His dad, Sajid, who police say was also involved in the shooting, was shot dead by police at the scene.
Akram is facing 59 charges over the attack, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act.
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The 24-year-old had sought a 40-year anonymity order to prevent the publication of the names or photographs of his mother, brother and sister as well as their addresses and places of work and school over concerns for their safety.
From February: Alleged Bondi gunman in court
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Akram’s bid was opposed by a number of Australian media groups, who argued the proposed order would prevent proper reporting of the case.
Judge Hugh Donnelly ruled in favour of the media, and said that the principle of open justice was fundamental to the trial.
He said that suppression orders “should only be made in exceptional circumstances”.
Judge Donnelly added: “This case has caused unprecedented public interest, anger, outrage and grief.”
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Image: A member of the Jewish community stands at a floral memorial in honour of the victims of the mass shooting in December. Pic: Reuters
Akram’s driving licence, showing his home address, had been widely circulated online after the shooting, while his mother gave an interview to a local newspaper after the shooting, the court heard.
Social media platforms and overseas publications, would have been exempt from any order preventing publication of their identities, so it would have been ineffective in any case, Judge Donnelly added.
“This case is exceptional by virtue of the sheer magnitude and intensity of commentary on social media,” he said.
Akram, speaking via a video link, spoke only to confirm that he could hear the proceedings.
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Richard Wilson, Akram’s barrister, told the court that he did not plan to appeal the decision.
The Bondi attack is regarded as Australia’s worst terror attack and biggest mass shooting since 1996.
It prompted the Australian parliament to strengthen gun control and hate speech laws, and a government-backed inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion in the country was launched in the wake of the atrocity.
That inquiry is expected to report its findings by December this year.
Posting to instagram, the Kudos team said Cameron was more than happy to pose for the picture.
The post said: “RIGHT nae complaining this weekend because if it’s good enough for @dwdcameron it’s good enough for you!
“Speechless at who joined us for breakfast this morning after seeing us online. We’ve had our fair share of stars come through the door and usually just scream with excitement amongst the team & leave guests to dine in peace.
“However, we couldn’t resist this one. Our team looking gorgeous in their Scotland tops ahead of the game … HAPPY FRIDAY.”
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David Cameron was leader of the Conservative party from 2005 and had election success against Labour leader’s Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn.
He elected as Prime Minister of the UK in 2010 and 2016, before standing down after losing the EU referendum.
Nowadays, Cameron is a Peer at the House of Lords and is involved in the charity sector as President of Alzheimer’s Research UK and leading the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre Advisory Council.
Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.
Flashed by a speed camera, a friend gave them a word of advice. “I told them ‘that’s a sign from God’. I told them to go home.”
They didn’t go home. Uways Hussain and Usmon Mahmood, sucking nitrous oxide from balloons, continued motoring along south Manchester streets at speeds of up to 139mph.
Later that night, an innocent man was killed. The scene of the horror crash that claimed Sylvester Abayomi’s life was horrific. Images of the wrecked cars appalled those in court as Hussain and Mahmood faced justice months later.
Click here to hear the latest from Manchester’s courts in our newsletter
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The Manchester Evening News spoke to people at the scene on Kingsway in Burnage in the wake of the tragedy. One man said he knew the pair. They were on the stretch as takeaways there stay open late on Ramadan, he said.
He revealed he had begged them to go home when he found out they were up to. “They’ve been driving fast late at night,” he said.
“When they got snapped by a speed camera on the road, they called me and I told them ‘that’s a sign from God’. I told them to go home.”
Pair jailed after filming themselves travelling at speeds of over 130mph before fatal collision
Videos taken on Hussain’s phone showed him casually holding the wheel of his Volkswagen Golf GTI with one hand while reaching speeds of over 100mph. He filmed himself inhaling nitrous oxide, alongside Mahmood in the passenger seat.
Their night came to a disastrous end as Hussain ran a right light, careering into Mr Abayomi’s Volvo S40 as he travelled to work. The 50-year-old suffered catastrophic chest injuries and died later that morning.
