Kevin the Carrot is back in the latest Aldi Christmas advert teaser – and this time, he has a big question for his beloved Katie
Aldi has dropped its first Christmas advert teaser – and its beloved mascot Kevin the Carrot is back for his tenth year.
The first of three clips shows Kevin waiting in the snow outside the house of his partner Katie. He is joined by adorable new character, Caulidog, which is a cauliflower dog.
With a diamond ring attached to its collar, Kevin and his veggie companion hold up a sign that reads: “To me, you are 24 carat.” He then lifts the sign to reveal another card that says: “Marry Christmas?”
The heartwarming moment mimics the iconic cue-card scene from Love Actually.
The new Aldi advert will appear on TV screens for the first time tonight from 8:15pm, but viewers will have to keep their eye out for the following two episodes launching over the festive season to find out Katie’s answer.
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: “We know how much our customers adore Kevin, and this year, to mark his 10th anniversary, we wanted to bring an extra sprinkle of magic and romance to his story.
”This teaser sets the stage for a truly heartwarming Christmas, reminding us all that love is at the heart of the festive season. We can’t wait for everyone to join Kevin and Katie on their journey and see what other surprises we have in store.”
Last year saw Kevin trying to save the Spirit of Christmas from a group of evil villains called the humbugs.
Previous years have seen Kevin pay homage to the 1998 World Cup, visit William Conker’s fantastical Christmas factory and travel on a midnight train inspired by the Orient Express.
Kevin the Carrot merchandise such as festive decorations, plushies and plastic toys from Aldi has sold out multiple times over the years due to high demand.
It comes after Aldi revealed a list of 23 towns and cities where it wants to open new stores over the next two years as part of its £1.6billion expansion plan.
As well as new stores, the investment will go towards upgrading existing ones. Aldi will also look to improve its distribution network.
Aldi has 1,060 stores but wants to increase this number to 1,500 across the UK. It said its expansion would create thousands of jobs and more opportunities for British suppliers.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer for Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “Shoppers are still finding things difficult and that’s why we’re staying laser-focused on doing what Aldi does best – offering customers great quality products at unbeatable prices.
“Nobody else is making the same commitment to everyday low prices – no clubs, no gimmicks, no tricks – just prices our customers can trust, and quality they can depend on.“
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane considering move to Barcelona, Manchester United and Tottenham monitoring Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Liverpool watch Fulham winger Kevin.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has a 65m euros (£57m) release clause that kicks in next summer and the 32-year-old England international is weighing up his options, which include staying in Germany and considering a move to Barcelona.(Sport – in Spanish), external
Manchester United and Tottenham are closely monitoring 23-year-old England centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, who Everton do not want to sell and value him at around £70m. (Caught Offside), external
Tottenham and Chelsea are set to go head-to-head in a battle to sign Porto’s 21-year-old Spanish striker Samu Aghehowa, who could be made available for 80m euros (£70.5m). (Correio da Manha via Goal), external
Arsenal and Barcelona are tracking France Under-16s captain Lacine Megnan-Pave after the 15-year-old registered 15 goals and 12 assists in 24 games for Montpellier under-17s. (Sport – in Spanish), external
Liverpool’s chief scout Barry Hunter was at Craven Cottage on Saturday to watch Fulham’s £35m summer signing, Brazilian winger Kevin, 22, in their 3-0 win over Wolves. (Football Insider), external
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is Athletic Club’s preferred option to become their manager if Ernesto Valverde does not renew his contract with them beyond next summer. (La Razon – in Spanish), external
Bayern Munich director of sport Max Eberl says the club will do everything they can to get France defender Dayot Upamecano, 27, to sign a contract extension. (Sky Sports Germany), external
Switzerland centre-back Manuel Akanji, 30, says it will be up to Inter Milan whether they want to turn his loan move from Manchester City into a permanent switch, but the Serie A club “seem happy” with him so far. (Football Italia), external
Napoli midfielder Kevin de Bruyne is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on the thigh injury he sustained while scoring a penalty against Inter Milan.
The 34-year-old clutched the back of his right thigh after opening the scoring in the 33rd minute on Saturday and was substituted a few minutes later.
The Belgium playmaker was taken to hospital where scans revealed a high-grade tear to his bicep femoris, a hamstring muscle at the back of the thigh.
Napoli confirmed that De Bruyne underwent successful surgery on Wednesday in Antwerp, Belgium, and will begin the first phase of his rehabilitation in Belgium.
Reigning champions Napoli, who beat Inter Milan 3-1 to return to the top of Serie A, have not put a timeline on his return to action.
De Bruyne joined Napoli on a free transfer from Manchester City in June.
He has scored four goals in eight league appearances and made a further three appearances in the Champions League.
Coming off a 5-4 shootout loss Saturday night in Nashville, the Kings ended a string of four extra-time games to improve to 4-3-3. They have a game left on a five-game trip that opened with overtime victories in St. Louis and Dallas.
Laferriere tied it 1-1 at 3:29 of the second with a wrist shot off a two-on-one break, and Fiala scored at 4:54 on a wraparound off a breakaway. Joel Armia added a short-handed empty-netter with 1:08 left.
Connor Bedard scored for rested Chicago, and Arvid Soderblom made 19 saves. The Blackhawks dropped to 4-3-2. They had won two in a row and had a five-game points streak.
Bedard opened the scoring on a tip at 7:04 of the first period, with the puck hitting the post and going in off Forsberg’s skate.
