Great British Bake Off fans were impressed by Nigella Lawson as she made her debut as a new judge on Tuesday night. 

The TV chef was welcomed to the tent in an entertaining Doctor Who themed skit, which saw departing Prue Leith, 86, say her final farewell before regenerating into Nigella, 66. 

In the opening segment, host Alison Hammond said: ‘It feels like the end of an era.’ 

A ‘proving’ box Tardis then emerged with Alison, co-host Noel Fielding and judge Paul Hollywood bidding farewell to Prue as she headed into the Tardis for the ‘regeneration’. 

Nigella then appeared and fans took to X to share their excitement, with fans also praising the star for making the most of the chance to taste the bakers’ creations by helping herself to a big portion. 

They wrote: ‘Yay – Nigella Lawson is back on the telly!’ and ‘Crying at Bake Off having Prue Leith ‘regenerate’ into Nigella Lawson’

The TV chef was welcomed to the tent in an entertaining Doctor Who themed skit, which saw departing Prue Leith, 86, say her final farewell before regenerating into Nigella, 66

Prue announced last year that she had decided to leave The Great British Bake Off, and in January it was revealed that Nigella would be replacing her

‘Love how Nigella is inhaling these cakes – proper tasting, what a woman!’

‘Nigella bringing back the joy, wit and honesty that Mel and Sue had.’ 

‘Think this means Nigella Lawson is now officially the incumbent Doctor’

‘Nigella Lawson on Bake Off. My goodness. I adore that woman. Absolutely adore Nigella Lawson. I’m deeply content at the moment.’ 

And as the new batch of bakers kicked things off, it was far from smooth sailing as it all ends in tears for Molly – with Alison left consoling her. 

In tribute to Nigella’s first show, the contestant’s first challenge was to recreate one of her most beloved recipes: an iconic stout cake. 

But as Molly’s sponges emerged from the oven disaster soon struck, resulting in one of the first dramatic baking mishaps of the series as she accidentally lost grip of the cake. 

The cake clattered to the floor and steam was seen rising from the freshly baked offering. 

Fans also praised the star for making the most of the chance to taste the bakers’ creations by helping herself to a big portion

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Fans took to X to praise the ‘warm and witty’ star after her hilarious debut

And as the new batch of bakers kicked things off, it was far from smooth sailing as it all ends in tears for Molly – with Alison left consoling her

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As Molly’s sponges emerged from the oven, disaster soon struck, resulting in one of the first dramatic baking mishaps of the series as she accidentally lost grip of the cake

She then looked up from the broken baked good and simply said: ‘I’m going to cry,’ as the others glanced over to see what has happened.

As the tears fell, she took herself outside for some fresh air as she explained to a consoling Alison that she was ‘only using one oven glove’ and that the cake tin ‘got caught on the oven shelf’.

Despite a few hiccups, Bake Off’s opening episode saw the surprise news that no one would be leaving the tent, after Shannon was forced to withdraw from the Showstopper due to illness.

Hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding then shared that due to Shannon’s exit, no one would be leaving the tent, with Mo awarded the Star Baker honour after impressing with his first week of creations.

As ever, this year’s Bake Off sees the introduction of wild and wacky themed weeks, and the 2026 competition will include ‘wearable’ bakes, a free-from week and, upon audience request, a signature challenge during which bakers must compete alongside a relative of their choice. 

Ahead of her debut, Nigella said she is ‘no polished’ baker herself and is now concerned that she won’t be up to scratch.

She told the Radio Times: ‘I was a bit worried because, well, you wouldn’t mark me up for my polished finishes as a baker.

‘Generally speaking, I don’t think of myself as a judge. I came to baking later in life and because of that it’s something that intrigues and fascinates me.

‘I’ve learnt by doing and I’m a home baker, not a professional. It’s quite interesting because the contestants are home bakers, too, so I have sympathy for that.’

For more than two decades, Nigella has worn the tiara of the British food culture scene, famed for her best-selling cookery books and television shows including Simply Nigella.

Bake Off is not Nigella’s first foray into the world of televised cooking competitions but her previous judging positions centred around scrutinising professional chefs in MasterChef Australia rather than amateur bakers.

Nigella is acutely aware of the big boots she is expected to fill as she describes her new role: ‘I felt it was a huge leap, but it’s been lovely.’

