It seems that adults have fewer close friends these days than they did 30 years ago – in the ’90s, a third of us said we had 10 close friends or more, but by the 2020s, that dropped to 13%.
But making friends as an adult can feel difficult. So, we thought we’d share some science-backed ways to boost your social life:
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1) Don’t rely on luck
For years, I waited for a friendship “meet-cute” – maybe I’d find someone with my exact same interests and a similar personality by some unlikely chance.
But science says I was barking up the wrong tree. One study found that those who thought friendship was a matter of luck were likelier to feel more lonely five years later.
Those who believed that making friends took conscious effort, meanwhile, fared far better socially.
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2) Embrace the “mere exposure” effect
A 2021 study found that people who sat next to each other in classrooms were more likely to become friends.
And the same seemed to be true for adults in college classrooms – another paper found that university students who came to class regularly, even when they didn’t talk to their classmates, were seen as more likeable than those who also didn’t interact and showed up less often.
Though you might not be in college or school anymore, the lesson likely holds true across volunteering groups and meet-ups like book and running clubs.
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3) Assume people will like you
Science suggests that believing people will like and accept you makes you easier to get along with. When researchers told participants of one study that they were going to be accepted into a group, they shared with their new acquaintances and were more positive and less disagreeable.
The inverse seems to be true, too. Another paper showed that when people expect rejection, they read socially ambiguous behaviours – like being quiet – more negatively, taking them as a sign that a person doesn’t like them. In response, they behave in a colder, more defensive manner.
4) Like others in return
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You might think that the most important factor when choosing friends is compatibility. But some research says that the number one trait people look for in a new friend is feeling liked and valued.
Further research, which followed new friend pairs for months, found that those who showed affection for one another were likeliest to stay together.
Cringe-inducing as it may feel at first, being open and clear about liking a person seems to go a long way to making – and keeping – new friendships.
Moyes’ assessment came partly due to an eye-catching save Lammens made to deny a long-range effort from Michael Keane that was heading for the top corner at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
But mainly it was for the unfussy way the £18.1m summer signing from Royal Antwerp dealt with a succession of corners fired into his six-yard box.
The trust that exists between Lammens and his defenders is clear – and there is growing faith from United’s supporters too.
“The first thing you have to do as a goalkeeper is make saves,” says Lammens. “But I take a lot of pride in doing the other things well.
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“Maybe it’s not always the box-office stuff but if you know a little bit about goalkeeping, that’s as important for your team-mates to trust you and help out the team.”
Former United keeper Edwin van der Sar offered a positive assessment of Lammens’ abilities on Sky Sports on Monday.
Current Belgium number one Thibaut Courtois has also spoken highly of his compatriot.
But, when asked for his own role model, Lammens looks to Germany.
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“My biggest idol was probably Manuel Neuer,” he said.
“I take pride in being an all-round goalkeeper. That’s why I was such a big fan of his. He didn’t really have something that was clearly not the best thing in his game.”
United’s goalkeeping scout Tony Coton pushed for Lammens’ signing – against the wishes of Ruben Amorim, who had wanted to bring in World Cup winner Emi Martinez from Aston Villa.
It was a huge call. So far, it has been justified.
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Veteran Tom Heaton, United’s third-choice goalkeeper, has been a big help, offering Lammens useful advice about not trying to chase the game.
Moyes marvelled at the way United’s new number one dealt with Everton‘s bombardment of corners, which drew criticism from some – but Lammens accepts as part of the game.
“I was always told England was the best league, but that physicality is the biggest difference,” he said. “It’s always been a strength of mine, even in Belgium.
“Now there are more bodies in front of you. You have to be big and not be pushed around easily. My physical features are positive for those situations. In training, you have to visualise these things and all the bodies you are trying to navigate.
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“It can’t get to the point where it is too much, but I enjoy it, getting out of my comfort zone.”
Away from Carrington, Lammens prefers to switch off from the high-pressure environment of top-flight football. He is more likely to be found watching basketball than Premier League games on TV.
