Little did I know it but this benign missive, sent to my local community choir group on Monday morning by a nice woman called Sarah, was the unwitting catalyst for what would quickly become a deranged, Race Across the World-style quest to secure a pair for myself. My own personal odyssey, if we want to be culturally relevant.
Within minutes of her original plea, there were multiple replies. “The print shop have got some, I think – heading there ASAP!!!”
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“Try the newsagents on Bouverie Road, I got some from there yesterday but they were limited to five pairs per person?”
“This link looks good – currently saying will deliver before Wednesday [prayer hands emoji].”
I’ll be honest – while I’d heard some chatter about the solar eclipse happening on 12 August, prior to this stream of “hot tips” and warm leads I had given it almost zero thought. But the funny thing is, as more messages came pinging in – “sold out online!”; “print shop has run out!”; “newsagent out of stock!” – I suddenly wanted, more than anything else in this solar system, to get my mitts on a pair. The scarcity mindset had officially set in. I struggled to focus on anything else for the rest of the day.
“They’re being stupid – it must be possible to buy them on the internet,” I thought, scornfully. “You can buy anything on the internet. That’s why it’s killing off independent businesses so effectively!”
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But, of course, my lovely choirmates weren’t stupid at all. The idiot was me – blithely assuming I’d be able to casually buy a pair two days before the UK’s most complete eclipse event in 27 years.
Persistence pays off: Solar eclipse glasses secured at Old Spitalfields Market (Helen Coffey/The Independent)
The more I looked online, the more panicked I became. Every single purveyor was either out of stock or advertising a delivery date of Friday 14 August at the earliest, two days after the fact. Yes, even on Amazon Prime. Getting hold of a simple strip of cardboard with black plastic lenses that would ensure I could safely look upon a burning orb 93 million miles away was proving not just tricky but nigh-on impossible.
Still, this was all currently playing out in my humble hometown in Kent. Heading into London to go to the office, I reasoned things would be different there. The Big Smoke, the economic hub of this great nation, would surely be selling specs on every corner.
Alas, the situation in Folkestone was indicative of what was unfolding across the country. A cursory Google search showed that the market in London was just as much shaped by supply < demand and, consequently, the only viable strategy was to comb through a random assortment of Reddit threads and Facebook posts like a detective on the trail of the Zodiac Killer.
Jessops were said to be selling pairs, but whether or not there would be any by the time one arrived was unclear. Greenwich Observatory seemed to be the safest bet, but they warned of limited stocks (and, quite honestly, it was a mission from the City).
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Solar Eclipse London is doing strategic ‘drops’ of glasses across London (Helen Coffey)
There were whispers of some being sold under the counter at a specific bakery by Bond Street tube station, rumours of a single convenience store near Aldgate East that had a fresh batch. Booze and Essential Putney “had 90 pairs this morning”; Snax Wimbledon “just got 300 pairs, apparently”. There was a 2am queue in Whitechapel of insomniac stargazers desperate to get some.
It was while picking through the comments underneath a post from “Muswell Hill Group and Friends” on Facebook in response to the news that Fresh Bakery in Finsbury Park had been flogging them that I realised I had accidentally become part of something – a new tribe of people driven slightly insane by a dearth of resource. “Anybody know if it is open now and if they have two pairs in stock??” wrote one anxious soul. “Driving all the way from Muswell Hill.”
And it was while dissecting a separate social media thread based on the keywords “solar eclipse glasses”, “where”, “buy”, “TODAY, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD” that I happened upon my best, most tangible lead yet: an underground WhatsApp group called Solar Eclipse London.
That’s where things truly got weird. This mysterious enterprise, whose WhatsApp community had only sprung into being on Sunday, seemed to have “ISO 12312-2 certified” eclipse inventory up the wazoo and was deploying it strategically across London. Different locations at different times; limited “drops”, with hype built by trailing cryptic clues about the next ballpark area without details of the exact whereabouts.
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I realised I had accidentally become part of something – a new tribe of people driven slightly insane by a dearth of resource
“Finsbury Park, we’re coming soon.”