Up next for the Kings: at San José on Tuesday night.
Callum: This is becoming the worst disgrace in the history of Scottish football. When are the powers that be at Ibrox going to realise that if it is Thelwell and Stewart that continue to be the stumbling block then they have to be removed immediately? Three potential managers have turned us down in a little more than a week. Shocking and embarrassing.
Michael: Thelwell and Stewart want too much of an input into first-team affairs and this is what seems to be the breakdown. Both of them need to go. If Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe wanted Gerrard and Muscat then the deal should have happened – after all, they are the ‘bosses’.
Isobel: The club knew Muscat’s situation at the outset, so why go ahead at all if they were so desperate to get someone in ASAP? It is utter incompetence and breathtaking arrogance to believe they could get him in earlier given he was on the cusp of a second title. The whole management group including the Americans have dragged a proud club into the gutter in this continuing omnishambles. It is absolutely disgraceful and I actually feel for the players in all this, left leaderless, rudderless and hung out to dry.
Neil: It’s becoming clear that if the new manager wants control of recruitment then Thelwell is going to be the problem. Time for the owners to take control and show they are capable of running the club.
Stuart: I’ve supported this club since my late dad took me to my first game back in the late 1970s, spent thousands travelling across the UK and Europe to watch them and this is quite ‘simply the worst’ I’ve ever seen from top to bottom. Poor boardroom choices, poor management and poor recruitment. Thelwell and Stewart have to go as they’re simply filling their pockets whilst making a complete mockery of what was once a proud club.
Sonny: Sack the board. The Americans have somehow managed to turn the club into a bigger shambles than the previous administration, which I thought was impossible. We’re a laughing stock and there’s hardly an array of great candidates remaining. Embarrassing.
Brian: What a shambles and what an absolute shocker from those in charge – the blame must lie with Stewart and Thewell, who could not even make a double act as a pantomime horse. I am at a complete loss bordering on despair.
Alexander: The main problem appears to be Thelwell and Stewart. If these two are the reason we can’t get a deal finalised then get rid of them. Rangers are too big to be run in such a haphazard way. The supporters aren’t going to take much more of this nonsense, maybe an empty Ibrox and not renewing season tickets will wake the owners up.
KEVIN Federline has continued his string of shock allegations against ex wife Britney Spears – with the dancer now claiming she punched their son in the face.
The couple’s war of words and bad blood has come to the fore with the release of teasers for his new book You Thought You Knew, set for general sale on October 21.
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Britney Spears’ ex husband Kevin Federline has continued his steady stream of jaw-dropping allegations against the starCredit: GettyIn a teaser for his new book, he has suggested the Lucky hitmaker ‘punched’ their youngest sonCredit: Getty – ContributorThe pair share two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden JamesCredit: Instagram / britneyspearsBritney hit back at her ex’s ‘gaslighting’ behaviour this weekCredit: instagram
He has already teased many shock revelations about his relationship with the Toxic singer and life raising their sons, Sean Preston, now 20, and Jayden James, 19.
The former professional dancer, 47, has used his tome to open up about his struggles co-parenting with Britney, 43, throughout her downward spiral from pop princess to troubled artist.
He has now suggested the mum of two “punched” their youngest “in the face”, according to Variety.
Kevin also wrote how she allegedly bleached their scalps without his consent and asked eldest Preston to “bathe with her.”
He suggested the kids had filmed some incidents on their mobile phones.
In another shock allegation, which followed Preston’s holiday with his girlfriend, he claimed she replied with the words: “Her response was chilling: she told him she wished he, his brother, and me were all dead.”
The Sun has gone to Britney’s reps for comment.
CLAP BACK
Earlier this week, Britney clapped back at what she dubbed “exhausting” claims from her former partner.
Kevin and Britney got married on September 18, 2004, just five months after they met but they split in 2006.
In a text post written in black font on a white background, she wrote: “The constant gaslighting from my ex husband is extremely hurtful and exhausting.
“Relationships with teenage boys is complex. I have felt demoralized by this situation and have always asked and almost begged for them to be a part of my life.
“Sadly, they have always witnessed the lack of respect shown by own father for me.
“They need to take responsibility for themselves.
With one son only seeing me for 45 min in the past 5 years and the other with only 4 visits in the past 5 years. I have pride too.
“From now on I will let them know when I am available.
“Trust me, those white lies in that book, they are going straight to the bank and I am the only one who genuinely gets hurt here.”
The US chart star then wrapped her emotive message with the words: “I will always love them [her boys] and if you really know me, you won’t pay attention to the tabloids of my mental health and drinking.
“I am actually a pretty intelligent woman who has been trying to live a sacred and private life the past 5 years.
“I speak on this because I have had enough and any real woman would do the same.”
MARRIAGE BREAKDOWN
In an interview with The New York Times, Kevin previously revealed he has kept his distance from his ex-wife and they “haven’t spoken in years,” following their divorce nearly two decades ago.
However, in his book, the DJ also revealed some of Britney’s alarming behaviour, which he learned mainly from their kids.
“They would awaken sometimes at night to find her standing silently in the doorway, watching them sleep — ‘Oh, you’re awake?’ — with a knife in her hand,” Kevin wrote.
“Then she’d turn around and pad off without explanation.”
Meanwhile, the Lucky songstress’ backing dancer has broken her silence on his allegations the pair enjoyed a steamy snog.
