The iconic snooker gameshow is returning to our screens after nearly 25 years away

Iconic snooker gameshow Big Break is returning to our screens after more than two decades, with the BBC confirming that the much-loved programme is being revived with presenter Paddy McGuinness and seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry at the helm.

In the announcement made earlier this week, the corporation confirmed that the revamped series will have a “brand-new look and feel” while retaining the spirit of the original show, with professional snooker players from across the circuit joining contestants in a bid to win cash prizes and Hendry showcasing a range of trick shots.

The original show became a cult hit after it launched back in 1991, with comedian Jim Davidson and former snooker champion John Virgo forming an unlikely but hugely popular partnership, with the former presenting and the latter starring as a referee.

It ran for over a decade and proved a huge hit with viewing figures peaking at almost 14 million people, before it aired for the final time in 2002.

Virgo – who was known as ‘The Voice of Snooker’ after moving into commentary for the BBC following his 18-year playing career – tragically passed away earlier this year at the age of 79, leaving the sport in mourning.

Tributes poured in from across the the worlds of snooker and television, with Davidson among those to remember him as a “great snooker player, great dad and a great bloke”.

Virgo and Davidson’s friendship may have been an unlikely one, with the two men at opposite ends of the political spectrum, but it was one which lasted beyond the show’s final broadcast as they continued to team up to do pantomime together for eight years.

However, Davidson has since been widely criticised for a series of controversial remarks and incidents, including making numerous offensive jokes about women, racial and ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community during his stand-up performances.

Now 72, the comedian has claimed he was unfairly “cancelled” by the BBC, alleging on GB News that he was paid £1 million by the corporation to “go away” after finding success as a presenter.

In an interview with the Daily Express, Virgo previously shared his true feelings on Davidson and the show that helped to build his career in the media, admitting he had been sceptical about its chances of success when he was first offered the opportunity.

“All of a sudden, I get this phone call, ‘Would you be interested in doing this TV show, a quiz show with snooker, with this comedian, Jim Davidson’,” he recalled. “I’d met him once a few years previously, but I didn’t really know him. It was funny because we got there and he didn’t know much about snooker.

“In all honesty, after doing the first couple of shows, I was thinking, ‘I don’t see how this works’. Anyway, we did eight [episodes]. We took over the slot from A Question of Sport on a Tuesday night and the viewing figures were better! That shows you the popularity of snooker at the time.

“Then I got another phone call and they wanted us to go back into the studio to do another 18!,” Virgo added. “We ran for 10 years and peaked at nearly 14 million viewers. It was remarkable.”

On his friendship with Davidson, the late BBC commentator added: “It’s a funny thing about life. He’s your crafty Conservative comedian and I’m your dour northern socialist. How do you come up with that? But obviously the chemistry worked.

“Although Jim didn’t know much about snooker, what a funny man and a very generous man to work with. We really got on well. Besides, when you’re in those positions, the most important thing is that the show works.”

As for the controversies surrounding his former colleague, Virgo later admitted that Davidson no longer being on TV was “understandable” but also a “waste of talent”.

In an interview with The Telegraph in 2022, he added that the pair no longer spoke regularly, but shared “a warmth that I don’t get with many people” whenever they happened to cross paths.

“Jim is a comic genius and yet he can’t appear on television, because he has a black mark against his name,” said Virgo. “It’s understandable. I just feel it’s a waste of a talent.”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — More than 100 Russian drones targeted areas of Ukraine on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, hours after another barrage of civilian areas killed at least eight people.

“Russia continues its strikes and is doing so brazenly — deliberately targeting our railway infrastructure and civilian sites in our cities,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

The overnight strikes targeted Ukraine’s residential and railway infrastructure in the central Dnipro and northeastern Kharkiv regions, port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region, and energy facilities in the central Poltava region, according to Zelenskyy. On Tuesday, he said, 14 regions came under attack throughout the day.

“It is important to support Ukraine and not remain silent about Russia’s war. Every time the war disappears from the top of the news, it encourages Russia to become even more savage,” Zelenskyy said, in an apparent reference to world attention being gripped by the Iran war.

Moscow’s attacks on its neighbor are unrelenting, even as Ukraine is emboldened by its recent military accomplishments and as U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin claim — without providing evidence — that the war could be approaching the end.

Trump and Putin talk of a possible end to the war

Trump said Tuesday said he believes Moscow and Kyiv will soon reach a deal to end fighting.

“The end of the war in Ukraine I really think is getting very close,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a summit in Beijing. “Believe it or not, it’s getting closer.”

Putin said in a speech last weekend that his invasion of Ukraine is possibly “coming to an end.”

Neither leader elaborated on what persuaded them about the possibility of peace in Europe’s longest conflict since World War II. U.S.-led diplomatic efforts over the past year to end the war have fizzled after making no progress on key issues, such as whether Russia gets to keep Ukrainian land and what can be done to deter Russia from invading again.

