It’s a remote stretch of Channel coastline which had a role in 20th century history so fabled that it still attracts groups of tourists daily.

Utah Beach was one of the key battlefields for the tens of thousands of allied troops who braved the German machine guns to storm their way into Normandy and begin the liberation of Europe from the Nazis on the morning of 6th June, 1944 – D-Day.

This week, some 82 years and 92 days on from that legendary invasion, a reverse journey occurred which afforded an altogether less glorious glimpse of the Great Britain of today: a boat launched from Utah Beach and made its way to the same stretch of Solent coast that so many of those D-Day heroes had embarked from.

But instead of sailing into machine gun fire and exploding grenades, it arrived into the full glare of the UK’s 21st century culture wars, in which rising public indignation about the seemingly unstoppable tide of small boat migrants have tipped some into apparent mimicry of the very Nazis their great grandfathers fought so bitterly against.

At around 3.30am BST last Sunday, a so-called super dinghy, overloaded with an estimated 130 migrant passengers, embarked from the famous D-Day beach some 25 miles south east of Cherbourg, the port beloved of middle-class British holidaymakers heading to cultured Normandy or serene Brittany.

The vessel – thought to have been imported by people smugglers from China and assembled in Germany – had made it just four miles out to sea, and was still in the relative shelter of the Bay of the Seine, when it was intercepted by four French boats, marine traffic records show.

Some 82 years ago at 6.30am American troops from the US 4th Infantry Division began landing at Utah Beach to begin the most significant military operation of World War II

On that momentous day which changed the course of history, 20,000 US troops and 1,700 vehicles landed on Utah Beach. By the end of the first day, they had advanced four miles inland

But instead of forcing it to turn back, the French boats, as their rules of engagement insist they must, merely shadowed the 34ft inflatable’s movement for some ten hours, while alerting the UK authorities it was precariously heading their way.

Two RNLI boats were then dispatched from Bembridge and Yarmouth, the lifeboat stations on the east and west ends respectively of the Isle of Wight and, for good measure, a rescue helicopter joined them too.

Somewhere towards the midway point of the 95 mile stretch of sea between Utah Beach and the South coast of England, the RNLI boats took over escort duty from their French counterparts – and then the decision was then taken to ‘rescue’ the migrant passengers by getting them off the unstable dinghy and onto those two lifeboats.

Those not wearing one already were given lifejackets and all were helped to transfer safely.

The RNLI teams, travelling unusually slowly as their boats were so overloaded, while in contact with Border Force, then radioed ahead to seek clearance to bring them ashore. However the commercial ports of both Portsmouth and Southampton declined their request, insisting that they lacked the facilities required to process such a party.

Eventually, at around 5pm on Sunday afternoon, the migrants reached the UK coast and were brought ashore at Eastney Landing, a public slipway close to the ferry port area of Portsmouth.

But by this time news of the operation was circulating locally. And, by unhappy coincidence, Portsmouth – until now not directly involved in the small boats saga because of its sheer distances from the French coast – also happened to be the base for a new player in this arena, a hard-right protest group that styles itself ‘Patriot Platform’.

Its leader, ‘Danny Tommo’, real name Daniel Thomas, grew up in the area.

The balaclava-masked anti immigration group had just the previous day brought the port of Dover to a standstill in an intimidating ‘stop the boats’ protest. And here was a live incident on their doorstep that they could respond to rapidly.

The arriving migrants were therefore greeted with fury by protesters, some even wading into the sea for dramatic effect, in scenes of intimidation which shocked the country.

And if third choice landing point Eastney was thought the best bet in an emergency for bringing the migrants ashore, it had one distinct flaw: there is only a single road in and out which was quickly blocked.

A tense stand off then ensued which went on until the early hours of Monday morning.

It was only safe for the migrants to finally be moved out, on coaches, to begin the inevitable process of claiming asylum in Britain, almost 12 hours after they had arrived.

The group of over 100 undocumented mostly adult-male migrants had successfully completed the furthest ever recorded small boat Channel crossing.

The attempt had clearly taken both the French and the British authorities by surprise – just as, one might reflect, the D-Day landings had once surprised Hitler.

In the eight years since small boats began crossing the Channel, almost all have embarked from the area closest to mainland Britain, the stretch of coast around Calais and Dunkirk.

So why did this famous but remote beach, which is more than three times further from Britain than Calais, come to be part of the small boats saga – and will it happen again?

When the Daily Mail visited the peninsula in Normandy this week we discovered that while Sunday’s crossing may have been the first from the area it looks unlikely to be the last.

