Officers noticed a ‘suspicious bulge’ in his waistband
A drug dealer has been jailed for 20 months after police stopped his uninsured and untaxed Fiat 500 – only to discover a stash of cocaine concealed in his pants. Officers from the Road Policing Unit were on patrol in Yaxley on January 4 when they spotted a Fiat 500 on London Road with no insurance or tax.
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The driver, Tiago Lemes Ramos, 29, from Worthington Grove, Hampton Water, Peterborough, smelled strongly of cannabis and was searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. As a result, bags of cannabis were found in his pockets.
Officers then noticed a suspicious bulge in his waistband. Further searching revealed a chewing gum container in his pants containing 16 bags of cocaine. Inside his vehicle, police also recovered cash and two mobile phones linking him to drug dealing.
At Peterborough Crown Court today (February 17), Ramos was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine.
Detective Constable James Lewis, who investigated, said: “Ramos attempted to hide his criminality but thanks to his uninsured and untaxed vehicle, our officers quickly uncovered his truth. His actions fuel harm and exploitation within our communities and this sentence reflects the seriousness of dealing class A drugs.
During the panel discussion, Prince William reflected on his own feelings, saying: “I take a long time trying to understand my emotions and why I feel like I do, and I feel like that’s a really important process to do every now and again, to check in with yourself and work out why you’re feeling like you do.
The kittens survived their ordeal (Picture: Getty)
A father who drunkenly threw his daughter’s pet kittens into the River Thames has avoided prison.
Andrew Shephard, 59, was helping his daughter rehome the three young cats when he tipped them from a box into the water from Twickenham Bridge, south-west London, last November.
As he did, he could be heard shouting ‘let them die’ and ‘I want them to die’, Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court heard.
Shephard, who previously pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, had said he did not know ‘what came over me’.
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During his sentencing hearing, prosecutor Manisha Kukadia told the court that the police were called to ‘reports of a male throwing cats into the River Thames’.
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There were three kittens in total, and while one was saved before it fell in, the other two were ‘wet and muddy’ but alive when they were found by police officers.
The animals were both said to be ‘in shock’, and their temperature had dropped below 33°C.
The kittens belonged to Shephard’s daughter, who had given them to her father to help rehome them.
Ms Kukadia said the defendant’s daughter was ‘not aware’ of his actions in relation to the incident on the bridge.
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After the incident, Shephard spoke to police and told them ‘he felt bad about the situation’ and admitted he was ‘very drunk at the time’.
The prosecutor said: ‘There was a clear intention for the kittens to be killed so it’s extreme and deliberate in nature. The aggravating factor… is the fact that there was use of alcohol at the time – he did say he was intoxicated.’
The defendant, who represented himself, told the court: ‘I feel bad for what I done. I’m not normally like that. I just don’t know what came over me at the time. I was incapacitated by alcohol.’
Addressing the defendant, magistrate Elizabeth Evans JP said: ‘It’s quite clear that this crosses the custody threshold – it’s serious enough in sentencing terms to justify a prison sentence.’
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Ms Evans said, however, that his sentence will be suspended, adding that the probation service believes the defendant has a ‘good chance of rehabilitation’.
Shephard, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 17 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for a period of 18 months.
He must also complete 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, pay a £154 surcharge, and pay £85 costs.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota and federal authorities are investigating the alleged beating of a Mexican citizen by immigration officers last month, seeking to identify what caused the eight skull fractures that landed the man in the intensive care unit of a Minneapolis hospital.
Investigators from the St. Paul Police Department and FBI last week canvassed the shopping center parking lot where Alberto Castañeda Mondragón says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wrested him from a vehicle, threw him to the ground and repeatedly struck him in the head with a steel baton.
ICE has blamed Castañeda Mondragón for his own injuries, saying he attempted to flee while handcuffed and “fell and hit his head against a concrete wall.”
