The former Top Gear presenter is in remission after revealing on the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm that he had been diagnosed with “aggressive” prostate cancer.

The 66-year-old chose to have high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), a minimally invasive medical procedure that uses high-frequency soundwaves to heat and destroy targeted cancer cells.

His partner of nine years, Lisa Hogan, says he was initially reluctant to share his diagnosis with the public.

She told the Daily Star Sunday: “I’m really happy he caught his prostate cancer early and I’m really proud of him for putting it on the show, because that was a really big decision.

“When I was filming him in hospital at first, he said, ‘Please don’t’.

“It was (producer) Andy Wilman who convinced him to do it, to help everybody else. When the show came out, Prostate Cancer UK had 30,000 people going on to their website in one day.”

Hogan says Clarkson has also benefitted from opening up to those around him.

“Yes, of course it was a terrible worry,” she added. “But what I did encourage him to do was to talk to his friends.

“He didn’t want to initially, but he’s got lots of friends who’ve been through the same thing and he’s been talking to them about it. I think that’s really helped.”

Clarkson revealed in June that he is in remission.

The Wellington Inn in Alma Terrace, Fishergate, has been open a month now.

Landlady Isabel Redfern-Smith says things have been “going really well”.

The Press called by on Friday lunchtime, a month to the day the historic ‘wet-led’ pub re-opened and found a few drinkers inside enjoying the fine day.

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Isabel said of the first month: “We have been busy. Everybody is positive. We have had really good feedback from all the old faces and the new faces.”

Isabel, who runs the pub with husband Henry, says the best seller has been the Old Brewery Bitter “which has been going down a treat.”

“Everybody is loving it,” she continued.

Prior to coming to York from Featherstone, the couple had been running their family-owned pub in Pontefract. Henry also had a small brewery.

Isabel Redfern-Smith and Henry Smith behind the bar, as taken from outside the pub through the front window, so as not to breach brewery policy on digital devices. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Isabel continued: “Customers know how Henry keeps the beer. The stout is also going down a treat.”

The Wellington Inn, which is affectionately known as ‘the Welly,’ has been receiving rave reviews online since the young couple took over.

The latest TripAdvisor review was from “a regular who will continue to be a regular,” who awarded five stars out of five.

The review continued: “I am a regular at the Wellie and the hand pulled bitter has never been better, a big thanks to our new friendly hosts Henry and Isobel.”

The latest review on Google gave four stars and said: “Great Samuel Smith’s pub. Had a revamp since I’d last been, but it has kept its character. Excellent beer at a great price.”

Another recent comment gave five stars and said: “A fabulous authentic original Sam Smith’s pub with an abundance of character. Fantastic well-kept beer. Your Host and hostess are a truly warm wonderful, friendly young couple whom make everyone feel welcome.”

Isabel Redfern-Smith and Henry Smith behind the bar, as taken from outside the pub through the front window, so as not to breach brewery policy on digital devices. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

The re-opening of ‘The Welly’ comes as Sam Smith’s brewery has stepped up its efforts to re-open its pubs across the country.

As recently reported, Tom Taverner of Malton, who keeps a list of which of the Tadcaster-based brewery’s pubs are open or closed, recorded 18 re-openings nationally since the start of June.

The Sam Smith’s pubs that have reopened since the start of June, he says, include the Golden Ball, Scarborough; Angel & White Horse, Tadcaster; Ebor Inn, Bishopthorpe; Wellington Inn, York; Tankard Inn, Rufforth; and the Red Lion at Bramham, near Wetherby.

Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest Premier League odds, Petit said: “Mikel Arteta has been rebuilding Arsenal step by step and I really liked the way they worked on the transfer market this summer, bringing some players in and trying to make the squad as competitive as possible. It was like watching them create a painting.

For years, Roger Hardy kept trying to explain away the agonising pain in his nose.

