Are you excited about Bethesda games on Switch 2? (Microsoft)
The Friday letters page is relatively enthusiastic about Horizon Hunters Gathering, as one reader thinks Nintendo should ditch GameChat on Switch 2.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Poor Partner So that Partner Showcase from Nintendo was awful, as we all thought. Although it was actually quite a bit worse than I was expecting, to be honest. There was no real surprises for anything big, Elden Ring and The Duskbloods weren’t there, and the mic drop at the end was Bethesda.
I don’t want to get into fanboy territory but if there is one developer whose success I have never understood it’s Bethesda. OK, Skyrim was innovative back when it came out but stuff like The Witcher 3 did the same idea much better. More importantly, Bethesda has never made anything that good again.
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Fallout 4 is significantly worse than 3 and I, along with most people, didn’t even bother with Starfield – which you’ll notice was not one of the three games they revealed. But what really gets me is how bad Bethesda is technically. Everyone’s been saying it about them for years and yet they never change.
And so what do we see in that new trailer? What looks like a terrible port of a game that should have no problem working on the Switch 2. If that’s what you’re showing off I hate to think what the rest of the game looks like. Torrence PS: The only saving grace was two different dinosaur games!
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Welcome bomb What a nice surprise the Nintendo Direct pulled today.
A Bomberman Collection? Heck, yes! Takes me back to when I was 10 years old playing Super Bomberman 2 single and multiplayer and destroying the CPUs.
Also, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in June, for Xbox and Switch 2? I will take that! ShaunOMacY2J (gamertag)
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Small screen gaming Yikes, that Partner Showcase was weak sauce. I know we were told not to get ourselves hyped up but I really question what the point of it was. It’s not like the proper Nintendo Directs don’t have third party games, so why exactly did we need this bunch of third rate games and lazy-looking ports?
Fallout 4 looks like it runs terrible on Switch 2 and it’s going to be nearly 11 years old by the time it makes it, so I really find it impossible to get excited about it.
But what else was there to tempt anyone? Resident Evil Requiem looks like a pretty good port but there’s no way I’d buy it on Switch 2 instead of PlayStation 5. Third party games on a Nintendo format need to offer something special or be really well suited to portable play, but that didn’t seem to be the case for most of the games they showed.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on a handheld screen would be such a waste given how over-the-top and detailed the graphics are. Another Nintendo Direct and yet more disappointment. Goldwing
Evil deal While most of what I was interested in from yesterday’s Direct was already known about, the release of the Pragmata demo was at least a welcome surprise.
Short but sweet as a demo, but it’s sold me on the game. Hopefully I get better at the hacking and combat at the same time, it’s a bit like rubbing your stomach and patting your head. But it already feels like it’ll be a good game.
Capcom are really going through a golden period. The new Resi looks good too, the triple pack of 7, 8 and 9 on Switch is just £82 at Argos, which is tempting, even for Game-Key cards.
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I do wish Elden Ring had been in the Direct though. Euclidian Boxes
GC: That is a very good price for the Resi trilogy.
Forgotten birthday We are getting very close to that Zelda 40th anniversary and Nintendo still hasn’t said a thing, except for some concerts. Are they really going to ignore such a big number, even as they make a fuss about Pokémon turning 30?
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You’d think they’ have a game lined up to go along with it, probably a remaster or remake, but I don’t see how they’ve got time to release it now. Even if they shadow-dropped it. Considering how multiple leakers knew about the Partner Showcase, and were accurate about it, I don’t see how we get a surprise Nintendo Direct in the next two weeks.
I’d love if it did happen but at the moment I’m not even confident Nintendo will mention anything to do with Zelda this year. Since when did Link become the unloved loser who can’t get anyone to go to his birthday party? Paulie
Wasted time As achingly trend chasing as it all looked, I surprisingly found myself quite fluffed by the Horizon Hunters Gathering reveal, it looked very polished and fun.
