1 hour ago Envy, ego, pride and pain: what I learned from publishing my first book | Hamilton Nolan

Years torturing yourself before a blank page are followed by months of scrambling for publicity, followed by oblivionThere are only two types of people who make the mistake of writing a book: non-writers, who don’t know any better; and writers, who can never be happy and therefore must always seek out pain in order to feel alive. Either way, every book is the product of suffering. The best thing a new author can hope for is to discover that he is a masochist.After two decades as a journalist, I published my first book in 2024. This does not make me special. In the same way that people in relationships often wake up one day married with kids due purely to peer pressure, all professional writers bear the burden of the expectation that they will write a book. With each passing year, those who haven’t done so are regarded with increasing suspicion. Typing all those words, but not a single book? Why, don’t you have anything to say?Hamilton Nolan is the author of The Hammer: Power, Inequa...

Politics

1 hour ago Morrisons shopper buys bakery mystery box for £2 and can't believe what's inside

A Morrisons customer could barely believe her eyes when she opened a mystery box she purchased via the Too Good To Go app for just £2. The items were beyond her imagination

Economics

10 hours ago ITV Wheel of Fortune fans slam Christmas special as they spot same issue during celebrity edition

Wheel of Fortune fans were left underwhelmed with the Christmas special that aired on Saturday night. 

Sport

5 hours ago Pop Idol star Rik Waller has unexpected career 23 years since finding fame amid professional disaster

Pop Idol star Rik Waller was tipped to win the first series before he was forced to pull out of the show – today, he has a completely different career away from the spotlight

Events

2 hours ago Watch Alfredo Morelos ride a HORSE amid crazy Colombian title party as ex Rangers star goes giddy up

The 28-year-old is back in his homeland on loan but the man who took him to Ibrox is now in charge of his parent club Santos

Politics

3 hours ago Woman pays £2 for surprise Morrisons bakery bag – and is blown away by contents

Elmi used the Too Good To Go application to snag a mystery food bundle from Morrisons supermarket for £2 – and she couldn't believe her eyes when she opened it up

Economics

12 hours ago You can't beat the Dales for ales! Beer fans say they prefer Emmerdale's The Woolpack over Coronation Street's The Rovers Return in battle over soap drinking spots

Emmerdale's local pipped its Manchester rival to the post after the Campaign for Real Ale, published two editions of the Good Beer Guide for 2025, with each featuring one of the pubs on its cover.

Events

2 hours ago Winter sun destination is 30C in January and direct flight away from Manchester

If you're looking to escape the cold and spend the first month of the year on a beach, then this is the destination for you. Here's everything you need to know about the tourist spot

Politics

3 hours ago Debenhams shoppers 'floored' when they see inside of dehumidifier reduced to £85

“Really cant believe the amount of water it collects.”

Economics

15 hours ago Woman spots late dad sitting in favourite spot on Google Street View 11 years after death

Katie Scott, from Salford, Greater Manchester, discovered her father Arthur Scott, who died from complications of kidney failure, has been immortalised on Google Street View

Events

4 hours ago Supermarket once named most expensive at New Year now just pennies off being cheapest

It's just a couple of pennies between the cheapest supermarket now

Politics

6 hours ago Amazon shoppers rave about £25 smartwatch that's 'just as good as Apple and Samsung'

The Ruimen Smartwatch has received more than 8,000 positive reviews from customers

Economics

17 hours ago Nigel Farage piles pressure on Kemi Badenoch to apologise for her 'crazy conspiracy theory' that Reform's soaring membership numbers are fake

The Reform UK leader will spend the weekend weighing up what action to take if Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch ignores his calls for an apology over the 'crazy conspiracy theory'.

Events

4 hours ago 'Genius' salt hack to quickly unclog your drains with absolutely no effort

A new cleaning hack has stolen the spotlight for trending tips on social media and involves a common item in your kitchen cupboard. Experts have shared why salt works so well for unclogging drains

Politics

19 hours ago Supermarket shopps say 'its crazy' after spotting product on shelves before New Year

“I just think its crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial"

Economics

17 hours ago Ollie Watkins issued Aston Villa warning as star fights for striker spot

The former Brentford forward has been relegated to the bench in recent weeks due to the red-hot form of Jhon Duran - but is set to start against Brighton on Monday

Events

5 hours ago Declan Rice singles out Arsenal's new wonderkid who 'was built in a lab'

Myles Lewis-Skelly is the latest academy product to emerge at Arsenal with Declan Rice confident the teenager can reach huge heights, hailing his natural ability

Politics

18 hours ago Noughties pop star unrecognisable as he enjoys resurgence 20 years on from hit single

A noughties pop singer who found fame with his song about having a Bad Day has been brought back into the spotlight after performing on a hit Canadian talent show

Events

5 hours ago Pop Idol's Rik Waller unrecognisable 23yrs after the show with unusual new career

Pop Idol star Rik Waller was tipped to win the first series before he was forced to pull out of the show – today, he has a completely different career away from the spotlight

Politics

26 hours ago 'I used to work at Tesco and these are 11 things I wish I could tell customers'

A former Tesco employee has revealed the 11 things that they wish they could tell their customers, as the supermarket giant gears up for its New Year rush.

