The recent wet weather in London has prevented much practice on grass, so Quayle has been helping to source indoor courts at venues like the Hurlingham Club and the National Tennis Centre.
“The practices we have been having have been pretty special,” Quayle continued.
“She’s not lost it – she’s still operating at a very high level. She is just the ultimate professional.
“For me, she’s the greatest of all time, and you see that in the way she does things on the court.
“It’s incredible to just be a part of and witness – never mind to actually be learning from her and seeing her as a friend and an opponent.”
Despite being a well-established hitting partner on the professional tour – and with a job already lined upat Wimbledon – Quayle says his first few practice sessions with the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion made him “a little bit nervous”.
“It’s a funny thing to see someone that you have watched their serve on TV for so many years, and then all of a sudden that serve is coming at you,” he explained.
“You’re fighting between admiring some of the shots and actually playing them. She’s got that kind of aura and it’s hard sometimes not to feel a little bit nervous.
“I’m starting to getting a little bit more used to seeing her over the other side of the net, but every day is special.”
Quayle, who would one day like to move into coaching, is encouraged to speak up if he has observations about the way Williams is training.
He praised the environment around her, saying the team are “easy to get along with”.
“She’s got a lot going on off the court so we don’t spend a lot of time outside of the gym or the practice court, but when we’re together, she’s so nice,” Quayle said.
“She’s so welcoming. We’re always cracking jokes and we’ve got a similar sense of humour.
“Everyone in that team makes it such a nice environment for everyone.”
Quayle has been asked to head on to Berlin next week, where Williams will play the second tournament of her comeback with a partner yet to be announced.
He says he does not yet know whether his boss will be playing at Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, 29 June, but he is at least relieved he no longer needs to be quite so vague to friends about his movements.
“I feel like I can breathe and relax a little now the secret is out there,” he added.
You can’t own the beach in California. Our shoreline is public — thanks to the Coastal Act and the Coastal Commission — even when everything around it gets expensive and complicated. You can live next to it, monetize it and build a personality around proximity to it, but the wet sand itself belongs to everyone.
Jackie Snow takes a selfie by the new public stairs at Escondido Beach, also known as Hidden Beach.
(Jackie Snow)
In 2024, my colleague Jaclyn Cosgrove walked 27.4 miles of Washington Boulevard in a single day, from Whittier to the ocean. I read it in awe of the shape of it. One street. One day. A city revealed in a straight line.
And then a thought occurred to me, I could do something like that. What if I walked the entire L.A. shoreline? What would happen if I went to the beach and just kept walking along the crest of its waves? Except the shore does not reward this approach. It closes. It opens. Erosion pushes you onto the road and lets you back when it feels like it.
I set out to walk the 75 miles along the Los Angeles coastline anyway. I started at the mouth of the San Gabriel River and worked north toward the Ventura County line, taking 10 trips from the end of November to the second week of January, mostly waiting on tides and weather to cooperate.
Being a surfer helped. I already knew that wet sand means public access in California, that satellite view tells you things the default map doesn’t, and that tides can make or break an outing. For someone wanting to do a similar journey, the California Coastal Trail website is a valuable resource. You can walk long stretches and return back, but I went point to point, which means figuring out how to get back to your car. I usually Ubered, although public transit exists on some stretches. The slickest option is going with a friend who has a car: leave their car at the end, drive yours to the start, and walk. Their car is waiting at the finish to bring you both back to yours. Beyond that, bring more water than you think you need to especially as most stretches have no fountains, no services and no shade. Pack snacks that will sustain you throughout the journey, wear a hat and put on sunscreen, then reapply it. Even on gray, marine-layer days, you’re exposed for hours with nothing overhead.
If you’re inspired by this mega-trek but want to instead do a micro version, I suggest the 5.7 miles from Malibu Pier to Escondido Beach. You can park at one end and take a picturesque bus back where a tasty lunch at the pier’s Malibu Farm awaits at the finish. One last tip I picked up: be nice. People sometimes will give you water, or offer help, wanting to see you get to your destination too.
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1.A red-tailed hawk perched on a coastal access sign along the boardwalk in Long Beach.2.A bench off the Long Beach boardwalk, near the start of the 75-mile walk.3.Birdhouses located near the Long Beach boardwalk.(Jackie Snow)
Alamitos Beach to Port of Long Beach: 4.9 miles
I start at the mouth of the San Gabriel River at Alamitos Park at about 10 a.m. on a busy Sunday at the end of November, walking with a friend. The first stretch is a flat, easy boardwalk. We stop at the Long Beach Museum of Art, which sits on the bluffs overlooking the water, and grab lunch at Claire’s, the museum’s outdoor cafe. From there, we walk toward the mouth of the Los Angeles River, passing through the marina, where boats sit quietly and a pirate ship is inexplicably for sale. We don’t make it up the man-made pier to the Queen Mary. Instead, we turn around just short of it, one river book-ending the other.
Looking back toward the marina near the mouth of the Los Angeles River, one river bookending the other.
(Jackie Snow)
Cabrillo Beach to Portuguese Bend Beach Club: 8.7 miles
I park at Cabrillo Beach, along the Port of Los Angeles, around 6:30 a.m. People are already playing ping-pong. Someone is dancing alone on the sand.
I start along the Cabrillo Beach Walking Path, which you enter at the south end of the beach where the sand ends and the bluffs start. In what feels like two seconds, I’m up on the cliffs, which quits partway and dumps me onto the residential streets of Coastal San Pedro, a neighborhood that looks quintessentially California. The houses are probably a few million dollars each, but they’re tidy bungalows, not the kind of aggressive beachfront wealth that makes you feel like you’ve wandered somewhere you’re not supposed to be.
I pass through Point Fermin Park, home to a lighthouse perched above the water. Down below, the beaches are rocky and loud. The waves are being sucked forcefully back out between the rocks, a sound that feels more industrial than oceanic. There’s more neighborhood walking on West Paseo Del Mar, interrupted by a Little Free Library stop where I add a few books to my bag. I hit the San Pedro hike trails, and the coastline turns dramatic, and suddenly I can’t step two feet off the path without risking a fall, but it’s breathtaking in its beauty.
Cabrillo Beach at the Port of Los Angeles, where the second walk began.
(Jackie Snow)
I hit another closed section, this one bordering Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes. Not wanting to end up on a Secret Service list that bars me from flying, I find another way around, on a surprising trail that curves between holes that’s part of the Ocean Trails Reserve. I climb down to the beach and start picking my way along the rocks toward the Portuguese Bend Beach Club, moving slowly and trying not to break my neck. You can definitely skip this part.
A security guard named Gilbert Blair waves me over and explains to me what I already know: I’m allowed to walk on the wet sand, but everything else is private. When I tell him what I’m doing, he starts offering advice, pointing out places on my Google map he thinks are closed because of last year’s heavy rains. This area is some of the shiftiest parts of all of California, with landslides going back all through the geographical record. In 2024, areas were moving 9 to 12 inches a week, although it has slowed down to 1 to 2 inches a week. He tells me the unstable land actually created a new beach, which the coast almost never does. People came from all over to see it, he says, gesturing toward a new form of sand that locals have called “unreal.”
Blair is nice, but not nice enough to wave me off the wet sand and through Portuguese Bend’s private roads so I can call an Uber. I have to backtrack, spending more time than I’d like carefully navigating the rocks. I briefly consider stopping at the nearby Trump National Golf Club to eat and use the bathroom, but I’m hot, sweaty and not in the mood to test my welcome.
The trail descending toward the rocky beaches below Point Fermin, where waves get sucked back out between the rocks with a sound more industrial than oceanic.
(Jackie Snow)
Terranea Beach to Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve: 5.4 miles
Based on Blair’s advice, I skip a section that isn’t open to the public and probably not safe. I drive Palos Verdes Drive South, a rutted, uneven road that skirts the area and feels vaguely off-roading. I park at Terranea Resort, which charges a fee, but there is also nearby free public parking. I pick the walk back up at the charming tucked-away Terranea Beach. As I head north, the trail climbs. I can see stretches of shoreline closed off, tantalizingly visible with no way to reach them.
I stop at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center, a modest but free museum perched above the water. Several people are gathered outside with binoculars, scanning the horizon. They tell me humpbacks were spotted farther out earlier, feeding. It’s easier to see them on the far side of Catalina, they explain, but they still watch from here, every day, sunrise to sunset, December through May. This is the Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project, run by the American Cetacean Society. Volunteers have been coming here for 43 years, counting whales as they migrate past the point.
The Point Vicente lighthouse, perched above the water where Gray Whale Census volunteers keep watch.
(Jackie Snow)
Volunteers with the Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project scanning the horizon. They’ve been counting whales here for 43 years.
(Jackie Snow)
After I peel myself away from looking for whales, the tides won’t allow me to climb down to Honeymoon Cove. I stay on the cliffs and admire the impressive houses around me. I continue until I round the Palos Verdes Estates cliffs, on Paseo del Mar, and see the long, flat stretch of built-up beaches unfurling ahead, South Bay-style, Malibu faint in the distance.
I’ve only done about 15 miles of my walk and suddenly I see how much more there is to go. I’m hot. I’m tired. I packed bad snacks. The sheer expanse of it, frankly, stresses me out. I had planned to make it to Rat Beach in Palos Verdes Estates, but I call it early.
The small coves that punctuate the Palos Verdes coastline, visible from the cliffs above.
(Jackie Snow)
Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve to El Porto Beach: 7.9 miles
I start back at Palos Verdes Estates cliffs. A couple of turns in, I come across my first real surf spot of the walk. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a surf break from this high up. The waves look less like waves and more like pulses of energy moving under the skin of the ocean.
