A former smuggler told us that Kardo Ranya’s network charges about €17,000 (£15,000) to transport a migrant all the way from Iraq to the UK. Although this price is often higher than that of his rivals, the network claims to offer a safer journey (and a VIP service for those who can pay). “[Kardo Ranya] charges more,” the former smuggler said, “but still the migrant goes to him.”

When asked if he could foresee a recognition that Cabinet could benefit from someone “with a lot of electoral support” like the Greater Manchester mayor, he said: “There’s a lot of fantasy politics going on at the moment, Keir Starmer won a historic majority less than two years ago at the ballot box alongside all of us in the Labour Party.”

The bakery chain has raised prices on several products, leading some to claim it is losing its reputation for affordability.

The changes were first highlighted by a Reddit user on the r/greggsappreciation page who wrote that the standard meal deal has gone up from £4 to £4.25, with the meal deal including a side jumping from £5 to £5.25.

A Greggs spokesperson said: “We have made small changes to the price of some products in response to rising costs and inflation.

(Image: Jam Press)

“Our focus remains on offering customers great value and high-quality products across our range, maintaining our value-leading position in the food-to-go market.”

The Reddit post also claimed that “loads of other increases of around 10p” have appeared across the menu.

One user wrote: “Greggs prices are absurd for what it is.”

Another said: “Greggs is slowly pricing themselves out.

“Something like £2.35 for a steak bake is already a crazy price IMO.”

A third commenter wrote: “I swear I remember you used to be able to get 2 pizza slices for £3 back in the day.”

Shoppers did note one small win, though: the popular four sausage rolls deal has reportedly dropped back down to £3.95.

UK High Street Shops That No Longer Exist

Many users reminisced about lower prices in years gone by, with one joking: “Two pasties for £1 when I was in college… good days.”

Another added: “Remember when Greggs had cheap scran? About 5-10 years ago? Those were good times.”

Greggs said the changes come amid ongoing inflationary pressures and rising costs across the food industry.

The company insists it has tried to keep price rises to a minimum and continues to offer lower prices on selected bakes and pizza slices, despite broader cost increases affecting the sector.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he will move to suspend the federal tax on gasoline to help Americans shoulder surging fuel prices caused by the Iran war.

The president cannot suspend the federal tax on his own. Congress would have to approve the move.

Lawmakers from both parties have pushed for a gas-tax suspension, saying it would provide much-needed relief for families and businesses that rely on their cars and trucks to get to work and school and run everyday errands.

As of Monday, the average national gas price was $4.52 a gallon, according to the AAA motor club, 50% higher than the average price of just under $3 a gallon before Trump began the war against Iran.

What the gas tax supports

The federal tax is currently set at 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel, an amount that does not include state taxes, which often are higher. The tax provides more than $23 billion per year in revenue for federal highway and public transit programs.

Asked by reporters at the White House how long the tax should be suspended, Trump said, “Until it’s appropriate.” While the tax is only a small percentage of the price of gas, “it’s still money,” Trump said.

As gas prices have spiked, the Trump administration has released millions of barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve and temporarily lifted sanctions on some Russian and Iranian oil shipments already at sea. The U.S. is negotiating with countries reliant on Middle East crude to join a coalition to police the Strait of Hormuz, where about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil normally flows.

Trump needs Congress — and they’re beginning to react

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said on social media Monday that he will introduce legislation to suspend the gas tax. Democrats have previously sponsored similar legislation. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., also said in a post on X that she will introduce a bill “to suspend the federal gas tax in light of Trump’s recent remarks.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday he has not “been a fan” of a gas tax suspension, but added: “You know, I’ve got some colleagues out there who think it’s a good idea. So, we’ll hear them out.’’

Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said he’d prefer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to “normalize gas prices” without legislation. “Obviously, any time you suspend the gas tax, that leaves a big hole in the highway trust fund, which also has implications down the road,” he said.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said that “instead of suspending the tax, we should suspend the war.”

The ongoing spike in gas prices has set off alarms among some Republicans that it could hurt the party’s chances in the midterm elections.

