“We are one of the worst-affected municipalities, right on the front line of the fire,” Manuel Martinez, mayor of the town Marcheprime, told outlet Franceinfo earlier this morning.

He described it as a “wildfire unlike anything we’ve seen before” that officials are working to understand.

“We are at war with an enemy,” he said, calling for more resources for firefighters.

Captain Wilfried Schneider of SDIS 33, the Gironde Fire and Rescue Service, told the AFP news agency yesterday that the biggest blaze was burning between Marcheprime and Pierroton, on the outskirts of the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

The Gironde prefecture said this morning that the huge wildfire remains “stabilised” following a “calm” night. Overnight flare-ups were brought under control, officials said, adding that the number of firefighters injured has risen to 93.

The Michelin-starred celebrity chef Marco Pierre White visited the Crown Inn at Boroughbridge as part of a launch of two gourmet sausages he helped created for the Coaching Inn Group.

The Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge, part of the group’s Premium Collection, welcomed Mr White for the launch, where he spent the day tasting and discussing the dishes with senior executive chef Malcolm Storey.

Malcolm Storey said: “Marco has always been a huge personal inspiration to me, and he’s definitely someone that so many of our chefs across the group look up to.

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“Being able to spend time with him and to work with him to bring this to life has definitely been a career highlight.”

The Chef, the first British chef to achieve three Michelin stars, developed the Bulldog Hotdog and the Coachman’s Hotdog in collaboration with Mr Storey.

Marco Pierre White said: “Together, we’ve created two distinct dishes that celebrate quality ingredients, bold flavours and the joy of sharing great food.

“It was a pleasure to visit The Crown Hotel recently, where my father used to be the head chef, to try the new anniversary hot dogs and chat with the team about the inspiration behind them.”

Marco Pierre White in the kitchen at The Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge. (Image: The Coaching Inn Group)

Both dishes feature premium bratwursts supplied by Mr White and Farmhouse Cuisine.

The Bulldog Hotdog includes a smoked bratwurst topped with pulled beef, crispy onions, garlic mayo and mustard.

The Coachman’s Hotdog features a smoked chicken bratwurst with barbecue sauce, melted cheese, bacon crumb and crispy onions.

The signature hot dogs are now available at selected Coaching Inn Group locations across the country.

Firefighters continue to battle vast wildfires that are tearing through European holiday hotspots, forcing thousands of people in France and Spain to flee. 

Massive blazes have been burning in the French areas of Gironde and Landes, with some 4,000 people evacuated on Tuesday from tourist sites on France’s Atlantic coast.

The Gironde fires have proven to be wildly unpredictable, transforming at times into self-forming fire storms that have burned an area four times the size of Paris.  

Several sites in neighbouring Spain have continued to burn, with several areas still out of control as the country braces for another intense heatwave. 

Portugal remains on high alert as flames tore through its northern district of Braga on Monday. 

Meanwhile, Italy grappled with fires in tourist destinations, including Sicily, Puglia and Tuscany. 

The return of scorching temperatures across the continent this week complicates efforts to fight the massive flames raging through Europe – with weather forecasters predicting temperatures could reach 40C in some parts of France on Tuesday. 

Thousands of Brits caught up in the devastating wildfires across Europe have been urged to follow evacuation instructions, with European relations minister Hamish Falcone stressing the importance of following travel advice. 

French state authorities have suggested those with upcoming trips to the areas affected cancel their holidays altogether, leaving several Brits facing a battle to claim costs. 

Sophie Brocas, the prefect of Gironde, which is at the centre of the blaze, said on Sunday: ‘I urge tourists not to come to this region, at least until the situation is under control. 

A forest fire rages in Saint-Jean-d’Illac, some 30km from Bordeaux

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A handout photo made available by SDIS 33, the official fire and rescue department for the area of Gironde, of firefighters taking a break in a forest

France 

France is going through an unprecedented wildfire season. 

On Tuesday, French authorities ordered the evacuation of nearly 4,000 people from campsites, tourist residences, holiday villages and leisure parks around Lacanau on France’s Atlantic coast. 

Several flare-ups were detected overnight north of Le Porge and in dunes north of Cap Ferret but were brought under control by firefighters, authorities said. 

‘We are at a point of fragility,’ Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for France’s national firefighters federation, told BFMTV on Tuesday. ‘We will continue attacking this fire despite the forecast rise in temperatures.’ 

The Bordeaux area – famed for its countless vineyards – is forecast to reach 33 degrees on Tuesday, piling pressure on crews battling the flames. 

