lands

One of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command’s new OA-1K Skyraider II light attack aircraft crashed today, not far from Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma, where the type is based as part of a partnership between the 492nd and 137th Special Operations Wings. Both crew members onboard — a contractor and an active-duty service member — were not injured in the incident, thankfully.

Images of the Skyraider II sitting damaged in a field began circulating on social media this afternoon.

The Oklahoma Air National Guard says that the aircraft was out on a training mission when the incident occurred and that the circumstances are currently under investigation.

The OA-1K is brand new to the USAF’s inventory, with the type fulfilling what is something of the final culmination of a long string of aborted requirements for a light attack aircraft specially configured for low-intensity missions, such as counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. A synopsis of the OA-1K from a previous TWZ article on its official naming can be read below:

The two-seat OA-1K can carry up to 6,000 pounds of munitions and other stores, including precision-guided missiles and bombs and podded sensor systems, on up to eight underwing pylons. L3Harris has previously said the aircraft can fly out to an area up to 200 miles away and loiter there for up to six hours with a typical combat load. They also have a “robust suite of radios and datalinks providing multiple means for line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications,” according to the company.

AFSOC currently plans to acquire 75 Skyraider IIs, with the first example to be delivered this spring. The turboprop-powered OA-1K, a militarized derivative of the popular Air Tractor AT-802 crop duster, is a tail-dragging design like the much larger piston-engined Skyraider. The Skyraider II is set to be the first tail-dragging tactical combat aircraft anywhere in U.S. military inventory in decades.”

You can also check out our exclusive tour of the aircraft in the video below:

It’s quite possible the aircraft’s crop-duster roots helped keep the airframe and its crew intact when it came down in the field, as it’s built to operate from rough fields even in its suped-up military configuration.

We will update this post with any new information that becomes available in the next 24 hours about the mishap.

Contact the author: [email protected]

The world’s most famous naturalist will voice landmark series Kingdom and also front a film set in his home city, Wild London

Sir David Attenborough has travelled the globe making wildlife films but to mark his centenary year, the world’s most famous naturalist has turned his attention closer to home.

In Wild London, Sir David explores the wildlife to be found in the city he has lived in for 75 years. Stories include pigeons commuting by tube, snakes along Regent’s canal, parakeets raiding city parks and beavers living next to a busy shopping centre.

Following the fortunes of a pair of peregrines nesting on the House of Parliament and a family of foxes living in the heart of Tottenham, Sir David will celebrate the extraordinary ways animals have adapted to survive in the urban jungle.

Executive producer Tom Hugh-Jones, told the Mirror: “ Wild London captures that Attenborough magic at its very best – presenting in vision throughout the film, having up-close encounters with animals and talking intimately about his own wildlife experiences.”

READ MORE: Prince William’s makes heartbreaking Queen Elizabeth admission in rare TV interviewREAD MORE: Claudia Winkleman makes surprising Celebrity Traitors confession: ‘I was scared’

The film comes as the broadcasting veteran, who turns 100 in the spring, is confirmed as the narrator of this autumn’s landmark natural history series for BBC1, Kingdom.

The major six-parter chronicles the real-life sagas of four African animal families, in one of the most ambitious projects to date from BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit. Filmed across five years, in Zambia, the lives and fates of leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and lions are shown to be inextricably linked as they strive for survival in a remote river valley.

Series producer Felicity Lanchester said: “With David’s commentary the Kingdom series really sprung to life – a wry inflection here, warmth in his voice there and masterful dramatic timing around the action. He tells the story in the clearest, most compelling, and emotional way. We are so grateful for his involvement.”

Other upcoming new natural history shows for BBC1 include Green Planet II, a follow-up to the original series about plant life that aired in 2022, and Tiger Island – a two-parter about an island close to Nepal where tigers are thriving.

On Green Planet II, series producer Scott Alexander said: “For years plants have always been the backdrop to wildlife films but given the chance to put them front of stage and give them they recognition they deserve was one I couldn’t resist. By discovering, and revealing just how clever, cunning, and devious they can be, and the surprising ways they use animals to get what they want, I hope we can begin to look at plants as individuals with lives full of challenges, struggles and dramas all of their own.”

BBC factual boss Jack Bootle said that natural History was at the heart of what makes the BBC special. “No other broadcaster invests so consistently in wildlife filmmaking or covers such an ambitious range of subjects and styles – from David Attenborough exploring the wildlife of his own city, to a team of intrepid filmmakers risking it all to document the secret lives of tigers in Nepal. I’m proud we continue to lead the way at a time of such uncertainty for our planet.”

Other new single films coming soon for BBC2 viewers include Gordon Buchanan: Wild Horses and Me for BBC2. Buchanan’s film is shot in the Canadian Rockies and shows him getting close to wild mustang.

The wildlife presenter said: “My love of horses runs deep – they have grace, strength and spirit in every stride and walking among the wild horses in the breathtaking landscape of the Canadian Rockies made my heart sing. These majestic animals are a lesson in boundless freedom and to film with them was one of the most uplifting and life affirming experiences of my 30- year career.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads

Sept. 14 (UPI) — On this date in history:

In 1901, U.S. President William McKinley died of wounds inflicted by an assassin eight days earlier. He was succeeded by Vice President Theodore Roosevelt.

In 1920, the first live radio dance music was broadcast, carried by a Detroit station and featuring Paul Specht and his orchestra.

In 1959, the Soviet probe Luna 2 — known informally as Lunik 2 — became the first Earth-launched space vehicle to land on the moon.

In 1960, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was founded.

OPEC ministers meet in Moscow on December 23, 2008. File Photo by Anatoli Zhdanov/UPI

In 1975, Pope Paul VI canonized Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint.

In 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco — American film actress Grace Kelly — was killed when her car plunged off a mountain road by the Cote D’Azur. She was 52.

In 1991, the South African government, ANC, Inkatha Freedom Party and 20 other anti-apartheid groups signed a peace accord to end black factional violence.

In 1996, Bosnians elected a three-person collective presidency: one Muslim, one Serb and one Croat.

In 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush proclaimed this to be a day of national mourning and remembrance for those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The FBI identified the hijackers and said several had taken flying lessons in Florida.

In 2003, authorities said an estimated 124 people were dead or missing after South Korea was struck by the most powerful typhoon to hit the country in a century.

