While most runners are chasing after a new goal or a personal best, some are chasing after something slightly more elusive: a runner’s high.

Some describe it as euphoria. Others as calm, clarity or even a sense of being completely absorbed in the moment. Many people experience some version of it after a long run or a spin class.

For years, scientists believed the phenomenon was caused by endorphins, the body’s natural opioids. But more recent neuroscientific research now indicates that this might not wholly be the case.

Instead, a runner’s high appears to emerge from several brain systems working together. This explains why a runner’s high has so many far-reaching effects – and why these effects can often persist long after the initial experience of euphoria.

The brain’s own cannabis system

Endorphins are naturally-occurring brain chemicals which are released during periods of physical stress help to reduce pain.

Aerobic exercise increases circulating endorphins. Numerous studies have demonstrated higher levels of the endorphin beta-endorphin following prolonged aerobic exercise, such as running. This is why endorphins were long believed to be the sole cause of a runner’s high.

But there’s a key problem with the endorphin theory. This is because endorphins circulating in the blood struggle to cross the blood-brain barrier – the tightly regulated system that protects the brain from substances in the bloodstream.

So while endorphins may well contribute to pain relief elsewhere in the body, they cannot fully explain the feelings of euphoria and emotional wellbeing generated by a runner’s high within the brain itself.

So scientists began searching for another explanation.

The breakthrough came with the discovery that exercise also activates the endocannabinoid system.

Endocannabinoids are naturally produced by our bodies. They help with functions such as pleasure, memory and stress regulation.

One of the most important chemicals produced by the endocannabinoid system is anandamide, one of the brain’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. It helps to reduce anxiety, ease pain and create feelings of calm and wellbeing. And, unlike endorphins, anandamide crosses the blood-brain barrier with ease.

After a long bout of aerobic exercise, blood concentrations of anandamide rise substantially. Once inside the brain, it activates cannabinoid receptors in regions involved in emotion, motivation, reward and pain perception.

The resulting effects are remarkably similar to many features of the runner’s high – including reduced anxiety, better movement, less pain and feelings of calm.

This isn’t to suggest that endorphins play no role in a runner’s high. Modern neuroscience suggests endorphins and endocannabinoids work together – with endocannabinoids probably playing the larger role in producing the emotional aspects of the experience.

Several other neurotransmitters also play a part in a runner’s high.

Dopamine, which is central to motivation and reward, helps reinforce actions that are beneficial for survival. Rather than simply producing pleasure, dopamine encourages us to repeat a behaviour that the brain considers valuable.

Serotonin contributes to emotional stability and wellbeing, while noradrenaline enhances alertness and focus.

Exercise also stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports the growth of new and existing brain connections and plays a vital role in learning and memory

Although BDNF probably doesn’t produce the immediate euphoria associated with runner’s high, it may help explain why regular running can improve various aspects of wellbeing.

The benefits of a runner’s high

A runner’s high is about far more than pleasure chemicals.

Running changes how different brain networks communicate. During prolonged, rhythmic exercise (such as running), activity within the default mode network – the collection of brain regions associated with self-reflection, worry and thinking – appears to decrease.

At the same time, brain regions involved in attention, movement and sensory processing become more coordinated. This shift may help explain why running often produces feelings of mental clarity or being completely immersed in the present moment.

For many people, the mental benefits of a runner’s high even outlast the run itself.

Exercise influences stress regulation, inflammation, neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt and change), sleep quality and emotional processing. This combination of benefits is something which few medical interventions achieve.

Importantly, scientists are increasingly recognising that the mental health benefits of exercise extend well beyond the runner’s high itself. Even people who never experience the euphoria of a runner’s high still show meaningful improvements in mood, cognition and resilience with regular physical activity.

But for those who still want to chase after a runner’s high, research suggests there’s a sweet spot to achieving it – and it doesn’t require long-distance, extreme endurance.

