Elizabeth Rider, who played Ashley Peacock’s biological mother in Coronation Street, is reportedly making a comeback this summer, but in a brand new part.

Her return marks 20 years since she last appeared on the show.

Elizabeth Rider returning to Coronation Street after 20 years

Coming up on the Cobbles… Harper is home! But Sarah’s confession about Jodie attacking her might throw a spanner in the family party mood. 😬

Plus Cassie’s latest plot to expose Ross involves an introduction of an ex 👀

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Read more about what’s coming up via the link below 🔗… pic.twitter.com/fBHGZ5Kzsv

— Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) July 20, 2026

“Corrie bosses are delighted to have tempted Elizabeth for a short stint on the cobbles,” a source told The Sun.

“She’s a legendary actress with a huge amount of talent and everyone’s thrilled she’s here.”

Newsquest has contacted ITV for comment.

This will be Ms Rider’s fourth role on the ITV soap, having previously appeared in two other parts as far back as 1999.

Her impressive career spans all four major British soaps, including EastEnders, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks.

She also had a recurring role in the BBC One series Doctors, playing DCI Lynette Driver.

Ms Rider’s TV credits extend beyond soap operas.

She has appeared in critically acclaimed dramas such as Line of Duty, Doctor Foster, and Call the Midwife, as well as popular shows The Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who.

Coronation Street star weighs in on potential return to ITV soap

In other Corrie news, former star Charlotte Jordan has spoken on a potential return to the show one day.

She played the popular Daisy Midgeley on ITV’s Coronation Street from 2020 to 2025 and earned a British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance.

Now, Ms Jordan has weighed in on a potential return to Weatherfield, speaking to Radio Times.

She said: “Oh, well, nobody’s asked, but for now I’m happy to sort of just keep exploring and keep seeing what… I mean, I only left a year ago, it’s very early days, so now I’m happy to keep, keep giving it a good go.”

Since leaving the soap, she has taken on new roles in television, first in the radio soap opera The Archers.

Her latest role is in the new BBC period drama series The Hairdresser Mysteries, where she stars as Clary Coombs, alongside Sally Phillips, who plays the main character, Lily Petal.

It tells the story of upmarket hairstylist Lily, who leaves the city to run a hairdressers in a small town, and becomes the centre of gossip and secrets.

Ms Jordan revealed that the transition from Coronation Street to her latest project was relatively smooth.

She said: “I mean, speed-wise, it wasn’t an adjustment.

“Corrie was a fantastic training ground in that sense, for this particular job, but I did really like playing a character that couldn’t be more different from who I played, which was great.

“I was hoping for that.

“I wanted to play someone next who was the polar opposite, so I’m grateful for that.

“But no, it wasn’t super different technically, it was all sort of the same ingredients, but it was a very different world, and it’s a very different tone, and it’s obviously very different, it’s a different genre, different vibes.

“So that was great.”

What is one Coronation Street character you would love to see return to the show? Let us know in the comments.

EastEnders’ Chelsea Fox actress Zaraah Abrahams has teased big drama ahead as well as ‘twists and turns’, as Ian Beale faces prison and Gray and Sheila secretly meet

EastEnders’ Chelsea Fox is forced to choose between saving Ian Beale, or hiding the truth about her son Jordan’s car accident next week.

Ian faces two years in prison after hitting Jordan with his car, leaving the four year old in a wheelchair after he suffered life-changing injuries. When Ian asks for Chelsea’s help in court, she refuses.

Actress Zaraah Abrahams explains: “Chelsea knows that helping Ian means having to tell her family that she feels partially to blame for shouting at Jordan, and she’s not sure she’s ready for that. She wants to do the right thing, but more than anything, she fears how her family will react when they discover she’s kept the truth from them.”

