“I’m gonna be honest, I think youse are all focusing on the wrong person here,” Rowe said in his video on Instagram. “All I keep hearing is Ed Sheeran this, Ed Sheeran that, when youse really should be focusing on the likes of Robert Kraft.”
He continued, “ You should really be focusing on the Zionist lobbies that are trying to silence the voices of people who are shouting about genocide.”
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The Irish singer then went on to stick up for Sheeran, who said in an initial statement that he was “not complicit” in Macklemore being silenced and that he was not the one to make the decision to oust the rapper.
“I know Ed’s statement could have been a lot better, and I do think that Macklemore shouldn’t have been pulled off the tour,” Rowe said. “I fully believe it was panic stations over there and they rushed the decision because they didn’t know what to f***ing do because they were getting it from all angles.”
Rowe said that he has not been able to speak much with Sheeran, but that “I fully believe he knows that was a mistake.” He added that Sheeran would not have chosen pro-Palestine acts Macklemore, Beoga, BIIRD and others if he had been against their political stances.
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Ed Sheeran dropped Macklemore from his tour after Robert Kraft said the rapper wasn’t welcome at his venue (Getty Images)
“All he has inside of him is kindness,” he said. “That is who Ed Sheeran is. And yes, like every other human being he makes f***ing mistakes.”
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He said that protesters should be “using this opportunity to plaster Robert Kraft’s face everywhere. Someone who tried to shut down free speech, someone who tried to silence the voices of people who are shouting about genocide.”
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Rowe was one of the four supporting acts who dropped out of Sheeran’s U.S. leg of his Loop tour after the decision to remove Macklemore following his comments in support of the Palestinian people. Other acts who backed out were fellow Irish artist Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham and Finneas.
Does anyone seriously believe King Charles, a man whom countless people have described over the years as being seriously affected by Princess Diana’s death, regardless of their disaster of a marriage, would say such “monstrous” words?
The pointed language used by Earl Spencer is so outlandish and hyperbolic that even the most committed Republicans would struggle to get on board. But this war of words, which is already spiralling wildly out of control, endangers the very fabric of the monarchy.
And all in the week that Prince Harry has turned up to cosplay being a royal, with 48 hours of public engagements as he strives to rehabilitate his own image now he’s parked up in Britain once again.
Forget the notion of “your truth” – ridiculously peddled by Oprah Winfrey following her interview with Harry and Meghan after their explosive exit from royal life – there is only one truth here. Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer has abandoned his self-imposed shackles from publicly talking about his sister’s experiences within the royal family – all in good time to publicise his book and cash in ahead of the 30th anniversary of Diana’s death.
How convenient then that he has suddenly lifted the lid on private conversations with the then Prince Charles, where he allegedly “sounded giddily elated” upon the tragic news of the death of the mother of his children. Spencer knows the framing around it has the potential to inflict the most damage.
Claiming Charles’s “pent-up contempt” for his former wife, and adding that the King sounded almost gleeful – comparing his tone to that of “a lottery winner” – at the very moment the nation was collapsing into grief, is simply staggering. Spencer has laid down the gauntlet to the King his own version of “recollections may vary” is anything but a rebuttal of his version of events.
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These aren’t simply unflattering anecdotes about a phone call 30 years ago, they are a direct challenge to the version of events the monarchy has quietly relied on for years – that Charles was a grieving father doing his best amid impossible pressure, not a man irritated by his ex-wife’s popularity.
If the public believes Spencer over the Palace, it doesn’t just tarnish a moment in history; it corrodes the trust that underpins the King’s own reign, at a time when Charles is already contending with health concerns and a slimmed-down, ageing monarchy, and how he will respond to his estranged son’s homecoming.
For an institution that survives on the idea of quiet dignity and closing ranks, those days are over. What happens next will be for the King to decide.
After publishing images of a new clothing line with ‘United 93’ printed on the back, Oxford United say it ‘didn’t understand the historical context’ of the hijacked aircraft
Oxford United have hauled their new merchandise range off sale after coming under-fire for a ‘United 93’ clothing range the day after the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
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The League One club have been forced to apologise for the wording on the back of its Campus Collection and will no longer be flogging the items. United Airlines Flight 93 was one of the planes hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists on the morning of September 11, 2001.
