Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw fought back tears as she revealed her breast cancer is currently inoperable until her tumours shrink in size. 

The former soap star, 52, who has been candidly sharing an insight into her journey since diagnosis, posted the devastating update to Instagram on Thursday.

Tracy shared the video after going for an ultrasound to check on her current condition, sharing her hopes that chemotherapy would have shrunk the lumps.

However, during the teary clip, Tracy explained that while the lumps have changed shape from round to oval, they haven’t got any smaller. 

Speaking to the camera, she said: ‘Good morning, everyone. So as I told you all, I had my ultrasounds today to find out if the lesions had shrunk.

‘I also needed to check a lump that I’d found on the other breast, which is on the right breast.

Tracy is best known for playing Coronation Street character Maxine Peacock

‘The good news is that the lump, well there’s actually quite a lot, are all cysts, so that’s good news and the lesions on my left breast… erm…’

Tracy continued: ‘Well, my expectations were that judging by what personally I’ve gone through and what the chemo does…

‘I thought they’d shrunk but basically they’ve gone from being circular to oval but not really shrunk in size. I don’t know what I was expecting.

‘I think I’m just expecting some results of what I’ve felt, some results of what the body has had to go through to!’

In May, Tracy broke down in tears in an emotional video as she revealed to her followers she was set to begin chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Tracy was diagnosed with the disease the month before and shared in her video that she would be starting chemotherapy the following week.

In a video posted on Instagram, Tracy shared the toll her cancer diagnosis has had on her, admitting ‘I can’t go through this anymore.’  

She previously played Maxine Peacock on Corrie from 1995 to 2003, before she was sensationally murdered by serial killer Richard Hillman.

In the video, Tracy said: ‘I’m just going to be me, and my truth is… by the way, I’ve not shaved my hair off, I’ve just put a scarf on just because I’ve not done anything with it and I’m going to hospital.

‘Each morning I wake up and know that I have to go into hospital and receive more news, which has been going on for a long time, that unknown… I just think, “I can’t go through with this anymore,” but I’ve not even started my journey.

In May, Tracy broke down in tears in an emotional video as she revealed to her followers she was set to begin chemotherapy for breast cancer 

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‘I’ve had a good cry. I’ll go in later today and I’ll meet some other ladies who will start the treatment with me – chemo.

‘And I’ll find out the date. 50 per cent of me wants to get going. I want to know that it’s being shrunk and the cancer is being dealt with.

‘When I wake up and I’ve got really bad headaches or I can feel another twinge in my other boob, I just think, “Oh, it’s moving!”

‘All forms of cancer are awful, most of the time, I get on with life but then I think that’s probably what we do.

‘But the fact is when you wake up in the morning and you think, “It hasn’t gone away.” It isn’t like the addictions that I’ve recovered from by the grace of God. There appears to be a long road ahead, or a mountain.’

In the caption of her post, Tracy revealed she’d been told she would start her chemotherapy ‘next week’.

She wrote: ‘Moments happen. After filming this, I spent the morning in the chemo ward having tests.

‘Thank you for all NHS staff. No other women, mostly men, cancer doesn’t discriminate gender.

‘We will start our chemo journeys at the same time. Next week. Love & peace to everyone on their cancer journey.’

The actress was diagnosed with the disease in April and shared in her video that she would be  starting chemotherapy the following week

Days after posting the clip, Tracy revealed she’d had much of her hair cut off to prepare herself for one of chemotherapy’s most common side effects, hair loss

Days after posting the clip, Tracy revealed she’d had much of her hair cut off to prepare herself for one of chemotherapy’s most common side effects, hair loss.

Tracy revealed last month she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, telling her followers: ‘My diagnosis of breast cancer. So the journey begins…

‘Love to everyone who is also going through this journey, looking forward to hearing from you all, especially you amazing survivors.’

She shared at the time that doctors told her she would need chemotherapy after tests revealed she has HER2 in her cells.

HER2 is a protein that promotes cancer cell growth and is found in more aggressive types of the disease.

The actress added that after a course of chemotherapy, she hoped to have surgery to remove lumps and lymph glands, so more tests can be done, which could lead to further surgery before radiotherapy.

In the video, Tracy told her fans she is on the 12-step programme, a programme aimed to help support recovery, having ‘recovered from many addictions’. She continued: ‘Anorexia, bulimia, alcoholism, drug addiction, codependency, love addiction, you name it, I have been addicted to it and I have recovered from it.’

