Jo from Manchester quit Jonathan Ross’ Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing after just over 24 hours following a disagreement with producers over showering arrangements

A contestant from Manchester has withdrawn from a Channel 4 show after merely one day following a disagreement over showering arrangements.Jo and Reuben were one of the nine pairs chained together by Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing host Jonathan Ross in a bid to win £100,000.

Those who signed up will have to manage being chained to one another 24/7, doing everything together. Whilst they can unlock at any time, if they do they’ll be eliminated from the competition and will forfeit a chance to win the prize fund. After spending their first night in the same bed together, Jo confessed that she couldn’t switch her brain off and things took a turn when it came to showering.

An emotional Jo explained: “I was hoping to use the shower to decompress and reset myself to carry on with the challenge.”, reports the Mirror.She later requested a phone call with a producer, who explained to the plus-size fashion brand owner from Manchester that the process was about the two of them “working together”.

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The explanation wasn’t sufficient for Jo and despite Reuben’s efforts to reassure her, she dragged him downstairs and smashed open the red box to retrieve the key for the handcuffs. After being freed and departing Jo’s house, Reuben said: “Sorry, I can’t say much. I’m f**king fuming. We signed up for this challenge we knew it was going to be hard. She’s a nice person but she was never cut out for this competition.”

Jo said: “It was like nothing I’ve ever encountered in my life. Every single thing that comes out of his mouth is to impress somebody but he really needs to learn to show a bit of compassion.

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“There is a positive from this and it is that I’ve stopped him from winning and that is worth £500,000 let alone £50,000.” Reuben and Jo became the second pair to abandon the experiment after enduring just 24 hours and 16 minutes.

British aristocrat Sir Benjamin Slade withdrew after just over 12 hours cuffed together with East London prison officer George.The two men struggled to find common ground as they spent time in the 79-year-old’s 14th century ancestral home in Somerset.

George clashed with one of Benjamin’s friends about Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform Party, during a heated dinner party.

Marching through his residence, Benjamin demanded that the Channel 4 filming crew return his phone, despite their strict rules that they were not permitted to have them.

When the crew refused to comply, Benjamin then dragged George to the basement to use a pair of bolt cutters to set them free.

Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing is available to watch or stream Mondays and Tuesdays on Channel 4 at 9pm

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A repatriation flight will travel out from Muscat in Oman “in the coming days,” according to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Air travel in the region has been severely disrupted since Saturday (February 28), with thousands of flights cancelled.

US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a “pre-emptive” strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons.

This prompted retaliation from Iran, with missiles hitting countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Israel.

Ms Cooper said 130,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the Middle East.

A small number of commercial flights have already brought Britons back, but the vast majority have been cancelled due to airspace closures.

When will the Oman rescue flight depart?

Speaking with MPs, Ms Cooper said that the repatriation flight will depart in the next few days.

She said: “We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority for vulnerable nationals, and a government charter flight will fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals, but British nationals in Oman must wait to be contacted by the foreign office regarding these options, and we will continue to work 24/7 on supporting British nationals in the region.

“I would tell the House, this is a very fast-moving situation.

We are working around the clock to support British nationals in the Middle East.

That includes FCDO Rapid Deployment Teams in Muscat and Riyadh and chartering a flight from Muscat in the coming days.

British nationals in Oman should wait to be contacted by the FCDO… pic.twitter.com/kpmN0EmBmT

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— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) March 3, 2026

“We have unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region, and I will continue to update members and affected British nationals as the situation evolves.”

Muscat is Oman’s capital, which can be reached by car from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi in journeys of about 300 miles.

British Airways has announced that it will operate one flight from Muscat to London Heathrow on Thursday (March 5) at 2.30am local time.

Oman Air has also continued to operate its two return flights per day between Muscat and London Heathrow.

What is the government’s advice on flying to the Middle East?

The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.

They also advise British nationals in the Middle East to register their presence on the government website here.

This applies to Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement, they added: “You should continue to follow our travel advice for the country you are in and the advice of the local authorities.”

It is recommended for Britons to keep their departure plans under review and ensure their travel documents are up to date.

Three French Bulldogs died due to a lack of food and water and their bodies remained in the same place for months at the home of Jamila Fletcher-Oates

WARNING: Some readers may find an image contained in this article distressing, despite it being pixelated

A woman has been banned from keeping animals for life after her three pet dogs were found “mummified” at her home because she did not feed them or provide them with any water for a prolonged period of time, a court heard.

