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The strongest Welsh region this season and where they’ll all finish

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Wales Online

The new season is nearly upon us, with one final weekend of pre-season action left until the United Rugby Championship gets away.

For the third year in a row, a Welsh side made the play-offs last year – with Cardiff following in the footsteps of Ospreys and Scarlets in making the top eight. However, just like the other two, a quarter-final was as good as it got.

The question is, can a Welsh club go further this year? Would reaching the same stage merely represent some success, given the ongoing uncertainty?

And just who will be the best Welsh side this time around?

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Let’s start with the side that finished highest last time around. It’s a big season for Cardiff, given the club is celebrating their 150th anniversary this year.

After making the play-offs, the Blue and Blacks are also back in the Champions Cup. How that affects the squad, given the Challenge Cup has been used to help blood the likes of Tom Bowen and Steffan Emanuel in recent seasons, remains to be seen.

In terms of signings, former Australia prop Scott Sio, even at the age of 34, is the eye-catching addition. His experience, having just reached the Prem final with Exeter, will be valuable to the likes of Rhys Barratt and Danny Southworth.

New coach Dan Bowden will look to get Cardiff’s attack firing on all cylinders, with things perhaps naturally fallen off slightly after Matt Sherratt’s departure on the eve of last season.

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However, under Corniel van Zyl, Cardiff have continued to develop from a plucky side to one that can grind out results. Gethin Jenkins’ defence is a big part of that, as is their home form.

Winning another 10 or so games at the Arms Park would be nice, as would a few more victories on the road.

But, ahead of a big season for the club, there’s every reason to believe Cardiff can replicate their achievements from last year.

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Moving onto the Dragons, last season finally saw some tangible steps forward for the Men of Gwent.

Three wins and four draws in the league might not look like a lot, with the Rodney Parade outfit still finishing bottom of the pile in terms of Welsh clubs, but Filo Tiatia’s side were considerably more competitive.

Combine that with being within a score of a Challenge Cup final and there’s reasons to be optimistic.

Of course, that is couched by losing the talismanic Aaron Wainwright. How you replace the Wales No. 8 is hard to say.

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Terrell Peita will arrive from New Zealand to soften that blow, while Tongan wing Anzelo Tuitavuki and Samoan scrum-half Ere Enari are also on the way.

It’s a settled squad, but – as ever with the Dragons – taking the next step from those initial signs of progress are crucial. The club’s relative safety in Welsh rugby’s madhouse could help.

The same can’t be said out west. As part of the Welsh Rugby Union’s plans to cut a professional side, one of the Ospreys or Scarlets are in the firing line.

Last year was a challenging one for the Ospreys. Owners Y11 were on the brink of buying Cardiff from the WRU, while the uncertainty saw Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake leave for Gloucester.

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To lose their captain and vice-captain, Wales’ two skippers, is a monumental blow. There are other key departures too, with Jack Walsh heading to France.

However, Mark Jones’ side have moved to replace them. Wales international Tom Rogers should get opportunities at full-back to replace Walsh, while there’s a distinctly Australian feel to the rest of the business.

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Three former Wallabies – Liam Wright, Lalakai Foketi and Marika Koriobete – have joined, as well as Australian playmaker Lawson Creighton.

There’s an element of risk to some. Former Australia captain Wright hadn’t played for over a year due to injury, while dual-code powerhouse Koroibete arrives from Japan via a short stint playing sevens in India.

However, the upside on both is considerable. Foketi, meanwhile, was superb in this year’s Super Rugby semi-final.

Consistency was the problem last year, but if they can fix that, the Ospreys still have the pack to finish higher than last year’s 11th.

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The biggest disappointment last year was the Scarlets. Having snuck into the play-offs the previous season on the back of some red-hot form late in the campaign, there was little to celebrate last year beyond Fletcher Anderson’s displays on a weekly basis.

Nigel Davies was brought back as director of rugby to assist Dwayne Peel, while the club had a bit of a squad turnover ahead of the new campaign as James Davies once again showing his knack of finding hidden gems.

Gareth Anscombe, if he stays fit, will give Sam Costelow and Carwyn Leggatt-Jones a wise head to bounce off, while the likes of Cullen Grace and Tom Allen could be solid signings.

