Here’s everything you need to know about Amanda’s new ‘SoHa’ neighbourhood Homes & Property | Where to live It’s no fun to be the punchline of a joke, but that was the suspicion at news that the spin off to wincingly accurate mum-com Motherland was migrating from Chiswick to ‘South Harlesden’ Co-created by Sharon Horgan and Holly Walsh, Amandaland (on BBC iPlayer now) sees Lucy Punch’s egotistical alpha mum come down in the world post-divorce — gamely styling out her move to vibrant ‘SoHa’ As anyone who lives in this sprawling Victorian neighbourhood — divided by the unlovely A404 — will tell you A quick skim of filming locations reveals Amandaland was shot in the more upmarket Islington One excited Islington resident posted on Threads: ‘The production designers have decided to make our street very run down Amanda has obviously fallen on hard times.’ ‘Is that Joanna Lumley hiding behind a camper van Then: ‘I just read that Amandaland is meant to be set in South Harlesden so am now deeply offended they are using our streets.’ Even if Amanda’s ag-ag mum Felicity played by Lumley, and punchbag friend Anne (Philippa Dunne) never made it to Harlesden High Street the local WhatsApp groups have been blowing up — just happy the area’s getting any mention that’s not about violent crime or drugs One local estate agent snorted with laughter when I called about Harlesden’s selling points — then put me on hold and cut me off which has three decades experience and a presence on Manor Park Road “Some of Harlesden hasn’t changed or gentrified but it is moving I’ve sold a good few flats to young professionals mixed community in Zone 3 with good transport connections You can still get a three-bed Edwardian on a nice street that needs a bit of work for £630,000.” Jooste advises Amanda to consider the prime roads Longstone Avenue although she’s said to be living in a flat which range from £350,000 to £500,000 for larger ones on Minet Avenue or Fairlight Avenue “People still want traditional Edwardian and there’s a good spread of investment properties and large well-built family homes with high ceilings and beautiful features,” adds Jooste Local celeb Louis Theroux lived on Harlesden Gardens before shifting to Queen’s Park but was often seen in the area’s chief selling point Roundwood Park and Samantha Spiro have been spotted walking their dogs a wooden chalet-style café and gardening project It’s prime bumps and babies territory — although Amanda’s teens Manus and Georgie might prefer hanging out at the adjoining skate park For down-scaling divorcees or up-scaling North Londoners Jooste recommends the Old Oak Common Conservation area “It’s a little triangle of small but quaint cottages often with extensions that go for £620,000 to £650,000 right next to a transport hub,” he said and Pulp’s Common People videos were shot there and the tightknit community pools filming fees to fund day trips and civic improvements A nexus of Overground lines, plus the Bakerloo, mean Amanda may need double glazing against the noise from Willesden Junction — or the never-ending HS2 works But sometime after 2029, she’ll be one of the few to benefit from a super-fast connection to Birmingham — or more handily a hook up with the Lizzie Line Amanda might have to consider paying or praying The series blurb says Manus and Georgie are now teens and Amanda is ‘dealing with modern motherhood horrors like teenage drinking If they’re too old for Outstanding St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School she might collect enough points from weekly worship to get into Outstanding Twyford C of E Secondary in Acton is choc-full of the offspring of famous broadcasters Why I live in Harlesden: George the Poet on his lifelong love affair with his north-west London neighbourhood Heathrow expansion branded 'criminal' as fourth-generation Sipson villagers fear homes will be destroyed Brent has a famously diverse community where 149 languages are spoken and if Amanda wants to entertain her new neighbour Mal on her reduced budget she should head to High Street grocery store Way 2 Save an Aladdin’s cave of international ingredients at a fraction of the prices in Chiswick Waitrose As Amanda builds her lifestyle influencer brand, she could get inspo at Nilly Flowers in Park Parade — which hosts a Sri Lankan supper club on Fridays, or from the makers markets in Standard Road, Park Royal, where she can slip into the speak-easy style Standard Bar afterwards for a craft gin For meet ups with new friends Della and Fi she can swap her Gail’s reward card for brunches and post school Pizza at Rubio on Park Parade while ditching the yoga mat to hang out at Elmwood Lawn Tennis Club off Wrottesley Road where the bar runs regular Friday knees up s for parents letting their hair down while the kids run amok A short spin will bring her to Chamberlayne Road with independent cinema The Lexi, and a string of decent pubs in The Chamberlayne College Road with its Italian deli L’Angolo and pub The Island is also Kensal Rise territory but café bar Morty & Bobs would bring Amanda neatly back full circle It was once the much-lamented Gracelands Café where the Motherland pilot was shot back in 2016 Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Dom Joly is Leading Britain's Conversation The Conservative Party leader also said the UK’s net zero plans could lead to domestic blackouts Widespread power cuts brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill on Monday as traffic lights switched off and people were left unable to access cash machines Spanish power distributors said on Tuesday morning that more than 99% of power has been recovered Mrs Badenoch said she had heard “different theories” about what happened but the more likely issue is the grid – that when you have an electricity supply that’s reliant on renewables what we’re seeing is renewables running ahead of the storage facilities which means that when you have surges one way or another Read more: Multiple arrests after man shot inside home in east London Read more: Mystery of Britain’s unexplained power outages hours before Spain and Portugal blackout “And this is one of the reasons why I’ve been saying that the net zero plans we have are not thought through “That we’re rushing ahead without having the right infrastructure in place and actually doing things that could end up bankrupting the country or creating blackouts.” She scrapped her party’s commitment to net zero by 2050 in a U-turn last month A No 10 spokesman said it is too early to confirm the cause of the incident and defended the Government’s energy transition plans “In terms of the claims of reliance on net zero energy leaving countries affected vulnerable to power cuts Switching to clean energy offers security and a supply of electricity that fossil fuels cannot provide “We’ve empowered the national energy system operator to carry out resilience functions across electricity and gas systems and we’ll continue to work with industry and regulators to improve and maintain the resilience of old new and future energy infrastructure,” he said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband warned earlier not to “jump to conclusions about what happened” and said he had been in touch with the UK’s National Energy System Operator (Neso) after the outages in Spain and Portugal “We were not affected by them as a country This is something that Neso takes incredibly seriously that my department takes incredibly seriously we shouldn’t jump to conclusions about what happened Let’s see what happened and the reasons for it and then let’s learn the lessons,” he said in the Commons The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News that the UK has a “continued approach” to “resilience” and “security issues” as part of wider security reviews across the country how we deal with both resilience and also different kinds of challenges and threats “Some of which can be the traditional security challenges some of which can be the kinds of resilience – things that we’re talking about in Spain and Portugal – and we obviously support them and the governments there in the work that they’re doing.” The blackout saw train passengers stranded and millions of people left without phone and internet access The Portuguese National Cybersecurity Centre said in a statement there was no indication that it was caused by a cyberattack It comes just weeks after Heathrow Airport was forced to halt operations for most of a day after a power outage caused by a substation fire The airport was closed to all flights until around 6pm on March 21 which disrupted more than 270,000 air passenger journeys Mr Miliband said at the time that the Government will “have to look hard” at “resilience” for major institutions such as Heathrow ‘Row’ as BBC comedy brings a bit of Brent to the leafy streets of Islington Friday, 14th February — By Isabel Loubser Scenes for Amandaland being filmed in Ferntower Road RESIDENTS of a leafy Highbury street have spoken out about the “row” caused as filming crews made their road “look more downmarket” for a BBC series. Neighbours in Ferntower Road – where houses can cost up to £2million – described how film crews had placed rubbish and an upended shopping trolley on the pavement to give the street a rather grittier appearance, with some rumoured to be outraged that their road would be portrayed in such a way. The transformation came as crews arrived to film Amandaland, a spin-off of hit show Motherland. The series sees post-divorce Amanda, played by Lucy Punch, forced to move from upmarket Chiswick to South Harlesden, which she considers rather a downgrade. While Amanda tries to reimagine the area, dubbing it “SoHa”, her mother Felicity, played by Joanna Lumley, is far from enamoured by her daughter’s new location, saying that it “smells of buses”. Harry Wallop, who lives on the street, said that the anger spoke to “huge levels of postcode snobbery in London”. He told the Tribune: “I think it does underline the fact that people in N5 are quite postcode proud. I suppose this bit of Islington, East Highbury, has always seen itself as slightly poor relations to the posh bit of Highbury, as in Highbury Barn, Highbury Fields.” Mr Wallop, a journalist who wrote about the transformation in the Daily Mail on Saturday, added: “We now, for the last couple of years, with the swanky restaurants at the end of the road, with the general gentrification, quite like the fact that we are going up in the world, and here is Amandaland coming along dragging us down.” But Laura Caine, who operates a dog-grooming business out of the house a few doors down from where filming took place, said that any irritation was misplaced. Writer Harry Wallop has written about ‘postcode snobbery’ She said: “It’s a series, who cares. It was part of the storyline. It’s not like they’re saying Ferntower Road is grotty, they’ve made it up to be a completely different area. People should get over themselves, it’s really not that big of a deal.” Another resident added: “If you’re filming, you’re trying to portray a story. The thing is based in Harlesden, and this does not look like Harlesden. “I think that’s the magic of TV. I don’t know why anyone is that upset about it, there were parking issues but that’s how it’s going to be.” Appearance of the road aside, other locals described how the filming process in itself was disruptive. Gervais Henri, the next-door neighbour to number 49, which was chosen as Amanda’s house, said: “I have a serious health condition and they didn’t take any of that into consideration. They left all their stuff in front of our door. All their stuff in from in front of the gate. “They worked until 10pm at night with no consideration. They stopped people from going in their houses, and people were complaining.” “I don’t think they were too happy with the noise [from the dogs]. They kept asking me to keep it down, but what can I do?”, Ms Caine added. The dog-groomer said, however, that the experience was “really cool”. “I got to meet Joanna Lumley and she was lovely”. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. ‘Crying and screaming’ heard outside church where wake being held with three victims revealed to be mourners as Met Police launches murder investigation I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A woman killed in a “truly shocking” triple shooting outside a Harlesden church has been named and revealed to be among mourners at a wake as another victim fights for his life was named by police on Monday as the woman shot dead in the “heinous act of violence” Local residents told of seeing “bodies on the ground” and hearing “crying and screaming” amid the “pandemonium” on Gifford Road in Brent head of the the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church said there was a wake going on inside the church at the time of the “evil” fatal shooting with the victims being among the mourners who had come to attend he said people began running into the building saying “there’s been a shooting as it is believed gunshots were fired at the gathering from inside a passing car Mr Larbie told MyLondon: “The whole place was surrounded by police People tended to them before the ambulance arrived “The victims were people attending the wake You are invited to attend the wake and you end up deceased “We are just praying for peace on our streets and people should not be afraid The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene at around 9.15pm but the force said they are confident the victim is Ms Sadio both aged in their 30s were also injured in the attack One is in hospital in a critical condition while the second man’s injuries are not thought to be life threatening said they heard “crying and screaming” as people ran out of the church to tend to the victims The neighbour said: “We heard the shooting sound and we thought it was fireworks we didn’t expect there would be a gun here they were at a wake and they saw the bodies on the ground.” Another resident of Gifford Road said: “My daughter came though the door 10 minutes before it happened then I heard my neighbour screaming and I realised there was a shooting “I’ve lived here since 2008 and I’ve never heard anything like this before.” A resident of Creukhorne Road said they heard five gun shots in a row on Saturday night Seven officers and a team from the Met’s forensic services crime scene investigation unit were at the scene on Sunday There have been no arrests and the investigation into the fatal shooting continues Superintendent Tony Josephs, from the North West Command Unit, which covers Brent, said: “This is a truly shocking incident that has left a woman dead and two others injured, and I understand the concern this will cause the local community and those across London. “I want to reassure people that a team of experienced detectives are already working at pace to piece together the events of last night and identify whoever was responsible for this heinous act of violence. “If you were in or around Gifford Road at the time of the shooting, or have any information about who was responsible, please get in contact with us. A family has been left devastated and we need to work together to provide them with answers.” Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC, quoting CAD7137/14Dec. Information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. govt and politics"},{"score":0.836854,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/homicide"},{"score":0.697176,"label":"/law govt and politics/law enforcement"},{"score":0.663312,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/assault"},{"score":0.660283,"label":"/family and parenting/children"},{"score":0.612191,"label":"/law died after shots were fired towards mourners outside church in Harlesden Three more people have been charged with murder after a woman was killed in a drive-by shooting outside a north-west London church died after shots were fired in Harlesden at about 9pm on 14 December She was standing with mourners outside the River of Life pentecostal church after a wake sustained a gunshot wound to the back and Kadeem Francis have each been charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder the Metropolitan police confirmed on Saturday Salem and Sutherland were remanded in custody after appearing at Willesden magistrates court on Friday and will attend a hearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday Allen-Thomas is due to appear at Willesden magistrates court appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday charged with murder two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life Three other people were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the incident and have been bailed pending further inquiries The wake was being held for 80-year-old Dianne Boatong who had died nine days earlier At about 5pm a group of young people arrived and congregated in the area outside the church having been denied entry as some were drinking and smoking a dark-coloured Kia pulled up and shots were fired into the crowd before the vehicle drove away Children as young as five were said to be among the crowd when the shooting happened DCI Phil Clarke said: “This investigation is progressing at pace and we are very grateful to the local community for their continued support in our endeavours to charge those responsible for Michelle’s murder “We would like to thank members of the public for sharing CCTV footage with us which has proved to be vital evidence and extremely helpful to the investigation.” Police were called to Gifford Road at around 9.15pm on Saturday after reports of gunfire News | London Police have named a woman killed in a triple shooting outside a church in northwest London died and two men in their 30s were injured One of the men is in a critical condition in hospital Residents described scenes of “pandemonium” after the attack in Gifford Road, Harlesden, at around 9.15pm on Saturday Police officers and London Ambulance Service crews rushed to the scene and found Ms Sadio from the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church said there was a wake going on inside the church when the attack happened He told MyLondon people began running into the building saying “there’s been a shooting “It turns out three people have been hit by a drive-by shooting,” he said The victims were people attending the wake “We are just praying for peace on our streets The area remained cordoned off on Sunday as forensics teams work to gather evidence A neighbour who lives nearby said people had been at a wake in a nearby church they were at a wake and they saw the bodies on the ground said they heard five gun shots in a row on Saturday night Superintendent Tony Josephs of the North West Command Unit described the incident as a "truly shocking act of violence" and urged anyone with information to come forward Plans to charge Blue Badge owners for parking labelled 'cruel' Why is London suddenly full of homicidal cyclists David Tennant forced off stage for second time amid more Macbeth West End show chaos From snacking to scrolling: bad sleep habits keeping you awake He said: “This is a truly shocking incident that has left a woman dead and two others injured and I understand the concern this will cause the local community and those across London “I want to reassure people that a team of experienced detectives are already working at pace to piece together the events of last night and identify whoever was responsible for this heinous act of violence “If you were in or around Gifford Close at the time of the shooting or have any information about who was responsible and we need to work together to provide them with answers.” Brent East PM Dawn Butler said she was “devastated to learn of the murder” adding: “I continue to work closely with the local police service businesses and residents to ensure that the local communities concerns are heard Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or contact them via X (formerly Twitter) @MetCC, quoting CAD7137/14Dec. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 was caught in middle of drive-by shooting outside wake for family friend which also left two others injured News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice The mother-of-two killed in a triple shooting outside a church in northwest London had been attending a wake for an 80-year-old family friend Michelle Sadio, 46, was killed and two men in their 30s, one of them critically, in the shooting in Gifford Road, Harlesden Ms Sadio is thought to have been an innocent bystander who had been attending a wake, with friends raising fears the shooting could be connected to gang turf wars in the area. One told the Daily Mail that Ms Sadio had been at a ceremony to celebrate the life of Dinah Boateng and said shots were fired indiscriminately in the drive-by shooting behind attack at US school that left teacher and another teenager dead killed in northwest London drive-by shooting arrested over fatal shooting of ‘entire family’ in US Sara Sharif's father and stepmother face life in prison for 'evil' killing of girl “We think one of the gangs targeted the event as people spilled out the church about 45-minutes before it was due to end,” the friend said Perhaps it was mistaken identity or they just wanted to target someone at random on their rivals turf and saw a