But hospital staff who treated the man told The Associated Press such a fall could not plausibly account for the man’s brain hemorrhaging and fragmented memory. A CT scan showed fractures to the front, back and both sides of his skull — injuries a doctor told the AP were inconsistent with a fall.
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Earlier this month, the AP published an interview with Castañeda Mondragón in which he said the arresting officers had been “racist” and “ started beating me right away when they arrested me.” His lawyers have contended ICE racially profiled him.
In separate visits to the shopping center last week, local and federal investigators requested surveillance footage from at least two businesses, whose employees told the AP their cameras either did not capture the Jan. 8 arrest or the images had been overwritten because more than a month passed before law enforcement asked for the video.
Johnny Ratana, who owns Teepwo Market, an Asian grocery store that faces the parking lot where the arrest occurred, said St. Paul police twice sent investigators to the business in recent days. The second time, he said, a data technician sought to recover images automatically overwritten after 30 days.
Ratana said he also was visited by FBI agents interested in the same footage.
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The St. Paul Police Department did not respond to requests for comment. The FBI declined to comment.
The investigations come amid another federal probe into whether two ICE officers lied under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis. Federal prosecutors dropped charges against two Venezuelan men — who had been accused of attacking one of the officers with a snow shovel and broom handle — after video evidence contradicted the officers’ sworn testimony.
The FBI, meanwhile, notified Minnesota authorities last week it would not share any information or evidence it collected in the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers. That killing is the subject of a Justice Department civil rights investigation.
For weeks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security refused to discuss any aspect of Castañeda Mondragón’s injuries. It has not answered detailed questions from the AP, including whether its officers recorded body-worn camera footage of the arrest.
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Agency insists man injured himself
But the agency last week doubled down on its claim that Castañeda Mondragón injured himself.
“On January 8, 2026, ICE conducted a targeted enforcement operation to arrest Alberto Castaneda Mondragon, a 31-year-old illegal alien from Mexico who overstayed his visa,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs “While in handcuffs, Castaneda attempted to escape custody and ran toward a main highway. While running, Castaneda fell and hit his head against a concrete wall.”
McLaughlin’s assertion that Castañeda Mondragón had been targeted for removal was contradicted by a Jan. 20 court filing in which ICE said officers only determined the man overstayed his work visa after he was in custody. McLaughlin did not respond to questions about which account was correct.
Castañeda Mondragón’s lawyers declined to comment on ICE’s statement.
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Delay could affect investigations
The criminal investigations could be complicated by the amount of time it took law enforcement to look into the arrest, even as several elected officials called for answers.
St. Paul police told the AP on Feb. 5 that it was aware of “the serious allegations” surrounding the arrest but that it could not begin investigating Castañeda Mondragón’s injuries until he filed a police report — a step that was delayed weeks because of the man’s hospitalization and uncertainty over his immigration status. Police finally took his statement a week ago at the Mexican consulate.
By that point, at least one nearby business had overwritten its surveillance footage.
“It is my expectation that we will investigate past and future allegations of criminal conduct by federal agents to seek the truth and hold accountable anyone who has violated Minnesota law,” John Choi, the chief prosecutor of Ramsey County, said in a statement.
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Castañeda Mondragón has been summoned to meet with ICE on Feb. 23 at its main detention facility in Minneapolis, raising the potential he could be taken back into custody and deported.
___ Biesecker reported from Washington and Brook from New Orleans. AP reporter Cedar Attanasio contributed from Seattle.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman upheld a complaint raised by a daughter over her mother’s care at Aria Court in March.
A care home in March “failed to provide a good standard of care” to a former resident, and lost some of their personal jewellery after they died. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found that staff at Aria Court did not feed the woman in their care in the way they should have done, causing distress to her family.
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The Ombudsman upheld a complaint against Cambridgeshire County Council due to the failings of the commissioned care provider. The county council said it is working with the care provider to ensure steps are taken to reduce the risk of something similar happening again. The management at the care home has also since changed.
