battle

BOXING champion Ricky Hatton fought bravely not just in the ring but also with his own mental health struggles.

The legendary boxer, 46, previously spoke out about his battles outside the sport after retiring in 2012.

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Ricky was found dead at his home this morning, just months after he announced his return to the ring.

Boxer Ricky, who won 45 of his 48 pro fights during a glittering career, previously spoke about his struggles with depression and how he had fought back from the brink with his mental health and alcohol addiction.

Talking about his struggles, the multi-weight world champ told Radio 4 earlier this year: “I used to go to the pub, come back and sit there in the dark crying hysterically.”

He had also been open about the need for boxers to get more help after hanging up their gloves.

In the past, Ricky had also talked about how his life took a dark turn after losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a 2007 fight in Las Vegas.

He explained how he overcame problems with drink, drugs and depression, and why mental health issues are so prevalent in boxing.

Ricky told BBC Sport: “If a boxer can come out and say they’re struggling and crying every day, it’s going to make a huge difference.

“Having gone through it, I now see it as my job to help those suffering with mental health.”

The boxing legend ballooned up in weight after his retirement as he struggled with alcohol abuse and depression, but got himself back on the straight and narrow three years ago for an exhibition bout with Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera.

Ricky, nicknamed “the Hitman”, was incredibly popular among boxing fans and enjoyed fame both during his career and after announcing his 2012 retirement.

And he never shied away from his mental health battles, bravely fighting his demons for years after quitting the sport.

Ricky even shared just months ago that he was planning his comeback to boxing, with a fight set for December 2.

Speaking to SunSport earlier this year, he shared how he had been inspired by Oasis’ comeback tour, as well as his weight loss, to bring himself back into the ring.

He said: “It inspired a lot of people, you know, for me to get in shape again at the age I’m at.

“Especially bearing in mind all my problems I’ve had personally with mental health and stuff like that.

“It was nice for so many people to come up to me and go, ‘Oh, I’ve always struggled with my weight and to see you get it off at your age.’

“I’ve always struggled with my mental health and I’ve had my problems.

“And to see where you were a few years ago to what you’re doing now, it’s inspirational.”

Ricky had first retired from the sport in 2011 before announcing a comeback fight in 2012.

However, his ill-fated bout against Vyacheslav Senchenko led to his immediate retirement in November that year.

But inspired by the Gallagher brothers, who also walked him to the ring for his 2008 win over Pauli Malignaggi, Ricky was looking forward to a return to the spotlight, 13 years after his last professional bout.

TV presenter Davina McCall has revealed she is to walk down the aisle — a month after declaring she’d never marry again.

The star, 57, and celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas, 52, secretly got engaged this summer after seven years.

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He has been a rock during her recovery from a life-saving brain op, and a friend said: “Everyone is so thrilled for them.”

The couple, together seven years, then flew to the Burning Man festival in Nevada, US, three weeks ago to celebrate.

They have revealed the happy news only to their innermost circle.

Davina is recovering from an op to remove a benign brain cyst last November and a friend said: “To say it has been a rollercoaster year for her is an understatement.

“Whilst surgery was, of course, traumatic, she made peace with a lot in the days and weeks leading up to it.

“Then, having survived, she had a new lease of life — as so many do who have been in similar situations.

“Michael was her absolute rock throughout her recovery.

“If you see them together, genuinely they are like lovesick teenagers.

“Their chemistry is insane.

“Basically Davina thought ‘f*** it, life is short’, and decided it was time to, as the kids say, lock in the love of her life.”

The pair met on Big Brother in the early 2000s when he styled her hair.

They stayed friends for years but only began dating after she finalised her divorce from Matthew Robertson in early 2018.

It is not known when Davina and Michael will but is unlikely to be until after May next year when Davina is expected to be fully recovered from her brain op.

The pal added: “She has a ring but is only wearing it in private.

“It is wonderful news and everyone who knows them is just so thrilled.

“They really do make the most gorgeous couple.”

Yesterday mum-of-three Davina detailed her post-op journey to Radio 2’s Scott Mills, and, without mentioning her engagement, said she had never been happier.

She said: “After my operation they said it will take a year to 18 months to get as good as you’re going to get.

“I keep thinking that next May I’m going to go out for dinner with Michael and say, ‘I hope this version of me is all right as this is what you’re going to get’.

“I don’t know if you think I see any difference but I am so happy.

“It is mad. I guess I am just super-grateful to be here, alive.

“I can’t believe the sliding doors that happened to get me here are magical.

“It’s been a massive journey and some has been incredibly hard.”

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Davina, currently hosting two shows — Long Lost Family and Stranded On Honeymoon Island — told last November how a colloid cyst was found that month during a check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work.

The star had the surgery in a London hospital with neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill.

She was in intensive care after the craniotomy, which involved part of her skull being removed to reach the tumour.

She described the scare as the “hardest thing” she had been through, revealing she briefly lost all short-term memory.

Davina is one of Britain’s most successful broadcasters and was awarded an MBE in 2023.

She also received a special recognition award at last year’s National Television Awards.

Michael has styled her locks for years and created a glam beehive hairdo for her appearance at Wednesday night’s NTAs at the O2 in London.

He runs his own award-winning brand, MD London and co-hosts popular podcast Making The Cut.

Davina, who once hosted dating show Streetmate, last month insisted they’d never tie the knot.

She said: “We go on honeymoons all the time but without getting married.

“We’re in the honeymoon period even after all these years.

“I couldn’t be more happy. And sometimes there’s an idea of, why change anything?’”

But in another recent interview she praised Michael for his support.

She said: “I want to just big up Michael for a minute, because you and I have been through something mega, and I want to say out loud, just thank you.

“It’s been really difficult for both of us, and I love you with all of my heart.

“You are everything to me, you’re my soulmate.

“We are more than married!”

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Davina was married to TV adventurer Matthew Robertson for 17 years, and the couple have children Holly, Chester, and Tilly.

Davina wed then-shop manager Andrew Leggett in 1997.

But they fell out after a few months and the marriage ended in 1999.

After realising their feelings for one another, Davina and Michael went public with their relationship in 2018, and by January 2023 had moved in together.

Last autumn doctors discovered a 14mm tumour after Davina had a scan as part of a deal with One Welbeck, a private healthcare facility for whom she had given a talk on the menopause for.

The presenter explained: “In my head, I was literally the healthiest person in the world.

“I had this head-to-toe scan.

“And they came back and they went, ‘Okay, we’ve got your results. Um… we’d like to talk to you’.

“They said, ‘You’ve got a benign cyst in your brain.’

“The doctor explained it’s called a colloid cyst.

“And a colloid cyst is a three in a million thing, and it can also cause… very, very rarely, but it can also cause sudden death.”

Speaking to podcaster Steven Bartlett, Davina said she faced the diagnosis head on with Michael, with the pair discussing what might happen if something went wrong during the surgery.

She added: “I said, ‘Look, I’ve got to plan for it if it doesn’t go according to plan.’

“When I’d spoken to the doctors, they talked about things like stroke, epilepsy, these being risks.

“Nicking an artery or a blood vessel in the brain and having a bleed… so there were a lot of things that could be a risk.

“And obviously, because of my age, you know, I’m 57. That was another thing that mattered to me. I was thinking, you know.

“Would you rather have brain surgery now, or if it grew in eight years’ time, would you want to have it in your mid-to-late 60s?

“Would it not be better to get it done now while you’re fit and healthy in every other way?”

After speaking to her children and closest family, Davina said she immediately set about sorting her affairs — including updating her will.

Following the surgery, Michael updated Davina’s followers and said she was recovering well.

The brave star returned to TV on The Masked Singer and thrilled fans by wearing a peroxide blonde, pixie-cut wig.

A spokesman for Davina last night declined to comment.

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PREMIER LEAGUE football is back after another dreary international break.

And the highlight of this weekend’s action is undoubtedly the mouthwatering Manchester derby on Sunday.

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City vs United is one of the top fixtures of the season.

But there could be some huge changes for both sides, with Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim each signing a new goalkeeper on deadline day.

Will Gianluigi Donnarumma and Senne Lammens get their first taste of English football action in one of world football’s biggest games?

SunSport’s tactical expert Dean Scoggins dives into another brilliant analysis…

NEW GOALKEEPER ‘TRAP’ BATTLE

I reckon both teams will be nervous about potential debuts for their goalies! But United fans should be the most nervous about what decision gets made.

City don’t cross it very much so that’s one thing in favour of sticking with Altay Bayindir over Senne Lammens. 

Another thing in his favour is United have learned to play out with him, and Amorim may decide to leave Lammens out.

With Gianluigi Donnarumma, City don’t have to worry about mistakes, he will make stacks of saves, he’s absolutely class.

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But what they should be nervous about is how they’re going to cope with playing out.

Pep’s hardly going to stop playing out from the back, but Donnarumma is perceived to not be great with his feet, which could give James Trafford a chance.

Tactically, United will play 3-4-3 and when they’re pressing from the front, they almost slot into a 4-4-2 diamond.

We’ll expect City to drop the centre-backs in and push the full-backs on. You’d then think the goalie plays over the top.

But United will put real pressure on then. The striker will drop on City’s No6 to stop him getting the ball.

They will then press either side with curved runs to block off Donnarumma’s channels.