But the Belgian’s status at United is now established. Altay Bayindir will not be replacing him any time soon and the idea Andre Onana might come back from his loan spell in Turkey to reclaim the number-one role is fanciful.
However, perhaps predictably, Lammens is not getting ahead of himself.
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“I said a couple weeks ago I couldn’t imagine it going any better, but I don’t want to look to the past too much,” he says.
“I mean, it’s great but I still have to prove myself every week. I’m not satisfied by it. I am happy it went well but it’s not the end.”
An 87-year-old woman has died after being hit by a car in Newport. The collision happened in Stow Park Avenue near the city centre on Tuesday afternoon.
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Emergency services were called to the scene, and an elderly pedestrian was taken to hospital where she later died. Gwent Police has launched an investigation into the fatal incident and is asking any witnesses to come forward. For the latest Newport news, sign up to our newsletter here.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision in Newport. Officers were called to a collision involving a pedestrian and a car on Stow Park Avenue, Newport at around 3.55pm on Tuesday, February 24.
“The pedestrian, an 87-year-old woman from Newport, was taken to hospital and sadly pronounced dead; her next of kin have been informed.
“We are continuing to investigate the collision and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.
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“Anyone with relevant information, including CCTV or dashcam footage, is asked to contact us via our website, call 101 or DM us on our Facebook or X social media pages, quoting log reference 2600059370.
“Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
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Senne Lammens is having a brilliant first season in goal for Manchester United and he has spoken about his big influences, his start at OId Trafford and those set-pieces.
A smile creeps across Senne Lammens’ face as he reflects on his latest trial by set-pieces as Manchester United No.1. The Belgian was put through the mill on Merseyside on Monday night, but departed earning rave reviews from everyone, from the Everton manager to one of his most successful predecessors.
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Lammens dealt with Everton’s aerial onslaught in the calm, composed and unflappable manner that everyone at United has come to expect after spending six months with the 23-year-old, who joined from Royal Antwerp for £18.2million at the end of the summer transfer window.
The Premier League are under pressure to change the rules that allow penalty areas to turn into wrestling rings during corners. Kobbie Mainoo compared Everton’s approach to the Royal Rumble, which is putting goalkeepers under pressure like never before, but rather than join the chorus calling for change, Lammens admits there is a part of him that actually enjoys it.
“Of course, you try to protect a little bit the goalkeeper sometimes and maybe there are some situations where that could have been protected more,” he said.
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“But for me, to be honest, if it continues like this, just the physicality in general and those corners, I sometimes even like it as well, yeah, I have to say.”
It is this mentality that is marking Lammens out as a different beast when it comes to goalkeepers. He has established himself as the club’s first-choice after just over 50 league games in Belgium and 21 matches for United.
Standing at 6ft 4ins tall and with a broad physique, Lammens is an ideal prototype for a Premier League goalkeeper in 2026. Those physical gifts have always come naturally to him and are helping him thrive in pressure situations this season, quickly earning the trust and appreciation of his teammates.
“For me, it’s just the way it is,” he said of the set-piece challenge. “It is the Premier League. It’s physicality and a bit of war in the [penalty area]. It’s also one of my strengths, so sometimes I like the challenge as well.
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“It’s always been a bit of my strength, even in Belgium, which is less physical, but the principles are all the same. The technique is the same. Now it’s a little bit more bodies in front of you, but my teammates help me out as well with blocking the guys away from me. You have to be kind of big and not easy to be pushed around.”
If Lammens relished the madness of the Hill Dickinson Stadium penalty area on Monday, then a visit to Partington Central Academy Primary School on Wednesday wasn’t going to throw him off course.
The Belgian surprised a group of children as part of the Manchester United Foundation’s children’s book appeal throughout March, encouraging fans to donate new and pre-loved books to children in need.
Lammens took part in a Q&A and joined in some playground sports games, and the down-to-earth goalkeeper was touched by the hero’s welcome he received as he walked into the classroom.
He is still young enough to remember his own days looking up to his idols, and as an aspiring young goalkeeper, there were a couple in particular he watched closely.
