He admitted he wants the iconic 90s pop group to extend their two-night farewell at the Emirates Stadium in London in June into a full tour

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Boyzone star Keith Duffy has admitted he wants the iconic 90s pop group to extend their two-night farewell into a tour.

The Irish heartthrobs will play their biggest headline shows ever in June at the Emirates Stadium in London over back-to-back nights having already sold out their initial gig and adding an extra date.

It was initially billed as their final ever performance – called One For The Road – to please their fanbase and the clamour for a comeback after the massive success of their three-part Sky Documentary No Matter What last year.

READ MORE: Ronan Keating says Boyzone tour would be ‘incredibly unhealthy’READ MORE: Ronan Keating’s Wild Atlantic: Boyzone singer set to explore Derry in new travel series

Keith, 51, will take a break from a UK-wide tour with his spin-off act Boyzlife – a duo with ex-Westlife singer Brian McFadden – to reunite with Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch and Mikey Graham for Boyzone’s final hurrah.

It will be their first performance together since a five-night run at the London Palladium in 2019. And Keith revealed: “It’s going to be over like that (clicks fingers). So we need to make sure we do enjoy it.

“Now it’s two nights now, we’re doing Friday and Saturday now, the Saturday is sold out. Both of them will be sold by then. But we’re going through all the usual rehearsals spaces, music, choreography, dancing – we’re going through the whole f***ing two, three-week rehearsal to do two nights – and then it’s done.

“That’s the thing about it. We’re going to be trained and tested. It’s a shame just to do two nights, we should do a whole f***ing tour.”

According to the Official Charts, Boyzone have racked up 18 UK Top 10 hits with six of them number ones, alongside five albums also topping the charts. Looking back on his breakthrough as a pop star with the band, Keith admitted it was a baptism of fire when they first found fame.

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He explained: “The promotional stuff was crazy. You’d be up at half five in the morning and you’d be still going at half 11 that night and it’s tiresome and there’s five guys in the back of a van going around Amsterdam, going around Dusseldorf, going around wherever and that’s when the s*** happens.

“That’s when you’re getting tired and grumpy and somebody’s annoying you and you’re crapping off at each other and then you’re just about to break up because it’s all just a f***ing pressure cooker of s***. And then you go on tour and you go out on stage and then you realise: ‘This is what it’s all about.’”

Keith’s other project Boyzlife kicked off their 2026 tour in Guilford this week and it will run until November with a break between for the Boyzone spectacular – but Keith said he only agreed to it as long as “Brian’s a part of it, absolutely”.

He said it hasn’t been decided yet whether Brian will be a support act for Boyzone or join the quartet for songs in a cameo appearance on the stage but insisted “they’ll definitely be something”.

The duo, who are both Manchester United fans and firm friends for decades now, will also use the stage to plug the second half of their own tour.

Keith added: “This is only the first half of our tour. We’ve 30 dates and we do Thursday to Sunday for eight weeks and then we have our festivals and our corporate gigs, our charity events, whatever the f***’s going on – but we have 30 more dates in October and November. So those dates are on sale now.

“So we’ll use the Boyzone show in June, put them up on the big screen, get him out on stage, do a couple of songs and sell them out.”

When the Boyzone show was first announced in September last year, singer Ronan Keating made it clear he felt it was a one off gig.

“We’re not making new music, it’s not a reunion,” Keating told BBC Breakfast. “There’s plenty of bands out there doing that.

“Everybody has been part of Boyzone’s journey, this story they’ve shared, they’ve cried with us, they’ve laughed with us through the documentary.

“And now, to get to Emirates together, all of us, and say our final farewell the way we want to do it, will be pretty powerful.”

However the huge demand for tickets means they are already extending the comeback to two nights.

*Boylife are on tour across the UK until November – visit www.boyzlife.co.uk for details.

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The disease is extremely infectious

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is alerting the public about when medical help should be sought after 96 new cases of a Victorian-era illness have been confirmed in England.

