Want a sci-fi show? That also has thrills? You’ve come to the right place (Picture: Bettina Strauss/BBCA)
Looking to queue up another sci-fithriller rather than stepping outside this weekend to face the tundra? We’ve got you covered.
Or rather, the Metro readers have. We asked for your favourite little-known sci-fi gems, and you certainly came through.
The list includes time-travelling shenanigans, the far-off corners of outer space and even a misfit detective with some otherworldly cases to crack.
Some stick to the hard-and-fast conventions, while others play around within your expectations of the genre — and they’re all well worth your time.
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Heck, you even mentioned Farscape! That’s a deep pull!
So here’s the list of sci-fi thrillers that might not have crossed your screens yet…
Farscape
Alas, Farscape was prematurely cancelled (Picture: Channel/Kobal/Shutterstock)
You’re in for a treat, because this one was the most recommended choice among readers.
Farscape debuted back in 1999 and soon became one of TV’s leading sci-fi cult classics. The show stars Ben Browder as astronaut John Crichton, who ends up caught in the swirl of a wormhole.
It chucks him out in a distant corner of the universe, where he bands together with a bunch of alien refugees on the ship Moya. But life is never peaceful far out in the cosmos, and they’re being chased by Peacekeepers – think the Hunger Games militaristic version, and you’re not far off who they are here.
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The plan for Farscape was to make a five-season arc, but the show was abruptly cancelled before the final instalment, going out with 88 (!) episodes in the bank. The worst thing about the cancellation was it ended on a loose end. Until 2004, when the show returned with the three-hour miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars to tie everything up.
Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Muppets was how reader Lee Miles, who owned the box set back in the day, billed the show.
Ali Luck put it bluntly enough: ‘I don’t want to have to say Farscape because people should all know about it. But just in case… Farscape.’
Continuum
One for Black Mirror fans (Picture: Channel/Everett/Shutterstock)
Read the synopsis of Continuum, and it has a clear tinge of the mind-bending Black Mirror – this wouldn’t be a list of sci-fi thrillers if we didn’t bring up Charlie Brooker’s opus somewhere.
Having run from 2012 to 2015, this sci-fi thriller meets cop drama stars 2077 cybernetically enhanced cop Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols), who is trapped in present-day Vancouver.
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Except it might be better there, because 2077 is run by huge corporations. (Are we far off that though…?)
Like 1984 before it, the world has become hi-tech and hugely reliant on surveillance to keep everyone in check. Not that everyone does, because Kiera is tasked with chasing the dissenting terrorist organisation Liber-8 through time.
Continuum was a show that got smarter the further it went along. Plus, Adam Whatford said it had a ‘valid political commentary’ when it first aired in the 2010s, adding: ‘Unfortunately, the commentary is still very much valid today.’
12 Monkeys
It’s James vs the monkeys in question (Picture: Channel/Everett/Shutterstock)
You might be thinking, ‘Isn’t that a Brad Pitt film?’ Well, yes, it is, but it was also a TV show with a few of the same characters. Plus, it feels like a good sign if there are multiple versions of something, right? Why else would they both?
Here, the time-travelling plot focuses on James (X-Men’s Aaron Stanford), a scavenger in 2043 – okay, this was a bit further away when the show aired in 2015 than it is now.
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That is indeed the year he returns to in order to prevent the contagion of a gruesome plague, called the Kalavirus, which led to a small little thing called the decimation of humanity. James’ mission is to eliminate those 12 monkeys that first caused the virus.
We jump back and forth between the present day 2010s and the future of the 2040s as we go, so it’s a lot of fun for anyone who enjoys Loop-style cause-and-effect hokey cokey.
Ben Dieter Holt had particularly high praise for the show, writing: ‘One of the best things I’ve ever watched and probably surpasses the original film.’
Word on the street is the first season is a bit lacklustre, but persevere because it’s upwards from there on out.
