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Bihar Police ASI Steno Result 2025 – Out

Bihar Police ASI Steno Result 2025 Author: Sarkari Exam TeamTag: 12th Pass Job Short Information :Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission (BPSSC) has released the Result for the post of Assistant Sub Inspector ASI Steno. This recruitment has been issued for 305 posts. Applications for Bihar Police BPSSC ASI Steno Recruitment 2025 were filled from 17 ... Read more

The post Bihar Police ASI Steno Result 2025 – Out appeared first on Sarkari Exam.com.

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How to get £5 free fuel from petrol stations including Tesco and Esso this month

DRIVERS can get £5 worth of free fuel by following these simple steps.

The money saving deal means that punters get a fiver’s cash back if they fill their car with at least £10 worth of petrol.

Fuel pumps at a gas station.
Getty
Drivers can £5 free fuel when they top up their car with at least £10[/caption]

The deal is being run by Topcashbacks so drivers can save on costs this March.

It is available for customers to use now and it is valid until March 31

That means customers have just under three weeks to avail themselves of the offer.

However, it is only available to those who are new to the website – so if you’re an existing member you unfortunately aren’t eligible.

It’s free to sign up and you’ll only need to spend a couple of minutes providing an email and creating a password.

Once you’re all set up, you can go to your nearest petrol station and spend £10 or more on fuel, then take a photo of your receipt.

It must clearly show the date, the name of the petrol station, the receipt number, and the name and quantity of the item you’ve purchased.

The average petrol price currently stands at 139.13p, while diesel costs 145.93p, according to the RAC website.

In order to get the money off you should submit the photo of your receipt to TopCashback via its website.

Only receipts from this month will be eligible for the deal, so you’ll need to upload a picture before midnight on Monday, March 31.

The deal is available at any station whether you’re visiting a supermarket fuel stop or a Shell.

But it only works if you use the money saving deal offered by TopCashback.

You can also only submit a receipt once, so you can’t receive the deal if you try it again.

The money should arrive in your account within 14 days, where you can then move it from your account into your bank account.

HOW TO SAVE ON FUEL

Making sure you are comparing prices and finding the lowest is essential for cutting spending on petrol.

You can search for the cheapest local pumps using petrolprices.com which should provide up-to-date figures.

All you need to do is pop in your postcode to see what prices are like near you.

Loyalty schemes are another way of making filling up cheaper.

Nectar members can shave up to 5p a litre off the cost of petrol.

While Clubcard members at Tesco stations earn one point for every two litres of fuel purchased.

You can also use Clubcard points to pay for fuel at Esso stations to help your money stretch further.

Keeping an eye out for advice on cheap petrol on social media is also wise, especially on local community groups.

How to cut the price of petrol and diesel

HERE's how to save yourself money and fuel

  1. Make your car more fuel-efficient. Keep your tyres inflated, remove the roof rack and turn your air-con. This will reduce your engine power and the amount of fuel you’re using.

2. Drive slow and steady. The brake is a money burner, so avoid slamming it on. Accelerating slowly will also save you fuel and money.

3. Be a bargain hunter. Find the cheapest petrol or diesel in your area. PetrolPrices.com and Confused.com are free to use – just enter your postcode and how far you want to travel.

 

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Liverpool vs PSG: Get £30 in free bets and £10 casino bonus with BoyleSports, plus 50% boost on your winnings

LIVERPOOL welcome PSG to Anfield for tonight’s Champions League last-16 second leg holding a slender one-goal advantage.

Punters who register an account with BoyleSports and stake a tenner on the blockbuster battle will be rewarded with £30 in football free bets plus an extra £10 casino bonus!

BoyleSports are also offering customers an extra 50% boost on their Bet Builder winnings!

Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles here

How to claim...

BoyleSports offer

  1. Visit the BoyleSports website HERE*
  2. Register a new account and deposit
  3. Place a qualifying bet of £10 or more at odds of Evens or greater
  4. Remember, your qualifying bet must be placed within 30 days of account opening
  5. Once that’s settled, you will receive £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus

BoyleSports: Get £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus HERE*

Not got a BoyleSports account? No Problem!

Simply visit the BoyleSports website and register for your brand new account.

Deposit at least a tenner and then place a tenner or more on any football betting market at odds of Evens or greater.

Once that’s settled, you will receive £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus.

You will also be eligible for BoyleSports’ amazing special, which offers all customers an extra 50% on their Bet Builder winnings – claim that HERE*

BoyleSports: Get £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus HERE*

Cheltenham Festival betting offers and free bets


*18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. £40 in FREE Bets (FB) as £30 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7-day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Account & Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. 18+. Online only. Min Odds of (3/1). Max stake 20. One bet per customer. 50% Boost. Boost will be added once all selections have settled. Max boost payout £/€1,000. Offer does not apply to multiple bets. Free/void/cashed out bets won’t qualify. T&Cs apply.


Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

  • Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
  • Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
  • Never chase their losses
  • Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
  • Gamcare – gamcare.org.uk
  • GambleAware – GambleAware.org

Read our guide on responsible gambling practices.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.