In 2005, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, the third and fourth largest U.S. air carriers, filed for bankruptcy as the industry reeled under record high jet fuel costs.

In 2008, the U.S. brokerage firm Merrill Lynch agreed to sell itself to Bank of America for $50 billion and Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy after it failed to find a buyer.

File Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/UPI

In 2010, U.S. hiker Sarah Shourd, imprisoned in Iran on charges of espionage for more than a year after she and two male companions were accused of illegally crossing into Iranian territory, was released on $500,000 bail. The men — Shane Bauer, her fiance, and Josh Fattal — were freed just over a year later.

In 2023, the U.S. Justice Department indicted Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, on felony gun charges. He was the first child of a sitting president to be charged by the department.

File Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI

A POPULAR Loose Women star has landed a huge new weekend TV gig after impressing bosses.

This panellist, 45, shared the news on Instagram after becoming a key player at ITV.

3

3

3

Loose Women anchor Charlene White revealed her exciting news today.

The TV star told fans that her Talking Royals podcast is now being turned into a weekly TV show that will air on Sunday mornings on ITV and ITVX.

The show has proved popular as a podcast and revisits historic moments from royal history, alongside discussing the headlines of the day.

An excited Charlene shared the news that the show was now going to be on TV, and told fans: “Some work news… ITV liked our @itvnews Talking Royals podcast so much, it’s heading to Sunday mornings on ITV1 and ITVX from Sept 21st at 12.30pm.

“It’s a modern take on a centuries-old establishment. Join me @chris.ship.itv @lizzierobinsonitv and a mix of incredible guests for debate, updates, and analysis.

“And since flags are having a moment .. do notice that our backdrop represents the Commonwealth countries, of whom the King is also head. A fact often forgotten in the current climate.”

Fans immediately rushed to congratulate Charlene, one fan wrote: “Well done! Can’t wait to watch!”

Another added: “Awesome news Charlene!”

This one said: “Brilliant news, congratulation!”

Hailing from Greenwich in South London, Charlene’s journalism career began as a reporter on Radio 1’s Newsbeat and its sister digital station, BBC Radio 1Xtra back in 2002.

Charlene got her big break into TV six years later, when she landed a job as an ITN newsreader.

In 2014, she became the first black woman to present ITV News at Ten.

In 2021, it was announced that Charlene would be the new anchor on Loose Women.

Speaking at the time about joining the show, she said: “This is rather exciting, isn’t it?

Regular Loose Women panellists

Katie Piper – Former Strictly Come Dancing star, activist, model and author

Sunetra Sarker – A former Strictly Come Dancing star, and known for her role in Casualty

Kaye Adams – Scottish journalist and one of the original Loose Women

Christine Lampard – ITV presenter

Ruth Langsford – Presented Loose Women on and off since 1999

Jane Moore – Sun columnist and former I’m A Celebrity contestant

Coleen Nolan – Became known for her family girl band called The Nolans and went on to compete on Celeb Big Brother

Nadia Sawalha – Former EastEnders star and Celebrity MasterChef winner

Stacey Solomon – Known for her reality show Sort Your Life Out and winning series 10 of I’m A Celeb

Janet Street-Porter – A journalist and president of the Ramblers’ Association

Brenda Edwards – Came fourth on The X Factor and went on to become a pop star and act in hit musicals such as Hairspray

Charlene White – Lead presenter at ITV News London

Kelle Bryan – Former EastEnders star and was in girl group Eternal alongside her sisters. Also starred in Hollyoaks

Olivia Attwood – Love Island star who joined the cast of The Only Way Is Essex

Frankie Bridge – Participated in Strictly Come Dancing and came third on I’m A Celeb in 2021

Judi Love – A stand up comedian and radio presenter, who has also made a variety of TV appearances in shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity MasterChef, and Taskmaster

Linda Robson – Played iconic character Tracey Stubbs in Birds Of A Feather

Denise Welch – A soap queen, she starred in Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and Hollyoaks. Also the mother of Matt Healy, the lead singer of pop rock group the 1975

Gloria Hunniford – TV presenter who’s appeared on The Masked Singer and Strictly

Penny Lancaster – Model who is married to Rod Stewart

Dame Kelly Holmes – Double Olympic gold medallist in the 800m and 1500m

Myleene Klass – Member of pop group Hear’Say and classically trained musician

Ayda Field – American actress who is married to Robbie Williams

Sue Cleaver – Known for playing Eileen Grimshaw on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street

Kelly Brook – Model who found fame on The Big Breakfast with Johnny Vaughan

Mariella Frostrup – British-Norwegian journalist and presenter

“I am very happy, thank you so much for having me, ladies.”

Charlene added: “I am, I’m officially a Loose Woman! I am honestly absolutely stoked.

“I have been buzzing all this time to be able to reveal that I am the latest and the newest Loose Woman.”

Away from Loose Women and ITV news, Charlene has also dipped her toe in reality TV.

She has appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, and also Celebrity Gogglebox.

BOLTON hero Nicky Hunt has started his management career in the TENTH tier of British football.

The 42-year-old spent a decade at The Reebok, before spells at Accrington Stanley, Leyton Orient and Crewe.

1

But he has dropped down into non-league to kickstart his coaching career and is now leading the dugout at his local club Daisy Hill FC in the North West Counties, Division One North.

The former defender explained: “I grew up literally five minutes’ walk down the road, and my parents still live in Daisy Hill, so for me, it’s really close to home.

“I came here to watch the team as a kid, so I’ve got an affiliation with this football club.

“It was a family club back then, and it’s even probably more of a family club now.

“The fans, the committee members and everyone involved at the club, they just love it to a point where it’s become their lives, which is what I’m all about football-wise.

“ I put everything into it, whenever I’m into the coaching or the playing side.

“The way the club is run now, with the new sponsorships they’ve got, I can only really see it going one way.”

Daisy Hill have enjoyed an upturn in fortune after appointing a Twitch streamer who ran the team on the Football Manager computer game took over.

Aaron Hunt – who regularly streams online with his pal and darts wonderkid Luke Littler – said: “Everyone at the club is really looking forward to working with Nicky.

“He’s a local lad who had a brilliant playing career at the top level.

“He holds a UEFA A-Licence, and knows the local non-league scene, too, so he’s got great experience at all levels of the game.