Young second-row Will Evans could be a breakthrough for the club, having recently been invited to one of Wales’ alignment camps.

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There’s talent in this Scarlets team, particularly in the backline. Several around the club have tipped Macs Page to have a big season after a frustrating year.

But, for whatever reason, it rarely clicked last year. Hopefully, that changes this time around.

So where does that leave us? Right now, the smart bet still seems for Cardiff to be the best-placed Welsh side by the end of the campaign if they maintain their Arms Park record, but the Ospreys could run them close.

The Dragons should take another step forward, but they’ll likely be competing with the Scarlets to avoid whatever the opposite of the Welsh Shield is.

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Now the real question – will any finish in the top eight? Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets are all 150/1 with some bookies to win the whole thing. Dragons are further back than that.

Unfortunately, we’re probably looking at just one, if any, making the top eight.

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Rapist ‘seized opportunity’ with teenage girls in Bolton

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Rapist 'seized opportunity' with teenage girls in Bolton

Sultani Bakatash, 29, claimed to have worked with the military for seven years before eventually coming to Bolton in 2022, fleeing his homeland after the return of the Taliban.

Bolton Crown Court heard how, while living in the town, Bakatash spoke to one of his two victims, both 14, via Snapchat before ultimately taking them back to his flat and raping them.

Charlotte Rimmer, prosecuting, said: “Once at the flat he plied them with alcohol to the point where they were slipping in and out of consciousness before seizing the opportunity to rape them.”

Bakatash, who wore a black gilet with a grey top and trousers in the dock, listened on through an interpreter speaking Dari, a language commonly spoken in Afghanistan, as the case was set out.

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The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Phil Taylor)

Ms Rimmer said the two girls had tried to push him off and hid in his bathroom as Bakatash, “intent on sexual gratification”, continued to force himself on them.

She said that video footage taken by the police in the aftermath of the assault showed just how vulnerable they were.

Bakatash had said during his trial that he had studied pharmacy and medicine in his native Afghanistan before working with the British military.

The 29-year-old had come to the UK under the asylum system in 2022 and stayed in a hotel for around a year and a half before his move to Bolton.

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Sultani Bakatash has been jailed (Image: GMP)

Ms Rimmer told the court how, in December last year, Bakatash met the two girls in a churchyard near Bolton Station on December 6 after the two had been out past their curfew.

He then took them in an Uber back to his flat on Georgina Court, Middle Hulton, stopping along the way to buy alcohol.

Ms Rimmer said that both girls told him that they were 14 but this “did not dissuade him”.

Bakatash showed no visible reaction as Ms Rimmer described in detail how he assaulted both girls at the Georgina Court flat before one of them eventually broke out.

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A court sketch of Sulatani Bakatash at an earlier hearing (Image: Elizabeth Cook/PA)

She was able to tell a neighbour that Bakatash had the other girl “locked” in his flat where he was raping her.

Bakatash was arrested shortly after and claimed in a prepared statement that one of the girls had met him several months before and claimed to be 19.

He at first claimed that all sexual activity had been consensual but changed his position when brought before the court and claimed no sexual contact had taken place.

But after a trial earlier this year, a jury of six men and six women convicted him of two counts of rape of a girl under 16 after just two hours of deliberation.

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They also convicted Bakatash, of Georgina Court, Middle Hulton, of one count of sexual assault and two counts of assault by penetration.

Ms Rimmer said that one of the girls was left with severe lasting psychological damage, while another had shared to a social worker how angry it had left her.

But she said she was determined to move on and not to be defined by the events of that night.

Umar Shezhad, defending, said it was still the defence’s position that the two girls had asked Bakatash to buy the alcohol for them.

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He said that the rapes were part of an “isolated incident” and there was no grooming element to it.

Mr Shezhad said it was “wholly out of character” for Bakatash, who has no previous convictions and who “worked for the British Army for a significant period of time, risking his life.”

But he said that though he maintained that he was not guilty, Bakatash was “deeply sorry for the pain and suffering he has caused everyone”.

Judge Kenderick Horne said that though the identity of the two girls can never be made public, he paid tribute to their courage and to those around Georgina Court who helped them.