Last July, RSPCA Cymru Inspector Simon Evans attended a house in Bettws, Newport. In the garden of the property he found kennels containing the bodies of three French Bulldogs named Precious, Destiny and Diamond. Jamila Michaela Diane Fletcher-Oates, aged 42, of Dart Road, Bettws, told Inspector Evans that the dogs had been dead for some months but she had not removed their bodies as she had been grieving the death of her wife.

She confirmed to him that none of the dogs had received any vet treatment prior to their deaths. The remains of one of the French Bulldogs was found wrapped in three bags, while the remains of the other two were discovered in a small travel cage.

The images supplied by RSPCA Cymru are too graphic and disturbing to publish in full – the one we have used has been heavily pixelated. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here.

“At the bottom of the garden, largely secluded from the rest of the house, were two purpose built, steel runs, with solid roofs,” said Inspector Evans. “Outside the first kennel was a black bag in which, I had been informed, was the body of the dog Precious.

“In the second kennel, immediately next to the first, was a small travel cage which contained the desiccated bodies of two further dogs, both French Bulldogs, with the furthest dog being slightly smaller than the nearer one. Both dogs had decomposed and were stuck to a blanket that lined the cage.

“I then opened up the bag containing the body of the dog Precious which lay outside the first run. There were, in fact, three bags all inside each other and which contained the body of the dog.

“The body was again desiccated and all of the hips and ribs were clearly visible. The dog’s coat was sloughing off as I handled it and I noted maggots and fly egg cases over the body.”

The bodies were removed and all three carcasses were examined by a vet who said all were presented as “mummified”. Ensure our latest news and sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

The vet said Destiny and Diamond would have died from dehydration, while Precious suffered some organ failure that led to her death shortly afterwards.

During an interview with RSPCA Cymru, Fletcher-Oates said there was a six-day period in April last year when she failed to attend to her dogs and that they went without food or water during this time. This came after the death of her wife in February 2024.

She said when she eventually checked on the dogs, Destiny and Diamond had died and Precious – despite then being fed and given water – died within two to three weeks.

The dogs’ bodies were then left where they were until a few days before Inspector Evans’ arrived at the property. During the interview, Fletcher-Oates expressed remorse for her actions.

Fletcher-Oates appeared at a sentencing hearing at Newport Magistrates’ Court last week after previously pleading guilty to an offence under the Animal Welfare Act – namely that she caused unnecessary suffering to three dogs.

She was handed a 20-week prison sentence, which was suspended for a period of 12 months, and ordered to pay £700 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge. She was also banned from keeping any animals for the rest of her life.

Following sentencing, Inspector Evans said: “This is a heartbreaking case on many levels.

“Ultimately three dogs suffered and died after their owner failed to care for them and give them their basic needs. We would urge anyone struggling to seek help.”

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Mixed age couples must claim Universal Credit instead of more generous Pension Credit when one partner is over state pension age but the other is yet to reach 66

Reaching state pension age unlocks a range of benefits and DWP support, including Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment. However, having a younger partner could render you ineligible, potentially requiring you to claim working-age benefits such as Universal Credit instead.

Mixed-age couples encounter this predicament when one partner has surpassed state pension age whilst the other has yet to reach 66. This creates complications for benefits such as Pension Credit and Universal Credit, where a partner’s circumstances are factored into calculations.

For those who have reached state pension age, this typically means they are unable to claim pension-age benefits and must instead rely on working-age benefits like Universal Credit. However, according to Age UK, they will be regarded as having ‘no-work related requirements’.

Green Party MP Siân Berry challenged the DWP over whether it had estimated the number of people living in poverty as a direct result of the mixed-age couple rules, whilst the youngest partner awaits state pension age.

Although no such estimate was forthcoming, the DWP’s Sir Stephen Timms did provide a parliamentary response to the query, clarifying that the regulation is intended to benefit the younger partner, reports the Mirror.

He said: “Ensuring that individuals can get into, progress and stay in work is important in helping them to continue saving for their own retirement and contribute to the wider economy.

“The requirement for mixed age couples to seek financial support from the working-age social security system until both members of the couple reach State Pension Age ensures that, once in receipt of Universal Credit, the younger partner can access the same employment support that is available for customers below State Pension Age including dedicated employment support for customers over the age of 50. The pension-age partner is placed in the no-work related requirements group.”

The regulations governing these couples were revised in May 2019. From that point onwards, mixed-age couples are no longer permitted to choose between claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit or pension-age Housing Benefit.

Both partners are only able to claim Universal Credit until they have both reached state pension age. EntitledTo notes: “Before this change, a mixed age couple could be eligible to claim the more generous pension age benefits when just one of them reached pension age.”