Tracy also thanked fans for sending concerned messages after she took a step back from social media for Lent. 

She said: ‘Thank you for messaging me to check how I am because I haven’t been present on Instagram. That was due to during Lent I came off scrolling, I came off social media and put my phone down.

‘I spent some time away from technology which has helped with dealing with this news.’

Her fans wrote: ‘Sending love to you Tracy,’ ‘What a brave and brilliant post. Sending positive vibes and love to you’ and ‘Thinking of you, I went through breast cancer two years ago. Sending best wishes x.’

The star finished the video with: ‘I thank you all and I thank the Royal Berkshire Hospital and everyone who has helped get to this point. I will keep you posted on this journey.’

Tracy played her character Maxine from 1995 as the friend of Fiona Middleton, played by Angela Griffin.

Her character went on to betray her friend by having a one-night stand with Fiona’s boyfriend, Steve McDonald.

Tracy was awarded the Rear of Year title a year after making her debut on the show.

Maxine married butcher Ashley Peacock, played by Steven Arnold.

She also had a child with the local doctor, despite being married to Ashley.

Maxine died when she was viciously murdered by Richard. She was hit by a crowbar after she returned home from the pub.

Tracy also launched a pop career in 1998 and released two singles: Ridin’ High and a cover of Lonnie Gordon’s Happenin’ All Over Again.

After she left the soap, she played smaller roles in ITV dramas. She has spent most of her time in the theatre.

Leaders in Madison, Wisconsin, have identified Corey Ruiz as the man killed yesterday in a fatal police shooting that has sparked waves of protests and anger in the community.

“It does not matter who you are or what your past is, you should not lose your life as a result of an encounter with law enforcement,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said at a press conference on Thursday, which was later taken over by protesters criticizing the city and its police department.

Before the protesters stormed the stage, Common Council President Sabrina Madison said she was seeking “justice for Corey” and called on community members to demand police reform and a swift investigation by the state officials probing the shooting.

“If the protocol is to go that quickly to shoot this gentleman in the head three times, and that is an option, I don’t know how that is an option,” she said. “My brain has not been able to put that together as an option. Because I didn’t see anything that warranted it.”

Critics argued video of the incident shared widely online showed that police “executed” Ruiz in the middle of a busy street in broad daylight.

Here is everything we know about the case:

What happened?

Footage shows four cops on Wednesday working to subdue Ruiz, who police said was armed with a knife. The officers surround the man as he struggles to break free. While they have him by the arms and on the ground, one cop pulls out his gun and shoots the victim dead before reholstering his weapon and an officer puts the victim’s limp arms behind his body to handcuff him.

“This was an execution, and it never should have happened,” Fran Hong, a Democratic state representative running for governor, said of the shooting.

However, police stressed the incident remains under investigation and have begged the community not to jump to conclusions based on the video.

The violence unfolded Wednesday afternoon at the busy intersection of Madison’s South Baldwin and Williamson Streets around 1:34 p.m., an area surrounded by homes, bars, restaurants and shops.

A “physical struggle” ensued as Ruiz managed to briefly stand up while in the grip of the officers, before one of them yelled, “Taser, Taser Taser” and pointed the stun gun at him. The Taser failed to discharge, police said.

Officers wrestled Ruiz back down to the ground while one of them appeared to step on his leg to keep him on the floor. Less than a second later, one of the officers pulled out his gun, pointed it at the victim, and fired three shots.

Ruiz was slumped on the ground and did not appear to move again.

A bystander’s screams were then heard nearby, as a woman yelled, “I saw everything, we watched it all.”

With the victim limp and face down on the ground, blood pouring from his head, the officer who shot him reholstered his weapon and then his placed the man’s hands behind his back as if to restrain him. Another officer removed the knife, throwing it to the side.

Two other officers were seen standing around the scene, before police put on gloves and appeared to administer first aid.

Ruiz was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

What police say happened

On Wednesday, Madison Police Chief John Patterson appealed for calm at a press conference in the aftermath, recounting the official narrative and pointing out that video of the shooting seen online only offered one side of the story.

Patterson also explained that Madison police officers do not wear body cameras, so there is no bodycam footage of the shooting.

In a statement, the department said officers were responding to a report alleging that someone had been seen attempting to break into parked cars in the city’s Marquette neighborhood.

