The This Morning presenter, 51, previously told how she was shocked into action when it came to her health
Alison Hammond has addressed the secret to her weight loss as she admitted she had a ‘childish mentality’ when it come to the food she ate.
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The This Morning presenter, 51, was shocked into action following a pre-diabetic health warning and has spent the past five years transforming her health and wellbeing, with her reported to have dropped 11 stone.
Previously speaking to Women’s Health, she said: “My mum had Type 2 diabetes and she was worried for me, so when I then found out that I was pre-diabetic, that was frightening. I thought ‘I have to be an adult about this’. The sweets had to stop, and the fatty foods.’
Alison’s now told how she started working with a personal trainer and she’s also been seen taking up Reformer Pilates and boxing, sharing videos of herself exercising online.
Speaking to the Radio Times about her improved lifestyle, Alison said: “I’ve had a personal trainer for five years, even when I was at my biggest. But I had a childish mentality with regards to food, especially toffees – but now I’ll only have a couple a day.
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“We’re not getting any younger, are we, babes? You realise at some point you’ve got to look after yourself. I’ve got a speaker under my pillow to play relaxing music, and a sleep tracker.”
It comes as Alison also opened up about her love life. The presneter has spoken out about the age difference in her relationship with Russian model and masseur David Putman.
“I completely understand why people are interested when there’s a 22-year gap,” she told the Daily Mail. “But what I find interesting is that it’s not as interesting when it’s the man who is older. Why is that? I just want people to be happy for us. We are absolutely in love.”
It’s not enough just to be a world champion now, most of these stars have conquered their sport multiple times. One has won the world title a staggering six times in a row!
We are getting towards the business end and single figures now in the list of Northern Ireland’s top 25 sport stars of all time.
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It’s not enough just to be a world champion now, most of these stars have conquered their sport multiple times.
On day one, we had international hockey star Katie Mullan, gymnast trailblazer Rhys McClenaghan, rugby legend Mike Gibson, GAA colossus Kieran McGeeney and Olympic gold medal winning swimmer Dan Wiffen.
At number 20, on day two, was soccer legend Pat Jennings. Former champion jockey Richard Dunwoody was in 19th, while Norman Whiteside, ex of Manchester United was in 18th. Three-time All-Ireland winner hero Sean Cavanagh was next in 17th, with boxing legend Wayne McCullough in 16th.
15. BETHANY FIRTH
Bethany Firth MBE is a multiple world record holder and Paralympic champion across three separate Games – including a haul of two golds and two silvers at Tokyo 2020.
In all, Seaforde woman Firth has won six Paralympic golds and three silvers for Team GB, making her one of the most successful British Paralympians ever – winning gold medals at the London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 Games.
The Ards Swimming Club athlete also has two silver European medals and a Commonwealth Games gold to her name.
14. SEAN O’NEILL
The Down Gaelic football legend is one of the most celebrated figures in the game. In 1960, Down became the first team from north of the border to win the All-Ireland senior title. O’Neill and Down retained that title in 1961 and climbed the mountain again in 1968 to inspire a generation.
O’Neill won three All-Ireland titles in all, eight Ulster medals with Down, a record eight Railway Cups with Ulster and was named on the GAA Team of the Century and Team of the Millennium.
He was Footballer of the Year in 1968 and was also named as the Ulster Footballer of the Millennium in 2000. He was also honoured on the first two All-Star football teams in 1971 and 1972. O’Neill also won two Sigerson Cup medals with Queen’s in 1958 and 1964.
13. WILLIE JOHN McBRIDE
‘Willie John’ is a legendary Irish rugby lock, regarded as one of European rugby’s greatest leaders.
His legacy was secured after captaining the unbeaten 1974 British & Irish Lions in South Africa. He held the records for 17 Lions Test caps over five tours (1962–1974) and made 63 appearances for Ireland, leading them to a 1974 Five Nations title.
In total, the legendary no-nonsense Toomebridge second-row went on five Lions tours and managed the side in New Zealand in 1983.
Incredibly, McBride only missed one of Ireland’s matches played during his 13-year international career. Fittingly, he scored his only try for Ireland in his last international at Lansdowne Road against France.
