Ludlow is a beautiful market town in Shropshire, which has everything you could want, from regular food festivals to historic sites and stunning countryside walks
Isobel Pankhurst Audience Writer and Chloe Dobinson
Those seeking a peaceful escape from Britain’s bustling cities should consider Ludlow, a picturesque market town in Shropshire that offers everything from regular food festivals to historic landmarks and breathtaking countryside walks. Whilst sometimes overshadowed by neighbouring Shrewsbury and Hereford, Ludlow remains an essential destination for anyone visiting the region.
From its medieval castle and museums to restaurants housed in ancient halls and pubs within 16th-century buildings, Ludlow’s rich heritage is proudly showcased throughout. The castle dates back to the Norman Conquest and ranks among the “finest medieval ruins” in Britain, according to the Ludlow Castle website.
Given its location near Wales, Ludlow Castle served a crucial function during the English-Welsh conflicts. In 1223, King Henry III and Welsh prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth held peace negotiations at the fortress.
Throughout history, Ludlow Castle has housed many prominent personalities, including Roger Mortimer, who joined forces with Queen Isabella to depose her husband, Edward II, in 1327.
During the 15th century, Edward IV frequently visited Ludlow and established a governing council there to oversee his Welsh territories.
Edward IV also dispatched his sons, the future King Edward V and his brother Prince Richard, to reside at the castle. The brothers would subsequently become infamous as the Princes in the Tower, after they vanished from the Tower of London in 1483, reports the Express.
Ludlow Castle also holds profound historical significance as the place where Prince Arthur died in 1502, a tragedy that ultimately paved the way for his younger brother to ascend the throne as King Henry VIII.
Since the Civil War, Ludlow Castle has gradually crumbled into ruins, though much of its impressive exterior remains intact, making it well worth exploring.
Another must-see attraction is St Laurence’s Church, which, like the castle, traces its origins back to the Norman invasion. As Shropshire’s largest parish church, St Laurence’s has earned the nickname “Cathedral of the Marches”.
Those seeking outdoor relaxation can visit Ludlow Millennium Green or enjoy a walk along the Mortimer Trail, a long-distance footpath stretching from Ludlow to Kington on the Herefordshire-Wales border.
No trip to Ludlow would be complete without stopping at the renowned Ludlow Farm Shop, which promises a “one-of-a-kind” shopping experience, according to the town’s official website.
The town regularly plays host to Antique, Local Produce and Craft Markets. It’s worth checking the Ludlow Market website before your visit if you fancy attending any of these events.
As the festive season approaches, families will be delighted to learn that Santa will be taking up residence at Ludlow Castle from 6 to 23 December, giving children the chance to enjoy a magical encounter with Father Christmas in the castle’s stunning grotto.
Question Time host Fiona Bruce was forced to apologise after making a huge blunder about Andrew during Thursday’s live broadcast, following the ex royal’s title removal
23:32, 30 Oct 2025Updated 01:38, 31 Oct 2025
Fiona Bruce apologised after making a blunder about Prince Andrew
The error occurred while the panel discussed the King’s decision to officially strip his brother of his remaining Royal privileges, prompting immediate corrections from guests and chuckles from the studio audience. She said: “I should remind everyone that Prince Andrew has, of course, always protested his innocence and denied the allegations.”
Matthew Goodwin and other panellists quickly jumped in to correct her, emphasising “it’s just Andrew” before she raised her hands and admitted: “Of course, it’s Andrew. Forgive me, force of habit,” reports the Express.
She continued: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has always denied the allegations against him and the King has said are deemed necessary notwithstanding the fact that he has continued to deny the allegations against him.”
The blunder came just hours after Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles had officially removed Andrew’s titles and honours, completing the final stage in his brother’s withdrawal from Royal duties.
In a statement, the Palace revealed a formal notice had been issued to Andrew requiring him to give up his lease at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, where he has resided for over two decades. The monarch’s decision comes after growing calls to remove the Duke from the property following continued public outrage over his connections to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and claims made by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, which Andrew steadfastly refutes.
Officials confirmed the 64 year old will relocate to accommodation on the Sandringham Estate, with his future housing costs met privately by the King. The Palace stated that “Their Majesties’ thoughts and utmost sympathies remain with the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.
“Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”
Meanwhile, Fiona was compelled to intervene and halt a heated clash between writer Matthew Goodwin and Labour’s Lisa Nandy.
The duo clashed during a heated debate about illegal immigration and crime, with Goodwin contending that increasing migration figures had led to “shocking cases” of violence nationwide and asserting the system was “broken and in urgent need of reform.”
Nandy immediately fired back, labelling his remarks “outrageous” and claiming he was “trying to create distrust, division and fear.” The row rapidly escalated, prompting Bruce to intervene with raised hands, calling out over the commotion: “Matt, wait one second – both of you wait one second! If you talk at the same time, no one can hear anything.”
An Oscar-winning actress has been revealed as the narrator for a documentary about King Charles III titled Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, which is due for release in early 2026
Jamie Roberts and Hannah Roberts PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
22:53, 30 Oct 2025
King Charles speaks to Kate Winslet (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
A BAFTA-winning actress is set to lend her voice to a Prime Video documentary that explores King Charles‘s dedication to aligning nature and humanity. The documentary, titled ‘Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision’, is slated for release in early 2026.
Narrated by Titanic’s Kate Winslet, it will spotlight the work of The King’s Foundation, a charity established by Charles in 1990. Oscar-winning actress Winslet expressed her excitement about the project, stating: “It is a both pleasure and a privilege to be a part of this film, which is a fascinating insight into the King’s work as an environmentalist.”
She added: “I share His Majesty’s passion for protecting our planet and building sustainable communities, so it’s been really rewarding to work with The King’s Foundation on this exciting project.
“I know audiences will learn, laugh and feel inspired by what’s featured in the film, and I hope the impact of Harmony will be felt in years to come.”
Earlier this year, the Titanic star, who is now 50, became an ambassador for The King’s Foundation. She was also present at the foundation’s awards ceremony at St James’s Palace in June.
Known for her roles in films such as The Holiday (2006), The Reader (2008) and Revolutionary Road (2008), Winslet is also set to appear in the upcoming Avatar sequel, Fire And Ash.
The documentary following the monarch will delve into the King’s “harmony” philosophy, which views everything in nature as interconnected, including ourselves, as per The King’s Foundation. It will reveal how The King’s Foundation, based at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, has championed this philosophy through initiatives centred on community regeneration, sustainable textiles and traditional crafts.
Director Nicolas Brown said: “Working with Kate Winslet on this film has been transformational. She has the perfect blend of intellect and star power to tell this story like no one else could.
“His Majesty King Charles III has lived such an incredible life, striving to bring humankind into harmony with the natural world for over half a century. It’s an epic tale, full of drama, and Kate has turned it into a story that any one of us will relate to. We are so fortunate to have an artist of her calibre on the team.”
Kristina Murrin, chief executive of The King’s Foundation, added: “Through the film we hope that viewers will gain a better understanding of His Majesty’s Philosophy of Harmony, which is so central to our work at The King’s Foundation.
“We are thrilled that Kate is a part of this journey with us and look forward to sharing the film with the world next year.”
Produced by Passion Planet, the documentary will stream exclusively on Prime Video across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide early next year. Last year, Amazon released A Very Royal Scandal – a dramatised account of Prince Andrew’s infamous Newsnight interview.
This castle in Wales has been compared to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and is said to be ‘like stepping into a giant storybook filled with knights and kings’
The castle dates back to the 13th century(Image: Ceri Breeze via Getty Images)
Brimming with history and overflowing with character, this Welsh castle has captured the hearts of visitors who’ve compared its splendour to some of the globe’s most iconic landmarks.
Caerphilly Castle is a medieval fortress dating back to the 13th century and, after a two-year restoration, has reopened its doors to the public. Visitors can now wander through the Great Hall and inner castle ward whilst exploring cutting-edge digital exhibitions inside. It was originally built by Gilbert de Clare as part of his strategy to maintain control of Glamorgan – then Wales’s most populous and industrialised county.
With the Prince of Wales’s influence rapidly expanding, he needed to establish his authority swiftly. To achieve this, construction began in 1268 on what became the nation’s largest castle and second only to Windsor Castle across the entire UK.
