Celebcity: Great Escape Festival 2014

Corrie’s Curly, Kelis’ Great Escape, Andy Murray’s Pier love story & a tribute to Roger Lloyd Pack

Photo: copyright ITV Pictures

Curly Watts’ Return
Corrie’s Curly Watts, aka TV’s Kevin Kennedy, is planning to open up a brand new pub in Brighton! However, before the Rover’s Return shuts up its doors and the Queen Vic goes into hiding – we should tell you that this is no ordinary pub. As part of Russell Brand’s Comic Relief-supported Give It Up fund for addict support schemes, Kevin is planning to open up a dry pub in the city. The reformed drinker has paired up with ex-addict Brand to ‘create a place “that’s classy and out there in the open for people to come and get support.” Kevin explained: “It’s about visual recovery – not hiding away. I want people to go there and feel safe.”
Pic: ITV Pictures

Great Escape Festival 2014
We’re gearing up to the Great Escape Festival 2014 and last week a killer headliner was announced – hip hop princess Kelis! Boasting the most famous milkshake of them all, and driving a career which has spanned over two decades of music, Kelis Rogers (as her mother knows her) has carved a uniquely successful artistic niche for herself. The ‘Tasty’ singer, who took well-deserved time out to have a child and train as a Cordon Bleu chef (as you do…), is now set to release an album of new material called Food – her first since 2010’s brilliant Flesh Tone.

We’ll be queuing up to catch the songstress come May 10th, especially as she’s being supported by the beautiful newcomer Ella Eyre, who recently was named runner up on BBCs Sound of 2014 poll. Talking about the up-coming show Kelis said: “I’m looking forward to playing The Great Escape. It’s a great line-up and it will be fun to play out my new album come May.” Other acts playing at the festival include: Jungle, Chloe Howl, Mickey Lightfoot, Stubborn Heart and Hermitude. Make sure you grab tickets while you still can – don’t want to get ‘Caught Out There’ (see what we did there?).

The plan is certainly a novel one and we’d love to see it launch as an alternative social gathering space in the city. Good luck to all involved – ours will be a Virgin Martini!

Farewell Trigger
We were very sad to hear about the passing of comedy great Roger Lloyd Pack recently. He was a favourite as Trigger in Only Fools In Horses and we loved him in Harry Potter. A Brighton graffiti artist has paid a brilliant tribute to the star through a work on Providence Place, complete with a yellow three-wheel van and Trigger’s famous broom.

Andy Murray’s Pier romance
As Wimbledon champion Andy Murray fought his corner at the Australian Open last week we were learning about a more romantic kind of triumph– the wooing of his girlfriend Kim. Discussing his partner of eight years, Andy divulged that Brighton’s (fabulously glamorous) pier was where the romance blossomed. Over a game of air hockey (what else!?) the two kicked off their highly publicised relationship. There have been many rumours flying around that Murray is about to propose to Kim, however he’s being characteristically tight-lipped on the subject. We only hope that when he finally does it’ll be back down on the Pier for us all to see.