1. The prolonged period of roadworks in Manchester is coming to an end!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mancunian-way-hole-initial-work-9926966

As well as that whacking great hole on the Mancunian Way being repaired, direct trams are running through the city again from Friday. NO MORE REPLACEMENT BUSES!!

2. Manchester Pride is celebrating it's silver anniversary. 

It may have changed a lot over the years and people can have polarising opinions of it, but the fact that this event is now 25 years old is definitely something to celebrate! I hope that everyone attending has a great time and bucket loads of cash are raised for a great cause.

3. Jess Glynne 

4. Antony Murphy on Gaydio

Most radio now has become very safe and generic with no sense of fun anymore, so it's always pleasing whenever I hear this guy with his 90s show on Sunday nights. 

http://uk.gaydio.co.uk/on-air/antony-murphy/

So many great songs from the best decade of music! It really has been a perfect way to close the week :)

5. Pixar has got its mojo back!

The last few years for Pixar haven't really been the best. There have been too many sequals not really reaching the high standar set by film like Up and Wall-E. So when I saw Inside Out for the first time I was absolutely elated! It already is a true classic and, for me, the best film of the year so far. 

6. Who's Back

 Do I need to say more? Like most Doctors, Mr Capaldi has had an uneven first series, but I have every faith that now he has settled in to the role that things are going to be marvellous!

 So these are so of my reasons to be cheerful at the moment. Is there anything else that deserves a mention? Please let me know and have a great Bank Holiday!

Hi Robbie. Can you tell us how you came to be a regular favourite on Shameless?

I was interested in drama at school and sometimes there would be auditions for different things. It was usually for girls though or I didn’t fit the character. So when they had an audition for a lad that fitted me I just went for it. I wasn’t nervous because I didn’t think I’d ever get it.

The show is loved across the world and America made their version, did you ever see that?

I’ve never seen it. To be honest, part of me wants to see it just to see what it’s like. But another part of me doesn’t because it’s such a Manchester thing! I’m sure it’s great & I’ve heard good things about it, but I don’t think anything could ever beat the original.

Who are your favourite actors?

Tom Hardy is a favourite. He’s a fantastic actor, but also the films he does are exactly the kind of films I would love to be in! I think he played Charles Bronson really well. I’m interested in the real Charles Bronson & I loved the film.

What films do you enjoy watching in your spare time?

I like horrors and comedies, both mainstream and indie films. I watched The Conjuring recently and that bit near the end where the woman gets possessed really freaked me out.

When you played the Aidan character on Shameless did the characterisation happen naturally for you?

It wasn’t a difficult character, because I was just being myself. I think that’s partly why the show worked so well – it was real Manchester! I didn’t go to stage school & I just played it totally natural and that seemed to work & people liked the character.

David Threlfall is such an amazing actor, did you enjoy working with him and what did you learn from seeing him in action?

Yeah he is. He had to put me straight a couple of times when I forgot my lines. He taught me not to over-act and to let the character do the talking, not the actor.

What have you got lined up TV/Film wise?

I’m doing a movie called ‘A New York Story’. George Newton (Banjo from This Is England) plays my Dad! My character is a gobby young gangster & it’s dead gritty, hard-hitting stuff. I’m really looking forward to it.

We have to ask, are there any more Shameless episodes in the pipeline?

I don’t think so, but I would really love it if there was. I think there should be a movie!

What are you most fond memories from your time on shameless?

There are so many memories, but I’d have to say the wrap parties were pretty insane. I’d probably better stop there! So many great people as well. I haven’t got space to mention everybody, but a couple of people that really stood out are Aaron McCusker who played Jamie Maguire, because I was really young when I was on the show and he looked after me and spoke to me like an adult and I looked up to him a lot. Karen Bryson who played Avril Powell was lovely as well, just like an auntie.

And finally…what’s your advice to any other young actors starting out in the industry?

Don’t give up. It’s a waiting game. You have to remember that it’s always going to be a roller coaster. One minute you’re on top of the world and then it’s over and you have to start again & keep a good attitude about it and keep going. I think that’s good advice for any actor really, not just the young ones.

Thanks to Robbie Conway for his time.

He is probably most famous around the world for is role in the Harry Potter series, but over the years he acheived cult status in many classic films. Here are some of my favourite moments featuring the genuine legend.

