This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of House Of The Dragon.

House Of The Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has opened up about the decision to deviate from the show’s source material in its latest season finale.

Monday’s instalment of the Game Of Thrones prequel saw Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen not just delivering a rousing speech to the masses of King’s Landing, but also revealing the Prince That Was Promised prophecy (and how it relates to her) out in the open.

None of this featured in author George R R Martin’s books, on which House Of The Dragon was based, which Condal spoke about at a press conference coinciding with the finale.

“It’s not in the book and it’s not in the history,” he explained (as reported by IGN). “But there is a bunch of talk about how Rhaenyra became very despotic and became a tyrant at the end and was very unpopular with the people.

“So we saw it as ‘this could just be something that happened and there was disagreement over exactly what it was’, so it didn’t make the historical record.”

He quipped: “But my glib sort of toss-off from the historians is, ‘Oh, well, Targaryens say crazy shit all the time’.”

Condal continued: “So much of [the Targaryens’ existence] is this self-aggrandisement. And for the stone masons standing there in the crowd just looking up at this, it could just sound like somebody trying to make something of themselves because they have no idea of all the ‘real history’ that went into Rhaenyra making that speech.

“But we wanted something that felt like a real seismic change, a sea change in Rhaenyra’s relationship to her people. She’s seen the death of their religious leader. She’s standing outside of the church of the faith of most of the people standing there, as a member of a totally different faith.

“This old Valyrian faith of dragons and fire gods and blood magic, and pronouncing herself the chosen one, the leader that is going to take them through the fire and out of the darkness.”

“And so tremendously, virtuosically performed by the great Emma D’Arcy,” he enthused.

Back in January, US broadcaster HBO confirmed that the upcoming fourth season of House Of The Dragon will be the show’s last.

Condal, according to Variety, told the press conference that he’d been “taking time off” from the fantasy world of Westeros while season three was airing, as he “needed to step away from all of this”.

However, he noted that he’s already handed a first draft of a new episode in to HBO, insisting: “We have an incredible season coming. As crazy and big as season three was, I think season four is going to be even bigger.”

All three seasons of House Of The Dragon are now streaming on Now, Sky and HBO Max in the UK.

Nigel Farage has admitted that the number of small boats coming across the English Channel is falling – but still insisted the migrant crisis is “completely out of control”.

The Reform UK leader vowed last week to use the British Royal Navy to return small boats to France if his party ever got into power.

This proposal triggered a row with the French authorities who called it a breach of international and maritime law.

The number of crossings has fallen this year overall, but the controversial topic resurfaced this week after a record 230 people arrived in the UK on just one large dinghy.

Farage said Britain is evidently heading towards the kind of migrant crisis seen in the Mediterranean during a press conference on Monday.

But, Sky News reporter Rob Powell hit back: “Yes this is the largest number of people arriving in one boat but overall numbers are down quite significantly, 42% down on last year.”

He asked if Farage would acknowledge numbers are falling, adding: “Are you being straight with the British public when you suggest this is an issue that is getting worse?”

The Reform leader replied insisting he “always” thought the boats would get bigger.

“The overall numbers are down,” he admitted. “But they’re still horrendous.”

“Whether we have fewer bad people thus far than last year, the situation is desperate, it should be declared a national security emergency,” Farage said.

“Yes, we have managed to stop some of the dinghies.

“But it doesn’t stop the problem. It doesn’t go away. It is completely out of control.”

He added: “The idea that we should be celebrating that numbers are not as extreme as they were is for the birds.”

Responding to concerns over the mega-dingy, prime minister’s spokesperson told reporters on Monday: “We’ve seen today some appalling images of young babies being put into these unseaworthy craft, and they’re shocking images, and they show the reality behind the ruthless smuggling gangs that are prepared to risk human lives for profit.

“That’s exactly why the government has signed a new payment-by-results deal with the French to prevent these perilous journeys from happening in the first place.”

He said the government was “not complacent” and noted how joint action with the French since the general election had prevented 47,000 crossings.

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.

A “dead bedroom” sounds final. Case closed – or in this case, the bedroom door closed to a cold bed. For many couples, a prolonged period without sex can feel like the beginning of the end.

