star

The Son, as they say, will come out tomorrow.

Bet your bottom dollar that Son Heung-min, LAFC’s $26 million man — the record MLS fee for an incoming player — would peel himself off the mat and clear away the cobwebs and sorrows of the past few weeks and months.

He did it with a sizzling, right-footed goal in the 57th minute of LAFC’s 3-0 victory Friday over the Galaxy in the 27th rendition of El Tráfico and the first this year. Also, the first crosstown showdown of Son’s so-far, so-so tenure in L.A.

His arrival last August from Tottenham Hotspur in England’s Premier League was met with uncommon fanfare. Here came another global soccer icon to Major League Soccer — and to L.A., where the South Korean sensation was welcomed enthusiastically by a Korean diaspora that’s about 250,000 strong.

LAFC forward Son Heung-Min celebrates after scoring a goal against the Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson on Friday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

The first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot, Mayor Karen Bass spoke at Son’s introductory news conference. The Dodgers invited him to throw out the first pitch on Shohei Ohtani’s bobblehead night (and turned around this season and produced a bobblehead of Son throwing that pitch).

His first LAFC goal — a free kick over the wall in a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas — was named the MLS’s goal of the year. After notching 173 goals across all competitions with Tottenham Hotspur, he finished with nine goals in his first 10 regular-season appearances for LAFC.

Then the scoring stopped. As if someone turned off the spigot.

Before Friday, Son recorded nine assists but no goals over 13 unlucky matches this season. He went 44 shots without striking a goal. And 237 days between goals, according to The Chosun Daily’s tally.

Yeah, just a bit of what his LAFC teammate Mark Delgado described as “a drought.”

Most painfully, Son also was shut out in South Korea’s disastrously short World Cup stay.

South Korea entered the tournament with the expectation that its “golden generation” – led by Son – would reach the knockout stage. But after it opened Group A with a 2-1 win over Czechia, the Koreans lost 1-0 to Mexico and 1-0 to South Africa and failed to qualify for the round of 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

The uproar in South Korea that followed included the country’s president demanding an investigation.

Mexico’s Julián Quiñones and South Korea’s Son Heung-min vie for the ball during a World Cup match on June 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

(Ricardo Mazalan / Ap Photo/ricardo Mazalan)

For his part, a heartbroken Son shared a statement on Instagram: “I don’t dare to convey the disappointment and hurt of the fans with a single word ‘sorry.’ So even saying those words feels insufficient.”

It was impossible not to wonder: What the heck?

Where was the version of Son that everyone was celebrating a year ago?

How did the 34-year-old’s game decline so suddenly?

Was this a classic case of overpromising and underdelivering?

It still might be. LAFC — now 8-5-3 and third in MLS’s Western Conference — is going to face tougher competition in the days ahead than the work-in-progress Galaxy.

But on Friday, the center-forward was aggressive and in control. He took two shots in the first seven minutes, both blocked by defenders. He toyed with the Galaxy just before halftime, lining up to take a penalty before turning it over to Denis Bouanga, who scored to make it 2-0.

Then he and Delgado exchanged passes in the second half to set up Son’s first goal in darn near forever.

LAFC coach Marc Dos Santos gave Son 10 days off after the World Cup, but Son said he was eager to return to L.A., because he so enjoys the camaraderie of this club.

Those good vibes were on display when Son’s shot whizzed between two defenders and the outstretched arms of Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic.

Son put his finger to his lips in the universal “shhh” sign and then did his patented camera celebration — click! — miming a snapshot. Because every goal is precious, and let’s be real, you never know when another will come.

LAFC’s Son Heung-Min celebrates after scoring what could be a breakthough goal against the rival Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson on Friday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Around him, the crowd and his colleagues went wild.

Dos Santos did some vein-popping flexing on the sideline. Mathieu Choinière pumped his fists as though he were operating a handcrank. Jacob Shaffelburg and Ryan Hollingshead flanked him on either side as though posing for a family photo. Son’s hair got tousled and nobody wearing black and gold could stop smiling.

“He deserves it, coming back from an emotional World Cup, and joining us right away,” Dos Santos said.

“He’s a great guy,” Delgado said. “He’s been in a bit of a goal drought, and, you know, we all want him to score. We all, he’s always smiling, and in training, he’s always scoring.

“And we’re like, ‘yeah, we need that, we need that!’ Trying to give him confidence,” Delgado continued. “And in games, he finally is getting that confidence back. So to see him score and put the ball in the net and just see his face light up with a smile is awesome. We all want to see him succeed here. We all want him to lead this club like we know he can.”

Now the goal is to keep the goals coming.

“Scoring the first goal of this season, I think it [will] help me,” Son said. “I think, definitely, going forward through the second part of the season. So, let’s keep going, and hope Wednesday [against Salt Lake] I can score another goal.”

IT WAS must-see viewing for Britain’s teenagers slumped on the sofa on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The cool young cast of T4 delivered zany segments and upbeat links between popular programmes including Hollyoaks and Shipwrecked.

And now as a former teen telly icon is given a peer by Keir Starmer we reveal where some of the other popular TV presenters are now.

June Sarpong (2000-2007)

SHE was a working class immigrant kid who grew up on a council estate but now TV star June Sarpong is taking a seat in the House of Lords. 

The proud honour marks a meteoric rise for June, 49, who first appeared on our screens as a host of MTV before joining the iconic Noughties show T4 way back in 2000.

She was awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and has made a name for herself as a high profile equality campaigner.

As she celebrated the political honour yesterday, June said: “Words cannot even begin to describe how truly honoured and humbled I feel to have been appointed to the House of Lords by Keir Starmer on his final Honours list.

HEAD HUNT

Chris Evans says June Sarpong & Matt Forde ‘in talks’ to host Virgin Sunday show

double take

Vernon Kay’s daughter Phoebe, 21, looks just like mum Tess Daly in mini-dress

“As a working class immigrant kid from a council estate in East London it is not lost on me what this means.

“As I embark on this next chapter, I look forward to being able to use this role to further champion the causes and issues that are dear to my heart.”

But June is not the only former member of the T4 gang who has gone on to bigger and better things. 

It was a hugely successful launchpad for many of the most familiar faces on TV today.

Dermot O’Leary (1998-2001)

A baby faced skinhead, Dermot was part of the original presenting line up when T4 first launched.

Before that he had been a DJ on Radio Essex but Dermot, now 53, proved  such a success with the viewers that Channel 4 swiftly selected him to front spin off show Big Brother’s Little Brother until 2008.

He has since landed a string of high profile presenting gigs including The X-Factor which he hosted for 11 years.

Now Dermot has a Radio 2 show and fronts This Morning on Fridays, as well as publishing a string of hugely successful children’s books about Toto The Ninja Cat. 

