Ed Sheeran resumed his Loop Tour over the weekend, after landing himself at the centre of controversy for bowing to pressure to remove Macklemore as the show’s opening act.

Last week, Ed made headlines when it was announced that Macklemore would no longer be serving as his support act, following comments the Thrift Store rapper had made on stage in support of Palestine earlier in the run.

This decision was met with widespread backlash, and his remaining opening acts eventually announced that they were withdrawing from the tour, as did his backing band.

On Saturday night, the Grammy winner performed his first live show since the controversy, which was not always smooth sailing.

Speaking from the stage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, where the tour continued without any support act, Ed began: “This is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s okay if I say a few words about this last week.

“I’m used to my music being criticised, and I’m always happy to take that […] but this week the criticism was about something much more important. And I’ve had to take, and make, difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry.”

While Ed maintained that he “never wanted to be an activist musician”, he said the events of the last week had “put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech, and the most complex political issue on the planet”.

Appearing to read from a teleprompter, he said: “Honouring my commitment to my fans is completely central to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour. But I am deeply worried about the idea of venues pre-approving content of performers. This happens in so many places I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”

Ed continued: “I’ve tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division, about humanity, not politics.

“But this is a humanitarian issue and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore. What happened in Israel at a music festival on October 7th was horrific, and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilian’s lives – of children’s lives – and the systemic injustice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”

“I, honestly, am so grateful that you’re here tonight with me,” he then noted. “This concert is still a place where everyone is welcome. And everyone here can stand beside people who have opposing views, and stand by people that they don’t agree with on everything, but they can all agree on singing these songs. And these songs are about love, hope and unity.”

Per Entertainment Weekly, the Grammy winner added that he was working out how he could contribute to help what he described as the “victims of these terrible times”, as well as dedicating time to “listening and learning, because I do not know enough” about the conflict in the Middle East.

Later in the evening, Ed claimed that he’d also edited his show in light of the past week.

“At this point in the show, to be honest, I usually go out to a B-stage,” he explained. “And I’m going to be totally honest with you, I didn’t know what this audience would be like tonight. I didn’t know if I’d have things thrown at me.

“I apologise that today is not the usual show. I took the B-stage out because I was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle. And I will admit that. So, the show is a little bit different.”

At another point in the show, Ed said that the “last week of my life has been one of the worst weeks of my life” while “today has been one of the weirdest days of my life”.

“Tonight has been, honestly, the best show of my life,” he then enthused, to cheers from the crowd. “I really didn’t know whether this tour would be carrying on. I really didn’t know whether I’d even be getting on stage again, whether I even wanted to be an artist at all. In these situations, you really find out who your friends are, and it’s been a weird week. It happened very quickly, and the whole time, I have so many people telling me to cancel this tour, and so many people falling out of my life, that I’ve known for years and years and years. People just kind of backing away.

“And in the back of my mind, I saw the ticket sales for this gig, and you know… I didn’t see cancellations, I saw people buying tickets for this gig. And, everyone’s telling me to cancel [the tour], and I’m feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandon me. And I look at the end of the week, and I see 50,000 people who haven’t abandoned me.

“People will say what they want, but I am doing this for you. I love you.”

During another emotional moment, he was seen breaking down in tears as he stated: “The world is a scary place right now. America is a scary place right now. This gives hope. Thank you so much, Philadelphia.

“I hope you all have had fun. The one thing that I would like to apologise for is the first bit of the show, where it wasn’t about music, and I had to talk. And I understand that people have children here, and I understand that families didn’t buy a ticket to hear that first bit of the show.

“But that was something that I felt like I needed to say. I felt there were a lot of questions that I needed to answer. So, for all the parents there with their kids tonight, thank you so much for bringing them, and I do apologise for that first bit. My shows are about this – they’re about unity, they’re about love, they’re about family, they’re about people coming together that have different beliefs.”

