Chancellor John Healey has vowed not to let supermarkets ‘take the public for a ride’ as the Iran war continues to cripple drivers at the petrol pumps.

The former defence minister insisted he would be closely watching in a bid to protect the public from price gouging at the pumps.

However, he also conceded that he could not ‘completely stop the squeeze’ on families and businesses amid the Iranian conflict.

It comes as the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham promised to give families and businesses ‘breathing room’ following a cost-of-living crisis that has lasted years.

Fuel costs skyrocketed earlier this year after Iran cut off access to the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas supplies.

Petrol prices are now at their most expensive since 2022, with unleaded having reached 160p per litre, according to the RAC.

Meanwhile, Mr Healey signalled he would be ready to intervene to protect consumers from unfair price rises at home.

‘We’ll be watching closely for any suggestions that customers are being taken for a ride at the pump or the till,’ he said.

He described the willingness of firms to work with him amid the ongoing crisis as positive, and said there was no ‘significant evidence’ of supposed ‘price gouging’.

But he reassured the public that regulators will have the powers to ‘clamp down on it if it happens’.

John Healey (pictured on July 21) vowed not to let supermarkets ‘take the public for a ride’ as the Iran war continues to cripple drivers at the petrol pumps

It comes as Mr Healey said he had spoken to international counterparts in his first days as chancellor about their joint economic response to the ongoing war in Iran.

‘Being frank, we can’t completely stop the squeeze that families and businesses will feel with a global shock of this scale,’ he added.

He said the government would be ‘active’ and ‘hands on’, adding that they would put ‘British interests firsts’ and allow breathing space to those feeling the financial crunch.

He added that they would make the country ‘more resilient so we can better weather these shocks in the future’.

Mr Burnham has announced a succession of measures aimed at alleviating cost-of-living pressures, such as a cut in VAT on energy bills and capping bus fares at £2 throughout 2027 since taking office.

The Prime Minister reiterated on Sunday that he would like to take further action to bring down utility bills and rail fares.

‘I think rail fares are too high, outrageously so in some instances. So that’s something that’s in my sights.

‘I mentioned VAT and electricity bills. It’s a short-term measure at this moment, but let’s see where we can go with that,’ he told the Sunday Mirror.

The raft of measures Mr Burnham has unveiled, including cutting business rates for pubs and an expansion of technical training in schools, are likely to require additional spending.

Mr Healey promised that his first budget would be ‘built on fiscal discipline’ as he revealed this week that it would take place on October 28.

Officials have said Mr Burnham and Mr Healey agreed the Budget must have a built-in £23.6billion buffer against the Government’s self-imposed borrowing rules, the Financial Times reported.

He and the Prime Minister have written to the Cabinet to make clear there is no new money coming for the fresh pledges, he told The Times.

Departments need to be ready to ‘shift funding away from unproductive or legacy programmes that no longer reflect this administration’s priorities,’ he wrote in the letter.

Earlier this year, the previous Chancellor Rachel Reeves tried to put pressure on retailers to cap food prices in a bid to limit inflation as the Iran war raged on.

She received backlash for the proposals from supermarket bosses, which saw Ms Reeves abandon the idea.

M&S chief executive Stuart Machin branded the proposals ‘preposterous’, meanwhile, Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, described the idea as ‘unsustainable’.

The explosion occurred close to a restaurant terrace on Kudrinskaya Square in Moscow on Saturday evening at approximately 8:10pm (6:10pm BST), killing three and injuring 21, the Interior Ministry confirmed

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Three individuals have lost their lives and 21 others have been wounded after an explosion near a Moscow restaurant, police have confirmed.

The blast took place adjacent to a restaurant terrace on Kudrinskaya Square in Moscow on Saturday evening at around 8:10pm (6:10pm BST), with the Interior Ministry releasing a statement on Russian social media platform Max.

Officials told state news agency Ria Novosti that the incident led to “three deaths and 15 injured, of varying degrees of seriousness”. The committee later revised the injury figure upwards from 15 to 21 people, taking the overall casualty toll to at least 24.

The injured were undergoing medical care.