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Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
Yes, that’s Elijah Wood as a bellhop! (Picture: AMC/Katie Yu)
With an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, you can’t go wrong with this, and it’s easily available to watch over on Netflix.
Based on Douglas Adams’ detective novel series, this sci-fi entry first aired back in 2016 and follows bellhop Todd Brotzman, played by one of the legends of another hugely popular genre, Elijah Wood.
It’s just another day at work for Todd, until he comes under suspicion for having murdered a millionaire in the hotel penthouse – not good! Rescue comes in the form of titular smooth-talking detective Dirk Gently (extra points for the fun name) Dirk Gently (Samuel Barnett).
Instead of suspecting Todd, he convinces the bellhop to work with him on cracking the case. But this is when the sci-fi elements comes into play, because it turns out that his work tends to involve the paranormal.
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You might not have heard of the show before, but Justin Bodle has and described it as the ‘best program on Netflix’ before its unfortunate cancellation with two seasons in the bank.
Space – Above and Beyond
The rag-tag group cobbled together from Earth’s military (Picture: Hard Eight/Kobal/Shutterstock)
Nathan Hobbs recommended Space – Above and Beyond, calling it ‘one of the best and most overlooked sci-fi series ever made’, adding that it was 30 years ahead of its time.
Set in 2063, the show follows members of the US Marine Corps 58th Squadron of the Space Aviator Cavalry known as the Wildcards.
This rag-tag group has been cobbled together from Earth’s military following an attack on our solar system by a mysterious alien race known as The Chigs and represents humanity’s last hope of defeating the extraterrestrial menace.
While the series only ran for one season, it’s fondly remembered by sci-fi fans and regularly appears on lists of underappreciated TV series.
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Indeed, Starburst Magazine said in a 2018 review that ‘it’s stunning how well the series has aged since its original run’ while Jesse Alexander of i09 claimed you could see the influence the series had on beloved shows like Lost, 24, and Alias.
Sliders
This weird show followed a group of interdimensional explorers (Picture: Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock)
Chris Jrj, meanwhile, proved he’s a man of exquisite taste when he recommended the woefully underrated Sliders.
They wrote: ‘Real heroes will mention Sliders. Legendary heroes remember watching Sliders long enough for it to get a bit rubbish.’
This weird show followed a group of interdimensional explorers who invented a miraculous piece of technology that allowed them to ‘slide’ from dimension to dimension.
Unfortunately, on their first adventure, they lost the coordinates to their home reality, forcing them to leap from one alternate universe to another, hoping each time that their next leap would be the leap home (wait, that sounds familiar…).
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While the concept might have been a bit derivative of other shows, it was a fun idea that allowed the writers to tell a variety of stories. There were episodes where Nazis controlled America, tales where dinosaurs still walked the Earth, and, of course, there’s a zombie episode.
It was daft and delightful, but as Chris Jrj said, as time went on, it did fall off a bit. If you slide on over to Reddit, you’ll find several people saying seasons one and two are brilliant, but the rest is a bit disappointing.
This article was originally published on November 22, 2025.
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When Liverpool came to Brighton last May, the away end was in party mode at the full-time whistle despite the defeat as they sang and celebrated with inflatables and balloons.
By then, Arne Slot’s side had won the Premier League title and a trip to the south coast was another excuse to enjoy themselves. And rightly so.
Ten months on, Liverpool tasted defeat against Fabian Hurzeler’s side again but this time the away end was half empty by the time Slot made his way over to the travelling supporters.
Their latest defeat is the 10th in the league this season, making it only the seventh time the reigning Premier League champions have lost 10 or more games during their title defence.
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Since starting the campaign with five wins on the trot, Slot’s side have won just nine of their next 26 games in the league. With that kind of form, Liverpool do not look like a team that has it in them to qualify for the Champions League.
It is all but certain that the Premier League will get an extra place in the Champions League and Liverpool currently occupy that fifth spot, though they have a game in hand on sixth-placed Chelsea who play later on Saturday.
