pro

She has informed the WDF she will not be playing in the women’s championship, which starts on 28 November

A WDF statement said: “Although Beau will no longer be competing on the Lakeside stage, we wish her all the best in the next stage of her darting career.

“She has been a fantastic ambassador for our system since we returned from the pandemic in 2021, winning every major WDF title on the way.

“It’s been fantastic to see how her game has gone from strength to strength playing in WDF events and we know that she’ll continue to make even more history on the PDC circuit.”

A minimum of four women will compete at the PDC World Championship after a new qualifying structure was announced.

This year’s event will have an expanded field of 128 players, up from 96 in 2024-25, with the winner taking home £1m of a £5m prize pot.

Fallon Sherrock, the only woman to have won matches in the tournament – in 2019 – is the only other female player to have qualified so far.

With seeded players entering the tournament in the first round, rather than the second, Greaves and Sherrock could meet one of the top men.

A former Strictly Come Dancing professional has revealed they wanted to return to the BBC One show after leaving in 2012 and being a part of the show for seven series.

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Vincent Simone has revealed he wanted to return to the BBC One show but “it didn’t work out”. The dancer joined the show in 2006 for the fourth series and did seven series before leaving it behind in 2012.

Now he’s opened up about his exit as he said: “The year I left Strictly Come Dancing, there were going to be big changes.

“Bruce Forsyth was leaving, and the show was moving from Shepherd’s Bush where we were there for seven years, and we were moving to Elstree Studios, which was a big change. It got to a point where I got to the final, and although I didn’t win, I was fully satisfied with how I’d done in the show.”

However, Vincent only intended on taking a short break from the show but he got to busy doing his other work that it didn’t end up materialising.

READ MORE: Dianne Buswell hits back at claims Stefan Dennis’ illness is ‘a cover up’ for pregnancy strugglesREAD MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing fans fuming for George Clarke over show decision

He continued to Daily Star: “Ideally, what I wanted was to take a year or two out of the show, and then to come back, but we all know that’s rare.

“If I could’ve had that chance to leave Strictly for a few years and then come back, that would’ve been ideal. I would’ve gone back, but those years after Strictly, I was fully committed to West End shows and my own shows.

“Then I went onto I’m A Celebrity, which I wouldn’t have been able to do if I was on Strictly. My career in touring and performing has made me feel very blessed.”

During his first series, Vincent was partnered with EastEnders actress Louisa Lytton and the pair made it all the way to the final four and were eliminated two weeks before the final.

The following year, the dancer was paired with actress Stephanie Beacham with the two being eliminated on week two but in 2008 he made a triumphant return when he came second with S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens.

His next partner was EastEnders actress Natalie Cassidy, who he came fifth with, followed by his partnership with Felicity Kendal resulting in them being voted off in week seven.

In 2011, it was disappointment all around as he and Conservative party politician Edwina Currie were the first pair to be eliminated from the competition.

In Vincent’s final year, the performer and his partner, Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer got eliminated a week before the final, ending their run in fourth place.

After quitting the show, he and dance partner Flavia Cacace continued to perform with stage shows and live tours.

In 2013, he took part on the thirteenth series of I’m A Celebrity, arriving as a late entrant to camp with actress Annabel Giles.

He finished in tenth place, being the third celebrity to leave in a double elimination with Matthew Wright.

The current series of the BBC One show is airing at the moment, with celebrities including Vicky Pattison, Alex Kingston, Amber Davies and Chris Robshaw attempting to lift the glitterball trophy.

The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner and his partner Amy Dowden became the first pair to leave the competition after landing in the bottom two with Chris and Nadiya Bychkova.

In his exit interview with Tess Daly, he said: “Thank you, Amy – sorry that we haven’t done too good, ’cause you’re a different class.

“I’ve never danced before and my stay was short, but Amy’s amazing. It’s been great fun and I’ve enjoyed it. I can’t really dance that well but I’ve had fun!”

Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight at 6:05pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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

GOOGLE has always excelled when it comes to smartphone cameras – but the latest effort might have gone too far.

When I tried out the new Google Pixel 10 Pro XL’s star feature I gasped and said “Good God”.

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I showed friends some of the results and they were stunned – if a little disturbed – by what the device’s mega zoom was capable of.

My colleague Sean Keach has already tried the smaller Pixel 10 Pro and has given his verdict on the identical camera features on there too.

But is it all worth it?

As The Sun’s main Android smartphone reviewer I’ve been putting the Pixel 10 Pro XL through its paces and here’s what I found…

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Look and feel

Google has stuck to a pretty consistent, solid look on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

As ever with annual upgrades, you may even struggle to tell the difference between last year’s Pixel 9 Pro XL which I also reviewed.

I love the mat glass back and the shiny G logo, it just gives off such a confident premium vibe.

The camera bar is pretty much the same as last year too and I’m still undecided about the bulkiness of it, even though it’s quite tidy and neat.

But given the sorts of photos it takes, all that kit has to be packed in somewhere.

The display has had a noticeable upgrade this year, which is brighter and bursting with crisp detail too.

However, the Pixel 10 Pro XL hasn’t been taking a techy dose of Ozempic like Samsung and iPhone this year with thinner models – it weighs 232g, up a bit on last year.

I absolutely adore the new colours this year too, with Moonstone (the one I’m reviewing) Jade, Porcelain and Obsidian.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Performance and features

Google continues to use its own Tensor chip in Pixel smartphones and this year’s Tensor G5 kit is said to be about 35 per cent faster.

