A blood-soaked escapee ran screaming from the home, with police shockingly uncovering a plastic-lined ‘narco torture chamber’ kill room inside the building
Rachel Vickers-Price UK and World News Reporter
06:09, 23 Sep 2026
A secret torture chamber has been uncovered in a British holiday hotspot, with police discovering the nightmarish set-up in a vacant villa right in the nick of time.
Police were called to an address in Estepona, in Spain’s idyllic Costa del Sol, to carry out a welfare check after emergency services received a panicked phone call from a woman at about 1 am on September 5.
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She told police: “My partner has gone to a house to carry out shady business and told me that if I didn’t contact him in ten minutes, I should call the police.”
Officers rocked up at the Old Town address to do a welfare check. After no answer at the door, police clambered over a fence to take a closer look at the home in the wake of the chilling phone call.
But before they’d managed to hop the fence entirely, a man ran out of the building, naked, screaming, and drenched in blood.
The man, later identified as the partner of the fearful woman who had called police, shouted at officers: “They’ve kidnapped me and they’re going to kill me!”
Two of the man’s captors were found inside wearing face masks and attempted to flee, resulting in a police officer firing a warning shot into the air after noticing one of the men was carrying what looked like a firearm.
They called for backup, and once fully inside the villa, police realised they had uncovered a horrific home of death. Inside the home’s torture chamber was a second naked man who was tied to a chair and covered in blood.
The room he was in was found to be covered with plastic sheeting across the floor and walls. Officers recovered a number of torture tools, with the grim finds documented in police photos.
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It is understood that the plastic sheeting was used to cover up any biological or forensic traces of the crimes committed within the home, with plastic regularly collected and burned at the site, a source told EL ESPAÑOL.
Seven people in total were arrested at the Estepona house of horrors, with their horrific crimes being apparent acts of gang-related violence. They have since been imprisoned for torture, kidnapping, and a string of other crimes.
All those at the premises, both victims and assailants, held criminal records. Most of them had served time in prison, EL ESPAÑOL reported.
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Investigators believe the acts of torture were in retribution regarding a drug-related matter, with motives spanning theft, money owed, or a bungled job. Investigations continue, and the true motive remains unconfirmed.
Speaking to EL ESPAÑOL, authorities said: “[This] is a gang dedicated to trafficking cocaine and hashish, whose activity also includes other crimes such as extortion.”
Spanish authorities are now considering involving Interpol to help track down the remaining gang members, as the seven arrested at the torture house were all Georgian.
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The Provincial Brigade of Judicial Police of Malaga said: “The activity of this organisation of professional criminals had a presence on the Costa del Sol, in the Campo de Gibraltar and in the Levante area.”
East Bay Ray of Dead Kennedys, one of the most legendary living punk guitarists, has revealed he has Parkinson’s disease (Picture: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
Legendary punk guitarist East Bay Ray has revealed a heartbreaking diagnosis, but has said he has no intention of putting down his guitar just yet.
The 67-year-old musician, who co-founded the influential American punk band Dead Kennedys nearly five decades ago, shared that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease through the group’s management on Tuesday.
Despite the diagnosis, Ray, whose real name is Raymond John Pepperell, is determined to continue performing with the band for as long as his health permits.
In a statement shared on the group’s official Instagram account, management confirmed: ‘Dead Kennedys management announced today that the band’s guitarist and founding member, East Bay Ray, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.’
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Addressing what the news means for his future on stage, the statement continued: ‘Ray says he plans to continue performing and touring with Dead Kennedys for as long as his health allows, and expressed his appreciation to everyone for their continued support.’
The announcement prompted an outpouring of support from fans, many of whom have followed the guitarist’s career since the band’s earliest days in San Francisco.
The guitarist has said he intends to keep touring as long as he can(Picture: Scott Legato/Getty Images)
No further details about the musician’s condition or when he received his diagnosis have been disclosed.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that affects movement, with symptoms potentially including tremors, muscle stiffness, and difficulties with balance.