The Ombudsman report said the woman, referred to as Mrs X, moved into the care home in October 2024. It explained that she had dementia and was no longer able to speak or feed herself.
The report stated that Mrs X’s care plan explained that she needed one-to-one assistance to eat and drink, and that each hour she should be encouraged to drink. Her care plan also set out that when being fed she needed to be carefully positioned sitting up in her bed with pillows at her sides to support her.
However, Mrs X’s daughter, referred to as Ms B, raised concerns after visiting her mother and noticing that in the two hours she was there no staff came to check on her mother or offer her a drink as required. The following day Mrs X was admitted to hospital with dehydration and suspected sepsis.
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The family spoke about the issue with Mrs X’s social worker, who spoke to the team leader at the care home setting out the guidance for how to help Mrs X eat and drink when she was discharged. Mrs X was discharged back to the care home on October 29, but was readmitted to hospital the next day.
She later returned to the care home in November, where her family continued to notice ongoing problems with their mother’s care. The Ombudsman report said Ms B has photographic evidence of care workers trying to feed her mother with her head down, and said at times Ms B saw staff trying to feed Mrs X while she was lying on her side.
The report said Ms B raised these concerns with the care home. Mrs X’s social worker also went on to raise concerns, highlighting that they had noticed staff trying to feed Mrs X whilst she was in a “reclined side laying position” stressing that this was “unsafe”.
The care provider later replied to the social worker stating that staff were now making sure Mrs X was in the correct position before eating, and was being offered regular drinks. However, Ms B said that on a visit in December they found Mrs X “being fed on her side, head down” and that no one tried to offer her mother a drink while she was there.
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Ms B also claimed staff openly talking in front of her mother about the end of life medication they were giving her, and saw staff giving Mrs X large spoonfuls of medication and not waiting for her to swallow before “pushing” in another.
Ms B said she also saw staff filling out a 30 minute observation sheet prospectively, and later saw a care worker enter her mother’s room at 8pm and fill out the observation for 7.30pm, when she knew they had not been there, as she had been in her mother’s room at that time.
Mrs X died in January 2025. After she passed away her daughter said rings her mother had worn on her left hand were missing and that the care manager had not been able to find them.
The Ombudsman report said the care provider acknowledged it had not always responded to Ms B’s contacts, and agreed that sight charts had been completed retrospectively and apologised for this. The report also said the care provider had acknowledged some of Mrs X’s jewellery remained missing.
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After Ms B complained to the Ombudsman the issues were highlighted to the county council, which said it had not seen the complaint before, although the care provider was required to notify its contacts manager about any complaints.
The county council told the Ombudsman that the management at the care home had changed, and the home was also seeking to improve staff knowledge of the need to maintain proper records.
‘Family caused distress to see failings in mother’s care’
The Ombudsman report said: “There were concerns voiced by Ms B about Mrs X’s positioning for feeding from her readmission to the home in November. Despite the care plan and the discharge note from the hospital, care workers continued to try and feed Mrs X when she was poorly positioned.
“That was a potential breach of the regulations, it was not treating Mrs X with dignity, it failed to meet her nutritional needs properly and it was not appropriate for her needs. It caused Ms B and Mr X [Mrs X’s husband] significant distress to see it continuing.
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“The care provider acknowledges it failed to maintain records properly, or communicate properly with Mrs X’s family. That was also a potential breach of the regulations. Inaccurate records for one resident cast doubt on the entirety of the care provider’s recording system.
“The missing jewellery is a further distressing event for Ms B and Mr X. While it may not be possible for the care provider to trace that now, there should have been an accurate record of where it was.”
The Ombudsman said the county council needed to continue to review with the home’s current management the concerns about adherence to the guidance for caring for residents and how training can be provided.
It also said the authority should offer £500 each to Ms B and Mr X in recognition of the “distress they suffered witnessing the care provider’s failures to treat Mrs X correctly”.
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The Ombudsman also said a further £250 should be offered to Ms B in recognition of the time and trouble she had been through in making the complaint.
