Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has revealed when viewers will find out the identity of Theo Silverton’s killer after the scaffolder was killed off in the soap’s latest whodunnit
Theo Silverton was killed off earlier this month
Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has revealed when viewers will find out the identity of Theo Silverton’s killer.
The scaffolder, who was played by former Tracy Beaker star James Cartwright, was killed off at the end of the soap’s much-hyped Murder Week after almost a year of abusing partner Todd Grimshaw, and along with Todd himself, George Shuttleworth, Gary Windass, Summer Spellman, Christina Boyd and Danielle Silverton were named as official suspects.
It all came about following a flashforward, which aired earlier this year, and five potential victims were named in the incredibly dramatic storyline. In the end, it was Theo who was revealed as the victim after viewers had to sit through the same day played out over and over again, all played out from various points of view.
Now Kate, who took over as producer of the ITV soap in November 2024 and previously held the top job on Emmerdale, has told viewers that they will have to wait just a bit longer to find out who was responsible for the murder.
She said: “It’s later in the summer. We reveal to the audience who it is during late June, July. There’s lots of people you definitely think it could be. It’s a massive story, there’s so many different twists, and there’s so many different offshoots to the story as well. You think you’re watching one thing, and then it diverts into a completely new kind of story territory. It’ll definitely keep people guessing. “
In the coming weeks the investigation shifts, and pulled in for questioning are Summer, Christina and Danielle. As lies are exposed, and arrests are made, it’s yet to be revealed if any of the six are actually the murderer.
They all have motives, and upcoming scenes will reveal why they are a suspect. Todd was being abused by Theo, and the night Theo died he was trying to hunt Todd down – so did he find him?
For Summer, the last time we saw Theo alive was when he trapped her in the flat alone. So did Summer kill Theo? Gary has also been seen acting weirdly – even though wife Maria Connor has givne him an alibi.
We know Gary had threatened him and the pair had clashed, and he’s also killed before. Did Gary take revenge? George also stood up to Theo, and on the night of the murder he was alone at home.
Finally there’s Theo’s ex-wife Danielle. She was also acting suspiciously on Monday and upcoming scenes tease her marriage faced it’s troubles. So might she have killed her violent ex?
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.S. Navy’s near-total abandonment of surface combatants with nuclear propulsion after the end of the Cold War is “one of the largest mistakes” it’s ever made, according to the service’s top officer. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle made this remark today while voicing support for the recently announced decision that the future Trump class battleships will be nuclear-powered. He also explicitly highlighted challenges the Navy has faced when it comes to fueling conventionally-powered ships taking part in operations against Iran, something TWZ recently reported on in detail.
Adm. Caudle, as well as Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith, testified before members of the House Armed Services Committee today. The focus of the hearing was on the Department of the Navy’s 2027 Fiscal Year budget request. The Navy disclosed that it had decided the Trump class warships will feature nuclear propulsion in its latest long-term shipbuilding plan, which was released on Monday.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, left, speaks at a separate budget-related hearing before members of the House Appropriations Committee on May 12, 2026. USN
“I know there have been many conversations and questions over the past few days regarding the news that the Trump class battleship will be nuclear powered. And, as you know, Virginia has a long history of nuclear shipbuilding. What specific design plans can you share at this point and can [you] speak to how nuclear power would enable this system to be successful?” Rep. John McGuire, a Virginia Republican and former U.S. Navy SEAL, asked Adm. Caudle directly.
A model of a Trump class battleship. Eric Tegler
“Sir, we walked away from surface nuclear power decades ago, and that was one of the largest mistakes the Navy ever did, and we’re bringing it back,” the Chief of Naval Operations said in response. “We need nuclear-powered surface ships to sustain combat operations with our nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.”
Though a major operator of nuclear-powered submarines, the Navy’s aircraft carriers are currently its only nuclear-powered surface ships. The service previously had a mixture of nuclear-powered surface combatants. This included three one-of-a-kind ships, the cruiser USS Long Beach, the destroyer USS Truxtun (later recategorized as a cruiser), and the frigate USS Bainbridge. There were also two California class and four Virginia class cruisers, the latter not to be confused with the subsequent Virginia class of attack submarines. All of these ships entered service in the 1960s and 1970s. Expensive and complex to operate compared to similar conventionally-powered ships, they were all retired in the 1990s as part of post-Cold War drawdowns across the U.S. military.
A trio of nuclear-powered Navy surface warships sail together in 1964. From left to right, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, the cruiser USS Long Beach, and the frigate USS Bainbridge. USN
As Caudle highlighted, the central benefit of nuclear propulsion is functionally unlimited range since naval reactors can operate for decades without needing to be refueled. In the context of modern ships packed with ever-more advanced weapons and other systems, it can also offer an important boost in onboard power generation. As noted, this does come at a cost. Today, Russia is the only country anywhere in the world with a nuclear-powered surface combatant, the Kirov class battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov. In terms of nuclear-powered surface naval ships of any kind, the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is the only other example. Russia also has several nuclear-powered icebreakers, but these are operated by the state-run nuclear company Rosatom.