Although there is currently no cure, treatments are available to help manage symptoms, and the condition progresses differently from person to person.
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For now, Ray appears determined to carry on doing what he has spent much of his life doing: making music.
Dead Kennedys were founded in San Francisco in the 70s (Picture: Ruby Ray/Getty Images)
Dead Kennedys have several performances scheduled for October, including a show at Seattle’s Showbox at the Market on October 6 and another at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium in California on October 11.
The group is also due to perform in San Francisco on October 9, sharing the bill with fellow punk acts Flipper and The Avengers.
There have been no announced changes to the band’s upcoming performances following Ray’s diagnosis.
The guitarist’s influence on punk music stretches back to 1978, when he helped establish Dead Kennedys in San Francisco.
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Ray was instrumental in developing the group’s distinctive sound, which combined the aggression of hardcore punk with unexpected influences ranging from surf rock to the dramatic guitar sounds of 1960s spy films.
They quickly became one of the biggest punk bands of the era (Picture: Richard McCaffrey/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
His unconventional playing helped distinguish Dead Kennedys from their contemporaries, while the band’s provocative lyrics and confrontational performances established them as one of the most recognisable names in American punk.
Their early releases included California Über Alles and Holiday in Cambodia, followed by their landmark 1980 debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables.
The group went on to release records including Plastic Surgery Disasters and Frankenchrist before splitting in 1986. However, their story was far from over.
Dead Kennedys reunited in 2001 without original frontman Jello Biafra, with Ray remaining central to the band’s subsequent touring career.
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In fact, according to the group’s official website, Ray is the only musician to have remained a constant member throughout its history.
From left to right: Klaus Flouride, Jello Biafra, East Bay Ray (kneeling), and D. H. Peligro, founding members of the band (Picture: Getty)
The current line-up also includes fellow founding member and bassist Klaus Flouride, vocalist Ron ‘Skip’ Greer and drummer Steve Wilson.
Ray’s diagnosis comes during an already difficult year for the band’s extended musical family.
In March, former frontman Biafra suffered a haemorrhagic stroke, prompting concern among fans about his recovery.
However, an encouraging update shared on his Facebook page on May 2 revealed that the musician was making considerable progress.
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‘Jello is progressing nicely,’ the statement read, explaining that his speech had largely returned and that, cognitively, he appeared to be unaffected by the stroke.
Although he was still experiencing weakness on his left side, his condition had improved significantly, and he had become increasingly independent during his recovery.
The band also suffered a devastating loss in October 2022 when longtime drummer D.H. Peligro died aged 63.
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Peligro, who joined Dead Kennedys in 1981, had also briefly performed with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and was a significant figure in the American punk scene.
Now, as Ray faces his own health challenges, the guitarist has made clear that he hopes to continue the musical career that has spanned almost half a century.
Celebrity Traitors is set to have a contestant unlike any before, with mathematician Professor Hannah Fry bringing her statistical expertise to the game in a bid to sniff out the suspicious contestants.
Self-described “toxically competitive” Fry, who teaches at the University of Cambridge, is also a presenter on several BBC TV and radio shows, including The Secret Genius of Modern Life.
Ahead of filming Celebrity Traitors earlier this year, Fry revealed that she used her knowledge of statistics to preparing for her appearance.
The professor went back through all previous seasons of the show to “try and find statistically significant patterns” in a process not dissimilar from “the same bit of math that Alan Turing used to crack the Enigma machine” – a cipher device used by the German military during World War II.
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‘Celebrity Traitors’ contestant Professor Hannah Fry (Getty Images)
Fry told the BBC that she identified a pattern in the way that the assigned Traitors behave, including the fact that they “often do a burn vote” in the first few episodes when they’re settling in to throw suspicion on somebody random.
She called it “just one example of a little bit of maths that I’ve got in my back pocket”.
“Whether it’s going to work or not, honestly, your guess is as good as mine!” she said. “I’ve got spreadsheets coming out of my eyeballs. I close my eyes and it’s like there are numbers tattooed on the inside of my eyelids at the moment for how much I’ve been looking at them.”
