A station in southeast London has been temporarily renamed Jude Bellingham Station before England faces off with Argentina in a seismic semi-final World Cup showdown. Fans hope the star midfielder can help England through to their first World Cup final since 1966.
A SCULPTURE of David Brent has been unveiled – at a Premier Inn in Slough.
The clay creation of Ricky Gervais’ most iconic character marks 25 years since The Office UK first hit British TV screens.
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David Brent impersonator Tim Oliver poses with the sculptureCredit: SWNS
Commissioned by Premier Inn, it is positioned inside its Slough Trading Estate hotel – the exact location of the original exterior shots used for ‘Wernham Hogg’ in the series’ opening credits.
The beloved TV show followed the fortunes of character David Brent from his life as a regional manager in a paper office to life on the road as a travelling salesman.
It was unveiled by Brent impersonator Tim Oliver, who re-enacted the pose as well as some of the character’s signature dance moves, which helped make Berkshire-born writer Gervais internationally famous.
The bust – which took 120 hours to put together and weighs seven kilograms – will be a permanent installation at the site.
A spokesperson for the hotel chain said: “The exact site of the world’s most famous office, Wernham Hogg, is now one of our hotels and so we’re thrilled to unveil this brilliant tribute to mark its place in British comedyhistory.
“Ricky’s iconic character truly put Slough on the map, and it’s only fitting to honour him with this memorable statue, which we hope will be particularly popular with some of the millions of business travellers who stay with us each year.
“Whilst the building itself is totally transformed – our guests are more likely to be interested in pillows than photocopiers – eagle-eyed fans will certainly spot the similarity in the footprint of the site.”
The hotel company also commissioned research of 2,000 adults which found David Brent’s unforgettable Comic Relief dance topped a list of favourite moments from the show.
It picked up 26 per cent of the vote from Office fans and was followed by Dawn returning to the Christmas party to kiss Tim in the denouement of the festive special (15 per cent).
More than one in 10 (13 per cent), meanwhile, selected Tim’s prank from the very first episode, encasing desk mate and nemesis Gareth’s stapler in lurid yellow jelly.
It emerged 72 per cent of respondents who watched the show consider it a nostalgic snapshot of what working life was like in the early 2000s.
Although 68 per cent are glad they don’t work in an environment like Wernham Hogg – the fictional working home of David Brent.
Elements of working life people believe have changed for the better include flexible working hours (39 per cent), improved office technology (28 per cent) and the business attire (27 per cent).
A fifth (20 per cent) cited an increased focus on wellbeing, and 16 per cent a greater diversity in teams, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
The spokesperson for Premier Inn said: “From tech to business attire, office life has changed drastically in the 25 years since the show aired but what hasn’t changed is the need for business travellers to know what they’re getting with a great night’s sleep in a comfortable room ready to face the day – no matter how embarrassing their boss is.”
The study also saw Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, creators of The Office, named the best comedy writing duo of the 21st century (16 per cent).
“This has been an incredible journey that began with a visit to Knoxville, Tennessee. Leanne Morgan is the whole package. A comedic genius, a warm, loving human being, and an absolute joy to work with.”
Kristen Johnston, Celia Weston, Blake Clark, Ryan Stiles, Jayma Mays, Tim Daly, Graham Rogers, Hannah Pilkes, and Andrea Anders are all set to reprise their roles for the second season. Fresh faces are also joining Season 2 and here’s everything you need to know about the new series.
When is Leanne Season 2 out?
Leanne is making its Netflix comeback for a second season on August 27, with the sitcom’s latest run consisting of 10 episodes.
Fortunately for devotees, all 10 instalments will arrive simultaneously, allowing them to binge-watch to their hearts’ desire.
The second run is considerably more compact than the first, which featured 16 episodes, and it remains inspired by Leanne’s stand-up performances.
The sitcom chronicles Leanne’s journey as her world gets flipped upside down when her husband of 33 years unexpectedly walks out on her for another woman.
Throughout the series, “Leanne learns to embrace the chaos and finds strength, laughter, and hope in the most unexpected places”.
Who is joining the cast of Leanne Season 2?
Fresh faces include country music sensation and Yellowstone star Lainey Wilson.
The 34 year old country artist from Louisiana made her television debut in Yellowstone in 2022, taking on the role of Abbey.
She also has her own Netflix documentary chronicling her career, and made her big-screen debut in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel Reminders of Him.
Actress and model Jaime Pressly is also joining the cast, best recognised for her portrayal of Joy Turner in the NBC sitcom My Name Is Earl.
Actor and comedian Billy Gardell, famous for Mike & Molly, has similarly signed up for the series, alongside accomplished film and theatre actress Tyne Daly.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The Franco-German KNDS company has presented a new main battle tank, which it is offering to France as an interim replacement for its Leclerc fleet. The development comes as France recognizes that it will need a Leclerc successor before the next-generation Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) becomes available. This joint French and German program is complicated and already delayed, while Europe at large is increasingly alert to the need for capable tanks and other armored vehicles as the threat from Russia grows, and trust around U.S. military backing diminishes.
The proposed CAPINT tank was unveiled at the Eurosatory defense show on the outskirts of Paris this week.
Europe currently has four major lines of development effort for future main battle tanks (excluding the United Kingdom), ranging from multinational programs to national developments. The landscape has become much more fragmented over the past two years, as nations have increasingly understood the urgency of fielding new-generation armored vehicles.
Arguably the most ambitious of these programs is the now-delayed Franco-German MGCS, which began in 2017 and is now expected to arrive in service some time in the mid-2040s. With the MGCS delayed by roughly a decade, both France and Germany have a looming capability gap. In the case of France, its Leclerc tanks are due to be taken out of service by 2038.
