He said: “It’s the reality of end of the season and the end of March; the reality of having players in European matches and more than just one competition with all the cups going on.”

Tuchel picked an expanded 35-man squad for the Uruguay and Japan games at Wembley.

He split his players into two camps across the fixtures, the first made up primarily of fringe players and the second of more regular players.

“We have players in camp that have already played more minutes than last season, so there is some concern,” said Tuchel.

“The players needed and deserved the mental break from football. We could see the energy with which they came back into camp and to reconnect now in the new environment.

“We want them to perform in their clubs, but the reality is it’s our last camp before we leave to America, so we want to reconnect to our principles.

“It’s disappointing but I’m not upset with the players. I’m not angry.

“I got the feeling that everyone was desperate to come. Some of the injured players even stayed to do their treatment. That shows they want to be around the group.

“No-one left straight away. It’s a good spirit and that’s how it should be.”

The World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico runs from 11 June to 19 July.

England will play friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica in June.

They open their World Cup campaign against Croatia on 17 June and face Ghana on 23 June and Panama on 27 June.

The BBC has confirmed the Call the Midwife prequel series will replace the traditional festive special

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Devotees of Call the Midwife won’t have to wait long for exciting new episodes.

The BBC drama’s fifteenth series recently concluded with the poignant passing of Sister Monica Joan, leaving audiences heartbroken.

Nevertheless, viewers can anticipate thrilling new instalments arriving on their screens before year’s end, as creator and writer Heidi Thomas has announced a prequel series set during the London Blitz in Poplar, East London.

Drawing on the memoirs of renowned nurse and midwife Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife was orginally set in 1957, when the National Health Service was a relatively new institution, with recent episodes chronicling the early 1970s.

The forthcoming series will, however, turn back time to World War II and showcase younger incarnations of cherished characters Sisters Julienne, Monica Joan, and Evangelina, previously played by Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt, and Pam Ferris, reports the Mirror.

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When will the Call the Midwife prequel broadcast?

Programme executives have now revealed there won’t be the customary festive offering from Nonatus House this year, as no Christmas special is planned, The Sun reports.

Heidi Thomas disclosed at a recent press gathering: “No, there won’t be a Christmas special this Christmas, not in the traditional mould. This is really just a very temporary pause in the usual pattern.”

Instead, the Call the Midwife prequel, titled Sisters In Arms, will take pride of place during the Christmas period. The three-part mini-series will supplant the traditional festive episodes, concentrating on the formative years of Nonnatus House.

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Heidi described the new series as being about “strong women above all else”, as they’re forced to navigate a world beyond their control, while the men are sent off to war or overseas, reports Radio Times.

She also revealed that while she has “never run out of stories for our midwives”, the prequel emerged after she found herself “yearning to delve into the deeper past” than the years 1957 to 1971, which the show has chronicled, the BBC teases.

“The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary – filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy,” she added.

Not only will there be a prequel broadcast later this year, but the beloved show will also transition to the big screen, set in 1972 abroad. However, a release date for the film has not yet been announced.

Call the Midwife is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

The globally renowned expert has shared some simple steps people can take

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A world-renowned doctor has revealed some straightforward methods to ‘take back your health’, as increasing numbers of us face chronic illness and disease.

Dr Mark Hyman, a prominent medical expert and educator, frequently posts updates for his millions of social media followers. In his most recent Instagram post, he began: “The system isn’t broken. It’s working exactly as designed. Your food is designed to be addictive. Your environment is loaded with toxins that disrupt your biology.” The doctor continued by explaining that he believes chronic illness has now become “the norm”.

To tackle this, he suggests five straightforward steps. Dr Hyman added: “Eat real food. Move your body. Sleep like it matters. Drink water. Connect with real humans. This is the medicine that works.” Finishing his post, he stated: “Once you understand what your body needs to function the way it was designed to, you can start to feel better.

“Start with the simple fundamentals, they are often the most powerful and are foundational to how your body heals and repairs. When you create the right conditions, your body has an incredible capacity to restore balance.”

The recent update comes after a previous post where Dr Hyman outlined what he consumes daily to “feel 26 at 66”. His daily diet features foods including eggs, feta, and a burger. You can read more here

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PALU, Indonesia (AP) — Rescue teams raced Monday to find 27 people missing after a passenger boat sank in rough seas on its way to a remote village in eastern Indonesia.

