Imagine the Dallas Cowboys threatening to sue the NFC East, then teams in the division saying they won’t play them unless they remove a player from their roster. No well-run pro sports league would dream of it.

College sports? Threats, lawsuits and instability are now as common as play-action passes and handoffs.

The week leading to the start of the 2026 season featured LSU and the Southeastern Conference squaring off amid a destabilizing frenzy of lawsuits over eligibility and the mind-bending reality that players who signed on with a pro team, albeit briefly, might soon be suiting up in college again. Two months ago, it was the Big 12 going to court against one of its own teams, Texas Tech.

In between: threats about leagues breaking away, talk of “conference-led governance” and a bill meandering through Congress that proposes to fix it all.

“We can enjoy the fact that the players can benefit financially from playing in college now,” Duke football coach Manny Diaz said, diagnosing the original reason for the problem. “At the same time, recognize the ultimate truth that we’re not a professional sports franchise. We are a collegiate, scholastic school activity, and we’ve got to rein that in.”

Or, as Barbara Osborne, a professor at the North Carolina law school who is an expert on NCAA governance put it: “The difference between a professional sports league and collegiate athletics is literally night and day.”

Indeed, most colleges are public institutions whose athletic departments are a small part of the overall equation on their campuses. Unlike pro sports, where finances usually rule the day, decision-makers in college come from classrooms, boardrooms and research programs. Even when teams in a certain conference (like the SEC) or division (like Division I) agree, the decisions don’t always lead to smooth sailing.

Eligibility issues consistently land the NCAA in court

In the past week, in the wake of the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility rule that excluded last year’s graduating class from that extra year, the Big Ten and SEC passed rules barring players from returning after leaving for the pros. The Big 12 and ACC quickly passed similar rules.

But there were no immediate signs that LSU — the SEC school actually planning on bringing back some pros — was changing its plans. Louisiana’s governor, who keeps his hand in sports at the state’s biggest school, declared: “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”

The Big 12’s lawsuit against its own team, Texas Tech, came in June after quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s admission that he had a gambling addiction. Sorsby eventually withdrew from college and gave up the fight, but the lawsuit lingers on — triggered by a state court order that had temporarily allowed Sorsby to play despite the NCAA longtime ban of players who gamble.

On all the different forms the eligibility issue takes, the courts are having quite a say. The smartest plaintiffs’ attorneys are doing a good job shopping for judges sympathetic to their cases — and there are more than 30 at the moment with nearly 400 athletes involved. Most claim it is unfair to exclude high school Class of 2022 athletes the way the NCAA rule did, but it’s also clear that many athletes hoping to come back can count on money — revenue-sharing, NIL deals — that were not available six years ago.

“Unfortunately, this is the latest example of member schools weaponizing locally elected judges to skirt member-agreed upon rules,” said NCAA senior vice president Tim Buckley in response to a ruling from a Louisiana judge who sparked the LSU case and keeps finding against the NCAA and SEC. “College sports are supposed to be a launching pad to careers, not a fallback for professional athletes who already competed throughout their time in college.”

Lots of ideas to fix problems, no solutions on the horizon

Senators, governors, commissioners, judges, lawyers, regents and even the president of the United States have taken cracks at fixing the problems that engulf college sports. None have stemmed the cascade of lawsuits.

One of the most pressing issues is a federal antitrust exemption, the likes of which most pro sports have some part of but college does not. Not having it has left the NCAA and its schools open to legal challenges for decades. The most notable — and the genesis of the trouble college sports currently finds itself in — involved players’ right to earn endorsement money.

A trio of lawsuits dating to 2009 have, in many ways, settled that debate, forcing schools to open their pocketbooks which, in turn, has made them have to find new ways to generate revenue and control costs.

Other issues — namely, those involving eligibility — leave the NCAA open to litigation.

“There are certain premises in college athletics that I think the public supports,” said Tyrone Thomas, an attorney at Fox Rothchild who advises universities and pro programs on employment and compliance issues. “We need some rules that are enforceable within the system that we’re in. But we’re in a system that’s only been around for less than a half-dozen years. I think it makes sense to keep the perspective on where we are now, compared to where we were.”

The Senate bill seeks to provide the NCAA limited lawsuit protection over issues like rulemaking about eligibility. Absent that passing you get weeks, and summers, like the one we’ve just witnessed.

