CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s Apollo moonshots are a tough act to follow, even after all this time.

As four astronauts get set to blast off on humanity’s first trip to the moon in more than half a century, comparisons between Apollo and NASA’s new Artemis program are inevitable.

The world’s first lunar visitors orbited the moon on Apollo 8. The Artemis II crew will play it safe and zip around the moon in an out-and-back slingshot.

Another key difference: Artemis reflects more of society, with a woman, person of color and Canadian rocketing away.

While Artemis builds on Apollo and pays homage to it, “there is no way we could be that same mission or ever hope to even be,” said NASA astronaut Christina Koch, part of the Artemis II crew.

Here’s the lowdown on Apollo vs. Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology, as NASA targets the first six days of April for liftoff.

Run-up to the moon

It took NASA just eight years to go from putting its first astronaut in space to putting Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969, beating President John Kennedy’s end-of-decade deadline.

“The Apollo program still just absolutely blows me away,” said Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency,

Artemis has progressed much more slowly, after decades of indecision and flip-flopping between the moon and Mars as the next grand destination. NASA’s new moon rocket, the Space Launch System, or SLS, has soared only once in a test flight without anyone on board more than three years ago.

This plodding approach is why NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman overhauled the Artemis program in February. Keen to emulate Apollo, he added a mission between the upcoming Artemis II mission and the moon landing that’s now shifted to Artemis IV in 2028.

During next year’s revamped Artemis III, astronauts will stick closer to home the same way Apollo 9 did in 1969. Instead of attempting a moon landing as originally envisioned, they will practice docking their Orion capsule in orbit around Earth with one or both lunar landers under development by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. The rival companies are accelerating work on their landers in a bid to be first.

Political rivalries

The Soviets were America’s fierce rivals during Apollo, but their moon rockets kept exploding at liftoff and they eventually gave up. Now the Chinese are the competition.

China already has landed robotic spacecraft on the moon’s far side — the only nation to achieve that — and is scrambling to land astronauts near the lunar south pole by 2030.

NASA is aiming for the same polar region, where shadowed craters are thought to hold vast amounts of ice that could provide drinking water and rocket fuel. Like his predecessor Bill Nelson, Isaacman is determined to beat China to the finish line and win this second space race.

Moon rocket

Apollo’s Saturn V rockets stood 363 feet (110 meters), with five first-stage engines. The Artemis SLS rocket comes in at 322 feet (98 meters) but packs more liftoff thrust with its four main engines and two strap-on boosters.

All but one Saturn V rocket soared from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A, now leased by SpaceX. NASA will use neighboring pad 39-B for all SLS flights. While the Saturn V launched twice before carrying astronauts, the SLS has flown only once. Hydrogen fuel leaks delayed the SLS debut in 2022 and struck again during a countdown test in February, stalling Artemis II. Then helium trouble reappeared, causing further delay. NASA is now targeting an April liftoff.

Launch Control remains at the same place. There was one woman in the packed firing room for the liftoff of Apollo 11. Now a woman leads it: Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson.

First lunar crews

Apollo 8 still ranks as the gutsiest space mission of all time. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders became the first humans to launch to the moon in 1968. Borman, the commander, insisted on as few lunar orbits as possible given the risks. He and his bosses settled on 10 orbits as a warmup for 1969’s moonwalk by Armstrong and Aldrin.

NASA decided long ago against orbiting the moon on Artemis’ crew debut, judging it too dangerous. The main goal is to test the Orion capsule’s life-support equipment, flying for the first time.

One big similarity between Apollo 8 and Artemis II is the troubled times surrounding them. “If we can contribute a little bit to hope for humanity,” said Artemis II pilot Victor Glover of NASA, “that is a huge thing.”

Shades of Apollo 13

The Artemis astronauts will orbit Earth for a day to make certain everything is working properly before igniting the main engine and heading for the moon. It will take three to four days for the capsule to reach the moon and continue some 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) beyond, exceeding the distance record set by 1970’s ill-fated Apollo 13.

Like Apollo 13, Artemis II will take advantage of the moon and Earth’s gravity, making a figure eight after whipping around the moon to head home in what’s known as a free-return trajectory requiring little if any fuel. It got Apollo 13’s three astronauts safely back although they had to abandon their moon landing.

Artemis astronauts will parachute into the Pacific after their mission like the Apollo crews did.

