street

Two Corrie stars are making their way back to the cobbles years after their last appearance, as Sarah Platt faces prison for the murder of Theo Silverton

Coronation Street is welcoming two stars back to the cobbles. Ahead of Sarah Platt’s murder trial, both James Weber-Brown and Amelia Curtis will return later this month.

James played prosecution barrister Robin Winchester in 2017 and appeared on the show on and off for the following six years. His character was last seen on Corrie as part of the legal team that put Justin Rutherford (Andrew Still) in prison for ten years after he carried out an acid attack on Daisy Midgely (Charlotte Jordan) and Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott).

Meanwhile, Amelia, who also played Juliette Holiday on Emmerdale, will return as legal barrister Georgina Romney, appearing on the show for the first time in more than six years.

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Georgina was last on the show in 2020, when Yasmeen Nazir (Shelley King) was on trial for the attempted murder of her abusive husband Geoff Metcalfe.

Both barristers are expected to appear often during a week of episodes about Sarah Platt’s (Tina O’Brien) trial. The character faces prison after she murdered Theo Silverton (James Cartwright).

Theo was a huge villain on the show. He arrived in 2025 and started a relationship with Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce). He often exhibited controlling and abusive behaviour, slowly isolating Todd from his family and friends. During the Corriedale crossover, Theo left Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) to die, knowing that Billy had cottoned on to what he was doing to Todd.

Todd and Theo also got married, after which Theo started beating his husband. Todd eventually called the police, but Theo started stalking him. In April, he was discovered murdered outside of the flat he had shared with his husband and a whodunnit ensued.

It was later revealed that Sarah, one of Todd’s closest friends and his ex, had murdered Theo. She hit him to death with a scaffolding pole after Theo taunted her about the dead son she shared with Todd.

A dramatic new trailer teasing what is to come for Sarah Platt has already been released. In the sneak peek, Gary Windass (Mikey North), who helped Sarah cover up her crime by hiding the weapon, is seen insisting that her actions were in self-defence.

Tina O’Brien, who has played Sarah since 1999, said: “Sarah is absolutely terrified, she has been desperate for this day to come, but the reality of being brought up from the cells and standing in the dock is overwhelming.

“As the prosecution’s case is laid out, she is not sure things will go her way.” The dramatic episodes will air from Wednesday, October 14th on ITV, ITVX, STV and YouTube.

When Tina was first cast as Sarah, she was central to a controversial teenage pregnancy storyline and over the years, her character has been kidnapped several times. Her stepfather, who turned out to be a serial killer, infamously tried to drown her and the rest of the family by driving them all into a canal.

Since returning in 2015, Sarah has been married and divorced, and got away with covering up the murder of her drug dealer ex, Callum Logan, who was killed by her now-deceased sister-in-law, Kylie.

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Tens of thousands have taken to the streets across France as unions and teachers joined high school students who, for days, have been demanding better learning conditions in protests punctuated by violent confrontations.

The French Ministry of the Interior said 86,000 people had already joined demonstrations across the country early on Tuesday, while the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union put the figure at 260,000.

Students have blocked the entrances to hundreds of high schools since late September, complaining of missing teachers, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings unable to cope with rising temperatures.

While many protests have been peaceful, some demonstrators have started fires, destroyed bus shelters or clashed with riot police.

Police have responded with batons, tear gas and riot-control rounds.

Injuries, investigations

The government says 215 students and 715 police officers have been injured since the start of the movement.

Unions, rights groups and students have accused the authorities of using disproportionate force.

A 15-year-old lost a hand to a stun grenade fired by riot officers in the northern town of Lens on Monday.

Police have launched 10 internal investigations into allegations of brutality since the protests began, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said late on Monday.

Since the start of the movement, 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, according to the Ministry of Education.

More than 5,000 people, 87 percent of them minors, have been arrested.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office said 85 members of teaching staff have also been injured.

The government is also pushing legislation to make those responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs themselves, instead of using public funds.

Coronation Street’s Christina Boyd star Amy Robbins’ life couldn’t be more different from her on-screen Weatherfield alter-ego’s

Amy Robbins has become a firm favourite playing Christina Boyd on Coronation Street – but what do we know about her life?

Actress Amy joined the ITV soap in 2023 as Christina, the mother of Daisy Midgeley (Charlotte Jordan). Since then, Christina has become a regular and has been involved in several big storylines too.

From her devious catfishing scheme to finding love with undertaker George Shuttleworth (Tony Maudsley), her time in Weatherfield has not been short of drama.

Especially at the moment, as it was recently revealed that Christina’s long-lost granddaughter Lucy Parkinson (Anya Dewin) is living on the cobbles. And in Monday’s episode (October 5), Christina tries to get to know Lucy, who is unaware of the truth.

In real life though, Christina star Amy’s life couldn’t be more different from her on-screen Weatherfield alter-ego’s… Here, we’re taking a look inside the soap favourite’s life.

What has Amy been in?

Amy Robbins boasts an extensive television portfolio spanning many years. The RADA-educated star has featured in programmes.

These include Where the Heart Is, Heartbeat, Hollyoaks, EastEnders, Holby City, Doctors, and even Emmerdale. She appeared on the ITV soap in 2022, playing the defence barrister in the court case of the village serial killer Meena Jutla (Paige Sandhu).

Amy’s romance with husband

Amy is loved-up with her husband and fellow actor Robert Daws whose career spans almost 50 years. Robert has appeared in the likes of Death in Paradise, Holby City an he played Tuppy Glossop in ITV’s comedy Jeeves and Wooster from 1990 to 1993.

Robert also appeared on Coronation Street in 2010 playing Tom Hughes. As for Amy and Robert, the pair started dating while working on ITV medical drama The Royal in which Amy played Dr. Jill Weatherill and Robert played her on-screen husband Dr Gordon.

Talking about their romance, Amy told The Mirror in 2007: “We were friends for a long time. But I just knew I wanted to be with him. We are like two sides of the same person and have a similar outlook on life. We are both big family people and put our families first. People even say that we look alike.”

Amy and Robert also share two daughters, Elizabeth and May. However, according to Amy her first experience of childbirth was traumatic. She added to the publication: “It was a nightmare. I remember going into the labour ward and thinking I’d gone into hell and all these women were being tortured.

Amys’ famous brother

Amy belongs to a remarkably gifted theatrical family. Amy’s sibling Ted previously enjoyed his moment in Corrie’s spotlight, appearing in the programme seven years ago as Mary Taylor’s romantic interest, Brendan Finch.

Nevertheless, he’s equally recognised for his contributions to productions including Calendar Girls, The Slammer, Diddy Movies, and Benidorm. In 2023, Amy revealed the guidance Ted offered her after discovering she’d secured a role in the popular ITV soap.

She told The Mirror: “He told me not to underestimate the feeling of standing in the Rovers for the first time. He said it would be overwhelming, and he was right.

“His other piece of advice was not to call William Roache ‘Ken’ like he did. Ted bumped into William and accidentally said ‘hello Mr Barlow’.”

Amy’s other family

Meanwhile, Amy’s sister, Kate Robbins, is also a recognisable face, and the duo featured together in the 1986 sketch programme Robbins.

Kate has appeared on screen in programmes including Spitting Image, After Life, and EastEnders, whilst her daughter is I’m A Celeb and Rivals star, Emily Atack.

But that’s not everything, as Amy’s first cousin once removed is The Beatles icon Paul McCartney. Paul is Amy’s mum’s cousin, and she’s spoken warmly of him, stating: “He’s everything you would hope him to be, genuinely lovely.”

Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX

YOU SAY Oxford Circus, you think crowded streets and busy shops – but there is a whole other side to it you might not have known about.

So we’ve taken it on in two different way – as a busy mum looking to keep her kid busy, to a girly weekend in the city without going to the shops.

Blow dry bars, Mexican afternoon teas and gorgeous Italian dinners

Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor, explores the busy centre on a girly weekend wanting some pampering.

