When it came to the venue for his triumphant homecoming, there was only one option for Academy Award winner Danny Boyle. The Slumdog Millionaire director chose his local - St Mary's Catholic Social Club in Radcliffe, Bury, near Manchester - the place where family and friends watched the ceremony and to which he gave a "big, big shout-out" during his best director acceptance speech.
"I said if we won one of these I'd buy a round for everybody at the bar. It's getting expensive now. I said that for the Golden Globes, too," revealed Danny, who was joined at the pub by his twin sister Maria and 87-year-old dad Frank, who used to run the establishment.
"He used to get up and sing, 'Oh Danny Boyle' - which was pretty embarrassing when you're 11 years old," said the film maker, recounting his father's novel take on the song Danny Boy.
Also joining in the celebration were locals who had known Danny since before his Hollywood success, girls with pints of lager and old ladies with cups of tea. They're used to Danny bringing home his awards – he popped down to the pub with his Golden Globe and his BAFTA. "The first thing anyone said to me was, 'How did someone like you win a BAFTA?'. And that's exactly the sort of thing you need saying," he jokes.
While 52-year-old Danny was showing off his statuette in Manchester, it was back to school for the young stars of his multiple Oscar-winning movie. Little Rubina Ali - who plays the young Latika in the film, and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail Sheikh, who portrays the earlier version of Salim, were reunited with their school pals after receiving a heroes' welcome in Mumbai last week.
Photo: PA
Photo: PA
Photo: PA
