The Big Interviews with Graham Walker

British pop-rock favourites Scouting for Girls are marking the 15th anniversary of their platinum-selling second album Everybody Wants to Be On TV with a special re-release, a 22 date 2026 UK tour and a brand new eighth studio album with fans no onlt able to gain early access to new material, behind-the-scenes updates and priority tour ticket booking, but the chance o influence how the nex album turns out, reveals - frontman Roy Stride in this exclusive podcast chat with Graham Walker. He says the 2026 tour will be a nostalgic celebration of their beloved second album, which includes chart-topper This Ain’t A Love Song, bu will also include all her greatest hits including She's So Lovely, Elvis Ain't Dead, Heartbeat and more - plus a teaser or two from the forthcoming new material. "We'll be doing most of Everybody Wants to Be on TV, because it was only half an hour - so it'll also give us time to do all the big hits, which everyone loves. We'll play one, maybe two new songs. The whole night is about taking people on a really fun sing along nostalgic ride." BUY ANNIVERSARY ALBUM: 15th anniversary edition Everybody Wants To Be On TV is out now - order here.PRE-ORDER NEW ALBUM: Scouting For Girls’ new studio album is coming in 2026 and a limited Wolfclub edition, with signed lanyard and access to a ticket pre-sale for the tour is now open - click here.Any remaining tour tickets are on general sale fom 10am GMT on Friday, May 3 - click here.

Yorkshire’s late chat show king Sir Michael Parkinson will be back interviewing global superstars in a special hometown charity tribute show featuring TV clips hosted by his son, Mike.Parky On Parky will celebrate the life and career of the iconic Barnsley broadcaster and national treasure in a fundraiser for the Barnsley Civic at the town centre venue on Friday, April 25, as Mike explains here in this excusive chat with Graham Walker.BUY TICKETS: Tickets for this show start at £22.50 and are available at barnsleycivic.co.uk/event/parky-on-parky, by calling 01226 327000 or visiting the Barnsley Civic, Eldon Street box office, open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.Mike, who worked with his father for over 20 years, until his death in 2023, has agreed to donate all ticket sales to support the venue’s creative health and well-being work in Barnsley’s communities.Cudworth born Sir Micheal was a proud patron and supporter of Barnsley Civic, a registered charity, and had appeared at the venue in his ‘an audience with’ shows. Parky on Parky will give fans a funny, thoughtful and often surprising insight into what made Sir Michael tick both as a man, a journalist and the doyen of television interviewers.Mike said: “In 2015 my dad and I did a show together at Barnsley Civic and he so enjoyed the experience that he made a promise to return to do another show to raise money for this lovely venue. But our busy schedule and latterly his ill health means that 10 years later I am coming back, sadly without my dad, but safe in the knowledge that he would want me to fulfil his promise.”

ABRACA-Bradford! Prepare to be amazed as Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo, pulls wonders out of the city's cultural hat to reveal the real magic of Bradford - its people and places. RISE, a spectacular open air city centre event he has created, directed by Kirsty Housley, will blend professional artistry with the raw talent of 200 community performers to launch the year-long Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, on Friday and Saturday, January 10 and 11, 2025. For tickets see https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/rise/ Miracles, Steven's Christmas Sky TV special ,saw him return to his street magic roots as he delivered mind-blowing moments to crowds while unearthing everyday heroes. "It was a clue as to what people can expect from RISE, reveals Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025, who in this chat with Graham Walker shares her vision for a year-long celebration designed to engage communities, spotlight the city’s rich heritage, transformation, vibrant diversity and boundless creativity, while reshaping perceptions of the city locally and nationally. For more visit https://bradford2025.co.uk/

A SPECTACULAR light prism tunnel and a meadow of 10,000 twinkling fibre lights are amongst the amazing showstoppers set to thrill visitors at this year's magical Christmas At Belton 2024.Exclusive details of the new after-dark trail are outlined today by creative director Zoe Bottrell in this podcast chat with Graham Walker.The immersive lights and sounds experience will again turn the beautiful grounds of the National Trust’s Belton House, in Lincolnshire, into a winter wonderland, from Friday, November 22, 2024, to Wednesday, January 1, 2025, BUY TICKETS: Tickets are for timed entries and visitors are urged to book early, especially to guarantee popular early evening and weekend slots, sell fast. All tickets are now on sale for this year’s spectacular seasonal trail - visit bit.ly/christmasatbeltonickets2024.

