Astonishingly, at 22:15, we still don’t have a result in the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election. They started counting second preferences really late. Why did it take so long to count first preferences? Apparently, they haven’t said. 🤷 #GreaterManchesterMayor www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...

Manchester mayor by-election: Labour and Reform UK candidates face off in second round of vote

The contest was triggered when now-Prime Minister Andy Burnham stood down from the role following his election as an MP last month.

bbc.co.uk

For 73 years, the answer to the question ‘which song has spent the most weeks as UK #1?’ has been I Believe by Frankie Laine. 18 non-consecutive weeks in 3 runs at the top in 1953, starting when the official singles chart was barely 5 months old. Today, that changes. 1/ #OfficialChart

Another astonishing & infuriating example of BBC ‘balance’ just now, as #JeremyVine discusses water shortages with environmental expert @georgemonbiot.bsky.social & a know-nothing ‘celebrity’. Balance is not between experts & the uninformed. I’ve cracked and offered my services to #BBCRadio2.

It’s officially 30+30 Years Of Hurt, as of today. I apparently watched the 1966 World Cup final, but as I was 2 months and 24 days old, my recollection of it is a little hazy. #WorldCupFinal #WorldCup1966 #1966AndAllThat #England1966 www.theguardian.com/football/202...

England’s 1966 World Cup heroes were fun, humble and unlike today’s stars

After securing the trophy 60 years ago, some still supplemented their income by performing in working men’s clubs and as after dinner speakers

theguardian.com

I’d like to complain in the strongest possible terms about Michael Sheen’s guest hosting tonight of #TheFolkShow on #BBCRadio2; one hour simply wasn’t long enough! #Radio2 #MichaelSheen #FolkShow #IsThereNothingThisManCannotDo?

I really wasn’t expecting to be one of the FOUR people who got to ask a question on LIVE #AnyQuestions? tonight. Go to 45’10” for my FIVE WHOLE SECONDS of on-air glory as I quiz the entirely right wing & centrist panel about #Trump & #Burnham. #Radio4 #UoB #Birmingham www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Any Questions? - Saqib Bhatti MP, Lord Falconer, Baroness Fox, Polly Mackenzie - BBC Sounds

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from the University of Birmingham.

bbc.co.uk

Chig@chigworld.bsky.social · 2w ago

I always thought #AnyQuestions was recorded a bit earlier, then broadcast ‘as live’ on #Radio4, just like #QuestionTime is delayed on the telly. Imagine my surprise, turning up at 18:15 tonight to be in the #AQ? audience and finding out we’re LIVE at 20:00 after sitting waiting for 100mins! #UoB

I always thought #AnyQuestions was recorded a bit earlier, then broadcast ‘as live’ on #Radio4, just like #QuestionTime is delayed on the telly. Imagine my surprise, turning up at 18:15 tonight to be in the #AQ? audience and finding out we’re LIVE at 20:00 after sitting waiting for 100mins! #UoB

Second #OzzyDay performance for me. This is Bostin’ Brass, a brilliant group of musicians, last seen by me at Ozzy’s funeral parade on #BroadStreet, nearly a year ago. This is the last of their 5 performances across #Birmingham city centre today. #OzzyOsbourne #BostinBrass #CBSO #Brum

Chig@chigworld.bsky.social · 2w ago

Greetings from Birmingham’s first #OzzyDay. The #CBSO is performing #OzzyOsbourne and #BlackSabbath classics, here in the #BullRing. As luck would have it (for me and the ghost of #Ozzy), the orchestra is right outside the #AstonVilla shop. He would’ve appreciated that. #Birmingham #Brum

Greetings from Birmingham’s first #OzzyDay. The #CBSO is performing #OzzyOsbourne and #BlackSabbath classics, here in the #BullRing. As luck would have it (for me and the ghost of #Ozzy), the orchestra is right outside the #AstonVilla shop. He would’ve appreciated that. #Birmingham #Brum

The singer of 1979 number 31 smash hit Head Over Heels has sadly died, at 75. He was also known for his permed hair and being pretty good at football. #KevinKeegan youtu.be/a6QKT3x3ii8

Kevin Keegan - Head Over Heels In Love (1979)

YouTube video by Musikladen

youtu.be

Trying to decide today if I have; (a) been targeted and bitten by ankle-loving insects or (b) been abducted by aliens and returned to Earth overnight

“Who the hell are you? I was expecting that fellow in the running shorts and t-shirt.” #BurnhamBegins #StarmerResignation #AndyAndChuck