But live service games’ moment-to-moment gameplay often is very good, it’s that they are designed to drag on forever that’s the problem; for the well documented reason of being forever games and all the monetisation models around them, I genuinely feel I need to boycott live service games.
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Jan-Bart Van Beek’s assurance at the start of the video, that Guerrilla bloody love making single-player games, and will continue to make them, didn’t convince me one bit. If it’s a hit they’ll divert more time and resources to it.
At the start of the gen, and the talk of Sony having 500 or so live service games in development, I convinced myself that it was additional to single-player. But we learnt that wasn’t the case and nearly all of their traditionally single-player studios were significantly tied up with the live service push. With the $3.6 billion purchase of Bungie as well, Sony committed massive resources to it all.
So no live service games for me, or Nintendo Directs from now on. Time better spent elsewhere. Simundo
Honest addition Interesting to see Valve admit that the RAM problems have caused them to change their Steam Machine plans, at least a little bit. I think that’s the first time a company has actually admitted it, because usually they just say it won’t even when they turnaround and do a price raise straight after.
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Maybe Valve would be a good addition to the console world if they’re actually going to… tell the truth and engaged with people? They’re not saying much at the moment, because the thing hasn’t been properly unveiled yet, but I’m hoping they can bring some straight talking to the industry… as well as Half-Life 3. Gantz
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Always in motion is the future The steady stream of news about the Switch 2’s fortunes is kinda interesting, it seems like it’s destined to get locked in a debate over whether it is a success or not for a while to come. I think both things can be true, it’s the fastest-selling console ever and taking Japan by storm, but also underperforming in the West and third party games sales are floundering. 18 million consoles sold is great but if everyone is just replaying Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom at 60fps, as Ubisoft weep into their Star Wars Outlaws sales, that isn’t the gaming saviour we were hoping for.
I did suspect performance in the UK might not be in line with the blockbuster figures elsewhere, the Black Friday deals (admittedly modest) ended up running right up until the end of January and the console wasn’t ever sold out over that time.
In Japan, it’s worth remembering that the machine is essentially being subsidised due to the currency problems with the yen. They have a much cheaper, locked Japanese language version that’s unavailable in other territories. Suggesting in the West, at least, Nintendo really need to bring that price down significantly somehow. Maybe ditch GameChat? I recently saw figures it was being used by less than 4% of console owners.
The latest Partner Direct lent into Japanese developed titles and franchises (outside the Bethesda reveals) in a strategy that seems to double down on the console’s trajectory so far. If Western publishers can’t turn a profit on it and so ditch support, it won’t be good for anyone at a time when we need games to be as widely available as possible. If the market fractures everything will be even worse. Marc
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GC: GameChat Is unlikely to have cost very much in either R&D or manufacturing. That’s probably why it exists. Nintendo actually did better, proportionally, in the UK than most other countries, over Christmas. Whereas it did unexpectedly poorly in France, which is usually it’s biggest market in Europe. Everything is very much in flux at the moment.
Inbox also-rans So if the PlayStation 5 is selling roughly the same as the PlayStation 4 that means it’s going to come out at about 117 million sales, right? So somewhere around the fifth best-selling console of all time, above the Wii and PS1. That seems a pretty good achievement to me. PhantomZ
So glad to see that Rave Racer is getting a proper console. I was always sore it never got a proper home version, as it was my favourite in the arcades. Can’t wait to play it again. Johno
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Newton Aycliffe-based Collins Seafoods was named Supplier of the Year at the 2026 awards, which celebrate excellence across the UK’s fish and chip industry.
The company supplies fish to shops across the UK and is a supplier to Bells Fish and Chips and Yarm Road Fish and Chips.
Craig English, managing director of Collins Seafoods, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been named Supplier of the Year at the National Fish and Chip Awards 2026.
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“I’d like to pay tribute to all of my colleagues at Collins Seafoods who’ve made this award possible.
“Any business is only as good as its staff, and I’m proud to say that we have some of the very best in the industry, all dedicated to giving our customers the highest levels of service.
“To be shortlisted alongside respected businesses such as Middleton Foods, V.A.