‘The situation we ​are dealing with today is the most severe we have ever ⁠recorded, the toughest since the Second World War,’ President Emmanuel Macron, ​who flew to the area, said on Monday evening.

Fire crews had contained the ​blaze overnight, but the situation remained difficult, Nathalie Delattre, Senator for Gironde, which covers the city of Bordeaux, said.

‘Everything will depend on how the firefighters on the ground get ​on,’ she told BFM TV on Tuesday.

The ‌Landes ⁠area, southwest of Bordeaux, is covered by pine forests, which become highly flammable when dry. The fire has burned down 42,000 hectares so far. 

In the area of Biscarrosse, ​a town about ​40 km south, ⁠which was hit by another wildfire last week, the situation has improved, and some 15,000 evacuated people were gradually ​allowed back home in the town and a campsite ​nearby, the ⁠local administration said on X.

‘However, (the favourable) development does not mean the risk has been eliminated. Flare-ups remain possible, particularly due to weather conditions (wind, drought, etc.),’ it ⁠said.

Temperatures ​were set to increase in the region ​from the afternoon and peak at 37 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, weather office Meteo France said.

A drone view shows a burnt building in an area affected by a wildfire, in Le Porge, Gironde

A De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 Dash 8 operated by the French civil defense agency drops fire retardant as wildfires rage near Le Las, outside Bordeaux, France

firefighter stands before flames as a forest fire rages in Saint-Jean-d’Illac, some 30km from Bordeaux

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Spain 

As Spain entered its fourth heat wave of the summer on Tuesday, several blazes were still out of control. 

Hundreds of firefighters backed by military emergency brigades and water-dropping aircraft continued battling several major wildfires in Spain, including the largest ever recorded in the fire-prone country.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said Tuesday that nonstop work through the night left him ‘reasonably positive,’ but warned that conditions could deteriorate as temperatures rose again.

Spain’s national weather service said the country was entering its fourth heat wave of the summer Tuesday, with temperatures expected to exceed 40 C (104 F) in some areas.

Authorities have evacuated some 79,000 people and ordered another 30,000 to remain in their homes during an unprecedented crisis that prompted the government to declare a national emergency for wildfires for the first time.

The greatest concern remained two large fires that had at times come close to merging into a single mega-blaze in wooded hills about an hour’s drive west of Madrid.

Another fire in the eastern province of Castellón also forced mass evacuations.

Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit (UME) shows UME personnel fighting a wildfire near Navas del Rey, 55 kilometers southwest of Madrid

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Members of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) utilize controlled burns to halt the spread of wildfires in the Madrid border region on July 28, 2026 in Cebreros, Avila 

A bar is burnt out in Pantano de San Juan following wildfires on July 27, 2026 in Pelayos de la Presa, in Madrid province, Spain

A burned residential plot is seen following wildfires on July 28, 2026 in Pelayos de la Presa, in Madrid province, Spain

Firefighters use controlled burning to halt a wildfire that continues to spread near Cebreros, in Avila province, Spain, Tuesday, July 28,

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A fire burning through hilly, rural terrain in Ávila, west of Madrid, has become Spain’s largest on record, scorching more than 193 square miles, the government said. That is five times the size of Barcelona.

‘Look at how the valley is burned. Look at the houses, the people,’ said David Gonzalez, a 48-year-old gardener who used his van to deliver supplies to firefighters in Ávila.

‘We are feeling a lot of anger and helplessness. It’s something inhuman,’ he said.

Fires have burned 590 square miles this year in Spain — six times the area scorched by blazes in the first half of 2025, said Sara Aagesen, the ecology minister.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for a national pact to fight wildfires made worse by climate change.

Portugal 

Over in neighbouring Portugal, a wildfire burned through the Braga district in the north of the country. 

More than 100 firefighters were battling the flames in Vila Verde on Monday evening. 

The country’s northern and central districts all remain on high alert for potential wildfires as temperatures continue to soar. 

Italy 

Meanwhile in Italy, a huge wildfire that hit Italy’s Mediterranean coast saw hundreds of people evacuated from beaches in the seaside town of Peschici in Puglia on Monday. 

According to Mayor Luigi D’Arenzo, Canadair aircraft dropped water bombs to extinguish flames in forested areas. 

Sicily, Calabria, Molise, Sardinia, Umbria and Tuscany – all of which host thousands of tourists in the summer months – have also been affected by flames. 

irefighter crews launched an aerial and ground response to contain a wildfire that broke out in scrubland near Torretta, outside Palermo on the island of Sicily

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Brits affected by wildfires 

As Europe continues to burn, British tourists could face a battle to claim back the cost of their holidays.

