Connect with us

NewsBeat

BBC bosses ‘have found the next Claudia Winkleman’ as Bake Off legend joins talks

Published

on

BBC bosses 'have found the next Claudia Winkleman' as Bake Off legend joins talks
Has the BBC found Claudia Winkleman’s Strictly replacement? (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)

The BBC is reportedly eyeing up a British comedy icon to replace Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing and take over her hugely popular segment.

Last year, The Traitors host Claudia and TV sidekick Tess Daly announced that the 2025 series of Strictly (which was won by Karen Carney) would be their last.

Tess has been at the helm since the glitzy dance competition began in 2004, presenting alongside Sir Bruce Forsyth before Claudia made the move from It Takes Two in 2014, making them primetime’s first-ever female presenting duo.

Alas, even the best things must come to an end, and speculation remains rife over who will succeed them.

Advertisement

According to the latest reports, former Great British Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc has caught the attention of Strictly bosses, who want her to host what’s become known as the Clauditorium.

Get personalised updates on Strictly

Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.

Advertisement

As Tess remained downstairs, catching the celebrities’ initial reaction to their dances before directing the judges’ feedback, Claudia would attempt to take charge upstairs in a much more chaotic fashion.

For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly on the BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2025. Issue date: Thursday December 25, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
Claudia and her TV sidekick Tess Daly bowed out of Strictly last year (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)

Surrounded by all the other contestants and professionals, she would interview the pairs fresh off the dancefloor with her famous sarcasm and quick wit, and there would often be surprises from the cast, who would interject and become rowdier as the show progressed.

Basically, it was business downstairs and party upstairs, and the Beeb seems to reckon Mel has what it takes to carry on the good vibes.

‘The Clauditorium is the section where the dancers go to receive their scores from the judges and decompress after their routines,’ an insider told The Sun.

Advertisement

‘So it needs to be hosted by someone with a gentle touch, who can use humour to relieve the tension.’

The source added that Mel, 57, is ‘seen as a great swap for Claudia, as they’re both smart, funny, and have a reputation within the TV world for being easy to work with.’

‘They’re both highly professional, well-liked by the public, and boast just the right balance of confidence and self-deprecation.’

17/11/23 PA File Photo of Mel Giedroyc at the BBC Children In Need telethon at BBC Studios in Salford. See PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Children In Need. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Children In Need. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Archive/PA Images. NOTE TO EDITORS: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Children In Need.
Mel Giedroyc has plenty of broadcasting experience under her belt (Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Archive/PA Images)
Mel Giedroyc Strictly Christmas Special. (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
She also took part in the Strictly Christmas Special in 2021 with Neil Jones (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)

As well as that, Mel has years of experience under her belt, meaning she’d be able to act fast if something happened unexpectedly.

‘Mel has experience of hosting live TV through fronting BBC Children in Need, and, thanks to Bake Off, she already knows what it’s like to front a big BBC prime-time show.’

Advertisement

The Surrey-born comedian hosted Bake Off when it first landed on the BBC with Dame Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood as judges between 2010 and 2016.

Both bowed out when the cookery programme moved to Channel 4; since then, Mel has been involved with various major productions, including the Eurovision Song Contest, Taskmaster, Last One Laughing UK series 2, and even The Masked Singer, having competed as Teeth in 2025.

And she’s no stranger to the Strictly studios either, having participated in the 2021 Christmas Special with pro partner Neil Jones.

‘I’ve always thought Strictly’s a weird one for a woman in her 50s,’ she said at the time.

Advertisement
Television Programme: The Great British Bake Off - TX BBC: n/a - Episode: n/a (No. 1) - Picture Shows: Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins - (C) Love Productions - Photographer: Mark Bourdillon
Mel famously hosted Bake Off on the BBC alongside Sue Perkins (Picture: BBC/Love Productions/Mark Bourdi)
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ray Tang/Shutterstock (15950094w) Emma Willis attends the Paddington the Musical opening night 'Paddington the Musical' opening night, Savoy Theatre, London, UK - 30 Nov 2025
Currently, Emma Willis is in a ‘straight shoot-out’ with Zoe Ball for Tess’ job (Picture: Ray Tang/Shutterstock)
Zoe Ball
Zoe only fuelled speculation when she quit her Radio 2 show (Picture: BBC/PA Wire)

‘But now I’ve dipped my large, middle-aged toe into the glitter, and maybe I feel differently.’