Our unelected #HeadOfState has now welcomed the 4th #PrimeMinister of his reign, all in reverse alphabetical order, now with a sudden acceleration; Truss, Sunak, Starmer & Burnham. Charles has been king for 3 yrs & 10 months. It took his mother 11 yrs to get to four Prime Ministers. #BurnhamBegins

If anyone wants to stage a coup or invade the UK, now is the time. For a few minutes, we have no #PrimeMinister and our unelected Head Of State is busy, preparing for a meeting. #StarmerResignation #BurnhamBegins

We’ve strayed deep into Dawn French’s ‘royal correspondent’ territory, as #DanielaRelph tells us what #KingCharles is currently thinking, and then informs us we’re seeing the ONLY photo that will be issued of Keir & Charles, shortly before the palace issues a second one. #StarmerResignation #BBCNews

After watching (I think) 99 of the 104 #WorldCup matches; here are some of my random highlights: 🎤Madonna not ‘singing’ live and not falling over 👶🏽Keyne, half-brother of Lamine Yamal 😿Danny Murphy’s tragic cat story 🇳🇴Norwegians rowing, and the guy who wouldn’t 🇳🇴Erling Haaland doing anything 1/

⚽️🇪🇸 Now let’s watch the orange tw*t hand them the trophy. 🥇 #karma #ESPARG #WorldCupFinal #España #Spain

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4w ago

Trump: "Spain is a wasted cause. We don't want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way. I'd like to cut it off. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. Cut off all trade with Spain, please. Including visits. We don't want anything to do. They're hopeless. Bad people."

⚽️ 🇪🇸🇦🇷Well done #Spain and well done me. About 99 of 104 games watched live, most completely, a handful partially. Even with two hospital appointments during England matches! Looking forward to reestablishing a sensible sleep pattern next week. 🥱 #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #WorldCupFinal

We* won! Hurrah! *We = Europeans who despise #Trump. #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCupFinal #WorldCup2026 #España #Argentina ⚽️ 🇪🇸🇦🇷

⚽️ 🇪🇸🇦🇷 Trump’s probably gone home now, because no one told the tw*t it might be more than 90 minutes. Fingers crossed. 🤞 #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCupFinal #WorldCup2026

⚽️ 🇪🇸🇦🇷 Never has the golden goal idea been more needed. #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #WorldCupFinal

#Rooney definitely sees himself as a contender to be the BBC’s next Showbiz Correspondent. #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCupFinal #HalftimeShow #ShakiraShakira

Liam Thorp@liamthorp.bsky.social · 2w ago

Rooney: ‘I thought it was crap’ Legend

⚽️🇪🇸🇦🇷 You may or may not have been entertained by the halftime show and the v-e-r-y l-o-n-g BBC promo, but it saved us all from listening to the pundits telling us again about the pretty dull first half. Result. #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCupFinal #HalftimeShow #RomeshRanganathan #BBCPromo

Apparently, Shakira’s renounced her Colombian citizenship and she’s staying on for the second half to replace Messi. The pace should pick up a lot. #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCupFinal #Shakira #HalftimeShow

⚽️ 🇪🇸🇦🇷 Can we just declare this match as the 3rd place playoff and acknowledge that last night’s game was the final? #ESPARG #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #WorldCupFinal #España #Argentina #FRAENG #France #England

⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 This is England men’s best ever #WorldCup, apart from 1966. The first time in 3rd, after 2x 4th places. That’s the context. It’s historic. A huge achievement. Don’t let the whingers and racists pretend otherwise. #FRAENG #England #ThreeLions #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #BronzeFinal #3rdPlacePlayoff

⚽️🇫🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 My little Bukayo is more than happy with big Bukayo’s performance! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #FRAENG #BukayoSaka #FunkoPop! #England #WorldCup #WorldCup2026

⚽️🇫🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Here’s an idea for #England. Put some defensive subs on and pull all the England players back into our own half. When has that ever gone wrong? 😱😱😱😱 #FRAENG #WorldCup #WorldCup2026

#Villa players subbed on for BOTH SIDES after halftime, just to make this match even more interesting! 🦁🦁🦁🦁 #AVFC #AstonVilla #FRAENG #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #BronzeFinal #3rdPlacePlayoff

Aston Villa Statto@avfcstatto.bsky.social · 3w ago

Ollie Watkins comes on to make his 24th cap for England.  Lucas Digne comes on to make his 64th cap for France. #AVFC

June Sarpong? June Sarpong! Never in all my Sunday mornings watching T4 in bed did I imagine June Sarpong would become a life peer! Life takes strange turns sometimes… #JuneSarpong #peerages #StarmerPeerages

Naomi Smith@pimlicat.bsky.social · 3w ago

NEW: A slew of new peerages announced: www.gov.uk/government/n...