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MacBook Air 2025 review – Apple’s new MacBook is almost perfect but there’s a cheaper alternative you might prefer

THIS has to be one of the best laptops on the planet.

I’m talking about the new MacBook Air, which I’ve been testing in secret for just shy of a week.

Silver Apple laptop on a wooden table.
Sean Keach
The new MacBook Air is a gorgeous machine[/caption]
MacBook Air displaying its home screen.
Sean Keach
It’s packed with powerful hardware – despite the small frame[/caption]

It’s gorgeous, extremely powerful, and manages to stay in three-figure territory when it comes to the price. If only just.

There is a magic to the MacBook that’s hard to describe, and even harder to beat.

For a start, this new Apple model looks exceptional.

I’ve got it in the very subtle and stylish Sky Blue colour option (which looks silvery in some lights), but you can also grab one in regular Silver, Starlight, or Midnight.

They’re all very nice (though silver is a bit dull compared to the prettier Sky Blue), and so they should be because this laptop will set you back £999 / $999.

Every inch of this laptop feels premium. It just looks the part.

MAC IT HAPPEN

The big choice to make is screen size.

You can get it with a 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display.

The smaller one has a 2,560 x 1,664-pixel resolution, while the bigger unit serves up 2,880 x 1,864 pixels.

But the screen size difference means they both cram in roughly the same pixels per inch of display.

They’re both lower-resolution than the MacBook Pro, but they’re also cheaper – and still very effective panels.

You’ll get accurately display colours, delivered with all the brightness and clarity you’d hope for from posh gear like this.

It’s also an Air product, which means thin and light.

The 13-inch model is the most svelte at 11.3mm side-on. The 15-inch brings that up to 11.5mm (a solid 4mm less than the MacBook Pro).

Light blue Apple laptop on a wooden table.
Sean Keach
Apple has kept on the unmistakeable MacBook Air design[/caption]

These laptops will slip into small bags, can be carried around easily, and will fit on the tray table of a train or plane without difficulty. (Just watch out for reclining seats crushing your fancy new laptop).

The smallest model is also feathery at 2.7 pounds, while the bigger model comes in at 3.3 pounds.

I’m using the 13-inch model and one-handed carrying is no fuss at all.

There’s one camera: a 12-megapixel shooter that’s capable of recording video at 1080p (that’s Full HD).

2025 MACBOOK AIR – THE KEY FEATURES

Here are the key specs for the gadget...

  • Screen: 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display
  • Resolution: 2,560 x 1,664 or 2,880 x 1,864 pixels
  • Brightness: 500 nits
  • Processor: Apple M4 chip
  • Apple Intelligence: Supported
  • Memory: 16GB, 24GB, 32GB
  • Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
  • Biometrics: Touch ID fingerprint scanner
  • Height: 11.3mm or 11.5mm
  • Weight: 2.7lbs or 3.3lbs
  • Camera: 12-megapixel camera
  • Speakers: Four- or six-speaker sound systems
  • Headphone Jack: 3.5mm
  • USB-C ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4
  • Keyboard: Backlit
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) / Bluetooth 5.3
  • Battery Life: Up to 18 hours video streaming

Picture Credit: Apple

And it has that nifty Centre Stage feature that pans and zooms to keep you perfectly in shot. A FaceTime essential, especially if you’re desperately running around the kitchen trying to cook dinner during the call.

You’ve got a pretty decent four-speaker sound system (or six-speaker on the bigger model), plus a three-mic array for solid audio capture.

The keyboard is backlit and (helpfully) has a Touch ID fingerprint scanner built into it. So that’s good for unlocking the laptop, making Apple Pay payments, and logging into websites.

And you’ve got a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right, plus two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4) on the left.

A hand holding a silver Apple laptop against a brick wall.
Sean Keach
It’s light enough to carry around one-handed[/caption]

USB-C cables are basically everywhere now, so that’s handy.
And there’s a magnetic charger in the box that easily snaps in and out of Apple’s port on the side. It’s nice and safe as it pops off if you hit something – so you won’t accidentally break the cable.

POWER PLAY

Inside is the immensely powerful Apple-built M4 chip. The entry-level MacBook Pro also uses this.

It’s a beast. It’ll blast through any regular job you throw at it. You can smash open a dozen apps at once and it won’t even blink.

I keep dozens of browser tabs open (organised, I promise), work on Photoshop, keep music playing, have multiple chat apps running, as well as some pretty giant files – all across 12-ish virtual desktops. And I can work through them all with a buttery smoothness.

If you’re doing very heavy work, you’ll likely already know whether you need a top-end MacBook Pro’s performance.

For regular users, this is all you’ll need and more.

All of that computing magic is helped by the 16GB of base RAM – with options for 24GB or 32GB, if you have heavy workloads.

And storage starts at 256GB, which is probably fine for casual users.

Silver Apple laptop leaning against a brick wall.
Sean Keach
The gadget is powered by Apple’s ultra-speedy M4 processor[/caption]

But if you need more and are willing to pay hundreds extra, you can jack this up to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB. 