Among the dead were “a security guard who prevented an unknown woman suspected of trying to carry the explosive device into the restaurant, the unknown woman and one of the visitors,” a committee statement cited by the Tass news agency revealed.

Video footage published by the agency showed heavily armed police officers at the scene, which had been sealed off from members of the public, the BBC reports.

While the cause remains uncertain, the Baza Telegram channel suggested it happened within the restaurant’s kitchen area.

An eyewitness told the channel that a wedding reception with approximately 50 attendees was taking place at the premises, stating they saw bloodied individuals being carried out in the aftermath of the explosion. Dozens of cyclists who had gathered in the vicinity for an evening ride through the city saw their plans abandoned.

Officers and emergency crews rushed to the location, with officials confirming an investigation into what triggered the blast.

According to Russian media outlets, traffic in the area surrounding the square has been suspended temporarily, while access points to Barrikadnaya metro station have been closed.

The road was proposed to link the Horwich Loco Works estate and Fettlers Way, Middlebrook – a way of offsetting the up to a thousand new houses planned in the area.

But work on the road has stalled in recent years, delayed by ‘ongoing legal issues‘.

The crucial link road has still not been opened to the public (Image: Newsquest)

The link road from Crown Lane through to Aspinall Way behind Middlebrook at the Rivington Chase housing scheme has been much debated, delayed and discussed in recent times.

Bolton Council stated: “Rivington Chase remains one of Bolton Council’s highest priority regeneration projects and represents one of the borough’s most significant long-term investments.

“The wider masterplan will deliver approximately 1,700 new homes together with supporting mixed-use development, transforming the former Horwich Loco Works into a sustainable community with new homes, employment opportunities, community facilities and extensive public open space.

“Significant progress has already been made across the site through the successful delivery of new homes and key infrastructure. The completion of the Spine Road alongside the development will provide an important road link from Horwich to Middlebrook with a new bus route and pedestrian and cycle-friendly paths. This will address existing and future highways issues and congestion in the area.

The road will be crucial to helping to reduce traffic (Image: Office of Phil Brickell MP)

“The council remains committed to securing the completion and opening of the Rivington Chase Spine Road as soon as practicably possible.

“Over recent months, efforts have been made to reach agreement with the owners of the remaining land interests required to complete the final section of the road. Those discussions have not resulted in terms that could be progressed.

“The council’s preference remains to reach agreement with the landowners, and will seek to continue discussions to this end, but will need to consider all available options to facilitate the completion of the link road.”

Chris Green MP on site at the new road (Image: Office of Chris Green MP)

It was reported in May 2024 that the spine road was ‘nearing completion‘, though since then, little progress has been made.

“It should be completed in August,” said then-MP Chris Green, “but it may take a little longer than that to open to the public.”

The £262M Rivington Chase masterplan aims to regenerate the Horwich Loco Works site with around 1,700 new homes built across four phases.

The site wide masterplan was agreed by Bolton Council’s planning committee back in 2017, after a supplementary planning document was put forward in 2012.

By WILL HALLOWELL, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 02:07 BST, 2 August 2026 | Updated: 02:11 BST, 2 August 2026

Multiple people have been injured and carried out on stretchers after a ‘stampede’ at a family-friendly festival in north London as too many people turned up.  

The organisers of Ghana Party in the Park were forced to end the event ‘abruptly’ at Copthall Playing Fields in Barnet on Saturday after it became ‘overcrowded’, police and organisers said. 

Several festivalgoers have suffered ‘non-life threatening injuries’ following the crush and footage from the event shows dozens of emergency vehicles, including air ambulances, present. 

Witnesses saw injured people being carried away on stretchers as medics attended the scene.

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One 18-year-old described the incident as ‘very chaotic’, adding that the festival was ‘very poorly organised’. 

Another said: ‘Ghana Party in the Park, aka ShattaFest, has had a stampede, with people seriously injured.  

‘Two air ambulances (helicopters) have flown in to take some of the injured away.

‘People have been unable to get into the event since 2pm. There are probably 1,000 people outside right now.’ 