Suiting Up

For Apollo, the white, bulky spacesuits did double duty. What the astronauts wore for launch and return was the same for moonwalks since there wasn’t enough storage space for different outfits.

The Orion capsules for Artemis are bigger, designed to hold four astronauts instead of three plus two sets of spacesuits. NASA created brand new spacesuits for use inside the capsule, while turning to private companies for the moonwalking attire.

Commander Reid Wiseman and his crew will wear the orange custom-fitted suits for launch and reentry. They’ll also use them in case of a depressurization or some other emergency. They can survive up to six days in the suits, inserting a straw into the helmet to sip water or protein shakes and relying on undergarment bags and bladders as a built-in toilet.

Houston-based Axiom Space is designing the white moonwalking suits that will accompany future Artemis crews.

Long-term goals

Apollo was all about beating the Russians to the moon and planting the U.S. flag. Astronauts landed six times from 1969 through 1972, with the longest surface stay lasting 75 hours. Five of the 24 Apollo astronauts who flew to the moon are still alive.

For the first Artemis moon landing, a pair of astronauts could spend nearly a week there. It’s a complicated plan compared with Apollo.

Artemis moonwalkers will launch to the moon aboard Orion and, once in lunar orbit, transfer to SpaceX’s Starship or Blue Origin’s Blue Moon, whichever is ready first. They’ll descend to the surface, and, after a few days, blast back into orbit to rendezvous with their Orion capsule. Orion will be the astronauts’ ride home.

NASA is striving for sustained lunar living, with Mars to follow, although “day one of the moon base is not going to look like this glass-enclosed, domed city,” Isaacman said. Last week, he unveiled a blueprint for the moon base showing habitats, rovers, drones, power stations and more. NASA plans to invest $20 billion over the next seven years.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Zinedine Zidane’s future looks to have been decided amid ongoing links to the Manchester United job

France manager Didier Deschamps has refused to address speculation linking Zinedine Zidane with the France national team job.

Deschamps, who has led the side since 2012, is expected to leave his position after the 2026 World Cup. Zidane has been heavily linked with the role for a number of years and, according to French media reports, has now reportedly agreed verbally to succeed Deschamps this summer.

Adding to the speculation, French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo hinted that an announcement could arrive soon after revealing he is aware of the identity of the next France coach. When asked directly if it was Zidane, Diallo replied with a smile: “I invite you to join us after the World Cup.”

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When Diallo’s remarks were raised with Deschamps at a press conference before France’s friendly match against Colombia on Sunday, the 57-year-old said he did not want to “waste energy” on the topic.

“I usually don’t comment on the president’s statements. I focus on what’s important to me, which is today, tomorrow and what lies ahead,” Deschamps, who guided France to World Cup triumph in 2018, explained. “I’m not going to waste energy on that. What happens next doesn’t concern me.”

Zidane has been out of work since his second departure from Real Madrid in 2021. Since then, he has been repeatedly linked with the Manchester United job. However, it is believed he is hesitant about working in the UK because of his limited English.

Although he has been away from management for several years, Zidane, who won three Champions League titles and two La Liga crowns as Real Madrid boss, has never ruled out a return and recently suggested he would be back in the dugout soon. “It will happen soon. Very soon,” he said in November last year.

He has also openly expressed a desire to manage France one day, and that ambition is thought to be shared by the federation, which is reportedly viewing Zidane as the natural successor to Deschamps. Diallo also noted that “fewer than five” candidates applied for the role after it became known Deschamps would be stepping down.

“It takes a profile that ticks many boxes and which can also be the subject of support from the French people, since this French football team is the team of the French people,” he said.

One of Zidane’s former international team-mates, Nicolas Anelka, has previously said he expects the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner to be appointed, describing it as a strong choice.

“I don’t know if it’s official, but I think it will be Zidane,” Anelka said. “Everyone says it will be him, and he’s the best choice; he proved it at Real Madrid. He was a good coach. He will be a good leader for the French players.”

The situation may be disappointing for Manchester United supporters, many of whom would like to see Zidane take charge at Old Trafford this summer. However, with interim coach Michael Carrick delivering strong results, the urgency around appointing Zidane may have decreased.

Carrick is now considered the leading candidate for the permanent role after winning seven of his first 10 matches in charge and securing United’s place in the top four. Even so, a final decision is not expected until the end of the season.