Sen. John Cornyn, who is in a tough runoff race later this month to keep his seat, said he wants to know how roads and bridges would be paid for if the tax is lifted. But he said there’s a “difference between a temporary suspension and a permanent suspension.”

“A temporary suspension to get through this sort of bumpy time because of the uncertainty about energy prices, I could live with that,” he said.

Trump has previously said higher fuel prices are worth paying to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. That hardline message appeared to soften Sunday as Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration was “open to all ideas,” including a suspension of the gas tax, during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

A bill sponsored by Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Mark Kelly of Arizona would suspend the federal tax through Oct. 1. A similar measure was sponsored in the House by Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire.

“Trump’s war of choice with Iran is driving up gas prices across the country — and Americans shouldn’t have to bear the additional economic burden of Trump’s reckless decision making,” Blumenthal said in introducing the bill.

Kelly told reporters Monday he still prefers his legislation but would take “whatever we can get at this point.”

“People need relief,” he said.

Several states, including Indiana and Georgia, have recently suspended their taxes to alleviate high prices amid the war. Kentucky and Utah have reduced their state tax. Other states are weighing similar suspensions or tax reductions.

There are drawbacks, industry group says

The gasoline tax is the single largest source of revenue for federal highway and public transit programs.

While proposed bills would offset any lost Highway Trust Fund revenue with general funds, the tax suspension could raise the federal deficit and jeopardize the long-term sustainability of investments for highway and public transit programs, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, which represents the transportation construction industry.

The group cites studies showing that many retailers do not pass on the full amount of the gas tax reduction to consumers. Research also suggests that state and federal gas taxes are just one component of a complex pricing scheme that includes the global price of oil and other factors.

___

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Steven Sloan in Washington contributed to this story.

EastEnders fans are fearing a beloved character will soon be leaving the show.

Diane Parish has played the role of Denise Fox since 2006. Last week, it was confirmed the Walford resident would soon be diagnosed with blood cancer in a heartbreaking storyline.

The news came after Denise began experiencing some concerning health symptoms including fatigue. Visiting the doctor for tests will eventually lead Denise to discover she has acute myeloid leukaemia.

The storyline will depict the impact this diagnosis has on her and her loved ones as it plays out over the rest of the year.

Elsewhere, 2026 is also Diane’s 20th anniversary on the show. To celebrate this amazing milestone, the BBC EastEnders Instagram account recently shared a wonderful compilation of some of Denise’s most iconic moments from over the years.

Diane received plenty of heartfelt messages from her soap star colleagues, all sharing the love and noting what an absolute star she is.

Tameka Empson, who plays Denise’s sister Kim Fox, wrote: ‘Happy 20th Anniversary Diane. It has been a honour to watch and work with you for some of it. Love and respect to you always my big sis, from your little sis. Here’s your flowers’.

Ricky Norwood, who played absolute legend Fatboy said: ‘What a legacy!!
Denise for 20 more. Sending big love’.

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Balvinder Sopal aka Suki Panesar-Unwin added: ‘Iconic behaviour’.

Zaraah Abrahams, best known for her role as Chelsea Fox, also shared: ‘Unreal!! Happy Anniversary!!’.

Also within the comments section, Diane responded to the tribute post and wrote: ‘Oh. Thats done me. Thank you for the blessing of being part of the greatest show and a member of the best family a workplace has to offer.’

This message from Diane, along with the news of Denise’s blood cancer storyline, has left fans of the show worrying that she’ll soon be waving goodbye to Albert Square.

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Taking to social media platform X, an audience member shared Diane’s comment from Instagram and said: ‘shes leaving isn’t she :(‘.

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In response, this fan spoke for all of us and wrote: ‘Don’t say that!’.

Also worried about Denise’s future, this account added simply put: ‘Shut up shut up shut up’.

