By WILL PICKWORTH, SPORTS REPORTER and HARRY BAMFORTH, LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE REPORTER

Updated: 14:25 BST, 9 August 2026

The show will be staged at The Waterfront Hall Studio

If your child loves to sing, dance and act and shines on the stage then this upcoming production might be the perfect opportunity for them this Autumn.

Young performers are currently wanted for an upcoming family-friendly production of The Addams Family in Belfast.

Just Stage It (JSI) Academy are on the search for talented performers aged 7-18 for their next show which will be staged in The Waterfront Studio this Halloween.

The Young@Part version of The Addams Family is a 60-minute edition of the Broadway musical for youth theatres and schools.

A spokesperson for JSI said: “Whether you’re an experienced performer or stepping onto the stage for the very first time, JSI welcomes enthusiastic young people who love to sing, dance and act.

“No previous stage experience is required – just passion, commitment and a willingness to have fun.

“The cast will train with an outstanding professional creative team comprising Adam Gillian, Johanna Johnston, Matt Evans, and Jonny Brown.

“Together, they bring a wealth of experience in professional musical theatre, providing young performers with expert training in acting, singing and dance before performing

“Auditions will take place on 22nd and 23rd August, with successful applicants joining the cast for rehearsals leading to performances on 31st October and 1st November 2026 at the Waterfront Studio Theatre, Belfast.

“The Addams Family Young@Part® is a spooky, hilarious and heartwarming musical based on the beloved characters created by Charles Addams.

“Packed with unforgettable songs, quirky characters and plenty of laughs, this promises to be one of JSI’s biggest productions to date.”

To register for auditions, email info@juststageit.net or click here

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter.

Sean decided his pension plan was not helping him at all and came up with a different solution

A man has revealed how he tore up his pension plans after launching a bold bid to retire at 45 on £30,000 a year. Sean Leith is an actuarial consultant working in pensions – so knows a thing or two about the issue. He says he is well on his way to saving £700,000 over the next 15 years.

Sean, 30, is channelling as much of his £3,400 monthly wage as possible into a stocks and shares ISA, focusing on specific ETFs (exchange traded funds). Sean, from Edinburgh, made the decision to cut back his pension contributions and instead pour more money into his ISA – all in a bid to retire early and make the most of life away from the office.

Since 2021, he has put £29,500 into his ISA, a figure that has more than doubled to £67,000 following what Sean described as some “lucky” investments into individual companies. He now aims to ramp up his contributions to between £800 and £1,000 a month.

He hopes this strategy will allow him to retire by 45, or 50 at the very latest, with roughly £700,000 to his name. Sean said: “The plan is to retire at 45, 50 at the latest. Hopefully, the ISA will have enough saved in it.

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“I think I will need just around £700,000 in today’s money. That should allow me to have £30,000 a year.”

Sean overhauled his pension plan in July 2026 after realising the tax relief he was receiving no longer matched his retirement ambitions. He currently has £83,000 tucked away in an employer pension scheme. He said: “I used to pay loads into my pension to get tax relief. Then I realised if I want to retire by 45, it was pointless.

“At the peak, I was paying 25% of my salary into my pension, a total of £1,450 monthly with my employer’s contribution.

“I reduced my pension contributions down to 5% as that’s the most my employer will match. That means I can put more money into my ISA.”

Of course, money in ETFs can go down as well as up – so there are no guarantees and people should seek proper financial advice before making significant changes such as this. Yet when he does retire, Sean is hoping to spend time on golf courses and padel courts – if he has other retired friends to play with. Sean said: “The plan is to travel a lot and do lots of sports. It will be nice to do what I want and not have to work.

“My only worry is none of my friends are really doing this. Who will I do that stuff with?”

Sean hopes to leave his job at 45, in 2041, though he may need to hold on until 50 if his investment returns and contributions fall short of the 10% he’s targeting.

He admitted: “The 45 age is ambitious to live the life I want. I could retire much earlier with much less money.

“My current salary is around £62,000. I’m at around £67,000 in my ISA, but I’m definitely going to need to up my contributions.