“My biggest idol as a goalkeeper was probably [Manuel] Neuer.,” he said. “I take pride in being an all-round goalkeeper and I think that’s also why I was such a big fan of his because he didn’t really have a weak point or something that was clearly not the best thing in his game. So that’s something I probably take from him.
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“I’m also Belgian, so Thibaut Courtois is always a big thing when I was growing up as well. And I think just his qualities and saving the ball are just world-class.”
Now he’s made a name for himself in the game, Lammens prefers to switch off from football when he leaves the training ground. He enjoys watching American sports and follows particular athletes, aiming to learn from their approach and mentality, and cites LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as two NBA influences.
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When he is at Carrington, Lammens has been spending plenty of time with United’s 39-year-old goalkeeper, Tom Heaton. A former United academy graduate and England international, Heaton is third-choice but remains a big influence in the goalkeeping group, and he has been instilling in Lammens the value of doing the basics right and not giving the opposition any easy routes into the game.
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But credit for the signing of Lammens has been directed to United’s goalkeeping scout Tony Coton, and the player himself revealed the detailed role Coton played in keeping him abreast of developments, with the transfer going down to the final days of the window.
“I’ve had contacts with United [for quite a while],” he said. “I think Tony Coton was probably one of the biggest ones. I had a good relationship with him from the beginning and especially my agent was always on a good relationship with him, so he was always honest with me and always open and everything he said has come true.
“He was just a big, big, big influence and like a big helping point in the conversations with United when the deal wasn’t done yet. He gave me a lot of confidence that that was the right step to do for me.”
Lammens was on the bench for the first three games after his move, but he has been an ever-present since making his debut in a 2-0 win against Sunderland in October, when his confident performance was met with chants of ‘are you Schmeichel in disguise?’
He wasn’t told he would be given a clear path into the team after signing, but he knew his chance would come. He has taken it with both hands and looks at home at a club of this size, with Michael Carrick describing it as a “huge jump” after Lammens’ performance on Monday.
“They warned me that Manchester United is a different animal, especially social media-wise,” he said. “They warned me that it is one of the biggest clubs, if not the biggest club.
“It’s Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world, but also you have to look through that a little bit. It’s still a game of football, the game isn’t that much different.
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“Of course, the quality is better, but you have to trust in yourself. There’s a reason I’m here, that I made the move. Those first weeks were a bit rough about getting used to it, but I always knew that I was going to be ready for it.”
Lammens made 173 saves for Royal Antwerp last season, the most of any goalkeeper in Europe’s top-eight leagues, but at United he is taking pride in proving that, like his hero Neuer, he has a good all-round game.
“The first thing as a goalkeeper, you have to make saves, that’s the most important thing, but I take a lot of pride in doing the other things well,” he said. “Maybe not always the box office stuff or the things people look at first. If you know a little bit about goalkeeping, that’s probably sometimes even as important for your teammates to trust in you and to help out the team.
“Sometimes in United, I don’t really have to do a lot of saves, a different kind of goalkeeping, but it’s also sometimes the most difficult, when there are only one or two saves to be made, but you have to make them.”
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Lammens admits he reads social media and has noticed the positive reviews he is getting, especially from United supporters, but insists he won’t be distracted if the negativity comes his way.
He certainly seems to have his feet on the ground. At 23, he doesn’t seem to have changed much or let the success go to his head, and he is determined to never lose that mindset. “I hope not. I think that’s also something I try to show the world, that I’m just a normal guy as well, that everyone can make it.”
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I remember hearing my school years described as “the best of my life” by adults as a teen and thinking, “surely not”. Since then, my doubts have proven warranted: I reckon my life’s gotten better every year since about 22.
A new paper, which asked older European adults to list the best years of their life, supports that further.
Looking at data from adults aged 50+ across 13 countries, the researchers found that after reflecting on their lives, participants said their “subjective well-being” (SWB) peaked at 30-34.
This is an “inverted U-shaped” trend
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This is not the only research of its kind to find similar results. A 2021 American poll asked older people which age they’d most like to stay at – and 36 won out.
That, the European paper suggests, goes against previous “U-shaped” theories of happiness across age. Some studies state that SWB is high in adulthood, stays roughly level throughout adulthood, and peaks again in older age (some research says this falls sharply after 75).