Rumours of her signing come after it emerged that two other British TV titans are in the running to replace Tess – but only one of them will get the job.

It’s said to now be a ‘straight shoot-out’ between broadcasters Zoe Ball and Emma Willis, as ‘the senior execs want a traditional presenter working alongside a more left-field person, a female stand-up comedian.’

Zoe’s name has been floating around for a while, and she only fuelled rumours when she announced that she was quitting her BBC Radio 2 show in December, suggesting she could be clearing up her schedule ahead of Strictly’s 2026 season.

The former It Takes Two host, 55, hasn’t made a secret of the fact that she’d be up for the gig either, having said she’d ‘love’ to take on hosting duties for the main show.

Advertisement

Previously, Alison Hammond, Amanda Holden, Alan Carr, Alex Jones, Bradley Walsh, Rylan Clark, and Angela Scanlon were reported to be on the shortlist.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NewsBeat

Timothy Horrigan recalled to prison a day after release

Published

on

Timothy Horrigan recalled to prison a day after release

Timothy Horrigan, 42, has been recalled for breaching his licence conditions following his release from prison on Tuesday (February 3).

Extensive enquiries to find Horrigan, police said, have been ongoing in connection with a non-molestation order.


Recommended reading:

Advertisement

An appeal has since been launched by North Yorkshire Police – who said they believed Horrigan to be in the Harrogate, Ripon and Northallerton areas.

Horrigan, who is described as white, 6ft tall, with dark-coloured greying hair and of a medium build, also has links to Hull and Bradford.

A force spokesperson said: “For immediate sightings of Horrigan, please call North Yorkshire Police on 999.

“Information can also be provided by calling us on 101. 

Advertisement

“Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

“Please quote reference number 12260021139 when providing details.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Vladyslav Heraskevych: Ukraine skeleton racer says IOC banned war victims helmet

Published

on

Vladyslav Heraskevych wears helmet with images of those killed in Ukraine war while training for skeleton in Cortina, Italy at Winter Olympics

Ukranian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych claims the International Olympic Committee has banned his helmet featuring images of people killed in the war in his home country, in a decision that “breaks my heart”.

The 26-year-old wore the helmet during a Winter Olympics training session in Cortina, and had promised before the Games to use the event as a platform to keep attention on the conflict.

The IOC is yet to confirm publicly if it has banned the helmet.

“The IOC has banned the use of my helmet at official training sessions and competitions,” said Heraskevych, who was a Ukraine flagbearer in Friday’s opening ceremony, on Instagram, external.

Advertisement

“A decision that simply breaks my heart. The feeling that the IOC is betraying those athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, not allowing them to be honoured on the sports arena where these athletes will never be able to step again.

“Despite precedents in modern times and in the past when the IOC allowed such tributes, this time they decided to set special rules just for Ukraine.”

Heraskevych told Reuters that many of those pictured on his helmet were athletes including teenage weightlifter Alina Peregudova, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko and ice hockey player Oleksiy Loginov, and stated some of them were his friends.

Heraskevych said Toshio Tsurunaga, the IOC representative in charge of communications between athletes, national Olympic committees and the IOC, had been to the athletes’ village to tell him.

Advertisement

“He said it’s because of rule 50,” Heraskevych told Reuters.

Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter states that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas”.

He said earlier on Monday that the IOC had contacted Ukraine’s Olympic Committee over the helmet.

The IOC said it had not received any official request to use the helmet in competition, which starts on 12 February.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Heraskevych “for reminding the world of the price of our struggle” in a post on X, external.

The post continued: “This truth cannot be inconvenient, inappropriate, or called a ‘political demonstration at a sporting event’. It is a reminder to the entire world of what modern Russia is.”

Heraskevych, Ukraine’s first skeleton athlete, held up a ‘No War in Ukraine’ sign at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, days before Russia’s 2022 invasion of the country.

Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter states: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

Advertisement

Heraskevych had said he intended to respect Olympic rules which prohibit political demonstrations at venues while still raising awareness about the war in Ukraine at the Games.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 athletes from Russia and Belarus were largely banned from international sport, but there has since been a gradual return to competition.

The IOC cleared 13 athletes from Russia, external to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) in Milan-Cortina.

BBC Sport has approached the IOC for comment.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Residents ‘playing pass parcel’ as they use social media to match front doors for wrong Evri deliveries

Published

on

Belfast Live

A local councillor says he is regularly contacted by frustrated residents looking to find their parcels

Residents in Co Tyrone have had to use social media to match front doors in order to track down wrongly delivered packages from Evri.

Advertisement

Those living in the Dungannon, Coalisland and Moy areas of East Tyrone have reported having a number of issues with the delivery service in recent months with many saying they have been unable to get packages delivered to the correct addresses that were supposed to be delivered by the company.

A number have taken to social media in order to post pictures of their parcels at someone’s front door in the hopes of tracking down the actual location that their parcels have been delivered.

READ MORE: Unlicenced driver caught after parking her car obstructively outside a police stationREAD MORE: Belfast man hits out at Evri after “constant issues” with deliveries

Local representative councillor Dan Kerr told Belfast Live that he gets calls from frustrated local residents on a weekly basis asking for help trying to find the address their parcels have been delivered to and claims that Evri is usually the company that was meant to deliver the packages.

Advertisement

Prior to Christmas he spoke at a council meeting and arranged for representatives to meet with Evri to discuss their concerns, however he says that the issues still remain.

Councillor Kerr said: “This is a problem that has been rampant across Dungannon, Coalisland, Moy, Arboe and all around the area for some time now and people are getting fed up with the poor service.

“It is like playing pass the parcels for some people as they have no choice but to post pictures of the front door where their parcels have been delivered online in the hopes of finding out where they actually are. I am getting people contacting me every week asking for help to track down deliveries.

“I spoke about this at council prior to Christmas and arranged a meeting with Evri and we were told that these issues were due to increased number of packages they were dealing with prior to Christmas and that some were down to issues with subcontractors who are no longer working for them, but the issue still seems to be continuing.

Advertisement

“These deliveries could be worth a lot of money and people deserve much better than the service they are receiving.”

An Evri spokesperson said: “Evri handles more than 900 million parcels each year with the vast majority being delivered successfully and on time. We’re sorry that a small number of local residents have experienced an issue with their deliveries. We’ve taken swift action to support a new courier on the round and we’ll closely monitor service levels to ensure deliveries meet our high standards.”

“The overwhelming majority of our couriers are highly regarded by customers, with an average star rating this year of 4.6 out of 5”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

UK foreign secretary says pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai’s Hong Kong jail term is ‘tantamount to life sentence’ | World News

Published

on

Jimmy Lai leaves the Court of Final Appeal by prison van in Hong Kong before his sentencing hearing. Pic: Reuters

The UK foreign secretary has said a 20-year jail term handed down by a Hong Kong court to pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai is “tantamount to a life sentence”.

The 78-year-old media tycoon and British citizen was found guilty ​of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one ​count of publishing seditious materials in December last year.

He had denied all the charges against him, ‌saying in court he was a “political prisoner” facing persecution from Beijing.

Image:
Jimmy Lai leaves the Court of Final Appeal by prison van in Hong Kong before his sentencing hearing. Pic: Reuters

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper agreed with that assessment and, in a statement, called the sentence a “politically motivated prosecution” aimed at Mr Lai “for exercising his right to freedom of expression”.

Advertisement

“For the 78-year-old, this is tantamount to a life sentence. I remain deeply concerned for Mr Lai’s health, and I again call on the Hong Kong authorities to end his appalling ordeal and release him on humanitarian grounds, so that he may be reunited with his family,” she added.

timeline visualization

Lai’s son, Sebastien, told Sky News the case was a “show trial” and the result was not a surprise.

“I think many people expected it. This is essentially a life sentence… a death sentence,” he said.

China risks making Lai ‘martyr’

Commenting on the prospect of his father being released, he added: “I’m just holding out hope. I think we are in a situation now where it is in both Hong Kong and China’s best interest to release him as well.

