Mohamed Salah’s latest unprompted public outburst will ratchet up the pressure on struggling Liverpool head coach Arne Slot by several notches.

Salah first laid bare his frustrations with Slot and Liverpool after the 3-3 draw at Leeds United in December, claiming he had been “thrown under the bus” after being dropped following the Premier League champions’ poor start to the season.

This time the Egyptian, who is scheduled to play his final game for Liverpool against Brentford at Anfield on the closing weekend of the season, took to social media after Friday’s 4-2 loss at Aston Villa to launch a thinly-veiled attack on their style under Slot and the failures this season.

Slot has been losing credit fast since winning the Premier League in his first season after succeeding Jurgen Klopp.

The contrast was sharp between Unai Emery’s vibrant Aston Villa – who confirmed Champions League football next season with victory at Villa Park and who are in the Europa League Final – and porous, weak Liverpool.

And then came the latest twist in this troubled, turbulent Liverpool season.

This sort of pronouncement could justifiably be seen as Salah repaying his head coach by throwing Slot under the bus, the breakdown of their relationship providing a fractious backdrop to a season in which Liverpool‘s title defence has disintegrated.

If Salah’s attack clearly does not help Slot, who has lost the faith of many Liverpool fans as the Anfield atmosphere becomes increasingly toxic, then his analysis of “us crumbling to yet another defeat this season” hardly reflects well on his own team-mates either.

The sub-plot to Salah’s post is that a large number of those same Liverpool supporters see Xabi Alonso as Slot’s natural successor.

But the former Real Madrid manager now looks destined for Chelsea, who hope to announce the Spaniard as their new permanent head coach in the coming days.

Alonso has long been touted as a future Liverpool manager, having won the Champions League as a player and then impressed hugely during his time as Bayer Leverkusen boss.

Some hoped he would replace Klopp two years ago, but he instead opted to remain with Leverkusen and Slot came in instead.

It would seem again the timing just will not quite marry up for those dreaming of a fairytale return to Anfield.

The Blues are sat ninth in the table, currently two points off eighth-placed Brentford, who occupy the Europa Conference League place, and four adrift of Brighton in seventh, who have one of two Europa League places after City’s FA Cup place went to the league, with Guardiola’s men assured of a Champions League spot.

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Vernon Kay’s father, Norman, has shared the true reason behind the shocking announcement that the golden couple of television had called time on their marriage this month

Vernon Kay’s dad has shared the truth behind his split from Tess Daly. Earlier this month, the former golden couple of telly announced they had decided to end their marriage.

After almost 23 years of marriage, the former Strictly Come Dancing star and her All Star Family Fortunes host husband announced they’d split on Instagram. Despite calling time on their relationship, it’s said that the pair have remained friends and even raised a glass once they had hit post on their statement.

But while Vernon recently thanked fans for their support, his dad, Norman, has now spoken out, reiterating that there is no bad blood between them, who share daughters Pheobe and Amber.

Despite the heartache between his son and his wife, Norman remains optimistic and has even joked that Vernon is now single. “Of course, it’s sad when people split up, and we’re all very fond of Tess; they made a lovely couple,” he told the Daily Mail.

He went on to explain that Vernon and Tess had “gone in different directions” with their lives, adding that these can occasionally lead to better things. “This is one of those cases,” he commented. Norman went on to say that Vernon is old enough to navigate life as a single man and has been in contact with his parents on a daily basis since the bombshell statement.

“Tess is a lovely woman, and we want to make sure everyone is all right in this – her, Vernon and obviously our grandchildren,” Norman said. Offering advice to his son, he urged him not to rush into another relationship any time soon, as he has “plenty of time”.

And while many were left shocked by the decision to split Vernon and Tess, Norman insists there was no foul play on either side. He said: “He’s not interested in finding anyone else at the moment, and there is nobody else involved.”

In a bombshell social media post on May 8, the former couple said: “After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.

“This has not been an easy choice, but it comes from a place of mutual understanding and a shared desire for what is best for both of us. We remain great friends and most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.

“There are no other parties involved in this decision. We kindly ask for privacy during this time as we navigate this transition together. We will not be making any further public comments. Tess and Vernon.” Just a day later, a source told the Mirror how the pair spent their evening.

During an emotional night at their family home – where they are still living together – the couple drank champagne and “celebrated the new chapter ahead.” A source close to the couple said: “After they released the statement, Vernon and Tess took a moment to toast each other and their futures.