The clothing was supposed to make reference to the year the club was founded, 1893, and the season they won promotion, 1993. But fans were quick to pick up on the problem, and ordered the Us to re-think the range.
Today, the club have issued a statement saying it ‘did not understand the historical context and associations‘ of the wording on the back of the new shirts. United Airlines Flight 93 did not reached its intented target and crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all 44 people on board.
A film titled United 93 was made about the tragedy and was released 20 years ago, focusing on the passengers and crews’ fight against the terrorists after learning about the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. In a statement, the club said: “Oxford United would like to sincerely apologise for the recent launch of the Campus Collection.
“The range was released without understanding of the historical context and associations. It should not have reached the point of sale and we take full responsibility for not undertaking proper due diligence. We have removed the collection with immediate effect and are reviewing our approval processes to ensure nothing like this happens again. Once again, we would like to put on record our sincere apologies for this error and for any offence caused.”
Fans were still unhappy despite the withdrawal of the items, with one tweeting: “If there is genuinely not one single person at the club who doesn’t have the historical knowledge or context on this then you have to question who are we appointing (or which agencies) to produce and manage this type of thing.”
The world stood still last week to remember the atrocities which claimed the lives of 2,977 people and injured tens of thousands more. Flight 93 is the only plane on 9/11 which failed to reach the intended target of hijackers and it remains a mysterious talking point with unanswered questions
One of the hijackers aboard, Ziad Jarrah, a trained pilot, turned the aircraft around back towards Washington. The 9/11 Commission Report, the most comprehensive study of the terrorist attacks, concluded the plane’s target was either the White House or the Capitol but the final destination of the flight remains somewhat unknown.
In 2003, while being interrogated by US agents, al Qaeda mastermind Sheikh Mohammed claimed there was difficulty deciding where to attack within the terrorist group.
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Osama Bin Laden wanted to destroy the White House, Pentagon and World Trade Centre, but his co-conspirators wanted to strike the Capitol instead. Before he was captured and arrested, Sheikh Mohammed also reportedly told an Al Jazeera reporter that Flight 93 had been headed for the Capitol building.
Carse was handcuffed by officers after a celebratory night out with Durham team-mates on August 23 and it was later confirmed he had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, before being “de-arrested” after agreeing to depart.
Derbyshire Police said they were investigating an alleged assault in connection with the incident but have now determined no further action will be taken.
Brydon Carse in action for England (Robbie Stephenson/PA). (PA Archive)
In a statement, Derbyshire Police said: “An investigation into reports of an assault in Derby city centre has been closed.
“Officers attended Molly Malones in the Wardwick, Derby, in the early hours of Sunday 23 August. A man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and was then de-arrested after his details were taken by officers.”
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Subsequent enquiries were made pursuing the allegations of an assault but, after the alleged victim was identified and spoken to, no further action was taken, police said.
The matter is now in the hands of the independent Cricket Regulator, which will assess if Carse has a disciplinary issue to answer to relating to his conduct.
Carse has continued playing for Durham since the episode took place, helping his side win the Division Two title of the Rothesay County Championship, but he has been overlooked by England.
He was immediately removed from the squad ahead of the second Test against Pakistan, then left out of the final match too. While officially considered available for selection for the ongoing white-ball series against Sri Lanka, he was left on the sidelines once again.
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Brydon Carse has helped Durham win the Division Two title (Mike Egerton/PA). (PA Wire)
Speaking earlier this week, England’s limited-overs head coach Brendon McCullum called for his side to be mindful of their off-field responsibilities and added: “I’ve spoken to Carsey a lot and it’s the same message – you need to make good decisions off the field that allow you to be able to be the best version of yourself.
“As far as Carsey is concerned, it’s a good chance for him now to get his house in order and then push for selection for the next opportunity that arises.”
Test captain Joe Root also had his say ahead of the Lord’s Test when he described himself as “hacked off” by the growing list of alcohol-related incidents involving England players.