When I finally hit Rat Beach and see how flat the coastline stretches ahead, I feel like dropping to my knees and kissing the ground. After days of cliffs and detours, the openness feels generous.
Hermosa Beach is busy with volleyball nets in use at a level that suggests Olympic aspirations. Forty minutes later, I stop atErcole’s in Manhattan Beach two blocks off the boardwalk and demolish one of its famed burgers. Instead of stopping where I planned, I keep going and end at my familiar surf spot El Porto.
Surfers walking out to the break at El Porto.
(Jackie Snow)
El Porto Beach to Ballona Creek Jetty: 4.8 miles
I’m back at El Porto Beach, this time walking a paved boardwalk through a thick, foggy marine layer with my husband and a friend who’s in town visiting.
Suddenly, my friend realizes he’s dropped his wallet somewhere north of El Segundo. Cue a round of retraced steps and mild panic. An angel named Dr. Gaz finds it, looks up my friend, and bikes it over so we don’t have to retrace any further. The wallet is returned. Our trio survives. We keep walking, stopping at Ballona Creek Jetty.
A dog and his man relaxing on the beach in Marina Del Rey.
(Jackie Snow)
Marina Del Rey to Will Rogers Beach: 7.4 miles
In this classic boardwalk stretch, we eye the muscle men of Muscle Beach, pause for a quiet break atSmall World Books in Venice and walk next to skateboarders (including one dressed as a Santa) in Santa Monica, before ending at Will Rogers State Beach.
The rocks and tide pools just past Malibu Lagoon, where the king tide pulled the water back farther than usual.
(Jackie Snow)
Will Rogers Beach to Malibu Pier: 7.7 miles
I do this stretch with my husband on New Year’s Day, parking at Will Rogers Beach Lot Three and timing it to a king tide. The highs are higher, but the lows are lower too, which is the part we’re interested in.
Even with the king tide low, the beach opens up and pinches closed without warning, and we move between wet sand, rocks we feel like traversing, and the shoulder of the Pacific Coast Highway when we don’t.
Soon enough, we hit the section of burned-out houses that still haunt the beach nearly a year later. I think I can still smell the smoke. It’s the quietest stretch of the whole walk, and the only place the emptiness feels like loss instead of calm.
The Malibu coastline near Escondido Beach.
(Jackie Snow)
When we finally reach the Malibu Pier, it feels like stepping back into civilization. People are on the beach. Nobu is packed. We eat at Malibu Farm and sit indoors, grateful for chairs, shade and food that isn’t trail mix.
Afterward, we take the bus back to the car from a stop near the Pier on the PCH, which turns out to be one of the most beautiful bus rides in existence, with the coastline framed perfectly by wide windows.
Malibu Pier to Escondido Beach: 5.7 miles
We come back the next day for another king tide, despite rain in the forecast. I start on the other side of Malibu Lagoon State Beach, which looks like nothing else on this walk. It’s swampy and green and quietly buzzing, reminding me of Florida, my home turf. Birders are out, rain jackets zipped, binoculars already up.
There are still rocks and little rivers to navigate, but the tide is so low it’s exposing tide pools I didn’t know existed up here. The sand is packed and forgiving, and we cover distance quickly until the rain really starts coming down.
We exit using the new stairs at Escondido Beach, also known as Hidden Beach, which were installed in 2023 after a multidecade battle over access. I take them slowly as I celebrate a mostly triumphant walk.
The Malibu coastline just south of Point Dume.
(Jackie Snow)
Escondido Beach to Zuma Beach: 6.7 miles
I head back to Escondido Beach, a few days later at low tide, though the tide is already coming in. That turns out to be a mistake. My second mistake is coming alone. As I scramble over rocks helpfully labeled with a sign warning not to climb on them, it’s dangerous, I notice my phone has no service. I decide the safest option is to soak my hiking boots instead along the incoming tide.
With my shoes sloshing and Google Maps satellite view looking deeply uncommitted to the stretch just south of Point Dume, I try to exit. Nope. Gated community. Not ready to give up, I keep going.
The surfer south of Point Dume whose companions offered to unlock the gate.
(Jackie Snow)
I spot a woman surfing and stop to take a photo. Her non-surfing companions start chatting with me. When they hear what I’m doing and where I’m trying to go, they offer to unlock the gate. It’s a genuinely kind gesture. But since I’m doing this for you, reader, I ask if there’s an exit farther along. They say there are stairs up ahead, probably reachable. I tell them, in the nicest way possible, that I hope I don’t see them again, and keep going.
My shoes are now collecting water on every step, the bottoms of my pants are wet, and everything underfoot is baseball-sized rocks, which I think is the worst possible rock size for walking. I round the curve. I spot the stairs.
If I had turned off satellite view, the stairs would have been obvious. So much for trying to read the coastline.
I climb out and walk to the tip of Point Dume and look south. I can see the South Bay, where I called it early weeks ago, hot and tired and hating my snacks. I’m still hot. I’m still tired. My snacks are still crummy. But standing here, salty and damp, I realize I don’t want this to walk to end.
The view from the cliffs near Point Dume.
(Jackie Snow)
Zuma Beach to county line: 5.3 miles
Today I timed the hike with a tide going out and my husband joins me so I don’t have a repeat from last time. We park along the PCH at Zuma. The first stretch we go by “Hannah Montana’s View,” a very persistent Google map label. It’s calm until a curve, where a gaggle of adolescent boys, shirtless and shoeless, are trying but failing to climb over the mussel-covered rocks ahead of us. For the second time on this walk, I have to turn around and back-track to the last exit, maybe a quarter mile back.
Luckily, the sighting of a Little Free Library makes the detour feel less like a failure and more like a reward. We cut through a small gated community that turns out to have a door for exactly this purpose, a quiet acknowledgment that people do, in fact, want to walk through here. There is so much rock walking. So much. Eventually we reach Leo Carrillo State Beach, where Los Angeles actually ends and Ventura County begins. Despite the name, County Line Beach is another mile or so away.
Gated Lechuza Point neighborhood has a beach access road that lets walkers get to the shore.
(Jackie Snow)
I watch people walk across the county border without noticing it at all, no fanfare, no announcement, no sense that anything has changed. They keep going. I stop. They are not done walking, but I am.
I haven’t seen every inch of the Los Angeles County coastline. I double-checked my walking distance and I’m still not at 75 miles, more like 65. The number I found online is probably not entirely accurate (the coastline is constantly changing). Maybe it’s closer to 70. But I have seen whale-watch perches, burned-out Malibu lots, crowded boardwalks and magnificent waves. The coastline is both fragile and welcoming — and walkable — if you’re willing to chase the tides.
THE Algarve is known for its beautiful beaches, so much so that lots get very busy during the summer.
If you want the beauty of Albufeira and Lagos but with much fewer crowds, consider the city of Tavira instead.
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Tavira is a town in the Algarve that’s much lesser-known than othersCredit: AlamyIt has miles of golden sandy beaches too on its nearby islandCredit: Alamy
The little-known Portuguese town of Tavira has whitewashed houses with terracotta roofs and what all the Brits like from a holiday, plenty of golden beaches.
Not only is it on the coast, but thanks to its spot either side of the River Gilão, Tavira is nicknamed the ‘Venice of Portugal’.
It’s also so pretty that it’s often described as the Algarve that “locals keep to themselves”.
If you’re in search of a pretty swim spot, you’ll have to head to Tavira Island just outside of the Ria Formosa Natural Park.
The island is protected by Portuguese law, but can still be visited by holidaymakers.
It also has an impressive sandy beach that stretches on for over six miles; here, holidaymakers can rent parasols, sunloungers, kayaks, and paddleboards.
According to The Algarve Tourist Guide: “Tavira Beach is considered to be one of the best beaches in the Algarve Region.”
The main beach on the island is Blue Flag so it’s ideal for swimming, and won’t be as crowded as those in the west of the region.
Lots of visitors say that they didn’t expected the island to be so “beautiful”.
Others call the beach “unspoiled” and has “no problem with crowds”.
Praia da Ilha de Tavira is a beautiful spot on Tavira IslandCredit: Alamy
Another spot on the island is Barril Beach, which is home to an Anchor Cemetery where abandoned anchors from the tuna fishing era are displayed on the sandbank.
The nature reserve is also home to around 20,000 different species of birds, including pink flamingos.
From Tavira, it can be reached on foot over the bridge, or hop on the regular ferry.
Taviro is cheaper than other spots in the Algarve too – if you head to the historic Rua dos Pelames you’ll find bars where you can pick up vinho verde for just a few euros.
For food, head to Restaurant O Noel, a family-run taverna serving up fresh seafood from tuna steak to squid.
You can pick up a huge sharing plate of Algarvian clams for around €12 (£10.35).
For shopping, there’s the Mercado Municipal de Tavira, a food market which is fully stocked before 11 o’clock in the morning.
And dotted about are little boutiques, independent markets and shops around too.
AP Maria Nova Lounge Hotel is a pretty hotel in Tavira which you can book with TUICredit: TUI
Karen Hauer has spoken for the first time in length about her emotional exit from Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years on the BBC show
Karen’s new chapter has begun(Image: Zoë Birkbeck Photography)
Karen Hauer’s exit from Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years on the show, in the midst of a dramatic shake-up for the 2026 series, stunned fans. But in an exclusive interview, in which she talks about her shock departure for the first time, she says she’s ready for whatever’s next.
