tears

One of the two pilots onboard a commercial plane made a personal announcement over the tannoy ahead of a flight, which left people in tears and feeling overwhelmed with emotion

Passengers who had just boarded their flight were in tears after the pilot of the plane made an announcement over the tannoy before take off. Once passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight found their assigned seats and got comfortable ahead of an upcoming flight, two pilots came out of the cockpit of the plane to make an announcement to all the passengers and crew.

The pilot, Captain Svein, explained how he was “very excited” ahead of the upcoming flight as it was a “very special day” for him personally. He turned around and then explained how he had a brand new pilot on board with him who had “just finished training”.

In the video, which was posted on social media by Southwest Airlines, the pilot said: “I’m very excited today is a very special day for me personally and I would like to use this moment to introduce to you our latest addition to Southwest Airlines pilot group.

“She is right behind me, she just finished training and today is her very first day flying for Southwest Airlines.

“Just one more thing, she is my daughter.”

The video, which has been viewed over half a million times on social media, showed the entire plane started clapping and cheering after the dad made the announcement.

The dad continued: “I’m so glad you folks are coming with us today to enjoy this little party. Thank you so much for flying Southwest Airlines thank you folks thank you.”

Southwest Airlines a major U.S. low-cost carrier headquartered in Dallas that serves over 100 destinations across 10 countries.

People in the comments section of the video that appeared on Southwest Airline’s TikTok page were thrilled for the father-daughter duo on their first flight co-piloting together.

One person said: “The safest flight to be on, he has his most precious cargo at the helm with him.”

A second said: “Probably his proudest dad moment for him, no doubt about it.”

A third simply said: “You should not make us cry.”

A fourth added: “The father has passed his legacy wings to his daughter on her first flight. As a qualified aviator, she’ll make a fine captain of her own aircraft someday.”

Southwest Airlines said: “Like father, like daughter! Hanna recently joined Southwest as a First Officer, following in the footsteps of her dad, Captain Svein.

“He inspired her to start flying at the age of 15, and she was immediately hooked. She made it her mission to one day fly alongside him!.

“Just 8 years later, she accomplished that mission serving as her dad’s First Officer on her very first Southwest flight. Welcome to the Southwest Family, Hanna!”

Linda Noskova won the Wimbledon women’s singles title on Saturday afternoon

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova moved BBC viewers to tears during her speech following her triumph in the ladies’ singles final on Saturday afternoon.

It was an all-Czech showdown on Centre Court, with Noskova facing off against compatriot Karolina Muchova. Noskova proved too strong for Muchova, claiming her maiden Grand Slam title with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 victory over the world No. 9.

There was an extra layer of emotion surrounding Noskova’s success though, given her mother died on the eve of the 2024 Championships when she was just 19.

Noskova referenced the devastating loss during her acceptance speech, saying: “There’s also one more person I would like to thank, which is my mum. I would definitely would not be standing here without her so thank you. Guys, I don’t cry normally so this is not okay for me. I have been enjoying these two weeks so much, all the sad tears, the happy tears, the sweat and blood going into this.

“It was all worth it, so I will definitely never forget these two weeks and one more thing, I want to thank all the fans. You guys made this final like nothing I have ever experienced before so I can not wait to come back next year,” reports the Express.

As she honoured her late mother, cameras captured Navratilova – a nine-time Wimbledon champion – weeping in the stands.

Responding to the emotional speech, commentator Sam Smith remarked: “For Noskova to come here, a little over two years since she lost her mother to cancer right before Wimbledon 2024 and lift the title at 21 in such a rollercoaster of a final shows you she really is a true champion.”

During her address, Noskova added: “I don’t know how to hold it [the trophy], that’s the first thing. It feels incredible, today and all these matches have been so tough, physically and mentally. Today, especially, it’s never easy to get the last point. Karol, you really made me work for it.

“I will not forgive you this one, like you said we are friends. I am so glad that I could play my first Grand Slam final with you. I think we made history today. I believe all our Czech fans at home are proud of us today so no matter the result today I think it was a good day for both of us.”

She went on to say: “I want to congratulate your team, you especially have been such a fighter and you guys, a good two weeks for you and a great season as well so congratulations. I want to thank my team, I want to thank my Dad for coming here, for my family members flying here, I know you don’t like flying so I appreciate it.

“I want to thank all my friends, supporters, sponsors, agents and my whole team. I want to thank Agatha, the best atmosphere manager I could wish for and my coach for being with me which is not easy all the time. We have been together for six years now, I think, and I am so grateful for you. I would not be here without you.”

Viewers at home also crumbled to tears, as one X user posted: “I started out saying the final is boring, and ended up sobbing crying at Linda thanking her mom who passed away and seeing Muchova cry… that was actually a rollercoaster of emotions, tennis is beautiful.”

Someone else chimed in: “Linda Novoska got me ugly crying out here this morning. What a moving winner speech. That shoutout to her mom. Just wow!!!”

While others gathered to comment words of support under a BBC clip of the powerful moment. Someone said: “So sad, our thoughts are with her.”

The 2026 Wimbledon matches are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

JESY Nelson has broken fans’ hearts as she confessed she’s been “crying all day” with mum guilt.

The mum-of-two has opened up on how her baby girls are struggling amid the high temperatures.

Taking to social media, she told her 10million followers that she is utterly heartbroken over having to put the twins into thick spinal jackets and splints in this heat.

Pop star Jesy shared a glimpse of the girls laying down in their rockers wearing their supports.

She penned over the clip: “I’ve cried all day. Imagine having to wear a spinal jacket and splints in this heat.

“I cannot even begin to tell you how much this breaks my heart into a million pieces. But, if I don’t put them on every day, their spines and feet will only deteriorate and get worse.”

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“These will never correct their spine or feet, it will only prevent it from getting any worse,” continued Jesy.

“Once again no future SMA babies need to suffer like this if they are given the heel prick test and treatment from birth!”

Despite the temperatures soaring above 30 degrees this week, the girls looked content waving their little hands around and taking in their living room.

Dani Dyer wrote in the comments: “Oh Jesy. You are doing amazing,” followed by two red heart emojis.

Billie Shepherd said: “Sending you all so much love. Super mumma, you are amazing.”

“They will still face every obstacle with the biggest smile. They have the best mummy ever and that’s all they need,” one fan penned.

The former Little Mix star’s baby girls – Story Monroe and Ocean Jade – are both battling Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 – the most severe form of a rare disease affecting muscle strength and movement.

Both Jesy and her ex-fiancé Zion Foster were told their twins were unlikely to ever walk, and may face serious breathing and swallowing difficulties.

Despite the slim odds, she shared a sweet picture of one of their daughters sitting up in a chair all by herself.

Since Jesy’s babies were diagnosed with SMA she has been tirelessly campaigning to make it mandatory for all newborns to receive a heel-prick to determine whether or not they have the disease.

