hours

A flight on the A350-1000ULR, developed for ultra-long-haul routes, is set to enable non-stop services between Sydney and major cities, including London and New York

A plane offering a non-stop flight tipped to be the world’s longest and spanning up to a whopping 22 hours has reached a massive milestone. Yesterday (Tuesday, June 2), Airbus completed the first test flight of its A350-1000ULR, developed for ultra-long-haul routes and aimed at setting a new record for the longest non-stop commercial flight.

It will enable non-stop services between Sydney, Australia, and major cities London and New York. On its maiden flight, the MSN 707 model aircraft flew for three hours and 43 minutes.

Flown by an Airbus test crew and fitted with specialised instrumentation, the aircraft departed from and returned to Toulouse, France, reaching an altitude of more than 41,000 feet (12,500 metres).

It marks a turning point for the world of long-haul travel, with the plane making these non-stop routes possible for the first time and potentially cutting journey times by up to four hours.

At present, the longest commercial flight in use is Singapore Airlines’ more than 18-hour Singapore to New York, a distance of some 15,350 km; on the other hand, however, Sydney to London would be 18,500km.

The “ULR” in A350-1000ULR — a variant of the A350-1000 — stands for “ultra-long range”. A key difference is an extra tank capable of holding 20,000 litres of fuel, which Airbus says extends the range by more than 1,800km.

It stated: “During the first flight, the crew carried out general performance checks on the aircraft and tested the new fuel system architecture. This marks the start of a two-month flight test campaign to certify the modifications.”

Further tests will cover things like ventilation and temperature control in the cabin, and a refrigeration system. Aussie airline Qantas has ordered the first 12 units, the first of which is scheduled to arrive in April 2027.

Qantas’ plans form part of its so-called “Sunrise Project”, a name that refers to the fact that those flying on the lengthiest flights can see the sun rise twice as a result of the time difference.

Some of the features of the Qantas flight will be reduced passenger numbers (about 300 down to 238), a wellness area, and Wi-Fi access.

It comes after a flight attendant weighed in on passengers who ask to swap seats on planes. The individual, who goes by Ms Attendant Tea on TikTok, didn’t mince her words in her assessment.

She said: “What is the problem with that? Now, if you wanted to change a seat, you could have done so when you booked the flight. I don’t know, there are some sites of where you get the tickets from, it is an extra fee for you to select your seats, but you could have done that when you booked the flight.

“You may have had to pay a little extra, but you could have done that. Or, once you were assigned a seat, you could have taken care of that at the gate.

“Now, let me say something. When you get to me on the plane, every weight has been accounted for. All the calculations have been done, and everything else so, yes, where you are sitting is calculated in our weight and balance, which is an issue.

“So, when you get on a plane and ask me ‘can I sit here because I see [an] empty seat?’, and I say ‘no’. What is the problem?”

FLIGHTS to New York could eventually take the same amount of time as it does to fly to Tenerife – and passengers might be onboard sooner than you think.

X-59 QueSST, nicknamed the “Son of Concorde” has been developed by NASA to travel as much as 300mph faster than current commercial flights.

At the speed of over 900mph, the aircraft could travel from London to New York in 3hr45 – far less than it does to get to some of the Spanish islands.

Currently, flights from the UK to New York take around 7hr30, on average.

With the jet it could be under four hours which is even quicker than a flight to Tenerife at 4hr30.

Most commercial flights currently operate at around 600mph but the aircraft is set to conduct test flights where it will reach supersonic speeds of 630mph at 43,000ft for the first time.

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After that, NASA said that “mission conditions” will follow where the jet will go even faster.

If successful, it is hoped that supersonic flights could launch by 2029.

Don’t worry about hearing a sonic boom either – despite the sound barrier sitting at 660mph, the aircraft have been designed to avoid this.

Instead it will create a sonic “thump”, which is “about as loud as a car door closing”.

Up until now, NASA has been conducting tests in wind tunnels or in the skies but at slower speeds.

The jet is dubbed the ‘Son of Concorde’ as Concorde was the world’s very first supersonic airliner that first flew passengers in 1976.

Concorde’s fastest recorded flight was on February 7, 1996, when British Airways flew Concorde from New York’s JFK airport to London Heathrow in two hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds.

Around 20 Concordes were created, but the fleet was grounded in 2003.

This was three years after the crash of an Air France flight, in which all passengers and crew were killed.

Low passenger numbers and high costs were also cited as reasons for the ending of Concorde.

When Concordes were flying they would often break the sound barrier, causing the shaking of windows and creating a loud noise that replicated thunder when passing overhead.

Fancy seeing a real Concorde plane? You can see retired ones at Manchester Airport, Aerospace Bristol or Brooklands Museum in Surrey.

Travel companies have been contacting people with holidays booked after change made

Jet2 passengers have been told that a key change is now ‘in force’ after some got in touch worried that an email they received could be a fake. Holiday travel companies have also been getting in touch with customers to tell them of the change.

Thousands of travellers have received emails notifying them that their holiday documents will be arriving later than originally expected. This has raised alarm bells among some customers who fear it could be a scam – particularly as Jet2 has recently been warning about numerous fake social media accounts being created in an attempt to defraud passengers.

Previously Jet2 sent all documents to travellers 28 days in advance of the break – however in 2026 this has changed with great uncertainty about the situation this summer with the Middle East conflict still not resolved. In a recent post on Facebook travel company Holiday Getaway said: “Just a quick update for customers travelling with Jet2. Holiday documents will now be available 14 days before departure to ensure you have the most up-to-date information for your trip. No action needed. Online check-in is still available from 28 days before travel.”

One passenger wrote on X: “@jet2tweets Hi, I’ve just received this email apparently from Jet2 saying I will now get my holiday documents 14 days before my holiday departure instead of 28, is this true or is it still 28, I’ve a feeling this was a spam email though.”

Another passenger added: “I had the same email. Flying on 25 May with jet2,” A traveller added: “Ive just had the same email !”

The email says: “Just so you know, following a change to when we send out the documents for your holiday, you’ll now receive your documents 14 days before departure, rather than 28 days as stated on your original booking confirmation. You don’t need to contact us or take any action – you’ll receive your documents 14 days before you travel. Have a lovely holiday!”

Responding on X, Jet2 confirmed it was a genuine message and explained: “Hi there, thanks for reaching out. Yes we can confirm that you will receive your documents 14 days before departure. Should you require any further assistance, then please feel free to send us a DM. “

Jet2 advice says: “At 10 weeks before departure we will take any outstanding balance payment and send a confirmation that the balance has been paid. At 14 days before departure, we will send you a final confirmation with your travel documents attached, consisting of your booking confirmation; your flight voucher; your accommodation voucher, your cruise voucher (where applicable) and your transfer or car hire voucher. We will also provide you with your ATOL Certificate. Please remember to print off all your vouchers as well as your booking confirmation and your ATOL Certificate where applicable.”

Jet2 has also explained why some flight schedules may change, and has moved to remind passengers of an action they must take during a 48-hour period. The major airline states in the Frequently Asked Questions section of its website that it “always aims to operate our flights at the scheduled time of departure”. However, Jet2 added: “Sometimes we may need to make changes or provide alternative carriers or aircraft and cannot always notify you of this in advance. We may also alter or remove the planned schedules as shown on your booking confirmation.”