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Multiple people were left with non-life threatening injuries after a ‘stampede’ due to overcrowding

Witnesses saw injured people being carried away on stretchers as medics attended the scene

It has also been reported that ‘several fans passed out due to overcrowding’ on the playing fields.  

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Pictures from the festival, also billed as ShattaFest UK, show rows of ambulances and fire engines at the scene on Saturday afternoon. 

And footage from elsewhere at the event shows police officers reassuring huge crowds of people standing next to a large barrier, which could possibly be the entrance to the festival. 

Ghana Party in the Park is an annual outdoor festival for the Ghanaian diaspora in London which has been running since 2005. 

It attracts more than 8,000 people, according to the London Assembly website, making it the largest Ghanaian event outside of Ghana. 

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The event’s website describes it as a ‘cultural festival celebrating the very best of Ghanaian music, culture, food, fashion and community’.

In a statement on Saturday night, organisers said: ‘Following the unfortunate incident at today’s event, we wish to provide an update regarding the abrupt closure of Ghana in the Park. 

‘The decision to close the festival was made solely on the grounds of health and safety. 

‘Officers from the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade responded to a major incident on site.

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‘Following discussions with the emergency services and our health and safety team, it was agreed that closing the festival was the safest option in order to protect all attendees.’ 

The statement came amid claims that there had been stabbings at the festival, however the organisers said nobody was attacked. 

They added: ‘We would like to clarify that there were no incidents of stabbing and deaths as being speculated.’ 

Earlier the organisers had said the event was ‘temporarily paused’ due to a ‘major incident’ and asked festivalgoers to ‘stay away from the area’. 

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The Met Police also said in a statement that reports of a ‘stabbing’ are inaccurate,  and that the festival was closed due to overcrowding.

A spokesman said: ‘Officers are at Copthall Playing Fields where Ghana Party in the Park has been cancelled after an overcrowding issue at the entrance saw several people sustain non-life threatening injuries. 

‘Speculation about a stabbing is inaccurate. Please help us by avoiding the area.’

A spokesman for Barnet Council said: ‘The Ghana Party in the Park event at Copthall Playing Fields has ended early this evening after an overcrowding issue at the entrance saw several people sustain non-life threatening injuries.

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‘The police and council officers are on site, please help us by avoiding the area.’ 

The Daily Mail has approached the organisers as well as the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service for further comment. 

A plane carrying tourists crashed into a field in Peru on Saturday outside the city of Nazca killing 13 people, local authorities said.

In a statement on Facebook, Nazca’s municipal government said the plane was taking tourists on a sightseeing flight of the Nazca Lines, a group of extensive geoglyphs scraped into the desert around Nazca hundreds of years ago by Peru’s Indigenous inhabitants. The lines form images of animals that can only be fully appreciated from planes or viewing towers.

Nazca’s government said the plane departed from the nearby city of Ica and was operated by Peruvian company Aerodiana. On its website the airline says that it has offered scenic flights over the Nazca lines for the past 14 years, using Cessna Grand Caravan planes.

In a statement, Peru’s Ministry for Trade and Tourism said that 11 “foreign tourists” and two crew members were on the plane that crashed Saturday. State news agency Agencia Andina reported that two German, two Spanish and seven Italian tourists were on the plane.

Peruvian authorities said the accident is under investigation. Aerodiana was not immediately available for comment.

‘I already know,’ my husband said with a smile.

My nerves melted away instantly in the warm glow of his acceptance after I told him I was bisexual five years into our marriage.

A big coming out was never in my plans, yet the moment I understood that I was bisexual, at 28, I told the person I trusted the most, not knowing he was already fully aware.

But that realisation didn’t happen overnight – the pieces started to come together on my first visit to Europe. Three years before that fateful conversation.

Growing up, I thought there were two options: straight or lesbian. I didn’t really have any queer role models in my life, so I mirrored what I saw around me. 

So, because I was attracted to men, I assumed that meant I was straight. 

It wasn’t until meeting other bisexual women in my university years that I realised sexuality isn’t a simple tick box; there’s an entire spectrum. 

That understanding began to take shape during a German work trip. 

I was at a new job, surrounded by new colleagues, traveling to Europe for the first time. The workdays were long, hot, and confined to an overcrowded indoor space. 