Fry acknowledged that a big wrinkle in her plan is how bad the Faithfuls often are at detecting the Traitors. “They are so all over the place that it’s really hard to pick out what the signal is,” she said.
One of Fry’s fellow contestants, comedian James Acaster, said he was most fearful of Fry as she “will probably tell you that probability-wise, there’s most likely to be at least one comic chosen as a Traitor because there’s enough of us”.
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“I think we’re going to be the first ones under the magnifying glass being looked at – particularly at the beginning when you have absolutely nothing to go on,” he told the BBC.
“There will be suspicions that it’s going to be at least one of these guys – that we might form an alliance if we’re not broken apart.”
There are several actors on the billing this year, including The Last of Us’s Bella Ramsey, The Damned United’s Michael Sheen, and Withnail and I’s Richard E Grant. Myha’la (Industry), Sharon Rooney (Two Doors Down), former Coronation Street and EastEnders stars Julie Hesmondhalgh, and Ross Kemp will also feature.
There are also well-known musicians in the running, including former Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock and “You’re Beautiful” singer James Blunt.
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Others set to enter the Scottish castle include broadcaster Amol Rajan, presenter Maya Jama, model and actor Jerry Hall, musician and actor Sebastian Croft and content creator King Kenny.
Claudia Winkleman will be back to host the smash-hit show’s second season on Thursday 1 October at 8pm.
The multi-award-winning game of deception will air two nights a week on Thursday and Friday evenings.
The UK is reviewing its deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, the defence secretary has said.
Wes Streeting confirmed the deal was being looked at again after US President Donald Trump called it “terrible” at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
The original agreement would see the UK cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius and pay an average of £101m ($136m) per year to lease back a joint UK-US military base there, prized for its strategic location in the Indian Ocean.
In April the deal, agreed under Sir Keir Starmer, was paused indefinitely because Trump pulled his support.
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Streeting said “we have to” review the deal “because the United States doesn’t support it”.
“What President Trump said yesterday wasn’t new but I think it does provide absolute clarity that his position on this Chagos deal as currently drafted is not changing,” he told BBC Breakfast.
“So we have to do more work with our American allies, with President Trump and his administration, to get the deal to a place where we can support it.”
A man was found dead in a car in Gwynedd, an inquest heard. Paul William Rene Daly, aged 69, was found dead in the vehicle, which was parked in a layby near Barmouth.
Police were called to the scene at Bontddu and forced their way into the vehicle, finding a body inside.
Sarah Riley, assistant coroner for North-West Wales, opened an inquest in Caernarfon on Tuesday (September 22) into Mr Daly’s death.
Ms Riley said the windows had been covered, prompting police to force entry to the vehicle before Mr Daly, of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, was discovered.
Paramedics were called and he was confirmed to have died at 5.57pm that evening, the inquest heard.
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A pathologist carried out a post mortem examination into how the retired electrical engineer died.
He has given the provisional cause of death as asphyxia pending toxicological results.
The assistant coroner adjourned the inquest so further investigations could be completed.
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UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his debut UN speech to declare ‘Britain is back’
Ethan Davies and Kirstie McCrum
07:51, 23 Sep 2026
Andy Burnham utilised his maiden address to the UN to champion Britain’s standing in international affairs for years ahead – assuring global leaders they can ‘count on us’.
During an extensive speech, the new Prime Minister delivered a scathing condemnation of Russia, unveiled a fresh international security agreement with the US mere hours following talks with Donald Trump, reiterated demands for a two-state resolution in the Middle East, and introduced two significant domestic initiatives.
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The New York summit represented Burnham’s initial major examination as an international diplomat since assuming the role of Prime Minister in July. Throughout recent hours, he has held inaugural meetings with multiple world leaders, including Donald Trump, and employed his 21-minute address to outline his strategy for British diplomatic influence.
Following Burnham’s arrival on stage and a fleeting reference to Brexit, it swiftly emerged who would feature as the antagonist of his address: Russia.