Spanning more than 30 acres with massive walls and gatehouses, alongside extensive water defences, it’s fair to say his ambitions were realised. One visitor shared their impressions on TripAdvisor, saying: “A sprawling site that is quite impressive.
“The large site minimises crowding, so you should be able to enjoy the site at your leisure – we certainly did. Limited amount of interiors remaining but still well worth the visit.”
To grasp just how enormous this fortress truly is, it’s three times larger than the Principality Stadium, Wales’ rugby headquarters. Many have likened it to Italy’s iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, thanks to its own tilting tower which makes it all the more distinctive.
One visitor said: “Caerphilly Castle is like stepping into a giant storybook filled with knights and kings. From the moment you lay eyes on its towering walls, impressive moat and imposing towers, you are transported back in time.”
Another highlighted the tower as their standout feature, saying: “This is one of the most beautiful castles in the UK. It is very pretty, especially the leaning tower.”
Located in South Wales, Caerphilly Castle sits just 30 minutes by car from Cardiff city centre. It’s also conveniently positioned less than an hour from Swansea and within 90 minutes of Gloucester.
Entry to the castle is reasonably priced, with adult tickets at £11.90 and family passes at £38.10, whilst disabled visitors and children under five can enter free of charge. Commenting on the admission cost, one guest remarked: “I have paid more for far less at other mansion houses, etc, and this was so worth the entrance fee.”
The cult comedy, which stars Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern and Carol Burnett, is returning for a second season next month
Yellowstone star Josh Lucas appears completely different in the forthcoming second series of Palm Royale, arriving on Apple TV+ next month.
The quirky comedy features Kristen Wiig as an ambitious social climber attempting to break into an elite society circle in 1960s Florida.
Despite garnering merely 56 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the debut series has slowly cultivated a devoted fanbase who insist it’s been “underrated” by reviewers.
Fortunately, it also proved sufficiently popular to secure a second series, which will see Wiig’s Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons reunited with Lucas, who plays her on-screen spouse Douglas Darby Dellacorte-Simmons.
Lucas, who has also appeared in films Sweet Home Alabama and Ford v Ferrari, is familiar to Yellowstone viewers for his portrayal of a younger Kevin Costner’s central character John Dutton in flashback sequences, reports the Mirror US.
Nevertheless, he appears utterly different in the sneak peek at Palm Royale series two, trading his cowboy hat and denim for a leather jacket, shades and aviator’s cap.
Viewers who have already watched the first series will have witnessed Lucas sporting a 60s-style haircut, complete with sideburns, and a freshly-shaved appearance.
The upcoming series will continue with Maxine grappling with Douglas’ infidelity as well as the impending arrival of his child with another woman.
If you haven’t already caught up with Palm Royale’s inaugural series, now’s the ideal moment as newcomers still have until 12th November before series two begins.
Viewers have been singing praises for the first series, with one Redditor posting: “Okay, what is up with the rating? This show is fabulous.”
“A lot of people don’t understand the tone of the show,” another viewer concurred.
“It’s camp, it’s fun, it’s a technicolor spectacular I wish everyone could just enjoy it and let it grow for a few more seasons.”
A third fan chimed in: “This is my favourite new show in the past few years! What talent! What writing!
“So incredibly funny and fabulous. Love the fashion and the cinematography. Every week keeps me wanting more! Love is an understatement!”
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The series also boasts several five-star Google reviews, with one viewer penning: “Love Kristen Wiig. Hilarious, comedic genius.
“Then I searched out the cast and I knew I couldn’t pass it up. Carol Burnett… The Queen of everything, Laura Dern. The leading cast is exquisite, all the parts are moving. This show is so much fun and quite entertaining with absurd scenarios.”
Will you be giving Palm Royale a chance now it’s returning for another round of misadventures in Florida?
Palm Royale season 2 premieres Wednesday, 12th November on Apple TV+. Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount+.
Dame Penelope Keith has spilled the secrets of The Good Life as she claimed a sequel would be ‘tedious’ and would not work
Penelope Keith spills the secrets of The Good Life
Dame Penelope Keith has revealed how she turned down the chance to star in a spin-off of The Good Life as she claimed it would be ‘tedious’ and would not work. The actress, who is now 85, became a household name in the 1970s BBC sitcom which drew audiences of up to 20 million viewers.
She starred as the snobbish social climber Margo Leadbetter who was married to the poor hen-pecked husband Jerry (played by the late Paul Eddington).
Every week fans tuned in to see her disapproving sneers as she struggled to deal with her suburban neighbours Tom and Barbara Good (portrayed by the late Richard Briers along with Felicity Kendall) who had swapped the rat race for ‘the good life’ of make-do-and-mend sustainability – trying to grow their own food and keep chickens, pigs and a goat in their garden.
The show – which ran from 1975 until 1978 – ended after four series and a TV special filmed in front of the royal family. However, soon after, the idea was raised about writing a spin-off series for her and Paul featuring just The Leadbetters.
But she explained: “People mentioned ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a Leadbetter spin-off and I said ‘No. It’s a situation comedy and the situation is strong because of the two couples’.
“Can you imagine how tedious it would have been having Margo and Jerry having their own series?”
A year after The Good Life ended, instead Penelope landed another huge BBC hit playing posh Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in To The Manor Born from 1979 to 1981. Later she appeared in sitcoms Executive Stress and Next of Kin and No Job For A Lady before embarking on a highly successful theatre career.
The Good Life ran for 30 episodes in total and its 50 th anniversary this year is being marked by a forthcoming TV special called The Good Life: Inside Out fronted by Penelope.
It reveals how, when the show first launched, the TV critics and audience were lukewarm and did not find it that funny.
Penelope even admits that the ‘green theme’ was a brave choice of plot line adding: “It was a sort of fantasy. People weren’t packing up and thinking ‘Oh there must be more to life than this daily grind.’”
One reviewer even risked causing a tense atmosphere on-set by claiming that The Leadbetters ‘stole the show’. Briers, apparently, saw the review but brushed it aside joking that he was the one with the top billing and getting all the money.
But soon viewers fell in love with both couples as The Goods struggled to deal with surviving on growing their own dinners and milking Geraldine the goat for milk in their tea.
Meanwhile posh middle class Margo would look on disdainfully at their antics which she felt brought down the neighbourhood. The plots included a touch of sauce too.
In one episode, both couples get drunk and Jerry admits to fancying Barbara and Tom tells Margo she is a good looking woman.
Penelope says about this: “There was flirting and all those sorts of things but you never felt that there was any wife swapping or anything like that. It was a very strong bond between them and I think that was again in the writing that was so clever.”
In another episode, Margo decides to add some spice to an afternoon by playing the seductress to Jerry – but he is distracted and completely blanks her, leading her to utter the immortal line ‘That’s the last time I play the tart for you, Jerry’.
Penelope loved the script and admits she is shocked that fans come up to her wanting her to say the line.
She said: “When I saw the line ‘That’s the last time I play the tart for you Jerry’ I thought ‘Wow that is a humdinger’.
“I had people coming up to me and saying ‘Will you say that line for me please?’ which I thought was most peculiar – but I said it!”
Penelope salutes the writers of the sitcom John Esmonde and Bob Larbey for creating such wonderful characters – with all their flaws – for the viewers to take to their hearts.
She points out that Tom could be quite beastly and selfish to wife Barbara but he got away with it (‘You love Richard. You adore him. You laugh at him even when he is being an absolute horror because he does with a sense of humour’.)
Barbara was cute and long-suffering but adored Tom and everyone felt nothing but sympathy for poor Jerry. However it was Margo – a Conservative-supporting, Telegraph-reading domineering social climbing wife – who got the most attention and some of the funniest lines.
Penelope explains: “Margo was the prime lady of the avenue with all the dinner parties and whatever she took part in, she had to do it perfectly and had to be top dog and sometimes she was terribly disapproving. She had no sense of humour but she was terribly kind and didn’t want to offend but she engaged mouth before brain so often.
“She had enormous warmth and adored the goods and likewise jerry but he infuriated her. There is a line where she says ‘I am the silent majority’ and she said it dead pan and that is what she felt and that is what half the country felt at the time as well.”