Margherita Taylor (1999-2001) 

She was a DJ at Birmingham based radio station BRMB when she took part in a radio contest and moved to Capital Radio. 

From there Margherita landed a spot on T4’s starting line-up alongside Dermot and Vernon Kay and never looked back.

Margherita, 53, went on to present BBC One’s Escape to the Country between 2016 and 2022.

Now she is a familiar guest presenter on  Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, Countryfile and This Morning, but her first love was always radio and she still hosts shows on Smooth Radio and Classic FM.

Ben Shephard (1999-2000)

Ben, 51, was a regular host of Channel 4’s spin-off morning show The Bigger Breakfast when bosses decided to put him on T4.

Just two years later he joined ITV’s GMTV as an entertainment host, then as a main presenter in 2005.

He quit the show in 2010, weeks before it was axed anyway, but returned to ITV in 2014 to front the newly-launched Good Morning Britain, where he remains as one of the country’s most recognisable presenters.

Now the much loved millionaire dad of two is rarely off the box, having swapped his seat at the Good Morning Britain newsdesk for the sofa at This Morning alongside Cat Deeley.

Ben has also hosted hit gameshows including The Summit, Tipping Point and Ninja Warrior UK.

Vernon Kay (2000-2005)

Hunky Bolton lad Vern was working as a model when he was scouted by TV bosses to front T4 and soared to stardom.

After quitting the show All Star Family Fortunes made him a household name.

His 23 year marriage to Strictly’s Tess Daly has crumbled but this week he was named as one of the BBC’s best paid presenters, raking in a staggering £450,000 a year for his Radio 2 mid-morning show, Alternative Dance Sounds of the 90s and other appearances.

Steve Jones (2003-2010)

Welsh lad Steve, 49, – who stripped off several times on the show, was one of T4’s best loved presenters when Simon Cowell chose him to present the American version of The X Factor.

But the show bombed and Steve was axed after just one series.

The former model went on to present a property show called Perfect House, Secret Location and appeared on This Morning before landing a full time gig in 2016 to lead the presenting team for Channel 4’s F1 coverage. 

Miquita Oliver (2006-2010)

While most of the original T4 crew were newbies, Miquita already had five years of telly experience under her belt having fronted Popworld with Simon Amstell. 

But she was suspended from T4 in 2010 after being overheard insulting singer Kesha.

She has also claimed she lost a job on Radio 1 for “saying silly things”.

Since then fashion favourite Miquita, 42, has been on a string of TV programmes, including Celebrity Gogglebox alongside her mum Andi, and has a hit podcast with her pal Lily Allen.

Rick Edwards (2007-2011)

Rick, 47, was performing stand-up comedy at Cambridge University when he was spotted by T4 producers who gave him his first TV job. 

Since then he went on to land a string of presenting gigs including Tool Academy, Made in Chelsea, Freshly Squeezed, E4 Music, and much of Channel 4‘s 2012 Paralympics coverage.

Rick has also hosted a BBC One quiz show called !mpossible and now he can be heard on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Breakfast Show every morning, as well as Fighting Talk on Saturdays and their Premier League review on Sundays.

Alexa Chung (2008-2009)

Fashion icon Alexa, 42, began working as a model after she was scouted at the Reading Festival at the age of 16. She joined Popworld alongside Alex Zane in 2006 before joining T4 two years later. 

She famously inspired the Alexa handbag by British designer Mulberry, and has dated big names like Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner and actor Alexander Skarsgard.

She pivoted back to style and lifestyle content on TV for shows like Gok’s Fashion Fix, Next In Fashion and now runs her own lucrative fashion label.

Jameela Jamil (2009-2012)

London born Actress and activist Jameela, 40, was working as a school teacher when she was scouted by a TV producer in a bar.

She followed Alexa on to music show Freshly Squeezed alongside Nick Grimshaw and became a DJ on Radio 1 and the event circuit – with her first show being at Elton John’s birthday party.

In 2016 she moved to LA to become a screenwriter but ended up landing a role in American hit comedy The Good Place as Tahani Al-Jamil.

She’s also become an outspoken campaigner for equality and is dating pop star James Blake.

Nick Grimshaw (2010-2012)

Grimmy started out in student radio before landing a job on Radio 1’s Switch youth programme in 2007.

His career really kicked off the following year when he landed the station’s weekend breakfast show, before moving to a late-night presenting slot.

In 2010, Nick, 41, added T4 to his roster, fronting it until he was promoted to the Beeb’s breakfast show, replacing Chris Moyles.

On TV he’s been a judge on The X Factor, filmed cameos for soaps including EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale and has also starred on Celebrity Gogglebox.

Now he hosts BBC Radio 6 Music’s flagship breakfast show, Sidetracked with Annie Mac and foodie podcast Dish.

Irish actor Brenda Fricker, who won an Oscar for her role in “My Left Foot” and whose Pigeon Lady befriended Macaulay Culkin‘s Kevin McCallister in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” has died. She was 81.

Her talent agent Phil Belfield confirmed Fricker’s death in a statement shared with The Times on Friday. The actor died peacefully Thursday evening in Dublin after a “period of ill health,” he said.

“We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her,” Belfield said in the statement. “I was honored to know, love and work with her and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over.”

Fricker, who was born Feb. 17, 1945, in Dublin, appeared in nearly 100 TV, film and short projects since the mid-1960s. She reached international acclaim for her work in Jim Sheridan’s 1989 comedy-drama “My Left Foot,” based on the life of Dublin-born painter Christy Brown, who only had control over the titular limb due to cerebral palsy. Daniel Day-Lewis starred as Brown and Fricker played his supportive mother. She earned the Academy Award for supporting actress, becoming the first Irish female actor to win an Oscar, and Day-Lewis took home the prize for lead actor.

“My Left Foot” was also nominated for best picture, director and adapted screenplay.

In her review of the film for The Times in 1990, film critic Sheila Benson praised a “magnificent” Fricker for her portrayal of motherly love. “She plays [Mrs. Brown] like the rock she must have been, without a jot of martyrdom or a flicker of complaint and without an actressy moment,” Benson wrote.

The ‘90s brought Fricker additional roles in productions including “The Field,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” “Angels in the Outfield,” “A Time to Kill” and “Veronica Guerin.” She counted Cate Blanchett, Joe Pesci, Tim Curry, James McAvoy, Fiona Shaw, Sean Bean, Richard Harris, Christopher Lloyd and Tony Danza as co-stars, to name a few.

For generations of movie audiences, however, Fricker will most likely be remembered as the Pigeon Lady from “Home Alone 2.”