The latest figures reveal nearly 100 laboratory-confirmed cases were documented over a span of less than five weeks (from January to 2 February). UKHSA said on X, formerly Twitter: “A blotchy, sometimes raised, rash is one of the signs of measles. It’s not usually itchy, and it can look different on different skin tones. If you think you or your child has measles, contact your GP practice urgently or call NHS 111.”

Measles is extremely infectious, with a single person capable of passing it on to 15 other unvaccinated individuals on average. Measles generally begins with symptoms resembling a common cold, developing into a rash after several days and occasionally tiny spots inside the mouth.

Initial symptoms include fever, nasal congestion or runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and red, sore, watery eyes. The rash usually starts on the face and behind the ears, before spreading throughout the body.

Spots can combine to create blotchy patches and aren’t normally itchy. On white skin, the rash looks brown or red, though it may be harder to spot on darker skin tones.

NHS guidance adds that if you’ve received both doses of the MMR vaccine or have had measles before, it’s extremely unlikely you’ll catch the disease. People are advised to ring 111 or arrange an urgent GP appointment if they suspect they or their child may have measles, if their child is under one year old and has been in contact with someone with measles, or if they’ve been near someone with measles and are pregnant or have a weakened immune system.

Urgent medical advice should also be sought if:

• you or your child have a high temperature that hasn’t reduced after taking paracetamol or ibuprofen
• you or your child are experiencing breathing difficulties – you may feel more breathless than usual
• your baby or young child isn’t feeding well, or is consuming fewer feeds or fluids than normal
• you or your child are urinating less frequently (or your baby has fewer wet nappies)
• you or your child feel extremely unwell, or you’re concerned something is seriously wrong

Anyone diagnosed with measles should refrain from attending work, school or nursery for at least four days from when the rash first appears, and should avoid close contact with babies and anyone who is pregnant or has a compromised immune system.

Rory McIlroy said he felt ‘pretty encouraged’ by his efforts

Rory McIlroy took home a cheque for over a quarter of a million after a strong finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am on Sunday.

The Holywood man recorded his best score of the week with a blemish-free 64 to finish in a four-way tie for 14th place, pocketing £251,234 for his efforts.

McIlroy felt ‘pretty encouraged’ by his efforts at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am, which was won by Collin Morikawa, and his focus now switches to The Genesis Invitational later this week.

“That’s all I felt like I needed to tidy up, because the good stuff in there is really, really good,” he said. “Struck my irons well, drove it well for the most part. There was a couple of destructive tee shots yesterday [third round], but everything feels in pretty good shape.

“I wish I could have those four holes back this week. I played 68 really good ones and even you turn those three doubles into bogeys and that triple into a bogey, that’s five shots and all of a sudden you’re looking at a lead.

“All in all, some really good stuff this week and pretty encouraged going into next week for sure.”

McIlroy’s close pal Shane Lowry finished one shot ahead of him in a six-way tie for eighth place, earning £377,546 for doing so.

Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler fell just short in a thrilling final round, settling for his 18th consecutive top-10 finish.

The four-time major champion started the day trailing by eight strokes. Despite recording the first three-eagle round of his PGA Tour career and carding a 63, it wasn’t quite enough to clinch the win.

His impressive 20-under total was still two shots shy of Morikawa, who birdied the final hole for a 67. This last-minute surge allowed Morikawa to narrowly beat out Min Woo Lee, whose 65 put him in late contention, and Austria’s Sepp Straka (68) by a single stroke, securing his first victory in over two years.

Scheffler had an impressive start, seven under through seven holes and only two behind, but his momentum faltered at the eighth with the first of three bogeys. Despite consecutive birdies at the 10th and 11th holes, he couldn’t regain his earlier pace.

However, the American golfer can take solace in his consistent performance, having finished fourth or better in his last seven PGA Tour starts. This is a feat only matched twice in the past 40 years, both times by the legendary Tiger Woods.

“I had to do something special today to give myself a chance, I felt I needed to get to 21 or 22 under and played more aggressive than I normally do,” Scheffler admitted.

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Owen Hargreaves praised two of Mikel Arteta’s summer signings and backed Arsenal for a sensational season after the FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic. 