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12. CARL FRAMPTON
The only Northern Ireland man to become a two-weight world boxing champion. He turned pro in June 2009, shortly after winning his second Irish amateur title.
He claimed his first world title against Kiko Martinez, who had won the IBF crown with an upset sixth round beating of previously undefeated Jonathan Romero.
The Jackal added the WBA title by beating Scott Quigg in Manchester in April and then moved up to featherweight and captured the WBA title with a unanimous decision win over Leo Santa Cruz at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.
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Those efforts against two previously unbeaten opponents earned him a unique distinction – the first and still only Irishman to win the Ring magazine Fighter of the Year award.
His unbeaten record ended at 23-0 when, in January 2017, when he lost a majority decision to Santa Cruz in Las Vegas and he never regained quite the success thereafter.
11. JONATHAN REA
Six-time world champion Jonathan Rea is widely considered the most successful Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) rider in history. After dominating for over a decade with Kawasaki and concluding his career with Yamaha, he is set to return to Honda as a test rider this year.
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The Larne-born rider won six consecutive WorldSBK titles (2015–2020), a record for most championships and most consecutive championships.
He holds the all-time record for race victories, more than double that of the next closest rival (as of late 2025) and also holds the record for the highest number of podium finishes.
He was awrded an MBA dnd later an OBE, and was runner up in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2017 – a recognition of his impact on UK sport.
*****
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Tomorrow we unveil numbers 6-10 in our top 25 Northern Ireland sport stars of all time.
The unexpected couple made their first official public debut in October, stepping out in Paris, aka the ‘City of Love,’ to celebrate the star’s birthday.
Since then, the pair have been pretty inseparable, with Katy documenting many of their globe-trotting escapades on Instagram.
Now, Katy has given fans another glimpse into her relationship. The 41-year-old took to the ‘gram last night to share a ‘life lately’ photo dump — which happened to include a loved-up shot of the pair.
The pair look very loved up in Katy’s new post (Picture: Katy Perry/Instagram)
In the photo, Katy is seen wearing a sleeveless black cocktail dress and gold jewellery, with her hair slicked back in an elegant low bun.
With her left arm on Justin’s shoulder and her right resting on his chest inside his jacket, she smiled lovingly at the former politician.
Meanwhile, Justin, 54, who also got the black attire memo in a blazer and T-shirt, placed his arm on her lower back.
Katy also shared a cryptic caption alongside the carousel, writing: ‘Never knew karma could be so rewarding.’
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Fans will know this is a lyric from her 2013 Prism album track ‘Legendary Lovers,’ a spiritual song said to be inspired by her former relationship with John Mayer.
However, thanks to the lyrical themes of destined connections and describing a love that transcends ordinary romance, it almost feels as if she’s relating to the song once more.
Plus, in between the loved-up photo, she posted a snap of a fortune cookie message, which read: ‘The stage is set. Soon you will encounter a whole new world of opportunity.’
Katy shared a cryptic caption, and fans went wild (Picture: Katy Perry/Instagram)
‘I’m so happy for you and Justin. Keep living your best life. You are amazing,’ one person said, while another typed: ‘MOM AND DAD,’ referencing the couple.
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Elsewhere, someone else penned: ‘Glad to see you with Justin, hope it works. Cute couple,’ as a fourth and fifth gushed: ‘Adorable !!!! So happy,’ and ‘I love you two together,’ followed by a string of love hearts.
Katy Perry was engaged to Orlando Bloom before she met Justin (Picture: Getty Images)
Before Justin, Katy was engaged to A-List actor Orlando Bloom. The pair met in 2016 and, despite a brief breakup between 2017 and 2018, they announced their engagement in 2019.
As for Justin, he split with his wife of 18 years, Sophie Grégoire, in 2023, following ‘meaningful and difficult conversations’. The pair have three children together: a son, Xavier, a daughter, Ella-Grace, and a second son, Hadrien.
Police were alerted after a Ford Transit was seen in the Barnard Castle area in the early hours of the morning.
Special Constable Salkeld, who was on night shift with Durham Roads and Armed Policing B relief team, identified the vehicle and linked it to recent rural thefts.
Two people have been jailed after a police sting operation on suspected rural thieves (Image: DURHAM CONSTABULARY)
Officers set up a stinger as the van headed towards Spennymoor while travelling in convoy with a Fiat Panda.