As a sculptor, the 56-year-old was used to working amid clouds of sawdust, metal shavings and white spirit, so when his nose began throbbing, it seemed logical to blame the fumes and dust in his Suffolk studio.

But gradually the burning sensation spread across his face. His nose became red and inflamed, mucus left him struggling to breathe and the pain became so severe at night that he could barely sleep.

‘It started taking over my life,’ recalls Roger. ‘The constant throbbing pain – which was accompanied by mucus – was really exhausting. It was so sore at night that I had to breathe through my mouth.’

Eventually, his GP diagnosed sinusitis – inflammation of the air-filled spaces behind the forehead, cheeks and nose – and prescribed antibiotics, followed by steroid nasal sprays.

The treatment helped, but each time Roger stopped using the spray, the pain returned.

Yet today, after years of recurring symptoms, Roger says he is virtually symptom-free – thanks not to another drug, but to one surprisingly simple change to his diet: He gave up dairy.

Within four or five days of making that one small tweak, he says, the burning pain and congestion that had plagued him for years had almost completely disappeared.

‘I couldn’t quite believe it,’ he says. ‘After years of pain, my symptoms had virtually gone.’

The idea that dairy can worsen congestion and other respiratory symptoms is hardly new. For generations, milk has been blamed for producing ‘excess mucus’ – a claim largely dismissed by doctors as a myth because studies found that drinking milk does not actually increase nasal secretions.

But scientists are now investigating a subtly different possibility: that in a small group of people, an allergy or sensitivity to foods including cow’s milk can contribute to the inflammation underlying chronic sinus problems.

And emerging research suggests diet more generally may have a greater influence on the condition than previously thought.

The turnaround for Roger came four years after his problems started, when his wife suggested he consult a private nutritionist.

Initially, he was sceptical. ‘I’ve never smoked, I don’t drink alcohol, I’m fairly fit and I eat a well-balanced diet. I couldn’t see what a nutritionist could do for me,’ he says.

But during the consultation, the possibility was raised that something in his diet could be contributing to his symptoms – with dairy identified as a potential trigger.

At the time, dairy featured heavily in Roger’s diet, from yoghurt at breakfast and after dinner, to butter and cheese at lunch. He decided to cut it out completely – and within days, he says, his symptoms had virtually disappeared.

While experts stress that dairy is unlikely to explain every case of chronic sinusitis, there is some evidence it may contribute to symptoms in some patients

While experts stress that dairy is unlikely to explain every case of chronic sinusitis, there is some evidence it may contribute to symptoms in some patients. 

A 2011 study published in the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy found that hidden milk allergies may play a role in some cases of chronic sinus disease. 

Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna found that one in seven patients with chronic sinusitis had an undiagnosed cow’s milk allergy – compared with none of the healthy volunteers studied.

According to Dr Carl Philpott, an ear, nose and throat surgeon and professor of rhinology at the University of East Anglia, questions about dairy are common among sinusitis sufferers. ‘A lot of people in my clinic ask me about dairy,’ he says.

‘I typically recommend what’s known as an elimination diet – whereby patients cut out dairy for a week and see if their symptoms improve.’

More recently, a 2026 review found that anti-inflammatory diets were linked with better sinus health, while diets high in fat and ultra-processed foods were associated with a greater burden of symptoms.

However, the review’s authors stressed that the evidence remains limited, adding that larger clinical trials are needed before dietary changes can be routinely recommended as a treatment.

But Dr Philpott says there is a plausible biological explanation for why diet may influence symptoms in some patients.

‘I couldn’t quite believe it,’ says Roger. ‘After years of pain, my symptoms had virtually gone’

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‘Chronic sinusitis appears to be a local immunological problem,’ he says. ‘The lining of the nose and sinuses becomes overly sensitive to environmental exposures, such as dust, pollen and infections over time – which is why most patients present with symptoms later in life, often in their early 50s.

