The fashion entrepreneur and investor, best known for his long-standing role on the BBC business series, shared the news in a post on Instagram.

He owns UK shirtmaker Hawes and Curtis and fashion label Ghost.

Touker Suleyman to leave Dragons’ Den after 10 years

On Instagram, he said: “After ten extraordinary years as a dragon on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, I have made the decision to step down from the show.

“It has been an immense privilege to sit in that chair, to meet so many passionate and talented entrepreneurs and to invest in business and people I truly believed in.”

He said: “The show gave me a platform not only to invest in leading British founders and companies but to share hard-won wisdom built over decades in business – and I hope that, in some small way, I made a difference to those who stood opposite me.

“At 72, I find myself reflecting on what matters most.

“I am proud of every deal made, every pitch challenged and every founder I had the honour of backing.

“But firmly believe that great institutions must evolve and it is time for new blood to take my seat in the den and bring their own vision to this brilliant show.

“Fans of the series can still catch me in action one last time – my final episodes will be airing later this year.”

Touker described his time on Dragons’ Den as “truly memorable”, and said his departure would allow him more time to support the entrepreneurs he has backed.

Mr Suleyman said: “If I can help the next generation avoid the pitfalls I’ve faced, seize the opportunities I almost missed and build businesses they are truly proud of, then that will be the most rewarding chapter of my career yet.”

He also expressed his thanks to the wider Dragons’ Den team.

Mr Suleyman said: “To the BBC, to my fellow dragons past and present, to the production team and above all to the entrepreneurs who dared to walk through those doors, thank you.

“It has been one of the great joys of my career.

“The fire in the den burns on.

“I simply pass the torch.”

Dragons and fans of BBC show wish Touker Suleyman luck for the future

Fellow Dragons, fans of the show and entrepreneurs have shared their gratitude for Touker and wished him luck for the future.

One person said: “Wishing you all the best of luck and success in your future ventures and you will be sincerely missed as the show will have lost a valuable member. 😍🙌🏼”.

Another commented: “Absolute Legend”.

Someone else said: “Will miss you Touker 🙏🏻 our fave for sure 🫶🏼”.

Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones said: “Touker, it’s been the best 10 years.

“You have been incredible and helped change so many people’s lives.

“I’ve loved every moment, from your very first day to your last, spending time with you in the den and after filming, talking about the day.

“Will miss you.

“Your contribution to Dragons’ Den and the many lives you have changed for the better is special.”

Fellow Dragon Tej Lalvani said: “After 10 incredible years in the Den, it’s hard to imagine Dragons’ Den without @touker_suleyman now that he has announced he is leaving the show.

“When I first joined the show, Touker was one of the people who immediately made me feel welcome.

“He was generous with his advice, always looked out for me and became someone I could learn a huge amount from.

“Over the years, we’ve invested in businesses together, sat side by side through countless pitches and shared a passion for backing ambitious entrepreneurs.

“What has always stood out to me is Touker’s ability to see potential in people.

“Beyond the deals and investments, he’s been a mentor to so many founders, offering guidance, encouragement and belief when they needed it most.

Most successful Dragons’ Den products

“Touker, thank you for everything you’ve brought to the Den over the last decade.

“You’ve helped shape the journeys of countless entrepreneurs and your impact will be felt for many years to come.

“A true legend and a great friend. You’ll be incredibly missed.”

Fellow Dragon Steven Bartlett said: “❤️❤️ we’ll miss you T!

“Thank you for your wisdom and kindness and taking the time to coach me when I first started.

“I’ll never forget your generosity. See you for dinner soon!”

Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment commissioning at the BBC, said: “Since joining the den, Touker has been a hugely valued dragon.

“His distinctive approach, combining sharp commercial acumen with warmth and humour, has made him a standout presence in the den and a trusted champion for entrepreneurs across the UK.

“We are incredibly grateful for Touker’s contribution to the programme, and wish him every success in his future ventures.”

