Hollywood A-lister Chris Pine was interviewed on Capital FM this morning about his fondmemories of studying in Leeds and attempting the Otley run.
Chris Pine is an American actor best known for his roles as Jamie T. Kirk in Star Trek, Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman and Lord Devereaux in The Princess Diaries 2.
But did you know that the star spent one year studying at the University of Leeds?
Appearing on Capital FM's breakfast show this morning with Roman Kemp, Sian Welby and Chris Stark, Pine reminisced on his days studying in Yorkshire.
Kemp kicked off the show with “It’s Capital Breakfast and this morning we are joined by probably the only Hollywood A-lister to attend Leeds university.”
Chris Pine in Don't Worry Darling. Credit: Warner Bros
“I don’t know, you’ll have to check the alumni book but I’m pretty sure that’s probably accurate” the actor admitted.
Pine explains that he studied in Leeds for one year as an exchange student, when he was just 19 years old.
Chris Stark quickly jumped in to ask Chris about the iconic Leeds student pub crawl, The Otley Run, and whether or not he'd done it as a young undergraduate.
"I don’t remember much of it but yes I have done it.”
"Do you remember what you wore?" Stark responds.
"No I don't, I remember...nothing."
Image: Esquire (via Twitter)
He admits that although the crawl consists of 18 bars, he himself has never made it to each one.
He continues to explain that although he now lives in sunny California and has done for most of his life, he in fact lived in the UK for a total of four years between the ages of 29 and 40.
“There’s so much Hollywood work over here but I have yet to go back to Leeds.
"I have all these memories. I lived on Brudenell road and I can see the market across the street and I know the walk to school and the great old cinema on the corner of Brudenell and Hyde Park. I just have these images of school there.”
Image: University of Leeds
So next time you're wondering down Brudenell Road or catching a flick at Hyde Park Picture House, just know that those hallowed halls were once home to Hollywood royalty.
And who knows, Pine might be hopping on a plane to Leeds Bradford airport after being reminded of such happier times - so make sure to keep an eye out.
The North’s favourite Mexican restaurant is arriving in Leeds.
You've met Salon Madre, but have you met her older sister Madre?
This fabulous new restaurant is bringing a taste of Mexico to Leeds, and after making a name for themselves over in Manchester you already know it's going to be good.
By day, Madre is a laid-back space designed for relaxed lunches and by night, it transforms into a lively restaurant serving a menu that celebrates the breadth of Mexican cuisine.
Expect everything from rich Oaxacan-inspired moles and salsas to Baja-style mariscos and Sonoran grilled meats.
Images: The Manc Group
At the heart of Madre is the Mexican tradition of sobremesa - the art of lingering at the table long after the meal is over. It’s all about good food, great drinks and even better company.
Madre’s famous Taco Tuesday will also be heading to Leeds, launching on Cinco de Mayo and running every Tuesday thereafter, guests can enjoy two-for-one tacos all day, every Tuesday.
Madre joins its sister venue, Salon Madre - the lively tequila bar and taqueria- which opened just a few weeks ago. Just a few minutes walk apart, the two spots are perfectly paired for a full day or night out.
We're talking dinner at Madre followed by a few margaritas and a couple games of pool at Salon Madre - class.
Images: The Manc Group
Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by extensive travels across Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve, and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of Madre.”
Madre Leeds will be located on Wellington Place and will officially open its doors next Friday 17 April, you can book your table here.
Take a look inside the huge Tulip Festival that’s just opened in Yorkshire with over one million tulips
Clementine Hall
Farmer Copley's Tulip Festival is back and it's just as beautiful as we remember.
Spring has officially sprung and with it, so does Farmer Copley's iconic Tulip Festival that officially opened last Sunday.
Based in West Yorkshire, nestled between Pontefract and Featherstone, the Copley family really know how to get you feeling ready for the season ahead.
Just moments after entering the festival, we can assure you that winter will feel like a distant memory.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Spanning over 8 acres, Jack and the team have planted over 600,00 tulip bulbs consisting of 100+ different varieties of all shapes and colours that arrived directly from the Netherlands.
In addition to the 500,000 planted last year, that means there's over one million tulips to enjoy - now that is pretty impressive if you ask us.
Varieties include Carnaval de Rio, Tom Pouce, Gavota, Lily Flowering Mix, Blushing Appledorn, Wedding Dress and Rodolfo.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The festival includes five sections that have been split by 5 metre walkways enabling the best customer interaction in the field.
There's two dedicated pick your own areas where a mix of bulbs have been planted to ensure that visitors have a wide range of tulips to explore, pick from and create the perfect bunch of tulips. How lovely is that?
Of course there's plenty of photo opportunities, fairground rides and a bar to enjoy the view with a tipple or two.
This really is the perfect family-friendly day out and with the weather looking gorgeous (for now), we'd take the opportunity to see the tulips looking their best whilst you can.
The festival is on until Sunday 3 May 2026, with tickets starting from just £9.
To find out more and to book your ticket, take a look at Farmer Copleys website. We'll see you in the tulip fields.
Clementine Hall -
29th March 2023 