Battery life is great.

I wasn’t able to run it down in a work day that included writing, web browsing, music and video streaming, and photo editing.

The official figure is 18 hours of battery life for video streaming.

2025 MACBOOK AIR – HOW MUCH DOES IT REALLY COST?

Here's what you'll pay in the UK and US...

MacBook Air 13-inch – £999 / $999

Processor:

  • Apple M4 chip with 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine – Standard
  • Apple M4 chip with 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine – £100 / $100

Memory:

  • 16GB – Standard
  • 24GB – £200 / $200
  • 32GB – £400 / $400

Storage:

  • 256GB – Standard
  • 512GB – £200 / $200
  • 1TB – £400 / $400
  • 2TB – £800 / $800

MacBook Air 15-inch – £1,199 / $1,199

Memory:

  • 16GB – Standard
  • 24GB – £200 / $200
  • 32GB – £400 / $400

Storage:

  • 256GB – Standard
  • 512GB – £200 / $200
  • 1TB – £400 / $400
  • 2TB – £800 / $800

Picture Credit: Apple

That’s plenty for even the longest of flights or the most relentless work days.

And of course it runs on macOS (specifically, macOS 15 Sequoia).

Mac software is pretty simple to use, has an excellent stable of apps to choose from, and works neatly with your other Apple gadgets too.

It also feels more polished than Windows generally (though the trade-off is slightly reduced freedom).

Also keep in mind that we’ll likely get a new version of macOS later this year. And it’s almost impossible to imagine a future where this MacBook Air doesn’t get that upgrade for free – plus many more updates for years to come.

MAC BELIEVE?

So is it actually worth buying?

Well, it depends on what you’re looking for.

The problem for a lot of people is that there isn’t really a “cheap” MacBook.

2025 MACBOOK AIR – THE PROS AND CONS

Pros:

  • Beautiful, iconic and very portable design
  • Extremely powerful for the price
  • Great battery life
  • Brilliant and accessible software

Cons:

  • Some games don’t make it to Mac – so check your favourites first
  • Adding storage brings the price up steeply

Picture Credit: Apple

I think the MacBook Air is actually brilliant value for money.

But ultimately, lots of people simply won’t (and arguably shouldn’t) chuck a grand at a laptop.

If you are trying to spend that kind of money – or even close to it – then the MacBook Air is absolutely worth considering.

It flies at every day tasks. You simply won’t run into problems using it as a daily device.

Side profile of a silver laptop held in a hand against a brick wall.
Sean Keach
The MacBook Air has an extremely thin profile that’s several millimetres slimmer than the MacBook Pro[/caption]

If this is your professional machine and you’re designing heavy 3D graphics, for instance, then you’ll want to think about getting a top-spec MacBook Pro.

But the MacBook Air is really a catch-all solution for most people at this price point.

Mac’s weak spot has always been gaming – but even that is becoming less of an issue.

The problem for Mac fans is that blockbuster games are usually built for Windows – and only sometimes make it to Apple computers.

But game makers are increasingly taking advantage of the computing heft that Apple’s M chips are delivering.

In fact we’re expecting Cyberpunk 2077 – a very beautiful game – to arrive on Mac this year.

If you’re a gaming obsessive, you’ll want to make sure your favourite titles run on it ahead of time. For instance, I’m chuffed that it’ll play World of Warcraft – but Overwatch 2 is a no-go.

Of course if you’ve got cash to burn, you can always keep a Windows PC for gaming and have a MacBook for everything else. Treat yourself.

Laptop screen displaying two desktops.
Sean Keach
There’s a FaceTime-frienly camera built into the screen that keeps you centred[/caption]

The other question is: if you want something cheaper, could an iPad do the job instead?

I reviewed the new iPad Air this week (only £599 / $599). And with a Magic Keyboard, it’s a pretty decent laptop replacement for casual users.

And if you just want a screen for a bit of computing leisure, you don’t even need the keyboard.

That way you still get to stay in the Apple ecosystem to bag more benefits from your other gadgets, like the iPhone or an Apple TV.

The MacBook Air is a solid choice for a laptop though.

It’s not wildly expensive, it looks and performs brilliantly, and it’ll keep getting updates for a long while still.

Also, don’t forget that Apple MacBooks tend to hold good resale value.

So if you decide to flog it one day, you’ll probably get a decent bit of cash for it.

Laptop on a wooden surface.
Sean Keach
The battery life on the MacBook Air is more than enough for a full day of work or play[/caption]

But honestly, it’s such a strong machine, there’s a good chance you’ll struggle to part with it.

The Sun says: Beautiful, portable, and powerful – the MacBook Air is an almost-perfect buy at its £999 / $999 price point. Just pick one of the fun colours, please.

The new MacBook Air starts at £999 / $999, is available for pre-order now, and has a March 12 release date.

Read More »

Save £100s a year with our ULTIMATE Nectar guide… from free flights to 5p fuel deals, & secret tips to bag extra points

OVER 17 million Brits have a Nectar card but thousands of shoppers are missing out on exclusive discounts, deals and freebies.