As its popularity grew, so did the laughs especially at the expense of Margo. Fans loved the scene where she tried to help The Goods with planting in the garden and decked in yellow oil skins and boots she slipped over and fell knee deep in mud.
Penelope recalls: “Someone actually asked me the other day – ‘Was it a mistake?’ and I said ‘No. I did five times’. I couldn’t walk for about three days afterwards because of my back and of course every time I fell over I was covered in mud and so I had to be hosed down afterwards.”
And another of her favourite scenes was when one of The Good’s pigs was in labour and Tom asked Margo to go and fetch some brandy as ‘a stimulant’.
The actress recalls: “I walked out of shot and then back into shot and asked Tom ‘Remy Martin or VSOP?’ I mean what a wonderful line. It was so witty and so funny. It is one of my favourites.”
It seems Margo also got the most attention when it came to wardrobe. Since The Goods always wore the same clothes and Jerry was always in a suit, it did not take a genius to work out where the majority of the clothes budget went.
Fans loved seeing what dress or gown Margo would be sporting during each episode. They usually came from Harrods and some were even the high end fashion label Frank Usher.
Penelope said: “There was a budget I remember and the person who got the most spent on them as far as clothes were concerned was me. I don’t think I would have worn any of those dresses but Margo loved them.
“Everybody wanted to see what Margo was going to wear next. Monday used to be my one day off but I used to spend it in Harrods occasionally Harvey Nicks looking for beautiful clothes. Silk gowns in such lovely vibrant colours.”
In the TV special, Penelope visits a replica of Margo and Jerry’s drawing room which has been painstakingly recreated by designers.
She laughs: “I remember the sofa being so low. That was alright 50 years ago but I don’t know if I can get up today.”
And she revisits the garden in Northwood in west London which was used for all of the outside filming shots for Tom and Barbara’s farm and allotment.
She comments: “What a garden! It’s all trees now but back then it was all dug up. It looks a totally different place now. Must be good soil here – all that animal excrement because we had pigs and chickens and Geraldine the goat! But we loved it here – being released into the open air was freedom after working in the studio.”
One little known secret which Penelope does uncover delving back into the archives is that when the BBC planned a special to be filmed in front of the royals called When I’m Sixty Five, they asked playwright Alan Bennett to have a cameo role in the episode as a bank manager.
However he turned them down. He told them he was too ‘worn out’ and needed a holiday having committed to making a series of plays for ITV.
Instead an actor called George Cole got the role – just weeks before he was cast as Arthur Daley in Minder. The Good Life ended in 1978 and all the main stars thought it was the right time to bow out.
Penelope confessed: “I remember saying to Paul ‘I don’t think we can do any more. I think we have squeezed this orange to the pips really’ and I know Richard felt like that and Felicity too.”
But fans expecting a finale which ended on a high with a load of laughs were in for a shock. The episode ended with burglars ransacking The Goods’ home and turning it upside down and leaving everything in tatters.
Jerry tells Tom he must now give up ‘the good life’ and go back to work – but it is Barbara who says they must carry on and not be beaten. Penelope called the episode a stroke of genius.
She added: “When we got the script for the last episode we were all amazed, but in wonder, what a brilliant way to finish. When we came to the studio we did the beginning and then they had curtains which they drew across the set and then they sprayed (paint) all over the set and then the floor manager talked to the audience but said nothing about what was going on behind the curtains.
“Then the curtain went up and the audience gasped, absolutely gasped. It was extraordinary. People were in tears at the end.”
Asked about her time on the show, she now says: “I look back on it as one of the happiest times. It was of its time at the right time.
“It was as good as it was because of everything else behind it. Everybody cared. The laughter, the joy it brought and the fact that people liked it so much and believed in it so much is reward.”
After starring in the BBC sitcom for four years, Richard Briers continued his TV career, landing a lead part in another BBC sitcom a few years later. He played the unsympathetic Martin Bryce on Ever Decreasing Circles from 1984 to 1989. His character Martin was the polar opposite of Tom from The Good Life. He died in 2013.
Felicity Kendal has enjoyed a varied career on stage and screen including on TV a starring role in the thriller Rosemary and Thyme from 2003 to 2006, to guest appearances in Doctor Who in 2008 and Pennyworth in 2019. Paul Eddington played Jerry, who worked with Tom until he and his wife decided to make this life change.
Just two years after The Good Life he took on the title role of Jim Hacker in the comedy series Yes, Minister. He starred in the series until 1984, before taking on a main role in its spin-off Yes, Prime Minister.
Paul later reunited with his co-stars from The Good Life, starring opposite Felicity in The Camomile Lawn in 1992, and then alongside Richard in the play Home in 1994. The actor sadly passed away at the age of 68 in 1995 after a cancer battle.
* The Good Life: Inside Out airs on U&Gold on Tuesday October 28 at 9pm.
LONDON — Prince Andrew said Friday he is giving up his royal title of the Duke of York and other honors after his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein returned to the headlines.
Andrew, the younger brother to King Charles III, said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace that “the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.”
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” Andrew said in his statement Friday. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
The news came in the wake of the release of excerpts of an upcoming posthumous memoir from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.
It’s the latest fall from grace for the 65-year-old prince, who had already stepped down from public life in 2019 over his links to Epstein despite his denials of any wrongdoing.
Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41. In the memoir, she details alleged encounters with Prince Andrew, who she sued in 2021, claiming that they had sex when she was 17. Andrew denied her claims and said he didn’t recall having met her.
Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has long been a source of tabloid fodder because of his links to Epstein, other questionable characters and money woes.
His attempt to refute Giuffre’s allegations backfired during a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers saw a prince who proffered curious rebuttals — such as disputing Giuffre’s recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring — and showed no empathy for the women who said Epstein abused them.
Within days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties. Giuffre sued him and the case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. A statement filed in court said that the prince acknowledged Epstein was a sex trafficker and Giuffre was “an established victim of abuse.”
As well as no longer using the title of the Duke of York, a long-established title that was gifted to him by his mother Queen Elizabeth II at his wedding to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, Andrew will also give up other titles: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. He will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson will also no longer use the title of Duchess of York. Their children, Beatrice and Eugenie, will remain princesses.
Andrew’s chaotic marriage to Ferguson, widely known as Fergie, lasted a decade though the two remain close, living together at a 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle. He has long been criticized for his opulent, globe-trotting lifestyle.
Andrew had been the poster boy of the royal family for many years, and his romantic links to a number of models and starlets during his youth were widely chronicled in the British press.
His star status within the royal family was at its peak after he flew in multiple missions as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy during the 1982 Falklands War when British forces sailed to the south Atlantic to eject the Argentine military that had invaded the U.K. overseas territories.
Prince William has revealed his strict parenting rules when it comes to his kids – Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte – and mobile phones
Kate and William have strict rules for their kids(Image: PA)
Prince William has revealed his stern parenting when it comes to his kids and mobile phones. The future King revealed Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte are banned from owning a device by himself and his wife, Princess Kate.
He made the revelation while speaking with Eugene Levy, shortly after Kate had confirmed the pair try to limit their children’s screen time. And he also admitted they regularly sit down for dinner together no matter how busy his schedule gets, labelling their chats “really important’.
“None of our children have phones, which we’re very strict about,” he confessed before revealing the kids’ other obsessions. “Louis loves the trampoline,” he admitted. “He’s obsessed. And Charlotte loves it too.
“As far as I can tell they just end up jumping up and down, beating each other up, most of the time. Apparently, there is an art to it.”
As well as enjoying the trampoline, William, 43, says daughter Charlotte, 10, takes part in netball and ballet. William claimed both he and Kate think it’s really important to ensure their kids are involved in sports and outdoor activities.
As for 12-year-old George, William says his eldest is a staunch football fan, like himself. He said he is also keen on hockey.
William also opened up on the pain he felt as he watched both his father, King Charles III, and his wife be diagnosed with cancer. The Royal Family were left devastated by the double cancer diagnosis last year. They came just months apart.
Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that the King had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer following a prostate exam. Then in March, the Princess of Wales confirmed she too had been diagnosed with cancer following tests that were conducted after major abdominal surgery in January.