But this paper, which the author says is “novel” in asking people “the period individuals recall as the happiest in their lives,” found more of an “inverted U-shape”, or “concave”, trend.
It showed a “crest of happiness” from 30-34, which built up from childhood and tapered away as individuals aged.
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Very few respondents said that childhood was the happiest period of their lives, even when their childhoods were relatively peaceful.
We don’t remember “midlife crises” as being particularly brutal, either
While SWB did seem to slowly fade after 34, the paper added, “Retrospectively, midlife is not perceived as the least likely happiest period in life”.
This, despite other research which says people’s 40s and 50s are likely to be the least happy decades.
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“In retrospect, the midlife crisis is less evident than in studies based on current happiness assessments of current happiness,” the European study said.
“On average, this stage of life is judged to be neither the least nor the most likely happiest period in an individual’s life.” This seemed to hold true regardless of the participant’s gender or nationality.
It comes as a tech expert has warned households about the dangers of installing a video doorbell on their property due to a “widely misunderstood” legal risk.
Many unknowingly cross a “critical line” under UK data protection law the moment they point a camera too far down the garden path, capturing nearby neighbour’s private property.
By not following one simple check, this could result in an expensive legal battle, carrying the potential for a hefty fine and the requirement to pay legal costs.
Can video doorbells breach GDPR in the UK?
James Clarke, PC and consumer tech expert at Cacti PCs, suggests that the root of the problem is a failure to understand the “private space” rule.
Clarke explained: “The convenience of a video doorbell has led to millions of quick, DIY installations where homeowners don’t consider the legal implications.
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“When you’re recording someone walking up your own driveway, you’re fine.
“But the instant that lens captures a neighbour’s private property, their garden, their front door, or a window, you’ve just become a data controller under UK law.”
He continued: “This triggers the strict rules of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
“Your neighbour has a right to privacy, and by continuously recording their private space, you can be found to be in breach.
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“A £1,000 fine is a real possibility, but the much larger financial risk is having to pay for the other side’s legal fees.”
Are there privacy concerns with video doorbells? How to avoid
Clarke has stressed three easy tips that people can do to avoid any legal issues surrounding video doorbells and privacy concerns.
The ‘privacy zone’ check
He advises: “Most smart doorbells and security cameras have a ‘Privacy Zone’ or ‘Block Out’ feature within the app.
“This allows you to draw a black box over any part of the camera’s view that covers a neighbour’s private space (e.g., their patio or a specific window).
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“This area will be digitally obscured and not recorded.
“If your camera points at anything other than your own property, you must use this feature.”
The 25% rule
The tech expert said: “As a general rule, if more than 25% of your camera’s field of view captures a neighbour’s property or a shared boundary, you are likely in violation.
“Simply tilting the camera down by a few degrees, focusing the view more on your immediate doorstep and path rather than the horizon, can often solve the problem instantly.”
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Did you know video doorbells can breach GDPR in the UK? (Image: Nick Beer/Getty)
The microphone trap
Clarke commented: “Don’t forget that video doorbells also record sound.
“Even if the video is legally compliant, recording conversations on a neighbour’s property can also be a breach of their privacy.
“If your camera has a sensitive microphone that picks up dialogue from their garden, you should look into adjusting the sound recording sensitivity or, if possible, restricting its range.”
Do I need permission to install a video doorbell?
Eufy states: “In the UK, you don’t usually have to ask permission to use a doorbell camera, but if it captures areas outside your property, it’s best to be open about it.
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Recommended reading:
“A small sign by your entrance can do the job.
“Letting people know they’re on camera keeps things clear, avoids misunderstandings, and helps you stay in line with doorbell camera laws UK.”
Did you know that having a video doorbell could be breaking GDPR law? Let us know in the comments below.
Prince Harry has told a group of recovered addicts “there’s no shame in having an addiction”, as he urged them to go back to their communities and help others.
During the second day of their Jordan trip, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the country’s National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts and described it as “incredible”.