The guidance notes that Jet2 does not wish to cause inconvenience to passengers, yet “unfortunately sometimes changes to scheduled flight times may be required for operational or technical reasons outside our control”. Jet2 confirmed that in such circumstances, travellers would be given as much advance warning as possible.

Passengers flying with Jet2 are encouraged to keep a close eye on their email and text message inboxes, as these are typically the methods used to get in touch should any changes arise. Jet2 added: “Please contact us if you change your email address or mobile number so we can update your details.

“From the Manage My Booking section on our website you can see your booking summary, request a further email confirmation or select a different email address.” Jet2 is also reminding travellers that they are obligated to review their flight summary within a 48-hour window prior to departure.

Jet2 said: “Please be aware that it is one of our Terms and Conditions that you re-check your flight summary 72 to 24 hours before departure.” The airline also continues to urge passengers to consult the “latest travel information” on its website at least 12 hours before take-off to ensure they remain fully informed.” Additional advice reads: “Please check this section of the website at least 12 hours before your flight for the latest flight information.

“We recommend arriving at the airport at least 2 hours before your scheduled departure time. Please remember – check-in desks close 40 minutes before this.”

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, don’t just go to the big cities, instead head to another island which has golden sands and an unbeatable experience you’ll never forget

A stunning island just three hours away from Tokyo must be added to your Japan bucket list, because it was one of my favourite days of our five-week trip.

The little-known island is about 15 minutes by boat from Ishigaki, off Okinawa, and we actually flew from Osaka and were meant to fly direct to Ishigaki. However, our flight was cancelled without our knowing, so we ended up having to fly to Okinawa, and then catching a (very tight) connection to Ishigaki. However, flight drama aside, when we decided to go to Taketomi, we didn’t think there would be much to do or that we’d want to spend very long there. But we were so wrong…

Taketomi is within the Yaeyama District of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Taketomi is one of the Yaeyama Islands, which are a tropical archipelago in southwestern Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, known as the nation’s southernmost and westernmost inhabited islands.

They feature coral reefs, lush jungles, and a laid-back, rural atmosphere, serving as a popular destination for snorkelling, diving, and experiencing traditional Ryukyu culture.

When we went, we immediately got a minibus to where we could catch a ride on water buffalo carts. It is an iconic 30-minute guided tour through the traditional Ryukyu village, featuring red-tile roofs and sandy streets.

It was absolutely amazing, an experience we’ll never forget, and our tour guide even played traditional Okinawan music on a sanshin, which is a stringed instrument. I felt like I was in a movie! It was certainly an experience that I won’t forget in a hurry.

Then, once we bought the professional photo (we had to), we headed to get some lunch. It’s worth remembering that an estimated 300 to 360 people live on Taketomi, so don’t expect any chain restaurants or anything you’re probably used to if you’re from the UK.

But the total change of pace to even big Japanese cities was amazing, and it was nice to spend time doing a variety of things while we were in Japan.

After, we went to the beach, where I was gobsmacked by the golden sands and the clear sea. Ishigaki was the first proper tropical island I’d ever been to, and Taketomi had all the same fantastic features. I’m now enamoured.

We had a little paddle in the sea, and I was gobsmacked to find that it was actually so warm, and while you’d have to go quite far out into the sea to actually be able to swim, it was definitely worth paddling.

If you’re going to Japan, make sure you add Okinawa or Ishigaki to your list of places to visit. I’d highly recommend Ishigaki, but I’m definitely biased. I think that Okinawa is a lot more touristy now, so Ishigaki suited us perfectly, especially as my partner is a scuba diver.

We loved it so much that we hope to go back to another of the Yaeyama Islands in the future. It is worth noting, however, that Ishigaki is located in an earthquake-prone area; tsunami awareness is essential year-round. Typhoon season runs from June to November, with the highest risk occurring from July to October.

Airports at Brit holiday hotspots including Spain, France and Portugal have reported severe delays and long queues – some as long as three-and-a-half hours at peak times

British tourists are being advised to allow more time at airports across Europe before travelling home because of major delays caused by biometric checks.

Wizz Air boss Yvonne Moynihan warned holidaymakers returning home from an EU destination that they should arrive at the airport three hours before their flights are due to depart amid concerns about the new security procedures.

The EU entry-exit system (EES) has now replaced passport stamps with a digital registration, involving biometric checks carried out on entry and exit for all non-EU citizens.

The EES has been gradually introduced across Europe since October last year but came into full force last month. Since then, tourists have reported huge delays at border control,.

Just last week, French police temporarily lifted the EES checks at the Dover port to free thousands of tourists trapped in long delays in the scorching heat.

Ms Moynihan told the BBC: “Because there is another passport check … that’s where we see that people have, again, experienced longer waiting times than anticipated.”

She said that while usual advice is to arrive at the airport two hours before a flight, “in these circumstances, we are advising three hours”.

The new measures have been “fragmented across Europe”, she continued, with some EU countries recording “seamless travel” while in extremes, there have been long queues and delays at “usual hotspots such as Spain, Portugal, France”.

“When you land in the destination airport, there might be queues, so you should bring a portable charger or water,” Moynihan said her airline is advising in general to any British customers travelling from an EU destination.

For those with connecting flights, she advised planning for several hours.

Her comments come as the European airports association ACI Europe warned queues have been reaching an eye-watering three-and-a-half hours in peak traffic times, based on its survey conducted across 45 airports in 20 EU states on May 26.

“Airports which previously did not report excessive waiting times are now doing so despite the extensive use of partial suspension of EES,” it said in a statement to Travel Weekly.

However, the European Commission told the BBC that the EES was not the only factor that can cause delays at the border, stating information may only take around a minute to register.

PROJECT Sunrise, which is set to operate the world’s longest direct flight, has been pushed back once again.

The Qantas project would see a non-stop, 22-hour flight between London and Sydney, which would make it the longest of its kind in the world.

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Despite plans to launch in early 2027, this has since been delayed.

The ongoing Iran War has resulted in supply chain challenges and disruption to Airbus‘ production of its modified A350 aircraft by four months.

It’s now expected to arrive in April 2027, rather than its original timeline of late 2026.

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Talking to Simple Flying, Qantas said despite the delayed first delivery, the next four Project Sunrise aircraft are expected to arrive in relatively quick succession.

According to the airline, the overall rollout schedule should return to its schedule by November 2027.

Qantas added that test flights were a matter of “weeks away” and that information on the first route and timing of the “inaugural commercial services” will be revealed in June.

The Qantas flight service previously announced delays in March 2025, and before that faced delays due to Covid.

When the flights begin, the airline will make history as the first to fly non-stop between London and Sydney, as well an between Australia and New York.

With flight time of up to 22 hours, the routes will make it the longest non-stop ones in the world.

This beats the current 18.5 hour flight from Singapore to New York.

With almost a whole day of flying, the A350 aircraft has been kitted out so that passengers can be comfortable for a long period of time.

Inside, passengers can expect First Class suites, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy seats.

A Wellbeing Zone will be onboard too where passengers can get up and move about for their circulation – here there will also be healthy snacks and drinks.

This space is open to all passengers – and there’s access for all when it comes to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

In First Class, there will be six cabins each with a two-metre-long bed that lies flat – there’s also a separate reclining armchair.

There will be 52 Business suites with sliding doors for privacy.

The 40 Premium Economy seats will have 20.3cm “winged privacy headrest” and a calf rest, to keep comfy on the 22-hour flight.