It was a perfect July day; green, warm and alive, when, on an outing to escape the office, I wandered into one of the biggest Pride events in Europe.

That was Berlin Pride, which was the scene of an appalling attack last week, and seeing that just brought home how important the event was.

Because this moment launched my journey towards embracing my sexual identity. 

From then, I followed queer creators on social media, attended community events, and had open discussions with people close to me. It all gave me the confidence to explore a deeper understanding of who I have always been. 

And so, I finally found who I was.

But now, when I share with people that I’m bisexual, and that I came out after I was married, it’s often followed with: ‘but you’re married to a man?’

I chose my husband as my partner in this life 13 years ago because of who he is as a human, regardless of gender. Thankfully, he chose me too. 

Even before I was out, I never felt something was missing between us – only that there was something missing within me.

After hearing ‘I already know’ from my husband, we chatted about how I came to this realisation and how he could support me in this journey.

The answer was immediate: Pride. 

I wanted to experience it rather than accidentally observing. 

But in the USA, attending Pride didn’t feel safe. 

Pride events in the US are often targets for harassment or worse, and the fact that LGBTQ+ people are five times more likely to be victims of violent crime in the US made the idea of attending more overwhelming than exciting.

I was also worried about being judged professionally or how it might change people’s perception of me.

At my job, my superiors had previously joked about pansexuality and bisexuality being trends and that they’re ‘just a phase’ – so, I stayed under the radar and was out to my closest friends and family, living my not-so-secret-but-plausibly-deniable bisexual life. 

But everything changed when my husband and I moved to Portugal, three years after I came out, to start our own business. 

From the moment we arrived, something felt different – there was less pressure, less expectation. People lived more openly. I saw couples of all genders holding hands and showing each other affection in the streets.

And for the first time, I was meeting people as my full self – a bisexual woman.

Within weeks, I got involved with local Pride events: supporting my new friends’ performances at queer open mic nights and working with local queer tour guides to promote gay-friendly bars and clubs. 

This year at my first official Pride – Lagos Pride, in Portugal – I showed up fully. 

With rainbow freckles painted across my cheeks, vibrant purple hair, a bisexual flag proudly trailing behind me, I walked with my pride, and even had my husband and best friend cheering me on. 

I remember feeling something I’d never felt before: uninhibited authenticity. 

We danced along the Algarve coast on a Pride boat cruise and even saw dolphins. It was a truly magical experience. 

But what stood out the most was that there was no anxiety about being judged, and no pressure to explain myself.

One thing I’ve learned throughout my journey is when living as only part of myself, it was far more exhausting than I realised. Stepping into my full identity brought me a kind of joy that changed everything.

And sometimes, a new start in a new place can give you the space to finally become the person you’ve always been.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.

MORE: My ‘three month rule’ proved my date wasn’t the one for me

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, in a phone call with President Donald Trump on Saturday raised concerns about the U.S. potentially escalating the conflict with Iran, according to a person familiar with the leaders’ discussion.

The discussion, which was first reported on by Axios, comes as Trump weighs whether to carry out new strikes on Iran.

The Saudis, according to the person briefed on the substance of the call but not authorized to comment publicly, are concerned that if the U.S. targets Iran’s energy infrastructure or carries out massive strikes on other key infrastructure that Tehran could respond by carrying out attacks on the kingdom’s and other Gulf countries’ energy infrastructure.

The crown prince during Saturday’s call sought clarity from Trump on what potential new action he’s weighing to take against Iran, the person said.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Saturday’s call.

Saudi Arabia earlier this week joined the U.S. in striking multiple logistics and weapons sites used by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, but has been urging the U.S. and Iran to get back to the negotiating table to find an endgame to the five-month old conflict

The crown prince also dispatched his brother, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, to Washington earlier this week for separate meetings with Trump and Vice President JD Vance to discuss Iran strategy.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly expressed concern to President Donald Trump over his plans to hit Iran with further airstrikes. 

The leader of Saudi Arabia called the president on Saturday to voice his concerns and urge Trump not to carry out the strikes, two US officials and a third source told Axios. 

