PULLS

Edwards’ position at Middlesbrough, given his current employment, would provide some obstacles, with Boro believed to be entitled to a significant compensation fee.

Edwards is a former Wolves Under-23 coach and was also first-team coach, having had a two-game interim spell in charge in 2016, and distanced himself from the role.

“I was told by my daughter yesterday [Sunday], so that probably tells you where I stand on it,” he said.

“You know my links to the club but my full focus is on this job here, which is a brilliant job, and trying to turn things around from the weekend in a really big game against Leicester.

“Speculation stuff is hard for me to comment about, anything else other than Middlesbrough, which is where my focus is, that we’ve done a decent job so far.”

Wolves have a history of appointing managers with close links to high-profile agent Jorge Mendes, in Nuno Espirito Santo, Bruno Lage and Pereira.

It is understood that in addition to O’Neil, Wolves were speaking to at least one manager from Mendes’ stable.

O’Neil was sacked by Wolves in December 2024 following a disappointing start to the 2024-25 campaign, failing to win in their opening 10 games.

Long Beach Poly, a 12-time Southern Section football champion, announced on Friday it will not participate in this season’s football playoffs despite finishing second in the Moore League. The school earlier this season had six transfer students declared ineligible for providing false information on paperwork to the Southern Section, a violation of CIF bylaw 202.

Here’s the statement from the Long Beach Unified School District:

“Long Beach Poly High School acknowledges the recent CIF ruling related to violations of CIF Bylaw 202 within its football program. In accordance with that ruling, and as part of an ongoing internal investigation, Poly will withdraw from postseason play.

“The school is fully cooperating with CIF and the District, as a thorough review of our processes and systems is conducted to ensure full compliance with CIF rules and District policy. While student and employee matters are confidential, our commitment remains to support our students while upholding the integrity of our athletic programs.”

San Juan Hills became the latest school to announce forfeits on Friday for using ineligible players. Two transfer students had been in the transfer portal listed as “under review.” The school will forfeit nine games and is now 1-9. Both players were held out of a game on Thursday.

Norco earlier this week forfeited six games, dropping to 1-9 after a win on Thursday.

This crackdown by the Southern Section against students providing false information started during the summer when schools began submitting transfer paperwork. The Southern Section is using new technological tools to verify information. Bishop Montgomery received the harshest punishment, with 24 players declared ineligible, forcing the school to cancel its football season.

Other schools found to have ineligible players this season include Long Beach Millikan, Compton, Bellflower, Victor Valley and Orange Lutheran.

Southern Section commissioner Mike West said last month, “We’ve had a real influx of fraudulent paperwork. It’s been significant and very disheartening.”

Russell T Davies has spoken out after Disney+ ended its partnership with Doctor Who and jokingly suggested some festive titles for the upcoming Christmas special

Russell T Davies has spoken out after Disney+ ended its partnership with Doctor Who. The showrunner, 62, took to social media in the hours after it was announced that his sci-fi programme would be solely produced by the BBC going forward after two years under the global streaming service.

Earlier in the day, Lindsay Salt, director of drama at the BBC, said Disney+ had been “terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons”, before confirming that a Christmas special is on the way. She added: “The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026.

“We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC.”

READ MORE: BBC issue shock Doctor Who update after Disney pulled fundingREAD MORE: Doctor Who star Varada Sethu breaks silence on exit after needing time to ‘process’ things

In the hours that followed, Russell posted an image of the famous TARDIS onto his Instagram page, where he jokingly asked fans what they thought of some potential titles for the festive special. He wrote: “Here we go. Away in a Danger? Jungle Hells? Silent Night? Hark the Weeping Angels Sing? O Come All Ye…um, Nimon?”

Following the news that the show was no longer part of Disney, fans instantly flooded social media with their reactions, with many praising show bosses for the move to step away from the media corporation. One wrote: “Maybe without Disney’s sanitized grip, Doctor Who can return to its roots, weird, dark, brilliant storytelling that doesn’t need a corporate logo to feel epic.”

Another said: “Time for Doctor Who to feel British again, not branded,” whilst a third joked of the streaming service: “this app is literally screaming at us all month to end our memberships.” Another fan simply said: “Good tbh. The Disney era was kinda meh!”

At the end of the last series, viewers were shocked to see Ncuti Gatwa’s doctor seemingly regenerate into the likeness of Billie Piper, who starred as Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant following the programme’s initial revival in 2005. A comeback for her has not been confirmed, and some fans seem to think that Ncuti could be stepping back into the role after all.