If SMA is caught early the condition is usually treatable but when left undiagnosed it can be life-threatening and cause death within two years.

A fan told Jesy of her work in her comments: “Want to thank you – just had a baby in Scotland and got the SMA heel prick test as standard. Midwives personally named you and the work you’ve done as to why it’s now offered.”

Would Messi have been lost to the World Cup forever had Argentina lost?

He would be 43 – the oldest outfield player to play at a World Cup – if he carried on to the next, though the lure of games being played in his home country may have sustained him.

Instead, Messi can look forward to a quarter-final here against either Switzerland or Colombia.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, watching in Atlanta for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “That was incredible. Spectacular. Argentina were down and out. They were out of the tournament at one point.

“Egypt are so frustrated with the refereeing decisions that have gone against them. They had a second goal disallowed before they got their second goal for an infringement that was almost on their own touchline.

“Then Lionel Messi just stepped in and took over. Beautiful assist, great finish for his goal, and then the substitutions worked for Argentina.”

Argentina’s recovery, and this was not simply the Messi show it should be said, also had implications for England who, when Egypt led, might just have believed it was a ‘now or never’ moment for reaching their first men’s World Cup final since 1966.

England’s path to the final was shaping up as Norway in the quarter-finals, then Egypt, Switzerland or Colombia in the last four if they got through.

Instead, there remains the shadow of Messi and Argentina as the potential obstacle should they overcome the dangerous Norwegians.

And Messi, even in advancing years, casts a giant shadow over any opponents, as Egypt found to their cost.

Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-phase games and now has eight goals in this one. It is the most by a player in the opening five games since West Germany’s Gerd Muller scored 10 in Mexico in 1970.

He has also contributed to 16 goals in his past nine World Cup games, with 13 goals and three assists.

England’s concern will be he still has the power to add more. And looks in the mood to do so.

NICK Knowles’ wife Katie has revealed that she’s been suffering with pain every day for ‘almost two decades’.

The brave star shared the news after undergoing surgery to remove parts of her reproductive system.

Katie posted an emotional video online where she’s hugging a loved one while sitting down in tears at home post-surgery.

Penned in the post’s caption, Katie shared a health update and rejoiced that the decades worth of pain she’s been feeling should now be gone.

She said: “I’ve made some videos from hospital and after my op, and I think I’m ready to share them.

“The ovaries. The endo. The adhesions. The organs that had stuck together. The prolapses. The bits of my body that have caused me pain for nearly two decades. All gone!

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“5 and a 1/2 hours in surgery. Mr Raafat has been amazing. He is the first surgeon who has ever made me feel truly heard and understood, and I’ve been through a fair few. Around 10, I think. He understood how draining, exhausting and painful this has all been, and he’s confident this should improve my quality of life. I am so grateful for that.

“Hopefully this is the last big recovery. Hopefully this is the start of life without that pain.”

Katie continued to share how she’s still in immense pain as she’s recovering from the operation, and it’s difficult to go through even though it’s temporary.

She explained: “I know this pain is short-lived. I know the scars, the stitches, the bleeding, the gas pain, the swelling, the injections, the cannulas, the bruises and all the awful hospital bits are temporary.

“But temporary doesn’t mean easy. It is brutal. My body feels completely battered.”

Katie finished the post off by sharing just how much endometriosis has impacted her life and how as much as she feels grateful now to go forward with less pain in the future, she still feels ‘heartbroken’.

Katie concluded: “Endometriosis and adenomyosis have taken so much from me. They’ve taken years. They’ve taken energy. They’ve taken confidence. They’ve taken plans. They’ve taken parts of my body. They’ve taken versions of me I’ll never get back.

“I wish I could go back and tell younger me she wasn’t weak. She wasn’t making it up. She deserved better. So yes, I’m relieved and grateful. I really am. But I’m also heartbroken.”

Fans reading the emotional caption left their well wishes in the post’s comments section, with one user saying: “You are so incredibly strong, please remember that. Sending so much love.”

A second shared: “Sorry you have been through all of this. I wish you a speedy recovery.”

A third added: “Much love to you and your family.”

Katie is the wife of TV presenter Nick, who has hosted shows including Who Dares Wins, DIY SOS and Break The Safe.

The health update comes two months after Katie opened up about her father sexually assaulting her for “years” as she grew up.

TAYLOR Swift’s aunt has revealed new details from the singer’s lavish wedding to Travis Kelce on Friday night.

The A-list couple tied the knot at Madison Square Garden with plenty of celeb guests watching on, and Taylor’s aunt, Robin Gentry, has revealed they were left in tears during the day.

When asked if the couple cried, Robin replied: “Oh they cried… and they laughed, and they danced and they hugged and they kissed.”

Speaking to LBC news, she was then asked what the reception’s dinner was like.

Not giving too much away, Robin said there was “lots” of food and nice cake.

Taylor and Travis said “I do” on Friday in what guests have called a “deeply moving” ceremony just 10 months after the couple announced their engagement in August 2025.

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In an unusual move, the pair chose to have actor Adam Sandler officiate the proceedings while also ditching the traditional bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Instead, they had members of their families by their sides with the groom having his brother and former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce as best man and Taylor having her brother Austin be her man of honor.

In another unusual wedding detail, Swift reportedly walked down the aisle to a strings rendition of one of her own songs while Jason and Kylie Kelce’s daughters scattered petals.

At around 7:30pm, Travis and Taylor’s marriage was confirmed with huge purple screens reading “JUST&T MARRIED!” lit up outside of Madison Square Garden, roughly an hour after Taylor’s SUV was spotted pulling into the venue.

After the ceremony, the couple threw a fairytale-esque party on the lower level of MSG with the theme reportedly mixing Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz.

 Ed Sheeran, Karlie Kloss, Dakota Johnson, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Kravitz, Erin Andrews, Matthew Stafford and Graham Norton were all seen arriving to the day.

THIS is the moment Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine got emotional as he made his late manager’s dream come true at BST Hyde Park.

The pop rock band headlined the London festival on Friday night in front of 75,000 people and dedicated a performance of Memories to Jordan Feldstein, who died suddenly in 2017.

Adam told the crowd at BST Hyde Park, which is sponsored by Vodafone: “This band playing Hyde Park was one of his dreams for us. And we’re making it true now and it’s un-f***ing-believable.

“It’s bittersweet because he’s not here tonight. So, this of course goes out to Jordan, our friend. My friend since I was born.

“I think that some of these songs mean something different to every single person that appreciates them.

“I know that you’re all thinking of someone and all that energy, it kind of comes together, especially on a beautiful night.

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“Take a look around you guys, it’s unbelievable. Look at all this, it’s crazy.”

