By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 16:39 BST, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 16:54 BST, 18 August 2026

Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother were in the South Carolina apartment where the actress suffered a suspected fatal heart attack on Sunday, police say. 

In a newly released report from the Greenville Police Department, officers said Hickerson and his brother Zach were at the scene when the Heroes star tragically died. 

An officer at the scene said Zach was ‘very emotional’, but said Brian did not show any emotion as EMS declared his 36-year-old partner dead. 

Brian Hickerson allegedly then showed police a ‘bag of medication’ that Panettiere had been taking at the time of her death. 

Advertisement

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office has said Panettiere’s cause of death remains under investigation, however audio of the 911 call from her apartment showed a dispatcher described it as a ‘cardiac arrest.’ 

A dispatcher could be heard in the audio saying that Panettiere had suffered a suspected overdose, and sources told TMZ that Narcan – a nasal medication used to treat an opioid overdose – was also found on a mattress at the property. 

An autopsy report completed on Monday found ‘no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.’ 

Panettiere first began dating Hickerson in 2018, however their on-off relationship became tumultuous as he was arrested several times on domestic violence charges. 

Advertisement

Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother were in the South Carolina apartment where the actress suffered a fatal heart attack on Sunday, police say

Panettiere first began dating Hickerson in 2018, however their on-off relationship became tumultuous as he was arrested several times on domestic violence charges

The Heroes star’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson was in the apartment where she died alongside his brother Zach (seen together)

Advertisement

The man also threatened to ‘smash’ the head in of another woman

A man who threatened to burn his mum’s house down after he “acted out in the heat of the moment” has been handed a suspended sentence. Reece McKay, 27 and of no fixed abode, appeared at Huntingdon Law Courts to face several charges on Tuesday (August 18).

The charges included threatening to burn down his mother’s house in Peterborough on June 6, 2026, as well as assaulting his mother on the same date. He also faced charges for stealing milk bottles from a woman in Peterborough on June 25 and threatening to “smash her head in” through a public communication network.

Prosecutor James Quelch told the court that McKay had left one of his victims “very shaky”. Oliver Barrett, for the defence, told the court that when McKay was first questioned by police after threatening to burn down his mother’s house, he was “very erratic and very volatile”.

However, the defence said McKay found the situation “difficult to talk about”. Mr Barrett said McKay had moved from his home address in Eastern Avenue, Peterborough, where he lived with his mum, and he tried to live with a friend, but this didn’t work out.

He then tried to move back in with his mum, but she would “not let him live in the house and he lived in a tent outside,” said Mr Barrett. The court heard that McKay had to “ask permission” to shower and use the toilet inside the house.

Mr Barrett said McKay felt “belittled” by this. The situation then led to an argument with his mum and he “acted out in the heat of the moment”. McKay had been remanded in custody since June 29.

Mr Barrett told the court that prison was a “shock to the system” for McKay. The court also heard that McKay was a man of “previous good character”.

McKay also faced a charge of being in possession of bladed article in a public place, namely a meat cleaver, on June 28 in an area of Peterborough. Mr Barrett asked the court to consider McKay’s guilty plea for this charge.

The two other charges were for possession of a Class A drug and possession of a Class B drug. McKay also pleaded guilty to these charges.

For the possession of the meat cleaver, Judge Mr Riddington JP handed McKay a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. He was also required to undertake 40 days of rehabilitation activities. He was then handed a nine-week prison sentence for the threat to property, to run concurrent with the custodial time he had already served.

McKay was also asked to pay £50 compensation following the assault on his mother, and £100 in compensation to the woman who he stole milk bottles from. He was not ordered to pay any costs or victim surcharges.

A major incident is unfolding in Shoreham, with emergency services at the scene.

Coastguard helicopters and ambulances have been sighted in the coastal town in West Sussex.

The RNLI said lifeboat crews were launched from Shoreham at about 2.50pm on Tuesday afternoon. The exact nature of the incident remains unclear.

Two other lifeboats were also launched from the Brighton lifeboat station shortly after 3pm.

Television network ABC and its parent company The Walt Disney Company have filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission, accusing Donald Trump’s administration of launching a “retaliatory campaign” against the network over its news coverage and programming.

Tuesday’s federal lawsuitaccuses the FCC of escalating the administration’s threats to the network with “express demands” that ABC be stripped of its broadcast licenses, which pose an “existential threat” to the network and media outlets.