With Jordan’s long road to recovery, and Chelsea’s mother Denise having treatment in hospital for acute myeloid leukemia, Chelsea tries to ignore her guilt over not stepping up for Ian. Chelsea soon admits to her family that on the night of the accident, she shouted at Jordan, causing him to run off before being hit by Ian’s car.

Zaraah, 39, tells us: “Chelsea has been overwhelmed since the accident. She believes she played a part in what happened for shouting at Jordan and not keeping an eye on him and has struggled with her decision to stay silent.

“While coping with Denise’s diagnosis and focusing on Jordan’s recovery, she’s been torn between supporting her son and facing the truth, knowing Ian has carried all of the blame.”

Chelsea does agree to help Ian in court, but will it be enough to keep Ian out of prison? Zaraah says: “She sees a chance to put things right and potentially help Ian. Chelsea’s own guilt has been building for a long time.

“Conversations with her family only strengthen her feeling that she can’t keep the secret any longer.” Chelsea faces some tough conversations in the fallout, as her mum Denise berates her for putting Ian’s future at risk. “Denise doesn’t react with anger, but she is disappointed and makes it clear that Chelsea’s decision to stay silent all this time was wrong,” explains Zaraah.

“Given everything she’s going through, she’s focused on the bigger picture and appreciates how fragile life can be. Chelsea expects a much harsher response, but Denise is ultimately relieved that she has taken responsibility and told the truth.”

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As for Ian, a verdict is revealed next week, so fans will have to tune in to find out if Adam Woodyatt’s character is jailed. There could be bigger things for Chelsea to worry about though, with her currently unaware of newcomer Sheila’s true intentions for Jordan.

Sheila, the grandmother of Chelsea’s killer ex-husband Gray Atkins, recently arrived, after offering to help Chelsea financially. Chelsea reluctantly allowed Sheila [Sheila Ruskin] to spend time with Gray’s son Jordan, not knowing that Sheila is secretly visiting Gray in prison.

The storyline saw the return of villain Gray [ Toby-Alexander Smith ] for the first time since his dramatic exit in 2022. Since then, Chelsea has had nothing to do with Gray, and she has kept him out of Jordan’s life.

Gray is currently serving time for the murders of his late wife Chantelle Atkins, Tina Carter and Kush Kazemi, after his plan to go on and the run was thwarted by the residents of Walford. Zaraah says Chelsea will hit the roof when she finds out what Sheila has really been up to, with Sheila updating Gray about Jordan’s accident and events on the Square.

The actress tells us: “Chelsea will be completely blindsided. She’ll feel shocked, hurt and betrayed, but also angry with herself for trusting Sheila and taking the risk of letting her into their lives in the first place.” Chelsea believes Sheila has cut ties with Gray, and simply wants to bond with her great-grandson.

On Chelsea’s reasoning for letting Sheila in, she explains: “Chelsea felt she had done everything she could to satisfy herself that Sheila could be trusted. Ultimately, Sheila is Jordan’s family and someone who could support his recovery and wellbeing.

“While money wasn’t the deciding factor, the financial support Sheila could provide certainly swayed Chelsea. Libby also encouraged her to look at the situation from every angle and acted as a trusted sounding board throughout.”

Viewers can expect big repercussions for Chelsea as the storyline continues. Zaraah says: “Fans can expect an emotional rollercoaster, with plenty of twists and turns ahead. As the consequences of her actions continue to unfold, Chelsea will be forced to face some difficult truths and make tough choices.”

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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a fresh tax cut to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills from October 1.

The 5 per cent VAT rate currently on household electricity will be reduced to 0 per cent in the Autumn.

As one of the first new changes made by the new Prime Minister, Mr Burnham said the measure would ‘give people breathing space’ and ‘put more money in people’s pockets.’

The lost tax revenue will be made up by the cancellation of the Digital ID Programme, which Mr Burnham said yesterday would save an estimated £850million this financial year.

The government has said the cut will reduce a typical annual bill by around £45 and lower inflation by a percentage point. It is the first of several major announcements expected today.

