Fan-favourite Strictly professional dancer Dianne Buswell is involved in the new series announced by the BBC

Strictly Come Dancing is set to get its first new spin-off, its first in 22 years, with the announcement coming just days before the launch of the brand new series.

From this Saturday (September 19) our weekends will once again be filled with the glitz, glam and impressive dance move as the BBC One dance contest returns for it’s next run with a whole new celebrity cast/

Among the 15 famous faces set to take to the Strictly ballroom this year are EastEnders actress Lacey Turner, singer Delta Goodrem, Man City legend Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Gavin & Stacey favourite Melanie Walters.

Strictly returns when the pre-recorded launch show airs on Saturday, September 19, at 7.25pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. This will then be followed by the first live show a week later on Saturday, September 26, and is when the competition really begins as the new couples perform for the judges’ verdict and all-important scores for the first time.

But, ahead of the new series, a new spin-off has been announced, joining the already established Strictly companion show, It Takes Two, which this year will be hosted by former contestant Ellie Taylor.

Strictly Pro Dance Off will see the Professional Dancers go head-to-head in a series of interactive dance battles for BBC iPlayer and CBBC, with viewers encouraged to join in if they can, or sit back and enjoy a bonus Strictly spectacle to their favourite hit tracks.

According to the BBC, CBBC’s Strictly Pro Dance Off is a brand-new original series created by the world of Strictly Come Dancing, “inspiring young audiences to deepen their fandom of the iconic dance show, as they step into our virtual Strictly ballroom”.

The synopsis continues: “The new seven-minute show will see one Strictly Pro joined in the virtual training room by two others to lead a tutorial on a routine, before their two pro students take to the floor to battle it out and impress their teacher, who holds the all-important Strictly score paddles.s

“Combining competitive performance with a lot of behind-the-scenes fun, young viewers will be taken step by step through the different Strictly dance styles by their favourite Pros.

The first broadcast of each episode will go out live during CBBC’s Saturday Mash-Up! each week, lining up with the Strictly themes families can look forward to enjoying together in the main show that evening.

The series will feature all of Strictly’s returning professionals alongside the five new professional dancers, giving CBBC audiences a closer look at the skill, personality and hard work behind the performances. Episode one will feature Dianne Buswell as the lead pro, with Kai Widdrington and Lauren Oakley joining her for a Jive.

Sarah Muller, Senior Head of Commissioning for BBC Children’s and Education 7+ said: “Strictly Pro Dance Off brings everything children love about Strictly into a short, energetic new format made especially for them. Viewers will see the Professional Dancers learning, teaching and getting competitive, while discovering more about the different styles and techniques that bring the ballroom to life.”

The series will launch as part of Saturday Mash-Up! on CBBC from Saturday, September 19, with episodes available afterwards on BBC iPlayer.

It was a mystery that every parent dreads – how a toddler can run off from a playground and simply vanish.

But yesterday, after a frantic 24 hours during which more than 2,000 members of the public joined police, coastguards and other agencies in the wide-ranging search for Noah Woods, a body was found in a large pond just 250 yards away.

Although formal identification has yet to take place, the three-year-old’s parents have been informed and a file has been passed to the coroner.

This morning, more than 100 floral tributes had already been left at the playground, along with touching messages, teddy bears and model cars.

There were also Bluey toys, in recognition of one of the youngster’s favourite cartoon characters. He was wearing a T-shirt of the puppy when he ran off.

Noah’s tragic last journey began in Merriam Way playground in Brantham, Suffolk, where he was playing with a relative on Tuesday afternoon.

He suddenly ran off at 2.37pm down a path that runs alongside the play area and heads downhill past a newbuild housing estate.

Although his exact route is yet to be confirmed, it almost certainly took him past an area of the building site that remains under construction.

It sits beside picturesque Decoy Pond – a 150-yard-wide fishing pond with ducks and cormorants, surrounded by trees and fields, that is an attractive spot for young children.

Divers entered the water near this point yesterday afternoon, and a short while later they found a body and the tragic announcement was made at 5.40pm.

Concerns about finding Noah had been heightened by the fact that he was non-verbal with partial hearing loss and was undergoing tests for autism.

The toddler disappeared after running from the play area, where a relative had accompanied him

More than 100 bouquets have been left by the playground, as well as messages and toys

But it now seems likely he found his way to the pond within a short time of getting lost.