A sequel to the hit “Home Alone,” Fricker’s Pigeon Lady was a source of unexpected tenderness for Culkin’s Kevin, now stranded during the holidays in New York. He first encounters Fricker’s odd character in Central Park, dressed in oversized, dirty clothing with city birds resting on her head and shoulders. Though a terrifying sight at first, the film later reveals Fricker’s character has a heartbreaking past.

“The man I loved fell out of love with me,” she tells Kevin one evening, adding, “whenever the chance to be loved came along again, I ran away from it. I stopped trusting people.”

Kevin later gifts his new friend a turtledove ornament after learning the animal represents friendship and love.

Fricker continued acting through 2015 — with roles in numerous TV movies, miniseries, more than 70 episodes of the show “Casualty” and films such as “Conspiracy of Silence” and “Rory O’Shea Was Here” — but her career tapered off. She was last credited for the 2024 film “The Shallow.”

Fricker attended Catholic school but drifted away from religion in her late teens. She suffered injuries from a car crash at age 14, prompting her parents to spend their life savings on plastic surgery as part of her recovery. She also suffered other health issues during childhood and spent two years in a sanatorium.

“The positive side is, it taught me about self-sufficiency,” she told The Times in 1993.

She was a journalist for the Irish Times, where her father had also worked, before she started acting. She graced the stage at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company in London, and never looked back.

Amid her mounting fame in the 1990s and early aughts, Fricker did not heed the call to move Stateside and lived in the U.K. before ultimately returning to Dublin. “I didn’t like Los Angeles,” she recalled in 1993. “I don’t like the heat and I found it uninteresting. I wasn’t comfortable there.”

Before her death, Fricker penned a memoir, “She Died Young: A Life in Fragments,” about her upbringing and experiences with sexual violence and mental illness. In February, Fricker was awarded Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Daryl Barron honored Fricker in a statement shared Friday.

“She was a proud Dub with a sharp wit and warmth that exuded to all who knew her and experienced her work,” Barron said. “She will be sorely missed.”

Death in Paradise star Danny John-Jules is unrecognisable as a taxi driver in new BBC comedy Ann Droid, starring alongside Diane Morgan

Actor Danny John-Jules became a firm fan-favourite on Death in Paradise.

He became one of the original cast members when the crime-drama first kicked off in 2011 as Officer Dwayne Myers.

The actor played the role for seven years before his departure in 2018. Yet devotees of the BBC programme have witnessed him reprise his role intermittently over the years, with his most recent appearance coming in the 2024 Christmas special.

Despite handing in his badge upon leaving, fans remain optimistic he might make a comeback in a forthcoming series.

However, in the meantime, he appears in a new BBC comedy, Ann Droid.

It charts the story of lonely widower Sue (Sue Johnston) whose son Michael (Paul Ready) opts to purchase her an AI eldercare robot to provide companionship and ensure her wellbeing.

Yet the robot she chooses to name Linda (Diane Morgan), receives a frosty reception as Sue makes her feelings abundantly clear that she doesn’t want a robot under her roof.

Throughout the six episodes, audiences will witness an unexpected friendship develop between the two as the series explores themes of loneliness, bereavement, humanity versus technology, and growing older, reports the Express.

While the opening episode broadcasts on Friday (July 17), all instalments are ready to stream on BBC iPlayer, with a well-known face making an appearance in episode two.

As Sue encounters her mate Eileen (Kathryn Hunter) waiting for a cab to transport her to her aunt’s 108th birthday celebration, the driver who arrives turns up in a vehicle looking somewhat battered.

The taxi driver, called Brian is portrayed by Death in Paradise’s Danny John-Jules. While Sue points out the hazards of his motor, Eileen tells her to calm down as Brian has been ferrying her about for more than 40 years.

He responds: “And I’ve only been sober for the last five!” Subsequently, Brian shows up once more when he brings Eileen back to meet Sue and Linda.

Before departing, he remarks: “Oh, I need some more customer reviews. Preferably ones above the two stars I’m getting at the moment. Would you mind?

“Oh, and don’t mention I got lost and had four pints at lunch or that I ran out of petrol and we had to walk the last 2km, ok?”

Ann Droid is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Netflix viewers meet grown-up versions of Charlie and Nick in Heartstopper Forever

Heartstopper fans should prepare for more steamy scenes in the new Netflix film.

The young adult show returns with one final chapter called Heartstopper Forever tomorrow (July 17), which sees Joe Locke and Kit Connor reprising their roles as Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson.

Based on Alice Oseman’s popular graphic novels, the film picks up as Charlie and Nick face the prospect of a long-distance relationship ahead of going to university.

We’ve watched their romance blossom over three seasons, during which they were completely inseparable. So this new milestone poses a new hurdle they haven’t faced before.

As well as a new challenge, though, fans will notice that Charlie and Nick are more intimate in the new film than in previous seasons.

When asked about the final chapter featuring “a lot more sex,” Connor told The Guardian: “It’s a line that you have to walk: ‘How far are we going to take this?'”

He went on to explain that the inclusion reflected a natural progression in the characters’ romance.

“But at the end of the day, it did feel like these two guys are really attracted to each other at the age where they probably would have been doing it,” Connor added.

Locke agreed, explaining: “It would be weird if we hadn’t shown it. Just because our show is a more earnest version of a queer representation doesn’t mean that sex [shouldn’t be shown]. It’s still a big thing for anyone in the world.”

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This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.

The new coming-of-age drama includes traditional sex scenes as well as segments depicting masturbation, which is pretty standard for the genre.

However, Heartstopper has previously centred on the less-explicit elements of young queer relationships.

The actors were actually eager to push the envelope even further with their characters, Connor revealed.

He said: “If I’d had my way, I would have had Nick and Charlie cheating on each other and doing all those stupid things.

“Because young people do that and don’t necessarily need to be villainised for it. Heartstopper Forever takes a step in that direction of not being so rose-tinted about being human.”

Heartstopper Forever premieres on Netflix this Friday, July 17.

IT nurtured some of our broadcasting greats, from Terry Wogan and Tony Blackburn to Chris Moyles and Zoe Ball.

But now staff at BBC Radio 1 fear the station is crumbling beyond recognition.

This week it was announced that long-standing duo Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams will be departing, while DJs Dean McCullough, Nat O’Leary, James Cusack and Swarzy are also on their way out.

Meanwhile, social media stars GK Barry and Charley Marlowe are set to come in as part of a shake-up.

And lesser-known DJs Mylo & Rosie, as well as Emil Franchi, have landed bigger slots.

Insiders say tensions at the flagship youth station reached fever pitch after the comings and goings were announced on Wednesday, with some staffers claiming they only learnt of the changes when the BBC press office made them public.

