Mill

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills will run for the U.S. Senate seat held by veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins next year, two people familiar with Mills’ plans said Friday.

The development sets up a potential showdown between the parties’ best-known figures in a state where Democrats see a chance to gain a seat in their uphill quest for the Senate majority.

Mills is tentatively expected to announce her candidacy Tuesday, according to the people, who insisted on anonymity to discuss plans they were not authorized to share publicly.

Mills was the top choice of national Democrats who have long tried to unseat Collins, who has held the seat since 1997. She was urged to run by party leaders including New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader. And though she met only once with Schumer to discuss the race early this year, her decision is viewed as a recruiting win for Democrats, who also have well-known figures with statewide experience running for seats held by Republicans in North Carolina and Ohio.

Democrats see the Maine seat as especially important, considering it is the only one on the 2026 Senate election calendar where Republicans are defending an incumbent in a state carried last year by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Still, a Democratic majority in the 100-member Senate remains a difficult proposition.

The party would need to gain a net of four seats, while most of the states with Senate elections next year are places where Republican Donald Trump beat Harris. Maine is an exception, while in North Carolina, where Trump narrowly won, Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper is viewed as a contender, and Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown is running in Ohio, where Trump won comfortably and Brown was defeated in November.

Mills gained national attention in February during a White House meeting of governors with Trump when she announced to him, “We’ll see you in court,” over her opposition to his call for denying states federal funding over transgender rights.

In April, Maine officials sued the Trump administration in an effort to stop the federal government from freezing federal funding to the state in light of its decision to defy a federal ban on allowing transgender students to participate in sports.

Mills stoked Democratic enthusiasm in April when she said of the lawsuit, “I’ve spent the better part of my career listening to loud men talk tough to disguise their weaknesses.”

Mills, 77, is a former state attorney general who won the governorship in 2018 and again in 2022. Maine governors are barred from seeking a third term and, while Mills early this year seemed to dismiss a Senate campaign, she said she had rethought the notion and was “seriously considering” running.

She had set a November deadline for making a decision, though as of mid-September, she was interviewing prospective senior campaign staffers.

A campaign against Collins would pit her against a senator who has built a reputation as a moderate but who was a key supporter of Trump’s Cabinet and judicial nominations. A spokesperson for Collins declined to comment on the expected upcoming Mills announcement.

Collins, 72, has won all of her four reelection campaigns by double-digit percentages, except in 2020.

That year, Collins defeated Democratic challenger Sara Gideon, the former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, by more than 8 percentage points in a race Democrats felt confident could help them gain a seat in the Senate. Collins won in a year Democrats gained a net of three seats in the chamber. She won despite Trump losing Maine to Democrat Joe Biden by 9 percentage points.

Like Collins, Mills was born in rural Maine. She became Maine’s first female criminal prosecutor in the mid-1970s, and she would later become the state’s first elected female district attorney as well as its first female attorney general and governor. She served as attorney general twice, from 2009 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2019.

A few other challengers have declared candidacies for the Democratic nomination, including oyster farmer Graham Platner, who has launched an aggressive social media campaign. Platner has the backing of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who posted on social media on Thursday that Platner is “a great working class candidate for Senate in Maine who will defeat Susan Collins” and that it’s “disappointing that some Democratic leaders are urging Gov. Mills to run.”

Whittle and Beaumont write for the Associated Press and reported from Portland and Des Moines, respectively. AP writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

BBC show Pebble Mill at One was an iconic magazine programme that ran throughout the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s – and here’s what happened to the original faces of the daytime series

They were the familiar faces that lit up Britain’s afternoons – the hosts, producers and personalities behind Pebble Mill at One, the BBC’s beloved daytime magazine programme that ran from 1972 to 1986. Whether they were interviewing celebrities, dispensing gardening advice or covering human interest stories from the famous foyer of the Birmingham studio, the Pebble Mill team became a fixture of the nation’s lunchtime telly.

But what happened to the show’s stars when the cameras stopped rolling?

From telly legends who went on to headline primetime shows, to behind-the-scenes figures who subtly influenced British broadcasting, many continued to leave their mark across radio, film and theatre. Others quietly stepped out of the spotlight – while some faced scandals that shook their public persona.

Here, we reminisce about the highs, lows and unexpected twists in the lives of Pebble Mill’s most recognisable faces. From gardening guru Marian Foster and broadcasting legend Alan Titchmarsh to the late Donny MacLeod and troubled DJ Dave Lee Travis, here’s what unfolded for the faces who once dominated daytime TV.

Dave Lee Travis

Dave Lee Travis was best known as the host of The Golden Oldie Picture Show and a DJ on BBC Radio 1. However, his career was later marred by legal issues.