“Imagine what that would have looked like in the Arabian Gulf if I’d had a nuclear-powered battleship there to give the air and defense and fires [sic] power that it could sustain – rotate ships that roll, that need gasoline around it,” Caudle continued today in his response to Rep. McGuire’s question. “So the imperative for this is crucial to develop that level of payload capacity.”
Navy officials have already acknowledged that Iranian attacks on friendly countries in the Middle East in the course of recent operations significantly disrupted established logistics chains. In particular, this impacted how the service delivered fuel to conventionally-powered warships in the region, as you can read more about here.
Threats to fuel supplies would be something the Navy would have to take into account in any future conflict, especially a high-end fight against China across the broad expanses of the Pacific. There are other logistics requirements that nuclear ships do still have in common with their conventionally-powered counterparts, as well, such as food for the crew and fuel for any embarked aircraft. Even with nuclear propulsion, maintenance and other requirements mean that ships cannot stay at sea indefinitely.
One of the US Navy’s conventionally-powered Arleigh Burke class destroyers receives fuel during a replenishment-at-sea operation. USN
“We intend to, with all we can do, use pull-through technologies, [including] things from that we’ve worked on with DDG(X),” the Navy’s top officer added, speaking about the plans for the Trump class specifically. “It will have the SPY-6 radar. It will have the Baseline 10 Aegis combat system. It will pull through, of course, the A1B Ford class reactor plant and all the design that goes with that. The only thing inherently new to it will be the actual hull itself, and so most of the fixtures in it. And I would say the directed energy [weapons] and up gunning, that will also be new.”
Multiple types of laser-directed energy weapons, as well as an electromagnetic railgun, are core elements of the planned armament package on the future Trump class warships. They are also set to be loaded with a mix of nuclear and conventional missiles, including hypersonic types, in several large vertical launch system (VLS) arrays, and have a pair of traditional 5-inch naval guns.
An annotated graphic highlighting various capabilities set to be found on the Trump class design. Note that the mention here of “28 Mk 41 VLS” cells appears to be a typo, as other official information from the US Navy says the ships will have 128 such cells. USN via USNI News
The Navy has previously stated that the battleships, now also referred to as BBGNs, will displace approximately 35,000 tons. This is very roughly three times that of the newest Flight III subvariant of the Arleigh Burke class destroyer. The Trump class vessels are expected to be between 840 and 880 feet long, have a beam (the widest point in the hull) between 105 and 115 feet, and be able to reach a top speed greater than 30 knots, as well.
It is worth noting here that Caudle’s comments today represent a huge change in tone from how he had previously talked about the prospect of nuclear propulsion for the Trump class. Speaking to the press at the Surface Navy Association’s (SNA) main annual symposium back in January, he had notably appeared to downplay the possibility.
“I think it’s a logical question to think, hey, here’s a big capital ship. It’s going to be carrying a lot of load, you know, in places that we don’t necessarily need a strike enforcement air wing as a large ship there that’s in command of a flotilla,” he said at that time. “Wouldn’t it be logical to be nuclear powered? And that brings a tail to the construction of that that [sic] just really fell outside the scope of what we want to do on the speed to get this thing in the water. And so what you trade off with, with persistency that only nuclear power can do, is you end up having, you know, the ability to go produce that — it pushes the battleship into a timeframe that just didn’t meet the operational need of the ship.”
A rendering of a future Trump class battleship. White House/USN
Just last month, former Secretary of the Navy John Phelan had also said making the Trump class ships nuclear-powered was unlikely, citing the need to balance cost and complexity against aggressive schedule demands. Phelan was fired unexpectedly just two days after making those comments. There have been reports that disagreements over plans for the battleships, specifically, as well as other friction within the Trump administration, factored into his dismissal.
“He’s a very good man. I really liked him, but he had some conflict with, not necessarily with [Secretary] Pete [Hegseth], but with some other[s],” President Trump said about Phelan while speaking to the press on April 23. “He’s a hard charger, and he had some conflicts with some other people, mostly as to building and buying new ships. I’m very aggressive in the new shipbuilding.”
BREAKING: President Trump speaks about the firing of Navy Secretary John Phelan:
“He’s a very good man. I really liked him, but he had some conflict, not necessarily with Pete. He’s a hard charger, and he had some conflicts with some other people, mostly as to building and… pic.twitter.com/xJOhYygka4
As it stands now, the Navy still does not expect to order the first Trump class battleship until Fiscal Year 2028 and or see that ship enter service before Fiscal Year 2036. The first example, at least, currently has an estimated unit cost of around $17 billion, which is considerably more than the projected price tag of any of the next four Ford class aircraft carriers.
Even before the nuclear propulsion decision was announced, TWZ had raised numerous questions about the plans for these warships, including their exact operational utility, as well as the costs and risks involved. Caudle’s comments today about leveraging pull-through notwithstanding, nuclear-powered ships are inherently complex and expensive, which are the tradeoffs for the aforementioned boost in capability. A specialized workforce and supply chains are required to build such vessels. Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, is the only yard in the United States currently building surface ships with nuclear propulsion, in the form of new Ford class carriers, all of which have suffered delays.