“We believe that he is definitely the right man for Daisy Hill, and that there are going to be some exciting times ahead for everyone who follows the club, starting on Saturday when we host Nelson.”

An upcoming nuclear war thriller starring an A-list actress is shaping up to be one of Netflix’s best new films of the year

Netflix subscribers have been going wild for a heart-racing trailer teasing what could be one of the best new films of 2025.

The political thriller from acclaimed director Kathryn Bigelow recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received an incredible 11-minute standing ovation.

Led by Mission: Impossible star Rebecca Ferguson alongside a packed supporting cast of A-listers, A House of Dynamite is a must-watch when it premieres on the streamer this October.

Ferguson portrays Captain Olivia Walker, a communications point for the US Armed Forces who scrambles to respond to an incoming nuclear missile heading towards Chicago.

Idris Elba portrays the President of the United States, with Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee and Jason Clarke filling out the stellar cast.

A House of Dynamite is filmmaker Bigelow’s first film in almost a decade following her acclaimed 2017 historical drama Detroit. She has previously released hit films such as Point Break and Zero Dark Thirty.

The first trailer for the film dropped this Wednesday (3rd September) and film fans are already getting goosebumps over this timely take on an impending nuclear disaster.

One YouTuber user raved in the comments: “Probably Netflix’s best trailer.

“They showed just enough for me to not know what’s going on, but pulls me in enough to want to watch to see what happens.”

“That is an example of a fantastic trailer, I get the concept but know nearly nothing more and still managed goosebumps. Wow,” someone else gushed.

Another fan claimed: “Possibly the best trailer I have ever seen. Can’t wait to watch this!”

Watch Wednesday on Netflix for free with Sky

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

from £15

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.

This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Wednesday.

Viewers have also praised the decision to use a sample of scientist Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot to narrate the trailer.

“As soon as I heard Carl Sagan the tears started to fall and I will be there in theaters opening weekend!” someone exclaimed.

Another said: “This is how a Netflix trailer should be, not long that it spoils the whole movie. That Carl Sagan Voiceover is chilling.”

While another fan was particularly impressed by the taste of the film’s score, replying: “Volker Bertelmann giving us chills yet again. Wow. What a trailer.”

The thriller currently has an impressive 89 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, so it’s definitely one to add to the top of your Netflix watchlist this autumn.

A House of Dynamite will be released Friday, 24th October on Netflix.

A fan-favourite Grey’s Anatomy spin-off has landed on Prime Video in its entirety

A “thrilling” medical drama that’s better than Grey’s Anatomy has landed on Prime Video.

The much-loved Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, Station 19, centres around a team of firefighters from the Seattle Fire Department.

The series delves into the lives of the crew, from the captain to the newest member, showcasing their professional challenges and personal entanglements.

The gripping drama debuted in 2018 with a backdoor pilot during Grey’s Anatomy’s 14th season, which introduced viewers to protagonist Andy Herrera (Jaina Lee Ortiz).

Andy is part of the Station 19 team alongside Ben Warren (Jason George), the husband of Grey’s Anatomy icon Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), who had recently swapped his surgical scrubs for a firefighter’s uniform, reports the Express.

This career shift wasn’t new for Ben, who had previously served as an anaesthetist at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Throughout its tenure, Station 19 saw its characters cross paths with the Grey’s Anatomy cast in several thrilling crossover episodes.

Despite its popularity and strong viewership, Station 19 was axed last year following seven seasons. However, fans now have the chance to watch the entire series again as it has been released on Prime Video.

Since its arrival on the streaming platform earlier this month, Prime subscribers have been devouring episodes, with many holding out hope for a revival of the show.

“Station 19 just dropped on Prime Video UK, proof that global demand is still burning strong. Fans never stopped watching. Season 8 was outlined. The cast is ready. The world is watching. Bring back #Station19. We’re not done,” one hopeful fan penned on X (formerly Twitter).

Another chimed in: “Omg Station 19 on Prime! A season 8 will be perfect. Definitely Station 19 deserves more seasons. ONE TEAM, ONE FAMILY.”

Even over a year after the show’s cancellation, fans continue to express their enthusiasm, with one viewer posting on IMDb: “Station 19 is nothing short of a blazing masterpiece that keeps the flames of excitement burning from the very first episode to the last.”

“Station 19 is so much more than a Grey’s Anatomy spin-off. This show is deep, thoughtful, thrilling, and so much more than just your run-of-the-mill emergency show,” another fan contributed.

A third enthusiast remarked: “The show is probably one of, if not, the best firefighter drama on television. It’s defo better than Grey’s Anatomy.”

Echoing the widespread adoration, a fourth admirer commented: “Station 19 is without a doubt one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Can’t believe it was cancelled.”

Station 19 is available to stream on Prime Video

In a major early move under new ownership, Paramount acquired the media rights to UFC’s mixed martial arts events in the U.S., the company said Monday.

Paramount signed a seven-year deal with TKO Group Holdings that will put 13 marquee events and 30 fight nights on streaming platform Paramount+. Some of the matches will air on broadcast TV network CBS.

Paramount is paying an average of $1.1 billion a year, totaling $7.7 billion, more than double the amount under TKO’s current pact with ESPN, which expires at the end of 2025.

The deal is a signal that Paramount intends to be aggressive in its pursuit of properties that will make its streaming platform attractive to consumers as it battles with Netflix, Amazon and other competitors.

David Ellison, who became chief executive of Paramount last week after his company Skydance completed an $8-billion merger with the media company, has been seen at recent UFC fights speaking with President Trump. Ellison had been awaiting regulatory approval of the Paramount-Skydance merger.

The major promotions presented throughout the year by TKO and WWE are seen as powerful tools to keep streaming subscribers signed up.

Under the new pact, UFC will no longer use pay-per-view to distribute its offerings, in a significant shift. All fights will be available with a Paramount + subscription. TKO produces 43 live events a year, providing 350 hours of live programming.

“This is a milestone moment and trademark deal for UFC, solidifying its position as a preeminent sports asset,” said Ari Emanuel, executive chair of TKO.

The Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN will remain in business with TKO, having recently signed a new five-year $1.6-billion deal to carry its WWE events. ESPN will offer WWE events such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam to subscribers of its direct-to-consumer platform, which launches later this month.