One said: “Ncuti walking out of the Tardis on Christmas 2026 and pretending like nothing happened,” and another said: “billie is gonna go find 14 and then ‘fuse’ with him which will cause an ACTUAL regeneration and its just Ncuti again lmao.” A third agreed, writing: “I would LOVE for Ncuti Gatwa to be back!”

This festive season will be the first to not have a Doctor Who special for 20 years. The BBC said that the announcement about the 2026 Christmas episode had been prompted by Disney+ confirming that it would not be partnering on the next season of the sci-fi show – as widely anticipated – after international viewing figures proved disappointing.

In a statement yesterday, the BBC said that it remained “fully committed to the show and will announce plans for the next series in due course to ensure the Doctor’s adventures continue”.

At the end of this year, Doctor Who spin-off The War Between The Land and the Sea will air, as well as a brand-new animation series for CBeebies.

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The technology giant Apple has confirmed the removal of ICEBlock, a crowdsourcing app that collects sightings of US immigration officers, and similar software from its App Store, following pressure from the administration of United States President Donald Trump.

As of Friday, ICEBlock was no longer available on the App Store, where users can download software.

“We just received a message from Apple’s App Review that #ICEBlock has been removed from the App Store due to ‘objectionable content’,” the app’s social media team said in a post on the platform BlueSky. “The only thing we can imagine is this is due to pressure from the Trump Admin. We have responded and we’ll fight this!”

The move marks a rare instance of an app being taken down due to demands from the US government, raising concerns about pressure on private companies and limits to free speech.

ICEBlock is a free iPhone-only app that allows users to anonymously report and track Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

It was developed in April in response to President Trump’s hardline immigration agenda and the recent increase in ICE arrests.

ICE has been a central part of Trump’s push for mass deportation since he took office for a second term. Its agents have regularly raided workplaces, homes and courthouses to arrest migrants, and rights advocates say free speech and due process are often being infringed upon in the government’s deportation drive.

Apple’s decision to remove the ICEBlock app from its platform has also shed light on the growing ties between major tech firms and the Trump administration. Many companies, including the iPhone maker, have sought to avoid clashes with a White House that has not been shy about issuing threats — particularly around tariffs — against specific firms.

“Based on information we’ve received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock, we have removed it and similar apps from the App Store,” Apple said in an emailed statement.

Fox Business first reported the app’s removal on Thursday, citing a statement from US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who said the Department of Justice contacted Apple and that the company complied with its request to pull the app.

“ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs, and violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed,” Bondi told Fox Business.

Joshua Aaron, the Texas-based creator of ICEBlock, disputed that characterisation and criticised Apple’s decision.

“I am incredibly disappointed by Apple’s actions today. Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move,” Aaron told the Reuters news agency.

David Greene, the civil liberties director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital rights group, said the move underscored a pattern of government overreach.

“It is not surprising — they have been threatening this for a while and we do expect to see more of this and other blatantly unconstitutional actions going forward,” Greene told Al Jazeera.

The Trump administration has shown “little to no regard” for the rule of law, Greene explained, pointing out that the app’s activities are protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution, which enshrines the right to free speech.

He also argued that the public should know how its government is operating, particularly when it comes to sensitive issues like immigration. But, Greene added, the Trump administration has “never sincerely cared about the free flow of information”.

“Publishing truthful information about matters of public interest is worthy of the highest level of First Amendment protection, and the operations of government, and the identities of who the operators are, is certainly a matter of high public interest,” Greene said.

‘Watch out’

Bondi, however, has previously argued that Aaron is “not protected” under the Constitution and that they are looking at prosecuting him, warning him to “watch out”.

Civilian surveillance of federal immigration agents has become more assertive in recent months, as activists try to protect their communities from aggressive enforcement by ICE agents.

Since Trump returned to office, ICE has ramped up its enforcement efforts, and a bill passed in July has assured the agency of $75bn in new funding through 2029.

The agency has also arrested visa holders and permanent US residents targeted by the Trump administration over pro-Palestinian advocacy.

In one high-profile case, Mahmoud Khalil, a US resident of Palestinian origin, was arrested after serving as a spokesperson for the antiwar protests at Columbia University, a move that rights groups condemned as intimidation.

