When reality star Thomas Skinner furiously snatched a journalist’s phone during an interview ahead of his Strictly Come Dancing debut last year – and then admitted he’d cheated on his wife just weeks after his wedding – the series was mired in scandal before it had even begun.

Now, as the former jewel in the BBC’s ever-depleting crown prepares to return for its 24th series, bosses are determined that history will not repeat itself.

For insiders at the usually press-friendly show have told the Daily Mail that ‘the shutters have been firmly pulled down’ as bosses are ‘desperate’ to keep journalists at arm’s length to prevent any further scandal leaking into the public domain.

‘After last year, bosses are terrified of another Thomas Skinner-style farce hitting the show before it has even begun and are doing everything in their power to avoid any controversy,’ our source told us.

‘The show is on its knees already – they know one more blow could finish it off.’

Instead, influencers have been welcomed into its Elstree Studios to promote a ‘squeaky clean’ and ‘curated’ image for the show on social media.

Strictly bosses are said to be ‘terrified’ of another farce after scandal surrounded reality star Thomas Skinner on the show last year

The less social media savvy contestants – such as winter Olympian Tabby Stoecker and Gavin & Stacey star Melanie Walters – have all been set up with TikTok accounts

This year, the corporation has officially partnered with social media giant TikTok in a bid to reach a younger audience. The less social media savvy contestants – actress Jaime Winstone, 41, actor Lawrence Robb, 34, winter Olympian Tabby Stoecker, 25, and Gavin & Stacey star Melanie Walters, 64 – have all been set up with TikTok accounts.

Strictly’s professional dancers have also been undergoing TikTok training, while the celebrities have been encouraged to get on board.

‘The BBC are chasing a younger audience. They have pulled in social media giants TikTok to try to overhaul their image,’ the source adds.

‘They have lost the interest and trust of some of their once loyal older viewers. Now they’re trying to grab a new one and are throwing everything at it.’

And so, in a striking departure from the traditional Strictly launch, the annual press day was not filled with entertainment journalists firing questions at the new stars but Gen Z content creators. They sat down with contestants to film interviews for their own social media channels.

The questions were hardly probing. ‘Which themed week are you most looking forward to?’ was one. ‘Which song would you like to dance to?’ another.

Any awkward probing in relation to previous scandals or even what goes on behind the scenes was noticeable by its absence.

Strictly’s new presenters – Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe – have all been getting involved in TikTok challenges and dances, while the BBC has been churning out at least one piece of social content a day.

The show has increasingly cast contestants with substantial online followings – Joe Sugg in 2018, Saffron Barker in 2019, HRVY and Jamie Laing in 2020, Zara McDermott in 2023 and Tasha Ghouri in 2024.

Amber Davies and George Clarke continued that trend last year.

And this year, there’s more than ever. Love Island winner Cach Mercer, 25, influencer Dani Dyer, 30, Instagram star Chris Appleton, 43, and YouTuber John Nellis, 33, will all be competing for the glitterball.

The new professional dancers joining the show also appear to fit neatly into this new social-media era. Five new pros – Aleksandra Isaeva, 22, Cristian Priori, 34, Lethabo Monametsi, 23, Maddie Ingoldsby, 21, and Mark Karmalita, 22 – will make their Strictly debut tonight.

They replace established favourites including Nadiya Bychkova, 37, Karen Hauer, 44, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Gorka Marquez, 35.

The new dancers are all accomplished performers in their own right. But they also come with something that has become increasingly important to the BBC: sizeable social-media potential.

Maddie and Aleksandra are both already fully-fledged influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers between them while Cristian, Lethabo and Mark appear to be building online followings.

The shake-up has sparked an ageism row, with questions raised over the decision to replace established professional dancers with a younger generation. But the new intake certainly fits the BBC’s desire to make Strictly more social-media friendly.

And this presents another headache for the corporation.

Because what happens when their Strictly stars are also influencers with lucrative commercial deals?

BBC rules state that talent should not seek to capitalise on their fame from appearing on its programmes.

However, the corporation has previously allowed stars to promote brands on social media where commercial relationships pre-date their BBC appearances.