Economy passengers will have 83.8cm of legroom each at the 140 seats.

The plane is kitted out with 12 lighting settings including sunrise and sunset so that passengers can stay in sync with time zones and reduce jet lag.

Watch the trailer for a new BBC Sport documentary offering unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Manchester United and England star Ella Toone as she prepares for her wedding.

Launching on BBC Sport’s YouTube channel and BBC iPlayer on Friday 29 May, 24 Hours With Ella Toone is the first episode of a new BBC Sport digital series which captures a defining 24-hour chapter with some of sport’s most fascinating characters.

Watch on Friday 29 May from 18:00 BST on BBC Sport’s YouTube channel, external, 19:00 on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. The YouTube Premiere page will be available from 18:00 on Wednesday to set a reminder.

READ MORE: How Toone is navigating grief through football

Available to UK users only.

A Netflix series has been deemed so good that it has viewers glued to their TVs for six hours straight. They admit the show is amazing, and had them totally hooked

Occasionally we all seek fresh content to watch, and a certain programme that’s recently arrived on Netflix has been considered absolutely exceptional. The crime drama has captivated audiences, with some confessing they’ve devoured it entirely in a single six-hour session as it’s simply so compelling.

If you’re searching for a television programme to genuinely keep you engrossed, it appears this one merits consideration, and it’s recently been spotlighted by Yazmien Yuen on TikTok, who confessed she thoroughly adored it. She stated the Netflix drama is so impressive that she remained seated for six hours continuously watching every single episode.

It’s not the sole offering to have mesmerised viewers lately either. Just weeks ago, audiences acknowledged they were also binge-watching another programme within a single session.

In the clip, Yazmien stated: “Netflix dropped a British crime series called Legends that not enough people are talking about. So, of course, I’m going to bring it to your attention.

“It dropped on May 7. Six episodes that you’re going to [watch] like I did in one sitting and, imagine this, it is based on a true story that most people have never heard of.

“When I saw that at the end I was like ‘you what?’ I was gobsmacked.” Accompanying the clip, she also penned: “I started Legends on Netflix at 9pm and finished at 3am.

“This show is THAT serious – British true crime, undercover agents, Steve Coogan. Six episodes. One weekend. You’re welcome.”

The footage rapidly sparked conversation, racking up hundreds of views. Numerous viewers confessed the programme is utterly addictive.

One viewer commented: “Halfway through it and I deliberately stopped so that it will last a bit longer. It’s so good!”

Another enthused: “I binged it, amazing show.” A third responded: “Very good drama, a must-watch. Steve (Coogan) is great at playing serious parts.”

Meanwhile, a fourth wrote: “I just finished it, it was so good! I literally never switch my TV on, but this had me hooked!”

Someone else remarked: “We have two episodes left and I’m bummed. I don’t want to finish it.”

What’s the plot?

For those unfamiliar with Legends, it’s a British crime drama television series penned and conceived by Neil Forsyth. Production was handled by his company, Tannadice Pictures.

Drawing from real events, it follows British undercover Customs investigators who penetrate the drug underworld during the early 1990s. The ensemble features Steve Coogan, Tom Burke and Hayley Squires.

The narrative explores how Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise was struggling against illegal drug trafficking at Britain’s borders. Through a classified operation, a select group of Customs officers were assigned fresh identities and deployed undercover to penetrate Britain’s most dangerous criminal networks.

Following its Netflix debut in May, the series has garnered favourable critical reception. Audiences appear equally impressed with the offering.

One viewer heaped praise on it, commenting: “Absolutely superb it was.” Another remarked: “This is a quality watch.”

JASON ISBELL is a song writer’s song writer. You can tell by the company he keeps.

He’ll never forget the moment some years ago when he heard a certain person singing one of his choruses back to him in unmistakeable tones.

“I’ve grown tired of travelling alone. Won’t you ride with me? Won’t you ride? Won’t you ride? ”

Isbell recalls: “At first, I thought it was somebody doing a Bruce Springsteen impersonation of singing my song. And then I realised, ‘No, that’s actually him!’

“It was a huge deal for me to meet Bruce, and for him to know who I was.”

Turned out that one of Springsteen’s sons had brought to his dad’s attention Isbell’s breakthrough 2013 solo album Southeastern, complete with the track Traveling Alone.

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To the 47-year-old born in northern Alabama, two miles from the Tennessee state line, it was validation — just like his six Grammys and the fact that Southeastern appears in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of greatest albums of all time.

“I’m a punk but I’m not that big of a punk to pretend something’s not an honour,” the one-time member of Drive-By Truckers decides in his Southern drawl.

“I met Randy Newman and it was the same kind of thing,” he continues, casting his mind back to the 2021 Newport Folk Festival when both artists were on the same bill.

“I was so nervous to talk to Randy but I said to him, ‘Man, your songs are very important to me as a musician, as a human being’ — and he leaned in and said, ‘I like your songs, too’.

“I knew Randy was probably not the sort of person to bulls**t you.”

I’m speaking to Isbell as he prepares to hit these shores with his ace band, The 400 Unit, for a tour of the UK and Ireland which culminates with a night at London’s hallowed Royal Albert Hall on June 11.

But on this day, the hard- working singer is in Dallas for a solo acoustic show, showcasing last year’s captivating, intimate Foxes In The Snow album, when we’re connected via video call.

“My flight was cancelled last night because of bad weather so I drove here — took me nine and a half hours,” he reports from his hotel.

It’s 10am US Central Time and 4pm UK time and, despite the previous day’s exertions, Isbell seems fresh and focused for a deep dive into his life in music — and the songs that define him.

It’s clear from talking to this thoughtful soul that his career can be divided into two distinct categories — before and after he got sober — which he describes in depth later.

But first, we go back to his early life as the son of teenage parents, the subject of his song Children Of Children, and his early introduction to music.

Mom Angela was 17 and dad Mike was 19 when he was born so “I got to spend a lot of time with my grandad, who preached in a Pentecostal church in Alabama, and played guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo.

“And my uncle, my dad’s little brother, played guitar in a rock band.

“When I was around four, my parents would take me to band practice in his friend’s garage, and I would fall asleep, usually when they did Neil Young’s Like A ­Hurricane.

“Though my dad and mom didn’t play music, pretty much everybody else in my family did, at least as a hobby. It was seen as a birthright thing.

“I know this sounds like down-home Southern horses**t, but my grandad would make me play gospel music with him for a ­couple of hours a day.

“Then if I could get through it without getting lazy, I could play rhythm guitar. The guitar was huge, and I was small, and it would take a lot of work.”

Isbell became “obsessed” with blues after hearing Robert Johnson’s recordings and “this little white kid from a hillbilly town” would bombard his music teacher with questions about the Mississippi Delta pioneers.

“My teacher was a big rock and roll guy who had a different Rolling Stones T-shirt for every day of the week,” he says.

“He would call me out of class on the loudspeaker in a really gruff voice, so it sounded like I was in trouble. But I knew that he had made me a mixtape.

“There were a lot of people who took an interest in me early on. I got very lucky that way.”

As a teenager in the Eighties, “radio was huge” for Isbell, who singles out Crowded House and Elvis Costello in particular.

“As my parents were not much older than me, we listened to a lot of the same music,” he says.

“In those days, it was big arena bands like Journey and Foreigner, My dad liked country music, too, so he had Merle Haggard and Hank Williams records.”