large crowd “There’s been a lot of incidents between the Church Road gang and the Stonebridge gang Things have been hotting up between them again recently “We don’t know for sure what happened but the nine night ceremony didn’t have any troublemakers present at all.” had tragically stepped outside for a breather from the wake because the music was quite loud before being caught in the shooting “There was not many people were from Harlesden Most had come far and wide to pay tribute to ‘Aunty’ Dinah,” they said “That something so horrific could happen at an event dedicated to her memory is shocking and repulsive.” from the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church where the wake was taking place told of the panic as people realised there were shots being fired outside He told MyLondon: “The whole place was surrounded by police Detectives are continuing their enquiries and no arrests have been made Met Superintendent Tony Josephs described the incident as a "truly shocking act of violence" and urged anyone with information to come forward and I understand the concern this will cause the local community and those across London.” Brent East PM Dawn Butler said she was “devastated to learn of the murder” businesses and residents to ensure that the local communities' concerns are heard Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or contact them via X (formerly Twitter) @MetCC Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 was standing among mourners outside a wake Three more men have been charged with murder after a woman was killed in a drive-by shooting outside a north west London church Shots were fired killing 44-year-old Michelle Sadio who was standing among mourners outside the River of Life Pentecostal Church after a wake in Harlesden at about 9pm on December 14 suffered a gunshot wound to the back and Kadeem Francis Perry Allen-Thomas, 26, Amir Salem, 18, Shaquille Sutherland, 24, all from Wembley, are accused of murdering Ms Sadio and two counts of attempted murder, the Metropolitan Police said on Saturday Seven arrests as thousands join pro-Palestine rally in Westminster - LIVE Director Claire van Kampen dies aged 71 on birthday of her husband Mark Rylance Protesters warned to disperse or face arrest after breaking police line on march More than 10,000 millionaires have left Britain Salem, of Barnhill Road, and Sutherland, of Havenwood, were remanded into custody after appearing at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Friday, and will attend a hearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Saturday afternoon a wake was being held for 80-year-old Dianne Boatong who had died nine days earlier Children as young as five years old were said to be among the crowd when the shooting happened Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke said: “This investigation is progressing at pace and we are very grateful to the local community for their continued support in our endeavours to charge those responsible for Michelle’s murder Anyone with information that could assist is asked to call police on 101 or independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 Sounds like Harlesden was initially screened on 6th March 2020 before the uncanny paradigm shift of the COVID-19 pandemic It is an audio-visual essay made from a collaboration with my Pesolife Art collective peers Mars Meddo and Kaye Orbit and Rajinder Dudrah who is a Professor of Cultural Studies and Creative Industries at Birmingham City University This project encouraged me to explore many questions related to soundscapes and the visual depictions of a neighbourhood that holds a special place in my heart Harlesden was the place I hated to go with my mother as she would stop and talk to scores of people she knew from its richly diverse community Such as the Dominican and Ghanaian aunties and uncles from church and the Irish and Afghan elder residents she checked in on locally Rastafari men would bow to her in the streets and commenting on my strength to carry heavy shopping bags Like the children of many other migrant populations the sounds of blue plastic bags rubbing together still irritate me at times The essential idea for the project was to collect enough soundscape recordings so that my peers Mars Meddo and Kaye Orbit could utilise them in the curation of their essay beat productions which were made in response to my photographs and interviews All of the audio-visual essay’s beats were produced edited and mastered by Mars Meddo & Kaye Orbit Utilising the raw recordings from my Dictaphone with 808 drums and electronic synthesizers Scoring the locale as they saw it to be thematically suitable to our endeavours Once we had collected a substantive amount of audio-visual materials our collaborative curation and editing processes were supported by Rajinder’s insights and advice which were pivotal in shaping our creative approaches I found that when I was shooting and recording for the project many people would often stop me to ask "what I was doing with my camera?" They would also ask me if what I was doing Perhaps they would enquire about what exactly it was that I was recording when standing at the bus stops and not actually taking any of the buses I would occasionally respond with a question: How would you describe the way Harlesden sounds people would describe the abundance of scene-setting background noises I had tried to capture throughout the project I believe that many of the background noises we tune out in and out of in our day-to-day lives can actually be asserted as foundations of what we’ve been referring to as ‘my soundscapes’ These soundscapes are of course heavily intertwined with the music we listen to As the albums and songs we play in our kitchens and on our way to the local supermarket or shops also contribute to and potentially narrate our site-based soundscapes what happens when your phone dies and you can no longer listen to your favourite playlists What are the sounds that you’re heavily accustomed to hearing and miss in their absence Should you take a moment to pause that favourite song you’re playing what does your soundscape actually sound like And what features potentially draw you to other areas of soundscapes Sounds Like Harlesden in many sought to answer these questions through our audio-visual explorations of the area and engagements with its people I do hope that this reflection has encouraged you to explore the taken-for-granted audio-visual elements of your own local areas and conceptualised soundscapes Pesovisuals: Sounds Like Harlesden Email: geog.office@ucl.ac.uk Department of GeographyUniversity College LondonNorth-West WingGower StreetLondonWC1E 6BT Holly Walsh on Motherland spin-off Amandaland Lucy Punch, Joanna Lumley and and Philippa Dunne reprise their Motherland characters  in BBC One’s new spin-off comedy Amandaland, which launches next week with the titular character forced to move out of chichi Chiswick and into the less salubrious South Harlesden area of London. Here writer Holly Walsh below talks about the joys and challenges of creating the show What’s been the most fun