While Khalil was released from detention in June, he continues to face deportation proceedings. In September, an immigration judge in Louisiana ordered his deportation, though Khalil has 30 days to appeal.

Legal experts have said that civilian surveillance of ICE is largely protected under the US Constitution, as long as observers do not try to obstruct law enforcement activities.

Apple removed more than 1,700 apps from its App Store in 2024 in response to government demands, but the vast majority of those requests — more than 1,300 — came from China.

Russia filed the second-highest number of demands, at 171, followed by South Korea with 79.

Over the last three years, the US was typically not among the countries where apps were removed due to government demands, according to company transparency reports.

A majority of Apple’s iPhones are manufactured in China, making the company particularly sensitive to tariff policies.

In recent months, the White House has floated potential taxes on the import of chips used in Apple devices like iPhones and Mac computers.

Apple removes thousands of apps from its app store every year, including more than 82,500 in 2024, for other reasons, including design-related issues, fraud or intellectual property infringement. Apple shares were down fractionally on Friday.

THE highstreet discount store is asking shoppers to stop using Harry Potter mugs immediately as they contain ‘unsafe metals’.

TKMaxx is recalling Harry Potter and South Park mugs, because they do not meet the safety standards required for materials that come into contact with food or drink.

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The Harry Potter mug from Blue Sky Designs Limited allowed fans to “create their own Hogwarts” by customising the mug with 13 reusable stickers.

The other mug features characters from hit American cartoon South Park.

People who bought the items with product codes 013167 and 596096 should return the items to any TK Maxx or Homesense store.

The recall on both mugs was triggered when testing revealed that the coating may release levels of heavy metals that exceed safe limits, potentially posing a health risk if used to consume food or drinks.

Heavy metals include arsenic, mercury and lead as well as lesser known ones such as cadmium – but it is unclear what metals the warning includes.

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Therefore TKMaxx is urging anyone who bought either the Harry Potter or South Park mug, sold between May and September 2025 to “stop using it immediately”.

A TK Maxx spokesperson said: “The vendor is recalling these products because they do not meet safety standards for materials intended to come into contact with food.”

“Testing has shown that the coating may release levels of heavy metals that exceed safe limits, which could pose a potential health risk if used with food or beverages.”

Possible side effects of consuming unsafe metals include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, and organ damage to the brain, kidneys, and liver.

Chronic exposure, if left untreated can result in serious long-term issues, including anemia, miscarriage, developmental problems in children, and brain damage.

Shoppers are to return the items to any TK Maxx or Homesense store for a full refund or replacement.

Anyone with further questions can call 01923 473561 or email [email protected]. 

This comes only days after the company urgently recalled a kids’ swimming item that “could pose a risk of drowning.”

From April to August, the retailer had sold a range of Children’s Swim Vests that they’ve now said could pose a safety hazard.

TK Maxx says the affected product codes on price ticket and receipt include 819852, 819854, 819856, 819864, 819866, 819868, 819870, 819884, 819886, 819888, 819904, 819906, 819908, 819910, 819911, 819912, 819914.

MARK Wright was left red faced when pal Olly Murs pulled his shorts down while he was broadcasting live on the radio.

In the hilarious clip, which was caught on cameras and shared on Heart FM’s social media page, Olly decided to cause mischief during the pair’s Saturday morning breakfast show.

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Mark was stood up presenting a link, when Olly decided to run around the desk and yank his mate’s shorts, leaving him standing there in his black briefs.

Trying not to break his composure, Mark continued with the segment, telling viewers how they could get tickets to watch Lewis Capaldi as Olly laughed in the background.

As soon as he could, he then hastily pulled his shorts back up and turned off his mic so viewers couldn’t hear him scolding his friend.

“What you doing?” Mark fumed. “What are you doing? I’m live on the radio, you dope!”

Olly still couldn’t contain his laughter, but held his arms up in the air and said: “I’m sorry!”

Olly then shared the video of the funny moment to his instagram page, with the caption: pulled “Wrighty’s pants down live on air. Sorry mate… couldn’t resist…”

Mark also shared the footage to his account too, proving he eventually saw the funny side.

And a host of the pair’s fans loved it too, sharing their enthusiasm in the comments.

“Now this is just too funny and no one’s saying they haven’t watched this more than once,” one wrote.

“Honestly, you two he needs to get you back. I love how unfazed he is,” another said.

“How he aint murdered you yet I don’t know,” laughed a third, while another commented that it was “lucky Mark wasn’t going commando.”

