Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams confirmed the ITV daytime show will be off air for several weeks.

ITV is undergoing a scheduling shake-up as Loose Women is set to be off air for several weeks.

During the programme on Friday, July 17, presenter Kaye Adams made an announcement and confirmed when the show would return.

The Scottish presenter was back on Loose Women alongside GK Barry, Oti Mabuse and Kelle Bryan, as they marked the end of the week, and the end of the programme for a short break.

Kate shared: “we’re done for the summer. We will not be gone for long though, we’ll be back in September. For now, have a fabulous weekend, a fabulous summer and we’ll see you very soon!”

The scheduling change follows a wave of budget cuts which impacted Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, alongside Loose Women.

It was revealed months ago that Loose Women would now only broadcast for 30 weeks rather than its customary 52, reports the Express.

During the shake-up, Lorraine Kelly’s show has been reduced to 30 minutes, and also operates on a seasonal schedule only.

The biggest change that faced Loose Women was the fact live audiences were scrapped, as well as several behind-the-scenes job.

Presenter Nadia Sawalha previously shared her devastation that warm-up performer Lee Peat was dropped, saying: “I am totally devastated by this fact, I can’t get over it at all. Not only because the audience is so important for the show, but also my dear friend Lee who I work with every day.”

Coleen Nolan also shared her concerns for the cast and crew, calling those redundancies “heartbreaking” and “devastating”.

Loose Women also relocated in January to a basement studio of a former private members’ club in Covent Garden, sharing the venue with This Morning and Lorraine.

Announcing the changes last year, Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, previously said: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.

“These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.”

Loose Women can be streamed on ITVX

Blistering carnage and savage kills make this a tough watch – but I loved it!

Picking up where 2023’s excellent Evil Dead Rise left off, Burn follows Souheila Yacoub’s Alice as she deals with the loss of her husband in the company of her less than welcoming in-laws.

Awkward family dinners – and boy, is there one here – are the least of her troubles, though, when sinister Deadites come looking for an ancient weapon.

Evil Dead Burn is mean and tough to watch amid a cacophony of mental and physical pain – and I loved it!

Anyone who isn’t a fan of Evil Dead or horror might be best to steer clear as there’s little respite from the unrelenting hell endured by the grieving group.

In only his second feature length flick behind the camera, Sébastien Vanicek does previous Evil Dead helmers like Sam Raimi and Lee Cronin proud with hyperactive camera shots, a blistering one-take sequence where all sorts of carnage erupts around Alice and savage kills and body blows.

He goes down the Final Destination route of teasing what’s to come by focusing on potential instruments of doom and his film is very appropriately named as boiling water, smoke, ash, steam and tar come into play.

Burn is largely humourless – even the main house setting is grey, foreboding and falling apart – but the antics of Maude Davey’s Grandma Polly call back to Raimi’s original Dead trilogy.

Alice really is put through the looking glass – head-first – and Yacoub overcomes shed loads of personal trauma to prove worthy of her final girl status.

Erroll Shand’s Edgar ends up looking like one of the vampires from 30 Days of Night, with his possessed body taking a real battering – and a kiss shared by him and screen wife Tandi Wright (Susan) is among the most revolting smooches committed to film.

And just when you think you can take a breath when the movie ends, up pop two crazy credits scenes – one hinting at a very exciting future for the series.

If you were turned off by the previous Evil Dead flicks, especially the newer ones, then Burn won’t convert you but this horror fan had a blast watching this family going to hell in a handbasket.

● Are you a fan of the Evil Dead franchise? If so, what is your favourite flick?

Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your comments – and any movie or TV show recommendations you have – to your fellow readers.

● Evil Dead Burn is showing in cinemas now.

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Oscar-winning actor Brenda Fricker has died aged 81 after a period of ill health, her agent has confirmed.

The actor, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, became an international star after her roles in films like My Left Foot and The Field.

However, she’s arguably best remembered these days for her memorable turn in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where she played The Pigeon Lady.

‘We will never see her like again, and the world is lesser for the lack of her,’ her agent Phil Belfield said in a statement.

‘I was honoured to know, love and work with her and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over.’

Fricker began her acting career with smaller TV parts, including an uncredited role in Upstairs, Downstairs.

She got her big break in 1977, however, when she appeared in four episodes of Coronation Street playing Staff Nurse Maloney.

After this, she appeared in classic shows like The Quatermass Experiment and Casualty, where she played yet another nurse, Megan Roach.

More to follow…

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The actress is remembered for roles including My Left Foot and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York.

Oscar-winning Irish actress Brenda Fricker has died aged 81, her agent said today. She was best known for her roles in My Left Foot, for which she won an Oscar, and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York.

Phil Belfield said in a statement to the Press Association: “We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her. I was honoured to know, love and work with her and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over.”