Growing up in the countryside, my first impression of London was the hubbub of Soho, with bustling streets full of eager shoppers elbowing each other out of the way.

Yet 20 years later, having since moved to (and left) the crazy capital, I know there is more to the iconic city centre than its shops.

And with the announcement that it is about to become pedestrianized, it’s about to become an attraction in its own right.

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If you want to explore the centre of London without actually dipping into the shops, it also makes for the perfect girly day out either with your best mate or your mum – if you know where to go as a local.

It is a fantastic destination for a pamper, with affordable nail salons and hairdressers – and did you know one of London’s most famed blow dry bars is found at the bottom of the John Lewis department store?

Having first launched in Chelsea back in 2014 (becoming a fave with the Made in Chelsea stars), Duck & Dry has become an institution for the place to go before a big event.

I sank into the plush chairs, laidback music overheard while I chatted to my hairdresser as my hair was massaged and washed.

As a woman in my mid-30s, I’ve realised that it’s the little luxuries that make life worth it and a person kneading all of my worries away is one of them.

Just 30 minutes later, I left a new woman with a fresh new do so gorgeous, I even bought a blow dry brush on my way out to try and replicate it at home.

(Don’t stop there though, one of my favourite nails bars, Cona, is just around the corner, with the hidden salon tucked behind the bold oranged painted cafe front).

Hair done, nailed fixed – we needed something to line our stomach and gone are the days of our 20s where we opted for a bottomless brunch.

Being more afternoon tea gals, one of the more unique ones is found in the Treehouse Hotel just off the main high street.

This isn’t your usual afternoon tea, however, (although you will still find a scone or two on top) – it’s called the Afternoon Te-Quila, so expect a Mexican fusion.

Starting with a freshly made margharita, we gorged on fresh fish tacos, pumpkin pies and even a unique chocolate taco, pumped full of decadent chocolate mousse.

The views are just as amazing, looking out over London from the top floor, but as I sat under a ceiling of green hanging plants, I was transported to somewhere much more tropical.

There is so much to do outside of this as well that doesn’t require you to lug shopping bags around town.

Or how about catching a West End show? The Palladium has some fantastic shows coming up including Delta Goodrem, Michael Ball and of course the Christmas panto.

(While I might have said there is so much to do along the high street without the shops, I would still recommend popping into the new M&S flagship, with four entire floors of homeware, clothes and a Food Hall. I may have left with both new linen trousers and some Percy Pigs…)

Don’t think I forgot about dinner, because London isn’t one of the world’s best food capitals for no reason.

And with more than 600 restaurants to choose from, according to OpenTable, where do you even start?

Well I’ve found just the place, if you want somewhere slightly quieter away from the crowds, but with fantastic service, a low-key atmosphere and hearty, Italian portions.

Enter Lavo at the BoTree.

Start at the bar for a cocktail – while the menu might sound confusing, it explains which cocktail they are similar to, so I had their version of a negroni.

On weekends there is also a live DJ who toes the line of great, lo-fi music without being so loud you can’t hear each other.

Slightly woozy at this point, my direction to my table was welcome before gorging on towering piles of tuna tartare and large bowls of penne a la vodka.

Our extremely funny server even tempted us into sharing what is now going down as one of the best tiramasus we’ve ever eaten.

And when you need to rest your weary feet from a day of pounding the pavements, you can’t get much more central than the Radisson Blu Bond Street.

Currently undergoing a renovation, it is just steps from the main road, with some of the best views of the high street from my room overlooking the shops.

With Oxford Circus not having many late night openings, don’t worry about not getting any sleep, as it was super quiet once everything had closed.

The cosy restaurant – with that brand new smell – also had a fantastic breakfast spread to refuel, from pancakes and avocado toast to all of the pastries and trimming of a Full English.

So while Oxford Circus will always be known at the shopping high street, there is so much more to it to bring your out of town friend, siblings or parents to without having to step into a shop.

Unless you get a Percy Pig craving, that is.

Illusion museums, kid-friendly food halls and ‘treehouse’ hotels

Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital), explores as a mum with a seven-year-old to keep occupied

As a London mum, I regularly take my seven year old into the city centre for theatre, museums, parks and all the other awesome attractions it has to offer kids. 

But Oxford Street? Are you mad? It’s somewhere I’d actively avoided, assuming it was the worst place for a very active kid who loves running around and touching everything in sight. 

How wrong I was. Because we recently spent an overnight stay on Europe’s most famous high street… and it was one of our best 24 hours in the capital. 

Oxford Street has changed a lot since I was a kid, coming up from the home counties to spend my Christmas money at Topshop. 

In some ways for the bad (those many American candy stores), but in many other ways for the good. 

As some of the big chain stores have departed, enterprising new ventures have opened up that are perfect for a family day out. 

Take for instance, the Twist Museum. A brilliantly fun illusion museum – even though the grumpy middle aged woman in me still insists it’s not a museum.

We had such a great time exploring all of the mind-bending activities, our favourites being the 3D hologram creator, the mirror room and the ‘big and small room’. 

It was so cool that I now have three pictures from there alone on my fridge at home – high praise. 

Equally fun was Swingers Golf and Carnival Games, which I’d always written off as an adults-only venue for big kids at heart to have fun with a beer. 

Not so, as during the day in the school holidays it was packed with families enjoying easily the best crazy golf I’ve ever done in my life. 

Then you get a half-hour pass to play as many games as you can in a retro-style arcade. 

As a parent who’s forked out more pound coins than I care to remember at amusement arcades, it was a total joy to do it all for free… and with a time limit. Plus, I got to sip on an extremely good frozen marg while I did it.

If the kids are feeling hungry, their food offering is a godsend. Several high-end food trucks like Patty and Bun burgers and Breddos tacos mean you can all pick what you want to eat. 

If you’re looking for something every so slightly more highbrow, we ended our day at Frameless – the very cool digital art experience where you’re put inside famous paintings, as they surround you on huge screens and come to life.

It was really surprising to see how much my son engaged with such old paintings, which he may have dismissed as stuffy in a gallery, by bringing them to life. 

Of course after pounding the streets for so long, we were in need of some refreshments, so we headed to Market Halls, which has every food any foodie or fussy kid would want. 

I dined on Malaysian Nasi Goreng and Thai soup, while my son had savoury crepes for main… and Nutella crepes for pudding. 

Thankfully, with our extremely full stomachs we didn’t have far to go to lay our heads, as we were booked into the Treehouse Hotel, an achingly cool and modern property on Langham Place, with some of the best views of London I’ve ever seen. 

Our room was very Scandi-style, with a lovely window seat so we could look out over the city. 

The next morning, we managed to find space in our stomachs for brekkie, at the Mexican inspired Madera restaurant, where I had a bagel topped with scramble tofu, vegan cheese and jalapeno pickled red onions, while my son opted for the waffles with whipped cream and berries. 

We lingered far too long over breakfast, sad to tear ourselves away from the stunning views from our table. 

All that fun of museums, art exhibitions, golf, arcades, and some fantastic food and drink, without stepping foot into a shop?

Teenage me would never believe it.

The New West End Company represents 100 streets in the district including Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street.

They explain: “New West End Company is solely focused on representing and keeping the West End thriving. Established more than two decades ago, today our 800+ membership includes the most respected names in global retail, leisure, hospitality, real estate and business.

“We keep our West End streets clean and safe, promote world-class experiences, provide trusted data and insight, and make the case for policies that support growth. Between 2026-2031, we are investing £60 million to make the district stronger, safer and even more competitive.

“Together with our partners – including Westminster City Council, the Metropolitan Police, the Mayor of London – we are proud to shape the district our members thrive in.“

These protest-laden times couldn’t be more receptive to the stirring “Everybody to Kenmure Street,” which speaks to a moment when the machinery of institutional cruelty was ground to a halt by righteous neighborliness. Felipe Bustos Sierra’s immersive documentary about a consequential block party — one that happened in Glasgow, Scotland, in May 2021 — is not simply one of the year’s best films, but a potent reminder of where meaningful change begins.