One source told the outlet that Prince Salman urged Trump to deescalate the situation and to not launch further strikes. 

A US official added: ‘The Saudis expressed concern and asked for clarity about the plan of action.’

The White House on Friday signaled that Trump is weighing carrying out new strikes on Iran as the US presses for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

They are also calling on the nation to abide by terms set out in a truce agreement the two sides forged last month which quickly collapsed.

The President was bombastic at a televised meeting with his Cabinet at Camp David in which he vowed to hit the nation.

‘We will be hitting them very hard and you know at some point, they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.’ 

Smoke is seen here rising following multiple US strikes hit the city of Ahvaz in the Khuzestan Province in Iran on Thursday

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the US administration’s frustration anew, charging that Tehran last month signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. on a truce but then quickly ‘broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers.’ 

‘President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur,’ Leavitt said in a statement on Friday evening. 

‘Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way.’

Leavitt issued the fresh warning after Trump earlier on Friday told reporters that “we just want to win” in Iran and signaled that he expected US military action to continue for some time.

The Wall Street Journal claimed Trump has already given his approval for strikes that could begin this weekend and last a few days, citing several officials. 

Axios, on the other hand, reported that Trump ‘hasn’t given final orders to do it.’ 

A report from CBS News emerged on Friday which cited sources as saying that the US and Israel are preparing ‘one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date’ against Iran’s energy infrastructure. 

While the president has not yet given the final green light, several insiders told the outlet that strikes could begin as soon as this weekend, with Israel already notified and coordinating with Washington.

‘The Department of War is locked and loaded, ready to execute the President’s directives at a moment’s notice,’ Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement, though refused to comment on intended targets.

One source told Axios that Prince Salman urged Trump to deescalate the situation and to not launch further strikes, the pair are seen here last November

Smoke rises following explosion at an unknown location, during what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says are strikes on Iran

Both Iran and the United States plotted out new strikes after several days of back and fourth between the two nations

Meanwhile, an Israeli official told the outlet: ‘Israel is unaware of any decision to restart full military operations, nor has Israel been asked to join any military action against Iran.’

A former US military official told CBS News that striking Iran’s energy infrastructure would aim to cripple the regime’s ability to support its military, provide services and maintain control.

A joint operation would see Israel return to the battlefield after pausing its attacks under the US-brokered truce. Iran has not struck Israel since the agreement fell apart and Washington restarted combat operations in early July.

A senior Iranian security official vowed Tehran has ‘the capacity and the will’ to retaliate against any US and Israeli strikes, claiming ‘extensive response plans’ are already prepared.

The unnamed official told Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency that potential US-Israeli attacks would amount to a ‘form of recklessness’ on their part.

The Iranian official claimed the ‘comprehensive’ plan includes strikes on ‘the vital infrastructure of the Zionist regime and US energy infrastructure in the region.’

A joint operation would see Israel return to the battlefield after pausing its attacks under the US-brokered truce. Israeli soldiers are seen here in the Israeli-occupied West Bank 

Trump’s comments come as the US demands Tehran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and honor a truce agreement that was forged last month but quickly fell apart

‘We are fully prepared to carry it out,’ the official added.

Many believe that regardless of what Trump does, they want the operation complete by the time Wall Street opens for business on Monday to avoid any economic damage. 

Iran fired drones at Kuwait, a Gulf country hosting US forces, and said it had also fired at oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil and gas shipments, which has been largely closed by the fighting.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said Friday its armed forces had shot down drones inside Kuwaiti airspace.

It said the Iranian attacks had targeted several vital military facilities, causing material damage from falling shrapnel but no casualties.  It did not specify how many drones were intercepted. 

Iranian state media said Iran had targeted an air base in Kuwait with drones in retaliation for US strikes on Thursday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed to have hit two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.  Iranian state media said four other tankers had turned around. 

As uncertainty continues to brew, Americans were told to be ready to flee ten countries in the Middle East on Saturday. 

The warning covers 10 countries: the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and, most recently, Egypt. 

Nidderdale Museum, in Pateley Bridge, tells the story of life across the dale through thousands of objects, recreated rooms, and displays covering farming, industry, schools, shops, and family life.