“We have a big surprise for everyone. There is a location with over 2,000 waiting for you all. Will reveal at 2.30pm.”
“Hint being sent below”, with a picture of the glasses against a backdrop of Big Ben.
And, my personal favourite, “The location rhymes with Chutney??”
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The marketing was flawless, as was the entrepreneurial nous; within the space of a few hours, the WhatsApp community had grown from under a thousand-strong to over 7,000 (and by the end of the day it had hit 9,000). And then they hinted Liverpool Street was the next station for a forthcoming “shipment”, which just so happened to be around the corner from my office (#blessed). The exact location, however, would be shared on their Instagram – with instructions to “FOLLOW AND LIKE!”, another excellent marketing ploy for engagement – and pairs would be limited to two per person. Each one would cost £5, cash only. Oh, it was on.
I grabbed two colleagues to ensure we could obtain the requisite number of pairs and headed out into the unknown, refreshing the Insta account every 10 seconds like a woman possessed. Finally, aha! “Old Spitalfields Market”. Still vaguely imprecise, but enough to go on.
See ‘em and weep: solar eclipse glasses have sold out across the UK (AFP/Getty)
The nearer we got, the more suspicious we felt. Was this all a weird prank? Was someone going to jump out and shout “Punked!” in our faces, like a Noughties Ashton Kutcher, as we stumbled around the precinct?
But any reticence disappeared once we spotted that most British of spectacles: a queue. And not just any queue. This one was long, winding, and stretching into the distance as far as the eye could see. Word had obviously spread quickly and, within minutes, the line had grown so long I could no longer see the end of it.
No point wondering how the heck hundreds of people had arrived before us – witchcraft seemed to be the only plausible explanation – we were in it now.
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“This is the second location I’ve tried today,” shared the man directly behind us in the queue, with a mildly manic, desperate air. “Finsbury Park sold out this morning – I’ve just been waiting around for the next drop!”
I briefly wondered whether, if I managed to obtain some and he didn’t, I’d be altruistic enough to give up mine to this more deserving soul. No, came the disconcertingly cold answer from deep within. You snooze, you lose.
This is the second location I’ve tried today – I’ve just been waiting around for the next drop!
A desperate man in search of eclipse glasses
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Still, there was a conviviality about the whole thing – a curiously carnivalesque spirit. People in the queue caught eyes and smiled shyly, or exchanged tales of their previous attempts to obtain a pair by trekking the width and breadth of London based on little more than hope and hearsay. Perhaps it was being drawn together around the same wholesome event, but a similar feel to that of the World Cup prevailed among these stressed yet jubilant Londoners: we were experiencing another common cause to unite us in these increasingly divided times.
We shuffled forward excruciatingly slowly, every passing minute cranking up the tension another unbearable notch. Unlike some of the other WhatsApp updates, this one had failed to include the number of spectacles on offer. There could be 30, or 300, or 3,000; there was no way of knowing.
After 20 minutes of inching along, we could finally see the front of the line. This, I knew, would be the exact moment they ran out of stock – when we were in first spitting, then touching, distance. The universe’s sick sense of humour all but guaranteed it. We were eight people from the front now. Five. Three. But, wait… They weren’t going to run out! The universe was on our side!
As we arrived at the kiosk, handed over our crisp, £10 notes, joyfully took our strips of cardboard gold and punched the air in triumph, I felt what can only be described as a shot of pure exhilaration.
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Sure, it was more work than clicking “next day delivery” on Amazon – but a victory earned through the thrill of the hunt? That tastes all the sweeter.
Andy Burnham has said the government is considering a ban on disposable barbecues amid increased wildfire risk driven by this summer’s droughts.
The prime minister told reporters single-use grills had been behind a number of recent blazes and people should not be using them “at this moment in time”.
Some retailers have already decided to voluntarily stop selling the devices, which have previously attracted warnings from fire chiefs.
It comes as Burnham chairs an emergency Cobra meeting on the government’s response to record temperatures in recent months.
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Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales have been officially declared in drought, creating conditions rife for fire to spread.