Even Billie Faiers, who starred with Mark on Towie, commented with a string of crying laughing emojis.

Mark and Olly have been firm friends for years and launched their own show together on Heart back in March.

They have enjoyed ribbing each other throughout their friendship.

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Just last month, in an interview with The Sun on Sunday’s Fabulous magazine, Olly joked that Mark was jealous of his six pack.

Olly said: “[Mark] was getting really jealous. He said: ‘Oh my God, Olly, you gotta stop looking good because I ain’t in the gym as much as I used to be!”

Earlier this month Olly became a dad for the second time when wife Amelia Tank welcomed a son named Albert.

The pair are already parents to daughter Madison, who was born in April last year.

Mark and his wife Michelle Keegan became parents themselves earlier this year with daughter Palma coming into the world on March 6.

ABC has removed Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its line-up indefinitely after the late-night host’s remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.

Its parent company, Nexstar, announced on Wednesday that the show would be pulled, beginning with that night’s episode.

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They explained that the move was due to Jimmy‘s recent comments about Charlie’s killing, which they found “concerning.”

Instead, the network will air “other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,” the statement read.

The remarks in question were made during Jimmy’s monologue on Monday night’s show, where the TV star said the “MAGA gang” was trying to “score political points” off Charlie’s murder.

He followed by mocking President Donald Trump’s reaction to the fatal incident in an interview.

Charlie was shot and killed on September 10 while on stage at a debate at Utah Valley University.

The 22-year-old shooter, Tyler Robinson, was arrested three days later.

Tyler was charged with murder and is facing the death penalty for the heinous act.

Although Jimmy’s commentary elicited some laughs from the live studio audience, viewers at home were stunned that he had gone that far.

“Jimmy is just as out of touch and delusional,” one critic commented on a video of the monologue that was shared on the show’s YouTube channel.

“My respect for Kimmel just degraded,” said another.

In addition to the show’s suspension, the company demanded that Jimmy apologize to Charlie’s family and send a “meaningful personal donation” to them and Turning Point USA, an organization the father of two founded that advocates for conservative politics in high schools and colleges.

The talk show will reportedly be replaced on Friday with a Charlie Kirk tribute special on Sinclair’s ABC affiliate stations.

Just hours before Jimmy’s eyebrow-raising comments, fans applauded the TV personality for campaigning for Stephen Colbert to win the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Series.

Colbert did secure the win at Sunday’s 77th Primetime Emmy Awards for his hosting duties on The Late Show.

Current Late-Night Shows

Late-night shows have become a staple on American television, filled with humorous takes on news, interviews with guests, and music performances.

• Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC
• Late Night with Seth Meyers, NBC
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, NBC
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS
• After Midnight, CBS
• Watch What Happens Live, Bravo
• The Daily Show, Comedy Central
• Real Time with Bill Maher, HBO

He thanked his fellow nominees, Jimmy and Jon Stewart, for pushing for fans to vote for The Colbert Report alum following ABC’s abrupt cancellation of the long-running night-time talk show.

This isn’t the first time that Jimmy has gotten himself into hot water with his controversial comments on air.

However, this is a rare event that the former Academy Awards’ host’s show has been cancelled over his stunts.

The New York native only recently returned to his desk after taking his annual summer break, and in turn, had a revolving door of celebrities fill in for him.

Jimmy is one of the longest-running hosts of late-night TV, with Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s debut in 2003.

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A POPULAR rock star has pulled out of his band’s 25th anniversary tour – after his wife’s death.

Greg Tribbett, 56, is the lead guitarist and a founding member of Mudvayne.

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Writing on social media, Greg’s bandmates confirmed his absence from their 25th anniversary tour following his wife Debbie’s passing.

They penned on social media: “Tour starts today!

“We are going to miss our brother Greg on this tour, sending him and his family all the love.

“- Chad, Matt, Ryan, & Mudvayne crew.”

Mudvayne’s tour began on September 11 and will continue until October 26.

According to a GoFundMe campaign, Debbie had been diagnosed with Angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

Meanwhile, a fan page wrote on social media earlier this week: “With the heaviest of hearts we mourn the loss of our dearest most beautiful friend Debbie Tribbett.

“Anyone who has been here from the start of the Mob family knows she was a huge integral part of this page and the family she did take a step back once she needed to but was still watching and sharing as she always did.

