George Rainsford is returning to Casualty tonight as fan favourite Dr Ethan Hardy for the BBC medical drama’s 40th anniversary three years after his last apperance
George Rainsford played Dr Ethan Hardy in Casualty from 2014 until 2023(Image: BBC/Alistair Heap)
A former Casualty actor has admitted he was “ready to have a break” after nine years working on the medical drama.
George Rainsford is putting his scrubs back on and resuming his role as Dr Ethan Hardy for the BBC show’s huge 40th anniversary, which airs tonight (Saturday, September 5).
The actor played the popular doctor for almost a decade before leaving the BBC medical drama in 2023. Fans will know George’s charatcer Ethan was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and left the E.D. three years ago to spend more time with his son, Bodhi.
Speaking exclusively to Betway about his exit, George explained: “At the time, I definitely wanted that time away. I was ready to have a break. It’s a fantastic place to work.
“I loved how generous they were with all the storylines I had over the years, and I loved everybody there but it’s filmed in Cardiff, and I’m not based there, so I needed to spend a bit more time at home. When you’re an actor, sometimes you want to challenge yourself and see what else is out there.
“After nine years, that feeling had gotten a bit stronger. I was keen to go back and do theatre for a bit and see what other screen work was out there.
“I’m glad we were able to have the conversation with the producers that it wasn’t final because I really enjoyed going back and I do think there would be a storyline there but at the same time, I was ready for a little break”
Since leaving Casualty, Jimmy has appeared in seven episodes of popular BBC period drama Call the Midwife as Jimmy Wilson and more recently played the role of Miles is movie Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger.
Ethan isn’t the only familar face returning to Casualty this week with Derek Thompson also reprising his iconic role as nurse Charlie Fairhead. Fans last saw him during his final appearance in March 2024, where he retired after 38 years in the NHS.
Although bosses haven’t shared too many details of Ethan and Charlie’s involvement in the 40th anniversary, they have said: “The gripping, anniversary event centres on a high-stakes major incident that throws Holby into chaos.
“Lives hang in the balance and the ED team are pushed to their limits in a tense and emotionally charged story that brings together some of the show’s most beloved characters.
“As the fallout continues, a major rescue operation unfolds, forcing impossible life-or-death decisions and testing the courage, resilience and leadership of those at the heart of the hospital.
“As Dylan Keogh (William Beck) battles personal tragedy while leading his team through their darkest hour, Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) and Flynn Byron (Olly Rix) find themselves fighting for survival in a race against time.”
Casualty’s 40th anniversary specials will air on Saturday, September 5 from 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer
Emmerdale actress Nicola Wheeler was left “gutted” by her long-term co-star’s exit, following emotional scenes that brought viewers to tears
10:13, 03 Sep 2026Updated 10:15, 03 Sep 2026
Emmerdale’s Nicola Wheeler says it’ll be ‘odd’ without her long-term co-star (Image: ITV)
Last week, Emmerdale fans were left in tears as long-term resident Jimmy King, played by Nick Miles, lost his life in a horrific car accident. The actor had played Jimmy for 22 years, with much of that time spent portraying the husband of Nicola King.
His on-screen wife, Nicola Wheeler, has now opened up about the sad moment Nick told her he was stepping away from the soap.
Speaking to My Weekly magazine, the 52-year-old revealed: “I’ve worked with Nick (Miles) for 17 years. It was Nick who told me the news he was leaving. He contacted me after he’d told his real wife. We will stay friends, so it’s not like I won’t see him, I just won’t see him being Jimmy King again, which is odd.”
Nicola also reflected on filming their final scenes together, telling the Press Association that it suddenly dawned on her that it was the end of an era for their characters.
She said she felt “gutted” by the end of Jimmy and Nicola’s long-running partnership, explaining that filming the death scenes felt particularly strange. Episodes are shot out of order, she said, meaning the reality of Nick’s departure did not always feel real – while part of her also did not want it to be over.
Despite her sadness, Nicola praised the scripts, describing the farewell scenes as “beautifully written”, adding that she wanted to do them justice, even though filming them made the ending feel final.
Reports of Nick’s exit first emerged in May, amid claims that his contract would not be renewed and that producers had informed him earlier in the year.
While he has not addressed the reason behind his exit specifically, he has admitted that the script left both him and others who read it in tears.
Jimmy’s final scenes saw him telling his wife he loved her before succumbing to injuries sustained in the crash. As the tragedy played out on August 27, viewers flocked to X to share their sadness.
One said the soap “won’t be the same without Jimmy King,” while another admitted they were “in bits”.
Sharing what she believes could be next for her character, Nicola said: “I can’t imagine the character would ever fully move on.
“I think there’s always going to be part of her that loves him. Her heart will grow to fit another love in, but she will never let Jimmy go.”
She also teased a new storyline involving Kev Townsend, played by Chris Coghill. “Something happens in which I can only say Nicola behaves appallingly, and Kev is a gentleman, and I think from that moment she starts to see him in a different light,” she added.
