Emily Atack is given more to do this time around as Sarah Stratton, the TV anchor married to another Tory MP, Paul Stratton. In one brilliantly handled scene, with Taggie’s help, she pretends to cook for a dinner party intended to woo Tony and ends up trying to host while guiding unwanted guests in and out of pantries and closets, and dealing with the news that she’s pregnant. Atack is masterful here, sympathetic and hilarious in a Fawlty Towers-level farce.

Celebrity Juice host Leigh Francis shared the awful facial injury given to him by an over-excited fan’s massive fingernail.

The comedian, 53 – best known for his alter ego Keith Lemon – is also a regular on the DJ scene, which comes with its own set of perils, as he recently discovered.

While spinning discs at Sound Bites festival in Syon Park, his sick tunes clearly got the crowd going, leading to a nasty wound in the most unexpected way.

He took to social media to explain what happened, and show the damage.

‘Oh, hello. I’ve just got back to my room, been DJing. Went into the crowd, and someone was overcome with joy, so that was a nice feeling.

‘So she went: “I love you!” and put her hands towards my face and her thumbnail, which was quite long… did that,’ he said.

He then dramatically turned his head to show an angry, red gash from his hair all the way to his eye, luckily just missing the tender organ by millimetres.

With a note of shock in his voice, he noted: ‘Could’ve been worse, could’ve gone in my eye but yeah bit of a naughty one that, innit?’

And in the caption added: ‘I guess I’ve gotta stop going into the crowd. Gonna have to put a bit of vinegar on pet. Stinger!’

His plight raked in a flurry of sympathy from horrified friends and fans.

Friend Stephen Paulson commented on Instagram: ‘Blimey! Even I didn’t do that with you and I had Wolverine claws! Heal fast mate!’

‘Jesus, what was she, Edwina Scissor Hands?’ Jason Penny Cooke joked.

‘Omg Leigh that’s awful,’ Dolls wrote on TikTok.

‘Jeeez! Pal, I hope you’re ok,’ P21cey echoed. ‘Ouch! I’m glad you are OK!’ AndreaR said.

The TV personality then did a follow-up video as another of his alter egos, Avid Merrion, in which he filmed a day in his life for the second day of the festival, with a heavy emphasis on his ‘war wound’.

At one point, he jokingly shows a woman and declared: ‘This is the lady that clawed my face with overexcitement.’

Recounting the incident, he said ‘all the joy left [his] body’ and advised festival attendees not to get ‘too drunk’ when they are having a good time.

Although he quipped he looked like a ‘sexy action man’ and that next time he would perform as another of his characters, The Bear, who no one would dare mess with.

Leigh has been concentrating on his live comedy and music career in recent years and, despite the physical dangers, seems committed to this path for the forseeable future.

In September, he revealed he ‘doesn’t know’ if he’ll ever return to the world of TV after ITV cancelled Celebrity Juice in 2022.

He said: ‘Juice will never come back… someone asked me when I’m back on TV and I said I don’t know.

‘I did say it’s pretty difficult doing things these days without offending people.’

Adding that he had got ideas, he caveated: ‘I don’t think comedy is commissioned as easily as back in the day.’

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WASHINGTON (AP) — From the moment President Donald Trump lands in Beijing on Wednesday, all eyes will be on how much of a spectacle the Chinese government rolls out, such as who lines up to greet him, what music is played and whether Chinese and American children wave flowers and flags.

In China’s rigidly hierarchical world of diplomacy, protocol and ceremony carry weight. The reception of Trump is shaping up to be warm and designed to flatter him, indicative of Beijing’s tactical approach to a U.S. leader known for his love for pomp, but it is unlikely to top the “state visit plus” extravaganza President Xi Jinping extended to Trump in 2017.

“That reflects greater Chinese confidence in their position, greater skepticism of Trump, and the awkwardness of the current relationship,” said Rush Doshi, C.V. Starr senior fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and an assistant professor of security studies at Georgetown University.

In the past nine years, the China-U.S. relationship has shifted from engagement to competition and has dipped to a low point during the COVID-19 pandemic and trade wars.

Experts say China’s economic clout and its ability to leverage its dominance in the global supply chain have allowed the Chinese leadership to negotiate from a position of strength and led to a more pragmatic China policy by the Trump administration. And now the war with Iran, which has left the Strait of Hormuz blocked and rattled the global economy, has given Xi an upper hand coming into the summit.

The war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, delayed Trump’s visit, initially scheduled for the end of March. Now, Trump is going to Beijing for a shorter stay than in 2017, and without first lady Melania Trump.

“The context for this visit is wholly different,” said Danny Russel, a former senior U.S. diplomat, who does not expect Beijing to outdo itself this time in receiving Trump. “The schedule has been compressed to basically one day and stripped down to the basics.”

China will roll out the red carpet

But the U.S. holds a special place in China’s foreign relations, and China will shower Trump with plenty of ceremonial pomp because Beijing sees it as a diplomatic tool, Russel said.

If the 2017 trip is any indication, Trump can expect to walk down from Air Force One along a red-carpet stairway with golden edging and be greeted by a warm crowd.

At a formal welcome ceremony the next day, he will be greeted by Xi and other Chinese officials, whose rank could be telling. Trump is then expected to inspect military honor guards, lined up precisely by height, their eyes closely tracking him and Xi as the two leaders walk down the red carpet. And he will likely receive a 21-gun salute.

“It’s no secret to any government that President Trump responds positively to flattery and spectacle,” Russel said. “The pomp and pageantry is designed both to flatter Trump and to pacify him, making him more amenable to Chinese asks and reducing the risk of an embarrassing public confrontation.”

Xi also will offer something extra, as he did during past visits by American presidents. In 2014, it was an evening stroll with former President Barack Obama in the leadership compound of Zhongnanhai. In 2017, he hosted a private dinner for Trump at the Palace Museum, on the grounds of the former imperial palace.

This time, the special relationship between the Chinese and American leaders will play out at the Temple of Heaven, a former imperial site, in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an iconic, blue-tiled building known for its circular design and a triple-gabled roof. The White House says Xi will accompany Trump on a tour of the World Heritage site, where Chinese emperors once prayed for bumper harvests.

The entire park is closed on Wednesday and Thursday, while the main attractions, including the hall and the Echo Wall, were closed on Tuesday for “the maintenance of ancient architecture,” park management said.

This is unusual. The park was not closed for the prime ministers of Britain or Spain when they visited the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace in Beijing, respectively, earlier this year. And Xi didn’t accompany them.

But it is not 2017 anymore

Beijing declared Trump’s first presidential trip to China to be a “state visit plus,” and it is the only one China has held for any foreign leader. The trip was full of unprecedented arrangements.

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, gave Trump and the first lady a tour of the Palace Museum, where they chatted over afternoon tea and watched a traditional opera performance at a royal theater that had not seen a show for a century. They also dined there — a first for any foreign leader.

During the formal welcome ceremony the next day, “The Stars and Stripes Forever” was played as the presidents inspected Chinese military guards, an unusual choice intended to impress Trump.

Trump, who often boasts of his good relationship with Xi, still harkens back to that visit nearly nine years ago.

“You know, last time I went to China, President Xi, he treated me so well, he gave me a display,” Trump said in February. “I never saw so many soldiers, all the same height, exactly the same height within a quarter of an inch.”

How China treats Trump this time will offer clues about the dynamics of the relationship, said Doshi, who served on former President Joe Biden’s National Security Council and helped plan his summits with Xi in 2022 and 2023.

“China uses diplomatic protocol as a method of signaling favor or disfavor. That is why we should pay close attention to how President Trump is received,” Doshi said.

Tyne Rivers Trust has opened its annual photo competition for the 2027 charity calendar, inviting submissions from photographers of all ages and abilities.

Images should feature the River Tyne catchment throughout the seasons, from sea to source.

Sophia Stovall, chief executive officer at Tyne Rivers Trust, said: “We were blown away by the quality of entries last year.