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, the former Defence Secretary John Healey, 66, said the announcement will ‘provide some reassurance this winter.’

He added: ‘For too long, too many people have struggled with the cost of living.

‘Today’s energy tax cut will give families some breathing room on bills, and provide some reassurance this winter.

New Chancellor John Healey said: ‘This measure is funded this year from cancelling the Digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.’

‘This measure is funded this year from cancelling the Digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.’

The cost of living has been brought front and centre from the get-go of this brand new government.

Mr Burnham said in his very first speech as Prime Minister yesterday: ‘Westminster has not been working for people for too long, with families struggling with the cost of living. That needs to change.

‘I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that’s what I’m announcing on my second day as Prime Minister.

‘We’re taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people’s pockets and bring back hope.’

The new PM revealed his plans to scrap Keir Starmer’s controversial £1.8billion digital ID scheme over the weekend.

However, the changes have come under criticism for Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who said the cuts don’t go far enough.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning, Davey said: ‘I don’t think it’s the best way to help people with energy bills and it doesn’t go far enough, but at least it’s something, isn’t it.’

He also called for Burnham to produce a budget ‘as soon as possible’ so that people can see ‘the real Mr Burnham’. 

Financial expert April LaRusse, who is head of investments specialists at Insight Investments, was similarly critical of the £45 annual saving.

She said the new measure was ‘probably not enough by itself’, though it was ‘moving in the right direction’.

But she applauded the fact that Mr Burnham had scrapped Digital ID to pay for the changes, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme this type of accountability was ‘absolutely what the bond markets were looking for’.

She added: ‘It’s just an acknowledgement that if you’re going to spend more money or make some changes, that the money needs to come from somewhere.’

The VAT cuts will help some more than others – high electricity users will see the biggest drop in costs when the 5 per cent reduction kicks in.

This could mean larger homes see significant decreases in bills, or vulnerable people who use a lot of electricity for medical equipment.

The move to cut household electricity VAT has been floated through government before by Mr Healey’s predecessor Rachel Reeves, but instead she reduced energy bills by removing a green levy and moving others onto general taxation.

Mr Healey’s appointment to No. 11 came as a shock to Westminster and signals a likely move to increase defence spending.

The former Defence Secretary crashed out of the cabinet in June and issued an exoriating criticism of Starmer’s defence spending pledges, which he said fell ‘well short of what is required and ‘could make the country less safe’.

But JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned Andy Burnham against raising taxes on banks to raise funding for spending projects.

He added that it could have adverse consequences for investment and he threatened changes could potentially affect his own company’s plans for a new £3billion London headquarters.

Mr Burnham’s government shake-up has sparked much speculation as to what direction the new Labour PM is planning to take the UK.

Ed Miliband, who was previously a favourite to take the Chancellor job, has now been made Foreign Secretary – a likely flashpoint with Donald Trump over net zero and migration.

Former Deputy PM and Justice Secretary David Lammy has also been sent back to the back benches, replaced by Alex Norris for his latter role.

Wes Streeting, a previous frontrunner to be Labour leader, now takes his place as Defence Secretary, replacing Dan Jarvis after just five weeks.

Another pretender to the Labour throne, Angela Rayner, has now re-entered government in her old role as Housing Secretary – from which she had to resign over a scandalous £40,000 underpayment of stamp duty on a property she owns. 

Shabana Mahmood retains her position as Home Secretary while Louise Haigh – who was forced to resign as Transport Secretary over a historical fraud conviction – will sit as First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to force through Mr Burnham’s agenda.

Yvette Cooper was shifted over from being Foreign Secretary to move into Mr Streeting’s old role as Health Secretary.

Mr Burnham appears to have entirely done away with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology – removing Liz Kendall as its head and apparently merging its function with the Department of Business and Trade, now headed by Jonathan Reynolds, who replaced Peter Kyle.

This is a breaking news story; more to follow. 

