Russell T. Davies has been quizzed on Doctor Who’s return following its last airing in May 2025

Doctor Who fans have been “promised” an announcement about the new Doctor – and this is when it’s likely to happen, according to showrunner Russell T. Davies.

The 63-year-old has given a promising update on the future of the beloved sci-fi programme, which comes after plans for the show’s future were thrown up in the air when lead actor Ncuti Gatwa made the decision to step away from the titular role after just two series.

Scenes aired in May last year saw the Doctor regenerating into Billie Piper, who previously played the Doctor’s companion for two seasons. She was one of the most popular assistants during her time paired with Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant in the 2000s.

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

Her return marked her character Rose’s first Doctor Who appearance since the 2013 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor. However, with Billie not credited as the Doctor in the credits, fans were confused about whether she’d be the second actress to lead the TARDIS.

In a statement, at the time, she said: “It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there. So to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see.”

On top of this, it wasn’t confirmed if the show was coming back for a long period. It means viewers are still in the dark regarding the status of a potential festive special later this year, after reports suggested one is on the way. However, asked whether fans will get an announcement about a new Doctor soon, Russell told Gary Davies on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast show: “You will get an announcement.

“There is a press release lumbering through the BBC, which, as you know, is like the Jurassic period, and 57 people have to sign off on every single word. I promise you in about a week, two weeks, there will be some sort of press release, and yet I can hear the gears slowing down even as I say that. You know this place!”

Russell also gave insight into his role as Doctor Who’s showrunner, as he explained: “It’s scripts, actors, casting, when you’re finding Ncuti Gatwa, who had just come out of Sex Education, keeping your eye on business, like who’s the next upcoming star? Oh my god, Ncuti – what a meteor of a star he is.

“It’s also the other end of it with the budget and the schedules and what’s on location where, and the writers, of course, and getting directors in. It’s kind of running everything, but helped by a vast team of people – please don’t think it’s just me, as much as I like to claim otherwise!”

Rosamund Pike has publicly berated an audience member for texting during the finale of her West End play.

The British actress, 47, plays a Crown Court judge in Suzie Miller’s Inter Alia at the Wyndham’s Theatre.

However, after the curtain had fallen for one of her performances, Rosamund returned to the stage to address a member of the audience for ‘texting’.

The Gone Girl star claimed that texter had ‘broken the bond’ between the cast and audience.

She also said that it’s ‘hard’ for actors to continue with their performances after they notice an audience member not paying attention.

Speaking to The Times, one person who was at the play said: ‘She suggested that someone texting in the climax of this devastatingly emotional play broke this bond. She seemed genuinely upset.’

The source also added that her criticism left everybody ‘a bit stunned’ and made them feel as though ‘we had all let her down’.

‘It’s a very emotional play. She indicated the area of the stalls where the person was sitting but said she would not single them out,’ they continued.

‘She joked that maybe they were a doctor who saved someone’s life and she hoped that was the case.’

After she addressed the audience, the source said that she was given a round of applause by everybody.

Rosamund’s performance in Inter Alia runs for 100 minutes without interval.

Written by Suzie, the play follows Rosamund’s character Jessica as she gets put to the ultimate test when her teenage son is accused of rape.

A proud feminist, the London Crown Court judge sees her sharp legal mind – which has routinely challenged the justice system particularly in cases of sexual violence – clash with her maternal instincts.

The narrative also grapples with modern masculinity and the ‘manosphere’, as well as how young teenagers are being radicalised online.

Rosamund, whose new Netflix film starring Sacha Baren Cohen has shot up the streaming platform’s rankings, won an Olivier Award for her performance in the legal drama.

It also marks Australian playwright Suzie’s second play, after her smash legal hit Prima Facie, which starred Jodie Comer in a one-woman performance.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

The airport saw drop off costs rise by more than 40 per cent last month

One of Scotland’s airports has the second priciest drop-off charges in the UK after a recent price hike came into force. Costs at the hub for dropping passengers off were recently hiked by more than 40 per cent.

Fees at Edinburgh Airport were increased from £6 to £8.50 on May 18 making it the most expensive drop off charges in the country. And it is now just behind the prices to drop off at two major London hubs, according to new research.

Bosses at the Capital airport said the price hike reflects an £8m rise in business rates reported at the travel facility.