For Strictly’s new generation of social-media stars, that means having to strike a careful balance between feeding their audiences, satisfying brand partners and promoting the BBC show – without crossing its commercial guidelines.

Strictly’s new presenting trio – Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe – have all been getting involved in TikTok challenges and dances

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The show has increasingly cast contestants with substantial online followings, with TV personality and influencer Dani Dyer continuing the trend this year

Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, Strictly’s new strategy comes after a period in which the programme has faced unprecedented scrutiny.

Skinner’s clash with the press was only the latest headache.

Last year, former contestant Wynne Evans was recorded by our colleague Dolly Busby for The Mail on Sunday making an offensive sexual remark at Birmingham Arena while celebrities and dancers posed for a group photograph for the Strictly tour. He was subsequently dropped as a BBC radio presenter.

But the biggest crises occurred in the 2023 series, after which two celebrity contestants made serious accusations about their professional partners.

Amanda Abbington quit the series early, going on to accuse her professional partner Giovanni Pernice of ‘abusive and cruel’ behaviour.

A forensic internal investigation in 2024, costing around £250,000, subsequently upheld some of her complaints, though not the most serious allegations.

The same series also saw the sacking of professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, after he admitted to kicking his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during rehearsals.

The fall-out forced Strictly to introduce new duty-of-care measures, including chaperones, the presence of a member of the production team during rehearsals, and increased support for celebrities and professional dancers in the form of two dedicated welfare producers.

There were even concerns that the controversy surrounding the show could deter future celebrities from signing up.

And then came the loss last year of two of its most familiar faces, with long-running presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping down after over 20 years together.

Little wonder Strictly bosses are keen to start afresh.

As to the wisdom of the BBC flooding social media with carefully packaged content from a show whose greatest strength has always been its live, unpredictable magic, time – and viewing figures – will tell.

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Porro, Van Hecke, Van De Ven, Robertson, Tonali, Bentancur, Savio, Fernandes, Marmoush, Solanke.

Subs: Dubravka, Tosin, Senesi, Gallagher, Maddison, Udogie, Gray, Bergvall, Kudus.

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Porro, Van Hecke, Van De Ven, Robertson, Tonali, Bentancur, Savio, Fernandes, Marmoush, Solanke.

Subs: Dubravka, Tosin, Senesi, Gallagher, Maddison, Udogie, Gray, Bergvall, Kudus.

Hundreds of guests were evacuated from the hotel in the middle of the night after a fire broke out around 1am.

Hundreds of sleeping guests have been evacuated following a massive hotel fire. Fire crews are still battling a blaze which broke out overnight at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone, Kent, forcing dozens of guests from the site.

The fire is understood to have erupted in the basement of the Kent seafront spot at around 1am, with locals taking to social media to share photos of the incident from afar. The public is urged to steer clear of the area.

More than 25 fire engines were sent to the scene at the height of the blaze with crews wearing breathing apparatus working tirelessly to bring the flames under control, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established. Seven fire engines and a height vehicle remain in attendance, according to the Mirror.

A Folkestone and Hythe District Council spokesperson said: “A fire is ongoing at the Folkestone Grand Burstin Hotel. We are operating a welfare centre at Three Hills Sports Park for people being evacuated from the site, where we are providing support to those affected. We are supporting all emergency services involved in the response and their efforts to get people to safety.”

The fire is believed to have started in the basement of the property, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said. The site has 550 guest rooms and event spaces holding up to 300 people. The building was fully evacuated, with 280 people told to leave.

Footage shared on Facebook showed flames tearing through what appears to be the hotel’s basement as firefighters got to work. New pictures show the aftermath of the fire this morning, with a section of the building appearing to have been badly damaged, windows destroyed and blackened areas visible inside.

What appears to be a ground floor seating area has been left gutted, with tables and chairs visible among the damage.

An American hotel guest said he escaped the building via a fire escape at around 1.15am before hearing what he believed were “a couple of explosions”.

Jeff Gardner, 44, from Texas, said over a hundred people had rushed out of the hotel in the early hours of the morning, with many left waiting for hours before being given somewhere to stay.