“To say the handling of this feels like an absolute mess is an understatement,” one told The Sun.

“Some producers had no idea their talent was leaving. One of Melvin and Rickie’s team wasn’t told about the changes until they saw the email.

“They’d been on the station for seven years. So to see them suddenly off out of the back door was really upsetting. The atmosphere was chaotic and some staff were absolutely shellshocked.”

The changes have been met with hostility from listeners, many of whom took to social media to vent their anger.

One Radio 1 listener wrote on Instagram: “This is so disappointing.

“Both GK Barry and Charley Marlowe are incredibly talented at their craft but it’s so discouraging to see BBC Radio 1 providing these opportunities to host to already established presenters when there are so many people looking to break into the industry.”

Another was not happy with “clearing out DJs for social media ‘stars’,” while a third added: “Why is R1 on a self-sabotage mission by bringing in a load of social media ‘stars’ and godawful local radio DJs?”

An emotional staffer told us that a meeting, which was said to have included long-standing radio producers, was called to discuss the changes after the announcements were made.

They explained: “There is a weekly meeting on a Wednesday at Radio 1, but this week they called a second meeting where people were invited to speak up.

“A fair few people put their hands up to raise concerns.

“The main bone of contention was why Radio 1 appeared keen to say goodbye to established broadcasters and replace them with YouTubers and TikTokers.

“Much of the blame is being laid at the door of the big boss, Aled Haydn Jones. Some of the staff are so unhappy.”

Aled was a DJ on Radio 1 between 2009 and 2015 before he succeeded Ben Cooper as head of the station in 2020.

Insiders say he prides himself on championing new talent and is behind the raft of influencers joining the line-up, including GK, who came fifth in 2024’s I’m A Celeb.

Her arrival, alongside social media sensation Charley, has allegedly more than ruffled feathers.

“These influencers are lovely but they’re not radio geeks like most of the DJs who work at Radio 1,” one staffer explained.

“Working at Radio 1 is the dream job for any budding broadcaster who has put in the hard yards on student radio or local stations.

“It was held up as the pinnacle by so many people.

“But now it’s being eroded by this desperation to bring in ‘new’ talent that they think will bring in a new audience.

“The producers who work on these shows are so upset at what is happening.

“A couple have already decided to walk away. And it won’t be long before others start jumping ship.”

Another staffer added: “Aled seems to think social media is going to save Radio 1, but where’s the proof?

“Audience figures are down and they think the way to save it is by plugging the gap with people who are popular on the internet.

“That’s all well and good, but will their millions of followers start tuning into Radio 1 just to listen to them? It’s doubtful.

“Their fans already have access to their content at the touch of a button and that is a daily habit.

“Making them carve out a new habit of listening to them every day is incredibly difficult.”

Launched in 1967, Radio 1 was born out of the need to compete with the rise of pirate radio stations which had become hugely popular.

Legendary broadcaster Tony Blackburn was the first DJ to broadcast on the new station.

It grew into a juggernaut of the airwaves, commanding audiences of ten million for some shows and making huge stars out of presenters including Chris Evans, Simon Mayo and Sara Cox.

But as listening habits change, audiences across the BBC and commercial stations are decreasing.

Figures at the start of this year confirmed that the weekly audience reach across BBC radio stations is in steady decline.

In the final quarter of 2025, Radio 1’s weekly audience reach dropped by six per cent compared to the same period last year.

But bosses were keen to stress that their target market of 15 to 29-year-olds was consuming Radio 1 in different ways.

In that same final quarter, the station boasted more than 329million views on social media and Radio 1’s YouTube videos have had more than 6.1billion views.

But one BBC employee said: “It’s not just young people that listen to Radio 1.

“There is a decent percentage of listeners that are older.

“They have stuck with the station since they were young and they tune in to listen to DJs they have known and loved for years. Putting some influencers in their places, regardless of how well known they are, won’t translate as well.

“Many people working at Radio 1 think Aled is making a mistake if he carries on in this vein.”

The remaining jewel in the Radio 1 crown is Breakfast Show host Greg James.

Greg, 40, took over the coveted role from Nick Grimshaw in 2018 and pulls in more than four million listeners, making it the No1 Breakfast Show for young people across the country. But a well-placed insider revealed that BBC Radio 2 — the nation’s biggest station — was keen to bring him on board.

“Greg had meetings with Radio 2 and they were testing the water in a bid to poach him,” a source claimed.

“When Scott Mills left Radio 2’s Breakfast Show and Sara Cox took over, there was a lot of talk at Broadcasting House about whether Greg would make the move. But he’s definitely staying on board at Radio 1 for now.

“To lose Greg would have been horrendous because he is such a figurehead at Radio 1.

“Thankfully, he’s remaining in place.”

The Sun understands some staffers are now considering jumping ship with the departing talent.

And the blame is being solely laid at Aled’s door.

“Aled has been massacring the schedules and the method isn’t working,” one staffer said.

“The feeling is that he is ruining Radio 1 and it is heartbreaking.

“It feels like the craft of making radio isn’t being respected and the people behind the scenes who craft this magic for the audience aren’t being treated with the respect they deserve. Radio 1 used to be the best station to work at, with the most talented pool of people and the most incredible presenters.

“It’s like a shadow of what it once was.”

A BBC spokesman said: “Radio 1 is proud to be the number one station for young audiences and has a strong track record of supporting and developing young and emerging radio talent, with a huge majority of presenters having come through the station’s own initiatives and opportunities.

“Alongside Radio 1’s commitment to nurturing new voices, there will always be a home for DJs with specialist music knowledge and talent from a diverse range of backgrounds who we know resonate with our young audience.”

Shohei Ohtani is a global superstar.

The 2026 ESPY Awards provided the latest evidence of that, with the Dodgers two-way player winning two trophies, as determined by fan votes, at Wednesday night’s ceremony in New York.

But as surprising at it may be — especially to those of us in the Los Angeles area who have witnessed the Japanese baseball phenomenon during his nine years with our local MLB teams — not everyone on the planet is familiar with the four-time MVP and two-time World Series champion.

The ESPYs provided evidence of that as well. Boxers Mike Tyson and Jake Paul joined musician DJ Khaled to present the award for best single-game performance. Ohtani — nominated for his historic Game 4 of the 2025 National League championship series against the Milwaukee Brewers — was the winner, as announced by Tyson.

Paul told the crowd that Ohtani was unable to attend the event, but “he sends his gratitude and appreciation to ESPN and everyone who voted for him.”

Afterward, a hot mic picked up Tyson seeming to ask Paul a rather unexpected question:

“Shohei’s a guy?”

The question seemed to be genuine, and Paul gave a casual response to his friend and former boxing opponent. “Yeah, he’s a guy,” Paul appeared to say as the trio started leaving the stage.