Many of those involved in Sunday’s audacious crossing are thought to have spent the days or weeks leading up to it at a camp which, like its notorious forbear in Calais, is nicknamed ‘The Jungle’.

Tucked away in a forest behind a school and sports centre in a suburb overlooking the port of Cherbourg, the encampment is some 30 miles from Utah Beach.

An Afghanistan flag hangs from a tree welcoming new arrivals while discarded shopping trolleys and a broken portable toilet cabin comprise an entrance to a clearing in which around 15 tents have been erected over wooden pallets to keep them dry from below.

Surrounding trees are hung with drying clothes. Litter is strewn across the camp, at the far end of which is a makeshift kitchen.

Clothes and other items belonging to other residents are strewn across some of the tents. There is no space to bring bags on the dinghies laid on by the gangsters so those who try to cross the Channel must leave almost everything behind – which accounts for much of the debris.

Fast forward to the early hours of Sunday morning and a rather different journey was taking place; a mega dinghy carrying 140 migrants was taking the opposite route heading for Britain

Once the 34ft long vessel had travelled roughly four miles from the beach, it was intercepted by four French boats and supported on the ten hour journey to reach Portsmouth. Anti migration protesters gathered on the south coast for their arrival – and some waded in to the water try to disrupt the arrival as migrants were brought in on RNLI boats

At 5pm on Sunday, the migrants reached the UK coast and were brought ashore at Eastney Landing, a public slipway close to the ferry port area of Portsmouth. The single road approaching the slipway was blocked by hundreds of protesters until 3am on Monday

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A tense stand-off lasted for 10 hours as riot police held the activists back and the migrants waited until they could be taking to an asylum processing centre in Kent 

One resident told the Daily Mail: ‘The people here change. Most move every few weeks or months.

‘They want to come to England. They only stay here for a bit and dream of the UK.’

Another said: ‘We want to be able to take the boat, leave Cherbourg and get to England. We have family on the other side’.

A third Afghan had a very specific plan – he wants to join friends in Stratford, East London. He told the Daily Mail: ‘I will come in a van. I like to drink alcohol.’

Another said he had lived in the camp for two months now while working out a crossing plan.

The Cherbourg camp has existed in one form or another for around a decade – dating back to the period before small boats when stowing away on freight vehicles was the most popular means of getting into Britain.

Because streams of lorries pass through the city and onto boats operated by Brittany Ferries which travel directly from Cherbourg to Portsmouth or Poole, it was a useful base then.

But in recent years the erection of a four metre high barrier with barbed wire across the city’s port, combined with enhanced security checks, have made it much harder to succeed this way.

Many still try, of course. Just last year a party of 16, which included a pregnant woman and several children, had to be rescued after locking themselves inside a Britain-bound refrigerated trailer in the port, after raising the alarm that they were in danger of freezing to death.

But the vast majority in recent years now opt to cross the Channel by dinghy – including an unspecified number of men thought to have embarked from here last weekend.

To get from the Jungle camp to Utah beach, the group was almost certainly shuttled to the launch point by the people smugglers, as the area behind Utah beach is practically inaccessible on foot as it’s crisscrossed by busy roads.

The party from the Normandy Jungle would have been met on Utah by other groups brought in by road from camps further east in the direction of Calais at around midnight on Saturday evening.

The appeal to people smugglers of the much longer and more dangerous Normandy-Solent route is simple: profit.

As the Daily Mail reported last month the people smuggling gangs charge around £2,000 each from desperate migrants to get them across the Channel meaning their gross income from Sunday’s boat alone would have been over £250,000.

And overheads are minimal – we found a Chinese-made vessel identical to the one used available for sale online for just £1,416.52 – while the ‘crew’ are typically one or two young men who are given a few hours of tuition and a free berth in exchange for taking command of a dinghy.

The one thing that can interrupt this money-making machine is the French police.

Because while we in Britain continue to have a perception of ineptitude – based on recurring images of gendarmes refusing to intervene when migrants are boarding boats in clearly shallow water – they have become much better at disrupting the people smugglers before they get to the water’s edge.

Under pressure from our government – who are paying £660million a year to incentivise them – the French have introduced new tactics based on sophisticated surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

These have managed to disrupt some of the regular launch sites around Calais and Dunkirk.

Supply chains have also been interrupted with boats and engines making their way through Turkey and the Balkans intercepted along with operations within the EU.

This is why new PM Andy Burnham has been able to claim that the government’s small boat strategy is ‘working’ – the overall numbers crossing have fallen since last year’s peak.

But with tens of thousands of pounds hanging in the balance for each planned operation, the cost of failure to the gangmasters because of police interception is enormous.