The Gunners booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup and kept their unlikely quadruple dreams alive with a 4-0 victory over League One side Wigan. 

Arteta’s side scored four goals in the first half an hour with Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus getting on the scoresheet. 

While Wigan limited the damage from then on, it was nevertheless a dominant and impressive performance from an Arsenal side still challenging for all four trophies. 

The Gunners are top of the Premier League with 12 games to go, safely through to the knockout stages of the Champions League and already in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.

‘Arsenal could win four trophies,’ Hargreaves said on TNT Sports. ‘They have built a brilliant team, so they have the depth and they have the squad.

‘They have an opportunity to create something special. Credit to Wigan in the second half as they defended better, but Arsenal just have too much firepower.

‘They are the favourites in the Premier League, they were the best team in the Champions League [league phase].

‘They have an opportunity to create something really special, but these last two or three months are decisive and they need to find a way to get over the line.

‘They could win four. It would be a big ask. If they win two, they will be happy. But I think Mikel Arteta will be really proud of where the team is at now, they just need to finish the job.’

Hargreaves reserved special praise for two of Arteta’s summer signing, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

£67.5m signing Eze responded well from the blow to being subbed off at half-time in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brentford last week.

The England international was described as a ‘passenger’ by Peter Crouch after that game but was ‘the best player on the pitch’ against Wigan, according to Hagreaves.

‘I thought today he was incredibly sharp,’ Hargreaves said of the former Crystal Palace star. ‘Everything was quick, everything was precise.

‘There is no denying he is a really special player. Obviously, it’s difficult in a team like Arsenal, when they have so many top players and he’s finding his way in the team.

‘But today he was the best player on the pitch. Everything he did was exceptional.’

Arsenal legend Martin Keown also praised Eze after agreeing with his half-time substituion against Brentford.

‘I’m a big fan and you need these players – look at the injuries [Martin] Odegaard has had,’ Keown said. ‘But Eze has got to do more of this.

‘I think he’s a player who needs to be nearer to the goal. These are assists he’s getting, so get him higher up the pitch if you can. Look at this for a repertoire of passes that he has. He has everything in the locker.

‘He was more dynamic today, more confident. He’s at a big club now. When he was at Palace, he really made his mark there.

‘He scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final for Palace. Those big moments now need to come in an Arsenal shirt.’

On Eze’s Arsenal career to date, Keown added: ‘He’s finding his feet. He’s come in a bit late to an Arsenal situation.

‘When he was playing for Palace, I don’t think the defensive side of the game was top of the list.

‘Something happened in the Aston Villa game [a 2-1 defeat in December] where he switched off for a moment, and it was like, “You need to learn, need to defend a little bit more because it’s all there when you get the ball.”

‘But I’d like to see him a little bit further up the pitch because he’s got immense ability in front of goal. He’s got electricity in his feet. He can really hit a ball and score goals.

‘He scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of this competition last year for Palace. We need to see that in an Arsenal shirt.

‘He’s going to play an important part. If Arsenal are going to win the four trophies they are in the running for, he’s still an important player for the rest of the season.’

Eze’s Arsenal teammate Madueke also impressed Hargreaves in the emphatic FA Cup win over League One strugglers Wigan.

Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal agreed to pay £50m for the Chelsea winger last summer but Hargreaves is a fan.

‘Noni Madueke is a great player – he is a smart player, and he is a goalscorer,’ said the former Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder.

‘Again, today, his awareness of when to link play short and when to play in behind was terrific.’

Arsenal return to Premier League action on Wednesday night against basement boys Wolves before a north London derby against Tottenham at the weekend.

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Eberechi Eze shone in Arsenal’s win over Wigan in the FA Cup on Sunday and Mikel Arteta wants to see more of the same from him against tougher competition.

The Gunners strolled to a 4-0 win over the League One side at the Emirates to book their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

They were four goals to the good after just 27 minutes thanks to strikes from Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and an own goal from Jack Hunt.

Eze was behind the first two goals from Madueke and Martinelli, providing two brilliant, line-breaking assists from deep.

It has been a difficult time for the England international, who has struggled for form and to hold down a place in the Arsenal starting XI.