A spokesperson for the county council said: “We accept the findings of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman who has identified shortcomings in the service provided to this family and we are complying with all their recommendations.
“The care provider has acknowledged their responsibility for the issues and the council has actively worked with them to ensure that steps have been taken to reduce the risk of something similar happening again. A full update on progress towards this will be provided to the Ombudsman within the three-month period specified in the decision.”
Athena Care Homes (UK) Limited, which runs Aria Court, was contacted for comment.
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Piers Morgan has forecasted that President Donald Trump will become “a lame duck president” if the Republican Party loses the House in the 2026 midterms.
On Monday’s episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, the British broadcaster praised Trump for initiating a major shutdown of the US-Mexico border, then said that he was “going way too far” with the nationwide expansion of ICE raids.
“Whilst [Trump] did brilliantly in shutting down the southern border after the ridiculous hemorrhaging, sort of open border under [former President Joe] Biden, and whilst he was quite right in assessing that Americans, broadly speaking from all the polls, are happy for people who are in the country illegally, who then commit crimes unconnected to their status, to be deported, it’s the behavior of ICE on the streets of American cities and towns in going way too far with people who may have been in the country for 10 years, raised kids, got jobs, paid taxes, and so on, that is not supported by the American people,” Morgan said.
Morgan also predicted that Trump was “going to get the whiplash back from” the deadly ICE raids during the 2026 midterms.
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“[The Republicans are] gonna lose the House, and then he’ll become effectively, as everyone does in that scenario, a bit of a lame duck president,” Morgan said. “And if that happens, he’ll only have himself to blame for going too far with the way that ICE has been on the streets.”
This is not the first time Morgan has disagreed with the president. He also defended Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance against criticism from Trump and his MAGA supporters. When Trump condemned the Grammy winner, an outspoken critic of the administration’s immigration crackdown, Morgan showed support for the musician in a Feb. 9 X post.
“Couldn’t disagree more, Mr President. I absolutely loved Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Amazing (best in Super Bowl history?) theatre/choreography, great energy, superbly confident performance, and a very welcome unifying message,” he wrote alongside a screenshot of Trump’s post.
Morgan then took another swipe at Trump, who complained about Bad Bunny predominantly performing in Spanish, adding, “Oh, and Spanish is 1st language for 50m+ Americans!”
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In a separate X post, Morgan clarified that he was still “friends” with Trump, adding, “I just disagree with him about a lot of things (and agree about others).”
Setting sail from the busy port of Plymouth in Devon, the tall ship Pelican of London takes young people to sea, often for the first time.
During each nine-day voyage, the UK-based sailing trainees, who often come from socio-economically challenging backgrounds, become crew members. They not only learn the ropes (literally) but also engage in ocean science and stewardship activities.
As marine and outdoor education researchers, we wanted to find out whether mixing sail training and Steams (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics and sustainability) activities can inspire young people to pursue a more ocean-focused career, and a long-term commitment to ocean care.
Research shows that a strong connection with the ocean can drive people to be active marine citizens. This means they take responsibility for ocean health not only in their own lives but as advocates for more sustainable interactions with the ocean.
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Trainees get out of their comfort zone during each nine-day voyage. Pelican of London
Based on scientific evidence, our theory of change models how Steams activities can cause positive changes in personal development and knowledge and understanding of the ocean (known as ocean literacy). It shows how the voyages can develop trainees’ strong connections with the ocean and encourage them to act responsibly towards it.
Tracking change
Surveys with the participants before and after the voyage, and six months later, measure any changes that occur – and how these persist. Through our evaluation, we’re exploring how combining voyages with Steams activities can go beyond personal development to produce deep, long-lasting effects.
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Our pilot study has already shown how the sail training and Steams combination helps to develop confidence, ocean literacy and ocean connections.
For example, the boost to self-esteem and feelings of capability that occur on board help young people develop their marine identity – the ocean becomes an important part of a person’s sense of who they are. As one trainee put it: “I think the ocean is me and the ocean will and forever be part of me.”