It’s likely therefore that the Utah Beach crossing is representative of a wider shift in tactics from migrant smugglers, who are increasingly eyeing routes further west.

When one of the new mega-dinghies set off from Dieppe, in eastern Normandy, in August, it was, at the time, the furthest west a major crossing had been recorded embarking from.

Now, less than a month later the Utah Beach boat moved that dial another 100 miles.

And French authorities are expecting even more dinghies to make the longer and hence more dangerous voyage from Normandy to England’s South Coast in the coming weeks.

A senior Interior Ministry source based in the Calais area told the Daily Mail: ‘The geographical focus of the people smugglers is definitely changing.

‘They are finding it much harder to get boats launched in the Pas de Calais, and so are moving west, across to Normandy.

‘We expect far more of the mega-dinghies to appear here in the coming weeks and months. The success on Sunday proved the voyage can be done.’

Donna Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, agreed that the success of last weekend’s crossing raises concerns that the Normandy to Portsmouth route could become a ‘destination of choice for people traffickers’.

A spokesman for France’s Maritime Prefecture also admitted that because the shortest point of travel to England, towards Dover from Calais was becoming less viable, ‘unusual routes,’ including ones from Normandy, were likely to be attempted.

Despite no casualties on the Sunday crossing, it is a highly dangerous route, passing through the Raz Blanchard or Alderney Race, a strait that runs between Alderney and Cap de la Hague which sees some of Europe’s strongest currents.

Outside the town of Ouistreham, a quaint seaside town, east of Cherbourg towards Le Havre. lies an encampment made up mostly of Sudanese men next to the canal.

Eight tents, table-top football, portable toilets, cooking equipment and chairs, serve as home to around 20 men. 

This week, the Daily Mail visited Normandy and found the migrant encampment closest to Utah beach – near Cherbourg 30 miles away. Tucked away in a forest behind a school and sports centre an Afghanistan flag hands above a makeshift tent

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This area has been unofficially named, like its notorious forbear in Calais, ‘The Jungle’ by local residents. Many of those involved in Sunday’s audacious crossing are thought to have spent the days or weeks leading up to it at the camp

The camp near Cherbourg has been here for around ten years and people stay for a short period of time as they plan their next move, with many aiming to reach the UK 

Outside the town of Ouistreham, a quaint seaside town, east of Cherbourg towards Le Havre. lies an encampment made up mostly of Sudanese men next to the canal

In Ouistreham, eight tents, table-top football, portable toilets, cooking equipment and chairs, serve as home to around 20 men working out their next move 

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Again the camp used to be popular with those hoping to stowaway in lorries. But now that method has been largely shut down the current inhabitants are hoping to cross by boat.

One resident said he travelled to Ouistreham from Calais to rest after breaking his pelvis while trying to board a truck heading towards England.

Now he is considering his options. He told us most residents are trying to get to Britain.

Just a 15 minute walk away from the camp, Union flags flutter in the wind on Sword Beach, one of the sites where British soldiers landed on D-Day.

Meanwhile, on Utah Beach itself, there is almost no trace of last week’s operation. A discarded toothbrush, tablets and a piece of jewellery was all that remained on the beach from the spot, known locally as Redoubt Breach, from which they left.

A local dog walker told us they have not seen a single police officer in the vicinity of Utah Beach in 30 years.

This may soon change.

They are also meeting the expecting standard in a number of areas

A nursery has implemented strategies and training after Ofsted raised concerns about how staff support children’s behaviour. The education watchdog carried out an inspection at the Jigsaw Nursery in Huntington on July 15.

The nursery was rated as expected standard in four areas, which were: achievement; children’s welfare and wellbeing; curriculum and teaching; and inclusion. However, Ofsted rated the nursery as needing attention in two areas: behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines, and leadership and governance.

Inspectors raised concerns about how staff support children’s behaviour. The report said: “There are occasional inconsistencies in how staff support children’s behaviour. Leaders do not always ensure that staff use effective approaches to understand and respond to children’s needs, which can result in children becoming distressed, particularly during transitions.

“For example, some children become upset during mealtimes, and staff do not consistently support them to understand what is happening next, which affects their understanding of daily routines and why these are important. At times, staff use physical intervention to prompt children to prepare for mealtimes, such as lifting them without warning.

“This can cause children to become unsettled and does not support them to develop an understanding of expectations or promote positive behaviour.”

For leadership and governance, inspectors said leaders “do not demonstrate a secure understanding of the importance of providing ongoing professional development opportunities for staff”. The report added: “For example, there is a limited focus on targeted training to enhance staff knowledge and skills in key areas.