This Morning presenter Dermot O’Leary has reportedly landed a role away from ITV as a quiz show host alongside Sam Quek in a new Channel 5 programme

This Morning star Dermot O’Leary has reportedly landed a role as a presenter on a new Channel 5 sports-themed gameshow from the same creators as hit shows, Gladiators and The Wheel. The 52-year-old star is known for presenting the likes of The X Factor, This Morning, The One Show and more.

And now, he’ll try his hand as a quiz show host alongside Olympic hockey star Sam Quek. The Hungry Bear-produced show is an American football-themed programme that is said to still be in its early stages, with sources claiming Dermot and Sam have good chemistry for it.

READ MORE: Foodies beat the heat with £15 ice cream maker deal stack

“The show is at pilot stage but Dermot and Sam have really good chemistry so everyone is excited about taking this to a full series at some point,” a source claimed to The Sun.

“Hungry Bear are the masters in this realm, and NFL is such a growth area.” The Mirror have reached out to Channel 5 for comment.

Meanwhile, Sam is known for her stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! where she reached the final four. She was also a guest panellist on sports panel game show Play to the Whistle and BBC’s A Question of Sport

She’s also bee the presenter on sports shows, such as The NFL Show, rugby union on Channel 5, field hockey on BY Sport and football for Channel 4. Most recently, she was a contestant on the 22nd series of Strictly Come Dancing/

It comes as Olivia Attwood has her eye on former X Factor star Dermot’s role on This Morning, expressing that she’d love to host alongside Alison Hammond on the show.

She is already a regular on the Loose Women panel and has been since 2023 but now Olivia is taking the plunge and moving on to her next venture.

Fans of This Morning will know, that Dermot host Friday episodes alongside Alison. In a recent interview with Closer magazine, Olivia spilled her excitement, saying how she couldn’t wait to present the show with the former Big Brother star.

Speaking about her new role, she told the publication: “Everyone’s been so welcoming.” She added: “The whole team’s been lovely, and I’m just excited to get stuck in and learn from people I really admire.”

When touching on who she’d love to present with the most, Olivia said: “If I ever get to host with Alison, I’m so sure we’d just laugh for two hours straight. Probably three.”

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV1, from 10am.

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: Sol de Janeiro’s Discovery Set sale will get you travel-friendly body mists for £6 each

The resort in Bedfordshire is set to open in 2031 following an agreement brokered between the American company, the Government and the local council

The hotly anticipated Universal theme park in Bedfordshire will feature four lands and the tallest ride in Europe, it has emerged.

More and more details are surfacing about the movie-inspired theme park, which is due to open in 2031 and will be the first Universal park in Europe. When the plans were first confirmed in April this year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer jubilantly proclaimed: “It’s going to put Bedford on the map for millions of people – film lovers, people coming here for fun, people building their careers here.”

Now, planning documents related to the project reveal that the theme park will have four zones: the Core Zone, Lake Zone, West Gateway Zone, and the East Gateway Zone.

The Core Zone is tipped to include the main theme park and a 500-room hotel. The Lake Zone will include a new wetland area and a 2,000-room business hotel, while the East Gateway Zone, is expected to adjoin the planned new Wixams Rail Station. The West Gateway Zone is due to feature an entertainment complex, restaurants, petrol station.

READ MORE: Full list of Europe hotspots that don’t want Brit tourists to visit this summer

The plans describe the theme park as providing guests with the opportunity to “experience blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping coasters, and mind-blowing spectaculars.”

It has been rumoured that inspiration for parts of the park could come from Minions, Jaws, and Jurassic Park. However, this has not yet been officially confirmed. Back in April, a source close to the Universal UK project told the BBC that James Bond, Paddington, and The Lord of the Rings are among the brands that could appear at the park. Rides and attractions related to Harry Potter are not expected to be included.

Other Universal theme parks feature a variety of themed lands, including: Hollywood, Minion Land, New York, San Francisco, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, World Expo, Springfield, and DreamWorks Land.

Planning documents unveiled this month also show that the UK park could have some of the tallest rides in Europe. The American film production and distribution company is considering building structures reaching up to 377 ft (115 m), including rides.

READ MORE: World’s ‘most dangerous’ country in the world in 2025 – and it’s not one you’d expectREAD MORE: Huge UK station’s bold expansion plans to handle 5,000 passengers every hour

“The reason for proposing structures up to this maximum height is to allow the proposed theme park to compete with other attractions in Europe,” the proposal said.

“Although the Universal Orlando Resort does not currently have attractions up to this height, taller attractions are more common in Europe, where rides need to be taller to create the experience, as space is more constrained.”

Currently, Thorpe Park’s Hyperia is the tallest and fastest theme park ride in Britain. It sends thrill-seekers up to 72 m and reaches speeds of 80 mph. Red Force, a 367-foot (112 m) rollercoaster at PortAventura World in Spain, is currently the tallest in Europe.

The majority of the park’s structures will be between 20 and 30 m tall. “Building attractions that are higher, rather than over greater areas, also makes the best use of land, which is in line with planning policy,” they added.

Sir Keir lauded the landmark Universal deal as a promise of “growth, jobs and of course joy to Britain.” By 2055, Universal envisions the 476-acre site near Bedford contributing nearly £50 billion to the economy, with plans for a 500-room hotel and a comprehensive retail and entertainment complex accompanying the theme park.

Netflix has added the romantic drama We Live In Time to trtheir streaming platform and viewers are not only obsessed by it but revealed they can’t stop ‘sobbing’

Netflix has once again done what is does best by adding gripping drama to its streaming platform. And this time, the romantic drama We Live In Time has gripped the nation by storm.

The British based TV show, starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, follows the couple’s love story over a decade.

Alumut, played by Florence, who is a chef and former figure skater accidentally hits and knocks over Tobias, played by Andrew, with her car.

Viewers are then taken on their love journey as the pair navigate their way through ten years of different points in their lives.

The film was first released in cinemas across the nation in January this year before landing on Netflix. But it’s already fast become a huge hit among subscribers.

The official plot reads: “Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. !”

It adds: “As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.”

And viewers are loving it. One fan took to X and said that she could not sobbing after watching the highly acclaimed drama.

The fan said: “Finally watched we live in time and I’m so grateful I didn’t watch in the cinema I’ve not stopped sobbing.”