The mother of a missing teenage girl last seen at a city bus station has issued a tearful appeal for her return eight days after she left her family home.

Lillia, 13, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, was reported missing by her family on September 11.

Police have been urgently appealing to the public for help locating her after she vanished more than a week ago.

This week her mother, Jessica, sobbed as she sat next to Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley, who read out a heartbreaking statement on her behalf.

‘Lill, I love you so so much. My heart is breaking without you here,’ she said.

‘I need to know you are safe. We all need you back home safe and well.’

In an update on Saturday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said Lillia was last seen at Manchester Piccadilly bus station at 10.36am of Monday, September 14.

CCTV footage from the bus station shows Lillia wearing a black zip-up hooded top, dark trousers and a black Nike backpack. She is believed to have boarded the number 36 bus in Salford and alighted at the station.

Lillia is described as white, slim, around 5ft 5in, with light brown hair and glasses. 

Lillia’s mother Jessica (right) weeps as Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley reads out an appeal for the teenager to come home

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Greater Manchester Police said on Saturday the teenager was last seen at Manchester Piccadilly bus station at 10.36am on Monday

Previously the last sighting they had of the teenager was at 1.50pm on Saturday at the Trafford Centre shopping complex – where she boarded the 247 bus towards Altrincham. At that time, she was wearing light blue baggy jeans.

Officers scouring CCTV footage identified a further sighting of Lillia at the McDonald’s in Manchester city centre’s Market Street on Sunday at about 8.20pm. 

Lillia’s aunt Nina posted on social media as part of the family’s appeal, saying she has no phone on her, very little money and no supplies other than her rucksack.

She added: ‘Lillia comes from a very loving family with a mum who does an amazing job and I couldn’t ask for a better mum for lil. 

‘I was with Lillia a few weeks ago and asked her how school and life was, she showed no concerns and said everything was good, I gave her a hug and told her to keep being good for her mam.

‘As a family we have no idea what has made Lillia become untraceable.’

She said the family are having sleepless nights and described the ‘heartbreak’ of Lillia’s mother as ‘horrific’. 

‘If anyone is with Lillia please tell her that she isn’t in trouble and once home everything will be ok.’ 

On Saturday, a large advertising board featuring pictures of Lillia was stationed in Piccadilly Gardens. 

Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley, of GMP, said: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public and the media for your continued support as we continue our inquiries to locate Lillia.

Lillia was also previously seen wearing light blue baggy jeans, the same black hoodie and a black backpack

Lillia is seen on CCTV at a McDonald’s on Market Street, Piccadilly Gardens on Sunday at around 8.20pm

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‘Our thoughts continue to be with her family, and friends, I would like to thank her mum for her support with our appeals over the past few days. She has shown incredible strength throughout, and we are doing all we can to bring her daughter back home to her.

‘Officers are making every effort to locate Lillia, and our team have been working through hours of CCTV footage and exploring every avenue to try and find her.

‘I can now confirm that our last known current sighting was of Lillia at Manchester Piccadilly bus station at 10.36am on the morning on Monday 14 September.

‘We can also share that she exited the number 36 bus at Piccadilly, with her boarding it in Salford.

‘That bus service travels from Bolton through Salford and into Manchester city centre.

‘If anyone has any information regarding Lillia’s whereabouts or movements from this bus – or you were on the bus at the time she was also on there or when she got on in Salford or off in Piccadilly – please contact us via 101 or the Major Incident Portal below.

‘We are also still keen to hear from anyone who may have been in Piccadilly Gardens on Sunday 13 September around 8.20pm, or saw her in McDonald’s at that time.

‘Monday 14 September is the last confirmed sighting of Lillia and our investigation currently covers the whole of Greater Manchester with officers across the force being asked to support our enquiries. We are also mindful that Lillia could have travelled outside of the Manchester area and are keeping an open mind regarding this possibility.’

A major incident public portal has been set up where people can submit information on the GMP website.

Information can also be passed anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

With deep roots in North Lanarkshire and a long-standing commitment to the area, Albert Bartlett’s sponsorship is a great example of local businesses getting behind their communities.