United want to set a trap by leaving a City player free —  they want Donnarumma to play to him.

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When he hits it, United are going to shuffle across. It’s a trigger for a press. And City fans will be very nervous in that playing-out scenario.

United should be willing to take that risk to make Donnarumma play those passes, and that could mean a lot of joy.

As for Lammens, he looks really confident on the ball. He puts his foot on the ball to bait people in.

But with City’s set-up, they leave United’s 8’s for a trap. That could see them take advantage of United playing out with a new inexperienced goalie.

I’m a bit nervous if Lammens goes straight in, it takes time on the training ground to prepare these things.

They’ve been very brave with Bayindir so far. Lammens is very confident on the ball but it takes time to get used to set-ups in the Premier League.

WHAT SYSTEM WILL PEP USE?

We’ve seen 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 so far. That’s with 11 injuries.

In attack they want to be in a 3-2-5 shape. But what they’ve done quite a lot this season, not successfully, is get into a 2-3-5 shape with a full-back moving in.

But up against Bryan Mbeumo, and with injuries, I’d be nervous about that shape.

Nathan Ake could come in for a back three, but I think Bernardo Silva will be the key man in this game with his interchanging.

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Tottenham and Brighton had loads of joy against City by leaving four up top.

I think City will use Matheus Nunes as a generic right-back with two in midfield like a 4-2-4 shape.

As for United, I think Amad Diallo will play on the left of attack, with Noussair Mazraoui at right wing-back.

There’s a question mark over midfield, is it two or one at the base? It depends on injuries.

HOW WILL MAN UTD ATTACK?

It’s a 3-5-2, but will Amorim start Sesko? United have been the most direct team in the league this season.

They’ve had the most direct chances but haven’t scored one yet.

Mbeumo’s gone close so that’s what they’re going to do.

I think Sesko has to play just for his physicality. Spurs used Richarlison to great effect against City.

If Cunha isn’t fit, you don’t want Mbeumo moved from the right. Don’t make two changes for the sake of one.

If Mount is out too, does Diallo go to the left? You’ve got other options at wing-back.

Diallo turned the game on its head last season and made a fool of Matheus Nunes so can do that job.

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United will form diamonds and triangles all over the pitch. It gives them options on either side.

But they’ve particularly liked overloading the left side this season.

That leaves Mbeumo to isolate his defender, with the ball going in behind for him to attack the space.

City have been susceptible to balls over the top and have conceded twice from them so far.

United are having more of the ball on the left, but attacking more on the right. That will be the move they want to get.

That’s something for United fans to lick their lips over in attack.

Long passes are back in fashion. City have been more direct and United are now doing it too.

I fancy United to get some joy in this.

DO RODRI AND NICO BOTH PLAY?

I think they should in this game. Reijnders was outstanding against Wolves but got overrun by Spurs physically and caught out against Brighton.

Because City get greedy with position, a midfielder move forward and the other has a lot of space to cover.

Rodri can’t cover that space, especially after his injury.

I think both Rodri and Nico Gonzalez should play as the two, with Bernardo Silva the key on the right as the most flexible player.

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He can come inside and bring Nunes forward, forcing Dorgu back.

In the direct way of playing and how open they’ve been, it should be a two.

Also, Pep Ljinders. City are pressing more with him as assistant.

It leaves space open for balls over the top, while City have also been playing a very high line.

It’s too much space so two are needed to make it solid. Trust your attackers to break down United.

If they are struggling, take over Nico and bring on a winger. But start with a solid base.

Two days after solidifying control of his family’s empire, Fox Corp. Chief Executive Lachlan Murdoch touted the strength and newfound stability of their media business.

Murdoch spoke briefly Wednesday at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, a fireside chat cut short because of Murdoch’s late arrival in San Francisco thanks to a weather delay. Instead of speaking for about 40 minutes, Murdoch appeared for just about 10 minutes.

The session followed this week’s $3.3-billion settlement of the Murdochs’ bitter succession feud, which handed Lachlan the keys to the kingdom. Rupert Murdoch’s trust will be replaced with new ones that benefit his six children. In the coming weeks, the family’s controlling News Corp. and Fox shares will pass from Rupert to Lachlan, sealing the scion’s status as one of the world’s most influential moguls.

The 54-year-old executive already was overseeing Fox News, the Fox broadcast network and the free video service Tubi as CEO of Fox since 2019. As chairman of News Corp., Lachlan Murdoch is perched atop the publishing firm that includes the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, the Times of London, HarperCollins publishing house and newspapers in his family’s native Australia. Now his inheritance and legal standing is etched through 2050.

“It’s great news for investors,” Murdoch said of the family settlement. “It gives us a clarity about our strategy going forward — and shows that our strategy will be consistent.”

The settlement was reached after months of negotiations among representatives of Rupert Murdoch’s children. Three of his offspring — Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch and James Murdoch — had tried to block the elder Murdoch’s plan to consolidate Lachlan’s power — sending the dispute to a Nevada probate court.

Prudence, Elisabeth and James agreed to surrender their shares and abandon any future involvement in the companies in exchange for $1.1 billion apiece.

Analysts said they don’t expect major changes at Fox, particularly at Fox News, which will continue its conservative drumbeat and support of President Trump.

“We expect the strategy will likely stay the course,” Robert Fishman, a MoffettNathanson research analyst, wrote in a report. “Fox’s emphasis on its differentiated linear assets — namely sports and Fox News — should continue while at the same time balance a streaming push with its recently-launched Fox One and rapidly growing Tubi.”

During the Goldman Sachs conference, Murdoch sounded an upbeat note about last month’s launch of its latest streaming service, Fox One, which delivers news and sports to consumers.

“I don’t want to read too much into our success and our data of the last few weeks but suffice to say its take-up [rate] has exceeded our expectations,” Murdoch said.

Fox One will be part of a streaming bundle with ESPN next month. “We think it’ll be … the essential sports bundle for sports fans in America,” Murdoch said.

Murdoch has been running Fox since 2019 after Rupert Murdoch sold the bulk of the company’s entertainment assets to the Walt Disney Co., in a $71-billion deal which provided Murdoch’s children with a payout of about $2 billion each. At the time, Rupert Murdoch wanted to simplify his company and pave the succession path for Lachlan.

Murdoch noted that resolving the family control issue carried other side benefits, including smoothing the application process for state gaming licenses for the online sports wagering business, FanDuel. Fox has options to take a minority stake in that enterprise.

Rupert Murdoch sought to cement Lachlan’s control as a way to preserve the conservative leanings of his media empire after he is gone.

The 94-year-old patriarch has long viewed Lachlan as his natural heir, in part because his oldest son is the most ideologically in sync with him.

Rupert had become increasingly troubled by the more liberal attitudes of three of his older children, particularly James, who has been outspoken in his disdain of Fox News.

Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan Murdoch at the 2018 Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.

(Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fox shares have fallen about 8% since Monday when the settlement was announced, after the company said the Murdochs planned to price the shares they would sell at $54.25. Shares were trading at $52 on Wednesday.

Lawmakers in Missouri are the latest to try to draw a new U.S. House map for the 2026 election that could improve the Republican Party’s numbers in Congress.

It’s a trend that began in Texas, at the behest of President Trump, to try to keep GOP control of the House next year. California Democrats responded with their own map to help their party, though it still requires voter approval.

Redistricting typically occurs once a decade, immediately after a census. But in some states, there is no prohibition on a mid-cycle map makeover. The U.S. Supreme Court also has said there is no federal prohibition on political gerrymandering, in which districts are intentionally drawn to one party’s advantage.

Nationally, Democrats need to gain three seats next year to take control of the House. The party of the president typically loses seats in the midterm congressional elections.

Here is a rundown of what states are doing.

Missouri lawmakers hold a special session

A special session called by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe began Wednesday and will run at least a week.

Missouri is represented in the U.S House by six Republicans and two Democrats.

A revised map proposed by Kehoe would give Republicans a better chance at winning the seat held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver by stretching the Kansas City-based district into rural Republican-leaning areas.

Although Democrats could filibuster in the Senate, Republicans could use procedural maneuvers to shut that down and pass the new map.

Texas Democrats walked out but Republicans prevailed

Democratic state House members left Texas for two weeks to scuttle a special session on redistricting by preventing a quorum needed to do business. But after that session ended, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott quickly called another one — and Democrats returned, satisfied that they had made their point and that California was proceeding with a counterplan.

Republicans hold 25 of the 38 congressional seats in Texas. A revised map passed Aug. 23 is intended to give Republicans a shot at picking up five additional seats in next year’s elections. Abbott’s signature made the map final.

California Democrats seek to counter Texas

Democrats already hold 43 of the 52 congressional seats in California. The Legislature passed a revised map passed Aug. 21 aimed at giving Democrats a chance to gain five additional seats in the 2026 elections.

Unlike Texas, California has an independent citizens’ commission that handles redistricting after the census, so any changes to the map need approval from voters. A referendum is scheduled for Nov. 4.

Indiana Republicans meet with Trump about redistricting

Indiana’s Republican legislative leaders met privately with Trump to discuss redistricting while in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 26. Some also met with Vice President JD Vance.

Several Indiana legislators came out in support of a mid-cycle map change following the meetings. But others have expressed hesitation. It remains unclear if Indiana lawmakers will hold a special session on redistricting.