Much had been made in the build-up about the 62 hours Liverpool had to prepare between their Champions League win over Galatasaray at Anfield and this trip to Brighton.
With Alisson and Mohamed Salah forced out with injuries, Liverpool‘s situation worsened when striker Hugo Ekitike was forced off early on.
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“What went wrong started off with the lead up to this game,” Slot said.
“As so many times has happened this season, when we played a very good game [against Galatasaray] and we thought we could bring that level to the next game, or even better, we had Mo Salah injured, we had Alisson injured and, after two minutes, Hugo Ekitike out.
“That has happened to us so many times this season and what happened to us a lot this season is that the first chance of the other team immediately went in.
“But in the second half Brighton were the better team and deserved to win.”
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Slot was the first to say that his side deserved to lose here and it would hardly have surprised him. Of their 10 Premier League games this season following a Champions League fixture, Liverpool have lost five of them.
Questions have to be asked about fitness and, despite spending £450m in the summer, Liverpool lack proper squad depth.
“It makes complete sense if you win the league last season and you spent £450m that the expectations are high, and those expectations were high for the pundits, for the media, for me, for the fans,” said Slot.
“At our club we’re also looking at the situation and the challenge we had during this season, and then we might be a bit more realistic [about] why the season has gone why it is gone.
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“But still it’s not good enough no matter how much excuses I can come up with – it’s still not good enough for the position we’re in right now.”
The cute green top and matching midi skirt costs under £40
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A new F&F co-ord has been described as the “perfect” outfit for spring. The warmer weather and lighter nights are finally here, which means it’s time to switch up your spring wardrobe.
This cute two-piece was posted to the F&F Instagram, which has over 887,000 followers. Posted with the caption: “The perfect spring co-ord does exist”, people have already shared their love for the outfit.
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One Instagrammer described the skirt as “sublime”, while another also described it as “perfect”. The two-piece can be bought online or in-store, with the top costing £16 and skirt costing £22.50.
The outfit is lightweight and is the “perfect style to carry you from work-to-weekend looks from now into the warmer weather”, as stated on the Boden website.
To mix it up a bit, New Look offers the dark red fringe hem cotton rich midi skirt and matching hem top. On the New Look website it says: “Knitted to a slender silhouette, this dark red-hued midi skirt will lend a playful spin to your wardrobe with its fringed hem.”
The building had been facing problems for 40 years
An ‘eyesore’ building in a Cambridgeshire town centre has been redeveloped after more than 40 years of neglect. The site, known as ‘The Gap’ at 24 High Street in Wisbech, has been turned into a new shop and flats by Fenland District Council.
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The building was once the site of Cook’s Butchers, but had been facing problems since the business collapsed more than 40 years ago. The council is now in the process of finding the first tenants for the shop and flats.
The redevelopment formed part of the council’s Wisbech High Street Project, which was launched in 2017 with £1.9 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The development was also supported by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s Market Towns Programme, which aims to improve business premises.
Cllr Chris Seaton, Fenland District Council’s portfolio holder for Wisbech High Street projects, said: “We’re proud to have taken on this complex and challenging site to make what will be a long-lasting difference to the restoration of Wisbech High Street for generations to come.”
Repairs are also being carried out at other buildings on the High Street, including at 13-17, where derelict first floors have been brought back into use. The council are currently working on plans for 11-12 High Street, which are also derelict.
Everton, meanwhile, have picked up more points away from home so far this season but did beat Burnley in their most recent match here before losing to Arsenal in London. European qualification remains a possibility for the Toffees, currently a dark-horse in the Champions League battle, a win this evening would move them to within two points of Chelsea. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Dom Smith at the ground.
Parts of the UK enjoyed breathtaking views of the Northern Lights overnight – and more is forecast for Saturday.
The natural light show, known as the aurora borealis, is one of nature’s “most spectacular displays”, according to the Met Office.
Pictures from Friday night featured waves of mostly green and purple light at Bamburgh in Northumberland in the UK, as well as in Estonia and Canada, while social media users posted images taken elsewhere, including Russia.