“For the 2027 calendar, we want to see even more of the diverse nature of our waterways, from the hidden tributaries to the iconic main river, the wildlife that calls the Tyne home, and the stunning landscapes that surround it.”

The 2026 calendar generated strong community interest and sold more than 100 copies, raising funds for the environmental charity.

Photos can be professionally shot or taken on smartphones, with the focus on capturing any aspect of the river across the year.

Proceeds from calendar sales help fund the trust’s work to improve water quality, address climate change, and protect the river’s ecosystem for the long term.

The 2027 calendar will feature 12 winning images, with each month available for sponsorship at £1,000.

Sponsors will have their logo and information included in the calendar and all funds will support the trust’s ongoing projects.

The public are encouraged to visit the riverbanks this season and capture their best Tyne-inspired image.

Selected entries will be featured in the printed calendar, giving contributors the chance to see their photography in print and support an environmental cause.

For full entry guidelines, sponsorship opportunities, and competition details, visit www.tyneriverstrust.org/2027-calendar-comp/.

Actor James Cartwright has said he ‘can’t wait’ as his next villainous role was confirmed following his exit from the ITV soap

Former Coronation Street star James Cartwright has said he ‘can’t wait’ as his next villainous role was confirmed, just a couple of weeks after he was seen bowing out of the long-running show.

As fans of the ITV soap know, the actor made his debut on the famous cobbles back in March 2025 as Theo Silverton, who quickly struck up a sizzling romance with local undertaker, Todd Grimshaw.

However, what followed was a heartbreaking and difficult-to-watch 13-month domestic violence and coercive control storyline, during which Todd, played by Gareth Pierce, was seen suffering both physical and mental abuse at the hands of his partner.

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But as viewers eventually saw earlier this month, after a flashback episode aired in February revealed five characters as the possible victims of a shocking murder, it was Theo who was killed, putting an end to his long reign of terror in Weatherfield.

That being said, while not physically present, Theo has mentally scarred Todd, who is now in the frame for his murder, as well as his loved ones, George Shuttleworth, Christina Boyd, and Summer, alongside Gary Windass and Theo’s ex-wife, Danielle Silverton, who could also be guilty of Theo’s demise.

While the ‘whodunnit’ continues to unfold on-screen, with DS Lisa Connor-Swain and DC Kit Green leading Weatherfield Police’s investigation, James is planning his acting future as his next role was confirmed, as he will appear in a pantomime this Christmas.

The 41-year-old, who is the son of playwright Jim Cartwright, has landed the role of Abanazar in Bournemouth’s Pavilion Theatre’s production of Aladdin, running from December 5 to January 3, 2027.

Speaking about the job, James told the theatre’s official website: “I can’t wait to be a part of it. Bournemouth is such a beautiful place, and to be here over Christmas, performing for local families and visitors alike, feels really special. Pantomime has such a brilliant tradition, and I’m super excited to dive into that world.”

Producer Martin Dodd of UK Productions added: “Known to many as the very dangerous Theo Silverton in Coronation Street, James brings a commanding stage presence and a sharp edge to his performances – perfect for a larger-than-life villain.”

It comes as James and Gareth were reunited over the weekend as they represented Corrie at the 2026 Bafta Television Awards. The soap was up for the soap gong at the prestigious ceremony on Sunday (May 10) night, and Gareth and James, as well as fellow Corrie stars Sue Devaney and Tanisha Gorey, were seen swapping the cobbles for a star-studded red carpet ahead of the ceremony getting underway at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London.

Sadly, the Bafta hasn’t returned home to Manchester as the soap gong was awarded to EastEnders. On hand to pick up the award was BBC soap stars Michelle Collins, Jessie Wallace, Diane Parish, and Aaron Thiara, as well as former executive producer Chris Clenshaw and his successor, current boss Ben Wadey.

But it didn’t stop the Corrie stars from enjoying their evening. A string of photos was shared of the foursome on Corrie’s Instagram page, in which former on-screen couple Gareth and James looked dapper in matching black suits and bow ties, while the two ladies dazzled in different styles of black gowns, with Tanisha rocking a sleek, sheer-detailed number, while Sue slipped into a bedazzled plunging number before adding a fur shawl around her shoulders.