Kimi Antonelli – 8.5 – Antonelli had a certain buzz about him after his breakthrough win in China and was immediately on the pace in Japan. Had the better of Mercedes team-mate George Russell in qualifying but another poor start saw him plummet down the order to sixth. While the car had pace, I don’t think the win was there without the luck of the safety car.

Oscar Piastri – 9 – When he does start a race, he scores big! Immediately on the pace and had an advantage baked in from Friday over McLaren team-mate Lando Norris with the world champion’s reliability issues. Nevertheless, a superb start to get both Mercedes by Turn One and then control the pace for the first stint. A real shame about the timing of the safety car but without it, Piastri could have stolen a win on Sunday.

Charles Leclerc – 8 – On top of his Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton from the get-go even with a car that was to neither drivers’ liking. Flew in qualifying and despite downplaying his final lap, he could have pipped Piastri for P2. Another blinder of a start on lap one and great wheel to wheel battling throughout, with some quite close call action with Hamilton. Fended off Russell right to the flag.

George Russell – 7 – Quick, as you’d expect, but ever since that small change to suspension in qualifying, Russell struggled for pace. Another poor start, not as bad as Antonelli’s but enough to cause him trouble. Dealt a bad card with the safety car but couldn’t exactly carve his way through the field and couldn’t find a way past Leclerc for the final podium place.

Lando Norris – 8 – Considering he could barely get a lap in some of the sessions, plagued with reliability issues and down to potentially his last battery, I’d say this was a sold recovery for Norris. There was clearly more pace to be had but given he hadn’t done any running on high fuel before the race, Japan was a job well done.

Lewis Hamilton – 6 – Never looked at home on board his Ferrari, slipping and sliding his way through practice and never looked to have Leclerc covered this weekend. Managed to get stuck in with a few battles and clearly wasn’t going to just get out of the way of his team-mate, which delivered us some more fun wheel-to-wheel action.

Pierre Gasly – 9 – My personal star of the weekend, alongside Piastri. The Alpine is clearly still tricky but Gasly is able to use all his experience to not only be best of the rest in qualifying but hold his own in the race too, despite Max Verstappen looming down his neck for the majority of the grand prix.

Max Verstappen – 6 – Another weekend where the car was not there for him. A fairly sizeable upgrade to the Red Bull seemed to make no difference, followed by further comments questioning his future.

The Dearden Street, Little Lever one-way system went into place on March 26 after the plans were approved by Bolton Council back in December.

There was a crash on Dearden Street in 2022, which David Evans, who was councillor at the time, labelled as ‘predictable’.

Little Lever and Darcy Lever Councillor David Meehan said: “I welcome this long-awaited and overdue one-way scheme for Dearden St.

“This scheme was originally promised following the completion of the Lever Court development, and I’m pleased to see it now delivered after continued engagement and enquiries on behalf of the local residents.

Dearden Street, Little Lever (Image: Google Maps)

“It’s important to highlight that full consultation was carried out with residents directly affected, alongside the Highways Dept. to ensure the scheme reflects local needs and concerns.

“I recognise that this change has raised a range of different opinions, which is entirely understandable.

“I know how congested traffic is in the Village particularly during school drop-off times and peak rush hours.

“I want to reassure residents that I am listening carefully to these concerns.

“This scheme has been long overdue and was promised to local residents, and it is important that it is delivered while continuing to respond to genuine feedback.

“I also want to note that Rydal Road has been recently resurfaced, demonstrating that improvements are being made in the area.

“We will be closely monitoring how the new one-way system will work in practice, particularly the flow of traffic once it comes into effect.

Dearden Street links Church Street and Lever Street in Little Lever, and was often used as a shortcut between them due to its location.”

Many residents felt this was more than the narrow street could handle, causing traffic, collisions, and full crashes.

Concerns first started being raised in 2020 when the Lever Gardens housing development was proposed in the area, which saw the creation of 64 new homes just off Dearden Street and Lever Street.

The plans for the street (Image: Bolton Council)

Residents raised concerns that Dearden Street was already bad enough as it was without the influx of upwards of 64 more vehicles.

In fact, highways officers had discussed turning Dearden Street into a one-way system even earlier, holding a consultation in 2017.

At the time, highways officers decided that they would not proceed with the one-way system.