The couple listened to a group of men describing the emotional toll of substance abuse and the assistance they have received from the facility in the capital Amman.
Image: Meghan also wrote a message of support. Pic: PA
The pair were invited to write messages of support.
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Harry‘s message on a sticky-note, left on a wall with others, read: “It’s ok to not be ok. Trust each other.”
While Meghan wrote: “Congratulations on your recovery. Now share your courage and experience.”
Image: Prince Harry’s note. Pic: PA
Image: Meghan’s note. Pic: PA
They were with a World Health Organisation delegation, including its director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu, who invited the couple to Jordan.
More on Duchess Of Sussex
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also visited the regional offices of the World Central Kitchen (WCK).
While there, they heard about the organisation’s huge logistical task of feeding a million Palestinians in Gaza.
Harry and Meghan’s surprise trip analysed
Harry and Meghan talked via a video call with a distribution leader at one of WCK’s six field kitchens in the Palestinian territory, producing daily hot meals for around 60% of the population.
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Wadhah Hubaishi, the organisation’s response director for the Middle East and North Africa, told the couple that ochre and rice was the meal for Thursday.
Image: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a visit to the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Jordan. Pic: PA
Image: The couple also visited the World Central Kitchen in Jordan. Pic: PA
He said: “This is one of our most delicious meals for the Gaza people. Within two hours, we will start distributing the food.”
“We need 20 trucks (of supplies) every day from Egypt, not enough trucks are coming in, that really affects us more than any other actor.”
Mr Hubaishi said their mantra was “food with smiles” provided by Gazans for Gazans and highlighted the need for food by telling the couple the touching story of a boy who had never seen a banana.
Image: The Duchess of Sussex during a visit to the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts. Pic: PA
He explained how “a three-year-old ate a banana and asked his father ‘can I eat the peel’”.
It’s been hailed as America’s ‘most viral’ drink (Picture: Poppi)
Have you heard of Poppi?
It’s a viral soda brand from the US that’s garnered a cult following online, as well as a few famous fans.
Charli XCX starred in a recent Super Bowl advert for the fizzy drinks, and everyone from Paris Hilton to Post Malone has been spotted with one of the colourful cans in their hand.
But what’s so special about it? According to the brand, it’s going to ‘shake up the soft drinks aisle’ in UK supermarkets, as it’s low in sugar and low in calories but with ‘full flavour fizz’.
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The viral drink was first launched in America in 2016, founded by husband and wife duo Allison and Stephen Ellsworth from Texas. Allison was keen to ditch fizzy drinks, but didn’t want to lose the taste, so she started experimenting, mixing fruit juice, apple cider vinegar and sparkling water in her kitchen at home.
And the rest, as they say, is history…
Where will you be able to buy Poppi in the UK?
Poppi is being brought to the UK by PepsiCo, whose portfolio features several other iconic brands, including Pepsi, Walkers, Doritos, SodaStream, Quaker Oats, Tropicana, and 7UP.
Five different Poppi flavours are launching in the UK: Strawberry Lemon, Raspberry Rose, Lemon Lime, Wild Berry, and Orange.
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Those keen to give them a try will find them in Tesco supermarkets as well as Pret a Manger locations nationwide, from March 5.
A wider rollout is planned for the brand later in the year.
There are five flavours coming to the UK (Picture: Poppi)
Is Poppi actually good for you?
Poppi is often described as a prebiotic soda that’s high in fibre, with no more than 5g of sugar per can.
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As such, many people believe it’s a ‘healthy’ alternative to traditional sodas, and the brand even previously marketed the drink as a way to be ‘gut healthy’. But is this really the case?
Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian and media nutrition liaison for the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition, previously told Time Magazine that Poppi drinks are ‘better than traditional sodas’, but she warned that they still ‘should be consumed in moderation’.
Her comments came after Poppi was sued by a former customer in 2024 over allegations that its claims of improving ‘gut health’ were misleading.
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The brand previously used the phrase ‘be gut happy’ on cans and in marketing, due to the inclusion of prebiotic ingredients in its drinks. However, the lawsuit alleged that there was not enough prebiotic fibre in a single can ‘to produce meaningful gut health benefits’, as the drinks only contain 2g of prebiotic fibre.