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He said it had been a “visibly diverse” community that had helped them.

Judge Horne said: “Their names can never be reported, but their bravery and that of those around them deserves to be remembered after your crimes have been forgotten.”

He noted a pre-sentence report that suggested Bakatash still posed a likely danger to children and to adult women.

Bakatash showed no visible reaction as Judge Horne jailed him for 14 years with an extended licence period of two years.

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Judge Horne ruled that he must serve at least two-thirds of the 14 years before the parole board considers whether he is eligible for release, after which he may be deported.

He also made Bakatash subject to a lifetime notification order, a 20 year sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order against both girls.

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Olympics: The Fitzroy River in Queensland has 500 crocodiles in it – but that’s not the main concern

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Alex Batty has short brown hair and is wearing glasses, and an orange high vis jacket.

“Fairness” is what’s been raised with British Rowing’s chief executive Tom Solesbury – a reference to the tidal river’s natural bends and currents which many in the rowing community say make it unsuitable for elite competition.

Drew Ginn, who has won three Olympic gold medals for Australia in rowing, told BBC Radio he had concerns over potential flooding and “fairness and integrity” at the venue.

“Personally, I’m not fearful of the Australian animals but I’ve never had a crocodile near me,” he said.

“I’m sure I’d row faster, I’m sure all the athletes would row faster. That’s on the list of concerns, I don’t think it’s the highest priority in concerns but it was certainly cited very early on.”

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The German rowing body’s president Moritz Petri said athletes had also questioned the sustainability of holding the event some 600km (373 miles) from Brisbane.

But the “so-called impediments” got short shrift from the most senior politician in Queensland, state premier David Crisafulli, who reached for less diplomatic language.

“Let’s be honest, let’s scratch beneath the surface and call it for what it is,” he said days after the Amsterdam meeting.

“It is a group of interstate and overseas elites who are trying to bully their way because they don’t want to go to regional Queensland and that’s not right.”

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Rowing chiefs contacted by the BBC before Thursday’s decision declined to comment directly on Crisafulli’s “elites” remarks.

But both Petri and Simon Wickham, chief executive of Rowing New Zealand, said their concerns had nothing to do with regional or urban preference but with competitors getting fair racing.

Petri added it was about what’s best for their athletes who will train four years for the event, “dreaming night [after] night of becoming an Olympic champion”.

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Inside Emily Atack’s raucous wedding reception as Stanley Tucci cheekily paws at wife Felicity Blunt while fellow champagne-guzzling guests let loose on the dancefloor

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Emily Atack has shared a look inside her boozy wedding reception after marrying her husband Alistair Gardner for the second time in Mojacar, Spain

Emily Atack promised a ‘big, fat, f***-off party’ to describe her wedding celebration abroad, and judging by the photos from the night, she more than delivered. 

There was no shortage of champagne at Emily and Alistair Gardner’s wedding as their guests quaffed bubbles out of coupe glasses before partying into the night.

The party-loving couple were snapped pouring bottles of champagne over a tower of glasses, after marrying in the courtyard of a 16th-century church in the whitewashed hilltop town in front of 197 friends and family.

The Rivals actress, 36, invited a host of her co-stars to her Spanish wedding in Mojacar, where she tied the knot again following their UK ceremony last month.

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The cast of the Disney+ series proved they could party just as hard as their raucous on-screen characters, as David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Rufus Jones, Bella Maclean and Victoria Smurfit were pictured dancing the night away.

Also in attendance was executive producer Felicity Blunt, who was joined by her actor husband Stanley Tucci, who couldn’t keep his hands off his wife.

Emily Atack has shared a look inside her boozy wedding reception after marrying her husband Alistair Gardner for the second time in Mojacar, Spain

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The Rivals actress, 36, invited a host of her co-stars to her Spanish wedding in Mojacar (pictured top to bottom L-R Rufus Jones, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, David Tennant, Stanley Tucci, Felicity Blunt, Emily Atack and Bella Maclean)

The Rivals actress, 36, invited a host of her co-stars to her Spanish wedding in Mojacar (pictured top to bottom L-R Rufus Jones, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, David Tennant, Stanley Tucci, Felicity Blunt, Emily Atack and Bella Maclean)

Guests gathered round as Emily and Alistair enjoyed their first dance, with the scientist picking her up around the waist and spinning her around

Guests gathered round as Emily and Alistair enjoyed their first dance, with the scientist picking her up around the waist and spinning her around

Stanley was pictured pawing at his wife’s chest as several members of the wedding party gathered for a fun shot on the dancefloor.