Jordan guided the band since its launch in 1994 until his sudden death from a pulmonary thromboembolism, a blood clot in the lungs, almost nine years ago.

Memories, which was released in 2019, includes the lyrics, “here’s to the ones that we got, cheers to the wish you were here, but you’re not” and “toast to the ones here today, toast to the ones that we lost on the way”.

Speaking previously about his childhood friend and long-time manager, Adam said: “It was a tragedy foisted upon us and far and away one of the saddest moments of our lives, and personally of mine.

“This is a kid I’ve known since we were in diapers. He was one of the most important people in my life from a very early age.”

He closed out the rendition of Memories by pointing to the sky in honour of Jordan.

Adam’s emotional speech on behalf of the six-piece band was met with cheers.

It was a fitting moment during the nostalgic evening, which saw Maroon 5 perform their greatest old-time hits including Sunday Morning and She Will Be Loved.

One Republic, Jess Glynne and Ella Eyre had earlier performed throughout the day.

Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson was in tears as cameras caught the moment she was given her twin daughters’ devastating SMA diagnosis

Jesy Nelson has candidly shared the devastating moment her twin girls were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) sobbing: “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”

The heartbreaking scenes were captured as she filmed for her upcoming documentary, Jesy Nelson: Life Changing. The Amazon Prime Video cameras were on hand to capture the former Little Mix star’s reaction to the awful news as she said she “can’t believe this is happening”.

Doctors revealed the tots’ tests had come back positive. According to the NHS, SMA is “a rare genetic condition that can cause muscle weakness”. The organisation says the condition gets worse over time.

She revealed her whole life has changed, and she was predicted to struggle with the diagnosis. And Jesy is seen with her head in her hands as she says: “I don’t know how I’m going to do this. I feel like I’m going to be heartbroken for the rest of my life.”

But she says she refuses to let anyone else feel her pain and is determined to change laws and regulations surrounding SMA testing. And she has continued to update her followers on her twins’ condition online as the documentary gets ready to air later this month.

In the caption for the trailer, Jesy wrote: “I’m really not sure where to start with this one…All I can say is that I urge everyone to watch this documentary. It’s the most heartbreaking series I’ve ever had to make, but it’s one that needed to be made if we’re ever going to see real change.

“This is only a small glimpse into what my girls have to go through every single day. It’s the reality that so many children born with SMA have to endure and this is only the beginning of their lives.

“I truly hope this helps people understand why the heel prick test and treatment from birth are so incredibly vital. Early diagnosis can change EVERYTHING. I’ll keep saying it until no family has to experience this again: no future babies born with SMA should have lives that look like this.”

She ended with a plea: “Please if you watch one thing, let it be this: “Jesy Nelson: Life Changing” on @primevideouk, streaming from July 17th.”

Last month, Jesy was in Parliament as MPs debated whether to test all newborns for spinal muscular atrophy. She joined forces with the Mirror to highlight her petition which was signed by over 150,000 people demanding all newborns are checked for spinal muscular atrophy.

Scotland introduced screening in March. However, a similar scheme for England will only have a limited roll-out. And Jesy expressed frustration after public health minister Sharon Hodgson defended the staggered launch.

Jesy said: “I cannot believe we are still debating this. You are basically telling me that if you live in a certain postcode, you’re not as important. It’s outrageous.”

The decision, though, was defended by the public health minister, who had said limited testing facilities were preventing a full roll-out of screening for SMA.

The singer highlighted how late diagnosis of her own one-year-old twins meant they began treatment too late after irreversible nerve damage was done. She has since been told they will never walk.

Jesy Nelson: Life Changing will be shown on Prime from July 17

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Born in the Midlands – her football team is Derby County – Dean learned cricket at Havant Cricket Club in Hampshire, where her father Steven played after a fine Minor Counties career through the 1980s and 90s.

Windsor, three years older, coached Dean in junior cricket before they progressed through the Havant boys’ sides and into the Hampshire and Southern Vipers first XIs.

“There are cricket badgers that love watching the game who vocalise about it. She is a silent badger,” Windsor says. “She watches a lot of cricket but not in your face.”

An England age-group regular, Dean made her county debut for Hampshire aged 15, where her first seasons crossed over with the final years of England coach Charlotte Edwards’ illustrious playing career.

“The thing that stands her in such good stead is she reads cricket really well,” added Windsor.

“That is why we see her as a leader now. She always seemed to be cricket-smart.”

Dean and Edwards first met when Dean was a “very shy” 10-year-old but when she made her England debut in 2021, it was Edwards, by then Vipers coach, who was invited to present the 20-year-old with her first cap.

Such a quick ascent denied Dean, now the youngster of the teams, the chance to captain sides, as she had done coming through the Hampshire and England academy ranks.

Before this summer her only real experience in charge was two seasons in The Hundred with London Spirit, when an injury ruled out former England captain Heather Knight. She was preferred over Australia’s Beth Mooney and current New Zealand skipper Melie Kerr – two far more experienced players.

“My sense was Charlie was well respected within the group,” says Trevor Griffin, then Spirit’s coach. “She had a connection.

“It was always going to be a step up but the main thing for me was the curiosity she has around the game, she understood how to play it, she understood the format and the connection within the playing group.”

NEW YORK — David Clayton-Thomas, the lead singer of Blood, Sweat & Tears, whose husky, high-strung tenor on “Spinning Wheel,” “And When I Die” and other hits helped make the so-called brass rock band among the most popular acts of the late 1960s, has died at age 84.

Spokesperson Eric Alper said that Clayton-Thomas died peacefully Wednesday at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Alper did not cite a specific cause of death.

Clayton-Thomas was a onetime street fighter and petty thief from Canada who briefly became a rock superstar, the front man of a nine-member group that sold millions of records and won two Grammys for “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” which beat out the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” for best album of 1969. Calling out amid a jazzy parade of horns, keyboards and percussion, Clayton-Thomas’ urgent shout was a signature voice of the era, preaching love on the Motown cover “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” a lasting legacy on Laura Nyro’s “And When I Die” and a cool head on his own “Spinning Wheel.” Meanwhile, Blood, Sweat & Tears helped inspire a wave of horn-led bands, among them Chicago, the Electric Flag and Ten Wheel Drive.

“A lot of the guys [in Blood, Sweat & Tears] would play a Broadway show matinee, then go up to Harlem and play Latin music or R&B and funk at night, or come down to the Village and play pure jazz the next night,” Clayton-Thomas told Bestclassicbands.com in 2023. “I was just a blues player: Give me three chords and I’ve got a song.”

At its peak, Blood, Sweat & Tears’ appeal was so broad it helped lead to the band’s downfall.