The boat, the Nazila 05, was carrying 27 passengers and crew members when it departed Taliabu Island in North Maluku province just after dusk on Sunday. It was bound for Kema, a coastal village in the same province, said Muhammad Rizal, who heads the search and rescue office in Central Sulawesi’s Palu city, near where the boat sank.

He said the incident was first reported to authorities on Monday morning by the ship’s owner, Rifani Samatia, after the Nazila 05’s captain contacted him to report that the vessel’s bow had broken after it was hit by high waves during rough weather. About 30 minutes later, the captain reported that the vessel had sunk.

“All 27 people aboard managed to evacuate using a longboat before the ship went down,” Rizal said, “However, their current location remains unknown.”

A search-and-rescue team was dispatched using a rescue vessel, supported by navigational equipment and communication tools, a helicopter and assisted by local fishers, Rizal said.

He said the Nazila 05 was frequently used to transport tourists and was also known locally as a fishing or small passenger vessel.

Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, where boats are a common form of transportation. With lax safety standards and problems with overcrowding, accidents occur frequently.

Former New York Marathon winner Albert Korir has been banned for five years after admitting to doping.

The 32-year-old Kenyan tested positive for CERA – a potent blood-boosting substance and modern variant of EPO – across three out-of-competition tests in October 2025.

All of Korir’s results since October will now be disqualified, including his third place in the New York marathon last November.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) stated that his ban will expire on 7 January 2031, with Korir benefiting from a one-year reduction by admitting to the violations.

EastEnders’ viewers have been concerned over the ramifications Scott Mills’ sacking from his BBC Radio 2 show could have on 2027’s New Year’s episode after he featured in 2026’s New Year’s edition, which flashed forward a whole year.

As Max Branning (Jake Wood) prepared for his wedding, a text from Oscar (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) alerted him to turn on the radio.

‘Time for some messages: Max Branning, good luck on your wedding day. Wow! It says here, fifth time lucky. That is from Oscar, hotter than ever in 2027. I am guessing you wrote that yourself, Oscar! And that one is also from Lauren, too’ said Scott.

Following his appearance, Scott took to his Instagram to show the clip of his name appearing in the credits, while sharing a clip of him recording the message for the show.

He captioned the post: ‘I’ve been keeping more secrets than Santa this Christmas LOL’

While there has been concern from ‘Enders fans over what potential impact this could have, luckily, we at Metro can set the record straight.

We understand that the scene featuring Scott won’t be reused in this years New Year’s episode and will have no impact on what is to come.

‘We’ve got an amazing cast working on this, and knowing the plans as I do, and knowing how we’ve set stuff up in a way that gives us, you know, the latitude to tell the story the way we want to. I’m feeling good about it,’ ‘Enders boss Ben Wadey previously said of the special episode.

‘You have to speak to the actors early doors and say, ‘We’re gonna have to lock in your look for a year. Are you comfortable with that?’, but the big challenges come from a storytelling perspective.

‘The team and I will sit and have those massive tent poles over the year, to know where we’re going.’

Scott Mills’ BBC sacking

Mills was let go today due to his ‘personal conduct’ and will no longer host his popular Radio 2 show.

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A statement from the BBC said: ‘While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.’

The Mirror later shared a statement from Lorna Clarke, who serves as Director of Music, which had been circulated among staff ahead of the news breaking, reading: ‘I wanted to personally let you know that Scott Mills has left the Breakfast show, and the BBC.

‘I know that this news will be sudden and unexpected and therefore must come as a shock. Not least as so many of us have worked with Scott over a great many years, across a broad range of our programmes on R1, 5Live, R2 and TV.

‘I felt it was important to share this news with you at the earliest opportunity.’

MORE: TV soap star Alea O’Shea, 25, diagnosed with brain cancer

MORE: EastEnders star Ellie Dadd’s stalker jailed after years long ordeal

MORE: Emmerdale star Bradley Riches reveals the TV icons coming to his wedding

A royal expert has claimed that Prince Philip was privately battling pancreatic cancer for almost a decade before he died in 2021, and he even still showed up for royal duties for four years after being diagnosed

Prince Philip was reportedly battling pancreatic cancer for eight years before his death, according to a royal author.

