Strictly Come Dancing pro Dianne Buswell is expecting her first child with her boyfriend Joe Sugg, and her co-stars have been showering her with love and support
Dianne Buswell is expecting her first child(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Pregnant Dianne Buswell says she ‘can’t deal’ after her Strictly Come Dancing co-star left her on the verge of tears.
The professional dancer is taking part in the competition this year alongside Neighbours icon Stefan Dennis, and the duo made their competition debut during the opening week last weekend, delivering a Foxtrot to the Neighbours Theme by Barry Crocker.
Following their performance, Stefan acknowledged there had been issues with the routine, but judge Anton Du Beke still praised it as a “brilliant effort”. However, judge Craig Revel Horwood went on the attack, stating that the dance had been “littered with mistakes”.
The actor, renowned for portraying Neighbours’ Paul Robinson for four decades, and defending champion Dianne, who is expecting her first child, delivered an 80s-themed cha cha to Give It Up by KC And The Sunshine Band, earning 17 points.
Last month, Dianne announced that she is expecting her first baby – a boy – with her partner Joe Sugg. The Australian dancer and the YouTuber first crossed paths on Strictly in 2018 when they were partnered together for that series.
The expectant parents shared the news through a charming video, accompanied by Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’, which showed them creating a painting that depicted themselves as stick figures with a smaller one between them to symbolise their baby.
Dianne and Joe have subsequently been inundated with messages of affection, with Dianne also receiving presents whilst working on Strictly at Elstree Studios.
On Saturday, Dianne posted on social media, revealing she had been given a tiny cardigan that was delivered to the studio after her pregnancy reveal.
Accompanying the image, which displayed the miniature piece of handcrafted knitwear, the Australian performer shared a series of tearful face emojis before writing: “This was sent to the studio today and I cannot deal. It’s so small.”
During the latest live programme, she returned to her social media account and alongside a selfie with Strictly colleague Neil Jones, in which she could be seen pouting with an emotional expression, Dianne displayed the gift. Displaying a miniature pair of Adidas trainers, Dianne wrote: “Nah I can’t deal thank you Uncle Jonsey [face holding back tears and heart emojis] @mr_njonesofficial @joe_sugg.”
She also revealed another parcel containing tiny baby socks decorated with teddy bears. “And then these from uncle @ciaranfoley [face holding back tears and heart emojis] @joe_sugg. This lille boy is already so loved and lucky. Thank you [face holding back tears and heart emojis].”
Dancer Dianne Buswell announced she was expecting her first child with partner Joe Sugg earlier this month as she performed her first dance with Stefan Dennis on Saturday night
10:23, 28 Sep 2025Updated 10:24, 28 Sep 2025
Strictly’s Dianne Buswell showed off her baby bump on the live show(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Guy Levy)
Strictly Come Dancing kicked off it’s first couples dances on last night’s show (Saturday 27 September) and one particular person who was glowing was pregnant dancer Dianne Buswell. She and her celebrity partner Stefan Dennis took to the dancefloor to perform a Foxtrot to the Neighbours theme song as she showed off her growing baby bump.
The Aussie native, 36, announced her pregnancy with partner Joe Sugg earlier this month and despite questions being raised about whether she would be able to still compete, Dianne proved she can do it all as she showed off her pregnancy glow.
For her performance, she wore a flowy blue dress with flower detailing and a v-neck, which perfectly held her growing baby bump. The pair received a score of 22 from the judges, putting them in eighth place on leaderboard out of the 15 contestants.
Dianne’s pregnancy didn’t go unmentioned on the live show as her co-stars flocked to congratulate her and make her feel special. Following their performance, host Tess Daly exclaimed: “Dianne, we can not let you leave the floor without saying congratulations.”
She responded gleefully: “Thank you so much! “That’s why we’re in blue tonight,” she laughed before saying: “Not really, but lets pretend!”
As she and Stefan made their way upstairs, Claudia Winkleman decided to throw her an impromptu baby shower. Pro dancer Neil Jones came out wearing an animal costume and she was presented with balloons, a teddy bear and some cupcakes.
Fans flocked to X to compliment the mum-to-be during the live show as one person gushed: “Dianne’s baby bump awwwww,” Another fan said: “Dianne’s baby bump. So happy for Dianne and Joe. They met on Strictly 7 years ago and now a baby is on the way.”
Somebody else commented: “Stefan and Dianne were incredible and Dianne looked so beautiful! And her little bump showing,” while a fourth added: “Love this when the #strictly cast congratulated Dianne on her baby news, she is going to be an amazing mum.”
Her baby bump television debut comes after vile trolls complained about seeing her pregnant on the show. One troll in particular wrote on social media: “I don’t want to see her dance being pregnant, it’s already feeling uncomfortable and she’s only starting to show. It’s really not appropriate.”
Dianne posted it on her Instagram story and responded: “”I can’t believe in 2025 things like this are still being said.”
Her fans rushed to her defence, with one writing: “Saw @diannebuswell’s story and just had to say something. Her dancing pregnant in Strictly this year is nothing short of beautiful and magical. Women’s bodies are INCREDIBLE and I don’t actually think people realise that.
“This will show all of those people who believe this weird twisted notion that women should hide away when they’re carrying a baby that women are capable of much more & can do anything.