On Carse, he said: “I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn in saying he’s very upset, very apologetic and understands his actions. I’m sure when he gets his chance, he will say that himself.”
Grand Tour fans will be able to bid to own three of Jeremy Clarkson’s personal cars from the hit TV show.
Nostalgic motorheads will be particularly keen to own the Lancia Montecarlo Spider driven by the TV star in the final ever episode of Amazon’s motoring show.
His Alfa Romeo GTV6 and Lincoln Continental Mark V are also going under the hammer, making up the trio of wheels Clarkson is selling from his personal collection.
Eager viewers of Clarkson’s Farm – the reality series that follows his attempts to run a farm in the Cotswolds – will find out the reason for the cars’ sale in the forthcoming series.
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The three vehicles will go on sale on Saturday, November 14 at the NEC Classic Motor Show and will be sold by Iconic Auctioneers.
Jeremy Clarkson said: ‘I rarely get a chance these days to drive or enjoy these very special and quite famous cars so it’s probably for the best if they end up with someone who can.’
Grand Tour fans can bid to own three of Jeremy Clarkson’s personal cars from the hit TV show – and the reason for the sale will be revealed in the forthcoming series of Clarkson’s Farm
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Within Clarkson’s personal car collection, the 1982 Lancia Montecarlo Spider – an Italian mid-engined alternative to the Ferrari 308 – has a particularly significant place as it was the very last car he drove on The Grand Tour, marking a special moment of the TV presenter’s career on screen.
Finished in Lotus Blue, it was his choice for The Grand Tour: One for the Road, the final episode featuring Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May together as lead presenters.
The famous trio drove across Zimbabwe and into Botswana, where Clarkson was unexpectedly reunited with the Lancia Beta Coupé he had driven in the 2007 Top Gear Botswana Special.
For One for the Road, the Montecarlo was modified with Ferrari 308 rear lights and quad tailpipes, Lancia Delta Integrale wheels, headlights and grille, cloth seats and a simple Alcantara-covered race-style steering wheel.
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After filming, Clarkson bought the car himself and added it to his collection. It has since been tidied by Max500 Ltd and today starts, runs and drives well.
The next owner will have a one-of-one Montecarlo with about as much car royalty history as a buyer could want.
The stat lot is Clarkson’s 1982 Lancia Montecarlo Spider which is particularly significant as it was the very last car he drove on The Grand Tour
Finished in Lotus Blue, it was Clarkson’s choice for The Grand Tour: One for the Road, the final episode featuring Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May together as lead presenters
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It was modified with Ferrari 308 rear lights and quad tailpipes, Lancia Delta Integrale wheels, headlights and grille, cloth seats and a Alcantara-covered race-style steering wheel
The 1982 Lancia Montecarlo Spider is a Italian mid-engined alternative to the Ferrari 308
Clarkson is also offering up his 1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 which he used in Well Aged Scotch, first broadcast in 2019.
Clarkson drove the Rosso Alfa GTV6 – an Italian coupé with a V6 engine – around Scotland’s North Coast 500 alongside Hammond’s Fiat X1/9 and May’s Lancia Gamma Coupé, with the Alfa’s gear change and eventual propshaft failure providing some of the episode’s most memorable moments.
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After its jaunt around Scotland, it then joined Clarkson’s collection.
The Alfa has covered just 28,315 miles, with maintenance being carried out ‘in-house’.
Clarkson is also offering up his 1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 which he used in Well Aged Scotch, first broadcast in 2019
Clarkson drove the Rosso Alfa GTV6 – an Italian coupé with a V6 engine – around Scotland’s North Coast 500 alongside Hammond’s Fiat X1/9 and May’s Lancia Gamma Coupé
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The Alfa’s gear change and eventual propshaft failure provided some of the episode’s most memorable moments
Completing the Clarkson car trio is his 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V from The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown.
Chosen for the Covid-era special filmed in Scotland, the vast 6.6-litre Lincoln was modified during the programme with nitrous injection.
Motorheads will love that it still retains the NOS equipment today, as well as a set of bagpipes in the boot – a nod to Scotland – and a Cartier clock that particularly caught Clarkson’s attention on screen.
