Whether you’re native-born, or simply a keen anglophile, there’s something about the UK – its music, food, culture and history – that is loved by many. That’s because the British Isles are, despite their relatively small size, still a global giant in many respects.   Together with British Corner Shop – an online supermarket that delivers British food all over the world – let’s sit down with a nice cuppa and celebrate what’s (more than) OK about the UK.  Music: From Music Hall to Acid House  Music has always been the pulse of Britain. From the songs of bards, to bawdy music ..read more

No doubt you’ve heard Måneskin’s Zitti e buoni a few times by now: viewers of the Eurovision Grand Final were treated to two performances on Saturday night alone after the glam rockers from Rome won the song contest for Italy thanks to a massive public vote. READ ALSO: Italy wins Eurovision: ‘We just want to say to the whole world, rock’n’roll never dies!’ But even after several listens, non-native Italian speakers probably won’t have caught all the words. That might be to do with the breakneck pace of frontman Damiano David’s singing, or there might be a few words and phrases in there you’re ..read more

A drug test was “voluntarily undertaken earlier today by the lead singer of the band Måneskin which has returned a negative result seen by the EBU”, the European Broadcasting Union announced on Monday evening.  “No drug use took place in the Green Room and we consider the matter closed,” the EBU said in a statement, adding that it had checked all available video footage as part of “a thorough review of the facts”. READ ALSO: Italian Eurovision winners ‘really offended’ by accusations of drug use David, who was shown on camera leaning over a table backstage in what some speculated cou ..read more

UPDATE: Since this story was first published, Damiano David of Måneskin tested negative for drug use. Find more details here. France’s Europe minister called on Monday for “total transparency” over speculation that one of Italy’s victorious contestants used cocaine during the song contest, saying it should be punished if confirmed. Damiano David, the vocalist for Roman rockers Måneskin, volunteered to take a drug test after video footage appeared to show him snorting something from a table backstage during Saturday’s contest. READ ALSO: Italian rockers win Eurovision: ‘We just want to say to t ..read more

In the Marche region of Italy, many small towns specialize in particular crafts. These skills have been developed over generations, with families carrying on traditions and talents over time, refining them and adding new layers. This is done not so much for the tourist trade as for other Italians who appreciate finely honed works of art.  In the town of Montottone, clay-fired pottery is a big thing. We have met the Bozzi family that owns one of the artisanal workshops. Walking into their place is like turning the clock back two centuries. It is carved out of the thick, medieval-era city w ..read more

While Morricone is best known for scoring Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, the classically trained composer was at ease in seemingly every musical and cinematic genre. READ ALSO: Famed Italian film composer Ennio Morricone dies Over a 50-year career, Morricone's music was a key part of some 500 films from comedy to horror, made in Italy, Hollywood and beyond. “It was essential that I change my style for every film,” the composer, conductor and trumpet player said in 2017. “Every movie required it.” Here are ten of Morricone's works that show just how much he contributed to cinema histor ..read more

Tributes poured in for the man who composed the music for about 500 films, including his old childhood friend Sergio Leone's 1966 spaghetti western 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' and Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight', for which he won an Oscar in 2016. IN HIS OWN WORDS: 'It was essential that I change my style for every film' Morricone died in hospital where he was being treated for a fractured femur following a fall, according to a statement from lawyer and family friend Giorgio Assuma. Morricone “passed away in the early hours of July 6 with the comfort of his faith”, the stateme ..read more

The birthplace of Stradivarius, Cremona is a veritable laboratory for luthiers from all over the world, where violin workshops seem to be everywhere you look. READ ALSO: The Italian inventor of the violin wanted to 'imitate human voices' Stefano Conia's studio — just one of the 160 in this northern Italian city of 70,000 inhabitants — has not changed for decades. It's situated at the back of a flower-filled courtyard, and this native Hungarian, one of the doyens of Cremonese violin-makers, heads there every day, despite retiring nearly ten years ago. “If I stopped making violins, lif ..read more

As Italians adjusted to life in quarantine over the past week, 6pm became the highlight of the day for many as people took to their balconies and rooftops to take part in a “musical flashmob” aimed at lifting people's spirits during quarantine. READ ALSO: Fundraisers and singalongs: How Italians are rallying together amid the coronavirus crisis The idea was a hit across Italy, and social media quickly filled with videos of people singing from their windows and playing tambourines on their balconies everywhere from Sicily to Veneto. People are hanging the Italian flag and playing music fr ..read more

Sanremo is a key date in Italy's cultural calendar. In 2020, it runs from Tuesday 4th to Saturday 8th February. Whether it's entertaining, over-rated, tacky, or exciting really depends on who you ask, but here are some facts about the festival that can't be disputed, so you have some trivia to impress all your Italian friends with. READ ALSO: Sanremo 2019: Andrea Bocelli's duet with son brings down the house on opening night It was created to boost Italy's postwar economy In the late 1940s, Italy's economy was in tatters, and after the fall of Benito Mussolini's fascist regime, the c ..read more