“You’re inspirational and incredible. We as a family cannot wait to watch you doing what you love and were born to do again every weekend. And we will be cheering you on as always beautiful.” Dianne reposted the comment with a series of happy crying and heart emojis.
She makes history as the first ever dancer to be pregnant while competing on the BBC One show.
Joe Swash didn’t have much luck when he tried to give wife Stacey Solomon a present for Valentine’s Day but it made the family laugh
Stacey Solomon and husband Joe Swash remain a close and loved up couple(Image: Lia Toby/Getty Images)
It was meant to be a declaration of his love for wife Stacey Solomon. But Joe Swash left his partner and their family in stitches after getting a tattoo on his finger.
The tattoo is meant to show a love heart that Stacey uses on social media alongside the letter S as a symbol of his love. But once he put his wedding band back over the top, the tattoo looks very different.
Stacey and husband Joe Swash continue to do well and are loved by TV viewers thanks in part to their family reality show on BBC1 and their down to earth nature. A second series of BBC’s Stacey And Joe began tonight.
A close up of how the tattoo looks with his wedding ring on
Explaining how much he loves her, Joe, 43, tells viewers: “She’s got just the most morally moral compass. Is that a word? The most morally moral compass I’ve ever come across. I want to show Stacy how much I appreciate her, and I think the best way to do that is to use my body as a canvas. I’m hoping she’s gonna love it.
“It is all good intentions but things don’t ever work out how I expect them to.”
In the second episode Joe then gets a tattoo for Valentine’s Day to show his love for her, but when he puts his wedding band back on over the ink, it makes the tattoo look like a man’s private parts.
“It’s not as romantic as I thought it was going to be,” admits Joe. “I knew it looked like a p*nis, I just didn’t want to believe it. It is a bit like a Transformer, it starts off as a truck and then when you put the ring on it looks like a c*ck and balls. Are we allowed to say that on the BBC?”
Joe tries to take Stacey on a romantic sunset date away from the kids during the skiing trip.
After she is shown the tattoo, Stacey burst out laughing: “That’s not the same as mine. Why did you draw a p*nis.
“Start thinking of a bigger design. Why didn’t you just get the name?”
Stacey had previously got a tattoo for Joe on her finger in 2023, with his name spelled out and joked it was her “midlife crisis” moment.
Despite the odd looking tattoo, Stacey is still impressed by the gesture. Hugging Joe, Stacey says: “Being married to you is a constant turn of event when I feel special.”
This is not Joe’s first tattoo and he has now ended up with three tattoos, none of which are perfect. As he was getting the third one done he explained: “My experience with tattoos ain’t great, so I’ve got one on my back. That was like for my dad, it said, Protected in love from above’ but it reminds me of Shooting Stars[TV show] like the dove from above and also the tattoo, sort of like dips into my bum, so it is a bit like I have farted it out.
“The other one I got when I was on holiday with the boys. I got drunk on an 18-30s holiday, and my mate’s paid for me to have a tattoo, it says something in Hebrew on my hip here.
“I haven’t really looked into what it says. I can only imagine It’s not something lovely. Why? Why anything? Why did I trust my friends? Why was I so drunk? Where was my mum looking out for me?”
Stacey and Joe married in 2022 and have been together nine years. They have filmed more of their home life for the BBC. After rising to fame on the X Factor in 2009, Loose Women star Stacey has become a national treasure and is best known for her bubbly personality and as the Instagram DIY queen.
She keeps her social media followers in the loop as she has transformed Pickle Cottage into a family home.
As well as her dream home which features in the series, Stacey has the dream family life too with former EastEnders actor fiancé Joe Swash, and her five children; Zachary, 17, Leighton, 13, Rex, six, Rose, three, and Belle, two.
In the opening episode she told how she thought she has “had her last baby”.
The cameras showed their youngest Belle going to nursery. And Stacey admits she gets “sad” as the kids grow up.
“Another one flies the nest. All the kids are at school, and we can have a lot of fun,” says Joe before asking: “D’you think that’s our last baby?”
Stacey replied: “I think that’s our last baby, bubs.”
Joe said: “I think what we need to do is start looking forward to the future bits of the kids growing up instead of it being like ‘awww’.”
Stacey replied: “Yeah, that’s why I’m getting more animals, to be honest with you!”
* Stacey And Joe is on BBC1 on Tuesday nights at 7pm and available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Important recommendation for parents who are planning to take young children on a trip to Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Fuerteventura have been issued by one mum
The advice has been aimed at parents travelling to four Spanish islands with young kids (stock image)(Image: Westend61 via Getty Images)
A British mum has shared important crucial guidance for all parents with young children planning a getaway to one of a number of popular Spanish islands. Mother-of-one Melissa O’Donnell praised a firm that assisted her baby during a recent family break to Gran Canaria.
“If you are taking a baby abroad to one of these locations – Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Fuerteventura – you need to listen to this,” she began in a TikTok video. Confirming that the firm in question played no part in creating her clip, Melissa stated: “I’m doing this off my own back – I just want people to know how helpful it is.” She went on, revealing that Travel 4 Baby provides parents with the chance to rent “anything you could possibly need” for your baby whilst you are away.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
“Cots, bath seats, sterilising machines, buggies, car seats – even down to potties – they have everything you’d want to put it in your suitcase but aren’t able to bring,” Melissa raved. “They are priced really fairly too.”