The lawsuit alsochallenges the FCC’s decision to review broadcast licenses for eight ABC-owned stations after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Those licenses were not set to expire until 2028 at the earliest, and the FCC had not required an early review in more than 50 years, according to the lawsuit. Instead, the administration has weaponized those threats to pressure and control what the network covers by “openly coercing ABC into changing its programming,” lawyers argued.

ABC also argues that Trump’s repeated calls to revoke the network’s licenses as well as actions and comments from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr have “left little doubt” that the administration’s goal is to extract “speech-related concessions” from the network and other media outlets.

“Government censorship is deeply un-American,” the lawsuit states. “Again and again, the administration has attacked ABC’s speech — the stories its journalists report and the viewpoints its network programs air.”

The suit specifically cites Carr’s comments about Kimmel.

On September 15, Kimmel said on his show: “We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and everything they can to score political points from it.”

After his remarks, Carr criticized the host and warned ABC it could “take action” against Kimmel or face “additional work” from the FCC.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said at the time. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

Two days later, he was suspended.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended from the network from September 17 through September 22. Trump celebrated on Truth Social, calling it “Great News for America.”

The show returned to air after Disney said it had “thoughtful conversations” with the host.

ABC also says the FCC has targeted The View over its political content and treatment of candidates. The network argues the scrutiny has affected the show, noting that no political candidates have appeared on The View since the FCC began questioning its exemption from federal equal-opportunity rules following a February appearance from Democratic Texas state Sen. James Talarico.

The lawsuit also challenges an FCC investigation into ABC and Disney’s employment practices. ABC says the agency has made more than 600 requests for information and received more than 13,000 pages of documents while arguing that many of the requests exceed the FCC’s authority.

In a statement to The Independent, the FCC said that “all broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest — even Disney.”

“The FCC has been examining claims that Disney engaged in illegal DEI discrimination for over a year,” according to the agency. “Disney is obviously very concerned about the FCC’s proceeding, as evidenced by their ongoing campaign of disinformation as well as their decision to ask a court to stop the FCC from further pursuing matters. The FCC will continue to follow the facts and law wherever they lead.”

The government’s actions have already had a chilling effect on its editorial decisions, ABC claims. The lawsuit points to the network’s handling of Trump’s July 16 address, saying it live-streamed the speech on ABC News Live rather than airing it live on the traditional network, a decision it says it ordinarily would not have made.

“The consequences of the administration’s campaign against free speech reach well beyond ABC,” lawyers for the networks wrote.

“If the administration gets its way, the message to every media company in the country will be unmistakable: tell only the stories the administration deems favorable, or face the coercive machinery of the federal government,” they added. “In such a world, the press could in no way be described as free.”

The lawsuit is urging the court to declare the accelerated license reviews unconstitutional and to block the federal government from threatening or coercing the network over its editorial decisions.

ABC and Disney are also asking for a temporary restraining order to halt the license renewal proceedings while the case moves forward.

The controversial comedian fronted the original series alongside late snooker commentator John Virgo

For the first time in nearly 25 years, beloved snooker gameshow Big Break is set to return to our screens in the coming months.

Earlier this year, the BBC confirmed that, after more than two decades off the air, the iconic show would make its return in 2026, with two new famous faces at the helm. Former Take Me Out and Top Gear presenter Paddy McGuinness is at the helm as host, with seven-time world snooker champion Stephen Hendry joining him in the studio.

The show, which sees professional snooker players from across the circuit joining contestants in a bid to win cash prizes, originally launched back in 1991 and quickly became a cult hit, with comedian Jim Davidson and former snooker champion John Virgo fronting it.

The unlikely presenting duo proved hugely popular, with Davidson on hosting duties and Virgo starring as a referee. The original series ran for over a decade and saw viewing figures peak at almost 14 million people, before it aired for the final time in 2002.

Announcing the show’s return earlier this year, the BBC confirmed that the revamped series will have a “brand-new look and feel” while retaining the spirit of the original show, with Hendry set to showcase a range of trick shots.

The announcement was made just weeks after BBC commentator and ‘The Voice of Snooker’ Virgo died suddenly at the age of 79, while controversial comic Davidson was also overlooked for returning to his old presenting role.

The 72-year-old – who has been widely criticised for a series of controversial remarks about women, racial and ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community during his stand-up performances – has since made his feelings clear on Big Break’s return, arguing that the revamped show has “a tough act to follow”.

Addressing the reboot earlier this year, Davidson hit out at the BBC while also admitting he didn’t know who McGuinness was and remarking that the show needed “someone who is a little bit more than an an autocue reader”.