Earlier this month, Macklemore told Ed’s fans in New Jersey: “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘free Palestine’. I said, ‘free Palestine!’.

“I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza, to the occupied West Bank, know that we have not forgotten about them.”

Reacting to the news he had been dropped from the tour, Macklemore detailed alleged phone conversations he’d had with Ed in the preceding days, in a statement shared on Instagram.

“Nothing I’m writing here is out of spite or because I want to tear down his character,” Macklemore told his followers. “But as I told Ed multiple times on the phone, our friendship can’t change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened.

“Last Monday, in the middle of all the media attention surrounding Pink and what I said [on stage], Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him. We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium.

“Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues. Ed was in a fucked up position. He knew it. His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had been before.

“He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with. I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public facing, ‘I don’t take sides’.”

The following day, Ed broke his silence on the matter, claiming: “After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting.

“I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.

“One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me. I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”

Ed also maintained: “I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won’t ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love and a place for everyone to feel welcome.

“I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.

“There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace.”

In his own statement to Rolling Stone, Robert Kraft said that Macklemore’s removal from Ed’s tour had been based on “recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”.

He was seemingly referencing an incident in 2014, when Macklemore performed in an outfit many critics claimed was inspired by antisemitic tropes and imagery. The rapper later apologised, insisting this had not been his intention.

“I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts, because ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate,” Kraft added.

“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real.”

Following this, Macklemore pledged his entire $1 million pay from Ed’s Loop Tour to charities offering aid in Palestine, encouraging Robert Kraft to match his donation.

Both Robert Kraft and Ed Sheeran then said they’d be giving $2 million each “to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis”, without offering specifics.

Nigel Farage has played down the loss of Reform UK’s last leader in Wales as a “bump in the road”.

The Clacton MP was unveiling the party’s new regional leader after Dan Thomas stood down last Tuesday.

He was arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviours. He has been bailed and says he has done nothing wrong.

The former Tory councillor is still a member of the Welsh parliament, and has been Reform’s Welsh leader since February.

The role was previously filled by Nathan Gill, who led the party in Wales for two months in 2021. He was jailed for 10 and a half years in 2025 for taking Russian bribes.

Reform’s main leader Farage announced today that his ally Helen Jenner, previously the deputy leader in Wales, would be taking over.

Alluding to Thomas’s exit, Farage said: “I am sorry for his personal difficulties that he is going through. No one’s life is ever seamless and I am quite sure he will come out of these before too long.

“But it was pretty much untenable for him to continue as leader while he had these domestic disputes, so we very quickly and rapidly have moved to electing a new leader.”

Farage said elections for a new Reform deputy leader in Wales would follow to fill Jenner’s old role.

He added: “We will carry on as if nothing has happened, waiting for Dan who is going to stay a member of this place, to come back more actively with us.

“We could have done without this bump in the road. But it has happened, we are making the best of it.”

Thomas announced last weekend that he had been released without charge.

“I stress that I have done nothing wrong, but I do not want the coming headlines to be a distraction from the fantastic work our Senedd team is doing in holding this government to account,” he said.

Gwent police confirmed a 45-year-old man from Aberbargoed area was arrested on September 13 “on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour. He has been bailed pending further inquiries”.

The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny on Reform and its finances.

The party received £72 million in 48 hours from crypto-billionaires earlier this month, though Reform insists the donors want nothing in exchange.

Farage is also subject to a parliamentary sleaze probe after he failed to declare a £5 million donation from Thailand-based Christopher Harborne once he became an MP in 2024.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Donald Trump appears to be concerned about Ukraine’s ongoing attacks on Russia’s oil refineries – even though Kyiv is only retaliating again Moscow’s aggression.

Vladimir Putin is expected to “intensify” attacks on the Ukrainian capital after Ukrainians forces tried to “disrupt” Russian elections by firing drones at the Moscow region over the weekend while the public were voting.

It comes more than four and a half years after the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in a land grab, triggering a long and bloody war as Kyiv consistently pushes back.