Republicans hold a 7-2 edge over Democrats in Indiana’s congressional delegation.

Louisiana Republicans looking at times for a special session

Louisiana lawmakers are being told to keep their calendars open between Oct. 23 and Nov. 13. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Oct. 15 over a challenge to the state’s congressional map.

Republican state Rep. Gerald “Beau” Beaullieu, who chairs a House committee that oversees redistricting, said the idea is to have lawmakers available to come back to work in case the Supreme Court issues a ruling quickly.

Republicans now hold four of Louisiana’s six congressional seats.

Ohio must redraw its maps before the 2026 midterms

Because of the way its current districts were enacted, the state Constitution requires Republican-led Ohio to adopt new House maps before the 2026 elections. Ohio Democrats are bracing for Republicans to try to expand their 10-5 congressional majority.

Democrats don’t have much power to stop it. But “we will fight, we will organize, we will make noise at every step of the process,” Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde said.

New York Democrats try to change state law

New York, similar to California, has an independent commission that redraws districts after every census.

State Democrats have introduced legislation to allow mid-decade redistricting, but the soonest new maps could be in place would be for the 2028 elections. That is because the proposal would require an amendment to the state Constitution, a change that would have to pass the Legislature twice and be approved by voters.

Maryland Democrats planning a response to Texas

Democratic state Sen. Clarence Lam has announced he is filing redistricting legislation for consideration during the 2026 session. Democratic House Majority Leader David Moon also said he would sponsor legislation triggering redistricting in Maryland if any state conducted mid-decade redistricting. Democrats control seven of Maryland’s eight congressional seats.

Florida’s governor pledges support for redistricting

Florida Republican state House Speaker Daniel Perez said his chamber will take up redistricting through a special committee. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has reiterated his support for the state to join the redistricting fray, calling on the federal government to conduct a new census count and claiming that the Trump administration should “award” the state another congressional seat.

Twenty of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats are occupied by Republicans.

Kansas Republicans haven’t ruled out redistricting

Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson didn’t rule out trying to redraw the state’s four congressional districts, one of which is held by the state’s sole Democratic representative. The Legislature’s GOP supermajority could do so early next year.

A court orders Utah to redraw its districts

Utah Republicans hold all four of the state’s U.S. House seats under a map the GOP-led Legislature approved after the 2020 census. But a judge ruled Aug. 25 that the map was unlawful because the Legislature had circumvented an independent redistricting commission that was established by voters to ensure districts don’t deliberately favor one party.

The judge gave lawmakers until Sept. 24 to adopt a map, which could increase Democrats’ chances of winning a seat.

Lululemon Athletica (LULU -0.80%) is suing Costco Wholesale (COST 1.08%) for selling similar, knock-off products in its warehouses. For the high-end apparel company, how this ends up playing out could be a make-or-break moment for its stock.

Shares of Lululemon are down close to 50% this year as investors have grown concerned with the company’s lackluster growth and worrisome exposure to China. The stock hasn’t been trading at these levels since 2020, and depending on your outlook for the business in the long run, Lululemon could either be a steal of a deal right now, or nothing more than a value trap.

What could end up determining that is its battle with Costco.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why the Costco lawsuit could be critical for Lululemon

Lululemon is alleging that Costco has been selling “dupes” of its products and that they are confusing its customers. The suit claims that Costco has infringed on Lululemon’s intellectual property due to how similar the items are, and that they go beyond just selling similar types of clothing. It says that Costco is also using the same color names, such as “Tidewater Teal,” which Lululemon says, “is an important component” of its business.

If Costco is able to fend off the lawsuit and continue selling the products, it could pose a serious threat to Lululemon’s growth at a time when it’s already struggling to grow sales at a high rate. Consumers have been cutting back on discretionary expenditures and if Lululemon has to also compete against Costco and its low prices, that could exacerbate its current woes.

Many Lululemon pants frequently retail at more than $100, and if consumers can buy similar products at their local Costco, that could hurt the company’s pricing power, possibly forcing it to reduce prices, which would hurt its gross margins and impact its overall level of profitability.

Lululemon’s growth rate has been falling sharply in recent years

In recent quarters, Lululemon has been growing its sales by just single digits, which is down significantly from how well the business did in previous years — when it wasn’t uncommon for its growth rate to be in excess of 20%.

LULU Revenue (Quarterly YoY Growth) data by YCharts

If you factor in the potential for Costco to provide customers with similar-looking products, that could further erode its growth rate in the future. And with tariff uncertainty still looming with respect to China, a key market for Lululemon and where it also imports many of its products from, there are multiple headwinds for investors to consider before buying the retail stock.

Why I’d avoid Lululemon stock right now

Lululemon’s intellectual property and overall competitive advantage faces a big test with its suit against Costco right now. If consumers can buy similar-looking clothing at just a fraction of the price, it could lead to even worse growth prospects for the company in future quarters. And with macroeconomic conditions not looking all that great, consumers may still be tempted to look for lower-priced alternatives. The declining growth rate does seem to suggest that demand may be constrained right now.

Although Lululemon stock may look cheap, trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of around 14, given the uncertainty the business faces in both the short and long term, this is not a company I’d invest in today. It all hinges on how much value consumers place on the brand and the willingness to pay significantly more for Lululemon products. Right now, things aren’t looking too good, and unless Lululemon’s growth prospects drastically improve or it wins its suit against Costco, I’d avoid the stock.

Montell Jordan, the son of South L.A. who shot to fame in 1995 with the hit “This Is How We Do It,” says his prostate cancer has returned despite having a radical prostatectomy last year.

“We thought [the cancer] was all confined, isolated to the prostate,” he said Wednesday on “Today.” “Apparently, that was not the case.”

Jordan said that after his nine-month follow-up exam and testing, doctors noticed a “tiny amount” of cancer cells in the prostate bed — the former site of the gland that was removed — and in some lymph nodes on the left side of his body. He is opting for proton radiation therapy to target the cancer and hormone blockers to reduce or eliminate production of testosterone, a hormone that the Mayo Clinic says is needed for most prostate cancer cells to grow.

The five-day-a-week radiation treatments will be “a 7½-week interruption of life to make sure that I have a longer life,” said the 56-year-old Pepperdine University graduate, who is now a pastor based in Georgia, in addition to continuing to work in the music industry.

After getting prostate exams regularly since he turned 40, he knew his doctor suspected he had cancer when his PSA test results came back elevated. Still, he said, getting the official diagnosis early in 2024 was a shock.

“I still go numb a little bit,” Jordan told “Today.” “I’m the type of person that tries to live a life of moderation in what I eat and what I drink and how I work out. I don’t do alcohol or smoke or any of those things.” He noted that his quality of live has been “fantastic” since his surgery.

However, the biopsy that came back after his prostatectomy showed that his cancer was likely Stage 2, not Stage 1 as originally thought, he said. Stage 2 means that the cancer has grown larger and has possibly spread to nearby lymph nodes. The most recent exam appears to have confirmed that diagnosis.

Jordan said he is talking about his journey because the way that prostate cancer and notions of manhood and masculinity are interwoven means men don’t like to talk about the disease — Black men especially.

The minister, who with his wife, Kristin Jordan, formed the “100% virtual” Master Peace Church operating out of Dacula, Ga., northeast of Atlanta, is also filming a documentary about his experience.

“I’m trying to give a template for people that get diagnosed with this to, one, know they have options available to them,” Jordan said. “And, two, in the mix of what that looks like, it’s OK to cry. It’s OK to shake your fist at God. It’s OK to navigate and do what you need to do, but doing nothing is not an option.”

Vanessa Clarke/BBC

Chloe Hart

Vanessa Clarke/BBC

Rachel Williams

‘Free’ childcare

Vanessa Clarke/BBC

Thursday might be an off-day for the Dodgers.

But for their most intriguing recent draft pick, it’s also the opening day of a different kind of season.

In the 17th round of last month’s MLB draft, the Dodgers took a flier on University of Missouri pitcher Sam Horn, a 6-foot-4 right-hander with a big fastball, a promising slider and an athletic, projectable build.

Like most late-round prospects hoping to become a diamond in the rough, Horn came with questions. He pitched just 15 innings in his college career after undergoing Tommy John surgery as a sophomore. His limited body of work led to a wide range of scouting opinions.

In Horn’s case, however, the biggest unknowns had nothing to do with his potential as a pitcher.

Because, starting Thursday night, he will also be under center as quarterback for Missouri’s football team.

Horn is not only a two-sport athlete, but someone still undecided on whether his future will be on a mound or the gridiron. As a quarterback, he was a four-star recruit in Missouri’s 2022 signing class. And this fall, he has been locked in a battle with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula, jockeying for first-string signal-caller duties at an SEC program coming off a 10-win season.

When Missouri opens its 2025 football schedule Thursday night against Central Arkansas, Pribula will play the first half, and Horn will play the second half. As for the rest of the season, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz has yet to hand either player all the keys to the offense.

“I think both quarterbacks have done an excellent job of doing the things that we’ve asked them to do, and there wasn’t enough separation that I felt like there was a clear-cut starter,” Drinkwitz told reporters this week. “And so the next-best evaluation is in a live football game to see how guys respond, not only to preparation and a game plan, but also respond to a crowd, also respond to being tackled and being hit.”