Emmerdale continues tonight at 8pm on ITV and ITVX.
EastEnders fans believe they’ve worked out Ravi Gulati’s exit storyline, and it’s fair to say that the Walford bad boy could be set to bring more drama than ever as he bows out
19:46, 02 Sep 2026Updated 19:47, 02 Sep 2026
EastEnders fans believe they’ve worked out Ravi’s exit storyline(Image: BBC)
Over the course of his time in Albert Square, Ravi has been at the centre of action-packed storylines, but his latest could be the most heartbreaking for the former gang leader. After being sectioned, Ravi was noticeably absent from the Square and ended his relationship with Priya (Sophie Khan Levy), which led Priya to sleep with Max Branning.
Priya previously revealed that she had been seeing another man, but this week, Ravi was dealt a crushing blow when he saw her acting cosy with Max Branning (Jake Wood). In tonight’s episode, Ravi headed over to Max and Cindy’s flat, silently snooping around the place to discover if a picture Priya had taken was in fact at Max’s home, which it was.
When he confronted Priya about whether Max was her mystery man, she was shocked by the question and later confirmed what Ravi already knew. But she clarified that it was simply a “fling” and the relationship was over.
But with the news that Ravi is leaving Walford, fans believe that this could be a key part of the upcoming 2027 New Year episode, which viewers saw on New Year’s Day this year, kicking off the biggest storylines for next year.
During the episode, viewers saw Max being arrested by armed police before his wedding for solicitation to murder. He’s also been spotted with a woman despite getting married, though his bride’s identity remains a mystery. Although he’s engaged to Cindy, some believe that she won’t be tying the knot with Max, who is set to marry her this week.
A male figure was also spotted lingering over the Brannings ‘ and Beales’ in Lauren’s house – and some believe that this could be Ravi, as part of his storyline. Now, it wouldn’t be surprising, given Ravi’s history with criminal activity and weaoponary.
We also know that Priya is pregnant with Max’s baby, as a result of their fling, but Ravi, her fiancé, doesn’t know about the pregnancy. One fan said: “Priya is pregnant, it’s Max’s, but she tells everyone it’s Ravis. Max’s bride is Linda at new year. Which makes more sense to have Ian as his best man.
“Priya is in Max’s bed. In the flash-forward, we see Cindy looking at a wedding dress, but it is her reflecting on what could have been. Also, in the flash forward, a police officer comes out of the flats saying there is a problem; I think that Priya’s waters have broken or labour has started- she locked herself in the bathroom. Ravi or Cindy is holding the gun to Oscar and Lauren.
“Ravi’s reason – he finds out about the affair and the baby is not his, and goes crazy, wanting to take away Max’s children for ruining his family. Cindy’s reason – payback for leaving her and finally getting revenge for Max being involved in her son’s death. We know that Linda, Oscar, Zoe and Ravi are leaving.”
Another fan said: “I think Cindy and Ravi find out about Max and Priya, Ravi is the gunman, and Cindy has set Max up for solicitation to murder.” While a third added: “I think the solicitation to murder is Ravi – he faked his own death and framed Max for it.”
“Maybe Ravi shoots Oscar, that’s his exit and Ravi for murder?” said a fourth. A fifth added: “If Priya goes into labour LYD, it’ll be another baby born prematurely, I think it’ll be Ravi with the gun.”
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
A contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee spoke about how proud they were to have made it so far.
One contestant was forced to leave The Great British Sewing Bee (Image: BBC)
A contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee has spoken of their pride in making it so far, as they were forced to leave the show. The BBC competition’s 12th series is well underway, with Patrick Grant and Esme Young returning as judges, while Sophie Willan replaced Sara Pascoe as presenter.
Just a week before the semi-finals, the remaining amateur sewers were challenged with Literary Icons week. As they channelled their inner bookworms, they were tasked with creating a deerstalker worn by Arthur Conan Doyle’s character Sherlock Holmes in the Pattern Challenge.
They were then asked to imagine what Roald Dahl’s Matilda would be like as a grown-up, creating an outfit from second-hand school uniforms. And finally, in the Made-to-Measure, the sewers created an outfit from the Regency period, inspired by the works of Jane Austen.
Despite her enthusiasm for the challenges, it was unfortunately Rebecca who missed out on a place in the semi-finals. She broke down in tears as Sophie announced she would be leaving the competition.
Sophie said: “Now for the difficult bit, one of you does have to go home today.” She went on: “You’ve all been amazing, it’s getting very serious now, it’s up here, so it’s very difficult for the judges. But unfortunately, the person going home today is Rebecca.”
Rebecca was supported by her co-stars as she wept over her exit, before sharing her pride in making it so far. She said: “I’m feeling incredibly proud of myself, I never thought I’d make it to the quarter-finals, so it’s been a privilege, every step of the way.”
Esme added: “I’ll really miss Rebecca. She was such fun, and making a dress and jacket was a lot of work. But she made so many mistakes.”
Rebecca continued: “Doing all of what I’ve achieved, being in pain the whole time, it’s just, I’m so proud of myself, and I hope that anyone who is living with an invisible disability or any disability, knows they can do incredible things.”
The Great British Sewing Bee continues next week, with the BBC teasing: “It’s the semi-final, and judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young set three challenges celebrating wardrobe heroes. These are items found in every wardrobe. However little or often they are worn, these clothes are must-haves and essentials.
“First, in the Pattern Challenge, the sewers must put their spin on the classic leather jacket, only this time, the judges have asked them to use plant-based leather.
“Next, for the Transformation Challenge, the sewers take men’s shirts and transform them into outfits for a wedding. Finally, in the Made-to-Measure, it’s the timeless little black dress that is the inspiration Four sewers remain, but only three will make it to the final.”
The Great British Sewing Bee is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
British qualifier Toby Samuel broke more new ground with a dominant victory over Tomas Machac on his US Open main-draw debut.
The 23-year-old came from a set down in each of his three qualifying matches in New York this week to guarantee a third Grand Slam appearance of the year.
However, he had no such issues against former world number 20 Machac, wrapping up a 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory in just over 90 minutes to register his first win at a Grand Slam.
“It means everything to me. It’s what I dreamt of as a kid watching these big tournaments,” Samuel told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Being able to win my first Grand Slam match is unbelievable.”
Just two years ago, Samuel fell to almost 2,000th in the world rankings as bone bruising in his right arm ruled him out of much of the 2024 season.
He now sits inside the top 100 in the live ATP rankings, along with earning $140,000 (£103,000) in prize money in the biggest payday of his career so far.
Samuel won 36 of 39 matches on the ATP Challenger Tour to return to the top 300 last year, but has reached new heights in 2026.
The Winchester native came through qualifying to make his Grand Slam debut at the French Open, having never previously contested a single match on the ATP Tour.
He continued that momentum with a run to the semi-finals at Eastbourne, a Wimbledon wildcard, and a third Challenger crown of the year on Winnipeg’s hard courts.
Samuel’s new ranking would secure automatic qualification for next January’s Australian Open, completing the set of major appearances a year after making his top-250 debut.
He is joined in the second round in New York by compatriot Katie Boulter, who battled past American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee 6-4 3-6 6-0.
Emmerdale star Olivia Bromley shed real tears when she filmed the tragic death of her character, Dawn Fletcher, tonight. Due to marry bad boy Joe Tate, their plans were scuppered when Jimmy King crashed into the wedding marquee, causing a big explosion, and pregnant Dawn was rushed to hospital.
Sent into premature labour, while Dawn gave birth safely to a baby boy with Joe at her side, she had a serious internal bleed. Suddenly, without warning, she crashed and, despite medics’ best efforts to resuscitate her, she died.
In her first interview since the explosive scenes, Olivia, 30, who was originally signed by Emmerdale for just 12 episodes in 2018, tells The Mirror: “It was the toughest storyline I’ve done during my time in the soap.
“I was surprised by how emotional I found it and it was way more emotional than I was expecting. I did cry. It is very strange to kill off your character as an actor and in front of your colleagues. But that said, what a gift to be given. Often people leave and just slip off.”
The actress was told earlier this year her character would be at the heart of a huge exit storyline during the soap’s biggest week of the year. Having reached a crossroads playing Dawn, she says it was almost a relief to have the decision over what to do with the role made for her.
She says: “This is a good time for me to go on a personal level. I had felt ready for the character to go. This character felt like she had done so much and I didn’t know what direction she could go in next. I had played her for a long time, and it felt like I needed to do other things. I am proud this was such a big finale to my time in the soap.”
But news that Dawn was being killed off came as a bolt from the blue and she confesses she would have liked to have left the door open to one day return.
Despite the initial shock, she says: “Psychologically, now I have had time to reflect, I know it’s good for me, because I can say bye to my Emmerdale chapter. It’s been brilliant. I was originally only signed up for 12 episodes and I’ve stayed eight years!”
And if viewers found her final scenes surprisingly realistic, she can now share the secret – that real life paramedics, rather than actors, were used to make the medical scenes convincing. She says: “They had real life paramedics and intensive care workers who came in to play those parts. Emmerdale is a fast-paced soap and we often don’t have time to train actors up, so they bring supporting people in with a lot of experience.”
Likening it to an “out of body” experience, she adds of her character’s death scenes: “They had rehearsed the crash response with Ned [who plays Joe Tate] and the supporting artists first and, right at the last minute, they put me in the scene. I had no idea what was going on.
“They went into the crash response, and it felt like an out of body experience lying there. They were all so professional and brilliant at what they did.”
But Olivia is sad that Dawn’s life ended so tragically. She says: “Even though she was able to cradle the baby with her children and Joe by her side, nobody had picked up on her bleeding internally. Finally, she had got what she wanted and so it was a sad end for her.”
Dawn originally arrived in the village as a drug addicted sex worker. Her big storylines included finding her long lost son and her on-off romance with her big love, ex-husband Billy. But she fell for Joe Tate in January 2025, after embarking on an affair behind Billy’s back.