“As a result, staff are not consistently supported to develop their knowledge and understanding in certain areas. This leads to inconsistencies in the quality of staff and child interactions, and the support that children receive, having an overall impact on their development and wellbeing. Consequently, children’s emotional needs are not consistently met, which impacts their sense of security and wellbeing.”

A spokesperson for Jigsaw Nursery, said they are “very proud” of their team for their “dedication and hard work in achieving this outcome”. They added: “We understand the feedback and next steps provided, and have already implemented strategies and training in guidance with the OFSTED outcomes. We want to say a huge Thank you to all of our families at Jigsaw Nursery, for their amazing support and the trust they have in us.”

During the inspection, inspectors said children show curiosity when exploring their environment. The report said: “They enjoy the play opportunities that are given to them and typically play well alongside each other. Older children enjoy playing together in small groups and engaging in conversations while doing so.”

When reviewing what it’s like to be a child at this nursery, inspectors said: “Children arrive at a friendly and welcoming setting, where most settle in well. Children who attend the setting form secure relationships from the start. Babies and young children form close bonds with staff, and often seek reassurance from them, helping them to feel confident and secure to express themselves.

“Older children are happy and enjoy exploring their environment while playing collaboratively together.” At the time of the inspection, the age range of children was between one and four-years-old, with a total of 36 places.

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the Spanish Grand Prix after McLaren’s Lando Norris lost out because of the bad timing of a virtual safety car.

Norris was leading comfortably from pole position when the VSC was called on lap 15. The timing was terrible for the world champion – he had already passed the pit exit when the VSC was called.

That meant Antonelli and Verstappen were able to pit under the VSC, saving time, while the caution period ended before Norris could make it around to the pits again.

He did then come in but, to make matters worse, the stop was slow and he rejoined in fifth place.

Norris was able to recover only to third around this track where overtaking is next to impossible.

Antonelli’s eighth win in 14 races this year puts an even tighter stranglehold on the championship for the Italian.

He is now 81 points ahead of team-mate George Russell, who finished fifth after a difficult race on a confusing strategy, and 101 clear of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who retired early on with brake failure.

“It’s good to win but it doesn’t feel as good because Lando deserved to win,” Antonelli said.

Norris said: “We’ll take it on the chin. There could be more wins this year.”

The key stories of the maiden race on the new Madring were:

Norris knew that holding on to the lead would be tough from pole but he robustly defended from Antonelli into the first corner.

The Mercedes driver cut the chicanes at Turns One and Two, and again at Turns Five and Six, each time getting into the lead, each time having to give it back.

After that, Norris set about building a lead and looked to be in control of the race as he extended his lead progressively, moving 5.6 seconds clear 10 laps in, and 6.2 when Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin stopped at Turn 20 with brake failure.

The VSC was called, but Norris had already reached the pit straight, while Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had not and could come in.

Norris came in the next time around, but the VSC ended a couple of corners before he reached the entry to the pits, allowing the cars still on track to get back up to racing speed – a stop under a safety car saves a driver about 10 seconds over one under green-flag conditions.

To make matters worse, McLaren’s mechanics had trouble with both the right-hand side wheels, and the stop took seven seconds rather than the usual two.

Norris came out in fifth place, 6.3secs behind Russell, and his hopes of winning were gone.

At the front, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had been running fourth before the VSC, stayed out, having started the race on hard tyres rather than the mediums chosen by Antonelli and Norris and the softs Verstappen had.

Leclerc stayed out, and led the race with Antonelli close behind but the gap fluctuating as the Mercedes driver managed his tyres.

Ferrari kept Leclerc out as long as possible, hoping for a second safety car to enable him to make his own cheap stop.

But one never came, and Leclerc had to pit eventually, on lap 48 with nine to go. He resumed in fourth behind Antonelli, Verstappen and Norris.

Norris had closed all his deficit to Verstappen by the final stages and was running right on the Dutchman’s tail in the closing laps, but was unable to pass.

The closest he came was with two laps to go as Verstappen stumbled over some lapped cars, but despite a mistake at Turn Five, the Dutchman was able to hold on.

Officials briefly looked at an incident with two laps to go when he cut a chicane while fighting to stay ahead of Norris, who complained Verstappen should give the place up. But no action was taken.

Donald Trump today said he ‘loved’ making Right-wing British politicians angry with his support for Irish reunification. 

Kemi Badenoch led condemnation of remarks made by the president in a meeting with Micheál Martin in Dublin yesterday, during a two-day politics and golf visit to the republic.