Advertisement

“This is very damaging for their reputation. If my father dies, he becomes a martyr.”

Advertisement

Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison

Mr Lai’s lawyer gave no comment when asked if he would appeal his sentence.

On Sunday, the Hong Kong court said that Mr Lai’s sentence was in the most severe penalty “band” for offences of a “grave nature”, and that it was enhanced by his being the “mastermind” and driving force behind foreign collusion conspiracies.

Advertisement

Mr Lai, who founded the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was arrested in August 2020 after China imposed a national security law following massive anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

Teresa Lai (red top), wife of Jimmy Lai, leaves West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Teresa Lai (red top), wife of Jimmy Lai, leaves West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts. Pic: Reuters

Lia’s health ‘exaggerated’, say police

The long-standing critic of ⁠the Chinese Communist Party had previously been sentenced for several lesser offences during his five years in prison.

Mr Lai has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement. His family say his health has worsened as a result and that he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and heart palpitations.

‌The head of Hong ​Kong police’s National Security Department ⁠said on Monday, however, that claims of ‌his frail health are “exaggerated”.

Advertisement

Advertisement

From December: Jimmy Lai’s son says UK government must ‘do more’

Speaking after the verdict, Sky’s Asia correspondent Helen-Ann Smith said she spoke to Mr Lai’s biographer Mark Clifford last month.

“He’s really the embodiment of what they fear,” she cites the author and close friend of the jailed tycoon as saying.

“A principled person, absolutely refusing to back down, smart, articulate, and crucially with a platform.”

Advertisement
Jimmy Lai in 2020. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Jimmy Lai in 2020. Pic: Reuters

Lai’s plight has been criticised by world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and UK ‍Prime Minister Sir Keir
Starmer
.

Sir Keir discussed the case with ‌Chinese leader Xi Jinping last month in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, according to people briefed on the talks.

Read more from Sky News:
North Korea ‘executes schoolchildren for watching Squid Game’
Toddler held by ICE ‘nearly died’ in detention, lawsuit claims

Several Western diplomats told the Reuters news agency that negotiations to free Mr Lai would likely start in earnest after his sentencing, and depending on whether he appeals.

Who is pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai?

Advertisement

Lai was born in mainland China but fled to Hong Kong at the age of 12, after stowing away on a fishing boat. Here, he began working as a child labourer in a garment factory.

He went on to build a fortune with the fashion empire Giordano and, after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when thousands of people protested for political reforms in Beijing, he became a democracy advocate and turned his hand to newspapers.

Ahead of the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from the UK to China, he started the Chinese-language newspaper Apple Daily in an attempt to maintain freedom of speech.

The paper was staunchly pro-democratic and did not shy away from criticising authorities in Beijing.

Advertisement

Around the same time, in 1994, he became a full British citizen. He has never held a Chinese or Hong Kong passport, but is seen as a Chinese citizen by Hong Kong authorities.

Read more about Jimmy Lai here

Calls for Jimmy Lai’s immediate release

Advertisement

There has been widespread criticism of the jail term. The ‌United Nations human rights chief ​called for the verdict to be quashed and Mr Lai released.

“This verdict ‌needs to be promptly ‌quashed as incompatible with international ​law,” said UN High Commissioner for ‍Human Rights Volker Turk.

The EU’s diplomatic service, the European External Action Service (EEAS), said it “deplores the heavy prison sentence” and called for Mr Lai’s “immediate and unconditional release”.

Elaine Pearson, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, added that the prison term was “effectively a death sentence” and was “both cruel and profoundly ⁠unjust”.

Advertisement

Speaking to Reuters, a former Apple Daily reporter who gave his name as Wong, said that “now that ‘red lines’ have formally become part of the judgments and sentences, the news industry – already severely weakened – will shrink even further”.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

King ‘ready to support’ police if approached over Andrew amid Epstein scandal

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

The Palace has not yet been approached by officers looking into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct

The King has made clear his “profound concern” at allegations over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct and will “stand ready to support” the police if approached over the claims, Buckingham Palace said. Thames Valley Police has confirmed it is assessing suggestions that the King’s brother shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The reignited crisis which has engulfed both the monarchy and Westminster has shown little sign of abating since the US authorities’ recent dump of millions of documents associated with the paedophile financier Epstein.