“It’s gonna be a tough act to follow,” he said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. “It was a great, great programme on the Saturday nights and maybe in the week as well.

“We were pulling in thousands and thousands and thousands. We used to film four a day and it was hard work. It was. It’s not an easy show to do, trust me on that.

“Plus, the BBC doesn’t really know how to make TV programmes, so there you go. Deal with that. Paddy McGuinness, I don’t know him so I can’t comment, but I don’t know what he does?

“Is he a comic? Like Vernon Kay, just reads the autocue or what? I don’t know. It needs someone who is a little bit more than an autocue reader. Stephen Hendry I admire and I like. He’s a nice guy. I like him a lot.

“Whether he is John Virgo… John Virgo was brought in because he was funny. He was the snooker player’s comedian. That’s why it worked,” Davidson added.

Admitting that he would like to be fronting the reboot – but adding that he “can’t bear” the BBC – the comedian continued: “I have the ability to ad lib and live and bounce on my feet and John and I developed this chemistry.

“I hope that this Paddy McGuinness and Stephen Hendry try and pull something together. It’s a big act to follow, lads but I wish you luck. Don’t look back at what we did and carry on and do what you want to do. Whether the public will take to you, that’s up to you guys.

“I wish I were doing it,” he added. “Not for the BBC because I can’t bear them. But Paddy and Stephen, I and John up there somewhere in the great gambling den in the sky, we wish you luck.”

The car was bought for cash in Carlow on the Tuesday before the crash by an associate of one of the teenagers who died in Sunday’s collision

Advertisement

The car driven by the teenage gang in the M9 crash horror had been bought for just over €1,000 in cash days beforehand, it has emerged.

The Irish Mirror has learned that the black BMW in which all five teenagers were killed was bought in the Carlow area on Tuesday, August 11 – five days before the tragedy on the stretch of the motorway in Moone in Co Kildare.

The five teens who died in the crash were all aged between 15 and 18. They have not been officially named yet. But their names emerged in the local communities and online on Monday.

They were: Jeremy O’Brien, 18, from Carlow; Alex McCarthy, 17, from Carlow; Joey Carthy, 15, from Athy, Kildare; Jack Kennedy, 17, also from Athy and Kamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick.

Officers initially suspected that the teens had stolen the car after gardai received reports of young suspects trying to break into vehicles and houses in Athy at around 2am on Sunday.

That was just an hour before the BMW sped down the wrong direction of the northbound carriage of the M9 and slammed into a Hyundai vehicle carrying the innocent Kinsella family that was travelling to Dublin Airport for a flight to England.

All five teenagers died in the crash, and the four members of the Kinsella family – a seven-year-old child and three women-miraculously survived but were left seriously injured.

Now we have established that gardai are satisfied the BMW was not stolen, but had been bought by one of the teens’ associates for just €1100.

It was bought legitimately from a man in Carlow.

Sources say one reason gardaí suspected it had been stolen is that it was not registered in any of the names of the five teens who were in the car when it crashed.

But it emerged that a close associate of one of the teens had actually bought the car from a foreign national.

The teens were killed when the BMW crashed head on into the innocent Kinsella family’s Hyundai car at around 3am on Sunday. The Kinsella family were driving on the correct side of the motorway and were heading from their homes in Carlow to Dublin Airport for a flight when the BMW crashed into them.

They were all lucky to survive the crash but suffered serious injuries.

They were named locally as Ella Hendricken, Niamh and Alma Kinsella. The boy, aged just seven, is being treated at Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

The female driver and front seat passenger remain critically ill in Tallaght University Hospital in south Dublin.

And the woman who was in the back seat beside the boy was in a serious condition at St. Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny, but was later moved to St Vincent’s Hospital in south Dublin.

Gardai are still investigating the crash and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Athy Garda Station on 01 666 6000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

Advertisement

And independent policing watchdog Fiosrù is carrying out a separate probe following an interaction between it and gardai some time before the crash.

We revealed on Monday that the BMW actually drove the wrong way down the M9 twice in the run up to the tragedy.

We have learned that the horror incident began around 30 minutes before the crash when gardai first became aware the BMW was acting suspiciously.

Gardai saw the vehicle and tried to stop it but it quickly drove against traffic on the northbound section of the motorway, which meant the officers immediately disengaged.

It’s understood the car then did a U-turn – and went back the M9, but this time in the proper direction.

It then went off the motorway at junction 2A – a filling station and food area.

