Admittedly, Coronation Street never promised us that Idris Nazir (Junade Khan) was going to be an angel.

Arriving on the cobbles, he reunited with his cousin Alya Nazir (Sair Khan), treaded all over the toes of her boyfriend Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson), made Leanne Battersby’s (Jane Danson) – and Tracy Barlow’s (Kate Ford) – mouth water, and subtly impressed Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey).

Not too dark, right?

He then proceeded wall up poor Damo (Jake Parry), who owed him a load of money and was clearly utterly terrified of the newcomer, in the ginnel.

The frisson was only interrupted by the arrival of Brody, who wanted to question the legitimacy of Idris’ various businesses, asking him outright if he was a gangster.

Idris laughed off the assumption, though it was abundantly clear that behind the winning smile and the abundance of charisma that there was something much deeper and darker that he was concealing, something actor Junade Khan confirmed.

‘There are a few secrets coming, and a bit of violence, maybe,’ he teased.

Recent male additions to the street have hardly been moral bastions, have they?

Grotesque stalker Mal Roper (Tim Treloar) made Bernie Winter’s (Jane Hazlegrove) life an abject misery and Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) turned out to be an abusive monster. Even Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) despite his recent redemption arc, was utterly rancid upon his introduction.

We’re obviously not counting Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) in with this rotten lot. He’s an absolute babe and we won’t hear another word on the topic, okay?

So we’ll be seeing more violence from Idris, but what of his burgeoning relationship with stalwart, Leanne?

‘Idris will probably bring out the dark side in Leanne a little bit…’ Junade continued to tease.

While Leanne’s true Battersby-flavoured nature re-emerged when she kidnapped Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon), she tends to deal with things in a mature way these days, though, according to Junade, his influence on Leanne will raise the ire of her Nick Tilsley (Ben Price), ex-husband and father of her step-son Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan).

‘He doesn’t like the fact that it’s moving very quick with Idris and Leanne.’

‘Sam gets involved, and likes Idris, which is nice. Idris has a good relationship with Sam, but Nick has a lot of reservations about Idris as a person. He doesn’t trust him whatsoever. It’s going to kick off between them at one point.’

Ben Price recently spoke to Metro about Nick’s feelings in regards to the charismatic newcomer: ‘I think he finds it very difficult.

‘Idris has come in, you will see Sam opening up to him, or that’s potentially on the cards, and I think Nick then feels quite lost, and then also gets angry and a bit protective.’

So is it just Idris’ burgeoning bond with Sam? Not quite, according to Ben: ‘I think it’s quite painful for Nick to see Leanne with someone else.’

‘I think a bit of it is that Leanne has had other relationships, and Nick’s been a bit non plussed.

‘But Idris, he’s a businessman, does quite well. I think Nick finds it a bit tricky. Nick slightly lives in his world of owning the bistro and having a certain standing. That’s good because it crumbles at times, which I think is fantastic.

‘It’s very similar to Peter. Peter was a bit flawed, but you could also see in Peter there was a power that Nick couldn’t match. I think there’s the best of that vibe in Idris. I’m already seeing Idris will definitely probably be a match for Nick in certain ways.

‘Nick didn’t like that with Peter, and doesn’t welcome it. And also, he can see Leanne is happy.’

The scheme, Versus Cancer, is being delivered through the clubs’ charities and will offer free weekly prehabilitation and rehabilitation sessions for adults preparing for or recovering from cancer treatment or surgery.

Under the scheme, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Newcastle, and Carlisle football club charities will deliver tailored support designed to help patients improve their physical and mental wellbeing during an often challenging time.

Debbie Cook, director of community at the English Football League (EFL), said: “Versus Cancer is a great example of the National Cancer Plan coming to life and shows the important role that football club charities can play in supporting.

“A big part of the programme is that it takes place away from a clinical setting – at a football club, which is a trusted organisation within the local community and naturally has a very different feel to a hospital.”

The year-long programme will be delivered in partnership with the EFL and eight hospital trusts across the North East and North Cumbria.

Sessions will be held at club venues to offer a more relaxed and supportive environment than traditional clinical settings.

The format will include tailored exercise plans as well as social and emotional support, practical advice for healthier living, and the chance to connect with others facing similar experiences.

Ms Cook said: “Versus Cancer is more than just exercise; for many, it is a lifeline, reducing isolation by bringing together like-minded individuals who share similar experiences and truly understand what each other is going through.

“We are delighted to be working with the Northern Cancer Alliance on this project to help people at a time when they need our support most.”

The launch follows the programme’s success in Lancashire and comes as World Cup fever grips the nation.

Clare Doney, clinical lead for living with and beyond cancer at the Northern Cancer Alliance, highlighted the deep community roots of the participating clubs.

Ms Doney said: “We love our football here in the North East and North Cumbria and we are delighted to be supporting the EFL in this initiative.