On the morning in question, a dawn immigration raid initiated by the U.K. Home Office snatched two men from the diverse, tight-knit community of Kenmure Street, and the timing couldn’t have been more hostile: in front of a mosque on the first day of Eid. And yet, what reaction is more gratifying than residents of all stripes stepping outside to do something about it?

Word spread quickly, and soon a throng of smartphone-wielding citizens had surrounded the immigration enforcement van, which couldn’t move because one enterprising, early-arriving activist had slid underneath it. Soon, the police were there in force, but the dedication of the outraged, chanting crowd demanding the men’s release ensured this would be no ordinary standoff.

Sierra, a Scotland-based filmmaker born to Chilean exiles, whose previous film recounted the solidarity of Scottish factory workers against Chile’s dictatorship, primes us over the credits with an archival montage of his adopted country’s disputatious lineage, from suffragists and trade unionists to independence campaigners and Glaswegian schoolgirls advocating for their asylum-seeking classmates, all set to the serenading lilt of Lee Hazlewood’s classic 1966 ache “Your Sweet Love.”

But the tale of that Thursday’s spontaneous, viral resistance is narrated by its proud participants. Each is interviewed separately, looking directly at us to burnish the intimacy. We aren’t told their names — save human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, a key public figure that day — because it isn’t the point. Everyone’s observant, humor-filled testimony both individuates and connects them to each other. Over those hours, the many became one. They became witnesses unsatisfied with mere witnessing.

The interviewees who didn’t want to be filmed are played by actors, including executive producer Emma Thompson wedged between an undercarriage and pavement as the unidentified van protester. That this doesn’t play like jokey stunt casting speaks to the spirit of communal, all-hands-on-deck engagement. Who got under the van wasn’t important. That someone did was.

Sierra also contextualizes Kenmure Street within the long shadow of slavery, industry, imperialism and grassroots opposition. It’s a valuable history lesson in echoes and dignity, one of the film’s more moving illustrations of the legacy of demonstrating for what’s right.

As it happens, Sierra himself wasn’t there that day. He chose to stay at home, watch on the news, and — as someone here might, post-Minnesota — assume the worst. “Everybody to Kenmure Street” is the ultimate what-did-I-miss movie, a life-affirming corrective, his respectful curiosity and everyone’s cherished memories in singular harmony. Like Sierra, you’ll wish you’d been there, to experience the world made better by those who show up. This is the next best thing.

Coronation Street’s Sam Blakeman revealed the reason behind his latest struggles in Thursday night’s episode and viewers were shocked by the surprise admission

Coronation Street has revealed the reason behind Sam Blakeman’s latest set of struggles.

The teenager, who is played by Jude Riordan, was introduced as the long-lost son of Nick Tilsey (Ben Price) in 2020, and since then has had to deal with his mum Natasha being shot dead in a case of mistaken identity, and earlier this year, was key to exposing PE teacher Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon) as a sexual predator, the trauma of which led to him being diagnosed with schizophrenia and enduring a spell on a mental health ward.

Just as Sam seemed to be readjusting to life as best he can, things took another turn for the worse. Out of nowhere, the teenager was very snappy with Nick when he told him off for being on his phone and he then was seen being irritable with schoolfriend Hope Dobbs.

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In scenes that aired on Thursday night’s episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap, it was finally revealed why. Viewers may have thought he was acting out after accidentally pushing Rovers Return landlady Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) down the stairs in the pub and landing her in hospital.

Eva confessed to partner Ben that Sam was the one who accidentally pushed her and the teenager was summoned to the backroom of the Rovers to explain himself to his aunt, claiming that he had been looking for his phone.

Later on, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), who is a somewhat surrogate mum to Sam, questioned him on what had really been going on along with Nick and his partner Toyah. He finally said: ” I’ve been buying crypto. I wanted to transfer it back to myself before I lost it all.”

Cryptocurrency is a virtual form of money which utilises blockchain networks and investors can potentially earn a passive income via various investments and staking, and the purchase of a digital coin before selling it on for a higher price.

When it was pointed out that he hasn’t got any money, Sam confessed that he had pretended to be his dad, who runs the Bistro. Sam told Nick: “I applied for a credit card in your name through a different bank. I’ve got all the passcodes. I set up an email address to deal with everything.”

In disbelief, Leanne raged: “Do you know what? I can’t believe this. Megan or no Megan, illness or no illness, this is totally unacceptable. How much was it, Sam?” When pushed for the amount of debt he racked up, Sam admitted that it had totalled to more than £6,200.

Reacting to the latest scenes, one fan wrote on X: “Sam has f****d up royally,” whilst another said: “Bloody hell, Sam!” and a third wrote: “An unexpected twist for Sam Corrie today!”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X.

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During a 24-hour visit, Bethany Gavaghan discovered the market town’s independent shops, cafes and winding old streets — and left wanting more

If you thought you had to travel hundreds of miles to cities such as Edinburgh for old town charm and a sense of being swept into a Harry Potter novel, think again — there are destinations far closer to home that are well worth a visit.

Reach’s Bethany Gavagha had never set foot in Shrewsbury in Shropshire and, despite having spotted some gorgeous photographs, she arrived with very little in the way of expectations. Writing for the Express, Bethany shared how she always preferred to keep an open mind when visiting somewhere new, and as she hadn’t done much reading or come across a great deal of content about it, she genuinely had no idea what to expect.

Shrewsbury was, however, previously crowned the town with the best high street in the UK by The Telegraph, which described it as a “beacon of light piercing the gloom”.

It noted that Shrewsbury boasted a healthy selection of quirky and independent businesses that give shoppers a “fine reason to escape the tyranny of Amazon”. Locals spoke with great pride about their town as a result.

Bethany shared: “I was there for almost exactly 24 hours, and I found out quickly that is the ideal sweet spot if you’re someone just passing through, as everything is conveniently located and easy to get to. “

Things to do in Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the kind of place where history is impossible to miss. The medieval market town sits within a loop of the River Severn, close to the Welsh border, with its winding streets, timber-framed buildings and hidden passageways giving the centre plenty of character.

The town’s location once made it strategically important, and Shrewsbury was first recorded in a charter in 901. Today, though, it’s the independent shops, cafés, markets and historic sights that make it such an appealing place to explore.

Shrewsbury has a particularly strong independent shopping scene. According to Visit Shropshire, independent retailers outnumber big chains by almost 50%, with boutiques and quirky shops tucked into the town’s medieval streets and narrow passages.

One of the biggest draws is Shrewsbury Market Hall, which has been voted Britain’s Favourite Market. The bustling hall is packed with food stalls, cafés, independent traders, arts and crafts and fresh produce, making it an easy place to spend far longer than planned.

There’s plenty to see between shopping stops, too.

Shrewsbury Castle is a Norman fortress sitting right beside the railway station, making it an easy addition to a wander around the town. For a completely different experience, The Quarry offers 29 acres of riverside parkland and nature reserve inside the loop of the Severn – a peaceful escape from the busy streets.

History buffs can visit Shrewsbury Abbey, founded in 1083 and made famous to many readers by Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael novels.

Then there are the medieval passages themselves. Narrow lanes and little cut-throughs lead off the main streets, making exploring Shrewsbury feel more like an adventure than a conventional shopping trip.

Bethany’s stay

Bethany stayed in a room that was somewhere between a hotel and an Airbnb, called Boutique Shrewsbury Rooms, tucked away in a peaceful corner of the town, just across the river and through a small park — just about manageable on foot from the train station if you’re lugging a heavy suitcase.

“I’d definitely recommend staying there if you enjoy a no-fuss approach to holidays, as you just let yourself in with a keypad and the room and the location were both gorgeous,” she wrote.

A coffee machine stocked with a variety of pods also earned a big thumbs-up from her.

Come morning, the first stop on Bethany’s agenda was a café boasting “with some of the friendliest staff”. The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse is warm and inviting, full of charm in its décor, with generous seating spread across two floors.