To highlight her point, she revealed she paid €20 [£17.34] for a snooze shade “for as long as we wanted it”. Melissa added: “They drop the item off at the hotel wherever you are staying and come and pick it up the day that you leave.”
Scores of others rushed to commend Travel 4 Baby as well, sharing their own holiday experiences with the firm.
“We used them when we went to Lanzarote!” one TikTok user wrote. “They have no idea how much it helped us!”
A second satisfied customer shared: “We used them for Lanzarote when baby was only 12 weeks old. When we arrived at hotel the steriliser, bottle, formula and water were all there when we arrived at check in. Definitely recommend them.”
A third added: “We hired so much from them in Tenerife last month. Made life so much easier and they were brilliant to deal with. Everything waiting for us at the hotel.”
Whilst a fourth person praised: “They are fab. We used them back in 2022 for our little one’s first holiday. Walker (so he can mooch about tiled rooms safely) and travel cot. But they have so much more – even bottle safe water – fab company.”
Travel 4 Baby also caters for those holidaying to several destinations across Spain and Portugal including major cities, and plans to extend its services to further hotspots including Benidorm in the near future.
The company offers further advice online, listing its top tips for a stress free trip with baby – which are:
On the plane, babies under two years old can sit on your knee or some airlines let you book and pay for an extra seat for more space and comfort
Change your babies nappy or take them to the toilet just before you board the aircraft
Try keep them awake at the airport so they will sleep on the plane (fingers crossed!)
Feed them when you get on the plane rather than before. The combination of feeding and the rocking and noise of the plane, will often send your baby to sleep.
Take extra formula, snacks, nappies etc just in case of a delay.
Always remember, if you don’t want to be traveling with too much luggage and baby items, check with us before you travel as most baby items can be hired and delivered to you in resort. Travel 4 baby has everything you will need and the less luggage you have to bring the better.
TWO babies have been killed by an infection reportedly linked to their hospital’s contaminated dish soap – sparking an urgent recall.
The premature tots weighed less than two pounds each when they mysteriously died just hours apart at the San Maurizio Hospital in Italy.
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Two babies died at the San Maurizio Hospital in Bolzano, ItalyCredit: South Tyrolean Health Service
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Serratia marcescens is a species of bacteria linked to the dish soap used at the hospitalCredit: Getty
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The hospital will not be treating any high-risk infant patients in its neonatal ward during the probeCredit: South Tyrolean Health Service
The pair had previously been diagnosed with an infection caused by Serratia marcescens, a deadly germ for those with underlying conditions.
Both the babies were born three weeks ago, one the 23rd week of gestation and the other on the 27th.
The babies tragically passed away within hours of each other between August 12 and 13.
The babies developed sepsis from the fatal infection which was linked to the industrial dish soap at the hospital in Bolzano, about 150 miles south of the Italy-Austria border.
The contamination was confirmed by Josef Widmann, the medical director of the South Tyrolean Health Authority.
Hospital director Pierpaolo Bertoli said: “The presence of this bacterium is not uniquebecause it constantly poses a risk to neonatal intensive care units.
“This is not so much because of the type of germ but because of the particular vulnerability of these little patients due to their immature immune systems.”
All dish soap used by the Bolanzo hospital system was very quickly removed from the hospital.
While the investigation is ongoing, the hospital will not be accepting any more high-risk premature babies, medical director of the hsopital Dr. Monika Zaebisch added.
All other cases, in the meantime, will be diverted to hospitals in Trento, a different region nearly 40 miles outside of Bolzano.
Woman, 45, becomes second person to die after eating ‘toxic broccoli’ as 17 others poisoned as veg recalled across Italy
Zaebisch added: “At the Bolzano hospital, we have implemented all preventive measures to prevent the transmission of germs.
“The ward staff strictly adheres to hygiene measures. Unfortunately, these two cases could not be prevented,” Zaebisch assured.
Police have launched a probe into the infants’ deaths.
Authorities are weighing whether or not to order autopsies on the babies, which will help determine if charges of malpractice could be made.
WITH huge smiles, cheering crowds and an incredible ten-year career of hits under their belt, Little Mix went out with a bang in 2022 as they completed their biggest ever UK tour.
Backstage, Perrie Edwards knew she was about to enter an exciting new chapter of her life because, just as the girl group was preparing to go on a break, she was secretly expecting her second child.
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Brave singer Perrie Edwards reveals how she’s lost two babiesCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Perrie with son Axel with and footballer fiance Alex Oxlade-ChamberlainCredit: Instagram
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From left to right, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little MixCredit: Getty
But in a devastating new interview, the singer revealed that, months later, she lost her baby at 24 weeks.
Perrie, 32, who now has son Axel with footballer fiance Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, said she had discovered she was pregnant again “not even a year” after his birth.
She recalled: “I was rehearsing for the last Little Mix tour, and I thought, ‘I don’t feel good’. Every symptom under the sun. I was like, ‘I think I’m pregnant’.”
But as her pregnancy progressed past the five-month mark, Perrie began to suspect that medics had spotted something wrong with her unborn baby.
Read more on Perrie Edwards
‘Loved being pregnant’
She said: “We went for what was a 20-week scan, but we were actually 22 weeks, and that was just the worst day of my life. Like, horrendous.
“I just knew something was wrong in the scan. I’ve never experienced an out-of-body experience where everything goes in slow motion.”