“These clubs are at the heart of their communities and are ideally placed to deliver this blend of physical, mental, and emotional support which can bring so many benefits to people before, during, and after cancer treatment and surgery.”

Ms Doney said: “Versus Cancer helps realise the ambitions of the National Cancer Plan by providing care closer to people’s homes, broadening access to prehabilitation and rehabilitation and working more closely with community partners.”

Ms Doney said: “It also stands as a powerful reminder that facing cancer is not only a physical battle, but an emotional one too.

“By combining expert guidance with genuine human connection, the programme aims to make a lasting difference, and we are excited to see it launch.”

The scheme will begin this summer and is open to patients aged 18 and over.

Patients are encouraged to speak to their hospital cancer teams to find out how to access sessions and can choose which club’s programme they would like to attend.

Versus Cancer reflects a growing movement to deliver health care and support in more community-based, familiar settings.

A collision took place between a car and a bus in Bargoed on Tuesday morning.

Gwent Police says it received a report of a road traffic collision between a car and a bus at around 7.15am on the A469, between the Morrisons and fire station roundabouts, in Bargoed.

The road is currently closed in both directions and diversions are in place.

Live updates:

The wife of a Ukrainian oligarch who was seriously injured in a bomb attack in Monaco has been pictured for the first time. 

Anna Ermolaev, 56, was fighting for her life today alongside her oligarch husband Vadim Ermolaev, 58, while surrounded by armed officers, according to reports. 

The couple suffered multiple shrapnel wounds on Monday evening after a backpack full of nuts and bolts exploded in the foyer of their apartment block in the Mediterranean principality.

Ms Ermolaev is said to be the most badly hurt, and has ‘had limbs, including her legs, amputated in the past few hours’, according to a source in France.

A third victim has been identified as the couple’s teenage son, David Ermolaev, whose condition was said to be ‘stable’.

Images of the man who targeted them at the iconic Sun Palace flats were captured on CCTV, and he is still at large, and described by a police source as ‘armed and dangerous’.

Christophe Mirmand, Monaco’s Secretary of State, said: ‘It was noted that the man had driven around the area several times before the bomb blast, allowing him to lie in wait for the victims.

‘This clearly indicates that he was likely conducting surveillance.’

Anna and her husband have been transported to secure rooms at the Pasteur Hospital in the French city of Nice

Pictured: Victim Vadim Ermolaev – a Ukrainian oligarch 

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Four other people were treated by emergency services for shock and cuts from shattered windows.

Ermolaev and his wife have been transported to secure rooms at the Pasteur Hospital in the French city of Nice, some 12 miles from the blast zone.

An Interior Ministry source in Paris said the French RAID, which stands for ‘Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence’, was surrounding them.

The elite tactical police unit mainly deals with high-profile counter-terrorism cases and the protection of VIPs.

Ermolaev, who made his fortune in commerce following the collapse of the Soviet Union, has made a huge number of enemies since fleeing his native Ukraine around a decade ago.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky authorised sanctions against him in December 2023 because his drinks business in the occupied Crimea was still doing business with the enemy.

He produces a ‘geographically protected Crimean wine for the Russians’, which is still sold in Europe and the United States, said an investigating source.

Ermolaev is also a co-owner of Versobank, an Estonian bank which had its licence suspended by the European Central Bank in March 2018 for the ‘systematic violation of anti-money laundering legislation.’

Ermolaev’s eldest son, 36-year-old Artur Ermolaev, was arrested by police in Cyprus at the end of 2025, following claims that both he and his father were making millions from fraudulent call centres targeting EU citizens.

Both Ermolaevs deny any wrongdoing, saying all of their business activities are above board.

Ermolaev was originally a real estate developer in his home city of Dnipro, central Ukraine, where he set up his hugely successful Alef Group.

In recent years, the family has been living in absolute luxury in Monaco, where they have had a very high profile.

Ermolaev was known for parking his Ukrainian-registered Bentley outside the Monte Carlo Casino.

He also owned a super yacht flying the Ukrainian flag and owned a high-security villa in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Ermolaev has stated that the Ukrainian tax system is ‘very unfair’, and this prompted him to take Cypriot nationality in 2019.

An aide to France’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, said police were working ‘to find the perpetrator, who has fled’.

Members of a bomb disposal team operate the day after an allaged attack involving an explosive device in the lobby of a residential building, in Monaco on June 30

Shards of glass on a damaged window of a residential building, following an explosion on Monday, in Monaco, June 30

This photograph shows Monaco’s emergency services deployed near the area of the explosion

Monaco police officers patrol near the site of the explosion

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Police stop motorists after a blast from an explosive device injured multiple people at a residential building in Monaco, late Monday, June 29

Monaco is a globally famous tax haven on the French Riviera, full of high-net-worth residents.

It prides itself on its crime-free reputation and attracts billionaire businesspeople and celebrities from all over the world.

But there have been numerous corruption scandals on the so-called Rock in recent years, including allegations of money laundering by mafia-style gangs, including ones from Ukraine.