Campaigners have welcomed progress on planning controls but warn against shifting the problem to other areas

Cambridge City Council is set to introduce restrictions on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) following cross-party consensus that action is needed to stop rogue landlords cramming tenants into substandard housing.

Donna Ferguson, chair of Guest Road Residents’ Association, called on the council to introduce an Article Four direction and a limit on the percentage of HMOs in an area. HMOs for six residents or less are currently allowed under permitted development rules but the Article Four direction would remove this, meaning all HMOs will need full planning permission.

Councillor Katie Thornburrow, leader of the council, agreed that “this is a highly important tool” but said it would need “watertight, comprehensive evidence” to be implemented “legally and robustly”. The Labour councillor told a council meeting on Thursday (July 16) that officers spent the last year preparing a report to be put to cabinet in autumn, when they will “map out” how the direction will be implemented.

Cllr Katie Porrer said that she and fellow Lib Dem councillor, Imogene Blackburn-Horgan, had first called for an Article Four direction two years ago. She said: “This is not, for us, about trying to remove them from the housing stock or demonising those who live in them.

“This for us is about better living standards for tenants and better behaviour from the minority of landlords who fail to manage their HMOs properly and who give a bad name to this type of housing provision in our city. What we need in Cambridge is well-managed, decent and livable HMOs which integrate into our wider community and this means landlords and management companies need to step up and provide this.”

Cllr Beth Gardiner-Smith said: “I think we’re in danger of violently agreeing with each other – all of us, this evening.” The Labour councillor said that HMOs are “part of the fabric” of her ward of Romsey and have been “for a very long time”.

But, she said she was “particularly concerned about the standards of these HMOs”. She said: “Carved up into six, seven, rooms with no living space and only a galley kitchen as the communal space.

“These are not acceptable standards for anybody in the city – just because it’s affordable housing doesn’t mean it should be substandard housing. We should demand the best for all residents in this city.”

Cllr Kathryn Fisher said: “A lot of people in this room have said HMOs are an important part of our housing mix, and I don’t disagree that they currently are – but I don’t think they should be.” The Green councillor said: “The fact that they are proliferating, and that we have so many, is a sign that this council has failed to provide enough council housing.

“I’m reluctant on the brutal 10 per cent cut because it feels like it’s not actually solving the root of the problem, which is if you make it so it’s easier to make more money by cramming more people into a building that’s what landlords will do. I don’t really want to see 10 per cent bad housing with people crammed in – we shouldn’t be happy to accept any level of substandard housing.”

Donna, speaking after the meeting, said she was pleased to see “so much cross-party support”. She said: “It doesn’t look like they’re going to support the ten per cent threshold, but in some ways the article four is more important.

“They just need to be clear with some sort of clarity for residents on what over-concentration means in practice. The most important thing is that we keep up the pressure to make sure it’s city wide and not just where HMOs are already concentrated. If we only have the article in parts of Cambridge it will just shift the problem to other areas.”

Drivers are facing delays and a diversion is in place

A fire involving a boat and shed has closed a major Cambridgeshire road on Monday (July 20) as drivers face delays. The A1 is closed in both directions between the A121 at Black Cat and the A603 at Sandy due to the fire as of 1.45pm.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue were called at 11.28am to reports of a fire in the open at Kelpie Marine, off Great North Road. The blaze involves a boat and a shed.

The fire service said “a number of” fire engines and specialist vehicles are at the scene. Bedfordshire Police has urged the public to “avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible”.

National Highways has confirmed motorists are facing delays of around 10 minutes and one mile of delays on the approach. Road closures are in place on both carriageways of the A1, and on School Lane while emergency services deal with the incident, the force stated.

Traffic monitoring site Inrix said: “A1 in both directions closed, slow traffic due to a boat fire from Tempsford Road (Tempsford) to the A421 (Black Cat, Roxton). Congestion to St Neots on the southbound side.”

