There are nights in your career that feel like work… and then there are nights that feel like you’ve somehow wandered into a moment that will quietly sit in your memory forever, occasionally tapping you on the shoulder saying, “remember this?”
Hosting the opening of The Loom in Oldham was very much the latter.
A couple of weeks ago I was asked to host the opening event of The Loom, the brand-new theatre and event space built to replace the much-loved but increasingly tired Queen Elizabeth Hall. I’ve had the privilege of performing and presenting at the QEH many times over the years, so it already holds a place in my personal timeline of “places where things happened, usually live and slightly unpredictable.”
But this was different.
This wasn’t just another night on stage. This was the first night. The opening. The ribbon-cutting, history-making, “nobody else has stood here before you” kind of moment.
And yes… I was also the very first person to step onto that stage.
No pressure then.
There’s something slightly surreal about standing in a brand-new venue knowing that every echo, every light cue, every awkward pause is happening for the very first time in that space. It’s like being handed the keys to a brand-new car and immediately being told, “Right, you’re driving it in front of everyone you’ve ever met. Don’t scratch it.”
The evening itself was absolutely fantastic. A proper Oldham occasion in the best sense of the word: full of energy, pride, and that unmistakable feeling that something important is happening in your own backyard. The room was filled with local dignitaries, familiar faces, and a healthy dose of people who clearly know exactly how to behave at an opening night (which usually involves smiling politely while trying to figure out where the bar is).
One of the standout moments for me came courtesy of the brilliant Julie Hesmondhalgh, who very kindly asked for a selfie with me… so she could show it to her mother-in-law. I’m not entirely sure what her mother-in-law was expecting to see that day, but I can only assume I exceeded it. Either way, I’ll take it. #Priceless
Moments like that are what make live events so brilliant. You can have all the planning, scripts, timings, and technical rehearsals in the world, but it’s those unexpected human exchanges that stick.
And that’s something I’ve always believed sits right at the heart of what we do at Nifty UK Radio. Whether it’s on stage, on air, or in a packed room full of people who’ve come together for a shared moment, it’s always about connection. Real voices, real stories, real people… and occasionally me trying to remember what I was about to say while smiling like I definitely meant to pause for that long.
What made this even more special is that it doesn’t stop here.
I’ve also been asked to host the Mayor’s Ball at The Loom in a few weeks’ time. And yes, I say “again” because I’ve hosted it before in its previous home at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. So in a rather lovely twist of fate, I’ll have now hosted the last ever Mayor’s Ball at the old venue and the first ever at the new one.
That’s the kind of coincidence that makes you feel like you should probably start charging rent for historical significance.
It genuinely is a privilege to do what I do. To be trusted with moments like this, in a town I care deeply about, surrounded by people who genuinely want to celebrate where they’re from… it’s not lost on me.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned through all of this, it’s that Oldham doesn’t just build venues. It builds moments. And I’m just lucky enough to be standing in the middle of them with a microphone in my hand and a very slight panic that I’ve got the timings wrong.
Long may it continue.