The museum was founded in 1975 by a group of enthusiasts who feared that traditional ways of life were disappearing in the years after the Second World War.

The founders began collecting objects and memories before they were lost, creating a museum dedicated to preserving the history of Nidderdale and the people who lived there.

It is housed in The Old Workhouse on King Street, a building originally constructed in 1863 as the Pateley Bridge Union Workhouse.

Today, the rooms once used by the workhouse contain displays recreating everyday life in the dale.

The museum has more than 30,000 items in its collection, with exhibits arranged across 13 spaces and 15 life-sized displays.

Visitors can explore a traditional schoolroom, parlour, kitchen, cobbler’s shop, and war room, along with sections on farming, mining, geology, religion, costume, local industries, and archaeology.

The size of the museum regularly surprises people who step inside.

One recent visitor on TripAdvisor described it as an “unexpected delight”, saying it was “much bigger than it looks from the outside” and packed with objects and information.

Another visitor, who had passed through Pateley Bridge several times without knowing the museum existed, called it a “hidden gem”.

Others have described the museum as an “Aladdin’s Cave” and an “extraordinary museum”, while one reviewer said it was among the most comprehensive local museums they had visited.

Nidderdale Museum, in Pateley Bridge (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

The museum is also unusual because it is entirely run and staffed by volunteers.

Visitors frequently praise the volunteers for being welcoming, knowledgeable, and willing to explain the history behind the displays.

One reviewer said the staff were “ever so friendly and obliging”, while another praised them for being “helpful and kind”.

That volunteer effort was formally recognised in 2017, when the museum received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The Nidderdale Museum Society has around 150 members and is overseen by an elected board of trustees.

In April 2022, it became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Despite its large collection and historic setting, visitors regularly highlight its affordability.

Recent reviews describe the £5 adult admission charge as “worth every penny”, “amazing value”, and good value for the amount there is to see.

Children can enter free of charge.

The museum is currently rated 4.8 out of five on TripAdvisor and is listed among the leading attractions in Pateley Bridge.

The recreated rooms give people the chance to picture how residents of Nidderdale lived, worked, and learned in previous generations.

One visitor summed it up by saying: “This is how museums should be.”

Vincent Pastore, best known for his iconic portrayal of mobster Salvatore ‘Big Pu**y’ Bonpensiero on HBO‘s The Sopranos, has died at age 80.

He had not been heard from for three days before a neighbor discovered his body at his home in the Bronx. An investigation is underway, according to Deadline.

Pastore was beloved by fans of The Sopranos for his nuanced performance as  Pu**y, who is ultimately exposed as an FBI informant and shot.

Born in 1946 to an Italian family in the Bronx, he was often cast in mafia roles, including a bit part in GoodFellas and a larger role in the 1996 HBO film Gotti.

His television career included frequent guest shots on Law & Order, as well as reality shows ranging from Celebrity Apprentice to Dancing with the Stars.

In his later years, he ran a theater company that produced multiple plays a year and reunited him with a number of The Sopranos alumni, including Anthony Ribustello, who featured as the chauffer of James Gandolfini’s lead character Tony Soprano.

The Daily Mail has contacted the New York City Police Department and the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for comment. 

Pastore is pictured (right) with (from left) Tony Sirico, Steven Van Zandt, James Gandolfini and Michael Imperioli in a publicity still for The Sopranos

Pastore was born in the Bronx in 1946 but raised upstate in an Italian neighborhood of New Rochelle, living with his family above the local Foresters club.

‘I can still smell the pizza!’ he fondly remarked a few years ago to Edge magazine. ‘Roller skating every Friday night at the Boys Club. Great memories.’

Although he came across ‘bookies and loan sharks’ as a child and acknowledged that many fans ‘think I grew up with’ the ‘kinds’ of insalubrious characters he later played, he insisted he ‘grew up in a pure Italian-American home. Tradition.’

After serving in the US Navy in the Vietnam War, he began opening bars and clubs, including the 1980s New Rochelle nightspot the Crazy Horse.