Withnail and I

A film that starred Richard E Grant and Paul McGann was bound to deliver some good performances, but Richard Griffiths's Uncle Monty stole the whole movie. He was rude and shocking, but at the same time had an immense likeabilty. if any TV Network wanted to pay a good tribute to teh man, they should put this on as soon as possible [after the watershed of course so children can't hear that nasty "c" word ]

History Boys

In Alan Bennett's History Boy's Mr Griffiths played Hector, possibly one of the best teachers ever to appear in film. In all honesty this film knocks the spots off Dead Poet's Society and Griffith's performance is much more believeable than the hammy Robin Williams.

The Naked Gun 2 and 1/2

I love this clip, just because it was so silly. There are many "spoof" films around now and nearly all of them are dreadful. What made the Naked Gun series so successful was that every  actor involved played it straight and rarely camped it up. The aboce scene could only be played by skilled actors and Griffiths was just hilarious!

Richard Griffiths - CoolManchester salutes you!

According to the BBC News website many residents of Harpurhey are unhappy about its new BBC Three reailty TV show 'People Like Us'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21506291

"People Like Us: New BBC Three series upsets locals

Residents of the Manchester suburb of Harpurhey have complained that a BBC fly-on-the-wall documentary gives a distorted impression of their area.

The Manchester Evening News reported that 200 people turned out for a "fiery meeting" on Monday to protest about BBC Three's People Like Us.

It gives a "biased and distorted" view of the area, Graham Stringer MP said.

The BBC said the show gave a "warm and at times unflinching look" at life and did not focus on negative stereotypes.

The six-part series follows a string of young people in the area, which was named the most deprived neighbourhood in England in a survey in 2004"

What do people think? Is this a true reflection on life in Harpurhey, or has it been manipulated so people can laugh at the "funny poor Northerners?"

Share your opinion here!

So, the month of May will always mean one thing to me.... EUROVISION!!

I'll be sharing with you some of my favourite Eurovision moments over the next week, but in the meantime I though I'd show you what the s=chart looked like this time in 1996:

1 Gina G Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit
2 George Michael Fastlove
3 Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds Three Lions
4 Tony Rich Project Nobody Knows
5 Mark Morrison Return Of The Mack
6 JX There's Nothing I Won't Do
7 Suggs & Louchie Lou / Michie One Cecilia
8 Peter Andre featuring Bubbler Ranx Mysterious Girl
9 1996 Manchester United FA Cup Squad Move Move Move (The Red Tribe)
10 The Smashing Pumpkins Tonight, Tonight
11 John Alford Blue Moon / Only You
12 Metallica Until It Sleeps
13 Sean Maguire Good Day
14 Gloria Estefan Reach
15 Liverpool FC & Boot Room Boyz Pass And Move (Liverpool Groove)
16 Bryan Adams The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me
17 Black Grape Fat Neck
18 Robert Miles Children
19 SWV You're The One
20 1300 Drums featuring The Unjustified Ancients Of M-U Ooh! Aah! Cantona
21 The Klubbheads Klubhopping
22 Manic Street Preachers A Design For Life
23 Celine Dion Because You Loved Me
24 Chantay Savage I Will Survive
25 Blur Charmless Man
26 The Lighthouse Family Ocean Drive
27 Busta Rhymes Woo-hah!! Got You All In Check
28 M-Beat featuring Jamiroquai Do You Know Where You're Coming From
29 Michael Jackson They Don't Care About Us
30 Alanis Morissette Ironic
31 Lisa Marie Experience Keep On Jumpin'
32 Pulse featuring Antoinette Roberson The Lover That You Are
33 Backstreet Boys Get Down (You're The One For Me)
34 Jodeci Get On Up
35 Horace Brown One For The Money
36 LL Cool J Doin' It
37 3T 24 / 7
38 Mark Snow The X-Files
39 Gabrielle Give Me A Little More Time
40 Scooter Rebel Yell

Sitting at the top of the chart was Gina Gee with one of the biggest selling Eurovision singles of all time. Such a pity that it did not do that well in the actual competition but in the mid-nineties Ireland were winning it almost every year, no matter how shit the song was

There was a hell of a lot of Football featured in the top 40, probably due to the fact that England was hosting Euro 1996 and from what I recall England did rather well [don't quote me on this, I know as much about football as next door's cat]

Apart from the all the football novelties, the rest of the chart was rather brilliant with some classic house tracks from JX, Robert Miles and Pulse, great pop from Suggs and Blur and a nice bit of rock from the Manics and The Smashing Pumpkins...good times!

So what are your memories of this period? Something else was also happening this month, a little film from the USA was shown on the BBC called... Doctor Who! I do remember getting a little bit excited about that [I did not watch it four times in one day..honestly!]