In a statement provided to Us Weekly, Britney’s representative said, ‘Once again [Federline] and others are profiting off her, and sadly it comes after child support has ended with Kevin.
‘All she cares about are her kids, Sean Preston and Jayden James, and their well-being during this sensationalism,’ they added.
In 2023, Jayden and Sean moved to Hawaii with their dad and his new wife, Victoria Prince, and the their two half-sisters.
There were rife reports of a rift between the two sons and their famous mother, which was sparked after her conservatorship was terminated in November 2021.
Previously, the bubblegum pop queen apologized for “not being perfect.”
The pair were married for two yearsCredit: GettyKevin’s tome also alleges Britney held a knife while watching her sons sleep as well as suggesting she snogged a backing dancerCredit: GettyBritney meanwhile has been slowly rebuilding a relationship with her two sonsCredit: Instagram / britneyspears
Britney Spears will not stand for ex-husband Kevin Federline’s scathing claims about how she raised their two sons, writing on social media that the allegations in his upcoming book are part of his “constant gaslighting.”
The “Stronger” and “Oops!… I Did It Again” pop star hit back at her ex-husband Wednesday evening in a statement shared to X and Instagram, writing that confronting his latest revelations has been “extremely hurtful and exhausting.” The 43-year-old singer, whose conservatorship ended four years ago, said she has “always pleaded and screamed to have a life with [her] boys.”
“Relationships with teenage boys is complex,” her statement continued. “I have felt demoralized by this situation and have always asked and almost begged for them to be a part of my life.”
Spears and Federline, 47, married in 2004 and divorced three years later after welcoming boys Sean Preston and Jayden James. Federline, a dancer, was awarded sole custody in 2008 when Spears was placed under a conservatorship. In excerpts from his incoming book “You Thought You Knew,” Federline accuses Spears of consuming cocaine while she was still breastfeeding their second son. He also accuses her of holding a knife while she watched her sons sleeping and raises claims about the singer’s alleged cheating and a physical incident.
Federline wrote that the alleged cocaine incident occurred in 2006 during the release party for his album, according to an excerpt shared with Us Weekly. “The first thing I saw was Britney and her young starlet friend snorting a fat line of coke off the table,” he said in his book. He said he urged the pop star not to “feed the kids like this” and that she responded by allegedly throwing a cocktail in his face.
“That’s what ended us,” he wrote, according to Us Weekly.
In a memoir excerpt published by the New York Times, Federline alleged that their sons would awake “sometimes to find her standing silently in the doorway, watching them sleep” with a knife in her hand. “Then she’d turn around and pad off without explanation,” he wrote.
In her social media retort, Spears said their sons “have always witnessed the lack of respect show by [their] own father for me” and added “they need to take responsibility for themselves.” She claimed that she had seen one son for only “45 min in the past 5 years” and that the other has visited only four times since 2021. A judge terminated Spears’ controversial conservatorship in November 2021.
“I have pride too,” the Grammy-winning vocalist said, adding she intends to make herself more available to her sons.
Federline’s book isn’t the first time he dropped bold claims about Spears. He claimed in a 2022 interview with the Daily Mail that their sons had “decided they are not seeing her right now” and opted not to attend her marriage to Sam Asghari, whom she has since divorced. At the time, Federline also claimed the boys had taken issue with her scantily-clad Instagram posts.
“I try to explain to them, ‘Look, maybe that’s just another way she tries to express herself.’ But that doesn’t take away from the fact of what it does to them,” he said. “It’s tough … I can’t imagine how it feels to be a teenager having to go to high school” with those posts existing.
In response to those comments, Spears said she gave her sons “everything” and found Federline’s claims “HURTFUL.”
Federline’s “You Thought You Knew” comes out Tuesday, two years after Spears published her memoir “The Woman in Me.” Her book dished on topics including her struggles with drugs, her relationship with ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake and her conservatorship.
Spears said on Wednesday that her ex-husband’s “white lies in that book, they are going straight to the bank.” She also urged followers to take tabloid reports about her mental health and drinking with a grain of salt.
“I am actually a pretty intelligent woman who has been trying to live a sacred and private life the past 5 years,” she concluded her statement. “I speak on this because I have had enough and any real woman would do the same.”
Lucca, September 21, 2025. Kevin Spacey’s Masterclass continues in the Church of San Francesco with a complete change of suit and tie. Pictured: Kevin Spacey addressing the audience. Pictured: kevin spacey Ref: BLU_S8543873 210925 NON-EXCLUSIVE Picture by: IPA / SplashNews.com Splash News and Pictures USA: 310-525-5808 UK: 020 8126 1009 [email protected] World Rights, No Portugal Rights, No Spain Rights, No Italy Rights, No France RightsCredit: Splash
ACTOR Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted a man despite being told, “No, this is not right”, court documents allege.
The star is being sued at the High Court by the man known only as LNP, who says he suffered pain, anxiety and distress.
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Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel, for LNP, says in papers filed at the court that the alleged assaults happened on about 12 occasions from 2000 to 2005.
She says: “Mr Spacey would place his own hand on the claimant’s leg without consent.
“The claimant would attempt to remove the hand and say, ‘No, this is not right’.”
She called it a “breach of trust and exploitation by a powerful man in a position of responsibility on a much younger man”.
Ms Gumbel said that LNP had suffered “pain and suffering at the time of the abuse itself, which was exacerbated by feelings of embarrassment, shame, dirtiness and confusion”.