Other benefits and DWP payments may not be impacted by having a partner who is younger than yourself. State pension payments, for instance, do not take your partner’s age into consideration.

At present, the qualifying age for the state pension stands at 66, however over the next two years this will rise to 67. Those born between April 6, 1960 and March 5, 1961 will be directly affected by the gradual phasing in of this change.

Everyone born after these dates will have a state pension age of 67. The state pension age is also anticipated to rise further to 68 around 2044.

It was a new-look England as Wiegman is managing the return of several key players from injury, while rewarding those in form.

Manchester City’s Laura Blindkilde Brown was handed a rare start, while London City Lionesses defender Poppy Pattinson made her debut in the second half.

The back four in the starting XI had fewer than 100 caps combined – with captain Leah Williamson earning 65 of them – as Maya Le Tissier was at right-back over Lucy Bronze, while Taylor Hinds started her third game in four matches at left-back.

In-form Jess Park was playing out wide, as she has done for Manchester United so impressively this season, rather than in midfield where Wiegman has often used her.

It was uncharacteristically experimental from Wiegman considering this was their first competitive fixture since Euro 2025 and it took time to take shape.

England had 40 touches in the opposition box and 85% of the possession in the first half, but failed to score from their 15 efforts on goal.

The tempo had dropped, Ukraine were defending well and England’s hopes of flying out of the blocks had not materialised.

“They didn’t quite figure it out in the first half. They were a little bit stunned about what to do,” ex-England midfielder Fran Kirby told BBC Radio 5 Live Extra.

“Ukraine defended really well. They were really tight between the lines and they made it very difficult for England.

“They needed to have a little bit more composure in the box instead of crossing it for the sake of crossing it.

“The second half showed that they learned from the first half in terms of what wasn’t working.”

With a side stacked full of quality, the two-time European champions responded in the second half.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo netted two goals in four minutes to put England in control, before a double from Georgia Stanway took them out of Ukraine’s reach.

Wiegman’s “clear win” was confirmed when Park also scored twice later on.

“I think it took us the first half to break them down. We were still very good in the first half. They were defensively solid,” said Russo afterwards.

“When the spaces opened, we took our chances. I wouldn’t say it was relief [when we scored]. We knew we had the quality in us and it was just executing it.

“It was finding the final moment, the final pass and the final shot. You saw that in the second half.”

A man incarcerated for over 25 years was released on Tuesday after prosecutors conceded that his 1999 confession to a Detroit murder was extracted under duress by a corrupt police officer.

George Calicut Jr., 56, emerged from a Coldwater, Michigan, prison, where he had been serving a life sentence, sporting a wide smile and a Detroit Lions hoodie as he embraced his legal team.

Calicut consistently maintained his innocence in the killing of Virgie Perkins, asserting there was no physical evidence or witnesses against him, and that he never saw the alleged confession until his trial.

Furthermore, recent DNA analysis “further supports the lack of any evidence” linking him to the crime at Perkins’ residence, according to statements from the Wayne County prosecutor’s office and his attorneys.

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Clearing Calicut “reflects this office’s unwavering commitment to the integrity of convictions and the credibility of the system,” said Valerie Newman, head of the conviction integrity unit.

Calicut was released from prison soon after a judge dismissed the case at the request of lawyers on both sides.

He was represented by the Innocence Clinic at University of Michigan Law School. Cooley Innocence Project at Cooley Law School also had a role.

Calicut was accused of choking Perkins and cutting her neck while stealing money and a phone from her home in 1999. He admitted that he took a phone the next day from Perkins’ son, but said he grabbed it from a vehicle.

At trial, a Detroit homicide investigator, Barbara Simon, acknowledged that she wrote Calicut’s alleged confession before he signed it. Calicut testified in his own defense and denied the statements but was nonetheless convicted of murder and automatically given a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Simon told Mr. Calicut, who had no prior interactions with police, that she could help him by creating a statement that would reduce the charge to manslaughter, which would allow him to get a bond and go home,” prosecutors and Calicut’s attorneys said in a four-page agreement to have the conviction dismissed.

Simon, who’s retired from Detroit police, could not be immediately reached for comment. A phone number was unanswered.

Detroit has spent millions of dollars settling lawsuits related to Simon’s work as a homicide investigator.

Records show Calicut’s trial prosecutor was Mike Cox, who later served as Michigan attorney general and is now a Republican candidate for governor. An email seeking comment about the exoneration was not immediately answered.