Proposals for the one-way system then had to be halted while construction of Lever Gardens was underway, which eventually opened in 2024.

New plans for the system were revived in March 2025, with the council receiving four individual representations in favour of the proposals and four against

Plans for the system were approved by the highways team in December 2025, and have now been ‘signed off and legalised’, according to Cllr Meehan.

Signage and road markings have not yet been installed , however, meaning the system will not become fully operational until early April.

Roman’s Cotton Crochet Tunic Top is back in stock in a new sophisticated shade with shoppers praising its flattering fit and versatile style

Spring has arrived and fashion brands are wasting no time adding fresh pieces ahead of the new season for shoppers to snap up. In previous years, Roman’s Cotton Crochet Tunic Top has proved enormously popular with customers for its flattering finish, and it has now returned to stock in a brand new colour.

Shoppers can get their hands on the crochet top in a sophisticated navy shade, alongside a restock of existing colours white, teal, black and cream. The top is available in sizes 10 to 20, but if previous sell-outs are anything to go by, it may not hang around for long.

The crochet top ordinarily retails at £40, however shoppers can save 10% using the code BLOOM, bringing the price down to £36. It has accumulated hundreds of five-star reviews since its launch, with customers describing it as so ‘versatile’ it can be worn ‘in spring and autumn’.

One of the key reasons people cite for loving it so much is because it ‘hides extra curves’. Amongst the wealth of reviews on Roman’s website, one customer remarked: “Lovely colour and top, nice and long, so covers belly and bum! Looking forward to wearing it.”

Another shopper offered some styling suggestions, writing: “Wear with black jeans and a long sleeved black tee shirt for a winter’s look or cropped matching trousers and vest for a feminine summery look.”

Cotton Crochet Tunic Top

Roman have released a new colour of this bestselling crochet top that’s currently 10% off with the code BLOOM.

For shoppers seeking alternatives, there are other crochet tops worth considering, such as the Cotton Rich Pointelle Patchwork Short Sleeve Top from New Look. Available at £19.99, it comes in three colour options – oatmeal, light pink and light yellow, reports the Mirror.

Meanwhile, Debenhams stocks this Stone Crochet Top With Flared Sleeves for £24. It offers a longer-sleeved alternative for those who prefer a little more coverage and boasts a stunning boho aesthetic.

Should it be Roman’s crochet top that takes the top spot, fellow shoppers would certainly agree with your choice. One five-star review reads: “This is very unique addition to my wardrobe, easy to wash, comfortable to wear and I always get compliments.”

A second customer enthused: “A gorgeous top, I’m so glad I bought it in two colours. It’s so easy and comfortable to wear and I had so many compliments about how lovely it looked. Another plus is that it washes well and if you dry it on a hanger you don’t need to iron it!”

A third reviewer was somewhat less impressed, noting that it ‘comes up quite large’. Nevertheless, another buyer was thoroughly pleased, commenting: “This is more stunning than it looks in the photo – and it looks great there. It goes so well with everything and is a perfect cover for imperfect arms.”

Strictly Come Dancing star Michelle Tsiakkas is reportedly seeking therapy after being ‘axed’ from the show.

The professional dancer confirmed this week that she was among one of several fan favourites who have been cut from the roster.

Other dancers Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Gorka Marquez have also been ‘axed’ from the show.

Michelle, 30, who joined the show in 2022, danced with EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick during his time stint on the competition.

The pair were eliminated in the tenth week, finishing in seventh place, and Michelle did not receive a celebrity partner the following year.

In a new interview, Michelle has spoken of her sense of ‘grief’ which followed the bombshell news, and revealed that she’s seeking therapy to help navigate these emotions.

Speaking to The Sun, Michelle claimed that she had been axed during a 30-minute Zoom meeting with a Strictly Come Dancing executive.

Michelle said: ‘I didn’t see it coming. I thought I had more time. When she told me I wasn’t coming back, there was a moment of shock. I felt my story was unfinished.

‘It felt out of the blue,’ she added, describing herself as ‘heartbroken’ by the sense of grief which followed the bombshell.

She continued: ‘Everything I have known for the past four years has gone. Your brain goes through change and panic. It was so sudden, I had a feeling of hopelessness.’

She said that she was ‘not given a reason’ for her axing, which made the news even tougher to process.

This, she said, put her in mind of late Strictly star Robin Windsor, who took his own life in 2024, aged 44.