Hip enough to perform at the 1969 Woodstock festival, where they were among the highest paid acts, they also were known enough to the establishment to tour Eastern Europe the following year on behalf of the State Department. When Clayton-Thomas and other band members denounced the Communist regimes on the other side of the Cold War, Rolling Stone’s David Felton wrote that “the State Department got its money worth.” Counterculture Yippies would turn up at a 1970 Blood, Sweat & Tears show at Madison Square Garden, carrying obscene banners outside and dumping manure by the front gate.

The band had practical reasons for going along with the government: Clayton-Thomas, who had allegedly wielded a gun at his girlfriend, had been denied a green card and faced deportation. But after topping the charts in 1970 with the album “Blood, Sweat & Tears 3,” their appeal soon faded. A burned-out Clayton-Thomas left the group in 1972, and neither he nor the remaining musicians ever regained their old stature. Blood, Sweat & Tears would continue recording over the next few years, and even briefly reunited with Clayton-Thomas, who went on to release more than a dozen solo albums and tour on his own for decades.

Beginning under a licensing agreement reached in 1984, Clayton-Thomas toured as “Blood, Sweat Tears” for 20 years with a revolving roster of bandmates. A 1994 Times review of a show at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano reported that “BS&T’s formula has legs, that its music has withstood the test of time. Indeed, in a world full of today’s pop harmonic minimalism, the sound of trumpets, trombones, guitar and sax backing a singer somehow seems fresh, even if it has been around for so long,” and Clayton-Thomas “still has all the enthusiasm and buzz-saw roughness that gave his voice its distinctive quality way back when.”

In 2005, BS&T re-formed (without Clayton-Thomas, who continued his solo career) and has toured since with various lead singers.

Clayton-Thomas was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996. “Spinning Wheel,” covered by everyone from James Brown to TV star Barbara Eden, was voted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame a decade later.

Born David Henry Thomsett on Sept. 13, 1941, in Kingston upon Thames, near London, and raised near Toronto and Ottawa, he was the son of a Canadian World War II veteran and of a pianist-entertainer who helped inspire her son’s interest in music. Thomsett was lucky to have the chance. He fought violently with his father, was living in the streets by his mid-teens and by age 20 was serving time in a reformatory for vagrancy, assault and other crimes.

An old guitar, left behind by a fellow inmate, changed his life. He taught himself to play and began spending extensive time in the early 1960s around Toronto’s Yonge Street music “strip,” where peers included the American rockabilly star Ronnie Hawkins, a mentor to Robbie Robertson and other future members of the Band and a guide for Thomsett early in his career.

Eager to reinvent himself, he changed his last name to Clayton-Thomas while leading his own groups. In the mid-’60s, he released such albums as “Sings Like It Is” and had a hit single with the antiwar rocker “Brainwashed.” He would also befriend a rising star, Joni Mitchell, whose childlike “Circle Game” helped inspire “Spinning Wheel,” and the venerable John Lee Hooker, who would indirectly contribute to Clayton-Thomas’ breakthrough in the U.S.

The band Blood, Sweat & Tears, including David Clayton-Thomas, far right, from the documentary “What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?”

(Sony Music Archives)

Hooker had encouraged Clayton-Thomas to move to New York, where the American bluesman had an engagement at the Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village. When Hooker unexpectedly departed for a tour of Europe, club owner Howard Solomon needed a replacement and recruited Clayton-Thomas.

“So I played him a couple songs on the guitar,” Clayton-Thomas told Bestclassicbands.com. “He said, ‘Do you have a band?’ I said, ‘Sure,’ and went out into Greenwich Village looking for anybody carrying a guitar case or even looking like a musician, and we put together a little band and we opened there that night. We ended up staying there for several months.”

Around the same time, session man-producer Al Kooper was looking to form a jazz-rock group and was joined by such musicians as guitarist Steve Katz, drummer Bobby Colomby and horn players Randy Brecker and Jerry Weiss. They called themselves Blood, Sweat & Tears, releasing the debut album “Child Is Father to the Man” early in 1968. Although praised by Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner as “a fine, exemplary group,” members were torn between those allied with Kooper and those who thought his vocals too weak to attract a substantial audience.

By the end of the year, Kooper and others had departed, and the band was seeking a new singer. After Judy Collins saw Clayton-Thomas perform, she recommended him to Colomby.

“I got home and just a couple of days later, Bobby Colomby called me up and said, ‘Hey, Kooper’s gone. We got four guys left out of the nine. And we still got a record contract with Columbia. Do you want to come down and try out for the band?’ ” Clayton-Thomas told Bestclassicbands.com. ”I said, ‘You’re damn right.’ I knew [bassist] Jim Fielder real well and I knew they were superb musicians. So I was on the next plane. We had a rehearsal that afternoon, an audition, and it was instant magic. We just knew right off the bat.”

Clayton-Thomas is survived by his daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham.

Italie writes for the Associated Press.

A number of the papers pick up on the jibe from a Tory MP who shouted “He’s not the Messiah” as Andy Burnham returned to the Commons. “Messiah without a Mandate” is the Daily Mail’s headline, pointing to the fact that Burnham may become prime minister without being challenged. The Telegraph suggests Burnham’s response, that he was “just a naughty boy”, is one reason why Labour likes him. “Compared with Keir Starmer, he’s the king of bants,” says the paper’s columnist Tim Stanley.

The farmer was visibly upset, breaking into tears, when Jeremy Clarkson announced his cancer diagnosis in the latest episodes of the TV show Clarkson’s Farm

Jeremy Clarkson’s devastating cancer diagnosis left farm manager Kaleb Cooper in tears.

The 66-year-old shared the news in the final episodes of his series Clarkson’s Farm, as he sat down to chat with Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland.

“I’ve got cancer,” Clarkson said during a conversation about the farm’s harvest.

Kaleb replied, “No, you haven’t. Where?”

The former Top Gear host has continued: “Where it is, is of no concern of anybody. I’ve known since May.”

“I had a medical, you remember back in May? I disappeared off the other week and I had a biopsy and it is cancer and it’s aggressive, but it’s really early so the treatment will be, you know…

“I was praying we could get the harvest done and then I could go and get some treatment but it’s going to be slap bang in the middle.”

Kaleb, wiping away tears, then said, “Look after yourself, you go and do… if you need anything just ring.”

Later in the show, Clarkson spoke about how the year had been challenging while talking to Kaleb, his girlfriend Lisa, and his two other employees.

“We started the year and I had coronary heart disease and ended it with me with cancer,” he explained.

“We can dwell as much as we like on all the bad things that have happened on the farm, but I think it’s better now, at the end of the year, to focus on things that have happened that are good.”

Kaleb asked, “When will we know the treatments worked?”

In response to Kaleb’s tears, the Who Wants to be a Millionaire host jests at him to “cheer up”.

“Not for another few weeks. Come on cheer up, it probably did work.”

The emotional episode has now been added to Prime Video.

Ahead of the episodes the TV star warned fans that they may be “a difficult watch”.

