By JOANNA CRAWLEY, DEPUTY SHOWBIZ EDITOR (NEWS)

Published: 12:16 BST, 23 September 2026 | Updated: 13:13 BST, 23 September 2026

The cast of the Celebrity Traitors have already discovered a non-faithful in their midst – the BBC show’s photoshop department.

Maya Jama, 32, and Rob Beckett, two of the 21 stars of the upcoming series, have been left outraged after the BBC released their official headshots for the show this week.

Comedian Rob, 40, took umbrage at his portrait, which features him with a bemused smile on his face. 

Sharing the snap to Instagram, Rob declared: ‘I think there’s a traitor in the photoshop department…. what the f**k has happened to my face.’

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The post prompted his co-star Maya, who is perhaps more used to her glam Love Island photos, to reply with a string of laughing face emojis as she told him ‘they did us all dirty tbh’. 

Rob’s wife, the writer Lou Beckett, saw the funny side, telling him: ‘Our wedding photos are about to get a glow up. I’m using AI to replace you in every photo in the house with this one.’ 

Maya Jama and the cast of the Celebrity Traitors have already discovered a non-faithful in their midst – the BBC show’s photoshop department

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Maya and Rob Beckett, who star on the upcoming series, have been left outraged after the BBC released their official headshots for the show this week

Rob’s close pal and fellow comedian Lloyd Griffith meanwhile decided: ‘you look like you’ve found God’.   

The new series of Celebrity Traitors will begin on October 1, the BBC revealed last week.

Joining Rob and Maya and host Claudia Winkleman in the Scottish Highlands for the second series are Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, James Acaster, James Blunt, Jerry Hall, Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, King Kenny and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.

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Michael Sheen, Miranda Hart, Myha’la, Professor Hannah Fry, Richard E Grant, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Sebastian Croft and Sharon Rooney complete the line up. 

A new explosive trailer released last week showed the stars meeting each other for the first time at the iconic castle as host Claudia declared: ‘The game is on!’

A trailer hinted at the difficult tasks the group had to endure with an exploding pirate ship as the stars have to try and build up the £100,000 cash prize for a chosen charity.

The new trailer showed the players arriving to the castle in their swanky cars before heading to a church as they all take their seats for the first task. 

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Maya then quipped to her fellow players: ‘If this is the last time we are all friends, then good luck!’

The teaser then cut to the first tense Round Table as Claudia told them: ‘I have chosen my Traitors. The game is on!’ 

Comedian Rob took umbrage at his portrait, which features him with a bemused-smile on his face, prompting Maya to comment about her photo

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Rob’s wife, the writer Lou Beckett saw the funny side, telling him: ‘Our wedding photos are about to get a glow up. I’m using AI to replace you in every photo in the house with this one’

The new series of Celebrity Traitors will begin on October 1, the BBC revealed last week

She added: ‘There are now killers among you. People are out there to deceive. Fame won’t save them.’

The series will begin with an extra-long opening episode and the launch night will also see a new bonus special airing. 

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Traitor or Faithful? Claudia Decides will be available on October 1 from 9.15pm on BBC iPlayer. Viewers will find out how Claudia chooses her Traitors in the one-off special. 

The regular series episodes will air two nights a week on Thursday and Friday evenings at 8pm. 

The Celebrity Traitors line-up 2026

 

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 Jerry Hall

Jerry Hall, 70, rose to fame in the Seventies and became one of the era’s most recognisable fashion icons 

Richard E Grant

Richard E Grant, 69, celebrated for his roles in everything from cult classic Withnail & I to modern flicks such as Everybody’s Talking About Jamie 

 James Blunt

James Blunt, 52, shot to global fame with his debut album and the hit single ‘You’re Beautiful’

 Ross Kemp

Ross Kemp, 62, who recently returned to EastEnders to reprise his role as hardman Grant Mitchell, is said to be wanting to ‘challenge himself’

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 Michael Sheen

Michael Sheen, 57, is celebrated for his incredible performances across stage and screen, particularly his work in Good Omens and The Queen

 Rob Beckett

Best friend of fellow Traitors star Romesh, comedian Rob Beckett, 40, is known for his high-energy and booming laugh

 Sharon Rooney

Sharon Rooney, 37, is best known for her breakout role as Rae Earl in the acclaimed series My Mad Fat Diary

 Joanne McNally

Joanne McNally, 43, is known for her brutally honest humour and hilarious takes on dating, chaos, and modern life

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 Amol Rajan

Journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan, 43, has carved out a successful career across major UK media, including radio and television

 King Kenny

King Kenny, 29, is a content creator known for prank videos and street-style social experiments

 Sebastian Croft

Sebastian Croft, 24, is best known for his breakout role as Ben Hope in the Netflix series Heartstopper

  Maya Jama

Maya Jama, 32, is quickly becoming one of the UK’s most popular stars and famously fronts Love Island

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 Miranda Hart

Miranda Hart, 53, broke through with her hit sitcom Miranda which became a resounding success and cemented her as a comedy legend