At this time, Isbell started playing bars in the Southern music mecca of Florence and Muscle Shoals, which, “because of the liquor laws”, also had to sell food.

He says: “They would check the receipts to make sure you sold more food than alcohol, which was terrible for any kind of music scene — but really good for a 15-year-old kid because they couldn’t kick me out!”

In these places, he got to see legendary session men like Spooner Oldham, Donnie Fritts and, crucially, bass player and trombonist David Hood, father of Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood.

In 2001, Isbell joined the Truckers and hit the ground running by contributing two outstanding songs to their 2003 album Decoration Day, the title track and Outfit.

He says: “I liked playing guitar and singing background vocals, but I had a lot to prove.”

He describes how his dark, Southern gothic magnum opus about a multi-generational family feud came into being: “I wrote Decoration Day on the road, in Carbondale, Illinois, I think.

“We were staying at a friend’s and everybody else was asleep in the house.

“One person always had to sleep in the van to stop people stealing our gear. That night, it was me.

“I woke up early — around eight o’clock in the morning. So I had a couple of hours before everybody else started moving and I came up with Decoration Day.”

Another memorable Drive-By Truckers effort by Isbell is Danko/Manuel, his tribute to roots rock icons The Band, which appeared on the 2004 album The Dirty South.

He says: “At the time, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel were the only two not still alive. Now, none of them are.

“I was reading [drummer] Levon Helm’s book, This Wheel’s On Fire. He talked about having to siphon gas out of cars in parking lots while the rest of them were on stage. They were a bunch of feral kids in the early days.”

In 2007, largely thanks to heavy drinking and unreliable behaviour, Isbell left the Truckers and went solo.

It’s good to report that he’s on friendly terms with his old bandmates these days and joined them on stage last year for Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show.

He says: “We were very close at one point. It’s not easy to make friends in general so I try to keep the ones that I can.

“Even after I got sober, I didn’t quite know why I’d had drinking problems to start with.

“At first, you’re just hanging on for dear life and trying to stay sober. Eventually, if you do it right, you do repair the parts of yourself that you were ignoring.

“Once that happened for me, I was able to reconnect with those guys. We were able to be friends again and they’ve continued to make really valuable music.”

When it came to Isbell making his first solo album, Sirens Of The Ditch in 2007, highlighted by a couple of fan favourites, Dress Blues and The Magician, he had a lot to learn — and fast.

“I didn’t know what the hell I was doing,” he sighs. “I know I had to argue a lot, which actually turned out to be a good thing.”

A big moment for him arrived with a yearning composition on his third album, Here We Rest (2011), his second with his band The 400 Unit and the last before he went into rehab for ­alcohol addiction.

To this day, Alabama Pines is one of his most performed live songs.

“When I wrote it, everything else in my life sucked,” he says. “It was a very dark time. I was in physical and psychological pain. Working on it was the most relief I got.”

He adds: “The complication in that song adds a lot of value to it — the fact that you’re yearning for a place that isn’t perfect.

“It’s a dynamic that finds its way into a lot of Drive-By Truckers’ work and a lot of my own. It’s very possible to miss a place that wasn’t necessarily all that good to you.

“That song doesn’t have a chorus, it never gets huge so it’s not an anthem. But it stands out in my solo work and I still like it. It has never let me down.”

Everything changed for Isbell after rehab and first notice of his sober approach is 2013’s breathtaking Southeastern with its enduring keepers, Cover Me Up, Stockholm, Elephant and the aforementioned Traveling Alone.

“I wasn’t in the same type of pain,” he says. “Recovering from addiction heavily involved dealing with myself — my life, my emotions, my situation — not postponing it.

“When I was drinking, I would write until the sun went down and then I’d think, ‘I need a drink’.

“With Southeastern, I would stay working for hours and hours at a time because I didn’t have anything else to do. It’s not like I was going to the bar.”

The record proved a big commercial success even if a song like Cover Me Up, recently covered by Morgan Wallen, is about recovering from addiction and the healing power of love, while Elephant is an unflinching study of mortality and the impact of cancer.

Today, Isbell performs such tracks from a slightly different perspective.

“With a room full of people cheering for these songs, we get to celebrate the fact that these horribly sad songs exist,” he smiles.

Next, we rattle through a few more Isbell staples like 24 Frames from 2015’s Something More Than Free with its sparkling electric ­guitar passages.

“I may have doubled up two exact same slide-guitar parts on that. It’s the old George Harrison trick from My Sweet Lord and it works every f***ing time.”

He sees guitar playing as his “hobby”. “My girlfriend paints very seriously and that’s her work,” he says by way of example.

“Lately she started working with miniatures and building doll houses, and that’s her hobby. It’s very close to painting but it’s not a commercialised part of her life.

“That’s how I look at guitar playing. Singing, songwriting, touring — that’s my job. If left alone for a couple of hours, I just sit and play guitar — that’s my hobby.”

There’s a profound Isbell song on 2017’s The Nashville Sound, If We Were Vampires, a big favourite of his friend, the late, great singer John Prine, who he describes as “thoughtful, witty, highly intelligent and emotionally open”.

“There’s some magic in that song,” he says. “Everything else on the album was written when I thought, ‘There’s so many f***ing love songs, why would I bother to do another one?’

“By the time I got to the chorus of If We Were Vampires, something hit me — the reason you love somebody, go through all that effort and pain, is because you’re going to die.

“Without death, we wouldn’t be motivated to live. It was one of those moments where I was like, ‘Wow! Thank God I weaved my way to that path’.”

A telling Isbell insight is revealed by It Gets Easier with its line, “it gets easier, but it never gets easy”, from the 2020 album Reunions.

It addresses his sobriety and brings this reflection: “I don’t think about drinking as much as I used to, but I do sometimes, not necessarily when things are bad.

“When it is going badly, the first thing you do is you make a plan – talk to friends, talk to a therapist, go to a meeting.

“For quite a few years, the hardest times have been to not think about drinking when things are going really well.”

Isbell’s consistently fine recorded output includes 2023’s Weathervanes, with standouts like reflective acoustic ballad Cast Iron Skillet and gritty rocker King Of Oklahoma, about the downward spiral of a blue-collar worker who turns to prescription meds.

Mention of them is cue for him to offer a warning to those attending his upcoming shows.

“When I’m writing a record, I think, ‘How am I going to make these people hold their pee for four more minutes?’

“Because when the new material comes out, that’s usually when everybody heads to the bar!”

• Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit play Belfast June 2, Dublin June 3, Bristol June 5, Gateshead June 6, Glasgow June 7, Manchester June 8, Birmingham June 10 and London’s Royal Albert Hall June 11

WAITING times in airports have increased since the introduction of EES – but one destinations has had travellers queueing for up to six hours.

Portugal is a beautiful country for a family break, but the lengthy queues mean that some are spending longer lining up in the airport than they do on the plane.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

EES delays and travel chaos have dominated the news, and some airports in Portugal in particular have passengers waiting in very long queues.

One travel blogger posted on Instagram: “Last week a family I advised landed in Lisbon and stood in line for 6 hours and 40 minutes. Their toddler slept on a suitcase. They missed their transfer to the Algarve.

“EES (the EU’s new biometric entry system) is now live. Faro processes 7x more summer traffic than its capacity. Luggage handlers are striking April through June. And the airport you choose to land in will define your first 24 hours in Portugal.”

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The flight time between the UK and Lisbon is up to three hours, so some British travellers are standing in the airport for longer than they’re on the plane.