Guests gathered round as Emily and Alistair enjoyed their first dance, with the scientist picking her up around the waist and spinning her around.

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They were ferried to the reception venue on a coach with ‘Emily & Alistair’ lit up on the front of the vehicle.

At the ceremony, Emily was met by her popstar father, Keith Atack, 67, who was wearing flip flops to walk his eldest daughter down the aisle.

The registrar said: ‘I expect some of you in here are experiencing some Deja vu’ in reference to her first wedding three weeks earlier in Bedfordshire.

The Inbetweeners star wore a veil and an off-the-shoulder gown with a long train as she pulled up with her chief bridesmaid.

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Guests were left waiting almost two hours at the drinks reception for Emily to arrive.

David Eagle, an award-winning British comedian and folk musician who has written stand-up material performed on The Emily Atack Show for ITV2, acted as registrar.

After the ceremony, Emily and Alistair walked through a shower of rose petals before leading the champagne toast and mingling with guests.

The congregation then moved down the steps and were treated to a three-course meal consisting of starter options of cod risotto or mandarin sorbet. 

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Pictured: Rufus Jones, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, David Tennant, Emily Atack, Bella Maclean and Stanley Tucci

Pictured: Rufus Jones, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, David Tennant, Emily Atack, Bella Maclean and Stanley Tucci

The party-loving pair were snapped pouring bottles of champagne over a tower of glasses, after they married in the courtyard of a 16th century church in the whitewashed hilltop town in front of 197 friends and family

The party-loving pair were snapped pouring bottles of champagne over a tower of glasses, after they married in the courtyard of a 16th century church in the whitewashed hilltop town in front of 197 friends and family

Emily's father Keith Atack joined her almost 200 strong wedding party

Emily’s father Keith Atack joined her almost 200 strong wedding party

Emily looked stunning in an ivory off-the-shoulder satin gown and lace veil

Emily looked stunning in an ivory off-the-shoulder satin gown and lace veil

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Emily and her sister Martha rode in a Cadillac to the ceremony

Emily and her sister Martha rode in a Cadillac to the ceremony

Main course was shredded suckling pig with pumpkin compote and roasted apples.

Dessert was mango mousse with nougat ice cream and raspberry coulis with rum on the rocks and coffee afterwards.

Every table on the seating chart was named after the word ‘Love’ in different languages including German, Scottish Gaelic, Hawaiian, Greek, Swahili, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Indonesian, Fijian and Pilipino. 

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Rivals writer, Dominic Treadwell-Collins was also in attendance.

Notable absences from the Disney+ cast included Aidan Turner and Danny Dyer. It comes after it was revealed Ms Atack’s ITV gameshow with the former EastEnders actor, Nobody’s Fool, has been dropped after one season. 

Tellingly, Ms Atack’s former castmates from the Inbetweeners franchise were not there. 

Last week it was announced the beloved show would return for a third film but it was unclear if the actress would reprise her role as Charlotte Hinchcliffe, which found her fame.

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Emily wore a dress from Evelie with a sweetheart neckline and long train

Emily wore a dress from Evelie with a sweetheart neckline and long train

They were ferried to the reception venue on a coach with 'Emily & Alistair' lit up on the front of the vehicle

They were ferried to the reception venue on a coach with ‘Emily & Alistair’ lit up on the front of the vehicle

Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling were in attendance at the wedding

Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling were in attendance at the wedding

The couple posed together at their reception as Emily held her beautiful bouquet

The couple posed together at their reception as Emily held her beautiful bouquet

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A personalised plaque welcomed guests to the party

A personalised plaque welcomed guests to the party

The couple married in the courtyard of a 16th century church

The couple married in the courtyard of a 16th century church

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Firefighters free person following Tadcaster crash near York

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Combine harvester catches fire in Barlby, North Yorkshire

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York Printmakers Annual Print Fair returns to York Cemetery

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York Printmakers Annual Print Fair returns to York Cemetery

A GROUP of artists are preparing to showcase their work at an annual print fair.

