The BBC announced on Thursday that Football Focus won’t return next season after 52 years on the air, with fears that Match of the Day could be next to receive the axe

Richard Keys has claimed that the BBC will soon axe Match of the Day after cancelling Football Focus – and defended Alex Scott. The corporation announced on Thursday that Football Focus, which was first broadcast in 1974, will end next month following the conclusion of the current Premier League season.

Scott has hosted the show since 2021 following the departure of long-time host Dan Walker. But Keys doesn’t believe that her presence is why the show has been axed.

The former Sky Sports presenter, who now works for beIN Sports in Qatar, argues that ‘viewing habits have changed’ – and that’s why Match of the Day ‘will be next’. “It’s not Alex Scott’s fault Football Focus has folded – it’s a sign of the times,” Keys posted on X.

“MOTD will be next. Viewing habits have changed. That’s why Grandstand & World of Sport ended. And Sportsnight. Pre-show & post-show wrapped around live games will go soon as well.”

WORLD CUP LEGENDS: The stars who lit up football’s greatest tournament – Buy the Special Edition today

READ MORE: BBC announces changes to two other programmes as major show suddenly axedREAD MORE: BBC announce ‘very exciting’ plan for Alex Scott as Football Focus cancelled

Match of the Day was given a new look this season, with three news hosts sharing the presenting duties which were left vacant by Gary Lineker. Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan are now the co-hosts for the BBC’s flagship football programme.

Scott also revealed on Thursday that she intended to leave Football Focus in May – and had already informed the BBC. “I always knew this would be my last season on the show, which the BBC were aware of too,” she wrote on Instagram. “My intention was to move quietly into the next chapter, but sometimes things change.

“When this show began all those years ago, social media wasn’t a driving force, podcasts didn’t exist, and there was no instant access to information in the way there is today. Now by the time we go on air the reality is you’ve already seen it, debated it and lived it across so many platforms. That shift has changed the whole industry.

Should the BBC cancel Match of the Day? Have your say in the comments section.

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“TV audiences have been declining for years, while digital and on-demand viewing continues to grow. To have been part of it has been incredibly special, and I’m so grateful and proud of the eight years I’ve been involved , including the five years I’ve had the honour of presenting it.

“It has been such an important part of my life, working with some of the very best people in the business, both on screen and behind the scenes. I’ve loved so much of it, the conversations, the laughter, and sharing so many big moments with you, the audience. Thank you for being part of it.”

The final Football Focus is due to air over the weekend of Saturday, May 23 to preview the final round of this season’s Premier League fixtures.

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Championship club West Bromwich Albion have been docked two points by the English Football League for breaking profit and sustainability rules.

The deduction means Albion are now not safe from relegation, having previously thought the midweek win over Watford had secured their second-tier status.

The Baggies had been charged for exceeding the £39m loss limit for the three seasons to 2024-25, allegations which the club denied.

But during a two-day hearing, an independent club financial review panel (CFRP) found Albion’s losses “did exceed the upper loss threshold” and recommended a two-point penalty.

That leaves Albion in 20th place in the table, six points above the relegation zone with two games to play, needing one more point to seal survival.

They host promotion-chasing Ipswich Town on Saturday before visiting already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the season.

West Brom have two weeks to appeal against the deduction and should they do so, a decision on said appeal will then not be made for up to 28 days.

Lord Falconer described the process of the Bill as “horrible”, saying it had not failed to finish its journey through the Lords due to a lack of time, but rather “because a small minority were not willing to co-operate, as we normally do, to ensure that there can be proportionate debate”.

Ed Miliband is trying to “position himself for a coronation” to replace Sir Keir Starmer after the local elections in May, Labour sources have told The Independent.

After another dreadful week for the prime minister, who has seen his integrity come under further scrutiny over the Peter Mandelson scandal, many MPs believe the end of his leadership is in sight and the energy secretary has emerged as a new contender to take his place.

Mr Miliband has repeatedly denied any leadership ambitions, but has become increasingly outspoken over the Mandelson vetting crisis and speculation is rife that he is preparing to throw his hat into the ring, with next month’s local elections expected to be “apocalyptic” for Labour and to put further pressure on Sir Keir to step down.

A supporter of Mr Miliband told The Independent: “He has the energy and enthusiasm. He is loved by younger members of the party. He is a new man from when he was last leader.”

Crucially, Mr Miliband does not face the same barriers that could prevent some rival leadership candidates – including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and health secretary Wes Streeting – from launching successful bids to succeed Sir Keir.

Supporters of Mr Burnham want to hold off on a leadership contest until he can become an MP and run, while Ms Rayner is still waiting for the outcome of the HMRC investigation into her failure to pay stamp duty on a flat in Brighton.

Meanwhile, Mr Streeting – who was seen holding court with supporters in parliament on Tuesday after sacked Foreign Office mandarin Sir Olly Robbins’ bombshell evidence had further damaged the prime minister – is not thought to have enough backing in the party to land the job.

Mr Miliband, who served as Labour leader from 2010 to 2015, is among a handful of cabinet ministers believed to have performed well in their current roles, and briefings in favour of him taking over have soared after he became the first senior minister to break ranks and collective responsibility on the issue of Lord Mandelson’s appointment.

He publicly disowned the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US and suggested both he and deputy prime minister David Lammy, who was foreign secretary at the time of the appointment, had raised concerns.

Mr Miliband told Sky News: “You’re saying [Mandelson] should never have been appointed, and I agree with you. I steered well clear of Peter Mandelson when I became Labour leader in 2010.”

Asked what he had thought about Lord Mandelson’s initial appointment, he said: “That it could blow up, that it could go wrong. I had a conversation with David Lammy about it before the appointment, and I said I was worried about it. I think he was worried about it, too.”

One Labour MP said: “It looks like there is some sort of deal between Miliband and Lammy.”

With suspicions that Mr Miliband may be positioning himself for a leadership run, one minister noted: “He threw his arms around me yesterday to ask how I was. He’s always been friendly, but never that much.”

Another MP added: “I think he is hoping for a coronation because the others are just not in a position to make a challenge.”

A spokesperson for Mr Miliband denied this and said “I refer you to his previous comments.”

He has previously said: “I’ve had the, if you like, the inoculation technique against wanting to be leader of the Labour Party because I was the leader of the Labour Party, and that was a very successful inoculation.”

But any hopes that he may be appointed leader unopposed appear unlikely, with Labour MPs deeply divided over who should take over.

One senior Labour MP said: “I think the reality is there is currently no viable alternative to Starmer at all. Wes is Mandelson’s protege and Angela brings too many controversies of her own.

“We get one shot at changing leader. It has to be someone who offers a genuine break from both the scandals and the disastrous policy decisions that have defined this government.”

Others are less convinced about Mr Miliband’s prospects, partly because of his previous spell as leader, which led to a humiliating election defeat to David Cameron in 2015.

One MP said: “I’m in the ‘Please God, not Ed’ camp.”

Others, particularly among the Socialist Campaign Group of left-wing MPs, want to hold out for Mr Burnham.

Meanwhile, support is growing for defence minister and former Royal Marines commander Al Carns as “a clean break” surprise candidate for the top job.

With support rising for Mr Carns, who had backing to run in the recent deputy leadership election before being told by the leadership that he should not run, MPs are looking at possible candidates among the 2024 intake.

One Labour MP said: “Frankly, I’m up for skipping the current lot and going for Al Carns.

“Frankly, he’s the only person who might be able to bring people together and lead them. Also, if the public wants a non-politician then he’s the only option we have. I think he’d be great.”

Reform UK sources have admitted that Mr Carns is the most problematic candidate for them, while they would “relish” taking on Mr Miliband especially over net zero.

Sir Keir is set to hold an emergency summit at Chequers this weekend with his remaining loyalist ministers.