She opted for avocado on sourdough toast, which proved to be a perfect brunch choice — packed with flavour and finished with a scattering of chilli flakes for an added kick. Exactly what you need to set yourself up for a full day of sightseeing.

During her visit, the weather was far from kind. She said: “In fact, we actually received what I think might have been the biggest deluge of rain I’ve seen all year, but this led me to realise just how much you can still do indoors, which I normally find quite rare in older towns like this.”

Bethany kicked things off with a visit to the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, which offered a brilliant glimpse into the local area. She discovered that woolly mammoths once roamed the fields surrounding Shrewsbury — a fact Bethany found utterly captivating — and the vintage fashion collections were absolutely stunning to take in.

The town is a genuine must-visit for anyone who loves independent shops and cafés. There was even an outdoor food market offering everything from freshly baked goods to Indian cuisine.

“One place that caught my eye was the Old Market Hall cinema, which puts on everything from ballets to dramas and more,” Bethany said.

Noting the building looked “fascinating”, she added: “We didn’t manage to go in this time, but it’s firmly on my list for our next visit.”

In need of something sweet, her next port of call was a coffee shop called the Cat’s Pyjamas. It was a brilliantly quirky space — cocktails on the menu too — and a perfect haunt for indie and creative types. Bethany opted for their red velvet lamington, which was a solid 10/10.

“I would absolutely go back for more without any persuasion needed,” she said.

With a free afternoon to spare, Bethany loved wandering through the winding cobbled streets. “It was surprisingly calm for a Saturday, which only added to its charm. Maybe the weather played a part, but it definitely had that hidden gem feel compared to more hyped medieval towns like Wells, which have gone viral on social media.”

The birthplace of Charles Darwin, Shrewsbury is home to around 77,000 people and reportedly boasts more than 500 independent retailers and hospitality venues. That’s what “makes the town centre really stand out,” said Seb Slater, executive director at Shrewsbury BID.

Bethany said: “My favourite shop was a huge underground shop selling antique items, Shrewsbury Antiques Centre, which has been going for more than 30 years. I never buy anything from places like this but just walking around is an experience in itself.

With more than 50 individual traders, the range on offer is enormous.

Her final port of call was a pizza restaurant that she had strolled past earlier and earmarked as somewhere that looked well worth a visit. You can catch the mouth-watering aromas from several doors away, so it was an absolute no-brainer.

Dough and Oil has built its reputation on sourdough pizza, homemade sides and desserts, and boasts a fun-filled interior complete with a photobooth and mini football table. It ticked every single box.

She had said it before, but Bethany firmly believes the only true way to judge a pizza restaurant is to sample their margherita first — and she would give it 100% recommendation. With the visit drawing to a close, it was time to head back.

The train station was just a short walk downhill from there. She concluded: “All in all, it was a successful 24 hours, and definitely somewhere I’d like to learn more about and get to know again, hopefully with better weather next time.”

After a roasting hot summer during which a trip to the beach to escape the heat was top of everyone’s agenda, Rosaleen Fenton made an autumnal visit to one of the country’s most popular seaside towns

A summer trip to Cornwall can often feel like a battle against the crowds. With thousands of visitors packing into its narrow lanes, navigating St Ives during peak season can make you feel like you are trapped in an endless queue – albeit one with access to delicious Cornish pasties roughly every five feet.

But as the schools reopen their doors, the town quietens down and begins to feel like a place reclaimed by its residents. I had been told September is the best time to visit, so I gave it a go, my mum and I hopping on a Great Western Railway (GWR) train from London Paddington, hoping for a glorious, slightly calmer seaside weekend.

Our journey took on a mythical feeling as we headed further west. GWR has recently revived its Line to Legend Land storybook, a century-old set of promotional travel pamphlets and books that encourage passengers to explore the scenic regions by train. It is packed with South West folklore and retellings, and now a new tale by former Children’s Laureate Sir Michael Morpurgo.

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OPINION

The railway has installed five life-sized statues of these legendary figures across the network. Stepping onto the platform at St Ives, you were greeted by the famous mermaid of Zennor – which celebrates the legend of a local chorister lured beneath the waves. Reading about a coastline teeming with mythical creatures while watching Carbis Bay slide past your window felt like the perfect way to leave a busy working week behind.

Our home for the weekend was Tregenna Castle Resort, perched high on a hill and offering one of the most breathtaking views in the West Country – and not one I tire of looking at.

These stone walls have seen a lot of history. Built in 1774 as a grand private home, it was later purchased by GWR as an exclusive hotel. Today, the 72-acre estate is a dream for holidaymakers. Situated amidst lush ground, it boasts indoor and outdoor pools, woodland walks, a nine-hole golf course, and courts for tennis, badminton and pickleball.

Then there is the food, which deserves its own spotlight. We dined at the Godrevy View Restaurant, named after the distant lighthouse said to have inspired Virginia Woolf. The ever-changing menu is far superior to standard hotel fare. We begin with a beautifully arranged, nicely seasoned tomato salad served with Thai basil whipped ricotta, watermelon, ponzu and chervil (£11). For main, an 8oz fillet steak is generous, served alongside fondant potatoes, carrot puree, asparagus and baby beets.

On Sunday, we enjoyed roast beef, cooked to perfection, with all the trimmings, including Yorkshire puddings hiding a decadent treat within – a small dollop of braised beef swimming in rich jus. My daily routine quickly settled into gluttony – a delicious fry-up for breakfast, a rich chocolate brownie for dessert – an extremely pleasant way to start and finish every day.

While the town, which has a stand-out independent shopping scene and was named the UK’s prettiest seaside town just this week, is calmer in September than the summer holiday months, the streets still felt substantially fuller than you’d expect from a place of 11,000 people. A great energy, but the bustling made me yearn to return to the sublime peace of Tregenna Castle, just 15-minutes away.

With our visit coming just days after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was in favour of a ‘tourist tax’ for Cornwall, the topic of overtourism was top of my mind. It’s fair to say business owners in the area remain divided on the topic, but for me, the benefits are easy to see. St Ives records more than 220,000 overnight stays annually, meaning it could bring in over £1,000,000 a year – a lifeline for a town where social issues are pressing, despite its well-to-do reputation. There’s a foodbank here, and a lot of young people who can’t survive in a property market where 15% of homes are second ones.

Chatting with locals, many said they no longer live in St Ives itself, preferring nearby Penzance, where they have room to breathe, cheaper homes, and not every shop sells clotted cream fudge.

Yet as a visitor, I can see why those in the industry are wary of scaring anyone off. It’s clear how holidaymakers pour vital cash into the local economy through independent shops, galleries and restaurants. Last year Jon Hyatt, who chairs Visit Cornwall, said he was “against any charge that might put visitors off”.

It’d be a terrible shame if they were, given how much there is to enjoy, from frolicking in the waves of Porthmeor Beach and peering off the side of Smeaton’s Pier, to touring the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Unsure of what to take on next, my travel companion tried using an AI bot to plan a fun day out for us. Unsurprisingly, technology failed us with the app repeatedly instructing us to catch a bus route that hasn’t existed for over two years. Abandoning our future robot overlords, we turned to a friendly member of hotel staff instead, who pointed us straight toward Tate St Ives – a far superior mode of recommendation.

Opened in 1992 on a cliff overlooking Porthmeor Beach, the displays change regularly. We caught an exhibition by Halima Cassell, whose intricate geometric sculptures play beautifully with light and shadow. Outside, it feels as if her artwork was continuing, a rainbow appearing over the beach, ending atop the RNLI flag.

Afterward, we walked a stretch of the South West Coast Path and enjoyed the brutally beautiful landscape, with the rhythm of the waves calming our frazzled nerves. As a special treat, we returned to London on GWR’s overnight Night Riviera Sleeper service.

I slept blissfully after a trip to the glorious buffet bar, where you can enjoy a free hot chocolate, before heading to slumber in a carriage. Getting onto the top bunk is no trouble, with a smart fold-away ladder showing how cleverly designed this small cabin is.

