struggling

Fan unrest towards the ownership and Shi has been vocal and obvious – and those in charge recognise it is near impossible to change supporter opinion once it has turned.

Supporters snapped during the first half against Burnley, before Wolves came back from 2-0 down to go into the break level, only to concede a last-minute winner.

“You’ve sold the team, now sell the club,” came one of the chants, with more anger directed at Shi.

Fosun will not bow to pure fan pressure, but they would also be wrong not to listen.

The owners, who bought Wolves for £45m in 2016 with a commitment to invest between £20m and £30m in the first two years of their ownership, have looked to curb spending in recent years.

They have never pulled up the financial drawbridge completely, though, despite Shi saying six years ago it was important not to be completely reliant on Fosun.

Reducing the spending and wage bill was a conscious plan, having spent big previously with varying degrees of success.

Matheus Nunes arrived from Sporting for £38m, although he flattered to deceive before a £53m move to Manchester City two years ago, while Brazil forward Matheus Cunha’s £43m transfer from Atletico Madrid remains a club record.

Yet there is now a more conservative transfer plan, Jorgen Strand Larsen’s £23m move from Celta Vigo after last season’s successful loan spell, and the £26m committed for versatile midfielder Ladislav Krecji the highest numbers in the summer.

Wages have also dropped, Nelson Semedo, Raul Jimenez and Joao Moutinho were all on over £100,000-a-week, while the club was burned with Pablo Sarabia arriving under Julen Lopetegui in 2023 as one of their highest earners but unable to command a regular place before he left in June.

Wolves have previously overpaid and Fosun want a sustainable model. There may be a direct correlation between wage budget and league position, but the hard work is then finding better players for better prices.

They will spend again in January, although not drastically, and the evolution of the squad is seen as a new cycle after a lavish outlay.

Part of that new phase came in June when Matt Hobbs left as sporting director and was replaced by Domenico Teti, someone who worked with Pereira at Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia.

It disrupted the summer a little, but Wolves feel they have their executive level right.

EASYJET is turning thousands of old crew outfits into school uniforms to support families struggling with rising costs.

The airline partnered with Luton-based charity Level Trust, which works across 75 local schools, providing uniforms to support the estimated 45 per cent of children living in poverty in the town.

Their initiative is aiming for pilots and cabin crew to donate 100 per cent of their retired outfits – which will be recycled into shirts, skirts, blazers, jackets and trousers.

The garments will then be available for older year students through the charity’s Uniform Exchange.

It comes as 58 per cent of 2,000 parents polled said they feel the pressure of the rising costs of school uniforms.

An average of £256 a year is forked out on school uniform items for just one child, totalling over £3,072 across 12 years in education.

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With over a third of parents (34 per cent) sacrificing household essentials to keep up with the costs of school uniforms.

Nearly one in five (19 per cent) have used overdrafts and credit cards to afford school uniforms, as 53 per cent reported having to purchase new items before even the end of the first term alone.

Michael Brown, director of cabin services for easyJet, which is launching a crew uniform refresh on 10th November, said: “We’re proud to launch the uniform recycling programme – our aim for this first phase is both to support parents who are facing financial hardships as well as reduce our textile waste.

“Our crew uniforms have always represented care, professionalism and unity, and we’re honoured they’ll carry those same values into classrooms to empower the next generation.”

It emerged 76 per cent would like to see more government-backed community initiatives, like the uniform exchange, to help families.

Two-thirds of parents (66 per cent) say they would consider second-hand or upcycled uniforms in order to save money.

And a further 93 per cent of parents would also favour increased flexibility when it comes to school uniforms.

With 80 per cent of parents agreeing they would like to see more businesses repurposing retired materials such as uniforms into items to support local communities.

And 85 per cent would be likely to use cheaper or free school uniforms made from upcycled materials.

The research also found that 76 per cent of British parents would like to see more government backed community initiatives like the Level Trust’s uniform exchange rolled out on a national scale.

Jennie White from the charity the Level Trust, added: “We have seen a significant rise in requests for school uniforms, highlighting the challenges many families are facing.

“easyJet’s donation of surplus uniforms is a crucial step in addressing these needs as this initiative not only helps alleviate the financial strain on parents but also ensures that children have the necessary attire to feel confident and focused at school.”

LOUIS Tomlinson has opened up about the death of Liam Payne and has revealed he’s struggling to come to terms with it.

Pop star Liam tragically died after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires in October last year.

The pair were firm friends after being in One Direction together from 2010 and 2016 and they continued their friendship after the band split up.

Speaking about the grief of losing Liam, Louis told The Independent: “I naively thought that, at this point, I’d unfortunately be a little bit more well versed with grief than other people my age.

“I thought that might mean something, but it didn’t at all. It’s something I’ll never really accept. I don’t think.”

Louis is no stranger to grief, having lost his mum Johannah Deakin in 2016, when she died of leukaemia at the age of 43.

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Just three years later, his sister Félicité tragically died from an accidental overdose at the age of 18.

This isn’t the first time Louis has opened up about Liam as he recently spoke about him during an appearance on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast.

He told the Dragons’ Den star: “I could just go on and talk all day about how amazing he was, but I think we all looked up to him.

“I don’t think we would have been brave enough to say at that age when I was in the bnd, I think I would’ve had too much pride, but we all looked up to him massively.”

Speaking about the devastating moment he found out about Liam’s death, Louis said: “In the car, in LA. I found out through Niall [Horan].

“I had the same feeling that I had with Felicity, and I think anyone has this when they’re around someone who’s struggling; my 150 per cent wasn’t nearly enough.

“And that’s when it’s my own arrogance thinking that I could have helped really, because it was so much deeper than what I could have done for him. He was definitely struggling at that time in his life.”

Liam had flown to Argentina with girlfriend Kate Cassidy for a five-day holiday, to see his ex-1D bandmate Niall Horan in concert.

Liam extended the trip but Kate returned home to the US.

It is claimed Liam then turned to drink and drugs.

One Direction were formed on The X Factor in 2010, with Louis and Liam being joined in the band by Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik, who quit the band in 2015.

The boys came third on the ITV show and went on to sell over 70 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.

A MAJOR supermarket chain is set to close one of its branches soon, with another 34 also on the way out.

The food store announced the “difficult decision” it has made to close the store next month.

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Co-op in Leicestershire’s Derby Road in Ashby-de-la-Zouch will permanently close its doors on Saturday, November 22.

A statement from a Co-op spokesperson read: ” ‘Our store in Ashby-de-la-Zouch will close next month.

“Our priority is to fully support colleagues, who have been informed.

“We would like to thank the community for its support of this store.”

The supermarket giant has come under some fire for some time now for having two of its stores in close proximity with the Ashby Town Centre.

This came after the Central Co-op moved from the top of Market Street to near the existing Co-op.

The spokesperson added: “We carry-out reviews of our existing store locations, and, sometimes, only after very careful consideration, we take the difficult decision to close a store.”

The Central Co-op will remain open, with the next nearest one approximately three miles away in Moira, Swadlincote, Derbyshire.

It comes as the supermarket could shutter another 34 of its stores due to financial struggles.

The Sun previously reported that stores in Braintree, Chelmsford, Basildon, Thurrock and Southend are among other locations that are at risk.

Chelmsford Star Co-op said it is “struggling financially” and needs to merge with the larger Central Co-op society.

Issues are also said to have been “exacerbated” by increases in National Insurance contributions and the living wage.

Late last year, Co-op announced plans for a “portfolio reshape” which included relocation of stores.

The Co-operative has over 7,000 registered branches owned by 17 million members, and is reported to contribute around £35 billion annually to the British economy.

Co-op as an organisation organisation has, like most companies, been hit by the cost of living.

In December last year it was announced 19 Co-operative stores would be shut down across the UK due to “financial sustainability issues”.

The locations, based in various areas around Central England, include Leicestershire, Yorkshire, Norfolk and the West Midlands.

B&M bought three of the 19 stores, while Samy Ltd, a convenience retailer, snapped up 16.

OTHER CO-OP NEWS

This comes as Co-op is rolling out a major change to stores across the country.

The supermarket giant is replacing paper product tags with electronic labels throughout its whole estate over the coming months.

The retailer has already made the change in 340 branches but will roll out the tags more widely.

The chain said 1,500 stores will have the labels by the end of the year and will be rolled out across all its nearly 2,400 by the end of 2026.

The electronic labels are designed and created by VusionGroup, which also works with Asda.

Steven Logue, Co-op’s head of operations, said: “With convenience at the heart of everything we do Co-op is committed to continually exploring innovative technology that can improve how we operate.”

Co-op said the new electronic labels will show allergen and nutritional information and products’ country of origin, as well as deals and savings.

What started as musical chairs is beginning to sound like a sad trombone.

There’s only so many times you can reshuffle an offensive line before it has a ripple effect on the entire football team. The Chargers are reminded of that now as they head into Sunday’s game with the Washington Commanders hoping — as opposed to knowing — they can provide adequate protection for quarterback Justin Herbert.

After reaching a comfortable cruising altitude with victories over three consecutive AFC West foes, the team is headed for a patch of severe turbulence.

The outstanding Joe Alt, who stepped in at left tackle after Rashawn Slater’s season-ending knee injury, is nursing a high ankle sprain and will not play against Washington. Right guard Mekhi Becton is coming off a concussion and is listed as questionable. So they’re a month into the season and the offensive line is a stitched-together hodgepodge that couldn’t handle the defensive front of the New York Giants last week.

