Leeds

BBC looking for people from Yorkshire to test their music knowledge and win £10,000

This is music to our ears.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 11th December 2025

Consider yourself a music fan? Spend your days with tunes on in the background? Would you be able to identify a song within the first couple of seconds?

Well, this might be your chance to win £10,000 then.

Once again, the BBC is back casting for the next series of its smash-hit competition show The Hit List, where contestants get their music knowledge put to the ultimate test, and the broadcaster is now looking for people from across Yorkshire to apply and be in with the chance of winning a massive pot of cash.

The Hit List, presented by popstar couple Marvin and Rochelle Humes, sees three pairs of music-lovers go up against each other.

Across three rounds, the contestants attempt to identify huge hits from across the years, and the three teams must prove their ability to recognise songs from across all genres of music, both artist and song title, if they want to take home the win.

 
 
 
 
 
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A casting call for the next series of The Hit List on the BBC website reads: “Could your love of music win you a £10,000 cash prize? We are looking for lively pairs of contestants to take part.”

Any one can apply to take part in the show, but producers and casting directors say they would particularly love to hear from couples, grandparent and grandchild, siblings, best mates, and parent and offspring.

“Anything goes, as long as you love your music and know your hits,” the casting call concludes.

Anyone who applies to the show must be a legal UK resident, and be available for potential filming dates in early March 2026 up in Glasgow.

Although it’s a little further for us to travel, thankfully, all travel and accommodation will be provided if your application is successful.

Fancy it then? You can find out more and stick an application in here.

    Read more: Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for live music

    Featured Image – BBC

    Leeds

    “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”: A Story of Survival at Leeds Grand Theatre

    Declan Kelly Declan Kelly

    An unflinching and empowering portrait of Tina Turner’s life.

    Bringing the life of the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll to the stage, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical arrives at the Leeds Grand Theatre with an energy that is both electrifying and deeply affecting. More than just a celebration of Tina Turner’s iconic career, this production offers a powerful portrayal of the hardship she endured and the extraordinary strength it took to overcome it.

    While the musical is packed with well-known hits, it is the story behind them that leaves the greatest impact. From her early years to her rise to global stardom, the production lays bare the reality of Tina’s life, particularly the abuse and control she experienced at the hands of Ike.

    These moments are handled with care but never softened, forcing the audience to confront the emotional and physical toll of her journey. It is this honesty that gives the show its real power this is not just a story of success, but one of survival.

    Image: Supplied

    A standout element of the production is the use of a younger Tina to show the early stages of her life and career. These scenes reveal her vulnerability, ambition, and the experiences that shaped her resilience, giving crucial context to her struggles with Ike and making her eventual empowerment all the more powerful. From hopeful, constrained performer to fiercely independent icon, her journey feels earned and deeply moving.

    At the heart of the show is Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi, whose portrayal of Tina is nothing short of extraordinary. She captures every facet of the performer from vulnerability to fierce determination allowing the audience to fully experience Tina’s lowest moments as well as her eventual rise.

    Image: Supplied

    Opposite her, David King-Yombo delivers a chilling performance as Ike, embodying the manipulation and control that defined their relationship. Their dynamic is deeply uncomfortable at times, but essential in highlighting the magnitude of Tina’s resilience.

    Equally striking is the musical’s staging and visual storytelling, which mirrors Tina’s emotional journey. Intimate early-life moments and larger-than-life concert sequences are enhanced with lighting, set design, and choreography.

    Iconic numbers such as “Disco Inferno,” “Proud Mary,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” and “Private Dancer” are brought to life with golden disco balls and soaring spotlights, celebrating her rise while reflecting her transformation from oppression to empowerment. These moments are met with overwhelming audience enthusiasm, making Tina’s struggles and triumphs feel immediate, immersive, and unforgettable.

    Image: Supplied

    The only area that felt slightly less polished was the stage combat. While the physical tension between Tina and Ike was effective in conveying conflict and control, some of the choreography occasionally felt a little uneven, which momentarily pulled focus from the emotional intensity of those scenes. Even so, these moments were brief and did little to diminish the overall impact of the production. 

    By the final moments of the production, Tina prepares once more to take the stage, the narrative comes full circle the show ends the same way it began, with Tina getting ready for her gig. This framing is both thoughtful and powerful, giving the audience a moment to reflect on and celebrate the journey they have just witnessed.

    Having experienced her struggles, triumphs, and transformation, the audience is invited to share in the exhilaration of her performance, turning the theatre into a concert-like celebration of resilience, empowerment, and music. As Tina herself, who worked on the production before her passing in 2023, described on opening night, the show is “poison turned into medicine.”

    Ultimately, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical is a story of empowerment forged through adversity. For audiences at the Leeds Grand Theatre, this is more than a night at the theatre; it is an emotional, inspiring, and unforgettable tribute to a woman who refused to be defined by her past.

    Running until 4 April. Tickets available now here.

    Featured image - Supplied

    Leeds

    Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London

    Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

    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:

    1. London
    2. Leeds
    3. Nottingham
    4. Edinburgh
    5. Wolverhampton / Leicester
    6. Sheffield
    7. Birmingham / Glasgow
    8. Bradford / Swansea
    9. Preston
    10. 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.

    Read more:

    Featured image - The Hoot Leeds


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