The Met Office has issued a rare amber extreme heat warning for Thursday, with temperatures peaking in the mid-to-high 30s across the Midlands and south-east of England, and a high of 38C possible.
Speaking during a visit to Stevenage, Burnham said a disposable barbecue ban was something the government was “certainly going to consider”.
“I do want to leave the meeting today with a loud and clear message that we do want people to take the greatest possible care when they are out in the countryside, both in terms of cigarettes, but also those temporary barbecues that we know are causing risk of fires,” he added.
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Burnham did not specify whether the government was considering a restriction on the sale of disposable BBQs, or limitations on their use.
Construction boss Michael Riley, 38, avoided jail after being found guilty of voyeurism.
12:05, 12 Aug 2026Updated 12:10, 12 Aug 2026
dA businessman who secretly filmed a woman as they recreated kinky scenes from Fifty Shades of Grey has been spared jail.
Michael Riley, 38, arranged to meet the 39-year-old for a night of passion at a property in Lanarkshire. They imitated bedroom antics from the best-selling book and blockbuster film that included her being tied to a bed.
But she was left horrified after he sent her footage of the encounter of August 2022. She confronted Riley over the video but he laughed and said: “That’s what people our age do.”
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Police were called in and construction boss Riley, of Newmilns, Ayrshire, was arrested. Riley denied any wrongdoing and went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court where he claimed the woman had agreed to be filmed but was convicted of voyeurism.
Sheriff Linda Nicolson ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and placed him under supervision for two years. He was banned from contacting his victim for 10 years and put on the sex offenders’ register for two years.
Giving evidence via video link, the woman said she had agreed to be restrained but insisted she did not know Riley was going to record the liaison.
She said: “I was in the middle of being unrestrained and he told me to check my phone. I asked him what it was, although looking at it I knew what it was, and I said to him ‘why have you done that?’ and he said it was just something for me to keep.
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“I asked him to completely delete and asked why he had done it and he just laughed. I was just angry with him and I don’t know why you would do that to someone without asking or discussing it.”
Asked if she had agreed to be filmed, the woman replied: “I’m under oath and I’m 100 percent sure that video was not taken with consent.”
In evidence, Riley claimed they had agreed to record their encounter and the woman helped set up cameras.
He added: “The idea behind the video is that it would all come together as one, we called it our Fifty Shades night. It was to be like a scene out of a porno that evening.
“Absolutely she consented, she recorded parts of it herself and at one point she was holding the camera during a sex act. We made a Fifty Shades night happen, it was recorded and it was consensual.”
Rosemary Robinson, defending, said: “He would be compliant with any order imposed by the court.”
Sheriff Nicolson told Riley: “The custody threshold has been passed and you could be subject to a custodial sentence for this but I’m satisfied that an alternative can be imposed.”
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Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic novel written by E.L. James which was turned into a movie starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.
Critics hit out at her post, with one writing to White: “I am completely appalled by that presenter’s comments. I suppose I have ‘followed’ your career since the start, and I have always had the highest regard for your professionalism and, particularly, the manner in which you relate to the audience. I can’t understand it.”
Cambridge University boss investigates faculty for appointing ‘Professor Plagiarism’ as website locks down amid ‘anger and anxiety’ around ‘damaging and difficult case’
The vice chancellor of Cambridge University has announced an investigation into the faculty that appointed ‘Professor Plagiarism’ Jason Arday.
Professor Deborah Prentice said his ‘damaging and difficult case’ had provoked ‘anger and anxiety’ across the university.
In her first public statement on the matter, she said the beleaguered Faculty of Education would be put under investigation for why they appointed him.
And she claimed the case was an ‘aberration and should not be used to cast aspersions on their work or the legitimacy of their roles at Cambridge.’
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This morning, the faculty had put their website into lockdown – with a previously public page about its lecturers now made private.
Cambridge initiated a more general investigation last week after fellow academics accused Mr Arday of copying others’ work and inventing some previous academic posts.