“A difficult sexual phase can expose things a couple has avoided: resentment, loneliness, fear of rejection, body insecurity, different needs or the sheer impact of everyday life,” said Lisa Opel, the in-house sex educator at JOYclub. “That can be painful, but being able to see the problem also creates the possibility of responding to it.”

Opel, who once navigated a dead bedroom in her own marriage, said rebuilding a sex life does not necessarily mean returning to the way things were before.

“Bodies change, people change and relationships change. The goal may be to create a new form of intimacy that is more honest and better suited to who you are now,” she said.

Kiki Maree, a queer-inclusive somatic sexologist and intimacy educator, doesn’t use the phrase “dead bedroom” in her work because “I think it can feel quite hopeless and often misses what’s actually happening underneath. I prefer to think about it as a period of sexual disconnection.”

Maree has also experienced sexual disconnection with her partner, “but the relationship itself was never ‘dead.’”

“There was still love, care and commitment,” Maree said. “What had become difficult was the pathway back to intimacy.”

Both experts say finding their way back wasn’t about forcing desire or chasing a perfect solution. Instead, it required understanding what had created the distance in the first place, and learning how to reconnect with their partners without blame, pressure or expectations.

For Opel, one of the biggest obstacles wasn’t a lack of sex – it was the lack of talking about sex.

“One of our biggest mistakes was pretending everything was fine for far too long,” she said. “I think I was scared that saying, ‘I don’t really want sex anymore’ might break something, so instead I said nothing and hoped the problem would sort itself out.”

Instead, the silence gave hurt, confusion and feelings of rejection more room to grow until the lack of intimacy became “a large, silent third person in the relationship,” she said.

What helped was finally talking about it.

“Then, once we finally started talking, we made the very human mistake of hoping there might be one conversation, one technique or one gloriously sexy breakthrough that would fix the whole thing. There wasn’t,” Opel said.

“Rebuilding intimacy was much less cinematic: lots of talking, trying something, realizing it did not work, talking again and slowly becoming more honest.”

Both experts say one of the biggest mindset shifts was moving away from blame and toward curiosity. For Maree, that meant recognising that both partners were often suffering in different ways.

“One partner often feels rejected, lonely or undesirable, while the other often feels pressure, guilt or like they’re constantly letting the relationship down,” she said. “Once we stopped seeing each other as the problem and started seeing the dynamic as the problem, everything became much more collaborative.”

Opel says couples often get stuck when they treat low desire as one person’s failure, asking questions like, “What’s wrong with you?” or “Why don’t you want me?”

“Being treated as the faulty part of the relationship is rarely an aphrodisiac,” she said.

Instead, both experts say couples need to look beyond the lack of sex itself and understand what is happening underneath it.

“Low desire is often a symptom rather than the problem itself,” Maree said. “Stress, exhaustion, resentment, body image concerns, parenting, medical issues, performance anxiety, mismatched desire styles or years of pressure can all contribute. Understanding the function of the disconnection is usually far more productive than simply trying to increase frequency [of sex].”

Opel added: “The bedroom is often just where the consequences appear.”

Perhaps the most surprising strategy both experts recommend is temporarily removing the expectation of sex altogether.

“We actually banned sex for a while,” Opel said. “Which sounds like a slightly ridiculous solution to not having enough sex, but it helped enormously.”

Before that decision, she’d started avoiding even innocent affection because she worried every intimate interaction would eventually lead to sex she wasn’t ready for.

“I had started to avoid kisses and cuddles because I worried they would lead somewhere and I would eventually have to say no,” she said. “Once sex was officially off the table, I could relax into touch again. We could kiss, lie together or stroke each other without silently wondering what was expected next. It made affection feel like affection again instead of the first stage of a test I might fail.”

Maree often suggests something similar to the couples she works with.

“I usually suggest taking penetrative sex off the table temporarily – not because sex is bad, but because removing the expectation can dramatically reduce pressure.”

Rather than having couples try to manufacture desire, she encourages them to rebuild positive physical experiences through cuddling, massage, kissing, showering together or simply holding each other, instead of them trying to manufacture desire.