The North Lanarkshire Half Marathon brought hundreds of runners, families, volunteers and supporters together for a fantastic day of community spirit, with local food producer Albert Bartlett supporting the event.

With deep roots in North Lanarkshire and a long-standing commitment to the area, Albert Bartlett’s sponsorship is a great example of local businesses getting behind their communities.

The event encouraged people to get active, take on a personal challenge and enjoy the support of friends, family and spectators along the route.

North Lanarkshire Provost Kenneth Duffy said: “The Half Marathon is about much more than running. It brings people together, encourages people to be active and gives runners of all abilities the chance to take on a challenge they can be proud of.

“The atmosphere on the day was fantastic, thanks to the runners, volunteers, marshals and everyone who came out to support them. It was a real celebration of North Lanarkshire and our communities.”

NLC Communities Convener, Councillor Geraldine Woods, said: “Events like this show what can happen when our communities, local businesses and organisations come together.

“Whether you were running, volunteering or cheering from the sidelines, there was a real sense of people getting behind each other and making the day special.”

As a thank you for their continued and loyal support of the Half Marathon, Provost Duffy and council Leader Jim Logue presented John Hicks of Albert Bartlett with an award at Ravenscraig on behalf of the council, as a token of appreciation for the company’s ongoing sponsorship.

John Hicks, Director of Marketing at Albert Bartlett, said: “We are incredibly proud to support the North Lanarkshire Half Marathon.

“Albert Bartlett has strong roots in North Lanarkshire and we are delighted to play our part in supporting an event that brings people together and celebrates the local community.

“Congratulations to everyone who took part and helped make this year’s event such a success. We look forward to supporting it for many years to come.”

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

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An AFP journalist reported that firefighters could be seen trying to extinguish the flames of a burnt-out fuel tank belonging to state oil and gas company Aramco.

The Saudi Civil Defence had sent out phone alerts overnight warning of potential danger in Riyadh and other regions, before issuing an all-clear on Saturday morning.

Residents told AFP on condition of anonymity that they had heard what sounded like a round of explosions echoing through the city after the alerts.

“In the direction of the airport we saw black smoke and fire,” one resident told the agency.

On Friday, the Houthis announced that they had thwarted Saudi attacks on the Yemeni capital Sanaa which they said bore the hallmarks of an Islamic State operation.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya al-Sarea said Saudi Arabia had carried out 300 strikes across Yemen during the past week.

He warned the reported attacks on Sanaa would “not go unanswered”.

The Houthis, who are locked in a civil war with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, recently seized control of the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island, a gateway to a key shipping route used by the Gulf state to export to Asia and Europe.

The group said the naval blockade was in retaliation for a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in Houthi-controlled north-western Yemen.

Saudi vessels have relied on that stretch of the Red Sea for oil exports since the US and Israel’s war with Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Lillia from Bolton was last seen on CCTV at the station at 10.36am on Monday, September 14, after boarding the number 36 bus from Salford earlier that morning.

She has been missing since leaving her family home in Bolton on Friday, September 11.

Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley of GMP’s Bolton district said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public and the media for your continued support as we continue our inquiries to locate Lillia.

“Our thoughts continue to be with her family and friends.

(Image: Bolton Police)

“I would like to thank her mum for her support with our appeals over the past few days.

“She has shown incredible strength throughout, and we are doing all we can to bring her daughter back home to her.”

Police have been working with partner agencies to review hours of CCTV footage, distribute missing person leaflets, and issue multiple public appeals.

Officers have now confirmed that the last known sighting of Lillia was at Manchester Piccadilly bus station at 10.36am on Monday, September 14.

She was seen exiting the number 36 bus, which travels from Bolton through Salford and into Manchester city centre.

(Image: Bolton Police)

Ch Supt Critchley said: “If anyone has any information regarding Lillia’s whereabouts or movements from this bus – or you were on the bus at the time she was also on there or when she got on in Salford or off in Piccadilly – please contact us via 101 or the Major Incident Portal below.

“We are also still keen to hear from anyone who may have been in Piccadilly Gardens on Sunday, September 13, around 8.20pm, or saw her in McDonald’s at that time.

“Monday, September 14, is the last confirmed sighting of Lillia and our investigation currently covers the whole of Greater Manchester with officers across the force being asked to support our enquiries.