However he had long nurtured dreams of acting, having obtained a drama degree at Pace University, and in the late 1980s he began pursuing them.

A stroke of luck arrived when he was working as a New York City limousine driver and thus became acquainted with Kevin Dillon and his brother Matt Dillon. 

‘I told them about my dreams of becoming an actor. They ended up seeing me at this community theater I was doing, and Kevin helped me out. He gave me the direction I needed to finally act,’ Pastore remembered.

After jobbing around with small roles in mob movies like GoodFellas and Carlito’s Way, Pastore landed a major supporting role in the 1995 crime comedy The Jerky Boys: The Movie as the sidekick of a mob boss played by Alan Arkin.

Pastore was beloved by fans of The Sopranos for his nuanced performance as ‘Big Pu**y,’ who is ultimately revealed to be an FBI informant and shot

By the next year, he had earned his breakthrough part on HBO as the real-life Gambino family capo Angelo ‘Quack Quack’ Ruggiero in Gotti, with Armand Assante in the title role in a cast that also featured Anthony Quinn.

Pastore’s co-stars in that TV film included Tony Sirico, Dominic Chianese and Frank Vincent, all of whom went on to become colleagues of his on The Sopranos.

He later described Gotti as a ‘turning point’ in his career that led to his being recognized in the street and later cast on The Sopranos, via Cryptic Rock.

Big Pu**y was one of Tony Soprano’s best friends, a prized member of the mob boss’s inner circle including Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico), Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and Silvio Dante (Steve Van Zandt).

One of the key plot threads of the first two seasons is Pu**y’s unsuccessful attempt to conceal the fact he has become a mole for the FBI informant.

Pastore drew praise for his portrayal of a ‘rat’ who is wracked with guilt until his betrayal is discovered and he is shot dead by Tony, Silvio and Paulie. 

Several years later, Pastore revealed one of his iconic scenes – when Tony furiously searches Pu**y for a wire – was born of an improvisation by Gandolfini.

‘We were scripted on Sopranos, but you don’t know the moment he’s going to come in whether he’s going to be mad at you,’ said Pastore.

Pastore has said portraying his character’s ‘mental turmoil’ over his activities as an FBI informant ‘stayed with me as an actor, over five days a week of taping’

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‘In the scene when he was frisking me down in the basement of the house in Episode One, Season Two, he’s really frisking me. I didn’t know he was going to do that.’

Pastore took a dim view of the unflattering remarks  that Gandolfini’s colleagues made about him after his death of a heart attack aged 51 in 2013.

In the 2024 documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos, Gandolfini was accused of having had a fiery temperament and drinking so heavily that the head of HBO tried to persuade him to go to rehab, only for him to retort: ‘Fire me!’ 

His commitment to method acting was said to have been so intense he would stay awake for days on end and get himself ‘angry’ by keeping rocks in his shoes.

The Sopranos creator David Chase alleged that Gandolfini ‘had to go places that were destructive to him, and painful for him’ for the role.

Pastore, on the other hand, said: ‘People talk bad about Jimmy. I saw it in that documentary. I didn’t dig it, man. Jimmy was tired. He was carrying the weight for seven years. Without Jimmy, there would have been no Sopranos. I’m sorry.’

In another interview, Pastore remarked that portraying his own character’s ‘mental turmoil’ over his activities as an FBI informant ‘stayed with me as an actor, over five days a week of taping. It was rather tough.’

He explained: ‘I saw Big Pussy as a man with a big heart, and that was my choice of how I played that role. In that scene where he is crying in the bathroom at Anthony Jr.’s confirmation, you knew it was not just because he was a rat – he was betraying his friends, which was even harder to deal with.’ 

Pastore is pictured with his The Sopranos co-stars Jamie-Lynn Sigler (left) and Drea de Matteo (right) at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2019

After The Sopranos, Pastore featured on a string of reality shows including Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Family Feud, Celebrity Apprentice and Shark Tank, and his attempts at weight loss were documented on Celebrity Fit Club.

On scripted TV, he guested on such programs as General Hospital, Mad TV, Blue Bloods, Hawaii Five-0 and, as recently as last year, Yellowjackets.