New analysis from Good Business Travel found that Edinburgh is the second most costly city for airport drop-off charge in the UK after the new fees were implemented with London airports taking the top spot at £10 for 10 minutes.

To find out where drivers are paying the most for a quick goodbye at the airport, Good Business Travel analysed drop-off fees across the UK’s 20 busiest airports, comparing the cost of using designated terminal express drop-off zones and the maximum time allowed before additional charges apply.

Their analysis found that London Gatwick Airport and London Stansted Airport top the list as the UK’s most expensive airports for passenger drop-offs, both charging £10 to access designated terminal zones.

But while Stansted allows drivers 15 minutes for their money, Gatwick only gives you just 10, meaning travellers are effectively paying £1 per minute just to get their suitcases out and say their goodbyes.

Bristol and Edinburgh Airport are joint second for most expensive, charging £8.50 for 10 minutes.

Other Scottish airports on the list include Aberdeen Airport and Glasgow Airport which both charge £7 for 15 minutes in drop off fees.

At the opposite end of the scale, Cardiff Airport offers one of the UK’s lowest drop-off charges at £3 for 10 minutes, while Belfast City Airport (£4) and Manchester Airport (£5) also come in below the national average.

The UK’s most expensive airport drop-off fees

• London Gatwick – £10 for 10 minutes
• London Stansted £10 for 15 minutes
• Edinburgh Airport £8.50 for 10 minutes
• Bristol Airport £8.50 for 10 minutes
• Leeds, Bradford £8 for 10 minutes
• London City £8 for 5 minutes
• Southampton £7 for 20 minutes
• Aberdeen Airport £7 for 15 minutes
• Birmingham £7 for 15 minutes
• Glasgow Airport £7 for 15 minutes
• London Heathrow £7 for 10 minutes
• London Luton £7 for 10 minutes
• Bournemouth £6 for 30 minutes
• Liverpool Airport £6 for 10 minutes
• Newcastle Airport £6 for 10 minutes
• Manchester Airport £5 for 5 minutes
• Belfast International £5 for 10 minutes
• East Midlands £5 for 10 minutes
• Belfast City £4 for 10 minutes
• Cardiff Airport £3 for 10 minutes

The study comes as Brits continue to struggling with rising travel costs as recent reports suggest some air fares have jumped by 24% in the last year.

Natasha Inglis, Implementation and Client Success Director at Good Business Travel said: “For lots of travellers, it’s not just the flight itself that feels more expensive anymore, but it’s every little extra around the journey. Between baggage fees, airport food, parking and now premium drop-off charges, the cost of simply getting to departures can quickly add up.

“That £5 or £10 drop-off fee might seem small in isolation, but when people are already spending more on travel overall, it can feel like yet another charge added to the holiday budget. For families travelling during peak season or businesses managing travel budgets for employees, it all adds up.”

For those looking to keep costs down, Natasha encourages travellers to check airport drop-off policies in advance or research alternative drop-off destinations to avoid an unexpected expense before the journey has even begun.

The new route between London Euston and Stirling has been temporarily halted after a mechanical fault affected the operator’s only train assigned to the service.

A newly launched rail service linking London and Scotland has been suspended just a week after its debut due to a fault affecting the operator’s only train assigned to the route.

Lumo announced that it was unable to run services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) on Monday after a mechanical issue developed with the train.

The FirstGroup-owned operator introduced the service between London Euston and Stirling in central Scotland on May 25.

Trains also call at stations including Milton Keynes Central, Crewe, Preston and Carlisle.

The two services planned for Monday – one in each direction – were cancelled.

Depending on their route, passengers are being told to travel by taxi or coach, or use another train operator.

Advertisement

Passengers are advised to check Lumo’s website or social media channels for the latest information.

Services are expected to resume on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Lumo said: “Since launch, the vast majority of our services have operated as planned, however, a few services have been cancelled with alternative travel offered to customers.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and are working closely with Alstom who maintain the trains to ensure minimal disruption to customer journeys.”

Lumo’s lack of rolling stock on the WCML means its timetable has initially been restricted to one daily return service.

As it receives more trains, this is expected to be gradually increased to four by late July, with an additional daily return service between Euston and Preston.

The faulty train is a refurbished Class 222 Meridian train previously used by East Midlands Railway.

When the west coast route launched, Lumo said it was “designed to offer low-cost fares and attract more people to train over air and road”.