French Army Leclerc tanks during the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris on July 14, 2025. Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP
As well as the main battle tank that is supposed to be its centerpiece, the MGCS program, as a ‘system of systems,’ is expected to field other crewed and uncrewed vehicles. These will likely be tasked with electronic warfare, air defense, or as platforms from which to launch drones or loitering munitions or fire directed-energy weapons.
Alongside this effort, around a dozen European nations (excluding France) are currently working on research and development under the MARTE (Main ARmored Tank of Europe) program, which is looking at tank requirements for the post-2040 period.
Against this complicated backdrop, France and Germany have both come to the realization that they will need new tanks before the MGCS arrives in service.
As a result, Germany is now working on the Leopard 3, also known as the Leopard 2AX, expected to provide a service-ready fighting vehicle around the early 2030s.
Back in April of this year, French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin told parliament that Paris had decided to launch an “intermediate” tank program to mitigate delays affecting MGCS.
To meet the French requirement for a stopgap tank, KNDS is now proposing its CAPINT (CAPacité INTérmédiaire, or Interim Capability).
This will combine a French turret and main gun on the hull of a German Leopard 2, a tank that is already in production for a variety of customers. Should this solution be chosen, a new Leopard 2 would likely be set up in France to manage the demand.
Interestingly, another new tank on show in Paris this week, the New Main Battle Tank (NMBT) concept demonstrator, from the Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV) joint venture, also uses a Leopard 2 hull as its starting point, although that may change in the future. Derived from the Rheinmetall Panther KF51, the new tank is being offered to the Italian Army, which is also looking for a successor to its current Ariete main battle tank.
An Italian Ariete main battle tank during the Allied Spirit 2022 military exercise at the Hohenfels military training area in Germany. Photo by Armin Weigel/picture alliance via Getty Images
Returning to the CAPINT tank, the turret will be uncrewed and armed with the 120mm ASCALON smoothbore gun from KNDS France. The plan is to have the turret able to accommodate a 140mm cannon in the future. The 120mm ASCALON has already undergone firing trials using an uncrewed turret on a moving vehicle. Meanwhile, the 140mm version of the ASCALON is planned for the MGCS.
#ASCALON
Unlike larger-caliber guns that have been proposed for future tank programs in the past, the 120 mm ASCALON offers the advantage of being fully compatible with all NATO-standard 120 mm ammunition. This means operators can maintain and leverage their existing ammo stockpiles.
The three crew of the CAPINT will be carried in an “armored citadel” at the front of the vehicle, which will be defended by passive composite armor as well as reactive and active protection systems.
The active protection system will be developed by KNDS and will be distributed around the turret and hull, so its defensive effectors provide more complete coverage.
In the meantime, it is interesting to note that a Leclerc outfitted with an anti-drone “cope cage” on top of its turret is part of the dynamic demonstration of military equipment at Eurosatory this week.
A Leclerc main battle tank with an anti-drone “cope cage” during a dynamic demonstration of military equipment at Eurosatory this week. Photo by Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP
KNDS says it will complete a CAPINT demonstrator tank as early as 2030 and, should France choose to go with it, it could deliver the first series-production examples in 2035, leading to frontline deployment in 2037.
There is also a plan to incorporate into the CAPINT some of the advanced systems that are intended for the MGCS.
These elements are likely to include fully integrated AI, the aforementioned passive/reactive/active protection systems, counter-drone warfare, and beyond-line-of-sight engagement capability.
Another feature of the MGCS program that would likely be brought forward for the CAPINT tank is accompanying uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs). According to MGCS, one or two types of “robotic wingmen” are planned for the interim tank. These UGVs will be able to keep up with the tank, but will be small enough to be affordable. Their cost will also be governed by offering different levels of passive protection.
Concept artwork showing four different MGCS vehicles all based on the same main battle tank chassis. The vehicle second from left includes a pop-up launcher for some kind of rocket artillery or possibly loitering munitions. Hensoldt
The renewed focus on tank programs reflects a broader resurgence of armored warfare across Europe, driven largely by lessons from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While that conflict has highlighted the vulnerability of tanks to drones, loitering munitions, and precision anti-tank weapons, it has also underscored that heavily protected, mobile firepower remains indispensable for combined-arms operations. As a result, European militaries that once downsized or delayed armored modernization are now investing heavily in new main battle tanks and upgrades.
While the need for interim tanks in both France and Germany is becoming increasingly urgent, the current push for the CAPINT and for the German Leopard 3/Leopard 2AX does risk putting the MGCS program under threat.
The Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 technology demonstrator will feed into the future Leopard 3. KNDS
“We are already working to create what will be the combat of tomorrow,” KNDS CEO Jean-Paul Alary said during a press conference at Eurosatory yesterday. “Maybe the combat of tomorrow, the ambition of MGCS, will come a little bit earlier than the project itself.”
Meanwhile, according to Reuters, a German government spokesperson raised doubts about the future of MGCS, saying that the project would be focused on “platform-independent” technologies, adding that it was not clear whether a joint tank would still be built.
Depending on how capable these stopgap tanks prove to be, the decision of France and/or Germany to walk away from the more complex MGCS program could become easier. Much will likely also depend on the path that the MARTE program takes, with the possibility that MGCS requirements could be superseded. Meanwhile, recent experience with the Franco-German-led pan-European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) has highlighted just how difficult it can be to keep programs like these on track, regardless of how badly they may be needed.
A massive 850-square-meter street mural of football star Neymar da Silva, created by six artists over two days in Brazil’s Novo Hamburgo, is turning heads ahead of the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup.