Earlier this month, an inquest ruled that Windsor had taken his own life after a considerable ‘mental health deterioration’ accumulated through childhood trauma, heartache and depression.

Jurors at West London Coroner’s Court were told that Windsor had left a note which said the way he was treated when he was dropped from the BBC show ‘destroyed’ him.

Describing mental health as ‘a huge thing,’ she went on to talk about the sense of whiplash which followed her sudden axing from the show.

‘Strictly brings so much fame and exposure and then to lose it in a moment is really tough mentally,’ she said.

‘It was really tough for Robin. For me, it’s been a couple of weeks now since I got the news and things are improving. I think it’s just that journey that you go through.’

According to the tabloid, Michelle has sought out a therapist to talk about her experience. Strictly is also said to have offered a welfare team to discuss her future after the show.

Samaritans are here to listen, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org for more information.

While Michelle doesn’t believe that the BBC axed her due to scandal surrounding her 2024 dance partner, she did say that she believes the cast cull is part of a concerted effort to move on from the past.

31-year-old Jamie’s time on the show was wrought with controversy, first becoming caught up in a ‘sex toy’ row which involved fellow contestant Wynne Evans.

Footage obtained by The Sun on Sunday saw Jamie and Wynne larking around backstage at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, brandishing a sex toy in front of cameras.

This reportedly earned both parties a telling off from BBC bosses.

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Soon after, news broke that Jamie had been dumped by his girlfriend, amid accusations of cheating.

He was later accused of having ‘boasted about an explicit sex act’ on the Strictly stars’ WhatsApp group.

The alleged comment hit headlines in the wake of Wynne Evans’ infamous ‘spit roast’ gag and subsequent firing.

An insider told The Sun: ‘Wynne made a jokey comment, which was borne out of Jamie looking like a spitroast chicken because of how he warmed up on Strictly, and he got fired.

‘Jamie on the other hand boasted about engaging in a very explicit sex act and no one batted an eyelid.

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‘His message was joked about afterwards as well, as it was a shocking thing for the stars and pros to read.

‘Some of the Strictly lot think the BBC acted too hastily in removing Wynne, because in reality some of the cast were taking it a lot further.’

Jamie had only just resumed filming on EastEnders when a video emerged of him using a slur against disabled people – referring to the residents of Blackpool as ‘m*****s.’

The actor received a three-month suspension for the remark, and was set to return to the soap (again) when the BBC announced that he would not be coming back.

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Reflecting on her time with Jamie, Michelle told The Sun that ‘it wasn’t the easiest.’

‘We were getting a lot of critical comments, so that felt like the narrative,’ she said, acknowledging that the star felt a lot of ‘pressure’ after winning the Christmas special in 2023.

Meanwhile, Michelle quit the Strictly Professionals live tour after learning that her contract had been axed.

She spoke out for the first time when she encountered photographers outside Otsi Mabuse’s dance studio in London last week.

‘It is what it is,’ she said, at the time, before thanking those gathered for their support.’

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Metro has contacted the BBC for comment on this story.

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The match referee had no option but to issue a red card following the ugly incident

Welsh starlet Stefan Emanuel was left writhing in pain after being dropped on his head in a horror tackle that saw a player sent off and made the crowd and match commentators groan.

The Wales U20s co-captain – who is regarded by many as a future senior international star – was in action for Cardiff RFC in their Super Rygbi Cymru clash with Llandovery on Saturday when the incident occurred with less than quarter of an hour of the match played.

After taking the lead through Osian Darwin-Lewis, Cardiff were pushing for a second try as Emanuel received the ball just inside his own half and looked to offload to lock Ethan Phillips outside him.

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While he got the pass away, however, the centre was smashed into by Llandovery scrum-half George Macdonald, who lifted Emanuel into the air and tipped him beyond the horizontal, before dropping him hard on the back of his head.

The challenge immediately drew groans from those in attendance and the S4C commentary team, with the referee immediately bringing the game to a halt.

Former Wales international Josh Turnbull, on co-commentary duties for S4C, winced as Emanuel was slammed into the turf, with commentator Phil Steele saying: “That looked really nasty, Steff Emanuel it was. It was a really nasty clout.”

Having hit the 4G surface hard, Emanuel was left holding the back of his head and neck in pain as a medic immediately ran to his aid and supported the player’s head.