part of creating this show They're just so lovely to work with and really made me laugh It goes without saying but writing jokes for incredible performers is just a joy because they elevate the scenes and find the character with you.  is a really collaborative show - and I think that's why it works - because we're surrounded by a team both in front and behind the camera who are at the top of their game Are there any characters or moments you’re particularly excited for audiences to see I'm excited to see what everyone thinks of Amanda's new boyfriend Johannes [played by Peter Serafinowicz He's a South African property developer who doesn't wear socks with his loafers I really love her refusal to accept that things aren't working out I think that's actually an admirable way to look at life Why is Amanda the perfect character to lead her own spin-off series There was always something unresolved about Amanda's story in Motherland – she was probably the character that evolved the most over the three series and we felt there was more we could explore her desperate attempts to find her calling in life - they were all rich seams fors tories Plus this is a great time for middle class women of a certain age How did you approach creating new characters and weaving them into Amanda’s story you can invent a whole host of new characters and you don't have to worry what came before Which is liberating but also quite intimidating until you know who everyone is Felicity and Anne - and then we could explore a bunch of new personalities to throw into the mix We've jumped forward a few years - so the parents are now dealing with teenagers it's underage drinking and love bites.  I also hope if you didn't like Motherland Where did you find inspiration when writing the Amandaland scripts We asked all our friends for their stories wrote down conversations we overheard in cafes and mined our own lives for embarrassin gdetails.  And a word from co-creator Sharon Horgan… How did you approach creating new characters for Amandaland It was organic and evolved out of us just sitting around thinking of who would be good foils for Amanda but also rounded characters in their own right We knew we wanted someone for Amanda to aspire to be the friend of We also thought of actors we liked and wanted to work with and they inspired some of the initial ideas Amanda’s belief in herself and her skincare regime I think the whole world of what it is to be the parent of a young teen the new characters are all very exciting to me • Amandaland launches on Wednesday February 5 on BBC One and iPlayer Gig of the day Paul Chowdhry: EnglandiaLeicester De Montfort Hall from 19:30 Coming Soon Michelle De Swarte: The AftersLiverpool Royal Court TheatreFriday 19th Sep Chortle had 173,000 unique visitors in April 2025. We are currently listing 20,981 upcoming comedy events. Website and all original content copyright © Chortle 2000 - 2025. We see you are using AdBlocker software. Chortle relies on advertisers to fund this website so it’s free for you, so we would ask that you disable it for this site. Our ads are non-intrusive and relevant. Help keep Chortle viable. An 18-year-old man has appeared at the Old Bailey accused of murdering a woman in an “indiscriminate” drive-by gang shooting outside a church The victim, Michelle Sadio, 44, was killed outside the River of Life Pentecostal Church in Harlesden, north-west London Just after 9.10pm, a dark-coloured Kia pulled up and shots were fired into the crowd before the vehicle drove away Both were taken to hospital for treatment and survived The Kia was later abandoned and set on fire in Barnhill Road in nearby Wembley Park was arrested at his home on January 9 and charged two days later with Ms Sadio’s murder He was also charged with two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing before Judge Judy Khan KC prosecutor Ben Holt told the court: “The investigation suggested this offence is the result of an ongoing gang dispute between two rival gangs.” Judge Khan noted that the alleged gang shooting appeared to involve the “indiscriminate use of a firearm” She set a plea hearing for April 2 and a provisional six-week trial for October 13  Scotland Yard said on Wednesday that a further five men were arrested at addresses in Brent and Hounslow in connection with the killing Police said the victim’s family had been updated on the developments and continue to be supported by specialist officers. 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London Have you heard of the Bridge Park Community Centre was once the biggest Black-led community enterprise in Europe and it has been credited for stopping race riots in north London in the ’80s while the Brixton riots were going on But now it’s at risk of being demolished.  Harlesden People's Community Council (HPCC) started the centre in the ’80s to empower Black people in the area. From a small garage on the estate The co-operative then took over a disused bus shelter which Brent Council helped it to buy where the co-op then built the Bridge Park Community Centre.  But it’s future is in trouble. Brent Council wants to knock down Bridge Park a hotel and new community hub in its place The council said the site had been partially derelict for 15 years and would cost too much to renovate.  campaigners say knocking down the centre would erase Black British history They are fighting for Bridge Park to be put on the National Heritage List for England The campaign wants to create the possibility for an alternative re-development which wouldn’t see the building knocked down. It also aims to honour the ‘remarkable achievements’ of Leonard Johnson who was the man who stopped a mob of rioters in the 1980s and founded the centre with the HPCC.  a HPCC member since 1981 said: ‘Demolishing Bridge Park erases a vital chapter in Black British history and undermines the community’s achievements It dismisses the hard-earned success of creating a self-run inclusive space and sets a dangerous precedent of disregarding community voices And it unashamedly omits the unbelievable sacrifice that Leonard Johnson gave his life for and he should be given a posthumous National community award ‘Councillor Butt’s claim that Bridge Park is “not fit for purpose” overlooks its potential for renovation and modernisation rather than demolition The structure represents far more than its physical form; it is a testament to community-led resilience and progress.’ it doesn’t mean that you’re losing the history – you can bring back the ambitions that people had at that time into the new space we can create those spaces and utilise them and make sure that those uses are part and parcel of the plans we develop – something that will deliver for all our communities.’ If you want to get involved, there will be a public meeting at 6pm on January 23, taking place at UCL, where the campaign to save Bridge Park will be officially launched by the HPCC. Find out more information here.  with a planning decision expected later this year London train strikes January 2025: RMT strike dates and everything you need to know.  