Take That Hit Manchester!

One of the very best things to have happened over the last 18 months or so for people of a certain age is that there is no longer any shame in liking Take That. I was an undergraduate at Manchester University the last time TT were around, an awkward scenario for someone who secretly preferred the boy-band charms of TT to Nirvana and Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (no, you won't remember them unless you belong to a very specific era).

How things have changed! I can now admit my love for Mark, Jason, Howard and Gary (OK, not so much love for Gary) with pride as the boys have somehow found themselves accepted not only by us oldies but also by new fans, who are realising what we always knew: there's no shame in singing jaunty pop songs and dancing in formation. Hurrah!

• Take That are at The Manchester Evening News Arena until Sunday 23rd December: sadly not one ticket left to be had though.