‘What a lad. I love him.’

A bride received a surprise message from the Prime Minister on her wedding day after she sent a direct tongue-in-cheek appeal for him not to ‘ruin’ the event.

The government’s new northern headquarters, Number 10 North, was opened by Andy Burnham last month in Heron House, facing Albert Square in Manchester city centre.

The registry office is based in the same building, with the entrance being around the corner on Lloyd Street.

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A number of bridal parties could be seen making their way into the building amid a heavy police presence in the area when it was officially opened last month.

In a video posted on TikTok, titled ‘Andy Burnham please don’t ruin my wedding’, after it opened, bride-to-be Sarah ‘Saz’ Burwin said: “I saw you set up your new gaff, Number 10 North, at Heron House. I saw it on the news, gorgeous, love what you’ve done with the place.

“But I’m actually getting married there on the 21st of August, and on the news today, the place was surrounded with police, bollards, all sorts. A lot of stuff that wasn’t there before.

“My trouble is, I was planning to get nice photos like after, the registry office, outside, and I’m just a bit worried that all of this is kind of ruining the vibe.”

She added: “So I would really appreciate it if you were maybe not there that day. I mean, you’re welcome, you’re invited. But maybe without the escorts, the police escorts. The guys with the rifles and s**t, because I’ve got a content creator coming.

“So I don’t really know what we’re gonna do if it’s surrounded by the military and police, you know. Just something to think on. No pressure. But if you could, you know, give them an hour off. I am just a little bit concerned about that, if you could let me know.”

At the time Mr Burnham’s TikTok replied to her saying: “Noted Saz.”

In an update posted on the social media site following her nuptials on Friday, Saz shared a special video message which Mr Burnham recorded for her inside Number 10 North, and which was played to her and her new husband after they tied the knot.

In it, the PM said: “Saz, an absolutely huge congratulations to you and Fred on your wedding day. Thank you so much for the invite, but sadly, I’m honouring your initial request for me to stay out of the way, as I’m filming this as I’m about to leave Number 10 North for the day.

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“Hopefully that’s good news for your content creator, though. But I couldn’t let the day go by without sending you both a message. I hope you have the best day celebrating and thank you for being such a good sport about Number 10 North suddenly being such a big part of your big day.

“The DJ set will have to wait for another time, sadly, but I hope you play some good tunes on my behalf, some big Manchester bangers. Anyway, huge congratulations to you both, it’s great to see Number 10 North already bringing people together.”

Saz, who had been documenting her wedding preparations on the social media site, could be seen covering her mouth in shock and giggling as the message was played.

She said afterwards: “Oh my god! What a lad. I love him.” Adding: “I’m best mates with Andy Burnham.”

In a comment on her TikTok post, Mr Burnham said: “Hope you and Fred had an amazing day Saz! Sorry I couldn’t do that DJ set…” She replied, saying he had ‘made our day.’

It was the first time Davis had appeared at a public event since announcing on 11 August that she has stage four breast cancer.

She said in that announcement that it had “metastasised” to her bones following a diagnosis a year-and-half-ago, meaning it was “too late” for chemotherapy.

Davis signed autographs and posed for photographs before appearing on Saturday’s panel.

Some fans posing questions told the actress “I love you so much”, but she was not asked directly about her health.

The Shaun of the Dead director, Edgar Wright, and Simon Pegg, who played the film’s lead role were also on the panel. Davis played Dianne, an aspiring actress who was one of the core group of survivors of the zombie apocalypse, in the cult British movie and helps Pegg’s character Shaun fight off the legions of the undead.

Her favourite memories of filming, she said, were “when we all pretended to be zombies and walked across the square; it was like being naughty schoolkids.

“It was a fun time, we went a bit mad.”

The actress, who played receptionist Dawn Tinsley in the BBC sitcom The Office and whose father is comedian Jasper Carrott, was also applauded when asked for advice about getting into the film industry.

She said: “We all grow up with a different life with a different world telling us we all have limitations.

“None of us do, our only limitations are things that we think are limiting. We can do anything, or be anybody, and don’t apologise for that.”

David had thanked fans for their “kindness and support” in another post two days after revealing she had cancer.

“OK, so the last two days have been utterly overwhelming, in that I had zero idea my cancer post would have the attention it did,” she said.

“Truly, I am in shock. That said, thank you to everyone for the tremendous amount of kindness and support you have sent me. Good grief it was emotional.”

One of those is a new coach in former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland, alongside a change to the blind auditions.

The Rewind button will give each coach a chance to change their mind about a contestant who has left the stage without a chair turn.

The coach can then press the Rewind button and invite the act back to join their team.

Emma Willis is also back presenting, though it remains unclear if she will return as host for the future, as she is now one of three presenters on Strictly Come Dancing.

Who are the coaches on The Voice UK 2026?

Kelly Rowland joins Sir Tom Jones, will.i.am, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones among the coaches.

Rowland was one of the members of Destiny’s Child and has had an award-winning solo career outside of that.

Sir Tom Jones is a Welsh singer whose career began with a string of top 10 hits in the 1960s, and he has since toured regularly.