It certainly operates smoothly and without any hiccups in my testing – but this chip isn’t as powerful as the Snapdragon chip found in most other top end smartphones around.

The handset runs on Android 16, the latest version of the operating system and it’s my absolute favourite around – which should be a given seeing as Google owns Android.

A lot of the features are centred on AI once again and most are photography based, which I’ll go into later.

But there are some other tools such as Voice Translate, which translates calls in real-time and sounds like each speaker’s own voice.

Having tried it with my partner in French, it was somewhat eerie to hear.

And it’s all done on device, so no sensitive call conversations are sent off to the cloud.

Google is also among the best for offering quick and fast Android upgrades for years to come, with a commitment to seven operating system versions and seven years of security upgrades.

Who offers free updates longest?

The longer you receive updates, the longer you can safely continue using your smartphone – with the latest features thrown in too for free.

Samsung
Samsung offers at least seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates on most of its smartphones, even its latest cheaper FE model.

OnePlus
At the launch of the OnePlus 13, OnePlus committed to at least four years of Android updates and five years of security updates.

Xiaomi
Xiaomi offers four years off Android updates and five years security updates.

Google
For the Pixel 10 series, Google said that devices would receive at least seven years of support.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Battery

You can easily get a good day’s worth of use out of the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL with a good mix of browsing, messaging and Netflix as I tend to test it on.

But it’s not the best battery around – I got more out of the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

There is fast charging though, that’ll get you from zero to full in about an hour and a half with a compatible plug charger.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Camera

The camera on the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is where things get really juicy.

You have a treasure trove of powerful lenses paired up with AI power to enhance everything.

There’s a 50-megapixel main camera, 48-megapixel ultrawide and 48-megapixel 5x telephoto, as well as a 42-megapixel selfie snapper.

The photos I get on a Pixel are always super impressive with incredible detail and popping with vibrant colour.

It exudes beauty inside and out, and makes taking stunning photos effortless

This year’s shocker is the Pro Res Zoom which can get extremely detailed shots from a remarkable distance, seeing things my naked eye cannot.

It can go up to an eye-watering 100x.

Anything above 30x onward uses an AI model on the phone to recreate bits lost from digital zoom, so it does raise questions about how real the results are.

Whatever way you look at it, the images are highly convincing, as you’ll see from the snaps I took from the same position below with no zoom, a 10x zoom, a 50x zoom and a 100x zoom.

One thing to note: when using the zoom faces are automatically blurred.

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Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Price

One bit of good news about the price is it hasn’t increased from last year’s models.

So the Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at £1,199.

If that’s a bit steep for you, you might want to consider the Pixel 10 Pro instead which has much of the same in a smaller physical form from £999 instead.

There’s also a freebie worth £190 included with all the Pro models.

You get access to Gemini Pro for a whole year, which is Google’s more powerful and fast AI system, capable of extra skills such as Veo 3 Fast for text-to-video generation.

All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.

Always do your own research before making any purchase.

IT was the Autumn equinox on Monday – which means the days are about to get a lot shorter.

Before you know it, it will be dark when you get home from work and when you get up in the morning.

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And although that means less gardening time – there’s still loads you can get in the ground or your greenhouse.

In fact, Autumn is a great time to get planting – simply because the soil is still warm but the weather is cooler – which means roots can establish well before Winter.

Whether it’s for produce or colour before Christmas – or flowers after – I’ve put together a guide on what can go in the ground now.

FLOWERS

You can always tell from what’s on sale in your local garden centre or supermarket as to what will bring you colour in the run up before Christmas.

But staples like container grown Geums, Cyclamen, Astor, Japanese Anenome, and Chrysanthemums can be bought in flower and planted now.

Plus racks of bedding plants like pansies, viola and primroses are filling supermarket shelves.

I managed to find three packs of eight viola plugs from Asda for just a fiver last weekend – which means each of the 24 plugs are only 20p.

Plus the gorgeous colour combinations will fill your garden with rainbows of colour.

And a lot of the garden centres are offering Winter Bedding packs – which takes the decision of what to buy out of your hands – and provides you with a lovely rainbow of colours for your outside space.=

Seeds-wise – you can plant sweetpea, poppies, calendula, cornflower, nemesia, forget-me-nots, and lavender under cover.

BULBS

Daffodils, crocus, alliums and grape hyacinth bulbs are good to go in September and October – as well as the more unusual large Fritalliaries  and Camassia – which look really like bluebells.

But hold fire until November until you plant your tulip bulbs – they love the colder weather.

If you put them in too early, you’ll risk the change of Tulip Fire, which is a fungal disease that causes distorted leaves and spots – that look like scorch marks – on the tulips themselves.

A lot of online garden centres have big bulb sales on at the moment, so it’s worth shopping around.

Suttons Seeds are offering Sun Gardening readers an exclusive link to get 80 per cent off their bulb sales right now.

Access it now at www.suttons.co.uk/sunoffer

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT

Butterhead and Lamb’s lettuce actually like the colder weather – so under a cloche or cold frame, or in a greenhouse – sow the seeds thinly, about 1.5cm deep. Sow every 2-3 weeks for a continuous supply.

Overwintering cauliflower seeds like ‘All The Year Round’ and ‘Autumn Giant’ can be planted now – under protection.

Plus onion seeds, winter greens, garlic, pak choi, spinach and kale.

There’s a lot of fruit you can grow in pots – including cherries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.

Then wait until November for bare root season

Also in Veronica’s Column this week…

Gardening news, top tips, Plant of the Week plus a chance to win a £200 Gardening Express voucher.

