David Mitchell once revealed the Cambridge pub he always returned to for a drink before the Footlights pantomime, despite admitting it had one rather unglamorous feature

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Ludwig star David Mitchell has revealed the Cambridge pub that holds a special place in his heart, despite admitting it may not boast the smartest surroundings.

The comedian and actor looked back on his university days in Cambridge in a 2005 piece for The Guardian, recalling the drinking, comedy and acting that eventually helped shape his career.

The 52-year-old described his time at university as a happy one, although returning to the city brought mixed emotions as he was reminded of his younger self.

He explained that he and several former Footlights performers would regularly head to the same pub before watching the Cambridge comedy club’s annual pantomime at the ADC Theatre.

“It always seems to happen when a group of us goes back,” Mitchell wrote. “Maybe we’re all trying to drown our nostalgia sadness, or maybe we’ve managed to convince ourselves that getting drunk was genuinely all we did when we were students, rather than just being all we talked about.”

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And there was one particular watering hole that repeatedly drew the group back.

“The Maypole is the best pub in Cambridge,” Mitchell declared. He admitted it was “not the smartest” and that it did not serve the city’s finest food, although he praised its “good and very comforting” dishes.

The pub, on Portugal Place, has long been a family-run establishment. It was taken over by Vincent Castiglione’s father in 1982 and is now run by Vincent and his son Mario.

Vincent said his family had been in Cambridge for more than three decades and described the pub as having a strong community atmosphere.

“My family’s been in Cambridge for 32 years; my dad’s Sicilian, my mum’s English and I’m Cambridge born and bred,” he said. “I love running the pub, it’s a lovely place and our customers are fantastic. It’s a safe, friendly pub; it’s got that ‘local’ feel, despite being right in the centre.”

The Maypole has also built a reputation for its drinks selection, with 16 real ales, including beers from local and micro breweries, alongside Belgian bottled beers and cocktails.

Food is another major draw, with Vincent describing it as “good, home-made pub food”. The menu includes Italian and English dishes, as well as pizzas made at the pub.

Its proximity to the ADC Theatre has also helped make it a popular haunt for performers and comedy fans over the years.

Vincent revealed: “David Mitchell used to drink here, and we got a mention in his autobiography. When he played a gig at the Corn Exchange not long ago, he popped back for a drink here afterwards.”

He added that Mitchell was far from the only famous face to have frequented the pub, naming Richard Ayoade and Rachel Weisz among other actors and comedians who had been regulars during their student days.

For Mitchell, however, the appeal appeared to be less about celebrity connections and more about the familiarity of returning to a place where he felt remembered.

“It’s comfortable, friendly, lively and, crucially, they remember me there,” he wrote.

On the one hand, there are those who wish to portray Middlesbrough as being on the brink of “carnage”, a place where the permissive society and weak policing has allowed lawlessness to take over.

On the other hand, there are those who wish to blame this all on police cuts and austerity.

There will be time to have all of these relevant debates, but it is not now.

Now is not the time to publicly castigate one group of people as that will only increase the dangerous social undercurrents of division.

Now is the time to give the police full support so they can prevent anymore “senseless” deaths.

Cleveland is a small force and its officers are working on perhaps the most major investigation of their lives while at the same time grieving two of their colleagues who were killed in the line duty.

And then they have to cope with the death of a seven-year-old girl somehow caught up in someone else’s battle.

It does indeed make no sense.

Middlesbrough as a town is going to need enormous strength and support to pull through this.

It needs unity, not politicking on the sidelines.

By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 11:03 BST, 27 August 2026 | Updated: 13:12 BST, 27 August 2026

A father and son have died after falling into an industrial silage tank at a farm in Aston by Budworth, near Northwich in Cheshire yesterday lunchtime.

Alan Ford, 72, and son Rick, 42, passed away following the incident on Wednesday, the Cheshire Agricultural Society confirmed. 

Firefighters, paramedics, including an air ambulance, and police all rushed to the scene at a farm in Aston by Budworth, near Northwich after being alerted to reports of an ‘industrial accident’ at around 12.20pm.

Both men were working at the site when they fell into an ‘industrial size’ silage container. 

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Mr Ford and his son were rescued from the tank on Wednesday but were declared dead at the scene. 

Their next of kin have been informed and an investigation is underway, police said. 

Nearby Cann Lane was closed to assist with the emergency response.

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Alan Ford (pictured), 72, and son Rick, 42, passed away following the incident on Wednesday, the Cheshire Agricultural Society confirmed

Emergency services were called to the scene of an  incident at a farm in Aston by Budworth, near Northwich in Cheshire, yesterday lunchtime

Two men were rescued from the silage tank but could not be saved by emergency services 

The death Alan Ford, who retired after seven years as chairman of the CAS earlier this year, was confirmed in a statement released this afternoon.

