Nigel Farage has played down the accusations that Reform UK has accepted foreign donations and insisted the row stems from “loose pub talk”.

An undercover sting operation conducted by investigative group Verbatim and published in a Channel 4 News documentary has accused two top party aides of accepting US funds for the party.

Verbatim’s undercover reporters claim Reform’s head of policy James Orr and Farage’s close aide Dan Jukes took funding from a US company to commission three supposedly independent polls at £32,500 earlier this year.

British electoral law says political donations can only be made by someone eligible to vote in the UK or a UK-registered company.

The report also says Jukes suggested a way to get around those electoral rules to secure a £500,000 donation from the US to the party.

Reform initially denied any wrongdoing and called the operation a “hoax”. Orr and Jukes then stood down from their party posts on Friday morning.

During a press conference at Reform’s annual get-together in Birmingham, Farage read out a statement defending his party over the accusations.

The party leader denied wrongdoing around the poll and how it was paid for, instead pointing out names of potential other donors were bleeped out in the footage.

Farage said: “What is more problematic is loose pub talk, including a couple of boasts that simply were not true.

“So in the video, when he [Jukes] says we’ve done it with X, we’ve done it with Y – well, the reason Channel 4 haven’t broadcast the names of X and Y is because it isn’t true.

“Donations from the names that were mentioned had not occurred, don’t exist on the old comms site, don’t exist in our accounts.

“And while I’m aware that our people were pushed and pushed and pushed into saying these things, the comments were injudicious at best.

“Neither of these men was authorised to act in that way. Accordingly, they’ve stepped down pending an investigation.”

Reform UK says it is conducting an internal investigation into what happened but denies any wrongdoing.

The Electoral Commission said it is “in touch” with the Metropolitan Police after Channel 4 broadcast, though the police have not opened an investigation at the time of reporting.

Farage also accused the reporters of “entrapment”.

After a question from the BBC, he told the press conference: “Am I annoyed that these people even got to meet me? Yes I am, it should not have happened.

“The two individuals involved are not even part of our fundraising team, so they should have gone through the appropriate channels.

“Checks would have been made and they would never, ever have got to sit down at a table with me.”

Farage continued: “We have not taken an illegal penny in funding, that is important. The loose pub talk, frankly, there was a bit of boasting, a bit of jack-the-lad-dery going on there.

“If it was more serious than that, then I refer you back to the BBC’s question earlier, the names would have been put on to the programme and there would be a hell of a row. They don’t exist. Those donations don’t exist.”

Asked about the way Jukes, his close friend, is involved, Farage said: “I don’t like it at all. I’ve worked with Dan very closely for many years, many, many years, and I described it as loose pub talk, and that’s what it was, because what he said simply wasn’t true.

“He got put into a position and he should never have said what he did. I believe the investigation will find he should never have said one or two of the things that he said.”

The Clacton MP’s comments come after Farage admitted this morning to LBC that he is “not happy” about the row, but insisted: “The party has broken no laws. The party has not taken any dodgy money or anything like that whatsoever.”

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We’re mere weeks away from the highly-anticipated return of The Celebrity Traitors, and one loose-lipped contestant is already giving away secrets.

Comedian Joe Lycett has admitted he broke one of the golden rules of the BBC reality show and told “everyone” he was appearing on the second season.

“We weren’t meant to ask people if they were doing it,” he shared during an appearance on Hits Radio. “You sign the NDA and they say don’t tell anyone you’re doing it. But if you search the word ‘traitors’ in my WhatsApp, I told everyone!”

“I was telling Uber drivers, I was telling everyone,” he quipped.

Before heading to the castle, Joe also spent a lot of energy trying to work out if anyone else from his inner circle was taking part in the celebrity version of the popular series.

He recalled: “I asked Joanne McNally, who is one of my favourite people in the world, and she said ‘I’m in as well’. So, the comics sort of worked out who was in because we all talk to each other.”

Although the BBC valiantly tried to keep the cast under wraps until the official announcement, Joe admitted they were fighting a losing battle.