Royal historian Hugo Vickers has revealed in his new book that the late Duke of Edinburgh was diagnosed with the disease in June 2013, when he was 91 years old. After his diagnosis, there were allegedly growing concerns that Philip would not be able to carry out royal duties.

Despite this, the late prince continued to show up for official engagements for another four years, before stepping back from his royal role in 2017. Four years later, Prince Philip died just two months before his 100th birthday.

READ MORE: Sarah Ferguson mystery deepens as Priscilla Presley breaks silence on her whereaboutsREAD MORE: Should Harry and Meghan be given limited royal roles? Take our poll and have your say

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In Vickers’ new book titled Queen Elizabeth II, which has been serialised by the Daily Mail ahead of its release, he details the final years of Philip’s life. The historian explains that Philip had an initial stay in hospital when he was diagnosed, before being discharged to recover at home.

“Doctors had detected a shadow on his pancreas, and had cut him right across his stomach,” the author wrote. “The verdict was inoperable pancreatic cancer.”

The royal author explained that after being diagnosed with the disease “there was a view that [Philip] might not be seen in public again”. However, Vickers went on to include that “the duke outwitted the pessimists” surviving with pancreatic cancer for much longer than initially expected.

Prince Philip saw out his final days at Windsor Castle, where Vickers said he enjoyed “elements of tranquillity”. He wrote: “On the last night of his life, he gave his nurses the slip, shuffled along the corridor on his Zimmer frame, helped himself to a beer and drank it in the Oak Room.”

The royal historian claims that at this point, the late Duke had been living with pancreatic cancer for eight years – far longer than the usual survival time after diagnosis. Vickers wrote of the morning of his passing: “He got up, had a bath, said he did not feel well, and quietly slipped away.”

The late Queen, who was understood to have not been there when Phillip died, was “absolutely furious that, as so often in life, he left without saying goodbye”, Vickers wrote. Prince Philip died on April 9 2021, with his official cause of death being listed as ‘old age’.

Only a limited number of people were allowed to attend Philip’s funeral, which was held during the height of the Covid pandemic. The late Queen was pictured sitting alone, wearing a mask, as she attended the service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

The couple were married for more than 73 years with Prince Phillip becoming the longest-serving Consort in British history, as the Queen once described her husband as her “strength and stay”.

According to Cancer Research UK, it is unusual for people to live long with pancreatic cancer, with only five per cent of people surviving the disease for five years or more.

The disease has the lowest survival rate of all common cancers with most people not diagnosed until the disease has spread, meaning surgery is not a viable option to combat the cancer. In the UK, there are around 10,200 deaths caused by pancreatic cancer each year.

Scott Mills had been presenting his self-titled show on BBC Radio 2 since January 2025, taking over from Zoe Ball

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Scott Mills delivered a devastating announcement during what has now turned out to be his final programme on BBC Radio 2. The 53-year-old broadcaster has reportedly been dismissed from the BBC following an allegation concerning his personal conduct, according to The Mirror. Scott has been absent from the airwaves since last Tuesday, with Gary Davies filling in while the BBC investigated the matter.

A BBC spokesperson stated: “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.”

On his last day broadcasting, Scott retained his typically upbeat manner, though he delivered a sombre announcement an hour into the programme. After playing a track by the Kaiser Chiefs, he said: “I just want to quickly mention someone who a lot of us worked with here at BBC Radio 2 over many years, who has sadly died.

“We only got the news yesterday, so we’re all feeling, a little bit, well, very sad and in shock. Our wonderful friend and colleague, Ian Deeley, who was an absolute legend round these parts… just sending love to all of Ian’s friends and family.”

After the tribute, he pressed on with his programme alongside his colleague Ellie Brennan. During the episode, he also asked listeners to help him decide whether he should get a perm to resemble Gary.

According to reports, BBC Radio 2 personnel were briefed about Scott’s exit by Lorna Clarke, Director of Music, who stated: “I wanted to personally let you know that Scott Mills has left the Breakfast show, and the BBC. I know that this news will be sudden and unexpected and therefore must come as a shock.

“Not least as so many of us have worked with Scott over a great many years, across a broad range of our programmes on R1, 5Live, R2 and TV. I felt it was important to share this news with you at the earliest opportunity.”