The U.S. naval shipbuilding industry, collectively, has other demands to keep churning out conventionally-powered warships like Arleigh Burke class destroyers, as well. This is an industry that has contracted to a worrisome degree, overall, since the end of the Cold War, especially when compared to the completely opposite trend that has been observed in China. Efforts to reinvigorate America’s shipyards, and the continued challenges the Navy is facing in doing so, were key points of discussion at today’s House Armed Services Committee hearing.
Adm. Caudle’s broad statement of support today for a nuclear-powered surface Navy raises the additional question now of whether the service might be interested in expanding this capability beyond the Trump class. Some of the Navy’s prior nuclear-powered surface combatants were derived from conventionally-powered designs. At the same time, any such decision would run up against the same shipbuilding capacity and other questions facing the new battleships.
Just when it comes to the Trump class, the plans for the ships could easily still evolve further, or even come to an end entirely. The timeline laid out now has the battleship program continuing well into the next presidential administration, where the fortunes of a new nuclear-powered surface navy could change dramatically.
THE GREAT British break might not be so great very soon after it was announced that the overnight ‘holiday tax’ is set to be pushed forward.
Included in the King’s Speech was the dreaded new levy on staycations and one Butlin’s boss has hit back saying it will have big ‘consequences’ for families.
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The overnight levy will add additional costs for families holidaying in EnglandCredit: ButlinsPlaces like Butlin’s offer bargain breaks for Brits – but could be affected by the tax tooCredit: Butlins
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Essentially, the government’s plan is introduce levy overnight accommodation like hotels, B&Bs, campsites or holiday homes.
It would allow local authorities in England to charge visitors an additional fee on overnight stays which is similar to systems already used in parts of Europe.
Unsurprisingly, the plans have not been met with positivity.
Matt Rake who is a resort director at Butlin’s in Bognor Regis – said the tax would have “consequences”, especially for working families.
The new tax could add £100 to a two-week family stayCredit: Alamy
He said: “It’s disappointing that the government is pressing ahead with the holiday tax despite how clear businesses, consumers and the hospitality sector have been about the potential consequences.
“In the Spring, the government said families being able to pay for a holiday should never be too much to ask, yet today they’ve confirmed the introduction of a measure that will hurt working families hard.
“We know how important domestic tourism is for Bognor Regis and the local businesses here. Holidays and short breaks support jobs and investment across our community throughout the year.”
He added that in a recent poll, 73 per cent of people would reduce or cut back on holidays in England if extra costs were introduced.
The ‘holiday tax’ was formally announced in the Autumn Budget in November 2025.
Walsall have appointed former Huddersfield Town boss Lee Grant as the club’s new head coach.
Grant, 43, has signed a three-year contract at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.
He replaces former Saddlers striker Darren Byfield, who had been given the interim job until the end of the season following the sacking of Mat Sadler in March.
Walsall finished the League Two season in 13th place, 13 points outside the play-offs, having been top of the table at Christmas.
“I’m super delighted and proud to be the new head coach,” said Grant, who was sacked by the Terriers in January after eight months in charge.
“The teams I’ve been involved in have scored lots of goals and there’s been a good development of players and my ideas around that are strong – it’s going to be a busy period for myself and the club but I’m really excited to get going, help the football club progress and I very much look forward to getting to work.”
After three years on the coaching staff at Ipswich Town, former goalkeeper Grant was appointed Huddersfield boss in May 2025, his first senior management job.
But he left just eight months into a three-year deal, despite the club sitting sixth in League One at the time.
Airlines will not be able to continue “absorbing the cost” of disruption caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the long term, according to the director general of the International Air Transport Association. Willie Walsh told the BBC there was no need to panic over potential jet fuel shortages, but warned rising fuel prices would inevitably feed through into higher ticket prices.
He said: “There’s just no way airlines can absorb the additional costs they’re experiencing. There may be some instances where airlines will discount to stimulate some traffic flow… but over time it’s inevitable that the high price of oil will be reflected in higher ticket prices.”
While Mr Walsh did not think there would be widespread cancellations, he added: “I think the concern will be that if sufficient alternative supply isn’t sourced, there may be some shortages when we get into the peak summer period.”
Last week, British Airways’ parent company IAG warned its profits will be hit as it expects to spend about two billion euro (£1.72 billion) more than planned on fuel this year. Chief executive Luis Gallego said IAG does not believe there will be “any interruption for the summer” in terms of jet fuel supplies.
Earlier this month, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said summer holiday plans will not face major disruption because of shortages. She revealed that more fuel has been imported from America, and UK refineries have upped their production.
The Government has also introduced a temporary rule change allowing airlines to group passengers from different flights together onto fewer planes to save fuel. It comes amid data that showed airlines have increased the number of flight cancellations for May.
Aviation analytics company Cirium said that as of Tuesday, airlines have axed 296 departures from UK airports this month, equivalent to 0.75% of the total. That is up from 120 cancellations six days ago.
Figures for the peak summer months show week-on-week schedule reductions are currently limited. The number of outbound flights planned for June is 48 lower than a week ago, after 0.2% of flights were cancelled.