Who is your favourite Dragon? Tell us in the comments below.

PARIS (AP) — Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva was already a tennis phenom at age 15.

At 19, she’s a Grand Slam champion.

The eighth-ranked Andreeva ended the run of 114th-ranked Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska by 6-3, 6-2 in the French Open final on Saturday.

Andreeva became the youngest player to win the women’s singles title since Monica Seles, who was 18 when she landed her third straight French Open in 1992.

“You’re so young and talented. It’s so annoying,” Chwalinska told Andreeva during the awards ceremony.

When Andreeva executed a backhand cross-court winner on her first match point, she threw her racket into the air and dropped on her knees to the clay to celebrate.

During the trophy presentation, Andreeva took the unusual step of thanking herself “for believing in myself, always giving my 100%, even when it’s tough, trying every day to be better as a person and as a player, believing that I can do this, fighting so many demons inside of me.

“Only I know how tough it was for me,” Andreeva added. “How nervous I was throughout these two weeks.”

Chwalinska was attempting to become the first qualifier to capture the Roland Garros title.

Andreeva was born Siberia and moved to Sochi and eventually France to develop her tennis career.

She drew a loud applause from the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier when she spoke a few words of French during the trophy presentation.

“Thanks for your support today and over these past two marvellous weeks here in Paris,” Andreeva said. “It was very important for me.”

Alexander Zverev plays Flavio Cobolli in the men’s final on Sunday to conclude the wildest Grand Slam in recent memory.

Breakthrough at 15

Andreeva has been considered a Grand Slam contender since she burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at the 2023 Madrid Open, where she became the third youngest player to win a main draw match at a WTA 1000 tournament and made the quarterfinals.

Lately, Andreeva has had to contend with playing under neutral status and without her country’s flag due to the war with Ukraine.

When she beat Marta Kostyuk in the semifinals, Kostyuk refused to shake her hand, as has been the custom for Ukrainian players facing Russians ever since the war started in 2022.

Andreeva has gone a step further than her coach, Conchita Martinez, who lost the 2000 French Open final to Mary Pierce.

Pierce presented the winner’s trophy to Andreeva.

Polish fan support

The final was played under mostly sunny skies but wind was a factor in the first Grand Slam final for both player.

Chwalinska double-faulted on the opening point of the match but she was the first player to hold serve in the fifth game for a 3-2 lead.

But then Andreeva won nine stright games to take control as she found a way to hit through the wind and answer Chwalinska’s array of spins and drop shots.

Andreeva produced 25 winners to Chwalinska’s 10 and also had fewer unforced errors: 26 to 29.

There was a strong Polish presence in the crowd.

When Chwalinska was introduced, fans held aloft red-and-white Polish flags and chanted her name: “Ma-ja, Ma-ja.”

Andreeva had little support from the crowd, although there was a shout of “Davai Mirra!” (“Go Mirra”) in Russian late in the match.

Men’s doubles

In men’s doubles, top-seeded Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos retained their title with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.

___

AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Locals come to the wine bar to make new friends and have a chat

A wine bar in Cambridgeshire offers its visitors a place to relax and enjoy a range of different wines with the owners on hand to help with finding the ideal wine for each customer. Greg Clifton recently took over Wine in the Willows in Somersham with his partner Emma and wants it to be a “very unpretentious” spot to serve the community.

He said: “It’s a great place to come and have a glass of wine, a chat, and just relax really. We’ve just got our pavement license so we have seats outside. It’s bringing that kind of Mediterranean vibe of summer to Somersham.

“We used to be customers of the wine bar and when the previous owner said she was going to close it, me and my partner said we should take it on. We took it on to kind of keep the bar in the village. It was always dog-friendly and there were some great wines on the menu so the idea of it closing was really quite disappointing. It was the natural step for us to take it over.”