He posted on Instagram: “Ordinarily we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful. But the final two episodes which drop in the middle of the night tonight are none of those things really.”

In the clip, he took a deep breath and added: “They’re a difficult watch. They’re really, really difficult.”

After he announces the news to the farmers, Clarkson is later seen in a hospital bed set to undergo surgery.

However, Clarkson appears to maintain a positive attitude as he says he hopes to be back for a sixth season, before joking that if the treatment isn’t successful ‘take care everyone’.

Stacey Solomon and her Sort Your Life Out team left an East Sussex family in tears with a heartfelt tribute to their late grandmother

BBC Sort Your Life Out viewers were moved to tears by a heartwarming tribute to a beloved late family member.

Host Stacey Solomon and her dedicated team descended on a family in East Sussex to help transform their bursting-at-the-seams converted bungalow.

The household was headed up by single mum Nadine, who had called the property home since her teenage years, sharing it with her own mother.

Having brought up her four daughters there while also caring for her late mum, three generations of the Jamieson women had amassed mountains of DVDs, clothing and fine China for Stacey to work through.

Buried amongst the clutter, she uncovered 106 animal ornaments, 87 board games and over 1,000 pieces of Nadine’s China, reports Kent Live.

Reflecting on the belongings filling her home and how cluttered it had become, Nadine became emotional as she explained: “I’ve lived in this house since 1988 and it’s pretty much still in the condition it was in 1988.”

Her eldest daughter Merle chipped in: “It was a small crowded house but it wasn’t cluttered back then.”

Former NHS nurse Nadine tearfully continued: “Mum was the second parent. She was our rock and she was just our rock and made it so special for the girls.

“She started to need care in the last four years of her life, and I became full time carer. And that’s when I think it started to change.

“I didn’t have the time or energy to focus on the house because I had to focus on so many people.”

She added: “I need to have a home again and start living again.”

She heartbreakingly went on: “It’s a place I don’t want to be in. There’s no joy to come home to because you know what’s surrounding you.”

After the challenge of letting go of 40 years’ worth of possessions and memories, the family were left touched by a special tribute to Nadine’s mum.

Coming back home after Stacey and her team, including guest star Zoe Sugg, worked their magic, they saw a special memory of Nadine’s mum.

Nadine had earlier explained how her mum’s chair held its place of honour in the living room, with her old combs and hairbands still on it.

Instead of having the objects still there, Stacey, having transformed the living room to a brighter, emptier space, decided to embroider Nadine’s mum’s comb and headband and radio onto a little cushion.

She said: “I know how important Nan’s comb and headband and radio were to you, so instead of having them sat precariously on top of the chair, ready to fall at any minute, I thought, we could put it into the pillow, and then you could always look at her favourite things but keep her actual favourite things safe away.”

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Nadine’s daughter Merle commented. Breaking down into tears as she saw the cushion, she added: “That is too much.”

“It’s making you emotional,” Stacey replied, as Nadine’s daughter Beth also wiped back tears.

After seeing the response the family had to their new home, Stacey shared: “I think that might have been one of my favourite reactions ever.

“Nadine has, for the last 20-something years, just been looking after everyone around her.

“She’s been raising her kids, looking after her mum, putting all of her energy into everybody else.

“And now finally, she can bring some of that energy back to her, and she just deserves this so much.”

Nadine emotionally added: “Dreams come true.”

Sort Your Life Out is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

BBC expert Steve Fletcher was given the task of restoring a sentimental item on the latest episode of The Repair Shop.

Emotions were at an all-time high during The Repair Shop as BBC’s Steve Fletcher and Dominic Chinea welcomed Robin into the workshop.

The guest had a large globe with him, which he explained was a ‘world clock’ and was built by his great-grandfather.

He commented: “It’s based on a grandfather clock mechanism. The idea is that the clock makes the globe rotate once every 24 hours. Then, using the numbers on the ring around the equator, you can see what the time is anywhere in the world.”

The BBC stars were blown away as they both called it ‘amazing’ before Robin confessed that he’s never known it to work in his lifetime.

Curious, horologist Steve asked if his great-grandfather was a clock-maker, as the guest explained that he wasn’t, he had been a mechanical engineer, but made the item in his spare time in the 1930s after retirement.

He added: “There’s a little newspaper cutting in here, according to the newspaper it’s supposed to chime every half hour. It took him five years to perfect.”

Sadly, Robin shared that his great-grandfather died when he was one year old, but he has memories of the item in his grandad’s dining room.

When asked what he wanted them to do with the unusual clock, Robin stated the idea would be to get it working, which is something his own father had wanted to do but never was able to.

He added: “If he’d have seen it working, I think it would have really been special to him if I could get it working now, in his memory, but also, grandfather and great-grandfather before that. Just to keep the family legacy going, as it were.

In the end, after the item was worked on by both Steve and Jonathan Wright, it was time for Robin to return to see the final restoration.

When the globe was revealed, which the experts managed to get working once again, Robin was blown away. He commented: “Wow! Well, it looks gorgeous, it really does look gorgeous. I’m… I am stunned, I really am stunned. Thank you. That’s a lovely sound, isn’t it?”

When Steve turned the clock strike on, Robin laughed as he struggled to hold back his emotions. He added: “Wow, that is so sweet. Sorry. I’d have loved my dad to have seen it and heard it. He’d have been thrilled. It’s really, it is emotional.

“Extremely emotional, but it’s magical, fabulous. We shall treasure it until it’s time to hand it on to the next generation.”

Steve added: “It’s been a real great challenge, so thank you very much for bringing it in.

The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

A Welsh couple appeared on A Place in the Sun and broke down in tears after buying a Costa del Sol holiday home to honour their late family member.

A Place in the Sun presenter was moved to tears while discussing a heartbreaking family loss.

During a repeat episode broadcast on Wednesday, June 10, a Welsh couple were searching for a holiday home on the Costa del Sol, enlisting the assistance of host Jean Johansson.

Former body builder Darren and his wife Joanne, had a particularly poignant motivation behind their decision to purchase a property in Spain, wanting somewhere perfect for their three children and wider family.

They also decided to find somewhere following the sad death of Joanne’s brother Matt, with one of their final conversations being him encouraging them to “live the dream”.

Joanne emotionally told Jean: “My brother sadly passed away ten years ago and one of our last conversations was that I had to make sure that we have as much fun as possible and live the dream with our children,” reports Wales Online.

“Because he loved the beach and being abroad so much we thought this would be the perfect way to honour his memory.”

After viewing several properties, with a budget of £205,000, the couple submitted an offer of £170,000 on one apartment they were keen to add to.

At that moment, Joanne shared: “I do feel emotional, I just know this is what my brother would want and I am sure he is just looking down now with a big smile on his face.”