Romesh Ranganathan

Romesh Ranganathan, 48, has been taking British TV by storm in recent years is known for his deadpan delivery

 James Acaster

Comedian James Acaster, 41, is good friends with Ed Gamble who hosts The Traitors: Uncloaked. The duo present the hit food podcast Off Menu 

 Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey, 22, rose to fame as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones and gained global acclaim for their leading role in The Last Of Us

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 Leigh-Anne Pinnock

Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 34, is known as a member of the girl group Little Mix, who found fame on The X Factor in 2011

 Joe Lycett

From TV stunts to clever public pranks, Joe Lycett, 38, has built a reputation as one of Britain’s most inventive comics

 Hannah Fry

Mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry, 42, is known for turning complex data into content which is engaging to viewers

 Julie Hesmondhalgh

Julie Hesmondhalgh, 56, is best known for her long-running role as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street – the first transgender character in a British soap opera

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 Myha’la

Myha’la, 30, is known for her striking portrayal of brutal fintech expert Harper Stern in the HBO drama Industry

 

Due to high demand from fans for tickets for Oasis Live 27, extra shows have been announced at Knebworth on September 25 and 26, Rome’s Olympic Stadium on July 26 and Munich’s Allianz Arena on July 6.

Alongside this, Oasis will now play Paris on July 20 and 23 because of railway engineering works near the Stade de France venue on July 24.

With the additional dates, Oasis Live 27 will see the band play 42 shows in Scotland, England, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Italy, the US and Ireland.

There will be no further dates added to the tour.

Registration for fans wanting to purchase tickets is now closed.

Successful applicants who have already signed up will be sent a unique, non-transferable code to access an allocated on-sale window.

In the UK, ticket sales will take place on September 25, 26 and 27, with three selling windows each day.

Fans will be informed directly which window they can access, and at what time.

The registration process is the only public way to buy tickets. There will be no general sale or other public presales.

Last week, Oasis Live 27 promoters announced a new approach to live music at Knebworth.

There will be additional transport and accommodation provisions at the Hertfordshire venue, including rail and coach options, as well as a purpose-built campsite village.

Fans are advised not to drive to Knebworth and to instead consider the transport options provided.

The band played two concerts at the venue in August 1996, to an audience of more than 100,000 each night.

Noel Gallagher has ruled out making new music, despite the latest tour.

He told Talksport: “There won’t be any new music, no.”

Asked again about new music, he replied “nah”, and then replied “I don’t know” when questioned whether the band would continue beyond the tour next summer.

Asked when the band decided to do another tour, Gallagher added: “It was after about the second Wembley show.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned French President Emmanuel Macron after he criticised Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank during his address to the UN General Assembly.

“Look at what’s happening in the West Bank, where day in, day out, we are seeing violations. And in the name of what? Hamas was never very active in the West Bank,” Macron said in French, according to the UN’s interpreter.

Netanyahu called the remarks a “grotesque absurdity” and said members of the Palestinian armed group there “carry out attacks against Jews almost every day”.

There was no response from Macron’s office, but one French diplomatic source said there had been a “misinterpretation”.

The source told the Jerusalem Post, external that the meaning of the French sentence spoken by the president, “Le Hamas n’a jamais sévi en Cisjordanie,” was, “Hamas has never governed the West Bank.”

Macron also rejected US President Donald Trump’s assertion that he had ended the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Violence there has continued despite last October’s ceasefire, including almost daily Israeli strikes, while humanitarian conditions remain dire

“Some boast of a supposed peace. But that peace has not reopened humanitarian access for a single second,” he said. “Are we simply to stand by and watch this spectacle that should shame us all?”

After the address, the Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement: “The grotesque absurdity of Emmanuel Macron’s statement is staggering.”

“On Sunday, the eve of [the Jewish holy day of] Yom Kippur, just two days ago, Netanel Shukrun – a French citizen and father of six – was murdered in his car by a Hamas terrorist in Judea and Samaria,” it added, using a biblical term for the West Bank.

“Hamas terrorists carry out attacks against Jews almost every day. They have murdered countless Israeli civilians in Judea and Samaria.”

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, also denounced Macron’s remarks as “out of touch with reality”.

Shukrun, 36, was shot dead when a Palestinian opened fire on a group of Israelis at a spring near the West Bank settlement of Neve Tzuf, according to Israeli police. The suspect was arrested later at a hospital in the city of Ramallah, they said.

Hamas praised the attack but did not say it was behind it.

The group – which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel, France and other countries – is a rival of the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank that are not under Israeli control.

Israel has built about 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews since it occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem – land Palestinians want, along with Gaza, for a hoped-for future state – during the 1967 Middle East war. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside them.

The settlements are illegal under international law.

A former teacher accused of raping three women over a 20-year period is giving evidence at his trial for a second day.