‘So it is plausible that underlying allergies, intolerances and dietary factors could contribute to symptoms in some patients.’

For most sufferers, however, treatment will still involve more conventional measures.

Specialists often recommend regular saline nasal rinsing, which can help wash away mucus, allergens and inflammatory debris.

And while steroid nasal sprays can be used to control inflammation, patients should be wary of relying for too long on a different type – over-the-counter decongestant sprays.

This is because of the risk of ‘rebound’ congestion – i.e. they end up making symptoms worse with overuse – something that 60 per cent of pharmacists believe patients are unaware of, according to research by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

‘Like with many health conditions, early diagnosis and treatment of chronic sinusitis can make a significant difference,’ says Dr Philpott. ‘Long-term antibiotics do not seem to help the majority of patients, and if the condition is picked up late, many can end up relying on steroid nasal sprays for life.

‘Since the pandemic, we are seeing more patients presenting with quite severe disease, which can be much more difficult to manage.

He adds: ‘If you do suffer from persistent symptoms, be religious about nasal rinsing twice a day. And if you’ve done that for three months and are still struggling, ask your GP for a referral to an ENT specialist.’

Man Utd striker Benjamin Sesko is back to full fitness after recovering from a shin injury that he aggravated last season.

Benjamin Sesko could make his first start for Manchester United in the Premier League for 133 days in the Manchester derby.

Michael Carrick is likely to revert to a striker-less attacking line for Manchester City’s visit to Old Trafford, but Sesko gave his manager something to think about by scoring against Sabah SK in the Champions League.

Sesko made his first start of the season against Sabah, which he “really enjoyed” after making appearances from the bench in United’s opening league games against Hull, Ipswich Town and Everton.

Whether Carrick believes Sesko is the right choice to play up front against City, a game in which his team will try to counter-attack, remains to be seen, but he is back to full fitness after recovering from a shin injury.

“I got a kick last season, but it was also a little bit of an overload from myself,” Sesko said, referring to a challenge from Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate in May, which aggravated an existing shin injury.

The kick from Konate was enough to keep Sesko out of pre-season entirely. He did not play a single minute across the summer, but insiders were adamant that he would return for the first game against Hull.

“It was basically just to make sure that it doesn’t get worse because this was kind of a problem,” he explained.

“We just needed a little bit longer, longer than usual, because if you start too early, it might appear again. And I think waiting a little bit longer was a great decision, and now it’s healed, so it’s perfect.”

Sesko stayed behind at Carrington over the summer while United made trips around Europe, and photos published by the club’s in-house photographer showed that he’d used the time to bulk up.

The Slovenia international deliberately cut in the weeks before the season to be more agile, though. “Obviously, I had quite some time from the injury to gain some muscle,” he said.

“I lost a lot because I was overweight with muscles, and I couldn’t really move so much, but now I feel very good and I think I’m in the right place at the moment.”

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Sesko now feels he’s in the best place he’s been in since his arrival from RB Leipzig last year. “Way better, especially than last season. I changed a country,” he said when asked about his mental and physical state.

“Everything was new for me. Now, for me, it’s like I’m really enjoying it. I’m really happy here. I love life here. I have teammates that are perfect. I can’t really complain about anything.

“I like the vibes. I even like to go to the city for a walk. I can do certain arcade things that I like to do in my free time. Then, obviously, spending a little time with the players.”

Sesko is an introvert, but he comes out of his shell when he gets to know somebody. “Beni was very shy and quiet at first contact,” his former coach, Mirsad Mujakić, from Slovenian team NK Krško told the Manchester Evening News.

“However, already in the first training sessions, he showed exceptional athletic abilities and technical knowledge, which players at this age usually do not have.

“He was an exceptional boy, all his teammates loved him because of his positive nature. At the same time, he knew how to motivate the team and encourage his teammates to work extra hard.”

Sesko has developed a close friendship with Diogo Dalot, bonding during their early visits to Carrington before the mandatory training reporting time.