“I’m aiming to put £500 a month in the ISA, but it’s more variable. To retire at 45, I need to be at £800 to £1,000 a month.”

Sean, who runs the Instagram account @seansmoney2396, began taking his financial future more seriously after being signed off work for six months during lockdown.. He said: “In lockdown, I started really struggling with anxiety. I’d been working in finance for five years but I was spending everything each month.

“I got signed off work for six months, but after three months I was on the statutory minimum. I had no savings so paying bills was impossible.

“I said to myself, this is ridiculous. I was earning £35,000, I shouldn’t be in a situation where I’m off work for two weeks and can’t pay my bills.”

Sean began by putting aside £100 a month, and when he returned to work he was able to save increasingly larger amounts. He said: “When I got back to work I kept doing stuff to get to do extra money.

“It was in a savings account, but I did my research and I realised I could do more with it.” If he successfully manages it, Sean will have accumulated around £700,000 in his ISA within 15 years – allowing him to pack in his job and live comfortably nearly 22 years before he reaches state pension age.

Sean remains sceptical about the state pension, saying: “In terms of the state pension, I don’t care about the age I can access that.

“I don’t think I’ll get it either, as it will be gone or means-tested. If I’m the guy with £700,000 in my ISA at 45, I’ll be ineligible anyway. “.

SEAN’S MONTHLY OUTGOINGS

• Mortgage – £1150
• Council tax – £140
• Gas and electricity – £100
• WiFi – £35
• Phone bill – £10

Shaun Murphy has broken Ronnie O’Sullivan’s long-standing record for most points scored without reply in a snooker match.

The Magician took on Matt Selt in the last 32 of the China Open in Taiyuan on Sunday and was in spectacular form.

This year’s World Championship runner-up made breaks of 61, 132, 103, 139 and 113 to surge into a 5-0 lead without Selt scoring a point.

He opened the scoring in the sixth frame, but could not wrap things up in one visit and Selt scored his first points of the match.

That saw Murphy’s run of unanswered scoring end at 607 points, smashing the previous record held by the Rocket.

Are you snooker loopy?

You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.

In my newsletter, The Table, I analyse the biggest talking points, pull back the curtain on the sport and crown the biggest winners and losers every week.

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O’Sullivan scored 556 points without reply against Ricky Walden at the Masters in 2014, a record which has stood for over 12 years.

Murphy secured the sixth and final frame of the match to beat Selt 6-0, just as O’Sullivan hammered Walden 6-0 at Alexandra Palace in 2014.

More to follow…

MORE: Ronnie O’Sullivan told his ‘fear factor has gone’ ahead of huge tournament

MORE: China Open: The tournament that sparked a snooker revolution returns

MORE: Jak Jones’ first title puts nightmare experience behind him in quick fashion

By VICTORIA CHURCHILL, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 13:33 BST, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 13:57 BST, 9 August 2026

Bear Grylls fans wouldn’t have expected the survival expert to be related to this reality star

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Bear Grylls is far from the only famous face in his family but with his sister going down a very different career path.

The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls has dropped on Prime Video today, Sunday August 9, where he leads the cast of historical drama The Chosen through rugged landscapes to explore their real-life spiritual journeys.

All six episodes are ready to stream now and as fans delve into the docu-series, many viewers are growing curious about Grylls’ personal life, including his family.

But what fans may not realise is that his older sister has become a regular on our screens every Friday night as she is Gogglebox star Lara Fawcett.

Bear clearly isn’t the only one with an adventurous side in the family though as Lara is an open-water cold swimmer.

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The 60-year-old has previously represented Team GB in the International Ice Swimming World Championships in the French Alps.

But since competing in the extreme sport, she joined the cast of Channel 4’s Gogglebox, appearing alongside her mother-in-law Sara on her sofa.

It was also thanks to Lara, who now works in PR, that the survival expert got his famous nickname.

He previously shared with The Times: “I was christened Edward. My sister gave me the name Bear when I was a week old and it has stuck.”

Bear and Lara’s father was also well known but in a very different field as he was British Conservative politician Sir Williams Grylls.