Daniel Gravell is alleged to have raped a teenager at his home in 2001, to have raped a second teenager outside a rugby club in 2005, and to have raped a third woman in a hotel bedroom in 2021.

The 45-year-old defendant denies the allegations, and is on trial at Swansea Crown Court. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter

It is the prosecution case that the 2001 allegation involves a woman who Gravell met on a night out in Carmarthen town centre in the summer of that year. It is said the pair went back to the defendant’s house in nearby Johnston where they engaged in consensual kissing before the woman said she was on her period. The prosecution said at that point Gravell “yanked out” the woman’s tampon and raped her.

The second alleged rape is said to have happened in Carmarthen town centre in the summer of 2005 after Gravell met a teenager outside the Rose and Crown pub on Lammas Street. The court was told that he took her down an alley to the clubhouse of Carmarthen Athletic rugby club where he raped her.

The prosecution said the third alleged rape happened in 2021 and involved a woman the defendant had met on Facebook. It is alleged that when the pair met the defendant drove her to the Baltic Inn hotel in Ponyates, which Gravell was running at the time, and raped her in a bedroom.

Beginning his evidence on Tuesday, the defendant told the court that he grew up in Carmarthen where he attended the local Queen Elizabeth Maridunum School and played rugby for Carmarthen Athletic before going to Cardiff University in September 2001 and training to be a teacher. The defendant said he probably had a reputation around Carmarthen for “sleeping with a lot of girls”.

In response to questions from his barrister Julia Flanagan, Gravell denied the 2001 incident happened at all saying the woman making the allegation had never even been to his house. He denied giving the woman a sexually transmitted disease.

Questioned about the 2005 allegation, Gravell said he met the complainant outside the Rose and Crown pub on Lammas Street in Carmarthen town centre and said they had chatted for around 10 minutes. He described their conversation as “flirty”. The defendant said the pair later had consensual sex.

Asked by his barrister if he was “surprised” to be having sex with someone he had met just 15-20 minutes before, he replied it was “unexpected but not unwelcome” adding it was “not uncommon” for him to have sex with women he had not known for long.

The defendant was also asked about the aftermath of a 2016 trial when he was found not guilty of rape. He told the court he had “naively” thought he would be able to get back to teaching and to a normal life, but he said things were “horrendous” with messages posted about him online, his car vandalised, death threats made, and “Dan G rapist” sprayed around Carmarthen.

The defendant will return to the witness box this morning to continue giving evidence.

Daniel Clive Gravell, of Porth-y-Plas, Johnstown, Carmarthen, denies indecent assault and three counts of rape, and the trial continues.

You can follow today’s evidence on our live court blog below:

Top Simba Sleep discount codes and offers

If you’re looking to upgrade your mattress or replace your bedding ready for the colder months, we’ve found the latest Simba Sleep discount codes to help cut the cost of your next order.

Our deals experts verify and update our Simba Sleep offers daily, hand-testing each code and removing any expired promotions. This page is also refreshed regularly with the latest saving tips, to help you secure top deals.

Read more: Best mattresses, tested by a team of experts

Today’s best Simba Sleep deal

Right now, Simba Sleep’s refurbished mattress section is the best place to look for savings. Prices for hybrid mattresses start at £219, offering an affordable way to try Simba’s premium sleep technology.

Each mattress is professionally cleaned, inspected and quality-checked before being resold. All the refurbished mattresses are covered by Simba’s one-year guarantee and offer a 30-night trial.

If you want to buy new, students and keyworkers can get up to 26 per cent off Simba products, including bedding and mattresses. To unlock this saving, all you need to do is verify your eligibility through the Simba Sleep website.

Best Simba Sleep deals and ways to save

Using a Simba voucher code is an easy way to knock money off your total. However, these aren’t always available, so we’ve found all the ways you can save on your next Simba order.

Simba mattress sales

Occasionally, Simba holds seasonal sales with up to 25 per cent off sleep essentials, including mattresses, pillows, duvets and bedding. You’ll usually see these limited-time promotions during key shopping periods such as Black Friday, January sales and bank holidays.

To make sure you never miss out on a sale, sign up to Simba’s newsletter or check this article for updates.

Simba Sleep refurbished mattresses

If saving money is more of a priority than free extras, consider Simba Sleep’s refurbished mattresses. These renewed mattresses are renovated with new materials and deep cleaned to hospital standards, according to Simba Sleep.

This is one of the best ways to save if no Simba voucher code is available to you. Plus, for extra peace of mind, your refurbished mattress is guaranteed for one year, with a full replacement sent should anything go wrong and the fault meet the brand’s replacement criteria.

Simba Sleep student and keyworker discount

Simba Sleep offers a 26 per cent discount for keyworkers, students and charity workers. All you need to do is verify your eligibility, and you’ll receive exclusive promo codes to use on your next purchase.

Individuals who qualify for this discount include:

Simba Sleep refer a friend scheme

You and a friend can benefit from Simba’s referral scheme, with two free AeroDown pillows for you and two for your friend when they make their first purchase with Simba. Simply register using your email address to get your referral link and start sharing.