The pro dancer, 44, felt like part of the furniture on the BBC show. She was the longest-serving female professional, having graced the famous dance floor with stars including Mark Wright and Jamie Laing – reaching the final with both – and the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers, who she once said was her most “cherished” partnership. So it’s not surprising that the announcement in March that she was quitting evoked some strong feelings.
“It was very emotional, but it did feel like I was ready to get my teeth stuck into other projects and continue evolving. I learned so much from every single celebrity that I came across,” she tells us, with a warm smile. “It’s always about growth. It was a beautiful decision that came from a good place in my heart.”
The Venezuelan-American, who is a Latin dance specialist and World Mambo Champion, decided to keep her decision quiet from everyone, including her fellow pros, except her very closest pals, as she knew they would try to convince her to stay.
“I didn’t say anything because I know it would have been hard for them to digest and they’d have been like, ‘No, definitely no, not you,” she laughs. “I kept it within my tightest circle. But you know what? When I announced it, I’ve never felt such an outpouring of love. So many people were reaching out to me, and just being so kind.”
Karen’s exit is one of many ahead of the new series, with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping down and a string of other pros waving goodbye to the show, including Gorka Márquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas. Meanwhile, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe are set to shake things up as the show’s new hosts.
Karen, who moved to the countryside near Preston, Lancashire in 2025 for a quieter life, after years of calling London home, believes Strictly will continue to evolve. “Even before I was on the show, when we saw Bruce Forsyth leave and then Len Goodman, it’s always got bigger and better – that’s the beauty of it,” she says. “Now, there’s new energy coming in. The next generation is only going to lift it even more.”
Karen is excited, she says, to see where the dramatically changed team takes the show. “I’ll be watching, 100%. And I know I’ll miss the people – the camera crew, hair and make-up, the costume ladies, our runners, the producers that make the show work.”
She’ll also miss her fellow pros, with whom she admits, she took on a protective, maternal role. “Ah, my professional dancers – my kids!” she says fondly. “I felt like I was a mother goose and everybody was always so beautiful backstage. I’ll miss the dance floor when it was all quiet and there was nobody around and we were all rehearsing with no lights. Just us there.”
She adds, a little wistfully, “Strictly will always be my home, you know? I will always have a deep connection to it, no matter what.”
After so long on one show, no one would blame Karen for wanting to take a break to recharge her batteries. But no, she’s jumping headfirst into a new project – and that’s just the way she likes it.
Karen will be touring the UK this summer in a revival of feel-good comedy Stepping Out, which follows a group of seemingly mismatched amateur tap dancers as they prepare for a charity gala performance. She will play Mavis, the group’s teacher – a role last played in 2017 by Tamzin Outhwaite, and by the legendary Liza Minnelli in the 1991 film version.
When she thinks of all the famous faces she’s put through their dancing paces, Karen says it feels tailor-made for her. “It just fell into my lap at exactly the right time, after closing a massive chapter of my life with Strictly,” she says. “The fact that Mavis is a dance teacher, dealing with so many different personalities and stories just resonated with me so much.”
It’s not the star’s first brush with the stage. Over the years she’s had acclaimed stints in the West End and on Broadway. “I’ve always loved theatre,” she says. “I mean, live TV and stage shows are equally nerve-wracking, but when you’re on TV, it’s a one-hit wonder because you don’t get to repeat, you just have to perform and leave it there. In theatre, you evolve each time within the character.”
“When you’re doing a show like Strictly, there’s a certain part of you that you protect,” she adds. “It’s okay to hold back certain things about yourself, to protect yourself in a way. That’s completely okay. I think that’s how you need to be to be able to function. Acting is a completely different demon.”
Karen clearly has boundless energy as she will also be joining fellow Strictly pro Nikita Kuzmin on his Burn The Floor extravaganza, Supernova. The brainchild of Strictly’s director of choreography Jason Gilkison, she says it will always hold a special place in her heart as she was the principal female dancer in the original Broadway cast and toured the world with the ground-breaking show.
“I turned into the performer I was always meant to be because of Jason and Burn The Floor. He gave me that confidence, that belief in myself,” she tells us. “Nikita’s energy and charisma is just… beyond. I did not see it coming, so it was really nice to be asked. It’s almost like going home again.”
Away from work, Karen – who split from her third husband in 2023 – found love again two years ago with former rugby coach Simon Davidson. Smiling, she says her favourite thing to do when she’s not working is spend quality time with her handsome other half – and their four adorable rescue dogs.
“I have an amazing support network of friends, my family, my dogs, my partner at home,” she says. “He just turned 40, I’m 44, and there’s a different mindset when it comes to that stage of life – the enjoyment of life and making sure we’re taking care of each other.
“Our lives are very chaotic and we both travel a lot, so when we get back together, we have that total peace at home with our dogs. Just enjoying the little things in life is really important for both of us.”
Karen is the first to admit she’s had a rollercoaster love life. She was married to her ex-dance partner Matthew Hauer for nine years and went on to wed Strictly’s Kevin Clifton, who she then split from in 2018. She tied the knot with fitness professional Jordan Wyn-Jones in 2022, but they called it a day just 16 months later.
“I’ve definitely had my ups and downs in relationships,” she says softly. “But I think this one’s definitely an up for me, and for him as well. I think we can sense our emotions and our energy very quickly as well. We’re very aware of what makes the other tick.”
Her relationship advice? “It’s important to communicate with each another on even the smallest things. Life is too good to be hung up on little things.”
A year and a half ago, Karen decided to stop drinking alcohol, which, she says, has been transformative. “It’s completely changed my emotional state and boosted my energy levels. I’ve made so many little tweaks for self-improvement, from the inside.”
Her social media is full of posts about fitness, and Simon is even hoping to convince her to sign up to gruelling fitness competition Hyrox one day.
As for what the future may hold, Karen says, “The world’s my oyster. I don’t want to be afraid to try new things, so anything that comes my way, I’ll go for it. Because what’s the worst thing that can happen?”
With a new chapter beginning, what would Karen tell her 30-year-old self on the first day of her Strictly journey? She flashes a huge grin. “Strap in, put the seat belt on, you’re gonna fly!”
OSCAR winner Marcia Lucas has died from cancer aged 80.
Known as the secret weapon and unsung hero of Star Wars, Marcia died at her holiday home in Rancho Mirage, California.
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Marcia Lucas, the secret weapon of Star wars, has died aged 80Marcia married George Lucas in 1969
The ex-wife of George Lucas, Marcia was best known for editing Star Wars and Return of the Jedi.
Marcia died on Wednesday evening, her family said.
In an emotional statement, they called the filmmaker a “trailblazer”.
A family member said: “Marcia was a force.”
“A true trailblazer for women in film and one of the most influential editors in cinematic history; she helped redefine what film editing could be and paved the way for generations of women who followed.”
She won an Academy Award in 1977 for Best Film Editing.
In 1969 she married George Lucas, who she had met while working on the documentary Journey to the Pacific.
Raised in North Hollywood, Marcia met her future husband while they were working as assistants for editor Verna Fields.
Marcia won an Academy Award in 1977 for Best Film EditingCredit: Kobal Collection – Shutterstock
It’s hard to believe we’re approaching the end of May and the midpoint of the year, which means some of our favorite shows have come to a close, including “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” which aired its final episode on CBS last week. Our critics and columnists weighed in on Colbert’s tenure as host of “The Late Show” over the years, writing about why he was the risky but right choice to host, his faith and his next chapter. And “Hacks,” starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, dropped its series finale on HBO Max last night. Times culture columnist Mary McNamara and television critic Robert Lloyd took a moment to discuss the course of the show after five seasons, the characters and why they found the finale satisfying.
While those series have come to an end, a new television show, Prime Video’s “Spider-Noir,” arrived this week with a different take on a beloved superhero, Spider-Man. “Spider-Noir” stars Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly and his alter ego the Spider. Writer Carlos Aguilar spoke to Cage and co-star Lamorne Morris about their spin on the comic book-based characters they portray, and this week, Karen Rodriguez, who plays Ben’s secretary Janet Ruiz on the show, stopped by Guest Spot to talk about her character, working with the ensemble cast and how she gets a nice prize at the end of the season (be warned, a few spoilers ahead).
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Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our writers recommend a trio of newly arrived second seasons and a collection of films based on Homer’s “The Odyssey” that will get you in the mood for Christopher Nolan’s epic arriving later this summer. Vacation screen time can’t come soon enough. — Maira Garcia
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Asif Ali, Poorna Jagannathan and Saagar Shaikh in Season 2 of “Deli Boys.”