Two weeks later, Perrie and Alex were given the heartbreaking news that there was no heartbeat. She said: “So then I remember sobbing. Alex was injured at the time and couldn’t really drive.
“He was struggling to drive, but I couldn’t see straight. I was just distraught. We basically lost the baby at, like, 24 weeks.”
Perrie bravely opens up about her anguish on the We Need To Talk podcast with Paul C Brunson, out this morning.
And she revealed Axel, who turns four on Thursday, was a “rainbow baby” — the term used for a tot born after a previous pregnancy loss.
Perrie Edwards says she still cries over Jesy Nelson leaving Little Mix five years on – but insists ‘we did everything we could’
The star explained: “I had a miscarriage very early on with my first ever pregnancy.
“I remember finding out I was pregnant. Obviously, I started bleeding not long after, and I went to hospital and I had the scan and they were like, ‘There’s no baby.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve made this up.
“Maybe I got a false positive or something’. I remember being on my own at the appointments.” Perrie said of the cherished son she went on to have in August 2021: “Axel’s a rainbow baby.”
In heartbreaking detail, she also recalled how she had already planned out her baby’s bedroom before her second miscarriage.
She admitted: “It’s weird, because the first time it happened, I think because it was so early, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s hard’.
“But I think when you’re 24 weeks and you’ve planned out that room and all these things, it’s really hard. And nobody knows other than immediate friends and family.
“I remember shortly after, friends would message and be like, ‘How’s the bump?’ And I’d be like, ‘There is no bump’.”
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Perrie recalls how she had already planned out her baby’s bedroom before her second miscarriageCredit: Getty
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Perrie, left, with Little Mix on The X Factor in 2011Credit: Rex
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Perrie sold over 75million records, released six albums and had five No1 singles with Little MixCredit: BackGrid
The You Go Your Way singer said her first pregnancy loss had made her naturally apprehensive when she learned she was expecting Axel.
She explained: “When I was pregnant with him, I loved being pregnant, it was one of the happiest times of my life. I just love carrying babies.
“And it was lovely. But I was a bit on edge, thinking, ‘Oh gosh, I want to get past the 12 weeks. I want to get past this’. And when I get past every scan, that pregnancy was complete bliss, it was perfect.”
Thankfully, Perrie had former England midfielder Alex, 32 — who fans nickname The Ox — by her side. The couple have been together since 2017 and got engaged in 2022.
I didn’t even want to meet anybody. I was like, that’s me done. I don’t think I could bear that pain.
Perrie Edwards
Their relationship came two years after Perrie’s engagement to first love Zayn Malik, of One Direction, fell apart before millions of fans.
They had met in 2011, when X Factor stars One Direction returned to perform on the series of the singing contest that Little Mix won.
Months later, they were a fully fledged couple, but it was never plain sailing. Zayn was alleged to have cheated with an Australian waitress in a London club, and was later hit with more claims of infidelity.
In 2013, he demonstrated his commitment by getting a portrait of Perrie tattooed on his arm and even bought her mum a house in Dorset.
But in 2015, they split — and she was left devastated, with reports at the time that he had ended their almost four-year romance by text.
The ordeal inspired one of Little Mix’s biggest hits, the chart-topping Shout Out To My Ex.
‘Always the underdogs’
However, Perrie held a dignified silence on the ins and outs of their relationship and how it ended.
Reflecting on it now, she explained: “I think definitely, at the time, I thought everything we experienced in our relationship was normal. Because it was my first relationship, first love.
“I was like, ‘Oh, this is how it’s supposed to feel. It’s supposed to feel a little bit toxic. In some ways, this is probably normal, right?’.
“And then, when I became single, I was almost thinking, ‘I never, ever want to go through that again’. I didn’t even want to meet anybody. I was like, that’s me done. I don’t think I could bear that pain.
“But now, I’m thinking, ‘Oh, that probably wasn’t good’. And I’ve noticed it a lot.
“Like in the start of the relationship, I would handle things differently with Alex, and he’d come at it with such a level head that it would throw me.”
On what kind of man Alex is, Perrie continued: “He’s very mature. He’s very laid back. He’s very level-headed.
“He’s not the type to get mad or get angry or get funny about things. It might sound boring to some, but it’s so unproblematic.”
During her time in Little Mix, Perrie — alongside Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and, up until the end of 2020, Jesy Nelson — sold over 75million records, released six albums, had five No1 singles and became the first girl band in 41 years to win the British Group gong at the Brit Awards.
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Perrie’s engagement to first love Zayn Malik, of One Direction, fell apart before millions of fansCredit: BackGrid
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Perrie on Paul C. Brunson’s Hit Podcast ‘We Need To Talk’Credit: Supplied
Since then, she has signed a deal with Columbia Records, which has a roster featuring Adele, Beyonce and Harry Styles, and released a handful of solo singles, including Forget About Us, which peaked at No10 last year.
This Friday, Perrie is back with her latest single, If He Wanted To He Would. But she still feels like Little Mix were underestimated.
She said: “I still think they looked at us and thought it was four little girls in a pop group.
“I don’t think they really saw the graft and the dedication and the numbers and the success that we had. I still think people kind of overlook it a little bit.
“And we were always the underdogs. Like from the very beginning, it was like, ‘You won’t do very well. Bands don’t do that well and it won’t last’.
“That’s what gave us the fire in our bellies to want to work so hard to prove everybody wrong.”