Advertisement

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct.

“While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect.

“As was previously stated, Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.”

The Palace has not so far been approached by Thames Valley Police over the claims which relate to Andrew’s time as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment.

Advertisement

The Prince and Princess of Wales meanwhile publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time on Monday, with Kensington Palace saying they were “deeply concerned” at the “continued revelations” and that their thoughts “remain focused on the victims”.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Thriller Scorn being filmed in York starring Adria Arjona

Published

on

Thriller Scorn being filmed in York starring Adria Arjona

As The Press reported, cameras started rolling in St Mary’s, off Bootham, on Monday morning (February 9).

Crew members set up cameras and tents in the residential street with the filming appearing to focus on a guest house near the Marygate car park end of the street. They also set up a base in Marygate car park.

Filming for new thriller, Scorn, gets underway in St Mary’s, off Bootham in York, on Monday (February 9) (Image: Dylan Connell)

The film crew is due to be in St Mary’s until Friday, with the street closed until then.

It has now been confirmed that the crew is filming new erotic thriller, Scorn.

Advertisement

Adria Arjona (Image: Kevin Berru)

Topic Studios, the company behind the film, said it features Adria Arjona and Kingsley Ben-Adir.

Arjona, who has starred in Father of the Bride, Hit Man and Blink Twice, was spotted having lunch with her boyfriend, the Hollywood actor Jason Momoa, at the Whippet Inn last month.

Aquaman star Jason Momoa, left, with Whippet Inn owner Martin Bridge after the actor called for lunch in York on Friday, January 30 (Image: Whippet Inn)

The American couple were described as an “absolute delight” by the restaurant’s assistant general manager, Taylor Lloyd, who served them.

Read more: ‘Oh my God, it’s Aquaman!’ – Hollywood star dines in York and is a ‘delight’

Advertisement

Ben-Adir, meanwhile, played Bob Marley in the Bob Marley: One Love biopic, and also featured in Barbie.

Kingsley Ben-Adir (Image: Supplied)

Filming for Scorn, directed and written by Sarah-Violet Bliss, has already taken place in Leeds.

The film will follow a woman who begins a passionate affair with a married man. “When he then tries to re-cast their love as just a fling, she refuses to go away quietly,” a press release issued by Topic Studios said.

Topic Studios said it is fully financing and producing the film alongside Dylan Clark – producer of the Penguin and The Batman: Part I and Part II – and Brian Williams, as well as Aftersun director Amy Jackson.

Advertisement

Sarah-Violet Bliss (Image: Sela Shiloni)

The studio said it has produced more than 40 film and television projects earning 10 Academy Award nominations, 10 Golden Globe nominations and 12 Emmy nominations.

Its recent projects include Alex Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s Wicker, starring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård; Michael Angelo Covino’s Splitsville, starring Covino, Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona and Kyle Marvin; and Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, starring Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. Topic Studios also produced HBO’s 100 Foot Wave, as well as acclaimed documentaries It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley; and the Oscar-shortlisted Folktales.

The film will be the latest to feature York as its backdrop.

A second series of Patience, the Channel 4 crime drama set in York, aired at the start of the year.

Advertisement

Filming for festive movie Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint, starring Richard E. Grant, Celia Imrie and Adjoa Andoh, also took over streets in York city centre last November.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Arsenal star hailed as ‘one of the finest players in the Premier League’ | Football

Published

on

Arsenal star hailed as 'one of the finest players in the Premier League' | Football
Former Ballon d’Or winner Ruud Gullit (Picture: Getty)

Former Ballon d’Or winner Ruud Gullit hailed two Arsenal players after the Gunners’ continued their Premier League title charge with an emphatic win over Sunderland.

The Gunners, bidding to become Premier League champions for the first time since 2004, temporarily moved nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City with a 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.

Martin Zubimendi broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time before second-half substitute Viktor Gyokeres scored twice to put the game to bed.

Arsenal’s 17th league win of the season opened up a nine-point gap at the top of the table before Man City’s incredible comeback win over Liverpool later in the weekend.