The wine bar has a strong community focus with plenty of events happening each month including a book club that draws in around 20 people to chat about the books they’ve read alongside a glass of wine. Mr Clifton added: “We do the book club once a month. We have a wine and walk once a month, which is for dog owners. We do it on a Saturday afternoon. People bring their dogs, have a glass of wine and then go out for an hour-long walk. They then come back to the wine bar and have a chat.

“It has been great because it brings people together. People are making friends with people in the village they didn’t know so it’s building a real sense of community.”

The owners have a “real love of wine” that they want to share with people and are willing to give customers a little wine tasting and talk them through the menu if they don’t know what to have. The menu has been kept “simple” with five whites, five reds, three rosés, and a few sparkling and champagne options.

All of the wines have been “very carefully chosen” with a special wine that changes every month that has “a bit of a story”. Mr Clifton said: “Our first summer wine is a Vermentino that we’ve sourced from the south of France, which is something a little different that I love to share with people. The bar is somewhere people can come in and try something that perhaps they wouldn’t usually choose. Every wine is a great wine that I’ve tasted and put on the menu.”

Out of all of the wines on offer, Mr Clifton has one that is his particular favourite. He said: “We have a gewürztraminer Riesling, which is a bit of a mouthful to say, but it’s one of my favourite wines. It’s really different and it’s great for the summer. When you smell it, it’s quite floral. It reminds people a lot of roses and lychees and it’s quite tropical but when you taste it, it’s quite dry and citrusy. It’s a bit of a chameleon kind of wine. It’s unusual and a lot of people, when I suggest they try it, absolutely love it.”

Wine in the Willows wants to create an “Italian or Mediterranean vibe” for the bar during the summer with its outdoor seating while keeping it cosy with candles on the tables and “subdued lighting” for the winter. Mr Clifton believes the bar stands out in Cambridgeshire thanks to him getting to know each of his customers and chatting to them to create a familiar and relaxed atmosphere.

He added: “We get to know people. We want people to feel like they can meet new people, make friends, and chat with us if they want to. The bar is small with only 20 seats so it’s quite cosy. I think that’s what makes a big different. We don’t want to look like every other bar. We want to stand out and be a little different.”

Wine in the Willows can be found at 103 High Street in Somersham. The wine bar is open from 6pm to 10pm on Thursdays, 5pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 4pm to 10pm on Sundays.

The visitors were awarded their penalty when Fi Morgan bundled the ball goalwards and Seker swatted it off the line

Megan Bell’s penalty was in vain as Northern Ireland slipped to a controversial 2-1 defeat by Turkey in their World Cup qualifier in Istanbul.

Bell converted an equaliser from the spot after a blatant handball on the goal line by Turkey forward Busem Seker just before half-time.

Seker somehow avoided a red card, and then popped up with the winner in the second half.

Michael McArdle’s side are already assured of a play-off spot but remain third in the group, now four points behind their hosts.

Goalkeeper Jackie Burns made two superb saves to keep out headers from Selen Altunkulak and Seker, but she had no chance in the 26th minute when Melike Pekel curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

The visitors were awarded their penalty when Fi Morgan bundled the ball goalwards and Seker swatted it off the line.

Seker escaped with a yellow card, much to Northern Ireland’s surprise, before Bell dispatched the spot-kick.

The winner came moments after half-time when Burns’ clearance was charged down by Altunkulak, who kept the ball in play before crossing for Seker to head in at the far post.

Teenager Mirra Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title as Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska was denied a fairytale French Open victory.

Andreeva, 19, fulfilled the potential she has long shown with a 6-3 6-2 victory over an opponent who was a 500-1 outsider before the tournament.

Russian eighth seed Andreeva is the youngest woman to win the Roland Garros title since Monica Seles in 1992.

After securing victory in one hour and 22 minutes, Andreeva fell to the court in elation before quickly running up to the stands for a warm embrace with her coach Conchita Martinez – herself a former major champion after winning Wimbledon in 1994.