Lumo also runs services on the East Coast Main Line, connecting London King’s Cross with Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk.

It operates on an open access basis, meaning it sets its own fares, takes on all revenue risk and receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies.

This means it is not affected by the Government’s renationalisation of all remaining franchised train services in Britain.

FirstGroup holds track access rights from regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the route on the WCML until 2030.

In January, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wrote to ORR chairman Declan Collier, expressing concerns that the open access model can cause “potential congestion” and result in taxpayers being “left to fill shortfalls” in maintenance costs.

She stated it was her “expectation” that “the impacts on the taxpayer and on overall performance” are “given primacy” when his organisation analyses track access proposals.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

“He’s so iconic that every single word, you just bottle up, and you always try to remember it for future games.”

Scott McTominay has revealed a surprise phone call from Sir Alex Ferguson helped inspire his heroic overhead kick which sent Scotland to the World Cup.

The Scotland star admitted he was left stunned when an unknown number flashed up on his phone last September. What followed was a pep talk with the Manchester United legend that McTominay still holds close.

Speaking to GQ after being named in their All-Star list, alongside the likes of former Celtic player and Australia captain Jackson Irvine and England fullback Reece James, he said: “I spoke to Sir Alex in September, which was amazing. He called me, and I was extremely grateful that he took the time to speak to me and just ask me about how I was doing and football and stuff like that.

“So it was lovely to speak to him. I was only a young kid when he was leaving, so for him to think of me was extremely special, because he’s the greatest to ever do it, in my opinion.”

The call came completely out of the blue. McTominay laughed as he explained: “It was No Caller ID. I answered and just said ‘Hello?’ because I answer every call. I feel like I have to.

“And he just said, ‘How are you doing, son?’ And so I knew fairly quickly who it was.

“We had a nice catch-up. It was probably more normal than what people would think – just like your friend calling you up, for example, and asking how you’re getting on and stuff like that.

“But, yeah, it was really special.”

The Scotland midfielder has refused to reveal exactly what Ferguson told him during that conversation. However, he hinted the legendary former United boss delivered words that have stayed with him ever since.

McTominay said: “Yeah. It’s probably personal, so I wouldn’t ever want to say anything out of turn. But he’s always had great advice.

“He’s so iconic that every single word, you just bottle up, and you always try to remember it for future games.

“And then three months later, we qualified for the World Cup. So the conversation must have inspired something.”

The Napoli star saw his career change upon moving to Italy, including firing Napoli to the Serie A title, being named the league’s player of the season and even being nominated for the Balon d’Or.

But his wondergoal to help Scotland defeat Denmark 4-2 and send Steve Clarke’s men to their first World Cup in 28 years has elevated him to legendary status in his home country.

Advertisement

The incredible overhead kick was immortalised in a mural just a stone’s throw from Hampden Park earlier this year. Speaking about seeing it for the first time, he said: “I’m extremely grateful for it.

“Thank you to Adidas for thinking about doing something so special like that, but I almost feel a little… not a sense of embarrassment, but when it’s up on the top there, where all the players can see it in training, you know… I’m quite low-profile.

“Obviously, it’s an amazing thing, but yeah, my big head up on the side of a building is something that’s a little bit surreal to me. I don’t really know how to put it into words, it’s that special.”

McTominay joined Manchester United as a five-year-old and remains one of the last academy graduates shaped during Ferguson’s era. During his time at Old Trafford he won an FA cup and League Cup.

Now he stands on the brink of another historic challenge, representing Scotland at their first World Cup since France 1998.

Yet amid all the excitement, McTominay insists the biggest winners are not the players – they are the children across Scotland who finally get the chance to see their heroes on the world stage.

He said: “It’s great for the kids to experience something like this – especially for the young and aspiring Scottish footballers.

“I think that’s the most important thing, when a kid is enjoying it, and they’ll now be able to go to football and think about the World Cup and have conversations with the other kids at school about it.

“It’s an amazing thing. And, for us, we’re just extremely grateful that we could bring that happiness to Scotland.”

While Steve Clarke’s side have reached recent European Championships, the agony of failing to progress beyond the group stage has left a sense of unfinished business. McTominay believes the World Cup offers another chance to create history.

He said: “It’s not been missing, because we’ve qualified for a couple of Euros, but they’ve been underwhelming for our standards.