Fore more gardening content and competitions follow me @biros_and_bloom

NEWS! Did you know that 22 billion carrot seeds are sown each year in the UK, and we eat our way through 700,000 tonnes of carrots annually?
This works out to be around 100 per person, and laid out end to end they would stretch 1.4 million miles – two and a half trips to the moon.  
And as British growers provide 97 per cent of the carrots consumers buy in the UK, there is almost no need to buy imported carrots.
They’re also worth £290m to the UK Economy yet are one of the cheapest vegetables – with loads of nutritional benefits.  
The incredible stats have been released in time for British Carrot Day on Friday – which celebrates the UK carrot growing and encourages people to buy, get creative, eat, and cook with carrots.
For more information visit www.britishcarrots.co.uk 

NEWS! A whopping leaf four metres long has been grown at the Eden Project, Cornwall. Lodoicea maldivica, more commonly known as coco de mer, is native to the islands of the Seychelles and is famous for producing the world’s largest and heaviest seed.
The mature leaf has taken around ten years to develop to this stage. And over the next decade, it could reach a massive eight to ten metres. A coco de mer can live for up to 800 years, reaching up to 112 feet tall.

TOP TIP! September is the start of baby hedgehog (hoglet) season, and you may find that they need your help.
Autumn Juvenile hedgehogs are old enough to be away from their mums, but often too small to hibernate successfully.
Guidance from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society  says that “if the hedgehog is a regular visitor to your garden, is only seen at night, appears active and you are prepared to feed it every night then it can be left in the wild.
But  if the hedgehog goes off its food, wobbles and staggers or starts coming out in the day, then it needs extra help as soon as possible.
The best way to ensure wild hedgehogs are well-fed is to create organic wild spaces, leafy corners and log piles where they can forage for natural foods, like grubs and insects.
To supplement their diet in the wild, you can offer hedgehogs a good quality meaty hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or dry biscuits for cats.

NEWS! If you fancy turning your hand to growing houseplants, Unwins have launched a brand new Houseplant Seed Collection, a curated range of eight varieties that have been specially selected and bred to flourish in UK and Irish homes.
Including Asparagus Ferns, Sempervivum, Bird of Paradise and Dichondra Silver Surfer, the packs are available now in your local garden centre.
Natasha Lane, Head of Seed, for Unwins, commented: “We’re very excited to be launching a collection of houseplant seeds for the first time. It now means that it’s easier than ever to create your very own indoor jungle. Whether you’re looking to enhance wellbeing, purify the air, or simply add style to your space, our houseplant seeds are ready to grow with you.”

WIN! One lucky reader can win a £200 Gardening Express voucher to spend online. To enter, visit www.thesun.co.uk/EXPRESSVOUCHER or write to Sun Gardening Express competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. October 11, 2025. T&Cs apply

PLANT OF THE WEEK! Japanese Anemone. Blooming now, they’re graceful and tall with long stalks and single or double flowers – great for brightening up shady corners, but prefer a bit of sun. Spread by rhizomes.

JOB OF THE WEEK! If you’ve got a pond it’s time to get it ready for winter – net it before leaves start to fall and trim back any overgrown pond plants. Put a tennis ball in to help prevent freezing.

STRICTLY pro Lauren Oakley has QUIT social media just a day before the first live show – saying “everyone has feelings”.

The dancer, who is partnered with football manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink this series, urged viewers to not troll the stars.

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Lauren, 34, shared a message with her followers before she takes a break from her X platform while the show is on.

She wrote: “Live show tomorrow. That’s me deleting X for now, have fun everyone. Enjoy the show. Don’t be mean. Everyone has feelings and everyone is trying their best. Think before you type. Love.”

Last series Lauren stepped in for Amy Dowden as her replacement after health concerns and danced with JLS singer JB Gill.

Taking to the stage for the inaugural Icons Week, the pair blew the judges away and received an incredible 39 points.

On social media, viewers praised Lauren’s talent – and called for her not to be “benched” next series.

One wrote on X: “NEVER and I mean NEVER not give Lauren a partner again! Love her.”

Another commented: “Dear strictly. never bench lauren oakley again. thank you.”

A third chimed in: “Lauren Oakley is SO SO good.

“Its an absolute crime she was never given a partner this year.”

A fourth remarked: “lauren better get a partner next year i will start a riot if not #strictly.”

In 2023, Lauren partnered newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy, with the pair placing 8th overall.

Strictly Come Dance 2025 lineup

Strictly Come Dancing news and the latest line up

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STRICTLY Come Dancing has seen some iconic pairings during its two decades on screen.

Tonight, the class of 2025 will learn who their pro-partners are on the pre-recorded launch show.

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But many will be hoping their Strictly partnerships don’t go the way of these past duos, who didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye, to put it politely.

Here’s a recap of some of the worst Strictly pairings ever.

Fiona Phillips and Brendan Cole

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Former GMTV host Fiona took part in the third series of Strictly back in 2005.

She wasn’t a natural on the dancefloor, and she has claimed pro-partner Brendan Cole made his feelings on that very clear.

In her book, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, Fiona – who is battling the disease – wrote: “He could also be seen looking at my dancing and saying, ‘Pathetic, it’s not good enough!’

“Then I’m begging him to ‘stop shouting’ and worrying that I look completely ridiculous. There’s a clip where I say to the cameraman that Brendan is looking at me like he’s stepped in something.

“I really don’t remember much of that time now – maybe I blocked it out because all I recall is the sense that it was incredibly traumatic.”