Gardai were preparing an operation to deploy a stinger on the motorway to take out the car’s tyres when the occupants saw one of the force vehicles – and sped off.

It drove the wrong way down the exit ramp – and sped along the motorway, again against traffic. Gardai did not pursue the car.

But within a few minutes the BMW slammed into the Hyundai car going the right way on the motorway with horrific consequences.

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

Ainsley Harriott visited Morrisons in Foss Islands Retail Park yesterday (August 17) as part of a visit to Morrisons stores across Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire this August with his brand Ainsley Foods Company.

The visit to York as the first of nine across the country where the Ready, Steady, Cook chef met with shoppers to take pictures together, share recipe inspiration, and surprise customers with prizes and food vouchers.

RECOMMENDED READING:

After dancing with shoppers, hugging dogs, and signing autographs, Ainsley said that it was great to see so many people visit the supermarket to meet him despite the bad weather.

He said: “I was up in York recently, so it’s really nice to be back. It’s great to visit Morrisons and connect with people, tell them about the brand, and give them some tips that they can use in their own cooking.

“People always ask me what my favourite meal or recipe it is, but as a chef, I can cook most things. What I really love is the company and eating with my loved ones.”

Mike Benton, MD at Ainsley Foods Company, added that the company would be donating £1,000 to a local charity, chosen by the shop itself, with an additional £100 to one lucky shopper.

He said: “We’re passionate about bringing people together through great food, and we’re delighted to be supporting local communities alongside our Where’s Ainsley tour.

“By donating £3,000 worth of food in each region we visit, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to the fantastic food banks and community organisations making a difference every day.”

Ainsley meets a golden retriever puppy (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

Mike added that they would also be visiting Martin House Children’s Hospice.

He said: “It’s a great cause and we want to keep on supporting it.”

Morrisons store manager Nick Bennett added that it was great to see Ainsley in the shop and that the donations he gave to the food bank were set to make a big difference.

He said: “When they let us know that there was a chance for him to visit us, we were more than happy to accommodate.

Ainsley with one shopper Catarina (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

“It’s great for the store and it’s great for York to have someone like Ainsley visit – look at all the smiling faces in here. He’s a man who creates a crowd.

“We do a lot here for charity and we have several local food banks who visit each week, so it’s a really nice boost for them to have this experience and donation too.”

One person has died and hundreds more have fallen ill with salmonella food poisoning in a major outbreak which health officials believe is linked to contaminated imported eggs.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the surge in cases was caused by a single strain of the bug. They are investigating the outbreak, which has seen 207 cases detected since the start of the year.

The vast majority of the cases have been in England, with more than a third of those struck down needing hospital care.

Those affected include babies and patients in their 90s, and two have developed life-threatening blood infections.

Salmonella usually causes a fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea which clears up in a few days. But it can be fatal. 

It is typically caught by eating contaminated food such as poultry, meat, eggs, raw fruit and vegetables and unpasteurised dairy products. 

According to the UKHSA, the current outbreak appears to be linked to a previous bout of cases in 2025, which was also linked back to contaminated eggs. 

Of the 207 cases confirmed by August 13, 114 have identified five different food businesses, with cross-contamination risks at two of these premises. 

However, the UKHSA warned: ‘At this time there is no identified link to UK-produced eggs or poultry.’  

Health officials are now urging people to take precautionary measures against catching the bacteria, which it said are common causes of food poisoning.

Those in vulnerable groups may develop more severe illness such as bloodstream infections, infection of metastatic sites, sepsis and multiorgan failure, it added. 

Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist for gastrointestinal infections at the UKHSA, said: ‘We’re working with Food Standards Agency and other public health agencies to investigate a salmonella outbreak that may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK.

‘Salmonellosis is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food and can be spread rarely from person to person. 

‘Symptoms – which can take up to 72 hours to develop – include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever.

‘Anyone who is concerned about symptoms should contact their GP or out-of-hours service in the first instance.

The UKHSA and the FSA said that last year there were 10,406 recorded cases of salmonella

‘There are simple steps to prevent the spread of salmonella – wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing and handling food, cook food thoroughly, and if you have any symptoms, avoid handling food for others where possible.’

Of the 207 cases, 199 are in England, six are in Scotland, one is in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.

In England, London has seen the highest number of cases, with 47 cases confirmed, followed by Yorkshire and Humber where 38 people have fallen ill. 

In response, Dr Damien Tully, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene said: ‘This is a sizeable outbreak, but the number of confirmed cases is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg. 

