The trio will take over from Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, who announced they would be leaving Strictly at the end of 2025. 

Reports previously suggested they had been offered deals after the BBC held rounds of auditions. 

Now, the BBC has confirmed that they will step into the ballroom as new Strictly hosts this autumn. 

BBC: Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdecombe are the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing.

— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) May 19, 2026

Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe confirmed as new Strictly hosts 

Announcing the news, Kate Phillip, BBC’s Chief Content Officer said: “Emma, Johannes and Josh’s chemistry is undeniable.

“There’s been so much speculation and hype, so I’m relieved we can share the news with the public at last!

“I’d like to thank all the brilliant people we saw before making this tough decision.

“But the most beloved ballroom in the UK always leads the way, and in a Strictly first we have chosen three outstanding hosts to take up the mantel.

“Along with our amazing Strictly team, who are busy planning fabulous and unforgettable treats for this new series, I know this terrific trio can’t wait to join our judges and pros to bring us must-see TV on the BBC this autumn.”

In the comments section of Strictly’s official Instagram post, fans of the show have shared their thoughts on the new host line-up, including big names like Alison Hammond who said: “This is wonderful, three truly beautiful people . You will all smash it”.

Former Strictly host Tess Daly commented: “Can’t wait to tune in, the ultimate trio”.

Professional Strictly dancer Dianne Buswell said: “This is so exciting. Particularly excited for our fellow pro @johannesradebe babe you are a true star and this role is made for you. We love you”.

What are Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe known for? 

Presenters Willis and Widdicombe have both hosted TV and radio shows. 

Willis is best known for her work on Channel 5’s Big Brother, The Voice UK, Love is Blind: UK, Cooking with the Stars and The Circle. 

She’s also been featured in documentaries, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones and Change Your Mind Change Your Life. 

She is married to musician Matt Willis, who, as well as presenting and acting roles, is notably the co-founder, bassist and co-vocalist of the pop-punk band Busted. 

Widdicombe is a popular comedian, presenter and actor, having appeared on shows such as The Last Leg, Fighting Talk and Mock the Week. 

He also has a podcast with fellow comedian Rob Beckett, Parenting Hell, about bringing up children, experiences, tips and face-palm moments. 

The comedian has featured on Strictly before, as part of the 2024 Christmas special. 

He scored 36 after dancing a Charleston with pro partner Karen Hauer, but lost out to drag artist Tayce, who scored 40. 

Meanwhile, Johannes Radebe is a professional dancer who has worked on Strictly for several years.

Are you happy with the choice of the new Strictly Come Dancing hosts? Let us know in the comments. 

The world’s major oil and gas companies claim they are leading the energy transition. They spend billions on PR to brand themselves as part of the solution. The data we’ve reviewed tells a different story.

Where a rapid transition to renewables is taking place, incumbent fossil fuel firms have almost nothing to do with it. Analysis by one of us shows that the largest 250 oil and gas companies only own 1.42% of global renewable energy, and just 0.01% of the energy they extract comes from renewable sources.

For decades, many Indigenous peoples and environmental activists have accused the fossil fuel industry of offering “false solutions”. These are projects that amplify the industry’s green credentials while leaving its core business model untouched. Our research supports their case.

We argue that fossil fuel companies’ deployment of renewable energy, biofuels, carbon capture and storage (CCS), green hydrogen and carbon offsetting isn’t designed to oppose decarbonisation, but to manage the conversation around renewables. False solutions signal compliance while helping to mute calls for a systemic transformation.

Mapping the delay

Drawing on the Global Atlas of Environmental Justice, the world’s largest environmental conflict database based at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, we mapped and analysed 48 projects run by fossil fuel firms. These ranged from biofuels to CCS and forest restoration schemes, as well as some renewable energy projects that are owned and used by these firms.

Crucially, we found that these were rarely displacing fossil fuels. Instead, they justify further use of oil, gas or coal.