Two of the core principles of college sports is that they are not played by pros; and they cannot be played by players who gamble on the games they play. But even those somewhat uncontroversial ideas have been muddied by the facts that these “amateur” players are getting paid — and that some of the very schools that disdain gambling now have gambling companies as sponsors.

Thomas offered a glimmer of hope in the fact that the flurry of court actions involved in the five-year rule have a limited number of potential plaintiffs — only those who graduated high school in 2022 and saw their eligibility run out last spring.

“I look at these as maybe not the house-on-fire issue of the day,” he said. “There are definitely ‘fire’ issues. But I don’t look at the essential ‘house-on-fire’ issue that’s going to determine how things move forward.”

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AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard in Raleigh, N.C. and Eric Olson in Omaha, Neb. contributed.

It’s a New Day for AEW as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have arrived.

Tonight’s huge All In event at Wembley Stadium in London has got started with a bang as the legendary WWE tag team made their debut moments into the live broadcast, revealing their new name as The New Level.

Fans inside the national stadium roared as the pair stepped out alongside Swerve Strickland as the wild cards in the Trios Royale Roulette, which started during the Buy In preshow and continued into the main broadcast.

As some fans expected, the duo are now going by the names Kofi, and Austin Creed.

They completed a stacked lineup, which also featured ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and Brodido, the Bang Bang Gang vs. The Conglomeration, Death Riders, The Demand and The Dogs.

The big debut followed reports over the weekend from Fightful, who noted that the duo were set to sign with AEW, and debut at All In.

The outlet noted that the deal ‘came together in the last couple of weeks’, noting they weren’t under contract ‘as of two weeks ago’, but talks got underway over the last fortnight.

All In marked New Day’s first appearance since it was revealed they were leaving WWE back in May.

At the time, it was reported the duo left the company by ‘mutual consent’, having opted not to renegotiate their deals, instead choosing to part ways.

Their departures meant Kofi, 44, and Woods, 39, called time on two glittering careers with the wrestling giant after 20 and 16 years, respectively.

That included 12 years as a team, coming together as a featured act for WWE Raw in 2014 alongside Big E, whose own career was tragically cut short by a broken neck in 2022.

As New Day, the trio have won more WWE tag titles than any duo in history, with 13.

The pair’s seven SmackDown reigns is also a WWE record – as is their 483-day stint as Raw champs.

Kofi is also a former WWE Champion after beating Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson, who is also in AEW) at WrestleMania 35 in 2019.

Two years ago, when New Day celebrated a decade as a tag team, Kofi spoke about the ‘special’ bond they share, and the influence they’ve had on the wrestling world.

‘It’s pretty incredible to have had that level of impact on the industry,’ Kofi exclusively told Metro.

‘I actually sent Woods a text this morning about how appreciative I was of him, of being my tag team partner. I never lose sight of how rare and special our bond is.’

Before All In, AEW boss Tony Khan wasn’t drawn on speaking about New Day or other incoming stars, but did discuss the constant act of adding fresh stars to an already top-level roster.

‘There are so many great wrestlers around the world, and so many of the very best professional wrestlers compete in All Elite Wrestling,’ he beamed. ‘I always say AEW is where the best wrestle, and I really believe that. I think that the very best wrestlers in the world are competing in AEW right now.’

Tony admitted that ‘it’s exciting that so many of the best wrestlers outside of the company are trying to get into AEW’, while also pointing to the company’s collaborations with the likes of CMLL and New Japan Pro Wrestling, which allow talent to ‘compete in multiple promotions’.

MORE: AEW All In London 2026 UK start time and surprises for Wembley show

MORE: Former champion leaves WWE after 7 years in a major ‘fumble’

MORE: Former WWE star earns more on OnlyFans than she ever did as a wrestler

The two sons of a police officer killed in the A66 crash led out the Manchester United team as mascots for today’s Premier League match against Ipswich Town. 

PCs Matthew Blades, 37, and Tom Clough, 38, died alongside five young occupants of a VW Passat that was travelling on the wrong side of a dual carriageway in the early hours of Saturday, August 22. 

PC Blades was described as a ‘proud Red’ by United, having been a regular at Old Trafford. 