(Sandy Morris / Disney)
Season 2 of “The Four Seasons” (Netflix), “Patience” (PBS) and “Deli Boys” (Hulu)
There is a season, goes the song, and there is sometimes a second season. Here’s your chance to turn (turn, turn) on your TV to three fine, finally returning series. Tina Fey’s “The Four Seasons” demonstrates there’s still life in this bumpy midlife friend-com about couples (in flux) who vacation together four times a year because apparently there are people who can afford to do that. (On this year’s itinerary: the Catskills, the Jersey Shore and Italy.) It stars Fey, Colman Domingo, Will Forte and others, and even a little bit of Steve Carell, though his character died at the end of Season 1. (Flashbacks, baby.) “Patience,” a charming British mystery, airing here as part of PBS’ “Masterpiece,” stars charismatic autistic actor Ella Maisy Purvis as a neurodivergent amateur detective, assisting the police in York, England. This season replaces Laura Fraser’s finally understanding detective investigator Bea Metcalf with Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes), a less sympathetic successor, but Mark Benton (whom you may know from Britbox’s “Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators,” or should) as Calvin Baxter is happily still around as the boss. Abdullah Saeed’s hectic, hilarious “Deli Boys” retails the further misadventures of brothers Mir (Asif Ali) and Raj (Saagar Shaikh), who last season stumbled unaware into their late father’s drug business, fronted by a chain of convenience stores. New to the show this season are Fred Armisen as a casino owner, Andrew Rannells as a district attorney and Kumail Nanjiani as the lawyer for the brothers’ Lucky Auntie (Poorna Jagannathan, majestic). — Robert Lloyd
John Turturro, left, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
(Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures)
Odysseys (Criterion Channel)
All hail original IP, which is great and all, but sometimes a 3,000-year-old story sticks around for a reason. Homer crystallized the impulse to return home after a long time away from all that is familiar. We’ll watch Matt Damon make that journey in Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” hitting theaters July 17, but until then, Criterion builds anticipation with some of the most notable homeward journeys. Martin Scorsese achieves a kind of cosmic misfortune with 1985’s “After Hours,” in which Griffin Dunne’s yuppie only wants to escape Soho and go back to his apartment after a late-night date gone sour. You can bop to the Coens’ tuneful “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” a faithful Homeric translation, then check out the Preston Sturges satire “Sullivan’s Travels,” which inspired the Coens’ title. But don’t let David Lynch’s “The Straight Story” pass you by: It was the least name-checked of his films when the director died last year, but it’s one of his most gentle and improbable triumphs, about a road trip via lawn tractor to a dying brother. — Joshua Rothkopf
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Janet Ruiz (Karen Rodriguez) in “Spider-Noir.”
(Aaron Epstein / Prime)
Being exceptionally competent at your job is a superhero power — so says this editor. In “Spider-Noir,” Rodriguez plays Janet, a secretary to private investigator Ben Reilly, a.k.a. the Spider. But Janet is not just someone who sits behind the desk answering phones and filing paperwork. She’s as much a gumshoe as Reilly, walking into a police station with poise and ease to sweet-talk the officer into giving her crucial information on an investigation (all it takes is a good sandwich). Her ability to ask the right questions and find answers puts her on equal ground with Reilly and his best friend Robbie Robertson, the investigative journalist played by Morris, leading her to a rightful promotion at the end of series. Don’t you love it when good old-fashioned hard work gets you ahead?
While Rodriguez has been busy lately with her breakout role in “Spider-Noir,” she has also been at work on “The Hunting Wives,” Netflix’s hit drama in which she plays Deputy Wanda Salazar and is slated to return later this year. The actor spoke to us about going toe to toe with Cage, why she loved working with her various cast mates and what she’s watching now. — M.G.
“Spider-Noir” is a comic book adaption, but it’s also a take on classic noir films. How did you prepare for your role as Janet given the mix of genres?
I had a little more freedom because Janet is strictly based on the Girl Friday archetype from classic noir. So I first started with the scripts. Oren [Uziel]’s vision for Janet was very precise in the writing, and from that arc I wanted to figure out why this particular woman in this particular world and what does she offer the environment that no one else can. Then I delved into “The Maltese Falcon” (Janet was based off of Effie Perine), “Double Indemnity,” “His Girl Friday,” among others. And then I mixed it all in with Nick’s take on Ben Reilly because so much of who Janet is absolutely informed by who Ben is.
Janet is very no-nonsense, especially with Ben, even though he’s her boss. What was it like “managing up” and playing off of Nick’s acting? Have you ever dealt with a boss like that in real life?
Well, I think that what’s great about Janet is that she is no-nonsense but she also has a killer sense of humor and wit. I think it makes her someone who’s very skilled at getting what she wants, a little sugar with the medicine. Nick is the ultimate scene partner — so prepared, so playful and most importantly, unpredictable. For Janet, Ben’s antics are her obstacle in the scene and Nick always made sure Ben gave Janet plenty of obstacles. All I had to do was know Janet is the boss and the voice of reason, then listen and respond to him. We had a great time keeping each other on our toes and I’m so grateful to have had that experience with him. No, I haven’t had a boss like that!
Janet shares a lot of scenes with different characters, like Robbie (Morris), Lonnie (Abraham Popoola) or even Frankie (Cary Christopher), the little boy who’s friendly with Ben. She is very good at connecting with people. How was it creating a rapport with so many different cast mates and was there a scene or moment that stood out to you?
Thank you for saying that! Her ability to connect with people is one of my favorite parts about her. And oh, I loved it. The ensemble acting of it all thrills me. It allows me to explore different facets of the character and it’s just fun to collide with different actors. And this particular cast made it so joyful — they’re all mega-talented but also super-focused and hardworking. We just wanted to make the best show we could.
A moment that stood out to me … I loved seeing Janet’s superpower in the scene with Lonnie, how her kindness and ability to make people feel seen makes her a powerful player in this world. And Abraham Popoola is just magnificent so it was a really fun day on set with him and Lamorne.
In the end Janet and Ben become partners. Was that inevitable given her skills?
I would like to think so! And I think Janet would too! But it still made me cry when I read the episode and when I saw the office door sign with both their names. I think for Janet, too — despite knowing she’s worth it, it is still momentous to have Ben give her her due.
Along with “Spider-Noir,” you’ll be back on “The Hunting Wives” for Season 2 later this year. Anything you can tease about what Wanda Salazar might be up to?
You know Maple Brook is going to give her plenty to do! She’s definitely going to have her hands full this season. And I’m excited because I think fans are in for some shocking moments!
What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?
“Ponies” [Peacock]. Oh, and I’ve been watching “The Comeback” [HBO Max], Season 1-3. Lisa Kudrow forever.
What’s your go-to comfort watch, the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?
“The Office” [Peacock]. “Bridget Jones’s Diary” [YouTube, Paramount+]. “Pride and Prejudice,” 2005 vibes [Britbox, Prime Video].
IF you’re searching for a place to cool off without the crowds this weekend, this lake has been described as a ‘secret oasis’.
Tucked away in Surrey is Divers Cove which not only has bright blue swimming waters, but lakeside sauna pods and a cafe.
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Divers Cove is a wild swimming spot in SurreyCredit: Divers Cove Ltd The lake is just an hour from London and has ‘gin clear’ watersCredit: Divers Cove Ltd
Divers Cove is a 7.3-acre reservoir in Surrey and is described as a ‘haven for wild swimming’.
One visitor said: “It’s a fabulous place to go for a swim in natural and beautiful surroundings – it’s like a secret oasis in the middle of Surrey.”
Another added: “I really don’t want to say too much about Divers Cove, but this is because rather selfishly I want it kept a secret!”
Others described it as ‘gorgeous’ and the water as being ‘gin clear’.
Holidaymakers could snap up bargain return flights from as low as £30 to the most popular holiday hotspots thanks to a little-known TUI Airways booking trick. The ‘insider trick’, revealed by TUI UK’s Commercial Director Chris Logan, reveals how travellers can snap up last-minute flights weeks before departure which include bargain breaks across Europe and even long-haul escapes for a fraction of the usual price.
On TUI’s dedicated ‘ Cheap Flights ’ page Brits can find seats on return routes which are regularly released at heavily reduced prices in the weeks and months leading up to departure. “If you’ve got a bit of flexibility, this is one of the easiest ways to find a great-value getaway. It’s not something everyone knows about, but checking our flights page regularly can uncover some genuinely low fares, especially closer to departure as we look to fill remaining seats,” said Chris Logan.
“We’re talking everything from quick European breaks to long-haul trips across the Caribbean, Mexico and Thailand. Because TUI Airways flies from 22 airports across the UK, it makes it easy to pick a date, pack a bag and fly from your closest regional airport.”
The best deals tend to be snapped up by those who can be flexible on dates and airports, with flights leaving from more than 22 UK airports. And it’s not just quick getaways. The deals can stretch from short breaks to two-week holidays or even longer.
Chris added: “For customers who don’t mind when or where they go, it can be a really simple way to save money on flights and land some of the best-value fares”.
Right now, Brits can find deals such as:
Seven nights in Palma de Mallorca with return flights from London Gatwick from £30 per person (1 July to 8 July)
Seven nights in Ibiza with return flights from London Stansted from £63 per person (1 July to 8 July)
Seven nights in Agadir, Morocco with return flights from Newcastle from £66 per person (8 June to 15 June)
Seven nights in Tenerife with return flights from London Gatwick from £82 per person (6 June July to 13 July)
14 nights in Cancun, Mexico with return flights from Manchester from £350 per person (7 June to 21 June)
14 nights in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with return flights Manchester from £350 per person (6 June to 20 June)
Travellers looking to lock in value a little further ahead can also take advantage of TUI’s additional current flight offer. On TUI Airways bookings departing between July 2026 and April 2027, customers can receive £40 off per person which will be already applied to the flight price, offering even more ways to bring down the cost of a getaway.
Baseball players are superstitious — it comes with the territory.
But not even UCLA coach John Savage, who has coached the Bruins since 2004, has seen something that rivals pitcher Angel Cervantes and his mini toy dinosaur, Jerry.
A two-inch triceratops, Jerry sits behind the 6-foot-2 freshman every time the righty takes the mound, serving as a familiar — albeit tiny — face Cervantes can turn to for reassurance.
“[Cervantes] used the word childish,” Savage recalled. “And I kind of like that because that’s the first thing you think, like, ‘What the hell? Baby dinosaur? What are we doing?’ And so, he got a little chuckle out of it. He doesn’t take himself too serious, and I like that from a young guy. But it’s something that he loves and works off and, you know, good for him.”