Most studies report increases in endocannabinoids after approximately 30 to 60 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise performed at moderate to vigorous intensity – so roughly 70-85% of maximum heart rate. The key is that the physiological stress is high enough to trigger these neurochemical responses without overwhelming the body.

That said, there is considerable individual variation. Although one survey found that around two-thirds of recreational runners had experienced a runner’s high at least once, it didn’t necessarily happen on every run.

Some people also appear naturally more responsive to exercise-induced endocannabinoid release. Genetics, sex, fitness level, sleep quality, psychological state and even expectations may all influence whether someone experiences runner’s high on any given day, too.

TransPennine Express (TPE) said a reduced service will run until 10am today.

A spokesperson for the train operator also said trains across the network may be delayed or cancelled at short notice until noon.

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Around 2pm yesterday, electricity cut out in the main control hub for North West England’s railways – the Manchester rail operating centre – near Ashburys station in the city’s east.

National Rail said the severity of the disruption means a number of trains and crew are in the wrong locations for the start of today’s planned services.

Passengers are being advised to check their journeys before travelling.

TPE said tickets dated for August 6 can be used on any of its trains on the booked route today, August 7, without additional charges.

🎥 #Manchester – The visual disruption map video has been updated#DisruptionVideos

ℹ️ Full video can be found here: https://t.co/W9hvWNiTWc pic.twitter.com/M4498fL8qz

— National Rail (@nationalrailenq) August 7, 2026

Advance Purchase tickets for today will have relaxed restrictions, allowing travel on any TPE train on the booked route.

Refunds are available for cancelled journeys or if TPE passengers are unable to complete their travel.

Affected TPE passengers can also use their tickets at no extra cost on Avanti West Coast services between Edinburgh/Glasgow Central and Preston, CrossCountry services between Leeds, York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh, and LNER services between York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh, up until 12:00 today.

East Midlands Railway services between Liverpool Lime Street and Sheffield, Metrolink services between Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, and Manchester Victoria, and all Bee Network buses are also accepting these TPE tickets up until 12:00 today.

The main services through York to the North West area terminate at Manchester Airport and Liverpool.

By JANE DENTON, MONEY REPORTER

Updated: 08:16 BST, 7 August 2026

The business that owns iconic Nottingham bike manufacturer Raleigh has begun insolvency proceedings.  

Accell, based in the Netherlands, acquired Raleigh for $100million in 2012 but said this week it had ‘exhausted all the available options’ and was ‘no longer able to meet its financial obligations’.

The fate of the Raleigh brand will now be decided by administrators. 

Raleigh confirmed a loss of £30.1million before tax in 2023 in its annual financial statement published in January 2025, against losses of £6.8million in 2022. 

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Raleigh previously confirmed redundancies in Nottingham in 2024 following a review of the company at the end of 2023 and left its headquarters in Church Street, Eastwood, to move to new premises. 

Raleigh was founded in 1887 and grew to be the largest bike manufacturer in the world. 

Downfall of an icon: The fate of Raleigh is now in the hands of administrators 

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At its peak, Raleigh was making 1million bikes a year at its factory in Nottingham and employed more than 8,000 people. 

Raleigh created the popular Chopper bike, with extended handlebars and seat with a backrest, in the 1970s. 

Jonas Nilsson, chief executive of Accell, said it was ‘a deeply sad and frustrating situation’.

Accell underwent a restructuring in February 2026, securing additional funding from shareholders and lenders, and reducing debts. 

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Accell said it had held discussions with several interested potential buyers, scrutinised multiple offers and looked at getting regulatory approval for a potential merger to help ensure Raleigh stayed viable. 

Nilsson said: ‘It is an especially difficult moment for our employees, creditors, customers, suppliers, and partners. 

‘Every realistic option for the future of the business has been tirelessly explored, and none have resulted in a solution to continue the Group in its current form. 

‘Our immediate focus is to support an orderly process, provide clarity wherever possible, and work with the relevant court-appointed administrators to preserve viable activities and employment where circumstances allow.’

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European bike and parts makers have come under pressure from Chinese rivals in recent decades, leading to fewer survivors in the sector. 