London’s 17 best schools have been revealed by the Fairer Schools Index 2025 Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! tiktokfacebooktwitteryoutubeAbout us Contact us The ‘Share The Joy' round two recipients revealed The fund, started with £100,000 investment from Lime, has already seen a total of £22,500 disbursed to nine organisations since the fund launched in July 2024 The nine organisations listed below will each receive a share of £21,000 The next funding round will open in February 2025 with further funding rounds running throughout 2025 Recipients of funding in the second round include community groups that will enable older church goers in Tower Hamlets to cycle as well as Charedi Jewish women in Hackney as well as putting on more ‘bike buses’ for parents and kids to cycle in groups to school in Harlesden The Share The Joy Community Fund is a partnership initiative from LCC and Lime with support from LOUD Mobility It was created to award grants to projects and community groups that help encourage more people to cycle in London with a focus on improving Health and Wellbeing Accessibility & Inclusion or Skills & Connectivity Projects that support people underrepresented in cycling are also given additional priority Senior Public Affairs Manager for Lime said: “Lime is extremely proud to have started the Share The Joy fund another nine new organisations to receive funding Londoners are increasingly turning to cycling as a safe healthy and green way to get around – we want to help ensure everyone can benefit from cycling in London It’s been extremely inspiring to see and hear what previous recipients have done with their grants and we can’t wait to see what our new recipients achieve.” said: “London already Loves Cycling – cycling already represents over a third of all tube journeys daily “Millions of Londoners cycle routinely in our city But LCC is here to ensure everyone who wants to cycle can We’re so excited to help these organisations and communities move forward on their cycling journeys.” “We are overjoyed to have been awarded this grant,” said Amandine Alexandre one of the recipients of the second round funding we will be running a Friday bike bus between Willesden Green in Brent and West Hampstead in Camden and plan to start another bike bus in Harlesden in the spring “We are looking forward to giving children a joyful and energising start to their day once a week Being physically active early in the morning helps children get ready for the school day It’s also key to adults’ health and wellbeing.” said: “This support will enable us to prioritise underrepresented groups and geographically isolated or low-income communities in London fostering an inclusive cycling culture and making cycling a more accessible and equitable activity for everyone.” who provide cycle training for women and older people in Sikh community particularly in Ealing and Ilford Another recipient of Share the Joy funding Harlesden Mums Who Cycle who provide ‘bike buses’ for area parents and children to get to school in cycling groups The first round of funding was distributed earlier this year to a number of community groups/projects a Lambeth based project that run bike repair workshops and distribute bikes to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have had access to one over the summer we ran bike repair workshops and two-hour cycling lessons for kids with other organisations,” said Phil Dobson “Being able to deliver workshops to children was invaluable but also just to get them away from their phones and broaden their horizons “The funding went directly towards paying the people running sessions and new helmets so paying for them plus lights plus locks was helpful but the connections you make are invaluable” The next round of funding applications will open in February 2025 with further funding rounds planned throughout 2025 To find out more about the Share the Joy Fund, head over the page on our website LCC is highly effective because it's supported by more than 12,000 members If you cycle in London please consider joining today You'll be supporting our work and you'll get a huge range of benefits Charity website design by Studio Republic Her Majesty The Queen toured the Asian Women’s Resource Centre (AWRC) in Harlesden marking the 45th anniversary of the Harlesden-based charity’s exceptional service of providing crucial support to Black Minority and Ethnic (BME) women affected by domestic abuse and harmful practice The visit from The Queen not only served to mark the charity’s special anniversary but also shone a spotlight on the pressing issue of domestic abuse within all communities The AWRC has served as a lifeline to BME women across London since the late 1970’s using their understanding of women’s issues to provide practical and emotional support to ensure that women are able to make informed choices about their future AWRC’s services include the professional advocacy advice and information to survivors and  support to help women to secure safe housing and access to interpreters and signpost to counselling and legal advice The Queen met with dedicated AWRC members of staff listening intently to their powerful and moving stories of resilience and courage in the face of adversity Her Majesty also officially inaugurated AWRC’s newly developed Healing Garden The Healing Garden is designed to serve as a tranquil refuge for the women and children the AWRC helps to support fostering a safe space for healing and rebuilding lives after experiencing the trauma of domestic abuse “This visit is a momentous occasion for AWRC and a profound recognition of the challenges faced by BME women affected by domestic violence,” explained Sarbjit Ganger “Her Majesty’s empathy and commitment to social justice resonates deeply with AWRC’s mission and we are immensely grateful for her support.” “We are proud of the impact that AWRC has had over the past 45 years We are dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic abuse and ensuring that every woman can live a life free from fear and violence Our urgent need for donations and continued awareness is paramount in sustaining AWRC’s work and providing life-changing support to those who need it most.” the AWRC is a specialist women’s organisation offering independent ‘by and for’ needs-led support services to Black Minority and Ethnic (BME) women and girls experiencing abuse across London our mission of tackling violence against women and girls and challenging systemic discrimination and patriarchal violence is propelled by our commitment to intersectional feminism and values deeply rooted in empowering BME women AWRC provides holistic wraparound support services in the following languages: Arabic AWRC has open-door policy to all women in need For more information about the Asian Women’s Resource Centre and its work, please visit www.awrc.org.uk Sign up to get LondonDaily.News delivered to your inbox Michelle Sadio’s husband Jean-Marie said he is ‘in shock’ Detectives investigating the murder of a much-loved woman outside a north west London church during a wake released CCTV of a getaway car used in the triple drive-by