“He’s an early bird as well, so the first few weeks we were coming into Carrington at the same time and we created this bond,” Dalot told the MEN last season.

“We both have very similar ways of behaving and thinking, so it became a natural, good relationship, and I think that sometimes helps you to also adapt quickly to a new environment, to a new league, to a new country.”

Sesko was brought off in the 64th minute against Sabah on Thursday, and Carrick may have made that change to keep him fresh for the Manchester derby. United were dominant against Sabah, and the win was a confidence booster ahead of the City clash.

Carrick oversaw a 2-0 win against City in his first game in charge following his interim appointment in January. “Unbelievable,” Sesko said of the game. “It was very, very nice. I’m really hoping for a moment like this again on Sunday. I think we can put in a great performance.

“I think again I said many times what he [Carrick] provided for us already. Even from the start, when he came, it was something special. I think everyone felt it.”

Carrick has got a tune out of Sesko since his return to the club. “The more games I’m getting, the more comfortable I feel and the more free I feel in the game as well,” he said. “For me, focus is all about scoring goals to provide everything for this team.

“But then also certain things, like link-up play, these little things that can be better. I think it will just come now for the time being. I’m here. I feel every day better and better. This is the most important.”

Sesko has his feet on the ground as he looks to develop into one of the world’s best strikers. “I try to give everything to this club. We talk about legends that are the best of the best in the world. I’m still very far from that,” he reflected.

“I’m just trying to get better each day, trying to provide for this club and for me to get better.”

They didn’t expect to find it

Villagers have uncovered and restored a hand-built reservoir that is more than 150-years-old. Its discovery came about during construction for a new footpath in Orwell.

Following its discovery, volunteers began excavating the cistern by hand, according to Orwell Parish Council. However, this was later deemed “too dangerous”, so a speciality team emptied the well using a “Giant Henry Hoover vacuum the size of a refuse lorry”, the council explained.

The reservoir, built in the 1860s, was specially designed to catch rainwater from a house roof for use in washing and irrigating plants. It has been estimated it would have stored 9,000 litres of water.

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The three metre-deep structure, which was constructed of bricks and made at Wimpole, had been completely hidden where nobody was aware of its existence. This find, which was amid an ongoing water shortage, evidenced the innovative approach the Victorians took in building it.

Since then, volunteers have completely emptied the structure, partially restored the dome, and have created a special viewing platform. It was unveiled on Saturday (September 5) to the village.

The reservoir is located on land previously owned by the Diocese of Ely. Orwell Parish Council, working in partnership with the Diocese, has taken ownership of the land together with the adjoining Glebe Field. This will aim to preserve the five-acre site as green open space in perpetuity.

Fundraising enabled the parish council to acquire the land for the village. It also funded the council to plant trees and hedgerows, install a community picnic table and create a new footpath.

The funding has allowed the construction of a butterfly mound, and fences to be repaired and replaced. Newly installed kissing gates will allow people with buggies and mobility scooters to access the space.

Speaking about Glebe Field, Ely Diocesan Secretary George Woods, said that “this particular field in Orwell hasn’t been farmed for decades, and we decided that it would be far better if it was returned to the local community for use as a village amenity site”.

Britain’s rush to Net Zero means it will be luck rather than good management if the lights stay on this winter, a leading analyst has warned.

European nations face a series of energy shocks in the coming weeks thanks to the Iran war, record low gas reserves and a water shortage in Norway that threatens to cut crucial exports of hydro-electric power.

But Britain is uniquely vulnerable because the dash for wind and solar power and power station closures mean we now import electricity from our neighbours, said energy consultant and parliamentary adviser Kathryn Porter. 

‘We’ve put ourselves in a position where we can’t meet our own demand, particularly when the wind doesn’t blow,’ she told The Mail on Sunday. ‘We can cope with these risks individually, but combined they are a threat. It means we have to be lucky all the time.