We arrived back in London just after 5am, though passengers can stay on board until closer to 7am. Breakfast is delivered (for me, a bacon roll) alongside piping hot coffee – which gives me the strength to start my day back in London, where I mourn the glorious coastline I left behind.

Book it

Tregenna Castle Resort, Treloyan Avnue, St Ives. Rooms and luxury self-catering lodges available. Visit tregenna-castle.co.uk

GWR operates regular services from London Paddington. To travel in a sleeper cabin on the Night Riviera, you need to purchase a regular train ticket, plus a supplement for the cabin. For the best deals, book up to three months in advance. Book at GWR.com.

Timed entry tickets to Tate St Ives on Porthmeor Beach cost £14 (£1.50 extra with a voluntary donation), though locals can get unlimited all-year entry for £10. Book in advance at tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives.

OXFORD Street is set to be pedestrianised in the run-up to the Christmas period – and it’s sooner than expected.

Once pedestrianisation is complete, all vehicles and bikes will be blocked from accessing the world-famous street.

The London Mayor has revealed the date which all cars, buses and taxis are set to disappear from one of the capital’s most recognisable streets.

On October 26, a one-kilometre stretch of the road will become vehicle-free as a “transition-phase” prior to being fully pedestrianised.

The entire section between Selfridges near the Marble Arch end and Great Portland Street (including Oxford Circus) will be the first to be impacted – with buses rerouted and cars set to be banned.

Transport for London (TFL) has also confirmed that e-bikes, pedal bikes, and e-scooters will no longer be allowed to go through the area.

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Sadiq Khan announced: “Following strong support from Londoners and businesses, I’m excited to see my bold vision for Oxford Street really coming to life next month as we start going traffic-free, just in time for the busy Christmas shopping period.”

The transition phase comes as works still need to be carried out to sort out any potential problems, including relocating bus stops and changing the direction of travel in some areas.

Sections of Oxford Street will also be transformed with new planters and seating areas to replace traffic lanes.

However, Westminster Council said there was still a “long list of unanswered questions about how it will work” and questioned whether traffic would be pushed to small streets nearby as a result.

Councillor Tim Barnes, deputy leader of Westminster City Council and cabinet member for growth and planning, added: “If this is going to be the ‘greener, better and more prosperous’ success that the Mayor has promised, then issues around access, air pollution, street cleaning and public safety, need answers urgently.”

The project to make part of Oxford Street traffic- free follows two public consultations in 2025 and 2026.

Following support, TFL has been working alongside the Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC) to regenerate London’s most famous street.

EXCLUSIVE Some of the biggest stars of Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale have united for a new staging of a classic play and looked back on their time on the world’s longest-running TV soap

Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders have been the UK’s biggest soaps for decades and now the stars truly have aligned as a group of actors from each of them have united to take on a stage production based on a film that is often one of the greatest films ever made

Soap legends Bill Ward, Tristan Gemmill, Ben Nealon and Gray O’Brien have teamed up together to appear as four of the jurors in Twelve Angry Men, which follows a jury as they deliberate the guilt of a boy on trial for murdering his father. All four of them have gone on to carve out successful careers on the boards since their time on screen, but Gray, 58,who played the villainous Tony Gordon on Coronation Street, has admitted he would be keen to return to TV if the opportunity was there.

“It’s not that I choose to do theatre, I’ll be brutally honest. It’s because nowhere in telly will employ me. That’s the thing about men coming out of soaps. Look at some of the best actresses we have in this country, Suranne Jones, Katherine Kelly, they’ve all used Coronation Street as a springboard into other things but it doesn’t work that way for men and I don’t know why that is,” he tells The Mirror.

Tony was the second husband of Underworld boss Carla Connor (Alison King). Introduced as a ruthless businessman, things quickly turned evil and he raped Carla before tying her up in the factory and setting it on fire during a major siege week in 2010. Carla made it out alive, but Tony did not. Gray admits he had no idea where the character was going when he first signed up to appear, but didn’t expect things to pan out as they did.

“It’s only supposed to be about seven houses,” he laughs when discussing the increasingly dramatic nature of the programme. Prior to joining Coronation Street, Gray had appeared in Casualty and River City, but joining the Manchester-based soap was a poignant moment for Gray because his father was such a fan.

“My father was a huge fan of Coronation Street, everyone says they are the biggest fan, but he was. Unfortunately, he died in 2000 and I joined in I think 2007 so he didn’t get to see it and he would’ve loved the part,” he adds.

But the star is happy with his latest role as touring fits in with his lifestyle and ultimately has happy memories of his time on set. It’s a similar case for Bill Ward, who played Charlie Stubbs and, after years of high-profile storylines, one of which saw Charlie abuse Shelley Unwin (Sally Lindsay), his character was murdered by girlfriend Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) almost 20 years ago.

“I loved it, and people do still talk to me about it,” he smiles, adding “It was a really, really great piece of writing. The writers, I was very, very lucky. The writers really, really wrote for that character, for Charlie Stubbs, and I always used to look forward to getting the next week’s script to see what he would be up to because it was always it was very thoughtful, but it was also very innovative. A lot of the kind of the absolute delight, and I loved my time on it.”

Following his stint in Coronation Street, Bill, 59, went on to play James Barton in Emmerdale, but has also enjoyed a stellar career in theatre, starring in productions of Legally Blonde and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie amongst a host of others.

Things are never safe in soap land and a decade on from Charlie’s dramatic exit, former Casualty star Tristan Gemmill, 59, arrived to play Tracy’s ex-husband Robert Preston. Like Charlie, Robert did not exit in a black cab and his departure from the street was also explosive – being shot through the door of the Rovers Return Inn on Christmas Day.

At the time, Tristan’s children were young and he recalls having to calm them down when they saw the hard-hitting scenes. “Being shot through the door of the Rovers was harsh. It a hell of an exit. We all watched it on Christmas Day with my kids. I thought ‘Oh, look, we’ve had Christmas lunch. Let’s sit down and watch Daddy’s episode of Coronation Street because it’s where he leaves the show.’ It was a big mistake! They got so upset and I spent hours calming them down!”

For Ben Nealon, who played Alex Harkinson on EastEnders but is better known for starring as Capt Jeremy Forsythe on Soldier Solider, the theatre is definitely home, but he is always pleasantly surprised when members of the public recognise him for his signature role.

“With Solider Solider, it’s strange. In some ways, was really lucky, and all of us who were in it were really lucky to be last bastion of a show that was on television when there were still only five channels

“We had 17 million viewers, which is bigger than Game of Thrones now. I’m still amazed that that people come up and say ‘Hey, Jeremy!’ because it’s such a long time ago.” When asked if there is one genre he prefers, Ben, 59, admits he feels “really lucky” to have had a career spanning over three decades to begin with.

“I love doing theatre because of the rehearsal process, the immediacy of it. Of doing, it changes every night based on where you are, what the audience are like.

“I think in television these days, very rarely do you get a chance to rehearse much at all. You might do a couple of rehearsals for the camera and then off you go, so to have that in-depth analysis that you get in a in a rehearsal room for two or three weeks is is a real joy, and, and I think why most of do this job.”

After decades of starring on stage and screen, the four actors are keen to discuss taking on roles of various jurors in a new production of Reginald Rose’s legal drama. “It’s things like social justice, immigration, racism, one man standing against a mob, these are all ideas that he comes back to again and again and again.

“And so I’ve sort of gone backwards into his other work, if you see what I mean, and tried to find reasons, and I’ve researched the period,” Bill says.

Having already hit a few venues in the UK on its lengthy tour, Tristan is thrilled with the way audiences have responded. He explains, “We’re finding that the audiences are, are really engaged because the, Reginald Rose, the writer, has, has structured it in such a clever way where, where by, at the, at the beginning, you just see 12 blokes walk into a room.