‘Chilling’
The night of March 9, 2026 began with Hussain, 20, filling up his car at a petrol station. CCTV footage showed him vaping on the forecourt. Mahmooh, 23, was seen in the passenger seat of the VW filling balloons from a nitrous oxide canister.
Mahmood paid as Hussain inhaled the drug. Hours hours later, Hussain filmed himself driving, music blasting. Mahmood was heard shouting ‘come on’, before filming on his own phone as they overtook a car at 130mph.
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Speed cameras were seen flashing in the footage and the seatbelt warning sound was heard. Police recovered footage of the pair parking up at 4.13am.
Hussain filmed Mahmood inhaling from a balloon before turning the camera on himself and making a ‘gun gesture’. They were seen driving on the wrong side of the road.
Later, at Kingsway’s junction with Green End Road, Hussain went through a red light, ploughing into Mr Abayomi’s car.
The Golf was seen spinning before coming to a stop near a bus stop and bursting into flames. Hussain’s Apple Watch automatically called 999, having detected a collision.
Unaware of the call, the pair were recorded talking about reporting the car stolen. They were heard arguing about who would say they were the driver and discussing how to remove DNA evidence.
Hussain was heard saying his dad was ‘going to kill him’. Sentencing the pair, judge Nicholas Dean KC described the call as ‘chilling’, adding: “It doesn’t reveal shock or concern for the victim.”
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A horrified passer-by urged them to stay at the scene. They were seen removing items from the boot of the VW – including gas canisters – and callously running away.
Officers tracked Hussain and Mahmood using Apple data. They found Hussain hiding in a garden on Sunnylea Avenue. “None of us were even there, what’s happened, did somebody pass away?,” he said.
Data recovered from the Golf showed that in the seconds leading up to the crash, the car reached a maximum speed of 139mph. At the point of impact, they were travelling at 99mph.
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Mr Abayomi’s partner Denise Doyle said in court: “Sylvester was simply on his way to work. He was an ordinary, hard working man. He should have returned home to me that day, but because of your actions, he never did.
“Sylvester had kissed me and said goodbye and that he loved me. I never knew this would be the last time. It didn’t feel like it had really happened.
“A nightmare where I was in a box and I couldn’t get out. Sylvester was not just a name. he was my partner, my best friend, my future, he was a deeply loved member of our family and community.
“The life of belonging together has been taken away from me. The future we had planned no longer exists. It will stay with me for the rest of my life.
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“What makes this harder is that this was not an unavoidable accident – it was entirely preventable. The choices you have made that morning have caused irreversible harm and have taken a life of a person that should be here today.
“I wish you had shown remorse and not run away. I wish you would have helped Sylv. How could you just leave him there?
“I hope this case serves as a reminder as to the devastating consequences of dangerous driving. No family should have to experience this kind of loss. No person should have to feel what I am feeling and shed the tears I have shed.”
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His brother Andrew Turner told the defendants: “One day you will be able to hug your families again. I will never ever get to see or hug my brother again. You both did this and you both took away my chance to hug my brother again.”
Mitigating, Neil Ronan said Hussain had a previous conviction for drug driving and was a law student who worked full-time at an airport. He said: “Nothing I say on behalf of Mr Hussain takes away from the severity in relation to the horrible outcome for his criminal behaviour.”
The barrister said that in a letter to the judge from Hussain, he described his driving as a ‘single reckless decision’.
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Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: “This wasn’t a single reckless decision. He drives under the influence of nitrous oxide in an utterly shocking way and an entirely deliberate way. There was nothing reckless about his behaviour.”
Mr Ronan responded: “This defendant deeply regrets the whole of the driving. He knows and appreciated and understands the effect his behaviour has had. He regrets the fear and panic and shock that led him to leave the scene.”
Judge Dean added: “I don’t accept it was shock that caused him to leave the scene, they were both still likely under the influence of what they had been inhaling. They were panicked, but panicked by their own knowledge for the responsibility of what happened.”
Representing Mahmood, Clare Ashcroft said he was about to start an apprenticeship with Network Rail. “He is beginning to understand the enormity of his actions… he is remorseful,” she added.