Putin continues to illegally occupy a fifth of Ukraine’s sovereign territory.

Ukrainian allies in Europe have been weaning themselves off Russia’s cheap energy experts to punish the Kremlin for its violence.

But the US president, who caused global oil prices to rise after his war against Iran triggered the effective closure of a major shipping lane, seemed to blame Ukraine for the decline of Russia’s own fossil fuel industry.

“Russia has unfortunately lost control of its Diesel Oil Industry due to its War with Ukraine,” he wrote on his social media platform TruthSocial.

“A large number of their Diesel refineries have been blown up and are, at least temporarily, out of commission.

“This ridiculous and never ending War with Ukraine must be ended.

“The whole World suffers as 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, are being killed each month. What a shame! President DJT”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy hit back at Trump’s statement.

He wrote on X that the war must end, adding: “Every new week of this war, let alone every new year, adds more and more problems.

“ From the very first minute, Ukraine has sought peace. We have already made dozens of diplomatic proposals on how to end this war with dignity, guarantee security, and prevent new Russian invasions.

“Right now, there is a dialogue with President Trump and America.

“There are also ideas on the table for bringing peace closer, starting with strong de-escalation steps.

“Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and our food exports must stop being targets for Russia, and this will lead to matching de-escalation steps on our part. Solutions are possible.”

He continued: “We are ready to work on this, and we will discuss it with our partners on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“I thank everyone who is helping! It will no longer be the case that only the country under attack suffers. The nature of war is now such that the aggressor will suffer as well. Technology makes this possible.

“The strength of countries’ leadership can – and must – deliver de-escalation, security, and peace. Thank you!”

The elections – widely disregarded as a sham vote to bolster Putin’s authoritarian rule – already appear to cement the Kremlin’s dominance over the country amid speculation Russia may need to call up more reserves for the war effort.

Zelenskyy is set to meet Trump at the United Nations’ General Assembly on Tuesday.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

It’s well-known that many celebs like to maintain a “finsta” account, which allows them to post on social media without the world seeing it.

But what happens when an A-lister gets caught in the act on their burner page?

Well, that’s what some people thought was going on over the weekend, when it appeared that Channing Tatum’s alternative account had been exposed.

An anonymous account named Nonya Bidness became the subject of much speculation on social media in recent days, as people began to wonder if it was actually the Magic Mike star incognito.

Fuelling the rumour mill was the fact that the page in question appeared to have been commenting on a number of Channing-related goings-on – in particular relating to his ex, Zoe Kravitz, and her subsequent relationship with Harry Styles – with the US actor notably being the only person to follow the account.

However, it seems that this is a case of not believing everything you read on social media.

While the account itself has ruled out the suggestion that it is secretly Channing Tatum (telling those who believe otherwise to “go read a book” before disappearing from the internet completely), Metro has also reported that the account is not the 21 Jump Street actor, nor is it associated with him in any way.

One potential explanation that’s been put forward is that Channing hit “follow” on what he thought was a fan page devoted to him and his work, which he’s previously been known to do, only for the owner of the account to then change its name and get a bit busy in the comments of other people’s posts.

HuffPost UK has also contacted Channing Tatum’s team for comment.

Channing is currently gearing up for the release of his new movie Josephine, in which he and Gemma Chan play the parents of a young girl whose life is drastically changed when she witnesses an assault in Central Park.

Later this year, he’s also expected to reprise his role as Gambit – a role he finally originated in the comedic superhero outing Deadpool & Wolverine after years of rumours – in the Avengers movie Doomsday, which will bring together a host of big names from across the MCU and beyond.

The 2010s might have been a time for in your face, full-beat glam, but in 2026, we’re all about no-makeup makeup.

But as anyone who’s rocked a ‘barely there’ makeup look will know, it takes a lot of effort to look so effortless.