He resigned from his post, saying the ‘personal cost’ of the furore had been ‘too great’, and cancelled a series of events to promote his upcoming memoir, Great and Unfortunate Things.
In her statement today, Professor Prentice said: ‘I fully understand the concerns being raised across the University and well beyond it, regarding Jason Arday’s appointment and I share them. I know there is anger and anxiety around this damaging and difficult case.
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Professor Jason Arday became Cambridge’s youngest black professor in 2023 aged 37
‘We will now investigate the circumstances around his appointment by the Faculty of Education back in 2022 and his time here in Cambridge since his appointment nearly four years ago.
‘That investigation, as you say, should be thorough and transparent, and will be carried out independently by senior academics from within and beyond Cambridge.
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‘It will take time for this work to be done thoroughly, as you will understand, but the work must begin as soon as possible.’
She said that the findings of the investigation will ‘inform’ a new ‘review’ of the process for appointing senior academics.
‘As you are fully aware, appointments to senior academic roles, as in the case of the Faculty of Education and Jason Arday, are currently led at Department level,’ she added.
Her statement comes after Faculty of Education removed its ‘our people’ page from public view following the furore.
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The page originally had been available to the public, and listed the department’s senior academics with biographies and lists of their work.
Yesterday, the Spectator claimed one of Mr Arday’s faculty colleagues, Dr Farah Ahmed, had historic links to the extreme group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which was banned in the UK in 2024.
She had written a chapter for a pamphlet published by the group in 2002, in which she attacked ‘western education’ as a ‘threat’ to Muslims. However, she later said in 2010 she was not a member and did not agree with many of their views.
Professor Prentice said in her statement this morning that she was ‘committed’ to maintaining the ‘highest standards of academic excellence’.
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And she said: ‘In light of the focus on this troubling case and the widespread commentary around it, I want to be very clear that we do not need the outcomes of an investigation to clearly and loudly affirm that our staff of colour are highly valued, for their scholarship, their achievements, and the contributions they make to the institution and the wider academic community.
‘This particular case is an aberration and should not be used to cast aspersions on their work or the legitimacy of their roles at Cambridge.’
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Cambridge University boss investigates faculty for appointing ‘Professor Plagiarism’ as website locks down amid ‘anger and anxiety’ around ‘damaging and difficult case’
Suella Braverman has been left humiliated after it emerged she used to praise a resettlement scheme for Afghans she now says was “appalling”.
The former Conservative home secretary told the House of Commons in 2023 that she was “very proud of the high number of Afghans who have been resettled and welcomed into the United Kingdom”.
Around 20,000 people from Afghanistan moved to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP), and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).
They were set up in part to help those who had helped the British military effort during the Afghanistan war at the start of the 2000s.
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Speaking in the Commons in June 2023, when she was the Tory home secretary, Braverman said: “I am very proud of the high number of Afghans who have been resettled and welcomed into the United Kingdom.
“Between 2015 and 2022, almost 50,000 people have been resettled and relocated, of which over 21,000 were through the Afghan schemes – the ACRS and ARAP.
“And over 28,000 were through established resettlement schemes related to other countries. So I think that is a good track record.”
But despite those comments, Braverman – who defected to Reform UK last year and is now the party’s education spokesperson – has now criticised the Afghan schemes.
In a post on X yesterday, Braverman said ARAP was “an appalling scheme that put huge pressure on the Home Office and yet another mistake by the last Tory government”.
ARAP was launched in 2021- before I was Home Secretary.
It was an appalling scheme that put huge pressure on the Home Office and yet another mistake by the last Tory government. Ben was probably the biggest cheerleader for it in government.
After being criticised by Wallace, she replied: “Your evangelism about bringing thousands of Afghans into the UK was an appalling misjudgment.
“It forced the Home Office to accommodate migrants who would otherwise not be here, it took up valuable housing stock that should have been used by Brits and has placed enormous pressure on our resources.
“Both ARAP AND ACRS were Great Betrayals by the last Conservative government (introduced before I was Home Secretary) and must never happen again.”
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I won’t take lectures from the Defence Secretary at the time of the Afghan leak.