Despite her later success, the Black Magic singer had a tough childhood as she was born with oesophageal atresia, a condition where the oesophagus doesn’t fully develop, and she was in and out of hospital as a youngster.
She told the podcast: “I was there every other week for an operation, so I was used to being put to sleep.
“Instead of counting down from ten, I’d be like, ‘Meet me downstairs in a van,’ (singing), off I went.”
It was Perrie’s passion and talent for singing which meant her mum Debbie was always confident she would make it in music.
She said: “I remember sobbing that I failed my GCSEs, and my mum was like, ‘It’s OK, darling, you’re going to be a singer’.
“I was like, ‘Why is she such an irresponsible parent? I’m never going to get a job.’ And she was like, ‘Well, you’re not going to need a job. You’re going to be a singer’.”
A childhood friend of Lucy Letby has revealed the serial baby killer attended her wedding day while she was on police bail after being granted ‘special permission’ to go
Liam McInerney Content Editor
23:00, 03 Aug 2025
Lucy Letby letting loose on the dance floor while supposedly on police bail (Image: ITV)
A childhood friend of Lucy Letby made a shocking revelation after showing off pictures of the baby killer at her wedding – while she was on police bail.
Letby was first arrested in July of 2018 on suspicion of murdering eight babies. She was officially charged in November 2020 before being found guilty across two trials of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more. Dawn Howe, who went to Aylestone Secondary School in Hereford with Letby, brought out a stash of photos during a new ITV documentary called Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt?
Speaking on the documentary, Dawn said: “Definitely got some holiday snaps, birthdays, holidays I’ve forgotten we even had. The wedding photos are definitely my favourite.”
Laughing, she added: “There is Lucy at my wedding. I am just so glad she could be there because it was while she was on bail, she had to get special permission to be allowed to come from the police.”
Letby (right) pictured smiling during her friend Dawn’s big day (Image: ITV)
The shocking photo shows Letby, wearing a red top and grey skirt, beaming while others alongside her clap on the dance floor.
Another image shows a just-married Dawn walking past Letby, who is throwing confetti in the air.
Dawn and Lucy met as teenagers and reflecting on the wedding snaps, she said: “Shortly after this she was held in custody so… I don’t think Lucy has seen these.”
Speaking about how she reacted when her friend was arrested before her big day, she said: “I watched it all unfold every step of the way. I just couldn’t believe it. It was beyond belief that this could be happening.”
And later in the programme, Dawn features once again. She is seen driving to Letby’s former school, where they spent most of their adolescence together.
Out of their friendship group, she said Letby was the only one who had a clear career path, and during her A-levels, she was eager to one day “be a nurse and deal with really poorly babies”.
Dawn shared photos showing Letby at her special day (Image: ITV)
And speaking on camera, she said: “We were here and then university and then a few years after university is when she is supposed to have gone off on this killing spree…”
Dawn was working when Letby’s guilty verdict was announced in August 2023 and she described being “dumbfounded” when she heard the news.
Her immediate thought was what happened next. She remembered thinking: “She can’t just spend the rest of her life in prison.”
She is now serving 15 whole-life sentences (Image: PA)
Letby lost two attempts last year to challenge her convictions at the Court of Appeals. Her legal team meanwhile, led by barrister Mark McDonald, also submitted evidence from a panel of international experts to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in April, in an attempt to have her convictions overturned.
Dawn supported Letby throughout the trial and is continuing to do so now, but she said she felt guilt for being free while her friend was serving 15 whole-life sentences.
She concluded: “I am living a life Lucy should be living beside me in parallel. We should both be having families and we both bought our houses and we were looking forward to the next chapter of our lives and then all this happened.
Lucy Letby pictured with her childhood pal Dawn Howe(Image: ITV)
“It is just… there is so much guilt that I am sort of living a life that Lucy should also be living.”
Cheshire Police were contacted regarding claims made in this story but they chose not to comment.
Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? will air on ITV1 at 10.20pm on Sunday August 3.
The IVF technique uses DNA from the mother’s egg, the father’s sperm, and a small amount from a healthy donor’s egg.
Eight healthy babies have been born in the United Kingdom using a groundbreaking new IVF technique involving DNA from three people, offering hope to families with mitochondrial diseases, according to a world-first trial.
Experts at Britain’s Newcastle University and Monash University in Australia published the results of the much-awaited trial on Wednesday in several papers in the New England Journal of Medicine.
These genetic diseases, which affect one in 5,000 births and have no cure, can cause severe symptoms like vision loss and muscle wasting.
The new procedure, approved in the UK in 2015, uses DNA from the mother’s egg, the father’s sperm and a small amount of healthy mitochondrial DNA from a donor’s egg. This has led to the controversial but widely used term “three-parent babies”, though only about 0.1% of the baby’s DNA comes from the donor.
Out of 22 women who underwent the treatment at the Newcastle Fertility Centre in northeast England, eight babies were born. The four boys and four girls now range from less than six months to more than two years old.
For six of the babies, the amount of mutated mitochondrial DNA was reduced by 95-100%, and for the other two, it was reduced by 77-88%, which is below the disease-causing threshold.
The children are currently healthy, although their long-term health will continue to be monitored.
Despite this success, the procedure remains controversial and is not approved in many countries, including the United States and France. Opponents cite ethical concerns, including the destruction of human embryos and fears of creating “designer babies”.