Some of his hits include ‘It’s Not Unusual’, ‘What’s New Pussycat?’ and the theme song for the James Bond film Thunderball.

Meanwhile, will.i.am is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer who is known for his work with the Black Eyed Peas.

Finally, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones are members of the band McFly, and share a double chair together.

It was announced in June that Kelly would be replacing singer LeAnn Rimes as coach on the show.

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Rowland said at the time: “I am excited to join The Voice UK as a coach, and am looking forward to working with the excellent and passionate coaches the show is known for.

“I can’t wait to hear all the new talent and go to battle for my team.

“Let’s go!”

Will you be watching The Voice UK 2026? Let us know in the comments.

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Reassurance alone might not be enough

By CONNIE RUSK, ASSOCIATE SHOWBUSINESS EDITOR

Published: 22:30 BST, 22 August 2026 | Updated: 23:09 BST, 22 August 2026

Jimmy Carr is reportedly in talks with BBC bosses to front a reboot of Top Gear. 

Back in May, it was rumoured the broadcaster was planning to bring the motor show back to screens, four years after it was axed following Freddie Flintoff’s near-fatal car crash. 

The programme was shelved after Freddie, 48, was left with horrific injuries when the open-top car he was testing flipped over and slid along the track at the Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey in December 2022. 

Now, insiders say petrolhead Jimmy, 53, is close to signing a contract to host the show. 

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A source told The Sun: ‘Production have their sights set on Jimmy, he’s the ideal host to take the show into a new era and revive Top Gear. He’s keen to work on something mainstream after spending so many years fronting comedy panel shows. 

‘He’s a real car buff, too, so it would be a passion project. Casting directors are now working to find talent to join him in the new-look ensemble.

Jimmy Carr is reportedly in talks with BBC bosses to front a reboot of Top Gear 

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‘Bosses are considering a woman and online celebrities to complement Jimmy.’ 

The Daily Mail has contacted the BBC and Jimmy’s representative for comment.  

Jimmy famously topped the ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’ leaderboard in the Suzuki Liana back on the show in 2004 and boasts an impressive motor collection. 

He also previously expressed his desire to host Top Gear. He said: ‘If it comes up, yeah, call me! Call me straight away. I would do that in a heartbeat. I think it’s maybe the best job in television.’ 

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A new line-up of hosts would replace Freddie, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness.

Alongside motoring journalist Chris and comedian Paddy, Freddie had fronted Top Gear since 2019, guiding the show back to success following a period of turmoil after its star presenters and the show parted company in 2015. 

The trio had been praised for improving the quality of the show after a tumultuous period that came with the departure of Jeremy Clarkson, whose contract wasn’t renewed after punching a producer. This prompted his co-stars James May and Richard Hammond to quit out of loyalty to Jeremy.

The new line-up of hosts would replace Freddie, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness

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However, co-star Chris had previously raised concerns over the safety of some of the stunts on the show, which had gradually moved away from providing consumer advice on cars in favour of motoring-based entertainment.

Speaking to podcaster Joe Rogan, the presenter said he had warned the BBC three months before the accident that there could be a ‘serious injury’ or ‘fatality’.

He said: ‘What was never spoken about was that three months before the accident, I’d gone to the BBC and said, “Unless you change something, someone’s going to die on this show.”

‘So I went to them, I went to the BBC and I told them of my concerns from what I’d seen – as the most experienced driver on the show by a mile.’

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While Paddy and Freddie were ‘brilliant entertainers’, he said they ‘didn’t have the experience I had in cars’.

Former England cricket captain Freddie was racing a three-wheeled Morgan Super 3 sports car before the vehicle flipped and dragged him across the tarmac nose down for 50m. 

He has since made a remarkable return to the public eye, launching a coaching career with the help of his long-term friend Rob Key, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s men’s director of cricket.

Shortly after the crash, the BBC announced Top Gear would be rested for the ‘foreseeable future’ and Freddie reportedly received a £9million settlement from the BBC.

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The UK show is currently sold to more than 150 territories and there are 11 local format versions including in the United States, France and Finland.

Top Gear magazine is the world’s largest monthly motoring magazine with 30 licensed local editions, including China, France and Japan.

Officers from Cleveland Police spotted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began

Two police officers who died in a crash that killed five others in the early hours of Saturday morning (August 22) have been named.

Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat which was travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough collided with their marked police vehicle that was going in the right direction. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash at 3.39am in South Bank after a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police.

Officers from Cleveland Police spotted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began before the car travelled onto the A66 and collided with a police car, the watchdog said.

Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said it was an “incredibly sad day for Cleveland”, adding, “These were brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift,” she added.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” to hear about the crash.

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Walking is having a wellness makeover on social media. The latest trend, “lymphatic walking”, involves swinging your arms more, maintaining an upright posture and taking deeper breaths while you walk. These actions are said to help move lymph around the body. Its followers claim it can reduce bloating and improve circulation, support immune function, and even help “flush toxins” from the body.