Ames added: ‘What’s worrying me is they are making a very big deal around her 20th anniversary too other characters got a little appreciation post but Diane is getting more… if they kill of Denise i’ll be so sad’.

what’s worrying me is they are making a very big deal around her 20th anniversary too other characters got a little appreciation post but Diane is getting more… if they kill of Denise i’ll be so sad #eastenders https://t.co/WJi4e6U2MX

— Ames (@ameslou23) May 11, 2026

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In order to ensure Denise’s upcoming story is portrayed as accurately and sensitively as possible, EastEnders has been working alongside Blood Cancer UK.

‘It’s been a privilege advising the EastEnders team to ensure Denise’s storyline reflects the real experiences of people living with blood cancer and those who care for them,’ Helen Rowntree, CEO of Blood Cancer UK, said.

‘Blood cancers, which include leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, do not discriminate yet experiences and outcomes can vary significantly, including by ethnicity. ‘Being Black and living with an aggressive blood cancer like acute myeloid leukaemia can bring additional challenges.

‘We hope viewers gain a greater understanding of blood cancer’s impact and we’re pleased this issue is being highlighted on a powerful platform, helping make a “hidden” cancer more visible.’

Executive producer Ben Wadey added: ‘It was vital to us that Denise’s storyline is portrayed with sensitivity and care, and we’re grateful to Blood Cancer UK for their advice in helping us tell this story accurately.

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‘As viewers follow Denise, we hope to shine a light on the realities and challenges of an acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosis and the impact it has on the person affected and those around them.’

MORE: EastEnders boss reveals more surprises to come after legendary returns

MORE: EastEnders may have just foreshadowed the death of a legend – it would be a shocker

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Expert butchers shared their favourite method for cooking sausages for juicier and tastier results – and it’s not what you might expect

If you’re like most people, you likely believe you’ve already perfected the technique of cooking sausages. You’ve been preparing them for years and are entirely happy with how they turn out. However, with just a handful of small tweaks, you could potentially be dishing up some of the finest bangers you’ve ever sampled.

The butchers at Lepp Farm Market shared that their “hands down, favourite way to cook sausages” is on the barbecue. But for everyday cooking, they’ve revealed the ultimate method to adopt.

It does involve two steps, but “you won’t be disappointed by the results”. They maintained that sausages cooked this way were “some of the best they’d ever had”.

Pan-frying sausages seems to be among the most commonly used cooking approaches, yet it doesn’t impress the experts.

While it might feel somewhat unconventional, the butchers recommend boiling sausages to render them “juicier and tastier”, reports the Mirror.

Simply place the raw sausages into a pan and cover them with cold water, making sure there’s approximately an inch of water covering them.

Turn your hob to a medium heat and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Resist piercing the sausages or cooking them at a vigorous boil, as “you’ll lose all those tasty juices”.

Once you’ve reached a simmer, continue cooking for just two to three more minutes.

This short cooking time is enough to raise the internal temperature to a safe 160 degrees. Once cooked, drain the sausages and discard the water. At this stage, they can be sliced straightaway for use in a casserole or pasta dish, as they are thoroughly cooked and ready to eat.

Admittedly, their colour at this point isn’t particularly appetising, but this is easily remedied if you prefer a more appealing finish.

Simply heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then fry the slices or whole sausages “just long enough until they’re golden brown”.

Beyond Paradise star Kris Marshall has been backed by fans to take on the role of Arthur Weasley in the new HBO Harry Potter series

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Beyond Paradise enthusiasts believe they’ve identified the perfect part for Kris Marshall to take on.

Presently, he’s most recognised for his portrayal of DI Humphrey Goodman in the Beyond franchise, having first appeared in 2014.

When he departed the fictional island of Saint Marie in 2017, BBC viewers were devastated that his stint on the programme had concluded.

Nevertheless, they were delighted when it emerged he was receiving his own spin-off programme alongside partner Martha Lloyd (Sally Bretton) in the fictional Devon community of Shipton Abbott.

While the most recent series has just wrapped up, supporters have turned their attention to another potential character for Kris to embody beyond the BBC programme, reports the Mirror.

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On Reddit, one supporter pointed out that the performer would be the perfect choice to assume the part of Arthur Weasley in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series.

