By ED HOLT

Published: 01:37 BST, 18 September 2026 | Updated: 01:44 BST, 18 September 2026

By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 01:53 BST, 18 September 2026 | Updated: 01:55 BST, 18 September 2026

It was confirmed by Channel 4 that the show would be starting on Tuesday, September 22, with new bakers heading to the famous tent.

If you are looking for any information about Bake Off 2026, here you can find everything you need to know from who the new contestants are to how to watch the show.

Latest Bake Off news

When is the Great British Bake Off starting?

The Great British Bake Off will start on Tuesday, September 22, at 8pm on Channel 4.

The show is set to be on weekly.

Who are the contestants?

12 new bakers from across the UK have been announced.

The 12 bakers taking part in the 2026 series of the Great British Bake Off:

• Clara from Hertfordshire
• Connie from London
• Danni from Dorset
• Gabe from the West Midlands
• Gary from Nottinghamshire
• Mo from the West Midlands
• Molly from London
• Moyin from Essex
• Nikki from London
• Shannon from Gloucestershire
• Tom from West Yorkshire
• Yannis from London

Read more about the Bake Off line up here. Insert link to the bake off line up.

Who is presenting and hosting the Great British Bake Off?

Paul Hollywood is returning as one of the judges on the show after he first joined in 2010 alongside Mary Berry.

Paul then worked with Prue Leith after the show moved from BBC One to Channel 4.

After it was announced earlier this year that Prue would be leaving the show, Nigella Lawson has been brought in as the second judge.

Other familiar faces include the hosts, Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding, who are also returning to bring more chaos to the show.

How are the weekly episodes set out?

The bakers will be expected to take on three challenges each week: a signature, a technical, and a showstopper.

The bakers are able to practice their signature and showstopper bakes ahead of the show but will be going into the technical completely blind.

Each of the bakes are judged by Paul and Nigella, who will provide the contestants with feedback.

After all three challenges are complete, the judges will decide on who is the Star Baker, the best baker of the week, and who will be going home.

Where is the Great British Bake Off filmed?

The iconic white Bake Off tent is placed in Welford Park next to the country house while filming takes place.

Filming for series in the past has also taken place at the Down Hall Hotel in Bishop’s Stortford, Valentines Mason in Redbridge, and Harptree Court in Somerset.

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How can I watch the Great British Bake Off?

You can watch the Great British Bake Off live on Channel 4 when it airs at 8pm.

If you miss the show, it is available to watch on Channel 4’s streaming service, All4.

Will you be watching the new series of the Great British Bake Off? Let us know in the comments.

Jeffery Lee has been executed in Alabama just three months after a judge’s ruling blocked the state from putting the 49-year-old to death with the controversial nitrogen gas method

Alabama executed a man by lethal injection on Thursday for a 1998 double murder, three months after a judge’s ruling blocked the state from putting him to death with nitrogen gas.

Jeffery Lee, 49, was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, authorities said. Twenty-seven people have been executed around the U.S. this year. Lee’s execution was the second in Alabama this year.

Lee was convicted of killing two people during a December 12, 1998, robbery at Jimmy’s Pawn Shop in Orrville, a small town about 65 miles (105 kilometers) west of Montgomery. Jimmy Ellis, the store’s owner, and Elaine Thompson, a store employee, were shot and killed. Another employee survived by playing dead.

The execution got under way just after 6 p.m. and Lee’s final words were: “All is well. I just want to say to my family, I love them. To my brothers on life row. I love them.”

As the injection began, Lee clenched his fists on the prison gurney. His spiritual adviser held Lee’s feet and appeared to pray. Lee closed his eyes and did not appear to open them again.

Lee was scheduled to be executed in June by nitrogen gas, but the execution was halted when a judge ruled the state’s nitrogen method violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The Alabama attorney general’s office immediately filed paperwork to set a new execution date for Lee, this time using lethal injection.