Andreeva overcame a tense start, where nerves and a swirling wind led to the final starting with four successive breaks of serve.

It was world number 114 Chwalinska who held first – much to the delight of the 15,000-strong crowd who gave her vociferous support throughout.

Despite thousands of Polish fans cheering Chwalinska on, Andreeva showed her increased maturity to maintain her composure and reel off the next nine games to take a 6-3 5-0 lead.

There was more tension when Andreeva was unable to serve out victory at the first attempt, but she recovered to take her first championship point on Chwalinska’s serve with a backhand winner.

I moved to Ireland in 2019, a year after abortion had become legal. As a woman born and raised in Germany, reproductive rights had never been a concern for me. I knew that if needed it, I had the option of termination.

I wasn’t aware of my privilege at the time. But when I made Ireland my home, I realised the weight of choosing to live in a country with such a conflicted relationship with reproductive rights.

Legalisation only marks the beginning of processing historical trauma, as well as ensuring that abortion services are accessible to all women living in Ireland.

For most of Irish history, women’s bodies were treated as, in legal terms, the property of religious and nationalist ideologies. Savita Halappanavar, a dentist who passed away in a Galway hospital in 2012 after being denied a life-saving abortion, became the face of the fight for legalisation. Her death followed the devastating cases of Sheila Hodgers, Miss Y and many others, where the lack of necessary abortion care led to women’s decline in physical or mental health, or death.

As a writer, I turn to literature to seek answers. Despite the burst of activist poetry leading up to the 2018 referendum, there is very little literary engagement with the realities of post-repeal Ireland. But legalisation hasn’t drawn a line under the conversation. The shame and silence around abortion are still palpable, and at the time of writing, no poetry collection on the subject has come out of Ireland.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean there is an absolute silence in poetry: In 2024, Amelia Loulli published Slip, the first single-authored collection on the subject in the UK. Milena Williamson, an American poet living in Belfast, wrote on the the theme in her poem An Irish Woman Travels to England. And Irish poet Doireann Ní Ghríofa dedicated her poem Waking Again to Savita Halappanavar, in her 2021 collection To Star the Dark.

I believe that writing through that silence is an act of healing – and I am trying to start filling that void.

Representation of abortion in Irish literature

In pre- and early Christian Ireland, abortion was a common practice. In fact, Ireland had four saints associated with abortion: Brigid, Ciarán, Áed and Cainnech.

In their hagiographies, the books of the saints’ lives and the miracles they performed, St Brigid reportedly performed two miraculous “womb-healings” on women with unwanted pregnancies. St Ciarán, meanwhile, freed Bruinech, his mother’s young foster daughter, from conception following a rape.

St Áed and St Cainnech share similar abortion narratives: both made a nun’s pregnancy disappear, restoring the holy virgin’s “purity”. St Áed, however, at first fled when he discovered the nun’s pregnancy, only to return after she’d confessed her “sin” to the entire community. But the women’s perspectives in these stories are absent. A section of the poetry collection I am working on as part of my PhD seeks to give them a voice.

The 2018 referendum ensured for the first time that the female body could feel like a safe home in modern Ireland, marking its shift from being public and debated property. Women can now make reproductive choices in private, without the risk of criminal charges. While academic and journalistic writing can provide facts and opinions, poetry has the power to bring emotion to the forefront and make diverse abortion experiences tangible for the reader.

A poem from my project is written in the form of a medical abortion consent form issued by the Health Service Executive as a standard procedure before medications are handed out. It begins:

You have been fully informed of, and understand to your complete satisfaction.

The poem then replaces the form’s clinical language with conflicting emotions, such as relief, grief and uncertainty that the bureaucratic forms do not hold space for:

You’ll ask the Tarot cards for their blessing. You will pull the 7 of Cups. After dreaming every possible scenario, you must choose your cup. All of them are cold to the touch.