They posted: “The right age, funny, definitely capable of that wide-eyed enthusiasm, but as his tone on Death in Paradise shows, more than capable of handling the more dramatic moments. Kris Marshall would be the perfect Mr Weasley.”

It wasn’t long before additional users responded to the discussion, with numerous expressing their approval as one individual posted: “This might be my new favourite Arthur-fancast!” As another contributed: “He would be absolutely perfect.”

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Another viewer remarked: “This might be my favourite so far. I think this is a great suggestion.” While a further commenter added: “I love his character in Death in Paradise and that role is so like Arthur Weasley. And he is tall too. He would be just perfect! Wish they would cast him for the series.”

Nevertheless, it appears fans will need to be patient regarding who will take on the role of the much-loved character, as no announcement has yet been made about who will portray Arthur Weasley.

While speculation has emerged suggesting Grey’s Anatomy’s Kevin McKidd could be in contention for the part, he told Entertainment Weekly: “I would never say never. I’m a massive Harry Potter fan.”

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At present, newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout have been confirmed to portray Harry, Hermione and Ron respectively.

Elsewhere, John Lithgow takes on the role of Dumbledore, Nick Frost will play Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu is set to portray Snape and Janet McTeer will be Minerva McGonagall.

Additional cast members include Luke Thallon, Paul Whitehouse, Katherine Parkinson, Lox Pratt, Johnny Flynn, Bel Powley, Daniel Rigby and Bertie Carvel.

The first season of the new Harry Potter HBO series is set to be released on December 25 this year on HBO. Beyond Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Ireland has a unique relationship to climate change. The country has always relied on its pastoral landscapes for its national character, but the escalating climate crisis threatens this tradition because of rising temperatures and sea levels, and deforestation. Given Irish literature’s continued interest in nature, contemporary Irish poets are tackling these issues in their writing.

Poetry plays a special role in times of mass environmental decline. As a literary genre that relies on flexible, open-ended and even conflicting language to address complicated issues, poetry is especially well-suited to address the complex entanglement of local and global concerns, human and nonhuman lives, that gain increased prominence because of climate change.

Poems that explore environmental issues, often called ecopoems, can pack a lot of ideas into a single image. A short poem focused on a seemingly mundane subject can hide a wealth of meaning behind its simplicity.

À lire aussi :
Ten compelling poems about climate change – chosen by our experts

In an age dominated by the algorithmic attention economy, poetry might be our best tool for incorporating activism into everyday life.

Heaney’s bogs

The Nobel prize-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney knew this. Taking inspiration from ancient Irish nature writing, Heaney described the Irish landscape as “a system of reality beyond the visible realities”.

In his 1969 poem Bogland, he defines the bog itself as representing the essence of Irishness.

We have no prairies

To slice a big sun at evening—

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Everywhere the eye concedes to

Encroaching horizon,

Is wooed into the cyclops’ eye

Of a tarn. Our unfenced country

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Is bog that keeps crusting

Between the sights of the sun.

Heaney juxtaposes Irish bogs with the vast prairies of the American west by presenting them as archives of natural and human history.

Ecopoetry scholar Yvonne Reddick has shown that from the early 1970s, Heaney extensively researched bog formation. His poems demonstrate an awareness of how the bogs have preserved Irish elk skeletons and iron age bodies because of their oxygen-free conditions.

For Heaney, the landscape was more than a lifeless background. It was a literal container of Irish history, including the possibility of environmental catastrophe.

Bogland gained new life when Heaney used it to support the Ulster Trust for Nature Conservation in 1991. As part of a fundraising initiative, the poem’s opening stanzas were printed on a poster beneath a painting by T.P. Flanagan. It was accompanied by the following information: “Peatlands are under serious threat because of cutting, drainage, afforestation and erosion … We have a responsibility to conserve and restore what remains.”

Turf-cutting (harvesting peat from bogs to use as fuel for home heating and cooking) was an important part of Heaney’s upbringing. But his involvement with conservation causes points to a changed outlook on these practices because of their environmental impact.