The 27-year-old did start against Brentford in the Premier League at the weekend but was dragged off at half-time and Arteta suggested he was seeing much more of what he wants from him on Sunday.

Eze has not scored since his hat-trick against Spurs in November, but asked if his impressive showing against Wigan could be a confidence boost for him, Arteta said: ‘Yes, some superb goals and his intentions, I think the risk that he took in the final third, the amount of shots that he tried to take as well, I think that’s really positive.

‘That’s what I want from him.’

The manager added: ‘Those players need those moments and especially when we talk about the creative players, they need to feel that they are producing those moments and I’m very happy with that.

‘I’m very happy with Gabi [Martinelli] as well, the run that he made, the timing of that and then the finish in action, really, really positive. So it’s good for the mood, for the confidence, it’s a really good thing.’

Before the game Arteta had been asked if Sunday was a chance for Eze to show what he can do in an Arsenal starting XI, with the Spaniard telling TNT Sports: ‘To all of them. I think it’s not about individuals, every players is going to have better and worse games and today is a new one, a new challenge and we have to be really ready against this side.’

Amid Eze’s struggles to find his best form at Arsenal, there had been suggestion that he was finding it difficult to express himself in Arteta’s fairly rigid system, but the boss is suggesting that he wants his man to show off his creative flair.

Madueke was certainly impressed with his teammate’s showing, saying: ‘Yeah, he was unbelievable today.

‘He pulled all the strings from the middle and had a hand in all the goals so I’m really pleased for him.’

Arsenal will discover who they face in the last 16 of the FA Cup when the draw is made on Monday evening, but whoever it is, the tie will add to their hectic schedule.

The Gunners are leading the Premier League title race, still in the Champions League and FA Cup and have a date with Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final next month.

They are back in action on Wednesday night as they go to Wolves in the Premier League, looking to extend their lead at the top to seven points.

Martin Odegaard missed the clash with Wigan on Sunday through injury and Arteta expects Eze to be heavily involved in the games to come.

‘Yes, he’s already playing a big role,’ he said of the summer signing from Crystal Palace. ‘He’s played a lot of games for us and he will continue to do that.’

On Odegaard’s fitness, he added: ‘Martin we’ll have to wait and see. He picked that knock on the action when we conceded the goal [vs Brentford] and he wasn’t fit for today.’

MORE: Owen Hargreaves tells Mikel Arteta he has ‘really special player’ at Arsenal

MORE: Alan Pardew names team that could thwart Arsenal’s quadruple hopes after Wigan victory

MORE: ‘That’s a possibility’ – Mikel Arteta hints at new role for key Arsenal star after Wigan win

“We continue to need as much support as possible”

The girlfriend of a young man who is fighting for his life in Thailand after a scooter accident has shared a ‘remarkable’ update on his condition as she continues to plead for help.

Zak Forsyth was riding a scooter in the Southeast Asian country when it collided with a car earlier this month, his girlfriend Amy Elkin said. The driver took him to hospital, but the 21-year-old suffered serious and potentially life-changing injuries including two blots and a bleed on the brain.

Zak, from Huyton in Merseyside, is now in a coma in intensive care. He did not have medical or travel insurance, so all hospital and treatment costs must be covered by his family.

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Amy said Zak was sober at the time of the incident. She flew to Thailand last week to be by his side.

Amy has now shared an update on his condition via a fundraising page, the Liverpool Echo reports. She said: “Zak’s progress has been remarkable, especially considering how close we came to losing him.”

Amy described how medication has ‘successfully reduced the swelling on his brain slightly’, with other medication turning blood clots Zak had developed to fluid. Amy described this as a ‘positive development’ in the update.

She said: “Although Zak still has a long road to recovery ahead, he continues to make progress each day. I have never been prouder of someone in my life.

“While this update is positive, the hospital has made it clear that his condition could still change, depending on how his brain responds and heals. As expected, Zak is in significant pain and is receiving very strong medication to manage this.”

Amy described Zak’s injuries, saying his face was ‘severely damaged’ with multiple facial bones broken. She said he has since undergone a full facial reconstruction to repair his eye sockets, cheekbones, jaw and nose.