However, experts argue that for families facing devastating mitochondrial diseases, the benefits of this procedure are clear and life-changing.
Police say the suspects have sent more than a dozen babies to Singapore for adoption.
Police in Indonesia have arrested 12 people after uncovering a human trafficking ring that has sent more than a dozen babies to Singapore for adoption.
The West Java police told reporters on Tuesday that the case was discovered after a parent reported an alleged baby kidnapping, which led them to a suspect who admitted to trading 24 infants.
Surawan, the police’s director of general criminal investigation, who goes by one name, said the perpetrators took most of the infants from their biological parents in West Java province.
They are accused of moving the babies to Pontianak city on Borneo island and then sending more than a dozen of them onwards to Singapore.
“Based on documents, 14 [babies] were sent to Singapore,” he said.
“The age range is clearly under one year old, with some three months old, five months old, and six months old.”
Authorities managed to rescue five babies in Pontianak and one in Tangerang, a city near the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. They also arrested a dozen suspects across Jakarta, Pontianak and the Javan city of Bandung.
“They are a syndicate, a baby trafficking syndicate. They each have their own roles,” said Surawan.
Some of the suspects were allegedly tasked with finding the babies, he said, while others cared for them, sheltered them or prepared civil registration documents, such as family cards and passports.
The police officer added that the infants were to be sold for 11 million Indonesian Rupiah ($676) to 16 million Indonesian Rupiah ($983) to buyers for adoption in Singapore.
The syndicate had been in operation since 2023, he said, based on suspect statements.
Police said they sought out “parents or mothers who refuse to care for their children” in return for money.
Surawan said the parent who reported a kidnapping “actually had an agreement” with the smugglers before their child’s birth, but reported them when they did not receive payment afterwards.
He added that police in Indonesia intend to coordinate with Interpol to “locate possible trafficked infants in Singapore”.
Human trafficking is also a domestic problem across Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, a sprawling nation of more than 17,000 islands.
In one of the worst cases in recent years, at least 57 people were found caged on a palm oil plantation in North Sumatra in 2022.
If you’re planning a family holiday, there are some rules you need to be aware of
Ryanair, easyJet and TUI have their own travel rules, although some are the same(Image: tupungato via Getty Images)
Going on a family holiday is an exciting time, but the preparation and the actual outgoing journey itself can be quite the faff. You need to make sure you have everything you need, including passports and boarding passes among many other items.
While a trip abroad is a time for relaxation, the travel can be stressful, especially if you aren’t familiar with all the rules you’ll need to follow. And if you’re jetting off with little ones, there’s a common baggage rule you may not be aware of.
With Ryanair, TUI and easyJet, some form of hand luggage allowance is included with even the most basic of fares. But if you have a child under two with you, no baggage is included, unless you book them their own separate seat.
An exception to this is with Ryanair and easyJet you can bring a small baby changing bag at no extra cost. To make sure you’re clued up on all you need to know ahead of setting off, including baggage rules, we’ve listed TUI, Ryanair and easyJet advice for travelling with kids below, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
Ryanair
Ryanair does not permit infants aged up to seven days to travel on any of its flights. Infants (aged 8 days to 23 months inclusive) travelling with Ryanair must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over (one infant per adult).
All infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap and do not have a separate baggage allowance. Baby changing facilities can be found on board, typically at the rear of the aircraft, and cabin crew are also able to assist in warming baby bottles if needed.
If an infant reaches 2 years old or a child turns 16 during your journey, it is advised to purchase two single flights instead of a return ticket. At the airport, you’re allowed to check in two pieces of baby equipment per child (a pushchair plus a car seat, booster seat or travel cot) free of charge.
Ryanair strongly recommends parents or guardians to seek approval from their doctor that these very young infants are fit to travel by air. You’re permitted to bring two items of carry-on baby equipment at no extra cost.
This can include a pushchair/buggy, car seat, booster seat or travel cot. These items will need to be tagged either at the check-in desk or at the boarding gate.
TUI
According to TUI’s guidelines, an infant must be older than 14 days to travel on an aircraft, due to health and safety considerations. All TUI planes are equipped with baby changing facilities
Any pram or pushchair you bring along needs to be collapsible. While there are no restrictions on size or weight if it’s going in the hold, if you wish to bring your pushchair on board, it will count as your larger piece of hand luggage and cannot exceed dimensions of 55cmx40cmx20cm and 10kg.
The good news is that you can check in pushchairs and car seats into the hold free of charge when flying with TUI Airways. According to regulations for all UK-registered aircraft, infants under 6 months must be seated on an adult’s lap and secured with an infant lap-strap throughout the flight.
Children between 6 months and 2 years are also required to sit on an adult’s lap unless a separate seat has been purchased, in which case a car seat may be utilised if needed. Liquid baby food or baby milk, whether pre-packaged or prepared at home, is permitted onboard.
Foods catering to special dietary needs can also be brought along, provided they’re essential for the duration of the flight or holiday. Solid baby food can be packed in either your hand or hold luggage. There are no restrictions on carrying powder formula – you’re allowed to bring your baby milk powder to mix up during your holiday as part of your luggage allowance.
All children, including newborns, are now required to have their own individual passport. The child’s passport will initially be valid for five years, but can be renewed for an additional five years at the end of this period.