Queues through Lisbon Airport have been causing frustration amongst many travellers.

One Brit wrote just yesterday on X: “Warning if you are flying to Portugal any time now, actually spent longer queuing than the actual flight, was a shambles with half the machines not working, and further queues to passport control.”

Another said leaving Lisbon Airport was the “one of the worst passport control experiences” with hours of waiting.

The EU’s EES (entry/ exit) system has increased the queuing time for inward and outward passengers by four and even five times as much, according to The Resident.

It’s not just Lisbon either; Faro Airport in the south is experiencing lengthy delays too with some saying that they’ve queued from the terminal to airside.

One big reason for the delays that Lisbon and Faro airports suffer from is caused by what’s called ‘bottlenecking’.

Essentially it’s airport congestion from when lots of flights land at the same time, or delays cause lots of passengers to be in one place at the same time.

They occur mostly at security checkpoints, passport control, boarding gates, and baggage handling areas resulting in lengthy queues.

One of our own Travel Reporters experienced the situation herself in Lanzarote when multiple flights landing at the same time ended up in a three-hour queue through the airport.

The queues have been getting so bad that airlines like Ryanair have even called for EES to be suspended until September – after the peak summer travel period.

While you can’t avoid EES queues, there are ways to make them less uncomfortable.

Make sure to check out our tips from where to sit on the plane to the best time to take a flight.

Europe’s cheapest destination for solo travellers is also rated one of the safest countries in the world according to the Global Peace Index

As flight prices soar amid the Middle Eastern conflict, holidaymakers face mounting challenges when booking their next getaway. Yet fresh research from Solo Female Travelers has uncovered more affordable destinations where the cost of living is significantly lower for a weekend break.

Researchers examined data from Numbeo covering 49 European destinations, excluding Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict and unreliable data. Crown Dependencies such as the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar, and the Faroe Islands were also omitted, as they are not sovereign states. The team then worked out a daily solo basket spanning six spending categories.

The six categories included – an inexpensive restaurant meal, coffee/cappuccino, bottled water (0.33L), local transport (return), a cinema ticket, and a one-bedroom city-centre flat (per night).

The study revealed that a solo traveller could enjoy a weekend in North Macedonia for just €52.38 (£45.33).

Skopje serves as the capital and largest city in North Macedonia, boasting a population exceeding 500,000. The landlocked Balkan nation shares borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the north.

A meal at a budget-friendly restaurant in Skopje would set you back €6.51 (£5.63), a regular-sized cappuccino would cost €1.92 (£1.66), and a 0.33L bottle of water would cost €1.05 (£0.91).

Direct flights from London to Skopje are priced at roughly £90 for a weekend trip or approximately £49 if you’ve got flexibility with your dates. According to World Population Review, North Macedonia also ranks among the “safest countries in the world”, with a low risk level based on the Global Peace Index.

Coming in second was Bosnia and Herzegovina, where a solo weekend would run you €54.66 (£47.30). Meanwhile, a weekend in Moldova would cost slightly more at €54.93 (£47.53). Rounding out the top four is Serbia, where a weekend will set a solo traveller back €61.65 (£53.35).

Remarkably, the top four combined would nearly match the priciest destination for solo weekend travel.

Liechtenstein’s weekend cost is 4.25 times higher than the cheapest option, at €222.66 (£192.68). For a combined total of €223.62 (£193.51) – virtually identical to a single weekend in Liechtenstein – travellers could experience all four cheaper alternatives.

Liechtenstein narrowly edged out neighbouring Switzerland €221.70 (£191.85) by less than one euro. Liechtenstein’s daily basket of €74.22 stands as the highest in Europe, with dining expenses exceeding accommodation costs.

Dining in Liechtenstein runs 20% higher than Switzerland at €27.13 (£23.48) and more than double the European average of €14.98 (£12.96).

Mar Pages, co-founder of Solo Female Travelers, commented: “Liechtenstein may be small, but its costs are anything but. What’s interesting is that the premium isn’t driven by accommodation – it’s the everyday spending, from a simple meal to a coffee, that pushes it to the top.

“For solo travellers planning a European trip, this data is a powerful reminder that cost differences across the continent are enormous and the destination you choose makes all the difference.”

IF you want to find natural phenomena like rich pink lagoons, you would think you’d have to go as far as Egypt or even Australia.

But actually, there’s one just two hours away from the UK – and it happens to be one of the most affordable coastlines of Spain.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel. 

Laguna Rosa is one of Europe’s only naturally pink lakes and it’s on the Costa Blanca coastline just outside of Torrevieja.

Flights to the nearest airport of Alicante can take as little as two hours and 15-minutes.

Laguna Rosa, or going by its official name Laguna de Torrevieja, is a pink salt lake that stretches across 1400 hectares.

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It’s famous for its bright pink colourcaused by halobacteria (a microorganism) and Dunaliella salina (a type of algae), which are both naturally pink in color and release a pigment into the water.

The high concentration of salt in the lake means that technically you’d be able to actually float in the water – but swimming here is actually banned.

For the best chance of a deep pink lake, holidaymakers should aim to visit the lake between June to October.

Otherwise, make sure to head there during late August and early September where you’ll see as many as 2,000 flamingos in its shallow water.

Laguna Rosa is just one place to stop by on a visit to Costa Blanca which has been dubbed a ‘dupe’ for far-flung Red Sea-style escape.

Other popular spots around Torrevieja include Tabarca Island, is about an hour by boat from Alicante.

It has crystal-clear waters, calm coves, and is a sought out snorkelling destination with plenty of marine life to see – which is why it’s been compared to the Red Sea.

Back on land, a place where you can relax in amongst nature is Elche’s UNESCO-listed palm grove.

Here you can find shade under more than 200,000 palm trees.

If you want to see even more pink, the city of Elche even has its own palace that looks pink in the sun.

Palau d’Altamira is a fortress built during the 11th and 13th centuries – and rebuilt later on too.

Now, it’s a museum full of artefacts showing off the history of Elche.

When it comes to getting a bite to eat, the region has its own signature dish called ‘caldero’.

It’s a rich fish stew cooked with fresh local catch and rice.

The Costa Blanca coastline is cheap too. TravelSupermarket worked out that the average price of a holiday per person is £566.

In Alicante, which is the capital of the region, you can pick up beer for €3 (£2.61), coffee from €1.89 (£1.64) and a meal for as little as £13.

And when it comes to where to stay First Choice recommends Albir Garden Resort.

Families can base themselves at Albir Garden Resort which pools with aqua park’s slides and fountains, buffet restaurants and a kids’ club with daily activities.

Each one bedroom apartments accommodation comes with a lounge area, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and balcony.

Holidays here start from £442pp.

Nayef Samaro, 26, left work in Nablus to run errands for his wife, who was hours away from delivering their first son by C-section. He was excited, despite the Israeli army raiding his city.

An Israeli soldier shot Nayef in the head, leaving him to bleed out in the street. He never saw his son.

Travel writer Emma Cooke has recommended a perfect day trip, a charming East Sussex seaside town with a cliff Railway, pretty cherry blossoms, and seafront brunch with no queues

With summer just around the corner, you might be thinking about a day out by the sea, or even a longer seaside holiday. One travel influencer has the ideal recommendation for a destination with a lot to offer, from relaxing on the beach, to travelling on a cliff railway.