For July the week-on-week reduction is 31, while the figure for August is just four. Airlines avoid being liable for compensation if they axe a flight with at least two weeks’ notice, meaning they can delay decisions on summer cancellations and still avoid payouts.
The price of jet fuel has more than doubled since the start of the war in the Middle East, as Iran continues to have a stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. A Government spokesperson said: “UK airlines are clear that they are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel.
“Aviation fuel is typically bought in advance and airports and suppliers keep stocks of bunkered fuel to support their resilience. We continue to work with fuel suppliers, airports, airlines and international counterparts to keep flights operating.
“We are also consulting on measures to help airlines plan realistic flight schedules which will avoid last-minute disruption and protect holidays.”
But Guardiola says it is up to the players to take VAR out of the equation.
“When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR,” he continued.
“I never trust anything since I arrived a long time ago. Always I learned you have to do it better, do it better, be in a position to do it better because you blame yourself with what you have to do, because (VAR) is a flip of a coin.”
Guardiola was speaking before Wednesday’s meeting with Palace, which they need to win to cut Arsenal‘s lead at the top of the table to two points.
That would still leave Arsenal needing to drop points in their remaining two games – against relegated Burnley and Palace – for City to have any chance of winning the Premier League title.
“Of course it is not in our hands in the Premier League. Always I say to the players, ‘Do it, do it, do it better’,” Guardiola added.
“The only thing we can do is do it better, that is only in your control.”
Guardiola’s side will play in their third FA Cup final in three seasons when they meet Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.
Dick Advocaat could make a surprise return as head coach of the Curacao national team after his successor Fred Rutten resigned just a month out from their World Cup debut.
Advocaat made history last November when he led the Caribbean island to the finals but stepped down three months later because of his daughter’s health.
Throughout Rutten’s short tenure, which included defeats to China and Australia in March, Curacao’s football federation (FFK) has been under pressure from players and sponsors to reinstate Advocaat.
On Friday, the FFK put its full support behind 63-year-old Rutten, stating he “will represent Curacao as national head coach during the World Cup”.
However, just three days later, following “open and constructive” talks, Rutten has departed, saying: “A climate that damages professional relationships among players and staff must not be allowed to emerge. It is prudent to step back. Time is pressing and Curacao must move forward.”
Reports in the Dutch media suggest Advocaat, 78, is open to returning to his former role following improvements in his daughter’s health.
Should he return, he will become the oldest coach in World Cup history.
Curacao, the smallest country to qualify for a World Cup, face Germany on 14 June in their Group E opener, with further matches against Ecuador and Ivory Coast.
Huddersfield Town boss Liam Manning has left the club by mutual consent, two months after taking compassionate leave.
Manning stepped back from his role in March, with the League One side saying in a statement at the time that the decision was made after he “made the club aware of ongoing personal matters relating to the tragic passing of his newborn son Theo in October 2024”.
“I want to pay huge tribute to Liam today,” chairman Kevin Nagle told the club website.
“Stepping away from this role is the correct decision for him and his family, and that comes before absolutely everything else.”
Tim Martin has spoken out after Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary claimed drinking booze at UK airports, such as London Heathrow, should be banned before a certain time
Tim Martin, the Wetherspoons boss, has argued against a early-morning ban of booze at airports(Image: PA)
The boss of JD Wetherspoons has hit back at the Ryanair CEO’s claims alcohol shouldn’t be served at UK airports in the early hours of the morning.
Tim Martin, who founded his pub chain in 1979, said Michael O’Leary’s suggestion would require passengers being breathalysed at airports. He described the plan as “an overreaction”.
But Mr O’Leary, boss of the budget airline, had claimed an average of nearly one flight every day is diverted due to disruptive passengers fuelled by booze. The 65-year-old businessman said these tourists often drink in bars at airports for hours before they board their planes, and called on a ban on serving booze at airport bars in the early hours of the morning and a two-drink limit thereafter.
Mr Martin, though, has said: “A two-drink limit would be extraordinarily difficult to implement, short of breathalysing passengers, and would, in our opinion, be an overreaction — especially since many of the problems stem from incoming flights. It is in everyone’s interests to have good behaviour at airports and on flights.”
Mr Martin, 71, also told The Times it had “never been suggested” its customers cause disruption on flights. JD Wetherspoon told the newspaper that pubs in airports were “highly supervised” with strict policies preventing excessive alcohol consumption.
Airside bars in the UK are not required to follow restrictions on opening hours which apply to other venues selling alcohol. Being drunk on a plane is a criminal offence in the UK and can be punished by a fine of up to £5,000 and two years’ imprisonment.
But alcohol can be served on flights, including those of Ryanair, and there have been no calls on this practice. This, coupled with alcohol consumption at airports, has led to a number of incidents of disruption recently.
And, on Thursday, Ryanair welcomed the decision by a court in France which it said found two passengers guilty of causing disruption onboard a flight from Stansted to Ibiza that was diverted to Toulouse in May last year. The pair received a combined penalty of more than 10,000 euros (£8,640) and received suspended prison sentences of up to 10 months, according to the airline.