It’s a QB battle that Dodgers officials have followed with fascination throughout Missouri’s fall camp.

Already, the club has signed Horn to a baseball contract with an almost $500,000 signing bonus (well above the norm for the 525th overall pick).

The question now is whether he ever ends up playing for them.

“We’re pleasantly hoping he does,” Dodgers vice president of baseball operations Billy Gasparino said this week. “We think there’s a whole window of opportunity to get him much better, and quickly.”

Once upon a time, the Dodgers viewed Horn as one of college baseball’s better pitching prospects. Even in a limited sample size as a freshman in 2023, Gasparino said the team evaluated him as having potential future first-round talent.

“He’s a tremendous athlete,” said Gasparino, the longtime point man for the Dodgers’ draft operations. “He has really good arm action. I think that part was very elite.”

By the time Horn actually became draft-eligible this summer, though, uncertainties about his future made his scouting process unique.

All along, Horn signaled to MLB teams that he wanted to play football this fall. As a redshirt junior, he will have another season of eligibility in football next year as well. Gasparino said the narrative around Horn, who is originally from Lawrenceville, Ga., is that “baseball is his first love.”

“But,” Gasparino added, “he definitely seemed split on what he wanted to do going forward.”

This is not the first recent example of the Dodgers drafting a power-conference college quarterback.

Two years ago, they used their final 20th-round selection in the 2023 draft on then-Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, a former two-sport star at St. John Bosco. Uiagalelei, however, never signed with the team. As a highly-touted five-star talent with NFL aspirations, he never made the switch to baseball either, his draft rights with the Dodgers lapsing after he transferred to Florida State for the 2024 football season.

Horn’s situation appears to be different. Unlike Uiagalelei (who never actually pitched collegiately), he spent the last three years on Missouri’s baseball team. And if he doesn’t win the starting quarterback job with the Tigers football squad this fall, his odds of reporting to the Dodgers next spring figure to be much more realistic.

That’s why, as Missouri’s QB battle has unfolded this preseason, Gasparino scoured Missouri recruiting site message boards and local news outlets, looking for any indication of which way the program was leaning.

“The coach is going to give nothing,” Gasparino said jokingly. “So you kind of have to go on the message boards, and to the local writers, to figure out, ‘Alright, who is winning? What is going on?’ It’s been kind of a hard read.”

Leading up to the draft, Horn’s situation also required extra scouting legwork. The Dodgers dusted off his old freshman year and high school evaluations, after he pitched just 10 ⅔ innings in Missouri’s spring baseball season coming off his Tommy John procedure. They also reached out to NFL scouting departments and college football recruiters, “just to figure out how talented he was at football,” Gasparino said.

The Dodgers do have downside protection if Horn ultimately decides to stick with the football, with Gasparino noting that “to actually get his signing bonus, he has to come to us.”

But in the meantime, they’ll be keeping a close eye on Missouri’s football season — starting with Thursday night’s opener in which Horn is slated to see the field.

“Definitely gonna be watching,” Gasparino said. “I mean, I guess first, it’s like, don’t get hurt. But also just hoping that the right answer becomes very clear on what he should do sport-wise … Of course, we’d be disappointed if it’s not baseball. But would hate another year of in-between.”

WASHINGTON — It happened once before: a chaotic, contested, anger-plagued election that haunts American politics to this day.

The vote was a virtual tie. Recounts were demanded–then rejected. Increasingly distrustful camps warred over absentee ballots and the vagaries of voter intent. A Republican secretary of state came under fire. Controversy spilled over into the courts.

And in the end, when the Democratic-controlled U.S. House refused to seat the certified Republican winner from southwest Indiana, political relations took a long plunge into partisan bitterness–the sort of animus that threatens whoever ends up in the White House next year.

“When it was over, the buildings were still standing but the foundations were cracked,” recalled John J. Pitney Jr., a political scientist and Capitol Hill aide during the controversy of 1984-85. “It really changed the level of mutual animosity and the atmosphere of the House–to this day.”

“Indiana 8” (the disputed election was in the state’s 8th Congressional District) became a gut-wrenching GOP battle cry, an early milestone in the nation’s journey toward divisive, bitter politics that is now reflected in everything from the climate in the capital to razor-thin margins in elections across the country.

A Troubling Lesson on Tainted Elections

Indeed, in the eerie parallels between today’s presidential election and its Indiana predecessor, some see a warning for Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore: A result tainted with even the appearance of bias–however accurate the result may be–can trigger reactions that are destructive, long-lasting and unpredictable.

“People have to realize that these disputes have consequences. And what was true about one congressional district would be greatly magnified in a presidential race,” warned former Rep. Lee H. Hamilton, an Indiana Democrat who heads the Smithsonian Institution’s Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Although little known, the tortured tale of Indiana’s “Bloody 8” remains seared in the memory of many politicians.

At first, in the early hours after the Nov. 6, 1984, election, it appeared that incumbent Rep. Frank McCloskey, a Democrat, had eked out a victory by 72 votes. But it was quickly discovered that two precincts had counted ballots twice, skewing the result in favor of the former Bloomington mayor.

Five weeks later, to the shock of Democrats, Indiana’s Republican secretary of state certified Republican Richard McIntyre as the winner by 34 votes. McIntyre’s margin grew to 418 in a January recount, when officials tossed out 4,800 ballots for a range of technical reasons that were judged by differing standards in the district’s 15 counties.

On Capitol Hill, however, the Democratic-controlled House questioned the findings and created a three member panel–two Democrats and one Republican–to recommend which man should be seated in Congress.

Seeking a process that would withstand scrutiny, task force members hired auditors from the government’s General Accounting Office. But Republicans complained that Democrats were stealing the election and employing a sham process to do it.

“If he is denied his seat, then any certified candidate . . . is open to political attack,” Rep. Bill Thomas of California, the Republican on the task force, complained at the time.

Quickly, the task force ran into pivotal disputes over which absentee ballots should be accepted and which should be rejected. In succeeding weeks, Republicans tried to seat McIntyre on several occasions, once launching a surprise vote when many Democrats were out of town. But the majority party always managed to prevail.

Increasingly frustrated Republicans unveiled aggressive guerrilla tactics, forcing roll-call votes on minor matters, blistering the podium with motions to adjourn and on at least one occasion keeping the House in session all night.

On May 1, six months after the election, the task force ruled that Democrat McCloskey had won the race by four votes. The House quickly endorsed the panel’s finding.

The party-line vote became a watershed in a new era of partisan feuding, even prompting the strange spectacle of Republican lawmakers singing “We Shall Overcome” as they stormed out of the House.

In an interview this week, Rep. Leon E. Panetta, the Carmel Valley Democrat who was chairman of the task force, cited the difficulty of bringing a disputed election to a satisfying conclusion: “The lessons are that, no matter what process is agreed upon, when it comes down to a very close vote, it leaves some very deep feelings that are not easily overcome.”

But, he said, the House vote to seat McCloskey would have been more broadly accepted if the task force had included an equal number of Democrats and Republicans and if there had been consensus in the finding: “If the committee leans partisan, either Republican or Democratic, then it will always be viewed as a partisan result.”

Before the Indiana battle, the Republican Party was largely split between a pragmatic old-guard, personified by House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel of Illinois, and a growing band of Young Turks, headed by Newt Gingrich of Georgia. The Gingrich troops had been seeking a much more confrontational approach, with the aim of capturing control of the House.

“Indiana 8” gave the mavericks the ammunition they needed to push the old guard aside. “Following the McIntyre incident, 95% of the Republicans came to the conclusion that the only way we were going to get the kind of attention we deserved was to win the majority,” said former Rep. Robert S. Walker, a Pennsylvania Republican who was a ringleader of the younger group.

‘A Transformational Episode’ for GOP

In the era that followed, Democrats and Republicans no longer belonged to different branches of the same insiders’ club. Instead, they belonged to warring clans.

“It was a transformational episode for Republicans,” said Dan Meyer, a longtime aide to Gingrich. “There was a sense across the board that seat was stolen. It gave legitimacy to the efforts of the [Gingrich] crowd. The Democratic leadership, in the eyes of even the older Republican members, lost some legitimacy.”

Recalling Indiana, some experts warned that today’s presidential election conflict could sow lasting seeds of partisan mistrust because both sides have cast doubt effectively on the legitimacy of their opponent’s claim to victory. But today’s stakes are much higher.

“When you have one-third or more of the country looking at the other candidate as illegitimate, that does not bode well for the president uniting the country,” said Eric M. Uslaner, a professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland, alluding to polls that point to such divisions.

But in an interview, the winner of the ill-starred Indiana election expressed surprising optimism that today’s furor will blow over without dramatic consequences. “I don’t think we’re into a perpetual, acrimonious quagmire,” said McCloskey, now an attorney in Bloomington.

Still, it was with vehemence that he expressed the words that raise the blood pressure of many Republicans even 15 years later: “I won it fairly.”

Elon Musk on Monday ramped up his legal feud with OpenAI as his companies filed a new lawsuit against OpenAI and Apple accusing both of anticompetitive behavior in the artificial intelligence industry in a growing clash of tech titans.