According to the official website, Poppi contains cassava root fibre, which is a prebiotic obtained from the root of the cassava plant, and agave inulin, a prebiotic extracted from the agave tequilana plant.
Prebiotics are plant fibres that the body doesn’t digest, but may trigger the growth of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut. Experts agree that the science around this area is currently limited, and more research is needed to prove the link between prebiotics and positive changes in the gut microbiome.
Poppi has since agreed to a $8.9million class-action settlement and ditched the gut health messaging.
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In the UK, several other brands of prebiotic soda are already available, including XOXO and Hip Pop.
However, many Brits will likely be jumping for joy over the news of the upcoming Poppi launch, as people have spent months begging the brand to head over the pond.
On TikTok, @lissa_abarg confessed she was ‘dying to try them’, as @ricki.k_ said she would ‘cry’ if the drinks were brought to the UK.
Similarly, @cleochloee posted: ‘I really want to try it’, and @michelleskaa added: ‘omg been dying to try one.’
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@sadtubes_1 admitted they would be ‘running to buy these’, while others said they were ‘a need’.
A few social media users have previously claimed to have found cans of Poppi on sale in Co-op stores, but Poppi tells Metro this launch is their first official foray into the UK drinks market.
Will you be trying Poppi when it launches in the UK?
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Speaking about going on sale in the UK, co-founder Allison Ellsworth said it is ‘incredibly meaningful’.
‘When we started Poppi, the goal was simple: create a soda people could feel good about drinking. Seeing Poppi find a new home in the U.K. is a proud moment for our entire team.
‘We’re excited about this next chapter and can’t wait to be a part of a new community.’
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Natalia Fillipociants, general manager Europe International Beverages at PepsiCo added: ‘We’re proud to bring Poppi’s vibrant, feel-good approach to the UK.
‘British consumers are increasingly looking for drinks that are balanced, modern and genuinely enjoyable every day. With bold fruity flavours, eye-catching design, Poppi delivers full-flavour fizz made with ingredients that the consumer will absolutely love!’
The change came into effect today (February 25) and the airline is warning all customers to make sure they have the correct travel documents for their flights.
Aer Lingus told Newsquest: “All customers (including Irish or British nationals) travelling on Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional services between the Republic of Ireland and the UK will now require a valid passport or Irish passport card.”
What’s more, the other forms of photo ID, including a driver’s licence, “will no longer be valid for travel”, the airline explains.
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Aer Lingus warns passengers of new passport change from today
Aer Lingus added: “Passengers travelling on domestic services with Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Emerald Airlines, are exempt from this updated travel policy.
“Domestic services include Belfast-UK and Dublin-Donegal routes.
“This aligns with the travel document requirements across the rest of our network and will ensure consistency and further improve our operational performance for our customers.”
Aer Lingus extends 10kg carry-on bag policy for flights
The news comes after the airline announced it would be extending its 10kg carry-on baggage policy across all its Aer Lingus Regional flights, operated by Emerald Airlines.
What’s the best seat to book on a plane?
Aer Lingus said the change would come into effect from Tuesday, March 3.
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It said customers can now make savings as every fare type includes a 10kg bag as standard, which can be checked in free of charge or carried on board if customers choose to pay for it.
Recommended reading:
The bag policy is in place on domestic flights within Ireland and the UK, flights between Ireland and the UK, and European flights.
Aer Lingus said it has made the change in response to feedback from its customers.
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Where will you be flying this year? Let us know in the comments below.
Epstein suggested the role loss was ‘Charles’ doing’ (Picture: Getty)
Emails have revealed that Jeffrey Epstein appeared to blame Charles when Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lost his job as the UK’s trade envoy.
The day it was announced that Andrew would no longer be the trade envoy in 2011, Epstein replied to an email from an associate that said there was ‘lots of TV coverage on PA’ – believed to represent ‘Prince Andrew’.
The paedophile replied: ‘I assume he [Andrew] knows that this is Charles’ doing.’