shooting Michelle Sadio, 44 - described as a “brilliant” mother - was gunned down by the occupants of a black Kia on Gifford Road, Harlesden at about 9.15pm on Saturday The vehicle, with distinctive alloys, was driven two miles to Barnhill Road, Wembley where it was then abandoned and set alight, the Metropolitan Police said were also injured in the incident outside River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church Waspi women criticise ‘bizarre and unjustified’ ruling out of compensation Sara Sharif’s father and stepmother jailed for life for ‘torture’ and murder Jury retires in trial of student accused of Bournemouth beach murder Police chiefs claim cuts ‘inevitable’ in face of £1.3 billion funding gap One is in hospital in a critical condition while the second man’s injuries are non-life-threatening said: “While we are making significant progress in our investigation we continue to appeal for anyone who witnessed this incident and particularly anyone who has information about the black Kia to please get in touch “The black Kia Niro was distinctive as it was a hybrid electric vehicle with unique alloys “Thank you to those who have already come forward “My team is working tirelessly to piece together the events that took place on Saturday evening and to provide Michelle’s family with the answers they need.” Mrs Sadio and others were standing outside the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church following a wake attended by 120 people Officers and London Ambulance Service paramedics attended the scene The victim’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers Her husband Jean-Marie added: “I am in shock I had to tell my children that this tragedy has taken their mother away.” A friend of Ms Sadio told The Sun: “She was a light in all of our lives “She adored her children and worked hard to give them a happy life.” There have been no arrests at this stage and enquiries into the circumstances continue told reporters they heard “crying and screaming” as people ran out of the church to tend to the victims Fatal shootings in London are relatively rare So far this year there have been 103 homicides of which 11 were shootings – a similar proportion to the two previous years down 14.8 per cent on the previous 12 months Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 A North London council has called on the government to make urgent changes to gambling laws in order to protect the most vulnerable residents It comes following the approval of another adult gaming centre in Harlesden meaning the area – dubbed the ‘Las Vegas of Britain’ – will have seven gambling sites within a 600-metre stretch Brent Council had previously refused two applications at the same site – a vandalised vacant betting office on Park Parade – on the basis there was already the maximum number of that type of venue locally that their policies would allow the closure of a nearby pawnbroker meant the 3 per cent threshold wouldn’t be exceeded and the application for a new adult gaming centre met national policy guidelines Despite members raising significant concerns about the ‘over concentration’ of casinos gaming centres and gambling outlets in Harlesden at last week’s Planning Committee meeting (October 16) the application submitted by Silvertime Amusements Ltd was approved This is due to it conforming with current local and national guidelines and a decision to refuse would ‘likely be overturned’ on appeal Senior members of Brent Council have subsequently written to the Culture Secretary urging the Government to consider a number of recommended reforms to protect the community from the harms caused by gambling The density of these sites in Harlesden specifically led some to suggest the area is turning into the Las Vegas of Britain There are six existing gambling sites in Harlesden four of which are bookies – two Ladbrokes one William Hill and one Paddy Power – as well as two adult gaming centres already run by Silvertime Amusements Ltd Deputy Leader of Brent Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources described Harlesden as an area with ‘high levels of poverty and deprivation’ and previously suggested approving the application would undermine the council’s efforts to safeguard vulnerable adults Cllr Patel says the harmful consequences of gambling are well documented and linked to a range of social and public health issues She added: “Just a stone’s throw away from Harlesden High Street is a homeless shelter, and Harlesden itself is an area that faces a variety of economic It’s time for urgent action to protect our most vulnerable residents.” The letter details six reforms that the council is asking the government to support including granting greater power to local authorities to reject applications that ‘threaten the community’s welfare and safety’; enable councils to consider local household debt levels when deciding on applications; and a ban on gambling advertising Ward councillors for Harlesden and Kensal Green said in a joint statement: “The communities we serve are experiencing firsthand the detrimental effects of unchecked gambling proliferation and we must be empowered to act decisively to protect them.” They added: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s aspiration that communities should be empowered to take back control over their own destinies and believe this is a policy area where his aspiration can be made a reality.” Silvertime Amusements Ltd could not be reached for a comment the application states that the premises would ‘broaden the evening economy’ whilst having ‘no adverse impact on retailing activity’ Harrow Online is a company registered in England and Wales advice and information to survivors and support to help women to secure safe housing A North London dessert shop’s plan to stay open until 3am on weekends has been described as ‘wholly inappropriate’ Existing issues with high crime and antisocial behaviour in the area and concerns that delivery drivers on mopeds in the early hours will disturb residents have led to opposition from local councillors Fat Cat Desserts, located on Park Parade in Harlesden has applied for a licence to remain open until 2am from Sunday to Thursday Whilst the small takeaway and delivery shop won’t be selling alcohol it needs approval from Brent Council’s licensing team to open beyond 11pm as some of the food will be served hot The shop has no seating inside for customers instead it offers desserts including cakes the company claims customers leave the premises after purchasing their food and don’t hang around The agent acting on behalf of Fat Cats Desserts said: “The premises has operated for four months without incident and feel they now have the operation at a point where they can expand the hours in a responsible way and benefit from the additional number of deliveries that tend to come in later in the evenings.” two local councillors have raised concerns due it being situated in an area of Brent that suffers from ‘antisocial behaviour and other illegal criminal behaviour’ said he ‘cannot see why a dessert shop would need to open until 2am or 