Armed police to patrol Manchester's Christmas Markets

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond has admitted struggling with being a "bigger girl" since her teenage years, but argued that her size should not define her.She addressed the issue while talking to Holly Willoughby as part of her Wylde Moon website's podcast."Everyone knows I'm a big girl, leave me alone!" Alison challenged.Holly analysed: "People would say to you: 'Oh you look nice, have you lost weight?' and they'd sort of couple those two things together."What that did was make you feel that being smaller has more value in our society."That's the message that you're sending by saying that," she frowned disapprovingly.The 47-year-old concurred, adding: "Another thing I get is people saying, 'You look a lot slimmer in real life!'""I get that all the time," Holly sympathised in response."Is that what I've become? Is my size that important? Does being smaller really make me a better person?" Alison quizzed."I personally think I'm alright whatever size I am, and I've been a lot of different sizes. I've got a wardrobe full of different clothes that are different sizes."Look, I'm still the same person - a size smaller, or two sizes smaller, or a size bigger - I'm exactly the same sort of person!"Obviously, I am a big girl so it's interesting to see, if I do lose weight, how [people's attitudes] change towards me, purely from me getting smaller."It's such a sad case - we all need to look within ourselves and stop doing that.

BBC News presenter Victoria Derbyshire has opened up about marrying her husband Mark Sandell following her breast cancer diagnosis.

Zack Sharf “Atlanta” writers revealed during the series’ TCA press conference this week that they were racially harassed in London during the filming of the Emmy-winning FX comedy’s third season.The long-delayed “Atlanta” Season 3 picks up with characters Earn (Donald Glover), Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry), Darius (LaKeith Stanfield) and Van (Zazie Beetz) on a music tour through Europe. Stephen Glover, a writer on and executive producer of the series, said a racially charged incident occurred on the crew’s first night in London after a group of drunk people confronted them outside of a bar.“This group of people walks up.

Wilson Chapman editorTons of films have dreams in them, but few capture what a dream actually feels like better than “Strawberry Mansion,” the surrealist indie dramedy that premiered at Sundance Film Festival last year and opens in theaters Friday and on digital next week.Directed by Albert Birney and Kentucker Audley, the film tells the story of James Preble (Audley), an auditor who taxes people’s dreams for the U.S. government. On assignment to review the VHS-recorded dreams of aging artist Arabella Isadora (Penny Fuller), he winds up falling for the version of her younger self (Grace Glowicki) he meets in her mind, taking him on a strange journey where he fights witches, crashes on a deserted island and commands a crew of mice sailors.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterSPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Good News About Hell” and “Half Loop,” the first two episodes of “Severance,” which premiered Friday on Apple TV Plus.The Ben Stiller-directed “Severance” debuted its first two episodes Friday, revealing a fictional world where people, like Adam Scott’s Mark Scout, are able to undergo a procedure that allows them to mentally separate their work and home lives. Why a person would choose to do this and why Lumon, the company that created the process, would require it of some of its employees is just the start of the questions posed by the initial pair of “Severance” episodes.“What we know of them is that they are a med-tech company.

Wilson Chapman editorThe COVID-19 pandemic happened at an inconvenient time for Elsie Fisher’s career. The teen actor, who has been working professionally since she was five, had her breakthrough in 2018 as the lead in Bo Burnham’s hilarious and squirm-inducing “Eighth Grade.” A stint on season two of Hulu’s “Castle Rock” as the daughter of “Misery” villain Annie Wilkes followed, along with a voice role in the 2019 “Addams Family” adaptation. But just as she was lining up new projects for herself, quarantine happened, putting most of her plans on indefinite hold.Now, Fisher is making her belated return to film acting with “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” the latest entry in the iconic slasher series and a direct sequel to the 1974 original.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterDisney Junior exec Joe D’Ambrosia has been hired as executive vice president and general manager of Sony Pictures Television’s Silvergate Media. D’Ambrosia will be taking over for Silvergate founder Waheed Alli, who is stepping down from his post as CEO this summer.In his new role at the Sony-owned children’s programming producer, D’Ambrosia will serve as Silvergate’s creative and strategic business leader, overseeing day-to-day operations of the company.

Apple TV Plus series “The Afterparty” is, by definition, a murder mystery. But it’s also part action-thriller, police procedural, musical, rom-com — oh, and animation.The series follows escape room designer Aniq (Sam Richardson), who earnestly attends his high school reunion hoping for a second chance at love with his old crush Zoë (Zoë Chao), but instead finds himself the primary suspect in a murder when the afterparty goes terribly wrong.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorDua Lipa has parted ways with her longtime management firm, Ben Mawson and Ed Millet’s TaP Management, a source close to the situation has confirmed to Variety. However, the source says that contrary to other reports, the singer is not currently taking meetings with other management companies, although presumably she will at some point in the future.

Following the critical acclaim (and an Independent Spirit Award) for his role in “Uncut Gems”, Adam Sandler is once again leaning into his dramatic side in the upcoming Netflix film “Hustle”.

Unlike a lot of people, Christian Siriano didn’t take a bit of a step back over the pandemic.

“Game of Thrones” fans anxious about the upcoming spin-off can breathe a little easier.

Martin Lawrence and the surviving cast of his hit comedy series Martin are set to reunite 30 years later as part of a BET+ reunion special, hosted by Affion Crockett. Taping will take place February 20 and the special will air later this year.

Madonna has shocked fans with her latest social media post as she was seen sitting on the loo.The Holiday singer, 63, shared the post to her millions of followers as she sat with her pants down on the toilet.She captioned the post with a cryptic message: "I’m getting my shit together [poo emojis] finally!!"Fans swarmed to the comment section, with one saying: "Queen on her throne!"A second added: "Absolutely beautiful"While a third sweetly penned: "Cutie!"And a fourth wrote: "Looking fierce!"This comes after Madonna was defended by The Apprentice star Karren Brady after she was criticised by fans for sharing racy lingerie snaps on her Instagram page.Madonna, 63, has sparked backlash in recent months after posing up a storm in lingerie and fishnets for some X-rated snaps.Some of her 17.5 million followers have accused her of growing old disgracefully, while others have accused her of photoshopping her pictures after she showcased her pert rear in one of the snaps.Karen, 52, has now weighed in on the debate, saying Madonna should be able to wear whatever she wants at whatever age.She wrote in her column in The Sun: "Women should be able to wear what they want and do what they want without being shamed by anyone for any reason, especially age."Just because you are 60 or 70 doesn't mean you have to dress like the older nuns on Call The Midwife.""You just know that some people will say that at 63 it's time for her to grow up."But why on earth should she! So what if they are photoshopped? She clearly looks fabulous, and most fabulous of all is the fact she has always been her own woman."In her most recent Instagram outing, Madonna sent temperatures soaring as she posed up a storm for a glam topless snap.

Brand new pop up Christmas bar A Miracle on Cross Street is all set to fling open its decorative doors and allow customers a very first look.

Christmas shopping can often be a chore, but we’re lucky to have a city centre packed full of shops to give you plenty of options.

As a queue of hungry punters form outside the famous Porky Pig Yorkshire pudding wrap stall at the Manchester Christmas Markets, owner Eddie Osman can't help but smile.

The Christmas Markets are back and there are plenty of reasons to take the kids along this year.

Nothing says Christmas like a massive sausage – or so we were told by our editor as we headed into Manchester city centre to peruse the markets on their opening day.

Wooden huts have popped up across the city centre over the past couple of weeks, heralding the arrival of the Manchester Christmas Markets.

Manchester's Christmas Markets will make their big return on November 12 - as the city gets well and truly into the festive spirit.