Jailing the pair, Judge Dean said: “This case concerns the wholly unnecessary and entirely avoidable death of Sylvester Abayomi. Your driving, Uways Hussain, was not as you suggested, a ‘momentary lapse’. It was a sustained, deliberation and escalating case of highly dangerous conduct over a prolonged period.
“I have seen the CCTV footage and the videos recorded on phones and they are terrifying. You drove at extreme speeds, up to nearly 140mph on roads which were by and large, 30mph.
“This was, in every sense, a flagrant disregard. This was deliberate risk taking – seemingly for the thrill of it.”
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Hussain, 20, from Burnage, was jailed for 11 years and eight months for causing death by dangerous driving; causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured; conspiracy to pervert the course of justice; failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without insurance.
Mahmood, 23, from Levenshulme, was jailed for 12 years and nine months for aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving; aiding and abetting causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
They were both banned from driving for five years with a extension of eight years.
The good weather over the past week has really put us in the summer mood.
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After what felt like the wettest start to 2026, it feels like we could be in for a wonder summer and hopefully the sun sticks around so everyone can make the most of the fun things we have on our doorstep.
If you need some inspiration for how to mark the start of the summer, look no further!
With countless things to do over the summer, Discover Northern Ireland has put together a list of standout events to kick it off.
Here are ten exciting things to do 1-7 June across NI:
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Long Meadow Cider Orchard
Long Meadow Cider Orchard/Cider Tour Experience with Tastings, Tea/Coffee, Apple Tart & Fresh Cream, Portadown, Co Armagh, 6 June. Enjoy a fully immersive orchard/cider experience in the company of the McKeever family. Enjoy an orchard walk explaining the various orchard plantations in place. Visitors can experience the apple blossom in May or the trees laden with fruit from June-October. And, of course, no visit with the McKeever family would be complete without tasting their award-winning craft ciders and apple juice.
Cultra Motorsport Festival
Cultra Motorsport Festival, Holywood, Co Down, 6 June. Hosted in partnership with the Thoroughbred Sports Car Club NI and Porsche Centre Belfast, this is an action-packed day with vintage, classic and modern cars on display at Cultra Manor, including gems from the Ulster Transport Museum collection, released from the Ulster Transport Museum’s private stores just for this event.
Every Voice Festival
Every Voice Festival, Co Derry 6 – 14 June. The Every Voice Festival celebrates the transformative power of singing together. From powerful sacred music and inspiring youth performances to community choirs, workplace singers, care home concerts and spectacular gala performances. Whether you love choral music, storytelling, live performance or simply celebrating community spirit – there’s something for everyone.
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The Benjamin Franklin Dining Room at Hillsborough Castle
The Benjamin Franklin Dining Room at Hillsborough Castle, Royal Hillsborough, Co Down, visit website for dates and times. Step into a fascinating chapter of transatlantic history at Hillsborough Castle, where visitors can explore the castle’s remarkable connection to America’s founding story. To mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, the magnificent State Dining Room has been transformed into the Benjamin Franklin Dining Room, showcasing a unique collection of historic objects linked to the celebrated statesman.
Celtic Heart
Celtic Heart at Belfast Waterfront, Belfast, visit website for dates and times. Created in collaboration with The Music Yard, Celtic Heart is a locally produced show celebrating Belfast’s rich storytelling, traditional music and homegrown talent. Transporting audiences to the industrial heart of early-1900s working class Belfast, Celtic Heart is an intimate and powerful storytelling experience brought vividly to life through the spoken word, live traditional music, captivating vocals, and breathtaking dance choreography.
Titanic Belfast Curates
Titanic Belfast Curates… Northern Threads, Belfast, visit website for dates and times. A celebration of style, creativity and contemporary design in Northern Ireland. The exhibition showcases how fashion and textile design is bold, expressive and deeply connected to place. It’s about what’s being created now and the ideas, stories and influences shaping it. At the heart of Northern Threads are Gráinne Maher, Hope Macaulay, Kindred of Ireland by Amy Anderson and Éadach by Sara O’Neill.