Meanwhile, European governments are assessing the merits of opening talks with Putin. Europe has for years tried to isolate the Russian leader and punished his country with international sanctions.

War appears to shift in Ukraine’s favor

The correlation of forces in the war has shifted in recent months. Ukraine has gone from pleading for international help with its defense to offering foreign countries expertise on how to counter attacks, thanks to its domestically developed drone technology.

Ukraine’s long-range drone and missile attacks have disrupted energy facilities and manufacturing deep inside Russia, with three Russian regions reporting strikes Wednesday. The Russian Defense Ministry said that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 286 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the illegally annexed Crimea peninsula, the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.

On the 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line, the advance of Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army has been slowing every month since last October, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

Russia’s spring offensive has floundered, with Russian forces recording a net loss of territory last month for the first time since 2024, the Washington-based think tank said.

“Not only are Ukrainian defensive lines holding, but Ukrainian forces have managed to contest the tactical initiative in several areas of the front line even as Russia continues to lose disproportionate amounts of manpower to achieve minimal gains,” the ISW said Tuesday.

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Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

The Teddy Bears’ Picnic will take place on Wednesday, May 27, with a day of activities planned between 11am and 3pm, starting at Leeming Bar Station.

Children are invited to bring their favourite teddy bears and can begin the day by collecting a trail booklet from the ticket office before searching for hidden bears around the station.

Young visitors are being invited to bring their favourite cuddly toys for a day of games, train rides and stories as the Teddy Bears’ Picnic returns to Wensleydale Railway this May half-term (Image: Wensleydale Railway)

The adventure continues with a short train journey to Scruton Station, where the fun carries on with face painting, Victorian games and toys, story time, badge making, and harmonium music.

Children who complete the trail will receive a reward.

Nick Keegan, marketing and fundraising manager at Wensleydale Railway, said: “there is always something to do at our railway to keep children (and adults) entertained during the school holidays! In addition to our Teddy Bears’ Picnic event, we have trains operating between Leeming Bar & Scruton and Leeming Bar & Leyburn.”

Mr Keegan also encouraged visitors to explore the historic sites along the route.

He said: “Why not visit our restored station building museum at Leeming Bar and learn about rural railway life in the 1920s.

“Enjoy a free tour with our costumed living history interpreters! You can then board a train for short ride east to Scruton, to visit this beautifully restored Edwardian station.

“Once again, our living history interpreters will be on hand to show you around and share this station’s rich history with you.”

Visitors are welcome to bring their own picnics, though snacks and refreshments will be available for purchase at both Scruton Station and the buffet car at Leeming Bar.

Entry to the event is £6 per child, which includes the trail booklet and return train travel from Leeming Bar to Scruton.

Adults will need to purchase a return ticket for £5.

More details about the Teddy Bears’ Picnic and ticket bookings are available at https://wensleydale-railway.co.uk/teddybears/

The first case was identified on April 28 and an outbreak declared two days later

A hospital in Northern Ireland is managing the outbreak of an antibiotic-resistant infection.

The Belfast Trust have confirmed that they are working with the Public Health Agency to manage an outbreak of a Carbapenemase-Producing Organism (CPO) at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

CPOs are highly resistant bacteria that produce enzymes capable of breaking down carbapenem antibiotics.

The infection is spread from person-to-person through contact with hands, medical equipment, or surfaces contaminated with the bacteria.

The first case was identified at the Royal Victoria Hospital on April 28, and an outbreak was declared two days later.

A Belfast Trust spokesperson said: “Belfast Trust is managing an outbreak of a Carbapenemase-Producing Organism (CPO) at the Royal Victoria Hospital with support from the Public Health Agency on infection, prevention and control guidance.

“A small number of patients within the Medical Specialities and Unscheduled Care Division have been identified as carrying a CPO.

“The first case of CPO was identified on 28 April 2026, and the outbreak was formally declared on 30 April 2026.

“Appropriate outbreak control measures, including enhanced cleaning of the ward, have been implemented in line with guidance from the Outbreak Control Group.

” The Trust is engaging with the families of all affected patients.

“There have been no reported fatalities or serious illness directly attributed to this specific CPO strain.”

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

British number one Emma Raducanu will make her return to action in Strasbourg after being granted a wildcard, as she seeks match practice before the French Open.

Raducanu, 23, withdrew from the Italian Open on health grounds earlier this month and has not competed since a third-round loss to American Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells on 8 March.

The clay-court event in Strasbourg begins on Sunday, one week before the start of the French Open on 24 May.

Raducanu is set to miss out on a seeded position at the second Grand Slam of the year following the post-viral infection which has kept her away from the tour.

The 2021 US Open winner is currently ranked 30th in the world but will drop several places following the conclusion of this week’s tournaments in Rome and Paris.