Amy added that metal plates have been inserted, and that Zak’s jaw has been wired shut to allow healing. She described Zak’s facial injuries as being ‘on a positive path to recovery’.

She added that Zak has undergone a tracheotomy and is now breathing independently, having earlier been placed on a ventilator, she said: “Many people have also asked about medical bills. Unfortunately, medical care abroad begins charging the moment you enter the hospital and continues until discharge.

“Costs increase daily simply for being admitted, in addition to charges for medication, surgery, ICU care, scans, blood transfusions, and all other treatments. Nothing is provided free of charge. We have also had to travel across the world to be by Zak’s side.

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“We are struggling with the ongoing medical costs, especially as every bill is marked as an estimate, meaning there is no fixed or final price.”

Amy added: “We continue to need as much support as possible to help Zak regain strength before we can bring him home to Liverpool. We would be extremely grateful if people could continue sharing the JustGiving page, as we do not know what tomorrow may bring.

“If Zak’s condition worsens and surgery becomes necessary, the hospital will demand immediate payment before proceeding. This has been one of the most distressing experiences for our family, with staff standing in his ICU room with a card machine.”

She previously told how police arrived at her home to inform the family of the accident after the British Embassy identified Zak. Anyone wishing to donate to the fundraiser can do so here.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was the UK’s trade envoy between 2001 and 2011, during which time it is alleged the former royal shared confidential information with Jeffery Epstein

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A former business secretary has called for a probe into possible corruption during Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as trade envoy for the United Kingdom.

Sir Vince Cable served as the United Kingdom‘s secretary of state for business and trade between 2010 and 2015. He told the BBC: “We need a police or DPP (director of public prosecutions) check on whether criminal corruption took place and a government investigation into how this was allowed to happen.”

The call for an investigation comes after documents released by the United States Department of Justice appeared to show the former prince sharing confidential reports with disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein during his role as the UK’s trade envoy.

Andrew served as trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.

The UK government guidance states that the role of a trade envoy carries a duty of confidentiality regarding sensitive information and the duty of confidentiality continues to apply after the expiry of their term of office.

Thames Valley Police have said they held discussions with specialists from the Crown Prosecution Service about the allegations.

The force said that while it cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, it can assure that it is making progress as quickly as possible.

The former duke made the visits to three Asian countries in his capacity as trade envoy in late 2010, which involved conducting meetings and trade talks.

An email dated November 2010 was forwarded by the former duke five minutes after being sent by his then-special advisor, Amir Patel.

Andrew told BBC’s Newsnight in 2019 that he had cut contact with the late Epstein in December 2010.

In February 2011, Andrew told Epstein he had visited a private equity firm and “thought of you” as the financier, who was reportedly “looking for somewhere for money to go”.

Andrew features several times in the US Department of Justice’s documents relating to Epstein. Appearing or being named in the files does not imply wrongdoing.

Andrew has continually and strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

These are tough times to be a Wales fan. The hardest in living memory for a generation who grew up with regular Six Nations success and a team full of stars such as Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones.

There are many issues at play in Welsh rugby, but by any measure, recent results are a complete horror show as Sunday’s record loss to France made it 13 consecutive Six Nations defeats and a 10th straight loss at home in the championship.

It’s now 1,072 days since their last Six Nations victory in March 2023 v Italy in Rome and 1,464 days since their last championship win at home against Scotland in February 2022.

It appears supporters are starting to vote with their feet. The attendance against France was 57,744, making it the lowest ever Six Nations crowd in Cardiff.

But speaking after the game on BBC One, former captain Warburton was encouraged by some parts of Wales’ play and said they need to look at what went well such as the maul defence, line-out and the performance of Eddie James.

“Some aspects of the game went quite well, they weren’t outpowered, they were outclassed with ball handling. There are some positives to take into next week,” said Warburton.

“Looking at the small wins, there’s no point kicking them when they’re down. It has to be how can we get better from this point? Which young players look like they’ve got the mentality?