While their initial offer was turned down, their second bid of £178,000 was accepted, leaving Joanne overcome with emotion.

Breaking down, she shared: “This is for you, Matt!”

Expressing her gratitude to Jean, she continued: “We can now live the dream in my brother’s memory.

“The family can come here and think about him, my mum and dad just feel so close to Matt when we are at the beach and they can come here anytime they want now!”

Visibly moved, Jean responded: “I am so happy, I’ve never been happier for a couple.”

Raising a toast, Joanne said: “To Matthew and the family, and to living the dream!”

Jean added to the camera: “That was an emotional end to an exciting search, Darren and Joanne have the dream property for them and the whole family, and I know they are going to have loads of amazing holidays here in Malaga.”

Speaking after the episode originally aired in May 2024, Joanne told A Place In The Sun that they were “definitely living the dream”.

She said they get very emotional when they walk through the door, as the home is so linked to her brother, who loved the beach, but tragically died of cancer at the age of 27.

“We’ve taken out all the children and showed them the places we visited on the TV show, such as Lake Vinuela,” Joanne said.

“It already feels like home and I’d say we are definitely living the dream.”

A Place in The Sun is available to watch on Channel 4.

A woman who was unable to board her flight because of a little known EU rule has said she was left in tears by the incident that happened last month at Gatwick Airport

A 29-year-old mother of one was left in tears after she was prevented from going on a Jet2 flight she’d paid £2,500 because of an EU rule.

Jansen Porter, a property maintenance apprentice from Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, was attempting to fly out to Kefalonia, Greece, with her partner and daughter Lulu Smith on May 11 when the incident happened.

She claims that as their bags were being checked in at Gatwick Airport, that she was unable to get through because Jet2 staff told her passport wasn’t within the European Union’s 10 years limit. She has since claimed that the little known post Brexit rule “ruined” her family holiday.

Although her passport expires in December 2026, because it was issued in March 2016, it meant that under the rule it actually expired in March 2026 instead.

Jansen said that Jet2 staff explained to her that as passports no longer had a nine month carry over that she was unable to get on-board the plane.

The situation was made doubly tragic as the trip was to celebrate her daughter’s fourth birthday and it had been one she and her partner had been saving up to since Christmas.

Speaking about the holiday and why she had chosen Kefalonia in the first place Jansen said: “I was absolutely devastated and heartbroken. This was our first holiday. I booked Kefalonia because it’s actually where my mum took me for our first holiday when I was young.

“My daughter was really looking forward to it, we had this planned for a good couple of months and we saved for it. It ruined it for us. How is that legal? You pay for a passport, it gives you an expiry date, why does nothing tell you.

“Clearly the expiry date doesn’t count for anything, it’s all about the issue date. That’s insane, why is there nothing to tell you about this?”

Jansen went onto add that she was even more surprised at not being able to board the flight because she had no issues checking into the flight, and that it wasn’t flagged until she was actually at the airport.

She said: “They looked at mine, because mine was a burgundy one, and they were like ‘yeah yours is not within the EU 10 years’. I said ‘it’s not expired’ and they were like ‘but the EU doesn’t care’.

“We [had] Brexit. Why has this not been sorted? It should’ve been an automatic thing sent to everyone saying if you have a passport you need to go and get it renewed.”

The impact of the sudden blow had an immediate impact on Jansen who admitted to bursting into tears at losing a holiday she had saved so hard for. She said: “I was in tears in the airport, I just had a complete breakdown.

“You’re having to go against the tide of people walking in, you kind of hit hysterical a bit. I’d seen nothing about this on travel [news], there were no warning signs when you go through check in.”

Although, her original holiday timings were scuppered, Jansen was able to reorganise the holiday, albeit by spending another £800. She has since encouraged people to check their passports so they don’t get caught out like she did.

She added: “Make sure that your issue date is 10 years. think it needs to be more well known, I think companies need to make it mandatory to make sure they’re saying this.

“Expiry means expiry. Nobody else on this planet looks at an expiry date and goes ‘oh the expiry date is January, I should change it now in March’, it doesn’t work. Just check your passport. It’s not well known enough.”

Jet2 have been approached for comment.

A Four in a Bed star was moved to tears after receiving mixed feedback on their B&B.

A Four in a Bed contestant broke down in tears just moments into the episode.

Father-daughter team Dennis and Holly were competing in the show, which broadcast a repeat episode on Saturday.

The pair had been first to host their rivals at their Norwich B&B, impressing them with the spotless standards and Holly’s culinary talents at breakfast.

So taken were the guests that when the final round arrived, Holly and Dennis were showered with such glowing feedback that she became emotional.

During payment day, the duo heard responses from Kent hosts Harry and Sarah, Oxfordshire B&B proprietor Dawn, and Ollie, who runs a boutique hotel in Kent, reports Cambridgeshire Live.

While Ollie settled the full amount owed for his visit, Dawn deducted £10 citing the absence of a wardrobe in her room and unclean windows.

Addressing her remarks, Dennis confessed: “I’m genuinely disappointed by [the windows] because our standards should be much higher and generally are, so apologise for that. Not good enough.”

He subsequently told the camera: “Taking the money off was arguably a bit harsh, but I get it. We can’t complain too much, although it was uncomfortable.”

Dawn, however, defended her position, stating: “I stand by my payment because I believe that a wardrobe is a facility that should be in a B&B. And the window not being clean, everything should be spotless.”

Yet Harry and Sarah adopted a completely different approach, and actually paid Holly and Dennis more than expected for their accommodation. After presenting them with a £12 overpayment, Harry praised: “We had an amazing stay at your place. Everything you needed and more.”

Overwhelmed by his kind words, Holly broke down in tears, saying: “Thank you, sorry I get really emotional!”

Sarah, also becoming emotional, responded: “You’ll get me going!”

“It means a lot,” Holly added, while Harry later told the camera: “They ticked every box,” as Sarah commented: “They rival some of the best hotels that I’ve ever stayed in.”

Holly continued: “It means so much for us, and we’ve put so much into the business.”

Shortly afterwards, it emerged that Harry and Sarah’s overpayment had secured Holly and Dennis the top spot.

“I’m delighted,” Dennis said, as Holly added: “It’s the best feeling.”

He joked in front of the group: “We are all winners, but we’re the best winners.”

Dennis then told his daughter: “I’m very proud of Holly,” as she replied: “It wouldn’t be possible without you!”

Four in a Bed is available to watch on Channel 4.

JERSEY Shore’s Angelina Pivarnick has revealed she suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage just a week after announcing her pregnancy. 

In the latest episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Angelina, 39, was seen sharing concerns about her pregnancy in a confessional. 

She said: “I’m just not feeling myself. 

“Some stuff’s happening with me and my pregnancy and I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t even know what to do.”

