Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James are just some of the names who feature in Nike’s Rip the script World Cup advert.

Adidas’ Backyard Legends offering doesn’t scrimp on A-List talent either with Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane all included. Even an AI David Beckham makes an appearance.

They look more like Hollywood blockbusters than traditional adverts and those stars don’t come cheap.

The German brand spent a whopping £50m making theirs, according to reports. Neither company will disclose exactly how much they spent (we did ask), but you can be sure that the bills will run into tens of millions.

Eye-watering budgets are nothing new, but this year both Nike and Adidas have gone bigger and bolder than ever before.

If we’re judging purely on YouTube views, there’s only one winner at the time of writing.

Nike’s has pulled in 76 million views with Adidas’ ad on about seven million.

Camilo Andrade, the vice-president and general manager of Nike Global Football, said: “What has changed is the speed and shape of culture. In the digital age, stories travel faster, fragment faster, and get reinterpreted faster. That means the old model of one polished film doing all the work is no longer enough.

“With Rip The Script, we’ve built something broader: a football universe that lives both digitally and in real life.

“With this campaign in particular, success was never going to be measured only by how many people watched a film, but rather how we open the world up to give fans, players and creators something they could interpret, remix and take further themselves.

“When that starts happening, you know the work is moving beyond advertising and becoming part of football culture.”

If you are a fan of mashed potatoes, a simple swap in your kitchen will take your dish to the next level

Advertisement

If you’re seeking to enhance your next meal, a straightforward substitution in your kitchen could be the solution. According to culinary professionals, the key to creating the creamiest, most delicious mashed potatoes is to abandon milk in favour of one unexpected refrigerator essential.

While conventional recipes frequently require milk or butter to create a smooth texture, chefs recommend utilising full-fat cream cheese for a superior result. This straightforward change does more than simply add richness; the gentle tanginess of the cream cheese enhances the overall taste profile of the potatoes.

According to chef Mark McShane, who is a food safety specialist at Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate, the effectiveness of this approach starts with choosing the appropriate type of potato. Professionals like himself advise selecting floury potato varieties, such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, reports the Express.

These varieties are highly valued for their consistency, as they can absorb cream cheese without becoming airy and light. “Instead of using milk to add to the potatoes, I would recommend full fat cream cheese”, the chef said.

“Full-fat cream cheese will provide a rich addition, but the subtle tang of the cream cheese will help to lift the flavour of the potatoes and prevent the mash from being too heavy.” The technique for preparing the potatoes is crucial, he notes.

Advertisement

Once boiled, it is vital to thoroughly drain all surplus water from the potatoes, he explains. “I always use a floured potato variety like Maris Piper or King Edwards because these potatoes absorb the cream cheese very well and remain light and fluffy.”

After draining, allow the potatoes to steam dry for one minute – a critical step to eliminate residual moisture before adding any additional ingredients. Once the potatoes are piping hot, mash them thoroughly before folding in the cream cheese.

“After completely draining off excess water from the potatoes, I allow them to be steamed dry for one minute,” he said. “Then, I mash the potatoes while still piping hot and incorporate the cream cheese into them.. The chef says the result is a mashed potato that is smooth with a ‘luxurious’.”

The chef explains that the outcome is a velvety mashed potato with a ‘luxurious’ quality. “This provides me with a wonderfully smooth mash with a silky feel,” he said.

Mashed potatoes are remarkably adaptable, making them an ideal accompaniment to hearty, comforting dishes. “This technique makes it perfect to serve with sausages, roast chicken or cottage pie,” Mark said.

What goes well with mashed potatoes?

Mashed potatoes go well with hearty, flavourful proteins such as roast chicken, sausages and steak, as well as slow-cooked dishes like pot roast and beef bourguignon. They also complement roasted veggies (like Brussels sprouts or asparagus) perfectly and are well-known for being served with sausages, gravy, and glazed carrots.

People in 51 counties across the UK have been warned to brace for dangerously high temperatures in the coming days

Advertisement

The Met Office has issued extreme weather alerts in 51 counties across the UK, including in parts of Cambridgeshire. The Amber warnings, which are in force on Monday and Tuesday, warn of widespread impacts on people and infrastructure.

The Met Office has said the sharp rise in temperatures is likely to cause adverse health effects for people vulnerable to extreme heat,. Among the wider population there it was likely people will suffer with sunburn or heat exhaustion, dehydration, nausea and fatigue and other heat related illnesses, the forecaster said.

“Some changes in working practices and daily routines are likely to be required,” the warning continued, adding that there may be an increased change of travel disruption with potential for welfare issues for those stuck on roads, trains and planes in the heat. There will also be an increased likelihood of power outages and disruption to other services as equipment starts to fail in the heat.