Swimming, sailing, even just building a sandcastle – the ocean benefits our physical and mental wellbeing. Curious about how a strong coastal connection helps drive marine conservation, scientists are diving in to investigate the power of blue health.
This article is part of a series, Vitamin Sea, exploring how the ocean can be enhanced by our interaction with it.
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As crew members, trainees access a world and traditional culture largely unknown to them before the voyage. They learn to live with others in a confined space, working together in small teams to keep watch on 24-hour rotas.
Trainees are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone through activities such as climbing the rigging and swimming off the vessel. Our pilot evaluation found the voyages built the trainees’ confidence and social skills, boosting self-esteem and feelings of capability.
One trainee said: “I’ve felt pretty disappointed in myself not committing to my education or only doing something with minimal effort. But after this voyage, I want to give it my all.”
The Steams voyages encourage the development of scientific skills and ocean literacy through the lens of creative tasks at sea. These activities are led by a scientist-in-residence who provides mentoring and introduces research techniques.
The voyage gives trainees the opportunity to use scientific equipment, ranging from plankton nets and microscopes to cutting-edge technology such as remotely operated vehicles. The Steams activities introduce marine research as a potential career to these young people. One said they wanted to train as a marine engineer at nautical college following the voyage.
Taking part in wildlife surveys while on board. Pelican of London.
Ocean experiences provide a foundation for ocean connection. Trainees experience the ocean in sunshine and in gales, day and night, rolling with the waves and observing marine life in its natural environment.
Citizen science projects such as wildlife surveys and recorded beach cleans also develop their ocean stewardship knowledge and skills. One trainee explained how they have “become more interested [in] our marine life and creative ways to help protect it”.
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Over the next 12 months, the information we collect from the voyages will help us to better understand the benefits and contribute to an important marine social science data gap in young people. It is important to understand how to develop young people’s relationships with the ocean, and the knowledge and skills that will empower the next generation of marine citizens.
As one trainee put it: “Being out on the Pelican showed me how vast and powerful the sea is – and how important it is to respect and care for it.”
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Jose Mourinho was criticised by Clarence Seedorf after appearing to suggest that Vinicius Jr had provoked racist abuse by celebrating his goal for Real Madrid against Benfica in the Champions League and inciting the scenes that followed.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius had sent Madrid into the lead in Lisbon with a superb strike in the early stages of the second half before dancing by the corner flag in front of the home supporters. He was booked by the referee for an excessive celebration.
Before the match resumed, Vinicius exchanged words with Benfica’s Ginaluca Prestianni and reported the player to the referee over an alleged racist remark.
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Gianluca Prestianni hides his mouth while arguing with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr (AFP via Getty Images)
In a statement on Instagram, Benfica winger Prestianni said he had not directed racist insults at Vinicius who he said had “regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard”.
But the match was paused for 11 minutes, as the referee followed Fifa’s racist abuse protocols, with Mourinho seen talking to several Madrid players, including Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe, as tensions rose in the stadium.
Mourinho was later sent off for demanding a second booking for Vinicius after a foul from the Brazilian. Mourinho stormed towards the fourth official but was himself cautioned for his protests, but continued remonstrating and was promptly shown a second yellow card.
Speaking after the match, Mourinho said he had spoken to both Vinicius and Prestianni nd could not be biased against either player. But he criticised Vinicius for his goal celebration.
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“It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal in a good game… these talents are able to do these beautiful things but unfortunately he [Vinicius] was not just happy to score that astonishing goal and then the game was over. When you score a goal like that you celebrate in a respectful way.”
Mourinho was asked if Vinicius had “incited” the Benfica players and the crowd with his celebration and he responded: “Yeah, I believe so. The words they exchange, Prestianni with Vinicius, I want to be independent. I don’t comment about it.”