But that fan is by no means the only one. According to reports, the drama has received 79% on film website Rotten Tomatoes.

Those reviewing the drama on the site praised the believable chemistry between both lead characters.

After the show’s debut at at the Toronto Film Festival last year, the Guardian awarded it four stars and described it as “irresistible” and a “smart and sensitive crowd pleaser.”

It then added: “It’s such a joy to watch two such assured and natural performers allowed the room to exercise both movie star and actor muscles as well as showcase their ease with both comedy and drama.”

The review went on to add: “Their chemistry is just so electric that it would be hard to imagine how any of it could work quite so well without them.”

And in an interview with Radio Times, the director, John Crowley was asked about the chemistry between the two lead stars.

He explained: “I had an instinct that the two of them would work well together, and that’s not based on anything. That’s just a hunch, right? So it’s very unscientific.”

READ MORE: Zara McDermott says this spray ‘saved her rosacea-inflamed skin’ while she was at Glastonbury

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTuben and Threads.

Josh Jackson’s “The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California’s Public Lands” is a story of adventures across 41 California landscapes, with photos of beautiful places you are unlikely to have seen, in locations ranging from the Mojave Desert to the Elkhorn Ridge Wilderness in Mendocino County. Early on, the author lays out mind-bending stats: more than 618 million acres in the United States are federally owned public land and 245 million of those belong to the Bureau of Land Management.

Public lands, he notes, “are areas of land and water owned collectively by the citizens and managed by the Federal government.” These lands “are our common ground, a gift of seismic proportions that belongs to all of us.”

Drive across the United States and consider that 28% of all of that is yours. Ours.

Jackson’s assertion that we are all landowners is a clarion call amid a GOP-led push to sell off public land. The shadow of the current assault on public lands weighs heavy while reading this lovely book.

The book has endearing origins. When Jackson could not get a reservation for weekend camping with his kids, a buddy suggested that he try the BLM. Until that moment he had never even heard of the Bureau of Land Management. Yet, 15.3% of the total landmass in California is … BLM.

Jackson starts out with history: All these lands were taken from Native American peoples, and he does not overlook that BLM used to be jokingly referred to as the Bureau of Livestock and Mining. In 1976, a turnaround came via the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which built a multi-use mandate to emphasize hiking and conservation as much grazing and extraction (a.k.a. mining). This effort to soften the heavy use of public lands by for-profit individuals and companies led to the so-called Sagebrush Rebellion and the election of President Reagan. Arguably, we’ve been struggling with finding the multi-use balance ever after.

Jackson’s first BLM foray was out to the Trona Pinnacles in the Mojave Desert, where he and his two older children camped, playing in a wonderland where “hundreds of tufa spires protrude like drip-style sand castles out of the wide-open desert floor that extend for miles in every direction,” while his wife, Kari, an E.R. nurse, stayed home with their newborn. The pandemic shutdown in 2020 inspired Kari’s suggestion, “Why don’t you start going to see all these BLM lands?”

Jackson’s love affair with BLM lands was not immediate, as just a few miles into his next hike in the Rainbow Basin Natural Area near Barstow, he was underwhelmed, like he was missing something. A few miles later, he sat and considered a Terry Tempest Williams quote from “Refuge”: “If the desert is holy, it is because it is a forgotten place that allows us to remember the sacred. Perhaps that is why every pilgrimage to the desert is a pilgrimage to the self.” Revisiting this quote on repeat, Jackson had an emotional shift, deciding to stop hiking and … start walking.

On his next trip to the Amargosa Canyon, Jackson began by reaching out to the Amargosa Conservancy, learning about the Timbisha Shoshone people whose ancestral land this is, about past mining and dozens of plant and animal species. Committed to going at the pace of discovery, he admired the enchanting, striated geology of Rainbow Mountain, cherished creosote, mesquite and the brave diversity of desert flora and was struck by the gaze of an arrogant coyote. On his return, he found that in three hours, he had only traveled … a mile.

Yet it was during this meander that his writing made a steep drop into seeing, feeling, connecting, plunging toward transcendence.

A highlight of the book is a repeat trip to Central California’s Carrizo Plain, first during a drought, silenced by its sere magnificence. After the heavy rains of 2023, he joined Cal Poly San Luis Obispo botanist Emma Fryer and was overcome by the delirious beauty of a superbloom, feeling like “I had wandered into the Land of Oz.” Fryer observed that the drought was so severe that only the hardy native seed survived within the soil, releasing their beauty the moment water allowed them to come to life. Seeing the same place twice was revelatory, both familiar and completely new.

It’s hard to tell if the places he visits gets more beautiful over the course of the book or his capacity to appreciate them and share his joy has grown. Despite the frequent paucity of BLM cartographic resources, apparently Jackson never got lost or worried about dropping the thread of a trail. Describing his father, Jackson might as well be talking about himself: “I have no memories of my dad being worried or fearful in unfamiliar situations.” Nevertheless, toward the end of the book, when he and his hardy father camped next to the rushing Eel River, Jackson did worry about bears breaking into their tent. Fortunately, the bears did not arrive but, inspired by William Cronon’s “The Trouble With Wilderness,” Jackson’s heart opened as he realized that “Nature” is not out there; nature is wherever we are.

Back in Los Angeles taking long walks with his daughter, past bodegas and car washes, he saw jacaranda, heard owls and coyotes and realized the wild had been here all along. An urban sycamore claimed its space regardless of enclosing cement and car exhaust, as spectacular and venerable as any sycamore in the state.

Can the places Jackson visited for his book endure public larceny? He is tracking the answer to this question, real time, on his Substack, where he’s currently describing the shocking attempts to sell millions of acres of BLM land.

“It’s been a wild few weeks for BLM lands. 540,385 acres in Nevada and Utah were on the chopping block to be sold off,” Jackson recently noted. “Everyone was talking about the land totals — but no one was showing what the landscapes actually looked like. So, I decided to go see them.”

Great advice: Bring a friend, pack water and go.

Watts’ writing has appeared in Earth Island Journal, New York Times motherlode blog, Sierra Magazine and local venues. Her first novel is “Tree.”

A controversial proposal to sell off millions of acres of public lands across Western states — including large swaths of California — was stripped Monday from Republican’s tax and spending bill for violating Senate rules.