Image: Bamburgh Lighthouse in Northumberland. Pic: PA
Image: The Northern Lights over the Tallinn bay of the Baltic Sea in Tallinn, Estonia. Pic: AP
While the Northern Lights are mostly visible near the Arctic Circle and northern Scotland, the Met Office said “pale green and pink to vibrant reds, blues, and violets can sometimes light up the night sky, especially in the north of the UK”.
The Met Office said on Thursday there was a chance of seeing the northern lights “over the next couple of nights”, predicting sightings being “most likely across Scotland where skies are clear but perhaps into northern England too”.
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What causes the Northern Lights?
The shimmering spectacle occurs when energy and charged particles released from the sun through coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares travel towards Earth on the solar wind and collide with the Earth’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere, interacting with gases to create spectacular displays of blue, purple, green, pink and red.
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If the solar activity is strong enough, it will cause a geomagnetic storm.
In January, the Met Office said the solar maximum was “all but confirmed to have taken place in 2024 and 2025”, meaning solar activity on the surface of the sun “appears to be in a declining phase”.
But it said this phase “can be a period which can often bring strong events, as evidenced by last week’s aurora visibility as far south as northern Italy”.
Will we see them again soon?
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Several things need to occur for the skies over the UK to dazzle again.
Any solar eruptions that do occur need to be aimed at Earth and cause a strong geomagnetic storm.
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It also needs to be dark enough, with settled weather allowing clear skies to see the aurora.
What’s the best way to capture them?
While the Northern Lights are visible to the naked eye, the colours often appear faint and muted compared with those captured by camera.
Image: A robot on sea ice under the aurora borealis in Cambridge Bay, Canada. Pic: Reuters
To take better pictures of the aerial phenomena, Adobe recommends using manual camera settings and a wide aperture on a camera.
It suggests using low shutter speeds, up to 20 seconds, as well as setting the camera’s ISO value all the way to 2,000 or higher – such settings are usually available in smartphones’ camera settings.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be claimed by people who need additional help with daily living tasks
Linda Howard Money and Consumer Writer and Robert Rowlands Deputy editor, money and lifestyle, content hub
17:32, 21 Mar 2026
PIP claimants do not need to inform the DWP about every change to their circumstances, official rules show. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be claimed by people over 16 and under State Pension age who require extra assistance with daily living activities or mobility due to a long-term illness, disability or mental or physical health condition.
In Scotland, the benefit has been replaced by Adult Disability Payment (ADP), which follows similar eligibility criteria as PIP. A successful claim for PIP or ADP currently provides between £29.20 and £187.45 each week in additional financial support.
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That equates to between £116.80 and £749.80 every four-week payment period. Both disability benefits are offered at the same rates – despite the difference in name and welfare administration body – to avoid a two-tier benefits system, reports the Daily Record.
While many recipients may be familiar with the list of changes in circumstances that must be reported to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to continue receiving uninterrupted payments, there are several changes that do not need to be declared.
Changes you do not need to report to DWP
PIP is not a means-tested benefit and can be paid whether the claimant is working or not, so there is no need to inform the DWP if you make any of these six changes:
You are made redundant
You leave a job
You change roles at work – unless the amount of help you need has changed
You take retirement
You stop claiming other benefits
You start a new job
Changes you must report to DWP
However, guidance on the GOV.UK website states you must contact the PIP enquiry line if:
Your condition has worsened and you’re not expected to live more than six months
You go into hospital or a care home
You go abroad (for more than four weeks)
You are imprisoned or held in detention
Your personal details change – for example, your name, address or doctor
The help you need or your condition changes
The GOV.UK website further notes: “You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.”
Therefore, if you’ve recently relocated or changed to a different GP, don’t delay reporting the alteration any longer – particularly if you’re receiving PIP in Scotland, as Social Security Scotland will rely on the information held by the DWP when you’re moved to the new devolved benefits system.