The York Printmakers Annual Print Fair will take place this weekend – from September 19 to 20 – at York Cemetery, where visitors can explore a wide range of handmade prints, including linocuts, etchings, collagraphs, and wood engravings.

More than 20 artists will be exhibiting and selling their work during the two-day event, which runs from 10am to 5pm in the Chapel and Harriet Room.

Among those taking part is Jen Dring, who discovered printmaking after watching a linocut demonstration.

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Jen said: “I was instantly fascinated.

“I’ve never looked back.”

Jen Dring in her studio (Image: Supplied)

Jane Duke, another member of the collective, said the appeal lies in both the process and the people who share it.

Jane said: “It’s not just the element of surprise.

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“It’s the generosity of the printmaking community that keeps me coming back.”

Jane Duke in her studioJane Duke in her studio (Image: Supplied)

Roger Goldthorpe, who began printmaking after retirement, has turned a brief exploration into a lasting passion.

Now 79, he continues to produce original work and demonstrates that creativity is not limited by age.

Roger Goldthorpe in his studio (Image: Supplied)


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Jen Dring’s lino print, titled Reflections (Image: Supplied)

Each print is handmade, with subtle differences that give every piece its own character.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artists, learn about their techniques, and purchase artwork directly from the makers.

Admission to the event is free.

The York Printmakers Annual Print Fair will take place at York Cemetery, YO10 5AJ, on September 19 and 20 from 10am to 5pm.

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More information can be found at www.yorkprintmakers.org.uk or by following @yorkprintmakers on Instagram.

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Jailed Charity’s fate decided by jury as Emmerdale spoilers reveal what happens next | Soaps

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Jailed Charity's fate decided by jury as Emmerdale spoilers reveal what happens next | Soaps
Charity’s future sealed (Picture: ITV / Metro)

The scales well and truly fell from Mackenzie Boyd’s (Lawrence Robb) eyes in Emmerdale as, despite Sarah Sugden’s (Katie Hill) best efforts to fix the mess she’d made for Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins), the police didn’t believe her.

Sarah, as viewers know, was appalled to discover the truth about baby Leyla being her gran and Ross Barton’s (Michael Parr) biological child and, in a bid to punish her, she went to the police and claimed that Charity had murdered Dr Todd (Caroline Harker) in cold blood.

Charity had already taken the blame for the crime to protect Sarah, who is the real culprit, claiming she killed rapist Todd in self-defence, but Sarah threw her under the bus as part of a cruel revenge scheme.

After much intervention, Sarah finally saw the light and went to the police to change her statement once more, revealing that she was just trying to teach her gran a lesson, reiterating that Charity is innocent.

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But despite this, the police didn’t seem to believe her, meaning it’s all up to a jury now to decide Charity’s fate. Mack was speechless. Is Charity’s fate sealed thanks to Sarah’s meddling?

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If you’re eager to find out what’s to come following tonight’s edition of the ITV soap, you’re in luck as here’s what tomorrow will bring.

What happens next in Emmerdale? Spoilers for Friday, September 18 episode

Following tonight’s cliffhanger, Mack will no doubt struggle to come to terms with the latest update on Charity’s future. Charity has entered a not guilty plea, which means a trial is an inevitability at this stage.

With Sarah’s efforts having failed to get her gran out from behind bars, her fate now lies solely in the hands of a jury. Will Charity be able to convince the jury of her innocence? Or is a tragic fate sealed at this stage?

Vinny looking at Lewis in shock as he gets down on one knee to propose in Emmerdale
Lewis pops the question! (Picture: ITV)

Elsewhere, Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches) gets fed up of waiting for Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnston) to pop the question and thus he decides to get down on one knee.

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Vinny’s reaction, however, isn’t the one he hoped for.

The long-awaited showdown between Kim Tate (Claire King) and Sadie King (Patsy Kensit) is almost upon us too, with the Home Farm legends having a hostile run-in in the village.