The Portuguese manager then revealed his own talks with Vinicius and explained what he had told the winger during the pause in play.
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Jose Mourinho spoke to Vinicius Jr during the break in play (AP)
“I told him that when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back,” Mourinho added. “And then when he was arguing about racism I told him the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusebio] was black. This club, the last thing it is is racist, so if in his mind it was something in relation to that, this is Benfica.
“There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. Every stadium that Vinicius plays [in] something happens. Always.
“I’m saying that it was a good 50 minutes of football, millions of people watching around the world, a crazy goal absolutely crazy goal and then game over.”
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Vinicius Jr alleges he received a racist remark on the pitch in the Champions League clash with Benfica (AFP via Getty Images)
Amazon Prime pundits Wayne Rooney, Clarence Seedorf and Theo Walcott seemed stunned by Mourinho’s comments with Rooney labelling them “unfair” and Seedorf saying Mourinho made a ‘big mistake’.
“As he said he’s trying to stay independent but I think it was very unfair what he said about Vinicius,” Rooney said when pressed for comment by presenter Gabby Logan.
Seedorf further explained by adding: “I think he’s [Jose Mourinho] is still emotional. I think he made a big mistake today to justify racial abuse and I’m not saying that was the case today but he mentioned something more than today. He said wherever he goes these things happen, so he’s saying it’s okay when Vinicius provokes you, that is it okay to be racist and I think that is very wrong.
“We should never, ever justify racial abuse. And Vinicius has had enough of that unjustified behaviour from people. And I know Mourinho by heart would agree with me but he expressed himself a bit unfortunately I believe. Because we should not be telling the people at home that someone makes a dance or something then it’s okay to be racist.”
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Theo Walcott plainly finished: “That’s the one time we shouldn’t have heard from him [Mourinho], tonight he should not have been in front of the cameras.”
It looks like another surprising turn in the career of Jesse Lingard (Picture: Getty Images)
Jesse Lingard is continuing to build a unique career as he nears a move to a little-known club in Brazil.
The England international left Nottingham Forest in 2023 and made a surprise switch to South Korea, where he spent two seasons with FC Seoul in the K League.
A star name in the division, Lingard played 41 times last season in all competitions, scoring 13 goals as club captain.
However, he departed in December 2025 and has been looking for a new club ever since, available on a free transfer.
Lingard made 67 appearances for FC Seoul, scoring 19 goals (Picture: Getty Images)
Clube do Remo were promoted from Serie B, the Brazilian second tier, last season and are now in the alongside the likes of Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense and Botafogo.
The report from Globo states that negotiations have been ongoing for weeks and a deal has been edging closer over recent days.
There is now a ‘good chance’ of the former Manchester United player signing for Remo until the end of the current season.
The Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A season runs from January to December so is already underway, but only three games into the campaign.
Lingard has entered a globe-trotting phase of his career (Picture: Getty Images)
Remo currently sit 16th in the table, with two draws and a defeat from their opening three contests.
Lingard will bring vast experience if he does make the switch to Brazil, having made 232 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 35 goals.
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He won the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League with the Red Devils, with his best individual season coming in 2017/18 when he scored 13 goals in 48 outings across all competitions.
The 32-cap England international had loan spells at Leicester, Birmingham, Brighton and Derby County early in his career and a memorable stint at West Ham in 2020/21 when he scored nine goals in 16 Premier League games.
Lingard won the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017 (Picture: Getty Images)
He left Manchester United for Nottingham Forest in 2022 but had a forgettable season at the City Ground before moving to Korea in early 2024.
On leaving FC Seoul in December, he wrote: ‘This wasn’t an easy decision. My time in South Korea has been unbelievable — the football, the atmosphere, and the passion around this club have been top-class. The love, support and the appreciation you have shown towards me for these last 2 years has been truly amazing.
‘Playing football here has been an unforgettable experience and one I will always value.
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‘I want to thank FC Seoul, my teammates, the staff, and everyone associated at the club for trusting me and welcoming me from day one. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to play for such a massive club.’
