O’Sullivan is just not at it so far today. His break is loose, inviting Higgins to take on a red that he misses. O’Sullivan should then have an easy cut to the bottom right but it hits the jaws and comes out, allowing Higgins to pot it with the help of the rest. And as I type he is now lining up a black.
Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:58
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Higgins wins the 18th frame! Higgins 118-7 O’Sullivan – 9-9
This is steady and rather impressive from Higgins. His tracking has been off a couple of times – ending up dead straight on a blue and a pink with six and five reds on the table – but he is unfazed by the pressure shots and by the end has put together a break of 118.
From 9-4 down, the Scot is now level. We could be in for a very, very long afternoon.
Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:54
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Higgins 26-7 O’Sullivan – 8-9
Now it’s Higgins’ turn to have a go – sending a red into the middle right, cutting a blue into the middle left before doing an alright job at breaking up the cluster of reds.
Another red, another blue that takes the cue ball up to the baulk cushion and all the way back down for a simple red in the bottom right.
Higgins, 13-7 up, then hesitates over whether to take on the green, brown or blue next. He opts for the latter, and pots it. That sees his options open up and, should he put together a run he is capable of, this match is about to become level.
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Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:45
Higgins 0-7 O’Sullivan – 8-9
Higgins leaves an open but difficult red that O’Sullivan sinks to the bottom right. But he gets unlucky and cannot get on to a colour so takes the safe option.
Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:39
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Higgins 0-6 O’Sullivan – 8-9
After some reasonable safety, O’Sullivan nips in to score six before running out of options and returning to baulk.
Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:37
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Higgins 0-0 O’Sullivan – 8-9
The Wizard breaks off in frame 18, momentum in his favour, but leaves a lone red for O’Sullivan to attack. He misses that but does not leave anything obvious on and Higgins will bring the cue ball back to baulk.
Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:32
Higgins wins the 17th frame! Higgins 75-44 O’Sullivan – 8-9
And Higgins makes hay from O’Sullivan’s unforced error. Again, his ball-tracking is not brilliant and having sunk the penultimate red he leaves himself too straight on the pink. From there he does really well to set himself up for the final red on the bottom cushion. A straightforward black follows, putting himself 17 ahead with only the colours to go, though he would have liked to have been better positioned for the yellow.
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No matter, he sinks it with the aid of the rest and then makes light work of the green, brown and blue. He misses the pink but that is irrelevant and now there is only one in it.
Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:30
Higgins 16-44 O’Sullivan – 7-9
That error allows O’Sullivan to put together a decent enough break. Although his third red was far from precise, his rhythm seemed to improve with every pot … until his positioning from a black leaves a more difficult than anticipated red, which he cannot convert.
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On the BBC’s coverage Dennis Taylor says that a new cloth had been put on the table overnight, which may explain a relatively tricky start.
Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:23
Higgins 16-0 O’Sullivan – 7-9
Higgins rolls in a red to the bottom left but then jaws the following pink to a middle pocket, allowing O’Sullivan in. It’s been a bit scrappy.
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Alan Smith27 April 2026 13:16
Higgins 15-0 O’Sullivan – 7-9
The cueball is respotted and O’Sullivan misses by an even greater margin, hitting the pink rather than a cluster of reds.
His third attempt is short and while the fourth hits the reds, he has afforded Higgins a couple of decent options.
Hundreds of towns and cities across the UK could see a new Lidl supermarket open in the coming years, as the discount chain has released its latest ‘wish list’ of 876 target locations for its UK expansion
Brian Dillon and Katie Green Senior multimedia reporter
17:59, 27 Apr 2026
Millions of British households could soon find themselves within easy reach of a brand new Lidl store, as the budget supermarket giant unveils its latest location ‘wish list’, outlining hundreds of sites across the country where it hopes to set up shop.
Announced today (Monday, April 27), the list spans hundreds of locations throughout Scotland, Wales and England. Locations making the list include several Cambridgeshire towns and cities.