There are also secret ways to boost your points and even earn them without spending a penny – and in turn you could save £100s in Sainsbury’s and other retail favourites.

Copyright Picture JON BOND. 03/10/2024.For Sun Features..By-Line pic of Sun Features Reporter Lana Clements at her home in Maidenhead,Berks, today.
Sun Savers editor Lana Clements reveals all the need-to-know Nectar card’s tips and tricks
NEWS UK
a close up of a nectar credit card
Alamy
Over 17 million people in the UK have a Nectar card – but it’s not just for bagging savings in Sainsbury’s[/caption]

As well as unlocking lower grocery prices in your favourite supermarket, you can also spend your Nectar points in Argos, JD Sports, Debenhams and on eBay – plus many more.

And, you can also use your Nectar card to get treats, such as free British Airways flights and cappuccinos.

Nectar recently introduced a new safety feature for customers to help protect points from being stolen after a spate of thefts.

Here, Sun Savers editor Lana Clements shares her ultimate guide to help Sun readers get the most bang for their buck.

How the Nectar scheme works

You get Nectar points when you swipe your card at qualifying retailers, most notably Sainsbury’s, but others too including Domino’s, New Look, The Range and Nike.

You can spend your points at tons of places including Esso and Cafe Nero or use them to buy British Airways’ Avios points.

You’ll get one point for every £1 spent in store or online at Sainsbury’s. You can also get one point for every litre of fuel bought from Sainsbury’s petrol stations.

Nectar prices

Nectar prices are lower prices on thousands of items at Sainsbury’s. You get them if you scan your card at the checkout or add it to your online shop.

Customers also get personalised prices based on items you regularly buy.

You can view them on your Nectar account or in your linked Sainsbury’s online shopping account.

But there are easy ways to boost your points, as I explain below…

BOOST YOUR POINTS

Get the app

The Nectar app is an easy way to bag extra money off and boost your points total. And more points means more discounts.

  • Sainsbury’s offers

Through the app you can also add special Sainsbury’s offers to your account.

These offers typically give extra bonus points for buying particular items.

Or you can multiply points if you spend, for example, £60 online.

The offers refresh each week usually on a Friday and you need to manually add or you will lose out.

  • Nectar challenges

Sainsbury’s offers various challenges through Nectar throughout the year.

For example, the fruit and veg challenge gives shoppers the chance to earn extra points when they buy qualifying items.

You could expect to earn an extra 1,000 bonus points through the challenges.

However, make sure you’re only buying items that you were intending to purchase or plan to use, otherwise you’ll be wasting cash.

  • Games

When logging on to the app, users are occasionally offered the chance to rub the screen to reveal extra points that are added to their account.

This can be as little as five points – but every extra point counts.

You’ll need to opt in each time to win so keep your eyes peeled when logging on to the app.

  • Partner offers

You can also get special offers to collect bonus points at Nectar partners through the app.

For example, you may be offered an extra 200 points for filling your car at Esso.

You will usually need to ‘load’ these offers to your account or you won’t collect the bonus points.

Where to collect points

Sainsbury’s isn’t the only place where you can earn Nectar points – a number of other retailers are on the scheme.

These deals change regularly but you can currently get up to 7 points per £1 spent on Deliveroo and 9 points per £1 spend on JD Sports.

Where can you earn points?

HERE'S A LIST OF CURRENT PARTNER OFFERS

Tui – 4 points per £1
Deliveroo – 7 points per £1
B&Q – 4 points per £1
Debenhams – 5 points per £1
eBay – 2 points per £1
Hilton – 6 points per £1
JD Sports – 9 points per £1
Dreams – 5 points per £1
National Express – 4 points per £1
The Range – 5 points per £1
New Look – 7 points per £1
Nike – 5 points per £1

Avios

You can link your Nectar to an Avios account transferring points in either direction to boost balances.

Collect Avios points when making booking through British Airways, Uber, when buying train tickets or hiring a car through Avios.

As with Nectar, you can also earn bonus points when shopping through partners.

If you want to convert your Nectar points, you’ll get 250 Avios for every 400 Nectar points. Or 400 Avios points will convert to 400 Nectar points.

Collecting Avios points on top of Nectar means that you can periodically use your Avios points to top up your Nectar.

Credit card

If you have a good credit score you can take out an American Express Nectar Credit Card.

The main advantage of the card is that when you use it, you’ll get more Nectar points than if you were just using cash or another credit or debit card.

On average, card members collect 19 times more points compared to a regular Nectar collector. 

That works out as £154 more in Nectar points a year.

Are your loyalty points at risk?

AFTER a rise in loyalty point thefts Nectar has recently introduced new rules to help customers stop points from being stolen.

Customers can now choose to have an option to freeze points in the app until they are ready to spend them.

Retiree Lois Dawkins was saving up her points for her Christmas shop. But just a few weeks before December 25, the 68-year-old from Exeter had her points stolen.

Within two hours, £330 worth of points had been drained from her account, leaving her nothing to fund her Christmas shop with.

“It was so sickening to see it happening before my eyes and there was nothing I could do about it,” she said.

“Thankfully, Sainsbury’s finally refunded my money around the 18th of December because I was so persistent, but I think it’s disgusting that it was so easy for these thieves to steal my points.”

How to protect your points

To protect your loyalty accounts, treat them like you would any other bank account.

For example, when making a new account, give it a strong password and set up two factor authentication to make it harder to hack in the first place.

It’s a good idea to set a different password for each account too, as reusing the same password means hackers can gain access to all your accounts more easily.

Keep all your passwords in one secure place, like a password-locked file, in case you forget any.

Then, make sure to regularly check your balance and contact your provider immediately if you notice any transactions that you didn’t make.

In the first instance, you’ll get a whopping 20,000 points if you qualify and spend £2,000 in the first three months of membership.

You’ll also collect at least three point per £1 when you shop at a Nectar partner.

And you’ll also get two points for every £1 spent on your credit card elsewhere.

If you recommend a friend for credit card and they are approved, you can bag 5,000 bonus points.

However, before taking out a credit card, it’s important to work out if it’s right for your circumstances.

You can use a comparison site such as moneysupermarket.com to compare different reward credit cards including the American Express Nectar card.

By answering a few questions through the site, you can also see if you’re likely to be approved for a card before submitting a full application.

If you do an application and are rejected for credit, it can harm your credit history making it more difficult to get accepted for borrowing in the future.

Finally, it’s really important that you pay off the balance each month or the interest earned on your spending will quickly outweigh any extra Nectar points collected.

Earn Nectar points without spending

You can earn Nectar points without spending cash, we explain how.

Answer survey questions

You can earn up to 120 points per survey. You can request to be emailed when there is a new survey to complete.

Check your account

Your account regularly gets updated with offers, so it’s worth checking if there are any bonus opportunities.

Some do require a spend, for example, 100 points when you next shop at Sainsbury’s.

But every now and then there are offers without any spend for you to claim.

Choose how to spend your points

CHOOSING how to spend your Nectar points could help you unlock extra savings.

The Sun’s Head of Consumer Tara Evans shares her top tips:

I always save up my Nectar points to give us a free shop at Christmas.

This year we had pocketed £120 worth of points and it’s a nice little boost during the festive period when you are often spending money on presents.

My family also uses the hack to getting 5p a litre off fuel too, as this can really make a difference at the pumps.

There are LOADS of ways to earn points but you are a bit more restricted when it comes to spending them, so it really pays to do your research before you do it.

How to spend your points

One Nectar point is worth 0.5p, meaning 100 points are worth 50p and 200 points are worth £1 at Sainsbury’s.

Some people save their points throughout the year and then use them to pay for a big Christmas shop.

However, there are lots of other ways to maximise your points and spend them elsewhere.

You can use them to bag discounts on petrol, free flights using Avios or free coffees.

We have rounded up some of the best offers below. You’ll find more online on Nectar.com.

Get 5p a litre off petrol

Cut the cost of filling up at the pump. If you want to cash in 300 points you can get 5p off a litre at Esso.

This offer is best when you are filling up a full tank as you’ll save the most cash.

Free flights with Avios and British Airways

You can convert your points into Avios points to use towards free flights. Every 400 points is converted into 250 Avios.

Depending on the amount of points you have, you can use points to reduce the cost of British Airways plane tickets and holidays.

You can also use points to upgrade your flight.

Free coffee

You can get any sized hot drink for 400 points at Cafe Nero.

Cheaper paint

You can transfer 4,000 points into £20 off at Dulux decorator centres.

Read More »

Strictly stars forced to slash prices of tour tickets by 60% in attempt to fill seats hours before they go onstage

TWO Strictly Come Dancing stars have suffered a blow after being forced to slash prices for tickets to their tour in an effort to fill seats.

The Strictly professional dancers recently kicked off their Reborn gigs, which will see them play up and down the country.

Strictly Come Dancing 2024,14-09-2024,Generics,Amy Dowden,NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 00:01HRS, SATURDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2024*,BBC Public Service,Ray Burmiston
Strictly’s Amy has headed on the road for her very own tour
BBC
Strictly Come Dancing 2024,14-09-2024,Generics,Carlos Gu,NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 00:01HRS, SATURDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2024*,BBC Public Service,Ray Burmiston
She and fellow professional Carlos are currently starring in the Reborn tour
BBC
Amy Dowden after being made an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London. Picture date: Tuesday February 18, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story ROYAL Investiture. Photo credit should read:Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Last month Amy was honoured with an MBE
PA Wire

But Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu appear to have taken drastic measures after failing to pack out some venues.

Ahead of their latest shows in Birmingham, tickets were listed on seat filling websit Show Film First at just £12.50 – 60% cheaper than the original price of £45.

Amy, 34, and Carlos, 32, previously revealed they decided to name their tour Reborn after her battle with cancer.

In 2023 she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer but in November last year Amy revealed she had successfully completed her treatment.