French state authorities have urged those with upcoming trips booked to cancel their holidays altogether. 

But while the Foreign Office has updated its travel guidance to France and Spain, it has not officially told Brits not to visit affected areas. 

This means insurance companies will not refund British tourists who cancel their trips, the trade body for UK insurance has warned. 

Speaking to The Telegraph, Fraser Lyall, general insurance senior policy advisor at the Association of British Insurers, said: ‘We understand that people will be concerned about travelling to areas affected by wildfires and may be thinking about cancelling their holiday.

‘If you’re considering cancelling flights or accommodation, you should speak to your insurer before making any changes, as policies generally only cover cancellations under very limited circumstances – such as if you or a family member fall ill and can’t travel.’

Around 4,000 are being evacuated from campsites, tourist residences, holiday villages and leisure parks

French authorities have ordered the emergency evacuation of 4,000 people from popular holiday spots along the Atlantic coast, as worsening weather threatens to feed raging wildfires.

The urgent clearance impacts campsites, holiday villages, tourist apartments, and leisure parks around Lacanau. Officials in the Gironde prefecture confirmed the order covers the popular seaside resort of Lacanau-Océan, alongside communities situated on both shores of Lake Lacanau.

Tourists and locals have been instructed to pack essential personal belongings, follow emergency instructions closely, and keep clear of the area until official clearance is granted.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared the wildfire disaster the “most difficult situation” the country has faced since the Second World War, as total evacuations across south-western France surged past 260,000. In nearby Bordeaux, Mayor Thomas Cazenave confirmed authorities are planning for “all eventualities” and setting up facilities to “accommodate a large number of people should further evacuations be ordered”.

The devastation continues to spread across Europe, with 63,000 people forced to flee their homes near Madrid in neighbouring Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez branded the catastrophic blazes “the most painful expression of the climate emergency”.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to bring in emergency legislation in order to stop the early release of hundreds of prisoners.

Burnham announced last week that he was pausing the scheme, which would have seen about 700 prisoners freed in the first phase in September, following a backlash from survivors and victims.

But the Conservatives say the government’s review will not stop offenders being released.

The scheme was part of a bid to stop unprecedented overcrowding, which Labour says was caused by Conservative governments failing to build new prisons.

A Labour spokesperson said: “It’s this government that is fixing the Tories’ mess.”

On Tuesday, Burnham said: “It is a challenging situation and we shouldn’t actually be in this position as a country, but we have to deal with the reality of where we are.

“But I will do anything I can to minimise risk to the public and that is why I am looking again and why I have put the release plan for September on hold and we’ll make further statements on this in due course.”

Early release was used by the Conservative government, external in 2023 because of prison overcrowding, first for 18 and then 70 days, and 10,000 prisoners had been released early by June 2024 – before Labour came to power.

When Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street in July 2024, there were fewer than 100 spare prison places across the adult male estate, which is what prompted the Sentencing Act to release another 6,000 prisoners early from September.

While the act already excludes some of the most serious and dangerous offenders, such as murderers serving life sentences or those on extended sentences, the eligibility for early release is based on the length of fixed sentence, external, rather than the type of offence.

That means some criminals convicted of serious sexual and violent offences who have a fixed release date will leave prison earlier than they had expected – although subject to monitoring and risk of recall to prison.

Badenoch is calling on Burnham to fast-track legislation to keep serious offenders behind bars.

Speaking at a press conference alongside victims who could be impacted by the changes, the Conservative leader said: “It’s quite clear that the prime minister sees that this is a problem, but I don’t think he knows what to do about it.”

She said she was concerned the pause would be “yet another thing where there will be warm words and nothing happens”.

Without emergency legislation, Badenoch says dangerous offenders will start to be released the day after MPs return to Parliament after the summer recess on Tuesday 1 September.

She is calling on Burnham to revoke legislation coming into effect on 2 September and if necessary recall Parliament to ensure the worst violent and sexual offenders are exempted from early release.

Asked if the problem of prison overcrowding was a failing of the last Conservative government, she said the “crisis” had been “long time coming”.

“We did something, it wasn’t enough, I’m sorry about that,” she said, adding: “I can’t fix the past, what I can do is come up with solutions.”

She said that to solve the problem of prison overcrowding in the long-run, the public needed to accept that some prisons would have to be built in their communities.

She also urged the government to consider renting prison places overseas.