“She was fiercely supportive of MUDVAYNE and her loving husband Greg always so proud!

“I thank her for bringing her love and light to so many of us who were lucky enough to connect with her.

“We miss you beautiful sweet friend more than words can say god bless you and may your family be blessed with strength.”

One person commented: “Ah man this is so sad to hear. Praying for Greg and the children. This is tough.”

Another added: “I heard the news yesterday and cried my eyes out. Makes my heart hurt for her babies.”

Mudvayne formed in 1996 with Greg, vocalist Chad Gray, drummer Matthew McDonough and bassist Shawn Barclay.

Ryan Martinie joined the group a year later, to replace Barclay as bassist.

Mudvayne went on hiatus in 2010 before returning to the stage in 2021.

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With temperatures of about 30C accompanied by intense humidity continuing to pose a challenge to the athletes in the Japanese capital, Cairess was unable to complete the men’s marathon.

The 27-year-old Briton, a medal contender after placing fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympics, stopped by the roadside with less than three of the 26.2 miles remaining and the lead group beginning to move out of reach.

“I tried my best. I just got too hot, simple as that really. The conditions were so tough,” said Cairess, who finished third in last year’s London Marathon.

“When I stopped, I just took ages to just feel all right again. I used all the stations to be diligent with the ice and the sponges. While it helped, it just still got too hot.

“I did a decent amount of preparation for the conditions, as much as I could balancing it with training. I’ve not known conditions like it, but this is only my fourth marathon. I did the best I could.”

Los Angeles police Metropolitan Division officers, meant to be working crime-suppression assignments in hard-hit areas of the city, are instead providing security for former Vice President Kamala Harris, sources told The Times.

The department is “assisting the California Highway Patrol in providing protective services for former Vice President Kamala Harris until an alternate plan is established,” said Jennifer Forkish, L.A. police communications director. “This temporary coordinated effort is in place to ensure that there is no lapse in security.”

A dozen or more officers have begun working a detail to protect Harris after President Trump revoked her Secret Service protection as of Monday. Sources not authorized to discuss the details of the plan said the city would fund the security but that the arrangement was expected to be brief, with Harris hiring her own security in the near future.

Trump ended an arrangement that had extended Harris’ security coverage beyond the six months that vice presidents are usually provided after leaving office. California officials then put into place a plan for the California Highway Patrol to provide dignitary protection for Harris. At some point, the LAPD was added to the plan, according to the sources, as California law enforcement scrambled to take over from the Secret Service on Monday.

A security detail was captured outside Harris’ Brentwood home by a FOX 11 helicopter as the station broke the story of the use of L.A. police.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, criticized the move.

“Pulling police officers from protecting everyday Angelenos to protect a failed presidential candidate who also happens to be a multi-millionaire, with multiple homes and who can easily afford to pay for her own security, is nuts,” its board of directors said in a statement to The Times. Mayor Karen Bass “should tell Governor Newsom that if he wants to curry favor with Ms. Harris and her donor base, then he should open up his own wallet because LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness.”

Newsom, who would need to sign off on CHP protection, has not confirmed the arrangement to The Times. Izzy Gordon, a spokesperson for Newsom, simply said, “The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses.”

Newsom’s office and Bass’ office had discussions last week on how best to address the situation, according to sources not authorized to talk about the details.

Bass, in a statement last week, commented on Trump scrapping the security detail for Harris, saying, “This is another act of revenge following a long list of political retaliation in the form of firings, the revoking of security clearances, and more. This puts the former Vice President in danger and I look forward to working with the governor to make sure Vice President Harris is safe in Los Angeles.”

Her office did not respond to comment on the LAPD deployment on Thursday.

Two law enforcement sources told The Times that the Metro officers had been slated to go to the San Fernando Valley for crime-suppression work before their assignment changed.

Deploying LAPD officers to protect Harris was a source of controversy within the department in years past.

During L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck’s tenure, when Harris was a U.S. senator, plainclothes officers served as security and traveled with her from January 2017 to July 2018. It was an arrangement that then-Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was unaware of until Beck’s successor ended it. Beck said at the time through a spokesman that the protection was granted based on a threat assessment.

Beck’s successor, Michel Moore, ended the protection in July 2018 after he said a new evaluation determined it was no longer needed. The decision came as The Times filed a lawsuit seeking records from Garcetti detailing the costs of security related to his own extensive travel.