Lee’s attorneys and supporters made an unsuccessful bid for clemency, noting the jury in his case had made a recommendation of life imprisonment, which the judge overrode. His attorneys also argued in court that the state should not be legally allowed to switch execution methods.

A jury voted 7-5 to give Lee a sentence of life imprisonment. However, a judge overrode that and sentenced him to death.

In 2017, Alabama abolished judicial override and stopped allowing judges to change juries’ sentencing decision in capital cases. But the law was not retroactive. Supporters of Lee’s clemency bid held a rally Tuesday outside the Alabama Capitol under the banner, “HONOR THE JURY.”

Two killed in 1998 pawnshop robbery

The surviving witness testified that Lee entered the store, asked to see wedding rings and said he would be back after getting money from his grandmother. Lee returned a short time later with a sawed-off shotgun and shot Ellis, Thompson and the other employee. The surviving witness fell to the floor, pretending to be dead, and called 911 once Lee left the store.

Ellis, a singer whose voice resembled Elvis Presley’s, had gained a national following for a time as an Elvis impersonator. He performed as the masked singer “Orion” and was the subject of a 2015 documentary.

Lee was convicted in 2000 of capital murder and attempted murder.

Supreme Court turns back on stay request

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday denied Lee’s request to stay the execution to consider if the state could make the switch to lethal injection. Justices turned back the request without comment. The ruling came about six hours before the scheduled lethal injection.

Lee filed a lawsuit in 2016 challenging the state’s lethal injection protocol. After Alabama authorized nitrogen as an execution method, Lee selected it as his preferred method. He agreed to dismiss the lethal injection lawsuit in 2018 because the state agreed that “if he is to be executed, defendants will carry out that execution by nitrogen hypoxia.”

Lee’s lawyers argued the state is bound by the terms of that agreement to not use lethal injection. They said the state could revise its nitrogen protocol to make it constitutional or use a firing squad.

“I feel like they owe me their word because they came into agreement in 2018 that wouldn’t do what they are trying to do now,” Lee said in audio clips released by his team.

The state attorney general’s office asked the high court to let the execution proceed, arguing that nothing precludes the switch to lethal injection.

“An unpunished murder is an intrinsic and ongoing harm to those interests and to the rule of law. Nearly twenty-eight years is decades too long,” lawyers with the attorney general’s office wrote.

For decades, lethal injection was the generally preferred U.S. execution method until problems procuring and administering the drugs led states including Alabama to consider alternatives.

Lethal injection remains Alabama’s primary execution method. But in 2024, the state began carrying out some executions using nitrogen gas, which involves replacing breathable air with gas through a respirator mask, causing death from lack of oxygen. Nitrogen has now been used in seven executions in Alabama and one in Louisiana.

A tiny wild cat living in Bolivia’s cloud forests has been identified as a new species in a remarkable discovery.

The feline, known as the tilcayo by local communities, measures just 18 inches (46cm) long and weighs around 3lb (1.4kg), making it smaller than the average domestic cat. 

It was found in Bolivia’s lush Yungas forest, a mountainous region of humid forests that are often shrouded in clouds. 

Researchers used genetic analysis to confirm the animal was a previously unknown species and named it Leopardus tilcayo, retaining its local name. 

The discovery marks the first time a new living feline species has been formally named and described in more than a century. 

The tilcayo belongs to a group of small South American felines known as tiger cats, which are found across much of the continent. 

Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic explorer and one of the authors of the study published in Current Biology on Thursday, said: ‘Its fur is light brown … with irregularly shaped rosettes across its body.’ 

Scientists still know relatively little about how the elusive cat lives. 

Small rodent remains discovered in scat samples suggest they could form part of its diet, while camera traps indicate the animal may be more active at night. 

The feline, known as the tilcayo by local communities, measures just 18 inches (46cm) long and weighs around 3lb (1.4kg), making it smaller than the average domestic cat

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It was found in Bolivia’s lush Yungas forest, a mountainous region of humid forests that are often shrouded in clouds

Tiger cats are considered ‘cryptic species’, meaning different species can be extremely difficult to distinguish based on their appearance alone. 