‘Every single winter we’re making this gamble, and eventually we’ll lose. It could well lead to higher electricity prices and, if we finally run out of luck, blackouts.’

Her warning follows Ofgem’s announcement that the energy price cap will rise in October by £60 to £1,723, and experts have predicted that household bills are about to surge.

Shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie said the looming electricity shortage was ‘increasingly dangerous’ and urged Labour to resume drilling in the North Sea.

‘It is a threat to our security and prosperity,’ he told the MoS. ‘We’re more exposed than any other country – it’s deeply worrying.

‘It demonstrates the folly of failing to exploit our own resources. If we got the Jackdaw gas field up and running now, we could be pumping gas by Christmas.’

On Friday it was reported that a decision on whether to open the giant Jackdaw North Sea gas field near Aberdeen is likely to be postponed until after the Holborn And St Pancras by-election.

The seat is likely to be a race between Labour and the Green Party candidate, Zack Polanski.

Meanwhile, a National Audit Office report warns that delays to a £70billion upgrade to the national grid will cost consumers billions of pounds because the transmission system cannot cope with the rapid shift to renewables. The NAO estimates that attempts to decarbonise the grid by 2030 will add £1.9billion a year to bills.

Britain’s plight could get worse if, as feared, neighbouring governments prioritise domestic prices.

Norwegian politicians are already demanding export controls, arguing Norway should not be treated as ‘Europe’s battery’.

‘There’s a danger governments will prioritise their own consumers,’ said Ms Porter, who advises MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies. ‘They will stop exporting any spare capacity and the market will break down.’

This year’s heatwaves mean that reservoir levels are lower than for 20 years – and falling.

Britain’s ageing electricity infrastructure and the move away from traditional power stations to unpredictable wind and solar energy are adding to the problem.

In June, whistleblowers at the National Energy System Operator (Neso) claimed the national grid had been so short of electricity that, at one point, it breached safety limits, prompting an independent inquiry. One

Neso engineer told the MoS that power cuts are now a ‘mathematical certainty’.

He claimed the engineers charged with keeping the grid stable are ‘flying blind’, armed with minimal information, yet obliged to deal with thousands of unpredictable wind and solar generators around the country.

Ms Porter said: ‘If this winter sees another long spell of high pressure – and no wind – like the one we’ve just seen in the summer, then Britain will be in an extraordinarily difficult position.

‘You don’t have to have too many things go against you for the grid to break down. Losing one big power station or one big interconnector would be enough.

‘Who, in the cold light of day, could honestly say this is a sensible way to run things?’

By GABRIEL MILLARD-CLOTHIER, POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 01:17 BST, 13 September 2026 | Updated: 01:21 BST, 13 September 2026

By CAROLINE WEST-MEADS, AGONY AUNT, YOU MAGAZINE

Updated: 07:41 BST, 13 September 2026

Your rugby morning stories making headlines on Sunday, September 13.

Here are your rugby morning headlines for Sunday, September 13.

New Wales cap steals show

New Wales cap Kane James stole the show for Exeter during their Prem Cup victory over Bristol Bears.

Team-mate Olly Woodburn grabbed a hat-trick in the 45-21 victory, but back-row James – who made his Test debut off the bench against Argentina this summer – was perhaps player of the match.

The 21-year-old scored one try after bumping off Tobi Wilson with ease. Then, an explosive carry by James from a lineout laid the platform for Ethan Roots to score.

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James should have had a second try near the end, after Exeter’s scrum drove over the line. However, scrum-half Jake Murray snuck in to ground the ball at James’ feet.

“Kane just looks like he loves playing rugby, doesn’t he? Running at speed, running around, making tackles – there’s something exceptional about that young man. We’re very lucky he’s here,” said Exeter boss Rob Baxter.

“I thought he gave a lot of energy to the game today and was probably one of our real energy drivers.