Flanking the Taoiseach Trump, 80, said reunification of Ireland and Northern Ireland will ‘happen eventually’ and would be a ‘great thing’. 

Asked today about the diplomatic row sparked by his comments while he watched a golf tournament in Doonbeg today the president said: ‘I loved them.’

Further asked about the backlash to his intervention, he said: ‘I have always loved the people of Ireland and it just seems to me that you have Northern Ireland and you have Ireland and it would seem to me that one of the naturals of all time is put them together.’

He went on: ‘Many people agree. I made what I considered to be a fairly routine comment, I have had so much support on that.’

It is the latest gaffe by a US leader under whom the special relationship with the UK has reached its lowest ever ebb. 

Northern Irish politicians and those on the Right of UK politics lined up to criticise him last night. 

The backlash was led by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and even close ally Nigel Farage said he disagreed with the president. 

Asked what he thought the Prime Minister made of his comments in support of a united Ireland, the US president said: ‘I’ve spoken to him. I think he’s a very nice guy. He tends to be on the liberal side, unfortunately.’

He said he would ‘love to see a unified Ireland’ during a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Dublin on Saturday

When asked about the diplomatic row sparked by his comments while he watched a golf tournament in County Clare today the president said: ‘I loved them.’

Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch accused him of ‘shooting from the hip as usual’, adding: ‘This sort of loose talk about the future of democratic countries is deeply unhelpful and creates unnecessary tension.’

And her shadow foreign secretary Tom Tugendhat told broadcasters: 

‘I suppose I knew he was a republican, I didn’t know he was that kind of a republican.’

And even Nigel Farage distanced himself from his close ally, saying: ‘Northern Ireland is a proud and integral part of the United Kingdom. The people of Northern Ireland neither want a referendum, nor unification. I disagree with President Trump.’

And it emboldened supporters of reunification. Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Claire Hanna said: ‘In the last hour Donald Trump has announced that he is in favour of a united Ireland. It turns out that he isn’t as orange as he looks.’

The President spoke while sitting alongside the Taoiseach at the Farmleigh Estate. Asked about uniting the island, Mr Trump said: ‘I don’t want to cause any trouble, but I’ll tell you I would love to see a unified Ireland.’

He continued: ‘I think it would be a great feather in everybody’s cap if that happened. It’s going to happen eventually. 

‘You know how I see it, it’s going to happen eventually; it may as well happen now… I think it would be a fantastic thing. 

‘Now the UK will have something to say about it, obviously, but I think it would be a great thing.’ 

Mr Trump also warned today that any conflict over the Falkland Islands between the UK and Argentina would be a ‘disaster’, but said that he would be able to ‘settle it’.

This morning Communities Secretary Angela Rayner refused to get drawn into the row, telling Sky News: ‘Donald Trump is Donald Trump and the president will say and speak his mind as he sees it. 

‘But look, we’re really serious about the Good Friday Agreement. We’re very proud of our history.’

The President’s comments about a united Ireland were met with criticism from unionist leaders in Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach and Mr Trump shake hands as they meet each other at Farmleigh House, Dublin this morning

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President Trump waves at Dublin Airport before stepping into a waiting motorcade

Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson posted on X: ‘President Trump knows better than most that elections matter.

‘Northern Ireland’s constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington.

‘Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom because that is the settled democratic will of its people.

‘I am confident NI will continue to choose the UK and the security it offers. As unionists, we are not interested in the destruction of our country by joining with the Irish Republic.’

Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said Mr Trump ‘is not the first US president to meddle in the affairs which don’t concern him’.

He added: ‘Northern Ireland is not a pawn in Trump’s fall-out with the UK. Our constitutional future does not depend on him or any other foreign dignitary.’

Former SDLP leader and MP for Foyle Colum Eastwood, an open critic of the US president, shared a clip of Mr Trump’s remarks on social media, adding: ‘Always liked him.’

Trump is expected to present the trophy to the winner of the Irish Open later today at the golf resort in County Clare in south west Ireland.

Donald Trump’s armoured golf buggy, nicknamed Golf Force One, (left) is parked outside the Trump International golf course in Doonbeg

Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Taoiseach Micheál Martin were in attendance for the final day of play at the Trump International golf resort as the president again blurred the lines between his professional and private interests.

Around 4,000 Irish and US security personnel were involved in the weekend-long security operation, with anti-drone technology among the measures deployed. 

The An Garda Síochána is liaising with the Defence Forces and US Secret Service in a security effort said to be costing Ireland €20million euros (£17million).

Roads were closed and police checkpoints installed near the course as around 30 people protested the visit in the nearby Doonbeg village. 