Advertisement

The Gunners have matchwinners all over the pitch but ex-Chelsea captain Gullit picked out England star Noni Madueke and his Dutch compatriot Jurrien Timber for special praise.

‘One player I really like at Arsenal is Jurrien Timber,’ Gullit told Gambling Insider. ‘He is very strong and looks convincing in everything he does.

‘He is a fantastic player and one of the finest in the division, which you have to be to be a regular starter in Arsenal’s defence at the moment.

Get your football fix

Don’t want to miss the week’s biggest football stories? Metro’s exclusive football newsletter, In The Mixer, is your essential guide.

Advertisement

From the latest transfer rumours and managerial moves to analysis of the biggest games and a lot more, our experts have you covered.

Sign up here, it’s an open goal.

Advertisement
Arsenal v Sunderland - Premier League
Jurrien Timber after Arsenal’s win over Sunderland (Picture: Getty)

‘I saw him in the youth teams at Ajax and he was always a good, strong player. I like the way he plays.

‘He doesn’t moan, he gets on with his job and is a real team player. As well as that, he is so clever tactically and talented technically.

‘He had a real setback with that long-term injury when he first joined Arsenal, but he has bounced back from that and adapted to the Premier League so well.’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video

Advertisement

Timber has established himself as a key member of Mikel Arteta’s squad since recovering from his long injury lay-off, playing in all but one of Arsenal’s league games so far this season.

Arsenal paid almost £40m to sign Timber from Ajax in 2023 but the Netherlands international has already gone a long way to repaying that fee.

Gullit has also heaped praise on Arsenal summer signing Madueke, insisting he has been a ‘really good signing’ for Arteta.

Advertisement

Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal spent over £50m to sign Madueke from London rivals Chelsea but Gullit has been impressed by the 23-year-old.

‘Noni Madueke is a good player, but he is having to play second fiddle to Bukayo Saka when both players are fit,’ Gullit added.

‘If both are fit, Madueke is on the bench. When he is on the pitch, however, he is very handy and always a big threat, and I actually think one thing that stands out about him is how hard he works.

‘As much as I think he is dangerous on the ball, I think it goes unnoticed how good he is off it, helping the team. He is doing well at Arsenal and has been a really good signing for them.’

Advertisement

Arsenal will hope to continue their march towards the Premier League trophy on Thursday when they face London rivals Brentford.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
FacebookTwitter and Instagram
.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

‘Farmers need to treat their mental health as seriously as physical safety’

Published

on

Belfast Live

“They generally put themselves last, they put their animals first, and they don’t know how to switch off.”

A man from Northern Ireland has urged other farmers to treat their mental health as seriously as they would physical safety on the farm, as farmer wellbeing is at its lowest point in four years.

Advertisement

The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) is marking its ninth annual Mind Your Head week from February 9 to 13, by looking at tackling the issue of suicide risk in the UK agricultural industry.

The campaign is calling on farmers, rural organisations, colleges and Young Farmers Clubs to start life-saving conversations, learn practical skills and connect communities to support – addressing what many now recognise as the industry’s “biggest hidden problem.”

READ MORE: MLA emotional as she pays tribute ‘amazing little boy’ killed in road accidentREAD MORE: Young Lisburn farmer raising awareness of mental health in the industry after losing friends to suicide

Gyles Dawson from Co Armagh has been working in the agri-business sector for over 30 years, is a part-time farmer, and works for the charity Rural Support to ensure agricultural workers in Northern Ireland have the support they need.

Advertisement

He said the demand for help regarding mental wellbeing is “rising sharply.” In the year 2024-2025, Rural Support received 446 calls through their confidential support helpline, a 22% increase on the previous year, with the most common age group being those from 45-54.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Gyles said: “The most alarming thing is two in five of those calls are people showing suicial ideation, which is very concerning. The top concerns we are seeing are financial difficulties, mental health struggles, succession planning, and weather issues.

“We have seen a 55% increase in counselling referrals and a 54% rise in the overall business mentoring support we provide. There is an awful lot for farmers to navigate, but we can work alongside them to offer support.”

He said Rural Support are proud to support the Mind Your Head campaign, adding that farmers need to reach out for help when they need it, and must treat their mental wellbeing as seriously as physical safety on the farm.