Speaking earlier this week, Mr O’Leary shared his plans. The father of four had said: “I fail to understand why anybody in airport bars is serving people at five or six o’clock in the morning. Who needs to be drinking beer at that time? There should be no alcohol served at airports outside [those] licensing hours.”
Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said Hurzeler’s “principles and approach align with our values as a club” and the new deal “reflects our commitment to a shared long-term vision”.
“Since his appointment, Fabian has continued the progress the club has made in recent seasons with consistent on-pitch performances, and he has developed a clear playing identity,” he added.
“This season, he has built on the foundations laid during his first season in which he led us to an impressive eighth place.
“During his time as head coach the team has shown resilience, intensity and control. With three games to play we are pushing for a strong finish.”
Hurzeler became the youngest ever full-time manager of a Premier League team when he replaced current Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi, who left Brighton at the end of the 2023-24 season.
The club’s only campaign in continental competition was in the 2023-24 Europa League after De Zerbi led them to a sixth-placed top-flight finish.
That was the highest in Brighton‘s history and Hurzeler now has the chance to match that feat, with his side just two points behind Bournemouth in that position.
There is also an outside chance that finishing sixth could result in a Champions League spot for next season.
Brighton still have a mathematical chance of overtaking fifth-placed Aston Villa for a definite Champions League qualification place, but are eight points behind Unai Emery’s men.
Hurzeler came through the youth ranks at Bayern Munich but cut short his professional playing career at 23 to go into lower-level coaching.
He later became assistant coach at St Pauli in 2020 and took charge of the team in December 2022, before leading them to the Bundesliga 2 title in 2024.
Hurzeler had been linked with a return to Germany, with reports, external of interest from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
A MAJOR airline boss has said that the ongoing fuel crisis is causing more problems than Covid did.
AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said the quick increase in jet fuel overnight was “much worse”.
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AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes said the increase of fuel was worst than CovidCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
He told the FT: “I thought I’d seen it all with Covid but having seen jet fuel go up almost three times – this is much worse.
“You wake up one day and your major cost has tripled – it was quite a new experience for me and I’ve been through a lot in my life.”
This was backed by the Chancellor of Germany earlier this year who said if it continues, it would affect the European economy as “heavy as we recently experienced during the Covid pandemic”.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz since March has already caused problems for airlines, due to shortages of fuel.
American budget airline Spirit Airlines was even forced into administration, citing the higher jet fuel costs as a major cause.
Thankfully, UK airlines are yet to be massively affected, with most tour operators confirming that holidays are still going ahead as planned.
The only disruption is to the Middle East with destinations like Dubai still on the travel ban list.
On The Beach has even launched a new initiative for travellers this summer, where, if their flight is cancelled, they will get a refund on the same day.
Budget airline Spirit was forced to close, citing fuel costsCredit: EPA
However, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary warned that unless fuel prices dropping, airlines are at risk of failing this summer.
According to Politico, he said: “If pricing stays higher for longer this summer, we think a number of our airline competitors in Europe are going to face real financial difficulties. I think there will be failures.”
To protect passengers from last minute travel chaos, the Department for Transport has also revealed new measures which will allow airlines to cancel flights up to two weeks in advance, without losing their airport slots.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said it would “give families long-term certainty and avoid unnecessary disruption at the departure gate this summer.”
But Which? Travel Editor Rory Boland warned: “Many passengers will understand that disruptions can occur and may be happy to travel a few hours or a day later.
“But for those on short trips or connecting flights it could mean the trip is no longer worthwhile.”
A point of view shot of a mid-adult caucasian same-sex female LGBTQI couple sitting in the airport waiting for their flight toasting with their beers.Credit: Getty
THE BOSS of Wetherspoons has hit back at Ryanair after the airline proposed to scrap the beloved airport breakfast pint.
Sir Tim Martin, 71, boss slammed the idea to ban the sale of alcohol before early morning flights as a “Big Brother” approach.
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Tim Martin has hit back at Ryanair after the airline proposed to limit airport drinkingCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers LtdThe Wetherspoon boss said it was a ‘Big Brother’ approachCredit: Getty
Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary, recently called for a ban after saying the rise in badly behaved passengers is causing huge problems for the airline.
He said it had become a “real challenge for all airlines” and questioned why punters needed a pint in the early hours of the morning.
O’Leary has also previously suggested a two-drink cap, something he says the airline tends to follow onboard, in an effort to clamp down on bad behaviour by passengers.
But JD Wetherspoon chief Martin said it could lead to passengers being breathalysed and added that any drinks limit would be hard to manage, The Times reports.
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary recently called for a ban on the beloved airport breakfast pintCredit: ReutersHe claimed that badly behaved passengers are causing the airline huge problemsCredit: Getty
He told the outlet: “It is in everyone’s interests to have good behaviour at airports and on flights.
“A two-drink limit would be extraordinarily difficult to implement, short of breathalysing passengers, and would, in our opinion, be an overreaction — especially since many of the problems stem from incoming flights.”
Wetherspoon also claimed that the majority of its airport sales were not alcohol and any ban would result in passengers buying alcohol elsewhere prior to arriving at the airport.