Successive UK governments have explored the idea of sending prisoners to Estonia, however in 2025 the BBC was told that Conservative and Labour ministers had decided the plans would be too expensive.

Earlier this month, the Conservative front bench sought to put pressure on the government to rethink the earlier release plans, saying that it would mean some rapists would leave prison sooner than expected.

The government stood by the plan, saying it was a political choice to manage offenders on strict conditions in the community, rather than see the collapse of the system, leaving sex offenders and others to act with impunity.

Burnham’s decision to pause the scheme came after criticism from the family of Thames Valley Police officer Andrew Harper, who was killed in Berkshire in 2019 when he was dragged by a car down a country road by three teenagers.

Two of the killers of PC Harper, who were both sentenced to 13 years in prison, would have benefited from the scheme from June 2027, when the longest fixed sentences would have been added.

PC Harper’s widow Lissie called the plans “deplorable” and said politicians were “making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences” for the families of victims.

Defending the review of the Sentencing Act that has been announced by Burnham, a Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Conservatives have some nerve.

“During their 14 years in office, they shut 23 prisons, created just 482 jail places, and granted early release to 10,000 prisoners – leaving the criminal justice system teetering on verge of collapse.

“It’s this government that is fixing the Tories’ mess. We have already delivered over 3,000 prison places and we’re investing billions to deliver thousands more.”

Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller MP said: “The reality is that in a properly functioning justice system, no victim or loved ones should ever be told that their perpetrator is being released earlier than expected.

“Unfortunately, the Conservatives left our prisons on the brink of collapse, creating a capacity crisis that required emergency action to keep the system functioning and the public safe.

“Now that the government claims to have increased prison capacity, there is a clear opportunity for Burnham to correct some of the mistakes made by his predecessors with this scheme.”

Reform UK’s Home Affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf said the “disastrous” policy had been introduced by the Tories, and Badenoch had in 2024 supported efforts to expand it.

“It’s clear that only one party has consistently opposed early release and proposed strong law and order reforms to ensure hardened criminals are locked up for the full duration of their sentences,” Yusuf said in a statement.

“Only Reform UK will fix lawless Britain,” the party’s Home Affairs spokesperson added.

Temperatures in London are set to soar to as high as 35C this week as the country braces for its fourth heatwave of the summer.

The capital is expected to see bright sunshine and sweltering highs from Tuesday, with the forecast showing expected highs of a sizzling 29C.

Wednesday will see temperatures reaching their peak of well over 30C, according to the Met Office, before they begin to slowly fall to around 27C on Thursday.

An amber heat alert is in place for the city from Wednesday morning, with health bosses warning of increased risks for vulnerable people because of the extreme heat.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) also said it had attended more than 1,300 incidents, including grass fires and a person rescued from the Thames, over the weekend as a result of the heat.

The service said it handled 2,729 emergency calls between Friday and Sunday, and firefighters attended 1,345 incidents across the capital, including a grass fire which destroyed 10 acres in Rainham, a hectare of grassland alight in Croydon, and blazes at flats, homes, sheds, a bakery and a storage unit. The Brigade’s fire boat crews also rescued a person in the Thames near Battersea Pier.

https://www.meteoblue.com/en/products/cityclimate/widget/london?heading=1&webcams=1&share=1&info=1&autowidth=auto#10.32/51.5295/-0.1383

Forecasters said the summery weather will continue into the weekend, but temperatures will ease a little to around 26C.

The UKHSA said: “The existing yellow heat-health alert for the East Midlands, East of England, South East and London has been upgraded to amber and will be in place from 9am on Wednesday 29 July until 9am on Thursday 30 July.

“A yellow heat-health alert will remain in place for Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands and South West regions for the same time period.

“There is no alert in place for the North East and North West regions.”

It comes after England marked the hottest June on record and the second warmest in Wales, with a new record temperature provisionally set in Lingwood, in Norfolk as the mercury climbing to 37.7C.

It is the fourth time this summer that temperatures have soared to heatwave levels, with record-breaking temperatures for the month in both May and June and another significant hot spell in mid-July.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster Gregory Wolverson said: “This is a short-lived spell of heat, but temperatures will climb quickly through the first half of the week, particularly in the South East.

“By Wednesday, some areas could see temperatures in the mid-30Cs, and while the heat will not be widespread across the whole of the UK, it will be enough for parts of the South East to likely meet official heatwave criteria by Thursday.

“Elsewhere, the weather will be more changeable, and the change to cooler, more unsettled conditions will arrive sooner from the north and west, with a mix of sunshine and showers.