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Cain speaks to Sadie in Wishing Well in Emmerdale
Sadie drops a bombshell on Cain (Picture: ITV)

And speaking of Sadie, she subsequently pays Cain (Jeff Hordley) a visit, demanding the money he stole from her two decades ago. Cain rejects such a demand – that is until she drops a mammoth bombshell.

Joe (Ned Porteous), meanwhile, relents and allows Clemmie and Lucas to attend Dawn’s (Olivia Bromley) funeral with Billy (Jay Kontzle) – but he’s got a trick up his sleeve.

Emmerdale airs these scenes Friday, September 18 at 8pm on ITV1 or stream from 7am on ITVX or YouTube.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.

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Ed Sheeran’s humble rise to fame from busking to $400,000,000 fortune

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Ed Sheeran’s humble rise to fame from busking to $400,000,000 fortune
Ed Sheeran is one of the UK’s most successful artists of all time (Picture: Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)

In case you hadn’t noticed, Ed Sheeran has been in the news lately.

The Shape of You hitmaker has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism after Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s upcoming Loop Tour for expressing his solidarity and support for Palestine.

Following Macklemore’s removal, all of the support acts for the tour stepped away in solidarity, including Finneas and Sheeran’s backing band Beoga.

Questions remain over what is happening next with Ed Sheeran’s tour amidst the backlash, but it is a significant moment that has seen Sheeran’s safe and carefully cultivated brand take a hit on such a public scale.

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Being one of the most successful songwriters of all time does make it easy to forget that Sheeran began from very humble beginnings before going on to sell over 120million records worldwide.

Where did Ed Sheeran grow up?

Ed was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, in 1991 but largely grew up in Suffolk in a very artistic household.

His dad, John, is an art curator and lecturer, while his mum, Imogen, is a culture publicist and jewellery designer – and from a young age, Ed showed a liking for music (so did his brother, in fact, who became a composer himself).

He sang in the church choir from the age of four. He learned to play guitar at 11 and also played the cello, with his classmates at Thomas Mills High School voting him as most likely to be famous.

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First independent releases and busking

When he was just 13, Ed began recording music and released his first independent work with the collection title Spinning Man.

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From there, he kept on writing and recording before moving to London in 2008 to begin performing at small venues and even busking out on London street corners.

It was also at this time that he auditioned for the show Britannia High, a musical drama which ran for one season and acted as essentially the British version ofFame, following a group of kids in a performing arts school looking to achieve their dreams.

Ed was not successful in getting cast, but you can see his audition on YouTube.

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College dropout and SB.TV breakthrough

In 2009, Ed began studying music at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford, but he didn’t stick around long.

After getting the opportunity to support hip-hop artist Just Jack on tour, he dropped out of ACM without permission to exploit the chance in front of him.

Soon after, he released a new EP called You NeedMe and posted a video through SB.TV, a new media company on YouTube that specifically highlights emerging talent in the acoustic, freestyling and hip hop scene.

Off the back of the video’s success, Ed was invited to support Example on tour before releasing his next EP Loose Change, which would feature his breakthrough single The A Team.

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Ed Sheeran poses backstage at Children In Need Rocks Manchester 2011 at The Manchester Evening News Arena on November 17, 2011 in Manchester, United Kingdom. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 17: (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Ed found early recognition via YouTube and support gigs, alongside busking and gigging (Picture: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Loose Change would go on to become certified Gold in 2024, with over 100,000 copies in the UK alone.

He also began to get exposure in the US around this time, forming an unlikely friendship with musician and Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx, who spotted the young Sheeran at an open mic night in LA.

Foxx invited Sheeran to both stay at his home while in LA and to perform on his SiriusXM radio show, giving Sheeran his first major exposure in the US.

Chart success with Plus

Now something of a viral success on YouTube, and touring with popular artists, a studio deal quickly followed, with his first studio album Plus being released in 2011.

It reached number one on the UK album charts and became the second best-selling debut album in the UK at the time. It has now gone 9x Platinum in the UK, has spent over 400 weeks in the UK album charts and is currently the 27th best-selling album of the 21st century.

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To cap off the success, Ed was awarded two Brit Awards in 2012, for British Breakthrough Act and British Male Solo Artists

Continued chart success

From there, it seemed the sky was the limit, with Ed going on to release eight studio albums to date, including2014’s Multiply, 2017’s Divide and 2021’s Equals.