“Small, consistently positive experiences often rebuild trust more effectively than trying to engineer one perfect sexual encounter,” she said.

Both experts say reconnecting required letting go of the idea that intimacy had to lead to sex, or that rebuilding a sex life simply meant having more sex.

Opel encourages couples to create what she calls an “intimacy menu,” which might include kissing, massage, lying naked together, sharing fantasies, reading something erotic or simply spending uninterrupted time together.

Maree and her partner created something similar: a “pleasure menu” they could use to choose forms of intimacy based on how they were feeling in the moment.

“We also had to let go of the idea that fixing our sex life meant simply having more sex,” Maree said. “Instead, we became curious about what had made sex feel difficult in the first place and focused on creating experiences that felt emotionally and physically safe enough for desire to return naturally.”

She says the menu helped them reconnect without pressure.

“We used it to see what each of us were feeling like in our shared intimacy,” she said. “It included activities ranging from cuddling to mutual masturbation.”

By creating more ways to be physically close, both experts say couples can reduce the stress around sex and make affection feel enjoyable again rather than like an expectation.

Neither Opel nor Maree believes a prolonged period without sex automatically means a relationship is beyond saving.

For Opel, one of the clearest signs that her marriage could recover was that she and her husband still wanted a future together, even when they were questioning whether they could fix their intimacy.

“We did talk about divorce, but neither of us was calmly saying, ‘This relationship is over,’” she said. “We still laughed, parented well together and cared how the other person felt. We were upset because we missed each other, not because we had stopped caring.”

Maree says that’s often what gives her hope when working with couples experiencing sexual disconnection.

“I’ve worked with many couples who believed they would never reconnect sexually and later described their relationship as stronger than it had ever been,” she said. “Not because they found a magic technique, but because they stopped seeing each other as opponents and began working as teammates against the problem itself.”

Opel added: “Not every relationship should continue, and nobody should remain in a situation involving fear, coercion or persistent disrespect. But a quiet bedroom is not automatically a doomed relationship. Sometimes it is a signal that two people need to stop measuring what is missing and start listening to what has been neglected.”

Dr Pepsi’s name isn’t just catchy: originally called Brad’s Drink, the newer name reportedly “derived from dyspepsia (ie. indigestion), which the beverage was supposed to assuage”.

A 1907 ad describes the drink as “an absolutely pure combination of pepsin – for the ingestion – acid phosphate and the juices of fresh fruits”.

And yes, digestive biscuits were originally meant to aid digestion too (seems our modern gut health obsession is nothing new).

But marshmallows, which were apparently eaten by the Ancient Egyptians many moons ago, “originated as a versatile medicinal syrup and ointment,” Britannica explained.

We don’t know for sure that Ancient Egyptians definitely used them for health reasons, though they appeared to have been reserved for nobility.

It does seem, however, that Ancient Greeks were using marshmallows for everything from wound-healing to sore throats by the 9th Century BCE.

There is some evidence to suggest the original versions may actually have helped with everything from coughs to skin irritation, too.

“Marsh mallow” is a herbaceous plant from eastern Europe and northern Africa. The root of this plant was used to make medicinal “marshmallows” in the past.

According to the National Confectioners’ Association (NCA), Ancient Egyptians “squeezed sap from the mallow plant and mixed it with nuts and honey”.

We don’t know what this tasted like, but we do know that in the 19th century, the plant was introduced to France.

At this point, “owners of small candy stores whipped sap from the mallow root into a fluffy candy mould,” the NCA said.

This was a very long and labour-intensive process, and confectioners struggled to keep up with demand.

It took until later in the century for marshmallow makers to substitute marshmallow root for gelatin, which is still a standard ingredient in the no-longer-medicinal modern versions.

You can still get marsh mallow root tea, which contains the old-school sweet’s star ingredient. Its flavour is described as “earthy”, but obviously, that’s before it’s mixed with other ingredients.

Creator Phoenix Ross, who makes difficult, rarely spotlighted, and unlikely foods (including a giant potato smiley and fizzy grapes) by hand, recently tried an old-school marshmallow recipe, which included the root.