Remember that your friend must make their purchase through your referral link for the saving to work. The offer also only applies to orders of more than £300.

Free delivery on Simba Sleep orders

Simba offers free delivery to most UK postcodes. Depending on your order, this may be a one-person delivery to your door or a two-person delivery to a room of your choice. Delivery is usually available next day but may take between three to five days during sale periods.

If you’d rather choose your delivery slot or need your mattress on a specific date, named-day delivery is available for £10. You can also add the mattress setup and responsible packaging removal service for another £10.

Best Simba mattresses tested by our IndyBest team

As part of our review of the best mattresses 2026, the IndyBest team has tested the Simba hybrid essential, hybrid pro and hybrid luxe mattresses. Based on our testing, we think the hybrid essential offers the best value for most sleepers, while the hybrid luxe is worth considering when heavily discounted during seasonal sales.

New Simba mattresses come with a 200-night trial and a 10-year guarantee, giving you plenty of time to test out your new mattress at home. Refurbished mattresses come with a 30-night trial and a one-year guarantee.

Why choose a Simba Sleep mattress?

Simba Sleep 200-night trial and free returns

Simba Sleep offers flexible delivery, long trial periods and generous guarantees, making it easier to buy with confidence.

Simba offers a generous 200-night and free returns, so you’ll have plenty of time to decide whether you’re happy with your new mattress and pillows.

Simba Sleep 10-year guarantee

Simba’s 10-year guarantee gives you peace of mind that if your product fails during that time, it will swap it for a brand-new one. Keep in mind this doesn’t cover ordinary wear and tear or soiled items. However, if it’s a fault such as cracked foam, a broken zip or significant dipping, you may be eligible for a swap.

Helpful FAQs

How do I redeem a Simba Sleep voucher code?

Once you have found the offer you want to use, click the “see code” button to reveal the voucher code and copy it. You will then be redirected automatically to the Simba Sleep homepage, or you can head back to your shopping cart in another tab. When you continue to checkout, you will see a designated “discount code” box – paste your code here and click “apply”.

How can I save with Simba Sleep’s referral programme?

Right now, if you refer a friend to Simba Sleep, you’ll both receive two AeroDown pillows for free when they make a qualifying purchase.

Does Simba offer free returns?

Yes, with Simba’s 200-night trial period, you can return the mattress for free if you decide it isn’t right for you.

Is there a Simba student discount?

Simba Sleep offers a sitewide discount of up to 26 per cent for students and young people aged 18-25. To get this offer, you just need to verify your student status or age through the Simba Sleep website.

Can I combine Simba Sleep promo codes?

You can only apply one Simba Sleep promo code per order, but these can often be stacked with on-site sales. Remember to check the terms and conditions of the code to ensure sale items aren’t excluded.

Does Simba Sleep have sales?

Simba Sleep occasionally runs seasonal sales and promotions. In the past, we’ve seen discounts of up to 25 per cent on bestselling products, including the brand’s popular hybrid mattresses. Along with money-off deals, Simba has also been known to offer freebies such as pillows and mattress protectors with selected orders.

Can I get an NHS discount for Simba Sleep?

Yes, Simba currently offers 26 per cent off everything for keyworkers, including NHS staff, social workers, military personnel, teachers and charity workers. All you need to do to unlock the discount is verify your eligibility on the Simba Sleep website.

How we source the best Simba deals

Deputy IndyBest editor Sabrina Sahota (along with The Independent’s team of deal-hunters) is dedicated to finding you the best savings. As Simba is an IndyBest tried-and-tested brand, we’re always on the hunt for ways to help you shop Simba Sleep products for less.

Our team of deal-hunters search online and through Simba Sleep’s own promotions to bring together the latest discount codes, sales and bundle offers in one place. We review and update this page each week to ensure our readers are getting the latest offers. We also hand-test each discount code and promotion daily, making sure to remove any expired offers and add new ones as they become available.

Why you can trust us

Here at The Independent, we’re dedicated to helping you shop savvily. We only bring you deals from brands that we love and trust, with tried-and-tested reviews on as many products as possible. To sift through dud deals out there, our team of deal-hunters uses their expertise to find the best savings on the best-sellers, trending products and worthy investments.

*Offers are updated daily by our in-house deals team. Check the Simba Sleep website to full terms and conditions of promotions and discounts

Has all this talk of sleep got you feeling cosy? Take a look at our guide to the best weighted blankets to ease stress and anxiety

The most sustainable smartphone is the one you currently own. An estimated 80% of your phone’s negative impact on the environment happens before the first minute of use – before it is even unboxed.

One smartphone contains more than 70 raw materials and more than 50 metals. Many of these need to be mined from the Earth. A standard 200g phone involves extracting resources from more than 200kg of raw materials. That’s equivalent to the weight of 200 standard bags of sugar, 100 bricks or one adult grizzly bear.