Speaking to Eugene for his The Reluctant Traveler series, William described having his father and wife sick at the same time was like “having the rug pulled from underneath you”.
He candidly admitted: “We’ve been very lucky, we hadn’t had many illnesses in the family for a very long time. My grandparents lived until they were in the high 90s.
“So, they were the vision of fitness, and stoicism, and resilience if you like. So we’ve been very lucky as a family.” He then went on to reference his father King Charles ‘ cancer diagnosis and his wife Kate’s diagnosis.
“But I think, when you suddenly realise that the rug if you were, the metaphorical rug can be pulled from under your feet quite quick at any point. You maybe think to yourself ‘It won’t happen to us, we’ll be okay.’
“Because I think everyone has a positive outlook, you’ve got to be positive. But when it does happen to you, then it takes you into some pretty not great places.”
Clovelly is a village in Devon that has been largely untouched by time, and has a very surprising royal connection
Devon is a hiding a picturesque little village that feels like it’s been trapped in time(Image: Getty)
There’s a unique charm to some of the British coastal towns and villages that seem as though they’ve been preserved in time.
These are places where cobbled lanes have been trodden for centuries, life moves at a leisurely pace, and you’re not constantly jostled on the tube.
Such spots are rare, and many of these charming villages were discovered long ago, becoming the unwitting targets of busloads of tourists.
Travel writers often wax lyrical about “hidden gems,” but this is something else. Its cliff-side location and winding, narrow streets appear to have shielded it from throngs of holidaymakers who can’t navigate its tight lanes.
With motor vehicles banned from many of its roads, just like in the olden days, donkeys do much of the heavy lifting, helping locals transport their goods and even offering traditional beach rides, reports the Express.
This village is Clovelly, a picture-perfect spot on the north Devon coast. With its whitewashed cottages, flower-adorned balconies, and panoramic sea views, it has long been a favourite among those fortunate enough to know of its existence.
But beyond its unique mode of transport, Clovelly boasts an impressive claim to fame, having once been owned by a Queen – not our current monarch, but England’s first ever crowned Queen, Matilda of Flanders.
Initially, the estate belonged to William the Conqueror, who presented it to his wife, where it remained a private Royal settlement for centuries, until the Giffard family took ownership and it stayed relatively obscure for the following 800 years.
Currently it is owned by the Hon. John Rous, whose mother shared blood ties with the late Queen Elizabeth II, providing the village with a Royal connection that’s both surprising and remarkable.
The scenic Devon location has also sparked some of the finest creative masterpieces of its era. J. M. W. Turner captured the village’s shoreline on canvas, whilst Charles Dickens featured it in his 1860 short tale “A Message from the Sea.”
One delighted visitor sharing feedback on TripAdvisor said: “Clovelly is a beautiful village to visit, and I have been visiting with my family for the last 30 years. Yes, you pay to enter (like most historical landmarks), and yes, it’s steep! Both of which are well-advertised on the website before visiting.
“There really is no other village quite like it in the UK. The beauty of Clovelly is how it remains unchanged and hopefully will remain this way for many years to come.”
Meanwhile another added: “We were very lucky that when we first arrived at the car park it was lunch time and it was raining cats and dogs (mid-July) so we decided to have our packed lunch in the car.”
Boasting historic streets, iconic donkeys, and breathtaking views, Clovelly is a hidden gem in England that’s worth visiting on a trip to Devon – even if it does set you back £9.50.
Dunsop Bridge, nestled in the heart of the Forest of Bowland, is the closest village to the exact centre of the UK, which has been pinpointed by Ordnance Survey
Dunsop Bridge is recognised as being the centre of the UK
The exact centre of the nation is pinpointed on a hillside just northwest of the village, near the Whitendale Hanging Stones. Dunsop Bridge, nestled in the heart of the Forest of Bowland and located about nine miles from Clitheroe, is the closest village to this precise midpoint.
Although often cited as the UK’s centre – marked by a commemorative plaque on its village green – the actual central spot lies a few miles northwest on a hillside above the village.
Once part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the tiny, picturesque village became part of Lancashire after boundary changes in 1974.
Not only is the village famous for its central location, but it also houses the 100,000th BT phone box, installed by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes in 1992, reports Lancs Live.
Situated where the River Dunsop meets the River Hodder, Dunsop Bridge is a popular destination for walkers. Favourite routes include the Saddle Fell Top and Slaidburn Walk, drawing nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Much of the surrounding land is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster. In 2006, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the village, strolling through the area, visiting the Puddleducks Cafe, and watching a cow’s hoof trimming at Radholme Laund Farm.
Their visit concluded with lunch at The Inn at Whitewell to celebrate the Queen’s 80th birthday.
Renowned for its tranquil ambience and breathtaking moorland vistas, Dunsop Bridge acts as the entrance to the renowned Trough of Bowland.
The Forest of Bowland National Landscape celebrates the village’s “lovely winding paths” and its charm as an ideal location for picnics or a peaceful tea stop, featuring resident ducks and verdant banks.
The Forest of Bowland National Landscape website states: “Dunsop Bridge is the entrance to the famous Trough of Bowland. Lovely winding paths from here through the moors to Lancaster are popular with thousands of fell walkers.
“With resident ducks and grassy banks it is the perfect place to stop for a picnic or a cup of tea and a cake at the cafe.”
Whether for rambling or simply absorbing the tranquil environment, Dunsop Bridge continues to be a treasured jewel in Britain’s crown.
Former England rugby captain Chris Robshaw has been married to classical crossover singer Camilla Kerslake since 2018, with the couple sharing two children together
Chris Robshaw’s wife had a brutal reaction when he announced he would be on Strictly(Image: Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Im)
The pair had been engaged for six years when they tied the knot. Classical crossover singer Camilla, 37, made headlines in 2009 when she became the first person to be signed by Gary Barlow’s record label.
She had performed for Queen Elizabeth II as well as performing the national anthem at Wembley and the-then Millennium Stadium. And while Camilla has been one of Chris’s supporters throughout his career, he admits she burst out in a fit of laughter when he told her he would be heading onto the dance floor.
Chris told Heat that Camilla knows “all about my dance moves” but revealed she later reassured the 39-year-old that she backed his decision.
He explained: “She was like, ‘Look, it’s a great opportunity. It’s amazing, so go and do it, we’ll support you’.”
Chris, who shares one-year-old Hunter and four-year-old Wilding with Camilla, says his eldest child has been excited by the news. “We’ve shown him the show, he loves the sparkles and the lights,” Chris explained.
And while Wilding “doesn’t quite understand” that his dad will be taking part in the show, Chris wanted him to see his dad stepping out of his comfort zone. The former flanker says it’s good to “really challenge yourself” at times.
Chris himself is no stranger to a challenge. As well as racking up 66 caps for England, he took part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins last year, although he had to withdraw due to injury.
Chris underwent surgery after a boxing match with Love Islander Ovie Soko. He said: “I had to get an operation. Because I’d popped my shoulder out the ligament was loose so it becomes like a catch which keeps opening. So they reattached the ligament to keep it in place.”
The ex-rugby star said he had experienced some shoulder problems towards the end of his playing career. Before taking part in Strictly, Chris joked that he hoped the BBC show would help him take his “dad dancing to a whole new level”.
He said: “This is about as far out of my comfort zone as it gets! I’m hoping to take my dad dancing to a whole new level, and my mum can’t wait to drag me along to her Zumba class. Let’s see if a rugby sidestep works in the Cha Cha Cha.”
Chris will be taking part in Strictly with professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova. Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One from 6.55pm today (September 27)
Drag Race UK is returning to our screens with a new group of talented icons, but one specific star has links to the royal family
Drag Race UK star Paige Three’s royal links revealed as beloved show returns
Drag Race UK is returning to our screens tonight, and one of the stars might be very familiar to a few viewers. Drag queen Paige Three, who hails from Surrey, is one of the many gorgeous queens taking part in the UK’s version of RuPaul’s beloved series – which airs on BBC.
Speaking about her iconic name, she said: “Paige Three, if you don’t know, is a play on words referencing the glamorous women who posed on page three of a tabloid newspaper. My take on that is to exude glamour, body and serve up a performance that everybody’s talking about!”