Under the Hawthorn Tree at Ulster American Folk Park
Under the Hawthorn Tree at Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, County Tyrone, visit website for dates and times. A powerful story of hardship, loss and survival, this exhibition brings Marita Conlon-McKenna’s much-loved children’s novel, Under the Hawthorn Tree, to life. The exhibition uses objects, sounds, smells, interactives and illustrations to tell the story, inviting visitors, young and old, to experience the story in a new and immersive way.
Viking Village at Fermanagh Fun Farm
Viking Village at Fermanagh Fun Farm, Lisbellaw, Co Fermanagh, 6-7 June. Step back in time at the Viking Event at Fermanagh Fun Farm. With live battle re-enactments, interactive warrior demonstrations and a fully set up Viking village to explore, there’s plenty to see and experience.
Little Construction Club
Little Construction Club at Millennium Forum, Derry, 4 June (more dates available). Little Construction Club is a pop-up construction-themed play experience for toddlers and young children. Children can explore a fully themed mini construction site featuring ride-on diggers and dumper trucks, build zones, sensory play, dress-up stations, roadworks roleplay, ball pit fun and interactive play areas designed to encourage imagination, creativity and active play.
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The Gobbins
The Gobbins, Islandmagee, County Antrim, visit website for dates and times. Experience a thrilling world where bridges will carry you over crashing waves to sunken caves and sheer cliff faces. On the thrilling Gobbins Experience, nature isn’t content to just sit back and be admired. It completely engulfs you: from the all-enveloping Irish Sea winds and the dolphins dancing off the coastline, to the squawking native sea birds and the salty air as it hits your lips.
For more information on what’s on, or to plan your next giant adventure in Northern Ireland, visit: discovernorthernireland.com.
THEY say fortune favours the brave – and rewards await if you can find the courage to plunge into the natural swimming pond at the Yorkshire Spa Retreat.
After watching other spa goers dip their toes into the dark water then pull them back up with a squeal and a shiver, I vowed to go straight in.
The chill of the water sent a shock through my entire body, like an awakening that alerted all my senses. Just 20 or so breaststrokes took me to the exit point and as I pulled myself up the ladder, my body tingled all over.
I felt amazing. Alive. And really, really well.
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The sense of wellbeing was only enhanced as I reclined into the curved, pool-side bed, and wrapped the white fluffy robe around me.
A few marshmallow clouds passed above, breaking up the perfect blue of the sky.
Bliss.
I’d come to the Yorkshire Spa Retreat, just outside Helmsley, for some R&R with my friend.
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We’d been invited to try a taster of its new three-day Wellness Retreat programme, combining yoga, Pilates, mindfulness and nutrition to help rebalance the mind and body.
Yoga and Pilates take place in the studio at the Yorkshire Spa Retreat. Photo supplied
It was an opportunity to switch off and tune into some luxury ‘me-time’. The only thing I had to pay attention to was the next item on my ‘Wellness Retreat’ itinerary.
For me, it was a date with a massage therapist, in one of the cute wooden studios that border the fresh-water lake and swimming pond which form the centrepiece of this rural spa.
After earning a decent sweat in the pool-side sauna, I refreshed under the cool outdoor shower, and let the jets of the large outdoor hot-tub begin the task of easing my tight muscles.
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This was enhanced by the 30-minute massage, which kneaded the knots in my upper back and shoulders. A body oil scented with orange lingered in the air and on my skin for hours after.
Inside one of the thermal suites at Yorkshire Spa Retreat. Photo by GARETH BUDDO
We were staying the night in one of the Spa’s luxury lodges. Complete with two bedrooms, a shower room, and kitchen/dining/living area, it was a real home-from-home. We loved the Nespresso coffee machine and the giant TV on which we could watch our current Netflix binge.
Best of all, however, was our own outdoor hot-tub, which bubbled invitingly, and would be perfect whatever the weather.
Our fridge was packed with healthy goodies for our breakfast the next morning, including a tub of thick Greek yoghurt, a punnet of berries, and portions of fresh fruit, as well as bottles of orange juice and milk. Slices of sourdough bread, with butter and jam, meant we could have toast alongside the decent supply of tea and coffee.