“You know that it’s a jury deliberating on a murder case, but you don’t know any more than that. And then as, as time goes on, you almost fill in the gaps backwards, so that eventually you know what everybody in the room knows, because they’ve sat in the court for three days and listened to the proceedings. So, the way he drip-feeds the information is, is really clever.”

Twelve Angry Men is currently on tour across the UK until May 2027. For tickets and more information, go to https://www.kenwright.com/productions/twelve-angry-men-2026-27-uk-tour/

Coronation Street’s Eva Price actress Catherine Tyldesley has confirmed if Eva Price survives her attack by Sam Blakeman, while teasing some mystery new plots on the way

Eva Price’s fate has been confirmed by one Coronation Street star.

With the character feared to be leaving after Sam Blakeman left her to die, actress Catherine Tyldesley, who plays her, appeared to confirm if she dies or not. Speaking to the Mirror and other press, the star told us about things coming up, and the fallout of Sam’s attack.

She teased events for the families involved, and even hinted at some worrying future storylines. This seems to confirm that Eva does not die, and will survive the attack.

Teasing the fallout and whether Eva can support Sam, given his mental health struggles, Catherine said: “What happened really scared her, and once she’s out of hospital, she’s genuinely in a lot of pain. She she’s kind of 50/50 initially, but very much appreciates the fact as well that it takes a while for certain medications to kick in with certain patients that are in the same position as Sam, and she fully understands that.

“In her eyes, she wants to take a step back briefly while she recovers, and hopefully Sam adjusts to his medication, and then her first thing will then be to get the family back together because that that is always at the forefront of her mind.

“She can’t stand any arguing. That’s always her first objective, to keep the family tight.” Catherine wasn’t expecting the attacker to be Sam. She said: “I was really surprised initially.

“But because of where Sam is at and because of his storyline, once I’d read the script, I was like, ‘Ah, okay, this makes a lot more sense’. Eva takes mental health very seriously, after what happened with Aidan.

“That that was the first time she’d come across a situation like that, and the first time that suicide had affected her. And since then, I think it’s really opened her eyes up to how important mental health is.

“It’s a difficult juggle for her because she’s got a family to protect. She doesn’t want to feel scared, but at the same time she feels deeply sorry for Sam, and she just wants him to get better. So it’s finding that balance that trust again, I suppose.”

It seems there could be some big scenes ahead for the Driscoll family too, or perhaps the wider family including Eva’s sister Leanne and Toyah. Catherine didn’t specify who would be involved, but it came after questions about Sam, and Eva’s relationship with Leanne and Toyah.

She teased: “I think we’ve got a few mountains to climb. There’s a couple of storylines coming up with the family at the forefront, and if Eva thinks her family is in any kind of jeopardy, which they certainly are, she turns into mafia wife style.

“She will do anything to defend her family, and that’s what I love about her. It’s my belief that if she had to kill for her kids, if she was pushed that far, she would. I think it’s an interesting part of her personality. She’s a very, very strong character.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

A MAJOR pop star was spotted singing one of her hit tracks in a quiet driveway.

The singer was dressed casually and having a great time performing to the small, happy crowd – but would you have recognised it was her?

Anne-Marie strutted around the car park with a mic in hand, singing Rockabye .

A little blue stand stood behind her for the event, which a reposter on TikTok said was part of a street party.

Anne-Marie sported pink hair, pink and blue ombre shoes and a comfortable pair of black tracksuit trousers for the day.

She finished the look off with a simple necklace and a black graphic tee.

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People waved their arms along to the music while children joyfully blew bubbles.

Fans adored seeing the interaction, and flooded the comments section of the clip with praise for Anne-Marie.

One user said: “She’s just so down to earth, and she’s got the best voice.”

A second shared: “I love her she’s beautiful, natural and a people person. Plus her voice is perfection.”

A third added: “Local girl done good. Love this!”

Rockabye was released by Clean Bandit in 2016, but Anne-Marie and Sean Paul featured on the record.

It became hugely popular, to date having over 3 billion views on YouTube alone.

Political polls are like weather forecasts. They’re worth passing consideration, maybe, but you’d have to be a fool to bet your house on their accuracy.

And yet there’s something that rings true about the recent poll suggesting that L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is in deep trouble among likely voters as she tries to hold on to a job that Councilmember Nithya Raman is trying to snatch away from her.

Here are the numbers, as compiled by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by The Times:

Raman: 39%.

Bass: 28%.

Undecided: 33%.

Bass has naturally tried to debunk the poll. What else could she do, when her supporters are outnumbered by people who can’t make up their minds? Bass would need to dominate the undecided vote to have a chance, but given her high unfavorability rating, that’ll be hard to do.

On the other hand, Raman certainly hasn’t put things out of reach, despite the fact that Bass carries the baggage of the Palisades fire and has made only minimal progress on her signature issue — homelessness. Election day is less than two months away, and Raman has failed to convince anywhere near a majority that she’s the answer.

So what do Raman and Bass need to do between now and Nov. 3?

Some speculate that Bass may need to step up the negative attacks.

I beg to differ.

We need both candidates to be bolder, more creative, more convincing, and to tell us things we haven’t heard before.

All the recent L.A. mayors I’ve known had their faults and failures, whether the task was filling potholes, building out transit or addressing the high cost of housing. But among their best qualities, Dick Riordan was arrogantly confident, Jim Hahn had a steady hand on the tiller, Antonio Villaraigosa was tireless and passionate, Eric Garcetti was a long-range thinker on earthquakes, water and energy.

L.A. needs a mayor with all of those qualities. A cheerleader. A task master. A ball buster.

Running the second-largest city in the country is no easy task, because many of the problems at street level begin well beyond local control, related in part to an economy that leaves too many people behind.

But if you want to lead a world-class city, you need to have world-class answers on the big stuff like housing and homelessness and on the basics, too, like fractured sidewalks and neglected parks. Most voters don’t give a hoot about which candidate is more of a socialist or a moderate. City Hall is broken, and they want to know who can fix it.

On Wednesday, I checked the same sadly neglected area around City Hall that I wrote about in April and found only minimal improvements. Graffiti has been washed from the Frank Putnam Flint fountain, but it remains a broken-down monument to neglect, as it has for most of the past 60 years. And all around it, most of the little placards identifying native plants are broken or missing.

People rest on the Frank Putnam Flint fountain outside City Hall, a sadly neglected area.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The L.A. Mall is still a largely abandoned wreck, with broken planter boxes and weeds at street level. A woman with two shopping carts told me she’s been homeless for 5½ years. The restaurant next to the nearby police department is shuttered; the restaurant across the street from it is long dead, and the once-vibrant downtown — which generated revenue that benefited every neighborhood of the city — is gasping.

I drove down Hope Street, south of 12th Street, because a reader who lives in that area and has told me about repeated fires at abandoned properties. A tractor was clearing debris from a recent blaze.

I drove west on Olympic toward Alvarado, an area I visit regularly to see a friend. Streets are strewn with trash. They’re always strewn with trash. At Olympic and South Lake, where encampments line the street and a fire once spread into a church parking lot, destroying vehicles, there’s a concrete triangle that was heaped with trash. It’s always heaped with trash, like a municipal dump on a busy thoroughfare.

Next I headed west on Wilshire to the RFK Memorial I wrote about 10 months ago, near the site of the 1968 Bobby Kennedy assassination. It remainsfenced-off, with trash and graffitiand with overgrown vines covering tributes to Kennedy. The city was going to help the school district clean things up. Then the school district took on the task.

It’s still a mess. Actually, it’s more than that. It’s an indictment. And so is the fact that in Studio City, where frustrated neighbors complained for five years that an abandoned property had been taken over by squatters, it took a recent fire to get City Hall’s attention.

The property, since cleared, is in Raman’s district, and she and Bass traded accusations about who had dropped the ball.

“As far as homelessness goes, I don’t see either candidate really showing a clear vision to solve this,” said Kayt Miranda, whose home was damaged by the fire at the abandoned property. “I mean, it’s a tall order, and I wouldn’t want to be in charge of that. But I’m not hearing anything from either of them that sounds like it will work or hasn’t been tried already.”