Apple and OpenAI announced a partnership last year that would allow Apple customers to connect with OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, on iPhones. Musk’s social media firm X and artificial intelligence company X.AI LLC say that the deal has hindered their ability to compete and has locked up markets to maintain what they describe as Apple and OpenAI’s monopolies.

“Plaintiffs bring this suit to stop Defendants from perpetrating their anticompetitive scheme and to recover billions in damages,” according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Texas on Monday. Musk’s companies, Bastrop, Texas-based X and Palo Alto-based xAI, are seeking a permanent injunction against Apple and OpenAI and more than $1 billion in damages.

The lawsuit adds to a long-running fight between Musk and OpenAI’s Chief Executive Sam Altman. Musk was an early investor in OpenAI but later left its board and started a rival AI business, xAI. Musk has an ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman, accusing them of fraud and breach of contract over OpenAI’s efforts to change its corporate structure.

“This latest filing is consistent with Mr Musk’s ongoing pattern of harassment,” OpenAI said in a statement.

Musk companies’ lawsuit claims ChatGPT has at least an 80% market share in the generative AI chatbot market, whereas xAI’s chatbot Grok has just a few percentage points in market share.

“As a result of Apple and OpenAI’s exclusive arrangement, ChatGPT is the only AI chatbot that benefits from billions of user prompts originating from hundreds of millions of iPhones,” according to xAI’s lawsuit. “This makes it hard for competitors of ChatGPT’s generative AI chatbot and super apps powered by generative AI chatbots to scale and innovate.”

xAI has asked to integrate Grok directly with Apple’s software ecosystem, iOS, but hasn’t been allowed to do so, Musk’s companies said in their lawsuit. While users can access other AI chatbots on iPhones by using a web browser or downloading an AI chatbot’s app, “those options do not provide the same level of functionality, usability, integration, or access to user prompts as ChatGPT’s first-party integration with Apple,” the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit also accuses Apple of deprioritizing the AI chatbot apps of OpenAI’s competitors in the App Store.

Apple did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on the lawsuit.

Earlier this month, Musk said on X that he planned to take legal action against Apple, causing a sparring match on the social media platform between him and OpenAI’s Altman.

“Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation,” Musk wrote on Aug. 11.

Altman later posted on X, “This is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn’t like.”

Apple previously told Bloomberg that it collaborates with many developers “to increase app visibility in rapidly evolving categories” and features thousands of apps in charts, algorithmic recommendations and curated lists by experts using objective criteria.

“The App Store is designed to be fair and free of bias,” Apple told Bloomberg.

Apple has also faced backlash and criticism from some developers and the Department of Justice over the way it operates its App Store. Last year the DOJ sued Apple, accusing it of engaging in practices that prevented other companies from offering apps that compete with Apple’s offerings.

At the time, Apple said that if the government’s lawsuit was successful, it would hurt its ability to create the type of technology people expect from Apple “where hardware, software, and services intersect.”

“It would also set a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology,” Apple said.

Staff writer Queenie Wong and Editorial Library Director Cary Schneider contributed to this report.

Millions of dollars began flowing into campaigns supporting and opposing an effort to redraw California’s congressional districts on the November ballot, notably $10 million from independent redistricting champion Charles Munger Jr.

The checks, reported Friday in state campaign finance disclosures, were made on Thursday, the day the state Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special election to replace the congressional districts drawn by an independent commission in 2021 with new districts that would boost the number of Democrats elected to Congress in next year’s midterm election.

The move is an effort by California Democrats to counter Texas Republicans’ and President Trump’s efforts to boost the number of GOP members.

Munger, a GOP donor and the son of a billionaire who was Warren Buffett’s right-hand man, bankrolled the 2010 ballot measure that created independent congressional redistricting in California. He donated $10 million to the “No on Prop. 50 – Protect Voters First” campaign,” which opposes the proposed redistricting.

“Charles Munger Jr. is making good on his promise to defend the reforms he passed,” said Amy Thoma, a spokesperson for the Voters First Coalition, which opposes the ballot measure and includes Munger.

A spokesperson for the campaign supporting the redrawing of congressional boundaries accused Munger of trying to boost the GOP under the guise of supporting independent redistricting.

“It’s no surprise that a billionaire who has given extensively to help Republicans take the house and [former Republican House Speaker] Kevin McCarthy would be joining forces to help Donald Trump steal five House seats and rig the 2026 midterm before a single American has voted,” said Hannah Milgrom, spokesperson for “Yes on 50: the Election Rigging Response Act.” “Prop 50 is America’s best chance to fight back – vote yes on November. 4.”

The campaign backing the ballot measure received $1 million on Thursday from a powerful labor group, SEIU’s state council; $300,000 from businessman Andrew Hauptman; and a flurry of other donations, according to the California secretary of state’s office. That is on top of the $5.8 million the campaign reported having in the bank as of July 30, including millions of dollars in contributions from House Majority PAC, which is focused on electing Democrats to Congress, and Newsom’s 2022 gubernatorial reelection campaign.

Redistricting typically happens once a decade after the U.S. census. Trump asked Texas lawmakers to redraw their congressional districts earlier this year, arguing that the GOP was entitled to five more members from the state. In response, California Democrats have pitched new district boundaries that could result in five more Democrats being elected to Congress.

SACRAMENTO — Ratcheting up the pressure in the escalating national fight over control of Congress, the California Legislature on Thursday approved November special election to ask voters in November to redraw the state’s electoral lines to favor Democrats and thwart President Trump’s far-right policy agenda.

The ballot measure, pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state and national Democratic leaders, is the latest volley in a national political brawl over electoral maps that could alter the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections and the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

If voters approve the redrawn lines on Nov. 4, Democrats in the Golden State would see the odds tilted further in their favor, while the number of California Republicans in the House could be halved.

Newsom initially said that new electoral districts in California would only take effect if another state redrew its lines before 2031. But after Texas moved toward approving its own maps this week that could give the GOP five more House seats, Democrats stripped the so-called “trigger” language from the amendment — meaning that if voters approve the measure, the new lines would take effect no matter what.

The ballot measure language, which asks California voters to override the power of the independent redistricting commission, was approved by most Democrats in the Assembly and the Senate, where they hold supermajorities.

California lawmakers have the power to place constitutional amendments on the statewide ballot without the approval of the governor. Newsom, however, is expected later Thursday to sign two separate bills that fund the special election and spell out the lines for the new congressional districts.

Democrats’ rush to the ballot marks a sudden departure from California’s 15-year commitment to independent redistricting, often held up as the country’s gold standard. The state’s voters stripped lawmakers of the power to draw lines during the Great Recession and handed that partisan power to a panel of independent citizens whose names are drawn in a lottery.

The change, Democrats said, was forced by an extraordinary change in circumstances: After decades of the United States redrawing congressional lines once a decade, President Trump and his political team have leaned on Republican-led states to redraw their district lines before the 2026 midterm elections to help Republicans retain control of the House.

“His playbook is a simple one: Bully, threaten, fight, then rig the rules to hang onto power,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. “We are here today because California will not be a bystander to that power grab. We are not intimidated, and we are acting openly, lawfully, with purpose and resolve, to defend our state and to defend our democracy.”

Republicans in the state Assembly and the state Senate criticized Newsom’s argument that Democrats must “fight fire with fire,” saying retaliation is a slippery slope that would erode the independent redistricting process California voters have chosen twice at the ballot box.

“You move forward fighting fire with fire, and what happens? You burn it all down,” said Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City). He said Trump was “wrong” to push Gov. Greg Abbott to redraw Texas’ lines to benefit Republicans, and so was California’s push to pursue the same strategy.

Democratic Assembly member Marc Berman speaks during a meeting of the California State Assembly at the California State Capitol on August 21, 2025 in Sacramento.

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

State Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), who co-authored the bill drawing the proposed congressional districts, said Democrats had no choice but to stand up, given the harm the Trump administration has inflicted on healthcare, education, tariffs and other policies that affect Californians.

“What do we do? Just sit back and do nothing?” Gonzalez said. “Or do we fight back and provide some chance for our Californians to see themselves in this democracy?”

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-Santee) said the effort is “a corrupt redistricting scheme to rig California’s elections” that violates the “letter and the spirit of the California constitution.”

“Democrats are rushing this through under the guise of urgency,” Jones said. “There is no emergency that justifies this abuse of process.”

Three Assembly Democrats did not vote in favor of the constitutional amendment. Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano), who is running for Congress against Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) in the San Joaquin Valley, voted no. Progressive Caucus chair Alex Lee (D-San Jose), and Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay), did not vote.

Democrats will face an unusual messaging challenge with the November ballot measure, said Matt Lesenyie, an assistant professor of political science at Cal State Long Beach.

The opponents of mid-decade redistricting are stressing that the measure would “disadvantage voters,” he said, which is “wording that Democrats have primed Democrats on, for now two administrations, that democracy is being killed with a thousand cuts.”

“It’s a weird, sort of up-is-down moment,” Lesenyie said.

How did we get here?

Trump’s political team began pressuring Abbott and Texas Republicans in early June to redraw the state’s 38 congressional districts in the middle of the decade — which is very uncommon — to give Republicans a better shot at keeping the House in 2026.

“We are entitled to five more seats,” Trump later told CNBC.

