Tracy Brabin: Celebs Rumors

Naman Ramachandran Celebrated media diversity and inclusion practitioner Joanna Abeyie is joining the BBC as interim head of creative diversity on a six-month contract.Abeyie will support the BBC’s outgoing director of creative diversity, June Sarpong, and chief content officer, Charlotte Moore, in delivering on-air diversity and inclusion strategies across all BBC output.Abeyie will lead on the planning, development and implementation of initiatives related to on-air talent portrayal, commissioning guidelines, diverse audience panels, monitoring and reporting. She joins at a time when there is an exodus of women of color from the BBC, as revealed by a Variety investigation.

Andy Burnham has backed calls for a VAT cut for pubs, restaurants and clubs. The Greater Manchester mayor told an audience at the Night Time Economy Summit on Thursday (February 8) that he wants VAT to be reduced to 10 per cent for the hospitality industry.

Beyond The Music‘ conference on Friday (October 13), Burnham said there needs to be a campaign to show how “critical” the situation has become for artists and venues alike.Back in 2021, the UK music industry spoke out on how they had essentially been handed a “No Deal Brexit” when the government failed to negotiate visa-free travel and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew.As a result, artists attempting to hit the road again after COVID found themselves on the predicted “rocky road” for the first summer of European touring after Britain left the EU – finding that the complications of Brexit were “strangling the next generation of UK talent in the cradle”.The government were then warned that musicians and crew “could find themselves unemployed en masse”, after a hearing at the House Of The Lords revealed the damage already being caused by Brexit on those wishing to tour Europe.Speaking alongside fellow northern mayors, Tracy Brabin of West Yorkshire and Steve Rotherham of the Liverpool City Region, Burnham said they all now need to work together to create a system that allows for musicians to travel freely throughout Europe.“I think as mayors we need to build this campaign really strongly from the bottom up to say this industry is critical to us, not marginal, critical, and we need an arrangement that allows for [the] free exchange of musicians touring here from Europe and for British musicians going [into Europe],” said Burnham.“For us, it’s absolutely critical to our visitor economy, but also just to the way our city regions are seen and known around Europe. It’s just a nonsense, isn’t it? You’re having to learn about ETIAS [visas to work in Europe] and all of this.

Rishi Sunak 'hasn't spoken to any northern leaders' after he axed the HS2 rail link to Manchester, a mayor who also complained about his alternative proposals said today.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has been warned he is 'risking the cohesion' of the country over HS2, as Labour mayors including Andy Burnham said axing the high-speed rail route to Manchester would result in 'international embarrassment and a national outrage'.

Five Labour mayors including Andy Burnham have warned failure to deliver in full on HS2 would 'leave swathes of the North with Victorian transport infrastructure unfit for purpose'.

Adele and Amy Winehouse, with over 250million albums sold by its alumni.Now, after being touted earlier this year, it has been confirmed that the free-to-attend school will come to Yorkshire in 2026/27 as part of the BPI Education Academy Trust (BEAT).Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “My home city of Liverpool is famously the home of the Beatles, Mersey Beat and many more stars. Whether on stage, on screen, or behind the scenes, the North is full of creative talent.“This announcement will mean more young people will be able to reach their potential and follow in their footsteps, at the new BRIT School in the North.“We are broadening opportunities so more of our children can access this springboard to success in the UK’s growing creative industries.”Bradford was chosen as the location as a means to boost the city’s emerging creative economy.

TransPennine Express (TPE) has just become the second operator of trains serving Greater Manchester to be brought under government control after months of poor performance. It was a decision welcomed by leaders and residents across the north after consistent disruption had left travellers regularly frustrated.

A train operator will cancel more than 23,000 services this year if reliability continues at its current levels, new analysis reveals as the mayor of Greater Manchester called for urgent 'change' and rail fares rise.

Plans to cut to rail services across the north of England have been met with a furious response.

Stockport council leader Elise Wilson has been named among a ‘Power List’ of influential northern women who are blazing a trail for gender equality.

January 27, 2022Cleese said: “Just heard about Barry Cryer. We worked together on the Frost Report, The 1948 Show, and Jokers Wild. “I never met a nicer, kinder, more cheerful man.

Mayors in the North are ramping up pressure on the Government over its controversial rail plan.

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THIS Morning's Eamonn Holmes was forced to apologise to an MP after the show accidentally broadcast her personal phone number live on air. Labour politician Tracy Brabin couldn't figure out why her mobile kept ringing during her video-call interview today - not realising that her contact details were on screen.