They were once thought to comprise a single species, but genetic research later suggested there were several distinct groups. 

Study co-lead author Jonas Lescroart, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, said researchers currently have information from just two living tilcayos and a small number of camera-trap sightings.

One of the animals studied is a ten-year-old male now living at the Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia after previously being kept in the home of a local family.

Scientists became intrigued because the animal’s features did not match existing descriptions of tiger cats, which were largely based on animals from Brazil.

The researchers analysed DNA from 38 cats collected across several South American countries, including eight museum specimens. 

Their findings suggest tiger cats actually comprise five genetically distinct species.

‘We never expected this Bolivian tiger cat to be a separate species, and no one had ever proposed it as a different animal, subspecies or otherwise,’ Lescroart said.

Genetic analysis indicated that the tilcayo’s lineage split from other tiger cats around 1.4million years ago.

The researchers also identified a new tiger cat subspecies in Peru’s Yungas region, which they named Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo after Antisuyu, the region of the Inca empire that once included its habitat.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently treats tiger cats as two vulnerable species with declining populations.

Researchers have now shared their findings with the IUCN, which is expected to consider the five lineages separately in its next review.

Scientists said this could reveal that individual species, including the tilcayo, face a greater threat of extinction than previously recognised.

Bolivia’s Yungas forests are under increasing pressure from deforestation, expanding agriculture, human-caused fires and mining.

Eduardo Eizirik, an evolutionary biologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and senior author of the study, said the discovery showed how much of the natural world remains unknown.

‘There are many undiscovered species out there in the world, and they are at risk of disappearing before we even discover them,’ he said.

In an update, Northumbria Police confirmed an 18-year-old man and a 37-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of affray.

Another 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault following incidents at the Misfits Boxing event at Utilita Arena on Saturday, September 12.

All three have been released on bail and remain under investigation.

The Utilita Arena in Newcastle (Image: GOOGLE)

The latest arrests follow four initial arrests made on suspicion of assault after officers were called to reports of fighting inside the arena.

Police later confirmed all four people had been released with no further action taken.

Two other people were also questioned voluntarily under caution as detectives continued their enquiries.

Videos of the fights quickly spread across social media after the event, showing groups brawling as security staff tried to intervene.

Thousands attended Newcastle‘s Utilita Arena to watch influencer boxing bouts, including a contest between “UK’s Hardest Man” Big Stacks and Jordan McCann.

Northumbria Police said officers were still working to identify everyone involved.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We want to make it clear that the violence and disorder demonstrated by those in attendance at the boxing event will not be tolerated.

“Our enquiries are very much ongoing as we work to identify all those responsible.”

Police said no serious injuries had been reported, but launched an investigation and appealed for information as footage spread online.

Anyone with information should contact Northumbria Police by direct message on social media or through the force’s website.

It has a familiar 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, a choice of manual or automatic transmission, physical controls for many functions and a clear focus on practical everyday driving.

That simplicity does not make it feel old-fashioned in every respect: the S-Cross has a bold exterior, 48V mild-hybrid assistance and a strong range of standard safety equipment.

Tested here in 1.4 Boosterjet Ultra Auto form, it is not an SUV designed to deliver driving thrills. Instead, its strengths are reliable handling, sensible performance, compact dimensions and good value for money. It is an easy car to understand and an even easier one to live with.

A more confident design

The S-Cross looks considerably more substantial than its dimensions suggest. Its raised bonnet, piano-black grille, angular wheel arches and three-element LED headlights give it a confident, upright stance. At the rear, the wider combination lamps and horizontal garnish create a greater sense of width, while roof rails and an integrated spoiler add the familiar details expected of a modern SUV.