The Times reached out to a Tyson representative for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

No shade toward Iron Mike for apparently not knowing much about Ohtani. Tyson is a legend in his sport and has a number of other ventures and interests that occupy his time. While he did throw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Brewers-Pittsburgh Pirates game in 2014, Tyson just might not be all that into baseball.

Also, the name Shohei isn’t at all common in the U.S., even amid Ohtani’s massive popularity. According to Parenting Patch, only nine American babies were given that name in each of the last two years. All of them were boys, but the odds are good that Tyson doesn’t know any of them.

If Tyson hasn’t been following Ohtani’s career, though, he’s missing out. Take the aforementioned Game 4 of last year’s NLCS as an example. Ohtani hit three home runs and pitched six-plus scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in a 5-1 victory over the Brewers that completed an NLCS sweep and sent the Dodgers to the World Series for the second straight year.

“That was probably the greatest postseason performance of all time,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game.

Ohtani was much more low-key in his postgame assessment.

“This time around, it was my turn to be able to perform,” he said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I think just looking back over the course of the entire postseason, I haven’t performed to the expectation.”

With his performance that night, Ohtani beat out fellow nominees Tyce Armstrong of Baylor baseball (three grand slams in a game), Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat (83 points in a game) and Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame basketball (16 steals in a game) for the award.

That epic game certainly contributed to Ohtani’s other ESPY of the night. He was named best MLB player over fellow nominees Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

EastEnders star Tracy-Ann Oberman claims she was refused boarding on a Ryanair flight to Spain, as she was told her passport was not valid under new European rules

Actress Tracy-Ann Oberman has issued a passport warning to fellow travellers after claiming she was turned away from a Ryanair flight. The 59-year-old star, best known for her role as Chrissie Watts in EastEnders, said she had a year remaining on her passport. However, due to new European regulations, she was denied boarding.

Taking to X earlier this month, she wrote: “Just tried boarding a flight to Spain. My passport runs out June 2027. Was refused boarding because apparently it ran out in 2026 according to new European rules. Can anyone explain this to me ?I’m now stuck.” She later added: “I had a whole year [on my passport] but they said it didn’t count.

“Ryanair people said that they get fined for people travelling with the extra year on their passport and they don’t want to pay the fine is that illegal.”

One person replied: “It doesn’t matter what date is expiring, it’s only valid for 10 years from issue,” as Tracy-Ann replied: “I wasn’t aware of this. It doesn’t flag it up massively when you book the ticket.”

While another wrote: “Clock runs from issue date. Chances are you renewed yours early. The EU doesn’t recognise the ‘bonus’ months.”

Ryanair has been approached for comment.

What are the new European passport rules?

If you renewed your burgundy UK passport early, the most crucial point to bear in mind is that your passport must be less than 10 years old on the day you enter an EU country, meaning any “extra months” added to your expiry date from your previous passport are completely invalid for EU travel.

The burgundy colour and the words ” European Union ” on the cover do not matter; the document remains entirely valid as long as it meets post-Brexit requirements.

However, because the UK Passport Office used to add up to 9 months of unused validity onto early renewals prior to September 2018, your passport’s expiry date can deceive you into thinking it is valid when it is not.

Mandatory EU entry criteria

To travel to the EU and the Schengen Area, your passport must pass two independent tests:

1. The 10-year issue date rule: The passport must have a ‘Date of Issue’ that is less than 10 years ago on the day you arrive in the EU.

2. The 3-month expiry rule: The passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the EU, based on its official expiry date.

Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat.

Barco, who did not play in the game, came on to the pitch at full-time and was hugging team-mates near Bellingham when the England midfielder walked over and slapped him.

It sparked a small melee as players from both sides got involved before Bellingham walked away.

It is not known what prompted the reaction, but footage showed Barco running on the pitch after Enzo Fernandez’s 85th-minute equaliser and celebrating in front of the England players.

Lautaro Martinez headed the winner for Argentina in the second minute of stoppage time, ending the hopes of an England side who had taken an early second-half lead through Anthony Gordon’s goal.

Barco, 21, who plays for French side Strasbourg and previously had a spell at Brighton, has featured once at the tournament as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 group win against Jordan.

The first half of Wednesday’s match in Atlanta was feisty with 19 fouls, as American referee Ismail Elfath struggled to keep control.

Bellingham, who has scored six goals in the tournament, also had a confrontation with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the fourth minute after England midfielder Elliot Anderson had been fouled.

“We were really just discussing a foul, actually,” Bellingham is reported to have said. after the match.

“It wasn’t anything bad. I’m sure everyone will do their thing and make it a big deal, but it was nothing.”

Actor Sam Neill expressed a simple wish for his legacy nearly a year before he died at age 78.

The New Zealand star beloved for his leading role in the “Jurassic Park” films said in an August 2025 interview with The Telegraph, published Wednesday, that he wanted to be remembered for his kindness. Neill, reminiscing on mortality, said this wish was inspired by a painting he owned by Helena Bonham Carter’s mother, Elena Propper de Callejón.

“It is a very sweet watercolor of a funny old thing in a flowery dress and bonnet,” Neill said of the artwork. “At the bottom of the painting is an inscription: ‘But she was kind…’ When I am no longer about, I hope someone will be able to say that about me.”

Neill died suddenly Monday in Sydney, his family confirmed on Instagram.

The actor announced in April that he was in remission after five years of living with cancer due to a new cancer therapy. He battled Stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Neill was in remission at the time of his conversation with The Telegraph.

After news of Neill’s death spread, his collaborators remembered him for his talent and his kindness — just as he had hoped. Laura Dern, who played Dr. Ellie Sattler opposite Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park,” wrote, Neill “showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit.”

She continued: “He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant.”

His “Peaky Blinders” co-star Cillian Murphy remembered Neill as “one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors,” while Nicole Kidman celebrated Neill as “one of the greats.”

Neill appeared in about 150 film and TV productions throughout his career. His notable credits include films “The Hunt for Red October,” “The Piano” and “Evil Angels” and shows “The Tudors” and “Apples Never Fall.”

For The Telegraph, Neill also discussed his humble upbringing, how he felt his acting career had been a “complete fluke” and his perspective on life amid his cancer battle.

“I have had the odd brush with cancer, so every day is a bonus these days,” he explained. “Life lesson: never take a single day for granted.”

Loose Women star Judi Love was visibly emotional as she paid tribute to chef Dom Taylor.

Loose Women star Judi Love paid tribute to a colleague minutes into the ITV programme.

The comedian struggled to hold back tears as she was consoled by her co-stars.

Judi had returned to Loose Women following a brief absence, with fellow presenters Christine Lampard, Kelly Brook and Janet Street-Porter giving her a warm welcome back.