If you’re not one of those lucky people who’s blessed with perfect skin, you’ll know the struggle of finding a good base that doesn’t make you look like you’ve walked straight out of a noughties commercial (cakey) or come back from an extremely sunny holiday (not matched to your skin).

Even though we live in an era of endless beauty choices, it can still be tricky to find a foundation that perfectly matches your skin. I don’t know about anyone else, but so often I’ve found one that I think perfectly matches my skin tone, only for me to get home and discover that something is just not quite right.

On a mission to solve my particular crutch, Rimmel has updated the formula for its cult favourite Perfect Match Foundation so that it exactly matches every undertone and skin shade out there.

Although Rimmel already boasted an impressive range of 16 different foundation shades, it only had one foundation formula for each shade.

Now, though, it’s expanded its entire range to 22 blendable shades, each coded so that you can find a formula, whether you have warm, neutral, or cool undertones.

According to Rimmel, this means the foundation really does provide a perfect match for 99% of skin tones.

But that doesn’t mean its classic formula has changed – the foundation still provides the same blendable, medium coverage as before.

As someone who always worries about foundation looking too cakey, Rimmel’s formula truly looks like your skin but better.

It not only blurs your pores, but it doesn’t leave you looking dry and matte after you’ve applied it, as it can keep your skin hydrated for up to 24 hours.

That’s not the only benefit it has, though, because it’s also loaded with SPF20, to keep your skin fresh for longer.

And it turns out, I’m not the only one impressed by the update: 89% of testers agree it smooths the skin, while 83% say it feels weightless all day.

I’ve somehow omitted the best part of all of this, which is that you don’t have to break the bank to get Rimmel’s foundation, because it’s on sale for just £7.99, down from £9.99, right now. So stock up while you can!

If you’re wondering WTF all of this means, don’t worry, I’ve got you. Figuring out what undertones you have couldn’t be easier – it’s all to do with the colour of your veins.

Stand by an open window, and If you have blue or purple veins, you’ll likely have cool toned skin.

Green veins mean you have warm undertones, and a mix of both means you have neutral undertones.

The jewellery that best suits you is also a clue: silver complements cool toned skin best, while warm skin suits gold jewellery.

Just weeks after a major air traffic control issue caused widespread disruption to travellers in the UK, another issue has prompted delays and cancellations in Scotland, Ireland and northern England.

On 21 September, National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said a technical issue at its Prestwick centre in Scotland was causing disruption.

NATS has since confirmed the issue has been fixed – yet some UK airports are experiencing knock-on delays and cancellations.

The new issue was unrelated to the technical problems experienced earlier this month, with a NATS spokesperson adding that air traffic regulations had been applied to manage traffic demand and maintain safety.

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) serves 15 UK airports including Heathrow, Newcastle, Manchester, Gatwick and Stansted.

NATS said airports south of Manchester had been “largely unaffected” by the issue.

However, flights heading north – and those departing Scottish airports – were subject to delays and cancellations.

• Manchester Airport said the technical issue was causing delays to flights and urged passengers to “keep an eye out for updates from their airlines”.
• At Belfast City Airport, several arrivals and departures had been cancelled.
• Belfast International Airport also reported delays. An update on its site reads: “Passengers who are due to travel should check with their airline for latest information on their flight status. If you do not have a confirmed flight please do not travel to the airport.”
• Edinburgh Airport has noted there are delays. Some flights have also been cancelled.
• Per the BBC, Highlands and Islands Airports said all 11 of its airports are affected and passengers should contact the airline they’re flying with for the latest updates.
• Glasgow Airport is also impacted with some flights delayed or cancelled. The airport said on its website that further disruption is expected due to the knock-on impact across the network and passengers should check with their airline for the latest flight information.
• Newcastle Airport is also experiencing a number of delays as well as a couple of cancellations.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander shared on X that engineers have now fixed the problem impacting NATS systems.

She said: “I know this will be deeply frustrating for passengers after the previous issue. There may be some delays as things reset. Please check with your airline for updates.”