The Suzuki S-Cross (Image: Newsquest)

It remains a manageable size, measuring 4,305mm long and 1,785mm wide. That makes it convenient around town and less awkward in car parks than larger family SUVs. The 430-litre boot is practical, although it does not lead the class for capacity or versatility.

Suzuki’s decision to retain 17-inch wheels across the range is helpful to both comfort and running costs. Ultra models receive polished versions, along with leather upholstery, a panoramic sliding sunroof and a 360-degree camera. The result is a car that looks better equipped than its price might suggest, even if it lacks the visual drama of some rivals in this segment.

Simple but spacious interior

The interior is less ambitious than the exterior. Its design is functional and logically arranged, with a high-set driving position and plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering column. The controls are easy to identify, and there is no need to navigate complex menus for every basic function.

The cabin will not impress anyone expecting premium materials or a particularly adventurous design. Much of the dashboard is made from hard plastic, and the overall appearance is more durable than luxurious. However, the straightforward layout is useful, and the seats provide comfortable support for longer journeys.

There is reasonable space for adults in the rear, although the panoramic roof fitted to Ultra versions slightly reduces headroom. The back seat is also less well equipped than some newer rivals, with no rear ventilation outlets and limited charging provision. These are small omissions, but they matter in a family car.

The Suzuki S-Cross (Image: Newsquest)

The nine-inch touchscreen fitted to Ultra models is larger than the seven-inch unit available on Motion versions, and it includes navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is not the quickest or most sophisticated system available, but its menus are generally easy to operate. Smartphone mirroring is likely to be the preferred option for many owners.

Sensible performance

The 1.4-litre K14D Boosterjet engine produces 129PS and 235Nm of torque. Its 48V mild-hybrid system uses an Integrated Starter Generator fir extra assistance during initial acceleration, when the turbocharger is still building boost. This gives the S-Cross a useful sense of flexibility at low engine speeds.

The engine is right-powered for this type of car. It is not especially quick, but it has enough strength for everyday use, motorway driving and overtaking. Acceleration is smooth when the driver is measured with the throttle, and the power delivery feels more willing than the modest engine capacity might suggest.

The six-speed automatic transmission suits the S-Cross’s relaxed character. It removes the effort from congested driving and generally responds predictably.

With a 0-62mph time of 10.1 seconds for the two-wheel-drive automatic, performance is adequate rather than exciting. Fuel economy and emissions are competitive for a petrol SUV, helped by the mild-hybrid system’s regenerative braking and stop-start functions.

Reliable handling

The S-Cross handles in a dependable and predictable way. The steering is light, which makes town driving and parking easy, although it offers limited feedback on faster roads. The suspension is tuned more for comfort than agility, allowing the car to deal effectively with uneven surfaces.

There is some body movement through bends, and enthusiastic drivers will find little hidden entertainment in the chassis. However, the car remains stable and composed, with reliable grip and reassuring responses. That matches the impressions from testing: the S-Cross does not provide driving thrills, but it is easy to place on the road and inspires confidence.

The Suzuki S-Cross (Image: Newsquest)

Wind and road noise can become noticeable at motorway speeds, but the engine remains reasonably refined during normal driving. Adaptive cruise control works well on longer journeys, while the lane-keeping assistance provides useful support without constantly fighting the driver. The assistance systems can also be adjusted using physical controls, which is a welcome feature.

Ultra versions also benefit from Suzuki’s ALLGRIP Select four-wheel-drive system. It is not essential for most buyers, but it provides extra reassurance on slippery roads and makes the S-Cross more capable on gravel tracks, grass and light off-road surfaces.

Well equipped and good value

The S-Cross’s strongest argument is the amount of equipment included for the money. Even Motion versions receive heated seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, navigation, smartphone connectivity, parking sensors and extensive safety technology.

The Ultra adds the features most likely to improve daily use: leather upholstery, a panoramic roof and a 360-degree camera. Seven airbags, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure prevention, traffic-sign recognition and rear cross-traffic alert are standard across the range.