Jerry took the world by storm as Cervantes, making his postseason debut Sunday, tossed five scoreless innings in UCLA’s 3-2 11-inning win over Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. The broadcast crew zoomed in on the dino, and the rest remains history.
Cervantes didn’t expect his mini dinosaur to be a hot topic throughout college baseball. The pitcher found it “crazy” to see himself and Jerry showered with love in social media posts shared by ESPN and MLB.
However, as the virality increases, Cervantes has been an open book about Jerry.
“Jerry, he’s a big part of my plan,” he said. “He just keeps me calm.”
The triceratops has been calming Cervantes since his senior year at Downey’s Warren High School.
In George Redfox’s photography class, Cervantes and his classmates were assigned to take pictures of mini dinosaurs on the ground at varying angles. With the longtime teacher’s approval, Cervantes and a friend kept a pair of dinosaurs; one was named Tom, and the other Jerry, inspired by the show Cervantes loved watching with his dad growing up.
Cervantes first placed Jerry behind him on the mound during a game at Angel Stadium and has made it routine ever since.
“I put my hand on my lid, I look down, and I close my eyes,” Cervantes said of his superstition. “And once I open my eyes, I look at Jerry, and that’s when I know it’s time to go. If I’m [ahead] 0-2, I like to slow myself down. I don’t want to think ahead. Or, after a first-pitch strike [or] the beginning of the inning, you know, whatever. Whenever I think the moment’s getting a little big, I want to slow things down.”
Some players pat their gloves. Others chew gum or spit seeds. But Cervantes? He just looks at his little pal.
UCLA pitcher Angel Cervantes holds his good luck toy dinosaur.
(Joaquin Ruiz / For The Times)
As Savage said, the arrangement is unique.
However, what works, works. And the Bruins, when they’re not worrying about stepping on Jerry or watching the tiny-but-mighty dino get obliterated by a grounder up the middle, are all for anything that will empower Cervantes to be his best.
“I remember seeing [Jerry] for the first time in the fall, and I just thought it was funny,” UCLA junior catcher Cashel Dugger said. “I think it’s just his thing, and it keeps him comfortable out there. And if he’s comfortable out there, then I think everybody else is good for it …”
Jerry didn’t just help Cervantes thrive in the biggest game of his life to help the Bruins earn their first Big Ten conference title.
Rather, the dino helped Cervantes evolve from an adapting freshman into a trustworthy arm — that enters the NCAA tournament with a 3.86 ERA with just one run given up over his last five outings — in a rotation that needed a boost, as right-handed ace Logan Reddemann has been out with arm soreness since mid-April.
“He was not ready, three [to] four months ago, to be a weekend starter,” Savage said of Cervantes, who the Pittsburgh Pirates selected with the No. 50 overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. “In terms of Angel, it’s really been a fun progression. It’s really, I think, the epitome of development, of not rushing a guy with high expectations. I mean, he [was the] 50th pick … you would think [he’d] be plug-in-and-go. But in today’s world of college baseball, being barely 18 years old … he just wasn’t there yet, and he needed to fall.”
Jerry isn’t on UCLA’s roster and probably won’t be sized for championship rings any time soon.
But don’t get it twisted: there’s only one tiny dinosaur Cervantes looks to when he feels the heat, or for a lift when he falls. The two, quite literally, are inseparable.
“He’s in my backpack,” Cervantes said when asked where Jerry goes after games. “So, he’s still with me. I don’t want to keep him in my pocket — maybe I’ll grab my wallet, and he suddenly falls out. I’m always on top of where I keep him.”
Jerry has the trust of everyone in Westwood as UCLA begins its quest for a second national title in program history on Friday against Saint Mary’s.
The Bruins love him. The fans love him. Heck, even umpires can’t help but smile when met with the triceratops.
“Every time they do checks — like, they check my hands and glove — they’re always asking what’s in my pockets or hand, because before they do that, I put Jerry in the pocket. And I just put my hand out, and Jerry’s just right there. ‘Oh, OK, cool. Go get ‘em.’ So they’re always having a smile on their face.”
Cervantes and the Bruins still have a ways to go before they’re champions of the world. But if anything is certain, it’s that Jerry will be there every step of the way, whether on the mound with the freshman or in his backpack.
Oh, and if Cervantes ever gets to make that dream big-league appearance one day, he made it clear: He’d do everything he could to share the experience with Jerry.
“Someone said that if the batter ever gets mad and goes up to the pitcher, that Jerry will be right behind him,” Cervantes said of his favorite social media comment about his mini companion. “And that we should get a helmet for Jerry.”
LILY ALLEN has long been a fan of Jade Thirlwall and now they’ve teamed up for a collaboration.
I can reveal she has recorded a new version of her West End Girl album track Beg For Me with the Angel Of My Dreams singer, with the new take set to drop tomorrow.
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Lily Allen has recorded a new version of her West End Girl album track Beg For MeCredit: APThe singer has long been a fan of Jade Thirlwall and now they’ve teamed up for a collaborationCredit: Reuters
Lily teased the release of a new track on Instagram on Tuesday night – which I can confirm will be this one.
She shared a video with the caption: “Oops decided I’m not done ;)) got another song for youuu.”
The move will raise hopes that Jade could be a special guest when Lily headlines Mighty Hoopla festival in Brockwell Park, South London, on Saturday night.
Jade is a massive fan of the event and performed there last year, with Lily previously teasing she had surprises in store for fans at the show.
Lily teased the release of a new track on Instagram on Tuesday nightCredit: GettyThe move will raise hopes that Jade could be a special guest when Lily headlines Mighty Hoopla festival in Brockwell ParkCredit: Getty
The Smile singer rocketed back into the spotlight last October when she dropped West End Girl.
It documented, in gritty detail, the breakdown of her marriage to Stranger Things actor David Harbour.
Then in January, Lily confirmed: “I’m doing a remix version of the album, where different female artists are responsible for each of the songs.”
Getting Jade on board is certainly a strong start.
Rodrigo-go dancers
Olivia Rodrigo was snapped in New York wearing a dark jumper and knee-high boots, flanked by a troupe of ballerinasCredit: Getty
OLIVIA RODRIGO made a right song and dance on the set of her new video.
She was in New York wearing a dark jumper and knee-high boots, flanked by a troupe of ballerinas.
Olivia has unveiled the tracklist to her third album, You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love, which will be out in a fortnight.
It will be split into two halves, with the first, Girl So In Love, featuring recent single Drop Dead.
The second half, You Seem Pretty Sad, the track The Cure.
Alfie on facing himself
Alfie Boe has revealed the truth about his new album Face MyselfCredit: Getty
ALFIE BOE delivered a magical performance at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday as he revealed the truth about his new album Face Myself.
The singer and musical theatre star had the crowd belting out his new songs as well as previous covers, including Leona Lewis’s Run and Bring Him Home from Les Miserables.
He said of the album: “The reason why I call it Face Myself is because I wanted to really look back at everything that has gone on for me in my life, and how I’ve got here today, got to this point, this minute, on stage at the Royal Albert Hall. I wanted to share with you the real Alfie Boe, the guy from Fleetwood in Lancashire.”
Macca: I’d be a teacher
Sir Paul McCartney has revealed what he might have been if music mega-stardom had not come callingCredit: Getty
SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has revealed what he might have been if music mega-stardom had not come calling – an English teacher.
The Beatles legend said: “Well, when I was at school, there’s always like the careers master who tells you, you know, ‘You’re no good, you’re hopeless, I see no future for you’.
“I’d done not very well in my exams.
“I had a couple of qualifications and they told me I could maybe be an English teacher.
“So I could have been your friendly English teacher.”
During a TikTok Live, Macca, who is worth an estimated £1billion and will release his 20th solo album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane tomorrow, added:
“I probably would have enjoyed that because I like that subject, and I like English literature and stuff. So that was my fallback position.”
‘Definetly a three’ says Perrie as Jesy is out of Little Mix reunion
Perrie Edwards has ruled out Jesy Nelson ever returning to Little MixCredit: GettyJesy quit the group in 2020 and then cut off all contact with her former bandmatesCredit: Instagram/jesynelson
PERRIE EDWARDS has ruled out Jesy Nelson ever returning to Little Mix – but said she is raring to go with a reunion as a three-piece .
Jesy quit the group in 2020 and then cut off all contact.
She has since spoken to the girls again, but Perrie said that a future comeback would only involve her, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall.
Asked whether there will be a reunion, she told Attitude: “Oh, 100 per cent. I’m ready and raring.
“We always message each other and are bantering like, ‘So how long until we do a reunion? Are we going to do one? Where is it?’.
“I’m like, just give me a ballpark time. Do you know what I mean? Just let me know when.”
And pushed on whether it would be as a three or a four, she added: “A three. Definitely a three.”
For now though, Perrie – who is engaged to Celtic and former Arsenal footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – is still a solo artist and will release new single Passenger Princess on Friday.
On what the latest song is about, she said: “I love being independent, I love having my own s**t, I love doing everything for myself, being strong and a powerful woman.
“But you know, sometimes I can’t be f**ed.
“Sometimes I just want to do nothing and be like, ‘Alex, can you just help me, look after me?’, you know?”
JUDY FINNIGAN is considering a return to showbiz by launching a podcast with hubby Richard Madeley, 17 years on from their last TV series.
He said on Channel 5’s Vanessa yesterday: “We’ve had a conversation with a very good producer friend of ours, an ex-editor of This Morning, and we have kicked a few ideas around. It’s in the air.”