She added that she was on ‘the brink of tears’ most of the time and quickly regretted her decision to sign up.

Johnny Ball and Aliona Vilani

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Legendary TV presenter Johnny, 87, was part of the 2012 series, where he was paired with the previous years winner, Aliona.

Aliona left the early stages of the 10th series due to an injury and Johnny was paired with Iveta Lukošiūtė instead.

Johnny ended up being the first to be booted off the show, but five years later, in 2017, Johnny launched an astonishing attack on his Strictly dance partners, accusing them of fixing it so he got booted off first.

He told The Sun on Sunday: “Aliona fell on a flat floor in flat shoes and said she had broken her leg.

“The next day she flew to the South of France for a pre-arranged weekend with her boyfriend.”

The star was then paired with Iveta – and he claimed that she devised a routine that was too difficult for him.

He said: “When I was knocked out she said, ‘That’s funny, my contract ends on Tuesday’.”

Aliona later took to X to deny his claims, saying: “I am aware that Johnny Ball has made allegations regarding my fractured ankle during 2012 SCD, which I strongly deny.

“I have instructed solicitors and am taking legal action in relation to his allegations.

“It’s therefore not appropriate to comment further at this time.”

Fern Britton and Artem Chigvintsev

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Former This Morning host Fern, 68, has spoken on a number of occasions about her experience on Strictly.

Fern was paired with Artem, 43, in series 10 in 2012 and was the fifth celebrity to be eliminated.

While her run on Strictly wasn’t long, it was tough, with Fern previously telling The Times: “He would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me.”

Artem denied Fern’s claims of him ‘kicking or shoving her’ during tense rehearsals.

He told the Daily Express: “I believe I treated Fern with respect and genuine care and these claims about me are the opposite of everything I believe in and the person I am.

“I cannot imagine what has prompted such statements which come as a shock to me.”

She added in her book, Fern Britton The Older I Get, how her confidence was knocked straightaway with Artem.

Describing the rehearsals as “challenging”, Fern added: “As the weeks went on, I found it increasingly hard to gather up my self-confidence and there were days I was crying before I even got into the rehearsal room.”

Lynda Bellingham and Darren Bennett

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The late actress and Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham signed up for Strictly in 2009.

She was paired with series two champ Darren Bennett, but the duo were voted out on the fourth week.

Following her death in 2014 from cancer, her husband Michael Pattemore claimed in a book that Lynda had “hated” her time on Strictly.

He wrote: “There were two things about Strictly she didn’t like. One was her body image. She always thought she looked fat. I kept saying she didn’t.

“She picked this ruched gold dress and she said it made her look 20 times bigger than what she was.

“And the other thing, she said her partner Darren Bennett was such a miserable git. There was no laughter, no fun.

“All the way through rehearsals she didn’t mind training hard, but it was solid dance. He was just hard work.

“If Lynda had had a partner like Anton du Beke or someone, now they would have had some fun together.”

Danny John-Jules and Amy Dowden

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Back in 2018, Red Dwarf star Danny was paired with pro dancer Amy Dowden.

While the pair produced some great routines, rumours of behind-the-scenes tension were rife.

The Sun revealed at the time that Danny, 65, had received a final warning by show bosses for “bullying” partner Amy.

The actor had reportedly left Amy in tears during training — at one point angrily telling her: “I’m the star, not you.”

When they were voted off in week eight, Danny opted not to take part in their exit interview on spin-off show It Takes Two, leaving Amy to do it on her own.

Strictly Come Dancing starts tonight at 6.20pm on BBC One.

THERE’S been a lot of talk about bedding plants recently.

Rebranded as ‘Seasonal Interest’ they’ve annoyed some folk in the gardening industry because of environmental concerns.

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You’ll know them better as those lovely flowers in garden centres and supermarkets that bring an instant burst of colour to your outside space – like petunias, marigolds, begonias, nemesia, cosmos and lobelia.

Often you’ll buy them in plugs to plant straight into the soil before the frost sets in.

Naysayers reckon that because they’re not perennial, need a lot of watering and are bred in greenhouses – which use lots of energy – they’re bad for the environment.

But there’s one man in particular who couldn’t have loved them more – holding firm in the face of all the negative comments.

Sun Gardening Editor Peter Seabrook took on Floral Fantasia at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex back in 2019 and right up until his death was championing bedding plants.

I was lucky enough to visit recently and was overwhelmed with the astonishing array of beautiful planting – showcasing swathes of stunning colours and species – which are crucially all affordable.

“‘We sell smiles’ is what Peter would have said,” Mike Smith, chair of the Floral Fantasia Working Group told me.

“His vision was to be ‘the centre of excellence for seasonal plants’ and although we’re not quite there yet – we’re definitely on our way.

“When I first came to Hyde Hall I was in awe of the gardens there, but appreciate they’re quite overwhelming to try and recreate in the average garden that is less than 15 metres square.

“We want to inspire people to have a go, show them something achievable – and this is where the Seasonal Interest comes in.

“They’re not grown in peat any more, they bring happiness to the consumer and they’re manageable.

“But also, it’s worth recognising that ornamental growers add over £1bn to the economy.

“Alan Titchmarsh agreed with Peter, and said after he died: ‘We all need to take up the baton from him to keep fighting our corner and explain what this means and how important horticulture is and it’s value to the British economy.’

“And that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re showing visitors to Hyde Hall the latest UK plants – and we’re celebrating Fleuroselect’s Year of the Begonia with over 150 varieties being trialled in beds and containers – they’re a stunning splash of colour.