“You don’t know the line-up, but I think they published it two days before we went in, and I was like: ‘Oh God’,” he revealed.

Because Joe knew who would be heading to the Scottish castle with him, he came with some preconceived notions about his co-stars.

“I got on with everyone, and I thought there were certain people I wouldn’t get on with when I saw the line-up,” he candidly added, although the unusually-reserved star didn’t elaborate any further or name names.

The Celebrity Traitors season two line-up is a who’s who of stars from the world of TV, music, film, sport and beyond, including Bella Ramsey, Michael Sheen and Ross Kemp.

Last month, the first trailer for season two of The Celebrity Traitors dropped, showing what we can expect from host Claudia Winkleman and the star-studded cast when the show returns at the end of the year.

If you want to know who is joining Joe in the Celebrity Traitors castle for season two, check out our guide to this year’s full cast here.

I bloody love a good cry. A happy cry, sad cry, cathartic cry. If there are strong emotions happening, you can guarantee that I will be in tears at one point or another. I’m not alone, either. Despite us Brits having a reputation for a ‘stiff upper lip’, according to YouGov survey data, we’re a teary nation and 51% of us think it’s acceptable to cry at work.

I always thought that my love for crying was because I’m incredibly sensitive and constantly looking for an outlet and maybe that is a part of it but, actually, crying or just producing tears often has a biological purpose beyond letting emotions out. In fact, depending on the cause, our tears are made up of different chemical compositions.

The body is just so fascinating, isn’t it? We are all medical marvels.

These are the tears that we are mostly familiar with. Ones that come from emotional state changes – good or bad – and the types that flow freely when we’re overwhelmed or, you could say, moved to tears.

Yale University explains: “Chemically different from basal and reactive tears, emotional tears contain leucine-enkephalin, a neuropeptide related to endorphins. It is this chemical that makes us feel better after we cry.”

Basal tears are responsible for keeping our eyes lubricated. They are our ‘baseline’ tears and are present in our eyes at all times.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, this can change with age. They explain: “Basal tear production slows with age, and this can lead to the development of dry eye. Dry eye is a common problem for people undergoing hormonal changes, especially women during pregnancy and menopause.”

Finally, we have reflexive tears. Cleveland Clinic explains:”Physical triggers cause reflex tears to form. They help wash away harmful irritants like dust, smoke or onion fumes. Reflex tears contain antibodies to help fight bacteria.”

Now that summer is winding down, it’s time to prepare ourselves for the joys of winter. You know, the festive season, snuggling under cosy blankets and the return of The Traitors in the new year. All of that and, uh, cold and flu season.

Despite it being so common to catch a cold during the chilly months, many of us rarely prepare ourselves in advance for it. In fact, Rachel Louise Jones, Pharmacy Superintendent at Superdrug Online Doctor warns that our everyday habits could be making us more susceptible to illness.

Back in the early days of Covid, many of us realised just how often we touch our faces. A small itch, resting our cheek on our hands etc. However, we’re also often touching door handles, toilets and our phones. This makes the transmission of germs very easy.

Jones explains “viruses are transferred from contaminated surfaces to mucous membranes and why breaking the habit can reduce exposure.”

She recommends keeping some antibacterial gel handy.

Realistically, we should all be in the habit of washing our hands far more frequently than we currently do. The NHS recommends cleaning your hands at these times:

• after using the toilet or changing a nappy
• before and after handling raw foods like meat and vegetables
• before eating or handling food
• after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing
• before and after treating a cut or wound
• after touching animals, including pets, their food and after cleaning their cages

Jones adds: “People often remember to wash their hands before meals but forget to do so when they get home from work, school or the supermarket. Washing your hands as soon as you arrive home can help prevent viruses being transferred around your house.

“Home is where people often relax their hygiene habits, meaning germs picked up outside can spread to family members.”