Some Texas Republicans feared that mid-decade redistricting could imperil their own chances of reelection. But within a month of the White House floating the idea, Abbott added the new congressional lines, which would stack the deck against as many as five Texas Democrats in Congress, to the Legislature’s special session in July.

By mid-July, Newsom was talking about California punching back. In an interview with the progressive news site the TN Holler, Newsom said: “These guys, they’re not f—ing around. They’re playing by a totally different set of rules.”

Democrats in Texas fled the state for nearly two weeks, including some to California, to deny Republicans the quorum they needed to pass the new lines. Abbott signed civil arrest warrants and levied fines on the 52 absent Democrats while they held news conferences in California and Illinois to bring attention to the fight.

While the Texas drama unfolded, consultants for the campaign arm of House Democrats in California quietly drew up maps that would further chop down the number of Golden State Republicans in Congress. The proposed changes would eliminate the district of Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) and dilute the number of GOP voters in four districts represented by Reps. Doug LaMalfa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao and Darrell Issa.

The Democrats agreed to return to Texas last week and pointed to California’s tit-for-tat effort as one measure of success, saying the Golden State could neutralize any Republican gains in Texas.

Since then, other Republican-led states have begun to contemplate redistricting too, including Indiana, Florida and Missouri. Trump’s political allies are publicly threatening to mount primary challenges against any Indiana Republican who opposes redrawing the lines.

In California, the opposition is shaping up as quickly as the ballot measure.

California voters received the first campaign mailer opposing the ballot measure a day before the Legislature voted to approve it. A four-page glossy flier, funded by conservative donor and redistricting champion Charlie Munger Jr., warned voters that mid-decade redistricting is “weakening our Democratic process” and “a threat to California’s landmark election reform.”

Republicans have also gone to court to try and stop the measure, alleging in an emergency petition with the state Supreme Court that Democrats violated the state Constitution by ramming the bills through without following proper legislative procedure. The high court Wednesday rejected the petition.

A wave of legal challenges are expected, not only in California but in any state that reconfigures congressional districts in the expanding partisan brawl.

Assemblymember Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) said Thursday morning that a lawsuit challenging the California ballot measure would be filed in state court by Friday evening. He said Republicans also plan to litigate the title of the ballot measure and any voter guide materials that accompany it.

And, he said, if voters approve the new lines, “I believe we will have ample opportunity to set the maps aside in federal court.”

THERE are fears for a Thai princess after the royal palace shared a concerning health update following her three-year-long coma battle.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the eldest daughter of King Vajiralongkorn, is said to have developed a severe infection.

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The 46-year-old, affectionately known as Princess Bha, collapsed in December, 2022, while training her dogs in Nakhon Ratchasima, northeast of Bangkok.

She has been in a coma ever since.

The Bureau of the Royal Household gave the first update on her condition in more than two years on Friday, saying she had suffered a “severe” blood infection.

The palace said in a following update that a team of doctors were closely monitoring her situation.

It read: “The medical team said that she remains in a state of low blood pressure, requiring continuous treatment.

“Doctors are administering medication to stabilise her blood pressure, along with medical equipment and antibiotics to support kidney function and breathing.”

Over the years, some reports have suggested her health condition is far more serious than the palace is letting on.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha was training her dogs at a working dog championship organised by the Thaiarmy when she collapsed.

Paramedics rushed her to a nearby hospital before a helicopter took her to Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn health facility.

Bajrakitiyabha is the daughter of the king’s first wife, Princess Soamsawali.

She has been part of her father’s inner circle since he came to the throne in 2016 and is a senior officer in the king’s personal guard.

The fitness enthusiast is widely viewed as the most suitable successor for her father, who turned 70 this year.

She has post-graduate law degrees from two US universities and has long called for prison reforms in Thailand.

She was also the Thai ambassador to Austria between 2012 and 2014.

The 73-year-old king, who has seven children from four marriages, has not announced his chosen heir.

Though succession rules in Thailand favour men.

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AUSTIN, Texas — A Democratic Texas lawmaker opted to spend the night in the state House chamber and remain there Tuesday rather than allow a law enforcement officer to shadow her while Republicans try to prevent further delays to redrawing U.S. House maps.

Rep. Nicole Collier overnight stay stemmed from Republicans in the Texas House requiring returning Democrats to sign what the Democrats called “permission slips,” agreeing to around-the-clock surveillance by state Department of Public Safety officers to leave the floor. Collier, of Fort Worth, refused and remained on the House floor Monday night.

A message seeking comment was sent Tuesday to the Department of Public Safety.

The Democrats’ return to Texas puts the Republican-run Legislature in position to satisfy Trump’s demands, possibly later this week, as California Democrats advance new congressional boundaries in retaliation.

Lawmakers had officers posted outside their Capitol offices, and suburban Dallas Rep. Mihaela Plesa said one tailed her on her Monday evening drive back to her apartment in Austin after spending much of the day on a couch in her office. She said he went with her for a staff lunch and even down the hallway with her for restroom breaks.

“We were kind of laughing about it, to be honest, but this is really serious stuff,” Plesa said in a telephone interview. “This is a waste of taxpayer dollars and really performative theater.”

Collier, who represents a minority-majority district, said she would not “sign away my dignity” and allow Republicans to “control my movements and monitor me.”

“I know these maps will harm my constituents,” she said in a statement. “I won’t just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.”

2 states at the center of an expanding fight

The tit-for-tat puts the nation’s two most populous states at the center of an expanding fight over control of Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The battle has rallied Democrats nationally following infighting and frustrations among the party’s voters since Republicans took total control of the federal government in January.

Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers left for Illinois and elsewhere on Aug. 3, denying their Republican colleagues the attendance necessary to vote on redrawn maps intended to send five more Texas Republicans to Washington. Republicans now hold 25 of Texas’ 38 U.S. House seats.

They declared victory Friday, pointing to California’s proposal intended to increase Democrats’ U.S. House advantage by five seats. Many absent Democrats left Chicago early Monday and landed hours later at a private airfield in Austin, where several boarded a charter bus to the Capitol. Cheering supporters greeted them inside.

Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows did not mention redistricting on the floor but promised swift action on the Legislature’s agenda.

“We aren’t playing around,” Republican state Rep. Matt Shaheen, whose district includes part of the Dallas area, said in a post on the X social media platform.

Democrats promise to keep fighting

Even as they declared victory, Democrats acknowledged Republicans can now approve redrawn districts. Texas House Minority Leader Gene Wu said Democrats would challenge the new designs in court.

Lawmakers did not take up any bills Monday and were not scheduled to return until Wednesday.

Trump has pressured other Republican-run states to consider redistricting, as well, while Democratic governors in multiple statehouses have indicated they would follow California’s lead in response. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said his state will hold a Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts.

The president wants to shore up Republicans’ narrow House majority and avoid a repeat of the midterms during his first presidency. After gaining House control in 2018, Democrats used their majority to stymie his agenda and twice impeach him.

Nationally, the partisan makeup of existing district lines puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Of the 435 total House seats, only several dozen districts are competitive. So even slight changes in a few states could affect which party wins control.

Redistricting typically occurs once at the beginning of each decade after the census. Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps. California is among those that empower independent commissions, giving Newsom an additional hurdle.

California Democrats start redrawing process

Democratic legislators introduced new California maps Monday. It was the first official move toward the fall referendum asking voters to override the independent commission’s work after the 2020 census. The proposed boundaries would replace current ones through 2030. Democrats said they will return the mapmaking power to the commission after that.

State Republicans promised lawsuits.

Democrats hold 43 out of California’s 52 U.S. House seats. The proposal would try to expand that advantage by targeting battleground districts in Northern California, San Diego and Orange counties, and the Central Valley. Some Democratic incumbents also get more left-leaning voters in their districts.

“We don’t want this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot run away from this fight,” said Democrat Marc Berman, a California Assembly member who previously chaired the elections committee.

Republicans expressed opposition in terms that echoed Democrats in Austin, accusing the majority of abusing power. Sacramento Republicans said they will introduce legislation advocating independent redistricting commissions in all states.

Texas’ governor jumped to the president’s aid

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott launched the expanding battle when he heeded Trump’s wishes and added redistricting to an initial special session agenda that included multiple issues, including a package responding to devastating floods that killed more than 130 people last month.

Abbott has blamed Democrats’ absence for delaying action on those measures. Democrats have answered that Abbott is responsible because he effectively linked the hyper-partisan matter to nonpartisan flood relief.

Abbott, Burrows and other Republicans tried various threats and legal maneuvers to pressure Democrats’ return, including the governor arguing that Texas judges should remove absent lawmakers from office.

As long as they were out of state, lawmakers were beyond the reach of the civil arrest warrants that Burrows issued. The Democrats who returned Monday did so without being detained by law enforcement.

The lawmakers who left face fines of up to $500 for each legislative day they missed. Burrows has insisted Democratic lawmakers also will pay pick up the tab for law enforcement who attempted to corral them during the walkout.

Barrow, Nguyen, Figueroa and Hanna write for the Associated Press. Barrow reported from Atlanta. Nguyen reported from Sacramento. Hanna reported from Topeka, Kan.

NOTHING screams luxury like a top-notch yacht, so it’s no wonder Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has been hosting Max Verstappen on his boat in a bid to woo the popular driver away from Red Bull.