He proceeded to unleash a fierce critique of Kremlin meddling in British affairs, while Putin’s representatives observed.
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The PM declared: “Russian agencies have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people’s fear.
“They’ve used bots and fake websites. Falsified newspaper articles. Forged the branding of 28 British organisations – including universities and the BBC. They’ve amplified far-right narratives.
“And we have evidence that they tried to interfere with the 2019 General Election.”
He added Putin’s government spends ‘£1.3 billion’ on ‘manipulating information’.
“We also know that they have tried to stoke tensions and unrest in the wake of horrific events,” Burnham went on. “The idea that anyone would try to use such things to their advantage is just repulsive – but it is what they do.”
Russia has faced previous allegations of exploiting illegally obtained documents concerning UK-US trade negotiations in an attempt to sway the 2019 election outcome.
Disturbingly, the Russian representatives displayed minimal reaction when Burnham levelled these accusations against them.
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Fresh ‘National Centre for Information Defence’ to be established
Following his broadside against Russia, Burnham unveiled the first of two domestic initiatives featured in his address. He’s establishing a National Centre for Information Defence designed to combat online lies and deepfakes damaging British interests.
The newly formed body will initially operate under the Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet, collaborating with intelligence services, governmental bodies, law enforcement and tech platforms.
Having highlighted the ‘insidious campaign’ directed by the Kremlin, Burnham argued the centre’s creation is essential as ‘AI will multiply the threat’ currently presented by malicious online actors.
Burnham poised to reveal ’10 year plan for Britain’ The Government is poised to launch a comprehensive decade-long strategy for Britain later this year, Burnham disclosed for the first time at the UN.
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The blueprint will prioritise boosting employment – particularly amongst younger generations – while alleviating the cost-of-living squeeze affecting most households, Burnham indicated, though he stopped short of revealing concrete policy measures at this stage.
Nevertheless, Burnham appears to be framing this fresh strategy as an answer to widespread insecurity. He declared ‘security starts in every home’, arguing that increased employment makes citizens less vulnerable to online misinformation.
He stated: “Part of the challenge is to lift our people up and create the opportunities they need. When inequalities grow too wide, our societies are at greater risk.
“So we will work to make life more affordable for people. That will be at the heart of a new 10 year plan for Britain that we will bring forward later in the year.”
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UK strikes AI agreement with US as Burnham positions Britain as ‘honest broker’
Mere hours following his inaugural encounter with Donald Trump, Burnham unveiled a fresh national security arrangement with the US during a portion of his speech addressing AI concerns.
He informed attendees: “I am announcing today that we are developing a new AI defence partnership with the United States to protect our critical national infrastructure.”
Specifics of the agreement remain undisclosed. Burnham continued by stating that, given ‘AI will also be a source of disruption to the way we live and work’, he wishes Britain to serve as an ‘honest broker’ in establishing ‘a single set of global principles and standards’ for frontier AI development.
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Two-state solution must remain viable for Gaza
As his address neared its conclusion, Burnham shifted focus to the Middle East, reiterating support for a two-state solution in Gaza.
He described Hamas’ 2023 assault on Israel as ‘utterly horrific’, yet regarding Israel’s subsequent response over the years, he stated: “Far too many people have died, including so many children. Far too little aid is getting in, and it has gone on for far too long.”
This prompted the UK to ‘banned trading goods with illegal settlements, recognised the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory is unlawful, and sanctioned those taking part in the construction of illegal settlements’ earlier this month, he explained. However, Burnham emphasised the future, insisting the two-state solution must ‘stay alive’.
He continued: “We want to see the suffering and death finally come to an end. We want to see Israeli and Palestinian people living side by side in peace and security. And we will do all we can to keep the hope of that possibility alive.”
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‘Britain is back… count on us’
Burnham’s initial message declared to the world ‘Britain is back’ – and after 20 minutes, he made clear this signalled that international leaders can ‘count on us’ moving forward. He brought his address to a close with the words: “You can count on us to stand up for those long standing British values of fairness and justice.