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After saying on-screen that he wanted the car in his life, Clarkson added it to his own collection.
Completing the Clarkson car trio is his 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V from The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown
The Covid-era special was filmed in Scotland, and the vast 6.6-litre Lincoln was modified during the programme with nitrous injection
Motorheads will love that it still retains the NOS equipment today, as well as a set of bagpipes in the boot – a nod to Scotland – and a Cartier clock
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Harry Whale, car specialist at Iconic Auctioneers, said: ‘These cars have a connection with Jeremy Clarkson that goes well beyond simply appearing on television.
‘He chose each of them for The Grand Tour, then liked them enough to keep them afterwards.
‘The Lancia is particularly significant as the last car he drove in the programme, but all three will be immediately familiar to fans.
‘They are genuine pieces of modern motoring television history, complete with the details and modifications viewers will remember.’
It was the CBBC classic which had children shouting ‘Bog off’, but now, actress Montanna Thompson has revealed that Tracy Beaker was almost very different
Tracy Beaker almost had a different actress playing the iconic character. With her constant shouting matches, tears from hayfever and yelling “Bog off” at the top of her lungs, Tracy was perhaps the most well-known children childrens TV character of her generation.
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Played by Dani Harmer, the character saw its fair share of heartbreak, with Tracy’s mum Carly leaving her for a “career in Hollywood”, and several foster families before she found happiness with author Cam Lawson, who adopted Tracy.
And it’s fair to say that Justine Littlewood was perhaps Tracy’s biggest archnemesis in The Dumping Ground (Elmtree House). However, things could have been very different, as Dani almost never landed the role of Tracy.
Actress Montanna Thompson, who played Justine, has now revealed that she initially landed the role of Tracy before Dame Jacqueline Wilson stepped in. “I didn’t actually audition for Justine,” Montanna said.
Speaking on the Embarrassing For No Reason podcast, the actress, 37, went on to add: “I auditioned for Tracy and I got the phone call and they said, ‘Oh, you’ve got the part as Tracy.’ So me and my mum was jumping around…
“We was all jumping around and celebrating and then an hour later, I get a call from the BBC. Jacqueline Wilson said she wanted to keep the illustration of Tracy original. So I was like ‘Ok’, and they was like ‘Would you like to be Justine?’ so I was like ‘Yeah, ok, great’.”
Montanna went on to tell hosts Sam Darlaston and Tatum McGreal that her mother was asked if she would “cut her hair off” as Dame Jacqueline wanted Justine to have a bob. “My mum said, ‘Well, no, not really,’” she explained.
“I think that’s why Justine has got the plaits, and they made that character like that,” she added. However, Montanna admits that she “loved” playing Justine and, looking back, couldn’t imagine herself playing any other character on the show.
She said: “Dani fits Tracy perfectly, too, and it’s all meant to happen, as you said. Alignment is everything happens for a reason.” But Dani is said to be aware that Montanna was initially cast as the role.
Montanna was around 11 or 12 when she was first cast for the CBBC programme, adding that she can’t watch herself in real time on TV, but she’s now able to look back and watch the first series of the show, which aired on January 8, 2002.
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Elsewhere on the podcast, Montanna revealed that there were several “childhood sweetheart” romances on the show. Unbeknownst to fans, she enjoyed a “romance” with Crash, played by Darragh Mortell. Dani enjoyed a childhood-sweetheart romance with Lol, played by Ciaran Joyce.
While The Story of Tracy Beaker may have ended in 2006, Montanna has since reprised her role in a series of spin-offs of the classic programme. In 2012, the actress returned as Justine in Tracy Beaker Returns, before later returning for the series My Mum Tracy Beaker.
And still to this day, the actress is often flooded with supportive messages from fans, and most recently participated in a Comic Con event with her former co-stars.
If Republicans feared they would lose the House and Senate, this week showed a tidal wave of polls that makes them think no lifeboat could save them.
In Texas, an Emerson College poll showed Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico beating Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton — strongly endorsed and stumped-for by President Donald Trump — by one point after the same poll in August showed a slight lead for Paxton. Last week, polls showed that Josh Turek, the Paralympian Democratic nominee for Senate in Iowa, is beating Trump-endorsed Rep. Ashley Hinson.