“It’s a really good start to the competitive season. I’m really pleased with our attitude and how we came through things, because there were pressure moments in the game.

“We went down to 14 men when we were 10 points up, with a quarter of the game still to play, and those moments almost brought the best out of us.

“We could have looked around and thought, ‘This is getting a little bit tough now, what are we going to do?’ Instead, we upped our attitude and our effort, and I think that’s the most pleasing thing for me.

“There are still things we can improve. Our lineout was off at times, we got a little loose at a couple of breakdowns and gave away a couple of soft penalties. But you’re always going to have those things.

“My overriding feeling today is that we were pretty good. We had good attack, we were physical, we scored a lot of tries and at times we looked very clinical in the first half.

“Some of the tries were really well worked, while at other times we had to work hard for them. The scrum went very well, the maul went very well and, as I say, the lineout was a little bit shaky.

“Outside of that, most parts of our game held up really well. To concede only 21 points against a dangerous Bristol side, when you actually start to break the game down, is pretty pleasing.”

Springboks wrap up Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series

A relentless South Africa wrapped up Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series with a 43-28 victory over New Zealand in Baltimore.

Having already had one hand on the trophy after going into the final Test with a 2-1 lead, the Springboks ensured that the trophy would not be split as they added more silverware to their cabinet.

The back-to-back world champions outscored the All Blacks six tries to four in the United States, with Damian de Allende, Morne van den Berg, Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cameron Hanekom scoring for the Boks.

New Zealand once again showed their attacking side – with Codie Taylor, Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder and Beauden Barrett all crossing – but it wasn’t enough.

The fourth Test had been halted in the first half due to a technical issue with the referees’ comms.

Both sets of players knelt together on the pitch afterwards to mark the end of a remarkable Test series, before Dan Carter and Schalk Burger brought the trophy onto the pitch at M&T Bank Stadium for Siya Kolisi to lift.

SRC starts with last-gasp thriller

Super Rygbi Cymru champions Llandovery were beaten by Pontypool at the death as the season got under way on Saturday.

Evan Lloyd’s 78th-minute penalty settled a thriller, with Pooler – who had finished bottom of the league last season – coming out on top in a 13-try thriller, winning 43-31.

Elsewhere, Aberavon saw off Bridgend 36-17, with wing Frankie Jones grabbing two of the Wizards’ six tries.

Cardiff came away from west Wales with a victory, having beaten Carmarthen Quins 27-17.

Last season’s runners-up Ebbw Vale started their campaign with a comfortable victory over Swansea, winning 40-12 at Eugene Cross Park.

And Newport defended the SRC Challenger Shield with a 34-25 victory over Newport.

England shrug off slow start to register dominant win over Australia

By Duncan Bech, Press Association Rugby Union Correspondent

England recovered from a poor first-half to storm to a 48-15 victory over Australia with Abi Burton emerging as the star at CorpAcq Stadium.

Trailing 10-5 at the interval, the Red Roses burst into life with their set-piece initially turning the tables before they cut loose to finish the WXV Global Series opener with eight tries and a 39th consecutive Test win.

In their first outing since being crowned Grand Slam champions by beating France in May and first with the new smaller 4.5 ball being trialled in the women’s game, they took time to blow away the cobwebs with their high error count before the break leading to frustration.

Australia deserved to be ahead after controlling the breakdown and showing resilience in defence and they even played 10 minutes of the first-half with 14 players after Samantha Wood was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on.

But in the 47th minute England’s pack took charge with May Campbell finishing a line-out drive before they made an ominous statement with a dominant scrum.

It ignited their attacking game with captain Meg Jones then dotting down a low kick through by Holly Aitchison, who was winning her 50th cap on her ground, to begin the stampede of tries.

Wings Mia Venner and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald were among those to breach the Australian whitewash but the world champions’ standout figure was Burton, the blindside flanker who bagged their first try as part of an impressive all-round display.

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