Accell was bought in 2022 in a £1.2billion buyout by the US private equity firm KKR. 

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Residents living in the shadow of the Llanwonno wildfire have described the fear of watching flames and smoke creep towards their homes, coming within just yards of their gardens.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) said on Thursday that the major incident had been stood down following days after helicopters releasing water onto the scorched earth. The fire covers 400 hectares – the equivalent to about 560 football pitches. On Sunday afternoon the scale was equivalent to 28 football pitches.

Residents in the nearby village of Blaenllechau say they have been living with smoke, road closures and fears they could be forced to leave their homes over the last few days. Read more here.

Ben, 47, from is believed to have been intending to go rock climbing when he was reported missing on Wednesday, August 5

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A body has been discovered during the search for a missing man.

Ben, from St Davids, in Pembrokeshire, wales, is believed to have been planning a rock climbing trip before he was reported missing on Wednesday, August 5.

Dyfed Powys Police confirmed that on Thursday, a body was recovered in the coastal area of Caer Bwdy.

In a statement released on Thursday evening, the force said: “Formal identification has not yet taken place, and while the family have been informed of this development, we are not in a position to confirm the identity of the deceased at this time. They are being supported by specially trained officers.

“We ask that the family’s privacy is respected while enquiries continue.”

Ben, 47, is thought to have set out from his St Davids home on Wednesday, August 5 at around midday with the intention of going rock climbing, reports Wales Online.

It is understood he was heading to either the Carreg y Barcud area, near Trelerw, or Caer Bwdy Bay, on the outskirts of St Davids in Pembrokeshire.

Concern grew amongst Ben’s family and friends after hours passed without any contact, prompting them to raise the alarm and call the emergency services.

Both a Coastguard vessel and helicopter were deployed as part of the search operation.

Analysis by Asthma + Lung UK Scotland reveals there was a sharp spike in the number of asthma emergency admissions for children when Scottish kids went back to school last year.

As children prepare to head back to the classroom, Asthma + Lung UK Scotland warns many could be at risk of having a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.

Analysis by Asthma + Lung UK Scotland reveals there was a sharp spike in the number of asthma emergency admissions for children when Scottish kids went back to school last year.

The number of children rushed to hospital with asthma symptoms in September 2025 was more than twice that in July 2025.

Now the charity is concerned asthma hospital admissions for children in Scotland may increase again in August and September this year, as children return to school.

Asthma + Lung UK Scotland’s most recent data from 2025 shows there were 55 hospital admissions for school-aged children in July, 73 in August and 146 in September.

In the last five years there have been 1,138 children admitted to hospital in an emergency for asthma in August and September.

This increase in hospital admissions can be explained by the disruption of preventer inhaler routines over school holidays, leading to children’s airways becoming more sensitive to asthma triggers when they go back to school.

According to the charity’s annual survey of people with lung conditions these triggers often include viruses, colds and dust.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “We welcome Asthma + Lung UK Scotland’s campaign work to raise awareness and help ensure children with asthma get the support they need to stay safe and well at school.

“Alongside this, Scotland’s National Severe Asthma Pathway, introduced earlier this year, is helping to improve the early identification and management of severe asthma across NHS Scotland.

“The Scottish Government has also issued guidance to schools, education authorities and health boards on the use of reliever inhalers in an emergency.

“Schools have discretionary powers to buy and hold spare salbutamol inhaler devices, without the need for a prescription, to use in emergency situations when a pupil’s own device is not available.”

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland, added: “When children go back to school after the summer holidays, a rise in the number of asthma attacks is often seen, unfortunately leading to more hospital visits. An increase in viruses, coughs and colds or dust mites in schools could be to blame.

“With this in mind, Asthma + Lung UK Scotland is asking parents and teachers to look out for signs that their child or pupil’s asthma may be worsening. This could be breathlessness, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and if it is, to take urgent action.