“Across northern areas, it is possible there will be heavier showers with a small risk of isolated thunderstorms through the week.”

The Love Island finale can be a fairly dull conclusion to the ITV2 dating show, but this year host Maya Jama aired out the dirty laundry from two months in caffeinated captivity.

Before Julia and Lorenzo were crowned the winners of the 2026 run, the finale adopted a reunion-style format, with Jama roving the axed Islanders for gossipy tidbits.

Among them were Priya and Aidan, who shocked the gathered fans of the show by confirming they have rekindled their rocky romance.

The business development manager, 25, was also asked about a comment she made on fellow bombshell Elicia’s job at the National Rail, which was accused of being ‘classist’ by ITV2 viewers at the time.

Priya received pushback from the Murphy brothers and viewers after saying Elicia should ‘go back’ to her job at National Rail, instead of talking about her on Aftersun.

Kavan responded: ‘There’s nothing wrong with working on the National Rail,’ while his partner Jasmine and fellow Islander Mica laughed at Priya’s comment.

RMT Union, which represents rail workers, reshared the video to their Instagram, followed by clips of workers on the train lines, ending with the message: ‘Rail workers and proud.’

Ticketing service Trainline similarly responded with a tongue-in-cheek TikTok clip, captioned, ‘Come for Elicia, come for us all’, showing a staffer holding up company merch.

Priya later apologised for her comment on Aftersun, saying it was ‘completely out of line’ and ‘catty’, noting emotions had become ‘heightened’ in the villa.

Jama addressed the controversy head-on during the finale, asking Priya if there was anything she wanted to say directly to Elicia, after which she directly apologised. 

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‘It was obviously not meant to be a job-shaming comment,’ Priya explained. ‘At the end of the day, I was telling you, go back to your day job and kind of keep my name out of your mouth. 

‘That was where I was coming from. It has nothing to do with where you work. I sell eye drops for a living. You could have worked at Boots. You could have worked anywhere.’

Priya meant go back to your job rather than slagging her off. And tbf she isn’t wrong?? Isnt the National Rail always late or some crap. More staff the better😭😭 #LoveIsland #LoveIslandUK

— Arooj♡ (@anxmkhanox) July 27, 2026

I don’t even like Priya, but come on. The British public wouldn’t survive watching any other franchise. The comment was basically just saying, “Go back to your day job instead of chatting shit.” It wasn’t that deep. She’s apologised 100 times now #loveisland

— lay (@Sophiebaekk) July 27, 2026

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She reiterated: ‘I was mainly just referencing, go back to your job and keep my name out of your mouth. That was kind of what I was saying,’ at which point Aidan felt the need to intervene and said: ‘Okay, Priya, okay darling, okay darling!’

In response, an ill Elicia said: ‘I feel like a few years back, I’d have probably reacted the same way, shouting and going about that.

‘So, I sort of understand the reaction. I’m proud of my job and I work my a*** off. There’s no hard feelings; we’ve swept everything under the rug. She’s an amazing person!’

MORE: Legendary children’s TV star Ronnie Le Drew who voiced puppet Zippy dies aged 78

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MORE: Billionaire Lord Alan Sugar has beef with ITVX ‘after paying £5 a month’

MORE: Awkward moment Reform UK MP’s private comment slating GMB is heard by everyone

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Munchetty added: “Live news, great conversations and connecting with audiences are what I love most about broadcasting, and 5 Live does all of that brilliantly. It has been a privilege to be part of the BBC Breakfast TV team for the past 17 years, working alongside an incredibly talented and hard-working group of journalists who are not only outstanding colleagues but also great friends.

When Ben Ofoedu’s 16-year relationship with TV presenter Vanessa Feltz ended in 2023, he walked away without the two things he longed for the most – a wife and a family of his own.

Now, after finding love with beauty entrepreneur Vanessa Brown, whom he affectionately calls ‘Vanessa 2.0’ and married last year in a lavish £100,000 ceremony at the Rose Castle in Cumbria, the Phats & Small singer, 54, says there is just one dream to fulfil – becoming a father.

To mark the couple’s first wedding anniversary at the weekend, Ben took the proactive step to see if fatherhood is still within his reach.

Ofoedu visited the Bridge Clinic in London for a check-up.

He tells me: ‘I am 23 years older than my partner, and I decided that I should go and get checked out as it hasn’t happened yet. I want to start a family, and a lot of males don’t go and get checked out to make sure that everything’s kind of working properly.’