Economics

18 hours ago I broke down in tears when I spotted my dad in his favourite spot on Google Street View 11 years after he died

Katie Scott, 49, found a picture of her late father Arthur, who passed away in 2013, on the search engine's 360 historic street imagery this month.

Events

7 hours ago The five south east London pubs that have captured our hearts this year

The five south east London pubs that have captured our hearts this year  News Shopper

Politics

27 hours ago Inside Britain's deserted ghost shopping centres littered with boarded

In the Kent commuter town of Dartford, locals say the town has slipped into a decline since the introduction of the sprawling Bluewater Shopping Centre in 1999.

Economics

21 hours ago Moment boy rescued after being found floating in bubble in the middle of the sea

Rafael Graça do Prado, 32, who runs a tourism boating business, has told how he spotted the large plastic ball while in the sea off Lazaro Beach near Sao Paulo, Brazil

Events

11 hours ago Optical illusion with lines and black boxes has everyone seeing the wrong thing

Your brain is being tricked right now, this optical illusion is playing tricks on your perception – take a closer look and see if you can spot the truth!

Politics

28 hours ago SPOT THE DUPE: Gold leather trousers are the ultimate investment this party season, but can you tell which look totals £129 and which costs £4,287?

Gold leather trousers are everywhere right now, but how much do you need to spend? With more than £4,000 separating these, we'll let you decide

Economics

22 hours ago Shoppers bemused as Easter eggs hit shop shelves before New Year’s Eve

‘They’ve not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates yet,’ remarked one customer.

Events

11 hours ago Magical UK island has gorgeous coastlines and the chance to spot dolphins

This gorgeous remote island has plenty to offer.

Politics

30 hours ago 'Fantastic' Ninja gadget shoppers 'wish they bought sooner' just £15 with deal stack

The time-saving Ninja Professional Stackable Chopper normally costs £29.99 but with TopCashback you can bag it for just £14.99

Economics

27 hours ago Strange 'red orbs' spotted over New Jersey by plane passenger as drone mystery continues

Americans have been gripped by the sightings of dozens of drones in the skies above New Jersey and New York with many conspiracy theories being shared to explain the phenomenon

Events

11 hours ago Taylor Swift fans spot secret message in Travis Kelce date night outfit

The power couple enjoyed a double date in New York City with music producer Jack Antonoff, whom Taylor often works with, and his wife Margaret Qualley this Friday night.

Politics

34 hours ago Councils to be given ability to issue fines for minor misdemeanours as critics fear they could lead to abuses of power

Local councils are to be given sweeping powers to issue on-the-spot fines for minor misdemeanours such as climbing trees in parks.

Events

13 hours ago Extraordinary size and staying power: the unlikely origin of a mighty Australian avocado

A chance planting 30 years ago produced an avocado three times the size of other varieties. From March, Jala trees will be sold nationallyMore summer essentialsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThirty years ago, Ken Spackman cut down an avocado tree planted by his father on the family’s Palmwoods property on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. He planted a seed from the tree in a different spot on the farm, with no expectation it would flourish.“That seed did it pretty tough – no water, no fertiliser,” recalls neighbour John Mongan. “But a tree grew from nothing, alone and out of the way, so it must have been lucky.” Continue reading...

Politics

15 hours ago Justin Herbert shines as LA Chargers trounce Patriots to clinch playoff spot

Herbert throws three TDs as Chargers win 40-7Patriots lose sixth straight for second time in 2024Justin Herbert threw three touchdown passes and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their second playoff appearance in three seasons with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots on Saturday.The win also secured the fourth postseason appearance in Jim Harbaugh’s five seasons as an NFL coach, adding to the three he made during his stint with the San Francisco 49ers. Continue reading...

Politics

16 hours ago ITV Wheel of Fortune viewers 'bored' as they spot same problem with Christmas special

The Wheel of Fortune requires contestants to guess well known phrases and words, all whilst trying to raise the biggest jackpot - without losing a turn or going bankrupt

Politics

16 hours ago Love Island star sets record straight on pregnancy rumours after fans spotted 'bump'

A former Love Island star has taken to social media to address pregnancy rumours with her boyfriend from the show as fans thought they spotted a 'bump' in her latest post

Politics

16 hours ago ITV Wheel of Fortune fans fume 'I'm bored' as they spot same problem with 'easy' puzzle

Wheel of Fortune was back this evening for a Christmas special, hosted by Graham Norton - with Tyler West, Richard E Grant and Joanna Page playing to win money for charity.

Politics

17 hours ago Corrie legend who played Jim McDonald boasts of wild nights out with Katie Price

“I have always had a soft spot for Pricey. I’ve always felt that she has been let down by friends and boyfriends alike.”

Politics

19 hours ago BBC Breakfast viewers baffled as presenter broadcasts live from a pub before sunrise

Viewers tuning in to BBC Breakfast on Saturday morning were unsure over a segment that spotlighted a local community that banded together to save the Ickleton Lion pub from closure

Politics

19 hours ago Michelle Keegan looks effortlessly stylish as she joins husband Mark Wright and her family for breakfast in Essex

The actress, 37, and the former TOWIE star, also 37, seemed to be in high spirits as they also enjoyed a spot of post-Christmas shopping.

Politics

21 hours ago Debenhams boots that 'feel like a glove' for wider calves are selling out

Shoppers are raving about the 'Wynter' boots - now significantly reduced

Politics