Poetry can build a bridge between medical language and women’s lived realities. And what’s more, it can foster empathy without pushing political agendas. It holds space for the full spectrum of abortion experiences. Abortion is rarely a straightforward choice and a poem can balance contradictions without judgement.

Since 2018, Ireland has taken significant steps towards becoming a safer home for women, where women’s lives come first. But rights on paper do not automatically guarantee rights in practice and there are still improvements to be made in terms of access.

As a relative newcomer to Ireland, I haven’t had to carry the traumas that weigh on generations of women. Perhaps the silence on abortion in poetry has something to do with the processing and healing after the long fight for reproductive rights. My collection on the subject aims to uncover and gather stories from the past and to write into the present, while acknowledging that my perspective is only one voice among many.

Although poetry cannot make laws, it can help us process past trauma and create visions for the future. Poems can make us sit with the spectrum of complexity involved in reproductive decisions – the discomfort, grief, relief and joy. I’d like to see more poems about difficult choices, about owning our bodies and about the nuances beyond the yes/no binary of the referendum. That conversation has only just begun.

A 17-year-old boy had his leg amputated after he was stabbed on Barry Island on Bank Holiday Monday.

Emergency services were called to the seaside town, the setting of hit show Gavin and Stacey, on May 25.

A 17-year-old boy suffered life-changing injuries in the incident and underwent a leg amputation, South Wales Police said earlier this week.

He remains under critical care at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

Idris Ahmed, 18, has been charged with wounding with intent and possession of a knife in a public place.

He appeared at Cardiff magistrates today, and spoke only to confirm his name and address.

Defending, Ellis Worsley said he denied being involved, reports the BBC.

Angharad Jones, prosecuting, said: ‘This matter relates to a very serious incident, where the victim sustained a serious stab wound resulting in the amputation of his lower leg beneath the knee.

‘The offence was in a public place on a very busy Bank Holiday with hundreds of people around.’

A spokesman for South Wales Police said the victim and his family have been kept fully updated with the development and investigations are continuing.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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‘Bobby was a fighter until the very end. I felt overwhelmed on the day, but we did it for him’

A mum from Rochdale has managed to deliver hundreds of toys to sick children in memory of her beloved son who sadly died of cancer.

Naheed Akhtar’s son Mohammed-Subhaan, known to friends and family as Bobby, had just turned two when he was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer affecting the nerve cells of babies and young children.

The pair spent much of the next year on the oncology ward of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. “Being in hospital can be quite isolating,” Naheed said. “If you are really ill, you can’t leave your room, and as a parent it is a struggle.

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“You have hundreds of things on your mind and you’re in survival mode, you’re not really thinking about presents. We spent Christmas, Easter and Eid in hospital and there were these organisations that would bring in toys for kids.”

Bobby sadly passed away in February. “He was a fighter,” Naheed said. “He was very strong and he fought until the very end. And he loved playing with toys.”

Naheed and her friends – affectionately calling themselves Team Bobby – decided to organise a toy appeal ‘in loving memory’ of Bobby. “We thought, why not deliver joy to children battling illnesses and put smiles on their faces?” she said.

The toy appeal, shared with friends, family and work colleagues, had a ‘massive turn out’, gathering over 500 toys. “We had to take a couple of cars with the seats down to fit it all in,” Naheed said. “Donations were pouring in from lovely people.”

The donations were dropped off on May 21 ahead of Eid al-Adha at several wards of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, the Proton Beam Centre at the Christie Hospital, and at the Christie Suite of the StayCity Hotel.

The children chose their own toy and a goodie bag donated by Sunshine Snacks, while teenagers and parents were gifted £20 in cash and pocket hugs.

Naheed said it was a ‘mad’ day. “When we delivered the presents, it was around three months on from when Bobby passed away,” she said. “I felt overwhelmed but we were doing it for him.”

The restrictions will take effect on Marine Parade from Saturday (July 6) under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) introduced by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

They aim to address concerns about long-term motorhome parking while balancing the needs of residents and visitors.

