By NIOMI HARRIS, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

Published: 23:29 BST, 22 August 2026 | Updated: 03:49 BST, 23 August 2026

Shane Richie is reportedly being comforted by his musicals and soap co-star Marianne ‘Mazz’ Murray following his split from wife Christine Goddard. 

It was revealed last week that the actor, who plays Alfie Moon in the BBC soap, and his wife Christie have officially divorced after 19 years of marriage.

Their divorce was said to have been finalised on July 23 – just six days before the actor, 62, was charged with drink-driving after police were called following a row with petrol station staff when he was challenged at the Tesco petrol station in Harlow, Essex.

And amid his woes, it is said that actress Marianne, 51, whom Shane appeared with in Boogie Nights, has ‘kept a smile on his face’ and ‘put a spring back in his step’.

Advertisement

A source told The Sun: ‘Shane and Mazz have always got on like a house on fire and in recent months, as his marriage crumbled, Shane’s found himself buoyed by their friendship.

‘She’s had a painful split of her own so the pair have found solace sharing their experiences. They make each other laugh, trust and like each other so it’s no surprise they’ve grown closer.

Shane Richie is reportedly being comforted by his musicals and soap co-star Marianne ‘Mazz’ Murray following his split from wife Christine Goddard [pictured with Christine in 2019]

Advertisement

Amid his woes, it is said that actress Marianne, 51, [pictured] whom Shane appeared with in Boogie Nights, has ‘kept a smile on his face’ and ‘put a spring back in his step’

‘It’s early days, but Shane and Mazz have a spark, and friends are looking forward to seeing where their relationship goes.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Shane’s representatives for comment. 

Mazz has known Shane for a long time, having appeared alongside him in several guest stints on EastEnders, including two spells as a character called Miranda in 2004 who flirted with his character Alfie. 

Advertisement

She also appeared in a single episode in 2017 as a woman called Julie, while most recently, she returned to Albert Square last month to play Joel Murray’s mum Cleo Marshall. 

Meanwhile, Mazz also acted alongside Shane in 1999 musical Boogie Nights, playing Debs alongside Shane’s Roddy. 

Shane and Christie’s split was said to have been prompted by Christie, 47, getting ‘fed-up with his spiralling behaviour’.

‘Christie was at the end of her tether with Shane and had had enough. The divorce was her decision and she pursued it after talking it through with relatives. She had put up with a lot over the years and has had a really hard time of things lately,’ a source told The Sun. 

Advertisement

‘There was not one specific incident that led to the end, but a build-up of things. She got fed up with his behaviour and did not take the decision lightly.

Mazz acted alongside Shane in 1999 musical Boogie Nights [Shane and Mazz pictured with Boogie Nights co-star Grace Kennedy]

‘There is a feeling he has been working hard and playing hard and that his behaviour has spiralled a bit.’

There had been reported questions over their marriage after it was previously claimed that Christie was terminated as director of their joint company Bluebelle Skye Productions in June so now has no control over the business empire they have run together since 2017.

Advertisement

The source added Christie hasn’t kicked him out of their £2million family home and that her main concern is their three children. 

They claimed she was ‘shocked’ by Shane’s drink-drive arrest and hopes it will be a ‘wake-up call’ for the actor. 

A scheme that could see serious sexual and violent offenders confined to areas just a few miles wide after leaving prison will be launched in October, Justice Secretary Alex Norris has announced.

Government ministers say this is designed to give victims greater freedom and further reduce the possibility of unwanted contact

The intention to introduce “restriction zones” for violent offenders who leave prison and who are on probation was first announced by the government last year.

Probation officers will be able to limit where serious offenders can go for as long as it is deemed necessary. Those who breach their new boundaries could be recalled to prison.

This would go beyond the current practice of imposing “exclusion zones” which ban offenders from specific locations such as a victim’s home or place of work.

Norris is expected to come up with proposals to further restrict the early release of some prisoners when Parliament resumes next month.

But the Conservatives say that the best thing Labour could do to protect victims is to bring forward emergency legislation which would stop the early release of thousands of criminals.

There is a risk that serious sexual and violent offenders and victims could encounter one another outside exclusion zones.

The new scheme will specify confined areas for offenders in plans tailored to them and developed in consultation with victims.

Norris said the scheme would use GPS technology monitored by probation officers so that “those who step outside the boundaries can be quickly identified and face being sent back to prison”.