London travel writer Emma Cooke shared footage of an East Sussex coastal town, highlighting the cliff railway, charming beach huts, spectacular hilltop panoramas, and beautiful cherry blossoms.

She explained: “POV: You got on a £15 train out of London and less than two hours later found a crowd-free seaside town full of cherry blossom. There’s an old town packed with bookshops and bakeries, £1.70 clifftop tea, seafront brunch with no queues, perfect beach sunsets, and almost every sight is free or under £5.”

The destination in question is the south coast resort town of Hastings, in East Sussex. Tourism website 1066 Country says: “To soak up Hastings’ history, wander the preserved Old Town’s winding streets and tiny twittens, crammed with Tudor houses and flower-bedecked cottages, and inhale the hard-working fishing quarter with its towering net huts and ramshackle huts on the beach.”

A ‘twitten’ is a Sussex term for a narrow passageway or alley nestled between two buildings, typically leading to courtyards, streets, or open spaces beyond, reports MyLondon.

The site goes on: “Heading west, the alternative vibe continues as you arrive in St Leonards. Purpose-built in the 1800s by James and Decimus Burton as a genteel seaside resort for the aristocracy, its architecture provides a striking backdrop for art galleries, antique shops, chic boutiques and a thriving café culture.”

It further states: “Hastings Old Town lies in a valley between the East and West Hills, each with their own funicular railway.

“Take the East Hill Lift from the fishing beach up to Hastings Country Park, where on clear days you can see from Beachy Head to Dungeness and as far as Folkestone and the coast of France.

“Take the West Hill Lift from George Street, up through a tunnel of rock to emerge into the tranquil light of another world.

“Explore Smugglers Adventures at a labyrinth of caverns hidden deep within the West Hill, packed with the thrilling history of smugglers, bootleggers and warring bloodthirsty gangs.”

Commenters were brimming with praise for the town. One declared: “I live here and it’s amazing.”

Another posted: “Hastings is wonderful.” And someone else said: Gorgeous place and lovely people. I recommend Hastings.””

A different person responded: “Never expected to see my hometown in one of your travel reels. Where is the £1.70 tea from?!”

Emma replied: “The little tea van up on top of west hill lift! Think it’s just called ‘kiosk’.”

May 4 (UPI) — An oil tanker was struck late Sunday near the Strait of Hormuz, the second attack on a vessel in the Persian Gulf in about eight hours.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said in a statement that it received a report of a tanker being hit by unknown projectiles as the vessel was about 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, near the northern tip of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula by the Strait of Hormuz.

The attack occurred at about 11:40 p.m. local time, it said, adding that all crew were safe and there was no environmental impact from the strike.

The tanker was not identified.

The oil tanker was struck a little more than eight hours after a bulk carrier was attacked by “multiple small craft” in the same region.

The UKMTO said the unidentified bulk carrier was attacked Sunday afternoon about 11 nautical miles west of Sirik, Iran. All crew were reported safe.

The agency is advising vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz with caution.

The maritime security threat level in the strait remains critical as the United States is enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports in response to Iran restricting which vessels can transit the strait.

The attacks come as U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday vowed to “free” cargo ships trapped in the Persian Gulf since the U.S.-Israel war against Iran began on Feb. 28.

In his Truth Social post, Trump said Project Freedom would begin Monday with the goal of helping ships sailing under neutral flags navigate the strait. Few specifics on how the operation will work were given.

More than two dozen vessels have reportedly been attacked in the strait since the war began.

The decision to move the start time of the race was made by commercial rights holder F1 and governing body the FIA on Saturday evening in Miami.

A statement from F1 and the FIA said the decision was made because “the weather forecast (predicts) heavier rainstorms later in the afternoon close to the original planned race start time”.

The statement added: “This decision has been taken to ensure the least amount of disruption to the race, and to ensure the maximum possible window to complete the grand prix in the best conditions and to prioritise the safety of drivers, fans, teams and staff.”

The aim is to try to finish the race before the worst of the weather arrives, which is forecast to be at about 15:00 local time (20:00 BST), one hour before the original start time.

That heavy rain, once it starts, is expected to stay for hours, so the fear was that sticking with the original start time would have meant the race could not be run.

Moving it forward, the race is still likely to be wet, but the hope is the conditions will be acceptable for running the cars.

F1 cars do run in the rain, but the limiting factor is always visibility from the vast amounts of spray thrown up by the cars, as well as aquaplaning if the amounts of standing water are significant enough to force the low-running cars to effectively float on top of water on the track.

Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri added: “It’s obviously going to be a voyage into the unknown for everybody. When it rains here, it normally is pretty torrential, so it could be an interesting day.

“It’s just going to be what happens with the power-unit, how you get power, where you get power is in a computer’s hands.

“Just making sure that that does roughly what we expect. Obviously, the margin for error when it’s wet is significantly smaller.”

Dubbed a ‘Mediterranean masterpiece’ that’s like ‘stepping into a screensaver’, this unspoilt beach has been among the world’s best – and it’s just three hours from the UK with £28 flights

The world’s best beaches have been named, and there’s one pristine shore just three hours from the UK with turquoise waters and sugar-white sand.

Fteri Beach on Greece’s Kefalonia island is officially Europe’s most beautiful beach after it was named on the prestigious World’s 50 Best Beaches list. The stunning coastline of Fteri was ranked second-best in the world in the annual awards and was the only European coastline to secure a place in the top 10, while Entalula Beach in the Philippines took the top spot.

The votes were decided by a team of more than 1,000 travel experts, who noted that Fteri Beach was an “isolated and majestic Greek perfection”. They highlighted that its position tucked away in a secluded cove contributes to its “pristine and serene atmosphere,” which sets it apart from other tourist hotspots.

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The shore could easily be compared to those found in the Caribbean, thanks to its stunning white pebbles mixed with sand and the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea. Its breathtaking scenes are only enhanced by the dramatic white cliffs that tower around the beach, adding to its secluded oasis beneath the Mediterranean sun.

The unspoiled beach is a haven for those looking for a quieter day at the beach and to admire some of the most picture-perfect vistas. Despite its more remote location, the beach is accessible by boat or by hiking down a steep trail, and the journey is well worth it to experience this little slice of paradise.

What’s more, the island of Kefalonia is just over three hours from the UK, and direct one-way flights start from just £28 with Ryanair, departing from London Stansted, according to Skyscanner. You can also fly directly to Kefalonia from various UK airports, including Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff, so it couldn’t be easier to jet abroad to one of the world’s best beaches.

Those who have visited Fteri Beach have been blown away by its azure waters and views that have been compared to a computer screensaver. One fan shared on TripAdvisor: “Such beautiful waters are hard to see! Of course, it requires an effort because they are only accessible by a mountain path, but it is absolutely worth it!

A second commented: “Fteri Beach is the real deal – glistening turquoise water, towering white cliffs, and the kind of peaceful silence you want to bottle and take home. Swimming here feels like stepping into a screensaver, and the lack of crowds keeps the magic intact. It’s not just one of Kefalonia’s best – it’s a full-on Mediterranean masterpiece.”

However, due to its untouched location, travellers noted that there aren’t any facilities, including toilets, bars, or sunbeds, so advised visitors to take their own umbrellas and drinks. Many also mentioned that they reached the beach by booking a water taxi within about 5 minutes and were able to swim in the crystal-clear waters during a serene day out.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

This hidden gem provides the perfect no-crowds experience for summer 2026.