Further medical staff from Llandovery also ran over, as referee Rhys Jones consulted with his assistants and confirmed that he was issuing a red card to Macdonald.

Llandovery captain Joe Powell was taken aback by the decision, as Jones explained: “Red nine, lifts him and drops him on his neck, clearly. It’s nothing else but a red card.”

An incredulous Macdonald also questioned the colour of card, with the referee telling him: “You have lifted the player and twisted and driven him by his neck into the ground, so it’s a red card.”

As the scrum-half trudged off, Steele said: “There we are. If it’s a tip tackle, intent doesn’t come into it, it’s outcome,” while Turnbull added: “I’m not sure why the Llandovery boys are arguing with the ref.

“If he lifts him off the floor, you’ve got to bring him back down, haven’t you?”

After being checked over by the medics, Emanuel was deemed OK to carry on and played all but 10 minutes of the clash, which Cardiff won 45-14.

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A wide range of bluebells bloom between mid-April and May

Spring is the time of year when everything blooms, and everything becomes prettier. Situated near Sawtry is Monk Woods, a national nature reserve which is bursting with colour during spring. It’s considered one of the most famous and oldest nature reserves in the area.

Natural England describes it as “one of Britain’s most essential lowland woods” and “pretty ancient”, as it’s over 900 years old. The woodland is home to lots of different wildlife and over 400 species of plants, including the greater butterfly orchid, violet helleborine, crested cow-wheat, small teasel and water purslane.

But the one thing that makes this nature reserve stand out is its beautiful bluebells. During the bluebell season which runs from mid-April to May, the floor of the woods is covered in a carpet of native bluebells. The age of the woodland means that its the ideal spot for several different types of bluebells to grow, including wood anemone and yellow archangel.

Once in bloom, the bluebells provide a picturesque place to walk, and also a place to take pretty pictures. Another thing the nature reserve is famous for is butterflies. In 1828, the first British record for a rare black hairsteak butterfly was recorded. This butterfly can still be found today.

During the spring and summer, the woods are the perfect place to have a picnic. The trees provide plenty of shade, making for the ideal spot to cool take a break from the sun on hot days.

There are around two miles of woodland to explore, with various paths to stroll down. If you are visiting, it is worth knowing that there is not a lot of parking. The entrance to the woods can be found at the junction of the B1090 and Bridge Street, on a road leading to Woodwalton. A few spaces are available here.

An Only Fools and Horses favourite appeared on Alan Titchmarsh’s show to discuss the 45th anniversary documentary

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An BBC Only Fools and Horses icon has spoken frankly about her involvement in an upcoming documentary.

The cherished sitcom marks its 45th anniversary this year, having originally aired between 1981 and 1991 across seven series, with a further sixteen specials broadcast intermittently until 2003.

U&GOLD recently unveiled a brand-new two-part documentary series, Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive, to commemorate the milestone anniversary.

The television special will feature previously unseen footage, conversations with cast and crew members, and long-lost archive material. On Sunday (March 29), Tessa Peake-Jones appeared on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, where she spoke about the forthcoming documentary.

The actress portrayed Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter’s romantic partner Raquel Turner in the much-loved BBC sitcom, a role she inhabited from 1988 through to the programme’s conclusion in 2003, reports the Mirror.

Yet, according to the television star, she found making the new Only Fools documentary challenging. In a poignant admission, Tessa, who also appears as Mrs Maguire in the ITV drama Grantchester, confessed: “It’s very odd looking at yourself.

“20, 30 years ago you’re a very different person then, you’re in prime, you’ve got the world ahead of you, and now at our age, we’re looking back at it.” Alan then interjected: “But you only see what you could have done better.”

Tessa responded: “And that’s why I don’t watch myself. Some people can watch playback when they’re filming things and they learn and they go ‘oh I’ll do that next time’. I just see the awfulness of it all, it doesn’t do me any good whatsoever.”

Earlier this year, Tessa made an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine where she talked about the Only Fools documentary. Speaking to stand-in presenter Christine Lampard, she revealed: “They found unseen footage in a drawer at the BBC and they’ve put together two or three episodes.

“Cut scenes, some of it are scenes were things went wrong. They put it all together and got us to watch the various scenes. It was very odd though, and David Jason was very, very poignant about it all.