In a later message, he added: ‘I’m sure this is good for him [Andrew], he will now be free.’
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Andrew lost his position just months after photos of him walking with Epstein in a New York park went viral.
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The former prince has continued to deny any wrongdoing in relation to his role as trade envoy and his association with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew (pictured in 2011 before leaving his position of envoy) has been in the spotlight this week (Picture: Getty)
Downing Street declined to comment on allegations Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor charged the taxpayer for massages and excessive travel costs while he was a trade envoy.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘As with every kind of specific allegation in this matter, that is something for the police to look at, not for me to comment on or give a running commentary on a live police investigation.
‘But on the general point of whether the Government stands ready to assist the police in their inquiries, the answer is – and has consistently been – yes.’
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Emails from the Epstein files appear to show the ex-prince shared confidential details of investment opportunities and reports of trade visits.
Andrew’s position put him in contact w ith high-profile politicians, like Rudy Giuliani, seen with him in 2001 (Picture: AFP)
Earlier this week, MPs held one of the first-ever debates in Parliament focused on a member of the Royal Family.
It is typically forbidden to explicitly criticise the royals in the House of Commons, but Speaker Lindsay Hoyle permitted the debate since Andrew has been stripped of his titles and positions.
During the debate, Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant told the Commons: ‘Colleagues and many civil servants have told me their own stories of their interactions with Mr Mountbatten Windsor, and they all portray the same pattern.
‘A man on a constant self-aggrandising and self-enriching hustle. A rude, arrogant and entitled man who could not distinguish between the public interest, which he said he served, and his own private interest.’
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Andrew was appointed as a special trade envoy for the British government by Tony Blair in 2001 before stepping down in 2011 amid criticism over his friendship with Epstein.
The specific role of the UK special representative for trade and investment was created for him.
The popular UK pizza chain said it aims to help push its growth ambitions.
PizzaExpress’ boss said it will continue to “focus” on its core pizza brand but has recognised a “huge appetite” for chicken from customers.
As a result, it will roll out its new Mac & Wings delivery brand to more than 300 sites across the UK from Tuesday, March 3.
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The UK’s favourite takeaways
PizzaExpress to launch new chicken offering after customer demand
The launch comes on the back of significant growth in chicken across the restaurant and fast-food sectors.
Rivals such as Dominos have launched their own chicken concepts in recent months, while a raft of US-founded chicken brands, such as Wingstop, Popeyes and Raising Cane’s have opened sites across the UK.
PizzaExpress said its chicken wing products will be baked, rather than fried, and it believes there is still enough room in the UK market for strong growth.
Paula MacKenzie, PizzaExpress chief executive, told the Press Association that the business has been “working on the concept for a number of months” after recognising customer demand.
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She said: “There is a competitive context but we are launching the concept because we believe we can do something exciting and different.
“It is something we are able to do alongside pizzas in our kitchens, but it is important that the brand does feel like it has its own identity.”
Mac & Wings to be sold as its own brand across the UK
The Mac & Wings products will be sold across the UK as its own brand through Deliveroo, but they will be made by PizzaExpress chefs within the restaurant chain’s kitchens.
Its menu will include a selection of baked wings, in flavours such as hot honey, and buttermilk chicken tenders, served with a choice of dips including spicy tomato & chilli, garlic butter and “pizzanaise”.
Ms Mackenzie said the business will initially be only available for delivery on the back of strong demand for takeaway chicken on delivery platforms such as Deliveroo.
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However, she said the group will “keep an open mind” to potentially expanding the brand into bricks-and-mortar restaurants.
PizzaExpress expands restaurant and pod offering
Last year, PizzaExpress launched a new concept where it opened some PizzaExpress pods, allowing customers to enjoy pizza on-the-go as they were located at supermarkets, including Tesco and other spots.
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In April, it opened a pod at Swansea Marina and later, in September, the company opened a pod at Tesco Extra in Cheshunt.
This was after the concept saw success in Southampton in late 2024.
In 2025, PizzaExpress opened new restaurants in the likes of Cambridge, Redhill and Kingston.
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