In a tribute in their programme, the club said: ‘Matthew was a proud Red, a devoted family man and a police officer who dedicated his life to helping others.’ 

His widow Sarah attended today’s game alongside their children, who led out the team as mascots in honour of their father. 

The eldest child was walked out by Bruno Fernandes, captain of Manchester United, while the youngest was led by goalkeeper Senne Lammens. 

It followed a minute’s applause in memory of PC Blades and PC Clough yesterday before Middlesbrough’s Championship encounter with West Brom at Riverside Stadium. 

Mourners also gathered to pay their respects at Seaton Carew FC’s game against FC Hartlepool – with PC Blades a former junior football coach at both teams.  

Bruno Fernandes, captain of Manchester United, led out PC Blades’s eldest child 

The youngest child (right) was walked out by goalkeeper Senne Lammens 

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PCs Matthew Blades with his two children and a Manchester mascot 

PC Blades, 37, was killed when his police vehicle was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough 

PC Tom Clough, 38, also died in the crash, which occurred around 10 seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen was called off 

The club paid a long and moving tribute to PC Blades in their programme, in which they said: ‘It is with great sadness that Manchester United learned of the death of PC Matthew Blades and his colleague PC Tom Clough in an accident near Middlesbrough last weekend. 

‘For Matt, some of his happiest times were spent watching United with his boys. His wife Sarah and two children will be at today’s game, with his sons leading out the Reds as mascots.’ 

They added that a friend and colleague of PC Blades sent them a tribute, which read: ‘For Matthew, United was a lifelong love, a passion he shared with his family. Since Matt’s tragic death there has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief and support. 

‘That love has been seen in countless tributes and acts of kindness. Today, we remember a fellow Red. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A friend. A police officer. A man who gave his life in the service of others. Forever our superhero.’  

Middlesbrough and County Durham have been gripped by a wave of violence since the crash, which has left some residents too intimidated to leave their homes. 

Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18, were driving in the Passat and all lost their lives in the smash. 

Four of the five youths had previous criminal convictions, and were believed to be associated with another car which was seen ramming properties on the morning of the crash. 

Police are investigating whether the spate of violence, including the fatal A66 crash, is linked to organised crime. 

Middlesbrough, which has the highest crime rate in England bar central London, was rocked again when a seven-year-old girl, Valentina Foster, and her aunt, Natalie McDonald, 34, died in a house fire. Two men were arrested on suspicion of murder. 

Although police did not link the blaze to the A66 crash, they did not rule out a connection to wider organised crime.

Barely 24 hours later, armed police were responding to another serious incident in Middlesbrough, with claims of a machete attack that left a man with stab wounds.

Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the Volkswagen, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers

Jakub Matusiak, another occupant of the car which hit the officers, also posted videos of himself driving recklessly

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Close friends Theo Rae (left) and Cole Robert Worthy both died in the crash on Saturday

Michael Robert Cahill was one of the five in the VW Passat

Seven more men were later held as part of a broader operation to disrupt organised crime, taking the total number of arrests to 24.

Police in Middlesbrough had five pleas for help ignored by the Government before an outbreak of gang violence which led to the fatal A66 crash. 

Matt Storey, Cleveland’s police and crime commissioner, had written at least seven letters to the Government since July 2024 warning that officers were ‘woefully underfunded’ and struggling to protect the public. 

Only two received a response, his office said, while more requests for additional support were ignored. 

The most recent warning, sent to Andy Burnham last month, said shrinking recruitment was driving ‘concern about whether help will be there when it is needed most’.

Cleveland police was forced to call in 200 officers from nearby regions last week after the crash. 

DHADING, Nepal (AP) — In one of the areas worst hit by Wednesday’s catastrophic floods in Nepal, a group of schoolchildren managed to survive when they happened to leave their classroom for their lunch break.

Children attending other classes at the school in Dhading also escaped because teachers told them to quickly evacuate their classrooms shortly before the waters came crashing in.

“The teachers said, ‘There is a flood and you should leave bags and tiffins,’” said Lakshmi Shrestha, the mother of a student attending the school. “That’s how they managed to survive.”

Shrestha was among mothers and children who began to return to their school on Sunday to find the kids’ belongings and see what could be salvaged. The majority of the children at the school appeared to have survived the floods, the families said.