“Offenders should carry the consequences of their crimes, not their victims,” he added.

Amy Glover, director of domestic abuse services at Advance, a charity supporting women and girls who have experienced domestic abuse, praised the “change in focus”.

However, she also called for reform to the criminal justice system saying many survivors of abuse chose “not to pursue a criminal conviction, and for those that do only 5% reach conviction.”

A domestic abuse survivor named only as Kristina called the restriction zones a “fantastic concept” but noted that a perpetrator had continuously breached her indefinite restraining order “without consequence”.

“The biggest challenge would be to gain victims’ confidence in authorities to follow through their promises of protection,” she added.

The announcement of the restriction zone scheme’s start date comes after a change to the government’s early release scheme following a backlash.

Introduced to ease prison overcrowding, on 4 August the policy was updated so people sentenced for rape, serious child sex offences and grooming would not be eligible for early release.

The Prison Governors’ association warned this change to plans at a “very late stage” put further pressure on prison staff.

The restriction zone scheme was criticised when it was announced last year for potentially putting pressure on probation staff, something the government says it hopes to alleviate with more staff and a greater use of technology.

If you are suffering from domestic abuse, details of help and support in the UK are available at BBC Action Line

Love, Simon (2018)

The Hate U Give (2018)

Just Mercy (2019)

Doom Patrol (2019)

Scream: Resurrection (2019)

The Devil All The Time (2020)

Embattled (2020)

Hellraiser (2022)

The Other Zoey (2023)

Nicolas Jackson has reached an agreement to join Atletico Madrid but Chelsea are holding out for an offer from Aston Villa, according to reports in Spain.

Chelsea are open to offloading Jackson before the end of the summer transfer window and Atletico’s sporting director, Mateu Alemany, was in London on Thursday to discuss a deal for the Senegal international.

According to Marca, Jackson has now approved a move to Diego Simeone’s side but Atletico have not managed to reach an agreement with Chelsea.

The report claims that Jackson views Atletico as ‘the most appealing’ destination, however, Chelsea’s preference is to sell Jackson rather than see the striker leave on another season-long loan.

Chelsea are now said to be waiting for Villa to step forward with an offer for Jackson before the window closes.

Villa remain in the market to sign a striker as they face the prospect of selling Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal.

Earlier this week, Villa rejected a bid of €45 million (£38.5m) from the Saudi Pro League side for the England international.

Jackson is also understood to be open to joining Aston Villa, where he would be reunited with Unai Emery having played under the Spaniard at Villarreal.

Chelsea are demanding a £60m fee for Jackson, who has scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for the club.

Jackson was left out of Chelsea’s squad for their final pre-season friendly last Saturday as Xabi Alonso’s side sealed a 3-1 win against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Wayne Rooney criticises ‘schoolboy’ Manchester United star after Hull City defeat

MORE: Glenn Hoddle claims Roberto De Zerbi ‘dug out’ Spurs star after Brentford defeat

MORE: ‘Not even looking!’ – Peter Schmeichel tears into three Man Utd stars after Hull humiliation

Dr Francesco Restuccia, a fire expert at King’s College London, described the increase in fires at recycling centres as “exponential” and stated that the public are now using lithium batteries in a huge variety of everyday objects such as smartphones, children’s toys, toothbrushes and vapes, with many of these carelessly thrown away.

Content creator Good Good Golf, the title sponsor of a new PGA Tour event this fall, posted and then deleted a video for a Callaway driver in which a man shoves to the ground a woman who was reaching for his new driver.

The video was deleted by Good Good and Callaway late Friday after criticism that it portrayed violence against women, though clips of the ad still made the rounds on social media after the official accounts took it down.

The characters in the ad are both with Good Good — Garrett Clark, who rushes over to shove Alexis Miestowski and then says to her as she lies on the ground, “Do not touch my new driver.”

Good Good apologized Saturday in a statement on social media that said, “We posted a video to our channels that ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand. We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologize. Good Good has always stood for making the game of golf more inclusive to all, and we will continue to ensure that is our mission going forward.”

Good Good Golf was launched as a YouTube channel in 2020 and now is among the largest content creators in the sport, featuring eight men and four women competing in golf and various challenges. It has made-for-TV shows, apparel and other merchandise.

Callaway Golf partnered with Good Good in 2023.

“We are disappointed by the content that was posted, and are appreciative of Good Good for addressing this. We look forward to working together to ensure a more inclusive space in golf,” Callaway Golf said in a statement.