“Whitley and Isle of Ely Produce demonstrates the strength within this category, and we’re proud to be recognised among them.”
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Collins Seafoods has been supplying fish and chip shops with “frozen at sea” fish for more than 45 years.
The company said it is committed to quality, sustainability, and supporting the long-term future of the industry.
Its fleet is fully MSC-certified, ensuring responsible sourcing from sea to shop.
The team described the award as a tribute to the hard work and dedication of every staff member.
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They also thanked the National Federation of Fish Friers for hosting the event and the wider fish and chip community for its continued support.
The company said it remains focused on delivering high-quality fish, maintaining sustainable sourcing, and supporting fish and chip businesses across the UK.
It plans to continue serving the industry with the same dedication that earned it the award.
Unique Home Properties’ application seeking retrospective permission for shopfront advertising in Scarborough’s conservation area has met with opposition from town councillors.
Located at 91-91A Westborough, the vape and confectionery shop installed its signage “without prior advertisement consent” due to an “inadvertent oversight and not to circumvent planning”.
However, members of Scarborough Town Council’s community and place committee said the signage was “garish”.
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Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday, February 25, Cllr David Knowles said: “It’s hideous and garish signage, especially in a town conservation area.”
The committee voted unanimously to oppose the application over its visual incongruence with the area.
However, North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the proposal.
In a submission to the planning authority, the agent for the applicant said: “Our client acknowledged the need for consent and submits this retrospective application in good faith.
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“The signage is human-scale, unobtrusive and visually compatible with the surrounding streetscape.”
The agent added: “We respectfully request that the council grant retrospective advertisement consent for the signage.
“Our client is willing to consider any reasonable adjustments the Planning Department may require to ensure compliance and visual amenity.”
The co-ord is an easy and chic outfit to throw on for any occasion
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If your life is very busy and you often find yourself running from the office to plans with friends, you might need outfits that look good both for work and an evening event. You might be looking for versatile pieces to add to your springtime wardrobe.
The midi skirt is an “elegant” piece with a “flowing silhouette and classic waistband” and a tie detail that gives it a more “modern edge”. The skirt is currently on sale for only £10 and the shirt is being sold for £18.
The co-ord was posted to the Tesco F&F Instagram page, which currently has 886K followers. The post was captioned: “From desk to dinner, The Perfect Satin Co-ord is the duo you’ll reach for again and again. Shop F&F Capsule Spring 01 in-store and online. Shirt, £18. Skirt, £19.50.”
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If you want to get your hands on the co-ord or any of F&F’s other items, you can go to the Tesco website to browse all of its pieces. You can also go in person to a Tesco store with a clothing department.
If this satin set is not quite what you are looking for, Boden has some items that you might like instead. There is this Valentina linen Skirt, which would be easy to style with a range of pieces already in your wardrobe, or this Hampstead Linen Blend Blazer that can be worn with the matching Canonbury Linen Trousers.
This comes amid a restructure of its technology and data teams and head office changes, the firm announced.
The grocery giant said most of the cuts would impact its technology and data division, as it restructures the unit into one dedicated team for Argos and two for Sainsbury’s.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “By maximising the power of our data and technology, we’re freeing up our teams to concentrate on what matters most – delivering great food, brilliant service and fantastic value for our customers.”
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The firm, which employs around 140,000 staff in total, is also rolling out changes across its store leadership, creating four new regional store director roles dedicated to convenience shops, as well as overhauling its Argos delivery model and creating a separate leadership board for the Argos business.
This month, Argos said it would be building a marketplace to give customers more choice.
It said the development would allow customers to shop more brands under one roof, while continuing to benefit from quality, reliability and convenience.
Argos’ marketplace aims to “reflect its heritage, scale and values” and “will not be an open or unregulated platform”, the retailer said.
Sainsbury’s added that there would be “a clear focus on quality, product safety and customer confidence.”
It added: “Over time, we also believe Argos’ distinctive Click & Collect model is an exciting area to explore and further set the marketplace apart.
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“With Fast Track delivery and Click & Collect available across more than 90% of UK postcodes, seven days a week, Argos is well placed to offer convenience at scale as the marketplace grows.”
Graham Biggart, Managing Director of Argos, said: “Introducing a marketplace within the next year marks an exciting next step in Argos’ multi‑year transformation.
“It reflects what we know customers want – more choice, more convenience and more reasons to shop with confidence.
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“With over one billion visits to our website each year and a brand built on value, trust and quality, we see a real opportunity to offer an even wider range of products that complements our core ranges and the highly valued suppliers we work with today.”
Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda video game series celebrated its 40th anniversary in February 2026. Millions of players across the world have grown up alongside the 21-title series, from the release of the original game on the Famicom gaming system in 1986, to the most recent game, Echoes of Wisdom, published for the Switch in 2024.
Over time, the series has moved from pixelated forests into high resolution, awe-inspiring landscapes. In that time, Zelda has become an intergenerational success, released in new forms for new generations with each Nintendo console.
Many Zelda games serve as flagships for these new consoles, tying the game experience into new technological capacities – showcasing the motion control of the Wii, the dual screens of the DS, and the joystick first introduced on the the N64. Just as the console technology has evolved, so has the Zelda series.
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The series is one of Nintendo’s biggest commercial successes, with an estimated 150 million copies of the games sold worldwide. The most popular game within the series, Breath of the Wild (released on the Switch in 2018), has sold more than 34 million copies to date.
As well as fun past times, video games can be important vehicles for social connection and personal development. The Zelda series grapples with age-old struggles of good versus evil and destruction versus creation.
I’m the editor of the Psychgeist of Pop Culture: The Legend of Zelda – an open-access book which explores the social and psychological impact of the series across a variety of domains. In the book, researchers like myself show how engaging with virtual stories and problems can help us to better understand our own day-to-day lives. For example, recent research from social scientist George Farmer shows that playing video games can be a helpful form of stress relief during times of crisis.
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The moral dilemmas presented in the Zelda games also help to train players for real-world social action. Experimental psychologist Kathryn Francis argues in her chapter that the games provide players with an immersive virtual space for moral reflection and development.
In my own chapter, I analysed the environmental narratives of the games Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom to assess their potential impact on players. I argued that experiencing the environmental devastation wrought by villains in the games, and having the power to save the world in this setting might also equip players with the tools and motivation to address the climate crisis in real life.
The Zelda series can also help players to understand and interrogate their identities, and the roles we play within our own lives. The games allow players to explore what it means to be a hero, villain, or a princess with increasing freedom of expression and action.
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They can choose to save the world as quickly as possible (by doing a “speedrun”) or they can take their time to get to know the community and environment. This freedom of play allows for different experiences which appeal to different types of players, making the series particularly versatile. In the games players get to experiment with different quests and narrative paths, and learn more about themselves, their values and preferences in the process.
Forty years on, the Zelda franchise shouldn’t just be seen as a purely economic success. Rather, it should be understood as a cultural powerhouse which has had a very real impact on the lives of millions around the world.
Given the generational staying power of these games, many Zelda fans across the world will be eagerly awaiting the next step for the series. What might the 40th anniversary celebrations bring? Will a new title be revealed? What will the first Switch 2 Zelda game be? Will the virtual world translate well to the upcoming live-action film?
Regardless of the answers to these questions, the series likely will likely to have a significant impact on its players around the world for decades to come.
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Officers were called to the scene earlier this week and an investigation into the death is ongoing
22:14, 27 Feb 2026Updated 22:14, 27 Feb 2026
Police have provided an update following the discovery of a body in a Welsh river earlier this week. Emergency services were called to the Dock Road area of Connah’s Quay on Tuesday, February 24.
North Wales Police has now confirmed that officers recovered the body of a 41-year-old man after initiating a search for a missing person, reports North Wales Live. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
A spokesperson for the force said: “The death is being treated as unexpected whilst investigations are ongoing. The coroner has been informed.