Speaking at a nearby leisure centre, an emotional Superintendent Tom Pearse, of Suffolk Police, said yesterday afternoon: ‘Our thoughts are with Noah’s family and all those who knew him.

‘We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support and people putting on their boots to help.’

As darkness fell last night, a number of villagers left candles at the playground.

The floral tributes for Noah, who had curly ginger hair, started to be placed next to the play area’s wooden fence this morning.

One message next to a cuddly toy read: ‘Little Noah, May you rest in eternal peace. You will remain in the hearts of the village and all your friends forever. Shine bright XX’.

Another said: ‘We didn’t know you but we helped to find you. RIP little man’, while a sticker on a bouquet read, ‘You have touched do many hearts. RIP’.

Divers found a body of a child in nearby Decoy Pond yesterday afternoon

Pictures released by police show Noah’s last movements

There were also personal notes left in envelopes for Noah’s family and a message attached to a Bluey butterflies book, saying: ‘I am so sorry Noah that we were not close enough to you last night. Sleep tight angel boy’.

Up to 1,000 people spent Tuesday night searching the village and local farmland for him, alongside teams of police, coastguards and firefighters after the alarm was raised

Noah’s desperate father Rhys Woods, 25, posted on social media asking volunteers to widen their search beyond the village where possible.

‘I cannot go another night knowing he’s out there alone, please don’t give up on him, guys. He is out there somewhere and I appreciate every single one of you,’ he said.

Police estimated that 1,300 members of the public flocked to the village beside the River Stour estuary to resume the search for him yesterday.

The search was coordinated by Brantham parish council, which used the village hall and leisure centre as hubs to organise the effort.

But volunteers were left in tears as the terrible news emerged that a body had been located.

Georgia Terry, 30, a carer who had rushed from her job in Clacton, Essex, to join the hunt, told the Daily Mail: ‘It just makes your blood run cold. In the blink of an eye, as well. It’s dreadful.’

A man in his 30s, walking with a young girl at his side, wiped his eyes as he said: ‘It sounded bad from the start but we had to come because there’s always hope.

‘It looks like that’s gone now. I can’t imagine what Noah’s family are going through.’

Superintendent Pearse said the death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

It’s only September, but we’ve already lived through some of the best fashion shoe collabs of our time in 2026.

Clarks’ classic Wallabees have had a huge comeback over the last few years, solidifying themselves as a fashion shoe, so it was really only a matter of time before cult brand Damson Madder got its hands on them.

Made up of two pairs of shoes, the collection offers a pair of red suede Wallabees and a pair of brown slip-on Nomad mules.

While they might be classic shapes, Damson Madder has injected its fashionista touch into the shoes with the addition of red polka dot insoles, as well as metal hardware and lacing details.

They’re already on the way to selling out, so you better race to the checkout if you want to be in with a chance of getting your feet in a pair.

Proposals to overhaul legislation affecting every cat in the UK will see a showdown

Proposals to overhaul legislation affecting every cat in the UK have reached a pivotal moment, with a crucial parliamentary debate now scheduled involving MPs. A soaring petition demanding new laws requiring motorists to report collisions involving cats amassed nearly 190,000 signatures on the Parliament website, after public backing surged.

It has now been confirmed that the debate will take place on Monday, October 26, placing the government under mounting pressure to set out its stance and potentially outline prospective changes. Those behind the petition are urging cat owners to contact their local MPs beforehand, encouraging them to attend and bolster the prospects of meaningful reform.

The petition states: “It is legal in the UK to hit a cat when driving and not need to stop or report collisions, leaving them scared, alone, and in pain. Cats are important, loved, valued family members for many, and we believe the law should reflect this.

“We want the Government to legislate to require drivers to stop, check and report any road collisions with cats if they’re injured on the road, and hold drivers accountable if they fail to stop and report a collision involving a cat on the basis that they left a cat to unnecessarily suffer. We believe asking drivers to be made responsible for seeking help for an injured cat is a perfectly reasonable and simple ask.”

Cats Matter said: “While the Government has stated that it currently has no plans to amend legislation, the public response tells a very different story. Cat owners, vets, rescues, and communities across the UK have made it clear that the status quo is not good enough and them keep throwing back the same old dated arguments simply doesn’t wash anymore. Families deserve to know when their cats have been harmed, and cats deserve the same basic recognition already afforded to dogs.”