They got engaged in December 2025 and by February 2026 discovered they were expecting a baby. But in recent months, Dawn, who had two other children and an adopted daughter, had been troubled by her lingering feelings for Billy.
And when he was attacked last month, she believed Joe was responsible and had planned to escape with Billy, rather than marrying the bad boy. However, in a massive plot twist, it became apparent Billy had actually been attacked by Kev – making Dawn want to marry Joe after all.
Olivia says: “Only a few weeks ago, she was talking about escaping with Billy, but in the end chose Joe. If Dawn hadn’t returned to Joe at the end, she would still be alive now. Billy is her true love but ultimately, she is an addict and she was drawn to Joe.”
She continues: “I’ve loved playing Dawn and I’ve enjoyed watching her develop and change. I’ve made many friends too and I am going to miss them a lot – especially everyone at Home Farm and Jay, who plays Billy. We are like brother and sister; we get on so well.”
Away from Emmerdale, Olivia lives happily in Leeds with her partner, who she keeps out of the public eye. She says: “My life has changed since joining the show. It has given me stability and, alongside the character, I’ve grown and changed. It’s made me ambitious in different ways and taken my life in a different way.”
After graduating from Oxford School of Drama, Olivia moved to London to work in theatre, before the call from Emmerdale came. She says: “This did change things for me and to be a working actor for eight years has been very special.”
And she would love to continue working in TV drama. She says: “I want to try some new things. It’s an exciting time and I would love to do a period drama or a gritty 9pm drama like Line of Duty.”
Now awaiting auditions, she has her leaving party to look forward to next weekend. She says: “It’s themed and I think we all deserve a drink after such a chaotic, complex end for Dawn. I’m also looking forward to just being me and not Dawn!”
As for Emmerdale without her? Olivia says: “The audience will go on a rollercoaster I am sure! I will always be so grateful to Emmerdale for giving me this role and to have been able to play Dawn fully until the end has been so much fun.”
*Emmerdale airs every weekday on ITV1 and STV1 at 8pm. Episodes can also be downloaded on ITVX.
Swedish club Djurgardens have agreed a National League record fee thought to be in excess of £1.5m to sign winger Abdul Abdulmalik from Boreham Wood.
The 23-year-old’s move breaks the record fee paid for a fifth-tier player in England, set in 2012 when Leicester City paid Fleetwood Town £1m for Jamie Vardy.
Abdulmalik is currently in Sweden completing a medical after the deal was agreed on Sunday morning.
The forward enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2025-26, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists as Boreham Wood reached the National League play-off final, where he scored and set up a goal at Wembley.
The agreement also brings to an end a long-running transfer saga, with the Hertfordshire club having rejected bids of £1m and £1.5m for the former Millwall academy player earlier this summer.
Abdulmalik said: “I’m ready for the next challenge. I’m ready to prove to myself and those around me that I’m capable of reaching the top.”
He scored in his final appearance for Boreham Wood in mid-August but subsequently made himself unavailable for selection in an attempt to secure a move.
Clubs in England, including Peterborough United, had also expressed an interest.
Abdulmalik was previously an England Under-17s international but was released by Millwall in 2024 and had an unsuccessful trial at Portsmouth.
Stockholm-based Djurgardens are currently fifth in the Allsvenskan – which runs from April to November – but have two games in hand on the majority of their rivals and remain in contention to qualify for Europe.
Contains spoilers! Recent Emmerdale rumours teased an exit for Dawn Taylor amid a dramatic stunt week that saw one character dead and Joe Tate injured, but will Dawn stay on the show?
07:47, 28 Aug 2026Updated 07:47, 28 Aug 2026
Amid rumours Dawn is leaving Emmerdale, fans feared another character would die(Image: ITV)
Amid rumours Dawn is leaving Emmerdale, fans feared another character would die this week.
With Jimmy King dead, Joe Tate was caught up in an explosion leaving fans wondering if he would be killed off too. Thursday’s cliffhanger saw Dawn Taylor and Nicola King escaping the wedding marquee, that was meant to host pregnant Dawn’s wedding with Joe.
Dawn jilted Joe, and then changed her mind, but before they could reconcile, tragedy struck. Jimmy’s car went speeding into the marquee, injuring himself, Dawn and Joe.
Jimmy eventually died, and Nicola and Dawn were fine, leaving Joe’s fate unknown. As the marquee exploded, it was teased villain Joe had been killed off, as his loved ones watched on in shock.
But is Dawn leaving the show? It was reported earlier this year that actress Olivia Bromley had been written out of the ITV soap after eight years.
Nothing has been confirmed, but reports suggested Dawn would be leaving. It left some fans wondering if Joe would die, causing a grief-stricken Dawn to flee the village.
So while nothing has been confirmed by Emmerdale, scenes this week did tease an exit, when Dawn planned to run off with Billy Fletcher. She changed her mind, so could the exit rumours have been a mistake?