Other queens taking part are Catrin Feelings, Tayris Mongardi, Sally TM, Silllexa Diction, Pasty, Nyongbella, Elle Vosque, Viola, Chai T Grande, Bonnie Ann Clyde, Bones.
Paige might be ready to lip sync for her life but she’s used to working under pressure as she once performed for Queen Elizabeth II at her 90th birthday as a dancer with Beverly Knight.
Speaking of her career, Paige Three said: “I’ve done all sorts of random stuff in my drag career. You might have seen me at brunches all around London, sometimes I run a bingo, I have performed with Kimberly Wyatt from The Pussycat Dolls.
“I’ve worked really hard to get where I am, but I feel that I’ve reached a wall and I want to break through it and see what else I can do!”
Meanwhile, a huge pop star is joining the RuPaul’s Drag Race UK panel and fans are convinced they know what lip sync will be played.
Mama Ru will be back alongside Drag Race veterans Alan Carr, Graham Norton and Michelle Visage as they hunt for the next UK superstar.
They will be joined by a series of celebrity guest judges, who will be on hand of offer up their honest opinions. To the delight of fans, Girls Aloud icon and singer Nadine Coyle will be among those making a VIP appearance.
She said: “Having been a guest for season three’s Snatch Game (and impersonated by the one and only Charra Tea on season six’s Snatch Game!), it’s such a dream come true to be a guest judge on this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK!
“What an incredible experience to see the immense talent and creativity from the queens, and it was a joy to sit on the judges panel with Michelle, Graham, and the spellbinding RuPaul! You’re all in for a treat!”
Fans loved the announcement and are certain they know what to expect when she appears. One said: “For the love of God, Go To Work has GOT to be a lip sync song.”
Another added: “Already know that ‘Go To Work’ lip sync is going to be one of most iconic lip syncs ever!!” Someone else commented: “MOTHER HAS ARRIVED.”
As the production for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show continues, bosses have reportedly splashed out in a bid to make the show look as realistic as possible and not rely so much on CGI
23:55, 24 Sep 2025Updated 23:55, 24 Sep 2025
Harry Potter the TV show is in production(Image: HBO)
The bosses for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show have provided a touch of royalty to the set. It’s said a famous screen locomotive has been delivered to Prince William’s garden, with Hogsmeade Station also on show.
With the set costing £4million, a half a mile of track is ready to run through woodland which is approximately a mile to the back of Forest Lodge in Windsor. It’s claimed bosses have spared no expense for the new production, with the set up likened to that of a military operation.
“The creative team wants the new TV show to look as realistic as possible and not rely so much on CGI like the Harry Potter movies,” an insider said.
Speaking to The Sun, the source said: ““That was why they wanted the forestry on the Prince of Wales’s doorstep to replicate the Scottish Highlands. Thankfully it’s far enough away that it won’t disturb the royals — but close enough that they could easily nip down to make a flying visit.”
And it’s said that could be music to the ears of William’s children, Prince George, 12, and Princess Charlotte, 10, with the pair reportedly big fans of the franchise. It’s claimed the kids’ grandfather, King Charles, has read the JK Rowling’s books to the youngsters.
In 2017, Queen Camilla revealed the sweet family connection, saying the King “does all the voices, because he is a brilliant mimic”.
As the set started coming together, lorries were seen transporting the Hogwarts Express into Windsor Great Park last week. Despite being hidden under tarpaulin, the iconic shape was clearly recognisable to fans.
With filming under way, the series for HBO television is expected to be released in 2027. It comes 15 years after the unforgettable Deathly Hallows Part Two film was released..
Each series of the new TV drama is expected to focus on a novel, diving into the books in more detail than the iconic movies. It has been reported that Warner Bros is auditioning both men and women for the role of the terrifying Lord Voldemort, a part that was originally brought to life by actor Ralph Fiennes.
In July, HBO shared the first sneak peek at this production. It comes after in the months leading up to the start of filming, some of the cast list was announced.
It included 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin playing the main character of Harry Potter, while Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout were announced to be playing Hermione and Ron respectively.
“This is the first official image of Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter for the upcoming series on HBO Max,” X account Daily Harry Potter wrote in a Twitter/X post in July.
Jack Stooks was responsible for Highgrove House and Gardens, one of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s most cherished homes in Gloucestershire.
Speaking on Friday’s This Morning, Jack not only provided gardening tips but also disclosed how he secured his position and recounted the occasion he gatecrashed King Charles’ honeymoon with Queen Camilla.
Jack told presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary: “I went on honeymoon with the King!” prompting Dermot, 52, to ask: “What’s that all about?” whilst Alison, 50, gasped: “You gatecrashed it?”
King Charles III’s former gardener of 21 years has opened up(Image: Getty)
Clarifying what had occurred, Jack recalled: “After the wedding at Windsor, I got to do some cut flowers from the King’s garden, from the Queen’s garden and actually take them down to the wedding. They were actually used at their wedding!”, reports the Express.
“After the wedding, there were trees and things that came out of the chapel and I took those up to Scotland, to Birkhall, so I got to plant them with the King, which was amazing!”
Meanwhile, Jack disclosed how he landed his role, saying: “I wrote and asked for a job, there I was at Highgrove!” following an encounter with the King at his aunty and uncle’s residence where he “seemed nice”.
Noting he served as a gardener for 21 years, he continued: “I left last year! [That job] just from a simple letter!”
Jack Stooks took charge of Highgrove House and Gardens(Image: ITV)
Jack previously shared with the Mirror about the King: “He was very much on the ball all the time. If he came home at the weekend, he would be out in the garden checking what’s been done, what hasn’t been done.”
The King, according to Jack, had a deep affection for his garden and would often make comments indicating his keen interest.
“He would be like, ‘This needs doing, that needs doing’,” Jack remembered. “So, it was really good to know that you’re working for somebody that actually took everything in.
“He was interested in the garden he knew what was going on. So, we all had the sense of satisfaction that we would get something right and know that it was actually being enjoyed and admired by the person who owns it.”
Catch This Morning on weekdays at 10am on ITV and ITV X
We have been holidaying in the UK for the past few years, and recently returned for a break in Norfolk – which is a brilliant spot for family holidays, especially when you go to the free kids play park
Dianne Bourne and Shania King-Soyza
15:28, 08 Sep 2025
Spectacular sandy beaches in Norfolk stretch for miles(Image: MEN)
“My kids are running with glee into a huge woodland playpark, with castle-like forts, giant sand pit, zip lines and water tower offering a dizzying choice of things to play on, as far as the eye can see,” shared Lifestyle editor Dianne Bourne, who visited a “magical spot” with her family this summer – and the best part of all, it’s completely FREE.
This isn’t your average playground either; it boasts a Royal endorsement. Nestled within King Charles III’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, this Woodland Playground is part of the rural retreat that the Royal Family have used as their holiday home for the past 150 years, reports the Manchester Evening News.
You’d typically expect to pay an entrance fee for a playground of this size, but here, you only need to cover the cost of parking. Additionally, there’s access to lovely woodland walks and bike rides across the estate’s 20,000 acres, which are open and free to the public all year round.
Dianne wrote, “It makes it one of the special things about this part of the world which makes it a brilliant spot for family holidays, as I have found with my two young boys over the past few years. We returned to Norfolk for our holidays this year, and struck gold with the weather in the ongoing heatwave.
The free woodland children’s play area in the grounds of Sandringham, the King’s rural retreat in Norfolk(Image: MEN)
“The base for our stay was a lovely holiday cottage booked with Norfolk Hideaways close to the Sandringham Estate, in the village of Tattersett. It made for the perfect location for exploring brilliant family attractions both inland and by the sea in North Norfolk.
“Sandringham made for a great day out during our stay, with the kids running off lots of energy in the Woodland Playground, and then a lovely stop off at the Sandringham coffee shop for snacks and ice cream.”
The free play area is open for as long as you wish. It features main equipment like wooden play forts, slides, and obstacle courses, suitable for five—to 12-year-olds. There’s also a dedicated woodland play spot suitable for younger children, along with a sandpit that toddlers particularly adore.
Kids love the Woodland Playground at Sandringham(Image: MEN)
For those intrigued by the site’s Royal history, you can also pay to explore the Royal house and gardens on selected dates throughout the year.