But Labour MPs agree that with parliament set to be prorogued on Tuesday there is “no chance” of a coup before the local elections on 7 May.

Parliament does not reconvene until 13 May for the King’s speech, which would be the earliest opportunity for them to move against him.

One minister said: “I expect him to limp on until after May. I don’t know after that.”

The operation was carried out on King Street in Farnworth on the morning of Friday April 24, with officers on the scene checking passing vehicles.

They say that over the course of the operation they stopped a total of 42 vehicles, issued 12 traffic offence reports, and seized one vehicle.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “The Farnworth South Neighbourhood Team have been conducting a traffic operation this morning on King Street.

“We are dedicated to making our roads safer and have conducted this operation in response to concerns raised by the local community.”

Police often carry out traffic operations like these across Bolton and elsewhere in Greater Manchester to help try and keep the roads safe.

Images from King Street published by the police show that a commercial van appears to have been seized as part of the traffic operation.

Anyone with any information or concerns can call police on 101 or 999 in the event of an emergency as soon as it is safe to do so.

Alternatively, members of the public can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The long-running programme, hosted by property experts Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer, is currently casting for its next series and is looking for buyers.

Individuals, couples and families in the region ready to purchase a property in May are encouraged to apply for the chance to appear on the show and receive guidance from the team.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: “We are casting for the new series, and we are interested in hearing from chain-free (or SSTC) house hunters who would be ready to buy in May this year.

“Applications are now open and we’re looking to spread the word to the community to encourage house hunters to apply and get the help they need.

“We are looking for individuals, families and couples who need Kirstie and Phil’s expertise to buy their dream home.

“Whether applicants are first-time buyers, looking for their next dream home, downsizing or relocating – whatever the reason they’re moving, we love to hear from them.”

Anyone interested in taking part can apply via the Channel 4 website.

The programme has been a staple of Channel 4’s primetime lineup for more than 20 years, following the presenters as they help buyers across the UK find their ideal property.

The show is especially interested in applicants who are chain-free or have a property sold subject to contract, as filming is scheduled for May.

A spokesperson added: “As part of Channel 4’s ongoing commitment to achieving greater inclusivity on screen, we strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds and identities to apply.”

Anyone interested can apply via the Channel 4 website and the following link: https://www.channel4.com/4viewers/takepart/location.

It was one of those moments that definitely wasn’t Instagram-friendly. Wearing nothing but a pair of paper pants, I hoisted myself into a heated wooden casket where I steamed away for 20 minutes, like a dumpling in a bamboo basket.

The casket is a traditional Sri Lankan vashpa swede, or sweat box, and is lined with adhatoda leaves, which release their natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties while you drip like a tap.

The following day, my ritual humiliation, which by now I was getting used to, involved being scrubbed down with dark brown welmadata paste then placed into a bath of boiled herbs.

Both treatments, which also involved long, languid oil massages that made me drift in and out of sleep, are part of the wellness programme run by the small but cultishly popular Ayurvie Sigiriya retreat, set deep in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle.

While the teardrop-shaped island off the southeastern tip of India is rapidly becoming popular for its beach culture (or Bali 2.0 as it’s been called), it’s also gaining ground as a unique wellness destination.

If, like me, you thought you had experienced ayurvedic treatments before, then you probably haven’t. Ayurvie Sigiriya is not a western-style spa with a couple of aromatherapy oil massages thrown in to spice up the spa menu. It’s the real deal.

It’s so off the beaten track that on our three-and-a-half-hour journey from Colombo, we passed a couple of wild elephants wandering by the side of the road, and even our local taxi driver struggled to find the right dirt access track. Hidden among rice paddies, the retreat has just 10 rooms and is designed to look like a traditional Sri Lankan village, with thatched-roof cottages and Buddhist deities greeting you at your door. But inside, the beds are plush, the water runs hot, the bath products are lush, and the wifi works.