The warning covers parts of East of England, London and South East England, South West England, Wales. Cambridgeshire is on the list of the 51 areas to be impacted, Mirror reports.

A Met Office forecast said: “Following very warm weather on Sunday, very high temperatures are expected on Monday and Tuesday and will likely bring widespread impacts to people and infrastructure.

“In addition to high daytime maxima, temperatures overnight will remain very warm, especially in larger urban areas, and it will also feel humid. Temperatures are likely to reach the mid-30s Celsius in places on Monday and Tuesday.

“Some places, particularly in urban areas, may see temperatures remain above 20 Celsius overnight. The very high temperatures may continue across a smaller area into the middle of the week, but there remains some uncertainty regarding the extent of this.”

Brits have been warned to keep out of the sun and avoid any exercise between 11am-3pm and keep their curtains closed to avoid overheating indoors. “If you are going out take water with you, stay in the shade, wear sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat,” the Met Office advised.

During the previous record-breaking heatwave , from May 24 to 31, the UK saw a horrifying death toll of 19 children and adults killed in water related incidents during one week. In response the Mirror launched our ‘Save Lives for Sam’ campaign to stop the “catastrophic” deaths of 33 children who drown in England every year – “the equivalent of a classroom of children lost”.

Bereaved families, Olympic legends and safety organisations have joined together to call on the Government to take five key steps to save young lives across the country.

People heading to the coast in the coming days should be mindful that sea-surface temperatures are not as high as they would be in mid-summer, the Met Office warned. Samantha Hughes is the National Water Safety Partner at the RNLI. She said: “With warmer weather approaching, it’s important to remember that the water is still cold. Entering it unexpectedly can lead to cold water shock, causing a sudden increase in breathing and heart rate, which may trigger panic.

“If you find yourself struggling in the water, remember to Float to Live: tilt your head back so your ears are submerged, relax and control your breathing. You may need to gently use your hands to help you stay afloat, and it’s ok if your legs sink—everyone floats differently.

“Where possible, always choose a lifeguarded beach, and swim between the red and yellow flags. In a coastal emergency remember to call 999 for the coastguard.”

Places covered by the amber alerts

• Bedford
• Cambridgeshire
• Central Bedfordshire
• Essex
• Hertfordshire
• Luton
• Norfolk
• Southend-on-Sea
• Suffolk
• Thurrock
• Bracknell Forest
• Brighton and Hove
• Buckinghamshire
• East Sussex
• Greater London
• Hampshire
• Isle of Wight
• Kent
• Medway
• Milton Keynes
• Oxfordshire
• Portsmouth
• Reading
• Slough
• Southampton
• Surrey
• West Berkshire
• West Sussex
• Windsor and Maidenhead
• Wokingham
• Bath and North East Somerset
• Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
• Bristol
• Devon
• Dorset
• Gloucestershire
• North Somerset
• Somerset
• South Gloucestershire
• Swindon
• Wiltshire
• Blaenau Gwent
• Bridgend
• Caerphilly
• Cardiff
• Merthyr Tydfil
• Monmouthshire
• Newport
• Rhondda Cynon Taf
• Torfaen
• Vale of Glamorgan

A local described the family who owns and runs the zoo as ‘hard-working’

Residents have described their shock that a three-year-old boy was left seriously injured after he was rescued from a zoo’s crocodile enclosure. Emergency services were called to Johnson’s Zoo in Old Hurst, near Huntingdon, at around 1.24pm on Thursday (June 18).

Officers received reports a three-year-old boy had “ended up” in the crocodile enclosure and was left with serious injuries. Officers arrested a 30-year-old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder. He has since been bailed until September 18 as he was assessed as not fit to interview.

Locals who live along the small road near the zoo shared their reactions to the incident. One man, who wished to remain anonymous, described the incident as “absolutely shocking”.

He added: “I go to the [Johnson’s] farm shop. They are a hard-working family and they work really well. They are doing the right thing. I just can’t believe what happened.”

Another woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was stunned by the news. She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news. It’s such a freak thing to have happened, especially in a nice family place like Johnson’s.”

The woman, who has visited the zoo before, added that it is a “lovely place” to walk around and that the “animals are well cared for”. The crocodile enclosure at Johnson’s remains closed until further notice.

In a social media post, the owners of the zoo shared their “thoughts and prayers” with the young victim and his family. They added: “Out of respect to the family, our tropical house will remain closed until further notice.”

The rest of the zoo, as well as the farm shop and café, remains open.

Do you want more of the latest Cambridgeshire news as it comes in from across the county? Sign up to our dedicated newsletter to make sure you never miss a big story from Cambridge or anywhere else in the county. You can also sign up to our dedicated Traffic and Crime newsletters for the latest updates on the topics you are most interested in .