You should be apologising to the nation for that gross act of negligence which happened on your watch. It put innocent people’s lives at risk and undermined our national security. To date, not one… https://t.co/55pgQSdrek
— Thomas Evans @Renewal2030 🇬🇧 (@ThomasEvansAdur) August 12, 2026
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You were in charge, you were in office, you made numerous statements in the house – it was all noted and recorded. So you should be the one apologising to your self. What crack have you been smoking ?
Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Kate Moss looked incredible in a black plunging swimsuit as she soaked up the sun with her daughter Lila on a boat trip in Formentera, Spain on Tuesday.
The supermodel, 52, put on a fashionable display in the backless one-piece which she complemented with gold jewellery during her cruise.
Lila, 23, also showcased her toned figure in a red paisley-print string bikini for the outing.
The mother-daughter duo were joined by models Ruby Lyn and Olivia Neill, as well as Kate’s close friend Rose Ferguson, who is Lila’s godmother.
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Kate looked relaxed as she was seen diving from the boat into the Mediterranean sea for a refreshing swim, with Lila also following suit.
The fashionista later added a pair of denim shorts and black lace vest as the group moved between the boat and shore.
Kate Moss looked incredible in a black plunging swimsuit as she soaked up the sun with her daughter Lila on a boat trip in Formentera, Spain on Tuesday
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Lila, 23, also showcased her toned figure in a red paisley-print string bikini for the outing
The supermodel, 52, put on a fashionable display in the backless one-piece which she complemented with gold jewellery during her cruise
Lila, who is managed by her mother’s fashion agency, made her official runway debut in 2020 by opening and closing the Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2021 show.
She has since gone on to front global campaigns for prestigious luxury brands, including Gucci, Fendi, Marc Jacobs Beauty, and YSL Beauty.
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Meanwhile, Kate is said to be forging a career in floristry after falling in love with gardening in her countryside home in the Cotswolds.
The supermodel bought her countryside mansion in Little Faringdon for £2.5million in 2004.
Ever since she moved out of London, Kate has enjoyed a quieter lifestyle after years of hard partying.
A source told The Sun: ‘Kate fell in love with gardening after moving to the Cotswolds and this is forming the basis of her new venture.
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‘She has been experimenting with some ideas and she’s decided her own range is the way to go.’
Kate revealed back in 2022 that she appreciated a quieter life.
She said: ‘Pottering around my home in the country is one of my favourite things to do – it’s when I’m most happy.’
Kate and Lila looked like they were having fun in the sunshine
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Kate put on a daring display in the plunging one-piece
Kate’s close friend Rose Ferguson, who is Lila’s godmother, also joined them on the trip
Kate sported a bronzed tan and teamed the swimsuit with large black sunglasses
Rebecca showed off her toned abs in a black bikini
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Kate looked relaxed as she was seen diving from the boat into the Mediterranean sea for a refreshing swim
Lila looked incredible in the red two-piece
The model has been sharing an insight into their sunny break on Instagram
Lila relaxed after cooling off in the water. The model, who has type 1 diabetes, was wearing her continuous glucose monitor
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Lila, who is managed by her mother’s fashion agency, made her official runway debut in 2020 by opening and closing the Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2021 show
Lila and her pals did a spot of sunbathing
Kate was having a blast as she chatted to one of Lila’s pals
The supermodel shared a laugh
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Kate put on an animated display as she chatted away
Kate appeared in high spirits after cooling off in the water
Kate showed off her age-defying looks in the daring swimsuit
She smiled as the boat set off
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Lila wrung out her hair after taking a dip
The model appeared in high spirits as she chatted to her friend
Lila relaxed in the sunshine
The girls topped up their tan
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Lila snapped away, documenting their trip
Everyone got involved when the time came for a swim in the sea
Lila took in the breathtaking landscape Located just a 30-to-40-minute ferry ride south of Ibiza, . Formentera is famous for its crystal-clear turquoise waters and white-sand beaches
After their swim, the group headed to the shade of the boat
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Lila and her friends looked like they were having a blast as the boat cruised around the coastline
Kate later covered up in a black and white floral scarf
The fashionista later added a pair of denim shorts and black lace vest as the group moved between the boat and shore
The fashionista later added a pair of denim shorts and black lace vest as the group moved between the boat and shore
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Lila was seen in a pair of white denim shorts and carried a woven bag
She had earlier wore a sheer white T-shirt over the halterneck bikini top
The model has been documenting her trip on Instagram
Ahead of the 35th anniversary of the supermodel’s 1992 campaign with Calvin Klein, which saw her propelled to fame at just 18, a production company is said to be offering up a profile on Kate to the streaming giants.