“We are also mindful that Lillia could have travelled outside of the Manchester area and are keeping an open mind regarding this possibility.

“If you have any information that could help us find Lillia, I would urge you to come forward.

“Her family just want her home.

“Please report any information, no matter how small, via our dedicated Major Incident Portal link which can be found here – https://mipp.police.uk/operation/06GMP26K01-PO1.

(Image: GMP)

“You can also submit information anonymously via Crimestoppers who are available on 0800 555 111.

“They will not ask for your details and no one will know you have contacted them.”

The investigation remains active and ongoing, with officers exploring all possible leads and continuing to appeal for public assistance.

Anyone who may have seen Lillia, spoken to her, or has any information about her movements is urged to come forward.

Police are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who was in the Piccadilly Gardens area on the evening of Sunday, September 13, or who may have seen her at the McDonald’s nearby around 8.20pm.

Officers are also appealing to anyone who was on the number 36 bus from Salford to Manchester on the morning of Monday, September 14, to get in touch if they recall seeing Lillia or have any information that could assist the investigation.

The public is reminded that even the smallest piece of information could be vital in helping to locate Lillia and bring her home safely.

Enquiries remain ongoing.

They are the generation most worried about the climate – but it seems Gen Z aren’t quite as concerned when they’re standing under the shower.

More than half of 18 to 29-year-olds spend at least ten minutes in the shower every day, according to new research.

That could mean using as much as 150 litres of water in a single wash – enough to fill around 750 standard drinking glasses.

The findings make for an awkward contradiction for a generation that has grown up with warnings about droughts, water shortages and the climate crisis.

And while a 10-minute shower might feel like a harmless daily luxury, scientists say it is far longer than necessary for washing your body.

Dr Pablo Pereira-Doel, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, recently told the Daily Mail that three minutes is a sensible target for a body-only shower.

Those washing their hair can add another two minutes, bringing the total to around five minutes.

And this includes the time spent simply enjoying the warm spray, meaning there is little scientific justification for lingering under the water for ten minutes or more.

The poll, carried out by scientists at Let’s Save Water, found that younger adults were among the most likely to take lengthy showers, despite also reporting high levels of concern about environmental issues.

While 52 per cent of those aged 18-29 said they take showers that last at least ten minutes, this dropped to 39 per cent of Millennials, who are aged between 30 and 45.

Meanwhile only 28 per cent of Gen X, aged 46 to 61, said the same.

The organisation, which polled 2,000 British people from all age groups, said that women were more likely than men to take extended showers, with 27 per cent saying they showered for more than ten minutes daily, compared with 19 per cent of men.

A spokesman for Let’s Save Water said: ‘With drought conditions this summer bringing a renewed focus on this issue, Let’s Save Water is reinforcing a simple message – water is precious.

‘To protect it, we all need to use less.

‘On average, adults believe they use around 30 litres of water a day, when the true figure is closer to 140 litres.

‘Our research shows the difference between generations, with Gen Z’ers most likely to have showers longer than 10 minutes.’

Researchers have found that somebody else paying the bill, living in a soft water areas and shampooing twice increases water consumption

In the UK, household showers last around 7.5 minutes on average, according to Dr Pereira-Doel.

However, studies have shown that showers regularly run much longer, with some people spending close to 40 minutes under the stream of water.

‘As for why people linger… the answer is that for a large share of showers, getting clean isn’t the point,’ he explained.

‘Over four in 10 showers in our sample were taken for reasons unrelated to hygiene: relaxation, self–care, warming up on a cold morning. When a shower is doing that job, its length isn’t a decision anyone is consciously making.’

People in soft water areas tend to shower around a fifth longer than those in hard water areas, he said.

‘The likely explanation is that shampoo lathers more richly and rinses more easily in soft water, so the shower feels better and people linger,’ he added.

Morning showers also tend to be shorter, because most people have somewhere they need to be. Meanwhile, with evening or weekend showers, there is less of a time constraint.

Low water pressure can also extend showers, ‘because people may compensate for a weak spray by staying in longer to feel properly rinsed’.

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