Senator Mike Lee (R–Utah) had advanced a mandate to sell up to 3.3 million acres of public land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management for the stated purpose of addressing housing needs — an intent that opponents didn’t believe was guaranteed by the language in the provision.

Late Monday, Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian — who advises the government body on interpreting procedural rules — determined the proposal didn’t pass muster under the the Byrd Rule, which prevents the inclusion of provisions that are extraneous to the budget in a reconciliation bill.

The move initially appeared to scuttle Lee’s plan, which has drawn bipartisan backlash. But Lee, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, took to the social media platform X to say the fight wasn’t over.

“Yes, the Byrd Rule limits what can go in the reconciliation bill, but I’m doing everything I can to support President Trump and move this forward,” Lee wrote in a post Monday night.

In the post, he outlined changes, including removing all Forest Service land and limiting eligible Bureau of Land Management land to an area within a radius of five miles of population centers. He wrote that housing prices are “crushing young families,” and suggested that his proposed changes would alleviate such economic barriers.

Utah’s Deseret News reported that Lee submitted a revised proposal with new restrictions on Tuesday morning.

Environmentalists and public land advocates celebrated MacDonough’s decision to reject Lee’s proposal, even as they braced for an ongoing battle.

“This is a significant win for public lands,” said Jennifer Rokala, executive director for Center for Western Priorities, in a statement. “Thankfully, the Senate parliamentarian has seen Senator Lee’s ridiculous attempt to sell off millions of acres of public lands for what it is — an ideological crusade against public lands, not a serious proposal to raise revenue for the federal government.”

Lydia Weiss, senior director of government relations for the Wilderness Society, a conservation nonprofit, described the rejection of the proposal as “deafening.”

“And the people across the West who raised their voices to reject the idea of public land sales don’t seem particularly interested in a revised bill,” she added. “They seem interested in this bad idea going away once and for all.”

The proposal, before it was nixed, would have made more than 16 million acres of land in California eligible for sale, according to the Wilderness Society.

Vulnerable areas included roadless stretches in the northern reaches of the Angeles National Forest, which offer recreation opportunities to millions of people living in the Los Angeles Basin and protects wildlife corridors, the group said. Other at-risk areas included portions of San Bernardino, Inyo and Cleveland national forests as well as BLM land in the Mojave Desert, such as Coyote Dry Lake Bed outside of Joshua Tree National Park.

WASHINGTON — A plan to sell more than 3,200 square miles of federal lands has been ruled out of Republicans’ big tax and spending cut bill after the Senate parliamentarian determined the proposal by Senate Energy Chairman Mike Lee would violate the chamber’s rules.

Lee, a Utah Republican, has proposed selling millions of acres of public lands in the West to states or other entities for use as housing or infrastructure. The plan would revive a longtime ambition of Western conservatives to cede lands to local control after a similar proposal failed in the House earlier this year.

The proposal received a mixed reception Monday from the governors of Western states. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, called it problematic in her state because of the close relationship residents have with public lands.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, voiced qualified support.

“On a piece-by-piece basis where states have the opportunity to craft policies that make sense … we can actually allow for some responsible growth in areas with communities that are landlocked at this point,” he said at a news conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the Western Governors’ Association was meeting.

Lee, in a post on X Monday night, said he would keep trying.

“Housing prices are crushing families and keeping young Americans from living where they grew up. We need to change that,’’ he wrote, adding that a revised plan would remove all U.S. Forest Service land from possible sale. Sales of sites controlled by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management would be significantly reduced, Lee said, so that only land within 5 miles of population centers could be sold.

Environmental advocates celebrated the ruling late Monday by Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, but cautioned that Lee’s proposal was far from dead.

“This is a victory for the American public, who were loud and clear: Public lands belong in public hands, for current and future generations alike,’’ said Tracy Stone-Manning, president of The Wilderness Society. “Our public lands are not for sale.”

Carrie Besnette Hauser, president and CEO of the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, called the procedural ruling in the Senate “an important victory in the fight to protect America’s public lands from short-sighted proposals that would have undermined decades of bipartisan work to protect, steward and expand access to the places we all share.”

“But make no mistake: this threat is far from over,” Hauser added. “Efforts to dismantle our public lands continue, and we must remain vigilant as proposals now under consideration,” including plans to roll back the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act and cut funding for land and water conservation, make their way through Congress, she said.

MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, also ruled out a host of other Republican-led provisions Monday night, including construction of a mining road in Alaska and changes to speed permitting of oil and gas leases on federal lands.

While the parliamentarian’s rulings are advisory, they are rarely, if ever, ignored. Lawmakers are using a budget reconciliation process to bypass the Senate filibuster to pass President Trump’s tax-cut package by a self-imposed July Fourth deadline.

Lee’s plan revealed sharp disagreement among Republicans who support wholesale transfers of federal property to spur development and generate revenue, and other lawmakers who are staunchly opposed.

Land in 11 Western states from Alaska to New Mexico would be eligible for sale. Montana was carved out of the proposal after lawmakers there objected. In states such as Utah and Nevada, the government controls the vast majority of lands, protecting them from potential exploitation but hindering growth.

“Washington has proven time and again it can’t manage this land. This bill puts it in better hands,” Lee said in announcing the plan.

Housing advocates have cautioned that federal land is not universally suitable for affordable housing. Some of the parcels up for sale in Utah and Nevada under a House proposal were far from developed areas.

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, the ranking Democrat on the energy committee, said Lee’s plan would exclude Americans from places where they fish, hunt and camp.

“I don’t think it’s clear that we would even get substantial housing as a result of this,” Heinrich said earlier this month. “What I know would happen is people would lose access to places they know and care about and that drive our Western economies.”

Daly writes for the Associated Press.

GRANTCHESTER fans are thrilled as the hit ITV drama is officially returning for an 11th series – with filming set to kick off in just a few weeks’ time.

The long-running detective show, known for its gripping storylines and charming village setting, will once again follow the crime-solving duo as they tackle new mysteries in the 1960s countryside.

2

Crime-busting stars Robson Green and Rishi Nair are also back.

The duo will return as DI Geordie Keating and Reverend Alphy Kottaram for series 11.

Fan favourites Al Weaver (Leonard Finch), Tessa Peake-Jones (Mrs C), Kacey Ainsworth (Cathy Keating), and Oliver Dimsdale (Daniel Marlowe) are also back – alongside Nick Brimble, Bradley Hall and Melissa Johns.