Chart-topping pop icon and footy mad Paul Heaton has scored a dream goal - he will perform one of his biggest ever headline solo gigs at the home of his beloved Sheffield United. In an exclusive interview with Graham Walker the former frontman of The Housemartins and The Beautiful South, who grew up in the city supporting the club, said he hopes to unite more than just Blades and Owls fans. He wants music lovers far and wide to party with him, promising a match-winning setlist of greatest hits and new songs, with impressive support from Shed Seven and Lightning Seeds, at Bramall Lane on Sunday, May 25, 2025. When his Caravan Of Love rolls in it will be game on with classics like Happy Hour, A Little Time, Song For Whoever, Rotterdam (Or Anywhere), Don’t Marry Her, Perfect Ten, and many more. There will also be tracks from his brand-new 12 track album,The Mighty Several, produced by Ian Broudie, of Lightning Seeds andThree Lions fame.It was recorded at Blueprint Studios in Salford is also available from Friday, October 11. Buy atshop.paulheaton.emi.com. Here Paul talks about the special gig, new album and more, including an update about his long time vocal collaborator Jacqui Abbott. BUY TICKETS:Tickets for the Bramall Lane gig, priced £39.50 (+ ticket fees), go on general sale at 9.30am on Friday, October 11, from gigsandtours.com, ticketmaster.co.uk and AXS.com. For all tour dates and tickets visit www.paulheaton.co.uk. Full story see https://www.thestar.co.uk/whats-on/exclusive-paul-heaton-reveals-homecoming-gig-details-to-unite-fans-at-his-beloved-bramall-lane-4814021.

It was one of the biggest selling albums of the 80s and spawned smash hit singles that became the soundtrack of a new wave invasion.Hold Me Now, Doctor Doctor and You Take Me Up filled the airwaves as Into The Gap topped he UK charts for three weeks and turned new wave band Thompson Twins into global superstars.From humble beginnings in Sheffield they went on to perform in front of millions during the Philadelphia leg of Live Aid - when Madonna and Nile Rodgers joined them on stage.But even frontman Tom Bailey admits he never expected to still be performing their seminal album to the masses four decades on.That’s exactly what he will be doing this month with an Into The Gap 40th Anniversary Tour - full details below - and shows across the UK in Birmingham, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Guildford, Bath, London, Cambridge and now, due to demand, an extra date added at Manchester New Century on Monday, May 13.Here he talks to Graham Walker about the tour, the band's past and discusses future recording and tour plans in an exclusive chat, reflecting on the enduring demand for their music.BUY TICKETS: For Manchester and all other available shows visit www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk. VIP packages are also available at www.sjm-vip.com.

Chart topping Il Divo are celebrating their 20th birthday with album XX and a UK tour heading this way which will be a visual spectacular, reveals tenor Urs Bühler. The 10 date 20th Anniversary UK Tour in October 2024 - full details below - will play London, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Southend, Nottingham, Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. BUY TICKETS: Tickets go on sale Friday, April 19, 9.30am at tix.to/IlDivo2024 AUDIO: In an exclusive chat - listen in full here - founding member Urs tells Graham Walker about the past two decades, looks to the future and reveals XX tour details. IL DIVO 20TH ANNIVERSARY UK TOUR Wednesday, 16th October - London Palladium Thursday, 17th October - Cardiff Utilita Arena Saturday, 19th October - Bournemouth International Centre Monday, 21st October- Southend Cliffs Pavilion Tuesday, 22nd October - Nottingham Royal Concert Hall Wednesday 23rd October - Bristol Beacon Thursday, 24th October - Brighton Centre Saturday, 26th October- Birmingham Utilita Arena Monday, 28th October - Liverpool Philharmonic Tuesday, 29th October - Manchester Bridgewater Hall

The Charlatans and lead singer Tim Burgess today revealed their upcoming 11 date UK tour - November and December 2023 - will be a non-stop jukebox of back catalogue hits plus some rarely played album tracks. And its likely to change every night, he explains in this exclusive chat with Graham Walker.In Glasgow they plan to play in its entirety their second album, 1992's Between 10th and 11th - which includes singles Weirdo, Tremelo Song and I Don't Want to See the Sights.Six years on since their 13th studio album, Different Days, Tim also promises fans they will be releasing more in the future but explained why they have yet to make a real start.The Only One I Know hitmakers will perform Yorkshire dates at Sheffield Octagon - moved from the O2 Academy - on Tue Nov 28, and then Leeds O2 Academy, Sun Dec 3. They also play Newcastle, Glasgow, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, London, Wolverhampton and Nottingham. Full dates and links with this post on our web sites.BUY TICKETS: Full dates, details and tickets via www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