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But we are getting ahead of ourselves. We had a table booked at the on-site restaurant – the Dome. This is an attractive space, with views overlooking the lake and spa area.
The food was a winner too. A two-course dinner is included in the price of the package, and the menu offered plenty of choice for all tastes and dietary preferences. We shared some houmous with pitta, then I enjoyed the salmon dish. This was a generous piece of fish, pan-fried so the skin was nice and crispy, and paired with a pile of crushed new potatoes and seasonal greens. A lovely, light, creamy sauce was served alongside, and a ‘crown’ of three juicy king prawns took the dish to the next level of satisfaction.
My friend also enjoyed her dish – the vegan buttermilk burger, served in a pretzel bun, with fries and Asian slaw on the side.
Salmon dinner at The Dome.
She also ordered a dessert, and was pleased with her choice – a pavlova of raspberry meringue with fresh berries and Chantilly cream.
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Back at the lodge, we swapped our glad rags for PJs and settled on the sofa for a catch-up and some guilt-free late-night TV knowing that we didn’t have to get up for work or household chores the next day.
Day two began with an optional 8.30am fitness class in the on-site Barn Gym & Studio.
I gave that a miss, but did turn up for the Pilates class one hour later and ended up having a one-on-one session with Meredith, a young exercise tutor from Mexico newly settled in North Yorkshire.
Mexico’s loss is our gain, as Meredith was exceptional; I’ve been practising Pilates for 30 years, but she was able to introduce me to new moves and I loved her slow and steady programme.
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A guided walk on the Moors was planned for the afternoon, followed by a meditation and yoga session.
Inside the Dome restaurant of the Yorkshire Spa Retreat
But our 24-hour pass away from normal life was due to expire, and after a filling and healthy brunch back at the Dome, our return to York beckoned.
For a feel-good top up, just a short drive away from York, the Wellness Retreat at the Yorkshire Spa comes thoroughly recommended.
The post mill was deemed by Historic England to be in “poor condition” and “slow decay”
Throughout the county of Cambridgeshire, there are multiple beautiful buildings with captivating stories to tell that are suffering from deterioration and decay. As a result, these selected buildings have been placed on the Historic England ‘at risk’ register.
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One at risk building is Great Gransden Windmill in Mill Road. This windmill is said to be one of the oldest in England.
The Grade II listed building dates back to the 13th century and parts of the existing structure date back to the early 17th-century. The mill stopped working over 100 years ago, when it was in a poor state of repair.
A local legend says that in 1867 a book of black magic entitled ‘An Infidel’s Bible’ was hidden in the mill, causing it to stop working. Interestingly, when the book was removed, the mill began to work again. The sails were removed in 2015 due to safety concerns. Aside from the sails, the structure needed extensive work to keep it standing.
Historic England deemed the building to be in “poor condition” and “slow decay” and the mill was added to the list. However, a major repair program is now well underway, according to the mill’s website. The work will help to restore the windmill – the fifth-oldest post mill in the UK – to its former glory.
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Two wooden sails and frames for two canvas sails were lifted into position in 2023. The restoration involved a significant community effort to get it to that stage, with volunteers helping to paint, build and transport materials throughout the works.
These plans were a significant milestone in bringing the mill back to life. Although, Historic England requires both physical completion of all interior repairs and a legally secured, sustainable future plan before the monument can be removed from the ‘at risk’ register.
A post mill is the oldest type of European windmill, and its entire wooden body is balanced and rotates on a single central post.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday gave his endorsement to a January study by the Department of Health and Human Services that calls for cutting the number of vaccines recommended for every American child.
An executive order from Trump directs federal agencies to align their policies behind the study, which recommended an overhaul long called for by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The study found that the United States recommends more childhood vaccines than many peer nations.
The Trump administration previously moved to narrow the number of recommended childhood vaccines in response to the report, but the move was blocked by a federal judge in Massachusetts. The administration is appealing the decision.
The study recommends vaccinating all children against 11 diseases. Several others would be recommended only for high-risk groups or when doctors recommend them in what’s called “shared decision-making.” That includes vaccines for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.