“The public get to see all manner of cultivars that they’ve never seen before and everyone comes out smiling.”

Peter’s son Roger Seabrook told Sun Gardening: “‘Floral Fantasia at RHS Hyde Hall meant so much to Dad – he saw the garden as a way to show what could be achieved with seasonal planting and to inspire people to get growing, however small their space.

“He put a huge amount of energy into championing Floral Fantasia and rolled his sleeves up to spend long hours working in the garden himself.

“For this reason it’s a special place for our family and it’s just fantastic to see it looking so vibrant and colourful.

“I’m sure that Dad would have been delighted to see the progress made, a testament to all the hard work of those involved over the years.’

Tim Kerley, of Kerley Plants, Cambridge, which provides blooms for Floral Fantasia added: “They’re bright, cheery flowers that will put a smile on your face all summer long! Modern varieties are low maintenance and thrive in our varied climate.

“They’re great for your mind and pollinators -all for the price of a cup of coffee.”

Annual chrysanthemum’s are also considered bedding plants. And they’re a fantastic way of bringing colour to your garden in Autumn when everything is dying back a bit.

Lidl has one on sale for £1.99 from next Saturday and it’s going to be my cheap secret weapon to bring colour to my outside space.

Also in Veronica’s Column this week

News, top tips, plant of the week and a firepit competition

For more top tips and gardening content follow me @biros_and_bloom

NEWS! THE Cuprinol Shed of the Year results are in – and the winner is engineer Mike Robinson from South East London with his spectacular shed, ‘The Tiny Workshop.
Designed to slot neatly into a garden with limited room, it wowed judges with its imaginative use of space. With off-the-shelf sheds too big for his plot, Mike built the shed using two sets of heavy-duty steel shelving, bolted together and clad with wood’
Two doors flap open at the bottom and top to provide flooring and handy rain protection, with a smart overhanging green roof to store garden tools and welcome nature to the garden.
Mike wins this year’s top prize of an overnight nature getaway, £1,000 cash and £250 of Cuprinol product.

TOP TIP! Time to start thinking about feeding the birds in your garden a little bit more. And Alex Gill, founder of Awesome Wildlife Company, has some unusual advice.
“By providing food and shelter now, we can give birds, hedgehogs, and insects the best possible chance of thriving through the winter, and in turn, we get to enjoy a garden full of life.
“Both dried and fresh fruit works. Apples and pears are very popular with garden birds. If you do choose to put any spare fruit that you might have out, make sure it’s fresh as mouldy fruit isn’t good for birds.
“Dried fruits, like Raisins, are also well loved by some bird’s species. Just remember to be careful and avoid if you have a dog, as raisins are toxic to dogs.
He added: “During the colder months, birds benefit from high-energy foods, such as sunflower seeds, peanuts, mealworms, and suet. These kinds of foods help them build up their fat reserves so that they can survive the colder months.”  

NEWS! THE CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship will be taking place at the Malvern Autumn Show next weekend. It showcases some unbelievably large vegetables – which often break Guinness World records. Taking place at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, you’ll also get the chance to see talks by Monty Don, Adam Frost, August Bernstein, and RHS Ambassador Manoj Malde. And there will be fabulous flowers, plants, bulbs, seeds, tools and equipment to marvel at.

NEWS! BBC TV presenter, keen gardener and National Garden Scheme Ambassador, Fiona Bruce will host a very special National Garden Scheme Ask the Experts event at the Royal Geographical Society, London on Tuesday 2nd December at 7pm. Answering a range of pre-submitted audience questions and covering all aspects of gardens and gardening will be a panel including Arit Anderson, Danny Clarke, Rachel de Thame, Joe Swift.

NEWS! There’s a beautiful new book called The Essential Guide to Bulbs, by Jenny Rose Carey, coming out next month. Published on October 16th by Timber Press, its a fabulous guide to growing bulbs all year round in gardens and containers. The pictures are gorgeous and it’s really informative too, it would make a lovely present for the Gardener in your life.

WIN! As the evenings draw in – warm up with an eco-friendly, low carbon Eco Fuego fire pit worth £179.99 and a wax refill worth £26.99. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/ECOFIREPIT or write to Sun Eco Firepit competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. October 4, 2025. T&Cs apply

PLANT OF THE WEEK! “Verbena Officinalis Bampton” Still flowering now – it’s an unusual looking bushy drought-resistant perennial with small purple flowers on the end of wiry branches. Prefers full sun, south facing borders.

TOP TIP! Raise your pots now to prevent waterlogging – you don’t have to pay for proper feet – you can use bottle caps, coasters, tiles, bricks, or even logs cut to size. There just needs to be drainage space under the pot.

Former Burnley captain Josh Brownhill has joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab.

Premier League sides Brentford, Wolves and West Ham and Championship club Leicester were all keen on the 29-year-old, who scored 18 goals last season as Burnley secured promotion back to the top flight.

The midfielder left at the end of the campaign after five years at Turf Moor, making 211 appearances in total and scoring 32 goals overall.

He will join Belgium international Yannick Carrasco and former Southampton and Watford defender Wesley Hoedt at Al-Shabab.

The club, managed by former Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil, lost their opening game of the Saudi Pro League 4-1 to Al-Khaleej.

“I feel really honoured to join Al-Shabab,” Brownhill said.

“The way the manager plays – formation, system and the vision that they see – is what really attracted me.

“I’m hoping to score a lot of goals and we’ll be aiming to win some trophies this season.”

