we share with The REP.” 

Sean Foley, Birmingham REP Artistic Director said: “Sky Comedy REP is a unique and ambitious talent development programme for Comedy Writing in the UK. Developing and nurturing new talent from wherever it springs is a cornerstone of everything The REP does, and we are thrilled that this new partnership with Sky Studios will enable new diverse voices to take first steps in our industry. Comedy is a genre very close to my heart - I’m delighted to be creating  this new initiative alongside some of the UK's leading names in comedy, including our Patron, the great Dame Julie Walters.” 

The launch of the project further establishes Sky Studios at the forefront of UK Comedy and The REP as the unofficial 'National Theatre of Comedy’. Working together, the scheme will serve as a training ground for a new generation of narrative comedy writers, directors and actors.

To be eligible, writers must not have had their writing broadcast on television or performed in any theatre above 200 seats in size. For further information on how to submit entries writers can visit: https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/get-involved/creative-development/sky-comedy-rep.html

The deadline for submissions is June 28^th 2021.

Lightpost Theatre Company, formed to address the effects of racism, discrimination, negative self image, invisibility and mental health of young black men through theatre, brought their newest production to the REP, as the UK opens back up for such performances to be enjoyed by larger groups.

Exploring the culture of working class black men in Britain, Constructed unpicks the challenges that face manual workers, both on site and at home, and asks if anything can be built properly when the foundations are faulty.

The cast performed incredibly well, with James Nicholson as site owner Marlon, and Jerome Scott as Rodney delivering memorable performances, and Orion Martin as Bill alongside Cory McClane as Davies giving the lighter notes to the performance, which were gratefully received.

The depiction of Rodney’s current mental health with the overlapping voices, questions and lights, while he desperately tried to respond to all of it while getting more and more distressed was both difficult to watch and also incredibly powerful, props to Jerome for this performance.

The story flows well, giving you enough time to get to know and feel for the different characters, and they all feel well rounded, a tribute to CJ Webley’s writing and co-direction. There was an interesting movement piece that showed the idea of working on the building site through dance, but it felt a little shoehorned into the play, adding nothing to the overall story.

Overall Constructed was a great performance from a very talented cast, and spells great things for the future of Lightpost Theatre.

Film fans will once again have the chance to watch a series of much-loved classics on Millennium Point’s giant screen, as its socially distanced cinema returns this summer, complete with special movie-themed cocktails and wine.

Millennium Point’s Auditorium (formerly the first IMAX cinema in Birmingham), will reopen and screen three classic films this summer. The venue has teamed up with innovative event specialists The Wine Events Company, who will pause the films to provide movie-lovers with film trivia and themed cocktails and wine during the screenings.

80s sci-fi favourite Back to the Future is first up on Friday 4 June, offering visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the time travelling action, as well as indulge in five movie-themed wines. On Saturday 17 July, guests will have the time of their lives, as they watch Dirty Dancing on the big screen, whilst enjoying four themed cocktails, including a watermelon martini. The final screening will take place on Sunday 8 August, as film-lovers can enjoy the 70s Spielberg classic Jaws and dive into four delicious themed cocktails.

The award-winning events team at Millennium Point has introduced several hygiene and safety measures to ensure that the socially distanced screenings are safe for all film enthusiasts to enjoy. These include reduced capacity in the Auditorium with all seats allocated beforehand, hand sanitising stations throughout the venue, a cashless and contactless experience, as well as social distancing measures and PPE for all staff.

Tickets for Back to the Future are priced at £31.95 per person (plus fees) and include five glasses of themed wine. Tickets for Dirty Dancing and Jaws are priced at £35.95 per person (plus fees) and include four delicious film-themed cocktails, which will be served to visitors throughout the film.

Rebecca Delmore, commercial director at Millennium Point, said: “We’re very excited to announce our latest partnership with the Wine Events Company, and can’t wait to welcome movie-lovers from across the region back to our big screen this summer to enjoy a truly memorable and immersive experience.” The Auditorium is also available for hire as an events space.

Kasabian make a most welcome return to touring with 15 must see intimate shows kicking off October 13th at the 02 Academy, Glasgow, including a hometown show at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall October 27th and climaxing at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on November 2nd.
 
“We’re incredibly excited to announce these intimate shows. We love our band, our music and our fans too much to ever stop!

“We’ll be playing all the classic tunes plus something new for the mosh pit to bounce too. So, come join us for the biggest party of 2021! See you there.”

- Sergio, Chris and Ian x
 
Kasabian are: Serge Pizzorno, bassist Chris Edwards, drummer Ian Matthews and guitarist Tim Carter. 

Master KG’s ‘Jerusalema’ transcended its initial viral status to become a global cultural phenomenon. It has now accumulated a dazzling 800 million combined streams as well as 7 billion views on Tik Tok for its vibrant dance challenge, which has captured the imagination of people everywhere from Angola to Israel to Italy. Iconic stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Janet Jackson have been big supporters, and even the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa encouraged his nation to join the fun.
 