Other activities for kids
What’s brilliant about this part of the world is the sheer number of things you can do with young children, many of which are free. Not least the fact that there is just one stunning beach after another along the North Norfolk coast, and here are some of our favourites.
Kids love the sandpits too(Image: MEN)
Dianne went on to say, “We love Hunstanton as the more traditional seaside resort with funfair, chippies and ice cream, while neighbouring Old Hunstanton has a stunning stretch of sand and lots of starfish and crabs to find in the sea.
“Brancaster is another beautiful stretch of sand, owned by the National Trust, with a car park right next to the beach, which is handy for those not keen or able to walk all that far. Holkham is the most spectacular and epic beach you’re ever likely to see, but be prepared for the half an hour walk down to it, which in itself I personally find to be a really special experience.”
This is the beach adored by the Royal Family, likely due to its vast expanse and abundant sand dunes, giving you the feeling of having your own private beach even in the peak of summer. Cromer is another quintessential seaside resort, this one boasting a pier made famous in the Alan Partridge film.
She added, “We loved wandering along there where many people are crabbing. The beach is impressive, although does get very busy, and there’s also some pretty fabulous ice creams to be had, with a Mr Whippy shop right by the pier selling multi-coloured and even chocolate-dipped creations.
Kids enjoying the sand dunes at Holkham (Image: MEN)
“Away from beach activities, we also discovered close to where we stayed an absolutely brilliant garden attraction called Pensthorpe at Fakenham. You have to pay for entry, but once inside, there’s a huge outdoor play area for kids, as well as an indoor playbarn that you can book a timeslot for on arrival.
“The gardens themselves were utterly stunning, with a rather comical ‘poo trail’ during the school holidays for kids to find, which, as you can imagine, the youngsters found hilarious.”
Where we stayed
Having previously lodged in a self-catering cottage in Norfolk, Dianne found this option more favourable when travelling with young children – it provides ample space for play and everyday living during a week-long getaway, complete with your own kitchen and washing machine.
Stunning gardens at Pensthorpe (Image: MEN)
Her family were guests of Norfolk Hideaways, which boasts over 550 properties scattered across Norfolk, ranging from cosy cottages for couples to larger accommodations suitable for big groups and multi-generational families.
For Dianne’s holiday this year, her family chose Mallard Cottage in the quaint village of Tattersett. It was an ideal location, featuring bunk beds that the kids adored upstairs, as well as a comfortable living area downstairs equipped with a lounge and dining area, plus a kitchen.
Short breaks can be booked from £453, or seven nights from £551, although our four-night stay in August, during peak school holiday time, cost us £772.
Mallard Cottages was booked through Norfolk Hideaways(Image: Norfolk Hideaways)
For those requiring more room and who favour being closer to the beach, last year they also stayed with Norfolk Hideaways at The Little House in Brancaster. This property can accommodate six or eight guests, with prices starting from £1,672 for a short stay, or £2,075 for seven nights based on eight people staying.
Getting there
“The only bad thing I have to say about Norfolk is the fact the journey there is not the easiet, as it is one of the only counties in England with no motorway,” said Dianne.
She went onto explain: “The fastest route from the north west in terms of miles (and usually time) is via the A50 through Stoke, Derby and then Nottingham, and then across Lincolnshire towards Kings Lynn in Norfolk and then on to the coast.
Stunning beaches are worth the trip to Norfolk(Image: MEN)
“You’re looking at a drive of around three and half to four hours from Manchester to North Norfolk depending on the day and time you go, and depending on what sort of vehicle you get stuck behind on the single lane roads.
“In terms of public transport, there’s a mainline train station in Kings Lynn, although from Manchester you’re looking at a four-hour trip with a change at Ely. But there is a decent Coastliner bus (the 36) that stops in all of the villages mentioned during our stay above.”
Once the capital of England for almost 200 years, today it is a quiet town with a rich history and a castle that dates back to the 11th century
Ketsuda Phoutinane Spare Time Content Editor and Lauran O’Toole
02:12, 07 Sep 2025
Tamworth was England’s capital before London(Image: Getty)
When you think of the capital of England, London’s iconic landmarks like Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament immediately spring to mind.
But this wasn’t always the case — 300 years before London took the title, a humble market town northeast of Birmingham in Staffordshire held the honour. Tamworth, spanning just 12 square miles, is not only Staffordshire’s smallest borough but also one of the tiniest in the country.
However, don’t underestimate its historical significance — Tamworth was once the capital of England. In the 8th century, King Offa declared Tamworth as the seat of Royal power, a status it maintained for nearly two centuries, reports the Express.
While Tamworth was the centre of power, and even boasted a palace during King Offa’s reign, it wasn’t until the 11th century that Tamworth Castle was constructed by Robert Despenser, steward of William the Conqueror.
Tamworth was once the capital of England(Image: Getty)
Before and after the renowned Norman conquest of England, Tamworth experienced a period of prosperity as local lords built castles in and around the town.
In the 8th century, England was divided into kingdoms: Mercia, Northumbria, and Wessex, with Mercia being the largest and most influential.
Tamworth was at the heart of the Mercian Kingdom, and the Mercian Kings spent more time here than anywhere else.
However, London’s status as the capital city was solidified in 1066 when William the Conqueror marched on the city following his victory in the Battle of Hastings.
Tamworth once held the seat of power(Image: Getty)
Today, the market town retains its historical charm and offers locals a tranquil lifestyle, with independent shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants dotting the streets of the traditional town centre.
It might shock many, but England has had a number of capitals before London was finally chosen.
In the 10th Century, Athelstan, the first king of (all) England and grandson of Alfred the Great, declared Malmesbury his capital after vanquishing an army of northern English and Scots.
Not only does Colchester claim to be Britain’s oldest recorded town, but it also became the nation’s Roman capital in AD49.
Notting Hill carnival takes over the West London streets again this weekend, but with major tube closures and road blocks in place – here’s everything you need to know before commuting
Everything you need to know before carnival(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Notting Hill Carnival returns this weekend, bringing a burst of Caribbean culture to the streets of West London – and as always, millions are expected to turn up to enjoying the soca music and food.
But with road closures, station shutdowns and crowds packing out the area, it’s important to plan ahead. Whether you’re jumping on the tube, bus or walking in from nearby, here’s everything you need to know about the Notting Hill Carnival route and which transport options are still running.
There’s also a Notting Hill Carnival map available to help you visualise the road closures and walking routes – you can find this on the official carnival or TfL website.
There’s plenty of maps for people to follow(Image: TFL)
Latimer Road – Closes at 11.30pm, but may shut temporarily to manage crowds.
Notting Hill Gate – No entry from 11am to 6pm. District and Circle lines won’t stop, and no interchange with Central line all day. Expect temporary closures throughout.
Westbourne Park – No entry from 11am. Expect serious crowding during peak times.
Holland Park – No entry from 11am to 3pm. Fully shuts at 3pm.
Royal Oak – No entry from 11am to 6pm. Fully shuts at 6pm.
Shepherd’s Bush – Expect it to be extremely busy from the afternoon onwards.
Kensal Green – A queueing system will be in place when heading home.
With the large crowd its best to plan ahead(Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Bus
Due to road closures, daytime and night buses will be diverted. Services will start from the Prince of Wales pub on Harrow Road (north) and Notting Hill Gate (south).
148X to Victoria – Runs between Shepherd’s Bush and Victoria (10am–5.30pm), then Notting Hill Gate to Victoria (until 10pm).
Stops: Shepherd’s Bush, Notting Hill Gate, Marble Arch, Victoria.
7X to Paddington – Runs between East Acton and Paddington (12pm–9.30pm).
Stops: East Acton to Wood Lane, then Shepherd’s Bush, Notting Hill Gate, Lancaster Gate, Paddington.
Expect something exciting from TFL(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Beyond the travel time table, TfL has partnered with Metroline and local community group Phoenix Rising to unveil a specially-wrapped Carnival bus. The bus will feature in the parade, with Metroline staff, TfL employees and live steel pan performances onboard.
“For many years Notting Hill Carnival has represented London’s diverse culture and strong Caribbean links – a community which is an integral part of TfL’s history,” said Emma Strain, TfL’s Customer Director.