Her fellow judge, Paul, who Nigella describes as the ‘backbone of Bake Off’, has previously worked alongside Dame Mary Berry and Dame Prue Leith since the show first aired 16 years ago.

Paul said: ‘The thing is Mary was different to Prue, Prue was different to Nigella and Nigella is different to Mary.

‘They each bring their own character to it, and Nigella is a very warm person, especially to the bakers. More so than Mary was and I think more akin to Prue.

‘There’s a very nurturing nature to Nigella, which was quite strong this year. Whereas me, I suppose I’m the constant. So I remain in my position of being constructively critical.’

Malcolm Offord had insisted an IndyRef2 should not be debated by the Scottish Parliament as the matter is reserved to Westminster.

Reform MSPs flounced out of the Holyrood chamber tonight after the party failed to get a debate on independence cancelled.

Malcolm Offord had insisted the issue of IndyRef2 should not be debated by the Scottish Parliament as the matter is reserved to Westminster.

But Kenny Gibson, the Presiding Officer, told the Reform leader in Scotland: “This is a parliament and it’s free to debate any issue it wishes.”

Offord then branded the debate a “farce” and led his MSPs in a walkout – to jeers and laughter from members of other parties.

Gibson later branded that “a gross discourtesy to all members”. But Offord, a former Tory peer, insisted: “This debate is not just a farce, it is an insult to the Scottish electorate who expect their politicians to deal with serious issues in their communities.”

He argued that Scots wanted to see MSPs dealing with “shocking” homelessness figures released earlier on Tuesday, the nation’s public finances or drug deaths – with a further rise in these expected to be announced on Wednesday.

“These are the serious matters of Government,” the Reform MSP said. “In contrast this debate is ill-judged, self-serving and wholly inappropriate.

“Reform won’t engage further in these pointless proceedings. We didn’t come into the Parliament to waste our time on vanity projects, and therefore I withdraw my amendment and we will exit from the chamber.”

It came as MSPs debated from John Swinney which declared: “Scotland is a nation that has a right to decide its own future.”

This was passed by 84 votes to 18 – despite Prime Minister Andy Burnham having recently made clear another referendum is “off limits”.

The Prime Minister however had to pull back from comments he made in the Commons chamber, which appeared to suggest a second ballot on independence could be possible if Scots support one.

But Swinney claimed Burnham’s opposition to another referendum “cannot hold”.

The SNP leader added: “My party believes it is for the people of Scotland to decide when there is an independence referendum.”

Saying that Scotland needs the “fresh start” of independence, he told MSPs the “fundamental right to decide our nation’s future remains”.

Referring back to the 2014 referendum – where 55% of voters backed staying in the UK – Mr Swinney said: “Just because a right has been exercised once does not mean it can never be exercised again.

“If the people of Scotland themselves want the opportunity to ask the question again, who has the right to stop them?

“Scotland is a nation and its people have the right to decide their future.

“The UK is a voluntary union, which means its nations can stay part of it or they can choose their independence.

“These two things were once accepted right across the political spectrum in Scotland.”

His comments were echoed by Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer, who insisted: “Our journey of self determination, our journey of national democracy, didn’t end in 2014. Democracy isn’t a one-off event.”

He added: “The public are not bound by a decision made in 2014 any more than this Parliament is bound by its predecessors.”

But new Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra said the Parliament’s priority should be “getting back on track” with targets for tackling child poverty.

And an amendment from him called on Holyrood to reaffirm its commitment to child poverty targets – including the ambition to cut the number of youngsters living in relative poverty to less than 10% by 2030.

Marra said it was “disappointing, but not surprising the SNP has a different priority” to this.

His comments came as he insisted Scotland “can be a fairer and stronger nation without being a separate state”.

He added: “I don’t believe we have to risk our currency, our defence, our markets and our budgets to deliver a more equal and just Scotland.”

Police in Inverness are seeking to trace a man who speaks with a Liverpudlian accent following an ‘incident’ in the city centre.

A man who may be from Liverpool could hold the key to an investigation into an ‘incident’ in Inverness city centre. Police have released a CCTV image of the man who they wish to speak to following the incident in the early hours of Sunday, July 6.

He is understood to have spoken with a Liverpudlian accent and is believed to be from Liverpool. Police described the man as white, of heavy build and over 6ft tall.