Carl Quartermain, cabinet member for highways and transport at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: “We have listened to feedback from both householders in Saltburn and motorhome owners who wish to spend time visiting the town.

“The new restrictions will provide an area for motorhomes to park while introducing a time limit on how long they can stay, helping to ensure parking spaces remain available for residents and visitors alike.

“We recognise that people hold strong views on this issue and that is precisely why we are introducing the measures through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order.

“We will continue listening to residents, businesses and visitors throughout the trial period, carefully considering any comments, concerns and evidence before deciding on the long-term future of the scheme.”

Under the new rules, motorhomes will only be allowed to park in marked bays on the north side of Marine Parade.

These bays will be limited to a four-hour stay, with no return permitted within the following four hours.

The restrictions will apply from Monday to Saturday between 9am and 5pm.

Outside these hours and on Sundays, no time restrictions will apply to the designated bays.

Motorhomes will be banned at all times from parking on unmarked sections of Marine Parade, both north and south.

These areas will be marked with single yellow lines and signage. Other vehicles will still be able to use these sections without restriction.

The restrictions stop short of an outright ban on overnight parking. However, they do limit where motorhomes can park and for how long.

No new parking charges are being introduced as part of the scheme.

The ETRO will remain in place for a maximum of 18 months.

During this time, the council will gather feedback and monitor the scheme before deciding whether to make it permanent.

Formal objections can be submitted within the first six months of the order coming into effect.

In addition to the motorhome restrictions, a residents’ parking permit scheme is being introduced.

Eligible properties on Marine Parade, between Garnet Street and Saltburn Road, can apply for a permit.

Permit holders will be allowed to park in marked bays without a time limit. Eligible residents will be contacted by letter with details on how to apply.

Applications must be made within four weeks of receiving the letter.

They can be submitted by post or in person at any Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council library.

Each residential property can apply for one permit per registered vehicle and up to two visitor permits.

Businesses can apply for one business permit.

Enforcement officers from the council will monitor compliance with the new parking rules. The council has confirmed that no disabled parking bays will be removed as part of the scheme.

Disabled badge holders can continue to park for free in council car parks.

On Marine Parade, badge holders who are not in motorhomes can also use the areas marked with single yellow lines.

Full details of the scheme, including maps and frequently asked questions, are available on the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council website under the Saltburn ETRO section.

Entrepreneur Touker Suleyman has announced he is leaving BBC business show Dragons’ Den.Suleyman, 72, who owns UK shirtmaker Hawes And Curtis and fashion label Ghost, has been a dragon on the programme, in which contestants pitch to entrepreneurs known as “dragons” for investment in their businesses, since 2015.In a post on Instagram, Suleyman said: “After ten extraordinary years as a dragon on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, I have made the decision to step down from the show.“It has been an immense privilege to sit in that chair, to meet so many passionate and talented entrepreneurs and to invest in business and people I truly believed in. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TOUKER SULEYMAN (@touker_suleyman)“The show gave me a platform not only to invest in leading British founders and companies but to share hard-won wisdom built over decades in business – and I hope that, in some small way, I made a difference to those who stood opposite me.“At 72, I find myself reflecting on what matters most.“I am proud of every deal made, every pitch challenged and every founder I had the honour of backing. But firmly believe that great institutions must evolve and it is time for new blood to take my seat in the den and bring their own vision to this brilliant show.“Fans of the series can still catch me in action one last time – my final episodes will be airing later this year.”Suleyman said he hoped fans would enjoy the last shows of his “truly memorable” time on the programme, and added that his departure will “give me more time mentor the entrepreneurs I have invested in, and to give back the 50 years of business experience I have accumulated”.He added: “If I can help the next generation avoid the pitfalls I’ve faced, seize the opportunities I almost missed and build businesses they are truly proud of, then that will be the most rewarding chapter of my career yet.“To the BBC, to my fellow dragons past and present, to the production team and above all to the entrepreneurs