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Olivia Bromley recently opened up about her departure from Emmerdale after playing Dawn Fletcher for eight years.

Her departure had been rumoured earlier this year as the soap made a range of major cuts within the cast.

Dawn died in hospital on the show after being involved in a huge car crash on her wedding day that also killed Jimmy King, who had been played by Nick Miles for 22 years.

Olivia Bromley says Emmerdale exit was “scary”

Olivia has spoken about how she would have been “too scared” to decide to close the door entirely on her character, so was pleased the writers had given her an “amazing” story for her exit.

The actress told Digital Spy: “I was excited about the storyline and ready for my own new chapter.

“But I was surprised about how emotional it was to film, even after I’d known this was coming for a long time!

“It was the physicality of it as an actor and saying goodbye to this character that I’ve lived with for eight years.

“I didn’t think it would be a problem, but suddenly I was very emotional about it!”

She went on to say she is interested in doing other things in her career.

She continued: “I wanted to go and do other things – I think most actors want to at some point when they’ve been playing a character for so long.

“But it was the producers’ choice to do the storyline of Dawn’s death, so as an actor, you just have to play with it.

“The story was great and I thought: ‘Okay, this is probably a good thing because it’s a big, massive exit’.

“It’s not like: ‘Oh, go away for a bit and maybe come back’.

“It was very final, which for an actor is scary.

“But for me on a personal level, I think it was absolutely perfect.

“I think I would have been too scared to close the door entirely.

“So to be given this amazing story for Dawn’s exit was really exciting to me.”

Olivia said she would like to “play lots of different” characters now she has left the Dales with a particular interest in acting in a period drama, as “that’s so different” to her role in Emmerdale.

What did you think of Olivia Bromley’s exit from Emmerdale? Let us know in the comments.

HM Coastguard said they are coordinating maritime search as a part of a multi-agency response to the incident.

Yesterday afternoon and evening, Broad Haven and Dale coastguard rescue teams were in attendance, plus RNLI lifeboats from Angle, Tenby and St Davids and a local pilot boat.

A coastguard helicopter and a HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft were sent along with the Welsh Ambulance Service. Mayday relay broadcasts also took place, a spokesperson for the coastguard said.

Here is an updated statement from GMP Bury as they confirm there is ‘no risk to the public’.

“This evening, a small cordon was put in place after what was believed to be a historic unexploded ordnance device was discovered in the basement of a property on Clifton Road, Prestwich, earlier today (Monday 31 August 2026).

“Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists attended the scene to assess the item and subsequently determined that it was not ordnance and posed no risk to the public.

“The roads have now reopened, and we would like to thank residents for their understanding and patience while officers worked to ensure the area was safe.”

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Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football following Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final to Spain last month.

The 39-year-old revealed on Monday afternoon that he made the decision to retire two days after the 1-0 defeat in the final on July 19, citing it was ‘the right’ time’.

Messi then added in a note at the bottom of a statement that the death of his father Jorge at the start of the month made him ‘even more convinced than before’ about his decision.

His statement on Instagram read: ‘After all this time that has passed since the final, and after much thought, I want to announce to everyone that I am retiring from the National Team…

‘It was a decision that hurt, and still hurts, to my core, but I understand that it’s the right time. I swear that I always gave my all, not just in the last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you proud to be Argentinian through football.’

Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005 as an 18-year-old, going on to earn over 200 caps for his country, and captained the nation to their third World Cup triumph in 2022.

Messi played 207 times for Argentina and guided them to a World Cup triumph in 2022

Messi started his career on the international stage in 2005 when he was just 18 years old

The attacker netted 125 goals in the famous blue and white, eight of which came during the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada, while he also won two Copa America titles.

But after 21 years of playing international football, Messi stated ‘I have nothing more to give’ and that he believes there are plenty of ‘great young players’ ready in line to replace him.

He continued: ‘Thank you for all the love and support over these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you all from the inside so much. Now I’m going to be just one of you, cheering and supporting you from the sidelines (in good times and bad, even more so).

‘Thank you to my family for always being there, for accompanying me on this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to each and every one of the coaches, teammates, and managers I had the privilege of working with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.

‘I leave with the peace and pride of having given you, along with my teammates, dreamlike moments. It was incredible to have experienced it with you all. I love you!

‘Thank you, God, for making me Argentinian. Go Argentina!’

The footballing world has paid tribute to Messi, whom many consider the greatest footballer of his generation – if not every – with many of the Argentina squad writing messages of thanks on social media.

Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paul, considered one of Messi’s closest team-mates, wrote a heartfelt message for the legendary attacker on his Instagram story.

Messi also guided Argentina to two Copa America triumphs during his time as captain

It read: ‘Your unconditional love for our country, your internal battles to never give up, your strength to always endure injustice, your leadership and human qualities with every player who entered the training grounds to make them feel welcome, the thoughtful gestures towards every member of our national team staff…

‘Simply thank you, the greatest of all time, thank you for making us so incredibly happy, you can’t imagine how many smiles you brought to our faces. You are eternal.

Angel Di Maria, Cristian Romero and many others also relayed their love for their captain on social media.

Another team-mate of Messi’s, Leandro Paredes, who is currently serving a 10-match ban from international football for his antics following the World Cup final, dubbed the former Barcelona star ‘the greatest of all’ in his tribute.

‘Thank you for absolutely everything,’ he wrote. ‘You are and always will be the greatest of all. We love you, captain.’

Messi has previously hinted that he was considering retirement from football following the devastating death of his father, Jorge, who was an integral figure in the career of his legendary son.

Jorge passed away on August 7 following a battle with illness that overshadowed the Argentina captain’s mesmerising World Cup campaign in the United States.