Thick brown and gray mud coated the surfaces of school benches, walls and notebooks while the school’s courtyard was filled with sediment. Lines on the walls showed how high the water rapidly rose. A pile of small mud-caked backpacks, some with colorful key chains, were on the benches and floors, waiting to be claimed.

Kopila Mizar, the mother of a student, was unable to find her son’s backpack, but remained positive.

“My son is alive, that is my biggest happiness,” she said.

At least 69 schools in Nepal’s flood-devastated districts have been destroyed or damaged, putting education at risk for nearly 19,000 children, according to the nonprofit Save the Children. Those numbers are likely to rise as rescue teams reach more areas, they said.

The government ordered schools and universities to shut down for three days following torrential rains that triggered severe flash floods and landslides across parts of the country. University exams were also paused.

With communities still receiving constant flood warnings advising them to move to higher, safer areas, it’s unclear when classes will be able to resume.

Nepal’s disaster agency said Sunday the death toll had climbed to 788 with 2,502 missing, while Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing on the Chinese side of the border.

The missing include hundreds of people from over a dozen countries who were in the region to work, visit the mountains or make a pilgrimage to a sacred peak. On Sunday, Chinese state media said 261 foreigners were missing in Tibet, including over a hundred Nepalis and others from around the world.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Police are looking for 43-year-old Daniel O’Brien in connection with an alleged stalking offence reported in Chadderton between June 23 and July 5, 2026.

O’Brien is believed to also have links to Oldham and Rochdale.

The force shared a picture of O’Brien on social media as part of an appeal to help locate him.

Anyone with information about O’Brien’s whereabouts is urged to get in touch with Greater Manchester Police.

Information can be submitted via 101 or by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

PC Matthew Blades, described by Man U as a “proud Red”, was killed alongside colleague PC Tom Clough in a crash with a VW driving the wrong way on the A66 at South Bank last weekend.

The children led the team out onto the pitch as mascots, walking with captain Bruno Fernandes and goalkeeper Senne Lammens ahead of their game against Ipswich.

The Red Devils expressed “great sadness” at the deaths of the two officers in a matchday programme.

“Matthew was a proud Red, a devoted family man and a police officer who dedicated his life to helping others,” United said.

“For Matt, some of his happiest times were spent watching United with his boys. His wife Sarah and two children will be at today’s game, with his sons leading out the Reds as mascots.”

Middlesbrough paid tribute to the pair on Saturday (August 29) in their Championship match against West Bromwich Albion at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion players observe a minutes silence in memory of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, ahead of the Sky Bet Championship match at Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough. Picture date: Saturday August 29, 2026. PA Photo. P (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA)

A period of applause was also observed in honour of the two police officers before the Boro 10K on Sunday morning, and Darlington FC paid tribute before their National League North match against Macclesfield on Saturday.

Hartlepool United supporters held a two-minute silence for both officers before the club’s game against Eastleigh on Friday night, with members of PC Blades’ family joining players in the centre circle.

A two-minute’s silence was held for PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough before Hartlepool’s game against Eastleigh tonight. (Image: MARK FLETCHER)

Two officers’ hats left on the pitch at Victoria Park in memory of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, (Image: MARK FLETCHER)

An image of PC Blades with his two sons at Old Trafford featured in the Man U v Ipswich match programme, along with a tribute from an unnamed close friend and colleague.

“For Matthew, United was a lifelong love, a passion he shared with his family,” the tribute read.

“Since Matt’s tragic death there has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief and support. That love has been seen in countless tributes and acts of kindness.

“Today, we remember a fellow Red. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A friend. A police officer.

“A man who gave his life in the service of others. Forever our superhero.”

PC Blades, a dad-of-two from Hartlepool, has also been remembered for his work coaching youngsters at football clubs in the town.

He and PC Clough were travelling in a marked armed response car when the crash happened around 3.39am.

Inquests opened on Thursday heard both died from head and neck injuries.

Five people travelling in the Passat also died. They have been named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18.

A handsome home both outside and in, The Lime House has been thoughtfully designed in partnership with Native Architects to create a property that stands well in its surroundings and provides wonderful open-plan spaces for family life and entertaining.

More than that, The Lime House has outstanding environmental credentials, having been built using straw bale construction (a renewable building method that utilises agricultural by-products to create a super insulated, highly sustainable and breathable home) and with a commitment to sourcing materials locally wherever possible.

This has included bricks from the Yorkshire Handmade Brick Company and stonework crafted by a York Minster mason.

So successful has the creation of The Lime House been that it has been recognised in the latest Pevsner guide, which refers to it as a prominent contemporary, classically designed country home and draws particular attention to its striking galleried entrance hall.

The centre point from which the ground floor accommodation radiates, the entrance hall features elegant panelling, a beautiful stone fireplace and a hand-crafted curved stone staircase.

Beyond lies the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, fitted with bespoke cabinetry from Hovingham Interiors, timber and leathered granite worktops, a generous central island and an electric AGA range cooker.

Adjoining the kitchen is a dining area and a spacious seating area with doors that open into a south-facing courtyard, creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living.

A separate sitting room provides a more private retreat.

Completing the ground floor is a cloakroom, boot room, utility room, study and the principal bedroom suite, with a light-filled bedroom complemented by a striking curved bathroom featuring a freestanding bath.

Upstairs are three double bedrooms, all with en-suites, and with one having a staircase providing access to a mezzanine storage area.

An interconnecting passage links the main part of the house to a generous double-height barn, store and studio/workshop with potential for being converted into a self-contained annexe, subject to obtaining the necessary consents.

The house embraces modern technology throughout, including a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system which circulates and redistributes warmth around the home, plus triple glazing complemented by double-glazed pocket windows.

Jerusalem limestone, timber and tiled flooring extends throughout much of the house and benefits from underfloor heating.

Additional sustainable features include PIR lighting, a rainwater harvesting system, water softening equipment and an installed biodigester.

The Lime House is surrounded by rolling countryside and farmland, with its grounds extending to approximately 4.5 acres.

The owners have created a natural pond which captures rainwater from the house and supports a rich variety of wildlife.

Beautifully maintained, the gardens blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, embracing and enhancing the property’s idyllic rural setting.

The Lime House stands in a commanding position on the edge of the Howardian Hills AONB, near the village of Whenby and around eight miles from Easingwold.

It is on the market at a guide price of £2.75m.

For more information or to arrange a viewing, please contact Savills on 01904 617800.

As the tough-talking judge on BBC‘s MasterChef, John Torode wasn’t ever one to mince his words.

The Alpha-Aussie made a quivering souffle of the home cooks, amateur chefs and even celebrities who stood before him hoping for a crumb of praise.

So no wonder – after he was unceremoniously sacked after 20 years on the show – fans are both surprised and delighted to discover ‘another’ Torode.

Ever since launching a YouTube show with his wife, Lisa Faulkner, Torode, 61, is revelling in his much softer – almost cuddly – side.

From the comfort of their beautiful kitchen, at the heart of their terraced home in the enviable London enclave of Muswell Hill, Torode and Lisa, 54, laugh, tease and mock each other while whipping up mouthwatering dishes.

And viewers love it.

‘John and Lisa are basically the Richard and Judy of TV chefs and they are proving to be a huge success. Who needs the BBC now?’ says my well-placed source.

Just like Richard, Torode often looks clueless as quick-witted Lisa makes a cheeky comment.

Torode and Ms Faulkner with his MasterChef colleague Gregg Wallace, who was sacked from the show following allegations of misconduct

Ms Faulkner met Torode in 2010 while competing on Celebrity MasterChef, which she went on to win

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Swapping the clinical MasterChef kitchen for their more homely one has also been a hit, with viewers loving their wooden central island, customised ‘John & Lisa’ chopping board and pale green saucepans from their own J&L cookware range with high street chain ProChef.

Explaining their concept on the first video, Lisa cuddled their schnoodle dog as she enthused: ‘We’re cooking all our recipes from home in our kitchen which is great because we know where everything is, and we really hope you’re going to join us to see our family favourites.’

Since the soft launch of John and Lisa’s Kitchen & Home eight months ago, they have accumulated more than 1.2million views as fans have tuned in to watch them make ‘the perfect pavlova’ or Lisa’s ‘legendary’ roast potatoes (made legendary by crumbling a stock cube into the fat first). Such a figure could earn them thousands, which – along with advertising revenue, side hustles such as their cookware range and a forthcoming book – means Torode will be making more than he did from MasterChef. A source said: ‘There’s more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to earning cash as a telly chef.’