Angelina then visited co-star Sammi Giancola, who was also pregnant, to ask for advice. 

Angelina told her: “I’m spotting. I’m wearing a pad right now.”

Sammi, 39, replied: “I’m going to be honest with you, when I miscarried – like a chemical pregnancy – I was spotting right away, and then it, like, just, it happened.”

Then, in a teaser trailer for next week’s episode, Angelina confirmed the devastating news. 

She said: “I woke up in the middle of the night. I’m actively miscarrying.”

Just a week ago viewers watched as Angelina, whose fertility struggles have been at the centre of her current storyline, shared the news that she was pregnant. 

After showing Sammi a positive pregnancy test, she said in a confessional: “I did not think I was able to get pregnant, but, wow, I’m… pregnant.

“This could be a great thing. This could be my fairy tale, my path, my baby.”

Angelina later called the unknown father, who she referred to only as John Doe-nor. 

She told him: “So, I have some news for you.

“I am officially, definitely pregnant – we’re having a baby!”

The Strictly Come Dancing star turns detective to investigate the mysterious death of her 14-year-old great-aunt in 1888, before uncovering a heartbreaking truth about why her grandfather was the only one of six siblings to be given up for adoption

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden is set to turn detective this week as she delves into her Welsh family history – uncovering a potentially murderous story and a heartbreaking family secret that left her in tears.

The professional dancer, 35, takes centre stage in the second episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, airing tonight, as she embarks on an emotional journey through West Wales that will see her investigate a rumoured murder and discover the painful truth behind her grandfather’s adoption.

Amy’s investigation begins with the death of her three-times great aunt Elinor, who died aged just 14 on a farm in 1888. Playing detective, the Caerphilly-born dancer travels through Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, desperate to uncover what really happened to her young relative all those years ago.

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“I really enjoyed playing detective but, gosh, what we unravelled there,” Amy says. “I found myself really wanting to learn more, faster and quicker. I didn’t want to wait to have to go to court or wait to learn more from another historian, you get really hungry wanting all the answers as quickly as possible.”

While the murder mystery remains open-ended, Amy discovers something special along the way – that a valley in Wales, Cwm Nell, is named after one of her relatives. “It’s so beautiful to be able to see the impact she made in her short life,” she adds.

But it’s on her father’s side where Amy makes the most devastating discovery. Determined to find answers for her dad, who never had information about his own father Frank’s birth family, Amy uncovers why her grandfather was the only one of six siblings to be unofficially adopted.

Frank was informally adopted as a baby after his mother Louisa died of breast cancer aged 39 and his father Bill, a Welsh miner, was left struggling to support six children during the 1921 miners’ strike.

“It was really shocking and emotional, but it was the answer to so many questions,” she explains. “Before we struggled to understand why my grandad Frank, who was one of several siblings, was the only one given up. We could never really understand why. But from the information we learnt, I think we felt a real sense of empathy, and then the sadness and heartache for them took over, really.

“My dad’s reaction to the news was that he was really shocked and quite upset.”

The journey also sheds light on her great-grandfather’s honourable service during the war and the harsh conditions faced by her working-class mining family. “You know about the history, but I don’t think you ever know about the severity of it all,” Amy reflects. “When you’re reading and seeing how it affected your own family it hits differently.”

For Amy, who is Welsh “through and through,” the experience has only deepened her connection to her homeland. “It’s made me even more proud to be Welsh,” she says. Her parents were so captivated by her discoveries that they retraced her steps, visiting every location from the programme.

The episode has brought together family members together, including Amy’s second cousin. “It really brought families who had never met before together. It’s been really heartwarming, really lovely.”

Who Do You Think You Are? airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden was left in tears after uncovering a heartbreaking family discovery.

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden was left fighting back tears after uncovering a heartbreaking family secret during her appearance on BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?

The beloved dancer delved into her ancestry on the popular genealogy programme, where she made a series of shocking discoveries about her family’s past.

Among them was the devastating revelation that a 13-year-old relative had been murdered, prompting Amy to seek out the truth behind the tragedy.

However, it was another discovery that truly struck a chord with the Welsh star. Exploring her dad’s side of the family after learning her grandfather had been adopted, Amy uncovered the story of her great-grandmother Louisa, who passed away young, leaving behind several small children.

The emotional revelation hit particularly close to home for Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, aged 32, after finding a lump before her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.

Upon learning that Louisa had died in 1921 at just 39 years old from breast cancer, Amy was visibly overcome with emotion, reports Wales Online.

“Oh my goodness,” Amy said, speechless for a moment. “That’s made me a little bit emotional.”

Pausing to compose herself, she tearfully shared, “She was only in her 30s. I wonder if there’s a link between her and me.”

Amy continued: “What an awful few years they went through, the war and then this cancer diagnosis, never mind then the Lockout with the collieries.

“My mum had breast cancer and witnessing her go through it, that was tough. Just the thought of the family having to go through what we went through, and it would have been worse then.

“But also, knowing the timing as well. Poor Bill, losing his wife to breast cancer and then having six children.

“Also, she had one of the same type of breast cancers as me, and I’d love to find out more, did she get surgery, did she have treatment? Was there a chance of cure?”

She added, “Knowing what she went through is horrible, but I’m lucky, I’m still here; it took her life, so it’s a bit raw.”

Hearing of the treatment that wouldn’t have been available for Louisa, with cancer at the time known as an incurable disease, Amy shared: “I can’t imagine, I know what it’s like to have a cancer diagnosis, but I’m a lucky one, I’ve been able to come out the other side.”

Louisa’s six children were aged between 11 years old and just one year old, including Amy’s grandfather Frank, who was informally adopted after her death.

“You instantly just feel for these children,” Amy said. “To lose their mum, the girls grew up without a mother and probably also had to become a mother really to the younger siblings.”

She continued, “It’s heartbreaking to see a family go through losing a mum. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to be told you’ve got cancer, and knowing then that was a death sentence.

“I’d imagine Louisa and Bill had to make a very difficult decision, most likely together, about my grandfather Frank, and that must have been absolutely heartbreaking.”

Amy Dowden’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on Tuesday 2 June at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer, with Zoe Ball’s episode airing tonight.

Casualty returned to screens on Saturday night, after being pulled from BBC schedules last week

Long-running medical drama Casualty returned to screens on Saturday, with fans left in tears.

The hit BBC series focuses on staff at the Accident and Emergency department of the fictional Holby City Hospital, as they deal with serious and often emotional cases.

Casualty’s latest boxset, Lethal Legacy, was briefly paused last week, as it made way for the BBC’s coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Now, the beloved drama has returned, much to the delight of fans. However, a heartbreaking twist was in store for two beloved characters.

During the latest episode (May 23), Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) discovered that Matty Linlaker (Aron Julius) had covered for her previous mistake.