For instance, CCS facilities are often linked to “enhanced oil recovery”. That involves CO₂ captured from a power plant or factory being injected into wells to squeeze out more fossil fuels from underground reservoirs – an approach that actually extends the lifespan of oil fields. The industry’s own documents back this up: the Global CCS Institute’s 2025 status report lists 77 commercially facilities in operation around the world. Of these, it notes 33 were developed to enhance oil recovery.

Likewise, “clean hydrogen” is often used to greenwash projects that are actually built on continued gas production. Even renewables can become false solutions. We found solar and wind farms built specifically to power refineries and oil and gas drilling. These projects don’t decarbonise the grid, they simply make it easier and cheaper to extract fossil fuels.

New tech, old injustices

False solutions do more than lock in fossil fuel dependence. Across the 48 cases there were examples of land conflicts. Carbon offset schemes often involve high emitters paying to protect or restore a forest or other ecosystem, to “make up” for their emissions. But in practice, they can lead to the enclosure of previously common land and the loss of communal or Indigenous rights. Biofuel plantations can displace smallholders, replacing local food systems with industrial-scale farms.

Indigenous and traditional communities are disproportionately affected by false solutions. Many projects are sited on ancestral or sacred land without meaningful consultation or consent.

Resistance to these projects is often framed by the fossil fuel industry and its supporters as hostility to climate action or a form of nimbyism. But our data suggests that, in many cases, these communities are opposed to projects that perpetuate the fossil fuel economy.

We also found evidence of governments channelling public subsidies to fund many of these projects. Such cases amount to a direct cash transfer from taxpayers to private companies for promises that deliver minimal emissions reductions.

They are, therefore, in effect helping to delay the end of the fossil fuel era.
Yet these projects have enabled politicians to claim they are climate leaders without having to confront a powerful industry.

After examining these 48 conflicts, one lesson becomes unmistakable: false solutions are not experimental missteps. They are in effect helping to delay the end of the fossil fuel era.

The buzzard was found with shotgun pellets in its wing in the Bransdale area on May 4.

The bird was also found to have a broken leg, and was taken to a vet, were sadly, it had to be euthanised due to its injuries.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “The bird was x-rayed, and pellets from a shotgun were found in its wing.

“It is believed the broken leg occurred up to 48 hours before it was found, and may have been caused by a hard landing – so the buzzard could have been shot within that same 48-hour period.

“Buzzards and other birds of prey are legally protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. To intentionally kill or injure one is a criminal offence.

“Anyone with any information about how the bird came to be injured is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference 12260080894.”

Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of Wimbledon due to injury, following his withdrawal from the French Open.

Alcaraz announced the news on social media on Tuesday. He will also miss Queen’s, the London grass-court tournament that many players use as a warm-up for Wimbledon.

The update follows news in April that the Spaniard would not compete at the French Open in Paris, which began this week, due to a wrist problem.

“My recovery is going well and I feel much better, but unfortunately I’m still not ready to be able to play,” Alcaraz wrote on Tuesday.

“And that’s why I have to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen’s and Wimbledon. They are two really special tournaments for me and I’ll miss them a lot.

“We keep working to return as soon as possible!”

Alcaraz is a two-time champion at Wimbledon, having beaten Novak Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 finals. The 23-year-old finished runner-up to Jannik Sinner last year.

Alcaraz, a former world No 1 who is currently ranked No 2, is also a two-time champion at Queen’s. He lifted the trophy there in 2023 and 2025.

Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Wimbledon leaves Sinner the heavy favourite to win the grass-court major, just as the Italian is on the clay of the French Open.

Sinner, 24, said he was “sad” to learn of Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Roland Garros in April, but that news – and Tuesday’s – gives the world No 1 a great chance of taking his grand slam haul from four to six in the coming months.

Before beating Alcaraz at SW19 last summer, Sinner narrowly lost to the Spaniard in an all-time classic French Open final. The rivals met again in the final of the US Open, where Alcaraz triumphed.