Locations in Cambridgeshire include:
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The German retailer confirmed it is actively pursuing freehold, leasehold, or long-leasehold sites in prominent positions with high footfall and good transport links.
Richard Taylor, chief real estate officer at Lidl GB, said: “At Lidl GB, we currently have one of the most ambitious store opening programmes of any supermarket, and we are more committed than ever to bringing our high-quality and low-priced products to even more communities across the country.”
It comes after Lidl GB announced plans to open more than 50 new stores over the next year. This forms part of its £600 million investment. The popular supermarket is also constructing a new warehouse in Leeds as part of its planned UK expansion, reports the Express.
Plans have emerged for a huge new resort in south Wales comprising a futuristic museum, indoor playgrounds and food market, but a proposed site hasn’t been decided. It is estimated it could attract 600,000 visitors a year and would employ 250 full-time staff.
The plans seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service and briefly discussed last week at a meeting of councillors for Torfaen County Borough Council show the visitor attraction would have four core elements.
They would include a Gallery of Marvelous Solutions to showcase exhibits currently in storage in galleries and museums across the world, a Trading Place market space offering food, locally-sourced products and workshops on repairing goods.
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Other attractions would include a playground with a “super-sized helter-skelter, enormous maze” and “life-sized snakes and ladders” to reconnect people with their “creative problem-solving ability”.
The Tomorrow’s World exhibit would work with universities, companies and charities to showcase “groundbreaking innovations and ideas” to the public including through virtual and augmented reality technology. The entire attraction would bring science and art together and be for all ages.
Behind the plans for the site, which would be called Xanadoo, is Gaynor Coley who was one of the founders of Cornwall’s Eden Project which transformed a former clay mine into a botanical garden.
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Ms Coley said Xanadoo would be a world class visitor destination with a major environmental and social impact and an £840 million economic impact, over 30 years, which would support more than 1,000 jobs.
One site near Pontypool is likely to have been ruled out but Ms Coley and partner Susan Hill, who also worked at the Eden Project, are currently looking at sites in Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent and also Swansea.
Their firm, Road to Happiness, which worked with Torfaen council on redesigning Greenmeadow Community Farm in Cwmbran, is in discussions with the council but Ms Coley has also urged anyone with potential sites in mind to contact it.
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Ms Coley, who is originally from Cwmbran, said: “I’m Welsh and grew up in Cwmbran and my partner, Susan Hill, and I think Welsh tourism needs and deserves this fantastic opportunity.
“We believe Xanadoo can do the same for south Wales as the Eden Project did for Cornwall. An economic impact assessment has just been carried out and it has bought £6 billion to Cornwall and the West Country which is more than the whole of European funding and we’d like to do the same for south Wales. It will bring sustainable tourism, support hospitality and creativity, storytelling, digital and health and wellbeing.”
The grade II-listed former Nylon Spinners Factory, at Mamhilad Park in Pontypool, had been under consideration as a potential site but has likely been ruled out as the site owners intend to develop it for new housing, despite the most recently approved plans having been overturned following a judicial review.
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Ms Coley said she and her partners are “still open-minded” on potential sites and are “actively looking for sites” in Swansea, Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent. The two Gwent councils have a formal partnership in which they work together.
She said: “I would encourage anybody who thinks there is a location that could be right for Xanadoo to get in touch.”
A prospectus for the project lists Torfaen Borough Council and the UK Government under those that have further developed and contributed to the feasibility study which cites figures based on research from 2023 and a projected opening in 2028.
As well as a visitor attraction Xanadoo would have space for businesses and universities to work together.
Xanadoo is also highlighted in a report on a proposed Torfaen destination management plan intended to guide the development of a visitor and tourism economy in the borough.
The report reads: “A potential major visitor attraction development such as Xanadoo could help to transform the area”. It adds: “Xanadoo would be a major draw for Torfaen and south Wales.”