Summer is just around the corner and many of us are already dreaming about our next sunny escape. With so many destinations to pick from, settling on the perfect spot can feel like quite the challenge.

Many of the world’s most coveted holiday hotspots are now bursting at the seams, which can turn a much-needed break into something of a headache. If you’re after a getaway unspoilt by hordes of tourists, it pays to explore the roads less travelled.

Travel specialists at Solmar Villas have scrutinised more than 160 destinations worldwide to reveal the most tranquil spots for a laid-back summer holiday in 2026 – and Greece has taken the top spot.

Greece boasts more than 6,000 islands to explore and while some are overrun with visitors, others remain blissfully peaceful.

Each location in the top 10 was rated across eight key factors: crowd density, climate, nature and scenery, pace of life, affordability, safety and ease of access.

Remarkably, eight of the top 10 destinations were found in Greece.

Topping the list is Alonissos – a tiny, serene island nestled in the northern Sporades – an archipelago in the Aegean Sea.

To reach it, travellers can fly from the UK to the neighbouring island of Skianthos before hopping on a high-speed ferry across to Alonissos.

The island feels worlds apart from everyday life.

Verdant hills blanketed in pine trees cascade down towards crystalline waters, ideal for a summer dip. Life moves at a leisurely pace, with traditional villages dotted across the hillsides.

The island also houses the National Marine Park of Alonnisos and Northern Sporades, one of the largest protected marine areas in Europe, reports the Express.

This transforms it into a haven for divers and snorkellers.

A boat trip around the island reveals caves, reefs and colourful marine life thriving beneath the sea’s surface.

It’s also home to the rare Mediterranean monk seal – fewer than 700 of them survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean.

On her blog Asinglewomantraveling, travel blogger Melissa said that Alonissos is “absolutely stunning and peaceful”. She added that the island is “quiet, a little wild, totally underrated”.

The top 10 most peaceful holiday destinations

1. Alonissos, Greece
2. Kefalonia, Greece
3. Peloponnese, Greece
4. Skopelos, Greece
5. Lefkada, Greece
6. Mani Peninsula, Greece
7. El Hierro, Spain
8. Naxos, Greece
9. Koh Yao Noi, Thailand
10. Paxos, Greece

BBC Morning Live’s legal expert, Gary Rycroft said he thought he was suffering from asthma

A BBC star has explained how he was horrified to be ‘hours’ from a potentially lethal heart attack after undergoing a surgical procedure. BBC Morning Live’s legal expert, Gary Rycroft, told hosts Rick Edwards and Helen Skelton that he had been suffering from a few chest pains, but put it down to just getting older.

He decided to do the Couch to 5k challenge – and said he had never felt better in many ways. He said: “I think it’s typical of dare I say men of my age, where we ignore things. We think we’re getting old. I didn’t wear glasses till I was 50. My hearing really is not as good as it used to be.

“So when I started to get chest pains walking my dog, I live on top of a hill, so I’m up and down the hill two or three times a day walking to work, walking my dog, and I’d say every fortnight or so I’d get a chest pain and it would it would pass really quickly. So I didn’t really think anything of it. I put it to the back of my mind as people tend to do.”

Mr Rycroft said whatever people do they should get any symptoms checked out. He only got it checked out because he was doing the Couch to 5k and thought he’d like to hear from a doctor.

He said: “I actually did feel a lot better and I lost quite a bit of weight. So, I was feeling really good, but I’d started this diagnostic journey with my GP. So, I’d had an ECG. They checked out the electrics of the heart. That was fine. And then in January, I went to have a cardiac CT scan, which is kind of an X-ray of the heart to check out the structure and check out the plumbing.

“And when I got the result of that a couple of weeks later, it was really quite bad news which floored me, which was actually the main artery to your heart is pretty much blocked. And of course, you start googling and it was called the left anterior descending artery. Not very helpfully on the internet, it’s often referred to as the widow maker. So, suddenly I was in quite a dark place to be honest, and it was quite stressful for my partner Jenny and the kids.”

It was when he had the straightforward operation to put in a stent that the full extent became clear. Gary said: “The next thing to do is called an invasive angiogram, where they put a little tube up your wrist, and they fit what’s called a stent.

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“So, I had that procedure. It was all done in about 40 minutes. It was pretty remarkable. And you know, thank goodness for medical science. When I came round from that, the cardiologist was kind of, you know, you’re a very lucky person, because you were probably hours or days from having a massive potentially fatal heart attack. So, that was that was quite a lot to take in.“

Doctor Xand van Tulleken said: “If you’ve had this procedure I mean they are safe. They are very common and Gary’s risk you know it is traumatic having these things. You get much closer to death than you would want to. But if you can manage your blood pressure, your cholesterol, quit smoking, manage your risk factors, your GP will help you with all of that afterwards, you you you know Gary’s life expectancy is pretty much the same as it was before the procedure, which is fantastic. That’s the reason to go and have it done.

Gary added: “This is a silent killer for people in their 50s and 60s and people will have lost people. And I wanted to talk about this because I wanted to say to people, don’t wait as long as I did. I had a very close shave. Don’t wait as long as I did. And if you’re living with someone who’s concerned, encourage them to have that conversation. If something’s not quite right, it’s well worth checking it out.”

Actor David Jason has reflected on the highs and secrets of Open All Hours as he took on one of the most iconic comedy roles on television in the 1980s

Sir David Jason famously landed two iconic comedy roles in the 1980s. One was the lead in Only Fools and Horses as wheeler dealer Del Boy Trotter.

The other was playing second fiddle to Ronnie Barker as unlucky-in-love errand boy Granville in Open All Hours. With such a workload, some actors might have ditched the co-star role and concentrated solely on being ‘the star of the show. But not Sir David.

Looking back on Open All Hours’ 50 ^th anniversary, he says he would never have turned his back on the loveable put-upon corner shop assistant. He says: “I was never grand about ‘Oh I’m above playing Granville.. I have got my own series.’ No, I was just happy to be doing another character which was so different. I had this character that was the total opposite. The leading man, the driving force, the wheeler dealer.”

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Open All Hours is regarded as one of Britain’s top classic sitcoms. Viewers fell in love with penny-pinching stuttering shopkeeper Albert Arkwright (played by the late Ronnie Barker) and his endless efforts to woo ‘the lust of his life’ – the very buxom Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (the late Lynda Baron) while a string of regular customers would pop in and out of the shop in Yorkshire often being conned by his latest crafty tricks.

Added into the mix was Arkwright’s over-worked shy and awkward nephew Granville played by Sir David. The show was made for Ronnie in 1973 as one of seven new comedy pilots by the BBC who had lured him away from LWT to work for them.

Sir David, who is now 86, was excited to be among its cast as it meant working with the comic genius. Their paths had crossed when he appeared in his sketch show Hark at Barker in 1969 and he claims he learned so much from him over their years together.

In a new TV special called Open All Hours: Inside Out marking its 50 ^th anniversary this year, Sir David pays a fond tribute to the legendary funny man saying: “I couldn’t wait to work with him to see what I could learn from him.

“When we first started to work together he was a big star and I was in his shadow for years. Ronnie was at the top of his trade if you like. The rest of us crawled about underneath desperately trying to learn how to be as clever as Ronnie B but with that came the generosity of spirit he was so wonderful to work with he was good fun and he was respectful.