He also suffered “anxiety and distress and mild post-traumatic symptoms from the abuse”.
She said: “The assaults were committed in circumstances of breach of trust and exploitation by a powerful man in a position of responsibility on a much younger man.
“The claimant seeks to claim aggravated damages.”
Oscar-winner Spacey, 66, has previously denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour and wrongdoing.
He has yet to file a defence to the claim.
Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted a man despite being told, ‘No, this is not right’, court documents allegeCredit: Splash
BRITNEY Spears’ ex-husband Kevin Federline claimed the singer drank alcohol during her pregnancy and did cocaine while breastfeeding.
Britney, 43, was married to dancer and actor Kevin, 47, from 2004 until 2007.
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Kevin Federline has made shock allegations about ex Britney Spears during her pregnancy with their sonCredit: GettyKevin claims Britney drank while pregnant and did cocaine when their sons were youngCredit: Getty
The former couple welcomed two sons together during their three-year marriage.
As well as this, Kevin claims that Britney did cocaine while their boys were young – leaving him concerned about their breastfeeding.
The Sun has contacted Britney’s reps for comment.
Kevin told The Hollywood Reporter: “Of course this concerned me.
“Anything that could possibly harm the child is concerning. So yeah, it was a bit shocking for me through some of those moments.
“But yes, that night at the record release party was really what set everything off. I realized that I needed to get into “protect my children” mode, is what happened.
“Like I said in the book, it’s not necessarily the extracurricular activities (i.e., drug use). I was concerned for my children.
“And eventually she filed for divorce. That was the actual breaking point in the marriage.”
She shared to Instagram: “The constant gaslighting from my ex husband is extremely hurtful and exhausting.
“Relationships with teenage boys is complex. I have felt demoralized by this situation and have always asked and almost begged for them to be a part of my life.
Britney has accused Kevin of ‘gaslighting’ her with the new bookCredit: Getty
“Sadly, they have always witnessed the lack of respect shown by their own father for me.
“They need to take responsibility for themselves.
“With one son only seeing me for 45 min in the past 5 years and the other with only 4 visits in the past 5 years. I have pride too.
“From now on I will let them know when I am available.
BRITNEY Spears has furiously clapped back at her “gaslighting” ex husband Kevin Federline in a brutal takedown of his jaw-dropping allegations over her conduct.
The mom-of-two issued a passionate statement on her Instagram page after her baby-daddy told how he feared the pop star would die without help – and said “it’s impossible to pretend everything is OK.”
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Britney Spears has issued a scathing statement on ex husband Kevin Federline after he made a series of jaw-dropping allegations about her conductCredit: Instagram/britneyspearsBritney ad Kevin married in 2004 – yet things have turned sour and she has blasted his ‘gaslighting’ ways as ‘exhausting’Credit: GettyThe chart star told how she had only seen one of her two sons – Sean Preston and Jayden James – for ’45 minutes in five years’Credit: Instagram / britneyspearsBritney was seen with her rarely seen son Jayden, 18, this summerCredit: Instagram / britneyspears
Kevin – who is set to release book You Thought You Knew on October 21 – has already teased many shocking revelations about his relationship with the Toxic singer and life raising their sons, Sean Preston, now 20, and Jayden James, 19.
The former professional dancer, 47, has used his tome to open up about his struggles co-parenting with Britney, 43, throughout her downward spiral from pop princess to troubled artist.
In a text post written in black font on a white background, she wrote: “The constant gaslighting from my ex husband is extremely hurtful and exhausting.
“Relationships with teenage boys is complex. I have felt demoralized by this situation and have always asked and almost begged for them to be a part of my life.
“Sadly, they have always witnessed the lack of respect shown by own father for me.
“They need to take responsibility for themselves.
“With one son only seeing me for 45 min in the past 5 years and the other with only 4 visits in the past 5 years. I have pride too.
“From now on I will let them know when I am available.
“Trust me, those white lies in that book, they are going straight to the bank and I am the only one who genuinely gets hurt here.”
The Hit Me Baby One More Time hitmaker also revealed she had bought Jayden a brand newMercedesAMG SL 63 roadster valued at $187K.
The US chart star then wrapped her emotive message with the words: “I will always love them [her boys] and if you really know me, you won’t pay attention to the tabloids of my mental health and drinking.
“I am actually a pretty intelligent woman who has been trying to live a sacred and private life the past 5 years.
Speaking in court, Judge Brenda Penny said: “Based on what I read in the filings, and I read everything. I do believe the suspension of Jamie Spears is in the best interest of Britney Spears.
“The current situation is unattainable. The court finds the toxic environment Jamie Spears has created needs to be removed today.”
Following the judge’s decision, a temporary conservator was put in Jamie’s place for about a month.
On November 12, Judge Penny ruled in favor of the pop star, removing Jamie from the position of conservator without requiring any further mental examination from Britney.
“I speak on this because I have had enough and any real woman would do the same.”
MOM LOWDOWN
Britney lost full-time custody of her sons in 2007 after an infamous breakdown during which she shaved her head.
The US star was allowed only supervised visits to see her boys, then aged two and one, who went to live with her former husband Kevin.
She now has 30 per cent custody but her relations with her sons hit a rough patch after they chose not to attend their mum’s 2022 wedding to US model Sam Asghari, her now ex.
The teens were also said to be embarrassed by her semi-naked pictures and overtly sexual dance videos posted on Instagram.