Several farms have been targeted by thieves with GPS equipment being stolen

Cambridgeshire Police are asking for anyone who notices any suspicious behaviour in two Cambridgeshire areas to report it. Farms along the A47 between Thorney and Guyhirn were targeted by thieves last night (Monday, May 11) and this morning (Tuesday, May 12) with GPS guidance systems stolen from agricultural vehicles and machinery.

Officers from the Rural Crime Action Team are working closing with farmers and are patrolling the area to target offenders. The police are asking for anyone with footage or who may have noticed anything suspicious in the two areas to come forward.

You can report anything through the force website by quoting the references 35/35067/26, 35/35055/26 and 35/35090/26. You can call 101 if you do not have access to the internet.

You can also report anything anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

PC Brady Slack said: “We believe these thefts could be linked because of their locations along the A47.

“We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in the Thorney and Guyhirn areas recently. This includes anyone acting suspiciously, unfamiliar vehicles, vans or cars parked near farms and fields, particularly overnight or during the early hours of this morning.

“People may also have been loading items into vehicles or loitering around agricultural machinery. If you have any CCTV, dashcam, video doorbell footage or information about any of this, do get in touch with us.

“These GPS systems are highly specialised, costly to replace and essential to modern farming operations.”

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LONDON (AP) — King Charles III on Wednesday will deliver the government’s legislative program for the coming year to lawmakers with all the pomp and historic trappings that accompany the ceremonial opening of Britain’s Parliament.

The question is whether Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be around to implement it and, even if he survives the latest government crisis, whether he will have the authority to push his proposals through Parliament.

The King’s speech will be Starmer’s second attempt to save his premiership after his Labour Party suffered huge losses in local and regional elections last week. That weakened his already tenuous grip on power and fueled calls for him to step down from members of his own party who believe Starmer has been too timid in attacking the rising cost of living, wealth inequality and the country’s creaking public services.

The pressure on Starmer has only increased since a Monday speech to party supporters, promoted as the first leg of his fight back. But it was criticized as “tone deaf” and lacking the bold policies needed to tackle Britain’s problems. Former Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips resigned from the Cabinet on Tuesday, saying the government needed to “have a row, push back, make arguments, bring people along.”

Historic power collides with modern reality

The King’s Speech will be a moment when the historic power and grandeur of Britain will collide with the reality of the modern United Kingdom, a mid-sized country with an underfunded military, rising debt and waning international influence. It’s a country struggling to control immigration and pay for public services such as health care and education.

The speech is just one element of the state opening of Parliament, a traditional set piece of the political calendar that uses carefully choreographed pageantry to showcase Britain’s evolution from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy where real power is vested in the elected House of Commons.

This year’s edition will be closely watched because of Starmer’s precarious position.

The speech is likely to take on cost of living crisis

The speech is expected to include proposals to address the cost of living crisis, create a national wealth fund to stimulate private investment in public infrastructure and tighten rules for asylum seekers. It may also include the government’s controversial proposal to abolish jury trials for some cases in England and Wales, lower the voting age to 16 and introduce a “duty of candor” for public officials, requiring them to tell the truth and cooperate with investigations.

The problem for Starmer is that many of the proposals expected to appear in the speech have been announced previously. That raises the question of whether he will be able to win over his doubters.

Even so, the speech is the focal point of a day of ceremony and tradition that has been followed since 1852, with elements of the program dating to the 16th century.

King Charles III visits the Commons

The monarch traditionally travels from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament, a distance of less than a mile, in a horse-drawn carriage. He then dons the Imperial State Crown and robe of state before leading a procession into the chamber of the unelected House of Lords.

A Lords official called Black Rod, named for the ebony rod he or she carries, then goes to the House of Commons to summon the chamber’s members to a joint sitting of Parliament. The doors to the Commons chamber are slammed in Black Rod’s face to symbolize the chamber’s independence from the monarchy, and they aren’t opened until Black Rod strikes the doors three times.