Speaking to Glasgow Theatre Blog, Amy said: “I’ve become a better version of myself, a warrior version of Amy, so I definitely feel reborn and I look at life differently now.

“I take advantage of every opportunity, every beat, every moment on stage.”

Carlos said of his close friend and tour co-star: “When I look at her she’s the perfect example of the reborn theme.

“She went through the worst period of her life and she never give up. She fought back.”

And Amy’s inspirational journey was recently recognised by King Charles when he honoured her with an MBE.

She later described the experience with the monarch as an “out-of-body experience”.

Amy said: “It’s really surreal, it’s been like an out-of-body experience but it is a true honour to get an MBE

“We spoke about my recovery from chemotherapy and the impact of chemotherapy on my body.”

Read More »

Sky Q customers warned of six channel changes coming to all TV boxes this week – check yours now

SKY customers will notice a number of changes to the channels available on their boxes this week.

And it not only applies to Sky Q owners, but also Sky Glass and Sky Stream.

Sky Q box displaying various streaming services and shows.
Sky
Changes will appear on all Sky devices including Sky Q[/caption]
Channel 5 logo.
Channel 5
There will be some changes to Channel 5 in the mix[/caption]

Three changes have already started.

But another three will be coming later in the week as part of a huge overhaul for one major UK network.

The first three shake-up affects Sky Cinema subscribers only.

Sky Cinema regularly switches up its offering depending on special events.

For example, a special Sky Cinema Kids Books channel was launched for World Book Day.

Now that the annual event is over, the channel has sadly disappeared.

However, it was only ever a temporary move, meaning the original name, Sky Cinema Family, is back.

The channel remains on 306 for all Sky platforms .

Elsewhere, Sky Cinema Martial Arts has also disappearing and switched back to Sky Cinema Action at channel number 307.

Sky Cinema Women In Film has gone too, reverting back to Sky Cinema Classics on channel number 304.

Away from Sky Cinema, there’s a big change you may notice to one of the UK’s public service broadcasters.

Channel 5 is undergoing a big revamp this week which will affect its three main channels: Channel 5, Channel 5 HD and Channel 5 + 1.

From Thursday, the broadcaster is using the simple name of 5 across its channels and streaming app.

As such, Channel 5 will be 5, Channel 5 HD will be 5 HD and Channel 5 + 1 will be 5 + 1.

These will remain in their current TV guide slots of 105, 105 and 205 respectively.

What to expect from the new 5 streaming service

Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun

Channel 5 is owned by US media giant Paramount, which also owns free streaming service Pluto TV.

And I believe Pluto TV offers some hints of what we can expect from the new 5 app.

Given Paramount’s extensive family of brands, there’s a lot of good quality archive content to use.

My5 already does this with some shows like Geordie Shore but not others like Catfish, 16 and Pregnant, South Park and many more.

So I’m sure we can expect more of this.

And let’s not forget Paramount’s extensive back catalogue of movies, some of which may well make an appearance – though the lion’s share will no doubt remain paid on Paramount+.

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Channel 5 launching brand new show starring Maya Jama, KSI and a Brit-nominated star – and it is just days away

A brand new show starring Maya Jama and hosted by Julie Adenuga is launching on My5 and YouTube within days.

It will star Britain’s Got Talent judge KSI alongside Love Island host Maya, Chef Big Zuu and singer Mahalia and is set to air on April 1st.

Maya Jama in a promotional image for a new show.
CHANNEL 5
Starring Maya Jama and hosted by Julie Adenuga the 4 part series is launching on My5 and YouTube within days[/caption]
Julie Adenuga at the MAINS Runway Show during London Fashion Week.
Getty
Fans may recognise Julie from the hit MTV series Catfish UK[/caption]

In the four-part interview series, Now You Know, Julie will be sitting down with four of the UK’s most prominent stars for some candid conversations bringing a fresh twist to the traditional interview format.

Fans may recognise Julie from the hit MTV series Catfish UK where she hosted alongside Oobah Butler, her role was later taken over by I’m A Celeb star Nella Rose.

The host is also a DJ, broadcaster and creator of interview platform Don’t Trust The Internet.

Julie is also notably the younger sister of grime legends Skepta and JME.

Now Julie will be sitting down to talk all things food, love and give an insight into just how tough the music and entertainment industry can really be.

First up will be acclaimed presenter Maya Jama who will sit down to discuss an intimate conversation about her journey to becoming one of the UK’s most celebrated TV personalities.

The Bristol-born beauty will reflect on her pursuit of success as she opens up about how she navigates life as the ‘successful friend,’ and the unique power of her ability to connect with others.

The star will reveal how she thrives under the intense glare of the media spotlight, offering a rare glimpse the highs and lows of her incredible rise.

BGT star and Internet icon JJ Olatunji better known as KSI will also delve into his extraordinary journey.

From his rise to fame in 2009 as a YouTuber to building a multimillion-pound business empire, KSI opens up about his work ethic and the sacrifices that have shaped his career.

Big Zuu will also be sharing with Julie how he transitioned from a promising rapper to now becoming an award-winning TV chef.