The Formula One World Champion, 27, has been spotted sunning himself topless on the vessel just off the coast of Sardinia.

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In photos that emerged last week, he was seen enjoying the heat as he laughed with Toto, 53, who was dressed all in white.

The luxurious yacht, named Mangusta 165, is believed to have cost the racing boss £20million and spends most of the time moored in Monaco when not in use.

F1 is currently on its summer break, with the next race not until August 31 in Zandvoort.

Max’s break with the Mercedes boss has refuelled rumours that he might move to the team when his contract with Red Bull is up.

The four-time world champion told RacingNews365: “I’m in the middle. Maybe it’ll be good, maybe it’ll be bad – we’ll see.

“I’m very open-minded, honestly. I don’t even think about it too much – I’m just enjoying the moment. 

“When I sit in the car next year, we’ll figure it out. I’m not making the rules anyway.”

Toto has owned his yacht, which is 50m in length and has a top speed of 25 knots, since 2023.

It boasts five bedrooms and can host 12 guests, who can also enjoy use of the jet skis and a hot tub.

The Mercedes boss isn’t the only F1 star to own a fancy yacht. Here we look at battle of the boats.

Max Verstappen

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He might have spent the beginning of his summer break on Toto’s yacht, but the F1 driver has his own boat – which has been described as a ‘Bond villain’s weekend getaway’.

He owns 33million yacht Unleash the Lion, which is thought to be worth £11million.

It can hold up to 12 guests alongside five crew, meaning Max and partner Kelly Piquet have ample space for entertaining as well as room for their daughter, Lily, born in May.

It has an open deck to the rear which is fitted with white couches and is thought to have an area to store a speed boat.

He also has a large stateroom inside, but little else is known about the pricey vessel’s interior.

Max moored the yacht in Monaco this year when he was competing in the principality’s Grand Prix but he hasn’t posted photos since its purchase earlier this year.

George Russell

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British F1 ace George, 27, is the latest driver to join the yacht owner’s club with his Pershing 6X.

He splashed out £2.2million on the luxurious vessel following his success on the track.

The boat might be smaller than grid rival Max’s, but it’s not tiny either.

It has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a kitchen and a spacious upper deck living area.

And he’s been showing the yacht off on his social media with girlfriend Carmen Mundt, 26, and a host of friends on board.

They also have a stash of pricey water toys and the racer has posted videos of him and others on a hydrofoil skimming across the sea.

Like rival Max, George is also spending his summer break from the circuit on the boat off the coast of Sardinia.

Fernando Alonso

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Spanish driver Fernando, 44, has owned a Sunreef Power Eco 60 since 2023 after signing an order for it back in 2021.

Each yacht from the brand is a bespoke creation for the buyer.

The 18.3m long vessel is solar-powered, giving the boat eco-friendly credentials that most yachts don’t have.

“I think [Sunreef] is the only company that takes sustainability to a very serious level,” said Alonso during an interview with BOAT International.

“To have a fully electric catamaran powered by solar panels made perfect sense to me.”

The solar panels cover 68.6m squared across the yacht, including the roof and hull sides.

It’s equipped with two 360kw electric motors and a set of 990kwh batteries which are solar powered – making the yacht essentially silent when moving.

One of the smaller yachts owned by an F1 star, it can accommodate up to six guests and four crew.

But, for Fernando, size doesn’t matter.

Alonso said: “On board, all that matters is peace of mind, fresh air, and good company. Yachting should not be about ego.

“For me, it’s about sharing good moments and being respectful towards the environment.”

Lawrence Stroll

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Billionaire Lawrence, 65, has splashed some of his enormous fortune on a 262-foot long floating mansion for a cool £184.5million.

The Aston Martin F1 team owner downsized from his original yacht, Faith, to Project 714 in March – and has now also renamed it Faith.

The upper decks, enclosed in glass, contain a swimming pool, a games deck and a helicopter landing pad with a hangar below, according to Luxury Launches.

Inside, there are seven guest cabins which can hold up to 14 people as well as space for 20 crew members.

It’s thought the large vessel, which has a top speed of 17knots, has annual running costs of up to £20million.

Lawrence’s previous boat could host up to 18 people across nine cabins and had a crew of 34.

It also boasted a private cinema, nine-meter swimming pool plus a spa and plunge pool.

He sold it to business tycoon Michael Latifi when he decided to downsize to a slightly smaller vessel.

Lewis Hamilton

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British driver Lewis, 40, is also a member of the F1 yacht club with Sunseeker 90, which he is thought to have bought in 2009 for around £2.9million.

And when he’s not feeling like being on his own boat, he charters other vessels that boast a bigger range of rooms and activities.

Sunseeker 90 is 91.9feet and can sleep up to eight guests. It boasts a top speed of 30 knots meaning it’s a speedy boat.

The yacht is normally moored in Monaco, where Lewis resides during the off season.

It features American walnut carpentry, air-conditioning, a huge kitchen and an entertainment area with a shower where guests can rinse off after a dip in the sea.

He was seen entertaining model Bella Hadid, 28, on a yacht back in 2017, but it’s not clear if he used his own boat or rented one for entertaining.

Lewis has also been spotted entertaining pals over the years, including former teammate Nico Rosberg and his own family.

Charles Leclerc

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Ferrari driver Charles, 27, appears to be a big fan of spending time on both his yachts – because who would have one when you could have two?

He owns a Riva 66 Ribelle named Sedici, which is Italian for sixteen – his race number – and a Riva Dolceriva open cruiser.

Sedici is a 20m sports yacht that can reach speeds of up to 37 knots and has three cabins inside.

He brought it to the Monaco Grand Prix this year, like many of his fellow drivers.

It seems to be his favourite of the two boats, as he often shares snaps from holidays on it, many with it in the background while he swims.

His second vessel is named Monza after the world-famous racing circuit – and is a speedy boat.

Charles paid approximately £1.5million for it back in 2020 and reportedly bought it to commemorate winning the Grand Prix at Monza the year before.

It’s 48ft long and can accommodate up to four guests across two cabins.

The lower deck has an L-shaped sofa with a coffee table in the centre. The master cabin has a huge king-sized bed as well as an ensuite.

MOLLY-Mae Hague’s sister Zoe seems to have forgiven Tommy Fury as he recovers from his alcohol misuse.

Fans of the former Love Island couple saw how Zoe warned her younger sister from reuniting with Tommy after their split last year.

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Molly-Mae gave people a raw view into her split from the boxer, and the reasons behind it in her Amazon Prime docuseries Behind It All.

The influencer explained Tommy’s alcohol use played a big role in their split, and Zoe is seen warning Molly-Mae from getting back together with him in a tense exchange.

But the famous couple have rekindled their romance and continue to parent their daughter Bambi, two, together.

Now, it seems Zoe and Tommy’s relationship has improved after Molly-Mae showed them working out in the same gym with Bambi in tow.

She took to her Instagram stories to film Zoe showing her niece how to do a burpee on the gym floor.

In Molly-Mae’s next story, Tommy is running on a treadmill as Bambi looks on sceptically.

“I think she may feel the same about the gym as I do,” she captioned a close-up photo of Bambi’s face.

The three adults then went for a stroll in the town they were in, where Zoe and Bambi watched a local artist do some painting and the Tommy held his daughter on his shoulders.

Tommy and Molly-Mae recently confirmed they were an item again after splitting last August.

They are now working hard to put past cheating allegations and Tommy’s alcohol-fuelled partying problems behind them.

Molly-Mae recently opened up to fans about the real reason Tommy doesn’t appear frequently on her vlog – like he used to prior to their split.

The influencer addressed criticism levelled at Tommy by some fans who accused him of being an absent dad.

In hurtful comments, they claimed that Molly’s sister Zoe, 28, is more of a father figure due to her regular appearance in the videos.

Ex Love Island star Molly explained: “I’ve seen so many comments saying ‘Zoe is more the dad’ I only vlog when I am not with Tommy, I am with Tommy literally 80 per ceent of the week and he is with Bambi the majority of the week.

Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury – Reunion Clues

MOLLY-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury are on holiday in Dubai after splitting in August. Yet have they dropped clues about their reunion before?

“But I vlog when we are here and he is at his because it’s just something that I am not ready to like open up with yet and like flinging the camera around like when we’re a family.

“I just think like we’re not there yet and still figuring out life and living situations. I’m not ready to vlog like we used to.”

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Antiques Road Trip star Angus Ashworth has recalled a heartwarming moment in his career

Antiques Road Trip star Angus Ashworth left a guest “in tears” with a valuation after his wife’s cancer battle.

The BBC antiques expert and auctioneer, who currently appears on The Yorkshire Auction House, admitted that emotions often run high when dealing with the estate of a loved one who has passed away.

In an exclusive chat with the Express, Angus shared some touching experiences with owners of antiques.

He explained that while he often witnesses “incredible” reactions, there have been those who are “just in it for the money” over the years.

Angus revealed: “We’ve had a lot of good reactions. It’s usually people that are not doing it for the money. They’re doing it because they’ve got to clear the house, so they’ve never really considered the value. It’s just part of the process, then all of a sudden you tell them they’ve made £10,000.

“There’s been several like that where they’re absolutely speechless. We’ve had some incredible reactions. People genuinely do break down into tears,” reports the Express.