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“Our thoughts remain with the man’s family and loved ones who request that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.”
Dock Road was cordoned off whilst emergency personnel attended the scene, with a substantial police presence reported in the area.
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The Gogglebox cast were left screaming during Friday’s episode after watching gruesome scenes from Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time
Olivia Wheeler Content Editor Screen Time
23:05, 27 Feb 2026
The Gogglebox cast were left screaming during Friday’s episode after viewing a squeamish moment from Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time.
During the latest instalment, the cast members caught up with the latest television programmes, which included Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time.
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The Channel 5 programme sees Professor Alice Roberts explore 900 years of St Bartholomew’s Hospital – Britain’s oldest on its original site. From medieval miracle cures to modern cardiac and cancer care, Professor Roberts explores all that is on offer.
During the latest episode on Wednesday evening, Professor Roberts recreated a grisly 17th-century operation on a ‘patient’ suffering from an enormous bladder stone. The scenes were broadcast on Friday’s Gogglebox with the cast members reacting to the squeamish moment.
After displaying real bladder stones from over the years, which left the Gogglebox cast astounded over the size, Professor Roberts then got stuck into a 17th-century operation on a dummy model to extract a bladder stone, reports the Mirror.
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It was explained on the programme that bladder stones can develop if patients don’t drink enough water to which Gogglebox’s panicked Lee Riley told Jenny Newby: “I don’t drink enough water, you know!”
The programme then explained that in the 17th-century, it was “too dangerous” to operate from the top as it was too close to the bowels. Instead, they would operate from underneath, going through the “root of the penis and prostate” without any anaesthetic. Professor Roberts then performed this exact operation on a dummy model.
Reacting to the scenes, Gogglebox’s Giles Wood exclaimed: “I think I’d rather call it a day, wouldn’t you?” before shielding his eyes, adding: “Has it finished yet Mary?”.
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Meanwhile, Lee also had to avert his gaze, exclaiming: “Can you imagine?” to which Jenny quipped: “I’m glad you’re suffering for a change!”.
For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.
Viewers were also left feeling squeamish over the scenes as they took to Twitter, now X, to share their thoughts. One person said: “I have no words ! #Gogglebox” whilst a different account added: “I’m having to cover my ears for this bit ! #Gogglebox.”
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A different viewer joked: “If that wasn’t a great advert for drinking more water, I don’t know what is. #GoggleBox#Stones” whilst another wrote: “From now on I’m going to be drinking gallons of water daily. #Gogglebox!”.
Gogglebox continues on Fridays at 9pm on Channel 4.
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A 12-foot statue of St Patrick holding a pint of Guinness was removed from outside Temple Bar pub in Dublin after just 24 hours – but artist Marc Kelly says it could return next week without the pint
Rob Currell and Cathal Ryan
21:32, 27 Feb 2026
The creator of a towering St Patrick statue clutching a pint of Guinness, which stood outside Temple Bar pub for barely a day before being taken down, has expressed optimism that the artwork could return next week following some modifications.
The 12-foot figure appeared outside the famous Dublin watering hole on Thursday morning, instantly sparking debate amongst residents. Workers initially installed the statue above the pub’s entrance, with Ireland’s patron saint proudly hoisting a Guinness.
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However, the piece underwent swift alterations when workmen returned to cover the pint with a black bag, before replacing it with a green one shortly afterwards.
Opinion across the capital was sharply divided over the installation, with critics branding it an unsightly addition whilst supporters applauded the tribute to Ireland’s patron saint.
Regardless of the mixed public reaction, Dublin City Council ordered its removal within 24 hours of it going up. The directive came after consultations between the council’s Planning Enforcement Section and the property owner, reports the Irish Mirror.
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By Friday morning, the statue – complete with its pint of Guinness – was being hoisted onto a lorry by workers, bringing the brief display to an abrupt conclusion. A Dublin City Council representative informed the Irish Mirror: “Dublin City Council became aware of the installation yesterday morning. Following discussions between our Planning Enforcement Section and the owner of the premises he agreed to remove it by lunchtime today. The structure has been removed, as was agreed.”
