Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow MBE is set to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story later this week to mark International Day of Disabled Persons.
The 40-year-old formerrugby star turned motor neuron disease campaigner and charity hero will be reading a bedtime story on Saturday, 3 December, to celebrate the international observance so close to his heart.
Having already recorded his story, despite not being able to walk or talk anymore, Burrow used an eye-controlled computer to read the story, with a ground-breaking program able to recreate the words in his own native Yorkshire accent. Absolutely lovely.
Joined in the CBeebies studio by his wife Lindsey and two of their children, seven-year-old Maya and three-year-old Jackson, the pair helped to direct their dad from the gallery, shouting "action!" as the cameras started rolling. Heartwarming stuff, just watch:
Speaking to the BBC, Rob said he felt "excited and honoured" to be chosen for this British institution in UK television, especially as he used to enjoy reading to his own children.
He went on to insist that "reading and literacy are so important. It doesn't matter what your disability is, reading is accessible to everyone. Anyone can enjoy reading and develop a love of books and bedtime stories, just like me and my family."
The book chosen for his bedtime story is Tilda Tries Again by Tom Percival, which follows the story of a young girl who finds her world turned upside-down and has to find a new way to solve her problems, not unlike Rob's own journey in recent years.
The Leeds Rhinos legend is one of the most successful players in rugby league history, winning eight Super League championships.
Sadly, in December 2019, Burrow was diagnosed with motor neuron disease, a condition which affects the brain and nerves, causing worsening muscular weakness.
Since then, he has gone on to raise millions for the Motor Neuron Disease Association (MNDA), with hundreds of notable names rallying around him as a fundraising figure in recent years. What a legend.
Rob Burrow's Bedtime Story will air at 6.50pm on Saturday, 3 December on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
Featured Image — Cbeebies/BBC Breakfast (via Twitter)
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Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Sheffield amongst nine areas to be long listed for UK City of Culture 2029
Clementine Hall
It's big news for Sheffield as the city has officially been long listed to become the UK City of Culture in 2029.
It’s one of just nine places across the country to make the cut, alongside the likes of Blackpool, Portsmouth and Wrexham.
Winning the title could bring huge investment to Sheffield, thousands of visitors, and a massive spotlight on everything that makes our city special - and let’s be honest, Sheffield’s got plenty to shout about.
From music and film to art and grassroots creativity, culture runs right through this city, and it would be a huge achievement to receive this title.
So, what happens now? Each arena will now receive £60,000 to develop a full application with the aim to build a vibrant cultural programme by 2028.
The nine confirmed long listed locations are: Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "For far too long, opportunity has not been shared equally across the country. The UK City of Culture and new UK Town of Culture competitions recognise the enormous contributions made by communities all over the UK who are all part of the story of who we are as a nation.
"I look forward to seeing what the nine long listed places have in store as they progress in the competition. I also urge any towns thinking about entering the UK Town of Culture competition to seize this opportunity and get involved. It’s a chance to show the country what makes them unique and shine a spotlight on their cultural offer, enriching the lives of local people."
Go on Sheffield, we're rooting for you big time. We can't think of a city more worthy.