But O’Leary said the problem with passengers is getting worse – previously the airline would have around one flight diversion a week, which has since increased to “one diversion a day”.
Current rules allow pubs and restaurants in airports to serve alcohol at any time as they do not have to follow the same licensing rules elsewhere in the country.
Passengers drunk on a plane can face being jailed for up to two years, and huge fines if they force a plane to divert of up to £80,000.
Michael O’Leary, who has served as Ryanair CEO since 1993, said his airline is being forced to divert flights almost daily because of drunken, aggressive passengers
23:00, 05 May 2026Updated 23:16, 05 May 2026
It’s argued passengers shouldn’t be able to drink early in the morning before flights (file image)(Image: Getty Images/LOOK)
Airport bars should stop serving alcohol early in the morning, the boss of Ryanair says.
Michael O’Leary, who has served as Ryanair CEO for more than 30 years, claimed his airline is being forced to divert flights almost daily because of drunken, aggressive passengers. He said these tourists often drink in bars at airports for hours before they board their planes.
Pubs in airports do not currently need to follow the same licensing rules as bars outside these environments do. Mr O’Leary, 65, believes changing this will support his airline and others because it would help cut out aggressive behaviour in the skies.
The businessman said: “I fail to understand why anybody in airport bars is serving people at five or six o’clock in the morning. Who needs to be drinking beer at that time? There should be no alcohol served at airports outside [those] licensing hours.”
According to The Times, Mr O’Leary has been calling for a two-drink per-person limit “for many years” and accused airports of “profiteering” off the troublesome travel ritual and “exporting the problem to the airlines”.
But father-of-four Mr O’Leary, from Kanturk, County Cork, stressed Ryanair is “reasonably responsible” with their drinks, rarely serving a passenger more than two drinks onboard. He insisted, though, drug use has entered the alcoholic mix too, worsening the issue as passengers then “want to fight”.
Mr O’Leary says he takes a similarly strict approach with his company, and has reminded passengers it is a criminal offence to be drunk on an aeroplane anyway, punishable by up to two years in prison and a hefty fine. Threatening and abusive passengers can be further prosecuted, as well as facing large compensation fees and prosecution in the country where the aircraft is forced to land.
It is reported flights from Britain to Ibiza, Alicante and Tenerife have been particularly problematic. Last year, a former soldier who sexually assaulted four Jet2 cabin crew during a flight to Tenerife was jailed. Joseph McCabe groped and slapped the buttocks of two flight attendants before grabbing a third around the waist and attempting to hug a fourth. The dad of two, from Glasgow, had been given for his drunken conduct on the plane.
Cullen and Leinster, who had comfortably cruised through the tournament last season, came under intense scrutiny after Northampton’s fast start saw them take a 12-point lead at half-time.
The four-time champions fought back and almost snatched the game at the death, with Cullen revisiting late refereeing decisions that cost his side in the 37-34 defeat last May.
A year on, he defended his side, who had previously never beaten three-time champions Toulon, and said he always expects a Champions Cup semi-final to “never go to script”.
“Naturally [in the last 10 minutes] you try and protect things, don’t you? Whereas the other team they don’t have protection and throw everything at it,” he added.
“We were sitting in this room this time last year. We were in that situation and we were throwing everything at Northampton. [Henry] Pollock gets a poach – it should have been a penalty.
“It’s clearly illegal, but nobody wants to report about it after. We should have had a penalty try and nobody wants to report about it. You just want to kick the boot into us, don’t you? But that’s the way it goes.
“Semi-finals come down to the tightest of margins. In 2012, Wesley Fofana knocked the ball over the tryline and that is how we [Leinster] got to the final.
“I would be kind to Toulon as they showed great spirit to the very end.”
Leinster will travel to Bilbao for the final on Saturday, 23 May, where they will face last year’s champions Bordeaux-Begles or Bath, who play on Sunday.
Cullen confirmed centre Robbie Henshaw and flanker Josh van der Flier, who left the field with head injuries, will undergo the graduated return-to-play protocol.
Flanker Jack Conan limped off and “will get checked”, with Tommy O’Brien said to be likely suffering from cramp.
All four are important players for Cullen as Leinster seek a fifth Champions Cup in three weeks’ time.
EUROPE’S biggest airline is calling for new European travel rules to be suspended.
Ryanair has written to the 29 countries where Europe‘s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is being enforced, to suspend the system until September following lengthy airport delays.
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The budget airline’s COO Neal McMahon said: “Governments across Europe are attempting to roll out a half-baked IT system in the middle of the busiest travel season of the year, and passengers are paying the price, being forced to endure hours-long passport control queues and in some cases, missing flights.
“The solution is simple and already provided for under EU law (EU Reg. 2025/1534) – Governments should suspend EES until September when the peak summer travel season has subsided, just as Greece has done.
“This would allow passengers – many of whom are travelling with young families – a smoother airport experience for their summer holidays.”
It comes as the airline has called on the French government to suspend the rollout of EES to ensure passengers do not suffer long queues at airports during the summer period.