She appeared in the BBC’s Casualty as Megan Roach until 1990 and was in films including So I Married an Axe Murderer, Angels in the Outfield, A Time to Kill, Veronica Guerin and Inside I’m Dancing.

In 1990, Fricker became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, taking the Best Supporting Actress award for playing Daniel Day-Lewis’ character Christy Brown’s mum Bridget in the 1989 film My Left Foot. Day-Lewis also won, for Best Actor.

In her acceptance speech, Brenda thanked Brown “for being alive” and also dedicated her Oscar to Brown’s real-life mother, saying “Anybody who gives birth 22 times deserves one of these, I think.”

Dead flies on windowsills are a common summer problem, but there may be an easy solution. You can stop them from appearing in your home by placing a key item on windowsills

Flies can be a real nuisance, particularly at this time of year when temperatures rise and food is frequently left out, which is why so many households seek techniques to keep them at bay. However, another problem you may have noticed is dead flies accumulating on windowsills, which is unsightly and incredibly frustrating to deal with inside your home.

Luckily, however, a simple hack can help remedy the problem. If you’re wondering why this occurs, it’s because flies are drawn towards light, but are unable to pass through the glass. This leaves them trapped, and they wear themselves out attempting to escape.

Without access to food or water, they rapidly dehydrate, overheat in the direct sunlight and perish. This is what causes the problem to worsen, but there is a straightforward method you can use to deter flies from gathering.

If you’re searching for a solution to this issue, there may well be one at hand. Spraying a particular product onto windowsills could make all the difference.

A simple way to prevent them

The subject was recently raised on Facebook, when one user asked: “Hi guys, a bit of advice please. How do you prevent having dead flies on the windowsill?

“It’s not just unsanitary but unsightly looking. It just seems I’m forever clearing dead flies on windowsills. Any advice is greatly appreciated.”

Numerous respondents were quick to suggest a key ingredient, which they claim can work wonders. It appears that peppermint oil may help tackle the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that peppermint oil can prevent flies from congregating on your windows. Its powerful aroma overwhelms a fly’s senses, though it does not kill them.

Rather, it functions as a natural repellent. To put this trick into practice, combine approximately 10 to 20 drops of pure peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle.

Give it a thorough shake and apply it around your window frames and sills. Alternatively, you can soak cotton wool balls in peppermint oil and place them on the window ledge if you’d rather.

Bear in mind that it evaporates rapidly, meaning you’ll need to reapply it every few days. It can also be harmful to pets, so exercise caution if you have animals in the home.

The reason it works

The oil is effective because it deters flies from approaching windowsills in the first place, meaning you’re unlikely to discover a cluster of dead ones there if you use it regularly. Its active compound, menthol, overwhelms the fly’s highly sensitive receptors.

This triggers sensory confusion, driving flies away from the area. If dead flies have already accumulated, you’ll obviously need to clear them away before trying this method.

Flies are drawn to light, warmth and even the remains of previously dead flies, so thoroughly cleaning the area beforehand is essential. If you suspect they’re entering through tiny gaps, it’s advisable to seal all cracks around the frames using caulk.

There are additional measures you can implement to attempt making your home fly-proof, and this is one of them. They’re suggestions worth learning as flies are drawn to entering our properties during warmer weather.

To prevent luring them in, ensure all spaces are tidy and cover any uncovered food. The tiniest things can attract them.

North Yorkshire Council said it had accepted the explanations given by the councillors for failing to attend more than 66 per cent of committee meetings they were required to attend.

The six councillors whose attendance fell below the level in 2025/26 were: Angus Thompson, Conservative, who represents the North Richmondshire division; Dan Sladden, Liberal Democrat, Sowerby and Topcliffe; John Cattanach, independent councillor with the North Yorkshire Independent group, Cawood and Escrick; John Mann, Reform UK, Oatlands and Pannal; Lindsay Burr, independent councillor with the North Yorkshire Independent group, Malton; Nathan Hull, Conservative, Washburn and Birstwith.

A council spokesperson said: “Where a councillor’s attendance at the committees they have been appointed to falls below 66 per cent in a year, they are contacted to remind them of the importance of attending meetings and to determine whether there are any circumstances that explain their lower than expected attendance and if they are in need of any additional support.

“None of those who have been written to recently have been asked to return any of their basic allowance as their explanations for the reasons for their lower than expected attendance have been accepted.”

It is understood that the councillors were contacted unless they had previously advised officers that they would be unable to fulfil their commitments, for example, because of a planned operation.

Four councillors, all Conservative, attended 100 per cent of their committee meetings over the 12 months.

They were: council leader Carl Les, Catterick Village and Brompton-on-Swale division; David Staveley, Settle and Penyghent; George Jabbour, Helmsley and Sinnington; Roberta Swiers, Cayton.

Every North Yorkshire councillor receives a flat basic allowance of £17,964 per year.