“It’s like the Cinderella story at some point,” said Duke Manyweather, widely respected offensive line expert. “You know when that clock hits midnight that carriage is going to turn into a pumpkin. You don’t have an answer. You kind of saw that against New York.”

That’s not to say the situation is hopeless. Teams have lost key offensive linemen before, and there are different ways to compensate for that. But it’s a quandary for Jim Harbaugh, maybe the biggest since taking over as coach before last season. Heading into training camp this summer, the offensive line was a strength of the team, with Slater at left tackle and Alt on the right.

The Chargers didn’t do a lot to upgrade the interior of their line, a liability in January’s playoff loss at Houston, but signing Becton was a step in the right direction. He was a solid run blocker for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles last season.

Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt (76) will not play on Sunday because of a high ankle sprain. It’s unclear when he might return.

(Al Bello / Getty Images)

Becton sustained a concussion in the Week 3 win over Denver and missed the Giants game. He remained in the concussion protocol this week, and his status for Sunday’s game is unclear. He was back at practice Wednesday wearing a yellow no-contact jersey as a precaution.

Communication among the linemen is key.

“Especially with new guys, you have to speak it out for a while before you get to that point of unspoken communication,” right tackle Trey Pipkins III said. “Once you’ve played next to someone for a long time, you know what they want and what they’re going to do. Until then, it’s about over-communicating everything at the line so everybody’s on the same page.”

It’s unclear when Alt might return after the second-year player was carted off to the locker room against the Giants and watched the second half on the sideline in street clothes and a walking boot. The tackle wore that boot all week.

The Chargers are on their third left tackle in Austin Deculus, who bounced around the league and started one game in the past three seasons, second right tackle and second right guard.

Chargers offensive linemen, including Jamaree Salyer (68) and Bradley Bozeman (75), stand on the field during a win over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 21.

(Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)

“At some point you’re starting to play people you haven’t even prepared to really be in there, much less their physical talents,” said Andrew Whitworth, retired All-Pro left tackle and now an analyst for Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football.” “They’re still trying to figure out the offense, the terminology, and they’ve never played beside the guy they’re next to. The war of attrition really starts to take its toll.”

What that does is test the creativity of Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman to devise ways to fortify the line and protect Herbert without whittling away too many offensive options. They can keep a running back in the backfield to help out with protection, for instance, or add an extra tight end for blocking. But that also handcuffs what the offense can do.

“Sure, you can chip with a back or keep an H-back in there,” Whitworth said. “But then you’ve got fewer guys in the route, you’re holding the ball longer, and now the interior linemen are under even more pressure. You can get by for a few snaps, but you can’t live there.”

In the past two games, Herbert has been pressured in 46 dropbacks, more than any quarterback in the league, according to TruMedia.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked during a win over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 21.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Herbert expressed confidence this week in some of the lesser-known players blocking for him.

“They’re guys that have seen big football games and guys that played in national championships and huge games like that,” he said. “Maybe it’s new to them for the NFL, but they’ve played in big football games before.”

It’s easy to get carried away with what all of this means. The Chargers are 3-1 and atop their division, and are coming off a 21-18 defeat to the previously winless Giants, whose pass rush is a strength of their team. What’s more, the Chargers had to make those line adjustments in the heat of the action, as opposed to having a week of practice to work with the reconfigured line.

The season is young. Teams have overcome these types of challenges before. The Rams had to reshuffle their line on multiple occasions last season and wound up coming close to knocking off the Eagles and advancing to the NFC championship game.

Still, the next few weeks will be illuminating for the Chargers.

“We’re going to learn about the depth of this team,” said Manyweather, founder of OL Masterminds, which trains offensive linemen of all levels.

“We’re going to learn about the coaching. And we’re probably going to learn even more about Justin Herbert and his ability to create and carry the team.”

We’ll also learn if a pumpkin can turn back into a carriage.

Times writer Benjamin Royer contributed to this report.

After an inconsistent start to the season for USC’s secondary, the defensive coordinator stood in front of a cadre of cameras and didn’t mince words. There were too many coverage busts leading to too many big pass plays, he said. He planned to spend the bye week studying film with microscopic focus in hopes of understanding exactly what had gone wrong.

“The lowlights cannot be that low,” he said. “You can’t just say it happens sometimes. Those things can’t happen.”

That coordinator was Alex Grinch, speaking in September 2023. Six weeks later, he was fired.

The circumstances aren’t quite that dire for the Trojans’ defense — or Grinch’s successor, D’Anton Lynn — in October 2025. But the problems with big pass plays have persisted since then. In fact, they’ve been worse this season than they were under USC’s previous coordinator, in spite of the fact that USC has yet to play a top-40 passing offense.

Through five games, USC has given up 51 pass plays of 10 yards or more. That’s eighth worst in the nation, equating to an average of over 10 such plays per game. And against Illinois, that propensity for allowing explosive plays came back to bite USC in a brutal loss.

“The pass defense has to get better,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said after the game. “It just wasn’t good enough.”

Two days later, when asked about the state of his secondary, Riley took a more encouraging tone. The cornerbacks, he said, “had a few errors here and there.” Take the game’s two biggest pass plays out of the equation, he added, and “it’s going to be really tough for them to beat us.”

Whether his cornerbacks have that same confidence coming out of the loss could be another question. How they respond out of this week’s bye, with key matchups against Michigan and Notre Dame ahead, might ultimately determine the course of USC’s season.

“Confidence, you can’t fake that,” Riley said. “We’re doing enough good things that it should show up and there should be confidence from that, but if we keep making some of the mistakes that we’ve made, whether it’s a busted coverage, or like not leveraging the football — those are controllable on us. Other people aren’t even having to make plays that way.”

Three consequential moments in the second half last Saturday were directly correlated to crippling mistakes from USC defensive backs. An Illinois swing pass in the third quarter went for a 64-yard score after safety Bishop Fitzgerald took a bad angle on running back Justin Feagin, and two corners in the area failed to shed blocks. Then, in the fourth quarter, another cornerback, Braylon Conley, was burned twice on explosive pass plays — first, when he was beat for a touchdown on a slant over the middle, and then, on the ensuing possession, when he fell down defending a hitch route that exploded for 61 yards.

Most of the group’s most glaring mistakes on big plays this season have been attributed to breakdowns in communication. Those issues were only exacerbated last week in the absence of safety Kamari Ramsey, who had recently taken over relaying calls from the sideline to the secondary.

Ramsey should return next week, but Riley said this week that communication on defense has been a primary focus for USC.

To Fitzgerald, the week off was a chance to “fully reset everything” in the secondary.

“It’s really just focusing more on the same things and trying to execute as a whole,” Fitzgerald said. “As a defense, if 10 guys do one thing but one person does the wrong thing, it’s a busted play. We can’t afford that. So we’re just trying to get everybody on the same page.”

As the Trojans enter the most difficult stretch of their schedule, it’s not clear who the coaches will trust most at corner going forward.

Injuries early this season robbed USC of two of its most experienced cornerbacks, Prophet Brown and Chasen Johnson. Then last week, as USC’s secondary unraveled in the loss to Illinois, redshirt senior DeCarlos Nicholson was in and out of the lineup with what appeared to be a nagging hamstring.

Nicholson, nonetheless, has been USC’s most consistent cover corner through five weeks. Across from him, redshirt freshman Marcelles Williams has started the last three games, but hasn’t by any means run away with the job.

Senior DJ Harvey was brought in from the transfer portal to be a major contributor at corner, but he has fallen far short of those expectations. He played only five snaps last Saturday, in spite of the team’s dire depth at corner, but one of those plays resulted in a devastating pass interference call on Illinois’ game-winning drive.

“We’re pretty young out there on the perimeter right now, without having Prophet and Chasen,” Riley said. “We need [Harvey’s] experience to show up. His emergence in this next phase of the season will be important for us, and he’s going to get every opportunity to do it.”

The most uncertain spot in the secondary has been in the slot, where Riley has yet to find a capable replacement for Brown. But USC might have an answer on the way in the form of true freshman Alex Graham.

Graham was an early standout during USC’s preseason camp but has been on the shelf since. Coaches have suggested he could return as soon as next week against Michigan and potentially step into a significant role right away in the slot, where, to this point, USC has relied on Ramsey playing out of position.

There’s not much depth at defensive back for USC to mine after that. True freshman RJ Sermons was one of the more coveted cornerback prospects in America, when he reclassified in the spring to enroll at USC a year early.

Riley didn’t rule out the possibility that Sermons, who should be a senior in high school, could play a critical role down the stretch. He said USC was “pushing it” with both he and Graham in hopes that they’d be ready “sooner than later.”

“They’re two guys that are talented enough to contribute for us right now,” Riley said. “You’re on just a race against time to get them ready, to pump as many reps into those guys. Because they clearly have the ability.”

Regardless, it’s going to take more than two true freshmen to steady USC’s secondary. The more pressing question now, after a suspect start this season, is whether the rest of the group is able to right the ship from here.

“One game doesn’t define them as a player, doesn’t define us as a defense,” safety Christian Pierce said. “We just keep our heads high and put the best foot forward.”

In Hollywood, something shifted in the six days between the time that Walt Disney Co. dropped “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” “indefinitely,” following Kimmel’s comments about the suspect in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and the late-night comedian’s return.

For many, Kimmel’s rebound appears to be a win for free speech and a testament to the power of boycotts against powerful corporate interests. However, for other writers, particularly comedy scribes, who view the events that transpired in the darkest, most McCarthy-esque terms, the fight over comedy may have just begun.