After releasing fly-on-the-wall style documentary series with the likes of former Spice Girl Victoria, 52, and pop star Kylie, 58, Netflix is said to be considering the project.
According to The Sun, the production company has high hopes that Kate herself will be keen to get involved with the docuseries.
An insider told the publication: ‘Although she is known for her ”Never complain, never explain” approach to life, there are signs that she might now be willing to discuss her life in a way she never has before.
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‘Getting Kate on board would make a huge difference to the streamers and probably spark a bidding war, if it came to fruition.
‘Though it’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation where having Kate sign up might be dependent on someone like Netflix saying it is interested first.’
The insider added that producers are ‘desperate’ to find a way to make the series happen, with hopes that success of previous TV autobiographies on ‘David and Victoria Beckham, Kylie and Gordon Ramsay’ will be ‘persuasive’.
The Daily Mail contacted Netflix and Kate’s representatives for comment.
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It would follow on from Kate’s former appearance in Apple TV documentary In Vogue: The 90s, where she candidly opened up about her modelling career.
In the show, which was released in 2024 and is available to stream on ITVX, Kate revealed that her trim figure saw her slammed by parents of children with eating disorders.
Kylie’s documentary followed on from the success of Victoria Beckham’s series released in 2025, two years on from husband David’s series, Beckham, in 2023.
Telly chef Gordon, 59, also found himself at the centre of a tell-all documentary, with a six-part series released in February 2026.
Four young men who perished in a devastating crash in Huyton “died of multiple injuries”. Jack Diggle, 23, Ben Dooley, 23, Andrew Roberts, 24, and Craig Shackleton-Brady, 26, lost their lives when the black Cupra Formentor in which they were travelling left East Prescot Road, at its junction with Liverpool Road, Huyton, and collided with a lamppost in the early hours of 24 July.
Inquests into the deaths of the four men were opened on Wednesday morning (12 August) at Bootle Town Hall. The coroners’ court was told: “At approximately 1.54am on Friday, July 24 a single vehicle collision occurred on the East Prescot Road between Ashover Avenue and Dinas Lane resulting in the deaths of four of the five occupants.”
Liam Moss, senior coroners’ officer, informed the court that Home Office post-mortems were conducted on 26 July, with the cause of death in all four cases recorded as “multiple injuries”.
The court heard that the four men were initially identified via their dental records, before being further confirmed through distinguishing body markings and clothing they had been seen wearing on CCTV footage captured earlier that evening.
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Mr Diggle, of Alundale Road in West Derby, Mr Shackleton-Brady, of Old Riding in Dovecot, and Mr Dooley, of Greenvalley Road in Stockbridge Village, were all identified by their mothers. Mr Roberts, of Kingsheath Avenue in Dovecot, was identified by his cousin, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Mr Moss confirmed that a suspect had been charged with four counts of aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving. The ECHO previously reported that James Diggle, 27 and of Alundale Road, was charged following his release from hospital.
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He did not enter a plea during his brief appearance at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and was remanded in custody to appear next at Liverpool Crown Court on September 7.
Anita Bhardwaj, senior coroner Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens, said today: “I will formally open the investigation and inquests touching on the deaths of the four gentlemen. I understand as mentioned that someone has been charged.
“I’m going to suspend the investigation and inquests so as to await the outcome of the criminal proceedings. I understand all families have been spoken to and are fully aware of the proceedings.”