On Friday, Republicans got hit with a nuclear bomb when another Emerson College poll showed Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton beating Sen. Roger Marshall by two points in ruby-red Kansas of all places. Even Republican-leaning Trafalgar Group showed in a survey that former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown has a slight lead in Ohio against incumbent Sen. Jon Husted.
The generic ballot, which asks if a voter will pick a non-descript Democrat or Republican for Congress, shows a Democratic advantage anywhere from 7 points in the latest Fox News survey to 12 points in an Economist/YouGov poll.
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Make no mistake. These are extinction-level numbers for Republicans — and they seem to know.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has every reason to be excited about Democrats taking back the Senate. So why aren’t Democrats popping bottles? (AP)
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami, cut an ad warning “some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far” — after staunchly supporting Trump up till now. Trump made history in 2024 when he became the first Republican president to win Miami-Dade County since George H.W. Bush in 1988, largely thanks to the county’s heavy Cuban-American population, which leans conservative.
That’s why Cuban-Americans breaking from Trump is a five-alarm fire for Republicans.
Vice President JD Vance, the presumptive heir to the Republican nomination for president in 2028, has offered the hollow ask of, “Give us another chance, or give us another couple of years.”
And polling shows that Trump’s pledge to give every American a $5,000 check — but only if Republicans maintain their control of the House and Senate, which many have called a “bribe” — has not helped. Bribe concerns aside, an Economist/YouGov poll showed that 61 percent of voters don’t think Trump will deliver on the pledge.
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When Americans either say no or brush off free money, things are shaping up in a bad way.
But Democrats are not popping bottles just yet. And rightly so. They have too much trauma from past elections, where polls showed them in cruise control — or at least ahead — coming into Election Day.
Democratic candidate for US Senate James Talarico has a real chance to flip Texas’ Senate seat. But Republicans are pouring in millions into Texas. (AFP/Getty)
In 2018, during Trump’s first term, it looked like they would be bound for a blue wave, but it barely materialized and Republicans actually gained Senate seats. Polling has also had major misses in recent years. In 2020, Joe Biden looked like he would win by a landslide, but he only narrowly won, Democrats lost seats in the House and only got a 50-seat majority.
Democrats also have a significant cash disadvantage. While individual candidates like Talarico, Brown and Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff have raised massive amounts of money, Republican committees out-raise Democratic ones. The Republican National Committee raised $19 million in July, the most recent numbers available show. The Democratic National Committee by contrast raised $9.2 million that same month.
Trump has also finally opened his MAGA Inc. super PAC to prop up Republican incumbents. Elon Musk’s America PAC has also done the same.
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Republicans are also deploying the same attack that they used in 2024: saying Democrats support transgender athletes in women’s sports and allowing minors to receive health care to transition.
But there are some significant differences this time. On transgender policy, Brown is running ads saying gender-affirming care for minors is already outlawed and Husted should answer for raising costs. In Iowa, Lindsay James, who is running in the second district, is running an ad saying “parents know what’s best for our kids. Washington needs to stay out of it.”
In the same token turnout in Democratic primaries has been significantly higher than Republican turnout. And since Trump has largely remade the Republican Party into the party of non-college-educated voters, they do not turn out in midterms the way they do in presidential elections, which has worried Trump.
Lastly, there seems to be no sign that the war in Iran will come to an end any time soon. And even if it does, it’s unlikely voters will feel relief at the gas pump or at the grocery store in enough time.
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Still, Democrats understand more than ever that even when they look like they have all the cards, they can still fold. So they are proceeding caution, trying to contain their glee, but also knowing election night could upend their plans.
The arrest stems from a collaborative UK law enforcement response to dismantle EncroChat
An East Belfast man has been jailed for drugs charges linked to an encrypted phone network used by criminals.
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The 41-year-old appeared before Craigavon Crown Court on Friday, September 18, in relation to offences linked to EncroChat.
He was sentenced to 22 months, half to be served in custody and half on licence, for the offences of intentionally encouraging or assisting the supply of Class B controlled drugs and three counts of transferring criminal property.