‘Many Salmonella infections cause relatively short-lived gastrointestinal illness and people may recover without ever being tested, meaning the true number of infections associated with an outbreak can be considerably higher than the number identified through laboratory surveillance.’ 

There is no reliable way to tell whether an egg is carrying salmonella simply by looking at it, smelling it or checking its shell. 

The safest option is to buy eggs from reputable retailers, keep them according to the instructions on the pack and check the best-before date. 

UK-produced eggs carrying the British Lion stamp or the laid in Britain logo on the shell have additional salmonella controls, including vaccination and testing, and eggs under them are considered very low risk.

If you are unsure of the eggs’ origin, cook them thoroughly until both the white and yolk are firm. 

Washing your hands after handling raw eggs and taking care not to let raw egg come into contact with ready-to-eat food can also help minimise the risk of infection. 

Importantly, there is currently no advice to avoid all eggs. UKHSA says the current outbreak may be linked to eggs imported from outside the UK. 

Anyone trying to rid their garden of weeds might be interested in the easy hack

Gardeners looking for a homemade weed killer might already have what they need in their kitchen. While it’s not as well-known as some popular hacks, one item often found in drink cabinets could be useful around the garden.

Vodka can be used to tackle common weeds, such as dandelions. Jen McDonald, a certified organic garden specialist, told Homes and Gardens: “Vodka can be used in place of herbicides to kill broad-leaf weeds, such as dandelions. A garden cocktail consisting of one ounce vodka, two cups of water, and a few drops of Castile dish soap will do the trick.

“Serve it up in a spray bottle and apply directly to weeds on a sunny day. The vodka and sunlight will scorch the weeds, making them easier to pull within a few days.”

For gardeners who don’t have vodka to use, other common kitchen ingredients, such as bicarbonate of soda and distilled vinegar, can also do the trick. Demonstrating the method on TikTok, content creator and author Michael Griffiths explained how to use the two-ingredient mixture.

Posting as @Themichaelgriffiths, the gardening enthusiast shared a ‘homemade weed killer that actually works’. He said: “The first ingredient to use is distilled vinegar.

“This works as a herbicide. The second ingredient is bicarbonate of soda, but don’t add too much bicarbonate at once, or it will fizz everywhere.

“Instead, add it slowly, mixing as you go. This will create a more effective weed destroyer. Make sure it’s all mixed together and add it to a spray bottle. Give the weed a good soaking, and it’ll be finished before you know it.”

In the caption, he added: “I used a 2:1 (two parts vinegar, one part bicarbonate) solution. Mix together until the solution is completely clear otherwise it will clog your spray bottle. Give the weed a really good soak. This is best used on young weeds.”

The video impressed social media users, gaining thousands of likes. Reacting to the post, a social media user said: “I use vinegar and salt plus put in a splash of washing up liquid so the mixture sticks to the plants. Works wonders.”

Someone else thought: “Salt, white vinegar and washing up liquid. Perfect combination.” Another comment read: “I make my own weedkiller, vinegar, a small squeeze of dish liquid, a small teaspoon of salt, give it a good shake, works a treat.” A different reply claimed: “Boiling water straight out of the kettle works best.”

On Saturday, August 15, a white 14ft cabin cruiser with a brown stripe capsized near the mouth of the River Tyne shortly before 3pm.

The sinking cruiser’s crew of three managed to call for help using a VHF radio and were later rescued from the water and transferred to a waiting ambulance, South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade and Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat confirmed.

The vessel has not been recovered and its current position remains unknown, prompting a warning to mariners to take extra caution.

Greg Maitland, harbour master at the Port of Tyne, said: “Following the capsize, the vessel has subsequently been lost from sight and its present position and condition are unknown.

“It is probable that the vessel has sunk; however, the possibility that it remains submerged or partially submerged cannot be excluded and may therefore present a hazard to navigation.”

He urged mariners to take extra care in the Seaward Approaches to the River Tyne.

Mr Maitland said: “Mariners navigating in the Seaward Approaches to the River Tyne are requested to proceed with caution, maintain a sharp lookout and navigate at a safe speed, having regard to the possibility of a partially or wholly submerged obstruction.”

He also called on anyone who spots the vessel or related debris to notify authorities immediately.

Mr Maitland said: “Any sighting of the vessel, floating wreckage or debris believed to be associated should be reported immediately, together with the position and any other relevant information.”

Mariners are also requested to report any oil, fuel or other signs of pollution observed in the vicinity to Tyne VTS on VHF Channel 12 or by telephone on 0191 427 8143.