Finding the past in the present

Contemporary Irish poets continue this legacy. With a PhD in ornithology, writer Mary Montague relays her concern for environmental issues with poetic passion. Her work is often focused on native Irish animals, many of which are facing a similar fate to the Irish wolf due to habitat loss and the influence of invasive species.

Wolves were once common in Ireland. Research estimates that roughly 800 to 1,000 wolves roamed the country around the year 1600. Because wolves thrived in Ireland after their extinction in England, colonial authorities felt justified in using this as evidence of Irish “savagery”. Bounties were eventually established that spelled out the necessity of exterminating these creatures, the last of which was killed in 1786.

À lire aussi :
Farmers told me what they really think about reintroducing lynx and wolves to Britain and Ireland

Montague connects this violent history to the threats currently facing Irish animals. Her poem Haunted draws on the mythic connotations of ravens – which were once connected to the Celtic goddess of death, Mórrígan – to mourn the loss of Irish wolves. The poem asks whether the birds’ ominous associations ironically signal their own impending demise, given the escalating effects of climate change.

Their ragged capes of wingspans still float

over the Sperrins to scan the landscape

for the blot of a carcase, but they reel

with a fatalism, black flags

suspended over an absence.

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Poet Cherry Smyth also links Ireland’s colonial past to the current ecological moment. Her collection Famished (2019) found echoes of the great Irish famine in the rise of climate refugees.

More recently, her collection One Mountain: Sold (2025) responds to the threat of gold mining in the Sperrin Mountains, County Tyrone. The collection can be read as a poetic companion to the Save Our Sperrins campaign. This grassroots movement opposes the extraction of gold, silver and other minerals from the Sperrins and surrounding landscape.

Montague explained some of the campaign’s main concerns in the Guardian’s County Diary column. These include the pollution of air and water, the dehydration of local bog land and the potential risks to human health caused by mining.

Together, these poets show how the strongest of Irish ecopoems connect colonial history to the climate crisis. They highlight how the effects of environmental degradation in Ireland are the latest influence on an already precarious relationship to land.

Jane Clarke’s work also shows a dedication to healing these histories of violence embedded in Irish landscapes. Speaking at the Dublin City University Centre for Climate and Society in 2024, Clarke emphasised the importance of the arts in promoting environmentalism.

Clarke’s recent collaboration with the Burrenbeo Trust, a nonprofit organisation that runs various conservation campaigns across Ireland, demonstrates this commitment. The Hare’s Corner (2025) features original poems by Clarke that reflect the benefits of projects run by Burrenbeo that promote healthier farming practices that give threatened species the chance to flourish.

While governmental intervention based on scientific fact remains the most effective solution to climate change, contemporary Irish poets show the importance of literature in fighting environmental decline. As Montague writes in her contribution to The Watchful Heart anthology: “Loss is inevitable; the formalised language of poetry may help us endure it.”

‘These results demonstrate the health impact of the arts at a biological level’

Going to a museum and enjoying the arts and culture could be as important as exercise in slowing ageing, a new academic study suggests today.

Academics said their study provides evidence that arts and cultural engagement should be ‘recognised as a health-promoting behaviour in a similar way to exercise’.

Researchers found that a variety of activities were seen to be useful including reading, listening to music or visiting a gallery or museum. This could because each activity has a different impact on physical, cognitive, emotional or social stimulation, they said.

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Previous work has shown that engaging with the arts can lower stress levels, reduce inflammation and improve heart disease risk, experts said.

The study, led by academics from University College London (UCL), examined the biological markers of ageing in a person’s DNA. Specific sites in DNA that regulate gene expression, known as DNA methylation, were examined as markers of ageing.

As the years go by, methylation patterns shift, forming the basis for what scientists term “epigenetic clocks”.

The study, published in the journal Innovation In Aging, saw academics examine seven of these epigenetic clocks.

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Researchers looked at survey responses and blood test data from 3,556 UK adults. They compared people’s engagements with arts and culture to chemical changes in the DNA.

They found that people who engaged with such activities more often, and had a broader range of cultural activities, appeared to have a slower pace of ageing and a younger biological age.

