After what has been some of the most turbulent months in recent memory, full of unexpected twists and turns, this has somehow shocked us even more, but in the best way possible, because we’ve just found out that Danny Andrews – more commonly known as the “fish and a rice cake” guy, who shot to fame at 17 when he starred in a 2007 BBC Three documentary about young bodybuilders – has appeared on the latest series of First Dates, which returned to screens earlier this week.
But in case you’re still stuck in 2007 and hadn’t clocked on to who he was, he doesn’t quite look like how you probably remember him from his viral internet stardom.
While Danny may have made his name after explaining his complex daily diet of eight portions of fish and/or a rice cake in preparation for a bodybuilding competition that was just a fortnight away, the fitness fanatic and Manchester United fan – who grew up in Cumbria – now runs his own successful barber shop in Preston, where he lives quite a successful life.
And it appears that he’s looking for a partner in crime to live that successful life with after hitting up Britain’s most popular dating show, First Dates, for some help now that it’s relocated its Fred Sirieix-fronted restaurant to Manchester – The Refinery in Spinningfields, to be exact – to show more “commitment to the UK regions”.
As we’re a big fans of Danny’s iconic video here at The Manc (how could we not be?), after finding out about his appearances on not one, but two episodes of the show – the first episode of which is now streaming on All 4 ahead of its TV air next Tuesday – we just knew we couldn’t let this slip under the radar.
So we thought we’d have a quick chat with him to find out how it all went down, and see what we can expect from appearance number two.
Channel 4 / All 4
First off, you should know he hates fish.
“Funny thing is… I don’t even like fish. I hate it”, Danny is sure to insist directly to the First Dates’ cameras with a smile etched across his face.
A smile he says he has to force when somebody brings up his viral fame.
He didn’t actually apply for the show himself.
“A girl who works for me applied for me whilst we were at work,” Danny explains.
“She took a video off my Instagram and didn’t even really try, just answered [the application] questions willy nilly and thought it was funny.
“I only answered my phone [to the producers] because we were in lockdown, and that’s what sold it to me… what happened was, we got a COVID test and we had to self-isolate in the hotel, and then we could go to the restaurant and have drinks and stuff,
“And that was how it was sold, so I thought that was brilliant.”
He even revealed, comically, that the chance to escape the mundane lockdown lifestyle for some fine dining with company was “the only reason why I went”.
And he didn’t quite take it seriously the first time, either.
“The first time I went as well, I didn’t take it seriously,” he admitted.
“I had a lockdown haircut [and] I just wore a t-shirt and jeans, and when I got there, people were in suits and cravats and stuff like that, so the second time when I went back, I know what I’m prepared for, I’m less nervous, I’m more myself,
“And I dress appropriately as well, so I feel better”.
If you’re wondering, he never wants to mention his viral fame, ever – especially not to his date.
“No, I never ever ever bring up that I’m the ‘fish and a rice cake’ guy, ever,” he says insistently, before explaining that some classic reality TV editing, that we’ve all come to know well, is to thank for how his internet stardom was revealed on the show.
“It didn’t show, but it was edited well.
“The waiter kept coming over saying ‘I recognise you from YouTube or something’, and I was like ‘no you don’t’ because I don’t look anything like [that nowadays]. So I said ‘I know why you keep saying that’, and when she asked ‘why?’, I then say [about the video].
“But obviously, due to clever editing, it comes across like I just brought it up”.
He teased that on the next date, “it’s even funnier how it’s brought up”, so we’ll just have to keep glued to our screens to discover what he’s on about.
He didn’t think many people watched First Dates – but now he’s getting recognised in the supermarket.
“And to think that this [first episode] hasn’t even been aired yet until Tuesday, I honestly didn’t think many people would even watch First Dates, but I think I’m wrong.
“I went to Sainsbury’s yesterday, and even in lockdown, I could feel people looking at me, and I was thinking ‘oh no, it’s embarrassing'”.
Despite the funny looks though, he still thinks “it was a good experience” to appear on the show.
So, what can we expect from his second appearance then?
“From [my next appearance], I was more myself, less nervous, didn’t drink as much, and… I look a lot better.” he laughs.
“I look more myself, yeah, I’ll just say that, I look more myself”.
And by “myself”, we can only presume, from his well-known hobbies and current profession, that he means more in shape and with freshly-trimmed hair cut.
He concluded: “We’d just come out of lockdown as well, so I could go to the gym,
“I’d been to the gym for about two weeks”.
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First Dates continues on Channel 4 on Tuesday 26th January at 10pm.
Pep Guardiola hints at when Manchester City fans can expect to see their latest arrival
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given supporters a rough timeline as to when they can expect to see their new signing, or at least their latest arrival, make his first appearance.
The Blues wrapped up the January transfer window with four major signings: their new attacking number seven, Omar Marmoush (who has already bagged a hattrick on his home debut) promising defensive duo, Abdukodir Khusanov and Brazilian Vitor Reis, as well as their ‘mini-Rodri’, Nico Gonzalez.
However, the club has had another late arrival who was technically signed back at the start of last year but who has spent for the last 12 months or so loaned back to his previous parent club, River Plate in Argentina, waiting to make the move over to the Etihad Stadium – and now he’s here in Manchester.
Speaking on his touchdown in 0161, Pep said Claudio Echeverri won’t be thrown into first-team action straight away but did give a rough estimate as to when City fans could expect him to get involved. You can see him discussing the integration plan in his post-match press conference following the Spurs win.
The mention was only brief but there’s still plenty of reason for Man City fans to be excited by the late January signing.
“Yeah, he [Claudio Echeverri] is going to start to train and mainly will be for the end of the season, maybe the [Club] World Cup and as soon as possible [that] he arrives he can adapt quick for the future.”
As mentioned, the 19-year-old Argentinian attacking midfielder from Resistencia officially put pen to paper with CFG back in January 2024 and was quickly dubbed ‘the next Messi’.
Now, although the football world is often quick to jump the gun with these things and he isn’t the first and certainly won’t be last to be slapped with this premature title, he’s done more to back up these claims since then than he has rubbish them.
Starring at the 2025 Under-20 South American Championships, netting six goals in nine games to finish the tournament as the second highest scorer thanks to notable braces against Brazil and Uruguay as the young Argentine’s finished as runners up.
He also notched 48 senior appearances for River Plate thus far, netting four goals and grabbing eight assists in that time, not to mention having already captained his national team at the 2023 Under 17s World Cup, where he scored another five.
Safe to say there’s plenty of talent to be tapped in this lad.
Once again, Echeverri won’t go straight into the senior set-up for a little while yet, barring a major injury crisis, but he’ll be a more than exciting addition to the City Football Academy and for future first-team lineups for years to come.
Who knows, maybe he’ll be included in an FA Cup matchday squad? Nevertheless, you can expect him to not just come of the bench but hopefully show what he can do at the Club World Cup this summer.
City‘s first fixture as reigning champions of the competition will be against Moroccan side Wydad AC on 18 June 2025.
You can watch Echeverri’s first full interview as a Man City player down below:
The new Man City signing is excited to be finally be part of the club 13 months on from agreeing his contract.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd January 2021 