MARRIAGE BREAKDOWN
Kevin and Britney got married on September 18, 2004, just five months after they met but they split in 2006.
In an interview with The New York Times, Kevin previously revealed he’s kept his distance from his ex-wife and they “haven’t spoken in years,” following their divorce nearly two decades ago.
However, in the book, the DJ also revealed some of Britney’s alarming behavior, which he learned mainly from their kids.
“They would awaken sometimes at night to find her standing silently in the doorway, watching them sleep — ‘Oh, you’re awake?’ — with a knife in her hand,” Kevin wrote.
“Then she’d turn around and pad off without explanation.”
In a statement provided to Us Weekly, Britney’s representative said, ‘Once again [Federline] and others are profiting off her, and sadly it comes after child support has ended with Kevin.
‘All she cares about are her kids, Sean Preston and Jayden James, and their well-being during this sensationalism,’ they added.
In 2023, Jayden and Sean moved to Hawaii with their dad and his new wife, Victoria Prince, and the their two half-sisters.
There were rife reports of a rift between the two sons and their famous mother, which was sparked after her conservatorship was terminated in November 2021.
Previously, the bubblegum pop queen apologized for “not being perfect.”
Meanwhile, we exclusively revealed the secret Mother’s Day phone call which saw her attempt to rebuild her connection with her sons.
We told how Britney is now at pains to rebuild a loving relationship with her sons — who were once by her side for everything, from Smurf movie premieres to Dodgers baseball games and trips to Disneyland.
Kevin has teased a series of serious allegations about Britney, including suggesting she had a knife while watching their sons sleepCredit: GettyThe dancer’s book will be released this monthCredit: Instagram/@federline4realBritney has been slowly rebuilding a relationship with her two sonsCredit: Instagram / britneyspears
During a 19-year playing career that yielded 123 bookings and 12 red cards, Muscat was once branded the “most hated man in football”.
Post-retirement, he revealed, external former Rangers manager Alex McLeish did not trust him to play in an Old Firm derby during his brief spell at Ibrox.
It is to the Australian’s credit that he has since gone on to somewhat shake off his hot-head image in an impressive 13 years in management.
His glowing CV attracted Rangers two years ago, but he reportedly missed out on the job when the club opted for Philippe Clement instead.
At that time, former Rangers team-mate Neil McCann told BBC Scotland that the Ibrox side would be getting someone with “presence” who “understands the league, the intensity, the rivalry and how to get the job done”.
Muscat was then first-team boss at Yokohama F Marinos, where he won 2022 J-League after taking over from Ange Postecoglou following his exit for Celtic.
He also succeeded Postecoglou at Melbourne Victory after a period working under the current Nottingham Forest head coach.
It was in Melbourne where Muscat’s managerial career began, winning the A-League Championship twice in five-and-a-half years before his move to Japan.
Runners-up spots in the J-League in 2021 and 2023 bookended his 2022 triumph in Yokohama.
Muscat became a title winner in a third different country last year in China, and he is on the verge of another with just four games remaining as his side sit top with a two-point lead.
Across his managerial tenures in Australia, Japan and China, his win rate stands at 54%, with his teams scoring an average of 1.9 goals per game while conceding 1.2.
His Shanghai Port side scored 96 times in a 30-game league-winning campaign last year.
Those numbers suggest this is a coach who can win while implementing a front-foot approach. How that translates to Scottish football is unclear, though.
‘Legendary’, ‘pure class’ and ‘on another level’ are just some of the terms used to describe Kevin de Bruyne this week.
The Belgian is enjoying one of his best starts to a season since moving to Napoli on a free transfer this summer which begs the question, did he leave Manchester City a year too early?
The exodus of senior City players in the past year has been well documented, with the likes of Ederson, Jack Grealish, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker all leaving for pastures new.
De Bruyne was also deemed surplus to requirements – despite 16 trophies and more than 400 appearances – and the midfielder, reluctant to leave, joined Napoli when his contract expired in June.
“I was a bit surprised but I just have to accept it,” said De Bruyne back in April. “Honestly, I still think I can perform at this level like I’m showing, but I understand clubs have to make decisions.”
It turns out the 34-year-old was correct in his self-assessment.
Tim Skipper is tapping a trusted ally to help him steady UCLA’s football team for the rest of the season.
The interim coach is finalizing the hiring of veteran assistant Kevin Coyle as a member of his defensive staff in a move that could bolster the team after the departure of defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe, according to one person close to the situation not authorized to discuss it publicly because the hiring has not been completed.
The hope is that Coyle could join the Bruins before they open Big Ten Conference play at Northwestern on Saturday.
It would be a familiar pairing.
When Skipper served as Fresno State’s interim coach last season, Coyle ran a unit that ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in total defense and fourth in scoring defense to help the team reach the Idaho Potato Bowl.
The challenge could be far greater with the Bruins (0-3), who have given up 36 points and 431 yards per game to rank among the worst defenses in major college football. Coyle is expected to help the staff as part of what Skipper has described as a collaborative approach to running the defense.
Coyle, 69, started this season as a senior defensive analyst at Syracuse. He has made multiple stops as a defensive coordinator in college and the NFL, serving in that capacity at Holy Cross, the U.S. Merchant Marine, Maryland and the Miami Dolphins. In 2019, Coyle was head coach of the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football after winning a national title the previous season with Louisiana State as a defensive analyst under coach Ed Orgeron.