To be fair, Bass and Raman have each had lots of success on homelessness, with thousands of people being brought indoors. That job is not easy, especially given the number of people with mental illness and addiction issues. I know this from personal experience, having spent a year trying to steer a friend in from homelessness.

But the pace is too slow and the cost too high. As my colleague David Zahniser reported earlier this year, $300 million had been spent on the mayor’s Inside Safe program since December 2022, and as of last December, 40% of the 5,800 people who had been housed were back on the street.

And that was with an estimated annual cost per person of $82,000. Raman, who had supported the program, became a critic of it and touted a less expensive strategy that itself has been criticized for its slow pace, as Times City Hall reporter Noah Goldberg wrote in August.

Not long ago, a homelessness policy expert suggested to me that if we could figure out a way to double the nearly $1,000 Social Security Disability subsidy many homeless people get, it would open some doors in a housing market they’re now priced out of. Too expensive? It’s cheaper than what we’re doing.

I’d like to hear the candidates rethink the playbook like that, double down on what works and drop what doesn’t.

I’d like to hear from a candidate with a realistic plan to get L.A. out of the cellar in park rankings nationally, to break up the 10-year logjam for a sidewalk repair and the two-year wait to fix a street light.

All those undecided voters know exactly what they want.

A mayor who says fix the busted fountain by the end of the week, or else.

They want someone to win their vote.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

Coronation Street’s Sally Metcalfe may need to watch out as Lucy Parkinson attacked her on the ITV soap, before Lucy made a sinister comment about her murdered mother Rachel

Did Lucy Parkinson have something to do with her mum Rachel’s death on Coronation Street?

Fans fear it’s the case, and that her next victim may be lined up. Troubled teen Lucy has been lashing out ever since her mum Rachel’s death, and her father Richie’s imprisonment for the crime.

Tim Metcalfe’s cousin Richie had been charged, while he claimed it was self-defence, and that Rachel was abusive. Lucy backed this up and since then, private conversations have revealed Richie has asked Lucy to stick to his story.

Lucy’s been having nightmares though, with it clear she is struggling. With her making weird comments at times and displaying confusing behaviour, it was the latest comment, and her attacking Tim’s wife Sally Metcalfe, that has now rung alarm bells.

Sally had found a worrying drawing by Lucy, of a woman clutching her head. Sally asked if it was meant to be her mum and as Lucy grabbed it, it ripped and she blamed Sally.

Lucy started throwing things into her bag and was quite frantic, as Sally tried to calm her down. Suddenly, Lucy launched her phont at Sally, with it hitting her at speed, right in Sally’s face.

Sally was horrified, and the incident also left her with bruises. Lucy rushed off before being confronted by Tim, while he and Sally also discussed the situation.

With Sally and Tim taking Lucy in after Richie’s arrest, Sally is concerned Lucy needs more help than they can offer her. But perhaps Sally needs to watch out, as Lucy made a worrying admission to her dad Richie in a secret phone call.

As Tim slept on the sofa, a troubled Lucy told her dad how “it happened again”, before suggesting she had done something to her mum Rachel. Whether it was linked to Rachel’s death was not made clear, but Richie’s comments certainly teased the pair were hiding something.

Lucy said to him: “Dad, it’s happened again. I lost it this morning. I threw a phone at Sally. There’s something bad inside of me. What if I done to her what I done to mum.”

Richie replied: “It was your mum’s fault that happened, not yours. Just remember that. I’ll keep doing everything I can to protect you.” So what is Lucy talking about, and will Sally need to be careful?

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Coronation Street actress Sally Dynevor has been a Weatherfield icon for more than 40 years

Coronation Street legend Sally Dynevor is not the only actress in her family, and Netflix fans are sure to recognise her eldest daughter.

In 1986, Sally, 63, burst onto screens as Sally Seddon on the long-running ITV soap. She was first seen waiting for a bus when Kevin Webster (played by Michael Le Vell) drove past in his van and accidentally splashed her with water.

Initially, Sally was only supposed to appear on Corrie for a short stint, but she soon became the mechanic’s girlfriend and grew into the funny busybody fans know and love today.

Sally and Kevin welcomed two daughters into the world, but their romance didn’t stand the test of time, and Sally eventually found love with Joe Metcalfe (Joe Duttine).

Away from the ITV soap, life is much simpler for the actress, as she has been married to her screenwriter husband, Tim Dynevor, since 1995.

Happy couple Sally and Tim share three children: daughters Phoebe, 31, and Hattie, 22, and son Sam, 29. Both of the girls have followed in their footsteps and are enjoying careers in television.

Hattie stars on the BBC drama Waterloo Road, playing Libby Guthrie, the daughter of history teacher Neil (Neil Fitzmaurice), and has so far appeared in series 13 – 17.

She also appeared in the recently released gripping Netflix series Legends as Arabella, which also stars Steve Coogan and Tom Burke.

Who is Phoebe Dynevor?

Phoebe launched an acting career on the BBC drama Waterloo Road, playing Siobhan Mailey between 2009 and 2020.

She went on to land the role on the Netflix series Bridgerton, playing Daphne, the wife of Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page, between 2020 and 2022.

She has since starred in a long list of popular television shows, including The Musketeers, Dickensian, Snatch, and Ten Percent. Away from the small screen, Pheobe has starred in the movies The Colour Room, Inheritance, and Thrash.

Phoebe recently married actor and producer Cameron Fuller at a chateau located in Provence, France. Her husband is the son of producer Brad Fuller, who specialises in horror films, including The Purge franchise and A Nightmare on Elm Street.

On-screen, Cameron, 32, has appeared in shows such as The Last Ship, Insecure, Into the Dark, and The Goldbergs.

He has also worked as a producer on numerous films, including The Astronaut, Dead Sea, and The Girl in the Woods.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday (September 17), the new Mrs. Fuller shared two photographs from the big day, including a black-and-white picture of her and her new husband kissing under a floral-adorned wooden arch. “Married my best friend,” she sweetly captioned the post.

Proud mum Sally was quick to respond, as she gushed in the comments section of her daughter’s post: “Best weekend of our life. Beautiful Phoebe and Cameron. Love you both so much.” Sister Hattie also shared: “The best weekend ever.”

Coronation Street airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX

Published on
18/09/2026 – 7:54 GMT+2

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 1.9% to 65,332.57 after the Bank of Japan raised the benchmark interest rate to 1.25% from 1.0%, a 31-year high.

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The move had been widely priced in, coming after the Federal Reserve also raised its key rate this week. Pressures have been coming from the US for Japan to raise rates because of concerns about the weakening yen.

The nations intervened together recently to prop up the yen. But the efforts haven’t had a big impact.

In currency trading, the US dollar rose to 157.11 Japanese yen from 155.95 yen. The euro cost $1.1487, up from $1.1480.

South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.3% to 6,866.83. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was little changed, slipping less than 0.1% to 8,731.50. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged up nearly 0.7% to 24,769.80, while the Shanghai Composite added 1.0% to 3,916.08.

Falling oil prices and easing pressure from the bond market helped Wall Street reverse many of its losses from the prior day.

The S&P 500 jumped 1.1% for just its second rise in the last nine days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 316 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.7%.

Wall Street stocks got a boost after the price of a barrel ofBrent crude oil slid from the nearly $110 it reached earlier in the week on worries that the war with Iran will keep oil bottled up in the Middle East instead of going to customers worldwide.

In Asian trading, Brent, the international standard, lost 0.94% to $103.83 a barrel. Benchmark US crude slid 0.83% to $101.06 a barrel.

Brent is still more expensive than the $72 per barrel that it cost earlier this summer, but the recent drop helped pull yields lower in the bond market and removed some pressure on stocks. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.93% from 5.01% late Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised the short-term interest rate that it controls, the federal funds rate, by a quarter of a percentage point for its first hike in more than three years. Officials also hinted that they may raise the federal funds rate one more time this year as they try to get high inflation in the US under control.