BAD BUNNY has joined the voice cast of new movie Toy Story 5 – as a slice of pizza in sunglasses.
The rapper has recorded his part for the film, which is out on June 19, and will arrive in the UK a week later for two sold-out shows at the Tottenham Stadium in London.
His character will be one of several items abandoned in a shed, alongside a garden gnome voiced by Capital’s Jordan North and an inflatable flamingo voiced by Sian Welby.
The Strictly Come Dancing star turns detective to investigate the mysterious death of her 14-year-old great-aunt in 1888, before uncovering a heartbreaking truth about why her grandfather was the only one of six siblings to be given up for adoption
Amy Dowden makes a shocking discovery about her family in Who Do You Think You Are?(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden is set to turn detective this week as she delves into her Welsh family history – uncovering a potentially murderous story and a heartbreaking family secret that left her in tears.
The professional dancer, 35, takes centre stage in the second episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, airing tonight, as she embarks on an emotional journey through West Wales that will see her investigate a rumoured murder and discover the painful truth behind her grandfather’s adoption.
Amy’s investigation begins with the death of her three-times great aunt Elinor, who died aged just 14 on a farm in 1888. Playing detective, the Caerphilly-born dancer travels through Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, desperate to uncover what really happened to her young relative all those years ago.
“I really enjoyed playing detective but, gosh, what we unravelled there,” Amy says. “I found myself really wanting to learn more, faster and quicker. I didn’t want to wait to have to go to court or wait to learn more from another historian, you get really hungry wanting all the answers as quickly as possible.”
While the murder mystery remains open-ended, Amy discovers something special along the way – that a valley in Wales, Cwm Nell, is named after one of her relatives. “It’s so beautiful to be able to see the impact she made in her short life,” she adds.
But it’s on her father’s side where Amy makes the most devastating discovery. Determined to find answers for her dad, who never had information about his own father Frank’s birth family, Amy uncovers why her grandfather was the only one of six siblings to be unofficially adopted.
Frank was informally adopted as a baby after his mother Louisa died of breast cancer aged 39 and his father Bill, a Welsh miner, was left struggling to support six children during the 1921 miners’ strike.
“It was really shocking and emotional, but it was the answer to so many questions,” she explains. “Before we struggled to understand why my grandad Frank, who was one of several siblings, was the only one given up. We could never really understand why. But from the information we learnt, I think we felt a real sense of empathy, and then the sadness and heartache for them took over, really.
“My dad’s reaction to the news was that he was really shocked and quite upset.”
The journey also sheds light on her great-grandfather’s honourable service during the war and the harsh conditions faced by her working-class mining family. “You know about the history, but I don’t think you ever know about the severity of it all,” Amy reflects. “When you’re reading and seeing how it affected your own family it hits differently.”
For Amy, who is Welsh “through and through,” the experience has only deepened her connection to her homeland. “It’s made me even more proud to be Welsh,” she says. Her parents were so captivated by her discoveries that they retraced her steps, visiting every location from the programme.
The episode has brought together family members together, including Amy’s second cousin. “It really brought families who had never met before together. It’s been really heartwarming, really lovely.”
Who Do You Think You Are? airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Secret Service shot a person near the White House on Saturday, and a bystander also was shot, a law enforcement official said.
Both individuals were said to be in critical condition, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation.
Journalists working at the White House on Saturday reported hearing a series of gunshots and were told to seek shelter inside the press briefing room.
On X, the Secret Service said it was “aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” — one block from the White House — and was “working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground.”
In a social media post, FBI Director Kash Patel said officers were responding to shots fired and said he would “update the public as we’re able.”
President Trump was inside the White House at the time.
Evidence of the shooting was visible on a sidewalk just outside the White House complex, where yellow crime scene tape snaked across the pavement and Secret Service officers placed dozens of orange evidence markers on the ground. Medical material, including what appeared to be purple surgical gloves and kits typically used by emergency medical personnel, were also seen.
In a post shared on X, Selina Wang, the senior White House correspondent for ABC News, shared video of the moment she said she heard what “sounded like dozens of gunshots” and ducked for cover. Writing that she had been performing an ordinary task that reporters at the White House do every day — filming themselves on a cellphone, for a social media post — Wang’s video shows her speaking for a few seconds about Trump’s statements earlier Saturday about a potential Iran deal.
As the sounds of gunfire are heard in the background, Wang’s eyes grow wider, and she ducks down in the media tent, which is among those situated in a line along the White House driveway where broadcasters film their reports. On X, Wang’s video had been shared thousands of times as of Saturday evening, and viewed at least 3 million times.
The Metropolitan Police Department said on its X account that the Secret Service was working the scene and cautioned people to avoid the area. The scene is near where a gunman ambushed two members of the West Virginia National Guard in November.
U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her wounds. Andrew Wolfe, then 24, was critically wounded. Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been charged in that incident.
The gunfire Saturday comes nearly a month after what law enforcement authorities said was an attempted assassination of the president on April 25 as he attended the annual White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner at a Washington hotel. Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance recently pleaded not guilty to charges that he attempted to kill Trump and remains in federal custody.
Following that scare, Secret Service officers shot a suspect they said had fired at officers near the Washington Monument, also near the White House. Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, was charged in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in connection with the May 4 shooting. A teenage bystander was wounded in that incident.
Superville and Durkin Richer write for the Associated Press. AP photojournalists Jose Luis Magana and Alex Brandon andwriters Gary Fields, Meg Kinnard and Matthew Daly contributed to this report.
It’s more than an army that travels on its stomach. A presidential campaign is also carbohydrate-challenged as President Obama demonstrated in his Seattle stopover Thursday.
The president’s day began with Obama and entourage hitting a local coffee shop, the Top Pot Doughnuts.
“Hey guys,” Obama said, getting some cheers from the dozens of other customers. As Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” played in the background, Obama stepped up to the counter, according to media pool reports.
“Let’s see what we got here,” he said, counting the Top Pot Doughnut group that included top staffers and Washington Sen. Patty Murray. “Are we buying a dozen?”
“A couple dozen?” he said after apparently being urged to get more than one.
“I think we’ve gotta sample everything right? So why don’t you just give us a sample,” he said to the clerk behind the counter. “Whatever you recommend.”
The president later took out a bunch of $20 bills, peeled off a couple and handed them to the cashier. After putting his change in the tip jar, he said, “One of the benefits of being president.”
Like a trail of crumbs, the sweet theme continued at Obama’s visit to a Seattle home where he met with a small group to tout his economic program.
One of the questioners was Jody Hall, owner of Cupcake Royal, a local chain built with the help of a government loan, another theme as Obama pushed helping small businesses. Responding to Obama, Hall said she had brought samples but noted that the Secret Service was very thorough and had taken them away.
“I suspect Secret Service confiscated them and are now eating them as we speak,” Obama said.
Obama joined in with the laughter as the group considered the future of those confections.
“I’m really looking forward to trying your cupcakes,” Obama said later.
Dutchman Verhoeven, 37, boasts an impressive kickboxing resume, reigning as Glory’s heavyweight champion for 11 years and making 13 successful defences, but has boxed just once professionally – in 2014.
But Usyk’s CV in boxing is just as eye-catching – if not more so.
After winning gold at the 2012 Olympics, the Ukrainian has established himself as one of the pound-for-pound greats by achieving undisputed status at cruiserweight and, twice, at heavyweight.
Usyk, 39, has brushed aside Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois – beating each of the Britons on two occasions – and, despite Verhoeven’s lack of boxing experience, is approaching this bout with the same mentality.
“The opponent might be different but my preparations are not different,” Usyk said.
“I work hard, I do a lot of work in sparring, conditioning and cardio.
“I train like I’m fighting Tyson Fury or Daniel Dubois, because for me it’s a serious fight. It’s not fake. For me it’s not a show, it’s a fight.”
HIS love life has been almost as varied as his incredible songwriting catalogue.
Sir Paul McCartney endured the tragedy of losing first wife Linda to cancer and a catastrophic £24million divorce from Heather Mills before finally finding happiness again with American businesswoman Nancy Shevell.
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Sir Paul McCartnet’s love life has been almost as varied as his incredible songwriting catalogueCredit: SuppliedGirlfriend and fellow Sixties icon Jane Asher in 1965Credit: ITV
But today The Sun can reveal the identity of the secret childhood crush who became Sir Paul’s “one that got away” — a pretty neighbour whose striking good looks inspired the opening track to his new album, which tells the story of his childhood in Liverpool.
The record was unveiled at a preview event in London this month, where the legendary Beatles songwriter recalled memories of a pretty neighbour called Jasmine, who lived close to his home.
Today, it has emerged she is retired mum-of-three Jasmine Howe, who left the area and resettled in Hertfordshire before retiring to the New Forest in Hampshire.
And the now 83-year-old’s family were stunned to learn of the £800million rock legend’s youthful infatuation — revealing she had “absolutely no idea” about his fondness for her.
They explained: “It’s a cute story, she lived nearby and knew who he was, but she never got close to him — meanwhile, he obviously felt very differently!
“It’s an amazing story — a very long time ago now, but we’ve chatted as a family in the past about how Jasmine grew up close to Paul McCartney. Goosebumps
“She just knew him as one of the boys in the local area. It’s enough to give you goosebumps!”
The Boys Of Dungeon Lane is Sir Paul’s first solo album in five years, and critics say it is his “most personal to date”.