“The upcoming debate is a pivotal moment. It represents not only the strength of public feeling, but also a growing expectation that the law should reflect modern attitudes toward companion animals. We anticipate strong cross‐party contributions, with MPs raising both the emotional and practical implications of the current gap in reporting requirements.

“In these days leading up to the debate, we are encouraging supporters to contact their MPs and invite them to attend.”

The organisers added: “What we can not accept and do not understand is the drivers who drive off and leave the cats scared, alone, in pain, or worse, roadside. Not stopping to help a cat, or any animal, is unforgivable in our view and we want the law to stand with us on that. We do not want drivers to have criminal records or pay our vet bills, we simply want drivers to help our cats should the worst happen. If they fail to do so, we want them to, by law, be accountable and face justice.”

Latest figures from PetPlan show that roughly 230,000 cats are struck by vehicles annually – that’s 630 every single day – while 35 per cent of motorists have admitted to hitting a cat. Britain remains a nation of cat lovers, with approximately 12.2 million felines living in UK households, making them the nation’s second most popular pet after dogs, with 27 per cent of homes having at least one cat.

Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, motorists must stop and report accidents involving horses, cattle, ass, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs – but cats are notably absent from the list. The distinction was originally drawn to safeguard working animals.

A 2018 survey conducted by Carbuyer discovered that nearly 60 per cent of respondents believed the law ought to be amended to include cats as well.

The petition prompted a response from the Department for Transport. It stated: “The Government has no current plans to require drivers to report collisions with cats. However, the Road Safety Strategy will improve road safety for all road users, including cats and other animals.

“This is a compassionate country and although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation.

“Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver is required to stop and report an accident involving specified animals including horses, cattle, ass, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs, but not cats or wild animals. This requirement arises from their status as working animals rather than as domestic pets. To introduce such a measure within the provision of section 170, would require primary legislation. (Note that certain legislation still uses the word ‘accident’, although the preferred terms are collision or crash.)”.

“Because cats are much smaller than other specified animals, and often most active at dawn or dusk, in many cases drivers may not be aware they’ve hit them – particularly with larger vehicles. Because of that, it would be difficult to prosecute drivers if the law was changed.”

The complete government response and petition can be viewed here. Further information, including template emails for constituents, is available at: www.catsmatter.org/downloads.

The secondary school in Bromley announced on Thursday morning that it would be closed to students for the day after the leak left the site without a gas supply.

Engineers are now on site working to resolve the issue after Cadent Gas crews attended last night.

Headteacher Sam Gorse said the leak was discovered late on Wednesday night.

Turton School (Image: Nq)

She said: “The engineers are just here at the minute.

“It was late last night and Cadent came out last night and the engineers came out this morning.

“It was people in the leisure centre who suspected that they could smell gas.”

Earlier, the school told parents: “Turton School is closed to students today.

We have had a gas leak and have no gas currently.

We expect this to be sorted today and intend to reopen tomorrow.”

Pupils have instead been set work to complete remotely, with schools now equipped to move lessons online during emergency closures.

Ms Gorse said engineers remain at the site and the school is hoping to reopen on Friday, subject to the gas supply being restored and the site being declared safe.

Jill Roberts attended the Hoops’ 3-0 win over Aberdeen on September 2 at Celtic Park.

Boston Jill has hailed Celtic Park as “breath-taking” after dumping Tartan Army Tommy as big-hearted Hoops fans gifted her a free match ticket.

Jill Roberts, 42, announced the end of her summer romance with Tommy Morrison in August, after the Record revealed her former lover was facing serious criminal charges. The pair had met in Boston during Scotland’s World Cup adventure, when thousands of fans descended on Fenway Park on June 16.

The whirlwind romance between the Massachusetts mum and the 38-year-old joiner from Bonnyrigg captured the attention of fans online, with Jill even booking flights to Scotland to visit Tommy. Despite their split, she decided to make the trip across the Atlantic anyway and was given a warm welcome at Parkhead.

Jill headed to the home of the Scottish Premiership champions on September 2 to watch the Hoops beat Aberdeen 3-0 after kind-hearted supporters gifted her a ticket and merchandise – and she was later seen wearing a home shirt and hat.