She continued: “It will also come as a shock to our audience and loyal breakfast show listeners. I will update everyone with more information on plans for the show when I’m able to. While I appreciate many of you will have questions, I hope you can understand that I am not going to be saying anything further now.”

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Meanwhile, Vernon Kay, presenter of the mid-morning programme on BBC Radio 2, also offered a tribute to Ian Deeley during his show.

As part of the statement, he said last week: “The BBC family were devastated to hear that our brilliant studio manager, Ian Deeley, had died unexpectedly but peacefully at the age of 45. At his heart, Ian was a broadcaster – whether driving the desk, engineering an outside broadcast, producing or presenting, he loved radio with every fibre of his being.”

Vernon added: “Even though he was relatively young, Ian had a long and illustrious career, working on nearly every BBC radio station. He loved working here at Radio 2, and one of his career highlights was working with our friend Steve Wright. Steve always said, ‘Ian, keep it cranked,’ and he did.”

BBC One drama Babies tells the story of Lisa and Stephen, a couple in their 30s whose dream of starting a family is tested when they suffer multiple miscarriages

The eagerly awaited series, Babies, is set to make its debut on the BBC.

Described by the broadcaster as a “tender yet urgent love story exploring the emotional resilience of a couple navigating the heartbreak of pregnancy loss”, the series starts tonight on BBC One (March 30), reports the Mirror.

The six-part drama centres on Lisa and Stephen, a couple in their 30s whose aspirations of building a family together are put to the test following a series of miscarriages. Despite navigating grief through their pregnancy losses, their relationship “shines through with humour, warmth, and unwavering commitment”.

Meanwhile, fractures begin to appear in Stephen’s relationship with his friend Dave, who is contending with his own struggles.

Who is in the cast of Babies?

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Paapa Essiedu – Stephen

Paapa Essiedu’s profile is soaring at present, and his lead role as Stephen in Babies looks set to cement his TV fame.

The actor has been a fixture on television for more than a decade, earning recognition for his portrayals of Alexander “Alex” Dumani in Gangs of London and George in The Lazarus Project.

More recently, he has appeared in Black Doves, Black Mirror and tech thriller The Capture, where he shares the screen with Holliday Grainger. Paapa has also been cast as Severus Snape in the forthcoming Harry Potter series.

The star, who is married to actress and comedian Rosa Robson, revealed to the BBC that, ahead of filming Babies, he consulted specialists in the field to deepen his understanding of the subject. “If it makes one person able to talk about pregnancy loss when they previously couldn’t, I think the show will have been a success,” he said.

Siobhan Cullen – Lisa

Irish actress Siobhan Cullen takes on the central role of Lisa in the drama.

The actress is widely recognised for her theatrical work but has also appeared on television in productions such as The Clinic, Bodkin, and The Long Call.

She may be best known to audiences as Caroline Sheridan in the comedy drama The Dry, which chronicled a woman’s recovery from alcoholism, and as Elvira Clancy in the dark comedy Obituary.

Following her casting as Lisa, Siobhan revealed she consulted women in her personal life about their own paths to parenthood. “Many of them have gone through something similar to Lisa, and they were very generous in sharing their experiences and the journey to becoming a parent,” she told the BBC.

Charlotte Riley – Amanda

Charlotte Riley portrays Amanda, who is in a new romance with Stephen’s friend Dave.

In recent years, the actress, who is married to Tom Hardy, has appeared in the US sci-fi series The Peripheral and the psychological thriller Malice.

She is also set to appear alongside Idris Elba and Jared Leto in the forthcoming Masters of the Universe film, taking on the role of Queen Marlena Glenn, a former astronaut from Earth.

Jack Bannon – Dave

Jack Bannon portrays Amanda’s boyfriend Dave in Babies. The actor has achieved success in cinema with productions including Kids in Love and The Imitation Game, and has featured in television programmes such as Ripper Street and The Loch.

His notable TV roles include Endeavour, where he portrayed Sam Thursday from 2013 to 2018, and Pennyworth, a crime drama that delved into the formative years of Batman’s family butler.

Babies starts at 9pm on BBC One on Monday (March 30) and all episodes are available on BBC iPlayer.