17 h. ago EastEnders newcomer Bea star has very famous ex and fans will be floored

The BBC soap has welcomed Bea Pollard as the school friend of Linda Carter as a new storyline kicks off

Politics

44 h. ago Rosenior needs bright start at Chelsea to avoid being a focus for fan discontent | Jacob Steinberg

The club are in a decent position but there is dissatisfaction with the ownership and the new head coach must not get caught in the crossfireThe way Chelsea are run will come as no surprise to Liam Rosenior. He has longstanding relationships with three of the five sporting directors and will know from his time at Strasbourg, who are part of the same ownership, that the head coach’s best chance of surviving is not to make the mistake of rebelling against the structure.Rosenior will have to show more political savvy than Enzo Maresca, who talked himself out of the job last week. Yet given the 41-year-old is familiar with the working conditions at BlueCo, the investment vehicle that owns Chelsea and Strasbourg, his biggest challenge is unlikely to be managing upwards. Rosenior will know where to train his focus and not to rock the boat. Crucially, he does not inherit a team in crisis. Chelsea are fifth and earned a creditable draw at Manchester City on Sunday; despite the rancour of Ma...

Sport

52 h. ago ‘We have a new role’: mayors across the world increasingly taking on society’s biggest challenges

From Budapest to Barcelona, New York to Paris, mayors are increasingly being thrust on to the political frontlines as they face down the rise of the far rightIn Budapest, it was a call to flout the Hungarian government’s ban on Pride that catapulted the city’s mayor into the headlines. In Barcelona it was a bold plan to rid the city – one of Europe’s most visited – of tourist flats by late 2028. And in Paris, it was a drastic makeover; one that included making the Seine swimmable and turning its car-clogged riverbanks into pedestrian-friendly areas.The mayors’ actions – and the global conversation they elicited – hinted at how, in much of the world, the role of mayor has been recast. Gone are the stereotypes of endless ribbon cutting ceremonies and flesh-pressing events; instead mayors are increasingly being thrust on to the frontlines of some of society’s thorniest challenges. Continue reading...

Politics

63 h. ago Casualty hospital faces biggest challenge yet as BBC show welcomes two newcomers

BBC's Casualty is set to return to screens this month with some new faces joining the ED in the latest series.

Culture

63 h. ago Casualty welcomes new faces as Vera star and Death in Paradise actor join cast

BBC Casualty is set to welcome two new faces to the ED this year.

Events

3 d. ago 'The biggest challenge is when you put the phone down': Samaritans call handler reveals most difficult part of the job

Jeremy* (not pictured), who works in marketing, volunteers at a Samaritans helpline in a UK inner city. He was encouraged by friends to volunteer due to his calm demeanour and 'sympathetic ear'.

Politics

3 d. ago Keir Starmer 'regrets' tweet welcoming return of freed activist Alaa Abd El

Keir Starmer expressed frustration that he had not been made aware of 'abhorrent' posts by Alaa Abd el-Fattah but declined to apologise for his welcome during a BBC grilling

Politics

5 d. ago The Traitors fans have 'already worked out' which Faithful will be murdered first after two 'giveaway clues' in premiere

The hit BBC show returned last night (January 1), with Claudia Winkleman welcoming a new crop of players to the iconic castle.

Politics

7 d. ago New Year's Eve live: Watch live from London fireworks celebration as UK welcomes in 2026

New Year's Eve live: Watch live from London fireworks celebration as UK welcomes in 2026  BBC

Events

2 w. ago ‘I lost my legs in horror bomb but now I’m facing biggest challenge’

Pride of Britain winner Hari Budha Magar MBE is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in a cowshed, he lost his legs to a bomb in Afghanistan... then was the first double below the knee amputee to climb the tallest peak in the world. And his next challenge is about to begin...

Events

2 w. ago Man with 'world's biggest penis' challenges men to outdo his measurements

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES. Matt Barr, 42, from London, claims he has one of the biggest penises in the world after being medically examined, and he's even dared other men to challenge his measurements

Politics

3 w. ago Lad with 'world's smallest penis' shares size and reveals 'biggest challenge' it poses

Michael Phillips wants to raise awareness about the medical condition 'micro penis' by talking openly about what some men may feel too ashamed to mention

Politics

3 w. ago Real Housewives star Kandi Burruss reveals biggest challenge of returning to Broadway

Exclusive: ‘The Independent’ caught up with Burruss days before she begins performances in the hit Broadway musical ‘& Juliet’

Politics

4 w. ago Mammoth star Mike Bubbins admits 'I don't want to sound like an idiot' as he takes on biggest challenge

Comedian Mike Bubbins will be fronting a new S4C series called 'Un Mewn Miliwn', which will see him learning his native language in the hopes of becoming one of the million Welsh speakers by 2050

Politics

4 w. ago Wildlife filmmaker and cameraman Gordon Buchanan comes out of the hide and hits the road

He’s come face to face with the world’s wildest animals but it was in Scotland that he faced his biggest challenge

Events

4 w. ago BBC Breakfast guest opens up on incurable diagnosis 'I thought I was going to die'

BBC Breakfast presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay welcomed Alyssa Tapley to the studio

Events