The investigation and subsequent sentencing stems from Operation Venetic, a collaborative UK law enforcement response to dismantle EncroChat, led by the National Crime Agency.
The arrest followed the search of a property six years ago, where items were seized including three mobile phones.
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Detective Inspector McCamley from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Branch said: “EncroChat was an encrypted communication channel used by organised crime groups to plan illegal activity, such as drug importation and the movement of cash.
“Wayne Jones’ arrest followed searches of a property in East Belfast in July 2020. Here, various items were seized, including three mobile phones and a quantity of cash.
“As with other similar cases, our detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Cyber Crime Centre were able to recover digital forensic evidence. This, alongside collaboration with our partners, including prosecutors from the Public Prosecution Service and the NCA, ultimately brought the defendant before the court.
“This is a further example of our ongoing commitment to bring those who use EncroChat for criminal activity and their own financial gain to justice.
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“Working alongside our partner agencies, we will continue to disrupt the movements and activities of organised crime groups, who bring nothing but harm to the most vulnerable within our communities.
“As part of this investigation to date, we have made 52 arrests and obtained Confiscation Orders in the sum of almost £200,000.
“A total of 20 defendants have now pleaded guilty, with 15 of these sentenced for offences linked to EncroChat, from drug supply and money laundering offences to conspiracy to murder and possession of firearms.
“It’s thanks to such collective efforts, backed by our own Cyber Crime Centre and Economic Crime Unit, that we’re able to continue bringing defendants before the courts.”
Jacob Waddington from Accrington bought his first two-bed house at 23 for £98,000
Phoebe Jobling Property Writer and SWNSOliviaStringer (Olivia Stringer)
18:36, 18 Sep 2026
A man has bought his second property at just 24 years old, having put aside at least £1,000 a month from his earnings since turning 18.
Jacob Waddington, 24, has consistently saved at least half of his income since finishing college, enabling him to buy a £98,000 two-bedroom house at age 23.
Together with his girlfriend Holly, 23, Jacob from Accrington, Lancashire dedicated a year to renovating the property, before having it valued at £160,000 and subsequently letting it out.
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The couple remortgaged the house and utilised the equity to snap up a second £140,000 cottage at auction, with intentions to convert this into an Airbnb.
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“The plan is to maybe buy one more house to do up and sell, and then maybe buy a doer-upper to live in,” said Jacob,
“All my friends and family say it’s amazing, and it does feel really rewarding. I’ve found a real passion for doing it and I just feel really motivated to keep going.”
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After leaving college aged 18, Jacob began working for a telecoms firm, earning £24,000 annually.
This represented a significant increase from the £6 per hour position he’d held at JD Sports while still studying, making it relatively straightforward to save a substantial portion of his monthly income.
Since Jacob was still living at home and contributing just £200 monthly to his parents, he managed to deposit £1,000 a month into a savings account.
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His salary then rose to £33,000, allowing him to set aside approximately £1,500 from his £2,200 monthly pay packet. To set aside such a substantial portion of his earnings, Jacob didn’t feel the need to adhere to a rigid budget.
“I’d only really spend money on going out at the weekend, but you don’t need to spend loads on that”, he said.
“Me and my girlfriend would go for the odd meal out, but we love going on walks and things like that”.
During May 2025, Jacob and Holly deliberated over how they should utilise their savings.
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“We thought about buying a house together, but neither of us were desperate to move out, so we decided to buy a house to do up and then sell”, Jacob said.
Between them they placed a 25 per cent deposit on a £98,000 two-bedroom terraced property and invested £20,000 in refurbishments.
Jacob left his position to take up bar work two days weekly, bringing in £800 monthly, and dedicated the remainder of his time to the renovation venture.
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They fitted a new kitchen, a new bathroom, re-plastered the walls, and installed a new boiler.
Come January 2026, nine months following their purchase of the property, the renovation was finished.
They then had the property revalued at £160,000 and extracted the growth in value to their bank accounts through remortgaging the house.
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Following discussions with estate agents, they opted to let out the property, rather than selling it, as demand was strong for rental properties in their locality.