Both vehicles failed to stop for officers when instructed, but police had already moved into position further along the route.
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With SC Salkeld in place, both vehicles were successfully stopped.
The driver of the Transit then attempted to ram officers before being stopped and arrested.
The suspected stolen quad bike in the back, with the matching key found on the driver (Image: DURHAM CONSTABULARY)
Officers searching the van found a suspected stolen quad bike in the back of the vehicle, with the matching key in the driver’s pocket.
Ashleigh Fairhurst, 36, of no fixed abode, and Kyle Wright, 26, of Spennymoor, were later charged and appeared before Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on April 2.
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Fairhurst pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, having no licence or insurance, failing to stop and failing to provide a specimen of blood. She was sentenced to eight months in prison and disqualified from driving until April 1, 2030.
Wright pleaded guilty to disqualified driving, failing to stop and having no insurance. He was sentenced to eight weeks in prison and disqualified from driving until March 1, 2030.
In the crowded air fryer market, is there truly space left to innovate?
Apparently so. The original air fryer purveyors, Ninja, recently launched an upgraded version of their popular Ninja Crispi product – intended, in case that ‘i’ didn’t make clear, to crisp your products up faster than it takes to make a cup of tea.
The first Crispi felt revolutionary when it launched in 2025, offering users the chance to watch their food cook through an all-glass container. This next-gen model feels similarly high-end, and boasts a whole selection of fun new settings, including ones for baking, dehydrating, crisping and roasting.
In fact, there are seven of them, which makes this one of the most advanced models on the market. All that, plus two non-toxic glass containers that look (according to the promotional pics) big enough to roast a whole chicken in, plus trimmings.
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Ninja Crispi Pro Key Specs
Weight: 5.17kg
Dimensions: 29.97 cm L x 30.99 cm W x 27.94 cm H
Capacity: 5.7L
List of programmes: Max Crisp, Air Fry, Bake, Prove, Roast, Dehydrate & Re-crisp.
Range of temperature: up to 240 degrees
Vicky Jessop
First things first: the Crispi Pro is heavy. At 5.17kg, the hardest part of the set-up is levering it out of the box – probably unsurprising, given that the design prioritises heavyweight glass containers over the lightweight plastic ones you’d find in other air fryers.
In terms of design, it looks decidedly futuristic. The air fryer boasts a different design to most others on the market, in that there are two glass canisters of different sizes: a big 5.7L one, and a smaller 2.3L one (a medium size can also be bought separately, or transferred from your old Ninja Crispi).
They slot into the air fryer, and there’s a metal base beneath that can be raised or lowered to support the container when it’s hanging off the top. When standing by itself, that top looks rather like a UFO has been beamed down for the purposes of cooking sausages and frying chips.
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That said, it’s easy to set up. The two glass containers come with the metal racks that go inside them (the better to let hot air circulate underneath): they need to be washed.
But once the logistics have been worked out, the rest is easy. The power button turns the machine on and off, the ‘temp’ button and dial adjust the temperature, the ‘time’ button and dial adjust the time, and the ‘mode’ button lets you cycle through the different modes. Simply press the dial in to start the cycle, and Bob’s your uncle.
Vicky Jessop
With all those different settings to try out, we got to work attempting to cycle through them all. The starting challenge? Cook ten sausages.
I popped them on top of the metal rack inside the glass container, without oil, and set the timer to ten minutes at ‘Max Crisp’, which felt pleasingly rock’n’roll as far as settings went.
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The air fryer handled that with no sweat, cooking the sausages to perfection. ‘Flipping’ the items halfway through did prove slightly harder work than the generic air fryer models (which boast little pull-out drawers) – to flip the sausages, I had to manually pull my glass container out of the air fryer (it has little handles for just this purpose, as well as plastic ‘feet’ to protect your countertop), manually turn the sausages over and reinsert the container.
One big bonus to the all-glass container, though, is being able to see the food cook in real time, which was oddly mesmerising. And it’s also helpful when it comes to cleaning – there’s nowhere for the dirt to hide, and the most stubborn of stains can usually be lifted with a warm water soak.
When the time came to store the sausages, the containers also came with lids, allowing me to put them in the fridge without even transferring them to another box.