Ms Bhardwaj confirmed that the bodies of all four men had been released, with cremation certificates issued for Jack Diggle, Mr Dooley and Mr Roberts, while a burial certificate had been issued for Mr Shackleton-Brady.
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No family members were present at the hearing, which lasted just 10 minutes.
An inquest is a publicly-held fact-finding inquiry, overseen by a coroner, with the aim of establishing the circumstances surrounding an unexplained or unnatural death. The coroner is responsible for addressing four fundamental questions throughout their investigation — who died; where they died; when they died; and how they died.
Jack Diggle’s mother described her son, a devoted Everton FC fan who loved both watching and playing darts, as being fortunate to have a “wonderful” circle of friends. She said Jack’s death had “left a hole” in the lives and hearts of all who knew him that can “never be filled”.
His family added: “We will carry him with us every day and miss him for the rest of our lives.”
Mr Dooley’s mother recalled the sports psychology student as the “kindest person I knew with a heart of gold”, while his sister Demi remembered him as “the one who always gave me advice and looked out for me, the most caring, kindest person in the world”. She added: “My heart is broken.”
Mr Roberts’ mother called her son “my beautiful blue-eyed boy” and added “my life will never be the same with you not here”. His father said: “You were the world to me…and the best son anyone could ask for. I can’t imagine life without you.”
His brothers, Carl and Thomas, remembered “Pip” as the “glue to our crazy family”.
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Mr Shackleton-Brady’s sister, Kelsey, described her younger brother, who worked as a warehouse operator, as “one of the kindest and gentlest people you could ever meet”, while the Dovecot man’s long-term partner, Ellie Jones, who was also the mother of their young children, Phoebe and Archie, said: “He was my life, my rock. I don’t know life without him.”
Following confirmation of the charge against James Diggle, a Merseyside Police spokesperson said: “As criminal proceedings are now active, we would ask that the public refrain from commenting on, or speculating about, the circumstances of this case online, as this could unintentionally prejudice the judicial process.
“Our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of the four men who tragically lost their lives and we ask that their privacy is respected at this extremely difficult time.”
Amanda Abbington, who used to be married to Davis’ The Office co-star Martin Freeman, posted: “Sending you the biggest cuddle and all my love, love, love, love, love. You are and have always been an incredible woman. I adore you. What larks we had when we worked together. Here if you need anything.”
Emergency services rushed to the scene of the crash
10:53, 12 Aug 2026Updated 11:03, 12 Aug 2026
A 19-year-old motorcyclist was rushed to hospital in a “life-threatening condition” after a crash in Cambridge. Officers and paramedics were called at about 8.50pm on Tuesday (August 11) to Trumpington high street outside the Green Man pub.
A silver Jaguar XF was involved in a crash with the black Honda 599C motorbike. The motorcyclist, a 19-year-old man from Chatteris, suffered serious injuries. He was rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in a “life-threatening condition”, Cambridgeshire Police said.
The Jaguar driver, a 69-year-old man from Cambridge, was uninjured and arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He remains in custody.
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Anyone with who saw what happened or has footage is urged to quote reference 35/61647/26 and report it through the force website. Anyone without internet access should call 101.
Kempster Gardens, Salford (stock image)(Image: Google Maps)
A suspect has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was found dead in Salford. Officers were called out to a disturbance in Kempster Gardens at 5.19am today (August 12).
Greater Manchester Police says a man in his 30s was pronounced dead at the scene. A man, also aged in his 30s, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and taken to police custody for questioning.
Senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Jen Tattersall, said: “We understand this will be a shock to the community after a man has sadly lost his life in the early hours of this morning. Our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.
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“We have arrested a man on suspicion of murder, and he remains in police custody. We are not looking for any further suspects and believe this was an isolated incident with no wider threat to the community.
“Investigators are working around the clock to establish the circumstances which lead to this incident. There will be a noticeable presence of officers deployed to the area while we continue with our investigation in the coming days. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to chat with them.
“Anyone concerned about crime in their area can contact police on 101 or via the LiveChat function on the GMP website gmp.police.uk. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
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