Pastore held a voice role in the hit animated movie Shark Tale, starring Will Smith and Renee Zellweger, and also acted in the 1999 Hugh Grant comedy Mickey Blue Eyes. 

He also enjoyed a long stage career, which has Broadway has included being one of the actors to play the dopey Amos Hart in the still-running 1990s revival of Chicago.

Pastore was also cast alongside Zach Braff in the original Broadway cast of the 2014 musical adaptation of Woody Allen’s 1994 comedy Bullets over Broadway.

While working on Bullets over Broadway, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and earned plaudits for his show-must-go-on work ethic by refusing to miss any rehearsals or performances while undergoing his ultimately successful treatment. 

He later began his own small theater company, through which he was able to work with a fleet of The Sopranos alumni including Maureen Van Zandt, Nicholas Giangiulio, Joe Lisi, Garry Pastore, Tony Rossi, Anthony Ribustello and Janet Sarno.

‘I try to produce three plays a year. It really enables people to see the actors work,’ Pastore remarked four years into the venture. ‘I don’t make a lot of money because I own the theater company, but we’ve had a pretty good run.’

Former castmates mourned the loss of Pastore, with Edie Falco telling Page Six in a statement that his death was both an ‘awful loss’ and ‘unexpected’; Falco seen in 2024 in NYC 

Michael Imperioli shared a throwback photo to Instagram as both he and Pastore paused for a photo together; seen in 2004 in NYC

Pastore is survived by his 55-year-old daughter daughter Renee, whom he shared with his amicable ex-wife Nancy Berke. 

Former castmates mourned the loss of Pastore, with Edie Falco telling Page Six in a statement that his death was both an ‘awful loss’ and ‘unexpected.’

The star, who had portrayed the character of Carmela Soprano on the hit series, continued, ‘Vinnie was always so full of life.’ 

Michael Imperioli shared a throwback photo to Instagram as both he and Pastore paused for a photo together. 

The actor, who played Christopher Moltisanti on the series, wrote: ‘Our beloved friend and collaborator VINCENT PASTORE has passed away.

‘This is a hard one for us, it seems like I’ve known Vinny forever. We did lots of work together and traveled all of the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times.’

He concluded, ‘Lots of laughs. Vinny was a kind hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends. I will miss him always.’ 

‘This is a hard one for us, it seems like I’ve known Vinny forever. We did lots of work together and traveled all of the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times,’ he wrote

Lorraine Bracco, who had portrayed Jennifer Melfi, uploaded a black and white photo of the late actor to her Instagram stories on Saturday

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Dominic Chianese had played Corrado ‘Junior’ Soprano on the series and also took to his Instagram account to pay tribute; seen in 1999 in NYC

‘We lost a friend today. Paying respect and sending Love in tribute. You were a gem Vinnie,’ the actor wrote

Lorraine Bracco, who had portrayed Jennifer Melfi, uploaded a black and white photo of the late actor to her Instagram stories on Saturday. 

‘Such a funny & charming man…just a beautiful soul. Absolutely heartbreaking,’ the actress penned. 

Dominic Chianese had played Corrado ‘Junior’ Soprano on the series and also took to his Instagram account to pay tribute. 

‘We lost a friend today. Paying respect and sending Love in tribute. You were a gem Vinnie,’ the actor wrote. 

Robert Attermann, who had been Pastore’s manager for over 30 years, also shared an emotional statement to Page Six. 

He said that Pastore had been ‘so much more’ than his character on The Sopranos.

Robert Attermann, who had been Pastore’s manager for over 30 years, also shared an emotional statement to Page Six; Pastore seen in 2005 in NYC 

The late star had been ‘one of the kindest, most generous people [he’d] ever known’ who also ‘treated everyone with warmth and respect, never turning down a fan who wanted a photograph or an autograph.’ 

Pastore was passionate about his acting career and would ‘offer guidance and support’ to other young actors. 

Attermann added that the star will be remembered for his ‘remarkable career but also the incredible person he was.’ 

Pastore ‘leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond his memorable performances,’ his longtime manager continued, before noting that the actor will be ‘never forgotten.’