“Count on us to fight racism, discrimination and the abuse of power wherever we see it. Count on us to bring people together.
“Count on us to meet fear and division with unity and hope.”
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Residents who live nearby claim they can hear cars speeding
A bid to make a dangerous Cambridgeshire road safer has been slammed as “not making a difference” by people who live nearby. In February last year, a stretch of the A47 between Peterborough and Kings Lynn was reduced to a 50mph speed limit with the aim to make the road safer for drivers.
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But some of the driverswho frequently use the road have said they don’t think the reduced speed limit has helped. Rebecca Parsons, who lives in Guyhirn, a village right by the busy road, thinks the speed limit has “caused more trouble than it’s worth”. She added: “I would say it’s not made much of a difference.”
Another woman, who wished to remain anonymous, slammed the 50mph speed limit. She said: “It’s more unsafe, there seems to be a higher frequency of crashes.”
The woman added: “People have no patience, so there is a mixture of people driving below the speed limit and the other people overtaking. There is too much traffic using the road.”
Ms Withers, who didn’t want to give her first name, feels the reduced speed limit “doesn’t make a difference”. She added: “It seems to have been as bad as it was before. Some people just can’t be bothered to wait around and then it’s more dangerous when they overtake.”
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One resident, who wished to not be named, claimed she can tell people “aren’t sticking to the 50mph speed limit” as she thinks she can hear people speeding from her home in Guyhirn.
She said: “The amount of noise we get [in Guyhirn] just facing the road can be ridiculous. Almost all of the time we can hear cars speeding.” She also feels the speed limit is not working.
She added: “I don’t think the speed limit is working as good as it should be. It’s not really deterring people from speeding. It’s just making them more willing to speed if people in front aren’t going as fast as they’d like them to.”
National Highways said that safety is their “number one priority” and they continue to look at ways to make roads safer. A NH spokesperson added: “Our ambition remains that no-one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads and we continue to invest in safety improvements across the region.
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“Road safety is a shared responsibility, and we work closely with partners, organisations and road users to help us collectively achieve this ambition.”
The highways authority added that it is drivers responsibility to stick to speed limits, which is clearly shown on signage.
The extension of Arteta’s tenure as head coach – which had been up for renewal at the end of the season – was seen as something of a formality.
Though the terms of a new deal have now been struck, it is not anticipated that confirmation of the 44-year-old’s stay will be announced imminently.
Arteta began his Arsenal reign in 2019 and has overseen their rise back to the forefront of English football, with the Gunners last season securing their first league title in 22 years.
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Arteta’s side had started their title defence with a perfect record until their shock 3-0 defeat at Brighton prior to the international break.
Asked about his next contract ahead of the clash with the Seagulls, Arteta said: “I think we are all very much aligned; whenever the time is right, we’ll get that done. There is nothing to be concerned about.”
As well as ending Arsenal’s wait for a league title, Arteta also steered Arsenal to their first Champions League final in two decades.
Arsenal lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties but in the days leading up to the final in Budapest, Arsenal co-owner Josh Kroenke said: “Keeping Mikel around is (an) utmost priority and I think the good news for Arsenal fans worldwide is he’s enjoying the project, he’s enjoying being here and from his time as a player all the way up until now, he’s an Arsenal man through and through.”
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Following their surprise defeat at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, Arsenal will next be in action with a home match against Leeds on October 10.
Bolton Council says brownfield sites and other available land are “not enough” to meet the borough’s housing needs over the coming years.
It has now proposed removing land from the Green Belt at four locations in its new draft Local Plan.
The biggest change would be around Royal Bolton Hospital, where Green Belt land would form part of the huge Health Innovation Bolton development.
Land would also be released at the Blackrod Employment Cluster, the Logistics North Extension and off The Alders in Tonge Moor.
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The proposals come against the backdrop of significant housing pressures in Bolton.
The borough is expected to deliver at least 787 new homes every year, amounting to 15,740 between 2022 and 2042.