During March 2026, tenants took occupancy of the property, paying £875 in rent, more than double Jacob and Holly’s £430 monthly mortgage.
The couple then began their search for a second property, eventually discovering a 200-year-old one-bedroom cottage nestled at the foot of Pendle Hill, famous for the Pendle witch trials.
“We’re thinking we might Airbnb this one out because it’s in a rural location”, Jacob said.
“It’s really picturesque and it’s in a historic area. It will be like a couple’s getaway.”
The pair used funds raised from remortgaging their first home towards the £140,000 cottage, securing a 75 per cent bridging loan over 12 months to cover the remainder.
A bridging loan is a short-term financial arrangement whereby, rather than making monthly repayments, interest accumulates over an agreed period.
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Jacob and Holly intend to spend a year renovating the property, with an estimated budget of £30,000 for the refurbishment.
Following completion, they plan to remortgage the cottage, using the released funds to clear the bridging loan before transitioning to a standard mortgage.
“The house next door has just sold for £320,000 for a two bed, so I’m hoping to get this one remortgaged at around £250,000”, he said.
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“If we can do that, we’d be able to pull out more money than we put in, because it will have increased in value by so much”.
Jacob has worked out that letting the Airbnb at £120 per night with 60 per cent occupancy would generate £2,000 monthly.
Once council tax, utility bills and the £650 mortgage are settled, approximately £1,000 would remain as profit.
“It could be more profitable than the standard rental”, he said.
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Jacob intends to purchase another property to either sell or rent out following this project, before eventually buying a home to share with Holly.
He advised: “If someone wants to buy a house, whether to live in or to sell, don’t be afraid to by something that needs a little work doing to it.
“If you buy something a bit more run-down, you can get much bigger returns on it, as it will have increased in value.”
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He documents his renovation journey on @buildingwithjacob.
MobLand season 2 has finally arrived on Paramount+ and stars Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan spoke exclusively about what fans can expect.
Katie Palmer Senior TV Reporter for Screen Time
18:00, 18 Sep 2026
MobLand series two has finally landed on Paramount Plus, and following 18 months, audiences were keen to witness Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan reunite as the formidable Maeve and Conrad Harrigan. The chaotic and volatile gangland drama sees the leaders of the Harrigan dynasty pursue extraordinary measures to preserve their status at the pinnacle of the criminal underworld.
Prior to series two broadcasting, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren spoke exclusively to Belfast Live regarding what viewers can anticipate, and what the experience was like returning together to film such an ambitious production. Brosnan revealed: “It’s so unhinged, actually, it’s hard to remember how unhinged [season 1] was.
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“I was very happy with the work, I was very happy to be in the company of all these great actors and to be with this beautiful, beautiful lady in my life here,” he continued, referring to his co-star Mirren.
Continuing to praise the Calendar Girls and Thursday Murder Club performer, he stated: “It is just bewitching to watch her work and to play Conrad opposite her, Helen’s Maeve makes me real as Conrad, and the writing by Jez [Butterworth] is just so rich and nuanced. It’s a joy to play.”
The programme has already secured renewal for a third series ahead of the second instalment’s premiere, and Mirren suggested it was recognition of all the performances. She emphasised particularly the quantity of powerful, female characters, noting: “The great thing about MobLand is number one, for me personally, the female roles are fabulous.
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“All of the female roles are very proactive; they are in the story, they are essential to the story, they are not just there to support the male characters. I love to see that, and there are a lot of them, which is brilliant. Then we have such extraordinary actors all the way through. It feels like a very deeply talented theatre company.”
She noted that the series, celebrated for its heightened language, being “absurdist and gothic and just really extreme”, made it “incredible fun to play [a role in]”. Brosnan concurred, remarking: “It’s exhilarating to watch the work, to read the pages, to read the scenes.”
When asked about the future direction of the characters, he offered: “We don’t know what’s going to happen. I have no idea where it’s going, maybe some sense in your intuition about it, but reality will be seen hopefully in the next month or so.”
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Both stars revealed that the opening scene of series two at the greyhound racing track ranked amongst their most memorable to film, with Mirren disclosing: “The dog racing was a great scene and it was our first scene of the whole thing.