“There’s fear and outrage at the same time,” said Emmy-winning comedy writer Bruce Vilanch, who for years was the head writer for the Oscars and “Hollywood Squares” and has written jokes for comics including Billy Crystal and Bette Midler.

“Ever since ‘woke’ started before COVID and George Floyd, comedy became a minefield. And then, last week, it became a nuclear garden,” he said.

Indeed, the day after Disney announced Kimmel’s return, President Trump told reporters that TV networks critical of him are an “arm of the Democrat Party,” and said, “I would think maybe their license should be taken away.” Angered that Kimmel was returning to the airwaves, he took to social media to threaten ABC and called for the late-night scalps of NBC’s Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon.

Such ominous threats have cast a pall in writers rooms across the industry.

One showrunner currently developing multiple series, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that many of her colleagues have started to become more cautious about incorporating certain elements in their stories, something they didn’t do before. Others are having discussions privately rather than posting them on social media.

Several writers and showrunners who have worked on late-night shows, sitcoms and films declined to share their thoughts on the matter with The Times, citing fear of reprisals.

The cascade of anxiety comes at a time when Hollywood continues to struggle to get on solid footing after the pandemic lockdown, the dual labor strikes in 2023 and cost-cutting across the media landscape.

“Artists are already very concerned about our consolidated media ecosystem. A small shrinking number of gatekeepers control what Americans watch on TV, and these conglomerates are now being coerced into censoring us all by an administration that demands submission and obedience from what should be a free and independent media,” said television writer Meredith Stiehm, who is the outgoing president of Writers Guild of America West, during a rally in support of Kimmel outside the El Capitan Theatre last week.

“This cowardice has not only put the livelihoods of 20 writers, crew members and performers in limbo,” she said. “It has put our industry and our democracy in danger.”

Political satire has long held a mirror to human folly while challenging power with humor.

More than 2,400 years ago, Greek playwright Aristophanes’ biting, satirical comedies such as “Lysistrata” ridiculed Athens leaders during the Peloponnesian War. Many of the English nursery rhymes that are now viewed as sweet stories of princesses and fairies began appearing during the 14th century as veiled swipes at the monarchy. Rather than a lovely children’s melody, “Baa Baa Black Sheep” is said to be a critique of the wool tax imposed by King Edward I.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the brilliant satirical singer-songwriter (and mathematician) Tom Lehrer skewered taboo topics of the day such as the Catholic Church, militarism and racial conflict in America through parody songs.

In the early 1970s, George Carlin’s controversial monologue about the “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television” set off a landmark Supreme Court case that broadened the definition of indecency on public airwaves and set a free speech precedent for comedians.

Every presidential campaign season has become must-see TV on “Saturday Night Live.” Think Dana Carvey’s George H.W. Bush, Phil Hartman’s Bill Clinton, Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin or Alec Baldwin’s Donald Trump.

But now the political climate has changed drastically.

“It’s a dark time for comedians and, by extension, for all Americans,” said a statement put out by hundreds of comedians under the banner Comedians4Kimmel in the wake of his ouster.

“When the government targets one of us, they target all of us. They strike at the heart of our shared humanity. They strip away the basic right every person deserves: to speak freely, question boldly, and laugh loudly.”

What’s different now is that where once market and cultural forces placed pressures on comedians — see Ellen DeGeneres and Roseanne Barr — the squeeze is now coming directly from the government. (Barr, who was fired from her eponymous reboot in 2018 after she made a racist tweet about senior Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, has accused ABC of having a “double standard.”)

“That’s just called censorship,” said Vilanch. “This is the government actually intervening in the most capricious way.”

It’s not just late-night comedy that is deemed offensive, Trump has made public a rolling perceived enemies list, and he is going after them with vigor.

Just last week, former FBI Director James Comey was indicted, and Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said that she would “absolutely target” people who engaged in “hate speech.”

This month, Trump sued the New York Times for $15 billion, claiming that the paper and four of its journalists had engaged in a “decades-long pattern … of intentional and malicious defamation.” A federal judge dismissed the suit. In July, he sued the Wall Street Journal and its owner, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, for $10 billion, claiming defamation. That suit is ongoing.

What’s deemed funny or offensive has shifted through the years. Comedy writers have long pushed that line and adjusted. But after the cultural wars and trigger warnings of recent years, where writers adapted to audience sensitivities, they are now facing an era where offending the president and his administration itself is considered illegal.

”So much was going on before,” said a veteran late-night TV writer. “It just feels like another brick in the wall of the world that I have worked in for the past 35 years no longer exists.”

The uproar over Kimmel began after the comedian seemed to suggest during his monologue that Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused in the shooting death of Kirk, might have been a pro-Trump Republican.

Last Tuesday, after Kimmel came back on air with a defiant defense of free speech, several writers sighed a breath of relief, seeing his return as a victory.

“It would have been scary if this actually ended in his firing,” said the former late-night writer.

But the culture and free speech wars are not over.

“I think [comedy] will get sharper,” said Vilanch. “It will get sharper and probably meaner because people are angry, and they want to fight back. And that’s always what happens when you try and shut people down. They come back stronger.”

TRADESPEOPLE are struggling to expand their businesses because of growing costs, bureaucracy and hiring pressures, a new study suggests.

A survey of 850 tradespeople working across the UK by Checkatrade showed they were eager to contribute to the Government’s plan for growth, but challenges were preventing them from doing so.

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Four out of five of those surveyed said rising costs of materials and tools, plus increased levels of tool theft, were preventing them from growing their business.

A similar number blamed rising taxes, such as the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions.

In April the Government increased the rate of National Insurance contributions from 13.8% to 15%.

It also lowered the threshold at which employers start paying National Insurance from £9,100 to £5,000.

This has piled further pressure onto tradespeople already struggling to make ends meet.

Jambu Palaniappan, chief executive of Checkatrade, said: “The UK is a nation dependent on the trade industry — from carpenters to electricians, decorators to roofers.

“The 900,000 people behind it couldn’t be more important for propelling our economy.”

He said that the research shows how eager tradespeople are to contribute to the Government’s growth agenda.

As part of the plan the Government wants to improve the UK’s rate of economic growth and boost national productivity.

But while there is lots of optimism and significant opportunities for growth, there are still significant challenges tradespeople face.

Palaniappan said: “The Government needs to work with industry to close skills gaps, ensure apprenticeships work for small businesses, and do everything they can to reduce the burdens, the costs, and the taxes that can stifle tradespeople’s growth.”

What support is available?

If you are self-employed and are struggling with the higher cost of living, then there is support available to you.

Universal Credit

One way is to top up your income with Universal Credit.

You can apply if you need to top up your income and have low income and savings.

But you won’t be eligible if you live with a spouse or partner and have combined savings of more than £16,000 or your partner earns too much.

You can check if you are eligible and your claim is likely to be successful by using a benefits calculator.

Turn2us and Entitledto both offer calculators that can help you check whether you qualify.

You will need to attend a gateway interview with a DWP work coach so they can check that being self-employed is your main job.

They will also confirm if you are making a profit or are expected to if you’ve just started out.

This means you’ll need to provide evidence such as receipts, a business plan, copies of invoices, trading accounts or proof you’ve registered as self-employed with HMRC.

If you don’t have enough evidence, then they may decide that you’re not “gainfully” self-employed.

You will need to look and be eligible for other work while you get Universal Credit.

For more information and to apply visit the GOV.UK website.

Employment and Support Allowance

If you’re self-employed, then you can’t claim Statutory Sick Pay.

But if you’ve paid enough National Insurance, then you may be able to claim the new-style Employment and Support Allowance if you’re ill.

If you qualify for the benefit, then you can claim it regardless of your household income or savings.

But if you haven’t paid enough National Insurance, then you may be able to claim the limited capability for work and work-related activity element of Universal Credit.

To be eligible your savings must be less than £16,000.

If you live with a partner, then their income will also be taken into account as part of the claim for Universal Credit.

For information on if you qualify for Employment and Support Allowance and what to do if you don’t visit GOV.UK.

Cut your tax bill

You could be missing out on key tax allowances that could save you hundreds of pounds a year.

If you work from home, then you may be able to claim for costs associated with work, such as business phone calls, gas and electricity.

If you work from home between 51 and 100 hours a month, then you could get £18.

Meanwhile, if you work for more than 101 hours a month from home, then you could get £26 a month – or £312 a year.

If the amount of time you work from home varies month-to-month, then you can claim the relevant amount for that month.

To apply visit the GOV.UK website.

You may also be able to claim tax relief on your mileage if you drive a car or van for work.

You can claim 45p tax relief on every mile you do for the first 10,000 miles a year of business journeys.

If you travelled this distance in a year, you would get £4,500 in tax relief a year.

If you drive more than 10,000 miles, then you can claim 25p tax relief per mile.

You can also get an additional 5p per mile in relief if you carry a passenger.

You can log the number of miles you do and add reminders to report your mileage using apps including driversnote and Fuelio.

To use these apps just download them from the app store and create an account.

Read our helpful guide for more advice on how to cut your tax bill if you’re self-employed.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

HELEN Flanagan has been forced to slash the price of her £1.5million mansion AGAIN after struggling to sell her family pad amid money woes.

The former Coronation Street star, 35, had already slashed more than £300,000 off the price of the house she shared with ex Scott Sinclair.

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Now Helen has been forced to reduce the price again for a second time after just fourth months of being on the market.