When the tourism plan was discussed by Torfaen councillors Reform UK member for Llantarnam, Alan Slade, asked what Xanadoo is.
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Council deputy chief executive Dave Leech said he couldn’t go into details “as they are commercially sensitive” but described it as a “potential tourism product” in “very, very early stages” with sites in the borough being looked at. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter.
That run pales in comparison to Brentford’s bizarre run of results. They have drawn six on the spin, including an FA Cup defeat by West Ham which was settled by a penalty shootout after ending level. That spell has seen the Bees slip to ninth in the table, though a win this evening would send them back up to sixth, ahead of Brighton, Bournemouth and Chelsea.
But just as with Attenborough’s filming in the 1970s, things did not go as expected. Over 250 days of filming, Pablo’s descendants were in the midst of a complex battle for supremacy between three adult males that led to beatings, a killing and mourning. Once again, the gorillas were writing the script just as they had in 1978.
Unforgotten star Nicola Walker teams up with Jemaine Clement in the Disney+ comedy-drama Alice and Steve, coming in June
17:46, 27 Apr 2026Updated 17:46, 27 Apr 2026
The premiere date for Nicola Walker‘s eagerly anticipated new series has been confirmed.
The actress, best known for her portrayal of DCI Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Stuart throughout seasons 1-4 of ITV’s acclaimed detective drama Unforgotten, is set to star alongside a stellar cast in Disney+’s Alice and Steve.
The cast and creative team behind the new six-part comedy-drama launched their press tour yesterday (April 26) with a world premiere in competition at CANNESERIES 2026.
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The show, which arrives on Disney+ in June, centres on Alice, portrayed by Nicola, whose life is thrown into turmoil when her closest friend Steve (Jemaine Clement) embarks on a romance with her 26-year-old daughter, Izzy (Topol Margalith). Confronted with the prospect of simultaneously losing both her dearest friend and her daughter, Alice resorts to drastic measures in a bid to separate them.
However, Steve is not prepared to back down, and what begins as an intimate friendship rapidly descends into a bitter and turbulent rivalry, reports the Mirror.
Combining comedy with emotional depth, Alice and Steve delves into the complicated dynamics of friendship, family, and romance.
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This anti-romantic comedy poses profound questions – how far would you go for love or revenge? And can Steve and Izzy’s relationship withstand the consequences? One certainty is that the lives of these characters will be irrevocably altered.
The synopsis for Alice and Steve reads: “Alice tries everything she can to end the relationship. Unfortunately for her, Steve’s more than ready for the attack, and what begins as a perfect friendship devolves into an all-out feud.”
Upon the show’s initial announcement, Nicola declared in an official statement: “I’m thrilled to be stepping into the fabulous world of friendship, motherhood, marriage, frantic revenge and fierce love that Sophie Goodhart has created, and to be doing it with Jemaine Clement is completely joyful!”
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Fellow lead Jemaine was equally enthusiastic about his co-star, commenting: “I really relate to Steve – he’s classy, stylish and an all-round good guy – except for when he isn’t. I’m excited to be working with the wonderful Nicola Walker and seeing how Steve and Alice’s relationship descends into absolute chaos.”
Nicola became a firm favourite amongst audiences in the acclaimed detective drama Unforgotten, though her character’s death in 2021 left viewers heartbroken.
Alongside Nicola in the lead role, the production boasts an impressive creative team, including writer-creator Sophie Goodhart (Sex Education), director Tom Kingsley (Stath Lets Flats), Clerkenwell Films executive producer Andy Baker (Baby Reindeer) and series producer Frances du Pille.
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All six episodes of Alice and Steve will be available to stream from Monday, June 8 exclusively on Disney+
Ever since The Traitors became a near-immediate hit in 2022, networks have been fairly blatantly clambering to come up with their own equivalents.
There’s even an argument that interest in ITV’s Big Brother reboot – announced before The Traitors, but debuting months afterwards – was piqued by the popularity of the BBC franchise.
