Wait – doesn’t ‘normal’ mean everything’s fine?

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.

Nigel Farage is the latest in a long line of politicians to face questions about his financial affairs. Despite this, the Reform UK leader comfortably avoided a binning by his constituents in the Clacton byelection – albeit in the absence of the main parties.

This is perhaps unsurprising. The allegations against Farage include the claim (currently subject to a parliamentary standards investigation), that he should have declared a £5 million gift he received ahead of the 2024 general election. Farage has insisted that he has “done no wrongdoing” and that he “followed the rules”.

But a series of academic studies suggest that people tend to justify the behaviour of politicians they support rather than changing their vote to back someone else.

Only when scandals become too blatant and heavily covered for supporters to rationalise away do politicians tend to lose support. With this in mind, it’s perhaps not surprising that Farage won comfortably on home turf.

The effects of scandals on our political attitudes are difficult to study, in part because scandals are rare events. The fallout from any individual scandal could be specific to the politician involved, the time period in which it occurred, or the detail of the scandal itself. Measuring the “scandalousness” of any one event is quite difficult.

These are some of the problems that my colleague James Tilley and I tackled in a study of the 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal in the UK. Back then, hundreds of MPs were accused of claiming expenses to which they were not entitled. Many were required to repay money, and a small number were convicted of fraud and even jailed.

The advantage of studying this particular scandal is that a large number of MPs were implicated in similar misconduct at the same time. In addition, the extent to which each MP was implicated could be quantified, both in terms of the value of expenses they were asked to repay, and by measuring the press coverage focusing on each MP.

Importantly, the extent to which each MP was implicated was essentially random across constituencies. This meant that we could measure how a broad swathe of people responded to allegations affecting their local MP.

We found that voters were remarkably aware of the extent to which their MP was implicated in the scandal. The greater an MP’s apparent wrongdoing, either in terms of the money involved or the press coverage, the more their constituents noticed. However, while some constituents reduced their support for their MP, these effects were generally quite small and would probably have mattered only in marginal constituencies. This reaffirmed some previous work about the same scandal.

Wider trust issues

Another point we considered is whether scandals not only affect people’s attitudes towards the politician implicated, but whether they also affect people’s wider attitudes towards politics as a whole. As such, a judgement about a particular politician becomes generalised into a wider assessment of the performance of politicians in general.

This could be a cause for concern. Trust in politics is associated with whether people turn out to vote, whether they comply with the law and whether they support democratic forms of government. As such, allegations of financial misconduct by politicians could have implications beyond election results.

However, we found no evidence that the constituents of heavily implicated MPs changed their attitudes toward the wider system, in comparison to those whose MP was less implicated. It doesn’t appear that people tend to generalise the behaviour of their local MP into a wider judgment about the system as a whole.

Of course, there are several caveats when comparing the fallout from the expenses scandal with the claims against Farage. The former implicated many MPs at the same time, and the nature of the allegations was different. Farage is also a much more prominent figure than the typical MP we studied. And at the time of writing, the investigation into the claims against him is yet to conclude.

But there are good reasons to expect any change in attitudes among Farage’s constituents to be even weaker in his case. For example, Reform UK voters already tend to have less trust in the system than the average voter. If the claims against Farage are seen to come from that system, his supporters may be even less likely to believe them. Equally, voters with lower levels of trust in politicians generally may be less likely to view the claims against Farage as unusual or particularly deserving of electoral punishment.

When it comes down to it, so far Farage’s experience in Clacton seems to back up the idea that misconduct claims against MPs do not always have substantial effects. That said, with the investigation into the claims against him now resumed, whether this pattern will continue remains to be seen.

The incident happened during the afternoon rush hour on Thursday at the junction of Bishopthorpe Road and Nunnery Lane.

According to police the two convertibles were both Audis and one of them was white.

The other vehicle involved was a Lexmoto motorcycle with an L plate attached.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing to anyone with information about the road rage incident at 5.15pm on Thursday or who witnessed it to contact PC Clair Bailey-Lane by emailing  Clair.Bailey-Lane@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Alternatively, you can visit North Yorkshire Police’s website, select ‘Tell us about’, then choose ‘An existing case or report’ or contact the force through “Live Chat” via our website, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

A third option is to call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website

Please quote reference 12260138604 when passing on information.

CHICAGO (AP) — After trade negotiations crumbled at the eleventh hour, U.S. President Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on scores of Canadian imports kicked in Saturday.

The new levies are expected to affect about 5% of Canada’s annual exports to the U.S., roughly $20 billion in goods ranging from hockey sticks to agricultural products. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney quickly promised Saturday that his government would roll out “dollar for dollar” retaliatory measures starting Sept. 8.

No further talks are scheduled. The latest escalation between the two countries — which once held one of the world’s most durable trade alliances — plunges them deeper into a trade war that has kept both sides of the border on edge throughout Trump’s second term in office. Experts warn steeper tariffs raise costs for businesses and almost always trickle down to households in the form of higher prices.

“Nearly all industries and professions are likely to see downstream effects from this spiraling trade dispute,” said Augustine Lo, of law firm Dorsey & Whitney, whose work includes advising clients on international trade.

Here’s what we know.

Which goods are affected?

Again, the 50% tariffs from the U.S. are set to affect $20 billion of Canadian goods.

Canada sends the vast majority of its goods exports to the U.S. (72% last year), and Trump administration says the new taxes will be levied on products ranging from hockey sticks to wine and cement. The list is long. According to documents published by the White House, other goods subject to the tax include honey, seeds and agricultural products — as well as select makeup, perfumes, clothing, jewelry, furniture, cameras, fabric and more.