He served as an MP for both Chertsey and North West Surrey from 1970 to 1997 and sadly died in 2001 at the age of 66.

Grylls has been married to author, philanthropist and speaker Shara Grylls since 2000 and they have three sons together.

She has written two relationship books that focus on advice and insights about maintaining a strong partnership.

The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls is available to watch on Prime Video.

Forget golf clubs and boozy lunches – top firms across Britain are now wooing new clients over a game of padel.

Padel, a tennis-squash hybrid played with rackets, has become a favourite for networking and team-building among lawyers, venture capitalists and management consultants in recent years – with courts increasingly springing up close to offices and along commuters’ routes home. 

Unlike suburban golf courses, padel courts are popping up in some of London‘s smartest neighbourhoods, including Battersea, Canary Wharf, Shoreditch and Vauxhall.

The trend is also spreading beyond the capital.

In central Manchester, players can head to Pollen Club, a padel clubhouse in Deansgate complete with a terrace and coffee shop, while in Birmingham, Powerleague boasts a state-of-the-art padel court alongside private parking and a cafeteria.

But the sport does not come cheap. Court hire typically costs between £30 and £50 an hour, rising to as much as £100 at London clubs such as Padium in Canary Wharf, at the heart of London’s financial district.

Former lawyer Lauren van der Westhuizen, 34, is the founder of House of Racquet, a padel club based in King’s Cross in London. 

She has hosted 150 corporate and brand events centred around the sport in just three months, with employees from Goldman Sachs, Jane Street, Checkout, Google and Meta taking part in networking and team-building days.  

In Birmingham , Powerleague boasts a state-of-the-art padel court alongside private parking and a cafeteria (pictured)

Ms van der Westhuizen said the sport offers a refreshing alternative to deals being sealed over a game of golf. 

She told The Times, ‘When I worked in law, I’d go in on a Friday and be like: ‘Why is the office empty except for the female associates?’ 

‘Oh, because they’ve got partners and senior associate golf day. Padel is gender-balanced.’ 

Amy Hall, founder of Solihull-based women’s padel merchandise brand Serve, said the sport takes the ‘awkwardness’ out of traditional networking. 

Jenny Afia, a partner and solicitor advocate at Schillings who organises padel games for people working in media and media law, agreed, saying: ‘People connect far more naturally when they’re doing something together than when they’re standing in a room exchanging business cards.’ 

Padel is a racquet sport that follows the same scoring system as lawn tennis, but is played on courts roughly a third of the size.

Usually played in doubles, the game uses solid, stringless racquets and enclosed courts where, as in squash, players can use the walls to keep the ball in play.

The balls are slightly smaller than tennis balls and serves are made underarm. Among the sport’s celebrity fans are David Beckham, Serena Williams and even French President Emmanuel Macron.

Padel is replacing traditional networking locations, including golf courses (Pictured: Pollen Club padel clubhouse in Deansgate, Manchester)

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Its meteoric rise is all the more remarkable given that padel was only invented in 1969, when a husband and wife created the game while on holiday as a way to stave off boredom.

But not everyone is a fan of padel – a sport said to have more than one million players in Britain and a rapidly growing following, according to the Lawn Tennis Association.

Rob Mindell, a managing director at consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal, said a game of padel can involve ’90 minutes’ of little to no conversation, unlike a business lunch, where there is ample opportunity to get to know the other person directly. 

And on TikTok, users have also been quick to point out the sport’s shortcomings.

One commenter on a video about the sport also branded it ‘a commercial rip off’, while another simply agreed: ‘Utter rip off.’

Others took aim at its price tag and image. One wrote: ‘Padel is definitely elitist,’ while another dismissed it as ‘very performative’.

There have also been growing concerns that community spaces are being lost to make way for padel courts. 

Aiwa Saito is a regular at Barking Skatepark in London, which is set to be replaced by padel courts.

Ms Saito said she now feels there are few safe indoor spaces in the capital where she can take her children skating.

‘Outdoor skateparks aren’t safe for children, particularly teenage girls,’ she told The Guardian.

‘Parents already tell their girls: ‘You have to be really careful when you go skateboarding, which park you go to. It’s not safe.’ 

