Singing superstar Barry Manilow begins his farewell to UK audiences tonight (May 19) when he takes to the stage of the beleagured Manchester Co-Op Arena for the first of a serries of dates which will mark his final ever concerts this side of the pond. Following tonight’s performance he will head to London to end his UK concert career where it all began with a 14 night residency in the London Palladium in the West End .

Barry first took to the stage there in October 1978. Speaking about his…