Last week, ITV unveiled its latest attempt to cash in on The Traitors’ success in The Neighbourhood, a new reality series where teams of households move into a makeshift residential estate, where they’re pitted against one another to try and get their hands on a shared crash prize.
Graham Norton pictured with the cast of ITV’s The Neighbourhood
In a lukewarm two-star review, The Guardian said Graham was The Neighbourhood’s sole “saving grace”, but called for “a moratorium on new reality shows, at least until the frenzied desire for a challenger to The Traitors’ crown is over”.
“Any sense of jeopardy is conspicuous by its absence. Norton lifts the energy when he’s there but is only present for the welcome and removals-voting,” the review explains.
“The contestants are largely a charisma-free bunch, and the only one that isn’t is evicted early, with a suggestion of underlying racism that everyone works very hard to ignore.”
In its own two-star review, The Telegraph agrees that Graham is a “good host, keeping things nice and jolly”, but lamented that The Neighbourhood (referred to as “Traitors-lite” in the piece) may be a case of style over substance, suggesting producers put “more thought into how it looks than how engaging it is to watch”.
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Graham Norton cosies up to a gnome on the set of his new series The Neighbourhood
The Times called The Neighbourhood “mediocre”, “derivative”, “bland” and “boring” claiming: “It tries very hard to be like The Traitors, as do so many wannabes these days, but doesn’t come within a country mile of it.”
Meanwhile, The Irish Independent also referred to it as a “Traitors knock-off” that makes for “tedious” viewing.
It fared somewhat better in The Independent and Metro, who each gave The Neighbourhood three stars, although the former opined that “even Even Graham Norton can’t save this trippy reality show”, and writing that the show doesn’t allow him to play to his strengths.
The latter, on the other hand, called The Neighbourhood a cross between Desperate Housewives and The Traitors, insisting that as the show progresses, it “begins to reveal its true identity – not just as a glossy imitation of The Traitors, but as a slow-burning social experiment with a vicious streak”.
“It may take time to find its footing, but once it does, it becomes brilliantly ruthless television,” Metro’s review concludes.
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Graham previously maintained that The Neighbourhood’s format stands on its own two feet.
The Neighbourhood is the latest collaboration between Graham Norton and ITV
“It properly is a new format,” he told ITV. “It’s not ‘something meets something else’, it’s not, ‘it’s like this, but that’. I really thought, ‘I hadn’t seen this show before’.”
He continued: “It leans into our curiosity about what’s behind closed doors and there’s something really compelling and addictive about seeing the way the existing households interact with each other. I thought, ‘I’d watch that’ – and I’d never want to work on something I wouldn’t watch. I thought, ‘this show would hook me!’.”
The Neighbourhood continues on Thursday night at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Sir Keir received backing from former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who said: “Whatever the parliamentary games at Westminster, what the country expects of everyone in Labour is to focus on the priorities of the British people, which is what Keir Starmer is doing and for which he deserves all our support.”
The ambitious plans to build 60,000 new homes across York and North Yorkshire over the next decade have been set out.
The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s proposed housing growth strategy aims to significantly accelerate development across the region, with at least 25,000 of the new homes expected to be classed as affordable.
Leaders say the plan is designed to tackle growing demand for housing while supporting economic growth and ensuring local people are not priced out of their communities.
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David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said the only way to tackle the housing crisis in the region was to “build our way out of it”.
He added: “We’re stepping up to build 60,000 new homes by 2035, with a firm commitment that 25,000 of these will be genuinely affordable.
“Working in close partnership with Homes England and the local councils, we’ll ensure we deliver the right homes in the right places with the right infrastructure.”
The strategy notes that more than 5,400 homes need to be built each year to meet new national targets.
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Its aims include increasing housing supply by unlocking strategic sites.
A “plan-led” approach is proposed to ensure the right homes are built in the right places, while public land will be used to accelerate development.