According to the airline, despite French authorities knowing that EES was going to be introduced on April 10 this year for the past three years, they have “failed to ensure adequate staffing, system readiness or kiosks are in place”.
This has meant that there are long queues at passport control and in some cases, passengers are even missing their flights.
For example at Beauvais, Marseille and Nantes airports, queues are taking around one to two hours for passengers to get through.
Other European countries are also suffering, with Sun Travel Reporter Alice Penwill recently getting stuck at Lanzarote Airport in Spain for three hours.
Other reports have seen two-hour queues at Lisbon Airport in Portugal and in Malta, one flight was forced to wait on the tarmac for 40 minutes before passengers could get off, as passport control queues in the airport were so long.
Greece, on the other hand, has suspended EES until September, to manage peak summer travel.
Back on April 18, a statement from the Greek Embassy announced that Brits are “exempt” from biometrics at all “Greek border crossing points”.
Eleni Skarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, added: “The exemption of British passport holders from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points, effective from 10 April 2026, is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and ease congestion at airports.
“UK travellers will no longer need to undergo additional EES biometric procedures, ensuring a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece.
“The Greek National Tourism Organisation remains committed to ensuring a seamless and welcoming journey for all visitors from the UK.”
Head coach Eddie Howe says the desire of Newcastle United‘s owners to get to the top remains “unchanged” after meeting with them this week.
Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and minority owner Jamie Reuben are among those who have flown in for a two-day annual summit at Matfen Hall in Northumberland.
Newcastle are 14th place in the Premier League, but Howe stressed the “determination to succeed” came through from those above him in the meetings he attended on Thursday.
“The desire is unchanged,” he said. “It’s to try and get to the top of the Premier League, to try and consistently win as many trophies as possible.
“I don’t think that will change while the PIF are our owners, part owners or majority owners. They are very ambitious for the football club.”
Following a major capital investment, an announcement is expected regarding plans for a new state-of-the-art training ground to underline the owners’ commitment.
There have also been discussions this week regarding the future of St James’ Park as Newcastle weigh up whether to expand the stadium or build a new ground in a bid to turbocharge income streams in the long run and bridge a huge revenue gap on the league’s highest-earning clubs.
“They clearly care so much about the football club [given] the long-term planning that’s going on, on a number of levels,” Howe said of the PIF, who bought an initial 80% stake in 2021 before going on to increase their share.
“[There are] very exciting times ahead for the club, regardless of what happens short-term. The long-term vision is clearly there.”
This gathering of executives, which had been in the diary for several months, was viewed as an opportunity to discuss such infrastructure projects, recruitment plans, the team’s slide down the table and how the club go about addressing it.
Howe was among those to give a presentation on Thursday, as was always planned.
Rather than reacting emotionally, the view internally remains that Newcastle need to respond rationally with the help of cold, thorough analysis.
Howe had “challenging conversations” with those at the top, but the head coach sounded upbeat at his news conference on Friday before the visit of Brighton.
“I was pleased by the level of support given to me, but of course still understanding how football works and knowing we need to get results,” he said. “That will never change.”
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was highly critical of the video assistant referee for not sending off Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson in two impassioned rants after his side’s 1-0 loss in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.
Anderson avoided punishment for a first-half sliding tackle in which he won the ball but then caught the ankle of Ollie Watkins with a high, studs-up challenge.
Referee Joao Pinheiro did not take action – and there was only what appeared to be a very brief VAR review before the incident was cleared.
Forest would go on to win through a VAR-awarded penalty which Chris Wood scored – but Emery accepted that decision.
“Fantastic, the referee, fantastic,” Emery told TNT Sports. “But the VAR is so, so bad. It’s a clear red card – I don’t understand why the VAR is not calling the referee because it’s so clear.
“And it’s very, very important. It’s a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible.
“The referee – fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.
“But I watched it back – wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR – where are you? Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work because it was so clear for everybody [to see]. He could break his ankle.
“I respect the referees always but VAR, I don’t understand. It’s not fair.”
Since the Straight of Hormuz was closed during the Iran War, the price of jet fuel has doubled. As a consequence, many airlines have cancelled flights. Regional airports are feeling the most strain
Milo Boyd Deputy Travel Editor & Commercial Writer and Michael Hunter www.cityam.com
14:09, 29 Apr 2026
The Iran War has put huge strain on the aviation industry(Image: All copyrights belong to Jingying Zhao via Getty Images)
Europe’s smaller airports face an “existential threat”, according to the boss of the Airports Council of Europe.
Olivier Jankovec, the director general of ACI Europe, has warned that some of the continent’s smaller airports may not survive if jet fuel shortages triggered by the Middle East crisis lead to widespread route cancellations.
Since the Straight of Hormuz was closed during the Iran War, the price of jet fuel has doubled. As a consequence, many airlines have cancelled flights.
Regional airports are most exposed to airlines cutting capacity and raising fares, as demand on their routes is generally more price-sensitive than with bigger airports. This comes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left some regional airports 30% below 2019 levels, according to Mr Jankovec.
“The current levels of jet fuel prices and the prospect of a new cost of living crisis mean that many regional airports across our continent are likely to face both a supply and demand shock. For them, this is nothing short of an existential threat,” the aviation boss told the Guardian.