Noting the “snotty” texture it created when soaked (which was responsible for traditional marshmallows’ signature spring), he said the flavour was mostly “swamp”.

He added, “I think there’s a reason we’ve moved on from this”. I’ll take his word for it.

As heatwaves become a regular part of UK summers, young people, psychologists, and environmental campaigners have opened up about “climate grief”.

It isn’t just about feeling uncomfortable in a heatwave: it’s an existential mourning for the summers and winters we grew up with, which are increasingly less likely to come back.

Alongside climate grief, some people are experiencing ‘heatwave anxiety’. Here, environmentalist Dr Ruth Valerio, the author of How to Survive a World in Crisis, breaks down what that is – and how to tackle it.

Dr Valerio said that, for most of us, our feelings about soaring temperatures have changed in recent years.

“Gone are the days when a heatwave was seen as something positive to be enjoyed: now it is a worrying feature of our warming world that we are having to learn to cope with, both physically and psychologically,” she said.

The weather phenomenon has been linked with sleep deprivation, increased disease risk, and even death. Mental health admissions rise, too.

The environmentalist added that for her, heatwave anxiety is partly “due to the physical impact of not sleeping so well and that extreme heat has on the body, which causes the brain to focus on keeping the body cool”.

“This additional stress leaves us less physiologically capable of functioning in other areas, hence why we can become irritable and lethargic, and why our anxiety levels increase particularly for those already struggling with mental health conditions,” she explained.

But there’s another element to heatwave anxiety, too. This “arises from the recognition that, as a global society, we have not tackled the problem of climate change as we should have done over recent decades and we are now seeing the consequences of that,” said the author.

“We are facing the reality of a climate crisis – something of course that people in other countries have been facing for a lot longer already – and that is a genuinely scary prospect.”

Firstly, Dr Valerio said, it can help to pay attention to your body: “If you feel yourself struggling with the heat, for example, feeling more irritable or anxious, it’s good to remember this is partly a natural physiological response to high temperatures and it will pass when the temperature reduces.”

For those seeking to remain calm when it’s hot out, she recommended:

1. Staying hydrated. ”Dehydration spikes the stress hormone cortisol, which increase anxiety,” the author explained. Drinking enough water can help with your blood flow, too. Try drinking before you feel thirsty in a heatwave.
2. Applying a cold flannel to your face and/or neck. “This is a great tip to soothe anxiety during a heatwave. Exposure to cold water stimulates your vagus nerve, which automatically calms your nervous system by forcing your heart rate to slow down, and… the sudden cold temperature signals to your brain to release endorphins, which are natural mood elevators,” Dr Valerio stated.
3. Putting your feet in cold water. ”Your feet contain dense networks of blood vessels, and cooling these areas forces the blood vessels to constrict, lowering your core temperature,” she added. “As air moves over wet feet, it increases heat loss through evaporation and convection, allowing your body to easily dissipate the trapped heat that may be increasing the anxiety, and signal to your brain that there is no danger.”

It’s important to consult a medical professional if you experience anxiety or confusion along with other heat exhaustion symptoms, like dizziness, confusion, and cramps in your arms and/or legs.

Dr Valerio stated, “you should always consult a medical professional [before trying home cooling/calming techniques] especially if you have underlying health conditions”.

As for broader anxiety about heatwaves, it’s “important to acknowledge it”.

“We are right to be feeling those things, and the challenge for all of us is how to take those emotions and channel them into something positive,” she said.

“What we do still matters and it is possible to take constructive action, recognising what is and is not in our power to change and learning how we can stay resilient.

“For example, you could swap out a couple of meals to include more plant- and grain-based options, write a short email to your MP and explain that tackling climate change is a voter issue for you, switch to a renewable energy company, and remember that AI is energy-hungry, so only use it when you really need to.”

Yet another heatwave is on the way for parts of England this week, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing an amber heat-health alert for multiple areas of the country.