A spokesperson for National Highways said: “The A1 is closed in both directions between A421 (Black Cat) and A603 (Sandy) due to a fire. Emergency services are on scene. There are delays of around 10 minutes and 1 mile of delays on the approach.”

A diversion route is in place.

Road users travelling northbound are advised to follow the hollow triangle diversion symbol:

• From the A1, Sandy Roundabout, take the exit onto the A603 to Bedford.
• Continue on the A603 through Moggerhanger and Willington to the A603/A421 Cardington Cross Roundabout.
• At the Cardington Cross Roundabout take the exit onto the A421.
• Continue on the A421, Great Barford Bypass and re-join the A1 at the Black Cat Roundabout near Roxton.

Road users travelling southbound are advised to follow the hollow diamond diversion symbol:

• From the A1, Black Cat Roundabout take the exit onto the A421.
• Continue on the A421, Great Barford Bypass to the A603/A421 Cardington Cross Roundabout,
• At the Cardington Cross Roundabout take the exit onto the A603.
• Continue on the A603 through Willington and Moggerhanger and re-join the A1 at Sandy Roundabout.

Kiena Dawes took her own life after a campaign of domestic abuse by her partner

The mother of a young woman who took her own life after a prolonged campaign of domestic abuse has backed a campaign to create a new law in her daughter’s name.

23-year-old Kiena Dawes took her own life on a railway line in Lancashire in July 2022, after enduring a two-year relationship with Ryan Wellings, from Bispham.

In the wake of her death, Wellings was tried for manslaughter, with Preston Crown Court hearing that he regularly physically assaulted her, slapping her, ‘ragging’ her by her hair, and subjecting her to verbal and financial abuse.

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In her suicide note, Kiena wrote: “I was murdered. Ryan Wellings killed me. He ruined every bit of strength I had left. I had dreams. I had a future at one point. That was taken away from me.”

Wellings was acquitted of manslaughter but was convicted of coercive and controlling behaviour and assault, and was jailed for six-and-a-half years in January 2025.

Now, Kiena’s mother, Angela, has given her support to a campaign calling for a new law. The Kiena’s Law petition, which has almost 19,000 signatures, calls for the introduction of a new and specific criminal offence of ‘domestic abuse-related suicide’.

Angela believes the proposed law could help save lives. “To have a standalone charge for things like what Kiena went through, I do feel is so important,” she said at an event in Blackpool this month.

“Nothing is ever going to bring my baby back, but if we can change things moving forward, I’d hate to see another family go through what we’ve been through.

“My girl didn’t want to die. My girl wanted to live. But she lived in fear. We’ve lost a beautiful, very special, kind young girl who’s missed so much, not just by me but by so many other people.

“Please make changes before girls have to die to be heard. I can’t personally save any other girls, but I hope I can help by saying this.

“Please don’t give up, all of you who are working so hard for these changes. Please don’t give up. Let’s stop losing girls in this way.”

Since Kiena’s death, Angela has vowed to be a voice for Kiena and other people who have died in similar circumstances. “Changes need to be made. Girls shouldn’t have to die to be heard, and my daughter had to die to be heard. There was so much victim blaming,” she said.

The campaign for Kiena’s Law also for the inclusion of coercive and controlling behaviour within the ‘dangerous offender’ framework.

‘We owe it to Kiena’

Lancashire Police said the campaign been spearheaded by Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw, who has worked closely with Angela and Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) to raise awareness of domestic abuse-related suicide and press for reform.

Frank Mullane MBE, CEO of Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA), said that Kiena’s case ‘exposed a serious gap in the law’.

“Too often, when a victim dies by suicide following prolonged domestic abuse, coercive control and intimidation, the full impact of that abuse is not recognised by the criminal justice system,” he said.

“Angela’s courage and determination have helped shine a light on this issue, but this campaign is about much more than one family.