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How to notify DWP of a change in circumstances
Before placing the call, you’ll require your National Insurance number, bank account details and GP name and address for the DWP to confirm your identity.
Telephone: 0800 121 4433 (option 5)
Textphone: 0800 121 4493
Relay UK(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 4433
Video relay servicefor British Sign Language (BSL) users – check you can use the service here.
Veteran golf commentator Ewen Murray witnessed horrific abuse directed at Rory McIlroy’s family at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage, prompting him to step back from Sky Sports commentary after 35 years
Veteran golf commentator Ewen Murray has revealed how witnessing the appalling abuse directed at Rory McIlroy’s family at last year’s Ryder Cup left him wanting to retire from broadcasting.
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Murray has been a central figure in Sky Sports’ golf coverage for 35 years but chose to take a step back after being disturbed by the scenes at Bethpage in New York.
The 71 year old, who will rejoin the Sky Sports team for the major championships this season, told the Sliced Podcast: “On the Saturday, I had two hours off after they teed off in the afternoon,
“Because I don’t hear tremendously well, I thought I’d go out to the 9th, 10th and 11th which were quite close to the television village.
“I heard stuff in that half hour that I can’t repeat to you, it’s that bad. Not fired at Rory but at Rory’s family. I walked back and I thought ‘do you really need to be part of this anymore?’
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“That’s when I decided to finish commentary. By the time I got on the plane on the Monday, I looked out over New York and thought its been a fantastic journey, but if that’s our future, I really don’t want any part of it.”
The offensive chants that sections of the American crowd directed at their European rivals, particularly McIlroy, sparked significant controversy during the team event.
And Murray believes American Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley bears some responsibility for the incidents, with the experienced commentator also expressing strong disapproval of Heather McMahan’s behaviour.
McMahan, a comedian and actress employed by the PGA of America to energise the crowd positioned near the first tee, was subsequently removed after leading chants of “F*** you Rory” through a megaphone.
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“The PGA of America should be ashamed employing a woman at the back of the first tee to behave the way she behaved,” Murray added. “I actually found out, thankfully, she doesn’t have kids. So we’re not going to see the next generation of that. I thought her performance was disgraceful.
“If Keegan Bradley who came and supported it and waved his hands to get the crowd to get louder… if he spent as much time looking at his pairings, [he] may well have been a winning Ryder Cup captain. They spent way too much energy on something that was disgusting and really had no place in our game.”
Murray also condemned PGA of America president Don Rea for neglecting to denounce the abuse being aimed at the European players and for congratulating Europe on “retaining the Ryder Cup” in the aftermath rather than acknowledging they had won outright as they had done.
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“[I thought] where have you been for the last few hours?” Murray added. “They didn’t retain. They had a putt to retain which they knocked in, then they had a putt to win which they knocked in.
“I just thought what a terrible organisation. I shouldn’t say that because my father was captain of the PGA in Scotland in the mid-seventies so it was very much part of growing up and my father’s involvement in that and every other profession involved in the PGA but I don’t think they did themselves any favours at all.”
Criminal Record has brought together a round-up of today’s biggest crime stories.
17:00, 21 Mar 2026
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Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day.
Whether it’s a child killer making a bid for freedom or another attack in Scotland’s gangland war – this is the place where you’ll get the low-down.
If you love to read about crime – this is the place to be every day.
Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Saturday.
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Ross McGill “leaned on European ultras groups”
Mob boss Ross McGill transformed the Union Bears from a ragtag bunch with a handful of followers into the ‘biggest group in the UK’ after visiting clubs in Europe.
A former member of the Rangers ultra group explained to the Record how McGill, 32, took over as capo of the group at the age of 18 and was determined to make them a bigger outfit than the Green Brigade.
The source revealed how the mobster visited clubs in Europe to learn his trade but this led to him getting involved in criminality after he hooked up with ultras in Denmark.
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He said: “McGill had been with the Union Bears for a few years before he was made leader and his main focus at first was just to outshine Celtic’s group.