So, sausages worked fine, but the air fryer promo pics had promised me a full roast dinner. Would it manage to pull off one of those? I bought a whole chicken, a lot of roast potatoes and some veggies and set to work.
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The chicken was cooked to perfection. I set it at ‘roast’ for 40 minutes, at 200°C, and the result was beautifully roasted, and just the right amount of tender. The potatoes went in after twenty minutes (with an additional five-minute ‘Max Crisp’ blast at the end) and again, ended up gorgeously light and fluffy on the inside, while crisp on the outside.
The vegetables? Well, they ended up being a bit more of a mixed bag. The string beans were plated crispy and delicious, but the broccoli was charred, and the carrots were raw. Next time, they might be one to boil.
One surprise winner? Reheated pizza. The Crispi Pro managed to revive my sad slice in a fraction of the time it would take an oven, while the hot air meant the stale sogginess that often permeates resurrected pizza slices didn’t even factor in here. A win.
The health food store will be closing at the end of April
A major high street brand will be closing a store in a Cambridgeshire town. Holland & Barrett has confirmed it will be closing its location on Broad Street in March on Wednesday, April 22.
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The health food store will be closing as part of an ongoing £70 million investment to “transform” the brand’s stores. The investment will include opening and renovating over 200 new locations across the UK. The Holland & Barrett store in March will remain open as usual until April 22.
A spokesperson for Holland and Barrett said: “The Holland & Barrett store in March will close on the 22nd April. This is part of an ongoing £70 million investment into transforming our stores, which includes opening and renovating more than 200 new locations nationwide.
“In the meantime, the store is open as usual, bringing expert-led advice alongside our range of science-backed products and services to our customers. Opening hours are available on our website, which also offers our full range of wellness solutions, plus links to health and wellbeing advice, and free 15-minute one-to-one appointments with our Body Qualified Experts.”
To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community.Click this linkto receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.
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Just because the warm weather hits, that doesn’t stop people from getting their exercise. Running has emerged in recent years as one of London’s biggest sports, with Gen Z out in front pounding the pavements on a regular basis. That’s not forgetting those prepared to go the extra mile (or 20-odd): over 1.1 million people applied to take part in the 2026 London Marathon, and there are now plans to make it a two-day event in 2027.
So it’s clear, we’re a city of runners. However, as this week brings the warmest day of the year so far, there’s a real danger of those same runners overheating during as they try and get their kilometres in.
Fortunately, with a bit of prep, it can be avoided. We chatted to ultra-runner and co-founder of Black Trail Runners, Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, and Tom Bishop, a seasoned runner who broke the record for the ironman triathlon in 2024 (previously held by Alistair Brownlee), on how to beat the heat.
More than 1.1 million applicants put their names down for the 2026 London Marathon
PA Wire
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For Bishop, keeping cool before a run or race is key. “Starting with your core temperature as low as you can will give your body more chance to run in hot conditions, rather than starting hot and flustered,” he says.
“Try to relax, find shade and keep your warmup minimal. Of course warming up is still important, but in the heat, you don’t need to push it as much.” To lower the body temperature even further, consider sipping on an icy drink, or slushie, before you go for a run or do a race.
The most efficient way to hydrate, especially before a run, is by sipping fluids regularly during the day, rather than in one go. According to Pace-Humphreys, it’s “far more effective than panicking and overloading because you forgot. Little and often keeps your body balanced – downing huge amounts in one go won’t provide the same benefits.”
If you want, you can tuck some fabric into the back of your sunhat to form a protective barrier for your beck and shoulders. Don’t forget sun cream too: skincare brand Dussl has a good selection of factor 50 sun creams that also double up as moisturisers, block pollution, and will stay on through the sweat of a hot run.
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A person runs across the Millennium Bridge in London
Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
One of the biggest dangers during a hot run is – you guessed it – overheating, which comes with symptoms like dizziness, sickness and a rapid heart rate. In hot weather, it’s important not to push yourself: instead, listen to your body.
“Your body will tell you what it needs but only if you have the patience to listen,” Pace-Humphreys says. “Whether it’s watching your heart rate zones creep into the red, or just sensing that things feel harder than they should, tune in. Slow down to a jog or alternate walking and running – there’s no shame in preserving energy to avoid burnout.”
