The Boroughs star Denis O’Hare has voiced his disappointment following the news that Netflix will not be giving the fantasy drama a second season.

While it was popular with both critics and viewers, it was reported last week that the streamer was pulling the plug on The Boroughs after just one season.

Over the weekend, the American Horror Story actor lamented this decision, telling his Instagram followers: “I’m just thinking about the fact that Netflix cancelled The Boroughs, and how really bummed I am, because it was such a great show.

“People really seem to love it. I’ve been astounded [by] how many people have come up to me and talked about how much they liked the show – and not just, you know, old people, but anybody, people in their 30s and 40s, with kids. Everyone seemed to find something to relate to.”

Denis then pointed out there were “still a couple of days before the end of Emmy voting”, imploring anyone eligible to “just vote for The Boroughs” in every possible category to “stick it to Netflix” and “let them know they made a mistake”.

“I think it would be sweet revenge,” he enthused. “Anyway, I love the show, I miss it and… whatever.”

Days earlier, Denis’ co-star Geena Davis shared similar disappointment over the decision not to renew The Boroughs.

“I don’t know what happened,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “I think it’s probably rare for a show to not get picked up and to have it announced that it’s not being picked up while it’s still in the top 10.”

Showrunner Jeffrey Addiss previously teased that he and the creative team had “ideas” for keeping The Boroughs running, and had planned for it to run for three seasons in total.

The first – and now, regrettably, only – season of The Boroughs is currently streaming on Netflix.

I never used to wash my jeans inside out, until I met my other half who – it turns out – knows quite a lot about laundry. He was adamant that jeans (and indeed many items of clothing) should be washed inside out.

But I never really understood why. It turns out I’m not the only one.

In a question submitted to The Guardian recent, reader Paul Williams asked: “Why does my wife make me turn my jeans inside out before they go in the wash? She doesn’t know either.”

There were 44 responses from other readers, at the time of writing, including this gem: “In Malaysia, I learnt to turn washing inside out to dry so that the hot sun could really get to any damp loving bugs lurking in the thicker seams.”

Another person said they’d assumed it was to stop the zips rubbing against, or catching on, other garments.

It’s actually to do with preserving the look of your jeans, according to Levi’s.

The denim brand advises to always turn jeans inside out before putting them in the washing machine.

“This simple (but usually neglected) step protects the outer colour from fading and minimises direct contact with chemicals and detergents,” the brand explained.

“This step is especially important for dark-wash and black jeans that are more prone to colour loss or transfer.”

Similarly, Guardian reader ‘rigoletto’ explained: “Denim is yarn dyed in such a way that the colour is only on the surface of the yarn. The dye particles are vulnerable to abrasion, which is why the fabric goes white at the stress points, where the original colour of the yarn starts to show through.

“Washing inside out reduces the chance of abrasion against the drum of the machine and premature fading.”

Yes! Levi’s suggested we should be washing jeans after roughly 10 wears, “unless they are visibly dirty or start to smell”.

Consumer watchdog Which? puts it at six to 10 wears.

When you go to wash your jeans, make sure all the zips and buttons are done up (to help maintain shape and prevent snagging) and use a mild detergent, avoiding fabric softeners (which can “leave a residue” on denim) where possible.

The best temperature to wash on is the coolest one, as higher temperatures can shrink your jeans and result in colour loss.

Much of the south is in the grips of another heatwave, with temperatures set to hit highs of 37°C this week.

In southeast Wales, temperatures are expected to reach 35°C, while eastern areas are set to see a toasty 33°C.

As a result, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a series of red, amber and yellow heat health alerts.

The Met Office has also issued a rare red extreme heat warning for parts of central and southern England and Wales, running from Monday to Thursday evening.

It is likely the current highest temperature on record for June (35.6°C recorded in Southampton in June 1976) will be broken.

While school leaders scramble to make the school day more comfortable for pupils – relaxing uniform rules, encouraging kids to stay hydrated and wear sun hats, and keeping them in the shade or indoors for the hottest parts of the day – some parents (and teachers) will likely be wondering whether there’s a temperature threshold where children might need to remain home instead.

As it stands, there’s no maximum threshold set where it would be deemed too hot to go to school.

A blog post from the UK government in 2025 said: “During hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close. This is because school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, and hot weather can usually be managed safely.”

But the same guidance suggests that using fans at temperatures above 35°C “may not prevent heat-related illness and could worsen dehydration”.

Some UK schools do not have sufficient cooling measures in place.

On 22 June, a handful of schools in the west of England confirmed to the BBC they’d be finishing lessons early, around lunchtime, as a result of the heat.

The Met Office’s red heat alert has warned of “population-wide averse health effects” which are not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat and can lead to “serious illness or danger to life”.

Children are more vulnerable to the effects of heat stress as they “sweat less per kilogram than adults and have a higher metabolism, which means they get hot quicker”, according to Unicef.

They’re also outdoors a lot more – playing, running around and engaging in sports – which puts them more at risk for heat exposure.