A NATS spokesperson said: “We are working with airports and airlines to safely lift air traffic regulations as quickly as we can to minimise any further disruption.

“Passengers should still check the status of their flight with their airline. We apologise for the disruption.”

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, advised passengers who are due to travel today or tomorrow to “check the advice from your airport, tour operator, airline apps, or airport social media feeds for the most up to date advice”.

“If your flight is cancelled or delayed, you’re unlikely to be owed compensation by the airline as the technical issue is considered an ‘extraordinary circumstance’,” he said.

“However, your airline is still responsible for looking after you during a delay. This includes food and drink after two to four hours (depending on how far you are flying) and a hotel if you are stuck overnight.

“If you end up having to pay for these things yourself, be sure to keep the receipts as you will need to claim this back from the airline.”

The BBC has addressed its recent decision to remove controversial scenes from the sketch series That Mitchell And Webb Look on its iPlayer service.

In honour of the comedy show’s 20th anniversary, That Mitchell And Webb Look – starring the titular comedians David Mitchell and Robert Webb, alongside cast members that included Sarah Hadland and future Oscar winners Olivia Colman and Daniel Kaluuya – was made available to stream on the BBC’s iPlayer platform.

However, fans of the duo quickly spotted that around 11 scenes had been pulled from this new edition of the series, including some that included the use of blackface.

One such sketch depicted Robert and Olivia as the hosts of a makeover show, introduced to a woman in a burkha. Later, in a faux behind-the-scenes cutaway, David takes off this garment to reveal that he is in blackface.

Another showed the Peep Show stars as Civil War re-enacters, who then use blackface as part of a re-staging of a conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the pair – again in a faux behind-the-scenes cutaway – debating whether or not what they’re doing is “racist”.

In a statement, the BBC said: “That Mitchell and Webb Look has been made available on BBC iPlayer.”

“This is a 20-year-old sketch show,” they continued. “In consultation with the programme makers, we have included the ones that still work today and not the ones that don’t.”

HuffPost UK has contacted representatives for David Mitchell and Robert Webb for comment.

Back in 2020, in light of the protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement that came after the murder of George Floyd, the BBC announced it was removing sketches making use of blackface from the sketch shows Little Britain, Come Fly With Me and The Mighty Boosh.

“There’s a lot of historical programming available on BBC iPlayer, which we regularly review,” a BBC spokesperson said at the time.

However, a key figure closely associated with the 007 franchise doesn’t exactly seem to have been won over by the latter’s credentials.

Charlie Higson – who took over at the helm of the James Bond book series from the late Ian Fleming in the 2020s – told The Times he’s “not sure” he can imagine the Slow Horses actor taking over from Daniel Craig.

“I like him, but it’s like when Tom Hiddleston was in the running – not a convincing hand-to-hand fighter,” the writer claimed.

“With Daniel Craig you can believe him kicking the shit out of someone. And you’ve got to believe that with Bond.”

As well as writing the 2023 book On His Majesty’s Secret Service, Charlie Higson has been closely associated with the James Bond franchise for some time, having penned a series of books dubbed Young Bond, about the iconic secret agent’s student days.

Rumours about who could pick up the mantle as 007 have been circulating for the better part of a decade now, with film studio Amazon MGM confirming earlier this year that the casting process was officially underway.

Producer Amy Pascal shared more recently that the team was looking for “something really different” when it comes to the next James Bond, and was keeping an eye out for someone “stirring and exciting and different”.

Besides Lowden and Barton (best known for his work in Heartstopper and SAS Rogue Heroes) other names still thought to be in the frame for the role of James Bond include Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Harris Dickinson and Paul Mescal.

In his Times interview, Higson ruled out Jacob Elordi for being “too tall” but said that Callum Turner’s “unconventional looks” could work in his favour. Unfortunately, he was not asked about Jack Barton, so didn’t offer his take on the other rumoured frontrunner.