“It was a huge learning curve in my career to work with Ronnie B. It was a great journey to have travelled with him and learned his respect for showbiz and what it meant to be in it and to entertain people. A brilliant man.”

Audience research for the pilot of Open All Hours was very positive but the BBC wanted Ronnie for another show called Prisoner and Escort (which became Porridge). It meant Arkwright and Granville stayed on the shelf for three more years as the comedy was not fully commissioned until 1976.

But there was unrest about its scheduling on BBC Two on a Friday at 9pm. Writer Roy Clarke calls it ‘terrible’ and adds: “That was the equivalent of burying it.”

Even Sir David comments: “BBC One would have had the kudos over BBC Two but at least it was going out I suppose.”

Ratings for series one topped more than six million each week but, remarkably, the BBC went cold on the show. They wanted Ronnie to do more Porridge and more of The Two Ronnies with his pal Ronnie Corbett and writer Roy busied himself penning more episodes of Last Of The Summer Wine.

Meanwhile, Sir David landed the lead role in a new ITV sitcom called A Sharp Intake of Breath in 1977 and then in 1981 he was cast as Del Boy in a new BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses.

It was an immediate hit.

But at the same time, the Beeb decided to revive Open All Hours for a second series. This time it was scheduled to go out on BBC One. Sir David had no hesitation in juggling both roles as he loved playing Granville and knew fans loved the character too.

He says: “Granville appealed to the viewers as people saw a bit of themselves in him – a dreamer who wanted to see the world. Granville was wistful and a bit romantic. I was so happy to be working with that sort of personality.”

Ratings for the sitcom soared with an average of 13 million viewers tuning in. In addition to its main stars, the shop’s badly behaved till became a character in its own right. And the Carry On style humour appealed to the masses especially when Nurse Gladys used to comfort Granville in her ample breasts – something which always made Arkwright jealous.

Sir David now recalls those scenes with a chuckle: “She was so padded everywhere you couldn’t get any pleasure about being pulled into her bosoms.”

Open All Hours bowed out in 1985 after 26 episodes and even beat Corrie in the ratings. It always remained popular whenever it was repeated but fans never expected to see the corner shop again especially since Ronnie passed away in 2005 aged 76.

However, in 2012, Sir David went to the BBC head of comedy with an idea for a sequel. He says: “I always wondered what would have happened to Granville if Arkwright left the shop to him.. and the rest is history as they say.”

And in 2014, Still Open All Hours was launched with the actor reprising the role. However, the new twist was that Arkwright had died and left the shop to Granville who had turned into a miser just like his uncle and was now tormenting his errand boy son Leroy played by James Baxter.

James says: “I had the toughest role. I was nervous at the beginning but I was in very safe hands with David. He built this world, him and Ronnie and Roy so I never felt too scared. Arkwright and Granville are icons of British comedy. I will stand in that shadow. That is fine by me.”

Some characters from the original made appearances too including Lynda Baron, Stephanie Cole and Maggie Ollerenshaw. It was a huge hit and ran for six series. A seventh was planned but ended up being cancelled when the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the series was shelved for good.

Sir David – who has also starred in The Darling Buds of May, A Touch Of Frost and A Bit Of A Do – comments: “I always felt it would be nice to see how we round it all up so that we the audience would go ‘Oh that’s lovely, you know’.”

His wish is granted in the new TV special as he gets to dust down his old shopkeeper overcoat one more time as Granville for a final sketch penned by Roy Clarke. And he jokes about the script: “It might be rude. Knowing Roy Clarke it might be very rude.”

On the show’s 50 ^th anniversary he concludes: ““It’s as much as that? 50 years? Doesn’t time fly when you are having fun? I was so lucky to work with such lovely people who were so good at their job and had a wonderful sense of humour because this is what it is all about.”

* Open All Hours: Inside Out airs on U&Originals on Thursday 7 May at 8pm.

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FOR a simple stay in the city, The Resident Victoria is the place to be, being right in the middle of London.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Where is The Resident Victoria?

The hotel is just steps from Buckingham Palace, so royal family fans can head straight to it.

Being right by Victoria Station as well, it means you can easily hop into central London or even easily get to London airports including Gatwick and Heathrow?

What is the hotel like?

Just one of four in London – with another in Liverpool and Edinburgh – the hotel itself is simply but classy.

What are the rooms like?

The 73-room hotel ranges from single person rooms to deluxe rooms with super king beds.

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Each room is classy but simple, with everything you’d expect as well as extras that make them ideal for longer stays.

This means mini kitchenettes that have fridges and microwaves, as well as crockery, glassware and coffee machines.

Working desks make them ideal for anyone travelling for business too.

Lots of the interior is from British designers, such as fabrics from the Isle of Bute and and furniture made in West London.

I loved the bathrooms which had loads of mirrors – often forgotten about in hotels – and complimentary toiletries and towels.

Rooms start from £184 per night.

What is there to eat and drink there?

There’s no restaurant here so you’ll have to go out for dinner.

Thankfully you’re spoilt for choice, although I recommend the Market Hall with a range of food stands inside to keep even fussy eaters happy.

For breakfast, you can order delivery to your room with things like pastries on the menu from the Drinks & Snacks menu.

Or you can ask to have your fridge filled with groceries, again at an additional cost.

Make sure to stay in the evenings at the hotel – they have complimentary wine hours.

What else?

There’s not gyms or spas at the hotel, but the reception is open 24 hours.

Use the hotel as a base to explore the area as you couldn’t be bettered located.

Is it family friendly?

The hotel welcomes families with the Deluxe rooms sleeping up to four and the Superior sleeping up to three.

Is it accessible?

Yes, the hotel has a number of accessible rooms.

A BRIT rock back have been forced to cancel an impending gig after an “unexpected medical situation”.

Enter Shikari were due to play a gig at Dublin Academy in Ireland this evening but have been forced to withdraw.

The band kept details sparse but confirmed a “medical reason” was behind their decision to pull the plug on the gig in the Irish capital city.

Issuing a statement, the band revealed they were gutted to be unable to complete the concert as planned.

The band said: “Due to a medical situation both unexpected and beyond our control, we’re sad to have to say we’re having to postpone tonight’s Dublin Academy show.

“If you know anything about us, you know that cancelling/postponing shows is always the absolute last resort once all other options have been exhausted, especially at this short notice.

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“We’re very sorry for any inconvenience this causes anyone.

“We’re in conversation with our Irish promoter and will immediately start looking at potential date to reschedule to.

“Thank you in advance for your understanding, and we hope we can see you as soon as possible. ES x.”

Their fans were quick to issue their well-wished amid the uncertain situation.

One penned: “Sending you guys so much love hope you’re all ok.”

Another went on to write: “Hope all is ok – let us know when you’re planning to be back in Ireland!”

A third then said: “Absolutely gutted as flew here solo from Brighton especially *but* sending everyone so much love and hope, and thank you for still being the reason I finally visited Ireland!”

Before a fourth commented: “Sending love as this can’t have been an easy decision, get well soon.”

Whilst a fifth comment read: “Health first always. Hope all is ok. We go again even harder on the rescheduled show to make up for this. Grá mór.”

The band were first formed in 1999 and adopted their current identity in 2003.

Their debut album, Take to the Skies, was eventually released in 2007 and reached number four on the UK Albums Chart.

Their seventh record, released in 2023, became their first chart-topper.

The group’s latest record, surprise released earlier this month, managed to chart at number 16.