“We wanted to qualify and get out of the groups, and we didn’t quite manage to do that, so this is another opportunity for us to create a bit of history.”

Although he was only two years old when Scotland last appeared on the biggest stage, McTominay grew up dreaming of one day playing there himself.

He said: “It’s a tournament that’s watched by the world, and it’s something that, as a kid, I always dreamed about playing in. For me to have the opportunity to do that will be incredible.”

But McTominay is determined not to let the occasion overwhelm him. Instead, he wants to savour every second.

He said: “What I want, even in the build-up, is to enjoy every minute.

“I don’t want to look back when I’m 40 or 50 years old and think, I was too anxious, I was too worked up. As I’ve gotten older, the career is short. You have to enjoy it.

“If you don’t, it can flash by so quickly and leave you wondering where the time went. Now that I’m a bit older, I can experience and enjoy things. It means more.”

Visit the GQ All-Stars Hub Page to read more.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

From Monday, June 1, to Tuesday, June 9, no trams will stop at Market Street or Shudehill.

This means that all services from Bury will go to Altrincham via Exchange Square.

The trams will not stop at Piccadilly Gardens, Piccadilly, Market Street and Shudehill.

Other tram routes will also be affected, with services from Altrincham not calling at Piccadilly Gardens, Market Street and Shudehill.

Trams from the Trafford Centre will go to Etihad Campus and services from Manchester Airport will go to Victoria via Exchange Square.

Information on Bee Network’s website states that customers might need to change trams, take a short walk or hop on the free bus to complete their journey.

It also states that a replacement bus will operate between Piccadilly and Victoria.

A statement on the website reads: “For customers on the Bury and Altrincham lines, the easiest way to reach Piccadilly will be by changing trams at St Peters Square.

“You may need to change platforms for the right trams, see departure boards and signage on stop for more details.”

Tram services will resume via Market Street/Shudehill stops from Wednesday, June 10.

The Marks and Spencer store in Warrington only opened last summer

M&S has confirmed that a store it opened less than a year ago is closing down.

The Manchester Evening News reported last summer how the new M&S Outlet store opened at Warrington’s Riverside Retail Park, selling clothing and other products at discounted prices.

It joined a number of other M&S Outlet stores in the region, including one at Quayside in Salford, formerly Lowry Outlet; one at Urban Exchange in Manchester city centre; and another at the Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks in Ellesmere Port.

Click here to keep up to date with the latest Family news in our newsletter

The arrival of the store was largely welcomed by shoppers, although some did share their disappointment that it didn’t include a Food Hall, and suggested the original M&S site in Golden Square would have been a better location.

Others raised concerns about traffic in the area, saying they already struggled to get in and out of the retail park.

Now the retailer has confirmed that the 6,000 sq ft store is closing for good with the company saying its performance ‘hasn’t been where it needs to be’.

Pete Dobson, regional manager at M&S, said: “Our Warrington Riverside Outlet store will close on Saturday 20th June and we’d like to thank all of our customers who have shopped with us and our colleagues. We will continue working hard to serve customers at our nearby Gemini store, offering the very best of M&S Food, Fashion, Home and Beauty, and at our Stockton Heath foodhall.”

The Outlet store – one of 16 new stores M&S that opened across the UK in the 2025/26 financial year – was an addition to the M&S stores that already exist in Warrington, including the huge one over at the town’s Gemini Retail Park and the food hall in Stockton Heath.

More than 20 new staff were recruited to join a 28-strong team at the Riverside store, which also sold kidswear and a curated range of home and beauty products.

M&S says all colleagues have been redeployed to alternative roles at the company. The closure is part of M&S’s wider ‘store rotation programme’, which is focusing on opening more food-led stores in easily accessible sites.

Other sites to close include its branch in Oxford Street, Swansea, which shut down on Saturday leaving shoppers ‘heartbroken’. The store has been a major shopping attraction in the city for many years.

A further store closure is scheduled for June in Newport, with the retail chain citing changes in customer shopping habits as the reason for the shutdown.

Those with an understanding of how the embassy in Washington works describe it as being almost like a government department itself in size – and, crucially, with connections to so many aspects of the Whitehall government machine, given the importance of the UK-US relationship. This is particularly true on military and intelligence matters, much of which will likely be redacted from this document drop on national security grounds.

As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our
articles.

Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local
services.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local
community.

It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need
as much support as possible during these challenging times.