“Over the hectic summer holidays, preventer inhaler routines can sometimes slip, which can leave children much more vulnerable to an asthma attack when they return to school and are around more triggers.

“As a reminder too for schools, we would encourage them to download our fantastic free Asthma at School poster, so they are prepared for the new term and know what to do if a pupil does have an asthma attack.”

If you are concerned about your child’s asthma, please call Asthma + Lung UK’s helpline, which is run with thanks to funds raised by players of the Postcode Lottery. The number to call is 0300 222 5800.

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

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

Singer Jesy Nelson shared an update on her twin daughters as they’re set to have an operation

Jesy Nelson has admitted to feeling ‘terrified’ as she revealed her twin daughters were set to undergo an operation as they continue to face their heartbreaking diagnosis.

The former Little Mix star revealed in January that her twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monoroe, both aged 15 months, had been diagnosed with the rare condition spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), more specifically SMA Type 1, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness.

Jesy has kept fans updated on life with Ocean and Story, whom she shares with ex-fiance Zion Foster, since their diagnosis and has been seen fighting to change UK newborn screening laws.

The Department of Health were seen confirming last month that the national newborn screening programme for SMA will be rolled out across England as part of an evaluation programme from the end of this year, which means hundreds of thousands of babies will be screened as part of the simple heel prick blood test shortly after birth.

But it was on Thursday (August 6) that Jesy revealed the babies were having their nasogastric (NG) tubes removed on Friday (August 7). A nasogastric tube is a feeding tube passed through the nose, down the throat, and into the stomach, which delivers nutrients, fluids, and medications when a baby is unable to swallow unaided.

Sharing a picture of her little girls, Jesy wrote on Instagram: “Today is the last day of my baby girls having their ng tubes on their faces, as terrified as I am about them having their operation tomorrow, I cannot wait to finally see their faces again and see their little dimples that are always hidden under these plasters.”

She added: “I’ve honestly forgotten what it feels like to cuddle them and not worry about pulling their tube out of their nose or plasters off their faces. It really is the littlest things we take for granted as parents.”

It comes after doctors warned Jesy Ocean and Story were not responding to treatment the way they had hoped during their most recent three-month review at Great Ormond Street’s Children’s Hospital.

Jesy told The Sun: “Unfortunately, some of the numbers have gone down. We had a long discussion and there’s a possibility they may have to go back on treatment, which is just heartbreaking. I constantly battle between manifesting they’re going to defy the odds and trying to come to accept that that may not happen.

“It’s a really weird position to be in because you you think ‘well, if that doesn’t happen, am I just going to feel heartbroken for the rest of my life?’ Then you worry, if I accept it, am I also manifesting that?”

In a new update to passengers published 20 minutes ago, National Rail is warning disruption will be here for hours, as one train company has told passengers not to travel this morning.

The update said: “A failure of the electricity supply at a communications centre means trains across the Greater Manchester area and North West of England are being disrupted.

“Trains across the Greater Manchester area and North West of England will be cancelled, severely delayed or revised. Where trains can run, some may be severely delayed or will be revised to only run part of its route.

“Northern are advising do not travel until 10:00.

“Engineers are working hard to restore the issue and we are hopeful that train services will return to normal tomorrow. However, due to a number of trains being in the location, there will be some disruption to services on Friday morning.

“Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.”

Behind every great man, there is often a great woman, and for Jamie Oliver that has been his wife of 26 years, Jools.

The TV chef and the midwife, both 51, met as teenagers after they were set up on a double date.

At the time, Jools, then aged 17, relocated to Tokyo for three months for work – with Jamie writing her love letters every day. 

They managed to keep their romance alive and went on to tie the knot in 2000 and welcomed five children together: Poppy Honey Rose, 24, Daisy Boo Pamela, age 23, Petal Blossom Rainbow, 17, Buddy Bear Maurice, 15, and River Rocket Blue Dallas, nine.

Now their eldest daughter Poppy is preparing to tie the knot herself after getting engaged this week to her boyfriend of five years, Ben.