“That’s why we’re excited to partner with Phoenix Rising to showcase Caribbean-inspired steel pan music on one of our iconic buses,” she added, “Stations around the Carnival are likely to get extremely busy, so please plan journeys in advance using the free TfL Go app or our dedicated travel advice page.”
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Channel 5 documentary Harry & Meghan: The Wedding That Split Two Families included discussion about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nuptials seven years ago and the build-up
23:05, 23 Aug 2025Updated 23:05, 23 Aug 2025
There’s said to have been a confrontation between Prince William and Prince Harry over Meghan Markle in the lead-up to the couple’s wedding. The eldest brother reportedly brought up claims that his future sister-in-law was ‘difficult’ to staff.
Meghan, now 44, married Prince Harry, now 40, in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2018, with his family among the guests in attendance. The couple, who later stepped back from their royal duties, are said to have been involved in tension behind-the-scenes amid preparations for their nuptials.
They have faced rumours of a rift with his brother Prince William, 43, and sister-in-law Princess Kate, 43, in recent years. It’s also been claimed that former actor Meghan was considered “difficult” to work with by aides at the time.
The apparent tension around their nuptials was the subject of the Channel 5 documentary Harry & Meghan: The Wedding That Split Two Families, which aired tonight. It included ‘reenactments’ and interviews with commentators.
Meghan Markle (left) and Prince Harry (right) got married seven years ago(Image: Getty Images)
At one point, claims that Meghan was deemed ‘difficult’ were discussed. Prince Harry and Meghan are said to have shared a team with Prince William and Princess Kate, which reportedly added to tensions ahead of the wedding. It was suggested that a “number” of staff ended up leaving.
The Mail on Sunday’s Charlotte Griffiths said: “It’s really important to the Royal Family not to act like you’re some lofty Hollywood celebrity and to be very kind to your staff. Y’know these are the people that you trust around you.”
The documentary alleged that Prince William ended up confronting his younger brother over the situation. The narrator told viewers: “With disgruntled employees becoming more vocal, William confronts his brother.”
Charlotte suggested that he wasn’t a “peacemaker” amid the apparent tensions at the time. She said: “William didn’t play peacemaker, actually. William pointed this out to Harry and said you’ve got to get this girl in line.”
There’s long been rumours of tension behind the scenes between the couple and Prince William (left) and Princess Kate (right)(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
As reported at the time, ahead of their interview with Oprah Winfrey, a spokesperson for Meghan and Prince Harry told news outlets: “Let’s just call this what it is – a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet.
“It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years.”
Elsewhere in the statement, the spokesperson said: “The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.”
Harry & Meghan: The Wedding That Split Two Families is available through Channel 5 on demand.
This picturesque seaside town in England dates back to Victorian times, and whilst it might be more low-key than other resorts, it has one of the UK’s best beaches
The seaside town’s popularity has lasted for centuries(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
But this kind of scene is just not everyone’s cup of tea, and if you have been longing for a trip to the coast, minus the loud attractions – then this picturesque town in Devon that is rich with history is well worth considering for your next family holiday.
Especially if the quality of the beach is your number one priority, then this idyllic seaside town is definitely somewhere you need to check out. It’s also a firm favourite with some very famous faces.
Sidmouth’s beach has been dubbed one of the cleanest in the UK, so it’s a great choice for people who insist on taking a dip in the sea when they are on their holidays.
Sidmouth’s esplanade is traditional and scenic as it overlooks the pebbled beach(Image: Getty)
On the stunning and historic Jurassic Coast, Sidmouth is picturesque, and its pebble beach has been awarded a Blue Flag for an impressive six years in a row.
From hiking in the unbelievable landscapes to relaxing on the beach itself, you’ll never forget the scenery on this beautiful stretch of coastline – Jacob’s Ladder beach is also well worth a visit.
But there is plenty to do beyond the beach itself, including visiting the town’s museum or the local donkey sanctuary.
The day out is ideal for animal lovers(Image: The Donkey Sanctuary)
For the youngsters, there is the Model Toy Museum, and for anyone looking to browse in the shops, they will find themselves supremely well catered to with independent retailers.
Connaught Gardens is a beautifully landscaped place to relax – but if you’re after a bit more action, consider going out on the water in a canoe, paddleboard, or kayak.
The Sun reports that TV star Stephen Fry loves Sidmouth after staying near the idyllic town while filming Jeeves and Wooster. Meanwhile, Jeremy Vine has also been open about his affection for the seaside town.
“What I love most about Sidmouth is that it feels like a town going places. It’s chintzy in places, drab in others, but it feels real. “And real by the sea is a different kind of beauty,” Vine said.
Sidmouth Beach has won a Blue Flag six years in a row(Image: Getty Images)
There’s so many famous people who have holidayed or spent time in Sidmouth that there is even a Blue Plaque Trail you can walk to explore all the places notable figures loved most, from literary icons to the Royal Family.
Queen Victoria, when she was still a baby Princess, came to stay in Sidmouth, and it was the sight of a major historical moment. She was staying in the Woolbrook Cottage in 1819 when her father suddenly became ill and died.
Woolbrook Cottage is now the Royal Glen Hotel, and while it wasn’t a happy moment in the young royal’s life, it shows just how rich with history the area is, and also how longstanding Sidmouth’s popularity has been.
Literary legends like Beatrix Potter, JRR Tolkein – who is said to have written the first sections of Lord of the Rings in the town – and Jane Austen, all used to holiday in Sidmouth, going back as far as 1801.
The spa waters, good climate, and chilled out atmosphere have long been part of the appeal.
Columnist Jessica Boulton brings you her brutally-honest and wry rundown of Showbiz’s latest shenanigans: from Ibiza Final Boss to MasterChef muppets, she’s not holding back
Jessica Boulton works on the Mirror’s features desk, specialising in celebrity features and interviews. She also writes a weekly observational comedy column Jess Saying, which runs each Saturday. In addition, she oversees the entertainment pages, helps co-ordinate the Pride of Britain coverage and newsletter and guest edits The Diary. Jessica joined The Mirror’s sister paper The People in 2006, and has since worked on the Sunday Mirror and Now magazine. Most likely to be found raving about The Oscars, BAFTAs, Netflix, Friends or Star Wars.
The face that launched a 1,000 snips? Ibiza Final Boss Jack Kay must follow rules to cash in(Image: TikTok)
It’s a strange, strange world when I’m feeling sorry for a bunch of Love Island contestants. But in this social media age, it is sadly what it’s come to. For the poor lovelorn bedhoppers at the Mallorca villa have been putting in weeks of seriously hard graft – flashing their abs and parading around in thong bikinis – to get the one precious thing, (I suspect) their hearts truly desired. No, not love. Fame. Glorious, generous, glittering FAME.
But in the days after Monday’s final, the Islanders soon found themselves getting a cold hard lesson in the pitfalls of success: There’s always someone waiting in the wings – ready to cut short your 15 minutes….
Cach Mercer and Toni Laites have been revealed as the winners of Love Island 2025(Image: ITV)
For it wasn’t the winning Islanders “Breaking The Internet” this week. It wasn’t the winning Islanders batting off the biggest brand deals or most enticing DMs from Blue Tick TikTok. And it wasn’t the winning Islanders getting excitable TV companies all in a lather, begging for interviews. It was….a HAIRCUT.
Yes, the biggest celebrity getting buzz online this week wasn’t even a celeb when the week began. He was Jack Kay, a literal normal down-to-earth 26-year-old Jack-the-lad, from Newcastle on holiday in Ibiza.
He’s been offered free holidays, brand endorsement deals, flights on a £5million private jet, and a whole list of big-money nightclub appearances. He’s signed with Joey Essex’s agent and has landed his own tour and – according to media experts – he could be well-placed to launch his own merchandise range and even bag a possible spot on a reality show. All in all, it’s predicted he could rake in a whopping SIX figures by the end of the year.
For nowadays you don’t need to work summer seasons in Blackpool or win a talent show to become a star. You can become ‘famous’ just by making the right people laugh, at the right moment in time, as they absent-mindedly scroll through their phone while listening to podcasts. Yep, Fame has reached Peak Fickledom.