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“Guy [Ritchie] was directing it and we always love it when Guy is back on set. It was the first scene of the whole thing and we were all back together again, so yeah, that was great, it was a great day.”
In the upcoming series, the Harrigans find themselves battling to present a united facade as emerging competitors pose a threat to their crumbling criminal operation – with Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy), their powerful ‘fixer’, forced to navigate a precarious path as family tensions escalate.
Paramount+ went on to hint: “As violence spills into every corner of their lives, loyalties snap, safety proves temporary, and the battle for power leaves no room for mercy.”
This was him near orgasm, and I simply had to wait for him to finish before he would release his grasp.
Eventually, suctioned in my neck, he let out a whimper like an abandoned puppy. I felt utterly disgusted.
But he was still clamped on me like a child asking for milk.
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How silly of me to assume it was over.
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I had met Gareth that night at a social media meet up for comedians in central London, on a cold winter night. I’m far from a comedian, but I gatecrashed with my comedy friends hoping to meet new people and laugh.
After telling him I was simply a writer, his smile disappeared (Picture: Getty Images)
No one minded – it was a welcoming environment and people were just happy to have someone new to try out their material on.
My two friends disappeared into the crowd once I was accosted by an over-zealous comedian on the circuit, who wanted to find out if I was an agent, or a booker, or something important he could hustle a job out of.
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After telling him I was simply a writer, his smile disappeared and he began to go through the motions of small talk, before Gareth butted in.
Like the knight in shining armour, he asked if he’s met me before and that he remembered me – in fact, he owed me a drink from last time and guided me to the bar.
We walked up to the bar laughing, the new comedian but a distant memory as he began to introduce himself to me. We got chatting and before I knew it, we began flirting with each other. My friends appeared thinking they needed to save me, but I shooed them away.
Soon, we were out the door and on our way to his house for what we both agreed was a one-night stand. But I wish I never went.
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I noticed his kisses were, what I then called, passionate. He pressed his face on mine as if he wanted to leave an impression of his lips permanently on mine. It was not a good kiss. For me anyway, he loved it and kept it going.
Something in me just wanted to please him – I think a lot of women have set themselves up to be disappointed, just to potentially reach a moment of pleasure. As it’s so rare and in between. Maybe these kisses wouldn’t be so bad in comparison to the sex, I thought.
I was wrong.
Back at his, he began taking his and my clothes off, while attacking my face with kisses, and before I knew it, we were having sex.
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At first, he has soft and moved around my body, touching and kissing me. But it didn’t take long for him reach climax, and for him to clamp his body around mine like a vice.
He reminded me of the man who would only have sex with me while listening to Tenacious D (Picture: Getty Images)
After the sex was finally over – a minute later I managed to dislodge Gareth from my frame and move away.
‘That was not fun’, I said to him grimacing and wiping his sweat off me.
Turning to look at me, he said simply: ‘it’s the only way I can orgasm’ – his expression unmoving, as if we were talking about the weather.
They all had one thing in common – only their needs mattered. It was an eye-opening moment that unfortunately didn’t last long, since I found myself in the situation a few more times.
I told him he was like a man-child and needed to get a grip (Picture: Getty Images)
It was a year later that I would be in bed with a man who negged me the entire time, and wouldn’t let me leave until I was close to tears. Negging, for those who don’t know, is a form of emotional manipulation where someone uses backhanded compliments to undermine another’s confidence. It’s used to make them seek the manipulator’s approval.
I slowly started to understand my worth a lot more after that, but it took a period of healing.
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But Gareth didn’t care, laying lazily in bed, covered in sweat and satisfied.
I told him he was like a man-child and needed to get a grip. Not literally.
Part of me was surprised he didn’t care, because he definitely didn’t give that impression earlier in the night.
I quickly grabbed my belongings and left, annoyed but determined not to let him ruin my next few days.
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Texting my friends the update, they told me they didn’t actually know who he was, so they were surprised to see me talking to him.
Luckily I never saw him again.
Which is good because even thinking of him gives me the ick.
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