Amber heat health alerts have been issued for the East Midlands, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, London, North West, South East, South West, and West Midlands, while a yellow heat health alert has been issued for the North East, from Tuesday, August 11 at 9am until Friday, August 14 at 9pm.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “Sustained periods of warm weather can result in serious negative health outcomes across the population, so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.

“Based on the current forecast, we don’t currently expect the health impacts to be as high as the heatwave we saw at the end of June but older adults and those with pre-existing conditions are still at risk.”

With heat health alerts becoming a more common occurrence during the British summer, we looked into exactly how such high temperatures can impact the body – and why it’s so important to try and stay cool.

When it’s hot for an extended period of time, the body’s internal temperature may rise, making your heart rate increase and vessels expand to bring more blood to the outer layers of skin, where the heat is then released.

If this heat isn’t released fast enough or the surrounding air is warmer than the body, your sweat glands will try to cool you down.

This is all well and good, but Dr Luke Powles, associate clinical director of Health Clinics Bupa Global and UK, told HuffPost UK sweating means a loss of fluid.

“This can lead to a drop in blood pressure,” he explained, “causing the heart to beat more rapidly, making the heart work harder to maintain a cooler body.”

“People with heart conditions and other underlying medical problems, and those on certain medications, can be particularly sensitive to increasing temperatures and therefore at a higher risk of becoming unwell in a heatwave,” he said.

This is why it’s imperative to stay hydrated, and keep cool where possible.

Part of the brain called the hypothalamus controls our core body temperature and is also responsible for sending signals to the skin to start sweating.

However when it becomes too hot, these signals may not get through properly.

While we shouldn’t see this from the forecast temperatures, Dr Powles explained that “in extreme cases where your body temperature goes over 40°C, this can stop nerve fibres from working properly, which means the messages may not get through to and from the brain”.

When the body temperature goes higher than normal it can lead to dizziness, feeling weak and tired, poor co-ordination, and even problems with balance or thinking, said Dr Powles. “Your skin can also turn pale, cold and dry with loss of sweating, if it stops receiving messages from the brain.”

Dr Kenny Livingstone, a registered GP and founder of ZoomDoc, said at a cellular level; membranes, mitochondria and DNA can become damaged in extreme heat which raises the risk of stroke and swelling in the brain.

“If high internal core body temperatures are sustained – it can ultimately prove fatal,” he added.

Another symptom of heat-related illness is breathing more quickly. Dr Powles said the hot weather can put more strain on the lungs, especially if you already suffer from conditions such as COPD or asthma.

The summer months also mean there are higher levels of pollen and, in some cities, air pollution, which can also impact your breathing.

“If you feel the heat is negatively impacting your breathing, try staying indoors more often, in well-ventilated areas,” Dr Powles advised.

The hot weather can also be “dangerous” for the liver, which is another thermosensitive organ. “Serious conditions such as heatstroke can damage liver cells, reflected by increased levels of liver enzymes in the blood,” Dr Powles explained.

Heatstroke is when the core body temperature rises above 40°C and the body’s internal systems begin shutting down. This can impact the nervous system and, if left untreated, can harm specific organs too.

“At its worst, this can lead to overall liver damage, although liver injury is often self-limiting,” said Dr Powles. “If you are suffering from any symptoms of heatstroke, it’s vital to get treatment immediately.”

Studies have linked heatwaves to an increased likelihood of kidney disease for those increasingly exposed to heat.

“As well as dehydration and a drop in blood pressure, both of which can harm the kidneys, in hot weather the body’s energy requirements can exceed its ability to produce energy, causing muscle cells to break down and release a protein called myoglobin and other products into the bloodstream,” Dr Powles explained.

“Some of these breakdown products (including myoglobin) can be toxic to the kidneys and can directly damage them.”

He added that while illnesses such as heatstroke can eventually be a cause of kidney failure, it’s important to know that this would result from a combination of events and, if treated, can be managed properly before it reaches this stage.

“Rehydrating the body will be essential in treating and protecting the kidneys from heatstroke,” he said.