Verdict

The Suzuki S-Cross is a deliberately uncomplicated family SUV in a market increasingly dominated by oversized screens, complex powertrains and ever more elaborate styling. That approach leaves it less fashionable than some rivals, and the interior in particular feels conservative.

However, the S-Cross remains easy to understand, comfortable enough, sensibly sized and well equipped. The 1.4 Boosterjet automatic delivers the appropriate level of performance, while the handling is reliable rather than entertaining. For buyers who value practicality, safety and good value over technology overload or driving excitement, the S-Cross remains a convincing choice. Its greatest achievement is not doing anything spectacular, but making everyday motoring feel straightforward.

Model tested: Suzuki S-Cross 1.4 Boosterjet Ultra Auto

Body style: Five-door compact SUV

Engine: 1.4-litre K14D Boosterjet turbocharged petrol

Hybrid system: 48V mild hybrid

Transmission: Six-speed automatic with torque converter

Drive: Two-wheel drive; ALLGRIP Select four-wheel drive available as standard on Ultra models

Maximum torque: 235Nm from 2,000rpm

0-62mph: 10.1 seconds for 2WD automatic models

Maximum speed: 118mph

Official economy: Up to 52.3mpg for 2WD manual models

CO₂ emissions: From 121g/km for 2WD manual models

Price: £S-Cross range from £23,999 (£29,899 for model tested)

Toys ‘R’ Us is set to open more than a hundred new stores in the coming weeks across America as part of its biggest expansion in nearly a decade, driven by a surge in toy sales to adults

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While numerous major High Street retailers are shutting their doors, children’s retail giant Toys “R” Us is launching its biggest expansion in almost ten years.

The ambitious project will see 120 physical shops open their doors across the US in the coming weeks and months.

The resurgence stems from increased interest among adult shoppers, the firm revealed on Thursday, having secured fresh agreements for numerous one-year leases throughout the US.

Data from consumer tracking firm Circana shows toy sales have experienced their most significant growth since 2020. During the first six months of 2026, toy sales jumped by an impressive 17 per cent – marking the strongest first-half showing in six years for the retailer.

This growth is predominantly driven by “kidults”, or grown-ups purchasing trading cards and collectables. Circana’s research indicates that adults now account for 55% of total toy purchases.

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The new outlets opening across America will stock major brands including LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Pokémon and KPop Demon Hunters. Selected branches will additionally house their own cafés and confectionery sections, the business confirmed.

Approximately 40 stores have already launched throughout the US, featuring a 20,000-square-foot flagship branch in New Jersey and another in Minnesota.

A Toys “R” Us representative stated that the expansion initiative began last month when Go! Retail Group – which specialises in operating pop-up stores and discreetly began the Toys “R” Us revival last year – has started rolling out outlets spanning between 3,500 and 7,500 square feet.

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The total number of branches is anticipated to hit 160 within the next few weeks.

While the brand may be flourishing once again, 160 sites represents merely a small proportion of the 750 stores the chain operated before filing for bankruptcy in 2017 and shuttering all its American locations.

The firm’s demise dealt a devastating blow to the toy retail industry, which had depended on Toys “R” Us to drive sales and launch new products.

In the years since, American retailers Walmart, Amazon and Target have predominantly stepped in to fill the void.

Yet, according to Jamie Uitdenhowen – a former Toys “R” Us veteran who now serves as WHP Global executive vice president – “the toy industry is incredibly strong.”

This might well signal a comeback for the toy retail giant in the coming years.

A majority of independent voters in Texas have said the Republican midterm convention in Dallas last week made no impact on their excitement to cast their ballot, despite President Donald Trump calling the event a “winner.”

The Republican Party, like the Democratic Party, typically holds a convention every four years where it announces its nominees for president and their running mate. But in an unusual move, Trump headlined a two-day conference to drum up support for GOP candidates ahead of November’s midterms.

Trump raved about the event’s success, saying it was “a solidly sold out winner for Republicans” — despite reports of many empty seats — in a Truth Social post Monday. “Should have a big impact on November 3rd,” he predicted.