How can you even begin to follow such a smash hit? Luckily, Master KG joined forces with David Guetta & Akon for brand new track ‘Shine Your Light’, which is out now on Warner Records. 
 
With ‘Shine Your Light’, Master KG and David Guetta have spun a fresh approach on the feelgood blend of uplifting lyricism, exuberant Afro-house rhythms and sun-kissed vibes that made ‘Jerusalema’ so memorable. That atmosphere goes sky bound when Akon jumps in with his larger-than-life feature, his lyrics “having a good time dancing and laughing” getting to the heart of a song which gives the world a fresh shot of jubilation.
 
The success of ‘Jerusalema’ propelled producer, songwriter and DJ Master KG from the innovator of Bolobedu, a South African twist on house music, to a major force. He has taken African culture to new audiences, powering to #1on the global Shazam chart for 8 weeks, hitting the Top 5 on European airplay, and gaining huge UK radio support with playlists at Radio 1, Kiss FM and Capital Xtra. He won International Song of the Year at the NRJ Music Awards where he was also nominated for Best International Newcomer. Another key nomination came at the MOBO Awards, where he was in contention for Best African Act.
 
“I am blessed and excited to have collaborated with not one but two legends in David Guetta and Akon. Shine Your Light, my new single is special for me because it not only combines our different styles of music, but also spreads a positive message. Join us as we unite the world with love through music once again. Wanitwa Mosss” says Master KG.
 
David Guetta needs no introduction. One of music’s biggest names with over 51 million monthly listeners on Spotify, he has delivered a succession of global hits including ‘Titanium’ (featuring Sia), ‘Hey Mama’ (featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha and Afrojack) and ‘Sexy Bitch’ (featuring Akon). ‘Titanium’ alone has exceeded a billion streams. He has won two Grammy Awards, achieved six UK #1 singles and has collaborated with everyone from Justin Bieber to Charli XCX to Avicii. He’s again flying in the UK Singles Charts with ‘BED’, a collab with Joel Corry and RAYE.
 
“I am thrilled to have been able to collaborate with Master KG, and I’m so pleased to get to work with my long-time friend Akon again l!  My hope is that ‘Shine Your Light’ brings joy to listeners around the world as we join each other on the dance floor once again.” says Guetta.
 
As soon as you hear Akon’s voice, you know it’s him. It’s a talent that has powered smash hits ‘Lonely’, ‘Smack That’ and ‘I Wanna Love You’, taking him to 45 million album sales, 12 million monthly listeners, five Grammy-nominations and three UK #1 singles. He has also made over 300 guest appearances for an A-Z of global icons, including Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Eminem.

In a time when audiences aren’t able to visit in person, Bully & Johnny’s Grand Wolves Show will bring together Wolverhampton Wanderers FC players and some of the finest talents from the city of Wolverhampton and beyond in a brand new video-podcast. All proceeds from online ticket sales will go directly to the theatre’s charity.

Bully & Johnny’s Grand Wolves Show is hosted by Wolves and England footballing legend Steve Bull MBE and Sky TV presenter Johnny Phillips, taking a highly amusing look into football, fame, and friendships.

Episode one is available to stream from today (Friday 28) – Sunday 30 May 2021 exclusively on stream.theatre and features guests, Wolverhampton Wanderers favourites, Don Goodman and Steve Froggatt who chat to Steve and Johnny about their time with the club.

The series is filmed against the backdrop of The Grand Theatre’s beautiful auditorium that has sadly stood empty for over a year. Released fortnightly, future guests on Bully & Johnny’s Grand Wolves Show include Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, Wolves legend “King” John Richards and Wolverhampton singer Beverley Knight.

Steve Bull has raised over £40,000 for the Grand Theatre over the last ten years and has been a Grand Theatre Ambassador since 2018. He said, “Like Molineux, The Grand is an iconic part of the City and it is so important that we support it. I am very grateful to all my friends and former colleagues who have taken part, we have laughed so much whilst reminiscing during filming, I know the fans will love it too!”

Nathan Brine, Associate Director – Creative & Production at the Grand Theatre said; “It has been hugely exciting to be able to welcome Steve, Johnny and their guests safely to the Grand Theatre to record the vodcast. The Grand’s stage has been empty for over a year and our dedicated audiences will have undoubtably missed attending.

Whilst we continue to work towards reopening to the public very soon, we’re delighted to be able to offer something that I know will whet the appetite of our theatregoing community, and the Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters as we continue to announce guests from the world of sport and entertainment throughout the year.”

Bully & Johnny’s Grand Wolves Show has been funded thanks to The Cultural Recovery Fund awarded by Arts Council England and the DCMS. All proceeds will be donated to the Grand Theatre Charity which provides vital Arts services for Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas. This includes the theatre’s work with patrons living with dementia, disabilities, education, and local history.