Ever offer your friend a sip of your drink or a bite of your dinner? You could be passing germs. Jones says: “Sharing water bottles, lip balm, cutlery or even vaping devices can increase the spread of viruses between friends, family and colleagues.

“Some everyday items are easy to overlook but frequently come into contact with saliva.”

Many people wait until symptoms become severe before doing anything. While there’s no cure for the common cold, treating symptoms promptly can help you stay comfortable and make it easier to rest and recover.

Jones says “a pharmacist can recommend suitable treatments for symptoms such as congestion, sore throat, aches and fever, and advise when symptoms need further assessment.”

Millions of people could be unknowingly putting extra strain on their hearts through everyday habits they rarely think twice about.

Dr Francesco Lo Monaco, a cardiologist and author of Heart Saviour, has shared how certain silent risk factors can gradually weaken the heart over many years before symptoms appear.

“Many people assume they would know if something was wrong with their heart, but that’s often not the case,” he said.

Here are some of the most common, yet modifiable, habits he suggested could be contributing to poor heart health – and what you can do about each.

If your blood pressure remains high for months or even years, your heart will need to pump against greater resistance, the health expert explained.

“Initially the heart muscle adapts by becoming thicker, but over time these changes can affect how efficiently the heart works,” he said.

“If left untreated, this can contribute to enlargement and weakening of the heart and eventually increase the risk of heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms and other cardiovascular complications.”

This is one of the reasons high blood pressure is often described as a “silent killer”, he added, because many people have no symptoms until the damage has already begun.

GPs and some pharmacies can check blood pressure. Boots offers a free health MOT for over-40s which includes a blood pressure check. Alternatively you can buy your own blood pressure monitor and check it at home.

Blood pressure can be controlled through a series of lifestyle interventions like eating a balanced diet, regular exercise and, if you’re overweight, weight loss.

Avoiding salty food, alcohol, caffeine and smoking are also important. Some people might also benefit from taking medicine to treat the issue.

Sleep apnoea is a condition that causes repeated pauses in breathing when you’re sleeping. It’s yet another health issue that can slip under the radar.

Dr Lo Monaco warned that repeated drops in oxygen overnight increase stress on the cardiovascular system.

“Sleep apnoea doesn’t just cause tiredness,” he said. “It is strongly associated with high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and structural changes within the heart.”

The most common symptoms include: loud snoring, noisy and laboured breathing, periods where breathing is interrupted by gasping or snoring. As a result, it’s usually first spotted by a partner, friend or family member.

People with sleep apnoea might also find they wake up with headaches, still feel tired and find it hard to concentrate.

It’s typically treated with lifestyle interventions like weight loss, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol intake, but the NHS notes many people also need a CPAP machine to help supply oxygen over night.

Heavy drinking over long periods of time can weaken the heart muscle. “Alcohol-related heart disease often develops gradually, so people may not notice any symptoms until significant damage has occurred,” said Dr Lo Monaco.

The NHS advises cutting back a little each day, and letting others know you’re doing this so they can offer support. Swap strong beers or wines for ones with a lower strength (ABV in %) and aim to have several drink-free days each week.

Regular movement helps maintain cardiovascular health. Studies have consistently found physical activity has a protective effect against heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks.

“A sedentary lifestyle doesn’t directly enlarge or weaken the heart on its own, but it contributes to several of the major risk factors that do, including obesity and high blood pressure,” said Dr Lo Monaco.

Cardiac rehab physiotherapist Helen Alexander previously told the British Heart Foundation (BHF) that three types of exercise can help strengthen heart health. These are: aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, cycling and swimming; resistance and strength training, such as lifting weights; and exercise that improves balance and flexibility, such as tai chi and yoga.

Dr Lo Monaco concluded that if you experience breathlessness, swollen ankles, chest pain, palpitations or unexplained fatigue, you should seek medical assessment.

“The encouraging news is that many of these risk factors are modifiable,” he said. “Keeping your blood pressure under control, treating sleep apnoea, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and limiting alcohol can all reduce the strain placed on the heart over time.”