Upon reaching their 16th birthday, they’ll become eligible for a standard 10-year passport.
easyJet
easyJet also states that babies under 14 days old are not permitted to travel. If your child is over two years old or turns two while you are travelling, you will need to book a separate seat for them.
Children aged between two and fifteen years cannot travel unless accompanied by an adult who is 16 years or older. Unaccompanied minors aged 15 and below are not allowed to travel alone and will be denied boarding.
The airline deems anyone aged 16 and above as an adult, who can then fly with children, or adults who require special assistance. Infants with reserved seats and children over the age of 2 years are entitled to the same cabin bag and hold luggage allowance as adults.
If you’re journeying with an infant who will be seated on your lap, only an extra baby changing bag is permitted for the infant. For every infant or child, you can bring up to two of the following items free of charge to go into the hold, in addition to your cabin bag allowance: travel cot, pushchair, double pushchair, buggy, car seat, collapsible or non-collapsible pram, booster seat and baby back carrier.
You’re allowed to carry baby food, baby milk and sterilised water in your cabin bag if you’re travelling with an infant. The 100ml liquid limit enforced at some airports doesn’t apply to baby food, milk or sterilised water, provided that the total amount in each container does not exceed 2 litres.
easyJet aircrafts are equipped with baby changing facilities. However, passengers are required to bring their own nappies and wipes as these are not supplied on board.
Baby food and milk
When travelling with a baby, you’re allowed to bring enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the duration of the journey. There isn’t a legal limit to how much you can bring, but it’s always best to check with your airport before you travel.
As per Gov.uk, breast milk can be carried in hand luggage even if you’re not travelling with a baby. However, frozen breast milk is not permitted in hand luggage.
Individual containers of breast milk must not exceed 2,000ml. Each container will need to be screened at the security point. Airport staff may need to open the containers to screen the liquids.
Two of Gaza’s largest hospitals have issued desperate pleas for help, warning that fuel shortages caused by Israel’s siege could soon turn the medical centres into “silent graveyards”.
The warnings from al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza City and Nasser Hospital in southern Khan Younis came on Wednesday, as Israeli forces continued to bombard the Palestinian enclave, killing at least 74 people.
Muhammad Abu Salmiyah, the director of al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest facility, told reporters that the lives of more than 100 premature babies and some 350 dialysis patients were at risk.
“Oxygen stations will stop working. A hospital without oxygen is no longer a hospital. The lab and blood banks will shut down, and the blood units in the refrigerators will spoil,” Salmiyah said.
“The hospital will cease to be a place of healing and will become a graveyard for those inside,” he said.
Abu Salmiyah went on to accuse Israel of “trickle-feeding” fuel to Gaza’s hospitals, and said that al-Shifa’s dialysis department had already been shut down to conserve power for the intensive care unit and operating rooms, which cannot be without electricity for even a few minutes.
‘Final hours’
In Khan Younis, the Nasser Medical Complex said it, too, has entered “the crucial and final hours” due to the fuel shortages.
“With the fuel counter nearing zero, doctors have entered the battle to save lives in a race against time, death, and darkness,” the hospital said in a statement. “Medical teams fight to the last breath. They have only their conscience and hope in those who hear the call – save Nasser Medical Complex before it turns into a silent graveyard for patients who could have been saved.”
Mohammed Sakr, a spokesman for the hospital, told the Reuters news agency that the facility needs 4,500 litres (1,189 gallons) of fuel per day to function, but it now has only 3,000 litres (790 gallons) – enough to last 24 hours.
Sakr said doctors are performing surgeries without electricity or air conditioning, and the sweat from staff is dripping into patients’ wounds, risking infection.
A video from Nasser Hospital, posted on social media, shows doctors sweating profusely as they perform a surgery.
“Everything is turned off here. The air conditioning is turned off. No fans,” a doctor says in the video as he demonstrates conditions in the ward. “All the staff are exhausted, they are complaining [about the] high temperature.”
Israel’s relentless bombardment has decimated Gaza’s healthcare system in the 21 months since it launched its assault on the Palestinian enclave in the wake of the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023.
Since then, there have been more than 600 recorded attacks on health facilities in Gaza, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As of May this year, only 19 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially operational, with 94 percent of all hospitals damaged or destroyed.
Israeli forces have also killed more than 1,500 health workers in Gaza, and detained 185, according to official figures.
The WHO, meanwhile, has described Gaza’s health sector as being “on its knees”, with shortages of fuel, medical supplies and frequent arrivals of mass casualties from Israeli attacks.
Suffocating siege
Marwan al-Hams, the director of field hospitals in Gaza, told Al Jazeera that “hundreds” of people could die in the territory if fuel supplies are not brought in urgently.
This includes “dozens” of premature babies who could die within the next two days, he said. Dialysis and intensive care patients would also lose their lives, he said, adding that the injuries of the wounded were worsening amid deteriorating conditions, while diseases like meningitis were spreading.
UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who recently returned from Gaza, said, “You can have the best hospital staff on the planet”, but if they are denied medicine and fuel, operating a health facility “becomes an impossibility”.
Israel has imposed a suffocating siege on Gaza since early March.
Over the past weeks, it has allowed some food into Gaza to be distributed through a United States-backed group at sites where hundreds of aid seekers have been shot dead by Israeli soldiers.
But fuel has not entered the territory in more than four months.