Coyle spent two stints as Fresno State’s defensive coordinator, first under coach Pat Hill from 1997-2000 before returning prior to the 2022 season and remaining through the last game of 2024. Coyle also spent 13 seasons with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals as a cornerbacks and defensive backs coach.
Coyle replaces Malloe, a universally beloved and respected assistant who left the team last week as part of what was described as a mutual parting of the ways after the team’s disappointing start. UCLA’s defense, filled with eventual NFL players such as Laiatu Latu, Carson Schwesinger, Oluwafemi Oladejo and Jay Toia, had been a strength in 2023 and 2024 before experiencing a steep decline early this season.
I worked with John Stapleton at Good Morning Britain and every single person loved and adored him, from make-up artists to editors
14:26, 21 Sep 2025Updated 14:26, 21 Sep 2025
Kevin Maguire is Associate Editor of the Mirror and a politics columnist. He is a frequent contributor to Good Morning Britain and other TV shows. He also writes a column for the New Statesman and earlier in his career was chief reporter for The Guardian. He is a Sunderland AFC supporter.
John Stapleton was loved by everyone he worked with(Image: PA)
EVERYBODY, absolutely everybody, who met or worked with John Stapleton absolutely loved the TV sleuth and presenter.
That’s a rare accolade in an often cut-throat trade occasionally marred by monstrous egos yet Stapes was above all else a wonderful bloke
From the make-up artists who’d powder his nose and camera crews framing his face to powerful editors and famous co-stars, Stapes was adored.
And in turn the ultimate professional was encouraging, generous and gracious to all of them including walk-on players like myself and Tory Boy.
Slim and dapper, I never ceased to be impressed how we’d turn up bleary-eyed for Good Morning Britain and its predecessors and Stapes would be bright eyed and bushy tailed, immaculately dressed as if he’d just stepped off Savile Row.
I worked with John at Good Morning Britain(Image: S Meddle/ITV/Shutterstock)
Never one to brag or stand on ceremony, Stapes enjoyed chatting politics and a good gossip.
He didn’t wear a glorious career on his smart sleeve and the easiness of a journalist with much to boast about was central to his appeal.
Oldham born, Stapes remained a Northern living in the South who’d regularly punctuate our conversations with references to what he’d recently read in the Manchester Evening News.
After his family, the great love of his life was Manchester City, a football team supported through thin and thinner before glory arrived to finally overshadow giant neighbours United.
Stapes buying home and away season tickets to follow City around the country and Europe, cheering unprecedented success with son Nick as the titles and cups rolled in, was him living the dream.
The fortitude and good cheer he adopted when first diagnosed with Parkinson’s, vowing to try not be miserable, was the positive outlook of somebody determined to confront adversity.
“In often cut-throat trade occasionally marred by monstrous egos, Stapes was above all else a wonderful bloke,” says The Mirror’s Kevin Maguire(Image: ITV)
But the truth was his eyes beamed less brightly and he looked a few inches shorter after the 2020 death of wife and onetime co-presenter Lynn Faulds Wood.
Understandable when what defined Stapes was his engaging warmness. He was a TV success because of who he was rather than a person forged by broadcasting triumphs
The wave of heartfelt tributes are genuine for a genuine man. Sorry I never had you back to my place for dinner as promised, Stapes. He once joked I should email the invitation after I pretended it must be lost in the post.
Disasters are real — also, these days, frighteningly common, be they epic confluences of nature and negligence or the murderous and preventable kind. And when it comes to disaster movies, it’s hard to know what the acceptable level of exploitation is.
Of course, director Paul Greengrass could never be confused with the unseriousness of producer Irwin Allen (“The Towering Inferno”) or filmmaker Roland Emmerich (“The Day After Tomorrow”), ringmasters who preferred heaping helpings of A-listers on slick, expensive calamities. Rather, when Greengrass, coming from documentaries, tackles dark days of mass casualty, they tend to be true stories like “United 93” and “Bloody Sunday.” His stripped-down, jagged style, absent marquee names and focused on such issues as terrorism and community, brings intelligent urgency to the unfathomable.
With his new film “The Lost Bus,” however, starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera, about the real-life effort to save a busload of schoolchildren from the 2018 Camp fire, a wildfire that would destroy most of Paradise, Calif., Greengrass is trying to merge the two sensibilities. This time he mixes star heroism with you-are-there spectacle and the results can be galvanizing if awkwardly framed.
“The Lost Bus” is not as potent as Greengrass’ “Captain Phillips,” in which Tom Hanks anchored a re-created reality no less pulse-pounding than any action blockbuster. Instead the director seems to be in a programmatic mode. There are scenes of nerve-jangling terror that weld you to your seat, but they’re sandwiched in between a lot that feels very much sculpted for three-act character arc effect by Greengrass and co-writer Brad Ingelsby.
McConaughey plays Paradise bus driver Kevin McKay, whose life is almost comically scripted to come off as especially challenged before one lick of flame gets near it: strapped for cash, dying dog, recently dead father (no love lost), sullen teenage son (love lost), ex-wife (also unhappy) and a memory-ailing mother. But on the afternoon of Nov. 18 as the fires reach eastern Paradise, Kevin’s is the only bus that can meet a request from his dispatcher (Ashlie Atkinson): Pick up stranded elementary schoolkids and evacuate them to safety.
A failed dad feeling the weight of sudden responsibility, Kevin corrals as co-chaperone a schoolteacher (America Ferrera). Though Mary is a mother eager to get to her own child, she’s willing to help. The occasional cut to Yul Vazquez as the fire chief spearheading rescue efforts, however, is this movie’s barometer of increasingly bad news. As smoke quickly darkens the day and the unstoppable, town-hopping fire hems in the bus, cutting off routes, the journey takes a dystopian turn, raising the stakes and alarm levels to unimaginable heights. (Eaton and Palisades survivors, fair warning — you were never going to watch this anyway.)
McConaughey is solid casting, his unshowy working-class fortitude slightly tinged with fear. In his and Ferrera’s sturdy presence and in the serrated frenzy of Greengrass’ editing style, a shorter, tighter “The Lost Bus” would still hold plenty of dread and dramatic resilience. The fire sequences alone, captured in the hellish fuzz of Pål Ulvik Rokseth’s cinematography, are pinnacles of this practical-meets-digital-effects discipline. But Kevin’s dippy redemption arc, doled out midperil in tortured glances and forced dialogue, drags us out of the intensity.
It’s also odd that the activist-minded Greengrass didn’t do more with so corporate a villain: legally responsible utility PG&E, represented in the movie by an ineffectual suit who is briefly yelled at. Forget that redemption story — Greengrass could have leaned even more into those action tropes and, as a final touch, had McConaughey punch PG&E in the jaw.
‘The Lost Bus’
Rated: R, for language
Running time: 2 hours, 9 minutes
Playing: In limited release Friday, Sept. 19; on Apple TV+ on Oct. 3
New York City native Kevin Mares was killed Sunday in the La Perla neigborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 25-year-old was visiting the island to see a Bad Bunny concert.
Mares was fatally shot in the early morning hours, outside of a nightclub called Shelter for Mistreated Men. The shooting took place when several people near Mares began arguing and one pulled out a gun and shot at least three people, the Associated Press reported.
Homicide detective Sgt. Arnaldo Ruiz told the AP that Mares was an innocent bystander in the situation and that a pair of siblings from La Perla remain hospitalized after being shot. No arrests have yet been made.
Mares was joined by his girlfriend and two friends in Puerto Rico. It was his partner who ended up delivering the news of his death to Mares’ parents.
“I said, ‘What happened?’ She said, ‘I’m sorry. We lost him,’ ” Hector Mares, Kevin’s father, told CBS News New York.
“Whoever did this, took from us a piece of us, you know?” Kevin’s mother, Sandra Mares, added.
A longtime Bad Bunny fan, Mares and his friends were consistently in attendance of the “La Mudanza” singer’s concerts and had been prepping for their San Juan trip for months.
“Every time Bad Bunny comes here, they go to most all of his concerts,” Sandra Mares said.
Mares — whose parents are originally from Mexico — was born and raised in the East Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens and was studying to be a veterinarian at LaGuardia Community College.
“He got a lot of dreams. He was working as a vet technician. And at the same time he was studying,” his father told ABC 7 New York.
“He was about to propose to [his girlfriend] this fall. Yeah. He wanted to do something special. He shared that with us,” his mother added. “He was a lovely son. He cared about all of us, his family, friends. He has a lot of friends who’s really going to miss him, too.”
Now, the Mares family is asking for anyone with information about the shooter and more specifics about the incident to please step forward.
“What we’re asking the people is, if anybody knows what happened, who did this, [to say something],” his mother told CBS. “We don’t know [anything]. We want justice.”
The family is currently making efforts toward having Mares’ body returned home, but it remains in Puerto Rico as the investigation into his death is still ongoing.
Kevin’s father started a GoFundMe to raise enough money — the campaign’s target is currently $50,000 — to plan Kevin’s funeral arrangements.
“Kevin Mares was a deeply loved son, devoted friend, and a source of inspiration to everyone who knew him. His wholehearted kindness, adventurous spirit, and unwavering commitment to family made him a pillar of strength for his loved ones,” the GofundMe page states. “Family was at the center of everything he did, and his sudden passing has left an unfillable void in our lives. … Your support will help us honor Kevin’s memory and give him the farewell he deserves.”
THERE are just four days to go until the new Premier League season kicks off.
Champions Liverpool wasted no time in dropping nearly £300million to bolster Arne Slot’s squad ahead of their title defence.
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Liverpool spent big money to land the likes of Florian Wirtz and Hugo EkitikeCredit: Reuters
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Manchester United unveiled their new signings at Old Trafford on SaturdayCredit: Getty
But as managers across the division make their final preparations ahead of this weekend, chairmen will be trying to get some more players in through the doors in time for the curtain-raisers.
SunSport rounds up ten mega-money transfers that could get done THIS WEEK…
ALEXANDER ISAK
The Newcastle striker’s future has been one of sagas of the summer – will he stay or will he go?
Marc Guehi will be sold if the right bid comes inCredit: Alamy
YOANE WISSA
The mass exodus at Brentford this summer may not be over just yet if Wissa follows Thomas Frank, Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard and Mark Flekken out of the Gtech.
Newcastle reportedly had a £25m bid turned down but look set to go back in for the DR Congo international, with Liverpool monitoring the situation.
Benjamin Sesko is paraded around Old Trafford after completing £74million transfer
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Yoane Wissa may be the next big name to leave BrentfordCredit: Getty
KEVIN
Another Brazilian winger, this time it is Kevin who could be on the move – and heading to the Premier League.
Fulham submitted an offer of £32m but Shakhtar Donetsk are trying to hold out for £43m.
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Kevin could end up at FulhamCredit: Getty
CARLOS BELEBA
Manchester United want to bring in another midfielder before the window closes – and would love Baleba in time for the start of the new season.
He is part of the ‘bomb squad’ deemed surplus to requirements by United gaffer Ruben Amorim, who will happily see the back of the Argentine wideman who was left out of the USA pre-season tour.
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Alejandro Garnacho is in the Ruben Amorim ‘bomb squad’Credit: Getty
NICOLAS JACKSON
But with all the incomings at Chelsea – including strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap – there may be a major exit, too, with Jackson third-choice No9.
A newly unsealed court document alleges that Richard Tillman admitted to police officers that he drove a vehicle into a Northern California post office and set the building on fire, “trying to make a statement to the United States Government.”
It’s unclear what the statement was intended to be. According to the document, Tillman also told San Jose Police officers at the scene that he was responsible for spray-painting “Viva La Me” on the building as it was burning but was unable to finish writing because of the heat.
The youngest brother of late NFL star and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman has been charged with the federal crime of malicious destruction of government property by fire in connection with the incident at Almaden Valley Station Post Office on July 20 at around 3 a.m. Sunday.
The 44-year-old San Jose resident was arrested at the scene. The criminal complaint against Tillman was filed July 23 but remained sealed until Wednesday when Tillman made his initial appearance in federal district court in San Jose. KRON-TV in San Francisco reports that Tillman did not enter a plea.
Tillman is in federal custody and has a status conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins scheduled for Aug. 6, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a press release.
The criminal complaint includes a statement of probable cause by U.S. Postal Inspector Shannon Roark. According to the statement, Tillman told officers on the scene that he had placed “instalogs” throughout his vehicle and doused them with lighter fluid. He then backed the vehicle into the post office, exited the vehicle and used a match to set the car ablaze.
The building was “partially destroyed by the fire,” the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Roark also stated that Tillman told officers at the scene that he had livestreamed the incident on YouTube. Tillman’s channel has since been removed from the site.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, Pat Tillman famously walked away from a three-year, $3.6-million contract offer from the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the Army, along with his younger brother, Kevin.
On April 22, 2004, Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire in the province of Khost, Afghanistan. He was 27.
The day after the post office fire, Kevin Tillman released a statement.
“Our family is aware that my brother Richard has been arrested. First and foremost, we are relieved that no one was physically harmed,” Kevin Tillman stated. “ … To be clear, it’s no secret that Richard has been battling severe mental health issues for many years. He has been livestreaming, what I’ll call, his altered self on social media for anyone to witness.
“Unfortunately, securing the proper care and support for him has proven incredibly difficult — or rather, impossible. As a result, none of this is as shocking as it should be.”
Kenley Jansen pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 19th save as the Angels won back-to-back games for the first time since defeating Arizona on July 11 and 12.
The 37-year-old Jansen hasn’t allowed an earned run in 16 consecutive appearances, the longest active streak in the American League and the third-longest of his career.
Connor Brogdon (2-1) replaced Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz in the fifth and gave up one run in 1⅔ innings. Kochanowicz, called up from triple-A Salt Lake earlier in the day, conceded two runs — none earned — in 4⅔ innings.
Newman’s two-run shot opened the scoring in the third, and Zach Neto added an RBI double in the fifth.
Josh Jung hit a solo homer and Jonah Heim had an RBI single for the Rangers. Josh Smith and Corey Seager scored when Adolis García reached on an error by right fielder Gustavo Campero, who bobbled a routine flyball.
Jacob deGrom (10-3), who was 6-0 in his previous 10 starts, gave up five runs and seven hits with eight strikeouts in 5⅓ innings. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has yielded at least one home run in five consecutive games in the same season for the first time in his 12-year career.
Key moment: Ward’s leadoff homer in the sixth gave the Angels the lead for good, and Rengifo added a two-run drive off reliever Jacob Webb to make it 6-3.
Key stat:
Up next: Patrick Corbin (6-7, 3.78 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for Texas on Tuesday against Yusei Kikuchi (4-7, 3.23) in the middle game of the series.
NBA star Kevin Durant has joined the Houston Rockets from the Phoenix Suns in a record-breaking trade deal involving seven teams.
The move was first announced last month but was confirmed on Sunday when the league’s new year officially started.
The Atlanta Hawks, the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers are also involved in the deal, which involves 13 players and several future draft picks being exchanged.
The previous record for the largest trade in NBA history was six teams, set last summer when Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks.
Durant, 36, was named the 2014 Most Valuable Player, won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors, and is a 15-time All-Star.
He also won four Olympic golds with the US basketball team.
“My time in Phoenix has come to an end,” he posted on social media.
“All these stops along the journey have really impacted me in a positive way. Remember it’s a world behind the scenes, and those who make things work in that space, work tirelessly to make our lives easier as players.
“I truly believe this NBA is a one big community. Much love to Arizona. Houston, Can’t Wait!”
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said: “His skill level, love of basketball, and dedication to his craft have made him one of the most respected players of his generation, and my staff and I are excited to work with him.”
Houston finished second in the Western Conference last season but were knocked out of the play-offs in the first round.
“One of the greatest to ever play the game, we are grateful for the impact Kevin made on our organization and in our community,” Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory said.
“As a member of the Suns, he climbed the scoring charts to become just the eighth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points, and we wish him the best as he continues his career in Houston.”