The mining of raw materials devastates landscapes, disrupts local water supplies and pollutes ecosystems. Entire communities in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ecuador and Philippines have been displaced to make way for mining sites. Some countries ignore the child labour used in their mining and processing operations.

Many of your phone’s critical raw materials are only found in a handful of places. That means control over those materials matters both economically and politically, creating geopolitical tensions, fragile supply chains, and competition for access. This can fuel conflict.

In short, behind the phone in your hand sits a story that involves environmental damage, pollution, human rights violation and dangerous geopolitics.

A recent survey of 6,000 adults in six countries (the UK, US, France, Germany, Spain and Japan) found that more than half could not name a single raw material in their smartphone. The survey, commissioned by Back Market (a global tech refurbishment company), found that only one in four people feel confident they know what goes into their phone. Seven in ten have never thought to investigate the origins of the device they use every day.

Awareness of the consequences of mining can influence consumers’ decisions. Seven in ten people surveyed said child labour would make them less likely to buy a new phone, while nearly two-thirds are interested in seeing how materials are extracted and processed.

To tackle this gap in awareness, Back Market collaborated with nine international experts, including me, to help build Mine My Phone. This open-access digital hub maps global extraction sites and connects them to the ten key metals inside smartphones: cobalt, lithium, tantalum, gallium, graphite, gold, tin, copper, indium and rare earth elements.

The rare earth elements are a group of 17 metals that include neodymium, cerium and lanthanum. They are common in the Earth’s crust but usually found in small concentrations – only deposits with 5% weight of the metals are financially viable at the moment.

You can use this map to trace your phone’s materials back to their sources. Content can be filtered by type of impact (such as environmental, human or geopolitical), and there are also expert interviews and investigative reports into the conditions found at mining sites around the world.

The metallic element cobalt is an essential component of almost all mobile phone batteries, for example. Some of the cobalt in your phone could have been mined by children as young as six.

Extracting cobalt relies on two very different methods: industrial open-pit mines, which use heavy machinery to break through the earth and pull up the minerals, and artisanal mines, where workers dig by hand with crude tools, with little protective equipment.

À lire aussi :
‘We miners die a lot.’ Appalling conditions and poverty wages: the lives of cobalt miners in the DRC

DRC possesses 50% of the world’s cobalt reserves, and most of what is mined gets shipped to China. There, more than 75% of the global supply of cobalt is refined into pure cobalt, to be used in mobile phones or electric vehicle batteries.

As the richest deposits are used up, production of pure cobalt is expected to start falling after 2030. By 2040, the world’s demand could fall short by around 50,000 tonnes each year.

The future of smartphones

Mine My Phone aims to empower consumers so they can lobby governments all over the world to regulate the technology industry – so that smartphones are built to be upgradable, repairable, re-usable and recyclable.

The smartphone industry needs to change. While some companies are already building new profit models, such as Dutch company Fairphone’s modular designs, the industry’s big players are yet to engage.

Cars last between 12 and 28 years. Smartphones should last for at least ten years.

To avoid unnecessary waste, phones need to be upgradable. In terms of technology, we should be able to put in faster processors or better cameras. When it comes to software, we need guaranteed support for phones for at least ten years.

Phones need to be repairable so that cracked screens, broken electronics and failing batteries can all be replaced easily. More phones could be made to be reusable, just like used cars.

By designing smartphones that are easier to recycle, all their valuable raw materials can be extracted and re-used, rather than typically ending up in landfill in a developing country. Every gram of metal recovered is one less kilogram of rock that has to be dug up.

By HARRY BAMFORTH, LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE REPORTER

Published: 11:49 BST, 23 September 2026 | Updated: 11:55 BST, 23 September 2026

Keely Hodgkinson will be banned from wearing her all-black Nike catsuit at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 due to Team GB‘s sponsorship rules.

The reigning 800-metre Olympic champion donned the ensemble, which pulled over her head and covered her in the sleek material from palms to ankles – except for her almost entirely bare back – for the first time at Athlos in London last week.

She crossed the finish line in one minute 56.40 seconds to mark Athlos’ debut on the international stage with a commanding win.

The one-of-a-kind super suit, which seemingly takes inspiration from Cathy Freeman’s iconic Sydney 2000 number, was engineered by Nike specifically for Hodgkinson.

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When asked if she and all her competitors will be wearing the style in LA in two years’ time, Hodgkinson gave an answer that suggested it could be a possibility.

‘We might know some things that people don’t,’ the track star said. ‘It was a test out there. This is not something we haven’t seen before.’

Keely Hodgkinson will not be allowed to wear her all-black Nike catsuit at the Olympics in 2028

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Hodgkinson wore the suit for the first time at Athlos in London last week and won the 800m

However, unless Nike’s biggest rival, Adidas, knocks up a bespoke version for Hodgkinson ahead of the Games in the United States, then the 24-year-old will not be able to wear such a suit to defend her title.