Advertisement

Gyles added: “Farming is hard work, seven days a week, with many farmers working 60+ hours a week. Many are struggling with rural isolation, alongside financial stress and uncertainty.

Weather makes a significant difference to farming practises. Then you have family succession pressures, and unfortunately 91% of farmers now see mental health as one of the biggest hidden challenges in the industry.

“In bygone days, farmers would have had employees to help out on the farm. Mechanisation has helped tremendously, but the issue now is because farm incomes over the past two years have not been so good, you’re finding a lot of farms are having to cut back on employee labour. They’re working longer hours themselves, which causes a rise in fatigue and the possibility of farm accidents increasing.

“Farmers generally put themselves last, they put their animals first, and they don’t know how to switch off. They are very resilient people and will go a long way before they actually go out and ask for help.”

Advertisement

The latest research from the Farm Safety Foundation found that overall wellbeing within the farming community lags behind the UK general population and has fallen to its lowest point in four years. This is measured by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), a widely used national measure of positive mental health.

Mental wellbeing among farmers over 40 years old hits a four-year low, with the sharpest decline being among those aged 61 – historically the most resilient group. Until recently, this age group consistently reported mental wellbeing levels above the UK average – a sign of resilience in one of the toughest professions. But that resilience is now under severe strain.

As for the support provided by the charity Rural Support in Northern Ireland, Gyles said: “We provide support through community-based counselling and business mentoring, we will go out to a farm and provide that support there.

“Farmers feel safe in their own environment, and if we can meet them in their own environment, then that tends to drop the barriers a little bit more, and they feel more open to talk, and it combats that rural isolation part as well.

Advertisement

“We also have a crisis support and non-crisis support platform. So the crisis support platform consists of business mentors and mental health counsellors who provide that service directly on farm to farmers, and then we have sort of the non-crisis side of things which is the likes of Plough On groups which are to combat loneliness.”

Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “Over the past nine years, we have made significant strides in raising awareness and improving education around mental health. However, when it comes to suicide prevention, progress has been far more limited.

“While agriculture in the UK benefits from rural support groups and charities who deliver vital, high-quality support, a critical gap remains: there is still very little suicide prevention training tailored specifically for those working in agriculture.

“Farming brings a unique set of pressures – long hours, isolation, financial uncertainty, generational expectations and physical risk. Conversations about suicide in rural communities require approaches that are real, relatable and rooted in lived experience. Without training designed for the realities of agricultural life, we risk leaving those most vulnerable without the tools they need to recognise warning signs and intervene effectively.”

Advertisement

Stephanie continued: “Farming is tough. Long hours, hard graft and a mindset that says ‘just get on with it.’ That grit is admirable – but it is also why some farmers leave it too late to ask for help.

“As we enter 2026, we want to address the issue of suicide awareness and prevention. Too many farming families are quietly carrying the weight of crisis and loss. The message this year is simple: learn the steps, start conversations earlier and look out for each other. When communities know what to say and what to do, lives can be saved.”

To find out more about Rural Support, click here. You can also call their confidential helpline on 08001381678.

Anyone who needs to talk to someone about mental health issues can call the Samaritans on 116123 or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.

Advertisement

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Michelin guide 2026: All of London’s one, two and three star restaurants

Published

on

Michelin guide 2026: All of London's one, two and three star restaurants

For the first time, it was the turn of Ireland to host the Michelin guide as it announced its UK and Ireland guide for 2026, announced tonight in The Convention Centre in Dublin.

London fared well, with nine new one star restaurants, and two new two stars. The only restaurant to lose its star this year was Humo in Mayfair, which held a star in 2024 and 2025. Club Gascon has also not made the guide, though this is likely because it has announced it is to close next month.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Alan Shearer says Chelsea and England star is in ‘horrible position’ | Football

Published

on

Alan Shearer says Chelsea and England star is in 'horrible position' | Football
Premier League legend and former England striker Alan Shearer (Picture: Getty)

Alan Shearer says Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer has been in a ‘horrible position’ due to his reoccurring injury problems.

Palmer has started less than half of Chelsea’s Premier League games this season as he has been dogged by a persistent groin injury.