Alcaraz also won the Australian Open in January, beating Djokovic in the final after the Serb overcame Sinner in a scintillating semi-final. The Spaniard’s victory in Melbourne made him a seven-time major champion, but he will have to wait until the US Open in September at the earliest to add to that tally.

Alcaraz’s last competitive outing on court was in Barcelona in April, where he was beaten by Tomas Machac in the round of 16. Before that, “Carlitos” was defeated by Sinner in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters. Both tournaments are played on clay.

The Ely bridge is one of the most-bashed in Britain

A tractor struck a railway bridge in a Cambridgeshire city causing disruption to train services on Monday, May 18. Network Rail received a report of a vehicle striking a bridge at Ely just after 6pm.

The crash caused minor disruption to some passenger services using the freight line and platform three. Following an inspection of the bridge, it was deemed there was no damage reported. Train services resumed at 6.40pm the same evening.

A previous Freedom of Information (FOI) submitted by CambridgeshireLive to Network Rail revealed the bridge had been struck 80 times over the last five years. In October 2025, the bridge was hit three times within one week.

A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “We received a report of a vehicle striking a bridge at Ely yesterday at around 18:07. This caused a minor impact on some freight and passenger services using the freight line and platform 3.

“After inspection of the bridge, no damage was reported and services resumed at 18:40pm.”

Falling on Channel 4 is Adolescence creator Jack Thorne’s “first ever love story”.

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Falling premieres on Channel 4 tonight with fans eager to know where the romantic drama was shot.

Channel 4’s Falling delves into the forbidden love story of nun Anna (played by Keeley Hawes) and Catholic priest David (Paapa Essiedu), forcing them to wrestle with their vows and relationship with God.

The six-part series is not only brought to life by an all-star cast but by its award-winning creator Jack Thorne, famed for writing Adolescence on Netflix.

Channel 4 Falling filming locations

Filming for Falling on Channel 4 primarily took place in Bristol, Wales, specifically Cardiff, and the wider South Wales region.

Shooting for the new series reportedly began in April 2025 and continued throughout the year.

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Bristol served as a key location as much of David’s storyline within the local community meant Falling was shot across residential districts and inner city areas.

4Filming reported that community centres and neighbourhood streets were used to portray his work in different environments.

Channel 4’s official production also talks about his connection to the “Bristol community that surrounds it”.

On the other hand, Cardiff and the surrounding parts of South Wales were also heavily used during filming, particularly to do with Anna’s life in the convent.

4Filming adds: “Several historic properties and quiet religious-style locations around the city reportedly doubled as the secluded convent where Anna has spent most of her adult life.”

Production also took place at The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, one of the largest film and television studios in England.

It’s been reported that interior sets for the convent, rectory and other indoor scenes were shot here.

The Bottle Yard Studios is no stranger when it comes to hit series either with other popular shows like Poldark, Sherlock, The Buccaneers and Wolf Hall, also filmed at this location.

Talking about Falling ahead of its premiere, Thorne said: “I never thought I’d write a love story, but I am very excited to be making one with the brilliant Peter Hoar.

“We feel so lucky we have persuaded the mighty (and lovely) Keeley Hawes, the brilliant (and also lovely) Paapa Essiedu and the most amazing company of (lovely) actors to come make this with us, The Forge and Channel 4.”

Falling premieres on Tuesday, May 19, at 9pm on Channel 4.

‘You think this is hard? Try being waterboarded, that’s hard.’

It’s the utterly bonkers – and yet somehow pitch-perfect – opening line to the pilot episode of Ryan Murphy’s magnum opus: Glee season one (yes, even over American Horror Story, argue with the wall)

Jane Lynch’s acerbic Sue Sylvester’s megaphone-touting declaration to her cheer squad kicks off 50 minutes of television so absurd and yet so compelling that it’s a masterclass in how to open a TV show with a bang.

If you were living under a rock in May 2009 and somehow missed the launch of this cultural phenomenon, then let me catch you up.