Helen first put the £1.5million six-bedroom family home up for sale in May, before reducing it to £1.195million just four weeks later. 

Now, the detached, 5,000sq ft home can be snapped up for a cheeky £995,000.

The former couple, who have three children together, bought the property at Belmont, near Bolton, in June 2021 for £840,000.

It has five reception rooms, six bathrooms and six bedrooms including two en-suites.

The house is situated on the edge of moors and is said to have “breathtaking views”.

Helen, who has spoken openly about “losing all her money” in the past, recently opened up being forced to downsize.

She said: “It actually makes me sad that I’m going to be leaving soon because I actually put so much effort into it.

“When we moved I put like a lot lot of my savings into doing the house up and making it look really beautiful. 

“But it’s a big house. It’s an eight bedroom house, which is obviously really hard to keep on top of.”

Meanwhile, Helen has shown off her evil stepmother credentials as she debuted her panto outfit for the first time.

The actress will play the evil stepmother in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs at Liverpool‘s M&S Bank Arena in December.

The stunning star donned a sequinned red and black dress, with black feathered sleeves, and wore a gold and red diamante tiara on her head.

She also held aloft a red apple, symbolic of the poisonous apple so relevant to the Snow White storyline.

A source previously told The Sun: “Helen is excited for panto season and can’t wait to get into character, she’s a brilliant actress and knows how to put on a show.

“She’ll also be pocketing a pretty penny, celebrities and soap stars make good money doing panto and always look forward to it as some extra income.”

But despite being about to make her first foray into the world of pantomime, Helen is not looking forward to being alone this Christmas.

Helen, shares daughters Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, as well as four-year-old son Charlie, with her ex Scott Sinclair.

However, the ex-Coronation Street star also recently told The Sun that she was spending Christmas without her children this year, as she and former Chelsea footballer Scott, who most recently played for Bristol Rovers, live so far apart.

But Helen explained: “”I’ll do something in November – a really nice long weekend then I feel like I’ve had my Christmas period with them.”

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This article contains spoilers from the first season of “The Paper.”

The journey to spin off the U.S. version of “The Office” has, until now, been long and slow. (That’s what she said.)

While the unconventional workplace comedy about a humdrum band of paper company employees, adapted from a beloved British series of the same name, famously got off to a sluggish start on NBC with a low-rated six-episode first season, it became a rare case study of how a risky gamble can become a pop culture phenomenon and one of the most popular sitcoms in TV history. Talks of expanding “The Office” universe began as early as Season 3, when another office branch was introduced. “Parks and Recreation” was initially conceived as a spinoff but morphed into a standalone series. Another centered on socially awkward Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) would get dropped. The series eventually ended its nine-season run in 2013 with no offshoot. But it still managed to have an afterlife without one, as fans obsessively continued to watch it in syndication or on streaming platforms.

Once “The Office” began making headlines in 2020 for the being the most streamed show in America, Greg Daniels, who captained the U.S. adaptation and was initially concerned about tarnishing its legacy with offshoots, was coming around to the idea that it was safely insulated enough to withstand any attempt to find a way to build out its kooky world.

Finally, more than a decade after “The Office” went off the air, Peacock is hoping the spinoff series “The Paper” can recycle some of that show’s success while finding its own path.

In “The Paper,” Domhnall Gleeson, left, stars as editor in chief Ned Sampson, and Tim Key plays executive Ken Davies.

(Aaron Epstein / Peacock)

This series shifts its focus to the staff at the Toledo Truth Teller, a struggling local newspaper in Ohio, which is being filmed by the same documentary crew that followed bumbling boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his Scranton, Pa.-based Dunder Mifflin employees. (It’s a believable documentary subject when you consider the U.S. has lost more than one-third of its newspapers since 2005.) Daniels created the series with Michael Koman (“Nathan For You,” “How to With John Wilson”).

All 10 episodes of the first season were released Thursday on Peacock, and the show has been picked up for a second season. Daniels and Koman visited The Times earlier this month — and spoke in follow-up video calls — to discuss the comedy potential of a beleaguered industry, why Oscar is the obvious choice to be the crossover character in the spinoff and whether they plan to reference the president’s comments about the press. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

The series was originally going to launch with four episodes, then switch to a weekly drop. But it was recently announced that the full season is dropping at once. What happened? And do you have strong feelings about release models?

Daniels: Every company is different. I do know that they’re [NBCUniversal] being incredibly supportive and there’s a giant team gaming out every move. I trust that they have the best of intentions and have a lot of good strategy. My inclination was always to sneak on the air without any fanfare whatsoever, and then maybe advertise after — that is very naive, apparently. One possible nice thing about it being handled this way is our superfans will be able to watch at their own convenience, and maybe before they’ve seen too many promos. I’ve always felt like the show was cut to be the introduction to the show itself. And the more you know jokes you see from later in the seasons, the more you’re coming at it with an unintended awareness of what’s to come. It may play better, just clean for all the superfans. Actually, I thought at first, the pace-out model would be good because that was how “The Office” was on NBC. But they did point out to me that probably the majority of “The Office” fans have watched it on streaming, where they could binge the whole thing.

Koman: It’s not really my area, but that’s how I like to watch things. I’m always happy when it’s up to me — I can make my own schedule, and I tend to watch things quickly.

The crisis facing local journalism doesn’t feel like an obvious backdrop for comedy — and if you’re in it, it’s more of a can’t-help-but-laugh–to-keep-from-crying vibe. How did you arrive at a newsroom as your backdrop and what was the pitch?

Daniels: You wouldn’t think that selling stationary was a particularly hilarious or glamorous place to set a show. I think that there are some intentional differences with this show, and in the sense that we didn’t want to repeat aspects of “The Office.” For me, I was incredibly protective of the original show and the cast. I just waited a long time to do something like this. The original “Office” cast was very supportive by the time it came about. Since it’s a documentary, if you’re going to really commit to that device, you have to think all the time about [how] there’s really camerapeople in the room; they’re trying to cover something; they wouldn’t be there to just cover what they thought was a funny workplace. They’re there to cover an actual story. And the hollowing out of local newspapers is an interesting story that you could imagine a documentary crew from PBS being like, “Oh, this is a good story.” Of course, since it’s a comedy show, the stuff that’s happening in the background is really the point of the show — all the funny interactions with people as they try to do stuff. Another way that we wanted it to be different was the whole interaction between Michael Scott and his staff — he was not a very inspirational boss, and Ned Sampson, played by Domhnall Gleeson, comes in and he does manage to inspire the people working there. And the question is more: Is he biting off way more than he can chew and his staff can chew? Or should they be right and believing in him?

Koman: I just think reality always makes the best backdrop. And it’s good if your characters are facing a challenge and you have something to root for.

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1. Clockwise from top left: Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly, John Krasinksi as Jim Halpert, BJ Novak as Ryan Howard and Steve Carell as Michael Scott in “The Office.” 2. Carell, Krasinksi and Wilson in a scene from the NBC comedy. (Justin Lubin / NBC Universal)

How did you land on Toledo?

Daniels: That was really about the alliteration of the Toledo Truth Teller. There’s something about the Cleveland Plain Dealer that I think is a super interesting thing. The name of it, I thought, has always been very intriguing. It kind of reminds you of the independence of these big Midwestern newspapers, which is different from now. It really feels like the big newspapers are L.A., New York, Washington, Dallas. I know the Cleveland Plain Dealer is still quite healthy, which is great. But there is something about the Midwest that feels nostalgic.

Koman: If I think of the heyday of print journalism, Ohio is just a place that comes to mind. They had so many really important newspapers and great journalists that came out of there, so it just seemed like … if somebody was going to try to revive something, that’s a state, and Toledo itself, is a place where you can see it happening.

Daniels: Toledo also has a certain “Office-y,” Scranton thing to it. There was a time where we were looking at where the other locations that Dunder Mifflin has offices. And the list is very funny. It’s like Yonkers and Nashua, New Hampshire. It’s all these words that are just kind of fun to roll off your tongue.

Greg, you had been resistant to the idea of expanding “The Office” universe. “Parks and Recreation” was originally meant to be a spinoff, but it eventually evolved away from that. Why now? What changed?

Daniels: There’s two questions. One is, why now? And part of that is that “Upload” [Daniels’ Prime Video series] is wrapping up. When we first started discussing it, I didn’t know what was going to happen with “Upload.” I had sold it and I was committed to being the showrunner and it kept getting picked up, so I kept having to put off thinking about any kind of [“The Office”] spinoff. But [the final season of] “Upload” is dropping Aug. 25. The other part of your your question — over the years, since the finale, the show had this enormous blow-up on Netflix. It just felt like this show is pretty bulletproof at this point. Even if we did a s— job with a spinoff, it’s not going to go back in time and mess up “The Office,” which was my concern. “The Office” was such a beautiful and rare confluence of the cast and the time and the format and the writers and everything — it seemed very arrogant to think you could pull that off again. But then after a while, it’s like, “Well, you got to try.” You can’t be intimidated out of ever doing anything.

Greg Daniels says the staff of a struggling newspaper is as relatable as their Dunder Mifflin predecessors: “That quality of morale being low is very ‘Office’-like. The tone is intended to be similar without having the characters be similar.”

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

How did you arrive at former Dunder Mifflin accountant Oscar Martinez (Oscar Núñez) being the connecting character between the two shows?