Councillors who take on extra roles, such as chairing a committee, receive special responsibility allowances.

The parents of a three-year-old boy who was attacked in a crocodile enclosure say they are “amazed” at the progress he is making and that he is “smiling again”.

The boy was visiting Johnsons of Old Hurst near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on 18 June when he was attacked by at least one of the animals.

In a post on a fundraising page, his parents said: “Four weeks later and the cheeky little boy that we love so much is talking to the nurses, playing using his feet and smiling again.”

Police arrested and bailed a 30-year-old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder after the incident.

The boy’s parents recalled arriving at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and experiencing “the worst 12 hours” of their lives after the attack, “signing consent forms involving resuscitation and amputation”.

They said he received injuries to his arms, neck, head, face and suffered broken bones.

The boy has since had seven surgeries, with the latest being surgeons completing “a nerve graft on his arm”.

“They harvested a nerve from his leg to replace part of the nerve that was missing in his left arm,” his parents said on the fundraising page, which has so far raised over £67,000.

“Over time, this nerve will hopefully embed and help our son to regain some function in his left hand.

“We won’t know whether the nerve graft has been successful until tests can be carried out in a few months’ time.

“We were unsure if our son was going to make it and that was the worst feeling in the world.

“We are amazed at how far he has come.”

Changes to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s councils have been delayed until the autumn, sparking outrage from councillors

Council staff and residents have been plunged into “great uncertainty” after a delay on a decision on local government reorganisation (LGR), councillors say.

An announcement on the future of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough‘s local authorities was expected on Thursday (July 16), but minister Steve Reed said he “decided more time is needed”. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government said a decision on “which option, if any, of those presented” would come by October at the latest.

Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, Councillor Lucy Nethsingha, said she was “deeply disappointed” by the delay, but “not particularly surprised”.

Ben Obese-Jecty, MP for Huntingdon, revealed last week that leaks suggested option D would be chosen – which would have split Huntingdonshire in two. The Conservative MP said the delay “leaves residents in limbo” around “the future of Huntingdonshire and means damaging uncertainty over crucial local services”.

He said: “After months of discussion Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is now one of only two local authority areas in the country without clarity on what the structure will look like or what issues are causing this unacceptable delay. By delaying the decision until the Autumn there is a real risk that the new unitary won’t have enough time to restructure before next year’s local elections.”

Cllr Elliot Tong, leader of the Green group on Cambridgeshire County Council, said the delay came as a surprise. He said: “I was surprised because I didn’t think things could possibly get any worse – I thought every mistake that [could have] been made, had been made.

“Delaying the elections and then suddenly deciding not to do that – I thought all of the growing pains were out of the way but somehow Labour can still surprise me.”

Cllr Tong, who also sits on Cambridge City Council, said it was “very disappointing” and residents aren’t being given “any reassurance” about the city’s future. He said: “This entire plan doesn’t seem to have any confidence behind it so how can residents have any confidence in it?”

Cllr Mike Davey, speaking at a Cambridge City Council meeting on Thursday (July 16), said the delay was “hugely disappointing”. The Labour councillor said the delay causes “great uncertainty” for council staff and he would be meeting with other council leaders and chief executives to “understand our next steps”.

Cllr Tim Bick, leader of the Lib Dem group, told the council the delay was “unhelpful and destabilising” for “anyone we do business with on behalf of the public”.

He said: “The government has rightly spoken of the importance of Cambridge to the country and there are enormous ambitions for us – but today’s failure to make a decision really doesn’t sound like it. My concern is this whole process has been destabilised by antics in the north of the county.

“What I hear is that a process for existing councils to participate in was hijacked by Peterborough’s Labour MPs, who submitted little more than an idea of a footprint to pursue something which sounds very party-politically driven. Trying to solve Peterborough’s existing unsustainability as a unitary council but risking the creation of a new unsustainable unitary in the middle of Cambridgeshire.”

The council were asked to vote on noting the report updating them on the delay, but many councillors said they would not vote in favour of this. Cllr Davey said: “You have noted it by reading it – I can’t work out what this means.”

Cllr Bick said: “It ought to be taken as a vote if members ask for that and members can read into it what significance they want. Cllr Davey would obviously say it’s pointless but it’s all we have as a way of demonstrating our incredible frustration and dissatisfaction with where we now are.”

The council voted against noting the report with 12 votes for, 16 against, and eight abstentions.

In this recipe, the courgettes are cooked long and slow, in plenty of olive oil, with a sprinkling of dried chilli and lots of finely sliced garlic. The resulting luxurious combination is delicious on its own, served with a scattering of mint and some toasted almonds as a stand-alone dish, or as a silky bed on which to pile pork chops or roast chicken. 

After eating them like this, you’ll never think ill of a courgette again. I love mint here, but any soft herb is good (dill, tarragon, basil or parsley).