Its absolute star turn is the treatments. In the open-air spa pavilion sit glass medicine cabinets filled with tinctures, oils and powders extracted from indigenous Sri Lankan herbs and plants. Although similar to Indian Ayurvedic medicine, the Sri Lankan system is a more gentle, herbal-based practice (designed to balance mind, body and soul with therapies and diet).

On arrival at the retreat, each new guest has a consultation with the ayurvedic physician Dr Hansika. “We believe our bodies are based on three pillars of wellness – food, sleep and activity,” she explains. “If these pillars are well-balanced, the house is well-balanced.”

Guests are then given a questionnaire about health and lifestyle to determine their dosha type, and Dr Hansika then creates a personalised “rebalancing” treatment programme.

It turns out I am a fiery pitha/vatha type (no surprises there), and my rebalancing programme was designed to calm my inner furnace with therapies involving water and a long list of recommended foods (chilli is out; sesame oil, barley and fish are in).

Read more: How I learned to tackle burnout like an ancient Greek

While my partner and I were there for a short, gentle four-day wellness break, many guests sign up for the full 14- to 21-day detox programme, which pretty much cleanses them until they squeak. Morning and evening yoga on a breezy platform in the trees is included for all guests, as are daily bespoke treatments and three meals a day. No caffeine or alcohol is on offer, but you won’t go hungry.

As lifelong carnivores who are, admittedly, trying to cut down on meat, we found the food surprisingly delicious. Unctuous coconut-based curries, crispy dosas and rich onion chutneys are all cooked in a traditional Sri Lankan kitchen where meals are taken communally. Even the earthenware bowls, plates and cups in the kitchen are made at the on-site pottery studio (you can also have a pottery lesson).

After our long, daily treatment sessions, we managed to squeeze in a guided bike ride to a nearby temple and a pre-dawn hike up to the top of the extraordinary Sigiriya rock fortress, where we watched the sun rise from the ruins of an ancient palace.

Read more: I tried to transform my gut health at a five-day wellness retreat

You are also never far from wildlife. On the grounds of the retreat, peacocks strutted, monitor lizards lumbered across the paths, mongooses played in the paddies, and geckos ran up the walls.

Although only there for four days, rarely in my life have I wound down so completely. My daze may have had something to do with caffeine withdrawal, but it probably had more to do with the daily massage and treatments delivered with such care by the team of ayurvedic therapists. At night, we both crashed early and slept solidly until our dawn yoga alarm woke us.

After all of that rest and detoxing, we decided it was time for a gentle retox. Instead of heading to the crowded beach towns on the south coast of Sri Lanka, we headed to the Maldives. Malé is just a 70-minute flight from Colombo, which makes it surprisingly simple to combine the two Indian Ocean destinations on a single break.

At Ifuru Island Maldives in the Raa Atoll, we continued our healthy eating, daily yoga and exercise, but instead of the calm drizzle of central Sri Lanka, it was in the sunshine glamour of the Indian Ocean. Our wellness halo didn’t slip – there was a time when you’d fly to the Maldives and play the: How Much All-Inclusive Food and Drink Can I Guzzle Down in a Day, game? But now it’s more about how much all-inclusive health and fitness can you squeeze in.

At Ifuru, we filled our days with sunrise yoga on a powdery beach, swimming around the house reef with shoals of darting fish, paddle-boarding, sauna and steaming in the spa, sound bath healing and eating grilled reef fish and salad.

In a way, it was the ultimate island hop, switching the jungle and calm of central Sri Lanka with the beach glamour of the Maldives – an easy way to have two very different wellness breaks in one.

Fiona McIntosh travelled as a guest at Ayurvie Sigiriya and Ifuru Island Maldives.

How to do it

Ayurvie Sigiriya costs from £316 per night for two people, including all food, treatments, yoga, and activities.

Ifuru Island Maldives costs from £447 for two people per night on an all-inclusive basis.