Daniels: When you look at the finale of “The Office,” everybody was going off in their own direction that had a lot of, in my view, meaningful wrap-up of their story. Jim and Pam were moving to Boston with Darrell; Toby was in England. But Oscar didn’t really have a big arc. He was pretty much Oscar the whole way through, and it didn’t feel like it was going to undo anything with “The Office” to keep Oscar involved.

Koman: It made sense, just on a business level, that if one company was acquired by another, that some people would move over into that company. He was the one person who, I think, would have stayed.

Daniels: He was maybe the most self-possessed. He had the most dignity, I think, of most of the characters. The idea that the crew has found him again just seemed appropriate. He did run for elective office at the end of “The Office,” so I feel like he is susceptible to being inspired and do something for his community, so he seems like a person who could buy into what Ned is selling.

Koman: Also, he has kind of a cosmopolitan personality. The city is like a third larger than Scranton.

Greg, you gave us one of the great will–they/won’t–they relationships in TV history with Jim and Pam. There are a couple of office romances brewing on “The Paper.” The season ends with Ned and Mare (Chelsea Frei) kissing. Is there a specific challenge with crafting a slow burn in the streaming era? How did you want to approach things this time around?

Daniels: You need to have stakes in stories. If you’re going to be very realistic and relatable, the stakes in people’s stories are mostly romantic because most people don’t battle aliens to save the world or whatever. So, the highest stakes a normal person usually has is who they’re going to marry or who they’re seeing, or what drama they’re in in their personal lives. There’s a column the New York Times does about people who are getting married, how-they-met kind of thing, which I love, and you realize that there’s hundreds and hundreds of stories of how people meet. It’s not all Sam and Diane or Pam and Jim. My aim would be to not have the audience be like, “Who’s the next Pam and Jim? Is that Pam and Jim?” That’s their relationship. Those two actors were brilliant. You can’t replicate it, but it doesn’t mean that other characters aren’t going to be romantically interested in each other.

Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) and Jim Halpert (John Kraskinski), the friends-to-lovers duo affectionately known as JAM, in a scene from “The Office.” (Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

“The Paper” features characters like interim managing editor Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore), compositor turned reporter Mare (Chelsea Frei) and new boss Ned (Domhnall Gleeson). Mare and Ned have a will-they/won’t-they dynamic in the sitcom. (Aaron Epstein/Peacock)

We had a sense, at least through Kelly Kapoor and her pop culture references, that “The Office” took place in our shared reality, but it didn’t directly comment on real world matters. But considering the show’s setting and Ned’s idealism about the profession, with President Trump’s ongoing remarks about the press, can you see a day where those remarks or ideas are more directly referenced in some form? Or do you want to stay clear of that?

Daniels: I think there’s so many voices that [are] constantly talking about that, just from a comedy standpoint; I’m very tired of it. There’s also so many opinions that are so strong. My inclination is to do the fundamentals — it’s a character comedy. These are characters. They’re in a world of journalism [and it] has a lot of bumping between human beings and ethics, and to tell those stories is valuable. No matter what side you’re on, you can look at it and, hopefully, if there’s truth in what’s being presented, you can take something valuable away.

Koman: It’s important to think of this as a local paper. Their struggle is to credibly tell local stories, which is what I think the city needs, more than anything — a voice to just tell people what’s going on. Beyond that, I think the way that a culture will seep into a show like this — you should always have a sense of reality and that this is taking place in the present. I think of their minds as being focused on: How can we be a good news source for Toledo?

Michael Koman, who previously worked on docu-comedies “Nathan For You” and “How To With John Wilson,” on capturing the state of journalism realistically in “The Paper”: “What makes newspapers different than other businesses or other jobs is that people do arrive with a sense of enthusiasm for what they’re going to do. It seemed important that many of these people could have started their jobs like this, but now we’re meeting them at a point where that’s been tamped down enormously.”

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

The impulse when you hear about a spin-off or a reboot is to compare and to see who fits into what archetypes. Tell me about the types of characters you wanted to fill out in this newsroom.

Daniels: We tried to avoid that. What’s the point of doing something where everybody can go, “Oh, that’s the new Dwight”? They’re working in journalism and they have a very romantic, idealistic boss. He’s extremely interested in getting to the bottom of stories and being super rigorous and ethical, but he’s come in and replaced the temporary managing editor, Esmeralda, played by Sabrina Impacciatore, who has a very different view. She doesn’t really drill down that hard. She’s more about getting eyeballs.

Koman: What makes newspapers different than other businesses or other jobs is that people do arrive with a sense of enthusiasm for what they’re going to do. It seemed important that many of these people could have started their jobs like this, but now we’re meeting them at a point where that’s been tamped down enormously. Morale is low. In terms of who this group of people was, you could feel like that’s been dampened enormously and somebody new can come in who, either out of naivety or just optimism, thinks that he can revive it.

Daniels: That quality of morale being low is very “Office”-like. The tone is intended to be similar without having the characters be similar.

The title sequence is a montage of the various ways people make use of newspapers — rather than reading it. How would you describe your relationship to print journalism?

Daniels: When I first moved out here, I had a subscription to the L.A. Times, and the volume of papers was so gigantic, and it would come with these white ties to hold it all together. I built furniture in my apartment out of stacks of L.A. Times because they were so big. So it’d be like two weeks of them, I could make a stool and make a table with a full week’s worth stacked up.

Koman: Yes, I would say that digital media is all well and good until you need to pack glasses, then you hunt for a newspaper.

Daniels: One of my earliest memories is my parents trying to read the newspaper on their bed, and I wanted their attention, so I would roll onto the newspapers and look up at them, which would really irritate them. They were a big newspaper household.

Much like the news media, your industry is confronting budget constraints and technological disruption that is forcing changes to business models and programming strategies. What are your concerns about your industry right now?

Daniels: One of the big themes is the return to advertising. The streamers have all added ad tiers and that naturally is going to change the programming a bit. I don’t think, necessarily, [that] it’s bad. When you look at the heyday of Netflix, a lot of their biggest stuff had been developed under the old advertising model. I sometimes think about the French movie business, where it seems like they don’t care if something makes money or not. It’s just, if you’re in the club, you get to make movies over and over again. I’ve always felt like that there’s something more democratic about: You actually have to get people to watch your thing somehow.

Koman: The strangest thing about this industry is that it might change a lot, [but] the thing you’re making is a timeless product. You’re telling a story. There’s the part of it that is like, “Well, this will eventually be finished and will be presented somewhere” — and you have no control over how that’s going to change. But what you’re actually trying to make would have to hold up under any conditions.

Veteran producer Kim Harvey has been tapped to take over the “CBS Evening News,” which has lost viewers since a recent revamp.

The network announced Thursday that Harvey will replace Guy Campanile, a “60 Minutes” producer who joined the program last year.

Campanile, who was brought on by former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens when he oversaw recent changes at the newscast, will return to the newsmagazine.

“CBS Evening News” has been struggling to retain viewers since it replaced Norah O’Donnell, who held the anchor chair for five years.

Kim Harvey is the new executive producer of “CBS Evening News.”

(CBS News)

CBS News added John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois as co-anchors and put an emphasis on longer stories closer to the style of “60 Minutes.” But the program has failed to gain any traction against ABC’s “World News Tonight With David Muir” and NBC’s “Nightly News With Tom Llamas.”

Harvey’s appointment is likely a precursor to larger changes at the program, including a possible return to a single anchor and a more traditional approach to the newscast. She was a trusted lieutenant of O’Donnell during her run.

Harvey has been with “CBS Evening News” since 2017, eventually rising to senior broadcast producer. She is thoroughly familiar with the operation that has gone through three anchor changes since she arrived.

“Kim brings a sharp news sense and terrific track record of producing from across the broadcast and cable networks,” CBS News President Tom Cibrowski said in a statement. “She is a well-respected newsroom leader and her relationships with our on-air talent, producers and reporters run deep.”

Harvey’s career includes stints at the three major cable news networks. She started her career as a video journalist at CNN.

She spent several years at Fox News, where she produced “The O’Reilly Factor,” which was the network’s top prime time program before host Bill O’Reilly was ousted over sexual harassment allegations.

At MSNBC, Harvey was part of the team that launched “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “All In with Chris Hayes.”

The future of CBS News has been a subject of much speculation since the network’s parent company Paramount Global was taken over by Skydance Media.

Before the merger closed, Paramount Global agreed to pay $16 million to settle President Trump’s legal salvo against “60 Minutes” over the editing of an interview with his 2024 opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The lawsuit, considered frivolous by 1st Amendment experts, damaged the morale of the news division and likely led to the ouster of Owens in April.

The new owners have also promised the Federal Communications Commission that it will hire an ombudsman who will report to Paramount’s new president, Jeff Shell.

Nico Hoerner had an RBI double against former teammate Kyle Hendricks and the Chicago Cubs beat the Angels 4-3 Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep.

Hoerner and Matt Shaw each had two hits in backing right-hander Jameson Taillon (9-6), who allowed one run in five innings as the Cubs improved to 8-2 in winning their third straight series. Right-hander Daniel Palencia worked out of a ninth-inning jam for his 20th save.

Taylor Ward hit his 30th homer for the Angels, who fell to 2-7 since a three-game sweep of the Dodgers.

Hendricks (6-9) gave up four runs on five hits over 4⅓ innings with three walks and two strikeouts in his first start against his former club. He joined the Angels this season after 11 seasons with Chicago, where he played a key role in their 2016 World Series title.

Ward reached 30 homers for the first time in his career with a first-inning blast for a 1-0 lead.