Just over 2,000 were delivered in the first three years, leaving a minimum of 13,717 still needed between 2025 and 2042.
There are also 21,479 households currently on Bolton’s housing register, according to the Local Plan.
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The council estimates an annual affordable housing shortfall of 2,259 homes, while lower-priced properties cost around £135,000 – roughly 5.6 times the median income of residents.
Faced with those figures, the council officers say they have explored other options before proposing changes to the Green Belt.
It has reassessed brownfield sites, searched for unused and underused land within built-up areas, looked at building at greater densities and asked neighbouring councils whether they could help accommodate Bolton’s needs.
The Local Plan states: “The evidence is clear that the homes Bolton needs over the Plan period cannot be delivered on brownfield and other non-Green Belt sites alone.”
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Brownfield development would remain a priority, but the council says many sites are more complicated to develop because of the cost of cleaning up land, viability issues and difficulties assembling sites.
This means some are expected to deliver homes later rather than earlier in the Local Plan period.
The council argues this creates the “exceptional circumstances” needed to alter Green Belt boundaries.
The most significant change would come at Health Innovation Bolton.
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Royal Bolton Hospital (Image: Bolton NHS Foundation Trust)
The huge development around Royal Bolton Hospital would include 2,225 homes, a new primary school, health facilities and a major medical research and employment district.
The council says the site needs to be close to the hospital and Bolton Institute of Medical Science, while the homes would also help the borough maintain its required supply of housing land.
The other Green Belt releases are mainly aimed at meeting different development needs.
The Blackrod Employment Cluster, close to Blackrod railway station, would be used for new industrial and warehousing development, with a new vehicle access from Blackrod Bypass Road.
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Green Belt land near Blackrod railway station earmarked for employment development. (Image: Google Maps)
The council says the site could bring new jobs to an area of Bolton which has not been a major focus for recent employment development, while its proximity to the railway would make jobs accessible by train.
The Logistics North Extension, near Junction 4 of the M61, would provide between 30,000sqm and 80,000sqm of new industrial and warehousing space.
Green Belt land north of Salford Road (Logistics North Extension) (Image: Google Maps)
Land off The Alders in Tonge Moor would meanwhile be allocated for 45 to 50 plots for Travelling Showpeople.
Green Belt land off The Alders in Tonge, proposed as a site for Travelling Showpeople. (Image: Google Maps)
The plan states around 40 of these would meet the need to relocate people from existing unsuitable plots, while between five and 10 would provide additional plots
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Despite proposing the changes, the council describes Bolton’s Green Belt as one of the borough’s “most valued assets”.
It says it plays an important role in stopping towns and villages from merging and directing development towards previously developed land.
The draft plan therefore proposes releasing only land which the council says is needed to meet development requirements that cannot be accommodated elsewhere.
Developers using released Green Belt land would also have to secure improvements to the environmental quality and accessibility of the Green Belt which remains nearby.
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Overall, the council has identified land capable of providing around 14,052 homes, slightly more than the minimum 13,717 still required.
Almost 5,000 would come from sites which already have planning permission, while 5,715 would come from major new allocations.
The council also argues that larger developments can bring something smaller housing sites often cannot – enough land and funding for new schools, healthcare facilities, transport improvements and green spaces.
The proposals form part of the draft Bolton Local Plan and do not themselves grant planning permission for development.
David Beckham was rubbing shoulders with royalty yet again as he and his sons posed with the Prince and Princess of Wales at the star-studded premiere of Tom Cruise‘s new film Digger on Tuesday night.
The former footballer, 51, was joined by Cruz, 21, and Romeo, 24, for the photo opportunity with the royals – while his eldest Brooklyn, 27, was unsurprisingly absent amid their ongoing family feud.
David finally received a knighthood from King Charles at Windsor Castle last November for his longstanding services to sport and charity and had made no secret of his wish for one beforehand.
David looked smart in his tuxedo for the Royal Film Performance of Digger held at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square.
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His dapper sons matched their famous father as they all posed with clasped hands during the photo opportunity.