How to get there

Sri Lankan Airlines flies to Colombo Bandaranaike International airport from London Heathrow direct, with flight times of around 10 hours 45 minutes. Prices start at £822 return. Auyervie Sigiriya is a three-and-a-half hour drive from the airport.

Five other brilliant Sri Lankan ayurvedic retreats

Siddhalepa

The 200-year-old Siddhalepa resort prides itself on being the only retreat affiliated with an ayurvedic hospital and its own pharmaceutical range. This is for a serious health break, with 40 ayurvedic practitioners on site, all set in beautiful grounds in Wadduwu on the West coast, an hour from Colombo. Three-night minimum stay from £924 for two people, all inclusive.

Ulpotha

Ulpotha is revered yoga retreat with authentic ayurvedic treatments that can be added to your stay. With a breathtaking jungle village setting on a natural lake in central Sri Lanka, this is a haute hippie heaven. Guests need to commit to one or two-week packages with guest yogis, starting from £1,303 per week all-inclusive; ayurvedic treatments are extra.

Ayurvie Weligama

The sister retreat to Ayurvie Sigiriya, Ayurvie Weligama is a modern, beachside hotel on the south coast but offers the same programme of doctor-led treatments, food and therapies. Prices from £316 per night for two people, all inclusive.

Santani Wellness Kandy

Minimalist, luxury retreat Santani Wellness Kandy is set on a remote tea plantation with stunning mountain views, has all the bells and whistles of a five-star resort, including a cinema room, two swimming pools and a hydrotherapy spa. Bespoke programmes are offered, with western and ayurvedic treatments, as well as a variety of meal plans including vegetarian and raw food. Prices from £783 per room, all inclusive.

Amuna Ayurveda and Wellness Retreat

Also close to Sigiriya in central Sri Lanka, Amuna offers a programme of doctor-led treatments and ayurvedic treatments in a calm, rural setting. Check the website for a menu of retreats, from a one-day wellness visit to a full 21-day deeper-healing programme for chronic conditions. Room prices start from £191 a night.

Short-haul flights are deemed more at risk of cancellations

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An airline boss has warned that the industry may be facing further flight cancellations as the conflict in Iran continues to fuel a global energy crisis. Eivind Roald, CEO of Norse Atlantic Airways, revealed that fuel costs have surged by more than 100 per cent in just a few days, making certain routes unsustainable. The sharp increase has already led to the decision to axe some scheduled journeys as the sector reels from the sudden price spike.

The Norse Atlantic chief suggested that other airlines may be forced to follow suit as they navigate the volatile market. Roald described the situation as leading to “challenging internal discussions,” with difficult decisions being made to protect the future of the company. With energy supplies under pressure and jet fuel costs reaching record highs, experts warn that the disruption could spread across the aviation industry in the coming weeks, Express reports.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, he said: “From our side we will continue flying from London Gatwick and from Athens and Rome this summer, we don’t have any plans to cancel more flights. When it comes to our competitors, I can’t really say, I assume you will see more cancelations coming, we often see it coming in short haul flights in Europe. The long haul flights are still there.”

Criminal Record brings together today’s biggest crime stories.

Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day. Whether it’s a crooked bank manager or another dive into Scotland’s gangland war – this is the place where you’ll get the low-down.

If you love to read about crime – this is the place to be every day. Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Saturday.

Fake Mafia thug sent poison pen letters

A Scot posed as a mafia gangster in a chilling bid to intimidate his stepdad by sending him a poison pen letter threatening to hack off his arm and gouge out his eye with a spoon.

Christopher Kolon, from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, posted the disturbing note alongside a pair of garden shears, warning his mum’s partner of violent consequences over a series of bizarre grievances.

The 47-year-old was said to be angered by his stepfather Bill Gaugh’s failure to attend a Remembrance Day service and claims he had “not allowed his wife to speak”. He also demanded an apology to the King, a new outfit for his mum and poppies for the couple.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the letter, sent by recorded delivery on January 28, claimed to be from “the mafia” and listed punishments for alleged “wrongdoings”.