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Trump’s order adds weight behind the study at a time when the administration had appeared to be trying to shift focus away from Kennedy’s more contentious vaccine policies and toward more mainstream topics like healthy eating.
The order directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the study and “take any appropriate steps” to update its vaccine recommendations. It says the CDC should “provide maximum flexibility to parents and doctors” and directs agencies to make sure all actions, regulations and funding are aligned with the study.
The order adds that any changes should ensure that Americans retain their current access to vaccines.
States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While CDC requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the Trump administration’s guidance on vaccines.
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Trump directed HHS to carry out the study in December.
Kennedy is a longtime activist against vaccines and has sought ways to inject his skepticism about the shots into national guidance. Last year, he announced the CDC would no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, a move questions by public health experts who saw no new data to justify the change.
Last June, he fired a 17-member CDC vaccine advisory committee and later installed several of his own replacements, including multiple vaccine skeptics.
The January report found that vaccine recommendations for American children had increased in recent decades. It also highlighted countries where no vaccines are required to attend school.
The live final of Britain’s Got Talent 2026 will air this evening with 10 acts battling it out to become champion and a special guest performance is also on the cards
ITV have cleared the schedule for a bumper edition of the long-running talent show. Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI will be on the judging panel once again as hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly oversee the proceedings.
However, it is down the public vote alone which act will win. There’s 10 acts in the running, with five of them securing their place via a golden buzzer. The other five were voted through by the viewing public during the five semi-final heats.
What time is the Britain’s Got Talent 2026 final on?
The live grand finale kicks off at 7pm and will air on ITV1 for two and a half hours with the winner revealed just before the programme ends at 9.30pm.
ITV bosses have teased a “surprise guest act” will take to the stage on the night, with fans speculating it could be Alesha’s band Mis-Teeq following the news the trio are reuniting to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their first album.
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Former BGT contestant Susan Boyle has also sparked rumours she could be performing after debuting her glam new look sporting a blonde bob as she enters a “new era”.
Which acts are in the Britain’s Got Talent final?
Singer Matty Juniosa got the golden buzzer in the first semi-final, whilst dog act Anastasiia and Salsa were voted through by the public. On night two, it was dance group Sadeck Berrabah and LMA who received the Golden Buzzer, and magician Fabian Fox was sent through by viewers at home.
The three semi-final saw fire juggler Liwei Yang bag the golden buzzer, whilst viewers sent comedian Ted Hill through to the next stage of the competition.
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In semi-final four, poet Sonny Green won the golden buzzer whilst magician Rafferty Coope was voted the public’s favourite to go through and, finally, drone art collective Celstial got the last Golden Buzzer of the series and The Hawkstone Farmers Choir got through thanks to the public.
How to vote during for Britain’s Got Talent winner?
Fans can vote by visiting itv.com/vote. You can type this web address in, or, if a QR code is displayed in the show, you can use this to go straight there. For the best experience, ITV advise doing this on your mobile phone but you can also use a tablet or computer.
The first time you want to place a vote, you will need to verify your mobile number – even if you are using a tablet or computer. To do this, click/tap ‘Log In’ and enter your UK mobile number.
Once you receive the passcode, you will receive this via a free text message, enter it on the website and click/tap ‘Verify Your Mobile’. You will then be asked to create a memorable passcode to use each time you log in. When a vote is open it will automatically appear on the website.
Your device will remain registered and logged in to the website unless you log out or delete cookies on your device. If you log out or delete the cookies on your device, you will have to log in to the vote website by using your memorable passcode.
What does prize does the Britain’s Got Talent champion get?
The lucky winner will win a life-changing £250,000 cash prize and a spot at The Royal Variety Show Performance later this year.
Britain’s Got Talent 2026 live final airs Saturday, May 30 at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX
Here, Standard Sport selects a combined XI of the standout players from either side, with an important caveat: only those that will be fit for the Champions League final can be selected.
The team lines up in a 4-3-3 shape, since that is the formation that both clubs utilise most regularly.