“On the telly, a chap’s wife was badly ill [with cancer] and he wanted to raise enough money to get a second-hand stairlift put in to help her mobility.

“He was hoping to raise £2,000 because that’s what he needed for the stairlift and we made him £9,000. He just couldn’t comprehend it.”

The TV auctioneer went on: “You’ve always got to be mindful when you step into a house. You’ve got to read the room, and read the client. Everybody’s situation is different – some of them, it’s very straightforward and businesslike.

“But what you’ve got to remember is even if something is not saleable, and doesn’t have a commercial value, it has a sentimental value. I’ve always gone by the mantra that whenever you talk about something, you’ve got to remember it belonged to somebody’s late father, mother, brother.

“That might be their prize item. You can be enthusiastic about something, just because it’s not [worth much commercially]. There’s a lot of empathy that’s got to be given, put yourself in their shoes.”

He added: “I suppose that’s partly why people get us in – because we can take a non-attached approach to it, we can just do the job. But there are odd stories you get where you go, ‘Ugh, that’s tough’.”

Angus then recalled meeting a woman who was moving to Spain to start a new life after her son had died.

“I’d not long had children at that point and I was [holding back tears]. Every once in a while you’re just… taken aback,” he said.

Angus further shared: “A slightly different one that hasn’t aired yet was a military veteran who was badly injured and suffered very badly with PTSD, and we were the first people he’d let in his house for 15 years. That was a different sort of emotional.

“He got us because we’ve got the military connection and he felt he could let us in – that was a massive step for him. It’s not always about people who are deceased. It’s a unique job.”

He concluded: “Then you get clients where it’s all about the money and they’re there to the penny, saying ‘You didn’t quite get what we were thinking’. Auctions are like that – some things will do better than expected, some things will do worse.”

Antiques Road Trip airs on BBC One and BBC Two. The Yorkshire Auction House is available to stream on Discovery+

KATIE Price is facing a new legal battle with all three of her ex-husbands.

Kieran Hayler, 38, and Alex Reid, 50, are said to be consulting lawyers in a bid to stop her explosive Sky documentary airing next year.

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It comes after Katie’s ex Peter Andre accused her of making “baseless accusations“ against him, and claimed their children Princess and Junior have been in his care since 2018 ‘for their safety.’

Peter finally snapped after Katie moaned about being frozen out of her daughter Princess‘s blossoming career – and claimed that their kids live with both Pete and her.

He said: “Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations that I have yet to address. Those will be dealt with in the coming months.”

Now Kieran and Alex are in contact via an intermediary after a tell-all documentary was announced.

A source told the Mirror: “They feel like they have been backed into a corner and have no choice. They just want her to stop trashing them, and can’t believe she is being given a platform.”

A spokesman for Kieran said: “We are keeping all our options open. I can confirm Alex Reid is on the same page.”

After Peter broke his 16-year silence on Katie, she spoke out in a statement via her rep.

A spokesman for the mum of five told The Sun: “Kate is in a much better and clear headspace and is at peace with the situation.

“This was in the past and she doesn’t feel the need to bring up tit for tat comments, but more importantly she’s dealing with this the right way and it’s now in her lawyers hands.

“Kate will no longer be gaslighted and bullied as she once was…”

Katie is currently dating MAFS star JJ Slater, but before this she had a long-term romance with Carl Woods. 

Before falling for Carl, Katie was engaged to fitness trainer Kris Boyson, 29, and before Kris she was married to Kieran. 

Katie married MMA fighter Alex in Las Vegas in February 2010 and before Alex there was Pete, who she met on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2004. 

The pair soon got together and married in a lavish ceremony in September 2005 in Highclere Castle.

After Peter released his statement, Katie’s ex Kieran Hayler shared a cryptic post about “rising like a Phoenix” amid their public feud.

Kieran, 38, who was married to the former glamour model, 47, for five turbulent years before their divorce was finalised in March 2021, took to his Instagram to share a photo of the mythical bird.

Brookside was the gritty soap that shocked the nation, smashed taboos, and made suburban cul-de-sacs the stage for explosive drama. But what happened to the cast?

Brookside, the groundbreaking soap that shocked the nation and turned ordinary suburban streets into a hotbed of drama, was a staple of British television for over two decades.

The show, which first aired on Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, followed the everyday lives of its characters, dealing with everything from heart-wrenching break-ups to shocking crimes that reflected real issues in the UK. The Liverpool-based soap ran for an impressive 21 years before its final episode aired on 4 November 2003.

Created by Phil Redmond, Brookside was never one to shy away from controversial topics – it was responsible for the UK’s first pre-watershed lesbian kiss and tackled subjects such as domestic abuse, incest, and even a body buried under a patio.

Now, the beloved soap is poised for a comeback – featuring in an unprecedented crossover with Hollyoaks.

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After Brookside concluded on November 4th 2003, Hollyoaks stepped up as Channel 4‘s premier continuing drama. The show began production on a portion of Brookside’s former set, which remains its filming location to this day.

As Hollyoaks gears up to celebrate its 30th anniversary this October, it plans to commemorate the occasion with a special episode that pays homage to both Brookside and their shared creator, Sir Phil Redmond.

The upcoming crossover episode will delight viewers with the reappearance of beloved, classic Brookside characters to celebrate this significant event.

But what became of the Brookside cast once the cameras stopped rolling? From heartbreaking losses to surprising career changes, here’s a look at where some of the show’s biggest stars ended up.

Dean Sullivan (Jimmy Corkhill)

Jimmy, a troubled drug addict turned teacher, was one of Brookside’s longest-serving characters. Portrayed by Dean Sullivan, he joined the series in 1986 and was involved in many major storylines.

Tragically, Dean passed away in 2023 at the age of 68 after a battle with prostate cancer, a diagnosis he had bravely shared just months before his death. He had been diagnosed in 2018 and had been receiving treatment.

Following his passing, fans and former co-stars paid their respects.

Sue Jenkins (Jackie Corkhill)

Jackie Corkhill, played by Sue Jenkins, was the long-suffering wife of Jimmy Corkhill, enduring his emotional turmoil and schemes in many of the show’s most gripping storylines.

Since the end of the show, Sue has continued her acting career with roles in Coronation Street, Holby City, and Doctors, as well as theatre productions. Now 66, she is a vocal advocate for arts education and is married to David Fleeshman, with whom she has three children, Richard, Emily and Rosie.

Anna Friel (Beth Jordache)

Beth Jordache, portrayed by Anna Friel, became a cultural icon when she was involved in the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss on British television, a storyline that made international headlines. The episode aired in January 1994, also featuring Margaret Clemence, played by Nicola Stephenson.

Anna has since built a highly successful acting career on both sides of the Atlantic, starring in shows like Pushing Daisies, Marcella, and The Girlfriend Experience. Now 48, she is an award-winning actress and a regular on the red carpet.

She has been married twice and has one child.

Claire Sweeney (Lindsey Corkhill)

Claire Sweeney played Lindsey Corkhill, a member of the troubled Corkhill family, who found herself caught up in love triangles, dodgy dealings, and emotional confrontations. Lindsey started as a recurring character before being promoted to the regular cast in 1995.

Actress Claire shot to fame following Brookside, transitioning into musical theatre, releasing an album, and becoming a Loose Women panellist. She has recently made a comeback to the soap world with a stint on Coronation Street.

Earlier this year, Claire delighted Brookside enthusiasts as she returned to the West Derby houses where the programme was originally filmed. The 53-year-old shared numerous photographs and videos on Instagram from her impromptu nostalgic journey.

In her Instagram video, Claire revealed to followers that whilst she had visited the location the previous year, she had spotted a “beautiful little surprise” beneath the Brookside sign commemorating Dean Sullivan, who portrayed her on-screen father Jimmy.

Michael Starke (Sinbad Sweeney)

Sinbad Sweeney was a window cleaner with a heart of gold. He became a viewer favourite after joining the programme in 1984.

Actor Michael Starke subsequently featured in The Royal, Coronation Street, and even enjoyed a role in Benidorm. He has also established himself as a pantomime regular and serves as a dedicated ambassador for Liverpool’s cultural scene.

Now 67, his latest role saw him portray a taxi driver in Hollyoaks from 2021 to 2023.

Jennifer Ellison (Emily Shadwick)

Emily’s storyline concluded in devastating fashion, with her character’s tragic plunge from a window ranking among Brookside’s most shocking departures. Actress Jennifer switched gears to pop music, reality TV (Dancing on Ice, Hell’s Kitchen), and theatre, before launching her own dance academy in Liverpool.

She also starred in the West End and now leads a quieter life centred around family.

She is married to Rob Tickle and they have three children.

Louis Emerick (Mick Johnson)

Mick Johnson was the straight-talking single dad and mini-mart owner with a strong moral compass. He made his final appearance on 22 August 2001, having first appeared in 1989.

Actor Louis Emerick, 64, has continued his acting career in TV dramas and soaps, including Coronation Street and Doctors, and has performed in theatre tours across the UK.

Where are the others?

Several cast members left the industry altogether – some moved abroad, others stepped away from the limelight. A few, like Ray Quinn (who briefly appeared in the later years), reinvented themselves entirely.

Ray went on to become a singer and X Factor finalist, with a stage career.

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