This is due to Team GB’s longstanding partnership with the German sportswear manufacturer, which spans back to the last Olympics that was held in LA, 42 years ago.

British athletes are required to wear the team racing kit, which is designed by Adidas, when competing for the nation at the Games. ‘Technical’ kit, such as running spikes, are an exception to the rule.

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If Nike does roll out the full-body ‘Zero-Distraction Speed Suit’ to its other athletes, and World Athletics ratifies it for use at the Olympics, then Hodgkinson may indeed watch her competitors take to the track in the eye-catching black catsuit she brought back to life. But she wouldn’t be able to race them in it.

Team GB and Adidas are expected to continue their partnership at the famous multi-sport event in 2028.

A Team GB spokesperson said: ‘Supported by our partners and in tandem with our sports, we have always worked to provide athlete-centred and innovative kit that supports our teams to perform at their best at both the Summer and Winter Games.

Hodgkinson will once again have to wear Team GB’s Adidas kit at the Games in two years

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‘We’re confident and excited about what’s ahead and the developments we’re working towards for future Games, including Los Angeles 2028.’

Hodgkinson admitted she was a ‘little nervous’ to walk out in the speedsuit, which was completed by iridescent spikes, but felt the all-female Athlos meet – where she secured £50,000 in prize money for her win – was the ideal place to debut the ensemble.   

Following her win, she said: ‘Cathy Freeman and some other athletes from a while ago did something like this, and this is the updated new version, with the new technology.

‘(Freeman) was before I was born, but I have seen the race and photos. It was really cool to draw inspiration from the past and make it your own as well. The style was a big thing for me.

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‘I wanted to be comfortable but I wanted to feel a little bit sexy, the back’s open and that makes it feel really cool. It feels like I’m wearing nothing to be honest. I trained in it in South Africa in 37-degree heat and it was OK.’

By LEWIS BROWNING, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 10:50 BST, 23 September 2026 | Updated: 11:50 BST, 23 September 2026

A new Match of the Day-style football show on Disney fronted by Alex Scott has left fans raging after a bizarre debut show on Tuesday evening.

The streaming platform launched ‘The Hangout’, with former Football Focus presenter Scott leading a punditry team of former footballer Lianne Sanderson and influencers Tyra Mills and Alex Bailess.

The aim of the programme was to bring analysis and reaction to the new season of the Women’s Champions League, but it came under fire for a chaotic launch show.

A move to appeal to Gen Z viewers seems to have been made, with discussions about pasta and cucumbers front and centre of its debut episode.

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An influencer dog named Barley was also introduced, with the animal asked to pick the winner of the Champions League through food.

The show featured a ‘watch party’ with Dutch twins Sanne and Merel van Dongen, with Sanne a former basketball player and Merel a footballer.

Disney’s new Women’s Champions League show came under fire for its debut episode

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Fans criticised the chaotic approach to the show, which featured influencers including a dog

One particular clip saw Scott throw the coverage to the duo, and they asked: ‘Do you want some cucumber?’

Scott replied ‘no, a drink,’ and was told that she might ‘get a Coca-Cola’ if she ‘continued doing her work’.

She was then told the water they had could have been vodka, with Barley also present for the watch party.

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Fans were left in disbelief at what was unfolding on social media, with one writing: ‘Disney said they were a brand and ran with it. They thought a revolving sofa and dog would keep the attention of the girls whilst watching the football and stuck an ad mid game because no one’s really watching. You get comments about how empty the stadiums are but how are we growing the game if it’s still being dressed up with a pink bow on the top?

‘Then bored men with no club football will s**g it off because some football account is making fun of it.

‘If we like women’s football, we like it for the game, for the players, for their skill, our clubs. JUST like you would for a men’s game. Disney, the fans of women’s football do not need cute, we’d love impartial analysis, post-match interviews with the team that’s played and less dog.’

Another added: ‘Sorry the dog in the Disney studio for the UWCL coverage is finishing me like am I watching the coverage for the football or Crufts?’

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There was no explanation for why Barley was on the show, though his 137,000 Instagram followers were mentioned.

Barley the dog has 177,000 followers on Instagram but was left scared while on the show

Dutch twins Sanne and Merel van Dongen spoke about cucumber and alcohol on the show

The dog seemed scared by the rotating floor, which was used to move the punditry team from their spot for half-time analysis to the watch party. Barley ran off but was offered pretzels to return.

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The platform also came under fire for showing adverts during the action. One fan on social media posted: ‘Disney + just showing an advert mid champions league game is diabolical.’

Viewers were able to choose what game they wanted to watch, and a three-minute round of adverts was shown during the second-half of Arsenal’s 1-0 win over HB Koge.

Daily Mail Sport understands the adverts shown during the action was not an intended interruption and instead was a technical difficulty and that there are no plans at present to make wholesale changes to the show.

Disney have had the rights to the competition for two years now, with The Hangout new for this year. Live from 5.30pm to 10.30pm, Scott will rotate presenting duties with Shebahn Aherne.