The officers pursued Ruiz, who was on a bicycle. “The man either fell or was pulled off the bicycle, this is still being determined, and a struggle ensued with officers in the middle of the intersection,” the statement said.

“During the struggle, the man pulled out a fix-blade knife and injured an officer. Officers continued to try to get the man into custody and a less lethal device, a taser, was used but it was unsuccessful.”

“The officer injured by the knife is the one who fired his weapon,” the statement continued. “Officers at the scene provided life-saving measures.”

Chief Patterson added on Thursday that he was unsure why the Taser did not function during the encounter, one of many factors state officials will investigate as they scrutinize the shooting.

A second officer was injured in the incident but police have not said how, only that they do not believe his wound was caused by the knife.

The four officers involved have since been placed on administrative leave according to procedure and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation has commenced an independent probe.

What do we know about the victim?

Police have said Ruiz was in his 30s.

His race has not been disclosed by officials, but Black advocacy groups in Madison said they believed he was Black, as they denounced the violence.

“Another Black man is dead on a Madison street, and our community watched him die before we even knew his name,” said Brandi Grayson, the head of the Madison-based Black community advocacy group Urban Triage. “That is the cruelty of state violence.”

Ruiz’s death comes after the fatal shooting of Tony Robinson, who was biracial, at the hands of a white police officer on the same street in 2015. Large protests followed, but the district attorney did not file charges against police, determining the officer was justified.

Who was the officer who shot the victim?

The name of the officer who shot the victim has not been released by Madison police.

In a statement, the department described him as “a veteran officer” and confirmed he has been placed on administrative leave, along with the other officers involved.

How has the community reacted?

Tensions remained high in Madison on Thursday as information trickled out about the shooting.

A group of activists temporarily seized the stage from the Madison mayor and police chief on Thursday, demanding that the “pigs” who shot Ruiz be put in jail, while denouncing claims from officials about pursuing justice as a “clown show.”

The takeover inspired some in the crowd to shout down the activists, and a man in the audience almost came to blows with a demonstrator who grabbed the microphone.

“I know this is tough,” Patterson said once he resume his remarks.

“Everyone in this room can feel the thinness of trust in this city right now,” he added.

The chief said that police operate based on a “sacred public trust,” which frays the more that force is used. He stressed that the department immediately sought an independent investigation and will fully cooperate with the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

“We will not hide from any aspect of this investigation,” he said.

The demonstration on Thursday came after hundreds of people took to the streets Wednesday evening to protest the killing and to hold a candlelight vigil in memory of Ruiz.

Some stayed overnight. “I don’t plan to leave anytime soon because it’s important to hold this space,” said Ben Weger, a pastor of Stoughton United Methodist Church about 20 miles away.

Sabrina Thompson, of Madison, was crying at the memorial site. “It’s really unbearable,” she said through tears. “You can’t describe it.”

Hong, a Democratic primary candidates in Wisconsin’s governor’s race, also attended the vigil and spoke to demonstrators through a megaphone.

“This state sanctioned violence was an execution,” she told a crowd.

Incumbent Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers called for “transparency and accountability” on X, expressing his sympathies for the victim’s family and saying that any protest should be conducted “peacefully and respectfully.”

“Each incident reopens deep wounds, raises difficult questions, and reminds us of the urgent work that remains to build trust, transparency, and accountability in our systems,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who is also running for governor.

“There are questions that must be answered,” added Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “It’s understandable that people want answers now.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Adam Ramsay-Peaty has debuted his new name on his swimming cap at the Commonwealth Games as he hopes his new moniker will bring him luck in Glasgow.

The three-time Olympic swimming champion is using his full name for the first time to compete at a major championship after marrying TV chef Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Holly last December.

And it seems his pregnant wife Holly approves as she shared a snap to her Instagram Stories of Adam in the new swimming cap and wrote: ‘So Special.’

He married Holly on December 27, 2025, in a lavish ceremony at the historic Bath Abbey and they announced her pregnancy in June. 

Sadly his parents did not attend the wedding and are assumed to not be attending the Commonwealth Games amid a falling out and Adam remains estranged from them. 

Adam won his first of four Commonwealth titles in Glasgow 12 years ago and he is looking to add to that tally this weekend in a major staging post before the LA 2028 Olympics.

The three-time Olympic champion is using his full name for the first time to compete at a major championship after marrying TV chef Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Holly last December

Since competing professionally, the British star has four golds and three silvers from his previous three Commonwealth appearances.