The 23-year-old, a former Premier League Young Player of the Season, scored a hat-trick in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Wolves on Saturday.

Those three goals almost doubled Palmer’s tally for the season, taking him from four Premier League goals to seven.

Advertisement

Premier League record goalscorer and ex-England striker Shearer had his fair share of injury setbacks during his career and says he ‘hated’ being in the position Palmer has found himself in this season.

‘It was really interesting listening to Cole Palmer after the [Wolves] game saying he’s having to manage his injury in a specific way,’ Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast.

‘I hated being in that position as a player, when you know you need to get through an injury and you’re not being able to train as much as you want.

Get your football fix

Don’t want to miss the week’s biggest football stories? Metro’s exclusive football newsletter, In The Mixer, is your essential guide.

Advertisement

From the latest transfer rumours and managerial moves to analysis of the biggest games and a lot more, our experts have you covered.

Sign up here, it’s an open goal.

Advertisement
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Premier League
Cole Palmer scored a hat-trick as Chelsea thumped Wolves (Picture: Getty)

‘You get to the game, then you’re back to square one when it’s feeling okay. It’s a horrible position to be in that so the sooner he gets over that the better.’

Gary Lineker, who believes he suffered the exact same issue as Palmer, added: ‘I know that injury, funnily enough, I spent a year at Everton with that injury.

‘It was exactly the same as Cole Palmer’s one, it was niggly and I never trained, and that’s why people used to say he never trains, he just has a bath every day.

‘There was a reason for that. I was struggling. It never stopped me from playing, I could always play through it, but the niggle was there all of the time.

‘It wasn’t really until I had a break after the World Cup that it went away.

Advertisement

‘It’s a weird one, because it niggles you, once you play, you’re alright, but you can do something, and it stiffens up. It sounds like Cole is going through the same thing.’

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior hailed Palmer as ‘world-class’ and ‘unstoppable’ following his hat-trick against bottom-placed Wolves.

‘We know what a world-class player he is,’ the new Stamford Bridge manager said. ‘He’s played a lot of football over the last year with not much rest.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video

Advertisement

‘When he’s at his best, he’s unstoppable. I’m delighted to be working with him.’

Speaking at his pre-Leeds United press conference on Monday afternoon, Rosenior confirmed Palmer came out of the Wolves win unscathed and was fit to start at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Advertisement

‘Cole is available for tomorrow,’ Rosenior said. ‘I think any world-class player is important to what you want to achieve.

‘So for me, it’s been great to see him enjoying his football and on Saturday it’s been great to see him banging in the goals and hopefully his form continues in that way.’

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Premier League
Chelsea have largely impressed under Liam Rosenior (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League ahead of their clash with 16th-placed Leeds, one point outside the top-four places.

Palmer’s injury issues earlier in the season appeared to put his World Cup hopes in jeopardy but Danny Murphy says he is a ‘sure thing’ to be picked by England if he stays fit.

‘If he’s impacting games, like we know he can, from now to the end of the season, he’s a sure thing to be in the squad,’ the former Liverpool and England midfielder told BBC Sport.

Advertisement

‘He can play wide, he can play as a 10. He’s just so good on the ball and classy and simply doesn’t fear anybody.

Leeds United v Chelsea - Premier League
Leeds United beat Chelsea at Elland Road (Picture: Getty)

‘Even if you bring him off the bench, you know he can do unbelievable things. He can win you a game in a heartbeat.’

Chelsea suffered a shock defeat to Leeds United the last time these two sides met in what turned out to be one of Enzo Maresca’s final games in charge.

The west Londoners have largely impressed since Rosenior replaced Maresca last month, winning seven of their last nine games, with the only two setbacks coming in either leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal.

‘I know they’re out of the Carabao Cup but he’s had a rally good start,’ Shearer said of Rosenior, who left French side Strasbourg to take charge of Chelsea.

Advertisement

‘They’ve got Leeds and Burnley next [in the Premier League] as well so it might get a bit tougher after that.

‘It’s been really good because you do feel like there’s some people who are waiting for Rosenior to fail but he can’t control that.

‘You can do and say whatever you like if you’re winning games. It’s going well for him.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Advertisement

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
FacebookTwitter and Instagram
.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025