Paul with Jane in 1968Credit: Getty Images – GettyPaul with first love Dorothy ‘Dot’ RhoneCredit: Supplied
The title is taken from Days We Left Behind, a wistful acoustic track that references Dungeon Lane, near the River Mersey, where McCartney played as a boy, as well as a “secret code” and mysterious promise made to John Lennon at the time, which he insists “will never be broken”.
At a special event, held at the iconic Abbey Road studios in London where the Fab Four produced their biggest hits, Sir Paul played tracks from the new record and explained their origins — beginning with opening song As You Lie There.
The lyrics recall: “Do I ever cross your mind as you lie there? As you lie across your bed, am I there inside your head?”
Revealing the inspiration to a small invited audience, Sir Paul explained: “Up in one of the windows, there was a girl I fancied called Jasmine.
“But I didn’t know how to approach her — I never spoke to her.
“The joke was, she did show up later that year and knocked on the door. I was indisposed — I was on the toilet — so I missed Jasmine!”
Turning to his wife Nancy, who he married in 2011, he grinned and quipped: “Sorry, Nancy.”
Prior to meeting his third wife, Macca famously had quite a colourful love life.
His first serious romance was with Dorothy ‘Dot’ Rhone, who he met at the Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool in 1959.
The pair dated for more than two years and even got engaged, but split just before Beatlemania exploded.
In 1963, Paul met actress and model Jane Asher backstage at one of the band’s concerts.
The relationship would last five years and Paul even moved into the family home on London’s Wimpole Street.
Paul with beloved first wife Linda in 1973Credit: GettyPaul with third wife Nancy in New York in 2024Credit: Getty
Jane was his muse and introduced him to the avant-garde arts and classical music scene, which would inspire some of his most famous songs.
Despite being charmed by Jane’s cultured family and domestic life, Paul had secret flings with model Maggie McGivern and US writer Francie Schwartz — betrayals that ultimately shattered one of the Sixties’ most iconic romances.
He met his second wife, model and amputee activist Heather Mills, at a charity event in 1999, marrying her three years later.
Their daughter Beatrice was born the following year. However, the pair split acrimoniously three years later with a very publicly played-out divorce — one that cost the star £24million.
However, the singer enjoyed real happiness with his first wife, American photographer Linda.
They married in 1969, raised four children together, and were inseparable until her death from breast cancer in 1998.
Growing up, Sir Paul lived with his parents at 20 Forthlin Road in Allerton, Liverpool, while Jasmine lived with her family on the corner of neighbouring Hurstlyn Road, just 20 yards away.
Both properties still stand in the south Liverpool suburb, nestled in a series of brick-built terraces — though Sir Paul’s is now owned and maintained by The National Trust as a museum.
The Trust operates tours around Sir Paul’s home and also John Lennon’s childhood home nearby.
Inside, the three-bed property has been meticulously preserved as a snapshot of 1960s Liverpool, including some of the family’s original decor — and a blue plaque outside commemorates “The Birthplace of The Beatles” as Paul and pal John would meet there to compose their earliest songs.
Jasmine later married her boyfriend Charles, known to the family by his middle name, Christopher, and they had three sons — Philip, Matthew and, amusingly, Paul.
A photograph of Jasmine posted online by a family member shows her looking elegant in a navy blazer at a relative’s wedding, with carefully cropped blonde hair beneath a wide-brimmed hat.
A picture of Sir Paul, later used on a 2005 album cover, taken around the time he was pining for neighbour JasmineCredit: SuppliedMacca’s modest childhood homeCredit: Alamy
The relative explained: “She is 83 now and lives quietly. She wouldn’t want it to become any more of a story than it is — she had no idea that Sir Paul liked her, but she’s happy to leave it as that.
“It’s a good story for our family.”
The album, released on May 29, returns the world’s greatest living songwriter to many of his early memories and experiences, with Sir Paul going on to explain more about his 18th solo collection.
He said: “This was a lot of memories of Liverpool for me, but also any days we’ve left behind.
“Everyone’s got them, school, old mates . . . It has memories of John in the middle — that’s lovely to go back to. Someone asked: ‘What’s the secret code?’ I’m not telling.
“You make up a lot of stuff when you write songs.”
And that admission may chime with Jasmine’s family, who later jokingly insisted: “She never actually knocked on his door.”
On another track, Salesman Saint, Sir Paul turns to his parents. “I was born in 1942, in the war. I was too young to appreciate that, but my parents weren’t.
“My dad was a fireman, putting out fires from the bombs. My mum was a nurse and midwife. But they carried on, because they had to.
“Like people in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere now.”
Meanwhile, Down South, one of the album’s most nostalgic tracks, recalls a story of hitchhiking with Lennon and fellow pal and later Beatles bandmate George Harrison.
The lyrics explain: “It was a good way to get to know you before we learned Twist & Shout.”
The Fab Four: Paul, Ringo, John and George in 1963Credit: GettyPaul with second wife Heather MillsCredit: Getty – Contributor
And reminiscing about the trip, Sir Paul reveals how he and George climbed on to a milk float.
He says: “There was the driver’s seat, a battery and a passenger seat. George got the battery. His jeans had a zip on the back and it connected with the battery. Later, he showed me the big zip burn.”
The new record was unveiled in Liverpool with a series of cryptic posters around the city.
Artwork for the project was designed by Sir Paul’s nephew, Josh.
And its release coincides with a series of major Beatles retrospectives — including Peter Jackson’s seminal Get Back documentary put together from restored archive footage that details the creation of their final album, Let It Be, and the band’s break-up.
But still to come is a major new dramatisation of the band’s rise to fame directed by Sam Mendes and with Paul Mescal as Macca.
The blockbuster will be released simultaneously as a quadrilogy in 2028, with each movie focused on one of the Fab Four’s formative years, charting their coming together as the world’s greatest musical group.
Filming with Mescal as Paul, Harris Dickinson as John, Barry Keoghan as Ringo and Joseph Quinn as George has already begun.
WANDERING through the garden of Wastwater Cottage, the only sounds I hear are birdsong, the occasional bleat from a Herdwick lamb and the brook at the end of the garden.
The 15th-century four-bedroom farmhouse is the perfect pick for an off-grid break in the British countryside.
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The Lake District hosts some of England’s most striking sceneryCredit: GettyJess stayed at Wastwater Cottage in wild and remote EskdaleCredit: Supplied
My partner Owain and I had initially come to the Lake District with the ambitious plan of tackling some of the biggest mountains in the national park.
But upon arriving in the Cumbrian village of Boot, we were immediately sidetracked.
On our doorstep were two fantastic pubs — The Boot and Brook House — as well as a gift shop and the oldest working water mill in the UK.
Our accommodation was via Bridge End Farm Cottages, which has several luxury self-catering homes in the Eskdale Valley — one of the UK’s best Dark Sky spots.
Our cottage featured rear doors on to a garden, which meant twinkling stars could be easily admired at night.
And each morning we would tuck into breakfast croissants outside as we watched birds of prey hunting on the mountain in front of us.
Inside were stacks of boardgames, as well as Sky TV and a grand piano.
But the highlight of the property was undoubtedly its location.
The Cumbrian Mountains from Wastwater are a sight to behold, while the lake is the deepest in EnglandCredit: GettyStop by at picturesque Ambleside, which you can access via a quick boat tripCredit: Getty
From our doorstep, we could embark on dozens of walks over the Western Fells.
These include one from spectacular Wastwater lake, the deepest in England, to Stanley Ghyll waterfall — or another up England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike.
We started our weekend by following the brook down to the River Esk, walking through luscious green forests that are home to native red squirrels.
Children will be sure to love the stepping stones across to the opposite bank.
Of a warm summer’s day, there are also dozens of natural swimming pools to cool off in after a day exploring.
If you head in the opposite direction from the cottage, you can take a footpath up to the ancient White Moss stone circle and enjoy spectacular views of Scafell Pike — without the challenging four-hour hike up to its summit.
En route, we passed hundreds of the Herdwick sheep that live on the mountains year-round.
It turns out this hardy breed was saved from decline by Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter, who bred her own flocks in the area.
From here we made a descent into Eskdale, which is a slightly larger village about three miles from Boot.
The village is home to a fantastic — and unexpected — Japanese garden, adorned with maple trees and exotic plants.
Take the trip on the Ravenglass to Eskdale Railway through the countrysideCredit: GettyThe railway was built in 1873 and the steam trains run daily – even serving afternoon teaCredit: Alamy
An ornate footbridge over a pond is the centrepiece, and despite being on the steep side, the walk around takes only 15 minutes.
With slightly sore legs, we decided to take the vintage steam train from Eskdale back to Boot and our holiday home.
The Eskdale-to-Ravenglass railway was built in 1873 to transport iron ore mined in the valley to the coastline, but nowadays the trains run daily as an attraction, with afternoon tea available to pre-book.
In a charming tradition, passengers must flag down the driver to board, which really adds to the fun.
If you do want to travel somewhere that’s not reachable on foot, car is by far the easiest method of transport. We used Turo (think Airbnb for cars) to rent a vehicle at a much lower cost than a mainstream service.
Driving around, you’ll likely see some pretty cool spots.
Our route took us via the UK’s steepest road, Hardknott Pass — and about halfway up we came across a fabulous 2nd-century Roman fort.
It was well worth getting out to explore, as its walls are the best preserved of any ancient fort in Britain — and free to admire.
For nature lovers, the wonderful Lake District Wildlife Park, just over an hour away from the cottage by car, is home to more than 100 species of birds and mammals, both native and exotic.