“There was one bit he watched and he said ‘Oh we were so young and successful back then,’ so it was quite depressing. But I know what he meant, seeing yourself decades ago, it was peculiar.”

Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh airs every Sunday at 9:30am on ITV1.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The four astronauts making NASA’s next lunar leap bear little resemblance to the Apollo era.

The Americans who blazed the trail to the moon more than half a century ago were white men chosen for their military test pilot experience. This first Artemis crew includes a woman, a person of color and a Canadian, products of a more diversified astronaut corps.

None of them were alive during NASA’s storied Apollo program that sent 24 astronauts to the moon including 12 moonwalkers. They won’t land on the moon this time or even orbit it, but the out-and-back journey will take them thousands of miles deeper into space than even the Apollo astronauts ventured, promising unprecedented views of the lunar far side.

Here’s a look at the Artemis astronauts whose mission aims to pave the path for future moon landings:

Commander Reid Wiseman

Leading the nearly 10-day mission is a widower who considers solo parenting — not rocketing to the moon — his biggest and most rewarding challenge.

Wiseman, 50, a retired Navy captain from Baltimore, was serving as NASA’s chief astronaut when asked three years ago to lead humanity’s first lunar trip since 1972. His wife Carroll’s death from cancer in 2020 gave him pause.

He’d spent more than five months at the International Space Station in 2014, and his two teenage daughters, especially the older one, had “zero interest” in him launching again.

“We talked about it and I said, ‘Look, of all the people on planet Earth right now, there are four people that are in a position to go fly around the moon,” he said. “I cannot say no to that opportunity.”

The next day, homemade moon cupcakes awaited him, along with his daughters’ support. The toughest part isn’t leaving them — “it’s the stress that I’m putting on them,” he said.

Open with his daughters about everything, he recently told them where he keeps his will.

Pilot Victor Glover

As one of NASA’s few Black astronauts, Glover sees his presence on the mission as “a force for good.”

The 49-year-old Navy captain and former combat pilot from Pomona, California, makes it a habit to listen to Gil Scott-Heron’s “Whitey on the Moon” and Marvin Gaye’s “Make Me Wanna Holler” from the white-dominated Apollo era.

“I listen to those for perspective,” he said. “It captures what we did well, what we did poorly.”

The ability for him now to offer hope to others is “an amazing blessing and a privilege.” Despite having one spaceflight behind him — an early SpaceX crew run to the International Space Station — he finds himself in new personal territory. His four daughters are in their late teens and early 20s, “and I spend as an much time and thought preparing them as NASA does preparing me.”

He’s hyper-focused on running “our best race so that we can hand the baton off to the next leg” — a 2027 practice docking mission in orbit around Earth between an Orion crew capsule and one or two lunar landers. The all-important moon landing would follow in 2028 with yet another set of astronauts.

Mission specialist Christina Koch

The last time Koch blasted into space, she was gone almost a year, so she’s not sweating a quick trip to the moon and back.

The 47-year-old electrical engineer from Jacksonville, North Carolina, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman — 328 days. She took part in the first all-female spacewalk during her lengthy stay at the space station in 2019.

More than any one individual, “it’s about celebrating the fact that we’ve arrived to this place in history” where women can fly to the moon, she said.

Before she got called up by NASA, Koch spent a year at a South Pole research station. Between that and her space stint, she feels she’s “inoculated” most of her family and friends.

“So far, I haven’t gotten too many nerves from folks. Maybe my dog, but I’ve reassured her that it’s only 10 days. It’s not going to be as long as last time.”

Her and her husband’s rescue pooch is named Sadie Lou.

Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen

The Canadian fighter pilot and physicist is making his space debut, stressful enough, but also serving as his country’s first emissary to the moon.

“Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t feel a lot of personal pressure.”

Hansen, 50, grew up on a farm near London, Ontario, before moving to Ingersoll and pursuing a flying career. The Canadian Space Agency selected him as an astronaut in 2009, and he was named to the Artemis crew in 2023.

He realizes only now how much effort it took to send men to the moon during Apollo.

“When I walk out and I look at the moon now, it looks and feels a little bit farther than it used to be,” he said. “I just understand in the details how much harder it is than I thought it was watching videos of it.”

Dangers still loom — something he’s shared with his college-aged son and twin daughters. “The most likely outcome is that we will come back safe. There’s a chance we won’t, and you will be able to move through life even if that happens,” he assured them.

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