‘And to take that away, with no alternative, is unacceptable.’

The YouTuber, who also posts on Instagram and TikTok, thought he was being robbed after they descended upon him suddenly as he rode along the path

A YouTuber says he was grabbed from his e-bike by plain clothes police officers wearing tracksuits – and then they realised who he was. Carmine Stones had no idea the men were officers when they suddenly seized him on a canal path in Manchester.

He was convinced he was being set upon by “a group of thugs”. The 21 year old initially believed he was about to be robbed before the tracksuit-wearing men identified themselves and produced their warrant cards.

Footage recorded on Carmine’s GoPro captures him pleading: “Wait, please stop. Stop, please.” The officers immediately announced that they were police, prompting Carmine to repeatedly demand to see their warrant cards.

One officer explains: “We stopped you because of your electric bike, okay?” After Carmine says that its assisted speed is capped at 15.5mph, one of the officers suddenly appears to recognise him.

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The officers then reveal that they are targeting suspected drug dealing and knifepoint robberies involving e-bikes. Having inspected the bike, the officers in the video confirm it is road-legal and apologise for the extreme nature of the stop.

The officer says: “Sorry to scare you like that, mate. I know it’s a bit extreme.” They also commended Carmine for wearing a helmet and urged him to stay vigilant owing to the number of e-bikes reportedly being stolen in the area.

Carmine, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, produces videos about bicycles and local news for his @‌Kurrgas social media channels, including Instagram and TikTok, where collectively he has many tens of thousands of followers. He said the incident took place around three months ago on a canal near Manchester Piccadilly.

“I didn’t notice them until they grabbed me and pulled me off my bike,” Carmine said. “It definitely scared me because, at first, I thought I was being attacked by a group of thugs.

“It was mainly because of the way they were dressed and the number of officers involved. Once they started speaking, though, it became clear they were police officers.”

Carmine said the officers produced their warrant cards straight away and professionally explained the reason for the stop. He said: “At the time it was frightening and made me feel uncomfortable.

“Afterwards, I could laugh about it because it had all been recorded, but it did make me nervous about riding along canals for a while. I was mainly shocked at first, but also relieved that they weren’t taking my bike.”

Despite his ordeal, Carmine said he backs police carrying out proactive operations against weapons and criminal activity. He added: “Considering the recent issues with knife crime, I support proactive policing like this.

“Although I wouldn’t want to experience being stopped like that again, I understand why they were carrying out the operation.”

Greater Manchester Police said: “Officers working in the Harpurhey area as part of an operation to tackle nuisance and anti-social e-bikes conducted a stop of a man to ensure the bike complied with road regulations. The officers identified themselves as they did so, before they ensured the bike was fit and legal to be on the road.

“The bike was deemed to be in compliance with the relevant laws and the man was free to leave shortly after.” The force confirmed that e-bikes are amongst the most commonly reported antisocial behaviour complaints it receives.

It added that officers deploy a variety of tactics to tackle the problem, including the use of covert and plain-clothes teams. The footage attracted millions of views and sparked debate amongst viewers about how they would have reacted.

One viewer joked: “Bruh, I would not have stopped. I probably would’ve ended up going in the water.”

Another praised the officers, writing: “They are actually good officers.” JD Sports’ official account also waded into the reactions, joking: “Blue Light Card got rinsed for this operation.”

The publication would transform Robert Burns’ life and secure his place as Scotland’s National Bard.

Rare Burns artefacts, historic documents and a printing press will help bring a pivotal moment in Scotland’s literary history to life as Ayrshire commemorates the 240th anniversary of the Kilmarnock Edition.

In July 1786, a little-known poet from Ayrshire saw his first collection, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, printed in Kilmarnock.

The publication would transform Robert Burns’ life and secure his place as Scotland’s National Bard.

Now, 240 years later, a programme of exhibitions, events and activities across East Ayrshire will explore the story behind the book that changed both Burns’ future and Scotland’s cultural identity.

At the heart of the celebrations is the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock, where visitors will be able to see rare objects linked to Burns and the world that shaped him.