“Kiena’s Law represents an opportunity to recognise the devastating and sometimes fatal consequences of coercive and controlling behaviour, improve accountability and help prevent future deaths. We owe it to Kiena and to every family affected by domestic abuse-related suicide to make that change.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said Angela had been ‘courageous and inspiring’. “Kiena’s story has touched people across Lancashire and beyond,” he said. “We must continue to learn lessons, improve protections for victims and ensure that women and girls are supported when they seek help.

“I would encourage people to support the petition and help keep this important conversation at the forefront of public and political debate.”

You can sign and share the petition here: www.change.org/kienas-law

David Whan, 60, of Old Barber, Harrogate, is alleged to have told fellow jurors information relating to the case they were sitting on that was not given in the courtroom. The offence allegedly occurred in 2024.

He denied the charge of disclosing information to other jurors when he appeared before Leeds Crown Court as a defendant.

Judge Neil Clark ordered that Whan’s trial start on August 26 next year.  It is expected to last for two days and will be held at Leeds Crown Court.

Whan was released on conditional bail until then.

A government ends and a new government begins, determined to make a splash with its early policy announcements.

We can expect to see and hear plenty from the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his senior ministers in the coming days, making arguments, travelling the country and trying to make an impact.

Burnham’s new cabinet will meet for the first time at lunchtime.

Its appointment became something of a nocturnal affair.

At gone 22:00 BST on Monday night, there was still a minibus full of ministerial wannabes inside Downing Street waiting for their new positions to be confirmed.

One of the later posts to be filled was that of defence secretary, a role taken by Wes Streeting, whose resignation as health secretary two months ago contributed to the draining of Sir Keir Starmer’s authority as prime minister.

The story of the reshuffle can best be summarised as neither of the two ministers most widely talked up as chancellor – Shabana Mahmood and Ed Miliband – getting that job, it instead going to John Healey.

And there being a pretty significant cull of the ministers closest to and most loyal to the now former prime minister: think David Lammy, Darren Jones, Peter Kyle, Lord Hermer, Steve Reed and Rachel Reeves – albeit Reeves, I am told, was offered a cabinet post but turned it down.

A decision notice to approve the plans was published in July 2026

Plans for a huge industrial and logistics development in Cambridgeshire, described by some as an “eyesore”, have been given the go-ahead. Huntingdonshire District Council has granted Newlands Property Developments permission for the development at Hinchingbrooke Logistics Park.

The plans will see Newlands Property Developments deliver a “substantial industrial and logistics development”, including warehouses up to 24m high and a new bus depot. The A141 will also be remodelled with a new roundabout and underpass.

The majority of the site is currently used for arable farming. The developer proposes to create up to 205,000sqm of general industrial and storage and distribution space, with maximum building heights ranging from 18.5m to 24m.

A planning document says: “The site is in an optimal location for industrial and logistics development. The proposal will deliver high quality sustainable buildings, with supporting facilities and infrastructure, that will be accessible to employees, visitors, and the local community by sustainable modes of transport.”

The applicant says the proposal aims to deliver a “significant boost to the economy through the creation of new employment opportunities”. The proposals faced local backlash, with several objections against the project lodged with Huntingdonshire District Council.

One person said: “The height and extent of the logistics park will be a blight on the area, an ugly oppressive eyesore. The intimidating nature of the plan will be destructive to the natural beauty. The logistics park will inevitably negatively impact on house prices. Noise pollution, HGV traffic, the ugly visual intrusion, destroying the skyline will inevitably reduce desirability and value of my home that I recently bought.”

Another person objected: “Not only is this a clearly unsuitable development but it is additional development considered unnecessary adding to the more pressing development and disruption of the key local amenity of Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

“The Hospital development is essential for local people unlike the logistics park. The Logistics park development requires major road access works to the A141, demonstrating that existing infrastructure is insufficient. This threatens increased congestion affecting hospital access — a critical public service.”

A decision notice was published on the council’s planning website on July 15.