But she had some heartbreaking news to share with viewers. Judi began: “Life, highs and lows.”

She spoke about her recent tour, having sold out Hammersmith Apollo, saying: “That was amazing, it was such a beautiful night. As a comedian, that’s something that you dream of doing so actually doing it and selling out as a solo artist was phenomenal.”

She continued: “But life has its highs and it has its lows, and one of the lows that’s just only happened over the weekend is I lost a dear friend and a colleague, Dominic Taylor.”

Judi paid tribute to the “phenomenal” chef, who worked on her show, Our Table.

She said: “I remember first meeting him and tasting his food and it was amazing, it was a dream to work with him so when he said yes, that he would do my show, I was beyond happy,” reports the Express.

She added: “I just want to send my love to all of his close friends and his family, we’re here for you. We’ll never forget you, Dominic.”

Judi went on: “It reminds you to spend time with the ones you love and appreciate the small things so, it’s a beauty in the midst of all of that I’m back here with you.”

Tributes have been paid to TV chef Dom Taylor, who won Channel 4’s Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef in 2023, after he passed away “suddenly”, according to a statement released by his team.

Their statement added: “Dom was a visionary whose bold, joyful approach to celebrating the Caribbean cuisine of his childhood brought a fresh and exciting voice to London’s restaurant scene.

“His passion, talent and generosity touched so many people, and his legacy will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing him and experiencing his food.

“His passion, talent and generosity touched so many people, and his legacy will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing him and experiencing his food.”

Among those paying tribute in the comments, Fred Sirieix shared: “So sad.”

One fan wrote: “I didn’t know Chef Dom Taylor personally, but the meal I had at The Good Front Room at the Langham’s Palm Court for my birthday was unforgettable. Hearing this news has truly shocked me. My condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and all the patrons who loved his work. May he rest in eternal peace.”

Another added: “Dom gave me my first ever job/job in the cheffing world and taught me so much. So sad to hear this news and sending lots of love to family, friends, and staff during this heartbreaking time.”

Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

FORMER Hollywood child star Rivkah Reyes looks unrecognisable after joining OnlyFans.

The actor, 33, is best known for playing Katie in the hit film School of Rock back in 2003.

But nowadays their life is looking very different as they’re now making content on the subscription platform.

They took to TikTok on Tuesday to share a video of oneself staring into space as the saxophones in the background are getting louder.

Rivkah, who goes by they/them pronouns, wrote across it: “Being a former child actor means realising why my Oh Eff does so well.”

They encouraged their fans in the comments to support their music career so they can stop doing OnlyFans.

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Rivkah penned: “Anyway would LOVE for ya’ll to support and check out my music so that I can quit doing the other thing.”

Rivkah’s OnlyFans content includes a mix of explicit adult content, lifestyle content, behind the scenes updates and giving fans early-access to their “sapphic bubblegrunge” music.

The singer has shared plenty of racy videos on both Instagram and TikTok for non OnlyFans subscribers.

In one video posted on Instagram last week, they’re seen wearing short denim shorts and a bra top as they roll around the floor and dances suggestively on stage.

At one point, they lay their head on the floor and thrusts their derriere in the air before humping the floor in a suggestive manner.

Rivkah was nine years old when they were cast to play Katie, the quiet cellist-turned-bassist in the iconic musical comedy film.

The movie saw Hollywood heavyweight Jack Black play the role of Dewey Finn, a struggling rock guitarist who fakes his identity to become a substitute teacher at a prep school.

While there, he discovers his students musical talents and secretly forms a band with them to win the local Battle of the Bands competition.

The film became a huge box office success and received critical acclaim from critics and fans alike.

The success of the movie led to a musical adaptation on Broadway in 2015 and a television adaptation on Nickelodeon which ran for three series from 2016 to 2018.

However, Rivkah’s experience after the film’s release was a stark contrast as they faced bullying from her classmates in school.

They took an extended hiatus from acting and only returned to acting in 2017.

Speaking in an interview with the New York Post in 2021, they recalled: “Especially after production wrapped, when I first came back to school, people were really nice or really mean. There was no middle ground.

“I was literally followed around the school with people chanting School of Rock.”

They revealed that the harassment from their peers led to them becoming “a raging addict” and was forced to eventually overcome “a lot of demons”.

Scott Bryce, the actor best known for originating the role of Craig Montgomery on the soap opera “As the World Turns,” has died. He was 68.

Bryce died Sunday evening “surrounded by his loving wife Jodi Stevens-Bryce and loving son Jackson Bryce,” his agent Ken Melamed told The Times by email on Tuesday. “He was beloved by all!”

The actor revealed last year that he had been diagnosed with Stage 3 esophageal and stomach cancer in 2024.

“This evening my father lost his long-fought battle with cancer. What began as stage three esophageal cancer eventually spread and became brain tumors that took his life away from him,” Bryce’s son, Jackson, wrote in a tribute posted Sunday to Instagram. He said his father approached his treatments with “pride and courage, and an unshakable belief that somehow, everything would work out.”

“May his strength and relentless belief forever live within me,” he added. “He fought the hardest and most honorable fight I have ever witnessed.”

Born Jan. 6, 1958, in New York, Bryce followed in the footsteps of his actor parents. His father, Ed, portrayed Bill Bauer on the daytime drama “Guiding Light” for years, while his mother, Dorothy, was known for her role on the hospital soap “The Doctors.”

Bryce made his television debut as Craig Montgomery on CBS’ long-running soap “As the World Turns” in 1982. He received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his portrayal of the charming but ruthless businessman, whom he portrayed off and on from 1982 to 2008. The character was known for his ambition and mysterious business dealings but also had a reputation for being unlucky in love. One early romantic interest was Betsy Stewart, who was portrayed by Meg Ryan from 1982 to 1984.

Finn Carter, who played Montgomery’s wife, Sierra Esteban, on the show, shared a tribute to Bryce on Instagram Monday.

“My sadness knows no bounds. My gratitude for Scott knows even fewer,” Carter wrote. “Scott was the best husband a woman could ask for. As an actor he was fearless, kind, generous and forever looking for ways to grow. And what a sense of humor!”

Over the course of his decades-long career, Bryce appeared on shows such as “The Facts of Life,” “The Golden Girls,” “Murphy Brown,” “L.A. Law,” “The Good Fight,” “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

He also portrayed Mike McQueen, the father of a cheerleader (Leslie Bibb) on the millennial teen drama “Popular.” McQueen marries the mother of his daughter’s high school rival (Carly Pope) in the series, which ended on a cliffhanger in 2001 after its cancellation.