Young children are also at risk of dehydration as they won’t always remember to drink lots of water, which can be dangerous to health.

Some organisations are calling for one – or at the very least, better cooling systems so children can go to school safely when it is hot.

In May 2026, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a report urging the UK government to improve infrastructure for “better cooling” as the climate heats up.

The frequency and intensity of heatwaves has increased worldwide and Met Office projections suggest hot spells will become more frequent in the UK, especially the south east.

As a result, the CCC called for investment in cooling – including air conditioning, heat pumps and green shading – across key public services. This would include schools and nurseries.

It also said there should be a “national maximum temperature” for workplaces to protect workers’ safety and incentivise the deployment of cooling systems.

The National Education Union (NEU) has said that “because of the nature of the way in which education staff work, and the presence of children, a maximum indoor working temperature of 26°C is appropriate”. This week’s temperatures will far exceed that.

On 22 June, it called for urgent funding to make schools safe in the hot weather.

“A funding injection could be used implement adaptations, including air conditioning, which will make them more resilient to extreme heat,” it shared on social media.

The NEU also suggested that when a red alert is issued for extreme heat, “school and college employers must ensure that an immediate, additional risk assessment is carried out and the control measures indicated are enacted, which could include full or partial closure of the site”.

Did you know flight attendants aren’t just being nice when they greet you on a plane?

Nope – they’re also reportedly checking your fitness to help in an emergency, and sometimes eyeing up your luggage or sobriety levels.

And on the flip side, staff aren’t being mean when they tell you you can’t return to a plane to get something you’ve left behind, either. There are some pretty important reasons behind the decision.

Amanda Parker, a travel expert at Netflights, has shared that’s not the only sneakily strategic decision hiding in plain, or should I say plane (teehee), sight either.

“Passengers may not realise how important it is that aircraft are painted white,” she said.

The first, and perhaps most obvious, reason is that white paint reflects sunlight.

This helps to keep the aircraft’s surface and cabin cooler, and protect the structure from heat-related damage, Parker said.

But the hue also “helps reduce the risk of bird strikes, as birds can spot white aircraft more easily against the sky or ground, allowing them to avoid collisions,” the expert continued.

“Darker colours reduce contrast and make planes less visible to birds, increasing the likelihood of impact.”

Then, there’s the fact that damage shows up better on white paint than it might on other shades.

“Regular inspections are critical for flight safety. Cracks, dents, oil leaks, and other damage are often darker than the white paint, making them easier to detect and address quickly, helping boost maintenance efficiency and keep passengers safer,” Parker stated.

“Aircraft paints are specialised and expensive, requiring large volumes up to 3,600 litres of paint for a jumbo jet like the Airbus A380. Because white is the most commonly used colour, it is also the least expensive and lightest paint option,” Parker shared.

“Using lighter paint reduces aircraft weight, which lowers fuel consumption and operating costs.”

On top of that, white paint fades less than coloured ones. And seeing as “repainting grounds the aircraft for up to two weeks and can cost between £150,000 to £300,000, airlines prefer white paint because it maintains its look for longer and saves money”.

Not since Miranda Priestly’s The Devil Wears Prada speech about cerulean have I realised the importance of a simple colour…

Earlier this year, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) called for maximum temperature working rules in the UK.

In their report, titled A Well-Adapted UK, they called on the government to invest in things like “air conditioning, heat pumps and green shading” in public areas as well as “cooling” tools in the workplace.

They called rising heating, flooding, and drought a “threat” to the “British way of life”.

There is no maximum working temperature in the UK as of the time of writing, though the government points to a minimum temperature guidance of 16ºC, or 13ºC for those doing physical jobs.

The CCC report said that by 2025, 92% of homes are likely to overheat. They’ve proposed ideal indoor temperatures for places like care homes, prisons and homes of 16°C to 25°C.

They didn’t mention an ideal working temperature explicitly; however, they did point to Spain, where maximum working temperatures are 27°C for sedentary work and 25°C for light physical work.

Heatwaves of 40°C are expected to become more common in the coming decades, they added.

These can be seriously harmful to people’s health. The sweltering 40°C day of 2022 took place in a four-day heatwave that caused 1,000 heat-related deaths.

Speaking to HuffPost UK previously, Johan Jaques, chief meteorologist at environmental solutions company KISTERS, agreed.

He said that heatwaves were likely to become worse in the UK thanks to things like climate change and stifling building design.

Baroness Brown, chair of the Adaptation Committee, said that “Our lives, our landscapes and our homes are under increasing pressure from the changing climate. But we are not powerless. In an increasingly unstable world, being well adapted to climate change is fundamental to securing our food, energy and economic security.

“This report carries a message of hope. The solutions already exist, and proven technologies are available now to help the UK adapt effectively. With the right decisions and actions, we can protect the people and the places we love.”

She added that we can protect the places, people, and institutions most dear to us with government changes.

Per the BBC, the government has said it would review and address the concerns in this report, and added it was already taking steps to address flooding.