“They only want the best for each other and their family. There has been no big fallout, more a gradual growing apart and wanting different things. They have vowed to stay friends and to keep things classy when it comes to the split and any future interviews they give. They only want the best for each other.”

Tess and Vernon met in 2001 when they were working together on Top of the Pops@Play, a short-lived spin-off of the staple music programme. In 2024, Vernon described their meeting when he was hosting his BBC Radio 2 show.

He explained: “It was Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly and I, [we] recreated the video for Britney Spears ‘ Hit Me Baby One More Time. That’s how we first met.

“She was dressed as Geri Halliwell in the Spice Girls Union Jack dress; I was dressed as Britney Spears in the Hit Me Baby One More Time video. It was in a charity shop on Shepherd’s Bush Green.”

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Fans tuning into the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 said it was the return of the ‘glory days’

Those tuning into the Eurovision Song Contest were quick to spot the return of the competition’s ‘glory days’ as the 2026 edition got underway.

This year, the 70th edition of Eurovision is taking place in Vienna, Austria, following JJ’s win in Switzerland last year with their track, Wasted Love.

Representing the UK, Look Mum No Computer, whose real name is Sam Battle, will perform on Saturday (May 16) at the Wiener Stadthalle, having sung in Thursday’s semi-final despite already qualifying as one of the big four alongside France, Italy and Germany, who contribute the most to Eurovision financially. Austria’s entrant, Cosmo, also received automatic qualification as the host nation.

Broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer for those watching in the UK, the world’s biggest music event kicks off with last year’s winner returning to the stage, while the 25 countries were also seen being welcomed to the stage during the iconic flag parade.

But there was something that got those tuning in flocking to social media – the return of an orchestra, this time the Vienna orchestra. The Eurovision Song Contest does not currently feature a live orchestra, with all instrumental pre-recorded, though vocal performances remain completely live.

The orchestra was phased out in 1999 to simplify logistics and accommodate the rise of modern pop, rock, and electronic arrangements. However, they made a much-welcomed, albeit brief, return during the 2026 grand final opener.

@DaveyDavey360 said: “When was the last time we had a live orchestra at #Eurovision? Great to see, brings us right back to glory days of the competition.” @budar2026 cheerd: “THE ORCHESTRA IS BACK AFTER A DECADE AND A YEAR #eurovision.” @torydom demanded: “Bring back the orchestra #Eurovision.”

@kingjordofcots noted: “The orchestra is back!! If only for a few minutes #Eurovision.” @OBogcast wrote: “AN ORCHESTRA! #eurovision.” @Ludwig_IV added: “I’m loving the live orchestra! #Eurovision.”

The Paddle-Out Protest, which took place today (May 16) in York city centre attracted crowds as part of a National Day of Action by Surfers Against Sewage.

Campaigners said that the Ouse had been chosen as it was the third most polluted river in England and Wales, with over 18 thousand hours of sewage discharged each year – something that Yorkshire Water has said it is ‘determined’ to play its part in addressing.

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Protesters of all ages gathered on both water and land carrying homemade banners which read ‘The Grand Old Poop of York’ ‘Save Our Rivers’ ‘Stop the S**t’ and more, as they called on decision makers to clean up the river.

Among the people campaigning for clearer waters were both York MPs – Rachael Maskell and Luke Charters, alongside councillors and local environmental leaders.

Rachael, who also spoke about the issue in parliament earlier this week, opened the speeches – criticizing Yorkshire Water by calling out bonuses to top executives and increased bills.

A group of friends who were visiting from Harrogate to join the protest (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

She said: “If we look at this fantastic river of ours, we know that last year there was 18 and a half thousand hours of sewage dumping into our river. The Poos in the Ouse must stop.

“The Foss has an average of 4.4 sewage dumps every week, but this river – the Ouse – has 10.4 dumps every day. That equates to 1.59 years each year across the 49 sites.”

This sentiment was echoed by Luke Charters who added that the Foss, despite being clearer than the Ouse, is the river with the most pharmaceutical pollutants in Europe and called on Yorkshire Water bosses to return their bonuses.

Protestors with their stop the sh** signs (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

The river protest – made up of kayakers, paddle boarders, and rowers – led the group on the water whilst the others travelled up from Scarborough Bridge to the Blue Bridge on the Foss – stopping at bridges to spread their message.  

As they walked through the city centre, the group chanted: “What’s in the water? There’s poo in the water. What’s the solution? End sewage pollution.”