Annabel Croft, who won junior Wimbledon at the age of 17, has some reservations about players moving on too quickly.

“When I was playing juniors, I was exactly like Hannah,” Croft said.

“The year that I won the juniors [Australian Open and Wimbledon titles] I was playing in the seniors at the same time. I was playing my idol Chris Evert out on Court One at Wimbledon in the third round and I wasn’t focused on the juniors whatsoever.

“I was way more excited about the prospects of playing senior Wimbledon and going up against the best in the world.

“But in hindsight, it’s one of my proudest moments and I realise I am going to be in that trophy cabinet forevermore.

“I think that no matter what happens she [Klugman] has got plenty of time to be putting herself up against the seniors but the one thing you can say about juniors is that you will never ever get that time again.

“So I totally get it but I just hope she doesn’t regret it.”

The WTA’s age eligibility rules limit 16-year-olds to 12 professional tournaments each year, although anyone who finishes the year in the top five of the junior rankings can play an extra four.

And so next year the professional tour can expect to see much more of the pair, who have been playing each other since their under-10 days.

Stojsavljevic, who names Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic as her idols, is a clean and powerful ball striker while Klugman can serve and volley and – in her own words – “does not play like a usual woman”.

“I’ve got slice, I like to change the rhythm up, mess the player up a little bit – and I’ve got a big serve,” she said at Wimbledon this year.

“I used to love Ash Barty and I also really like Emma Navarro as well.”

Sept. 9 (UPI) — Apple debuted its new iPhone 17 during its annual Apple Event on Tuesday, with four new models including the thin iPhone Air, a base model and the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models.

The phones go on sale Sept. 19, with preorders starting Friday.

The event, titled, “Awe Dropping,” showcased the latest versions of its flagship devices.

The Apple Watch 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3 are the company’s latest smartwatches, with Apple launching a new standard smartwatch, and other entry-level and premium wearables. Apple also unveiled new AirPod Pro 3 earbuds.

The base model phone, which has upgraded storage, still starts at $799. The iPhone 17 Pro now costs $1,099, which is a $100 price raise from the iPhone 16 Pro. But the new phone comes with 256GB of storage.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199, the same as last year’s model.

The new iPhone Air debuts at $999. It’s $100 more than the iPhone 16 Plus it replaces in the lineup.

Apple says it made changes to the iPhone 17 Pro to manage the temperature of the device. There’s a new vapor chamber to help dissipate heat and deliver thermal performance.

Apple also launched iOS 26 with a new design, Apple Intelligence capabilities and improvements to apps. The new design is called Liquid Glass, which “makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful, bringing greater focus to content while keeping iOS instantly familiar,” Apple said. It will be released Monday.

Apple Intelligence now translates text and audio with Live Translation, helping users communicate across languages in Messages, FaceTime and phone, the company said.

Apple also introduced N1, a new Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. N1 improves the overall performance and reliability of features such as Personal Hotspot and AirDrop, the company said.

The new Apple Watch 11 offers longer battery life, more durable cover glass and 5G cellular capabilities in the thinnest design yet, Apple said. The new watch can notify users of chronic high blood pressure and better sleep insights. The watch has up to 24 hours of battery life and new glass that’s more scratch-resistant.

The new watch OS 26 has Workout Buddy, powered by Apple Intelligence, a wrist flick gesture and new watch faces. The Watch 11 is available for pre-order now and is available Sept. 19.

The new AirPods Pro 3 claims the world’s best in-ear active noise cancellation, removing up to two times more noise than the previous-generation AirPods Pro. The updated design helps AirPods Pro 3 fit better and offers better in-ear stability during activities. The AirPods Pro 3 can now measure heart rate and track over 50 workout types in the Fitness app on the iPhone. They also offer Live Translation. Pre-orders are available and the AirPods will come out Sept. 19.

Apple’s latest product announcements apparently didn’t excite investors. Apple shares were down about 1.5% when the event was over.

During an earnings call in July, Apple chief executive Tim Cook mentioned the company was working on a more personalized Siri, and it is expected to be released next year.

The salary cap for playing staff in SRC, which gets under way on 12 September, has gone up to £160,000 after being £150,000 last season.

“At the moment we don’t know what ‘significant investment’ could be but one thing that we are committed to is working with the 10 clubs individually and collectively to get their feedback, thoughts and ideas as part of the consultation process,” said WRU head of player development John Alder.

“Whatever the future looks like, SRC has an integral role to play and we have to figure out how we can keep driving standards up.

“It will be an interesting six weeks and we will just have to wait to discover what comes from the conversations at all levels.

“We will ensure that the 10 SRC clubs are heard and they are part of the process because we are committed to continually improving the competition.”

The SRC clubs are due to meet on 9 September and will discuss their approach to the WRU proposals, which could see a change to their relationships with regional academies.

“No club will ever turn their nose up at significant investment but we need to see what that means, and indeed if it’s even there,” said Jon Jones, chairman of Ebbw Vale and representative for the SRC clubs.

“We need a clearer picture of what the plans are and to get some detail, but we have a really good relationship with the Union and I am sure we will have those discussions.”

While the Welsh Rugby Union’s plans to halve the number of regions have divided opinion, its vision for the women’s game has been met with an air of optimism.

The governing body wants to move forward with just two professional men’s teams, saying the current model of Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff and Dragons is unsustainable.

As part of the reform, the two remaining teams would have professional women’s sides.

Each would have a squad of around 40 home-grown players with the Union pledging “significant investment”.

The plans are currently out for consultation.

Wales women’s head coach Sean Lynn has welcomed the proposals.