“What little fuel remains is already being used to power the most essential operations – such as intensive care units and water desalination – but those supplies are running out fast, and there are virtually no additional accessible stocks left,” the UN’s humanitarian agency (OCHA) said on Tuesday.
“Hospitals are rationing. Ambulances are stalling. Water systems are on the brink. The deaths this is likely causing could soon increase sharply unless the Israeli authorities allow new fuel in – urgently, regularly and in sufficient quantities.”
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 57,575 people and wounded 136,879, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023 attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive.
The first malaria treatment suitable for babies and very young children has been approved for use.
It’s expected to be rolled out in African countries within weeks.
Until now there have been no approved malaria drugs specifically for babies.
Instead they have been treated with versions formulated for older children which presents a risk of overdose.
In 2023 – the year for which the most recent figures are available – malaria was linked to around 597,000 deaths.
Almost all of the deaths were in Africa, and around three quarters of them were children under five years old.
Malaria treatments for children do exist but until now, there was none specifically for the very youngest babies and small children, who weigh less than 4.5kg or around 10lb.
Instead they have been treated with drugs designed for older children.
But that presents risks, as doses for these older children may not be safe for babies, whose liver functions are still developing and whose bodies process medicines differently.
Experts say this has led to what is described as a “treatment gap”.
Now a new medicine, developed by the drug company Novartis, has been approved by the Swiss authorities and is likely to be rolled out in regions and countries with the highest rates of malaria within weeks.
Novartis is planning to introduce it on a largely not-for-profit basis.
The company’s chief executive, Vas Narasimhan, says this is an important moment.
“For more than three decades, we have stayed the course in the fight against malaria, working relentlessly to deliver scientific breakthroughs where they are needed most.
“Together with our partners, we are proud to have gone further to develop the first clinically proven malaria treatment for newborns and young babies, ensuring even the smallest and most vulnerable can finally receive the care they deserve.”
The drug, known as Coartem Baby or Riamet Baby in some countries, was developed by Novartis in collaboration with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a Swiss-based not-for-profit organisation initially backed by the British, Swiss and Dutch Governments, as well as the World Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Eight African nations also took part in the assessment and trials of the drug and they are expected to be among the first to access it.
Martin Fitchet, CEO of MMV, says this is another important step on the road towards ending the huge toll taken by malaria.
“Malaria is one of the world’s deadliest diseases, particularly among children. But with the right resources and focus, it can be eliminated.
“The approval of Coartem Baby provides a necessary medicine with an optimised dose to treat an otherwise neglected group of patients and offers a valuable addition to the antimalarial toolbox.”
Dr Marvelle Brown, associate professor at the University of Hertfordshire’s School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, says this should be seen as a major breakthrough in saving the lives of babies and young children.
“The death rate for malarial infections, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa is extremely high – over 76% of deaths occur in children under five years old.
“Increase in death from malaria is further compounded in babies born with sickle cell disease, primarily due to a weak immune system.
“From a public health perspective, Novartis making this not-for-profit can help with reducing inequality in access to healthcare.”
Two babies died of starvation in Gaza due to Israel’s continuing blockade of vital aid. The deaths come as the US approved $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed while trying to get food from its aid centres.
Every newborn baby in England will have their DNA mapped to assess their risk of hundreds of diseases, under NHS plans for the next 10 years.
The scheme, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, is part of a government drive towards predicting and preventing illness, which will also see £650m invested in DNA research for all patients by 2030.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said gene technology would enable the health service to “leapfrog disease, so we’re in front of it rather than reacting to it”.
The government’s 10-year plan for the NHS, which is set to be revealed over the coming few weeks, is aimed at easing pressure on services.
The Department for Health and Social Care said that genomics – the study of genes – and AI would be used to “revolutionise prevention” and provide faster diagnoses and an “early warning signal for disease”.
Screening newborn babies for rare diseases will involve sequencing their complete DNA using blood samples from their umbilical cord, taken shortly after birth.
There are approximately 7,000 single-gene disorders. The NHS study which began in October only looked for gene disorders that develop in early childhood and for which there are effective treatments.
Currently, newborn babies are offered a heelprick blood test that checks for nine serious conditions, including cystic fibrosis.
The health secretary said in a statement: “With the power of this new technology, patients will be able to receive personalised healthcare to prevent ill-health before symptoms begin, reducing the pressure on NHS services and helping people live longer, healthier lives.”
Streeting added: “The revolution in medical science means that we can transform the NHS over the coming decade, from a service which diagnoses and treats ill-health to one that predicts and prevents it.”
Sequencing DNA gives a lot of information about a person which can then be used to make predictions about the likelihood of them having particular genetic diseases, according to Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, a geneticist at the Francis Crick Institute.
These include conditions like muscular dystrophy, liver diseases and some kidney problems, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Funding for the new initiative will also support efforts by Genomics England to build one of the world’s largest research databases, with the goal of containing over 500,000 genomes by 2030.
It builds on work the NHS carried out in recent months, in which it embarked on a study to track the entire genetic code of up to 100,000 newborn babies in England to screen for genetic conditions.
But Prof Lovell-Badge cautioned that the government would not only need to hire people to collect the data, but qualified professions who could interpret it for patients.
“You need people to have conversations with individuals who might be affected by genetic disease,” he said, adding that “one of the things that worries me” was an insufficient number of genetic counsellors.
“It’s not just having the information, it’s conveying the information in an appropriate, helpful way.”