But 68 percent of independent voters in Texas — a key target for Republicans and Democrats in general elections — said the convention made no impact on their excitement to vote, according to a new The Hill/Emerson poll.

The convention did galvanize Trump’s own party, with 59 percent of Texas Republican voters saying that the event made them more excited to vote. Fifty-three percent of Texas Democratic voters, however, were also more eager to cast their ballot following the convention — presumably against GOP candidates.

There’s a particularly competitive race in Texas as the state’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and his Democratic opponent James Talarico vie for a U.S. Senate seat.

While the convention was meant to boost support for candidates like Paxton, Trump insulted the Republican during his speech for two nights in a row.

The president took issue with Paxton’s fashion sense, telling the crowd Wednesday night, “He may not dress right. He may not talk exactly perfectly, and he may not be the best-looking guy I’ve ever seen, but you know what he is? He’s the greatest Attorney General in America, and he deserves to be your next senator.”

Paxton and Talarico remained neck and neck in the new poll taken after the convention. Talarico had 47 percent of support from Texas voters and Paxton had 46 percent.

During his Wednesday night address, Trump also promised that his administration would pay a “Trump Dividend” to each American adult if voters helped Republicans keep the majority in Congress.

“So if the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000,” Trump said.

Critics accused the president of bribery while others questioned where the money would come from.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he believed the Trump administration can find a way to pay for the $5,000 checks without adding to the nation’s $40 trillion debt, but remained tight-lipped about the details.

“I’m not ready to discuss it at present, but at Treasury we’ve been working on it for quite a while,” Bessent said.

There were concerns ahead of the convention that Trump, with low approval ratings, would hurt GOP candidates’ campaigns more than help them.

Trump had a net approval rating of negative 18 percent in a new The Economist/YouGov poll.

His administration has been dogged by an unpopular war in Iran that has raised gas prices for Americans and a massive immigration crackdown that has been criticized as too aggressive.

Fifty-two percent of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of immigration compared to 45 percent who approved, according to the survey from The Economist and YouGov.

His approval rating for his handling of Iran was even bleaker, with 60 percent disapproving of his job on the issue and 33 percent backing it.

Researchers say prescribing exercise to people with heart problems could slash hospital admissions, with home-based digital programmes just as beneficial as in-person sessions.

Experts at the University of Glasgow analysed 107 trials involving 26,886 people with coronary heart disease, which happens when fatty deposits narrow or block the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Most patients had had a heart attack, experienced chest pain, or undergone a heart procedure.

The new review found that working out can play a “vital role” in recovery, as exercise-based rehabilitation slashed the risk of heart attacks by 28 per cent.

It also helped reduce hospital admissions by 35 per cent.

Dr Grace Dibben, from the University of Glasgow, said the review “shows that exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation can reduce the risk of heart attack and hospital admission while helping people return to healthier, more active lives.

“Many people lose confidence after a heart attack or cardiac procedure and worry that physical activity could be dangerous.

“Appropriately prescribed exercise is not only safe for most patients, but can play a vital role in recovery and long-term heart health.”

The analysis included 22 new trials featuring almost 3,500 people. The studies included patients in low and middle-income countries who were testing digital programmes.

Researchers suggest exercise completed in the home may be just as beneficial as attending in-person sessions.

Professor Rod Taylor, also of the University of Glasgow, said: “This review confirms that exercise is a great tool for improving the overall health of people with coronary heart disease.

“By adding newer studies to this update, we’re able to see that digital programmes work as well as in-person programmes, which really changes the game here.

“These approaches may help us reach people who cannot attend traditional centre-based services.”

Dr Dibben added: “Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is an inexpensive and cost-effective intervention, but right now it’s underfunded and unprioritised.

“We want this option to be available to everyone.

“This new research shows you don’t even have to go into a rehab centre to benefit – you can participate from home and still see the benefits.”