No doubt she’ll be hoping to have a marriage as enduring and strong as her parents’ -but while Jools and Jamie’s romance sounds like it’s been lifted from a romcom, they have had their fair share of trying times too.

From struggling with his ‘rock star fame’ to claims of an affair and a ‘rut’ that almost broke them, they’ve had to put in plenty of work to keep their fairytale alive.

The TV chef and the midwife, both 51, met as teenagers after they were set up on a double date

Now their eldest daughter Poppy is preparing to tie the knot herself after getting engaged to to boyfriend of five years, Ben, and is no doubt hoping for a marriage as enduring as her parents’

Jamie met his future wife in 1992 during a double date with his friend Jimmy Doherty, who went on to become a TV presenter.

In an interview with the Daily Mail in 2018, Jamie explained how Jimmy introduced him to Jools when he was 18 years old.

He said: ‘We went on a double date to the cinema in Cambridge – me, Jamie, Juliette and Sue Stump.

‘He had a Fiesta with big fog lights and an exhaust like a tractor on it. We were going over a hill listening to Bob Marley, Buffalo Soldier.

‘We’re all singing, the guy braked in front of us and Jamie smashed into him and knocked his front lights out.’

Oliver added: ‘My fog lights were hanging off so I just ripped them out and threw them away. I was so upset.’

‘Your car’s everything at that age,’ says Jimmy. ‘Juliette must have thought, “What the hell?”‘

Shortly after, Jools moved to Tokyo for a job and detailed how Jamie wrote to her every single day for three months straight.

In 2017, she posted a snap of the letter she has kept from her time away, writing: ‘When I was 17 I worked in Tokyo for three months and every single day Jamie sent me a letter or a fax without fail! These are only half of them.’

Reflecting on this time, Jamie admitted that they were heavily reliant on Jools’ job to survive in London.

He told Flow Magazine: ‘I was as poor as a church mouse; at the end of the month, I’d hardly have £100 left, and without Jools’ tips things would have been really grim.’

It didn’t take Jamie long to ask Jools’ father for his permission to propose. However, he was told they were too young to tie the knot.

Sadly, when Jools reached 22, her father passed away.

As Jamie could no longer ask him for permission, he decided to find a way to work his late father-in-law into his romantic proposal.

He explained: ‘I proposed to Jools in the pouring rain on Christmas Eve over his grave, which sounds really sad, but it was more out of respect for wanting to do it in front of him, even though he wasn’t alive.

‘It was a vile, dark time – but such a beautiful thing.’

In 1999, Jamie skyrocketed to fame when his show The Naked Chef premiered on BBC Two

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They went on to tie the knot in 2000 and welcome five children together

In 1999, Jamie skyrocketed to fame when his show The Naked Chef premiered on BBC Two.

He went on to release a series of best-selling cookbooks, which helped turn him into a household name.

During the early days of their relationship, Jamie and Jools had agreed he would spend five years on the London restaurant scene before returning to Essex to open a pub and raise a family. 

However, this wasn’t the path that actually happened. 

After training at Westminster Catering College and working in Carluccio’s, the 23-year-old became the sous chef at The River Cafe,  where his natural talent in front of the cameras was picked up by BBC producers filming a documentary about the Fulham restaurant.

In an interview with The Telegraph in 2010, Jamie explained how women began ‘throwing themselves’ at him during the show’s three-year run.

He said: ‘It was classic slightly rock star-esque: random knickers and bras getting thrown at you.

‘When The Naked Chef kicked off, it was a bit like a pop band. The memories of it were absolutely ballistically crazy.’

One year after the show aired, Jamie and Jools tied the knot at their local church in Essex – with the chef later admitting he found the ceremony ‘awkward and embarrassing’.

During his appearance on the Newlyweds podcast, he explained: ‘The first time you get married, it’s like, it just feels a bit awkward and embarrassing with all your family there. 

‘But if you ever get married again, if you get to 10 years or 20 years, the words are different. Because you’ve earned every single line and it was really, really emotional.’

