fit

GREG James has revealed the heartbreaking reason he’s been missing from his Radio 1 show for two days saying he’s “in no fit state” to be on air. 

The 40-year-old was absent from his Radio 1 Breakfast show on Wednesday and also missed Thursday’s edition. 

Greg took to social media to tell fans he’s been supporting his family while his father Alan Milward undergoes heart surgery. 

Writing on Instagram, the presenter said: “Hello from my mum’s garden! I wasn’t on the breakfast show today as my dad was in for another go at heart surgery (it’s been a wild few months and I didn’t want to bore you with it all). 

“But here we are. Back to square one. Waiting for news and staying distracted and keeping calm by making water features. 

“All being well, back on tomorrow morning.”

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However Greg later revealed Alan’s surgery took “much longer” than they’d expected so he would be taking another day off. 

He said: “What a great day! An absolute hoot in ICU. 

“Surgery was much longer than everyone hoped. Big up my mum and my big sis. And the surgeons. And the NHS. What a gang. We’ve all gone mad. 

“Real talk, surgery went ok but he’s far from out of the woods so I’m gonna take it easy tomorrow and hopefully back on Friday. 

“Plus, I’m in no fit state to be on the radio. I mean, look at me, I’m posting photos from intensive care ffs. Thank you for your lovely messages.”

In March Greg had to cancel his show and rush home after Alan suffered a stroke during a planned heart operation.

He later opened up about his dad’s struggles during his 1,000km tandem bike ride for Red Nose Day.

Undertaking the mammoth task just a week after Alan’s stroke, Greg got emotional talking about the man he calls “Big Al”.

He said: “I feel elated. I feel a bit overwhelmed by all these people who just turned up out of nowhere. I just burst into tears as I was going up to Blaenavon. It was all a bit much.

“Just thought about… I just thought about everything. Just thought about my dad, thought about my mum. It got way too much. It’s so silly. It must have been the altitude.”

Packer had initially considered retiring at the end of this season, although she had not shared these thoughts with others.

She said a conversation with England head coach John Mitchell, where he “posed a good couple of questions to me”, helped her refocus.

And with no contract on the table at Saracens, Packer had to act.

“I’m more of a proactive instead of a reactive kind of person,” she said.

“Now I’ve got [son] Oliver and a mortgage, so I got in touch with Harlequins just to see if the door was open.”

Before Quins head coach Ross Chisholm had met with Packer, he attended the Red Roses’ training and was impressed with the former England skipper’s attitude and impact on the group.

“We just had quite an open conversation,” Packer added.

“He said, ‘I really loved how you trained with the Red Roses [and] actually seeing you in training, you’re someone that would be a really good fit for Harlequins’.”

With Packer impressing for England in the Six Nations, picking up player of the match awards against Wales and Italy, she knew that, once the tournament concluded, she had to “make some life choices”.

As she returned to Saracens, it was made clear by head coach Alex Austerberry that there was still no new deal for her, so she decided it was time to move on.

And with her partner, fellow England World Cup winner Rosie Galligan, pregnant, and their son Oliver settled at a nearby school, there seemed one obvious option.

“The fact that Harlequins was only 20 minutes down the road, the fit just seemed to be perfect,” she said.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler says he “is not sure yet” if Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma will be fit to play in the 2026 World Cup.

Mitoma suffered a hamstring injury in a win against Wolves and will miss his side’s final two Premier League games of the season.

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu is set to name his squad for the World Cup, which starts on 11 June, on Friday.

“Regarding the World Cup, I’m not sure yet,” said Hurzeler before the Seagulls play at Leeds United on Sunday (15:00 BST).

“We’ll be in touch with the Japan federation.

“We really have to be patient with this injury, we cannot give a clear schedule.

“He will miss our two games. That is sad for Kaoru. He was in good form and had a big impact on our performances.”

Australia captain Sophie Molineux has been passed fit and named in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

The 28-year-old all-rounder will lead a 15-strong squad for the tournament in England, with assistance from vice-captains Ash Gardner and Tahlia McGrath.

Fast bowler Lucy Hamilton has been selected for her first international tournament as the six-time champions look to regain the World Cup title after losing in the semi-finals in 2024.

All-rounders Annabel Sutherland and Grace Harris return to the squad having been rested and dropped respectively for the tour of the West Indies in March.

Molineux was appointed to the Australia captaincy in January, replacing the retired Alyssa Healy, and was considered a surprise pick following a career blighted by injury.

She injured her back prior to the tour of the Caribbean, her first away series as captain, where she played exclusively as a batter.

Australia national selector Shawn Flegler had previously confirmed, external that Molineux would not have been considered for a non-bowling role at the World Cup.

“Sophie has already made her mark as captain and built a strong connection with the group over the last couple of tours, so we’re looking forward to seeing what this side can achieve under her leadership,” Flegler said upon the squad’s announcement.

“Darcie Brown was unlucky to miss out but the decision was based on the conditions we’re expecting and the make-up of the side.

“With at least six right-arm pace options in the mix and raw pace expected to be less effective, we opted to go with Lucy Hamilton who offers something different as a left-arm quick.”

Molineux’s side will play warm-up fixtures against South Africa, England and the West Indies before opening their tournament against South Africa on 13 June at Old Trafford.