Alongside those, he has also released No.6 Collaborations Project (2019), Autumn Variations (2023) and Play (2025).

File photo dated 10/12/17 of singer Ed Sheeran whose album, Divide, has broken chart records after logging a total 19 weeks at number one this year. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday December 29, 2017. The British singer's third studio collection reached the top of the charts for a seventh time on Friday, setting a new record for spells in the top spot by a male solo album. See PA story SHOWBIZ Charts. Photo credit should read: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire
Ed’s Divide tour broke records (Picture: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire)

Four of them have peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 charts, while Shape of You from the album Divide has gone on to become one of his most successful songs.

It was the first song to hit two billion streams on Spotify and went 11x Platinum in 2025.

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Concert tour earnings

Like any popular recording artist, Ed Sheeran has, of course, gone on a number of major tours across his career, earning millions from his shows.

As of 2025, Ed Sheeran has reportedly sold over 19million tickets worldwide, wth his nominal gross standing around $1.75billion (£1.29m) according to Pollstar.

That puts him in ninth place when ranking the best-selling musical acts of all time, ahead of such icons as Celine Dion, Madonna and Paul McCartney.

In fact, at the time his Divide 2017-2019 tour ended U2’s eight-year reign of the highest-grossing concert tour of all time – a record that was later broken by Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in 2023 (which was then quickly topped by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour).

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Ed Sheeran discography

  • Plus (2011)
  • Multiply (2014)
  • Divide (2017)
  • No.6 Collaborations Project (2019)
  • Equals (2021)
  • Minus (2023)
  • Autumn Variations (2023)
  • Play (2025)

Songwriting and acting

Ed Sheeran has also continued to make a name for himself outside of his own music, as he has also written for a number of other artists.

Some of the most famous examples include Justin Bieber’s Love Yourself and BTS’s Permission to Dance.

He has also contributed to songs for the likes of One Direction, Hilary Duff and Rita Ora.

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 07: (Exclusive Coverage) Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran attend backstage at Z100's Jingle Ball 2012, presented by Aeropostale, at Madison Square Garden on December 7, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Jingle Ball 2012)
Sheeran contributed to Justin Bieber’s track Love Yourself (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Jingle Ball 2012)

He has also been no stranger to both the big and small screen, appearing in a number of movies and TV shows in roles that range from cameos to more substantial parts.

He has played himself in Bridget Jones’s Baby, Yesterday and Red Notice, but perhaps is best known for appearing in an episode of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones.

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He featured in the opening episode of season seven, titled Dragonstone, and even sang a song titled Hands of Gold.

His appearance in the show got, shall we say, a mixed reaction, with some fans finding that it broke the sense of immersion in the world.

Even stars of the show took issue, with Hodor star Kristian Nairn saying to the Huffington Post: ‘It’s a fantasy show. We’re all caught in this amazing world and spend so much time and money and talent to create, and all of a sudden there’s a pop star? What?’

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What is Ed Sheeran’s net worth?

With all this success, a lot of people obviously ask the question: just how much money is Ed Sheeran worth?

You should always keep in mind that determining a celeb’s net worth is not an exact science, so always take figures given with a pinch of salt, but Ed is reportedly worth somewhere in the region of $400million (£299.1m).

This is based on both his enormous success as a musician and a portfolio that includes such enterprises as Gingerbread Man Records, his own line of hot sauce, his Sheeran by Lowden guitar business and his minority stake in Ipswich Town Football Club.

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Lady Gaga welcomed baby girl as birth certificate reveals VERY classic name

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More details about Lady Gaga and her fiance Michael Polansky's newborn baby have been revealed

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More details about Lady Gaga and her fiance Michael Polansky’s newborn baby have been revealed. 

A birth certificate obtained by TMZ revealed the sex and name of the couple’s newborn child, as well as details about her birth. 

The baby is a girl named Rose Bean Polansky who was born on  June 9 at 11:19 PM at Los Angeles‘s famed Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a hospital many celebrities have previously given birth at. 

Dr. Robert Katz was the doctor who delivered the child. 

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News Gaga and Polansky had welcomed a child first came to light last week after she mysteriously dropped out of the public eye.