Although Dublin City Council requested its removal, Marc Kelly, who created the installation, confirmed the artwork will undergo modifications, with the pint being taken away and the statue expected to return to its plinth within a week.
Speaking to presenter John Cooke on RTÉ Radio 1’s Liveline, he explained: “There was a request for a few changes,” and “And we decided just it should come down and come back up to us in Monaghan for some light work, and we’re going to get him back down to Dublin again then as soon as possible after.”
When questioned about the specific alterations, Marc revealed a request had been made to take away the pint – with optimism that St Patrick would make a swift return.
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“Just some changes to make to it. And obviously the pint was covered and that, so we were just in discussions with the clients and that.
“So they requested that we make an adjustment to that design element, which won’t, hopefully take too long, so we’ll get it back and people getting it photographed again as soon as possible.”
Marc expressed his eagerness to see the installation reinstated in Dublin promptly, confirming the required modifications were underway. “Well, I don’t know, personally. I suppose I’m just working with the client on their request, and they’re obviously interacting with others, so they’ve just come to us this morning, said we have asked for it to be taken down, and if you can make the necessary adjustments as soon as possible, they’d love to see it back. And we’d love to see it back in Dublin pretty quick.”
The artist, from Sculp.ie, creates stage pieces for comedian Joanne McNally, Mr Tayto and Game of Thrones, and produced the giant Euro coin for CMAT’s latest album. He explained to John that the St Patrick sculpture was a collaborative effort.
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“We’re a team of sculptors, really, and we would just take a design like this, it’s obviously drawn in house. We would have approval.
“Then we would buy in huge blocks of polystyrene, which is sculpted by hand, and the likes of St Patrick here, he’s then wrapped in fibreglass to give him like a boat or a car body finish for the elements that we have.
“That’s spray painted then so it goes into another process of sanding and spraying. There’s a fair bit of work that goes into them.
“And including, obviously, structural steel. St Patrick has a huge structural internal frame, so he would be secure if he’s suspended from a building. So there’s a team of people just with lots of different processes, and a job like that just entails lots of different work.”
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The artist explained that creating a piece on this scale demands substantial effort and investment, with a dedicated team grafting for four weeks straight to achieve the desired result.
“There is a lot of cost,” he said. “With this sort of scale, I say that when you go into the steel work, you have to get structural steel made. There’s a fair bit of time spent on design before you even begin sculpting.
“And then you’ve got to have to have the necessary machinery to make it possible. Something like this, you could have a team of people maybe on it for up to four weeks solid.
“There is, obviously, a lot of expenses involved to make sure that it’s done to a spec that’s of a good standard for public arenas like this. It has to be impressive, and it has to tick all the boxes for clients as well.”
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Small business owners are being urged to sign up for free DWP occupational health training before the March 31 deadline, with warnings that replacing an employee lost to ill-health costs over £11,000
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a warning of an £11,000 cost ahead of a March 31deadline.
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Small business owners and managers are being urged to take advantage of a free government-backed scheme before it closes at the end of next month. The alert comes as recent figures show that losing just one employee due to ill-health can cost a small business more than £11,000.
The DWP is now promoting its free ‘Support with Occupational Health’ training, designed to help create a ‘healthier, more resilient workforce’.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, DWP said: “Replacing an employee lost to ill-health costs small businesses over £11,000. Our free training course will help you build a healthier, more resilient workforce.”
The department added that nearly 2,000 managers have already signed up to the programme. Urging people to ‘sign up now’, it emphasised that the deadline to register is March 31, reports the Mirror.
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The training is part of a wider initiative to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) better manage sickness absence and support staff living with disabilities or long-term health conditions. Delivered through the International Workplace platform, the ‘Support with Occupational Health’ (SOH) course is aimed at businesses with between 1 and 249 employees based in England.
The online course is designed to be flexible, taking around 60 to 90 minutes to complete. It equips managers with the necessary tools and confidence to: For many small businesses, the loss of a key staff member can be significant.