Frustrated and anxious travelers clamored Tuesday for flights out of the Middle East and other regions where a widening Iran war has stranded tens of thousands of people, closed major airports and caused widespread cancellations.

The U.S. State Department urged all Americans to leave more than a dozen countries in the region, while other nations scrambled to arrange repatriation flights for their citizens. But with airspaces closed or restricted across the Gulf, many weren’t sure what to do.

“They say ‘Get out,’ but how do you expect us to get out when airspaces are closed?” said Odies Turner, a 32-year-old chef from Dallas who was stuck in Doha, Qatar. “They just have been canceling every flight. I want to go home.”

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar posted Monday on X that Americans in Iran and Israel, as well as Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, should “DEPART NOW” using any available commercial transportation.

Scramble to get home

While governments around the world worked to evacuate citizens who were stuck overseas, Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said that “right now, the options are fairly limited.” He warned there was only so much the U.S. government could do.

“The U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel,” Huckabee wrote on X, adding information about a shuttle bus to Egypt the embassy provided as a courtesy “as you make your own security plans.”

Many travelers were holed up in hotels near major Mideast gateways. Others were forced to seek shelter because of airstrikes, or were marooned on cruise ships that couldn’t sail through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We called our children at 3 a.m. to ask forgiveness because we might die and to tell them we love them and to let them know that it’s over for us,” said Mariana Muicaru, among hundreds of Romanian pilgrims who had been stranded on a church trip to Israel.

Muicara, who watched rockets fly across the sky, finally reached Bucharest on Tuesday.

Critical travel route

Anita Mendiratta, an international aviation and tourism consultant who was stuck in Bangkok, said the location of the war would inevitably upend travel and trade.

“Effectively within the Middle East, an eight-hour flying distance covers two-thirds of the world population,” she said. “When that corridor is blocked, it forces aviation to either move far north which is going into potentially other conflict airspace, such as Russia, such as Pakistan, or fly south. That puts huge pressure on the airlines.”

Still, some were slowly making their way out.

Tess Arnold, a 34-year-old travel writer from Seattle, had been caught in Dubai, but managed to get to London on Tuesday and hopes to return home a day later.

After days of the unsettling booms and the site of what appeared to be missile or drone interceptions, she was elated to be on her way.

“Huge relief,” she said by text message. “The entire plane was whooping and clapping.”

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Contributing to this report were Danica Kirka in London; Daniel Niemann in Frankfurt, Germany; Kristen Grieshaber in Berlin; Samuel Petrequin in Paris; Giada Zampano in Rome; Nicolae Dumitrache in Bucharest, Romania; Samy Magdy in Cairo; and Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia.

Iran continues to carry out drone attacks on neighbouring nations

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Iran has launched more drone strikes at the popular holiday destination of Dubai, with a fire erupting “in the vicinity of the U.S. Consulate” building.

The UAE, as well as other Gulf nations such as Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have seen diplomatic and industrial sites targeted by Tehran in response to a joint U.S. and Israeli operation which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on Saturday (February 28).

On Tuesday evening, images circulating online appeared to show flames engulfing the U.S. consulate in Dubai. Earlier in the day, the American embassy in Riyadh had also come under fire as Iran targeted diplomatic and industrial sites across the region.

Dubai authorities have confirmed that loud bangs heard across parts of the emirate were the result of successful air defence interceptions, and that authorities had extinguished the fire with no reported injuries.

“The competent authorities in Dubai succeeded in extinguishing a limited fire in the vicinity of the U.S. Consulate in Dubai resulting from a drone targeting operation, and the incident did not result in any injuries,” a translated statement read.

During a press conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on Tuesday, President Donald Trump claimed ‘everything’s been knocked out in Iran’ and criticised the UK for its delay in allowing the U.S. to use their bases in the region to conduct bombing campaigns.

Dubai Media Office said on X: “The competent authorities in Dubai succeeded in extinguishing a limited fire in the vicinity of the U.S. Consulate in Dubai resulting from a drone targeting operation, and the incident did not result in any injuries.”

Wolves stunned Midlands rivals Aston Villa 2-0 last time out in what was only their second top-flight win of a dreadful season, ensuring they will not suffer the ignominy of replacing Derby as the worst Premier League team of all time. It was a second victory in four games across all competitions to add to the stunning late fightback against Arsenal, though Edwards still makes four changes here with Angel Gomes among those to come in.

The software brings together a huge range of military information, from satellite data to intelligence reports, which can then be analysed by commercial AI systems such as Claude to help make “faster, more efficient, and ultimately more lethal decisions where that’s appropriate”said Louis Mosley, head of Palantir’s UK operations.