Wishing You a Wonderful Christmas from Superstar Speakers

As we head toward Christmas and the end of another unforgettable year, everyone at Superstar Speakers would like to wish you good health, happiness, and a joyful festive season spent with the people who matter most to you.

Looking back, it’s fair to say that the year began in the strangest and most challenging way imaginable. January and February tested us like never before. A total of 14 events had to be postponed due to an extraordinary run of incidents that were completely beyond anyone’s control.

We faced extreme weather, including Storm Eowyn, the most devastating storm to hit Ireland since 1961, which resulted in all flights being cancelled in and out of Ireland. On top of that, there were serious and deeply unfortunate personal circumstances affecting some of our guest speakers. The sad illness of Frank Bruno, who was hospitalised overseas for several weeks, meant all of his scheduled events had to be postponed. We also had other speakers suffer serious health issues, including two heart attacks, which understandably brought everything to a halt.

These were situations none of us could have predicted or prepared for, and they were absolutely no fault of our own or of the speakers involved. Sadly, during that period, our team was subjected to some truly horrible abuse, including death threats, which was an incredibly distressing experience for our staff. It was a tough start to the year, and one we won’t forget.

Thankfully, once we moved past those early months, it was business as usual—and what a year it turned out to be.

Across the year, we proudly delivered 134 events, including a 20-date exclusive tour with England legend Bryan Robson. We were honoured to work with an incredible lineup of football icons such as Robbie Fowler, Les Ferdinand, Jaap Stam, Andy Cole, Tony Adams, Alan Shearer, Emmanuel Petit, Ian Rush, Duncan Ferguson, Stuart Pearce, John Barnes, Steve McMahon, Norman Whiteside, Ronnie Whelan, and many more.

We also welcomed boxing legends including Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton. Tragically, we lost Ricky Hatton later in the year. Ricky was not only one of the greatest boxers this country has ever produced, but also one of the most entertaining, honest, and loved after-dinner speakers around. Above all, he was a genuinely warm and humble human being. He will be deeply missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him, working with him, or simply listening to his incredible stories.

It was also a sad year for music, with the loss of Mani, legendary bassist of The Stone Roses, who worked with Superstar Speakers for a short period earlier in the year. Mani was an icon, particularly in Manchester, and his influence on the music industry will never be forgotten. Our thoughts remain with his family, friends, bandmates, and the countless fans whose lives he touched through his music.

None of this would have been possible without the fantastic venues and teams who supported us every step of the way. A huge thank you to brilliant partners such as Hotel Football, the Crowne Plaza and Mercure hotel chains, and the many theatres across the country that helped us put on unforgettable shows, including the Theatre Royal Nottingham and The Lowry, Manchester.

We also want to say a massive thank you to everyone behind the scenes who makes these events happen: our dedicated staff, security teams, technicians, photographers, and our brilliant hosts including Jed Stone, Alan Keegan, Pete Graves, Mark Peters, Graham White, Jared Earl, and many others.

But our biggest thanks of all goes to you—the supporters, the fans, the guests. You are the heart and soul of every event. Your energy in the room, the applause, the laughter, the smiles, and sometimes even the tears are what create the magic. Seeing fans meet their heroes and listen to the people they idolise is exactly why we do what we do. Without you, none of this is possible.

We’re already looking ahead with excitement to lots of new events in 2026, and we can’t wait for you to join us again for more unforgettable nights.

From all of us at Superstar Speakers, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year—filled with good health, happiness, and special moments with your loved ones. 🎄✨