“We’re not trying to solve this in one week, we’re in this for a couple of years so let’s all get tight and every week look for small improvements and move forward.”

Jones said there had “definitely been green shoots”.

“The effort was there but it’s international rugby and you’re going to be judged on results, but it was there from an effort standpoint,” he added.

Ex-England captain Martin Johnson also offered words of encouragement.

“Wales can always play and score tries, they have good rugby players so you’re never that far away and they can sit there thinking they’ve been smashed at home against a very good French side. But there will be some games coming up where they think we can win this.”

MTC Training Tyneside, based at Cobalt Park in North Tyneside, will focus on apprenticeships and workforce development in advanced manufacturing.

The centre aims to boost skills in areas such as automation and mechatronics for both new entrants and experienced workers.

David Grailey, managing director at MTC Training, said: “Manufacturers across the North East are looking for practical ways to stay competitive, attract and retain workers, improve productivity and take advantage of new opportunities now and in the future – all of that starts with having the right skills in place.

MTC Training Tyneside is due to open at Cobalt Park near Newcastle (Image: Supplied)

“MTC Training Tyneside gives businesses a clear and accessible way to invest in apprenticeships and training that help their teams grow and support long-term success.

“By developing a pipeline of skilled workers and opening high‑quality career opportunities for local talent, this centre will play a real part in strengthening the region’s economy while directly supporting the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

“It’s an important step in closing the skills gap and helping North-East manufacturers compete with confidence in a rapidly evolving industry.”

The facility builds on MTC Training’s expertise in Coventry and aims to serve as a vital link for industrial upskilling in the North East.

MTC Training Tyneside is due to open at Cobalt Park near Newcastle (Image: Supplied)

The centre is part of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), a research technology organisation that works with academia and industry to accelerate innovative manufacturing processes and technologies.

Funded by Lloyds and supported by an expanded partnership, the new facility will open this summer with a range of reskilling and upskilling programmes.

The partnership between Lloyds and the MTC now totals more than £18.5 million and extends through to the end of 2029.

Amanda Murphy, CEO of Lloyds Business and Commercial Banking, said: “The new centre in Tyneside will play an important role in the region’s future growth by bringing advanced manufacturing training closer to communities and businesses in the North East.

“By the end of 2029, 6,500 people will have benefited from the training offered by the four MTC centres sponsored by Lloyds.”

To date, MTC has supported the training of more than 5,000 apprentices, engineers, and graduates at its centres in Coventry, Oxfordshire, and Liverpool.

With the addition of MTC Training Tyneside, the goal is to upskill more than 6,500 apprentices, engineers and graduates by the end of 2029.

Starting in September 2026, the centre will deliver Level 3 and Level 4 apprenticeship programmes, beginning with an initial cohort of 48 apprentices.

These will include programmes for Mechatronic Maintenance Technicians, Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technicians, Engineering Fitters, and Engineering Maintenance Technicians.

A Level 4 Automation and Controls Engineering Technician route is also proposed, subject to funding.

Recruitment has already begun for five new roles at the centre, with six more to follow.

Information on commercial courses will be available from March, and apprenticeship recruitment will open in April.

Phil Witcherley, Director of Economic Growth and Innovation at the North East Combined Authority, said: “The news that MTC Training is opening a new facility in North East England brings a welcome addition to the training industry at an exciting time for our region’s Green Energy and advanced manufacturing sectors.

“We expect to see the number of Green Energy Jobs double to 50,000 in the next decade as we harness the potential of offshore wind and the North East’s unique location and ability to service new and existing North Sea sites; alongside this, we are investing to support the transition of our world-class automotive sector to an EV future.

“The North East is a manufacturing region and there could not be a better place for MTC Training to be opening a new college to help meet our demand for new skills.”

More than a decade before he became the country’s first president, George Washington was leading a critical campaign in the early days of the American Revolution. The Siege of Boston was his first campaign as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and, in many ways, set the stage for his military and political successes — celebrated on Presidents Day.

Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, militias had pinned down the British in Boston in April 1775. The Continental Congress, recognizing the need for a more organized military effort, selected Washington to lead the newly-formed army.

