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Thursday, May 23 - Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Scunthorpe Telegraph

47

WHATS ON: TRAVEL

COMING UP

Where to get out and about this bank holiday weekend p61

Breakfast news and great views

AT on the BBC Breakfast sofa, I should be more prepared for facing the cameras and autocue staring right at me. Instead, my minds retracing a step into showbiz thats also seen me be a guest on a Question of Sport, say the words Heres one I made earlier in the Blue Peter studio and host a show on BBC 6Music. Thats not to mention my walk around the Match of the Day set and a quick sit down on the very green room sofa where Gary Lineker may well have scoffed a bag of crisps or two before hosting the show. Luckily, then, Im not going live to the nation and instead Im coming to the end of my tour of the BBC at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays, near Manchester. And, much to my relief, the sets a mock-up, a floor or two below the actual studio the only fake set visited on the special 90-minute look around the three BBC buildings at its northern HQ. With other programmes such as Mastermind and Dragons Den based here, plus seven highdefinition studios, where shows as diverse as The Voice and Jeremy Kyle have all been filmed, the tours by very knowledgeable guides, offer a real behind-the-scenes peek. This, however, was only one part of my feel like a celebrity trip to Manchester. Just 24 hours earlier I was enjoying Champagne and afternoon tea and the best views anywhere in the city at Cloud 23, a stylish bar situated on the 23rd floor of Manchesters 47-storey Beetham Tower on Deansgate. And, sandwiched between the perfect high tea and saying hi to TV and radio stars, was a night living the high life at top boutique hotel, Malmaison Manchester. As a base for my visit, and just a stones throw from the citys Piccadilly station, the Malmaison was perfectly placed as the first port of call on my Manchester adventure. Here, my spacious room was everything I expected from a Malmaison hotel, with its contemporary decor in blacks and reds, mood lighting and clean lines, along with a comfortable king-size bed, flat-screen TV , free superfast wi-fi and iPhone/iPod dock. The equally as spacious en suite came with a bath and power shower as well as generously-sized toiletries which guests are encouraged to take home. Tea and coffee-making facilities allowed me to refresh, and had I wanted to indulge, the minibar was fully stocked with

HIGH TEA: Afternoon tea at Cloud 23 nibbles, soft and alcoholic drinks, all available for a small fee. Back downstairs, the hotels Smoak restaurant continued the contemporary feel, as did the bar, which I was reassured stayed open until the last guest leaves, however, it was to the basement I headed and Le Petit Spa. As the French suggests, this facility is small, but with treatments available throughout the day, not to mention massage chairs offering a free full body massage, its perfectly formed. Stress free, I headed through the shopping havens of King Street and St Anns Square, in search of heaven or as close to it as I could reach. Stepping inside the ground floor of the Beetham Tower, the red carpet awaited, leading to a special lift to whizz me directly up to floor 23. Its hard to believe youve reached such a height so quickly, but walking out into Cloud 23 and the magnificent near-panoramic views of the city, you realise just how high you are. As the tallest residential building in the country and fourth tallest in Europe, the skyscraper is visible from 10 English counties and from the top offers views as far as Snowdonia although even at the halfway point, where Cloud 23 sits, the floor-to-ceiling windows offer spectacular scenery. I was seated next to a window overlooking the city centre, where the friendly waiter brought me a glass of Champagne, before returning with a pot of tea and a tiered stand filled with a fantastic selection of sandwiches, savory snacks, cakes and fresh scones, complete with jam and cream. After filling up on food and drink, I relaxed as I then filled up on the magnificent views. Its not surprising that famous faces, including some of the citys footballers, have been known to frequent the bar after-dark, with the big, sparkling chandeliers, mood lighting and stylish soundtrack, along with Champagne and cocktail menu, leaving nothing to the imagination of just how the venue comes to life at night. Sadly, during my visit there were no celebrities in sight, but it prepared me for the next day, and my BBC tour. Here, there was more success, as during my groups look around the 6Music studios, while we were given an explanation of what the buttons do and how presenters host their shows, we watched into the next-door studio as Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie broadcast their show live. Places can be booked on tours at set times throughout the day, so who and what you see depends on whats being recorded at the time so if you have a particular favourite show or presenter, it may be worth bearing in mind the times they broadcast when booking your place. Back on the Breakfast sofa there was just time for a quick snap of me faking it as the shows anchor, before my tour and indeed my visit to Manchester came to an end. In a trip filled with both the news and views Id certainly enjoyed being in the air even though Id not made it on the air.

Travel facts
Malmaison hotels can also be found in Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Oxford and Reading. To book, visit [Link] Afternoon tea at Cloud 23 starts at 19.95 per person or from 27.95 with a glass of Champagne. Log on to www. [Link] for more details and to book a table To book a tour around the BBC buildings at MediaCityUK or other sites around the country visit [Link]/ showsandtours/tours for availability. The Manchester tours cost 9 for adults, 8.25 concessions, 7.75 for students and 6 for children aged 9-15.

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On the Breakfast sofa there was just time for a quick snap of me faking it as the shows anchor

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