In Glasgow, Adam could become the first Team England swimmer to win four consecutive gold medals – he will go in the 50m and 100m breaststroke races.

It comes after the athlete gave an insight into married life with pregnant Holly in a new interview with BBC Breakfast on Tuesday. 

Talking about the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic champion said that becoming a father for a second time has made him ‘grow up’.

He said: ‘Our wedding was one of the best days of my life, watching Holly walk down the aisle, it’s a view that I will never forget.

‘It’s like I’ve got a snapshot in my brain, the music and the church was just incredible. Having Gordon (Ramsay) as my father-in-law is an incredible blessing.

‘I’m also expecting a baby little girl. While I’m incredibly excited, that role of being a father has been just incredible and to have another human in this world that loves and cherishes you is a blessing.’

He continued: ‘My love isn’t going to be judged by a medal.  

‘With Holly going through pregnancy, all I can pray for is her happiness and the health of her and the baby and for me, that does push me even more to grow up.’

Adam is father to a son George-Anderson, five, from his previous relationship with artist Eirianedd Munro. 

An accompanying video which aired on BBC Breakfast featured Holly, Gordon and his son George but failed to mention his parents who dedicated their lives to his swimming career. 

And it seems his pregnant wife Holly approves as she shared a snap to her Instagram Stories of Adam in the new swimming cap and wrote: ‘So Special’

Sadly his parents did not attend the wedding and are assumed to not be attending the Commonwealth Games amid a falling out and Adam remains estranged from them

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Adam was seen during a training session on day zero of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games at Tollcross International Swimming Centre

The athlete was seen preparing to warm up for training 

While Adam will be returning to the Commonwealth Games as one of the oldest members of the team, he admits he still has more he wants to achieve. 

But his journey as a world record holder has come at a price and Adam admitted the sport had previously broken him. 

He said: ‘Not a lot of people know this, but around March time in 2023, I did three lengths of breaststroke as part of my warm up and on the last length, my goggles filled up with tears, I lost the love for everything that I live for.

‘Sport is what I live and breathe, what I do every day and it’s helped me enormously,  but when that same sport breaks you and breaks you down and it’s something you start to hate, it’s an unimaginable pain that you have to rebuild yourself. 

‘But what I have put in there is balance, how can I do it for another, two, four, six years. For me, balance is going to be incredibly important.’

Adam’s coach, Lisa Bates, was asked to sum Adam up in three words and she said: ‘Always full on.’ 

She continued: ‘It’s his mindset, he has an ability to go into predator mode, he is able to read a race, know exactly what he needs to do, where his mindset needs to go but in terms of projection, his body is just the vessel when it comes to the race and it’s his mindset that sets him apart.’

Adam added: ‘I know I have a finite amount of sport left. This sport will break you if you do it for as long as I have. And I have been broken.’

A cheap drug touted by longevity enthusiasts could help to reverse the symptoms of autism, a study has claimed. 

Rapamycin is an antibiotic approved by the FDA in 1999 to prevent organ transplant rejection. In recent years, however, biohackers have also latched onto the drug amid claims it could slow down aging.

Some studies showed it could extend the lifespan of mice by 14 percent, but others in humans have highlighted drawbacks, including blunting the effects of exercise. 

Now, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles say they have found that administering just one dose of the drug may temporarily reverse symptoms of autism.

Administering the drug to adult mice with autism, they found that the rodents’ symptoms disappeared in just two hours. 

Dr Harley Kornblum, a neuroscientist who led the research, said: ‘The level of functional normalization achieved over this short time suggests new mechanisms by which possible treatments may act.

‘It suggests adult brains may be more adaptable than we assumed, even when the underlying structural changes from early development are still there.’

Autism was once rigidly defined as a serious developmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability and the struggle to learn or understand language.

But in recent years, experts have loosened the definition. Symptoms include repetitive words or behaviors, struggling to vary routine and difficulties in social situations.

An estimated five million American adults, or one in 20, suffer from the condition, now called autism spectrum disorder, while one in 31 children also have it.

Doctors typically treat patients using speech and language therapy to help them understand and manage atypical behaviors. 

Many are also prescribed medications, such as those used for anxiety and depression, which scientists say can help to ease social difficulties. 

There is no cure for the condition. 

In the study, published in Nature Communications, scientists injected autistic adult mice with a solution containing five milligrams of rapamycin.