Prince Albert, the ruler of Monaco, has pledged to clamp down on corruption, with the help of the French authorities.

Despite Monaco’s independence, its defence is primarily the responsibility of the government in Paris.

Following the bomb blast, Prince Albert described the atrocity as ‘obnoxious’, adding: ‘The Principality of Monaco will remain united and determined in the face of violence and crime. The safety of our community has always been a priority – it will remain so more than ever, whatever the threats.’

Speaking on Tuesday at the Informa Connect CompLaw conference, the CMA’s executive director for digital markets, Will Hayter, will say: “We are consulting today on draft conduct requirements to support so-called ‘steering’, or the ability for app developers to engage directly with their users outside Apple and Google’s app stores.

The 43-year-old actress, best known for playing NHS nurse Sonia Fowler on the BBC soap, spoke candidly on her Life With Nat podcast about her daughter Joaine’s recent accident.

Joaine, nine, broke her arm in a fall at school, just eight weeks after having metalwork removed from the same arm following a previous injury.

Also appearing on the podcast, Natalie’s fiancé, EastEnders cameraman Marc Humphreys, said: “Just in the hottest week of the year, we’ve just had to spend two days in a hospital.”

Former EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy reveals she was close to having a ‘nervous breakdown’

Natalie said: “Joaine’s broken her arm again, everybody.

“Same arm, smashed to pieces.

“General anaesthetic, same operation.”

The incident happened on June 23, during what the family had hoped would be a relaxing week at home in the sunshine.

Natalie said she felt she was close to a “nervous breakdown” as she “really fell to pieces” after her daughter “slipped over in the hall before doing PE.”

She said: “I felt I was going to have a nervous breakdown, actually, on Tuesday.

“I’m being really honest with people here. I really fell to pieces.

“I was not in a good place. Just her little body, and the medication and the trauma of it all.”

Natalie explained Joaine’s full history of injuries and treatments to listeners.

She said: “A few years ago, she broke her arm, and it was a clean break.

“She then broke it again, and they put all the metal work in.

“And then eight weeks ago, she went under general anaesthetic, had it all out, and has done it again.”

Natalie and Marc thought that “some sort of deficiency” was causing Joaine’s frequent injuries.

But Natalie said: “She’s had full blood tests, and everything is in range.

“It’s absolutely perfect.

“The consultant actually said, ‘I do think it’s just really bad luck.’”

She praised hospital staff for their care, especially as they worked during a heatwave that saw temperatures hit 37.7°C.

She said: “The hospital was quite warm for the few days we were in there.

“The staff working in that… they’re not moaning, they’re laughing, they’re joking.

“Just wonderful, wonderful people. We were so well looked after again.

Do you know what else these EastEnders stars have done?

“It’s like a little trip, now. It’s like being in a hotel!”

Marc said medical staff recognised Joaine from previous visits.

He said: “The anaesthetist knew her. They all know Joaine.

“The anaesthetist even said, ‘Oh, I’ve done the bandage on the bear again like I did last time.’”

Natalie added: “I went down to theatre.

“I said, ‘Hello, Barbara.’ I mean, who, in their right mind, knows the f****** people in the hospital?”

Ms Cassidy also praised Joaine for her resilience.

She said: “She’s had her medicine, she’s got her fan. She’s watching the telly, and she’s a bit fed up.

“But she gets on with it, really. She’s so brave.”

Natalie is also mum to Eliza, whom she shares with her ex-partner Adam Cottrell.

What’s your favourite podcast to listen to? Tell us your best recommendations in the comments below.

Throughout the summer, it is likely that you will have your windows open more often meaning you might see an increase of flies entering your home.

Flies also have high birth rates during the summer thanks to the warmer temperatures making it easy for them to quickly multiply.

They can also be difficult to get rid of without using insect sprays or fly swat.

@sharanslife This prevents flies coming into the house #houseflies #hack #fyp #punjabi #browngirl ♬ original sound – Sharan

What is the trick to keep flies out of your home?

Sharan, from @sharanslife on TikTok, has shared a simple hack to keep flies from coming into your home.

Sharan said: “It’s summertime in the UK and houseflies are coming in from all sorts of directions.

“So I’m going to give you a hack on how to keep them away and all you need is a lemon and some cloves.”

The two items are inexpensive and easy to find in the shops but you may already have them in your house .

She takes the lemon and cuts them in half before putting the cloves in the flesh of the lemon halves.

The lemon halves can then be placed near windows or on tables around the house to deter flies from coming in.

You could also just place them in areas where you spot a lot of flies.

The hack works because of the lemons citrusy scent that is unappealing to flies, as it is a strong smell.

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The cloves contain eugenol, which has a sharp and spicy scent that flies also dislike.

You will have to keep an eye on the lemons and swap them out every few days, as when they dry out, they will not repel the flies anymore.

Have you tried this fly trick to keep the insects out of your house? Let us know in the comments below.