“When asked what he wanted people to remember about him, he said, ‘I was a one-take actor. Two takes, max,’” Jackson Bryce wrote in his tribute. “In working with Dick Wolf on NBC, directors would schedule him at the end of the day because they knew it wouldn’t take long.”

In addition to his onscreen work, Scott Bryce was a theater actor as well as a director and a producer, with credits including the 2010 television movie “Frederick Douglass, From Slavery to Freedom” and the satirical web series “Steamboat.”

“My dad also made sure I knew his greatest accomplishment that came at 50 years old, becoming a Dad,” son Jackson said in his tribute. “He is a part of everything I’ve done and everything I will do.”

The striker says FIFA’s decision to suspend his one-match ban led to ‘a lot of outside noise’ before USA’s knockout match.

US striker Folarin Balogun says he expected “a lot of controversy” after FIFA suspended his one-game ban at the World Cup following United States President Donald Trump’s request to review the decision.

Balogun was sent off during his team’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32, but FIFA controversially suspended his ban for a one-year probationary period. The striker has spoken about the incident for the first time in an interview with CBS Mornings on Tuesday.

“My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team. But when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy,” he said.

“I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it was something that’s so unique.

“But the closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could. But it was difficult – a lot of outside noise, and that’s hard to avoid.”

Balogun received the red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic in a 2-0 win for the USA in their round-of-32 match, triggering an automatic one-game suspension.

FIFA’s decision to suspend that ban – leading to Falogun playing in the game against Belgium – caused a furore in the football world, and accusations that the body bent its rules to please Trump.

The global football body announced that it had suspended the red card after the US president urged FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review the case.

The decision prompted criticism from Belgium’s football association, Europe’s top football body, a former FIFA boss, multiple top former players, and many others. Critics argued that overturning a red card suspension after direct political intervention undermined the integrity of the tournament and set a dangerous precedent.

Balogun conceded that the saga led to a confusing few days for him. After the red card, he took on a supporting role in training to try to keep the team’s morale high before finding out he was cleared to play.

“We found out on the team bus. Everybody was like screaming and shouting,” Balogun said. “It was a pretty intense bus ride to the practice field.”

The US striker said it was not hard to separate “the emotion from the job at hand” ahead of the match against Belgium.

“We’re all professionals, so it’s not something I think was too difficult to be able to separate once we kind of got over the initial announcement that I’d be back in the team,” Balogun added.

The USA lost 1-4 to Belgium, with Balogun struggling to influence the game, following a fine overall tournament in which he scored three goals.

Theo Burrell, an “Antiques Roadshow” star and cancer research advocate, has died. She was 39.

A family member announced Burrell’s death on Instagram on Saturday, writing, “It is with great sadness that I share the news that Theo passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Wednesday afternoon. Neither she nor her medical team foresaw this happening quite so quickly.

“She was an incredible person who fought hard for her family, friends and raising awareness of this cruel disease,” the post continued. “She saw life events like her son’s first day at school and her wedding that a little over 4 years ago we thought she’d never see.”

Burrell, born Theodora Helen Burrell on Sept. 1, 1986, was a ceramics and decorative arts specialist on the BBC’s “Antiques Roadshow,” a reality series that features antiques experts appraising family heirlooms, garage sale gems and more. Off screen, she worked as a specialist and auctioneer at Lyon & Turnbull, the oldest auction house in Scotland.

“One of the things I love about antiques is that they have survived so many years, witnessing life changing events such as coronations & world wars,” Burrell wrote in the caption of an 1840s-era white marble bust.

In June 2022, Burrell was diagnosed with an incurable, aggressive Grade 4 brain tumor, and was told she had a year to a year and a half to live. She subsequently underwent brain surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in an effort to keep the cancer at bay. In June 2023, she organized a star-studded auction to raise money for the British cancer research nonprofit the Brain Tumour Charity and raised the equivalent of about $93,500. She also became a patron of the charity Brain Tumour Research.

“We are heartbroken that we have lost the phenomenal, determined and truly inspiring Theo to this devastating disease,” Dan Knowles, chief executive of Brain Tumour Research, said on Instagram. “She constantly inspired us with how big her heart was and we will continue on our mission, driven by everything she taught us. Our thoughts are with her family, her friends and with all those who had the privilege of knowing her.”

During a January 2024 BBC “Morning Live” appearance, Burrell said that six months before she was diagnosed, she started to get unusual symptoms including headaches, nausea, feelings of pressure in her head and issues with her vision. After multiple trips to various physicians and a CT scan, doctors found an about 2-inch-diameter brain tumor in the right side of her brain.

She spoke candidly about her battle in the media and across social platforms, telling BBC, “I really felt that with a small public profile which I had from the ‘Roadshow’ that if I could do something good with that, then I should. And I have watched other people, such as Tom Parker, who sadly lost his life to a glioblastoma, really work so incredibly hard when he was so ill to try and make a difference for people like me.”

Burrell’s family said in the statement announcing the antiques enthusiast’s death that the cancer community provided “so much comfort and strength to her in her darkest moments.”

“But most of all it provided hope and I think what she would want most of all is for other people to find hope in her story. Hope that the statistics aren’t gospel and that one day they’ll be very different.”

Welcome to our Who am I? game.

The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.

After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points.

Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.

So take part and return for more tomorrow.

Today’s player and clues set by BBC Sport’s Joe Rindl.

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.

Emmerdale star Shebz Miah arrived in the village in 2025. Here’s everything you need to know about the actor.

Shebz Miah’s real age recently left Emmerdale fans surprised, as they thought the actor was much younger.

In March 2025, actor Shebz arrived in the village as Kammy Hadiq and caused a stir by stealing a quad bike from Moira Dingle’s (Natalie J Robb) land, with Ross Barton (Mike Parr) being blamed for the theft.

This incident introduced Kammy as a bad boy, and he soon caught Sarah Sugden’s (Katie Hill) attention when she found him struggling to start the stolen vehicle by the roadside.

Kammy was soon caught up in a love triangle with Sarah and Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) as both men tried to win her over. As fans know, Sarah and Jacob rekindled their romance, and have since gotten married and are surrogate parents to baby Leyla.

Meanwhile, Kammy caught the affection of close pal Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson), whom he had to gently let down, but revealed his true caring and loyal nature following Vinny’s violent attack.

In a devastating twist, Kammy recently confessed to being homeless, a revelation that left viewers in tears. He was living in a barn and explained that his family estrangement was directly linked to the difficult path his life had taken after tragedy struck in his family years ago.

“My dad died. Unexpected,” he told Belle. “I took it really bad, I didn’t look after my mum how I should have done”. Struggling to cope with his grief, Kammy started mixing with the wrong crowd and became involved in stealing cars.

