quits

A MUCH-LOVED BBC radio star has quit after 45 years on air.

Roy Noble, 83, revealed he would be hanging up his mic as he shared an emotional statement with his listeners about “hiccups in his health“.

The Welsh-native is stepping down from his job at BBC Radio Wales, where he has been broadcasting since the 80s.

Roy also revealed when his last day on air would be, in an emotional post to fans called “A Letter from Roy Noble”, that was shared on social media.

“My dear friends, compatriots and fellow travellers,” the veteran broadcaster penned.

“After a great deal of thought, I’ve decided that next year will be the right time for me to step away from my Sunday programme on BBC Radio Wales.

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“By the time I present my final show in March 2027, I will have spent 46 wonderful years with BBC Wales. It’s been the privilege of a lifetime.”

Continuing, Roy said: “Radio has changed enormously over the years. Wales has changed too. But one thing has remained constant and that’s the privilege of being welcomed into your homes and lives.

“The signs that retirement was approaching may have included my growing suspicion that ‘apps‘ were invented purely to confuse me. The odd hiccup in health has sent signals too.

“But the truth is I’ve simply reached a point where it feels right to begin a new chapter.

“After all, November will mark 84 of my years of yore. Apparently, 63 is the sweet spot or happiest age to retire so I’ve added a few furlongs to that.”

Roy ended by saying: “But for now, I simply want to say a heartfelt thanks to you all. It’s been an honour.”

Before finding fame on the airwaves in the early 80s, Roy was a teacher, but he left to pursue his passion for radio.

The presenter was an instant hit, and over the years hosted a number of different shows for BBC Radio Wales.

Michelle Keegan has reportedly quit a drama just weeks before she was set to begin filming and now a former Doctor Who star has is said to have taken over the role

Michelle Keegan has quit a drama just weeks before she was set to begin filming.

The actress, 39, is said to have been gearing to take on the part of a working class barrister in a new series that has been penned by Sherlock creator Steve Thompson, with cameras set to roll from November.

But it’s now thought that Michelle, who has to Palma, 18 months, with husband Mark Wright, has pulled out of the project in what is being called a “huge blow” for the production.

A source said: “Michelle was really keen to take on the meaty role, but the heavy filming schedule would take her away from daughter Palma for too long.

According to reports, former Doctor Who actress Jodie Whittaker has been drafted into the role instead but fans of Michelle will soon be able to see her in in Netflix drama The Woods, which is based on the Harlan Coben thriller of the same name.

Speaking to The Sun, the source added: “The hours were quite intense and the project was starting straight after her Netflix drama The Woods and she just couldn’t commit. She is dedicated to her acting career, but like all working mums has to prioritise being there for her family, juggling work, parenting and being present for Palma.”

Michelle shot to fame when in 2008 when she was cast as Tina McIntyre on Coronation Street, and stayed with the soap for seven years before making a permanent exit when the much-loved Rovers barmaid was killed off as part of a whodunnit plot. Since then, she has Michelle has become one of the most famous actresses in Britain, starring in top-rated programmes like Brassic and Ten Pound Poms.

Michelle previously starred in Fool Me Once for Netflix, which was based on Coben’s 2016 thriller, but this time round, she will play Lucy Silverfield, who helps her former partner, played by Tom Bateman. In

When the latest adaptation of The Woods was first announced, Coben said in a statement: “The Woods is a haunting and very personal story. It has everything you expect from us – twisty, turning, gasp-inducing – but at the core is a story of old love and yearning.

“Working with a cast led by Tom Bateman, Michelle Keegan, Mandeep Dhillon, Pearce Quigley, James Buckley, Tom Allen – it’s an embarrassment of riches.”

Penned by Danny Brocklehurst, the upcoming eight-part thriller begins with a mysterious disappearance 20 years ago that leaves a family devastated.

When new evidence comes to light that convinces barrister Paul ‘Cope’ Copeland (played by Bateman) his missing sister could be alive after all, he begins a relentless investigation to unearth the truth.

The Mirror has contacted Michelle’s representatives for comment

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Ukrainian Kate Koval says she left Louisiana State University’s basketball program because of the team’s decision to sign a Russian player.

Following the arrival of Anna Minaeva, it was announced that 20-year-old Koval had departed for “personal reasons” after one season.

Koval said Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine was why she stepped away.

“My father serves in the Ukrainian military and takes tremendous pride in defending his country against Russian aggression,” she wrote on Instagram.

“For me, this war is not distant or abstract. People close to me have been killed and wounded in Russian attacks, and places where I grew up and first began playing basketball have been destroyed by missile strikes.

“The timing of this situation and the deep personal effect it has had on me, my family and those we care about who continue to live through and fight this war ultimately made me question whether LSU remained the right place for me.

“This decision has not been easy. While I understand and respect that roster decisions are a part of college basketball, I have to remain true to myself, my values and my country.”

Koval, who was expected to be LSU’s starting centre this year, has two years of collegiate eligibility remaining.

Given the transfer portal has closed, she said she hopes the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) “recognises the circumstances surrounding my situation and understands the seriousness and deep nature of this matter” and allows her to sign with a different school for the upcoming season.

Koval said: “I felt I had found a home at LSU, and I am incredibly grateful for my team-mates who became family, as well as my coaches, staff, professors and the entire LSU community.

“I will always cherish the relationships, experiences, and memories I made there.”

Conservative MP Sir James Cleverly has said he is resigning from the shadow cabinet to run for London mayor.

“I am putting myself forward to be the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, because our capital needs more than an administrator,” he wrote in the Times.

Sir James said he has told Tory leader Kemi Badenoch he is stepping down as shadow housing secretary, saying: “I must be free to speak about every aspect of London’s future and concentrate fully on winning this race.”

The capital is not set to vote on a new mayor until May 2028. Labour incumbent Sir Sadiq Khan is yet to confirm whether he will seek an unprecedented fourth term.

The Conservatives are yet to pick their candidate for the London mayoral race.

A source close to Badenoch said Cleverly “is a formidable politician and will out-campaign Khan”.

Sir James, who was foreign secretary under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, wrote that he intended to make London a city to be proud of again.

“We must rebuild its reputation and make it, once again, the best place in the world to live, work, invest and build a business,” he added.

A senior Conservative politician, Sir James has held a number of ministerial positions under three prime ministers – including roles as home secretary and education secretary.

The army reservist represented the Tories on the London Assembly before his election as MP for Braintree in 2015.

After rising through the backbenches, he unsuccessfully ran for Conservative party leader in 2024, losing out to Badenoch.

Reacting to Sir James’s announcement, a source said Badenoch “really didn’t want James to leave shadow cabinet”, but believed “he will be a big asset in London”.

Current London Mayor Sir Sadiq began his first term in 2016. Cleverly wrote that the capital has been “let down by Labour”.

He accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of treating London as a “cash cow: somewhere to tax, regulate, raid and blame”.

Sir James said: “Londoners need homes they can afford to buy or rent. Entrepreneurs need to be able to start and grow businesses without being strangled by cost and regulation.”

The last time Londoners voted for their mayor in May 2024, Sir Sadiq beat Conservative rival Susan Hall by more than 275,000 votes – representing a swing of 3.2% to Labour.

The mayor won nine of the 14 constituencies including two gains from the Tories, and gained 43.8% of the vote share.

Reform UK revealed its candidate for the May 2028 election in January when it announced Westminster City councillor Laila Cunningham would be running.

Cleverly’s announcement follows speculation in recent weeks that he would step down and launch a bid to become London’s next mayor.

During his time at the London Assembly, Cleverly chaired the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, and also worked for Boris Johnson while he was mayor of London.