3am’ He added: “The dessert shop is situated in the particular local context of antisocial behaviour and other illegal criminal behaviour all of which has been reported and discussed consistently publicly by a variety of stakeholders this new premise being granted permission to operate any time after 11pm may likely not only attract but possibly increase the aforementioned antisocial behaviour and other illegal criminal behaviour.” Deputy Leader of Brent Council Labour and Councillor for Harlesden and Kensal Green, Mili Patel, agreed that the proposed closing time ‘is excessive’. She added that, given the issues already present in the area, the application is ‘wholly inappropriate’. The council’s licensing representative has proposed reducing the opening hours until 2am on Friday and Saturday, and until 12am Sunday to Thursday. Although there is no intent to sell alcohol, they feel that business model could cause ‘public nuisance’ as it will contribute to ‘increased foot traffic and noise’. They said: “A significant concern is the lack of immediate parking availability outside the premises due to double yellow lines. As a result, delivery drivers will likely need to park in nearby residential areas, which could lead to additional congestion and disturbance to local residents, particularly in the evenings and early hours of the morning. “As such, the potential for noise and disruption during late-night hours is a factor that must be considered carefully in relation to local residents’ well-being and the broader licensing objectives.” The application will be reviewed by the council’s Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee at an upcoming meeting (February 6) where a decision on whether to grant the licence will be made. Never miss another news story, subscribe to Harrow Online for FREE! © 2025 Harrow Online Ltd (16370670). Harrow Online is a company registered in England and Wales. Michelle Sadio, 44, was killed outside the River of Life Pentecostal Church in Harlesden, north-west London. An 18-year-old man has appeared at the Old Bailey accused of murdering a woman in an “indiscriminate” drive-by gang shooting outside a church. The victim, Michelle Sadio, 44, was killed outside the River of Life Pentecostal Church in Harlesden, north-west London, on December 14. That day, a wake was being held for 80-year-old Dianne Boatong who had died nine days earlier. At about 5pm a group of young people arrived and congregated in the area outside the church, having been denied entry as some were drinking and smoking. Just after 9.10pm, a dark-coloured Kia pulled up and shots were fired into the crowd before the vehicle drove away. Ms Sadio, who had been standing with mourners, was fatally shot and died at the scene. Kenneth Amoah, 39, suffered a gunshot wound to the back and Kadeem Francis, 30, was shot in the foot. Both were taken to hospital for treatment and survived. Children as young as five years old were said to be among the crowd when the shooting happened. The Kia was later abandoned and set on fire in Barnhill Road in nearby Wembley Park, police have said. Tahjin Sommersall, 18, was arrested at his home on January 9 and charged two days later with Ms Sadio’s murder. He was also charged with two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. On Wednesday, Sommersall, from Feltham, north London, appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing before Judge Judy Khan KC. Outlining the alleged offences, prosecutor Ben Holt told the court: “The investigation suggested this offence is the result of an ongoing gang dispute between two rival gangs.” Judge Khan noted that the alleged gang shooting appeared to involve the “indiscriminate use of a firearm”. She set a plea hearing for April 2 and a provisional six-week trial for October 13. The defendant, who spoke only to confirm his identity, was remanded into custody. Meanwhile,  Scotland Yard said on Wednesday that a further five men were arrested at addresses in Brent and Hounslow in connection with the killing. The suspects, two aged 18 and the others aged 21, 24 and 33, remain in custody. Police said the victim’s family had been updated on the developments and continue to be supported by specialist officers. ’Crying and screaming’ heard by residents after what Met Police called ‘heinous act of violence’ that also left man in critical condition A murder investigation has been launched after a woman was killed and a man was left in a critical condition following a triple shooting in north-west London Describing the incident as a “heinous act of violence”, the Metropolitan Police said officers were called at around 9.15pm on Saturday night to Gifford Road in Brent. Local residents described seeing “bodies on the ground” and hearing “a lot of crying and screaming” amid the “pandemonium”. A woman, believed to be in her 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men, both in their 30s were also injured. One is in hospital in a critical condition while the second man’s injuries are non-life threatening. A neighbour, who lives on Gifford Road, said people had been at a wake in a nearby church at the time of the fatal shooting. “People came out of the church, they were at a wake and they saw the bodies on the ground,” they said. “I heard a lot of crying and screaming.” Another local resident, who also did not wish to be named, said he was inside the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church on Gifford Road, which is behind the police cordon, on Saturday night, when someone came into the church to say there had been a shooting. He described the scene outside as “pandemonium”. A different resident of Gifford Road said: “My daughter came though the door 10 minutes before it happened. “My son thought there were fireworks, then I heard my neighbour screaming and I realised there was a shooting. “It’s crazy, it’s sad. It’s scary, it does not feel safe. She added the victim did not live in the area. A resident of Creukhorne Road said they heard five gun shots in a row on Saturday night. Superintendent Tony Josephs, from the North West Command Unit, which covers Brent, said: “This is a truly shocking incident and I understand the concern this will cause the local community and those across London. “If you were in or around Gifford Close at the time of the shooting, or have any information about who was responsible, please get in contact with us. A family has been left devastated and we need to work together to provide them with answers.” Seven officers and a team from the Met’s forensic services crime scene investigation unit were at the scene on Sunday morning. Road closures remained in place, with the junction of Gifford Road and Creukhorne Road cordoned off by police. No arrests have been made and inquiries continue. govt and politics"},{"score":0.832003,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/homicide"},{"score":0.755853,"label":"/law govt and politics/law enforcement"},{"score":0.642542,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/assault"},{"score":0.63844,"label":"/family and parenting/children"},{"score":0.61689,"label":"/law