In the last series, Geordie and Alphy didn’t just crack cases in the sleepy village – they leaned on each other through emotional family battles and dark personal secrets.

Expect even more twists, tears and turns this time round.

Also this time round, Reverend Alphy finally feels like he’s found his place in Grantchester – but not everything is as settled as it seems.

As old secrets bubble to the surface, Alphy is forced to reckon with parts of his past he’s kept tightly under wraps.

Will he let his guard down and open his heart, or will he be forced to face some hard truths about who he really is first?

Last series also left viewers shocked after they spotted a familiar face when Emmerdale’s Ned Porteous, best known as Joe Tate suddenly appeared on their screens.

Ned was playing the role of Harvey who was convinced his father had been murdered, despite evidence that confirmed it was suicide.

One fan stated: “Joe from #Emmerdale in tonights #Grantchester filmed I guess before he came back as Joe!.”

A second added: “I recognise the actor playing Harvey in #Grantchester as he’s also in #Emmerdale as Joe Tate!”

“That Joe from Emmerdale?” questioned another viewer.

The actor also appeared in rival soap EastEnders as Michelle Fowler’s son Mark in 2019.

Crime dramas on ITVX

Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX – here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge.

• Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood.
• The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother’s grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake’s novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James.
• Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place  during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth.
• The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby.
• Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant.

His storyline involved jetting in from Florida to London on a mission to find his biological father, Grant.

But, his stay was short and sweet as he went back to the States after just a month.

But could Mark return to Walford?

Grantchester is available to stream on ITVX.

2

BILLINGS, Mont. — More than 2 million acres of federal lands would be sold or transferred to states or other entities under a budget proposal from Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, reviving a longtime ambition of Western conservatives to cede lands to local control after a similar proposal failed in the House.

Lee, who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, included a mandate for the sales in a draft provision of the GOP’s sweeping tax cut package released Wednesday.

Sharp disagreement over such sales has laid bare a split among Republicans who support wholesale transfers of federal property to spur development and generate revenue, and other lawmakers who are staunchly opposed.

A spokesperson for Montana Sen. Steve Daines said Thursday that he opposes public land sales and was reviewing the proposal.

Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, who served as interior secretary in President Trump’s first term and led the effort to strip land sales out of the House version, said he remained a “hard no” on any legislation that includes large-scale sales.

Most public lands are in Western states. In some such as Utah and Nevada, the government controls the vast majority of lands, protecting them from potential exploitation but hindering growth.

Lee’s proposal does not specify what properties would be sold. It directs the secretaries of interior and agriculture to sell or transfer at least 0.5% and up to 0.75% of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management holdings. That equals at least 2.2 million acres and up to 3.3 million acres.

The Republican said in a video released by his office that the sales would not include national parks, national monuments or wilderness. They would instead target “isolated parcels” that could be used for housing or infrastructure, he said.

“Washington has proven time and again it can’t manage this land. This bill puts it in better hands,” Lee said.

Conservation groups reacted with outrage, saying it would set a precedent to fast-track the handover of cherished lands to developers.

“Shoving the sale of public lands back into the budget reconciliation bill, all to fund tax cuts for the wealthy, is a betrayal of future generations and folks on both sides of the aisle,” said Michael Carroll with The Wilderness Society.

Housing advocates have cautioned that federal land is not universally suitable for affordable housing. Some of the parcels up for sale in Utah and Nevada under the House proposal were far from developed areas.

Republican officials in Utah last year filed a lawsuit seeking to take over huge swaths of federal land in the state, but they were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Twelve other states backed Utah’s bid.

Brown writes for the Associated Press.

KYIV’s mayor and former world champion boxer Vitali Klitschko entered the ring with Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of “authoritarianism”.

The former heavyweight blasted the wartime Ukrainian President for paralysing his city with “raids, interrogations and threats of fabricated criminal cases”.

8

8

8

Klitschko said the president’s decision to use martial law to appoint a rival military administration in Kyiv stopped his city from making progress.

The 53-year-old mayor’s claims come after ex-comedian Zelensky was taunted earlier this year by Donald Trump and his right-hand-man JD Vance.

The Don tripled down on his criticism of Zelensky in a blistering Truth Social rampage in February, branding the Ukrainian President a “dictator” and a “moderately successful” comedian.

And just days after that, a furious Trump dramatically booted Zelensky out of the White House amid a seething row over US backing of the Ukraine war, sparking global chaos.

Trump has also accused wartime hero Zelensky of “refusing to have elections” – despite this being normal protocol under martial law.

Klitschko’s allegations towards Zelensky of authoritarianism come as his Kyiv administration faces a string of arrests.

Some of Klitschko’s deputies have been purged by the national anti-corruption bureau under an operation called Clean City.

The probe has exposed widespread corruption under the mayor’s watch – and seven of his subordinates have so far been arrested, with another three under investigation.

The former athlete has now lashed out at Zelensky, saying that the work of his city council has been plagued by fake criminal cases and threats.

He says that these hampered the ability of Kyiv authorities to make key decisions.

Kyiv’s mayor told The Times: “This is a purge of democratic principles and institutions under the guise of war.

“I said once that it smells of authoritarianism in our country. Now it stinks.”

He also accused President Zelensky of using military administrations across the country to take power from elected mayors.

This is not the first time ex-sportsman Klitschko – who is also said to have presidential ambitions – has called out his rival Zelensky.

The Kyiv mayor called out the Ukrainian President in February amid stalling peace negotiations.

Zelensky then hit back at the boxing champ, saying: “Klitschko is a great athlete, but I didn’t know he was a great speaker.”

8

8

8

Klitschko said that his recent criticism of Zelensky has been protected by his celebrity status.

“Many of the mayors are intimidated, but my celebrity status is a protection,” he explained.

“You can fire the mayor of Chernihiv, but it is very difficult to fire the mayor of the capital who the whole world knows.”

He added: “That is why everything is being done to discredit and ruin my reputation.”

Political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko said that the conflict betwene the two rivals goes deeper.

The expert said it reflected concern about abuse of city funds in wartime, calling it a “response to manifestations of corruption in the Kyiv city administration”.

He told The Times: “During the war money should go primarily to defence, to protect the country, yet there is all this construction.”