After their wedding, Jools worked as Jamie’s personal assistant – but stepped back from the role to focus on childcare.

Elsewhere in his Flow magazine interview, Jamie hinted that his wife never sought out fame – and would have ‘liked a more modest life’.

Although The Naked Chef ended in 2001, Jamie then went on to present the shows Oliver’s Twist and Jamie’s Kitchen.

Meanwhile, Jamie’s School Dinners saw the chef travel around the UK trying to improve the quality of meals served to schoolchildren.

In 2005, at the height of Jamie’s fame, he promised his wife he would step back from work for six months to spend more time with their growing family.

During this time, they had daughters Poppy Honey – who was born in March 2002 – and Daisy Boo, who followed in April 2003.

In 2005, at the height of Jamie’s fame, he promised his wife he would step back from work for six months to spend more time with their growing family 

However, Jamie reportedly broke this promise when he embarked on a six-week tour of Italy for the Channel 4 show Jamie’s Great Italian Escape

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However, Jamie reportedly broke this promise when he embarked on a six-week tour of Italy for the Channel 4 show Jamie’s Great Italian Escape.

At this time, fans began to speculate that the pair’s marriage was under strain due to the chef being filmed telling his wife to ‘f**k off’ when she called, The Metro reported.

But in the years that followed, Jamie admitted he regretted spending so much time away from his eldest daughters when they were younger.

He also credited his wife with helping him find a balance between his demanding career and personal life.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2013, he said: ‘I used to go away for four weeks at a time quite often when the girls were about two and three. I was growing a business. And I would think it didn’t matter and they were happy with Jools.

‘But I realise now it did matter. I have a wonderful relationship with my older girls and I’m not worried about anything, but I think I’ll have to earn my stripes with them when they’re older.’

As a result, Jamie adjusted his schedule, with Jools ensuring her husband takes weekends off and also has six weeks’ holiday per year.

In 2021, Jamie detailed how Jools has been a silent force who has allowed him to flourish in his career.

Speaking to the Australian magazine Women’s Weekly, he explained: ‘She’s been a really solid and utterly important part of my life and my job’s quite exciting.

‘[My job] expects quite a lot, and she’s my rock. She allows me to do my thing but then comes home and lets me be me… And I think she still quite likes me, which is really nice.’

Around this time, Jools said of their marriage: ‘We bicker all the time. A lot of my friends can’t believe how much. He drives me mad because he never listens to me and I drive him mad because I can be horribly selfish.’

In 2021, Jamie detailed how Jools has been a silent force who has allowed him to flourish in his career

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Despite being devoted to each other for many years, Jools admitted that she keeps her husband in check by monitoring his devices and social media accounts.

She told The Telegraph in 2011: ‘I’ll check his email. I’ll check his Twitter.

‘I’ll check his phone. Everything seems fine. He says I’m a jealous girl, but I think I’m fairly laidback, considering.’

Seven years later, Jamie revealed his wife had accused him of having an affair in an interview with Closer magazine.

He said: ‘My missus accused me of having an affair once, because I kept disappearing and coming back with green on my knees. It was courgette season and I was in the vegetable patch!’

Jamie and his wife Jools went on to welcome Petal Blossom, 17, Buddy Bear, 15, and River Rocket, nine.

However, Jools’ road to motherhood wasn’t always smooth-sailing.

Over the years, the mother suffered five miscarriages, including one in lockdown and another that could have cost her her life.

Appearing on the baby loss charity Saying Goodbye’s Life & Soul podcast in 2021, Jools explained how she ‘felt guilty’ speaking about her miscarriages because she thought she was putting her loved ones ‘through hell for her own selfish gain’.