Lionel, who broke down in tears following Argentina’s group-stage win over Algeria while Jorge’s health was deteriorating, shared a heartbreaking letter to his father on Instagram at the time – in which he cast doubt on his playing future.

‘Dad, I still can’t believe you’re gone. It hasn’t sunk in yet, or rather, I don’t want to accept it. It’s very difficult for me to imagine never seeing you again, never talking to you again. I know you were suffering and that this is for the best, but you left too soon. We still had so much to enjoy together.

‘I don’t know what I’ll do without you, I don’t know how to go on. I only played football and now I have serious doubts that I’ll continue doing that for much longer. You were by my side from the beginning, it was so close to the end. Why couldn’t you hold on that little bit longer and we could have finished together?’

Messi revealed that his father was the driving force behind his decision to play at this summer’s World Cup, but he will not attempt to play at a record seventh in four years at the age of 43.

The death of Messi’s father saw an outpouring of emotional tributes from the football world, including from Messi’s first team Newell’s Old Boys, as well as Barcelona and his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, whose own father, Jose Dinis Aveiro, passed away in 2005, passed on ‘much strength’ to Messi in these ‘tough times’.

Messi steps away from international football as one of the most successful ever to play the sport. In his two decades playing for Argentina, he won five titles with the national team, including the magical World Cup triumph in Qatar.

The forward netted seven of his 21 goals in the tournament en route to Argentina lifting the trophy, including a brace against France in the final at the Lusail Stadium.

It is believed that Messi will continue to play at club level for Inter Miami in the MLS, with his contract set to expire in 2028.

The forward once again showed that he is still a class apart despite everything he has gone through this past month, netting four goals in Miami’s 7-1 thumping of CF Montreal in the league.

Messi’s historic career at club level dates back to 2000, when he moved to Spain to join Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy from his childhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, in Argentina.

He became the greatest of all time in an incredible 21 years in Barcelona, before stunning the world with a move to Paris Saint-Germain – orchestrated by Jorge – in 2021.

He moved to Inter Miami in 2023, where it seems he will stay for a further two years as he enters his 40s.

Others had previously voiced their opposition to the Met’s plan to commemorate Galliano.

Julie Menin, speaker of New York City Council, said, external: “After my numerous and lengthy meetings and conversations with the Met, I am pleased that they have agreed to not honour John Galliano.

“From the beginning, I have told them that I strongly disagreed with this decision, and at this rising time of antisemitism, it had served as a gut punch to the Jewish community.

“This is the correct decision, as the harm and pain this was causing was simply unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, which aims to counter antisemitism, said that with antisemitism at “crisis levels”, honouring Galliano would be “misguided”.

“Even Galliano ultimately recognised what the Met should have done from the start,” he added. “This was the wrong move at the wrong moment. Timing matters.”

Galliano is regarded by some as one of the greatest fashion designers and returned to the fashion industry following his conviction, serving as creative director of Margiela for a decade until 2024.

By TAMARA PRENN, SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 16:54 BST, 31 August 2026 | Updated: 17:03 BST, 31 August 2026

John Swinney mapped out his next five years at an onion bhaji summit at Stirling University’s Pathfoot Building on Friday.

It was there that SNP MSPs, MPs and council group leaders met for an away day to talk strategy.

The First Minister and SNP chief executive Callum McCaig – a former Government special adviser – led the sessions.

Tuesday’s Programme for Government was the main focus, but there was a broader political discussion about where the SNP finds itself.

Swinney allies believe their man, who has had nearly 19 uninterrupted years in Government, is at the peak of his powers.

May’s Holyrood election win gave him a personal mandate after years in the shadow of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.

He is also surveying the wreckage of his rivals.

Reform UK, which is full of rookie MSPs, is isolated at Holyrood and struggling to make an impression.

Scottish Labour is divided and demoralised, having slumped to 17 MSPs three months ago.

The 38 per cent won by Swinney in May – the SNP’s lowest constituency total in nearly two decades – was the same as Labour’s best ever result in 1999.

Voters reduced the Scottish Tories to a rump, while the two parties that improved their standing – the Lib Dems and Greens – are nowhere near the SNP on seats.

One senior SNP source said of the Government: “The ball is in our court. We are in a position to get things done.”

The key themes of the PfG will include tackling child poverty, combating violence against women and public sector reform.

The SNP source said Swinney’s “tone” will be markedly different and predicted he will reach out to the other parties.

Sturgeon was focused on the Greens – a partnership that ended in disaster – but Swinney’s big tent will include the Lib Dems and Labour.

The insider said: “We think we have a dance partner for everything we are going to do.”

Part of Swinney’s objective is to ensure the opposition parties back the Government on policies they agree with.

In the last term, the SNP and Labour agreed on a national care service, but a mutual loathing between senior figures in both parties saw the plan die.

Culling NHS boards, which Swinney is expected to announce, should not be a problem for Scottish Labour given it was one of its manifesto commitments in May.

The First Minister also believes four key posts are crucial for him to do his job properly in Government – chief of staff, Permanent Secretary, Principal Private Secretary and SNP chief executive.

A source close to the FM said he is known to be happy with the team he has around him.

He also believes the SNP group is an upgrade on before and, with Jenny Gilruth, Stephen Flynn and Mairi McAllan occupying senior Cabinet positions, succession planning is in the pipeline.

However, pitfalls lie in wait for Swinney.

The independence movement is impatient and the First Minister cannot shake off the failed Sturgeon strategy of simply demanding indyref2 from Westminster.

A likely shift in position on oil and gas – where Swinney is expected to back new drilling – could trigger a backlash among climate-conscious members.

And the looming iceberg of a £4.7bn budget black hole will bring endless difficulties for Swinney.

The First Minister has a five-year plan, but he remains a hostage to events outside his control.