Officers were called following the incident in Stephen’s Brae at around 1am on July 6. At the time, the man was wearing a black jacket, black trousers, and black trainers, with a black cap.

No details of the incident were released by Police Scotland. Anyone who knows the man or who may be able to help trace him is asked to come forward.

Consett Community Market runs across several town venues on Saturday, September 26, from 10am to 3pm.

The market has grown so quickly that organisers booked another hall for extra stallholders.

Visitors can browse food producers, bakers, craft sellers, authors and fashion retailers, plus hot-food vendors and outdoor stalls on Middle Street.

Indoor traders will set up at Consett Methodist Church on Station Road, the Foundation for Good building on Trafalgar Street and the town’s Masonic Hall on John Street.

Among the businesses attending will be Geordie Bangers, Cassie’s Scotch Eggs and a range of bakers selling cakes, fresh bread and savoury produce.

Organisers say the market’s craft stalls will help shoppers get ahead with their Christmas shopping.

Mr Mix HQ on Medomsley Road will also open from 10am to noon, giving visitors free popcorn and candy floss as they travel between venues.

Extra parking will be available at Consett Academy and Derwentside College.

The market organiser said its success showed growing support from traders and shoppers, adding that public backing would help it expand and return in future years.

In November 2025, Cllr Kathryn Rooney warned that Consett’s community markets could disappear if footfall did not improve, saying people needed to support them, but has welcomed the return of the event.

She said: “I love to see Consett busy on market day; it has a real buzz.”

Organisers have also announced plans for future market events, including children’s crafts on October 31.

While the December 5 market will be treated to a visit from Santa himself.

Detective Superintendent Dan Thompson, the Met’s spiking lead, said: “We’re seeing offenders use a wider range of substances than ever before, including everyday medications and substances added to vapes, while increasingly targeting victims in private settings such as homes, parties and student accommodation.

Almost a dozen toilet cubicles could become “stoma-friendly” as part of an effort by councillors to improve provision for people with the “life-changing condition”.

Whitby Town Council should “convert one cubicle in each of the male and female toilet blocks at Abbey Headland, New Quay Road, Pier Road, the Market Place and West Cliff to being ‘stoma-friendly’ this financial year,” a motion, proposed by Cllr Jacqui Layman and seconded by Cllr Chris Riddolls states.

READ MORE: What people think about 50p cost of York public toilets

The proposal will be debated at a full meeting of the town council on Tuesday, September 22.

Approximately one in 335 people in this country have a stoma, the motion notes, and “whilst it is a life-changing condition, it is neither difficult nor expensive to make adequate provision to provide a safe, clean, and dignified place in which to change their pouches”.

The councillors have estimated the cost of the conversions would be “modest” at around £250 per cubicle, with a total cost of £2,500.

“Hooks to hang a coat and a bag, a small table to lay out supplies and appliances, a mirror to see what they’re doing and a bin to discreetly dispose of the old bags are all that is needed,” the motion notes.

People with a stoma have additional needs when using the toilet and even a simple day trip can be a potential source of anxiety, according to Colostomy UK, a charity that supports people with stomas and those who care about them.

A spokesperson said: “Because the condition is ‘hidden’, they often face discrimination too, being challenged or criticised for using accessible toilets.

“In our recent survey, more than 30 per cent of respondents stated that they had experienced problems of this nature in shops, sporting venues and visitor attractions, etc.”

Whitby Town Council. Courtesy Numminen/LDRS

The charity said that becoming a stoma-friendly organisation is about “more than meeting accessibility standards; it’s about creating environments where people living with a stoma feel confident, respected and able to participate fully in everyday life”.

“As awareness grows around inclusive design and health-sensitive customer experiences, organisations across retail, property and facilities management are recognising both the social and commercial value of supporting stoma needs,” Stoma UK’s website states.

In the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian armoured columns pushed east along the Zhytomyr highway towards Kyiv. Makariv, a small settlement of about 10,000 people 36 miles west of Kyiv, sat on their route. The town was wrecked in the month of fighting that ensued.

Roughly 40% of the settlement’s infrastructure was destroyed and the bodies of 132 executed civilians were recovered by April 2022. A 2026 account puts the total death toll as high as 238. Yet Makariv was never taken. It held, with Russian forces only taking control of about 10% of its land, and Kyiv held behind it.