What was the Siege of Boston

On this day 250 years ago, Washington would have been nearing the end of an almost yearlong siege that bottled up as many as 11,000 British troops and hundreds more loyalists. The British were occupying Boston at the time, and the goal of the siege was to force them out.

A critical decision made by Washington was sending Henry Knox, a young book seller, to Fort Ticonderoga in New York to retrieve dozens of cannons. The cannons, transported hundreds of miles in the dead of winter, were eventually used to fire on British positions. That contributed to the decision by the British, facing dwindling supplies, to abandon the city by boat on March 17, 1776.

Historians argue the British abandoning their position, celebrated in Boston as Evacuation Day, rid the city of loyalists at a critical time, denied the British access to an important port and gave patriots a huge morale boost.

“The success of the Siege of Boston gave new life and momentum to the Revolution,” Chris Beagan, the site manager at Longfellow House in Cambridge, a National Historic Site that served as Washington’s headquarters during the American Revolution. “Had it failed, royal control of New England would have continued, and the Continental Army likely would have dissolved.”

How the siege shaped Washington

The siege was also a critical test for Washington. A surveyor and farmer, Washington had been out of the military for nearly 20 years after commanding troops for the British during the French and Indian War. His successful campaign ensured Washington remained the commander-in-chief for the remainder of the revolution.

Doug Bradburn, president of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, said Washington took the first steps to creating a geographically diverse army that included militiamen from Massachusetts to Virginia and, by the end of the war, a fighting force with significant Black and Native American representation. It was the most integrated military until President Harry S. Truman’s desegregated the armed forces in 1948, he said.

Washington, a slave owner most of life who depended on hundreds of slaves on his Mount Vernon estate, was initially opposed to admitting formerly enslaved and free Black soldiers into the army. But short of men, Washington came to realize “there are free Blacks who want to enlist and he needs them to keep the British from breaking out” during the siege, Bradburn said.

Ridding Boston of the British also turned Washington into one of the country’s most popular political figures.

“He comes to embody the cause in a time before you have a nation, before you have a Declaration of Independence, before you’re really sure what is the goal of this struggle,” Bradburn said. “He becomes the face of the revolutionary movement.”

Commanding the military more than eight years also prepared Washington for the presidency, Pulitzer Prize-winning military historian Rick Atkinson said. “Perhaps most important, it gave him a sense that Americans could and should be a single people, rather than denizens of thirteen different entities.”

Myths of Washington

His rise to prominence also led to plenty of myths about Washington, many which persist to this day.

One of the most popular is the cherry tree myth. It was invented by one of Washington’s first biographers, according to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, who created the story after his death. Supposedly, a 6-year-old Washington took an ax to a cherry tree and admitted as much when caught by his father, famously saying “I cannot tell a lie … I did cut it with my hatchet.”

The second one is the wooden teeth myth. It was rumored that Washington had wooden dentures and scholars, well into the 20th century, were quoted as saying his false teeth were made from wood. Not true. He never wore wooden dentures, instead using those with ivory, gold and even human teeth.

More than a statesman

During his lifetime, Washington had a myriad of pursuits. He was known as an innovative farmer, according to the George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and an advocate for Western expansion, buying up to 50,000 acres of land in several Mid-Atlantic states. After returning to Mount Vernon, he built a whiskey distillery that became one of the largest in the country.

His connection to slavery was complicated. He advocated for ending slavery, and his will called for freeing all the slaves he owned after the death of his wife, Martha Washington. But he didn’t he own all the slaves at Mount Vernon so he could’t legally free all of them.

Celebrating Presidents Day

For fans of George Washington, Presidents Day is their Super Bowl. Originated to celebrate Washington’s birthday, which falls on Feb. 22, the holiday has become associated with good deals at the mall. Still, there are plenty of places celebrating all things Washington on this day.

There will be a wreath-laying ceremony at Washington’s tomb at Mount Vernon, and there will be a Continental Army encampment. There will be a parade honoring Washington in Alexandria, Virginia, and, in Laredo, Texas, a monthlong celebration features a carnival, pageants, an air show and jalapeno festival.