The strategy aims to develop an affordable housing pipeline, with emphasis on social rented homes, rural housing and tackling the implications of holiday lets and second homes, which have been blamed for reducing supply and pushing up prices.
It also highlights the importance of building energy-efficient homes and improving existing housing stock through retrofit programmes, helping to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty.
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Officials say partnership working will be key, with local authorities, developers, Homes England and other organisations expected to play a role in delivering the scale of growth required.
The report states that the strategy sends a clear message that the region is “open for business” and ready to attract investment in housing.
If approved by members of the Combined Authority when they meet on Friday, the plan will guide housing development across York and North Yorkshire for the next ten years.
There has been a months long dispute between the council and BT over the road damage in Leigh
Action has been promised on long-standing potholes which have been at the centre of a dispute over who’s responsible for fixing it.
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The road surface around a metal utility cover on Twist Lane, close to Parsonage Way in Leigh has been deteriorating for months.
Councillors said ‘what began as a minor defect has now escalated into significant potholes’.
After more than four months of pressing by Wigan council BT, have now agreed to fix the surface. The damaged section of road has been jolting hundreds of vehicles every day since last year.
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Responding to local councillor Dane Anderton’s update on the matter, motorist Philip Yardley said: “During normal traffic it can’t be avoided.
“It’s one of those where you hit it and you grit your teeth after shouting ‘Jeeeze’.”
Earlier this month, after becoming exasperated at the lack of progress, Coun Anderton, on behalf of himself and other Leigh West councillors, wrote to the chief executive of BT.
The letter said: “The defect is positioned on a primary route serving both the town centre and a high-traffic retail park. Because of its location, motorists find it impossible to avoid.
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“What began as a minor defect has now escalated into significant potholes surrounding the frame.
“By failing to act in December, BT has allowed the damage to spread to the surrounding road surface, which will now result in a far more costly and extensive reinstatement.
“Wigan Council is proud to have some of the highest-rated roads in the country, with maintenance standards consistently recognized by the government. “BT’s failure to maintain its assets is now causing a direct negative impact on the safety and quality of our local infrastructure.
“We urge you to override the current ‘non-urgent’ classification and prioritize a full repair of the cover and the surrounding highway damage your asset has caused.”
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In the past few days Wigan council have updated councillors on the issue saying ‘BT has now accepted responsibility for the utility box and are planning the necessary repairs’.
The message added: “As soon as a date is confirmed, we will update you.”
An application to refurbish the building on the corner of Kings Square and St Andrewgate and turn them into four flats have been lodged with City of York Council.
Helmsley Securities’ plans stated the conversion would enhance a vacant building and the area around it through the creation of contemporary living spaces in a well-connected location.
The flats would be above the Café Nero on the corner of Kings Square and St Andrewgate.
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Plans for the flats, dubbed Bedern Lofts, include creating a new dedicated entrance to them at street level in St Andrewgate.
The refurbished upper floors are set to feature a new staircase, window openings and heating upgrades.
One one-bedroom, one two-bedroom and two three-bedroom apartments are set to be built as part of the conversion.
Extensions of the original lift shaft are also planned to provide views of the Minster.
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St Andrewgate was first recorded in 1200, likely taking its name from the nearby St Andrew’s Church.
An impression showing how the entrance to flats in St Andrewgate, in York, could look (Image: Helmsley Securities/City of York Council planning portal)
The current St Andrew’s Evangelical Church building dates to the 14th Century.
The street was also historically home to a religious hospital, metalworks and workshops between the 1300s and 1500s and York’s first police station built in the 1820s.
A drill house for the York Rifle Volunteers was built in 1872.
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A number of its 17th and 18th Century buildings were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the redevelopment of the area.
Homes have since been built around the street’s surviving historic buildings, according to planning documents.
Plans stated: “The ultimate aim of the project is to secure St Andrewgate for the future by re-using and enhancing the vacant building through the creation of contemporary living spaces in a sustainable, well-connected location.”
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