Page Six broke the news and then published photos of the couple with their newborn baby.

More details about Lady Gaga and her fiance Michael Polansky’s newborn baby have been revealed

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Gaga (real name: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) and Polansky have been engaged since April of 2024, and they began dating back in 2019. 

During an appearance in October 2025 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, she said motherhood would be her ‘next starring role.’

‘I would like to do many things, yeah, all of these things,’ she said after Colbert asked if she wanted to continue acting in films or performing on Broadway. ‘But, what I really want is to be a mom. That’s my next starring role, I hope.’

While speaking to the New York Times in March 2025, Gaga said she was ‘excited to be a mom,’ even though she ‘used to have a lot of apprehension about it.’

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‘I’m also kind of at war with myself sometimes as I get ready to, hopefully, become a mom soon,’ she added. ‘Like, today is wonderful, but the whole day has revolved around me. There’s an incredible amount of narcissism in this.’

Gaga’s plans for becoming a mother may not end with just one child.

‘She has only one sister, Natali, and always wanted more siblings. So she wants her children to have many siblings so they can all lean on each other,’ a source told the Daily Mail.

So far, there’s no word on when Gaga and Polansky plan to tie the knot, but in March of this year she indicated that they planned to wed ‘soon.’

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During an appearance on Bruno Mars’s Romantic Radio TikTok Live, the Poker Face singer said via a recorded message: ‘Me and my fiancé have been traveling all year, but we’re getting married soon. We were hoping you could choose a special song for us.’

The couple are the parents of a baby girl named Rose Bean Polansky

The couple are the parents of a baby girl named Rose Bean Polansky 

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Teenage boy, 14, ‘seriously injured’ after Huntingdon park attack

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Cambridgeshire Live

A teenager was arrested in connection with the incident

A teenage boy has suffered serious injuries following an alleged attack at a park in Huntingdon, according to Cambridgeshire Police. Detectives have launched an appeal for witnesses following the incident on Tuesday, September 15.

Police were called to Riverside Park at about 3pm where the 14-year-old had suffered a serious, but not life-threatening injury. He was taken to hospital and later discharged, the force confirmed.

A 16-year-old boy from Huntingdon was arrested on Wednesday, September 16, on suspicion of GBH without intent. He has since been released on bail to return on December 13.

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Detective Sergeant Molly Halksworth said: “We believe this was an isolated incident but understand it will have caused concern in the community and officers will be in the area over the coming days.

“An investigation is ongoing and officers are carrying out enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. I would appeal to anyone who was in the area between 2.30 and 3pm on Tuesday to contact police if they think they can help our investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting 35/71537/26 or report online https://www.cambs.police.uk/report.

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Tragedy after ‘harmless’ man found dead in home and police arrest four men

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Daily Record

Ian Davis’ family have said he ‘did not deserve what happened to him’

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was found dead with “multiple injuries” in a property.

Emergency services swarmed a residential property at Baytree Hill, Liskeard, at around 9.30pm on Sunday. Upon arriving at the scene, the forced said a man was found dead inside.

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The victim has since been named as Ian Davis, reports Cornwall Live.

Today, Mr Davis’ heartbroken family have paid tribute to him, stating: “He was harmless and he loved his animals, especially dogs.

“He didn’t deserve what happened to him.

“He will be missed and loved.”

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Devon and Cornwall Police have said specially trained officers continue to support the family.

A local man in his 30s was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. Fast-paced enquiries subsequently identified three further suspects.

Two local men aged in their 40s and 50s, respectively, were arrested on suspicion of murder, along with a man in his 20s from Plymouth.

All four men have now been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

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Det Insp Pete Gee said: “Our thoughts remain firmly with the family and loved ones of Ian at this incredibly difficult time.

“Our investigation is continuing and detectives are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry, and we have several scene guards still in place.

“We recognise the impact this incident has had on the local community and would like to thank residents for their continued support and patience while enquiries are carried out.

“We continue to appeal for anyone with information or footage that may be relevant to our investigation to contact us.”

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Residents may continue to see an increased police presence in the area while enquiries remain ongoing.

Anyone with information or footage that may assist the investigation is asked to contact police on 101 or via the force’s website quoting reference 50260246022.

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