Raducanu was granted a wildcard for last year’s WTA 500 event in Strasbourg, where she beat top-20 player Daria Kasatkina before losing to American Danielle Collins.

The Briton has won seven of her 14 matches this year, with four of those victories coming during her run to the final of the Transylvania Open in February after her second-round exit at the Australian Open.

Raducanu gave no clear indication that she would pull out of the Italian Open in March despite speaking to the media just 30 minutes before that decision was announced, but said she only wanted to return to competition when “100% ready”.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) issued an appeal to the public via social media today, Wednesday, May 13.

The force said they are looking for Valdez Brown, born 10/12/1996, as he is wanted on recall to prison.

Officers said the 29-year-old has links to Radcliffe, Bury, Stockport and Bolton and anybody with information should get in touch.

A spokesperson, via social media, said: “Can you help us find Valdez Brown (10/12/1996), who is wanted on recall to prison?

“He has links to the Radcliffe, Bury, Stockport and Bolton areas of Greater Manchester.

“Anyone with information of his whereabouts is asked to contact us on 0161 856 8079 / 9594 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

The back to back Masters champion is in a stellar group alongside fellow major champions Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth for rounds one and two

One major played in 2026, and one major won for Rory McIlroy. On Thursday, he begins the second leg of golf’s major trail for the season at the USPGA in Aronimink in Philadelphia.

The back to back Masters champion is in a stellar group alongside fellow major champions Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth for rounds one and two.

McIlroy was struggling with a foot problem during his first practice round ahead of the US PGA Championship. The Holywood man revealed during last week’s Truist Championship that he had a blister on the small toe of his right foot.

He arrived at the course on Monday and addressed the media on Tuesday morning, appearing in good spirits, but reportedly ripped the nail off his toe earlier this week.

The 37-year-old ended his practice round after a few holes, having been seen limping and at one point taken his shoe off to assess the problem, but had previously done extensive range and short-game practice.

Earlier, McIlroy had underlined his motivation after landing successive Masters titles, saying: “Coming into this tournament feels a lot different than what it did last year.

“I feel like I’ve got some nice clear road ahead to try to get some more of these majors.”

Fellow Holywood golf club man Tom McKibbin is also in action at the USPGA and tees off early at 12.40pm UK time.

Here is everything you need to know about round one:

Where is the USPGA tournament?

The PGA Championship returns to Aronimink Golf Club, Pennsylvania for the first time in 64 years.

What time does Rory McIlroy tee off on Thursday?

1.40pm (UK time)

Who is in his group?

Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth

Who is defending champion?

Scottie Scheffler

Who are the favourites?

Scottie Scheffler is 11/2 favourite. Rory McIlroy is 10/1, Cameron Young 14/1, Jon Rahm 14/1, Xander Schauffele and Ludvig Aberg are 18/1 with Bryson DeChambeau 20/1.

Is the USPGA being televised?

Subscribers can catch every shot on Sky Sports Golf, who will be live from 12.30pm on Thursday and Friday. They will be live until at least midnight, when the final groups complete their rounds.

At the weekend, live coverage will begin at 3pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday and the PGA Championship will remain on air for some time after the winner is crowned.

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England have ended Ollie Robinson’s two-year international exile and called up uncapped trio Emilio Gay, James Rew and Sonny Baker for the first Test since the dismal Ashes campaign.

Sussex seamer Robinson, 32, returns after being dropped in 2024 as England look for an attack leader to take on New Zealand at Lord’s from 4 June.

As expected, opener Zak Crawley pays the price for his disappointing tour of Australia and is left out for the first time since captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took charge of the England Test team in 2022.

Crawley’s place in the XI is likely to go to Durham 26-year-old Gay, who has the advantage over fellow left-hander Rew, 22, by virtue of being a specialist opener.

Shoaib Bashir is named in the squad despite being ignored for the entire Ashes series and will vie for the spinner’s spot with Rehan Ahmed. Leg-spinner Ahmed could play in a home Test for the first time.

England have also confirmed the appointment of Australian Marcus North as the new national selector. The Durham director of cricket replaces Luke Wright, who stepped down for personal reasons after the Ashes, and becomes the first foreigner to chair England’s selection panel.

The greatest intrigue from North’s first squad is provided by the recall of Robinson in a pace-bowling department in need of rebuilding after the retirements of Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Chris Woakes in successive years.

Robinson has a hugely impressive Test record, with 76 wickets at an average below 23 from his 20 matches. He was long seen as the new-ball heir to Anderson and Broad.

But he fell out of favour and was dropped following the tour of India more than two years ago. England grew frustrated with, among other issues, problems around fitness – Robinson suffered back injuries in each of his past two Tests: against Australia at Headingley in 2023 and against India in Ranchi in 2024.