“He knew he had to learn fast so decided to start visiting clubs across Europe, and would just reach out to the ultras and pitch up alone.
“Rangers have a historical link with Hamburg SV in Germany and he went over there around 20 times and built up close ties with the Chosen Few ultras.”
Prostitute killer ‘still at large’
The family of a prostitute murdered almost 35 years ago believe her killer is still out there.
Diane McInally’s battered body was found in undergrowth in Pollok Park, Glasgow, in October, 1991. She had been working the streets for a number of years to feed a heroin habit.
Two men, now dead, were charged with her murder at the time but never stood trial.
Diane’s aunt Elizabeth “Dolly” Glover – one of only a few surviving family members – believes there is another possible suspect out there.
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The great grandmother says Diane’s parents, stepfather, partner, and brother and sister have all died without seeing justice but she hasn’t given up hope.
Dolly added: “You often wonder is there still somebody out there who’s really done it. We know according to the police it was a bad death she got.
“Diane would have fought back unless there was more than one there. There is no way she would have laid down to them.
“There could have been someone else there.”
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Hero brothers
Dramatic footage has shown the moment hero brothers chased a masked gang who tried to raid their neighbours’ shop. Thieves tried to break into Leslie Mini Market on Leslie High Street at around 2.30am on Thursday, March 19.
No items or cash were taken and an investigation is underway to find out exactly what happened. Fatima Hussein, 62, and husband Zahid Hussein, 67, who have owned Leslie Mini Market for over 30 years, were sleeping in their flat above the shop when neighbour, Euan, chapped their door alerting them to the incident.
He and brother Scott, who live across the road, had looked out their window after their dog Buddy started barking and saw four masked men trying to force their way into the store, prompting them to courageously intervene.
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Footage taken at the scene shows the brothers chasing the culprits, who were driving a white car and reportedly had English accents, up the high street after they pick up a fifth accomplice a few yards away.
While the motor is stationary, Euan takes a swing at the car window in a bid to smash it so the men can’t flee. But the criminals reverse back erratically before charging forward at Euan, seemingly in an attempt to mow him down.
In a terrifying near-miss, the gang end up crashing into a wall, forcing them to abandon the motor and escape on foot. In the last part of the clip, the burly brothers can be seen charging towards them, seemingly unfazed.
After the men disappear into the night, Euan then slams one of the car doors shut and inspects his arm, which was injured in the run-in, while Scott dashes up the road to get help.
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Faslane naval base
A man and a woman have been charged after trying to enter Faslane Naval Base.
Police Scotland have confirmed that a 34-year-old Iranian man and a 31-year-old Romanian woman have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident at His Majesty’s Naval Base, Clyde.
The incident happened at 5pm on Thursday at the Faslane site, based on the Gare Loch in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute. It is home to the core of the UK’s submarine fleet and the Trident nuclear deterrent.
Unconfirmed reports have suggested that the pair are spies. It is understood that they did not try to force their way into the base. They asked if they could enter but were refused permission and were then arrested shortly afterwards.
A man has been charged after allegedly wielding a knife in Fife.
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Police officers raced to Lawrence Court in Buckhaven at 9.05pm on Friday night. It followed reports of a disturbance on a housing estate.
A 44-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with carrying a bladed weapon. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
Images taken at the scene showed two police vans and a marked car parked on the street. A number of officers could be seen standing outside a block of flats.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been slated in two devastating exposés that take aim at their charity work and businesses, but one royal expert believes these attacks have been particularly disastrous for the couple
17:00, 21 Mar 2026Updated 17:05, 21 Mar 2026
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been the target of a series of blistering attacks this week: first from royal author Tom Bower in his new book, and then by Variety, who launched a damning attack on the Sussexes partnership with Netflix.
The Duke and Duchess are the main target of Bower’s new royal book titled Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, which was serialised by The Times, and detailed numerous claims about Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the Royal Family, as well as how they have navigated life since leaving the Firm and moving to California.