Stevie notably administered too much morphine to a young girl who was saved from an explosion by Teddy Gowan (Milo Clarke).

As her confidence was given a further blow by a troubling letter, Stevie feared that revealing the truth could bring other secrets to light.

Meanwhile in the NICU ward, Faith Dean (Kirsty Mitchell) was hopeful that her baby, Pearl, could be discharged soon, but Rash Masum (Neet Mohan) warned that she still needed to learn how to feed properly.

Later, as Rash performed a lumbar puncture on another baby, Faith alerted him to the fact that Pearl was choking. After a few moments, Pearl stopped breathing, with Rash and the fellow doctors quickly springing into action.

Faith’s husband, Iain (Michael Stevenson), eventually made it to the NICU to find his devastated wife in tears. Rash then confirmed that Pearl had suffered a cardiac arrest, but was stable.

Viewers were quickly left feeling emotional, with one X (formerly Twitter) user writing: “Poor Pearl omg.”

Another wrote: “Pearl!” alongside several crying emojis. A third said: “Iain [sad emoji]. Faith [sad emoji]. Thank Goodness Pearl’s okay!”

Someone else commented: “The sigh of relief when they said Pearl was okay,” with a fifth viewer saying: “Looking forward to Kirsty shattering my heart into pieces.”

Meanwhile, another viewer shared their concerns about another new mum called Mia Stern (Macadie Amoroso).

“Got a horrible feeling we’re going to have a Baby Snatching Storyline,” they wrote, with another adding: “Yeah that Mia was a bit sketchy.”

Someone else added: “Why do I have a HORRIBLE feeling Faith is walking out of that hospital with no intention of coming back soon after what just happened to Pearl. I hope I’m VERY wrong.”

Does newcomer Mia have an ulterior motive, and has Faith walked out on her family? We’ll have to wait and see.

Casualty is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

A glorious seaside spot with a brilliant cafe, beach, play areas and a fantastic quirky place to stay the night.

British coastal resorts have long been popular hotspots for families but the seaside village of Llanfairfechan is one I have to say I’ve never stopped in over the years, despite it being just off one of the country’s busiest roads. Now that I have two young sons to entertain, it was time to rectify that, and what a treat we had in store at this beautiful little spot.

It feels like a bit of a hidden gem in many ways: lovely and quiet and a place I never hear mentioned when people talk about great seaside towns and villages in Wales. Slipping under the radar has its perks though: it was so peaceful, we found that we had the stretch of beach all to ourselves a lot of the time. We enjoyed long walks splashing in the waves while admiring the glorious views out to Puffin Island and Anglesey, and over to the Great Orme and Llandudno.

Llanfairfechan grew as a resort town in north Wales in Victorian times, and was a favourite spot of Prime Minister William Gladstone. It features a lengthy promenade next to the sea, as well as a beautiful row of pastel-coloured villas, with the spectacular Penmaenmawr mountain as the backdrop giving it a picture postcard feel. When the sun is shining, as it did across our weekend stay, it’s just the most perfect place for a family visit. Ever likely locals jokily call it “Llanfairote” (a playful nod to the Spanish island).

Things to do in Llanfairfechan

There are two free play areas, a skate park, a boating lake and, from May through the summer, an adorable free community paddling pool open daily from 10am to 7pm. And with that vast expanse of beach to explore there’s loads to do without even having to spend a penny.

The beach offers glorious views along the Welsh coast and if you look closely enough you can even see the shape of Beaumaris Castle and as far as Penrhyn.

While we found there was plenty to entertain us in Llanfairfechan itself (and the kids would have happily spent day and night on the beach) it also offers the perfect base for wider explorations in this gorgeous part of Wales.

We headed up for a walk to Aber Falls on one day, while we also made the short journey to the historic town of Conwy to visit the castle there which, again, my kids absolutely loved.

Where we stayed

We were fortunate enough to stay in one of the colourful seafront villas in Llanfairfechan during our visit, at the pretty pink Claremont with glorious views right next to the beach.

The family-owned home has been passed down through several generations, and has recently become a very chic holiday let thanks to the interiors inspiration of owner Kate.

The family spent three years renovating the property with an eclectic mix of stylish furnishings. Kate said: “This house is very special to us and has been in my family for over 80 years.

“It’s been a real labour of love, we have been letting the house out for coming up to 4 years now and it is really rewarding having other families fall in love with the house and area and getting lots of lovely reviews and return visits.”

It’s easy to see why families fall in love with this place. It boasts wonderful airy rooms spread across three floors, with bed accommodation for up to eight people, including one room with bunk beds for children. There’s also a private back garden that gets the sun in the mornings, and the long stretch of garden at the front looking out to the sea.

On the ground floor is the very stylish kitchen and dining room, while upstairs is the main living room – both of these making the most of the spectacular bay front windows with views out across the beach and the sea on to Puffin Island and Anglesey.

I cannot begin to explain how glorious it was to sit in these windows and watch the sun set over the islands each evening during our stay, and then see the bright lights of Llandudno prickle to life on the coast as night fell.

You can feel its warmth as a family home, and the owners have also kindly left some board games available for use during your stay. Monopoly went down a treat with my two boys which we played while gazing out of those windows.

My kids totally fell in love with this place and were fighting back tears when we had to pack up to head home after our sunny weekend. I’m already plotting a return, as it would be a great place to bring other family members with us too next time.

Food and drink

Another joy of this village is the brilliant local cafe and takeaway Seagrass. This was recommended to us by Claremont’s owner Kate, who suggested we book our Friday night takeaway ahead of arriving that day to ensure we had a slot as it gets busy.

We are so glad we did. We had the most epic fish and chips, with a really unusual light batter, and chips in the traditional “like my gran used to make” style. We also ordered some of the weekly specials including a spicy fried chicken with salad, while the kids enjoyed their chicken and chips.

They were also doing pizzas on the night we visited that seemed to be very popular. And with the weather being so good we were able to sit out on the beach to eat our food from the takeaway boxes too. They also cook up some epic brunch dishes, while there’s also an array of freshly-baked cakes and traybakes, as well as a cabinet of ice creams too.

For those wanting something more casual, there’s also a traditonal beachside cafe right on the Promenade where you can get hot and cold food too.

Again, on the recommendation of Kate, we also booked a visit to Johnny Dough’s pizzas in Conwy on our day out there. They serve up giant fresh wood-fired pizzas, and if you head there before 6pm kids can do a “make their own pizza” too.

Staying there

Dianne was a guest at Claremont on The Promenade in Llanfairfechan. It is a full house holiday let which can sleep up to eight people, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Minimum break is three nights, while four-day short breaks start from £645. There is still good availability for bookings in June and September in 2026. All bookings are via the Claremont by the Sea website.

Llanfairfechan is just off the North Wales Expressway (A55) between Llandudno and Bangor. There is also a train station.