The singer, whose hits include Turn Around, adds: ‘Sometimes with males they just assume it’s the female – “Oh, she can’t conceive” and it could be him that’s the problem. So for a man like me, I’m an advocate for going and getting checked out.’

Ben got engaged to Vanessa Feltz in 2006, but they called off the engagement in 2023 

Ben’s openness has won the support of his wife, as he admits: ‘I think she’s fine because she’s so much younger than me. So I feel it would just be down to me on whether we can conceive.’

It’s an anxious time for Ben as he waits to receive his results this week. ‘I feel for once in my life, I’m taking charge of my destiny. I was advised that if there was a problem, there’s a lot of contributing factors that can be reversed.’

The hardest part of the process, he admits, was before the test itself: ‘I’ve had to abstain for five days, which has been very difficult.’

Dine and dash gang hit celeb seaside spot

Its picturesque beaches have attracted everyone from Jack Whitehall to Winston Churchill, the Beatles to Dame Agatha Christie.

However, it appears that less welcome characters visited Bigbury-on-Sea in Devon on Saturday night, where staff at the popular Oyster Shack restaurant fell victim to a ‘dine and dash’ gang that left owners £600 out of pocket.

A spokesman for the restaurant said: ‘It’s incredibly upsetting for our staff, who worked hard to provide a warm welcome and great service, only to have their trust abused.’

The Oyster Shack’s owner Kieron Vanstone attempted to reach out to the group of six, who booked the table over the phone.

Devastated Kieron reveals: ‘They answered the first call and said, “We’re in church at the moment, we’ll call you back.”’

Rivals stars honour Dame Jilly at polo

It was a bittersweet International Day at Guards Polo Club in Windsor, where bonkbuster queen Dame Jilly Cooper presented the Coronation Cup last year.

Dame Jilly died suddenly last October aged 88 and cast members of Rivals, the hit Disney+ series based on her novels, including Emily Atack, attended the polo event at the weekend to celebrate her legacy.

The Coronation Cup was presented by Rivals star Katherine Parkinson to winners England.

‘It’s a very poignant day as we remember Dame Jilly,’ said Anna Hall, chief executive of the Hurlingham Polo Association, the sport’s governing body.

‘She was the one who brought so many of us together.’

Katherine Parkinson, who presented the Coronation Cup at International Day at Windsor’s Guards Polo Club, poses with Ned Hine, a professional polo player

Dame Jilly Cooper smiles for the camera with professional polo player Tommy Beresford at last year’s International Day – which was her last public appearance

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Dame Penelope Keith’s funeral at Guildford Cathedral today may reignite a long-running row. The star’s former peers at the Actors’ Benevolent Fund are said to have no intention of letting the controversy surrounding her departure as president of the charity in 2022 fade away. 

An insider tells me: ‘It’s [the funeral] bringing to a head some of the issues in this situation that have been quietly ongoing.’

And they said it wouldn’t last! Russell T Davies, 63, caused a furore when I disclosed he was dating Australian waiter and aspiring model Oliver Cole, who at 27 is 36 years his junior.

But perhaps age really is just a number for the couple, as the former Doctor Who screenwriter shared a picture online of the pair celebrating their first anniversary during the weekend at Mountain Restaurant in Soho, London.

Russell T Davies, 63, is dating Australian waiter and aspiring model Oliver Cole, 27

Helen’s heartbreak cure

Call The Midwife star Helen George says starring in High Society has proved the perfect remedy for heartbreak.

The 42-year-old, who recently split from property executive Dan Innes, is touring the UK with the musical and says her castmates have helped ease the pain of the break-up. George, who plays Tracy Lord, said: ‘The character is really fun. She gets drunk and she’s silly onstage. I’m lucky because the cast are so much fun. We make each other laugh.

‘When you’re going through a break-up, do a musical, it’s the best.’

The arrival of the romantic period drama Mr Malcolm’s List to the BBC iPlayer delighted fans but it also stirred up its star Zawe Ashton to call out the TV industry’s long-standing exclusion of brown and black actors from the genre. 

Zawe Ashton stars as Julia Thistlewaite, a society lady jilted by London’s most eligible bachelor Mr Malcolm

The actress, 42, who is of Ugandan and English descent, says ‘by locking us out of the sandbox of period television, they were denying us our right to our softness, our tenderness’. 

Zawe, who is engaged to Tom Hiddleston, adds: ‘We deserve to play, to romance, to wear the whimsical costumes, the bonnets, to mess up or succeed delightfully, regally. The door is unlatched. We cannot let it swing again.’