Just days after the serialisation hurled accusations such as how Queen Camilla told a friend that Harry had been ‘brainwashed’ by Meghan, a tell-all from a group of Netflix insiders told Variety that the Sussex’s relationship with Netflix is in jeopardy.
Harry and Meghan have not stayed quiet during the influx of accusations against them, issuing a damning statement against Tom Bower’s book. And according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, their statement spoke volumes.
Jennie told the Mirror: “Whatever the truth behind Tom Bower’s explosive account of the continuing tensions between the Sussexes and the Windsor household, one thing is for sure: his words have hit a very raw nerve.
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The royal expert examined how the book took aim at “Harry’s two great passions: his wife and the Invictus Games”, explaining why the Sussexes felt the need to issue such a blistering statement.
“For Harry, any attack on his wife is treason and provokes a visceral response: he will defend her to the end of the earth. And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Jennie said.
As for the takedown from Variety, Jennie believes the article would’ve hurt Harry and Meghan, as the publication is renowned for their connections to Hollywood, while the Sussexes are seeming to focus on their celebrity brand
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Jennie said: “Given that Harry and Meghan are now pretty much regarded as celebrities rather than royal, the brutal takedown by Variety will hurt. It is, after all, Hollywood‘s entertainment bible and as such it carries a lot of influence. The criticism of the couple – and particularly of Meghan – appears to be gleaned from multiple sources, which does suggest there’s some truth in it.”
The royal expert added that the couple would be feeling deflated from the spate of attacks, given how such a damning report into their business could possibly hurt Meghan’s own ventures, such as As Ever, which has just broken free of their deal with Netflix.
“It must have been a hard read for the Sussexes,” Jennie said. “I’m sure they’re extremely annoyed, rather hurt and pretty fed up, but I think Meghan is a real fighter and she’s doing everything she can to make her As Ever brand a success. I think she’ll probably succeed.”
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Jennie added that it is unlikely that the Royal Family would be keeping up with the articles written about Harry and Meghan, but would have one scathing thought if they were to see their fight to hold onto their public reputation.
“I don’t think the Royal Family will take much notice of Tom Bower‘s book or of the Variety article,” she said. “I truly believe they have more to think about and deal with than Harry and Meghan‘s perceived popularity problem. But, if they do see the headlines, a natural reaction would be to think ‘Well, you’ve made your bed, now lie in it’.”
Ruben Dias has admitted Manchester City needed a huge overhaul to move on from their greatest generation and said their recent signings have given them an added hunger to win trophies.
Meanwhile, some of City’s modern greats – and Dias’ long-time teammates – left, including Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Manuel Akanji and Ederson.
Defender Dias said: “Every player that came in, all of them kind of have this winning mentality. Independent of having won or not so much in the past, they come with this hunger. I feel like that’s very much there to see, so that adds up to our purpose and it’s just extra fuel.”
Guardiola has confirmed goalkeeper James Trafford will start at Wembley, ahead of another of last summer’s buys in Gianluigi Donnarumma, and while defender Marc Guehi is ineligible, a host of other recent recruits are in contention to figure, including Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Manchester City have built a new-look side this season (Getty Images)
City’s most successful side ever came to an end after a difficult season last year which included a run of nine defeats in 12 games and Dias felt change was required.
He explained: “We talked about it and it was something we did and I feel like it’s taken a very much better route now and it was needed. So obviously lots of things changed after that period, we need to set the standard for a new season. It was needed and I felt like we did it at the right time.”
Ruben Dias admits Manchester City’s squad have been surprised by Gianluigi Donnarumma (PA Wire)
“I think he surprised everybody,” he said. “People talk so much these days and by the time he arrived here I’d heard a lot more talk than actually games that I’ve seen him play and I’ve obviously seen a lot of his games but I don’t see every week. I was very quick to run into the fact that he’s not bad with his feet. Okay, Eddie [Ederson] was a different kind of style and obviously a different approach but he can still do everything we need.”
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