So, when the stars and algorithms do align to make you a viral hit, you need to make the most of it. And while Jack’s ‘success’ is all thanks to what is ON his head, it’s what’s inside it which will prove his biggest asset. For in 2025, turning your viral moment in the sun into a longer-term earner is all about savvy strategy, clear thinking and mindset:
Are Jack Kay/Ibiza Bob’s fellow Geordies Ant and Dec jumping on the Ibiza Final Boss bandwagon?
(*Okay, okay, PhotoShop may have lent a hand). As for the rest of the week? Well, Celebland was throwing us all sorts of surprises…..
Monday mayhem
Be afraid, be very afraid! For the stars of an upcoming new theatre tour have been doing the press rounds this week. And from the sounds of it, there will be no one safe this Halloween and autumn. Indeed, it’s expected to have many a celeb not just quaking but SHAKING, QUAKING, QUIVERING, TREMBLING AND OUTRIGHT SHUDDERING in their boots.
No, it’s not a new take on Phantom of the Opera (albeit some may be haunted by what’s said). Nor is it Saw: The Musical (although that is a multi-million pound idea). It’s the terrifying new two-hander: An Evening With… Katie Price and Kerry Katona. The pair’s tell-all 33-date UK tour was feared to have been cancelled earlier in the summer due to… well, whatever Katie’s snoresome crisis-du-jour was at the time.
Katie Price and Kerry Katona are getting ready for their new tour (But I have a few notes!)(Image: Instagram)
But the pair are back and have now been hitting the interview circuit to give fans a little taste of what to expect. Target one? “Snobby” Strictly – which they publicly dissed this week for having never asked them to take part. (One suspects they’ve now said “Foxtrot Oscar” to any future possibilities too).
Of course, we all know the real dirt will be saved for the show itself. Yet however juicy the eww -some twosome’s tete-a-tete promises to be, I can’t help but wonder if the panto frenemies could have come up with a slightly more, er… spicy format… A WWE-style grudge match with lookalikes of their many nemeses, perhaps? Imagine the commentator yelling to the roaring crowd: “Get Ready to say mi-OWWW! It’s our very own….. Nuclear Cheetah aka Kerry Katona! – from Atomic Kitten to a one-woman weapon of mass destruction…”
Or maybe… they could make it a dramatic retelling of Four Weddings And A Funeral, where Katie’s the bride each time and the funeral’s for her tragic lack of taste? Or finally, what about a musical? After all, KP’s been Defying Gravity for years (with the help of her plastic surgeon).
What a royal twit Tuesday
It’s not been a good week for Royal affairs – of any kind. But a new bombshell biography has cemented one unassailable truth: Young kids fed on fairy tales and Disney movies are far more likely to find themselves a talking warthog or a flying elephant than a real-life Prince Charming.
Yes, a new book by historian Andrew Lownie has claimed Prince Andrew allegedly strayed “more than a dozen” times before his first – yes, first – anniversary with Fergie. Clearly their wedding certificate was not worth the paper it was printed on.
Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York in 1986 – the year they married. They divorced 10 years later(Image: Hulton Archive/GettyImages)
Fergie did have a little something in common with Cinderella however. She was sporting some rather fetching slippers this week. They weren’t glass ones though – they were fluffy numbers emblazoned with the unofficial Royal motto “Never Complain, Never Explain”. It warms the heart, it really does.
Wok you gonna do? Wednesday
The BBC took a leap with its MasterChef dilemma by airing the first episode of the pre-recorded series on Wednesday. Surprisingly they went for primetime BBC1 instead of hiding it on iPlayer only. Presumably they figured they were in for a roasting whatever they did – so they might as well fill a hole in the schedule.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace in the new series of MasterChef, recorded before their two scandals(Image: BBC)
The real stars of the series are the editors who faced the unenviable task of trying to cut out as much of the under-fire Gregg Wallace and John Torode as possible – which from the looks of the results is a bit like trying to remove excess garlic from a pasta dish. You can’t. Everything’s already tainted.
What I don’t understand is why the Beeb didn’t go with my previous suggestion: just do some deep fake trickery. So what could they replace them with? Let’s see: Option 1: A literal toxic trigger warning; Option 2: Bradley Walsh and Rylan Clark (they’re on everything else anyway); Option 3 (and perhaps most apt): Statler and Waldorf. A couple of muppets… who are completely stuffed.
Half-baked deep fakes? What the BBC could have done to solve their MasterChef problem with hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode
No relief for kangaroo testicles Thursday
Talking of show formats (see Monday), there was one news story this week that left me feeling a little… well, antsy . What was it? This: “ITV bosses are planning the next five years of I’m A Celebrity…” (really? another FIVE?); “With talks under way to film in the jungle until 2030….” (Wait, 2030 is only five years away??); “When it’ll reach its landmark 30th season”. (30 years? 30? 3-0?)
You mean to say we’ve been watching the same show with the same hosts, same sort of trials, same prize, same location, same set and same set of scandals just with different faces… for nearly 30 YEARS? They say doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the very definition of insanity. So either, we can all relate to Peter Andre’s infamous jungle-penned hit Insania – written while a campmate in 2004 – or we really don’t mind the deja vu.
So what can we expect over the next few years? Well, I have two predictions:
Ant and Dec have been doing I’m a Celeb for 25 years and counting (Image: ITV)
1. Princess and/or Junior Andre will follow in their parents’ footsteps, going back to the scene of the crime special place where the Katie and Peter’s “love” story first began.
2. Following the “success” of political hires Matt Hancock and Nigel Farage, bosses will make a “bigly” play for President Trump at the end of his term. (If he doesn’t rewrite the US Constitution, that is.) After all, there’s been quite a few (thousand) of his type involved in the show before. Fatima Whitbread even got one stuck up her nose… Much to the chagrin of her and the cockroach, I suspect.
Foolish Friday
It was a mixed day for Richard Osman. On the plus side, Netflix released the first trailer for the movie adaptation of his bestselling crime novel The Thursday Murder Club (starring Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren).
Richard Osman gets loose-lipped on podcast (Image: SKY)
On the downside… Osman – who has produced a number of game shows including Pointless, Total Wipeout, Prize Island, and my absolute FAVOURITE Only Connect – inexplicably decided to tell podcast listeners that quiz shows often use “an algorithm” to stop contestants winning too much money.
It’s obvious to be fair, and while not quite a Gerald Ratner-level own goal, it wasn’t terribly clever. I wouldn’t want to overtly criticise him in a family newspaper, so here’s my verdict – in the style of Only Connect’s Missing Vowels Round. Enjoy! WH TTT LPLNK R*
Picture of the Week
Being a 30-something in today’s world must be tough. There you are, juggling career, love life, social life and saving for an inexplicably-expensive “micro-loft” – and somehow you also have to make time for what’s really important: taking impossibly perfect pics for the ‘Gram.
But it looks like a certain 35-year-old Oscar-winner has got this careful balancing act all figured out. For, Avengers star Brie Larson posted THIS video on Instagram this week.
Brie Larson’s quirky balancing act – HOW IS SHE DOING THAT?(Image: Instagram)
Brie as Captain Marvel: yes, she can save the universe and the fabric of time itself, but can she balance on one stiletto heel atop a can of peaches?(Image: Handout)
And while she might be steady as a rock, I – as Gen Z would say – “am shook” . In fact I’m more impressed by this feat than by any of her big screen Captain Marvel antics.
Brie, who is promoting her new tome, Party People, accompanied this video with a quip: “My social media manager said this will sell 1,000 books. So here I am.” The book in question is a “cookbook for creative celebrations” with “endless ideas for weird and wacky parties” – which goes some way to explaining this impressive-yet-leftfield marketing campaign.
Personally, I’m most amazed by her superhuman pain threshold. For, anyone who has experienced the inherent cruelty of the modern-day torture device known as a stiletto heel, will appreciate that this is not just a demonstration of core strength, stability and precision… but of sheer, sheer, sheer ENDURANCE.
So how did she do it? The way I see it, there’s only one explanation: she’s in the wrong franchise… the girl’s a Wonder Woman for sure.
What do you think? Have you seen some funny celeb moments this week? Let me know in comment or on X/Instagram via @JessicaBoulton
*Answer To Missing Vowels Round: “What a plonker”
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