Conversely, the biggest airports in Europe have a different problem.
Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, delivered a stark warning about its capacity on Wednesday, as conflict in the Middle East triggered a surge in demand for connecting flights.
“Heathrow is full”, declared its chief financial officer, Sally Ding. Her comments came alongside the publication of first-quarter figures showing 18.9 million passengers passed through the airport in the opening three months of the year. That represents a 3.7% increase year-on-year.
Airspace closures stemming from the conflict in Iran led to a rise in transfer passengers. This pattern is expected to persist as geopolitical uncertainty continues, impacting one of the UK airport’s chief international competitors for worldwide connections, Dubai.
Heathrow’s trading update noted it had “temporarily absorbed demand from elsewhere”. It also warned “passenger numbers for the rest of the year are likely to be impacted whilst there is significant uncertainty in the Middle East”, as reported by City AM.
Yet as the long-running domestic saga surrounding planning permission for a third runway continues, Ding warned that Heathrow’s operating capacity meant “fewer choices and higher fares for passengers and missed opportunities for the UK economy”.
Heathrow’s £50bn proposal to increase capacity has been mired in political wrangling for years. Its blueprint for a new, 3.5-kilometre runway would elevate passenger capacity to 150m annually from 84m. With it, the airport could accommodate 756,000 flights per year, up from 480,000 currently.
“Our plan is privately financed, rigorously assessed and focused on value. With the right regulatory framework and government policy in place, we are ready to invest, grow and keep the UK connected to the world,” a statement from Heathrow said on Wednesday.
The project involves redesigning part of the M25, London’s ring road which passes close to Heathrow, by diverting it into a tunnel. For the first time in Heathrow’s history, the government examined a competing expansion proposal from another firm.
The more economical bid – costing £25bn, and put forward by the Arora Group, which runs hotels and is involved in property asset management as well as construction – would have avoided the M25 altogether. It was turned down last autumn by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. She selected Heathrow’s proposal, but it has faced further delays following a government decision to reassess its overarching strategy in its Airports National Policy Statement, now anticipated this summer.
Holidaymakers planning a trip to Spain who haven’t yet booked their flights are being warned to do so know amid speculation that escalating oil prices could soon drive up the costs
Brits should book their travels soon according to one tourism boss(Image: Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
A Spanish tourist boss has warned that Brits who haven’t yet booked their summer holidays should book flights as soon as possible to avoid “price fluctuations”.
Jordi Hereu, Spain’s Industry and Tourism Minister, made the comments to Spanish news outlet Expansion yesterday (April 27), warning that growth in the tourist industry could be dampened by rises in the cost of flights. Last year, Spain welcomed 97 million tourists through its borders, and was expected to hit the 100 million mark this year.
He said: “What we’re recommending is that people buy their tickets now because it’s true that (airlines) are currently using kerosene that was purchased some time ago, and therefore there’s an element of price fluctuations involved.”
“It’s already clear that prices have risen and this could affect demand.” he added. He went on to reassure holidaymakers that authorities were looking at ways to prevent fuel shortages as the busy summer season looms.
But Mr Hereu also warned: “If the countries that send tourists to Spain had problems, we would have them too.”
Many airlines have been foreced to cancel flights this spring and summer due to the rising cost of jet fuel as supplies run law, as a consequence of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the Israeli and US attack on Iran.
Keir Starmer said the UK was doing “everything we can” to reopen the Strait, although the UK PM warned: “I don’t want anybody to think that, once the Strait is open, that that’s the end of the damage. It will go on longer than that.”
He went on to tell Sky News: “I can see that, if there’s more impact, people might change their habits… where they go on holiday this year, what they’re buying in the supermarket, that sort of thing.”
Corneel Koster, Virgin Atlantic’s chief executive, told the Telegraph: “I was looking at improving our financial results by a really significant chunk. And then this happens. We have never seen jet fuel at these levels, with prices more than doubling. The industry cannot absorb increases like this.”
In recent weeks, the cost of a barrel of jet fuel has increased from £63 to as high as £148 amid the conflict in the Middle East. The cost of fuel accounts for around a quarter or more of operating expenses for airlines, meaning it can have a big impact on profits.
According to reports by the BBC, the lowest-priced economy tickets currently cost 24% more on average than this time last year. In response, airlines have asked for measures such as a cut or suspension to Air Passenger Duty to be put in place to balance out the costs for consumers.
A number of airlines have already cut services, such as Lufthansa, which has axed 20,000 European short-haul flights, which it claims will save around 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel. The German airline will offer customers options, including refunding fares or booking them on alternative flights with other airlines.
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This has meant a shortage in fuel, including jet fuel, which has resulted in prices per barrel doubling in price.
Wizz Air chief executive József Váradi has since warned that airlines will be forced into closing if the prices remain high.
He told the Telegraph: “Airlines go bust two times a year, in September and February [and] airlines with weak liquidity positions will come under immense pressure in September time.
“At the moment, all airlines are selling against summer demand, which is the highest-priced capacity during the year – but you run out of steam by the end of June.”