And they said these changes are comparable with the changes linked to exercise – those who took part an arts activity at least once a week appeared to age up to 4% more slowly than those who rarely engaged with the arts.

This was the same as those who exercised at least once a week compared with those who did no physical activity.

After studying one of the “clocks”, researchers said that doing an arts activity at least three times a year was linked to ageing 2% more slowly, monthly engagement was linked to 3% slower ageing, and weekly activity to a 4% slower ageing rate, compared with those who engaged with arts fewer than three times a year.

And after examining data on another of these clocks, researchers found that people who engaged in arts and cultural activities at least weekly were a year younger on average compared with those who rarely engaged.

“These results demonstrate the health impact of the arts at a biological level,” said lead author Professor Daisy Fancourt, from UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care.

“They provide evidence for arts and cultural engagement to be recognised as a health-promoting behaviour in a similar way to exercise. Our study also suggests that engaging in a variety of arts activities may be helpful.

“This may be because each activity has different ‘ingredients’ that help health, such as physical, cognitive, emotional or social stimulation.”

Senior author Dr Feifei Bu added: “Our study provides the first evidence that arts and cultural engagement is linked to a slower pace of biological ageing. This builds on a growing body of evidence about the health impact of the arts, with arts activities being shown to reduce stress, lower inflammation and improve cardiovascular disease risk, just as exercise is known to do.”

Experimental musician Look Mum No Computer, real name Sam Battle, will compete in Vienna, Austria, this week with his track, Eins, Zwei, Drei.

Mr Battle said: “I just want to do the UK proud.

“I hope they feel happiness, curiosity, and wonderment.”

The Lincolnshire-born performer said he hopes the audience will learn from the song.

He said: “I hope everyone will be able to count to three in German by the end.

“Wunderbar!”

Look Mum No Computer prepares for Eurovision

A look back at the UK’s 5 Eurovision wins

Mr Battle has built much of the stage set himself, including oversized synthesiser panels and custom electronics.

He said: “It has been a lot of work, especially as I have just become a new dad at the same time as prepping for Eurovision.

“But overall, it’s been a lot of fun – I’m really proud of what we’ve pulled together and can’t wait to put it into practise.”

He said: “Working with (choreographer Fredrik Rydman) has been brilliant, he’s a really cool guy and has been pushing the boundaries of what we want to do up on that stage.

“It’s going to make for a really interesting live performance.”

He said: “probably changing my newborn baby’s nappy.”

He confirmed that the “mega synthesizer” panels and electronic elements used in the show are his own creations and said they are on a scale larger than anything he has built before.

He said: “I don’t want to give it all away, so you’ll have to tune in to see me when I perform on the Eurovision stage for the first time at Thursday’s semi-final.”

When asked by the BBC how it feels to perform in front of a global audience of 160 million, Mr Battle admitted it felt “It feels surreal. It’s not long to go now and I am really excited and strangely not too nervous, until you said that!”

Early rehearsal footage revealed a show featuring dancers in green costumes topped with furry television screens.

The European Broadcasting Union described the planned staging as a “supersized version” of the song’s eccentric music video.

While Mr Battle was not permitted to build every part of the set – joking that the BBC “didn’t trust my welding” – he confirmed that “all of the electronics and panels” were made by him.

Mr Battle’s YouTube channel, Look Mum No Computer, has drawn more than 85 million views since 2013.

Do you like the song for the UK? (Image: AP/PA)

He has become known for his videos about making and playing unusual electronic music equipment, having made an organ out of Furby toys, fused a synthesiser with a Raleigh Chopper bicycle, and made a triple oscillator synthesiser out of Nintendo Game Boy video game consoles.

His DIY creations and experimental sound have earned him 1.4 million combined subscribers and followers across his various social accounts.

The grand final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast live from Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle on Saturday, May 16.

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The UK competes in the wake of Austrian singer JJ’s victory in 2025 with Wasted Love.

Eurovision 2026 will be broadcast live on BBC One and iPlayer, as well as on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

The two semi-finals take place on May 12 and May 14.

Will you be watching the Eurovision Song Contest? Let us know in the comments.