Once members of the Commons have crowded into the Lords’ chamber, the king delivers a speech written by the government and laying out its legislative program for the coming session of Parliament.

After the speech is read and the king leaves, the two houses of Parliament begin several days of debate on its contents.

The Liberal Democrats said they were “sorry not to have expanded into other parts of the city”

The Liberal Democrats say they will “work constructively” with other parties after last week’s election’s shake-up left Cambridge City Council without a leader. Cameron Holloway lost his seat, meaning both the council and local Labour Party must find a replacement.

Cambridge Labour will decide on a new leader at this Sunday’s AGM as discussions continue about what the next council administration may look like.

Labour remains the largest party on the council with 17 councillors, though after losing their majority no single party has the required 22 seats. The Green Party is now the second largest with 12 seats, picking up six from Labour, and the Liberal Democrats are third with 11.

Councils with no overall majority can be governed in a few different ways. Some have a minority administration, with one party in control despite not having more than half of all councillors. This usually happens where they have the most councillors or close to a majority.

Other councils are run by coalitions of parties. In some, the largest party is unable to rule as a minority because a coalition of smaller parties has banded together.

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to “work constructively” with other parties after the results which saw them hold three seats, but fail to gain more.

Cllr Tim Bick, Cambridge leader of the party, said they were “sorry not to have expanded into other parts of the city” but “missed out by very narrow margins”. He said they held their seats with “increased majorities”.

He described this as a “resounding vote of confidence in how Liberal Democrats serve and champion our local residents”, particularly given the party won every seat in South Cambridgeshire bar two.

He said Cambridge faces “two vital years” before the council is replaced with a new unitary authority with “major decisions on housing, the local plan and local services to be made”.

Cllr Bick said: “This calls for the political parties to find the right formula to work together to hand over to the new unitary council in a way that benefits the city for the long term. For our part, in this more open political environment, we Liberal Democrats are ready to work with others to try and achieve the priorities we have campaigned on.

“We will work constructively with other parties who are open themselves to do that: willing to share in responsibility and respond positively to last week’s election result. People voted for a change last week and they must see that in the way their council is run over the next two years.”

Parties are currently discussing political agreements to allow a new administration to be formed, such as what the political make-up of a new cabinet would look like. Councillors will vote on a new leader and appointments to committees at an annual meeting on Thursday, May 21.

The application sought for approval to vary existing planning conditions attached to the wider Hamilton Community Growth Area masterplan.

Plans linked to the long-running Hamilton Community Growth Area development have been approved despite public objections.

Councillors on today’s planning committee (May 12), approved proposals which relate to land south and west of the town near Strathaven Road, Meikle Earnock Road and Highstonehall Road.

The application sought for approval to vary existing planning conditions attached to the wider Hamilton Community Growth Area masterplan.

This now means that developers have greater flexibility to submit future applications covering matters such as housing layouts, housing types and numbers, positioning of buildings, infrastructure and landscape details.

The wider Community Growth Area spans around 171 hectares and already benefits from planning permission in principle granted in 2017.

Planning officers say the changes are intended to “future proof” the development and make it easier for underdeveloped parts of the site to come forward over time.

A report prepared for the Planning Committee states the principle of residential development on the site is already established under the South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan.

Council officials also stated that the proposal supports national housing policies aimed at delivering “high quality, affordable and sustainable homes”.

READ MORE: South Lanarkshire Council reveals new support for care-experienced young people

And it was established that the site is in a sustainable location and would support the creation of “20 minute neighbourhoods”.

But, the proposal did generate 42 objections during the consultation process.

Residents raised concerns including continued large-scale housebuilding in the area, loss of greenspace and wildlife habitat, increased traffic and congestion, pressure on local infrastructure, drainage and flooding concerns, impacts on woodland and protected species and claims of inadequate public consultation.

The report presented to councillors notes that future submissions will still need approval on issues including flood risk, biodiversity, roads and transport, landscaping, public transport provision, play areas, drainage and sewage disposal, archaeology and pollution control.

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