Her football adventure began at Grace’s bar, where she enjoyed Guinness and fish and chips before meeting her friend and heading to Tollcross Tavern. Then came the walk to Celtic Park.

Jill said: “When we took that corner and I saw the stadium, I was blown away. It reminded me of my first Patriots game I went to with my dad.”

Her excitement was mixed with nerves when she discovered her seat was close to the travelling Aberdeen fans.

She said: “I didn’t know there would be this much separation between the teams. I get why but it was a little nerve-wracking.”

From there, however, the night became unforgettable. Jill watched all three Celtic goals from the stands and was swept up in the atmosphere before tucking into a traditional scotch pie and Bovril at half-time.

She continued: “There’s something magical about a stadium full of people rooting for the same thing. I really, really enjoyed that part.”

The Boston singer later admitted she got lost after the match before meeting friends and heading for a night out at the Polo nightclub.

Jill stressed that she had gone to Celtic Park as a tourist rather than a committed supporter, explaining that someone had simply offered her a free ticket after she announced she was still travelling to Scotland.

Advertisement

Although, after a night surrounded by passionate Hoops supporters, she signed off her video with a cry of, “C’mon the Hoops.”

However, Jill also revealed she wants to experience the other side of Glasgow’s Old Firm divide by visiting Ibrox for a Rangers game.

The pair first crossed paths after Jill went to watch the Boston Red Sox take on the Toronto Blue Jays for Pride Night, unaware thousands of Scotland supporters would also descend on the famous ballpark. As she walked to her car, she bumped into Tommy, who was heading towards the train station.

The pair chatted briefly and Jill recorded a video of their encounter, but they went their separate ways without exchanging numbers. She later admitted she immediately regretted not getting his contact details.

Fate intervened when one of Tommy’s ex-girlfriends spotted Jill’s social media post and commented that she knew him, before passing over his number and Jill began messaging him on WhatsApp.

At the time, Jill described the relationship as an unexpected gift from Scotland’s World Cup adventure.

Tommy had also spoken excitedly about their planned reunion, joking that Jill believed everyone in Scotland lived in castles and wore kilts every day. He had promised to organise a special surprise so she could experience the country in full.

The Record then revealed Tommy had appeared in court earlier this year on charges of offences under Solemn Procedure, usually dealt with by trial before a judge and a jury of 15 people.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

Red and orange alerts are in force across parts of Catalonia and Valencia

A British man has reportedly died after his car was swept away in devastating floods in Spain as authorities issued the highest level weather warnings amid torrential rain.

The victim was in Olivella, near Barcelona, when his vehicle approached a stream and was allegedly “swallowed by the force of the water” as floodwaters surged through the area.

According to La Vanguardia, the driver was caught off guard by the torrent at the Begues stream near a bridge before his car plunged into the raging water and was dragged away.

The tragedy unfolded as violent storms battered eastern Spain, with red and orange alerts in force across parts of Catalonia and Valencia amid fears of dangerous flooding, The Mirror reports.

Advertisement

Local fire crews reportedly received calls of a vehicle falling into water in Olivella at around 11pm on Wednesday (September 16). An update at around 12.30pm on Thursday confirmed the fire service had discovered the lifeless body of a man, roughly 500 meters from where the vehicle was found in the water.

The rescue operation was made up of eleven crews with the assistance of drones and rescue divers. The victim is understood to be a “middle-aged British man” who lived in the Las Colinas neighbourhood of Olivella in Catalonia, according to local media,

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has been approached for comment but it yet to respond at the time of publication.

Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

Despite becoming embroiled in a war of words with Earl Spencer over claims made in his upcoming book, today is business as usual for the King as he prepares for an engagement at Dumfries House in Scotland.

Later today, the monarch will convene leaders from the artificial intelligence sector, Government, and thought leaders to discuss how AI can be developed and deployed in ways that benefit society.

Charles, 77, who has never owned a mobile phone, is understood to have taken a keen interest in AI’s development and the risks it posed.

A source said he hopes the summit would encourage tech leaders to consider “the responsibilities of developing this technology, as well as the opportunities”.

Read the full story here

What is type 2 diabetes?

So… does sugar cause type 2 diabetes?

What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?

Can people with type 2 diabetes eat sugar?