Off the bat, it is a relatively simple choice. David Raya has been a huge factor in Arsenal’s growing success since his arrival from Brentford in 2023, initially on loan, before sealing a £27million permanent move the following season.
The Spaniard displaced Aaron Ramsdale as the Gunners’ No1 and has not looked back. This term, he won the Premier League Golden Glove again with 21 clean sheets from 37 appearances, equalling David Seaman’s previous club record.
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Luis Enrique has undergone a big change in his goalkeeping department, with long-serving shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma departing for Manchester City last summer after a contract dispute.
The Ligue 1 giants’ other options – Matvey Safonov and Lucas Chevalier – are unconvincing, with the PSG boss chopping and changing between the pair throughout the campaign.
Shoo-in: David Raya has been instrumental for Arsenal since joining from Brentford
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Right-back – Achraf Hakimi
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Arsenal are undergoing an injury crisis at right-back at present thanks to problems sustained by both Jurrien Timber and Ben White.
The former has not featured for the Gunners since March, amid ankle and groin issues, while White was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign and this summer’s World Cup after suffering a knee injury in the 1-0 win at West Ham.
There had been concerns over his fitness after he suffered a hamstring injury against Bayern in the semi-finals, but his return comes as a major boost to Enrique, with his relentless energy, quality of delivery and defensive nous making him the go-to option here.
Centre-backs – Gabriel and William Saliba
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This is where the Premier League champions come into their own, such is their dominance from set-pieces. Gabriel and William Saliba have both starred in central defence for Mikel Arteta this term, not just with their contributions in the opposition penalty area, but at the back in the biggest games, against the biggest names.
The way they operate as a pair makes it nigh-on impossible to split them, with Saliba often left to use his pace as the sweeper in behind, should the aggressive, front-footed Gabriel not win the first contact against the opposing No9.
It feels harsh on PSG’s standout duo of Willian Pacho and Marquinhos, especially considering the latter’s experience in this competition over the years, but Gabriel’s aerial dominance and Saliba’s sheer quality on and off the ball make the Arsenal representatives a no-brainer.
Speaking of no-brainers, this one is relatively simple too, especially when the world’s best player at left-back is among the options.
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Arsenal have three contenders here – Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly – and all are unlucky to miss out for their own reasons.
Hincapie offers a similar aggression in the challenge to that of Gabriel – that nastiness of a true defender – while also having an eye for a pass and the awareness to know what’s around him as he joins in attacks.
Calafiori is similar when it comes to his interplay in tight areas in and around the penalty box, as well as his one-to-one defending, while Lewis-Skelly has shown no fear on the biggest stage and an adeptness to drift into midfield and flood the engine room to create numerical overloads.
But none of them come close to Nuno Mendes, who is in the perfect left-back mould. Athleticism, creativity, an eye for goal and defensive solidity – it would be impossible to pass him up.
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Lethal left-back: Nuno Mendes is arguably the best in the world at his position
AFP via Getty Images
Central midfielders – Declan Rice, Joao Neves and Vitinha
Into centre midfield, and there is an argument to be made to keep both sides’ trios together completely.
That is not the case here, but it will be PSG who have to make room for an addition.
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Fabian Ruiz is the one that drops out, in place of Arsenal’s £100million man Declan Rice, who has had a stellar campaign operating in a more advanced role.
The England international has excelled as a No8 in Arteta’s 4-3-3, fielded on the left of the trio and given the licence to join attacks or start them with his trademark darts from midfield, carrying the ball powerfully through the thirds. Of course, his set-piece delivery also comes into the equation.
Otherwise, Joao Neves and Vitinha are the PSG representatives – and for good reason.
Neves’ all-action game was what attracted the Ligue 1 champions to sign him in the first place, along with his unrelenting ability to cover ground, duel-winning, progressive passing and eye for goal.
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Completing the three you need the technician, the orchestrator. That is the diminutive Vitinha, who has filled the boots of the departed Marco Verratti with consummate ease.
The Portuguese glides through busy corridors, inhabits and creates from the tiniest pockets of space, and keeps things ticking over neatly, while also having a clear understanding of where he must position himself defensively.