Beyond the £11,000 cost associated with recruitment and training for a replacement, sickness absence can result in a decrease in productivity and increased strain on remaining team members.
Government data indicates that by intervening early and providing the right support, many employees who leave the workforce due to health issues could have stayed in their roles.
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How to sign up
The course is free and results in a certificate of completion upon finishing. To register or learn more about the eligibility criteria, you can visit the official Support with Occupational Health website here.
Sky News has uncovered new details about the timings and locations of photographs featuring Bill Clinton and paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, forming a comprehensive timeline of their relationship.
The photos, included in the Epstein files and verified by Sky’s Data and Forensics team, were taken on numerous Clinton Foundation trips where Epstein was present.
The former US president has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has said he did not know about the sex offender’s crimes. Being included in the Epstein files does not imply wrongdoing.
Image: Bill Clinton meeting Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the White House in 1993. Pic: William J Clinton Presidential Library
In 1992, records show Epstein donated $2,000 to Mr Clinton’s successful presidential campaign on 30 January and 8 June – a small fraction of the $62m his campaign raised overall.
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After being sworn in as president in 1993, Mr Clinton was pictured in September with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell after an event for donors to a White House restoration project.
Image: Mr Clinton meeting Epstein and Maxwell at the White House. Pic: Ralph Alswang/William J Clinton Presidential Library
The event was said to have been for donors and records list Epstein and Maxwell donating $10,000 to the White House Historical Association the same day as the event. Hillary Clinton hosted the event with her husband Bill Clinton.
Image: A press release from the Clinton Digital Library shows Jeffrey Epstein donated $10,000 to the White House Historical Association
Freedom of information (FOI) records show that Epstein visited the White House 17 times from 1993 to 1995.
In 1996, Mr Clinton was re-elected for a second presidential term.
A few years later in 1999, records from the Federal Election Commission show Epstein donated $20,000 on 29 October to Hillary Clinton’s senate campaign. This donation shows no suggestion of wrongdoing.
Image: A document from the Federal Election Commission shows Jeffrey Epstein donating $20,000 to Hillary Clinton’s senate campaign
In 2001, Bill Clinton left office, creating the Clinton Foundation, with the mission to “strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence”.
In 2002, Mr Clinton visited Epstein’s New York residence once, as confirmed by Mr Clinton’s spokesperson Angel Urena.
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Sky News has verified numerous photographs taken on Clinton Foundation trips where Epstein was present.
In May 2002, Mr Clinton set off for his trip around Asia for the Clinton Foundation on Epstein’s plane. They visited, Russia, Singapore, China, Bangkok and Brunei in a three-day period.
Image: An image shows Epstein, Clinton and Maxwell in Bangkok in 2002. Pic: DOJ
These photos were taken on 25 May 2002 at Don Mueang International Airport, then with pictures at Wat Phra Kaew, a Buddhist temple.
Thumbnails show what appears to be Epstein’s plane on the platform at the airport.
Image: An image shows thumbnails of Bill Clinton arriving at Don Mueang International Airport in 2002. Pic: DOJ
Many pictures from the Asia trip were already public but have been verified for the first time by the Sky News Data and Forensics team. Using images released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Sky News analysed photo thumbnails alongside enlarged photos, to locate and date certain photos on this timeline, cross-referencing them with flight logs and email exchanges.
Image: Bill Clinton and Epstein at the Emperor suite at the Empire Hotel in Brunei in 2002. Pic: DOJ
Image: Mr Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell swimming in the Emperor suite at the Empire Hotel in Brunei in 2002. Pic: DOJ
This set of photographs was in Brunei in the Emperor suite at the Empire Hotel.
The suite is a luxurious accommodation that spans 665 square metres (over 7,000 square feet) and features a master bedroom, private dining area, swimming pool, sauna, steam room, grand piano, and a cinema.