The star has been a regular on the Channel 4 show since it first started in 2013 but was notably absent in recent episodes.
07:51, 18 Feb 2026Updated 08:01, 18 Feb 2026
A Gogglebox star has disclosed why he’s been absent from the screen recently. Raza Siddiqui, a fan favourite on the popular Channel 4 series, had to take a break from filming. He had been a staple on the programme since its inception in 2013. He frequently appeared with his family as they shared their views on the latest programmes alongside the likes of best friends Jenny and Lee, and sisters Izzi and Ellie.
However, he was conspicuously missing in the most recent series, leading fans to wonder about his whereabouts, whilst father Sid and brothers Umar and Bassit continue to provide entertainment. Now, Raza has shared an update from his hospital bed. Posted on the Siddiqui family’s Instagram account, the upload featured an image of him receiving hospital treatment, and snaps of him recovering at home, reports the Mirror.
To clarify his absence from the show, the post read: “For you eagle eyed Goggleboxers, you may have noticed that Raza (@razathefaint) hasn’t joined us on the sofa so far this season. Sadly he had a bit of a fall, a few weeks back and cracked some ribs.” The post stated that they fully anticipate his return in a few weeks as he is recuperating well. It continued: “He’s absolutely smashing his recovery, staying positive and keeping himself entertained with walks, telly, reading and nephew cuddles with Theodore.
“I know you guys reaching out and sending your well wishes will put a bigger smile on his face than morphine ever could. Can’t wait for all four Siddiquis to be back on team @c4gogglebox with the rest of the fab families.” The post was greeted with a wave of positive responses and well-wishing messages. One user commented: “Bless you get well soon, we look forward to having you back on our screens when you are well enough. “Another expressed hope for his “speedy recovery”. A third chimed in with: “Oh no! Get well soon!”
Away from the show, Baasit is married to wife Melissa, and the couple have two children, Amelia and Theodore. Umar and Raza are believed to be single, while dad Sid – a retired engineer who relocated to the UK from Pakistan when he was just 16 – is married to wife Nasreen and they also have two daughters, who have opted to never appear on the show, The Mirror previously reported.
While the Siddiquis often talk about family life on the show, Nasreen has never appeared in front of cameras, and previously dismissed any chance of joining her sons on-screen. She told The Daily Mail: “It’s not something for me, I don’t speak very good English and I’m very shy. It’s best left to the boys. You won’t get me on the TV.”
Regarding how the Siddiqui family secured their place on Gogglebox, Umar recounted their distinctive audition experience to Radio Times: “We did a bit of an audition, where people came round with a camera and some flash cards – images of Boris Johnson, Simon Cowell. “And they said, ‘Right, just say the first thing that comes into your mind’. Whatever dynamic we had seemed to suit the show, because they asked us if we wanted to be part of it. And they’ve kept on asking us.”
The Siddiquis weren’t the only family with a missing member in the recent series. Viewers quickly noticed that brothers Tremaine and Tristan Plummer were without their sibling Twaine. The trio had joined the programme in 2016, but Twaine has been noticeably absent from recent episodes. Prior to an episode’s airing, Tremaine and Tristan confirmed on Instagram: “It’s just the two T’s today as Twaine left us to go on holiday. So we’ve got a new member of the team now,” before introducing their charming dog.
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Twaine expressed his sentiments in response to the post, explaining how gutted he was to be missing out and stating: “Wish I was there. ” His fans were quick to rally around him, extending wishes for a happy birthday. Celebrating his 40th birthday, the star enjoyed a trip to Colombia, writing on Instagram: “lived 14,610 days.”
The brothers made their Gogglebox debut 10 years ago, but have very different jobs away from screens. Two of the stars, who live in Bristol, Twaine and Tristan, have enjoyed professional footballing careers, though Twaine has since worked as a DJ, while Tremaine presents a breakfast radio show on Bristol’s Ujima FM.