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‘As Chairman of the Cheshire Agricultural Society it is with profound sadness that I have to announce the untimely death of our past Chairman Alan Ford and his son Rick following a tragic farming accident yesterday,’ the statement read.

‘Alan retired as Chairman and Director of the Society in April this year and Rick has been a Director of the Society for several years. 

‘The Ford family have worked tirelessly for the Society for many years and both Alan and Rick will be very sadly missed by everyone who knew them.

‘We wish to extend our thoughts, sympathy and prayers to the families at this very difficult time.’

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The men’s relatives have requested privacy following the tragedy.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said on Wednesday: ‘Police were called to reports of an industrial incident at around 12.20pm today.

‘The caller had reported two men had fallen into an industrial size tank.

‘Police, fire and paramedics are in attendance at the scene and rescue work is ongoing.’ 

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In an update published today, a statement confirmed both men had died. 

Dragons’ Den saw two teenage sisters win over the investors with their groundbreaking business.

A contestant on Dragons’ Den who is making history as one of the youngest-ever successful entrepreneurs on the show has revealed what the experience was really like. Cat Black and her sister Honor Black were just 16 and 17 years old when they stepped into the Den, with their episode airing on Thursday, August 24.

The pair were asking for £15,000 for a 10% stake in their business Maiden, a brand dedicated to empowering girls and women. Their company, which designs cricket clothing, teamwear and equipment specifically for women and girls, had been launched after their own experiences.

“We started Maiden because we were tired of being at the sidelines,” Honor explained to Steven Bartlett, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Peter Jones and guest Dragon Gary Neville.

“We felt when playing at every level that we were forced to make kit with boys’ kit or unisex gear that wasn’t designed for us. And so we decided that we would make something that worked for us and others like us.”

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The sisters won over all five Dragons, with Peter praising: “I think this is a movement, I don’t think this is an individual investment for a Dragon.” In an exclusive interview, Cat, who was sitting her Spanish GCSE just the day after filming Dragons’ Den, revealed what the experience was really like.

Maiden had been approached by Dragons’ Den when the company first started in 2024, but Cat and Honor declined the opportunity, before deciding they were ready the following year. Before Dragons’ Den, Cat, who had prepared by watching dozens of grillings from the BBC show and its US counterpart Shark Tank.

After watching those, the experience became “even more scary”, she admitted. She went on: “I was properly scared, and I had my Spanish GCSE the day after Dragons’ Den so I really hadn’t clocked it in my mind until the train up when I was doing Spanish flash cards, and I was like, ‘Wait I need to be learning my pitch,’ and then it finally hit me.

“Honor and I were up until 2am reading each other the script, and we fell asleep listening to it on our phone, and that was when it was like, ‘oh my god it’s actually happening, it’s so real’.”

She added: “In the Den, everything goes quiet. You’re focused on not messing up, so when I got out, I was like, ‘Oh I’ve just done it’. It goes so quickly… but it was amazing, I can’t express how proud I am now, because back then I didn’t realise how much of an achievement it was.”

She went on: “When we ended up getting all five Dragons, we were like, oh my god, no way. We’d never even thought about what would happen if we had got Dragons!”

After filming in the Den, Cat was given the opportunity to meet the other Dragons. “It was hugs all around, I met all of them, definitely a bucket list moment ticked off,” she said.

She added: “I remember hugging them so many times, I was so overwhelmed. Peter Jones really understood the situation more than the others, just because he started a business at 16, so he was like, ‘This is an amazing achievement, and I hope it all goes well for you’.”

Dragons’ Den is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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BRUSSELS (AP) — The Pentagon on Thursday pressed U.S. allies at NATO to prove they are stepping up their defense of Europe as Washington shifts its attention to security challenges closer to home and in the Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. has begun cutting the forces it has stationed in Europe — around 80,000 are still deployed — and the Pentagon has launched a review to establish how deep further cuts should be.

A strong U.S. presence is key to NATO’s ability to deter adversaries in Europe, such as Russia.

The cuts will depend on how effectively European allies and Canada respond to a U.S.-demand to overhaul NATO. It would see them take over the conventional defense of Europe. The U.S. would provide backup, including with nuclear weapons, only if needed.

After a briefing at NATO headquarters in Brussels, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby praised Germany and Poland, as well as Scandinavian countries, for their efforts.

But he told reporters: “We hope to see more from countries like the United Kingdom.”

Colby said Washington’s aim is to bring “NATO to a more realistic, fit-for-purpose, fit for time, more balanced structure. And so that’s the spirit we’re going to continue pursuing our Europe posture review in.”