Trump signed a memorandum on Thursday ending Harris’ protection as of Monday, according to sources not authorized to discuss the security matter.

Former vice presidents usually get Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office, while former presidents are given protection for life. But before his term ended, then-President Biden signed an order to extend Harris’ protection beyond six months, to July 2026. Aides to Harris had asked Biden for the extension. Without it, her security detail would have ended last month, according to sources.

The Secret Service, the CHP and Los Angeles police do not discuss details of dignitary protection in terms of deployment, numbers, or travel teams. CNN first reported the removal of Harris’ protection detail.

The curtailing of Secret Service protection comes as Harris is about to begin a book tour for her memoir, titled “107 Days.” The tour has 15 stops, which include visits to London and Toronto. The book title references the short length of her presidential campaign. The tour begins next month.

Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president, was the subject of an elevated threat level — particularly when she became the Democratic presidential contender last year. The Associated Press reports, however, a recent threat intelligence assessment by the Secret Service conducted on those it protects, such as Harris, found no red flags or credible evidence of a threat to the former vice president.

Substitute Lee Kang-in produces a brilliant strike from the edge of the box to bring Paris Saint-Germain back into the game as Tottenham’s lead is cut to 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup final in Udine.

MATCH REPORT: UEFA Super Cup – Tottenham v Paris Saint-Germain

Available to UK users only.

Strictly Come Dancing fans have reacted to the news that long-running professional dancer Gorka Márquez won’t have a celebrity partner when the show returns this year

Fans of Strictly Come Dancing have shared their disappointment over an announcement ahead of the new series. Some have said that the show “won’t be the same” after one of the pros confirmed that they won’t be competing.

The BBC show is just weeks away from returning, with viewers awaiting the line-up of celebrities ahead of the launch. While no contestants have been confirmed yet, earlier this year, the broadcaster announced which pros will be back on the dance floor when the show returns.

It was revealed that they will include Gorka Márquez, 34. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, there will be a host of other returning pros alongside him including Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Carlos Gu and Vito Coppola. It comes after reports of all the celebrities rumoured to be joining BBC Strictly Come Dancing 2025.

READ MORE: Channel 4 breaks silence after Gogglebox couple suddenly dumped from showREAD MORE: Gary Lineker ‘signs huge deal with ITV to host new show’ after BBC exit

At the time, it was also announced that two new dancers will be making their debut in the series. The newcomers have since been unveiled as So You Think You Can Dance champion Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon, who worked on Dancing with the Stars in Australia.

There’s thought to be more pros than contestants and it’s yet to be revealed which of the dancers will be paired with celebrity partners this year. Long-running pro Gorka, 34, has however confirmed that he won’t be one of them this time.

Amid the second week of rehearsals, Gorka announced earlier this week that he will return as a judge to the Spanish version of Strictly, Bailando con las estrellas, for a second series. He first appeared on the judging panel last year.

On Wednesday, he told his followers on Instagram: “I am Happy to announce that I will be back for season two of BAILANDO CON LAS ESTRELLAS as a judge from September.” He added that it means he won’t have a partner on Strictly though.

Gorka said: “Due to the filming dates this means that I won’t be competing with a partner this year in Strictly but I will be a part of lots of the group numbers and will be back for final weeks of the Show to support the rest of my fellow pros and their celebrities in what is going to be an AMAZING SERIES. As always thank you for all the love and support and remember! Keep dancing!”

His fiancée Gemma Atkinson responded: “Vamos! Very proud.” A number of his Strictly co-stars also showed their support. Some fans expressed their disappointment that he won’t be competing though, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.

One reacted: “Noooooo! Strictly won’t be the same without you! I hope you enjoy every minute of it!” Another commented: “Gutted wanted you to win.” A third wrote: “Gutted, always love to see u with a partner but least we will still see u in the group numbers.”

Someone replied to the announcement: “Congratulations and very well deserved too. It won’t be the same without you on Strictly.” Whilst another fan said: “Super happy for you @gorka_marquez but I will miss you on Strictly.”

Sharing their thoughts, another said: “Strictly won’t be the same without you @gorka_marquez! We needed you to lift that glitter ball as you nearly did so many times.” One fan wrote: “It seems that lots of people feel like I do. Good for you!! And a little sad for us!”

Whilst another viewer reacted to the news: “It won’t be the same without you but so excited for your judging role again! Congratulations!! And I’m looking forward to the group numbers.”

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