Miniclip, a world leader of market-defining mobile game titles, announced the acquisition of leading UK studio, Supersonic Software Ltd and its subsidiary Appynation Ltd.

Founded in 1988 by Pete Williamson and Andy Williamson, Supersonic is the studio behind the highly successful Puzzle Page and Picture Cross, as well as enduring titles World’s Biggest Crossword and One Clue Crossword. The acquisition of Supersonic, their fourth UK studio, provides the perfect opportunity for Miniclip to move into the extremely popular puzzle genre, so taking another step in its quest to unleash the gamer in everyone.

Pete Williamson, CEO of Supersonic said “Having been independent for so long, joining a new partner is a very big deal for us. We’ve always admired Miniclip and having had the opportunity to get to know them over a period of several years we’re really confident we’ve found the perfect partner for us. We’re excited to start working with Miniclip properly, tapping into their expertise and resources to take our company to the next level.”

This sentiment was shared by Andy Williamson, who added "We're looking forward immensely to becoming part of the Miniclip family. The expertise Miniclip can bring to our business will be invaluable - it will help us grow more quickly than we ever could as an independent studio. We're confident Miniclip will respect our culture and indeed enhance it. It's a very exciting step and one we're very happy to take."

Commenting on the deal, Rob Small Founder and President of Miniclip, said “We have followed the journey of Pete and Andy and the team at Supersonic with great interest and are delighted to both welcome them to Miniclip and to support their growth within the puzzle category. This genre is the natural companion to a number of others in which we operate and we see this as a great opportunity to widen our audience further”.

‘Stratagem With Alan Partridge’, a live stage show starring the award-winning multi-hyphenate Steve Coogan will launch next Spring 2022 across the UK and Ireland, with tickets going on sale to the general public from this Saturday, 29 May at 9am BST.

Love him or loathe him, we all love Alan Partridge. 

Over a multi-decade broadcasting career, this wonderful and surprisingly well-read man has brought delight to millions. And now, in a country riven with discord and disease, Alan is touring the country with a message of hope.

Welcome to ‘Stratagem With Alan Partridge’, a live stage show that promises to inform, educate and entertain in approximately equal measure.

Wearing a head-mic favoured by TED talkers, market hawkers, TV evangelists, backing singers and carnival barkers, Alan combines all these roles and more. It’s a manifesto for the way we can move forward, a roadmap to a better tomorrow, an ABC for the way to be.

Devised, written, choreographed, performed, and funded by Alan Partridge, Stratagem sees Alan not just treading the boards but pounding them, atop stages graced by such luminaries as Michael Ball, Jack Whitehall and Welsh rockers the Stereophonics.

So, join Alan, live on stage, (though patrons are asked not to join Alan live on stage) as he brings STRATAGEM to a city or selected good-sized town near you.

‘Stratagem With Alan Partridge’ will tour the UK and Ireland in April-May 2022 across 14 cities including opening in Belfast on 22 April 2022 followed by Dublin, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Leeds, and closing the show in London at the O2 on 31 May 2022.

The show is produced by Phil McIntyre Live Ltd and Baby Cow Productions and written by Steve Coogan, Neil Gibbons and Rob Gibbons.

Private equity firm Supernova Capital has announced it has fully acquired Player1 Events from GAME and sets out its vision for holding events in 2021 and beyond.

Craig Fletcher, the founder of Multiplay and the Insomnia Gaming Festival, will return to lead Insomnia operations following the acquisition. He will also join Supernova’s executive team and provide the driving force and entrepreneurial spirit behind Supernova’s future plans for live events and esports.

All existing P1E staff will be retained as part of the acquisition and will be potentially working on an Insomnia event in 2021 along with future events planned in the UK and internationally in 2022 and beyond.

Craig said: “We’ve seen over the last year that the demand for events has been palpably growing, both as interest in esports has grown dramatically, but also people longing to return to the atmosphere of being at a live event.

“By relaunching Insomnia, we will take things to a new level, uniting gamers of all ages, and players of all levels to come together at inspiring live events. We hope to be in a position to make announcements on 2021 events soon.”

Co-Founder and CEO of Supernova, Paul Wedgwood, said, “Insomnia is an event with global appeal, and we’re excited about the impact Supernova and our partners can make.

“We’re in an excellent position to help brands develop their own events and communities post-COVID, following a transformative around 12 months in the industry. We also look forward to continuing our close relationship with GAME and Belong as we develop new experiences for our own growing community.”

Sarah Hodgson, UK FD of GAME commented: “The Insomnia Gaming Festival is a crucial date on the gaming calendar for bringing gamers together to celebrate the games they love. The event has always had a wide appeal and we look forward to seeing what Craig and the Supernova team can do in the future.”