The PGA Tour has been embracing content creators over the last several years, and Good Good took a big step this year when it became title sponsor of the Good Good Championship, part of the FedEx Cup Fall that will be played Nov. 12-15 in Austin, Texas.

“The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all. We do not condone violence in any form, and the since-deleted video does not reflect our values or commitment to inclusivity and respect,” the tour said in a statement.

___

See AP’s full golf coverage here

The units are being transported from the Port of Goole to Eggborough via inland waterways, following their arrival by sea.

They are being transported using the MB Off-Roader barge, which is owned and operated by Humber-based Casper River and Canal Transport Limited.

Sean Taylor, operations manager at the company said: “This project demonstrates exactly why we established Casper River and Canal Transport.

“These transformers have arrived into Goole by sea and, rather than immediately placing two units weighing more than 180 tonnes each onto the road network, we have been able to transfer them onto MB Off-Roader and continue their journey by water to Eggborough.”

A temporary pontoon has been installed at Eggborough to allow the transformers to be safely offloaded from the barge for the final leg of their journey by land.

Mr Taylor said: “The installation of the temporary pontoon at Eggborough is an especially important part of the project because it demonstrates that we are not necessarily limited to established facilities.

“Where the waterway, engineering and site conditions allow, project-specific loading and discharge solutions can open up many more locations to waterborne freight.”

The Aire & Calder Navigation, used for the inland leg of the journey, is part of a historic industrial transport network that once carried millions of tonnes of freight across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Casper River and Canal Transport Limited, established in 2024, aims to revive commercial freight transport on the region’s inland waterways.

Police are urging residents to be on the alert and want to know if any of the stolen items are offered for sale on online selling platforms.

The thieves struck between 11pm on Monday 18th August and 7am on Tuesday 19th August in Yarborough Close and South View, both in Tunstall near Catterifk Garrison.

They took a grey DGI Mini drone, a Falcon FQ50 thermal spotter, a PARD night vision add-on, a Lenovo Magic Pad, wireless Logitech headphones and two pairs of Tommy Hilfiger designer glasses.

Officers are asking local residents to check their CCTV and doorbell cameras to see if they have recorded suspicious people or vehicles in the area.

They are also urging residents to remain vigilant, ensuring vehicles are locked and valuables are removed from sight.

If you believe you have seen or see any of the stolen items being offered for sale on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Gumtree, or other online marketplaces, police ask that you report this to them together with any relevant screenshots, seller details, or listing information where possible.

If you witnessed anything unusual, have information about these offences, or believe you have seen any of the stolen property, please contact North Yorkshire Police quoting these reference numbers:

Yarborough Close: 12260161525 and South View: 12260161662.

North Yorkshire Police can be contacted by ringing 101, reporting online via the North Yorkshire Police website, or by emailing jordan.salt@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Robins are a common sight in British gardens all year round, but they can struggle to find food during summer and need a helping hand to survive

Robins are often associated with winter, but they live in Britain year-round and can struggle to survive in summer. Earthworms are their main food source, but during hot, dry spells, worms burrow deeper into the ground and become hard to find.

Providing food for robins can make a real difference to their survival, but where you place a feeder in your garden matters just as much as what you put in it. James Martin, an expert from Woodland Trust, says attracting robins is as simple as long as you keep the feeder away from plants.

He said: “Robins, and other birds, are more likely to spend time in your garden if they feel safe from predators like cats. Ideally, bird feeders should be positioned around two metres away from dense vegetation.

“This will reduce the chance of a surprise attack by cats, and means birds can still easily retreat to cover if needed.”

Advertisement

Bushes, trees and flowerbeds all make good hiding spots for cats, and most birds will avoid feeders placed too close to the ground or near foliage

Keeping feeders near plants can also harm your garden. Bird droppings falling on flowerbeds or crops can introduce bacteria, disease or other pathogens to your plants.

Try to place your feeder in a shaded spot and keep it well clear of fences and sheds, which cats can climb to reach it.

Position it somewhere visible from your home so you can easily see when it needs refilling and enjoy watching the birds feed.

Once you have found the right spot, stock your feeder with fat balls, which give robins a big energy boost when food has been scarce.

Robins also eat fruit, sunflower seeds and crushed peanuts, but mealworms are a particular favourite and will bring them back time and again.

Helping robins now means they are more likely to stay healthy going into autumn and winter, and your garden will become a regular stop for them throughout the year.