Trump may choose to travel in his armour-plated golf buggy, nicknamed Golf Force One, which was seen parked on the premises. 

AJ Odudu and Will Best will return as hosts as a new group of housemates move into the redesigned Big Brother house.

On the opening night, viewers will see this year’s contestants enter the house for the first time.

What is the schedule for Big Brother 2026?

Big Brother returns tonight on ITV2 at 9pm, with new episodes airing from Sunday to Thursday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

This means there will be five main-show episodes each week.

ITV has confirmed the 2026 run will be longer than previous editions shown on the channel.

Reports suggest the finale could be on Thursday, November 5, although ITV has not officially confirmed that date.

A new companion programme will also be shown after each main episode.

Big Brother: The Group Chat will air from Sunday to Thursday immediately after Big Brother on ITV2, ITVX and YouTube.

Former Big Brother winner Kate Lawler and GK Barry will host the programme.

It will include discussion about events in the house, as well as interviews with evicted housemates, celebrity fans and guests.

Before the series begins, content creators The Bov Boys, who include Angryginge, will move into the house for a 24-hour livestreamed “dry run”.

The exercise will offer an early look at the redesigned building before the official launch. It is also described as a first for the programme.

Who are the housemates in Big Brother 2026?

The full list of housemates has not been revealed.

Viewers will find out who is taking part during the launch programme, as the contestants enter the house for the first time.

Big Brother has, however, released a first look at the new house for this year’s series.

First pictures show dark maroon-red, blue, green and wood tones across the rooms.

The Diary Room chair will again use the programme’s eye logo shape.

Further details about the contestants, including their names and backgrounds, are expected as the launch takes place.

The series will include tasks, nominations, evictions and events involving the housemates.

The 2026 series follows three main ITV editions shown in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The programme originally aired on Channel 4, and later Channel 5, before ITV Studios reached a deal with Banijay, which owns the rights, to revive it in 2023 after five years away.

When is Celebrity Big Brother returning?

Celebrity Big Brother was shelved for 2026 and is now unlikely to return in 2027, according to a report in The Sun.

The celebrity programme had two series after the ITV revival, in 2024 and 2025, with David Potts winning the first, while Jack P Shepherd won the second.

Reports said the celebrity version could return in 2027, but this is now in doubt.

The Sun reported that staff working behind the scenes were “already operating on the basis that it won’t be coming back”.

An ITV spokesperson said previously: “Big Brother returns to ITVX and ITV2 later this year.

“No decisions have been made for 2027 as yet.”

Reports have linked the decision about Celebrity Big Brother to difficulties signing celebrities.

The Sun said stars were increasingly seeking places on The Celebrity Traitors, creating competition for programmes that depend on celebrity contestants.

ITV is also expected to find contestants for I’m A Celebrity and its reported spin-off, The Wild Frontier, which may air in early 2027.

For now, viewers can watch the main Big Brother series from tonight, with episodes running five nights a week until the end of the run.

Will you be watching the new series of Big Brother? Let us know in the comments.

“Very light, very warm and breathable – doesn’t make me overheated or cold. As thick as I thought and amazingly waterproof”

It’s that time of year when we start to dig out our cosier items, and for many a winter coat is an essential purchase. Bagging one that’ll keep us toasty without adding too much heavy bulk is key, and now shoppers think they’ve found a duvet-like cover-up that fits the bill perfectly.

Mountain Warehouse’s Cosy Wrap II Womens Extreme Down Jacket is popular thanks to its comfy yet reliable design. Perfect for when a sudden downpour hits, it’s water repellent meaning droplets roll off the fabric during light rain.

When the temperature drops, the coat is thermal tested to -40°C, while it also boasts a fill power rating of 600 allowing for a decent level of insulation. Two handy side pockets are also convenient for those constantly out and about.

READ MORE: Marks & Spencer’s ‘smart but stretchy’ £16 trousers ‘shoppers have been buying for years’

READ MORE: Roman’s ‘eye-catching’ £30 2-in-1 dress is a ‘complete outfit for day or evening’

Normally priced at £219.99, the coat has been cut by 55% to £99.99 and comes in four wearable colours; khaki, navy, dark burgundy or black. Available in UK sizes 6-24, it’s rated highly by shoppers.

Elsewhere, Next’s Chocolate Brown Shower Resistant Hooded Long Wadded Coat costs £66 and comes in both regular and petite lengths. At Uniqlo, the Seamless Down Long Coat in beige is down to £139.90 from £179.90 on sale.

Reviewers have been impressed by Mountain Warehouse’s Cosy Wrap II Womens Extreme Down Jacket praising its ‘warm’ yet ‘light’ design. One person said: “Excellent product. Lightweight, warm, good fit, lovely colour.”