Speaking from the Rugby World Cup, he said: “It’s a symbol of positivity in the women’s game, I think it’s only going to benefit us.”

Lynn would not be drawn on where he would prefer the two women’s sides to play.

A 14-YEAR-OLD snooker player secured the first win of his professional career on day one of the Saudi Arabia Masters.

And at the other end of the age scale, Ken Doherty won the Battle of the Baize Oldies as he eliminated Jimmy White from the Jeddah tournament.

2

2

Polish teenager Michal Szubarczyk hit back-to-back breaks of 68 and 56 as he celebrated a 4-2 victory over English amateur Ryan Davies.

It is a career milestone, one he will remember forever, given he only received his two-year Tour Card at the start of this season.

In round two in the desert nation, Szubarczyk will play Hungarian world No.79 Bulcsu Revesz on Saturday.

And the winner of that clash will then take on Essex cueist Stuart Bingham, who was champion of the world 10 years ago.

The Eastern European – whose highest official break is 126 – took the 2025 European Championships in Turkey by storm, winning the under-16s and under-18s events before reaching the final of the open-age event.

Mark Williams, the three-time world champion, watched that tournament live and said Szubarczyk was “one of the best 14-year-olds I’ve ever seen in my life”.

The Welsh sporting legend added: “He’s up there with Ronnie O’Sullivan at that age.

“Maybe not as good, but not far away. Every time I watched him he was knocking in 80s, 90s, 100s. It was frightening.”

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In April, dad Kamil told SunSport that his son modelled his game on seven-time world champion O’Sullivan.

Kamil said: “One of Michal’s special skills is his ability to play with the audience and the cameras.

“Normal teenagers are tense and stressed. He is more motivated.

“He loves playing when he has an audience, and so I know that anything can happen during this tournament.

“From the first time Michał saw snooker on TV, his hero was Ronnie. It was also my idol. This hasn’t been changed.

“And for both of us whenever Ronnie got knocked out of a tournament, we stopped watching it.

“That man played a key role in creating Michal’s playing style. Mike was fascinated by how offensive Ronnie played all of his games. But he wants to be more than just offensive.

“Ronnie is still motivating Michal to be better and better.”

On Friday evening in the Kingdom, two veterans of the sport took to the baize, though disappointingly only a few people bothered to watch from the stands at the Green Halls.

Former world champion Doherty, 55, took on White, 63, and he prevailed 4-1, hitting a 96 break in frame two.

They had rekindled a rivalry that began in 1991 and saw them battle it out at the World Championships and Masters.

The duo, who have a combined age of 118, are nowhere near their best these days but it is commendable and shows their genuine love for the sport that they are continuing to play professionally.

Doherty, who now plays Latvian Zizins Artemijs in round two on Saturday evening, has now won 17 of their 30 meetings.

Elite players such as Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson will enter the competition – which has a £500,000 top prize – in round five on Tuesday.

List of all-time Snooker World Champions

BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.

The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.

The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.

Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.

Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.

• 1969 – John Spencer
• 1970 – Ray Reardon
• 1971 – John Spencer
• 1972 – Alex Higgins
• 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
• 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
• 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
• 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
• 1977 – John Spencer (2)
• 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
• 1979 – Terry Griffiths
• 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
• 1981 – Steve Davis
• 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
• 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
• 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
• 1985 – Dennis Taylor
• 1986 – Joe Johnson
• 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
• 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
• 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
• 1990 – Stephen Hendry
• 1991 – John Parrott
• 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
• 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
• 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
• 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
• 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
• 1997 – Ken Doherty
• 1998 – John Higgins
• 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
• 2000 – Mark Williams
• 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2002 – Peter Ebdon
• 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
• 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
• 2005 – Shaun Murphy
• 2006 – Graeme Dott
• 2007 – John Higgins (2)
• 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
• 2009 – John Higgins (3)
• 2010 – Neil Robertson
• 2011 – John Higgins (4)
• 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
• 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
• 2014 – Mark Selby
• 2015 – Stuart Bingham
• 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
• 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
• 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
• 2019 – Judd Trump
• 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
• 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
• 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
• 2023 – Luca Brecel
• 2024 – Kyren Wilson
• 2025 – Zhao Xintong

Most World Titles (modern era)

• 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
• 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
• 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
• 2 – Alex Higgins

CANTON, Ohio — Sterling Sharpe stood at the podium a few feet from his bronze bust, took off his new gold jacket and gave it to his fellow Pro Football Hall of Fame brother.

Shannon Sharpe had given Sterling his first Super Bowl ring and now big brother was returning the favor on stage after the crowning moment of his football career.

“This is why I played football,” Sterling said, referring to his younger brother, who wrapped his arm around him and had tears streaming down his face. “This is why I got out of bed; it wasn’t work. It was because of this right here. Before I leave you, I want to do two things. The most precious gift I’ve ever received is the Super Bowl ring. … I wear this ring because of love. You gave me this not knowing you were going to get another one. And I prayed to God: ‘Please, God, let him get another.’ God blessed him with two.

“The second thing is, the last time I was here, you said that you were the only pro football player in the Hall of Fame that could say that you were the second-best player in your own family. I agree with that statement, but it would be an extreme privilege. … for you to be the only player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with two gold jackets. You see, you have to learn to follow before you can lead.”

Chargers great Antonio Gates, right, and Chargers owner Dean Spanos post next to Gates’ Hall of Fame bust on Saturday.