Might the escape plan have led some to think she would leave, but actually Dawn will stay? It’s these reports that sparked the exit claims in the first place, and as we say, they have not been backed up by the show or actress Olivia.
Perhaps the latest episode on Friday could add more to this, with Joe’s fate confirmed. Warning, the rest of this article contains spoilers from Friday’s episode now available on ITVX.
If you haven’t watched the episode yet, look away now! Friday’s visit to the Dales follows the immediate fallout of the explosion, as Graham Foster desperately tries to save Joe.
Joe is rescued and taken to hospital where it is revealed whether he lives or dies. We’ll leave that, and any other twists that air, for your own viewing.
The episode is now on ITVX and will air this evening at 8PM on ITV1. Producer Laura Shaw had teased Joe’s fate with the Mirror in a recent chat, where she appeared to confirm a big new storyline.
Laura hinted that Joe’s feud with his uncle Caleb Miligan would escalate after the wedding week, and would continue into 2027. We’re also expecting a “gothic and dark” autumn for the Tates.
The stats back up McInnes’ anger. Rangers had just over 46% possession during the 120 minutes in the Czech Republic, and just one shot on target.
They won fewer than 70% of their 16 tackles and committed 17 fouls.
“I can’t accept, and we shouldn’t accept, losing individual battles, duels, second balls, not winning enough tackles and just getting the momentum of the game going our way,” the former Hearts manager added.
“I thought we looked young, inexperienced at times. We’re trying to make some signings to help with that side of it but we need to do so much more as a team.
“We got what we deserved. If we’d won on penalties we would have taken it, of course, but it would only have covered over the cracks.
“I’m mortified with the performance. I know you can lose games of football but we should have enough in the building to take care of that tonight.”
Rangers had won their two previous games – a 5-1 win over St Mirren in the League Cup and the 1-0 victory against Jablonec at Ibrox – after drawing at Dundee United and losing at home to Hibernian in their opening two Premiership matches.
But McInnes feels this latest result may set them back.
“We went into this game scrambling for some sort of confidence, some positivity,” he said. “But I just thought the team that deserved to go through went through tonight and that’s hard for me to take.”
Emmerdale fans will remember John Barton’s dramatic exit following a romantic reunion with his wife Moira
John was killed off just as he’d reconciled with wife Moira (Image: ITV)
Emmerdale icon James Thornton has a very famous wife who sitcom fans will instantly recognise.
It’s been 17 years since James Thornton arrived in the Dales as dashing John Barton, and alongside his wife, Moira (Natalie J Robb), he became the new owner of Butlers Farm.
The farmer took over the agricultural business from the iconic Sugden family, kick-starting a new dynasty on the ITV soap and a long-standing feud between the two families.
Before his arrival, series producer Gavin Blyth described James’ character, John, as “a very charismatic and modern farmer”.
However, despite the Bartons initially appearing as the perfect, hardworking family unit, cracks began to show in John and Moira’s marriage.
John’s kiss with Eve Jenson (Suzanne Shaw) and Moira’s subsequent affair with Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) tested their relationship. Despite struggling to forgive Moira for her infidelity, John eventually realised he couldn’t live without her.
When the couple reconciled in February 2012, their happiness was short-lived when a harrowing incident saw John and Moira’s car crash following a skid on ice, leading to a tragic plunge off a ravine. John died in the incident, leaving Moira heartbroken.
Speaking to Digital Spy in 2012 about his dramatic Emmerdale exit, James thought the storyline was “brilliant” and said: “As I learned more, I discovered that the scale of John’s departure was going to be huge, and that the amount of money they were spending was massive.
“So I was really, really pleased. As an actor, you always want to do something that’s going to grab the audience’s attention.”
Famous wife
James married Welsh actress Joanna Page, famous for her role as Stacey in the BBC hit Gavin & Stacey, in December 2003, four years after they both starred in the two-part BBC drama David Copperfield – he was Ham Peggotty, and she was Dora Spenlow.
The couple share four children – Eva, Kit, Noah, and the youngest, Boe, who was born in 2021.
It was having children that, Joanna says, completely changed their relationship. She told Woman magazine: “It completely changes you. You’re really close and a unit, then you have kids, and it kind of completely splits you because they’re now the focus.
“We know that romance is going to be on the back burner for now and life is exhausting and hectic, but in 15 years’ time it’s just going to be and him and then we’re going to get to go travelling around the world.”
Road accident
In February 2010, James was hit by a motorist in London and received medical treatment for leg injuries. Emmerdale producers rewrote scenes involving his character. At the time, an Emmerdale source told the Daily Star the entire cast was shocked.
James now works as a voice artist and has narrated several documentaries, including BBC series This Farming Life. He has narrated and appeared in the documentary Benefits By the Sea: Jaywick (2015–2016), narrated the Channel 5 series The Motorway, and has been the voice of Talk TV.
He also narrates ad campaigns for high-profile brands like Ford, Amazon, Shell, and BP.
A contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee has shared an emotional statement after their exit.
13:35, 26 Aug 2026Updated 13:38, 26 Aug 2026
A contestant was forced to leave The Great British Sewing Bee (Image: BBC)
A contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee has broken their silence after being forced to leave the competition. The beloved BBC show has returned with its 12th season, with Esme Young and Patrick Grant reprising their roles as judges, whilst comedian Sophie Willan replaced Sara Pascoe as presenter.
The episode airing Tuesday, August 25, saw the remaining amateur sewers “hit all the right notes” for music week, for a place in the quarter-final. In the Pattern Challenge, they paid homage to the original Material Girl, making cone bras inspired by the Jean Paul Gaultier creations Madonna wore in the 1990s.
The Transformation Challenge saw the sewers tested in teams, as they had to use bedroom furnishings to create outfits for two different pop acts. And the theme was DISCO for Made-to-Measure, with the sewers creating outfits inspired by the genre that defined 1970s pop music.
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However, sadly, one sewer was forced to leave the competition, with primary school teacher Adele going. She’s now addressed her exit on social media and been supported by a new legion of fans.
The 36-year-old shared: “My incredible Sewing Bee journey has come to an end. What a fantastic experience it has been, with memories I’ll cherish forever. (Watch to the end for my favourite photo EVER!) I have 11 special sewing friends for life! We all supported and looked after each other. Our little Bee family.
“I am so proud that I pushed myself to do it, despite the overwhelming nerves. It’s so terrifying putting yourself out there, but I really wanted to encourage others to give it a go too!
“A huge thank you to my supportive husband Steve, who has encouraged me so much and held the fort at home with the kids, even though I said I’d probably be sent home after the first episode! Also, a big thank you to my mum, who helped look after the kids so I could practice all the made-to-measure last summer.
“Thank you to my beautiful models @amygr.y (Team Ginger!) and the lovely Janvii, who absolutely nailed it and really encouraged me.
“Never in a million years did I think I’d reach episode 7. I only started dressmaking 5 years ago, after being encouraged by the Sewing Bee to start. What a dream come true.”
As part of her post, Adele shared snippets from her Sewing Bee journey, and added: “It’s been the BEST experience of my life. I hope I’ve made everyone at home and my children proud. Believe in yourself and have confidence to chase your dreams. See what magic you can create.”
Adele was showered in support after sharing her post. One follower wrote: “You are amazing, and my son and I have loved watching every moment of you on the Bee and cheering you on. You should be so so proud of yourself.”
The Great British Sewing Bee is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Emmerdale spoilers for next week reveal DS Ramsden is up to something shocking, while Charity Dingle could face a sad exit, plus there’s an arrival with ‘devastating’ consequences
Emmerdale’s DS Ramsden’s true plan revealed
Spoilers for next week’s Emmerdale reveal big twists, an arrival and a shocking plan.
Serena Sugden’s [Casey Al-Shaqsy] taken aback by DS Thea Ramsden’s [Chelsea Edge] plan. In the police interview room, Ramsden relishes in the emotional pain she’s inflicting on a villager. A flashback soon reveals there is more going on.
An arrival in the village brings accusations with devastating consequences. Elsewhere, Sarah Sugden [Katie Hill] and Charity Dingle [Emma Atkins] keep up their lie about Dr. Todd’s murder, but Sarah spirals as she feels guilty about her crime.
As the day of Dr. Todd’s [Caroline Harker] funeral arrives, Sarah’s guilt spikes, especially when Ds Ramsden arrives to speak with Charity about some anomalies in her statement about Dr. Todd’s death.
As Charity is escorted to the police station, Sarah is wracked with guilt. At the station, Charity panics when her account of fighting off Todd is questioned.
Sarah decides it’s time to confess, and Serena fears this will lead to them both being locked up. Also next week, Vinny Dingle [Bradley Johnson] tells Kev Townsend [Chris Coghill] he’s decided to postpone proposing to Lewis Barton [Bradley Riches].
Vinny is soon worried when he’s left thinking Kev may have overheard his private conversation with Gabby Thomas [Rosie Bentham]. Kev swears secrecy, leading to Vinny opening up to him.
But when Kev reacts angrily about Vinny’s confession, Vinny thinks he’s made a big mistake in speaking to Kev. Finally, something is clearly weighing heavily on Gabby’s mind.
It comes as soap producer Laura Shaw teased a big autumn for the soap in a chat with the Mirror. She hinted at “gothic” and “dark” scenes in the coming weeks, especially for the Tates.
While she also hinted at some comedy moments, with Lewis and Kev involved. She said: “We’ve got some quite dark, gothic storylines coming up.
“There’s some comedy as well, I think it’s a whole mix, that’s what soap is about, isn’t it? Drama, and gothic stuff at Home Farm.
“That feels like the right kind of precinct for those sort of stories.” Laura also told us a little teaser about the mystery new Tate character. While she did not give away who it was or why they were in the village, or even if it’s an old face or a recast, she did tease we should be keeping our eyes peeled.
Laura said: “I think the new Tate will probably appear before you realise it’s a Tate.” So who could it be?
Coronation Street fans are worried for Brody Michaelis amid his dodgy dealings with Idris Nazir after a violent scene on Wednesday, with fans predicting a sad fate for the teen
21:01, 19 Aug 2026Updated 21:03, 19 Aug 2026
Coronation Street fans are worried for Brody Michaelis(Image: ITV)
Fans fear a death twist is on the way for one Coronation Street teen, after they crossed baddie Idris Nazir on Wednesday.
After some dodgy dealings with Idris over recent weeks, Brody Michaelis exposed Idris to his love interest Leanne Battersby. Revealing all about the poker night and the fact he’d risked her money in the process, Brody left Idris furious.
Idris had hosted a poker night at Leanne’s restaurant in secret. He then used the £5,000 she leant him, which he claimed was a loan for something, on the poker game. With the help of Ollie Driscoll, Idris fixed the poker game so that Ollie won, and dodgy businesswoman Fiona lost.
With Ollie winning thousands of pounds, most of it went to Idris. But the fact he’d chosen Ollie for this task and not Brody, who is keen to impress his boss, left Brody upset, and he got drunk.
As Brody confronted his boss about Ollie, Idris realised he’d had alcohol. Idris called Brody “sloppy” and a “bad liar”, saying this is why he chose Ollie. A rejected Brody then took his revenge.
As Leanne showed up at the restaurant after the clean-up, Brody dropped Idris in it by confirming the poker night. He told Leanne about the winnings too, making it clear that Idris had used her money.
A furious Leanne told Idris not to bother joining her later before storming out. As Brody laughed, Idris went over to him and attacked him. Pinning him against a wall, he grabbed him before slapping and then grabbing his face.
Idris said: “Think you’re a big man, do you? I don’t care who your dad is. If you ever cross me like that again, you’ll regret it.” He then threw Brody over, telling him to get out.
Fans watching the scenes were worried it was a hint of what is to come for the characters. With Brody tipped to take some time away later this year, as actor Ryan Mulvey works on another project, fans are fearing he could be killed off.
While his exit is only thought to be temporary, fans believe Idris’ true colours have been shown, and Brody could get caught up in dark scenes. A fan said: “I think Idris will kill Brody.”
Another viewer theorised: “I think Brodie’s going to end up asking too many questions or double crossing Idris and that’s how he leaves.” Another fan thought he’d live, but still be facing trouble thanks to Idris.
The comment read: “I can see him going to prison for a while, if the actor is leaving.”
Former EastEnders star Shaheen Jafargholi, who played Shakil Kazemi on the BBC soap, shocked fans when he took to social media and posed topless to show off his ripped appearance
Shaheen Jafargholi played the part of Shakil Kazemi on EastEnders (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes)
Former EastEnders star Shaheen Jafargholi has shocked fans with his appearance – almost a decade after he left the BBC soap. The actor, 29, played Shakil Kazemi from 2016 until 2018, with his alter-ego leaving Walford in explosive scenes which saw him stabbed to death as part of a hard-hitting knife storyline.
The former soap star recently took to Instagram to share a series of snaps of himself topless whilst attending a music festival, and, in one photo he posed confidently as he looked to his left and showed off his toned physique.
In another snap, the TV star was seen rolling on the grass as he cuddled his dog. He did not caption the post, but fans were taken aback by his appearance.
One wrote: “Well then [fire emoji],” and another said: “Phoaar!” A third wrote: “You’re looking very nice and slim in this Photo,” and a fourth said: “gorgeous!!”
Following his time on EastEnders, he enjoyed a five-year stint as Marty Kirkby on Casualty and later this year, he will be seen in Sky legal drama War.
When Shaheen left EastEnders, he said: “It’s going to be weird – I’ve been there for two years now and made so many incredible friends and family.
“Like anything all good things come to an end, it’s the nature of these kind of shows, characters come and go I feel so blessed to be able to leave with such an incredible storyline that means so much.”
Shaheen initially found fame when he competed on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 alongside Susan Boyle and Diversity, and has so far released two albums. Shortly after impressing Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan on the ITV1 talent show, and reaching the final, he was selected to perform at Michael Jackson’s funeral.
He sang Who’s Lovin’ You again and, according to the late US talk show host Larry King, the founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy, said “If I were still in the business, I would sign him tomorrow.”
Shaheen previously recalled: “When I was walking I wasn’t thinking about anything other than the way to get there. So I just walked out and did it. When I opened my mouth to sing, I was fine.
“When I sing I go into a totally different world. I feel invincible. I feel nobody can touch me and I can do whatever I want to do. It wasn’t until I’d finished that I realised what I’d just done.”
Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango in the first round of Cincinnati Open.
Published On 15 Aug 202615 Aug 2026
Venus Williams’s losing streak in singles play has reached 13 matches.
The seven-time major champion was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango late on Friday in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.
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The 46-year-old Williams received a wild-card entry to the WTA 1000 event. She has not won a singles match since July 2025.
Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, needed 1 hour, 5 minutes to defeat Williams on the grandstand court at Lindner Tennis Center.
Williams had her serve broken in the first game of the match and faced an uphill battle the rest of the way. Arango was 4 of 5 on converting break points and won 71 percent of her first-serve points.
Williams was unable to convert on her lone break opportunity and was only 41 percent on first-serve points.
“That kind of eased my nerves a little bit of having maybe a little bit of breathing room. And then I think I just did a good job of staying on it, trying to make her play as much as possible,” Arango said about getting ahead early.
Arango will face No 7 seed and defending Cincinnati champion Iga Swiatek in the second round.
Williams’s last singles victory came last year in Washington, when she defeated Peyton Stearns.
“I think that at all times I was really controlling the point, but unfortunately didn’t finish it the way I wanted to,” said Williams, who is making her 11th appearance in the tournament. “The encouraging part is that I’m controlling the shots, but I have to just get a little more consistent on that last part.”
Williams will remain in Cincinnati to play doubles with her sister, Serena, after they received a wild-card entry. They last played doubles together at the 2022 US Open.
The Williams sisters were slated to play doubles at Wimbledon before an injury to Serena. They will play Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the first round.
The doubles portion of the tournament starts on Sunday.
“I’m excited and hope that we can both go into it fresh, on our toes and ready. I’ll be preparing for that,” Venus Williams said.
Venus is also slated to play mixed doubles at the US Open later this month with Alexander Bublik.
Saira Khan has candidly revealed why quit Loose Women as she claimed she was “treated unfairly” and received death threats during her time on the ITV chat show
14:58, 11 Aug 2026Updated 14:58, 11 Aug 2026
Saira Khan has opened up about her exit from Loose Women(Image: ITV)
Saira Khan has revealed why she really left Loose Women after Nadia Sawalha claimed she’s been dropped by ITV.
The former Apprentice star, 56, joined the ITV chat show in 2015 and spent five years debating live on air alongside the likes of Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan and Nadia Sawalha but eventually made the tough decision to leave the high-paying TV job after even her children had started to realise she had been treated “unfairly” during the height of her fame.
She said: “When you’re new, it’s really hard because it’s such a clique. You’ve got to prove yourself. But I aligned myself to Coleen and Ruth pretty quickly because I could relate to them. It was a hard decision to leave because I’d done it for a long time. No matter what you give to the media, you don’t get the thanks back, there’s no loyalty and you can be dropped. I saw people giving less but getting more. My kids said, ‘You’re not being treated fair, mum.’
“As a parent, I had to show that you don’t stick around. It doesn’t matter how good the job is. Financially, it was really hard to say goodbye to that.” Saira also claimed that because she was expected to be the one on the panel to talk about tough political subjects, she ended up receiving death threats.
She said: “The problem is, for someone like me, I then get stereotyped. ‘Oh, we’re talking about terrorism, bring Saira in, we’re talking about grooming gangs, bring her in.’ But I couldn’t do any of the fun stuff. So if you keep bringing me out talking about that stuff, that is stereotyping.
“I’d run two marathons, I like to snowboard, I’ve travelled around the world. None of that was ever explored. So people thought I was gobby and opinionated and a one-trick pony.
“I got death threats. Honestly, my husband was really scared for me. I got quite a few death threats and and I just said, ‘Steve, if I get shot the head for something I believe in, that’s my fate. I can’t do anything about that.”
Saira, who is married to Steve Hyde and has Zac, 18, as well as 15-year-old Amara with him, also co-hosted The Martin Lewis Money Show before going on to take part in in Dancing On Ice and Celebrity Big Brother during her her mainstream television career.
Elsewhere in the chat, Saira, who now focuses on managing her skincare business, admitted that she thrilled that neither of her children want to pursue a career in the spotlight after her own tumultuous experience.
Speaking on the Nolans Uncensored podcast, she explained: “Both of my kids have no interest in the media and I think it’s because of what they saw me go through. I’m really happy about that. The industry is changing, for me I’ve always seen it as a business and because it doesn’t see itself as a business, it’s not in such a great place right now.”
Saira’s frank comments come just days after Nadia Sawalha, also a long-serving panellist on Loose Women, spoke out about her lengthy absence from the show and threatened legal action, claiming ITV bullied her out of her job.
The former EastEnders star, who has not been seen on the show since April despite previously appearing up to three times a week for years, thinks she is being targeted for speaking out for Palestinian rights and was worried that police officers could come knocking on her door.
She told The Mirror: “I accept that there is a huge risk I will never work in television again.”
Colleagues have offered Nadia support, but she claimed many are too scared to do so publicly. She said two well-known faces at ITV reacted to an Instagram video she posted on her threat to sue the network.
But Nadia added: “I deleted it because I don’t want these people to be phased out. I feel sad that there is an atmosphere of fear that if they were to be seen to be supporting me, their career could be at risk. I don’t believe for one second the head of daytime wanted me off that show, I feel for her.”