The signals sent Wall Street on a roller coaster. Stocks initially remained higher for the day after the Fed made its announcement Wednesday. They then slid sharply before recovering a chunk of the losses before trading ended.

On the upside for markets, the shift to higher interest rates built confidence that the Fed is committed to getting inflation back to its target of 2%. On the downside for markets, higher rates undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 85.95 points to 7,637.76. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 316.14 to 51,778.04, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 439.87 to 26,418.30.

Additional sources • AP

EXCLUSIVE Coronation Street actress Sair Khan, who plays Alya Nazir on the ITV soap, has teased drama with the Barlows, and told viewers to watch out for Idris Nazir

There could be trouble in paradise for Coronation Street couple Alya Nazir and Adam Barlow very soon.

Sair Khan teased drama with the Barlows, an “uneasy journey” for Adam and Alya, and Sair also teased we should watch out for Alya’s villainous relative Idris Nazir. Sair spoke exclusively to the Mirror while promoting This Girl Can’s recent campaign, Move for 10.

The campaign aims to empower women – particularly those from underrepresented groups or communities – to reconnect with their bodies and find joy through movement. Sair spilled all about what was ahead on the cobbles, and whether she thinks her character Alya’s romance with Adam will last.

She said: “I think for Alya and Adam, there’s definitely not going to be an easy journey. As much as I want to see them committed, it’s not going to be the easiest journey for that to happen. So keep watching just for that. There might be a few obstacles in the way.”

Hoping to revisit the past, she added: “Don’t forget Tracy Barlow was actually responsible for Alya’s father’s death. I guess somewhere that’s not forgotten, even though time has passed.

“So, there is a lot of history there, and a lot of untapped potential either way, whether that’s them repairing and being unlikely friends, or there being a fallout.” Teasing Barlow drama on the way, Sair said she hoped Alya and Adam will make it through.

She said: “I really like the idea of them as a power couple, they’re both serious about their work, they’re kind of a modern day version of what we’ve seen before. I love working with Sam [Robertson] as well, and I really hope it does continue.

“Who knows, their relationship might get more serious in terms of the drama, which you can’t avoid if you’re in a soap opera! I know that Alya is going to be getting in between some of the Barlow drama, but, they’ve been so great with me and really welcomed me into that family, so I’m here for it. I’m here for the drama.”

As for Idris, Sair said she hopes Alya catches him out and holds him to account over his recent manipulation tactics. She said: “I think everyone would be wise to proceed with caution when it comes to Idris!

“As much as he’s family, he’s also a businessman, and he wants to look out for himself, and he’s not come from money and he’s come into it. I think he’s got the taste for success and he won’t necessarily let anyone or anything stand in his way.

“I would like to see him go further, and I would like to see Alya realise the way that she was gently manipulated into giving over her shares of Speed Daal, because at the moment, I think maybe it’s been a bit glossed over, or he’s made her think it’s her idea, whereas is that what she really wants? But there’s always time. Maybe she’ll get it back one day.”

Sair also spoke to us about her reason for taking on the Move for 10 challenge, revealing the positive impacted it has had on her. She told us: “I’ve always admired the This Girl Can campaigns that they’ve run since 2015.

“I just think it’s such a positive and encouraging message that they always send. I think this particular campaign really hit me in a different way. I’m in such a different stage of life than I was when I first started on Corrie.

“I think the campaign really resonated with me because it’s just so easy to do. I think that’s what I need at the moment, to just be able to slot something in into my life without too much fuss.”

She went on: “It’s just difficult because it’s all about balancing, with work and family life, but I almost think that that’s a bit of a myth these days, because sometimes you can do it all, and other weeks work is really busy, or someone at home is sick, and there is no balance to be seen. And I think in those times, you just have to be realistic with your expectations of what you can achieve and just do what you can.

“That’s why the Move for 10 really appealed to me, because it was something realistic, which meant I could still prioritise my own well-being, and still manage to do what I needed to do for my family and what I needed to do for work. I think that’s so important.”

Sair features in This Girl Can’s recent campaign – Move for 10 – which encourages women to move for 10 minutes, 10 times a month. Empowering women to reconnect with their bodies and find joy through movement, unlocking the powerful benefits that small but regular sessions can offer. To find out more search, This Girl Can Move for 10 .

Coronation Street fans think they know what Lucy Parkinson has planned for poor Sally Metcalfe, who appears to be a target of the troubled teen amid some dark behaviour

Fans of Coronation Street think Lucy Parkinson’s plans for Sally Metcalfe could get very sinister.

While Lucy has been lashing out at Sally, who has been caring for her since her mother Rachel’s murder, and her dad Richie’s imprisonment for the crime, she also appears to be setting her up. Things are set to continue when next week, Sally is alarmed by a picture Lucy has drawn.

Sally is soon confiding in her husband Tim Metcalfe about Lucy lashing out, and the drama with the picture. But with Sally not sure she can keep looking after Lucy, there could be worrying twists ahead.

Some fans now think they know what Lucy’s plan is, and where this might lead. With Lucy also targeting the kids Sally and Tim have fostered, will Lucy have them taken away from them?

One fan predicted: “After watching tonight’s episode, I’m sure Lucy’s plan is that Tim and Sally lose custody of Joanie, Shanice and herself.” Another fan said: “I am really worried for Sally, she’s either going to get hurt or Lucy is going to get her reported to the care worker which will have consequences for the other kids.”

A third viewer said: “Tim and Sally will be lucky to get out of this alive and still together.” A fourth fan commented: “She really seems to have it out for Sally and manipulates Tim.”

Another theory saw fans wonder if Sally would be attacked. One said: “I strongly suspect this is all building up to Lucy losing it and attacking Sally.” Another said: “There’s going to be a potential stabbing for Sally.”

Another fan wondered if Lucy had targeted someone else before Sally. They said: “After seeing Lucy had obviously given herself the mark and blamed sally, do we think this isn’t the first time she’s done this?

“What if she’s hurt herself before, and blamed her mum, so her dad killed her out of anger?” It comes as some fans speculated over who attacks Eva Price next week, after spoilers teased someone hurts her.

It’s not yet clear if Eva falls down the stairs or is pushed. One theory is that Lucy attacks her after drama airing next week. Other names thrown into the mix as possible attackers are Jodie Ramsey and Ross Wilkes.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Autumn is the perfect time to explore what’s going on across the UK

Autumn is here, and this season is when the UK truly shines. On a crisp bright day there is nothing more beautiful than a country walk, soaking in the technicolour trees as their leaves change from green to all the red and orange shades of autumn.

The only thing that is better is the promise of a cosy pub at the end with a roaring fire, tucked away on a high street that’s teeming with independent shops. This situation might sound like a utopian dream – but there is one place in the UK where you can enjoy all of this.

If it’s the autumn colour you want, you need to start your day at Stourhead in Wiltshire.

This National Trust home and garden was one of the first grand Palladian style homes built in England, and has been kept beautifully preserved.

The home is set within 2,650 acres of lush English countryside with walking paths criss crossing the land.

There’s a vast lake on the ground and at its shores is a hidden grotto where you can look out over the water and see the bright fiery trees reflecting in the still water.

The gardens are also home to several Roman inspired temples, including temples of Apollo and Flora. Once you have enjoyed the house and the garden and maybe even stopped for a cup of tea in the cafe, you can head to the charming town of Mere.

The town is just a 15 minute drive from the property, and is a quiet haven away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Mere is an historic town nestled beneath the South West Wiltshire Downs and close to the borders of Somerset and Dorset.

The charming high street has florists, antique stores and tea rooms, perfect for a weekend wander. There’s also a selection of pubs to choose from – and the oldest is one of the best.

The George Inn, located at the Square in Mere is the town’s oldest pub and dates back to the 16th century.

The main bar has a large, roaring log fire with cosy seating and the menu serves up classic pub food, perfect for warming up after a chilly autumn walk.