Much like Marc Jacobs-clad teen Kurt (Chris Colfer) is unceremoniously chucked into a bin by high school jocks Finn (Corey Monteith) and Puck (Mark Salling) in the first minutes of the episode, we viewers are plunged into the cutthroat world of American high school in the late 00s.

Enter Mr Schue (Matthew Morrison), a Spanish teacher who can’t speak Spanish with a passion for show choir and a hankering for his own high school glory days, where he no doubt peaked in life.

After the current choir teacher, Sandy, is kicked out over child predator accusations from the ambitious and slightly unhinged Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), Mr Schue launches his bid to set up the brand spanking new Glee Club.

Oh, and this is all in the first four minutes.

Then, we get the auditions – the perfect vehicle to introduce us to our main players. There’s Kurt with his baffingly deadpan delivery of Mr Cellophane, the birth of Tina Cohen-Chang’s (Jenna Ushkowitz) ‘stutter’ and Mercedes’s (Amber Riley) overlooked powerhouse vocals.

Then we have the aforementioned Rachel, whose musically infused monologue about being a star holds up as some of the best character exposition in TV history.

It includes the show’s first of many slushee throws, her dramatic fake crying, and the revelation she isn’t homophobic as she has ‘two gay dads’ – it’s a fever dream.

And just when you think the show can’t possibly go even more leftfield, Mr Schue threatens to expose high school heartthrob Finn’s non-existent drug stash unless he agrees to join the club.

What’s perhaps most impressive is that Ryan manages to plant the seeds for so many wild dynamics fromMr Schue and Sue’s ever-escalating rivalry to his wife Terri’s ‘pregnancy’ and flirtation with fellow teacher Emma.

That’s not even to mention the students’ own plethora of problems. One thing is for sure: there’s trouble in paradise for the school’s power couple, cheerleader Quinn and our plucky protagonist Finn.

You would think the episode would feel ridiculously overstuffed, but somehow every thread seamlessly merges into a glorious hotpot of high camp nonsense you can’t stop watching.

This all culminates in the final number of the show, Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing with Rachel and Finn leading the powerful cover that is now synonymous with the show.

I’m not afraid to admit that to this day, hearing those opening notes makes me misty-eyed with nostalgia (and remains a karaoke staple for my sister and I).

And I’m far from alone.

The splash this made at the time cannot be overstated. As one Reddit user, LiveFromNewYork95, put it: ‘It’s hard to explain just how much that pilot episode of Glee moved the needle.’

This was the show to watch; it changed the game for LGBTQ+ TV in the years leading up to same-sex marriage being legalised in the US and reinvented the wheel when it came to meta coming-of-age shows that haven’t quite been replicated since.

Only Glee could get away with the storylines and whiplash-inducing dialogue it puts on screen.

‘One of the best pieces of television ever aired,’ Metro reporter Danni rightfully declared.

‘Somehow the most progressive yet the most offensive show at the same time. There’ll never be another one like it,’ Ana shared on X.

‘Made me who I am and I’m so serious,’ martymauser echoed. ’17 years ago herstory was made,’ Brooke agreed.

The bold humour, perfectly tempered satire and genuine levels of musical talent exuding from this show created the perfect storm and, even 17 years on, it’s a standout pilot episode and is showrunner Ryan at his very best.

Since that shining first episode, the show has taken a more sour turn, tainted by the real-life loss of cast members, behind-the-scenes controversy and a truly terrible final three seasons.

But none of what came after can take away from the brilliance of the pilot.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Glee rewatch I’ve accidentally started.

Glee is available to stream on Disney Plus now.

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LONDON (AP) — Police in the UK say they are investigating two allegations of decades-old child sex abuse after looking into potential crimes revealed in documents from the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Police in Surrey, the county immediately southwest of London, said in a statement Tuesday that they are investigating two separate allegations. One relates to locations in Surrey and Berkshire in the mid-1990s to 2000. The other relates to the mid- to late 1980s in West Surrey.

No arrests have been made.