Kyle Tucker had a game-tying RBI single in the third inning and Hoerner had his run-scoring double in the fourth. The Cubs chased Hendricks in the fifth when they got a sacrifice fly from Pete Crow-Armstrong and an RBI single from Carson Kelly for a 4-1 lead.

The Angels pulled within a run in the sixth on an RBI double by Ward and a run-scoring grounder by Luis Rengifo.

Key moment: After he walked the go-ahead run with one out in the ninth, Palencia struck out rookie Christian Moore on a full-count, 99.9-mph fastball, then ended it with a strikeout of Bryce Teodoso.

Key stat: Tucker went five for 12 with three home runs and seven RBIs in the series, after he was given a three-game rest against Milwaukee last week,

Up next: Angels RHP Jose Soriano (8-9, 4.00 ERA) will face Texas on Monday.

THE SKINT celebrities that are struggling to make ends meet – from Dawn O’Porter to Mischa Barton.

Even if you have made lots of money, it doesn’t always mean you’re not going to run into money problems as these celebrities have found out.

Mischa Barton

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The OC actress Mischa, 39, has had a widely-publicised battle with her former momager, Nuala Barton, over her money.

In July 2015, she even sued her mother, alleging that she lied about how much Mischa was being paid for a film role and pocketed the rest of the cash herself.

She’s also struggled to make mortgage payments on her home in the past, at one point falling five months behind.

Though she eventually sold the Beverly Hills mansion in summer 2016 for $7.05 million reports The BBC.

Dawn O’Porter

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Her husband is one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy actors, but despite this, Dawn O’Porter has revealed she is struggling to make ends meet financially.

The television presenter, 46, who has been married to Bridesmaids actor Chris O’Dowd since 2012, has opened up about her money woes.

She expressed to MailOnline: “I work pay cheque to pay cheque. I’m always broke. My card got declined last week. I’m like, what the f*** is happening? When will this end?”

The Scottish writer and director has had a varied career, presenting several documentaries and shows including BBC’s Super Slim Me and How To Look Good Naked on Channel 4.

Meanwhile, Chris, 45, has starred in some of Hollywood’s biggest productions, including This Is 40, Thor: The Dark World, Gulliver’s Travels and St. Vincent.

The couple have two children, sons Art, 11, and Valentine, who is eight years old.

Lindsay Lohan

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The Parent Trap’s Lindsay Lohan had her bank accounts seized in 2012, for reportedly owing $234,000 in tax.

Lindsay apparently sent her 18-year-old sister to haggle with second hand stores to make some emergency cash from her old clothes.

Ali Lohan went to the vintage clothing store Wasteland to flog the singer’s most valuable designer gear.

Ali was seen arriving at the Los Angeles store with bags bursting with shoes, clothes and accessories.

But she was reportedly shocked when she was offered a lot less than she was expecting.

She tried another tactic to increase the value of the items by listing all the occasions her famous sister had been pictured wearing them.

She went through items including a pair of Chanel pumps and a Balenciaga handbag, saying: “These have to be worth more, Lindsay was photographed wearing them, that has to add value.”

But the manager would not be swayed, and Ali had to settle much lower than she had planned.

Her Scary Movie 5 co-star, Charlie Sheen, gave her $100,000 towards the bill and Lindsay now appears to have her finances under control.

50 Cent

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50 Cent declared himself bankrupt in 2015, but said the move was a ‘strategic’ one, and not because he’d spent all of his money.

He made the decision after he was sued for leaking a sex tape of Lastonia Leviston, who has a child with his rap rival Rick Ross, and didn’t want other people to follow suit.

He told US talk show host Larry King in 2015L “It’s a move that was necessary for me to make at this point.

“So I didn’t allow myself to create that big red and white bulls eye on my back, where I become the person that people consistently come to.”

He still had to pay off debts of more than $22 million, though, with $6 million going to Lastonia for invasion of privacy.

Shane Richie

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Back in 2020, the EastEnders legend said the coronavirus pandemic hit him hard and left him begging friends and family for loans.

Shane revealed how the pandemic and years of daft spending had left him “literally skint.”

At the time he was relying on loans from friends and family, and government help to pay his mortgage.

He told the Mirror at the time: “I was going on tour, doing a TV series and panto but it all got cancelled in March. Now I am literally skint!

“You save for a rainy day but you don’t expect the rainy day to last eight months. Thankfully, I’ve been able to borrow money from mates, my family and the bank.”

He added: “I got rid of my car but only cos I lease a car for my wife for the school run. I can get around on a moped.

“I am alright, I have had a career and if it all finishes tomorrow, so be it. If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll do stand-up or resurrect a musical.”

Shane also revealed that he blew thousands on the strangest things, in particular Planet of the Apes memorabilia.

He said: “It was my favourite show as a boy, I couldn’t resist. It harks back to Christmases when mum and dad couldn’t afford much.”

However, after his stint on I’m a Celeb and back on our screens in EastEnders, we are sure Shane’s finances are in much better order now.

Courtney Love

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In April 2014, Courtney was hit with a $320,000 tax bill, as well as being ordered to pay $96,000 to a fashion designer she defamed on Twitter.

Later that year, the singer told the Sunday Times, “I lost about $27 million.

“I know that’s a lifetime of money to most people, but I’m a big girl, it’s rock ‘n roll, it’s Nirvana money, I had to let it go.

“I make enough to live on, I’m financially solvent, I focus on what I make now.”

And back in 2021 according to official tax records, the Hole lead singer had five outstanding tax debts that have accumulated from 2017 to 2021. 

The iconic artist was hit with three outstanding Internal Revenue Service liens, totaling $1.9 million, while the rest of the debt was owed to the State of California.  

At the time, a clerk at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s office confirmed to The Sun that all of the liens remained outstanding and were unpaid.

Dawn Robinson

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Dawn, found early fame in the ’90s alongside Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones for their work as R&B group En Vogue.

With seven Grammy nominations under their belt, the foursome are considered one of the most successful R&B girl groups of the past quarter-century.

But now Dawn has revealed that she’s been living in her car for the past three years.

She has likened it to a “camping trip” that’s helped her feel more “free.”

The singer said in a recent video posted to her YouTube channel: “You guys, for the past three years, I have been living in my car.

“I said it, oh my gosh, it’s out,”

The Grammy nominee explained that she was living with her parents for a while in Las Vegas before the situation became unfavourable.

She eventually moved back to Los Angeles after her manager suggested she move in with him for a bit.

But the home was too small so Dawn ultimately resided in a hotel for eight months before deciding to research “car life.”

Following her search, the singer began living in her car in 2022 and said that she “felt free.”

She added: “I felt free. I felt like I was on a camping trip. It just felt like it was the right thing to do.

“I didn’t regret it. You know, a lot of celebrities have lived in their cars.”

The singer admitted that though the experience is sometimes “scary” she’s learned “what to do in my car and how to do it, like, how to cover my windows and you don’t talk to certain people.”

She explained: “You’re careful of telling people that you’re alone, as a woman especially.”

Her candid confession comes weeks after her former band – En Vogue – announced that they would soon be embarking on a European tour.

Cat Power

8

Charlyn Marie “Chan” Marshall, better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter.

She spent a lot of her own money on recording 2012 album, Sun.

Then, when it came time to tour Sun, she took to Instagram to share some bad news with fans.

She wrote: “I may have to cancel my European tour due to bankruptcy & my health struggle with angioedema.

“I have not thrown in any towel, I am trying to figure out what best I can do.”

The tour was indeed postponed, with Chan later adding: “The American tour has been wonderful and amazing, and with me being unable to afford to bring my show with full production (which i helped create), to Europe.

“Financially, really dumped a huge additional amount of stress on me as I was and still am fighting trying to get tour support.”

Medan, Indonesia – After graduating from university with a law degree two years ago, Andreas Hutapea assumed he would not have much difficulty finding a stable career.

In reality, Hutapea found himself facing one rejection after another.

Hutapea first failed to make it through Indonesia’s notoriously difficult civil service exams, which lead to a job for only about 3 percent of applicants, and was similarly unsuccessful in his bid to become a trainee prosecutor.

Before law school, Hutapea had dreamed of joining the army, but he could not meet the height requirement.

Eventually, with his money running out, Hutapea left the student accommodation he was renting to move back in with his parents, who run a simple shop selling oil, eggs, rice and other groceries.

Hutapea has been working at his parents’ shop, in a town on the outskirts of Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, ever since.

“I open the shop for them in the morning, sit there throughout the day serving customers and then help close at night,” Hutapea, who graduated from high school in 2020, told Al Jazeera.

“My parents don’t pay me a wage for my work, but I can’t blame them for that. They are giving me free food and lodging.”

Hutapea is far from alone in his struggles to find stable, well-paying work.

Indonesia has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment in Asia.

About 16 percent of the more than 44 million Indonesians aged 15-24 are out of work, according to government statistics – more than double the youth unemployment rate of neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam.

In a survey published by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore in January, young Indonesians expressed far more pessimistic attitudes about the economy and the government than their peers in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Only about 58 percent of Indonesian youth said they were optimistic about the government’s economic plans, according to the survey, compared with an average of 75 percent across the six countries.

In February, some of this angst spilled onto the streets when university students formed the Indonesia Gelap, or Dark Indonesia, movement to protest government plans to trim spending on public services.

Economists point to a range of factors for the high rate of jobless youth in Southeast Asia’s largest economy, from rigid labour laws that make hiring difficult to poor wages that fail to attract capable workers.