“For some reason, Makariv was bypassed in the press,” said local museum curator Vitaly Gedz in a 2026 interview. “They wrote about Makariv twice, ‘it was occupied and then liberated’ … It was only 10% occupied, but it was very badly destroyed.”

On a visit to Makariv the previous year, we visited Gedz’s museum. Among the objects on display there were military maps recovered after Russian forces withdrew. Russian units were found to be carrying Soviet-era sheets, some of which dated back to 1969, with the modern border between Russia and Ukraine often added in pen.

In the early days of the invasion, Ukraine’s national road agency also asked communities to take down road signs to disorientate the advancing Russian columns. For a few weeks in 2022, being hard to read was a defence for Makariv. It is not any longer.

What the record cannot see

Ukraine’s recovery needs currently stand at nearly US$588 billion (£435 billion) – almost three times its GDP for 2025. This total is still moving. Damaged energy assets alone rose by roughly 21% between February 2025 and February 2026, when the fourth and fifth assessments of Ukraine’s reconstruction needs were released.

According to a recent BBC analysis, Kyiv is also now suffering more daily air raid alerts than at any time in the war so far. This bombardment comes weeks after the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, Pyotr Tolstoy, urged strikes on Ukrainian cities “to demoralise the public”.

Funds for reconstruction across Ukraine must therefore be rationed, and this rationing runs on records with a particular shape. Ukraine’s national recovery and reconstruction is managed using two main online databases. The first of these is the Register of Damaged and Destroyed Property.

This register records which buildings have been harmed, who owns them and what they are worth. An entry is what allows households and businesses to claim compensation, and it will form the basis of any future reparation claim against Russia.

Getting a building on to this list is the responsibility of each individual council. The fourth assessment of Ukraine’s reconstruction needs found that, in December 2024, the register held information about “90+ percent” of damaged apartment blocks in Ukraine but only “nearly 60 percent” of damaged single-family houses.

One survey of a block registers hundreds of dwellings, while a street of houses must be walked gate by gate by staff small councils generally do not have. Like many other small settlements across Ukraine, Makariv is built mainly of houses, the category the register is worst at recording.

The second database is the Digital Reconstruction Ecosystem for Accountable Management. More commonly known as Dream, this is the official platform for the Ukrainian government’s public investment plan. Councils enter their own projects and funders choose from what is there.

The project data local authorities need to provide include descriptions, building designs, budget breakdowns, contracting and payment records and even photos, all of which take time and require money to record. This matters in towns and villages where public servants may not have the resources or experience.

We looked up what Makariv has put into Dream. Its council has registered 70 projects on the portal. Nearly 50% carry no costed amount at all, compared with 24% nationally. An uncosted project cannot be funded, bundled or compared.

This absence has consequences. In July 2025, we held a workshop in Makariv with around 30 residents, including teachers, clerical staff, museum workers and veterans. Interrupted by air alerts, they marked a plan of the settlement spread across two tables.

One woman traced her journey to work, which has grown from 5 miles to 20 miles since the overpass where the Makariv road crosses the Zhytomyr highway was wrecked in 2022. Others pointed out that when a fire breaks out in Makariv or the outlying villages, the fire engine now comes from Byshiv nearly 14 miles away as Makariv’s own station has been destroyed.

None of this argues against digital reconstruction. Ukraine’s systems are among the most transparent anywhere. It is an argument about who does the work of being counted, because a system that asks local authorities to enter themselves will always favour those with staff to spare.

Trump has also been meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

Earlier, Guterres gave his farewell speech as UN secretary general, urging unnamed superpowers to recognise “that their power isn’t so super”.

“The fault lines in our world are widening,” Guterres said, citing geopolitical rivalries, wars, climate change and artificial intelligence.

By contrast, Trump criticised international institutions, accusing the UN of a “far-left agenda of globalist bureaucrats who nobody ever elected”.

The US president instead emphasised national sovereignty and “unmatched” American military power.

“There is no global government,” he said.

He also warned that the US would not allow threats to establish themselves anywhere in the Western hemisphere.

“If necessary, we will use our unmatched military might to secure the vital national interests of the United States,” he said.