In 2014, he was found guilty of indecently assaulting a woman working on The Mrs Merton Show in 1995 and was handed a three-month suspended sentence.

Though acquitted of several other accusations, the conviction resulted in the presenter’s episodes of Top of the Pops being no longer repeated by the BBC. Travis expressed being “mortified” and “really disappointed” by the verdict.

Despite the scandal, the now 80-year-old made a comeback to broadcasting. Throughout the years, Travis has presented programmes on various UK radio stations, including periods at Classic Gold, BBC Three Counties Radio, and United DJs Radio.

In 2025, he hosts a Sunday morning programme on Heritage Chart Radio.

Currently residing in Buckinghamshire with his Swedish wife Marianne, whom he wed in 1971, Travis enjoys photography and vintage automobiles.

Jock Gallagher

Gallagher began his BBC career in 1966 as a news producer and swiftly climbed the ladder, ultimately leading the Pebble Mill at One.

His influence extended beyond the programme’s triumph to nurturing celebrated BBC radio productions including The Archers, alongside programmes such as From the Grassroots and Offshore Britons.

Following decades of broadcasting service, Gallagher stepped down from the BBC in 2014.

He died in May 2025 aged 87 at Worcester Hospital. Former colleagues and admirers paid tribute, with one remembering: “I remember having a conversation with Jock in the late 1980s when I was trying to become a researcher, and fancied working on Radio 4 series.”

Donny MacLeod

Donny was a beloved figure on television, known for his warmth, professionalism, and innovative approach, becoming a staple in homes as the leading presenter of his show and shaping daytime TV for countless viewers.

He was one of the original faces of Pebble Mill at One, hosting the show from its beginnings in 1972 until his sudden death in 1984.

His career was studded with standout moments, including major BBC specials like MacLeod’s Soviet Union and MacLeod’s America, and memorable interviews with prominent figures such as Edward Heath, Les Dawson, Terry Wogan, Dame Edna Everage, and Morecambe and Wise.

Touching tributes have continued to honour Donny’s legacy, with one colleague fondly remembering: “He was kind and ever prepared to lend this novice a helping hand… For 11 years Donny was Pebble Mill at One.”

Passing away at the young age of 52 from a heart attack, Donny is still deeply missed as a trailblazer in British daytime broadcasting.

David Attwood

Starting his career as an assistant floor manager, David Attwood climbed the ladder, contributing to series like Out of Town Boys (1978), Keep Smiling (1979), and the BAFTA-winning Boys from the Black Stuff (1982).

After completing the BBC Directors course in 1984, he quickly made a name for himself as a director.

Attwood’s portfolio includes directing All Together Now, Airbase, and the intense thriller Killing Time.

He later pursued a freelance career, directing critically acclaimed projects such as Wild West, Fidel, and Stuart: A Life Backwards, which starred Tom Hardy.

David sadly died on 21 March 2024 after battling illness.

Remembered by peers as a talented and considerate director, David left an indelible mark on British television drama over three decades.

Marian Foster

A multifaceted broadcaster, Marian Foster was celebrated for her engaging on-screen personality and a deep-rooted passion for horticulture, which became her signature.

She broke new ground as one of the original presenters on Top Gear and went on to host gardening segments for BBC Look North after her time at Pebble Mill.

Foster boasts an extensive career in radio, having presented shows on BBC Radio 2, Woman’s Hour on Radio 4, and currently hosts Garden Mania every Sunday on BBC Radio Newcastle and Radio Tees.

A familiar face at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, she has imparted her horticultural wisdom to audiences for more than three decades.

Her diverse work includes documenting the impact of Live Aid in Ethiopia and even sharing the stage with The Who for a rendition of Tommy.

In recent times, she has continued her role as a judge for Northumbria in Bloom, been featured by Radio Times, and remains an endearing presence in the North East.

Alan Titchmarsh

Alan Titchmarsh rose to fame as the beloved presenter of Ground Force and later captivated viewers on ITV’s Love Your Garden, affirming his status as one of the nation’s favourite gardeners.

His natural charm extended beyond the garden, leading him to host various programmes including The Alan Titchmarsh Show, Popstar to Operastar, and Secrets of the National Trust.

In 2024, he made waves when North Korean TV censored his jeans, prompting Titchmarsh to quip that it gave him “a bit of street cred”.

The 76 year old father of two is a prolific author, having penned over 70 books, including best-selling novels, gardening guides, and memoirs.

He currently presents a Saturday afternoon programme on Classic FM and continues to write regularly for the press. Now in his mid-70s, he divides his time between his farmhouse in Hampshire and his residence on the Isle of Wight.

Titchmarsh was awarded an MBE in the 2000 New Year Honours for his contributions to horticulture and broadcasting, and was later promoted to CBE in the 2025 New Year Honours for his services to horticulture and charity.

Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News, TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage.