Author: Ed

Pauline Moran in The She Trinity

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Pauline Moran, born on 26 August 1947 in Blackpool, is an actress, presenter, and astrologer, best known for portraying Miss Felicity Lemon in the long-running British television series Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Moran’s acting career spans several decades, and she has built a reputation as a talented stage performer, though her film and television appearances are also noteworthy. She trained at prestigious institutions, including the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), preparing for a successful career in the performing arts. In addition to her acting work, Moran is a professional astrologer, having practiced since 1987, blending… Read more »

Tania Mallet in James Bond – Goldfinger

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Tania Mallet, an English actress and model, is perhaps best remembered for her role as Tilly Masterson in the iconic James Bond film Goldfinger (1964). Born on 19 May 1941 in Blackpool, she was the daughter of Russian noblewoman Olga Mironoff, a former chorus girl, and English millionaire car salesman Henry Mallet. Her maternal grandfather, Pyotr Mironov, was a colonel in the Imperial Russian army and a member of the Russian aristocracy, while her great-grandmother, Countess Lydia Andreevna Kamenskaya, was a descendant of Count Mikhail Fedotovich Kamensky, a renowned Russian general in the Napoleonic Wars. Tania’s distinctive name was often… Read more »

Nikki Sanderson in Coronation Street

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Nikki Ann Sanderson, born on 28 March 1984 in Blackpool, is an accomplished actress and former glamour model, best known for her roles in popular television soap operas. She gained widespread recognition for portraying Candice Stowe in Coronation Street, Dawn Bellamy in Heartbeat, and Maxine Minniver in Hollyoaks. Throughout her career, Sanderson has not only excelled as an actress but has also showcased her talents as a television presenter on various programmes, including CD, Junior Eurovision: The British Final, and Ministry of Mayhem. Sanderson’s acting career began in 1999 when she joined Coronation Street as Candice Stowe, a character who… Read more »

Lucy Fallon on Coronation Street

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Lucy Fallon rose to prominence through her portrayal of Bethany Platt in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a role she played from 2015 to 2020, and again from 2023 onwards. Her powerful performance in the role earned her multiple prestigious awards, including two British Soap Awards, an Inside Soap Award, and a National Television Award. Born on 13 November 1995 in Blackpool, Lucy is the daughter of engineer Andrew Fallon and accountant Angela Fallon. She was raised in Cleveleys alongside her two older sisters, Rachel and Laura. From a very young age, Fallon showed a strong interest in the… Read more »

Jenna Coleman – Blackpool to Emmerdale

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Jenna-Louise Coleman, born on 27 April 1986 in Blackpool, is the daughter of Karen and Keith Coleman. Her father works as a joiner, specialising in bar and restaurant interiors, and her older brother Ben has followed a similar profession. Coleman’s heritage includes English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish roots, and she was reportedly named by her grandmother after the character Jenna Wade from the American TV series Dallas. She attended Arnold School in Blackpool, where she served as head girl and demonstrated early promise in the arts. At just 10 years old, she performed in a professional production of Summer Holiday… Read more »

Little Boots on Later… with Jools Holland

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Little Boots, the stage name of Victoria Hesketh, made her television debut on Later… with Jools Holland on 7 November 2008. Her invitation to perform on the show came after she gained attention by sharing her music on MySpace, marking the start of her rise to prominence. Born in Blackpool and raised in Thornton, Hesketh is a singer-songwriter and DJ with a dynamic career spanning solo projects and earlier work as a member of the band Dead Disco. As a solo artist, she has released four albums to date: Hands (2009), Nocturnes (2013), Working Girl (2015), and Tomorrow’s Yesterdays (2022),…

Alfie Boe Switches on the Lights

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Alfie Boe headlined the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On concert on 31 August 2018 at the Tower Festival Headland, drawing thousands of visitors to celebrate the launch of the town’s world-famous illuminations. But there’s a bigger connection, the fact he was born in Blackpool. He’s the youngest in a family of nine children and was brought up in nearby Fleetwood. He is of Irish and Norwegian descent and his mother and father named him after the Italian name of Pope John XXIII. He attended St Wulstan’s and St Edmund’s School and Cardinal Allen Catholic High School in Fleetwood. His earliest musical memories were…

Alfie Boe & Michael Ball Album Launch

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On Friday, 28 October 2022, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe visited Blackpool to promote their album Together in Vegas, their fifth collaborative studio effort, released by Decca Records. The album achieved significant success, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart. A few years earlier, Boe had also appeared in Blackpool for the Lights Switch-On concert. A clip below shows the duo at Viva Vegas during their promotional tour for the new album. Alfie Boe, the youngest of nine siblings, was born in Blackpool and raised in Fleetwood. Of Irish and Norwegian heritage, his parents named him after Pope John…

Chris Lowe Back in Blackpool

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Chris Lowe, along with Neil Tennant, his partner in the iconic synth-pop duo The Pet Shop Boys, gave a one-night performance at Funny Girls in Blackpool on 6 September 2024. The pair, who formed their groundbreaking musical act in 1981, continue to captivate audiences worldwide. Lowe was born in Blackpool in 1959 and continues to show his affection for his hometown, as highlighted in a video of him playing It’s a Sin on the Wurlitzer organ at the Tower Ballroom. He has also supported local music initiatives, notably donating a state-of-the-art keyboard to Blackpool Music School. Lowe’s connection to Blackpool…

Wednesday Half-Day Closing

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The tradition of half-day closing on Wednesdays in the UK is rooted in a combination of historical practices, cultural habits, and labor laws, with a unique connection to archery and the role of seaside resorts like Blackpool. The origin of half-day closing can be traced back to medieval England, where archery was a crucial skill for national defense. The English longbow required significant training, and to ensure a capable military force, King Edward III issued a royal decree in 1363 mandating that all able-bodied men practice archery regularly. This practice was typically held on Sundays and holidays after church services….