Brit pop legend Rick Witter today told Shed Seven fans to "buckle up" as he revealed huge celebrations are being planned to mark the band's 30th anniversary.The Going For Gold and Chasing Rainbows hitmakers will release their first album in more than six years with A Matter of Time on January 5, 2024, via Cooking Vinyl – pre-order and get bundles at store.shedseven.com and shedsevenn.lnk.to/AMOT.And big plans are underway for live shows including Yorkshire homecoming gigs.But first, this month (Oct 2023), they play Cardiff, The Tramshed ( October 19th), London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (20th), Nottingham, Rock City (21st SOLD OUT), Stoke-on-Trent, Victoria Hall (23rd), Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall (24th), Glasgow, The Barrowland Ballroom (26th SOLD OUT), Middlesbrough, Town Hall (27th), Manchester, Albert Hall (28th SOLD OUT).BUY TICKETS: Get tickets, subject to availability, direct from the venues - click links above - or visit www.gigsandtours.com or www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

Big beat techno music icon Ed Simons of The Chemical Brothers has revealed the duo are driven by delivering memorable live shows.And the out-of-this-world laser, lighting and animation visuals are thanks to Doctor Who film-maker Adam Smith and Marcus Lyall.Adam, who directed eleventh Doctor Matt Smith, has worked with electronic dance music pioneers Ed and Tom Rowlands to turn their tracks into immersive visual experiences since they started out almost three decades ago.In an exclusive chat - listen to full interview with Graham Walker here - Ed paid tribute to their long term collaborators, who have been a key part of their success, as they head out on a six date 2023 autumn UK tour to promote tenth album For That Beautiful Feeling.BUY TICKETS: The Chemical Brothers play OVO Hydro, Glasgow (October 26), AO Arena, Manchester (27), First Direct Arena, Leeds (28), 3Arena, Dublin (November 1), Utilita Arena, Birmingham (3) and The O2, London (4). Tickets from ticketmaster.co.uk, gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.ie (Dublin only).

Wartime Friends - now out in hardback and in paperback from April 28, 2022 - is a tale of unbreakable bonds in times of strife, by bestselling author Margaret Dickinson, the so-called Queen Of Saga. Its release is poignant, written during lockdown, when we were unable to see friends, it deals with lifelong bonds forged during the backdrop of war - not the ongoing Russia invasion of Ukraine, but World War II. The Sunday Times top ten selling author and her fans are familiar with the theme, most of her 38 books - the past 29, including latest novel with publisher Pan MacMillan - are set during the First and Second World Wars, featuring strong, female characters. Here in an exclusive chat with Graham Walker, the 79-year-old gives details about the book, what inspires her stories, her book-a-year writing process and gives advice to aspiring new authors. Margaret tells why she would never write about the Ukraine war - or in deed the miner's strike. And she reveals the name of her landmark forthcoming 30th book with Pan MacMillan and her books she would love to see turned into a TV series. Wartime Friends: Price: £7.99 Binding: Paperback Publication Date: April 28, 2022 Format: B Format (197 x 130) Extent: 496 ISBN 13: 9781529077926 Out now in hardback: Buy in all formats and find out more at https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/margaret-dickinson/wartime-friends/9781529077919

JAZZ pop sensation Rebecca Ferguson, ahead of a comeback album and tour, has revealed she was feeling bruised by the industry and disheartened but has fallen in love with music all over again - thanks to Chic legend Nile Rodgers. Listen to the full interview with Graham Walker,For tour dates visit https://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/rebecca-ferguson

A NEW festive lights spectacular boasting more than a million bulbs will feature singing trees, a scented fire garden, lasers and a 'Cathedral of Light'. Creative producer Zoe Bottrell has given us an exclusive step by step guide as to what visitors can expect when the dazzling spectacle opens for the first time in the grounds of the National Trust's Belton House, a grade one listed country house, from November 28 to December 30.