The 50% levy also applies to some products that were previously protected under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade pact from Trump’s first term. That marks a shift from past levies — and further underlines questions around the future of the USMCA overall.

How is Trump imposing these tariffs?

To impose these 50% tariffs, Trump reached back to a long-dormant Great Depression-era law: Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.

When the U.S. and world economies were in collapse nearly a century ago, Congress passed the 1930 law as part of broader “Smoot-Hawley” legislation (named after its congressional sponsors). The act raised tariffs more generally across the board, and became notorious among economists for limiting world commerce and making the Great Depression worse. But Section 338 — which authorizes the president to slap import taxes of up to 50% on imports from countries that have discriminated against U.S. businesses — has never been used specifically to raise tariffs until now.

No investigation is required to justify the levies. Nor is there any limit on how long they can stay in place. Since there’s no precedent, however, the latest tariffs may also see more legal challenges.

When announcing his planned tariffs last month, Trump claimed that Canada was unfairly discriminating against U.S. exports of automobiles, alcohol and dairy products. The president expressed anger over Canada’s retaliation against his own tariffs last year — noting Canadian imports of American alcohol and cars started to fall last spring.

Is Canada retaliating?

Canada’s Carney quickly promised to match the new levies “dollar for dollar” — later announcing retaliation would begin Sept. 8. He noted Canada’s tariff increases would target steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics.

The prime minister said Canada was willing to drop remaining retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos if the U.S. substantially lowered its own, and to encourage provinces to restore U.S. alcohol sales. But eventually, he said Washington’s final demands went too far.

Carney accused Washington of using “economic integration as a weapon,” and that Canada had been “attacked” by the latest U.S. tariffs. He said his country had the reserves and resilience to respond.

Trump’s top trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, pledged additional measures to respond to Canada’s retaliation — without immediately specifying what that would look like. In a Saturday interview with “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Greer also claimed the administration offered to cut tariffs on steel, autos and lumber, but Canada “didn’t want” the deal.

The 50% tariffs come on top of previously-imposed levies, including a 10% rate Trump slapped on Canada just last month ostensibly for failing to do enough to prevent imports produced by forced labor and separate sectoral levies impacting trading partners globally.

The growing trade sanctions on Canada underscore Trump’s willingness to risk breaking established alliances. And Canada’s reluctance to accept a deal may reflect recent experience.

Trump has repeatedly targeted Canada, even after instances where it made concessions following his demands. Some tolls on the newly opened Gordie Howe Bridge will be shared for 15 years, despite the fact that Canadians paid for the span linking Detroit and Windsor. Canada also withdrew a digital services tax last year. All the while, Trump has threatened more tariffs over everything from a TV ad criticizing his trade policies (later pulled by Ontario’s government ) to wildfires that blackened skies across North America.

Steeper tariffs have already contributed to higher inflation — but appeared to level off some in recent months, per researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, notably after the Supreme Court in February struck down some of Trump’s most sweeping levies.

Still, Saturday’s taxes against Canada mark the latest instance of Trump turning to other laws to impose tariffs. And more recently, Washington’s war with Iran has driven prices even higher. With the cost of living at the center of many voters’ minds in a midterm election year, political ramifications could mount for the Republican president in the coming months.

_____

AP Writers Paul Wiseman in Washington and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed.

A firefighter and his family have been with little more than the clothes on their back, following a heartbreaking fire at their home

A Welsh firefighter who has spent his career rushing to help people on the worst days of their lives has now found himself facing that same nightmare after a devastating fire tore through his family home.

Brecon fire station has issued a statement detailing what happened in a serious domestic blaze on Wednesday (August 19) night, where their own Group Manager, Phil Morris, and his family lived.

According to the fire station, the blaze has robbed the family of almost everything, with their home and possessions devastated. They are now facing the daunting task of rebuilding their lives with little more than the clothes they had with them.

In a statement issued to social media, Brecon Fire Station said it was a call “none of us ever expected to receive”.

“As firefighters, we’re used to being the ones who turn up when somebody is having one of the worst days of their life,” the organisation said. “We go in, do everything we can to help and try to make a terrible situation that little bit better.

“But when that call is for one of your own, it really hits home.”

Brecon Fire Station further highlighted how Mr Morris has devoted much of his life and career to the Fire and Rescue Service, helping others in moments of crisis, adding that he has been an “inspiration to so many” and an “incredible fire officer, colleague and friend”.

Now, the firefighters who have stood alongside him throughout his career are determined to stand alongside him and his family. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter

A JustGiving fundraiser has been launched by the community to help ease some of the immediate pressure facing the family. It is hoped that the money raised will help provide essential items and support as they begin the difficult process of finding their feet again and rebuilding what has been lost. So far, the page has already raised over £22,000.

The page reads: “For a family, a home is so much more than four walls. It’s where children grow, birthdays and holidays are celebrated, meals are shared, and precious family memories are made. To suddenly lose that sense of home, comfort, and security is something no family should have to face alone.

“As they begin the overwhelming process of putting their lives back together, we would love to show them just how much their community cares. We are raising money to help with clothing, food, temporary accommodation, everyday essentials, and the many unexpected costs they will face in the weeks and months ahead.

“No donation is too small. Every pound raised will help this family find their feet again and begin rebuilding a safe and loving home.”

Brecon Fire Station further added: “When someone has spent their life helping others, hopefully we can now come together and return some of that kindness.”

A link to the donation page can be found here.

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