Grizedale Forest is definitely one for the kids, featuring a Gruffalo orienteering trail, plus a Go Ape high-ropes centre and the Grizedale Observatory.
There are also boat trips across Windermere, which run every day from Ambleside.
The latter is close to the Beatrix Potter Museum and boasts dozens of boutique shops and cafes.
One of the beauties of staying in the Eskdale Valley is you can tick off all these main attractions but still stay away from the crowds.
As one local whispered to us about the valley’s beauty and tranquillity: “Don’t tell anyone about it.”
I hope she’ll forgive me before I return.
GO: Lake District
STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ self-catering at the eight-person Wastwater Cottage is from £875.
But the baby pink walled stairway quickly gave way to a huge glass roof, teasing me about what was to come.
After the never-ending climb, I was met with panoramic views of the Margate beach, where the bright blue waters were reminiscent of somewhere like Ibiza or Sardinia.
The bar can be covered for when the weather gets too hot
With a covered bar, the menu of both cocktails and wine as well as cocktails was extensive, and my crisp glass of rose was a perfect cooler for the temperature.
And the design felt more members club than Margate, with baby pink and white stripped seating, dark wooden tables and Bali-like wicker lights.
The music toed the line of classic chill out music to more upbeat tunes to get you in the party mood.
And with uninterrupted views of the beach, harbour and Dreamland in the distance, I was surprised that some had no idea it existed,
The cocktails and the wine list is extensive
Local Katherine told me: “I’d have never known this kind of place existed in Margate, its just what it needs.”
You don’t have to be a guest at the hotel, although I’d advise splashing out as they are some of the most beautiful rooms in town.
The rooftop bar is open Friday to Sunday as well as bank holidays, from midday.
And if you want something to eat, there is the Pearly Cow downstairs that serves.
Otherwise there is Peter’s Fish Factory just down the road, often named one of the best chippys in the UK.
Thankfully it was delicious enough to be worth the wait, after I inadvertently found myself behind a queue of 50 school children.
Snag a seat at the front for views of the beachThe bar is now open for summer
(Although there was some luck there, after overhearing that another “90 kids would be coming in a few minutes”).
And along with big name acts at Dreamland this summer – I caught Haim before their secret gig at Glastonbury – there has never been a better time to visit Margate del Sol.
The closed Winter Gardens theatre has revealed grand plans to open, which will include a rooftop bar, set to cost £11million.
The Kent seaside town has seen a huge surge in tourists in recent years.
Margate’s Cliftonville neighbourhood was named the coolest neighbourhood in the UK by Time Out back in 2022.
Secret Handshake, the anonymous arts and activism group behind an ongoing series of satirical public sculptures — mostly about President Trump’s alleged ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein — has channeled its black comedy into a new video game about the Iran war called “Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell.”
“The game features furious tweet battles against Iranian schoolgirls, low-flow shower heads and other threats to American freedom like DEI and the Pope. And just to save you time, the only way you can lose is by trying to hold Melania’s hand. But it’s the Middle East, so you also can’t win either,” Secret Handshake wrote in an email to The Times.
The group placed three old-school arcade-style games inside the Neoclassical DC War Memorial, which is located near the Reflecting Pool in Ash Woods and resembles a domed, open-air bandstand. The pivot from sculpture to video games was necessitated by current events, said a member of the group.
A plaque beside three video games placed in the DC War Memorial by the satirical arts and activism group Secret Handshake.
(Secret Handshake)
“We didn’t sit down and say, let’s make a video game. The video game was the answer because that’s what was happening to us. It was about watching the actions take place in Iran and some truly, truly horrible things, and how that was being spun into something cool and hip and edgy through the actual administration, through the use of video games,” the man said. “They were literally cutting in ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and others as well into these hype videos for the war, almost as if it was before a concert or a wrestling match.”
The game, which is also available to play online, begins with a shot of the White House. “Another big, beautiful day as the best President ever,” a caption reads. The game moves into the Oval Office where Trump sits at the Resolute Desk under the words, “Uh-oh another one of your executive orders was halted by the courts.” Players can then choose whether to order a Diet Coke or bomb Iran — if you choose to do the latter, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth enters the room and says, “Hey boss! Just saw on Truth Social you declared war on Iran. Hell yeah!”
“Some call it a war, I call it renovating my Middle East ballroom,” Trump says.
“My delts are ready, let’s liberate some oil,” Hegseth yells.
FBI Director Kash Patel is featured in the satirical video game made by Secret Handshake.
(Secret Handshake)
A representative for Secret Handshake says if you choose to order six Diet Cokes something special happens. I tried. You unlock an achievement and are told your health is perfect.
Secret Handshake has been erecting satirical Trump sculptures on the National Mall for more than a year, making headlines in September when the park service toppled one of its pieces, titled “Best Friends Forever,” featuring Trump and Epstein gleefully holding hands. The statue, bruised and battered by its fall, ultimately went back up.
Secret Handshake is meticulous about getting the necessary permits to display its protest art, which is why the pieces have lately remained in their designated spots for up to a week. The “Operation Epic Furious” video games are scheduled to stay up for at least the next few days, the rep said.
The goal is to get people to think, not to mock or glorify violence in any way, the Secret Handshake rep said.
The video game “Operation Epic Furious” by Secret Handshake begins with a choice: Order a Diet Coke or bomb Iran.
(Secret Handshake)
“There is no violence in the game,” the rep said. “The damage that is done is political damage and the weapons are things like gas prices and Catholic guilt.”
It’s also important to the group to be mindful of various political viewpoints.
“I would say that everything we’ve done, we’ve tried to do with respect to the other side and to not make it cruel,” the rep said. “And also we’ve done it with permission.”
Protest art, yes. But the kind that is, hopefully, built to last.
KYLIE MINOGUE and Jason Donovan’s romance defined a generation, and the couple broke hearts around the world when they split in 1989.
Now fans are set for a nostalgia overload as private footage of their time together has been unearthed.
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Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan’s romance defined a generation, and the couple broke hearts around the world when they split in 1989Credit: NetflixIt will be shown in Kylie’s new three-part Netflix series, which is set to be released on May 20Credit: Getty
It will be shown in Kylie’s new three-part Netflix series, which is set to be released on May 20.
The self-shot footage includes videos of the couple on holiday together before Kylie made it big as a pop star.
Martin Lewis has advice for stretching your holiday money
Most holidaymakers assume using their normal bank card abroad is fine. But Martin Lewis says a simple switch to a specialist card could save you from paying an extra 2.75% to 3% on every single purchase – a hidden fee that quietly adds to your bill without you even noticing.
In a clip shared on This Morning’s official TikTok, the MoneySavingExpert founder explained how most high street banks add a “non-sterling exchange rate fee” when you spend abroad. Ignore it and a £100 purchase effectively costs you £103. Switch to one of the specialist cards he recommends, and you get the same near-perfect exchange rates the banks use – without the markup.
Martin started by explaining what happens when you spend on plastic overseas. “Your bank gets a near perfect exchange rate on the day – the same as what’s called the spot rate, the city market rates. When you spend on your card abroad though, normally the card company adds what’s called a non-Sterling exchange rate fee of between 2.75 or 3%,” he said. “So your hundred pounds worth of euros cost you £103.”
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The solution, he explained, is using specialist cards. “With the specialist cards, they don’t have that. So you get the same near perfect exchange rates that the banks or the card firms do.”
As for which cards to choose, Martin noted there are quite a lot available now. He judges them on the cashback they give you. The Barclaycard Rewards credit card is currently giving 0.25% cash back on spending in the UK and abroad. “So you get perfect exchange rate and cashback,” he said.
He added a crucial warning for anyone using a credit card: “Only do this if you’ll pay it off in full at the end of every month, or there is interest. That will credit score you to get it.”
For those who prefer a debit card or don’t want to undergo a hard credit check, Martin offered two alternatives. “The easiest one to get is the Chase card, which you can apply for without switching banks and only does a soft credit check, so it doesn’t mark your credit file, and virtually everybody can get it,” he said. It offers near-perfect exchange rates, no ATM withdrawal fees, and some cashback on UK spending.
Alternatively, for those willing to switch banks: “First Direct, if you’re willing to switch bank to it, will give you a near perfect exchange rate fee debit card and pay you £175 quid if you switch bank to it.”
A spokesperson for travel experts Lapland Famille said: “When spending abroad, choosing the right payment method makes a real difference. Specialist cards often work out far cheaper than standard bank cards. And if you’re ever asked to pay in pounds or the local currency, always choose the local currency – paying in cash locally is another good way to avoid hidden conversion fees.”
With no need to switch your main bank account for the easiest option, Martin’s advice shows that cutting the cost of spending abroad may be simpler than many travellers think – as long as you pick the right card before you go.
MODEL Candice Swanepoel is rocking her new line in swimwear.
The 37-year-old perched on a seaside boulder to show off a bikini from her Tropic of C label’s collaboration with Victoria’s Secret.
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Candice Swanepoel perched on a seaside boulder to show off a bikini from her new lineCredit: Candice’s swimwear is from her Tropic of C label’s collaboration with Victoria’s SecretCredit:
Her environmentally-friendly collection is called Elemental, which she said “blends Victoria’s Secret’s iconic femininity with Tropic of C’s elevated, sustainable sensibility”.
South African Candice added: “Sustainability is a key part of my lifestyle.”
She didn’t scale back her modelling following motherhood and has shifted more lingerie than any other model.
Candice is considered the world’s top lingerie model not just because she has the most followers but because her online posts have far more impact than her catwalk contemporaries.