Organiser Robin Norton said that, as a rower, people who use the river for water sports were more aware of what was happening and were keen to raise awareness.

The group as they passed by North Street Gardens (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

He said “It’s not obvious as you walk past, but the infrastructure around our river has been underinvested for 30 years.

“It’s not good for us on the water, but it’s not good for nature either. The life has been stripped out of this river and it makes it unsustainable for fish and other creatures to be in there.

“Somethings got to change and we need to start it here. There are 56 other protests going on today, but lots of them are on the coast; Surfers Against Sewage have been great protecting our coastline, and we need to start protecting our rivers now.”

Some of the signs (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

In response to the protest, a Yorkshire Water spokesperson that the company are currently investing £1.5 billion into storm overflows across the region and that this follows a £180m programme that made improvements at 118 overflows.

The organisation said that, following this project, they reduced the number of discharges into watercourses by 24.5% in 2025, following on from a 12% reduction in 2024.

It also added that they were ‘picking up the pace’ by investing over £250m in coastal schemes, including one in Scarborough.

A boat protest (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

The spokesperson said: “We understand the strength of feeling around discharges to watercourses and coastal areas and are investing heavily to bring the number of discharges down.

“In York specifically, later this year we will be investing in 3 storm overflows, with further schemes planned over the next few years. The first of these, at Landing Lane, is due to begin in June.

A paddleboarder ‘disinfecting’ the river ahead of the protest (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

“It is important to note that water quality can be impacted by many factors beyond storm overflow operation, but we’re working with local stakeholders and community groups to identify and tackle these to do everything that we can to improve the health of our rivers.

“We are determined to play our part to improve water quality in the region’s watercourses, including the Ouse”.

Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa, was among five people who died in a diving accident in the Maldives earlier this week

Some of the last words written by one of five Italian divers who lost their lives in a scuba diving accident in the Maldives have been revealed.

Before her death, Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa, urged further study of “the underwater environment”, calling it “fundamental”. She wrote the words, adding that study was important “with our own eyes or through the lens of a robot”, in an email to a colleague on Wednesday night, a mere few hours before she died.

Ms Montefalcone’s body and that of her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino are yet to be recovered and presumed to be deep inside an underwater cave. The body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti has been recovered.

READ MORE: Military rescue diver dies in the Maldives while searching for bodies of missing Italian touristsREAD MORE: Twist of fate that saved sixth person in Maldives deadly diving expedition cave tragedy

As scrutiny over the dive mounts, Ms Montefalcone’s husband Carlo Sommacal told La Republica his wife had “never been a reckless person”. The group is believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 metres (160ft) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy’s foreign ministry.

The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 metres (98ft). Mr Sommacal said: “She would have never jeopardised the life of our daughter or any other young people.”

The cause of the deaths remains under investigation. Earlier, authorities in the Maldives confirmed a military diver had died during the search for the bodies.

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Maldives presidential spokesman Mohammed Hussain Shareef said Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defence Force, died of underwater decompression sickness after being transferred to a hospital in the capital. “The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Shareef said the searchers had prepared a plan based on their progress exploring the cave on Friday. Mr Mahudhee was part of the group that briefed Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu on the rescue plan when he visited the search site on Friday.

Rough weather has repeatedly hampered recovery efforts.The Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said everything possible would be done to bring the victims home. His ministry stated it was coordinating with Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving organisation, to support recovery operations and the repatriation of the bodies.

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Ms Montefalcone and Ms Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said. However, the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was “undertaken privately”, the university said.

The statement also said the two other victims – student Ms Sommacal and recent graduate Mr Gualtieri – were not involved in the scientific mission. Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialised training, equipment and strict safety protocols.

Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot head straight up and at depth, particularly when conditions are poor. Experts say it is easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds can sharply reduce visibility.

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Diving at 50 metres also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40 metres considered technical diving and requiring specialised training and equipment. Mr Shareef said Mr Benedetti’s body was found near the mouth of the cave and authorities believed the remaining four had entered the cave.

Two Italians, a deep-sea rescue expert and a cave diving expert, are expected to join the recovery effort, Mr Shareef said. Italian officials said that around 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel Duke of York were safe.

Italy’s embassy in Colombo was providing assistance to those onboard and had contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to help provide psychological aid. The Maldives tourism ministry said it has suspended the operating licence of the Duke of York pending an investigation.

The Italian foreign ministry said the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.

On Saturday, they would explore the third chamber, the ministry added. Italian officials and the honorary consul are in contact with the victims’ families to provide assistance.