Right wing – Bradley Barcola
Arsenal fans, look away now. You might not like this one.
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Bukayo Saka has risen from the Gunners’ academy to skippering his boyhood club in the absence of captain Martin Odegaard.
The Englishman hasn’t had his best season in terms of output, though, notching 11 goals and eight assists in 45 games across all competitions.
Misses out: Bukayo Saka does not make our combined Champions League final XI
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Bradley Barcola, meanwhile, has the capability of operating off both flanks and strikes that fear into a full-back that Saka does not always, with his electrifying pace, two-footedness and ability to do the unexpected.
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Striker – Ousmane Dembele
Not ideal for Viktor Gyokeres or Kai Havertz when they are up against the current Ballon d’Or holder.
Ousmane Dembele, who rose to prominence as a tricky, two-footed winger at Rennes and Borussia Dortmund, has been transformed by Enrique as a false nine, dropping deep to link play and lure out opposing centre-backs, and giving the two forwards flanking him space to exploit in behind with their pace.
The Frenchman himself is also frighteningly quick, and has the capability of playing on the shoulder of the last defender to latch onto threaded through balls.
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His nature as a ‘big-game player’ is what ultimately rendered him the best player on the planet, as he demonstrated in the knockout stages of this competition.
Guarantee: Ousmane Dembele is the current holder of the Ballon d’Or
PA
Left wing – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Again, this position is one where Arsenal don’t really stand a chance.
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Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have provided big moments for the Gunners throughout the season, but they are nowhere near Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s level.
The Georgian has exploded into life this term, scoring 10 goals in 15 Champions League games, making the berth previously held by Neymar his own, and with some conviction.
Ulster Championship winners Armagh host Derry in Round 1 of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship on Saturday evening at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds
Armagh will take on Derry this weekend in Round 1 of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
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Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh side arrive brimming with confidence following their Ulster title triumph earlier this month, and continue to be regarded as one of the frontrunners for the Sam Maguire this summer.
Derry GAA, on the other hand, are eager to bounce back from their Ulster championship disappointment and will view this fixture as a significant chance to make an early impact in the All-Ireland series.
Here’s everything you need to know about the match:
Arsenal vs PSG: Why isn’t the Champions League final on free-to-air TV?
Ever since the European Cup was rebranded to the Champions League 34 years ago, the final has been available to watch without a subscription to any premium TV service – shown on ITV from 1992 to 2015 and then streamed for free by TNT Sports and its forerunner, BT Sport, for the past decade.
However, UK rights holder TNT Sports (owned by Warner Bros Discovery) has confirmed that this year, viewers will only be able to watch the clash at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday 30 May on either its own platform or HBO Max, both requiring a subscription.
Jack Rathborn30 May 2026 08:30
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Kai Havertz on injury hell, Champions League dreams and the ‘big moment’ that turned Arsenal’s season
But Kai Havertz pinpoints a defeat, rather than a victory, as the catalyst for a season which has taken Arsenal to the Premier League title and the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday.
“I think a big one was the Carabao Cup final when we lost against City,” Havertz says. “It was a moment where we felt like we could do so much better and there was so much more in this team, and everyone needed to lift their spirits. There was the international break after and we just said to ourselves that we need to come back stronger.
Jack Rathborn30 May 2026 08:20
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Arteta confirms major Timber boost for Arsenal
Arteta on Timber fitness:
“Yeah, he’s fit yeah.”
Question: Fit enough to start the game?
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Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes, goalkeeper David Raya and Jurrien Timber during a training session (PA)
Jack Rathborn30 May 2026 08:12
Champions League final – PSG v Arsenal
Good morning and welcome to the Independent’s Champions League final coverage as Arsenal take on holders Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.
The Gunners are looking to complete a famous double and perhaps the greatest season in their history after clinching the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years.
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Luis Enrique’s PSG can win back-to-back European crowns, and the French outfit came out on top when these sides met in last year’s semi-final.
Follow all the latest build-up and team news, plus analysis from the Independent’s Miguel Delaney and Richard Jolly in Budapest as we build up to kick-off.
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