Julie and Zuu will open up about romance as they dive into his love for beautiful women, complete with tips for the perfect date.

Zuu shares his passion for advocating for young people and social injustice and his mission to revolutionise British television, one ground-breaking production at a time.

Lastly Julie chats with singer-songwriter Mahalia following her journey from a young star to a leading voice in British R&B.

The Leicester-born R&B singer who has been nominated for multiple Brit Awards, including Best New Artist and Best R&B Artis will also reveal the challenges of navigating a tough music industry.

Speaking about her excitement ahead of the new show, Julie said: “I’m incredibly excited to be able to put my own twist on interviewing with this new show.

“It’s something I’ve been doing for over a decade but thanks to GroupM Motion Entertainment and BET UK I’ve been given the opportunity to not just host it, but also executive produce the show with Pangaea and bring my vision of giving audiences a peek behind the curtain of what goes into a great conversation.

“I’m looking forward to people seeing my guests in a new way and seeing me stress about being good at my job.”

Episodes will air weekly from 1st April from 12.00 and are available on My5 and YouTube

KSI in a new show starring Maya Jama.
Channel 5
BGT star and Internet icon JJ Olatunji better known as KSI will also delve into his extraordinary journey[/caption]
A man yawning while wearing a light-colored hoodie and a baseball cap.
CHANNEL 5
Julie and Zuu will open up about romance as they dive into his love for beautiful women[/caption]
Mahalia, a British R&B singer, in an interview.
Julie will also chat with singer-songwriter Mahalia following her journey to becoming leading voice in British R&B
CHANNEL 5

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‘Healthy’ mum of 2 sets of twin boys, 31, lives in fear that she could die instantly at any moment from ‘brain rupture’

A MUM who blamed her headaches on the “stress and chaos” of parenting two sets of toddler twins was shocked when she found out the true cause.

Elizabeth Presson went to visit her doctor in December after her “abnormally bad headache” failed to respond to pain relief medication.

Woman with auburn hair and tattoos stands in front of flowering bushes.
Kennedy News
Elizabeth Presson went to see her doctor when her “abnormally bad headache” wasn’t responding to pain relief medication[/caption]
Family portrait of parents and their quadruplet sons.
Kennedy News
Elizabeth is mum to two sets of twin boys[/caption]

The 31-year-old says she thought the headache was caused by parenting three-year-olds Ashton Presson and Jacob Presson and two-year-olds Matthew Presson and Christian Presson.

But five days later when the mum-of-four’s headache worsened and she started experiencing a stiff and sore neck she went to hospital.

There, doctors ran tests and a CT scan and revealed to the stunned tech company worker that she had a brain aneurysm.

Elizabeth says she lives in a “constant state of anxiety” that the aneurysm could rupture at any moment and cause her death “instantly”.

Now, doctors are monitoring Elizabeth and if the aneurysm grows a stent will be fitted.

Elizabeth from Jacksonville, Florida, US, said: “One morning I woke up and I had a really bad headache.

“The pain started in the back left side of my head and over time it took over my whole head, I was barely able to function.

“I would be trying to cook dinner and I would get a sudden shooting pain that would stop me in my tracks.

“I took pretty much every medicine you could take but it wasn’t getting better.

“I gave it a couple of days but then I started getting really bad neck pain on one side of my neck. It became really stiff and I couldn’t turn my head.

“I made an appointment with my doctor and he gave me a migraine shot. I thought it was caused by the stress and chaos of parenting two sets of twins.

“They’re all boys, one set is about to be two and the other set is three. They’re the most difficult ages.”

The headache started on December 9th but failed to respond to medication.

So on December 13th Elizabeth went to the emergency department at the hospital where doctors sent her for a CT scan.

Elizabeth said: “The doctor said it was probably a migraine but that they’d run the CT just in case due to the neck pain.

“That’s when they found the brain aneurysm. I called my parents, my husband, and my best friend and they all started freaking out.

I’d never considered the possibility that something like that could happen to me

Elizabeth Presson

“I was in so much pain. My head hurt so bad that I couldn’t even look at my phone.

“I was terrified at that point because I’ve always considered myself to be very healthy. I’m only 31 and I’m very health conscious.

“We eat all the right things, do all the right things. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I’d never considered the possibility that something like that could happen to me.”

Elizabeth, who’s married to 35-year-old Robert Presson, was sent for a lumbar puncture, which confirmed that the brain aneurysm wasn’t bleeding.

She was kept in hospital for two nights before she was discharged and sent home – but the pain was still so severe she couldn’t bear to be around her children.

Elizabeth said: “It was awful. I couldn’t even bear to be around my kids, I had to lay flat.

Woman lying in bed looking sad.
Kennedy News
A CT scan revealed Elizabeth had a brain aneurysm[/caption]
Woman in hospital bed with nasal cannula.
Kennedy News
While she waits for an appointment, she says she is still experiencing the sudden, severe headaches a couple of times a week[/caption]

“My headache was unbearable. I felt so guilty that I couldn’t be my normal self with them and they were confused as to why I couldn’t be with them.