Within two hours, they found the mice displayed fewer repetitive behaviors, such as persistently grooming or running in a circle in an open space.   

This reduction lasted about 72 hours, they said, before the mice reverted to their previous behavior. 

After five weeks of injecting the mice with 5mg of rapamycin daily, the researchers also found that the effect of the drug subsided.

Because the response was so quick, researchers said rapamycin had not rewired the brain. Instead, they suggested it had likely calmed dysfunctional or misfiring neurons which can drive autism.

Tests showed mice that took rapamycin had less abnormal brain activity.

The study was not carried out in humans, meaning it is not clear what impact the drug may have in people with autism.

Researchers said further tests were needed before it could be recommended as a treatment for autism.

But they suggested that the results opened the door to potential new treatments for the condition.

The researchers added in the release: ‘The study did not identify rapamycin as a viable treatment for [autism] symptoms in humans given its temporary effects and potential for toxicity from repeated doses. 

‘Instead, researchers said the drug’s effects revealed new therapeutic targets for the development of future treatments.’

Rapamycin, found in the 1970s, is an antibiotic prescribed to prevent organ transplant rejection

Dr Janel Le Belle, a neurologist also involved in the study, added: ‘These results reframe how autism-associated symptoms might be treated.

‘If the adult brain remains capable of functional normalization, then some features of autism may be successfully addressed without needing to correct underlying structural differences.’

Researchers warned that taking rapamycin raises the risk of numerous side effects.

Common side effects of the medication include high blood pressure, kidney injury, infections and unusual bruising or swelling on the ankles, hands or feet. 

In serious cases, it has also been linked to blood clotting problems, lung problems and slow wound healing.

Biohacker Bryan Johnson, 48, stopped using the drug last year, after five years of taking the medication in an attempt to expand his lifespan.

He said the risks outweighed the benefits, adding it had likely caused him to suffer from skin infections, a higher resting heart rate and reduced blood sugar sensitivity.

There is no cure for autism, but researchers are researching numerous drugs that they believe may help to ease the condition.

Scientists are also testing leucovorin, a form of vitamin B, as a potential treatment after it was touted by Donald Trump and Robert F Kennedy Junior. 

Most commonly used to counteract the toxic effects of certain chemotherapies, some experts say it may treat some forms of autism that have been linked to low folate levels, a type of vitamin B needed for healthy cell growth and function.

A study published in May this year warned that use of the vitamin had surged amid the publication of high-profile cases suggesting it could benefit autism.

Expensive things that are worth the money

Robot vacuum

Vuori active wear

Silk eye mask

Fancy pants

Let me stress: this is not an every day thing. But I love having a sexy pair of undies I can call on for a special occasion, whether that’s a date night with my girlfriend (or myself!) or for an event I’m feeling a bit nervy about.

Whatever it is, it’s fun to have a little secret with yourself that you’re wearing a scandalous set beneath your clothes.

My go to for this is Bluebella. Not only is it relatively affordable for a basic pants and bra set, but it has its own dainty custom lace that you can’t get anywhere else.

I genuinely wear this maroon bra all the time, even not with the rest of the set, because it’s the perfect shape. And most importantly, it’s comfortable!

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If you’re after something a little more luxe, Agent Provocateur and Coco de Mer are both classics.

Cotton undies

We’ve finally accepted that our scalps require just as much attention as the skin on our face – so can we please extend that same energy to our vulvas?

It needs to breathe, people, and while I’ve just waxed lyrical about sexy panties, cotton undies are an absolute essential for every day.

I hate to be that person, but I always stock up on mine when I go to France because Monoprix is simply the best.

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I do, however, have a couple of pairs of these ones from Stripe and Stare and I love the sweet shop assortment of colours and shapes they come in. Let’s not ignore the fact they’re half price right now, either. In fact, I’m going to buy some right now. And you should too!

If you’re after other options, I’ve also been eyeing this pointelle pair from Cou Cou Intimates.

LELO sex toys

Seeing as we’re in the area, I will always hype up the sex toys from Swedish brand LELO. Even though they’re pricier than you might expect to pay for a pleasure product, I can assure you they’re worth it.

My favourite one is the SONA, which uses sound waves to create a sucking sensation, but honestly, they’re all good.

From unboxing to your climax, it’s truly a luxurious experience, not least because the brand works hard to innovate new technology to load its toys with, so you’ll always have a different experience to any other kind of sex toy.

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