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Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, shared an adorable moment with a little girl who stopped to curtsy at her, and she’d clearly been practising the move for ages at home

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Kate Middleton shared an adorably tender moment with a fan – and people have been fawning over how cute it was. Many royal watchers also appreciated how graceful the Princess of Wales is as she gave time to the young girl.

Looking absolutely breathtaking in a deep plum, plunge-neckline, floor-length gown, Princess Kate can be seen rounding the corner towards some children who wanted to meet her. She’s beaming from ear to ear when she saw them both, as she made her way closer to them. The princess looked genuinely excited to meet her fans, and Prince William was also standing beaming by her side.

However, it was clearly the beautiful princess the little girls wanted to meet, as the first child she came to thrust her hand out excitedly to give something to her.

The little girl, who was dressed in a very sweet, formal dress, gave Princess Kate the gift, and then proceeded to curtsy in front of her – and it was clearly something she’d been practising in her bedroom for a very long time.

The royals had a chat with the little girl, and although the video didn’t quite capture what they were discussing, it was clear the youngster was awestruck.

People noticed that Princess Kate always gives people the time of day, no matter how young, because she just oozes kindness.

Next to her, was another little girl, patiently waiting for her turn to speak to the princess, and more importantly, to give her the flowers that she had brought for her.

Sharing the video on X, a woman wrote: “I cannot stop watching this beautiful moment. The little girl’s sweet curtsy, the flowers, and Catherine’s delighted reaction – it was absolutely precious.

“This is the magic of meeting a real-life princess. Catherine never rushes children – she makes them feel as though they are the most important person in the room. Absolutely beautiful.”

In the comments, people said how “cute” the little girls were. One wrote: “That little girl’s curtsy is absolutely adorable. I bet she practised that hundreds of times.”

Another said: “Immense joy watching these two little cutie pies! Such sweetness and what a fabulous curtsey! Their rehearsals were so lovely to watch, too! Look how happy these THREE Princesses are greeting each other. Their parents must be beaming with pride, cherishing these moments.”

Somebody else even pointed out that “purple is her colour” as she looked beautiful in the gown, and they shared more pictures of Princess Kate wearing this amazing shade in the past.

Not Going Out is the longest-running British sitcom currently on air, with 106 episodes – and counting – spanning two decades. 

Created by Lee Mack in 2006, the BBC show followed unambitious layabout Lee (Mack) and his best friend’s sister Lucy (Sally Bretton), who is also the landlady of his London flatshare.

A will-they-won’t-they romance between the two unfolded over several series, until the unlikely couple married in the season seven finale.

The eighth series then jumped eight years into the future, with all subsequent instalments following their chaotic family life with three children.

Now on its 15th season the series shows no signs of stopping and is celebrating its 20th anniversary. 

To mark the milestone, the cast and crew opened up about the show’s behind-the-scenes secrets in a one-off documentary, 20 Years Of Not Going Out, which also features classic clips, exclusive archive material and never‑before‑seen outtakes.

Lee revealed that in the unaired pilot, Catherine Tate took on the female lead but she dropped out to focus on her eponymous sketch show (pictured filming another pilot – The Smiths) 

Discussing the show, Lee mused: ‘After 20 years of Not Going Out we are delighted to finally give a warts and all peep behind the curtain of how it’s made. 

‘Thankfully we have hoovered behind that curtain, but unfortunately the warts have not cleared up.’

Speaking in the upcoming documentary, Lee explained the idea for Not Going Out first came from his 1999 sketch show, Lee Mack’s Bits, which he performed at Edinburgh Festival with Catherine Tate and Dan Antopolski. 

He revealed that during the writing process he came up with several jokes that didn’t work as skits, but he jotted them down with the hopes of one day using them in a show. 

That day came sooner than Lee imagined, and he was commissioned to develop a sitcom script for the BBC, creating a pilot that was never aired. 

Not Going Out has boasted a stellar rotating cast over the years, including Hugh Dennis, Miranda Hart, Timothy West, Bobby Ball, Abigail Cruttenden, Deborah Grant, Tim Vine, Geoffrey Whitehead and Katy Wix. 

Yet in that unaired pilot, it was Catherine Tate who took on the female lead, and she was selected to star in the series before she dropped out to focus on her eponymous sketch show.

Insisting that there were no hard feelings about her withdrawal, Lee mused: ‘Catherine was really successful and she wanted to do her own thing.’ 

However, he revealed that while Catherine’s involvement was fleeting, she had a lasting impact on the show, with her appearance resulting in changing the sitcom’s name from its working title, Number 17.  

‘A few people said to me they didn’t believe me and Catherine were a couple,’ Lee recalled. ‘So I said we’ll not being going out with each other, we’ll just be landlady and tenant. 

‘And there might be a spark of romance there but if people say “I don’t believe you’re a couple,” we can say “well, we’re not,”  hence the name, Not Going Out.’ 

