Rachel Fairburn, the comedian known for her podcast All Killa No Filla, has spoken about the "real dryness to Mancunian humour" and her new character-based show Vexy Beasts. In an interview at the Frog and Bucket in Manchester, she also discussed her love of classic Coronation Street and her obsession with serial killers.
Vexy Beasts and Mancunian wit
Fairburn's new show, Vexy Beasts, is set in a hair salon in an imaginary Manchester suburb called Harpervale. The show features a rivalry between two women, which Fairburn says she loves: "I love two women who are fundamentally the same person hating each other. It's so funny."
The show's poster is partly inspired by the 1994 documentary Three Salons at the Seaside, which follows staff and customers at three Blackpool hair salons. Fairburn said, "Northerners, I think, are the funniest people. There are no two ways about it. And I think Mancunians have a very specific sense of humour, and I think a lot of that is based on taking the mick out of ourselves, and others. There's a real dryness to Mancunian humour."
All Killa No Filla and Ghostwatch
Fairburn also spoke about her podcast All Killa No Filla, which she hosts with Kiri Pritchard-McLean. The show discusses serial killers but focuses on victims and the culture surrounding the cases. Fairburn attributes her fascination with the macabre to 1990s television, including Ghostwatch and Michael Buerk's 999.
Earlier this year, she took part in a documentary about Ghostwatch, calling it the "best day of my life." The 1992 Halloween special caused widespread panic and jammed the BBC's phone lines. Fairburn recalled handling an original Radio Times from the broadcast: "I was picking it up as if it was like an ancient artifact. I was like: 'Oh my God, where did you get this?'. The woman was like: 'Oh, just off eBay. Err, you can have it if you want?'."
Partial solar eclipse and Mottram bypass
Millions of people witnessed a partial solar eclipse last night, with crowds gathering across Greater Manchester to see the event. The next day, the A57 between Manchester and Sheffield remains plagued by traffic, with the Mottram bypass construction adding to delays. The A57 Link Roads scheme aims to reduce congestion and improve journey times across the Pennines.
Oasis at Knebworth, 30 years on
It has been 30 years since Oasis played two legendary concerts at Knebworth in August 1996, performing to a quarter of a million people. The shows followed the release of their second album, (What's The Story) Morning Glory?.