She said: ‘I stopped telling my friends, I didn’t even tell my mum as I was sure she was thinking, “You’re 40 something, you’ve got a wonderful family, you’ve got everything you’ve ever wanted, why are you pushing it?”‘

Two years ago Jamie and Jools flew out to the Maldives with their children to renew their vows

The couple with their five children: Poppy, 24, Daisy Boo, 23, Petal Blossom, 17, Buddy Bear, 15, and River Rocket, nine

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Elsewhere in the podcast, Jools detailed how her second miscarriage, which made her home look like a ‘murder scene’, could have proven fatal and has left her with PTSD.

In 2023, Jamie and Jools flew out to the Maldives with their children to renew their vows.

Speaking on the Newlyweds podcast, he told hosts Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo: ‘We were going to renew our vows at 20 years and then covid happened. So, it was at 23 years.

‘The girls were leaving for university and stuff, so it did feel like the nest was starting to break up.

‘We’d never been on what you would call a posh holiday, so we went to the Maldives. 

‘I was a bit embarrassed about the whole thing, if I’m really honest, and I wasn’t so into it until we got there, and then when we got there, I think I probably enjoyed it more than anyone. It was just so nice’.

Elsewhere in the podcast, Jamie admitted that he has felt ‘lonely sometimes’ in his marriage and added: ‘There’s sometimes, like a month and a half, were you don’t quite like each other very much.’

However, he then went on to confess he’ll get over that feeling and fall in love with his wife all over again.

The couple tied the knot once again in a casual ceremony, in front of a tribute to Jool’s favourite hitmaker of all time, Elvis Presley in Vegas.

Last year, Jamie revealed Jools is neurodivergent – three months after confirming that some of the couple’s five children have also been diagnosed.

The chef spoke candidly about his wife to Davina McCall on her podcast Begin Again and admitted Jools’ condition can make life ‘really challenging’.

Jamie told Davina: ‘She’s quite in the background and she’s done that on purpose. She’s definitely the rock. She’s got incredible instinct…

‘She’s incredibly kind, very funny. I love her to bits. I can’t really talk for her but she has neurodiversities that make her life really interesting and really challenging…

‘Of course there’s positives, but there’s loads of things that, you know – she makes us the way that we are. And I’m very grateful for Jools… and an amazing mum.’

Neurodivergent is a term that describes people whose brains function differently, encompassing conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia.

That year, the couple reflected on a quarter of a century together and lifted the lid on the secret to a happy marriage. 

Jamie gushed over his wife as he admitted ‘opposites attract’ and said he feels ‘very blessed’ to have been married for so long.

Jamie told Good Housekeeping UK: ‘I wouldn’t be the first to say opposites attract. We get on very well and we genuinely like each other, but we’re also very different.

‘That can create a certain tension, but it also seems to work, and I feel very blessed to have had 25 years.’

In June this year, the pair marked his 26th wedding anniversary with a slew of sweet throwback snaps.

In the trio of images, the couple looked loved-up and fresh-faced, with two images showing them cosied up and one striking snap of Jools on her own.

He added a caption reading: ‘Just a little @joolsoliver appreciation post because she has truly been my rock for 26 years !! What would I do without her?’

This week, the doting parents announced their eldest daughter Poppy has gotten engaged to her boyfriend, Ben, with Jools sharing pictures of Poppy’s engagement on Instagram 

This week, the doting parents announced their eldest daughter Poppy has gotten engaged to her boyfriend Ben.

Jools shared pictures of their eldest daughter’s engagement on Instagram on Wednesday.

A delighted Jools wrote: ‘Probably one of my favourite reels so far. Our first baby Poppy Honey is getting married.

‘We are so excited, proud and happy. Ben we all adore you. Little did I know as we moved Pop in to her second house at university, whilst I was sweating over your shoe rack flat pack you seemed very distracted with the boy who had just moved in next door…

‘5 years later you had met you soul mate. so excited for the next chapter love you xxx @bennewman___ @katenewman.’

Jamie then added on his Story: ‘Happy engagement my baby girl Poppy and Ben. I’m so please for you both. What a wonderful moment.’

The post showed Ben getting down on one knee during a beautiful sunset on the beach.

Ben and Poppy met at university and then, after graduating, they went travelling around Australia together.