“I was just in my room for days at a time.”

Elizabeth says she is still experiencing the sudden, severe headaches a couple of times a week and is waiting for an appointment with her neurologist at the end March.

She will also be meeting with her neurosurgeon again in July to check if the aneurysm has grown.

Elizabeth said: “I meet with my neurosurgeon again in July.

“If it’s grown they consider it an active aneurysm, which is at greater risk of rupturing so I’ll have to get a stent placed in my brain.

My doctor told me if it ruptures and it doesn’t clot within two seconds then I will just die instantly

Elizabeth Presson

“If it hasn’t grown then they want to continue to monitor it on an annual basis, but it’s something that I have to be aware of for the rest of my life.

“I can’t smoke, I can’t do anything to raise my blood pressure too high and obviously I won’t be riding any rollercoasters or doing anything like that anytime soon.

“I think the hardest part is the anxiety of knowing that it could rupture at any moment.

“My doctor told me if it ruptures and it doesn’t clot within two seconds then I will just die instantly.

“At this point I just really wish we could be proactive and place the stent now because I don’t know if I can have this looming over my head for the rest of my life.

“I’m in a constant state of anxiety.”

Woman with long auburn hair wearing a green shirt and gold cross necklace, standing in front of a flowering bush.
Kennedy News
Elizabeth says the hardest part is the anxiety of knowing that it could rupture at any moment, but it’s changed her perspective on life[/caption]

Since the diagnosis, Elizabeth says it’s changed her perspective on life and encouraged her to have more fun with her children.

Elizabeth said: “It’s changed everything for me. I definitely find myself not putting off having fun anymore.

“I used to think it was so much work to take all of the kids to go and do stuff but now I think we just can’t wait for life to get easier because tomorrow’s not promised.

“Now I’m like ‘let’s pack up the kids, let’s go have fun and do what we can because in a moment it could all change’.

“It’s really changed my perspective and I’m trying to be more intentional and not take a second for granted with my children.”

Signs of a brain aneurysm

A BRAIN aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel in your brain. It can be very serious if it bursts.

The frightening thing is it rarely causes any symptoms unless it ruptures.

Unruptured brain aneurysms occasionally cause symptoms if they’re particularly large or press against tissues or nerves inside the brain.

Symptoms of an unruptured brain aneurysm can include:

  • visual disturbances, such as loss of vision or double vision
  • pain above or around your eye
  • numbness or weakness on one side of your face
  • difficulty speaking
  • headaches
  • loss of balance
  • difficulty concentrating or problems with short-term memory

You should see a GP as soon as possible if you experience symptoms of an unruptured brain aneurysm.

Although most aneurysms will not rupture, it’s important to get it checked in case treatment is necessary.

Source: NHS

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Brit rock star rushed to hospital for emergency surgery – and now faces race against time to make UK festival gigs

SNOW Patrol frontman Johnny McDaid was rushed to hospital for surgery on Sunday after sustaining a nasty injury.

The Irish singer, 48, is now in a race against time to recover ahead of the band’s huge run of summer festival gigs which begin in June.

Three members of Snow Patrol holding a signed guitar.
Instagram
A member of Snow Patrol was rushed to hospital[/caption]
Johnny McDaid of Snow Patrol performing on stage with an acoustic guitar.
Getty
Johnny McDaid hurt his hand whilst touring[/caption]

Johnny’s Snow Patrol bandmate Gary Lightbody revealed he had undergone treatment.

Gary, 48, said: “Johnny had hurt his hand at the start of the tour, we were going from Switzerland to Frankfurt on a train.

“We did the whole European tour on the train, it was really fun – except for this thing which happened, where Johnny got his hand caught in a door.

“And it wrecked his hand. He ended up getting surgery on his hand. Never missed a show.

“And then the Thursday night in Belfast, at midnight or so, he fell and wrecked his other hand – smashed his knuckles on his other hand.”

Speaking to RTE, Gary added: “When we came in for sound check on Friday, he couldn’t move the fingers on his right hand. And he still played the show on Friday night.

“He has just today (Sunday) gone to get surgery on his hand. It’s insane. He had two broken on Friday’s show – and he played the gig.

“Unbelievable – he’s made of different stuff from the rest of us.”

It comes six years after Gary had to undergo surgery on his neck – which saw the band forced to pull out of performing at Glastonbury.

At the time, Gary updated the band’s fans on Johnny’s condition and said: “Our dear brother, piano and guitar player Johnny McDaid has a serious problem with his neck and after consulting with some top neurosurgeons they are all in agreement that the only course of action is immediate surgery.

“Johnny has been incredible in the wake of this news and has remained calm at a time when a lot of people might freak out.”

Johnny went on to make a full recovery and the band have been playing all over the world since.

They will return to live music this summer with a huge run of gigs across the UK, kicking off in Plymouth on 12 June.

Snow Patrol are also booked to play shows in Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow and Suffolk.

Johnny McDaid and Courteney Cox at the BRIT Awards 2022.
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Johnny is in a relationship with Friends star Courteney Cox[/caption]

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