“Many people choose to be outside the labour market rather than having to work for a salary below expectations,” Adinova Fauri, an economist at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia, in Jakarta, told Al Jazeera.

“Good jobs are also not widely available, so people turn to the informal sector, which has lower productivity and protection.”

Indonesia, which is home to more than 280 million people, has long struggled with chronic youth unemployment.

While still high compared with the rest of the region, governments have, through the years, made some progress in getting more young people into work – as recently as a decade ago, one-quarter of young Indonesians were estimated to be without a job.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, a retired army general who oversaw crackdowns on the 1998 student protests that precipitated the fall of former President Soeharto, has acknowledged the need to create more jobs, establishing task forces to tackle unemployment and negotiate on trade with United States President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, Prabowo hailed the beginning of “a new era of mutual benefit” for Indonesia and the US, after Trump announced a deal to lower tariffs on Indonesian goods from 32 to 19 percent.

Though older adults are less at risk of being unemployed – Indonesia’s overall jobless rate is about 5 percent – much of the work that is available is unstable and poorly compensated.

About 56 percent of the Indonesian workforce is employed in the informal sector, according to 2024 figures from the Bureau of Statistics, leaving millions in vulnerable conditions and without social security protections.

“The decline in the open unemployment rate does not necessarily reflect good performance in the labour market,” Deniey Adi Purwanto, a lecturer at the Department of Economics at IPB University in Bogor, told Al Jazeera.

“The quality of jobs and informal employment are still major problems.”

But for young people, the mismatch between the number of job seekers and jobs is particularly severe.

“Firstly, graduates of secondary and tertiary education do not always match the needs of the labour market, and there is also a high proportion of informality,” Purwanto said.

“Indonesia has a very large number of young people, so the pressure on the labour market is much higher.

“We also have rapidly increasing levels of secondary and higher education,” he added.

“Many young college graduates avoid informal or low-paid jobs, so they choose to wait for suitable jobs, which leads to unemployment.”

Purwanto said there was also a lack of effective vocational training and apprenticeship programmes in Indonesia, compared with neighbours such as Vietnam or Malaysia.

“In Malaysia, for example, there are more industry-university linkage schemes and graduate employability programmes,” he said.

Stark regional disparities in Indonesia, which is made up of some 17,000 islands, compound the problem, with young people in remote and rural areas finding it especially difficult to access good jobs.

This is particularly true in areas outside the island of Java, which is home to the capital Jakarta and more than half of Indonesia’s population.

Hutapea experienced this firsthand when he moved back with his parents, who live about two hours out of Medan.

Despite having a law degree, Hutapea, who is desperate to no longer work in his parents’ shop, has found job opportunities thin on the ground.

Hutapea, who also has a side gig setting up sound systems for weddings and parties, recently attended an interview for a job replenishing banknotes in ATMs.

But even though he thought the interview went well, he never heard back from the recruiter.

For Hutapea, who completed some of his law school modules during the summer holidays so he could graduate a year early, it is hard not to feel like his efforts have not been in vain.

“I didn’t want to be a burden to my parents, who were paying all my university fees,” Hutapea said.

“But look at me now.”

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Djordje Mihailovic and Calvin Harris scored four-minutes apart in the first half and the Colorado Rapids beat the Galaxy 2-0 on Wednesday night in a game delayed two hours due to weather.

Colorado (7-8-4) snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Galaxy (1-13-5) lost to the Rapids for the first time since May 6, 2023.

Mihailovic headed in Sam Vines’ cross for his eighth goal of the season to end Colorado’s a 261-minute goal drought. Harris, in his first start of the season, scored his second goal in 12 appearances.

Harris nearly made it 3-0 in the 55th on a shot that hit off the post.

Rookie Nico Hansen, standing in for the injured Zack Steffen since May 17, recorded his third clean sheet in just seven starts.

Walker Buehler owned our city. When the Dodgers ran out of arms last fall, he instantly reimagined himself as a closer and slayed the mighty New York Yankees in the final inning of the World Series. In the championship parade, he donned the jersey of fellow Fall Classic hero Orel Hershiser. He and catcher Will Smith auctioned the ball used for the final out and donated the $414,000 in proceeds toward wildfire relief.

From the day he arrived at Dodger Stadium as a rookie in 2017, Buehler exuded confidence. Tommy Lasorda had to goad Hershiser into becoming a bulldog. Buehler always had been one.

That made it shocking, frankly, to hear Buehler talk after the Angels dazed him in a five-run first inning Monday at Angel Stadium. They beat him, he beat himself, whatever.

But among the words uttered by the one-time Dodgers ace with the supreme confidence were these: “I think I can still pitch in the major leagues.”

Buehler’s earned-run average is 6.29, the highest of any American League pitcher with at least 60 innings.

That leaves the Red Sox with this unsettling dilemma: They are a game and a half out of an American League wild card — and only a game ahead of the Angels — so can they afford to keep Buehler in their starting rotation?

“We’ll talk about it,” Boston manager Alex Cora said.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler tosses his glove and cap into the dugout as he leaves the field after giving up five runs in the first inning of a 9-5 loss to the Angels at Angel Stadium on Monday.

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)

Buehler does not shy from accountability, or from the question of whether he worries that the Red Sox might move him to the bullpen, at least for a spell.

“Yeah, I think you have to,” he said. “At some point, there are 26 guys that are going to help this team hopefully make the playoffs.

“If you’re not one of them, I don’t really think it matters what you’ve done in years past.”

In his previous start, Cora noted before the game, Buehler had failed to retire eight batters with two-strike counts.

In this game, after the Red Sox handed him a 3-0 lead, Zach Neto hit Buehler’s first pitch over the center-field fence. The Angels scored the remaining four runs with two outs. In all, the Angels scored five runs on two hits, two hit batters and four walks.

Buehler hit the Angels’ No. 7 batter with two strikes, walked the No. 8 batter with two strikes, and walked the No. 9 batter with two strikes. Then he hit Neto to force home a run.

“It’s embarrassing,” Buehler said. “It’s just not who I want to be as a baseball player. Obviously, I’d rather get whacked around than do that.

“Somehow, this year, I’ve managed to do all the negative things you can. I’ll keep working. It’s just tough to let down our team, especially with the first inning that we had.”

The Dodgers signed Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki to replace Buehler and Jack Flaherty in their rotation. Snell and Sasaki are on the injured list. Flaherty has a 4.83 ERA and an AL-high eight losses for the team with the best record in the majors, the Detroit Tigers.

Buehler has started 13 games, more than anyone on the Red Sox except Garrett Crochet and more than anyone on the Dodgers except Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Dustin May. Buehler’s ERA in seven games since returning from an injured list stint for what the Red Sox called shoulder bursitis: 8.59.

Cora insists that Buehler’s stuff and velocity are fine, and that mechanics and execution are the issues. Buehler walked a career-high seven in his four innings on Monday, more than he walked in 15 innings in the 2024 postseason. Opposing batters have an OPS over 1.000 against his four-seam fastball.

“Honestly, his stuff is good. It’s really good,” Cora said before the game. “The one thing we always talk about is the misses. If you look at his four-seamer, when he goes up, it’s actually a non-competitive pitch.

“If we can tighten that up — and that’s with more repetitions, of course — he’s going to be OK. Hopefully, it starts soon.”

After the game, Cora said he is “100%” sure Buehler is not pitching hurt. Buehler, asked if he is pitching through anything, said: “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Buehler is in his first full season after his second Tommy John surgery. The track record for pitchers returning to their previous performance level after a second such surgery is not encouraging. Shohei Ohtani is trying the same thing this season.

For the Dodgers last October, after returning for an abbreviated season, Buehler threw 10 shutout innings in the league championship series and the World Series. I asked him whether the comeback might be harder over the course of a full season. That was the context for volunteering his remark about his ability to pitch in the majors.

“I think, in all honesty, it’s a lot easier to stay good than to get good,” he said. “The guys on the other side of the field from me drive nice cars, get paid a lot of money to be really good at what they do. Outside of a couple swings, I think largely I beat myself, which is just not something that you can do here.

“I think it’s in there. I think my arm still moves good. I think I can still make the ball move. I think I can still pitch in the major leagues.

“At some point, the belief, it gets hard to keep tricking yourself. At some point, I have got to put some results up there, for myself, but also for this organization.”

Walker Buehler sits in the dugout after being pulled in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners on June 17.

(John Froschauer / Associated Press)

That is the reality, and the reason for the talk about whether the Red Sox might remove him from their rotation.

“I’m a guy open to doing whatever needs to be done,” he said.

“I’m a starting pitcher. I’ve been a starting pitcher my whole life. I don’t necessarily think that changing that is going to somehow magically fix everything.”

Something’s gotta give. Could be his results, could be his role. Whatever the case, he’ll always have last October.

US President Donald Trump has backed away — for now — from imposing steep levies on the European Union, two days after he threatened the bloc with 50 percent tariffs.

On Sunday, Trump agreed to extend his deadline for trade talks until July 9, from the June 1 deadline he set on Friday, after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc needed more time to “reach a good deal”.

Von der Leyen reportedly told Trump during a phone call that the EU needed more time to come to an agreement and asked him to delay the trade duties until July, the deadline he had originally set when he announced his “reciprocal” tariffs on almost all countries around the world in April.

Trump said that he had granted the request, and that von der Leyen told him, “We will rapidly get together to see if we can work something out.” Von der Leyen said in a social media post that the EU was ready to move quickly in trade talks.