Among the highlights is the Kirk Session Book, believed to be the only known document in the world bearing both the signatures of Robert Burns and Jean Armour.

Visitors will also be able to see a replica of the printing press used to produce the Kilmarnock Edition, bringing to life the craft and innovation behind the publication that launched Burns’ career.

The exhibition will explore how advances in printing helped spread ideas, literature and learning at a time when Scotland was becoming a centre of intellectual and cultural change.

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The anniversary programme also includes A Type of Enlightenment, an exhibition exploring the history of printing and its role in shaping the Scottish Enlightenment.

Contemporary artist Graham Fagen’s exhibition, The Kilmarnock Edition, offers a fresh perspective on Burns’ story by examining the poet’s planned emigration to Jamaica before the success of the Kilmarnock Edition changed the course of his life.

Through themes of identity, migration, empire and memory, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how different history might have been had Burns boarded the ship he intended to take.

The programme also celebrates Burns’ life in nearby Mauchline, where visitors can discover sites connected to the poet and Jean Armour, including the room where they once lived, the graves of people who inspired characters in his poems, and locations that reveal the real stories behind some of his most famous verses.

As well as celebrating the past, the programme will encourage new generations to engage with Burns’ work. Through activities at Poets’ Corner, opportunities for aspiring writers to share their own work through the Post a Poet competition, and creative experiences such as Rab’s Summer School at the Killie Print Shop, young people will be invited to explore poetry, storytelling and the printing traditions that helped launch Burns’ career 240 years ago.

By connecting Burns’ legacy with today’s young voices, the programme aims to inspire the next generation of writers, poets and storytellers.

Celebrations will take place across East Ayrshire throughout 2026, inviting residents and visitors alike to explore the extraordinary story of the poet, the people around him and the book that made his name, while inspiring a new generation to discover Burns for themselves.

For more information about any of the Burns celebrations visit Ayrshire360.com

Additional information can be found at https://ayrshire360.com/blogs/the-book-that-made-burns-how-kilmarnock-changed-scottish-literary-history/

By JADA BAS, REPORTER

Published: 11:22 BST, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 13:08 BST, 9 August 2026

Tributes have poured in for an ‘adored’ musician who died in a crash involving a tractor.

Nathan Smith, 45, was best known for supporting the Wombats with his band MFK at Trentham Gardens.

The music star died on Wednesday morning following the collision where he was a pedestrian on Shelton New Road, in Cliffe Vale, Stoke-on-Trent.

Emergency services raced to the scene where he was in a critical condition, but despite the best efforts of staff he sadly died in hospital shortly after.

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Staffordshire Police said the tractor driver has helped with their enquiries.

Mr Smith also ran a recording studio and was in numerous bands.

In a statement, his family said: ‘Nathan was a self-taught electric bass player, who played in various Stoke bands and ran the UTC recording studio in Longton with his friend and fellow Big Cash Prizes band member, Tom Bath.

‘He was supremely talented and in recent years enjoyed success with a new Stoke band MFK, culminating in supporting the Wombats at Trentham Gardens.

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Tributes have poured in for Nathan Smith, a musician who died in a crash involving a tractor

His band MFK posted on Instagram a tribute to the late bassist which said: ‘Absolutely heartbroken. Nay Smith forever.’

The music star died on Wednesday morning following the collision where he was a pedestrian on Shelton New Road, in Cliffe Vale, Stoke-on-Trent

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‘Nathan was so much more though. A wonderful son, grandson and an incredible father.

‘He charmed everyone he met and was universally adored. He will be missed enormously by so many people.’

MFK also posted on Instagram a tribute to the late bassist which said: ‘Absolutely heartbroken. Nay Smith forever.’

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police previously said: ‘We are appealing for information after a man sadly died following a collision in Stoke-on-Trent.

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‘We were called just after 8.20am to Shelton New Road in Cliffe Vale following reports of a collision.

‘West Midlands Ambulance Service and Midlands Air Ambulance also attended the scene.

‘A tractor and a pedestrian were involved.

‘The pedestrian, a man, was taken to hospital by ambulance and was sadly pronounced dead a short time later.’

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