This led Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) to welcome the mechanic into the family as his romance with Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) blossomed.

Taking to Instagram earlier this year, Shebz, from Bradford in West Yorkshire, shared snippets for his time on the ITV soap so far and wrote: “One year bringing Kammy to life. Grateful for the journey, the incredible people behind the scenes, and everyone who’s welcomed the character into their homes…We’re only just getting started… “

Before his stint in the Dales, eagle-eyed fans might recognise Shebz from his cameo in a 2024 episode of Casualty, where he portrayed Noor Din, and from popping up in Doctors in 2023 as Reece Shaw.

How old is Shebz Miah?

Shebz recently celebrated his 29th birthday, which left fans ‘floored’ as they assumed he was much younger. One fan wrote on Facebook: “Happy 29th birthday to Shebz, who plays Kammy”, as another replied: “29!!! I’m shocked.”

A third chimed in: “I thought he was about 20!!”, as another echoed the sentiment: “Happy birthday, I thought he was only 20 years old, he doesn’t look 29.”

“I didn’t think he was 29, he doesn’t look it. Happy birthday,” exclaimed one person as another simply asked, “29?”

Soap star Shabz tends to keep his private life away from the spotlight and has yet to confirm a romance off-screen.

Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX

Welcome to our Who am I? game.

The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.

After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points.

Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.

So take part and return for more tomorrow.

Today’s player and clues set by BBC Sport’s Adam Millington.

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.

EXCLUSIVE: The Netflix actress unpacked her new crime drama based on a notorious real-life Irish American gang.

Bosch legend Titus Welliver and Ozark star Jessica Frances Dukes have spoken candidly about portraying a detective partnership in a gritty new period drama.

The Westies, a fresh gangster series which arrived on MGM+ (available through Amazon Prime Video) yesterday, features Netflix actress Dukes as Birdie Polk, who is resolute in her mission to shield New York from a sinister criminal underworld.

Meanwhile, Welliver portrays her hesitant police partner Glenn Keenan, whose complex ties with Eamonn Sweeney (J. K. Simmons), head of Irish American gang The Westies, compels him to navigate a precarious balance between opposing forces.

The Westies, co-created by Narcos’ Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, draws from a genuine Irish American gang which operated from Hell’s Kitchen throughout the 1960s until the late 1980s.

Dukes, who portrays Special Agent Maya Miller in Netflix’s Ozark, shared her thoughts on taking on a markedly different kind of FBI agent.

She said: “I’ve been a fan of Chris Brancato and Michael Panes for a while and being able to dive into one of their worlds was something that was a goal of mine, so to be a part of this was really exciting.

“To jump into FBI world again, at first I was like ‘Do I want to do FBI again?’ and then I read it and I was like, ‘Oh, this chick is not Maya Miller’. And so I was so excited to dive into this ballsy woman. It was so much fun – I loved playing her.”

Considering the broader importance of the role, she added: “She’s given this opportunity to bring these guys down and she’s put in this place of power in [the early 1980s].”

She continued: “There is one woman in a sea of men running this show. I feel like Birdie starts the show with the reward and now it’s all about, ‘Is she going to succeed and prove all the naysayers waiting for her failure wrong?’ And I truly believe she’s got the golden ticket with Keenan.”

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Welliver, who portrays the titular Harry Bosch in Bosch on Prime Video, commented on the new series: “For me, it’s very personal because I’m a New Yorker and I was in and around that time.

“All characters are different and Glenn Keenan is the polar opposite of Harry Bosch if you look at these two guys.”

Discussing his character further and how he engages with Simmons’ Sweeney and Dukes’ Polk, he observed: “The scenes with J.K. were great because those worlds are very markedly different.

“Sweeney and Keenan have a long history together, whereas the relationship with Polk and Keenan is new, but there’s an interesting similarity.

“So they’re both trying to puppeteer Keenan and he is basically saying, ‘Nobody has strings on me.’

“And that’s what I think is the interesting aspect of that character and he emerges with a sense of independence, but at a serious cost.”

The official synopsis for The Westies from MGM+ states: “The Westies is a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City’s infamously violent Irish gang of the same name.

“The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the Westies’ home turf in Hell’s Kitchen promises a financial windfall.

“Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.

“But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.”

The Westies premiered on 12th July 2026 exclusively on MGM+ in the UK.

RICKY Gervais banked £16.2million from his sell-out 80-date live Mortality tour, accounts show.

The Brit comedy legend, 65, raked in £311,500 a week for the stint.

It meant the 2025-26 financial year was his best earner to date.

His firm, Red Lion 99, has £17.9million in assets and he has another £33.9million in his TV and film firms listed on Companies House.

Gervais will earn even more from a new nationwide tour, Legend, which starts this autumn.

Yet the Reading-born star is known to be disinterested in wealth.

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He once said: “People ask me why I dress like a tramp.

“And I say, ‘My clothes are clean and comfortable.

“Who am I trying to impress?’

“I don’t wear £50,000 watches. I don’t collect cars. I can’t drive.”

“Nothing gives me more of a buzz than to help an animal. I don’t get excited about things.

“I’m not a hippie or communist, I think money’s for the safety of your family and friends, and you can’t take it with you.”

“The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Jennifer Pedranti says that her son was involved in starting a brush fire that burned in Ladera Ranch.

Pedranti posted the admission on her Instagram stories on Thursday, saying that there will be consequences for her son.

“I would like to clear up the rumblings of my son having involvement in the Ladera Ranch fire,” her statement began.

“He and others were involved. My ex husband and myself take this very serious. This behavior is unacceptable and we are deeply sorry to our community. This is a tough learning moment for our son and our family.”

Pedranti continued that she was thankful that there was no property damage and nobody was injured. “The fire and police were absolutely amazing and gave these boys a lesson they will never forget,” she said. “There were no arrests made, but consequences for actions are being put into place.”

According to Pedranti, her son will be taking a fire safety course to “make sure a mistake like this never happens again.”

“There are consequences within our family and we will make sure our son learns from this accident.”

The brush fire originated near Ladera Ranch’s Narrow Canyon Road and Acaster Way on Tuesday afternoon and spread across seven acres before firefighters were able to get it under control.

Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Augie Romo confirmed to The Times that three minors were interviewed in connection with the Ladera Ranch brush fire and that no arrests were made. A full report will be made available in 10 days, but for now, most details of the incident remain under investigation.

The Bravo reality star shares five children with her ex-husband, biotech entrepreneur William Pedranti: sons Harrison, 22; Dawson, 19; Greyson, 16; and Dominic, 12; and daughter Everleigh, 14. She is engaged to “Real Housewives” cast member Ryan Boyajian, who reportedly was formerly involved in real estate and mortgage lending.