There is some science behind the idea. Our muscles already help move lymph every time they contract and relax. But what does the lymphatic system actually do, and can a particular style of walking really change how it works?

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels, tissues and organs that works alongside the cardiovascular system. Fluid is constantly moving out of tiny blood vessels into the tissues around our cells, and the lymphatic system’s main job is collecting this excess fluid and protein and returning it to the circulation.

It also supports digestion by absorbing dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the small intestine, while intestinal lymphatic vessels interact with the gut microbiome and immune system, helping to maintain intestinal health and regulate inflammation.

Beyond the gut, the lymphatic system plays an important role in immunity, transporting immune cells through lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes, where immune responses can be coordinated.

Unlike the cardiovascular system, though, the lymphatic system does not have one large central pump like the heart. Instead, lymph – a clear to straw-coloured, watery liquid – moves in several ways. Lymphatic vessels can contract on their own, but lymph flow is also driven by pressure changes from breathing and by the contraction and relaxation of surrounding skeletal muscles.

Our muscles act as pumps. As they contract, they compress blood and lymphatic vessels running through and around them. Combined with one-way valves inside these vessels, this helps move fluid forwards and, particularly in the lower limbs, upwards against gravity.

Second heart

The calf muscles are probably the best-known example. Each time we take a step, muscles in the lower leg contract and relax, helping to push blood in the veins back towards the heart. This is why the calves are sometimes described as a “second heart”.

But this effect is not limited to the calves, or to walking. Exercise can support lymphatic flow through skeletal-muscle contraction. Deliberately using muscles throughout the arms, legs and trunk while moving therefore has a sound physiological basis.

Breathing plays a role too. The diaphragm is our main breathing muscle, and every breath changes pressure within the chest and abdomen. Deeper diaphragmatic breathing creates larger pressure changes, which can help move blood and lymph from the lower body towards the chest and circulation. These pressure changes around the digestive organs can also help move food through the gut, supporting the circulation and lymphatic flow that transport absorbed nutrients and metabolic waste products.

So walking with more arm movement, taking deeper breaths and actively using more muscles is physiologically meaningful. The problem comes when this is presented as something unique or necessary to “activate” the lymphatic system.

At the moment, there is no clear evidence that lymphatic walking is better than ordinary walking for healthy people. The specific combination of arm swinging, posture and breathing being promoted online has not been shown to provide special detoxifying, fat-burning or immune-boosting effects.

However, the broader idea – moving purposefully, engaging more muscle and breathing more deeply while doing so – does make physiological sense.

Exercise is already an important part of managing lymphoedema, a condition where the lymphatic system cannot drain fluid effectively and swelling develops. Muscle-pumping exercises, including walking, can help support this drainage.

For most people, though, the useful message is probably not that they need to start lymphatic walking. It is to make every movement count.

Walking, climbing stairs, dancing, strength training, swimming, gardening or running all involve repeated muscle contraction. Even simply getting up after sitting for a long period activates muscles that have been relatively inactive.
Actively engaging with movement may also have benefits that extend well beyond lymphatic flow.

Regularly and deliberately using our muscles helps maintain strength and physical function, while also supporting cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health. Over time, this can help build greater physical resilience and reduce vulnerability to injury, illness and loss of function.

The best thing most people can do for their lymphatic system is therefore much less complicated than this wellness trend makes it sound: move regularly, purposefully and often. Every step, stretch and muscle contraction counts.

Under the proposals a mayor will be able to ‘call in’ decisions and direct councils to take them forward or refuse them

Mayors across England will be given more power over planning decisions in their region, the government has announced.

Under the proposals, which will be published next week, a mayor will be able to ‘call in’ decisions and direct councils to take them forward or refuse them.

Mayors will also be able to grant upfront permission so developers can start building without having to apply. It will apply to developments of more than 150 homes, commercial spaces of more than 15,000 square metres or any building 30 metres or taller – which is roughly 10 storeys.

The decisions must be in line with planning rules, local plans set out for areas and the national policy, and ministers will retain a backstop power to intervene.

Mayors will also have a greater say over how national housing funding is spent in their areas and will be able to levy a development charge to fund major infrastructure.

Mr Burnham told The Sunday Times that he understood the argument that devolving powers to mayors to push through such projects could disempower councillors, MPs and constituents.

He said: “Sometimes… challenge does need to be made to local decision-making, and actually it cuts both ways.

“It’s not all about Nimbyism. Sometimes it’s the other way round.

“It’s a local authority putting forward something that’s unacceptable in terms of the impact on the community… so it’s a two-way street.”

However, the Liberal Democrats said the move was a “direct attack” that would silence residents.

Gideon Amos, the party’s housing and planning spokesperson, said: ”Taking powers away from communities and local councillors is taking powers away from local people. This plan is a direct attack on communities across the country.

“Labour’s chaotic patchwork approach to devolution will simply not work to solve the housing crisis.

“Instead of silencing residents and handing mayors a blank cheque, the Government should be empowering local councils with the resources to deliver genuinely affordable homes alongside the infrastructure to support them.”

A consultation will be published next week.