The Pentagon has circulated a survey seeking written answers to questions about how allies plan to meet the U.S. aims.

“We just received several of the questionnaires, so we’re looking forward to reviewing them,” said Colby, without saying which countries had responded.

The survey includes demands for information not related to NATO, such as whether allies will grant U.S. forces unfettered access to their bases and airspace. Some in Europe hesitated when the United States launched its war on Iran without consulting them.

“Europe has an interest in making sure that also that Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon, which is of course our objective,” Colby said. “We need to be able to have the ability to operate effectively. We need predictability.”

There has been a new name added into the mix as speculation over which actor will be offered the coveted James Bond role continues to grow.

It has been the question on everyone’s lips since Daniel Craig announced he would be hanging up his bow tie and pistol as 007 in 2019.

Now Brit actor Jack Barton, 31, has been introduced as a potential new leading man, as he was named the current favourite for the iconic part. 

It has been reported by Page Six that screen tests are due to begin in the next few days, with Jack’s name apparently among the shortlist.

So far he has notably appeared in teen Netflix drama Heartstopper and the BBC SAS: Rogue Heroes in 2025, as well as a selection of minor roles.

Casting directors are said to be backing Jack for the role, while it is thought that Amazon is keen for a more well-established actor.

It has been the question on everyone’s lips since Daniel Craig announced he would be hanging up his bow tie and pistol as 007 in 2019 

Debbie McWilliams, who picked previous Bonds Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig for the role, previously said a newcomer should be cast.

She told the Independent in June: ‘I don’t want to see any of [the rumoured stars] as Bond because we now know so much about them.

‘We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are. We don’t need to know where he goes shopping or who his parents are, or where he lives.

‘We never want to see him at home. And a vital element of the whole thing is his job description. He’s licensed to kill, and we have to believe that he can do that. If you don’t, then you’ve lost the audience.’

Other current favourites include Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, Harris Dickinson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jacob Elordi and Henry Cavill.

Theo James recently ruled himself out of taking the role and insisted he is ‘too old’ to play the secret agent.

Speculation about who will be the next 007 has been rife for months and recently heightened after Amazon MGM Studios announced in May that auditions were finally taking place.

Theo’s name has always been in the mix but the star of Netflix hit The Gentlemen has said at age 41 ‘I’m definitely too old now’ despite Daniel being 51 by the time he shot his final Bond movie.

Age isn’t the only factor that has put Theo off the role though, as he insists the part is ‘an example of a place you could never come back from’. 

So far he has notably appeared in teen Netflix drama Heartstopper and the BBC SAS: Rogue Heroes in 2025, as well as a selection of minor roles

Casting directors are said to be backing Jack for the role, while it is thought that Amazon are keen for a more well established actor

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Speaking to British GQ, the actor recalled the ravenous attention the Divergent movie franchise brought to his door a decade ago.

Just when his fame was reaching its peak, Theo stepped back from the limelight, choosing smaller projects that helped him hone his craft, and even briefly considered studying for an oceanography degree at the University of Santa Cruz, California. 

‘Imagine, suddenly, you and I cannot walk down the street. What that does to your children, who are trying to find themselves in the midst of hyper-scrutiny and fame,’ Theo, who is married to Irish actress Ruth Kearney with whom he shares two young kids, says now of the path he could have chosen.

‘None of that, to me, is worth it. At the time, it’s very intoxicating, being offered some huge, sexy part that would change your life forever. But it really wouldn’t ultimately be worth it.’ 

He says whilst he is fiercely protective of his private life, his stance on how to handle fan interactions has changed as he’s got older. 

‘It’s funny with selfies. When I was younger, I used to be really allergic to them,’ he said.

‘So I used to say no – but the problem with saying no, I found, is that it elongates the moment. Obviously, it’s very nice, and you want to service someone who is invested in any way.’ 

‘But at the same time, there’s the existential problem of what is your job? What is identity? What belongs to the public and what doesn’t?’ 

Jack (Lowden) was recently tipped as a favourite, with 007 producers said to be ‘strongly considering’ the Slow Horses star.

Presenter Richard Osman said recently on his podcast The Rest Is Entertainment: ‘Someone told me for definite who the new Bond is the other day, but I mean that’s happened before. The name I’ve heard is Jack Lowden.’ 

Theo James recently ruled himself out of taking the role and insisted he is ‘too old’ to play the secret agent 

Richard cautioned: ‘It is definitiely not a ‘he’s definitely got it’ thing. He is definitely being strongly considered. I think he’d be amazing.’ 