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A second found it easy to care for, writing: “Better than I thought! Very light, very warm and breathable – doesn’t make me overheated or cold. As thick as I thought and amazingly waterproof! Also super easy for spot cleaning!”

Meanwhile a third liked it for long periods outside, commenting: “I bought the cost oversized for me because I have to be outdoors for hours. It’s fantastic.

“I love the distribution of insulation (and its ethical standards) and the overall feel of the coat. The hood is fantastic.”

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Someone else simply wrote: “Love it. Gorgeous colour, lightweight and warm” while another said: “Very smart looking coat. Really warm.”

It is worth noting that a couple of people mentioned minor improvements they would have liked to see, with one writing: “It’s so warm, I love it. The fit is a little bigger than I would have wanted but I don’t mind.”

Another also said: “Time will tell on durability but I love the neckline and colour (burgundy). Could have done with a couple of internal zipped pockets and a fleece lining.”

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Despite this, someone else praised the fit, commenting: “Beautiful fit! Love the colour! Very warm and comfy! Getting a lot of great compliments on it!”

A further reviewer went as far as to say the coat was ‘the best ever’ writing: “This is the best coat I have ever bought! It keeps me so warm, the hood is lovely and big and it’s stylish for a winter coat.”

A final review reads: “Super warm even with a t-shirt underneath. Perfect for extreme cold temperatures.

“The wrap design is very nice and no scarf is needed. Length was longer than anticipated but was a nice surprise to keep most of body covered up from cold winds. “

One half of a pair, who left six restaurants without paying in one month, has now been caught after business owners worked together to try and bring the duo to justice

One half of a couple dubbed the ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ of dine and dash was caught after the duo fled six venues in one part of Spain without paying their bill.

The man, 40, who was arrested on September 4, was one half of a duo who skipped out on bills at restaurants and cafes in the Alt Emporda region of the European country, near the country’s border with France.

The string of dine and dash incidents reportedly happened over a month and the affected parties were reportedly in contact with each other during this time, before it all ended at Pizzeria Il Nonno.

It was at this venue that the man was confronted, then chased, by the manager before being arrested by the Castello d’Empuries Local police.

L’independant reports that the couple had also attempted to pull the same stunt at places along the Costa Brava in Catalonia, five of which were in the coastal town of Empuriabrava.

The first of these alleged incidents was reported on August 17 where, having requested to have their coffee outside, the couple exited leaving the Vilabertran venue €95.40 (£81.89) out of pocket.

Later, they would visit the L’Empuria Beach café where the woman left, followed by the man, who claimed to a waitress that he was leaving for cigarettes. They venue was left with a €75 (£64.38) unpaid bill.

Other venues affected, reports El Gerio Digital, were The Loft, Internet Café, and Restaurant Dlux alongside the restaurant in Vilabertran.

However, it all came to a head at the aforementioned Pizzeria Il Nonno over a bill of €55.10 (£47.30).

Following the events of the couple’s near month-long spree of fleeing, the six restaurants are now working together to assemble a detailed picture of what happened and how much money was lost, along with evidence from security footage.

It is not yet known what has happened to the arrested individual’s alleged accomplice and whether or not she, in turn, has been caught.

As well as being held by the authorities over the dine and dash incidents, the man was also arrested on a separate offence.

The man, who has not been named, was arrested over allegedly breaching an active restraining order in relation to his former partner and currently has a police record. The precise details of this alleged offence are not known.

If you have been affected by issues of domestic violence or coercive control you can call Refuge’s 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free. The number is 0808 2000 247

Police in Turkey have detained 47 people in a series of raids on gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists, officials say.

Raids took place in 12 provinces over the weekend as part of a campaign dubbed “My Family is Safe” that the Turkish government says has been designed to protect family values.

One of the targets of the operation was LGBTQ+ association Kaos GL.

Same-sex marriage is not recognised in Turkey, with growing pressure on gay couples. Human rights groups in Turkey have accused the government of using the campaign to target the LGBTQ+ community.

Officers detained 26 people and seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm during the raids, according to the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office.

In a separate statement, the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office said another 21 people had been detained as part of an investigation into Kaos GL.

The organisation said 50 activists had been detained, more than 10 taken after police raids on their homes.

It said that authorities had blocked several websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTQ+ organisations.

According to the group, authorities have accused Kaos GL of making “obscenity” in online posts that are available to children and had demanded the shutting down of the Kaos GL X account, as well as those of around 15 other LGBTQ+ organisations.

