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Andy Burnham’s first Gogglebox appearance!

A sentence we never expected to say. Tonight, PM Andy Burnham and Steve Rotherham will make their debut on the show, sitting at 10 Downing Street. 
The programme airs in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, and Andy is no stranger to charitable causes. Throughout his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy often threw himself into work, helping those around him.

Charity Brain Tumour Research said the disease was the cancer most likely to kill patients under 40 in the UK.

They said charities made up more than 75% of the total national investment in brain tumour research, with the government funding sitting at 25%.

Following the announcement, chief executive Dan Knowles thanked Goodburn for his “tireless efforts” in raising awareness of the disease.

He said: “We are optimistic that this renewed focus will help ensure discoveries in the laboratory actually make it to patients who so desperately need more options.”

The Rare Cancers Bill, led by Edinburgh South West MP Scott Arthur, became law earlier this year.

The legislation aims to incentivise research and investment into the treatment of rare types of cancer, defined as those affecting fewer than 1 in every 2,000 people.

But Goodburn previously said that did not go far enough and a dedicated brain cancer lead would allow for greater focus on specific research and trials.

Arthur said the act was “vital” to driving research needed into the condition, but Goodburn’s meeting with Burnham could lead to further work in the field.

“There is real opportunity in the sector to dismantle the barriers to research that charities, clinicians, and researchers have known about for decades,” he said before the meeting.

“Having met Archie a number of times I know he is a fantastic advocate for the brain tumour community.

“I hope his meeting with the prime minister is a moment for concrete progress to be made.”

Burnham was mayor of Manchester from 2017 until earlier this year and his tenure took place during a sustained period of success for City.

As mayor, he championed investment from the Gulf as a way of growing Manchester’s economy, a strategy which was initially pursued by the city’s leaders before Burnham became the inaugural elected mayor of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

“I don’t think I misspoke,” said Burnham of his past comments on Man City’s owners.

“What I would say is my mind hadn’t been on all of the issues. My mind had been on Labour Party conference and I was doing interviews in relation to it.

“And also, I didn’t link those two things. You know, the questions linked those two things. What I would say is they’re very separate.

“The football issues are different from the investment issues. People will try and conflate those two things, but they shouldn’t, in my view.

“The football issues, the findings of the independent commission are serious, as I said in the interview.”

The entire process involving the charges against Manchester City is independent of the Premier League.

An independent commission held a 42-day hearing in 2024 which led to the verdict announced last month, with City also guilty of all charges except one relating to non-cooperation with the Premier League investigation.

The commission’s report said that “a number of important club witnesses gave false evidence in key respects and that some knowingly gave untrue and dishonest evidence”.

A separate independent appeal board will hear City’s appeal. The club continues to deny any wrongdoing.