(David Dermer / Associated Press)

Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Antonio Gates joined Sterling Sharpe as the Class of 2025 was inducted into football immortality during a ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, where the Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 34-7 on Thursday night to kick off the NFL preseason.

Sterling Sharpe averaged 85 catches and 1,162 yards, finishing with 65 touchdowns in seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers. The wide receiver was named to five Pro Bowls and earned first-team All-Pro honors three times. A neck injury cut his career short and he waited a long time to get the call from the Hall.

Shannon Sharpe, who played tight end for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, was inducted in 2011. They are the first brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jared Allen was the first player among the new class to take the stage after Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to former Bills coach Marv Levy, who turns 100 on Sunday.

Wearing his trademark cowboy hat, Allen talked about his motivation for success.

“Why is what makes you different; it’s your long game,” he said. “It’s the motivation that drives you to do all necessary action steps to achieve your goal. My why can be summed up in three things: fear, respect and the pursuit of greatness. … I apply my why to everything in my life, to my walk with Christ, my marriage and being a father.”

Jared Allen made five Pro Bowls, was a four-time All-Pro and had 136 sacks in 12 seasons with the Chiefs, Vikings, Bears and Panthers. His final game was Super Bowl 50, a loss by Carolina against Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

Eric Allen, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback who played for the Eagles, Saints and Raiders, was presented by one of his four sons. Allen, who had 54 career interceptions, including eight returned for touchdowns, gave the obligatory “Fly! Eagles! Fly!” to support the Super Bowl champions who drafted him in 1988.

“I grew up in Philadelphia. I became a man there. I have a special gratitude for the organization,” Allen said.

Allen also thanked current Raiders owner Mark Davis, who was in attendance.

“Al Davis had a statement: ’Commitment to excellence,” Allen said. “It’s all over our building in Las Vegas. We are trying to make sure we fulfill that destiny, we fulfill what Al Davis was about.”

Gates closed out the day with a 23-minute speech that began with him saying he wouldn’t cry but included several emotional moments. Gates, who was presented by Chargers owner Dean Spanos, never played a single down of college football yet ended up becoming the 23rd of 382 Hall of Famers who were undrafted by NFL teams.

He thanked former Chargers tight ends coach Tim Brewster for discovering him after he led Kent State’s basketball team to the Elite Eight.

“Tim Brewster saw something special in me. He was pretty sure that I could make the team. He was adamant that I’d be All-Pro in three years,” Gates said. “You see, the thing is when switching sports or careers for that matter, it can be life-changing. The unexpected are often the most powerful ones because it can completely redirect your life if you’re ready to take advantage and you’re ready for the opportunity. Thank you to Coach Tim Brewster and Coach Marty Schottenheimer. They gave me an opportunity to play tight end in the NFL. Because of you, Coach Tim Brewster, NFL teams and NFL scouts will never look at college basketball players the same again.”

Gates played all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Chargers, finishing with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and 116 TDs. He made the Pro Bowl eight times and was All-Pro three times, the first in just his second season.

Strictly Come Dancing is set to return later this year with pros like Nadiya Bychkova having already begun rehearsals, ahead of the line-up of contestants being announced

A retired rugby union player is reportedly in talks to appear on Strictly Come Dancing. There’s already speculation over who they could be partnered with for the BBC dance contest if they end up taking part in the upcoming series.

The show is set to return later this year and rehearsals underway for the professional dancers. The line-up of contestants for the new series of Strictly has yet to be announced, but there’s been speculation over potential contestants in recent weeks.

Chris Robshaw, 39, who captained England’s national team, is now among those rumoured for the dancefloor when the show returns. Since his retirement from rugby in 2022, he’s already been on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

It’s been teased that Chris would likely be paired up with pro Nadiya Bychkova, 35, if he does Strictly this year. She was announced as one of the returning dancers in April, alongside two new additions to the pro line-up.

Chris, who is married to classical singer Camilla Kerslake, is thought to be almost 6 foot 2 inches tall so there’s speculation that Nadiya would be only pro close to matching his stature, unless he has a same-sex partner for the competition. A source teased to the Sun that Chris, who is reportedly in “advanced talks” for Strictly, and returning pro Nadiya could deliver “sizzling performances” if they are partnered on the show.

The source said: “Chris is likely to be the hunkiest celebrity signing for the 2025 show and if he does get paired with Nadiya will deliver some sizzling performances. But as a former rugby star he’ll also have some big dance shoes to fill as plenty of other players have gone onto Strictly and done remarkably well.”

A number of former rugby players have competed on Strictly since the TV show launched in 2004, with Martin Offiah placing fourth in the first series. Matt Dawson was runner-up in 2006 and Kenny Logan then placed fifth in 2007.

Austin Healey also achieved a top five position when he competed in 2008, having placed fourth. Gavin Henson, who appeared on the show in 2010, and Ben Cohen, who competed in 2013, ended up in fifth and eighth place respectively.

More recently, contestants with a background in rugby haven’t done as well on Strictly though. Thom Evans placed twelfth when he competed in the ballroom back in 2014 and Ugo Monye placed eleventh in the contest in 2021.

The line-up of contestants for the new series has yet to be announced. The BBC however has already confirmed which pros will be returning to the dancefloor, with Nadiya among the dancers coming back for another series.

Nadiya and the other pros have already started rehearsing for the upcoming series. They have posted updates from training on Instagram, including introducing Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon, who are the newest pros on the show.

A photo of the group together in a dance studio was shared by Nadiya last night. She wrote in the caption: “Back in the ballroom bubble with the best in the business. Another season, another adventure – and I’m so ready for it.”

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