Same-sex relations are not an offence in Turkey but homophobia is common, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describing LGBTQ people as “perverts” responsible for the falling birth rate.

As part of “My Family is Safe”, Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek says legal proceedings have been started against more than 160 people and a number of organisations and companies across the country.

Gurlek did not say how many people had been taken into custody, but said the raids came in the context of the “Decade of the Family” campaign.

However, the Turkish Human Rights Association says the Turkish government has been using the campaign to target the LGBTQ+ community in recent years.

“The real name of this operation is not ‘My Family is Safe’; it is state-led discrimination, politics of fear and the dismantling of civil society,” the organisation said on X.

The prime minister said he was “very happy” with his finish time of under two hours – 01.57 – and was raising money for North East charity Changing Lives, which he visited last month to launch a national drive to end rough sleeping.

“You see the causes people are running for, all pulling together for the bigger cause,” Burnham said. “It’s just a day that reminds you how good this country is when it’s together like this.

“This part of the world, it doesn’t half shine on a day like this. The warmth of the people comes out – the people in the race with you, the people on the sidelines.”

As always, runners donned a variety of costumes in the bid to raise funds for good causes. Among them were nuns, horses and a pair of ovaries.

Big Brother UK has suffered heart-breaking losses over the years, here we remember the beloved housemates who passed away too young

Over more than 26 years, Big Brother has given us some of the most talked-about moments in British television history.

But behind the diary room confessionals, the late-night arguments and the tearful evictions, the show’s story is also one of profound human connection and, at times, devastating loss.

As the much-loved competition returns to ITV tonight at 9pm for its 23rd series overall, with presenters AJ Odudu and Will Best back at the helm, a new group of housemates prepare to step through those famous doors.

Before they do, we take a moment to remember the former contestants who lit up our screens and left an enduring mark on the show’s history, those who passed away far too soon.

Jade Goody

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Long before the phrase “reality star” became commonplace, there was Jade Goody. She first appeared in Big Brother’s third series, and from the moment she walked into the house, she was impossible to ignore. Funny, unpredictable and utterly authentic, she became one of the most beloved housemates the show has ever seen.

Her fame only grew after she left, with appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats, Loose Women and Eggheads helping to cement her status as a genuine household name. She returned to the Celebrity edition in 2007, five years after her debut, before heading to India in August 2008 to take part in Big Boss, the country’s own adaptation of the format.

But her world soon changed forever. Jade was diagnosed with cervical cancer and was forced to withdraw from the show. She faced the illness with a courage that inspired millions, and her openness about her diagnosis is widely credited with prompting a surge in cervical cancer screening across the UK. She passed away at her home on 22 March 2009. She was just 27 years old.

Nikki Grahame

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Nikki Grahame became memorable after her appearance on Big Brother’s seventh series in 2006. She is best remembered for her now-legendary catchphrase “Who is she?”

After leaving the house, she headlined her own E4 series, Princess Nikki, in which she tackled a range of demanding jobs, from refuse collection to deep sea fishing and waste management roles. She was fearless on screen, but off it she fought a long and painful private battle with anorexia.

In early 2021, Nikki suffered a relapse. Her loved ones launched a public fundraising campaign to help cover the costs of her treatment, and fans rallied around her in. Sadly, she passed away from anorexia-related complications on 9 April 2021, shortly after being discharged from hospital. She was only 38.

Ben Duncan

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Ben Duncan was, by all accounts, someone who made every room brighter simply by being in it. A London-born socialite who had studied at the University of St Andrews alongside Prince William and Kate Middleton, he brought that easy charm and warmth to the Big Brother house when he appeared in series 11, reports OK!.

He tragically died in October 2025 after falling seven floors from the rooftop of The Trafalgar St. James hotel in London. He was just 45 years old.

Fellow former housemate Glyn Wise, who appeared in series seven, paid a heartfelt tribute on X, formerly Twitter. “While filming a Big Brother tribute to mark the end of its run on Channel 4, I met Ben and he was such a joy to be around. Rest in peace buddy xx,” he wrote in part.

Sophia Brown

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Some housemates need only a matter of days to leave a lasting impression. Sophia Brown entered the Big Brother house during its 10th series in 2009 and stayed for just nine days, she moved viewers deeply with her openness about living with Lupus.

Rather than shying away from her diagnosis, she spoke candidly about how the autoimmune condition had shaped her outlook, giving her an unshakeable positivity and zest for life that radiated through the screen.

She departed the house early but never left the hearts of those who had watched her. Sophia tragically died in 2012, aged just 30.

Big Brother returns to ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm tonight (Sunday, September 13).