Questioning the corruption in Kyiv, he added: “In some other cities, even stadiums are being built.

“In the Donbas there are large landscaping projects. The frontline is near by, and the money is not going to defensive structures, but to greenery.”

Kyiv locals have been baffled as luxury flats keep popping up instead of shelters or schools — often built on public land using a dodgy “toilet loophole”.

This starts with setting up a par-per-use toilet for example, to then receive something similar to squatters’ rights.

Many of the ten Kyiv officials under investigation have been charged with corruption relating to the approval of these land permits.

Klitschko’s ex-deputy has been charged with taking bribes to help war conscripts escape, while a former city councillor accused of embezzlement has fled to Austria.

He responded to claims of corruption under his watch, saying that he had sacked eight of the officials being investigated.

“I have 4,500 employees in this building alone and about 300,000 employees working for the city,” he said.

“Corruption cases sometimes happen, but we react harshly and quickly.”

He added: “We co-operate with law enforcement, provide all the necessary information and hope for an impartial investigation of all cases.”

Klitshcko’s main rival in Kyiv, Tymur Tkachenko, has slated the mayor for showing “weakness” during wartime.

Tkachenko told The Times: “Mr Klitschko could not close the brothel in the basement of the same building where he lives.”

He was referring to Tootsies, a notorious strip club raided and shut down by the security service last month as part of an investigation into sex trafficking. 

Klitschko hit back at claims he was tied to the strip club which is near a hotel complex he owns, calling it a “lie” meant to smear him.

8

8

LOOSE Women star Judi Love has landed a huge new job just days after ITV announced their daytime cull.

The ITV show’s line-up had been left in the dark about cuts to their lunchtime talk show, which will take effect from January amid a cash crisis.

3

Sweeping changes announced earlier this month mean the female-led, lunchtime talk show will only air for 30 weeks a year.

So, it’s a good job Judi, 44, has bagged herself a lucrative podcasting gig to keep the cash rolling in.

The comedian announced on Instagram today that the first episode of Our Table will be released tomorrow.

Fellow Loose Woman Charlene White is joining her, along with actor David Gyasi, comedian Michelle Deswarte and actress Deborah Ayorinde.

She wrote: “Our Table will launch on Friday, the 30th, on YouTube and all major podcast platforms!

“We have an exciting series lined up, featuring incredible guests and engaging conversations. Join us at Our Table!! #Ourtable #JudiLove.”

A second post saw the Strictly star posed with her special guests ahead of the series premiere.

The Sun previously revealed how Loose Women is in chaos backstage with some of the stars doing the show “through gritted teeth” as they face a 60 per cent pay cut. 

An insider told us: “It’s very tense backstage as the cast are all fuming. It’s like they’re putting on a brave face and doing the show through gritted teeth. 

“Some people’s pay could be cut by 60% as some get paid by the episode and they’ll be slashed next year.

“For some it’s their main source of income and it’s worrying to everyone.”

This comes after an ITV source revealed: “We are not planning any radical changes to the panel.

“All of our Loose Women are hugely valued and we celebrate each and every one and the experience and opinions they bring to the show every day.

“Many of our long standing panellists have appeared on the show for the majority of its 25 year run on screens and those stalwart, Loose legends are at the core of the show’s success and hugely popular with the audience.

“The show remains a big priority within our daytime slate, having secured a BAFTA nomination, launched a podcast and celebrated a milestone anniversary in the last year alone.”

MORE ITV CUTS

Loose Women isn’t the only show affected by recently announced changes at ITV, that will come into play in 2026.

Lorraine Kelly’s show has been cut to just 30 minutes a day and will also only air for 30 weeks of the year.

Good Morning Britain, with hosts including Susanna Reid, Ed Balls and Kate Garraway, will take half an hour from Lorraine and will run from 6am to 9.30am.

More than 220 jobs will be lost as part of the shake-up — almost half of the 450 employed on the four flagship shows GMB, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women.

3

3

A MASSIVE European waterpark has opened a new year-round outdoor pool – and it comes with a massive swim-up bar.

The outdoor pool Svømmepøl is n the Rulantica water world at Europa-Park Resort in Germany.

4

4

It measures around 660sqm and sits inside a Nordic-style ‘volcanic landscape’.

The 32C heated pool is in the ‘Dynstrønd’ area of the park and is the largest open-air pool in Rulantica to date.

It also has several features including geysers, water mist and an infinity area.

In addition, there is a rock cave with bubbling water loungers and a discovery tour with mascot ‘Snorri’ – perfect for little ones.

There is a swim-up bar called ‘Svømme-Bar’ too – which seats 150 guests.

The pool is then surrounded by sun loungers and Nordic vegetation.

Visitors can also get to the outdoor swimming area from the indoor area.

Europa-Park’s owner, Ronald Mack, said: “With ‘Svømmepøl’, we are expanding Rulantica’s year-round offering with a spacious and fascinatingly designed outdoor pool that promises both relaxation and adventure.

“The numerous details and special features create an impressive bathing experience and once again set new standards in innovative water attractions,” reports EAP Magazine.

The pool even took an entire week to fill.

Rulantica first opened in 2019 and in total spans 32,600sqm with 14 themed zones based on Nordic legends including Rangnakor.

There are 50 slides and attractions in total, as well as a wave pool and two swim up bars.

There are a number of other experiences available at the waterpark including evening DJ sets and private relaxation booths and saunas.

Rulantica is operated by Europa-Park, which sits just next door to the waterpark.

There is even a free shuttle that runs between the two attractions.

Tickets to enter Rulantica cost £38.50 and tickets to enter Europa-Park cost £54.

Back in February, Europa-Park celebrated its 50th anniversary and with it, opened a new ride.

Featuring the park’s mice mascots Ed and Edda, the ride is a train journey with an interactive gaming element.

The ride is based on the upcoming film, ‘Grand Prix of Europe‘ – a cartoon film that stars Ed and Edda voiced by Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Gemma Arterton.

Visitors can ride on ‘Grand Prix EDventure’ with Ed and Edda’s racing crew and take a trip across Europe.

There was also a £75million indoor tropical waterpark that nearly opened in the UK.

Plus, the first look at huge new £200million indoor waterpark opening in the UK with aquadrome and adventure zone.

4

4