“We take all reports of sexual offending seriously and will work to identify any reasonable lines of enquiry to verify information or establish corroborating evidence,’’ police said in a statement.

Surrey is among several U.K. police forces that have worked together to assess potential crimes revealed in documents linked to the late financier and sex offender. The National Police Chiefs’ Council, which brings together police leaders from across the U.K., said in February that it had set up a national coordination group to support forces looking into issues arising from the more than 3 million pages of documents released earlier this year.

While the council didn’t specify the police forces involved in the effort, at least eight have said they are “assessing” information in the files. They are looking into issues ranging from concerns that Epstein’s private jet may have been used in sex trafficking to allegations that the former Prince Andrew sent confidential reports to the financier when he was Britain’s international trade envoy.

The Epstein scandal has rocked the royal family and British politics in recent months because of his links to Peter Mandelson, the U.K.’s former ambassador to Washington, and to the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

King Charles III in October stripped his younger brother of his royal titles, including the right to be called a prince, in an effort to insulate the royal family from the continuing revelations about his friendship with Epstein.

Plans approved by City of York Council are set to see the borehole drilled at Wigginton Playing Fields, in Mill Lane.

The Wigginton Sports and Playing Fields Association has applied to drill the hole to get water to irrigate football pitches during droughts.

Council planning officers stated it was an appropriate and modest development on green belt land.

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The hole is set to be drilled to the west of the playing fields’ pavilion building, towards the back of the site.

It is set to be 1m-wide and would look similar to a manhole cover at the top.

The pitches are used and managed by the Wigginton Grasshoppers grassroots football club.

Plans stated they aimed to create a supply of water to football pitches during summer droughts.

They added the works would be carried out by an experienced borehole drilling contractor in line with best practice guidance to avoid contaminating ground water.

Plans stated: “The borehole and headworks will be covered by a lockable housing to prevent access to the borehole by unauthorised personnel, the pump controls will be located in a locked, steel container.

“The water, which will only be used for watering the WSPFA’s playing
field, will only be abstracted under the control of the Wigginton Grasshoppers Personnel.

“The borehole and associated works will be maintained in good working
order by the WSPFA.

“If and when the borehole is to be abandoned the borehole will be capped off in accordance with good practice at the time.”

Council planning officers stated groundwater and neighbouring residents would not be negatively affected by the plans.

They stated: “The proposal constitutes appropriate development within the green belt, being the provision of appropriate facilities for outdoor sport.

“The development, given its modest nature would not result in harm to the openness of the green belt.”

Photographer Kieran Delaney had his camera handy to capture the towering dark clouds as they gathered above the city, with one or two flashes of lightning cutting through the gloom to the backdrop of rumbling thunder.

Storm closes in on York in dramatic photo by Kieran Delaney – pictured. (Image: Kieran Delaney)

Kieran, 27, is a member of The Press Camera Club and lives in Heworth. He studied photography at sixth form at All Saints RC School and works as a photographer and at Tommy Hilfiger at York Designer Outlet.

Kieran shoots on a Nikon D5500, with a 35mm lens, a standard kit lens 18-55mm and a 55-200mm lens and he also has a drone.

Garry Hornby captured this scene slightly earlier at the ‘Coppergate Brolly walk’. (Image: Garry Hornby)

According to the Met Office, unsettled weather is expected to continue across North Yorkshire over the coming days.

Forecasters suggest a mix of sunshine and scattered showers, with a risk of further thunderstorms, particularly in the afternoons. Temperatures are likely to remain around the mid-teens, with occasional gusty winds accompanying heavier bursts of rain.

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More than 3,000 readers have joined The Press Camera Club, which launched in June 2017 and brings together talented photographers from across York and North and East Yorkshire to share their work, swap tips and take part in themed monthly prize competitions.

To join the free club, simply search for ‘The Press Camera Club’ on Facebook – we’d love to see what our region looks like through your lens.

We will feature pictures from our camera club in The Press and online regularly.

If you like seeing photos of York, please follow us on Instagram too @york.press.