Liverpool Cinema Proposal Inspired by Love Actually’s Iconic Scene

Published: 27 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

A couple from Liverpool has made their engagement story one for the books, with a proposal that mirrors one of the most iconic moments in Love Actually. Jacob Molloy, 26, chose Christmas Eve at the Woolton Picture House, Liverpool’s oldest surviving cinema, to pop the question to his girlfriend of 10 years, Lucy Agate.

The couple had just watched the classic It’s a Wonderful Life during the sold-out Christmas Eve screening when the magic moment happened. As the film concluded, the big screen flickered to life once again, but this time, it was Jacob himself who appeared. Holding a stack of handwritten cue cards—just like in the heartwarming proposal scene from Love Actually—Jacob began asking his now-fiancée a very special question.

“I have a question,” the cards read before Jacob knelt on one knee and proposed to Lucy. As the crowd waited in suspense, his final cue card revealed the answer: “She said yes.”

The surprise proposal had been carefully planned over the course of three weeks, with Jacob starting to shop for an engagement ring as early as September. The moment was made even more sentimental as the couple had their first date at the Woolton Picture House, making it the perfect location for a proposal steeped in nostalgia and love.

The Woolton Picture House had been closed since 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic forced its closure. However, after a campaign from locals, the cinema was reopened for 12 days of Christmas film screenings. It was during this time that Jacob realized it would be the ideal opportunity to ask Lucy to be his wife.

The couple worked closely with the cinema staff, who were already involved in filming a promotional appeal for the reopening of the venue. They initially discussed filming a proposal in the projection room, but quickly ruled out that idea due to the space’s dusty and outdated condition. After considering several alternatives, Jacob hit upon the idea of using placards, just like in Love Actually. The cinema staff eagerly supported this idea, and soon it was set.

Jacob and Lucy, both from Liverpool, have enjoyed a decade-long relationship, and the cinema proposal only added to their special memories together. The Woolton Picture House, which first opened in 1927, has been a significant part of their lives, and with the cinema reopening, it was a fitting backdrop to the couple’s new chapter.

The proposal was not just a romantic gesture—it also marked a full-circle moment for a local institution that many had feared might be lost to history. The cinema, which had been a focal point for community gatherings for nearly a century, was set to close once again after the Christmas screenings, as it undergoes a major refurbishment.

Jacob, reflecting on the proposal, said, “I kind of had an idea of what I was going to do, but when Woolton Cinema reopened for the 12 Days of Christmas, it felt perfect. The staff were amazing. They came up with a lot of great ideas and helped make it a reality.”

Lucy, visibly moved by the gesture, said yes, confirming that Christmas Eve 2025 would forever be remembered as the moment their love story took a new step into the future. The couple is now planning for their wedding in what will surely be another memorable event.