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An article in Vanity Fair on Epstein placed a photo of the two on a plane on the Brunei trip. Another photo released by the DOJ shows Mr Clinton in the same seat, with the same clothes, holding his arm around a redacted girl. This photo does not imply any wrongdoing.
A few months later, in July, Mr Clinton and Epstein were pictured together at the royal wedding of King Mohammed VI in Morocco on 12 July 2002. Flight logs show they flew back to Santa Maria together the following day.
Thumbnails from an album released by the DOJ, labelled “Morroco king wedding”, show Mr Clinton on Epstein’s plane.
Image: Thumbnails released in Epstein files show Bill Clinton, labelled ‘Morroco king wedding’. Pic: DOJ
In Santa Maria on a stopover, before going on a Clinton Foundation trip around Africa, Mr Clinton is pictured with someone who was later identified as one of Epstein’s victims. She is massaging his shoulders in Santa Maria airport. No Epstein victim has accused Mr Clinton of wrongdoing.
At the end of September 2002, Mr Clinton embarked on his Africa trip, alongside Epstein. The trip included locations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique and South Africa.
In the same year, Mr Clinton commented on Epstein in New York Magazine that he “appreciated his [Epstein’s] insights and generosity during the recent trip to Africa to work on democratisation, empowering the poor, citizen service, and combating HIV/AIDS”.
After this trip, Mr Clinton ended up flying to London with Ghislaine Maxwell and other passengers.
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Mr Clinton and Epstein visited London in September 2002. Photos verified by Sky News place Mr Clinton at 10 Downing Street and the Churchill War Rooms, alongside Maxwell and others, including the actor Kevin Spacey. Being included or pictured in the files is not evidence of wrongdoing.
Image: Thumbnails show a snapshot of Bill Clinton in London, one picture outside Number 10. Pic: DOJ
Image: Bill Clinton, Ghislaine Maxwell, Kevin Spacey and others at Churchill War Rooms in London in 2002. Pic: DOJ
A year later, Epstein’s Birthday Book was created by Ghislaine Maxwell. The book is described as a bound collection of birthday letters compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday. A message signed ‘Bill Clinton’ was left in the book. It praised Epstein’s ‘childlike curiosity’ and ‘drive to make a difference’.
Image: A message signed ‘Bill Clinton’ in Epstein’s 50th Birthday Book, compiled in 2003
Later that year in November, another Clinton Foundation trip took place in the Far East, once again using Epstein’s jet.
Photos verified by Sky News show Mr Clinton at dinner with Epstein, Maxwell, Mick Jagger and Doug Band in China. The photos can now be placed at China Club restaurant in Hong Kong, a private members’ club.
Flight logs published in the Epstein files show Mr Clinton was in Hong Kong between 6 and 9 November.
Image: Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger and Jeffrey Epstein in Hong Kong in 2003
On 7 November, the Rolling Stones had a concert in Hong Kong at Tamar Site for the Harbour Festival. Footage from that night shows Mr Clinton was in attendance. Following this, pictures released by the DOJ show backstage photos of this concert where it appears Epstein was also in attendance.
Image: A Rolling Stones concert in Hong Kong at Tamar Site for the Harbour Festival in 2003. Pic: DOJ
Continuing their relationship, in 2010, Ghislaine Maxwell was a guest at the wedding of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s daughter Chelsea.
Image: Ghislaine Maxwell was a guest at Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in 2010. Pic: Getty Images/FilmMagic
Hillary Clinton was questioned about Maxwell attending the wedding during her deposition with the House Oversight Committee. She stated she knew Maxwell “casually as an acquaintance”, and that Maxwell “came as the plus one, the guest, of someone who was invited”.
Bill Clinton has always denied any wrongdoing. In 2019 after Epstein killed himself in jail while facing sex trafficking charges, a Clinton spokesman said that he “knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida some years ago, or those with which he has been recently charged in New York”.
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“In 2002 and 2003, President Clinton took a total of four trips on Jeffrey Epstein’s airplane: one to Europe, one to Asia, and two to Africa, which included stops in connection with the work of the Clinton Foundation.”
The Data x Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.