UKHSA health advice for the hotter weather

• Keep your home cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun.
• Look out for those who may struggle to keep themselves cool and hydrated – older people, those with underlying conditions and those who live alone are particularly at risk.
• Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol.
• Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals.
• Check that fridges, freezers and fans are working properly.
• Try to avoid direct sunlight, especially between 11am and 3pm – if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly.
• Avoid physical exertion in the hottest parts of the day.
• Make sure you take water with you if you are travelling.
• Take care and make sure to follow local safety advice if you are going into the water to cool down
• Check medicines can be stored according to the instructions on the packaging.
• If you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening.

Harry Potter star Bel Powley has defended accepting a role in the new TV adaptation of the books, despite the controversy surrounding the franchise’s creator JK Rowling.

The former The Morning Show star is set to appear as Aunt Petunia in the new Harry Potter TV series, the first instalment of which is set to premiere on Sky, Now and HBO Max in the UK later this year.

Powley and many more of her co-stars have faced backlash for choosing to be involved in the show, despite Rowling becoming an increasingly divisive figure due to her stance on issues relating to the transgender community.

This has included deliberately and repeatedly misgendering transgender public figures, as well as donating tens of thousands of pounds to the campaign group which raised the initial legal challenge that led to the UK Supreme Court’s ruling last year that the legal definition of a woman should include only those who were assigned female at birth (and sharing a celebratory post of herself smoking cigar once the Supreme Court’s decision was reached).

Asked about this controversy during a new interview with The Telegraph, Powley began by making it clear that she “strongly’ disagrees “with JK Rowling’s views on gender”.

“I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance,” she continued

“But,” she added, apparently throwing up her palms. “I love Harry Potter. I grew up with the books. I am from that first generation of readers and, again, I love magic and spookiness.”

John Lithgow admitted earlier this year that he had considered quitting the Harry Potter series – in which he’s set to star as Hogwarts professor Albus Dumbledore – when he began to face criticism over his involvement, but ultimately decided to remain a part of it.

Nick Frost, the new Rubeus Hagrid, also maintained that his and Rowling’s views on trans issues “don’t align in any way, shape or form”.

Meanwhile, Paapa Essiedu, the successor to the late Alan Rickman in the role of Snape, raised eyebrows when he co-signed a petition in solidarity with the transgender community, despite his participation in the new Harry Potter series, on which Rowling serves as an executive producer.

Heated Rivalry newcomer Justice Smith has responded to the outpouring of “love and support” he’s received from the show’s fans since it was announced that he’d be joining the cast.

Over the weekend, it was confirmed that Justice and Charlie Gillespie would be joining the TV phenomenon in its long-awaited second season as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, a new couple sharing the screen with Shane and Ilya (played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie).

Posting on Instagram on Sunday, the Detective Pikachu star wrote: “I have to say I am moved by the support and love I’m getting from fans in my DMs, fans who have welcomed me with open arms and who already feel a responsibility to protect me.”

The I Saw The TV Glow actor added: “I am honoured to play a character you all care about deeply, and I promise I will take good care of him if you give me the chance.

“I am beyond excited for this experience.”

Meanwhile, author Rachel Reid – who penned the original sports romance novels that inspired Heated Rivalry – has already jumped to Justice’s defence, after some fans took issue with Justice’s casting, based on the fact that his character is described in the original novel as being bigger in build than his teammates.

“Thinking about all the people last summer who told me the casting for Ilya and Shane was wrong and bad…” she posted on her Instagram story (per The Hollywood Reporter).

Showrunner Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady also said in a statement announcing Justice and Charlie’s casting: “From the start of the casting process, we knew we were looking for actors who could create something truly special together and bring that same depth and heart to the screen.

“Justice and Charlie do exactly that. They immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters, bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are.”

Heated Rivalry’s second season is due to begin filming this month, ahead of its release worldwide in 2027.

The production recently released a message addressed to “our incredible fans and everyone who’s been sharing in the excitement for the show”, which read: “Your support, enthusiasm, and kindness have meant the world to us. As we gear up for more Heated Rivalry, please help us in making it the best it can be.

“If you happen to come across one of our filming locations, please give our cast and crew the space they need to do what they do best. We promise it’ll be worth the wait!”