It’s also important to know what to do when you are overheating. “If you feel your body temperature rising, pull it back and breathe through it,” she says. “Give box breathing a go – inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4 and exhaling for 4. This can help calm your mind, reduce anxiety and lower your heart rate.”
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In the heat, appetite can dip – which makes staying hydrated and properly fuelled tricky, too.
“Liquid carbs can be a real help. Whether they’re shop-bought or even just half juice, half water, having a liquid option can help keep your energy up when solid food isn’t appealing,” Pace-Humphreys says.
Plus, do invest in some electrolytes, which will replace the essential minerals and salts that your body is sweating out. Don’t overdo it, though: “overdoing electrolytes can cause frequent toilet stops, nausea and diarrhoea – I’ve been there! If that happens, ease off, dilute with water, and give your body time to recalibrate.”
Make time to cool down afterwards
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Once you’ve finished the run, that’s not it. Give the body time to cool down. Sit, or stretch it out, in the shade, and let the breath return to normal. And use the cooldown as a chance to get some water in you – hydrating little and often, of course.
Passengers, regardless of airline, may need to be prepared for some changes
Passengers set to fly soon with easyJet have been urged to stay prepared ahead of changes to travel. On an update on its website on April 1 of this year, easyJet notes that in an “important update”, there are “new border checks may affect queue times.”
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It explains: “Airports across Europe may experience longer queues at passport control whilst the new European Entry/Exit System (EES) border checks are being completed. This will mean you may need to have your biometrics taken including your face and fingerprints scanned.”
With this in mind, it is wise for passengers to be patient as the new system is rolled out.
The budget airline suggests:
Plan your travel to and through the airport, as you may experience longer queues
If you need to go to Bag Drop, go there as soon as it opens
Make your way through security as early as possible
There may be additional checks at passport control before your gate
Head to the gate or boarding area as soon as it’s announced
Make sure you have the correct documents to travel
You may experience longer queues in your arrival airport
What is EES and why is it being introduced?
An EES-dedicated website says: “The new Entry/Exit System (EES) started to be operational on 12 October 2025. European countries using the EES are introducing the system gradually at their external borders. This means that data collection will be gradually introduced at border crossing points with full implementation by 10 April 2026.”
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It is being introduced as the EES:
Modernises border checks and gradually reduces waiting times at the borders.
Easily identifies non-EU nationals who do not fulfil the conditions of entry and stay or those who stay longer than permitted in the Schengen area.
Enhances the security of Europe’s borders.
Which European countries use the EES?
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia,
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
the Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
You can find out more information about EES here. You can also read about it online via the GOV.UK website.
What horse racing fans can expect when they want refreshment at the Grand National meeting
15:01, 08 Apr 2026Updated 15:01, 08 Apr 2026
The Randox Grand National Festival is about to get underway. From Thursday, April 9 to Saturday, April 11, thousands of racing enthusiasts will flock to Aintree Racecourse for three days of top-class horse racing, culminating in the main event.
As the finishing touches are put to the venue, we can reveal some of the beverage prices for the festival. There are numerous bars throughout the racecourse, so drink prices may differ depending on your choice of refreshment.
Below, we’ve outlined the typical prices for draught, bottled and canned drinks, wines, champagne and spirits. Some outlets vary by approximately 50p…
Traditional shuttlecocks are made of 16 duck or goose feathers – each taken from the same wing to give the correct flight and spin as feathers from different wings curve differently.
China is the leading producer of shuttlecocks, but poultry production in the country has decreased in recent years because of outbreaks of bird flu and as people return to eating pork following an outbreak of African swine fever in 2018.
The sport has also grown in popularity in China, leading to increased demand.
Last year, the BWF played down its concerns about the shuttlecock market, while explaining its strategy to explore alternatives.
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“We are aware of the global supply chain challenges and subsequent increases in feathered shuttlecock prices impacting badminton communities around the world,” BWF secretary general Thomas Lund said in a statement at the time.
“Our testing and trialling programmes for the production and introduction of competition and social-use synthetic shuttlecocks in collaboration with the manufacturers remains in place and is firmly part of our sustainability strategies for the future.”
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