READ MORE: Fake mafia thug sent poison pen letters to stepdad threatening to ‘gouge’ out eye with spoon

Influencer jailed over cannabis haul

A Scots social media influencer who was caught smuggling £150,000 of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport has been jailed for 16 months.

Ellie Crampsie was found to have more than 17 kilos of the Class B drug stuffed into a suitcase as she traveled home from a holiday in Thailand in April last year. Crampsie claimed she was forced into carrying the large drug haul by a former boyfriend and a sheriff accepted she had been “naive and potentially taken advantage of”.

The 23-year-old is a well known social media personality and influencer and is prominent in the Glasgow nightlife and events scene where she promotes several brands. She also runs her own beauty business called Brows by Ellie and specialises in styling and treatments.

Crampsie, of Broomhouse, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug at Edinburgh Airport when she appeared at the capital’s sheriff court last month. She returned to the dock for sentencing today where solicitor Michael Poggi said his client had played “a lesser role” in the drug operation and there had been “evidence of pressure” from others.

Mr Poggi said: “The fact is that other parties did not travel through [the airport] at the same time and did not make contact after. There was an element of influence from a much older person who had a controlling position over my client.”

READMORE: Scots influencer jailed after smuggling £150k of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport

Gamekeeper clubbed bird of prey to death

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A Scots gamekeeper was caught on hidden camera clubbing a bird of prey to death inside a cage.

Russell Mason was filmed striking the goshawk with a cosh six times after it had been caught inside a crow cage trap on Cochrage Moor, Perthshire, on February 12, 2024. The 49-year-old, who worked on the estate, then placed the dead animal in a carrier bag before driving off from the Milton of Drummie Estate in a Polaris Ranger car.

He appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to catching and killing the rare raptor. He also admitted a charge of illegally storing ammunition at his home outwith the terms of his firearms licence.

He was handed a 200-hour community payback order for killing the goshawk and fined £890 for firearm offences.

READ MORE: Gamekeeper caught on hidden camera clubbing bird of prey to death on Scots estate

Man who first exposed Lyons gang slams cops

The man who first exposed the Lyons crime clan has slammed the former Strathclyde Police for ignoring his warnings and claims the Spanish Police have shown this year what should have been done.

Billy McAllister was speaking out following the arrest of gang leader Steven Lyons in Bali and subsequent deportation to the Netherlands.

Lyons is is now facing extradition to Spain, where he is wanted on money-laundering charges linked to an alleged international network of drug trafficking and organised crime.

Billy claimed the failure of the former Strathclyde Police force to listen to him more than 25 years ago resulted in the Lyons’ rise from a street corner gang to a global crime syndicate.

READ MORE: ‘I was the first man to expose Lyons gang and they ignored my warnings’

HIV Scotland chief admits embezzling funds

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A former chief executive of HIV Scotland has admitted embezzling £5,000 from the charity during his time in the role.

Nathan Sparling, 35, spent the money on taxi journeys and Amazon deliveries including groceries, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard. He admitted embezzling £5,000 between April 2019 and March 2021 in Edinburgh and elsewhere while employed as chief executive of the charity, which has since closed, when he appeared at the court on Friday.

The court heard that during his time in the role, Sparling was allowed to make purchases up to the value of £50 using HIV Scotland funds if it was for charity reasons – but anything above that value required authorisation from another member of staff. A member of staff noticed a large number of taxi journeys and raised the issue with Sparling, leading to an investigation.

Sparling, a former adviser to an SNP MP, was suspended from his role at HIV Scotland and then replaced. Fiscal depute Kirsty McKenzie told the court: “During the period, a total of £5,000 was embezzled from the charity.

“£2,000 was spent on Ubers and £3,000 on Amazon packages that were delivered to his home, including groceries and technical goods. He was never given permission for any of these transactions.”

READ MORE: Ex-HIV Scotland chief and SNP aide admits embezzling cash from charity

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