While the name stuck, Catherine didn’t, and she was soon replaced by American actress Megan Dodds for the first series, with Sally then taking over as Lucy from series two onward.

Catherine was replaced by American actress Megan Dodds for the first series (pictured with Tim Vine and Lee) with Sally then taking over as Lucy from series two 

The format was changed by the departure of Tim Vine, with his decision to quit the show causing a fallout with Lee. Yet he was swiftly replaced by Hugh Dennis

Another star who quit the show after hitting the bigtime was Miranda Hart, who made an impression with her role as an acupuncturist in series one, so was brought back to play Barbara the cleaner for the next two seasons. 

Yet like Catherine, she too was offered her own programme, and left the series in 2009 to work on Miranda, making way for Katy Wix’s character, Daisy. 

By which point the series was a fan favourite and pulled in regular viewing figures between three and four million per episode. 

So Lee explained that he was left blindsided when the BBC suddenly cancelled the show halfway through season three.

The fans were also shocked, starting an online campaign and driving strong DVD sales until the Beeb reversed their decision, commissioning two more series nine months later. 

Yet while it was clear the public appetite for the show was still strong, Lee feared the show’s format was getting a bit stale. 

Lee mused: ‘If you fancy your landlady and you constantly want to tell her you like her but you haven’t got the confidence to do it, I think it’s mildly amusing in your early 30s.

‘But in your early 50s it suddenly becomes a bit creepy…’ 

The format had also been changed by the departure of Tim Vine, with his decision to quit the show causing a fallout with Lee. 

‘I fancied a change really and it’s not really a great reason perhaps,’ Tim mused.

‘But we’ve made up about it now, me and Lee. It came as a shock to the system when I first said it to him.’ 

Lee then explained he didn’t want to make a big fuss about Tim leaving so it didn’t alarm viewers, explaining why they wrote him out of the show with just one throwaway scene referencing his character had moved to Germany for work.  

Tim was then replaced by Hugh Dennis, who said it was presented to him as being the last series of Not Going Out, and that he had no clue the show would still be going. 

Yet Lee continued to play around with the format and series seven saw him make the decision to put an end to the will-they-won’t-they storyline. 

The Christmas special showed Lee finally confess his feelings for Lucy and the pair tying the knot, which Lee considered a fitting end to the show. 

Lee explained: ‘There was a possibility we’d get married and that would be the end of it – either the BBC didn’t want anymore of it, or I didn’t want to do anymore of it. 

‘At the end, they go off into the distance, just married on the back of the van, it could have been the end.’

While it was clear the public appetite for the show was still strong, Lee feared the show’s format was getting a bit stale so he decided to put an end to the will-they-won’t-they storyline and propel them into the future when they were married with children

Tragedy struck in 2020 when Bobby Ball, who played Lee’s father Frank, died. Lee revealed they filmed a funeral scene as tribute but it was deemed too sad to air so they scrapped it 

Instead of airing the episode they filmed a new, humorous tribute, in which Lee’s mother-in-law Wendy [Deborah Grant] painted an awful picture of him a year after the funeral

It was at this point that Lee was cast to appear with former co-star Catherine in a UK reboot of Everybody Loves Raymond, entitled The Smiths.  

‘I sort of realised you can’t do both, which one do you want to do?’ Lee recalled. ‘And I thought, why don’t I not do Everybody Loves Raymond and just do this and get it to become a family sitcom.

‘So we missed out the formative years but we showed the episode where the baby is born – then cut to seven years later.’ 

Co-star Sally shared: ‘He didn’t want to do any of the newlywed romance, he wanted to get straight to the aggravation.’ 

It’s a format that has allowed the show to continue. 

Yet tragedy struck in 2020 when Bobby Ball, who played Lee’s father Frank, died at the age of 76 after testing positive for Covid.

Reflecting on his passing affecting the show, Lee mused: ‘People often say the best comedy is a comedy that makes you laugh and makes you cry. 

‘That’s just not true, that’s the best comedy-drama. The best comedy is one that makes you laugh, that’s why it’s called a comedy. 

‘After Bobby died we did an episode where it was his funeral. We just couldn’t find a way of not making it really sad. 

‘So we said, “you know what, we’ve never done this before, let’s just drop the whole thing”.’ 

Instead of airing the episode they filmed a new, humorous tribute, in which Lee’s mother-in-law Wendy [Deborah Grant] painted an awful picture of him a year after the funeral.

Not Going Out is currently in its 15th season, making it Britain’s all-time second longest running sitcom behind Last of the Summer Wine. 

‘The idea of me doing it 20 years on from now, when I’d be 77, seems like insanity,’ Lee said. ‘But then it felt like that 20 years ago!

‘Not Going Out has highs and lows, hard work, good laughs, screaming and shouting, all sorts of emotions with it. But it’s the show I’m most proud of.’ 

20 Years Of Not Going Out airs Wednesday, September 23 at 9PM on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series 15 launch episode airs directly after at 9.30PM.