Meanwhile Princess Kate did not disappoint in a purple flowing gown by Jenny Packham with a daring gap at the back for the occasion.
David Beckham was rubbing shoulders with royalty yet again as he and his sons posed with the Prince and Princess of Wales at the star-studded premiere of Tom Cruise’s new film Digger
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Elsewhere on the night Cruise was the perfect gentleman as he guided Princess Kate down the steps to the cinema at the world premiere of the new film.
The Prince and Princess of Wales dazzled on the red carpet as they joined the acting legend in London‘s Leicester Square.
While it’s hard to outshine Hollywood royalty, all eyes were on the future king and queen as they arrived for the Royal Film Performance.
There had been huge anticipation in advance of the princess’s latest red carpet look, and Princess Kate did not disappoint in her purple look.
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Her jewels were even more eye-catching, as she wore the Queen Mother‘s amethyst necklace paired with pearl earrings belonging to Diana, Princess of Wales, showed off to perfection with a heavy curled hairstyle pulled back at the side.
The dazzling necklace had also been worn byQueen Camilla at the Royal World Premiere of Skyfall at the Royal Albert Hall on October 23, 2012.
Prince William looked dapper in black tie, wearing a velvet evening jacket and highly polished shoes as he waved to the crowd, which had turned out en masse to watch Hollywood stars – and royalty – walk the red carpet.
It was something of a reunion for the couple and Cruise, 64, who met at the UK premiere of his hit film Top Gun: Maverick in May 2022.
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They were pictured beaming as they chatted to the Hollywood legend ahead of the screening of his new film, as well as filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu.
David finally received a knighthood from King Charles at Windsor Castle last November for his longstanding services to sport and charity
Elsewhere on the night Cruise was the perfect gentleman as he guided Princess Kate down the steps to the cinema at the world premiere of the new film
Princess Kate did not disappoint in a purple flowing gown by Jenny Packham with a daring gap at the back for the occasion
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Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell in the new satirical comedy film Digger
Cruise and the future king have also worked together at an event to support the London Air Ambulance charity.
The star is even reported to have organised a special screening of the movie for the Wales family after hearing the prince was a huge fan of the 1986 original.
Speaking about the Prince and Princess before their arrival, Cruise said: ‘I just love them. They are lovely people and I have great respect for them.’
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The star and the future king have also worked together at an event to support the London Air Ambulance charity.
He has said of William: ‘We have a lot in common. We both love England and we’re both aviators. We both love flying.’
Tonight, Cruise was the perfect gentleman, taking Princess Kate’s hand as he helped her down the stairs in her gown as she clutched a black purse, while William waved to the crowd.
The premiere, hosted by Warner Bros and held in aid of the Film and TV Charity, saw William and Catherine greeted by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of London.
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They were escorted down the red carpet by Marcus Ryder, chief executive of the Film and TV Charity, and chair Claire Tavernier where they were warmly greeted by Cruise and filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu.
Cruise initially stood with his hands clasped but then kissed the princess on each cheek. The group stood chatting for several minutes longer than planned, laughing and joking uproariously.
Mr Ryder joked to Cruise: ‘So, my one job was to introduce the Prince and Princess of Wales to you but you beat me to it.’
The royals were then introduced by Cruise to members of the cast and creative team, including Riz Ahmed, before he escorted them to the cinema, holding the princess’s hand as he helped her walk down the steps.
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Inside the cinema, William and Catherine were introduced to a line-up of beneficiaries from the Film and Television Charity including Chloe Malone, 27, who only last year was sleeping rough and is still in temporary accommodation but is about to embark on a production course at the National Film and Television School thanks to the charity. She praised it for ‘saving’ her and thanked William for his work to eradicate homelessness.
The Princess was also presented with a posy and a programme by Evie Peters, seven, while four-year-old Sahrae-Lea Herbert gave the Prince a programme. Both girls, who had been waiting excitedly for them, executed beautiful curtseys.
‘Thank you for my lovely flowers,’ Catherine said.
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