During a trip to Vietnam on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he hoped Washington and Brussels could achieve a deal with the lowest tariffs possible. “The discussions are advancing,” he told reporters.

The US president’s latest salvo comes amid Washington’s stop-and-start global trade war that kicked off in April. Trump’s moves have unnerved markets, businesses and consumers and raised fears of a global economic downturn.

But while his approach has yielded a trade deal with the United Kingdom, and negotiations are believed to be progressing with a range of other nations — from India to Vietnam to Japan — key sticking points complicate the prospects of an agreement with the EU.

Here’s what the tiff is about, and why the US and EU are struggling to reach a trade deal:

What’s the backdrop?

Trump’s recent broadside against the EU was prompted by the White House’s belief that negotiations with the bloc are not progressing fast enough. “Our discussions with them are going nowhere!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025. There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States,” he wrote last Friday.

By Sunday, however, Trump had changed course. He welcomed von der Leyen’s assertion that the bloc was willing to negotiate but that it needed more time. He added that it was his “privilege” to delay the increased tariffs.

Trump said, “[von der Leyen] said she wants to get down to serious negotiation. We had a very nice call … she said we will rapidly get together and see if we can work something out,” he told reporters.

Trump is thought to be opposed to the idea of mutually cutting tariffs to zero – an EU proposal. The US president has insisted on preserving a baseline 10 percent tax on most imports from America’s trading partners.

On May 8, the UK agreed to a trade deal that kept Trump’s 10 percent reciprocal tariff rate in place.

EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said the European Commission – the EU’s executive arm – remains committed to securing a deal that works for both sides. But he warned that EU-US trade “must be guided by mutual respect, not threats.”

In 2024, EU exports to the US totalled about 532 billion euros ($603bn). Pharmaceuticals, cars and auto parts, chemicals and aircraft were among the largest exports, according to EU data.

What is the EU offering?

Last week, the US rejected a proposal sent by the European Commission. The EU had offered to remove tariffs on industrial goods, boost access for some US agricultural products and co-develop AI data centres, Bloomberg reported.

It also proposed enhancing economic cooperation in areas like shipbuilding and port infrastructure, as well as by establishing an EU-US energy partnership covering gas, nuclear power and oil.

In exchange, Brussels wants the Trump administration to have more flexibility on lowering the 10 percent baseline tariff — including by potentially lowering it in phases over time.

While the EU has said it wants to find a negotiated solution, it has also been preparing to retaliate if necessary.

Member states have approved a 50 percent tariff on a batch of US products worth 21 billion euros ($23.8bn), including maize, wheat and clothing, which will kick in on July 14 without a deal.

The bloc is also preparing tariffs on other imported products totalling 95 billion euros ($107.8bn), targeting industrial goods like Boeing aircraft and cars, as well as bourbon.

What does the US want?

Trump has long accused the European Union of “ripping off” the US, and is determined that Brussels will adopt measures to lower its 198.2-billion-euro ($225bn) goods trade surplus with the US.

Washington has repeatedly raised concerns over Europe’s value-added tax, as well as its regulations on IT and food exports. Trump contends that these controls act as de facto trade barriers to the EU.

For his part, Sefcovic recently told the Financial Times that he wants to slash the US-EU trade deficit by buying more US gas, weapons and agricultural products.

In addition, the bloc is reportedly open to reducing its dependence on Chinese exports and on erecting tariffs against subsidised Chinese exports, which Trump is keen on.

Sefcovic and his US counterpart, Jamieson Greer, are scheduled to meet in Paris next month to discuss ways of de-escalating the ongoing US-EU trade dispute.

How badly would Trump’s tariffs affect both economies?

In 2024, the EU exported 531.6 billion euros ($603bn) in goods to the US and imported products worth 333 billion euros ($377.8bn), resulting in a trade surplus of almost 200 billion euros ($227bn).

On the flip side, the US runs a surplus of more than 109 billion euros ($124bn) in services as of 2023, with notable IT exports, led by large American tech companies, charges for intellectual property and financial services.

Trump’s tariffs would, in turn, hit both economies hard. According to a 2019 study by the International Monetary Fund, a full-scale US-EU trade war could cost 0.3-to-0.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on both sides.

The Observation Wheel in Weymouth, Dorset, gives visitors amazing views of the town and has been compared to the iconic Ferris Wheel in Skegness – and locals and tourists seem to agree

A colossal new attraction has made its debut in one of the UK’s most beloved seaside towns, and visitors reckon it’s just the latest indication that the resort is returning to its glory days. Weymouth, a popular destination for around two million day-trippers annually, welcomed the Observation Wheel to its central beach at the end of April.

The towering wheel, standing 26 metres high and accommodating up to 108 passengers, offers breathtaking views of the town and has drawn comparisons to the iconic Ferris Wheel in Skegness. The project was financed by Danters, the local fairground operators, rather than the council.

READ MORE: ‘I tested Hoover’s cordless vacuum £190 cheaper than Dyson I never knew I needed’

However, the new attraction wasn’t universally embraced, with Dorset Council receiving 38 objections. Yet, when the Express paid a visit to Weymouth seafront on a sunny Monday afternoon, it quickly became apparent that the majority of tourists and locals were enthusiastic supporters of the new feature.

Robert and Julie Gray, who were celebrating their anniversary in Weymouth, having travelled from Oxford, were spotted in the Alexandra Gardens on the esplanade. The couple, regular visitors to the Dorset coast over the years, were delighted with the addition of the Observation Wheel.

Robert, 79, shared: “We always come down to Weymouth. We used to do a lot of diving in the sea here. So we thought we’d come back and visit some of the regular haunts for our anniversary.”

Julie observed that the town has “improved over the years”, recalling how it was “quite rundown” a decade ago. She is of the opinion that additions like the Observation Wheel will only serve to enhance the town even further.

Robert chimed in with his thoughts on the local attractions, saying: “I think they keep the kids happy and gives them more to do,” and added: “It’s not an eye-sore is it, really? It’s not something we’d go on but it’s great for other people that want to. It’s something else. Why not?”.

Chester Harmer, a 16 year old resident, was full of praise for his hometown, saying: “The beach and the pavilion are always popular,” and “There’s a lot of things to do for people on holiday.”

Despite some calling the new wheel an “eye-sore”, Chester sees it as a positive addition, stating: “The Observation Wheel has only been up a few weeks and I don’t mind it. It adds something and brings people in. The seafront is definitely the best thing about around here.”

Located at the end of Weymouth Central Beach, the wheel stands among traditional seaside amusements. Andrew Dilly, 60, gestured towards the amusement park and remarked: “You’ve got these things that have been here for years and it’s just part of the same thing. It isn’t a bad thing.”

His wife Jeanette, 77, agreed saying: “It’s a good addition I think to Weymouth. We knew it was new as we were here in September when it wasn’t here.”

Jeanette also expressed her fondness for the town’s consistency, saying: “It’s a lovely town and it hasn’t changed much over the years.

“That’s the beauty of Weymouth – it doesn’t change. That’s exactly why we come back. We know what we’re getting – a really nice family seaside town.”

Visitors to a seaside town are wheeling in excitement over the new attraction that’s spinning up interest. A couple from Cornwall, who toured the area in their motorhome, forked out £11 for a ride on the wheel and Jeanette described the top views as “amazing”.

Charlie Bunce, a local with family ties to Weymouth, was spotted strolling the seafront with her partner Daniel Phillips. The duo reckon the wheel’s arrival will be a boon for the crowds and local trade.

Daniel, 31, shared his enthusiasm: “The fairground and the wheel gives something for the kids to do which is good. I think it’s good for the town and seafront. It gives great views across the town and sea. We’re going to go on it now.”

He continued, highlighting the economic spin-off: “You’ve got to think of all the local businesses that it helps. It brings people down in the summer and these added extra things to do really make a difference. If there’s nothing to do here then why would you come down and bring your kids?”.

Charlie, 30, chimed in, praising the wheel’s placement as ideal and “isn’t overwhelming”, ensuring there’s plenty of beach left for visitors to spread out on.

“It’s a huge beach and if you want to get away from it then you can,” she noted. “It’s not in the way and won’t hurt anybody.”

Yet, not everyone’s on board with the coastal change. Bristol native Josh Rees expressed concern that the organisers might have “overdone it” this year.

The 28-year-old reminisced: “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. It’s nostalgic for me and the fairground adds to that.

“I think they’ve overdone it a little bit. I do like the views from the top (of the wheel) but I remember when there was less attractions and it was absolutely great. It’s not completely an eye-sore – maybe just a little bit! I guess it just depends what people want nowadays.”

Other locals, such as 36-year-old Clare Richardson, agree that the Observation Wheel is perfect for children. She also disagrees with those who have labelled it an eye-sore.

“We’ve got kids so it’s great for them,” she said. “It’s entertainment. I don’t think it’s an eye-sore really. It just gives people an extra thing to do on the beach.”

A Weymouth Town Council spokesperson said: “There was much excitement when the operator of this brand new attraction was ready to open for the first rides at the end of April, which is a fantastic addition to Weymouth Beach.

“It stands at 26 metres high and can accommodate up to 108 passengers when full, who will be in for a treat as they take to the sky to enjoy the fantastic views of Weymouth’s iconic Jurassic coastline.

“We are pleased to see this new attraction opening on the beach for the very first time this season. It offers something for all ages for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, and it’s lovely to see people standing on the promenade waving to friends and relatives who are on the ride.”