Trump accused Cuba’s communist government of cultivating ties to left-wing groups in the US, including the Communist Party USA, Antifa and the Democratic Socialists of America.

The Cuban delegation also appeared to walk out of the assembly chamber as Trump turned his sights on them, referring to the island as a “failed state”.

Kash Patel is facing a major security breach at the FBI after hackers claimed to have stolen personal data on every employee and job applicant at the bureau.

ShinyHunters, a notorious hacking gang, said it obtained FBI agents’ names, home addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth, and even details on their spouses. 

The gang also defaced the FBI’s jobs website on Tuesday, writing: ‘This site has been seized by ShinyHunters.’ The message mocked the seizure notices the bureau plasters on criminal sites it takes down. 

They then trolled Donald Trump, ending the message with the president’s trademark Truth Social sign-off: ‘Thank you for your attention to this matter.’  

One of the hackers issued a menacing threat to the Trump administration in an interview with 404 Media, which first reported the alleged breach. 

‘What we plan to do is not something I’d call extortion, maybe coercion,’ the hacker said of their plans, adding that it was ‘not financially motivated.’ 

The gang typically steals data and then demands ransom, threatening to dump more files if victims refuse to pay. 

The FBI told the Daily Mail in a statement: ‘The FBI is aware of claims regarding unauthorized activity affecting FBIjobs.gov and is currently investigating.’ 

A sample of 5,000 records shared by the gang contained purported addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth, and in some cases details on spouses. 

Some of the leaked phone numbers matched people with the same names in open-source intelligence databases, and several were linked to Justice Department personnel, according to checks by 404 Media.  

The message left on the jobs site went further, claiming the gang had personal and health information on current and former FBI employees, plus every applicant. 

‘We have a lot more than we claim here,’ it added.

The site was later knocked offline, with a notice warning that the Special Agent Applicant Portal was ‘currently unavailable.’

The FBI has previously warned that ShinyHunters-linked criminals use stolen personal information to harass victims and their families. 

The representative said the gang struck on Monday night by exploiting a previously unknown flaw, called a zero-day, in Oracle’s PeopleSoft software. 

The hackers then claimed to have accessed Amazon’s AWS GovCloud servers, a cloud service built to hold sensitive US government data, and stolen between two and three terabytes of files. 

Donald Trump attends a meeting at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday

The Daily Mail has contacted Oracle and Amazon for comment. 

The alleged breach comes as Patel, 46, faces mounting scrutiny over controversies at the bureau since he was sworn in as FBI director in February last year. 

Patel last week faced heated questioning at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing over changes to FBI hiring standards involving prostitution and bestiality. 

Patel defended the changes, saying they were meant to let victims of those acts apply for FBI jobs without being automatically disqualified.

In April, Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic over an article alleging mismanagement at the agency and excessive drinking, claims he denies. 

He has also faced scrutiny over his use of the bureau’s $60 million jet, including a trip to see his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, perform at a Penn State wrestling event last year. 

Patel has insisted he is ‘entitled to a personal life just like my other agency counterparts with their partners.’

Greater Manchester Police were called to reports of a stabbing at around 5.40pm on Tuesday

Two teenage boys have been taken to hospital after a stabbing in Greater Manchester that prompted a major emergency response.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police were called to Whittaker Lane in Prestwich at about 5.40pm on Tuesday following reports of a stabbing. Ambulances and police crews were dispatched to the scene near the Royal Oak pub, while an air ambulance landed in nearby Heaton Park shortly after 6pm.

The boys’ injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing. No arrests have been made and investigations are continuing, with detectives appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward, the M.E.N reports.

Crime Scene Investigators were observed arriving at the scene just after 8pm, while a large police cordon remained in place throughout Tuesday evening, leaving drivers unable to retrieve vehicles parked within the restricted area.

Metrolink’s Bury line has also been affected, with Heaton Park station closed in both directions since around 6.30pm. Passengers have been advised to use Bowker Vale or Prestwich stations as alternatives.

A GMP spokesperson confirmed: “Police were called around 5.40pm on Tuesday (22/09/26), to reports of a stabbing on Whittaker Lane, Prestwich. Emergency services attended and two teenage boys were taken to hospital. Enquiries are ongoing.

“Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101 or via the LiveChat function at gmp.police.uk and quote log 2743 of 22/09/2026. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

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