Those familiar with the project say it is the ‘ultimate sod you’ to the BBC. The broadcaster sacked Torode as host of MasterChef in July last year after an allegation was made that he had used the ‘N’ word at a filming wrap party in 2019 while singing along to Gold Digger by rap star Kanye West.

Torode’s dismissal came amid accusations of inappropriate behaviour against co-presenter Gregg Wallace. Last year the 61-year-old was sacked after a report, commissioned by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations were upheld.

Despite Torode saying he had ‘no recollection’ of what he was accused of and hoped to have been allowed a say, he was also shown the door. So it’s rather delicious that, after so much upset at losing the job that made him one of the most recognisable faces on British television, Torode is said to be ‘loving life’ back in front of the camera once again.

‘They are the Mr and Mrs of television cookery. They are smashing it,’ a source close to the pair told me. As one YouTube viewer commented on their chemistry: ‘Love it! Lisa’s cheeky innuendos that John never gets, but we get the camera wink eye from Lisa!’

‘The numbers they are pulling in are massive,’ says the source. ‘John doesn’t even recall saying what he was accused of and there was never any evidence of it. The die-hard MasterChef viewers have very much taken his side.’

Since the soft launch of John and Lisa’s Kitchen & Home eight months ago, they have accumulated more than 1.2million views

Torode and Wallace had presented MasterChef since 2005 but were both axed by the BBC

Indeed, the broadcaster’s new director general, Matt Brittin, may well be questioning whether predecessor Tim Davie didn’t slip up in sacking Torode. Just last week at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Brittin – who joined the corporation from Google this year – hinted he was looking at opening up the BBC to user-generated content.

Brittin suggested turning an ‘iPlayer 2.0’ into a YouTube-style site hosting appropriate influencer content. It would be built around an algorithm aimed at ‘educating, informing and entertaining the public here and ideally around the world’. 

‘It’s hilarious,’ says a friend of the couple.

‘Should Gregg have been sacked? Yes, absolutely. But with John, it feels like they found a way to get rid of him and start afresh on MasterChef.

‘What he has proved is that he and Lisa are extremely popular and surely the BBC will be jealous of their YouTube concept.’

Proof is in the pudding – or in this case, scone – as more than 102,000 fans have so far watched Torode and Lisa whip up a batch of the teatime treats.

On the back of positive feedback, advertisers are flocking to promote their brands, with HSBC and Monzo banks running campaigns on John and Lisa’s pages. But it looks unlikely that their ITV show, John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen will return. ‘Never mind,’ says one pal. ‘They’ve got a second cookery book coming soon.’

Those who know Torode say that Lisa was his ‘rock’ when he was sacked from MasterChef, which was of course where the couple met when the former Spooks actress was a contestant in 2010.

When they met on the show, Lisa was with her husband Chris Coghill while Torode was with his wife Jessica.

After both relationships ended, they began dating and married in 2019 at the stunning Aynhoe Park in Northamptonshire.

Seven years on and Lisa has been every bit the supportive wife. So, who’s going to blame her for enjoying the odd swipe at the BBC? In one video, as John tells viewers how to whip up the perfect poached egg, a smiling Lisa quips: ‘The poached egg masterclass by the MasterChef!’

Ouch! But then revenge, as they say, is a dish best served cold.

PS: Wife Lisa might want to avoid the deep-fat fryer!

Ms Faulkner alongside Kevin McNally, left, and Shane Attwooll in Spooks

As MI5 agent Helen Flynn in Spooks, unsavoury extremists murdered her using the gadget. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Main draw play is underway at the U.S. Open, with 19th-seeded Jasmine Paolini among those playing in the opening set of matches at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday.

Third-ranked Jessica Pegula leads off at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Elena-Gabriela Ruse at noon, followed on the men’s side by Daniil Medvedev against Hugo Gaston.

Novak Djokovic begins his quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title on Sunday night against Mariano Navone. Djokovic at 39 is coming off losing his opening match at the hardcourt tuneup Cincinnati Open earlier this month.

Venus Williams faces fellow American wild card Sophia Kenin in the last match of the night at Ashe. She and sister Serena are scheduled to play doubles together.

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See AP’s full tennis coverage here