His co-host Marina Hyde agreed, pointing out that at 36, Lowden is ‘a good age. You have to have the longevity. They’ve got to do at least two movies and he’s a good age for it.’ 

Richard said the actor has ‘real Daniel Craig energy’, adding that he ‘is such a brilliant actor. Can be funny, can definitely do action. I mean, I think he’d be sensational.’

Richard and Marina’s podcast was discussing new research which reveals the public’s top picks for Bond are Tom Hardy, 48, Henry Cavill, 43, and James Norton, who recently ruled himself out, admitting at age 41, like Theo, he feels relieved he is now seen as ‘too old’.

The podcasters pointed out that the public can’t necessarily be relied upon to pick the right actor.

‘If you look back at every single James Bond that has ever been appointed, not a single one of them would have been chosen by the public, apart from maybe one,’ said Richard, referring to 1995-2002 Bond Pierce Brosnan. 

‘You have to rely on the film producers to choose someone the public doesn’t know they want… Daniel Craig definitely wouldn’t have been chosen by the public. They were furious about it at the time.’

‘That was Barbara Broccoli’s call completely the Daniel Craig call,’ Marina agreed. ‘And it was really ballsy because everyone was like “what on earth are you talking about?” The second they see Casino Royale they’re like “oh yeah, no you’re right, that is the right call”.’

Bond producer Amy Pascal gave an update on the audition process earlier this month explaining: ‘We are being really, really methodical. Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow.’

‘And it’s got to be something really different that is stirring and exciting and different,’ she added. 

Auditions for the new Bond finally opened in May, five years after the famed spy’s last outing on the big screen. 

That announcement was delayed after the Broccoli family, which held an iron grip on the franchise for decades, handed over creative control to Amazon MGM Studios. 

The production company, which was formed when Amazon bought MGM in 2022, has been quiet on who might fill Craig’s boots, but in May it teased there will be ‘exciting 007 news’ in the coming months. 

In a statement revealing it was auditioning actors for the role, Amazon MGM Studios said: ‘The search for the next James Bond is underway. 

‘While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.’

At the end of June, insiders told Deadline that director Villeneuve had begun informing talent who had made the next round of auditions. 

The streets were packed, the cameras were rolling as Paddy McGuinness and his co-presenters came to Bolton to film a special episode of the hit show.

On March 5, 2020, Top Gear presenters Paddy, Freddie Flintoff, and Chris Harris brought a touch of television glamour to Bolton as they filmed in and around the town.

The visit formed part of a 24-hour challenge in which the trio were tasked with spending a full day inside their cars, with Paddy behind the wheel of a Tesla, Freddie in a Volvo, and Chris driving a BMW.

Filming began in the early hours on Le Mans Crescent, drawing crowds of excited fans eager to catch a glimpse of the presenters in action.

Patrick O’Reilly, who waited on the corner of Queen Street to see the stars drive past, said: “I tried getting a photo before but this time I’ll record it.

“I like Freddie and Paddy but I am more of a fan of the old school Top Gear.

“But these lot are good, I’m just trying to catch them going past.”

The challenge saw the presenters tour various locations across Bolton, including the market, where Paddy was seen bartering from his car with a stallholder for blankets, pillows, and duvets.

Speaking to The Bolton News during a break in filming, Paddy said: “It’s amazing.

“This challenge we’re doing today, we’re spending 24 hours in our cars, so we’re not allowed out.

“We’re going on a tour of Bolton.

“So we’re driving onto Bolton Market, and we’re driving onto various places that I can’t tell you yet.

“But it’s good.

“I would love to take them in Bolton Museum because I remember as a kid going in there… and that mummified body in there.

“And it’s still in there.

“It’s one of them things where you go ‘oh, look at that there.’

“But yeah it will be good.

“They haven’t seen anywhere in the town yet.

“This is the start.”

The presenters were also spotted picking up lunch at Rigby’s Chippy in Deane and filming scenes near Bolton College.

Fans young and old gathered throughout the day, with two-year-old Quintin Smith posing for a photo with the stars and others queuing for autographs and selfies.

The excitement even reached nearby businesses, with staff at Adoption Now’s head office in Bolton managing to grab a selfie with the presenters during filming.

The visit did cause some disruption, with traffic building up around Le Mans Crescent as filming took place.

Despite the delays, the mood remained upbeat, with Mr McGuinness and Mr Flintoff taking time to sign autographs and greet fans.

One parent said: “I’ve just got an autograph for my son.

“He’ll be so happy.”

Paddy had teased the visit on Instagram the day before, joking: “We’ve been to Nepal, we’ve been to Peru, we’ve been to Borneo.

“But where are we tomorrow lads? Bolton!

“They are buzzing.

“The capital of the UK – come on!”