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First look at Alton Towers’ new Toxicator ride and its opening next month

ALTON Towers has released first look pictures of its latest thrill ride Toxicator ahead of the new season.

The new topspin ride stands a whopping 78ft tall and will be the first of its kind in the country.

Roller coaster seats suspended upside down.
ATR
The Toxicator will be the first topspin ride in the country[/caption]
Amusement park ride against a wooded backdrop.
ATR
It stands at 78ft tall[/caption]
Roller coaster track with a dragon-like structure.
ATR
Toxicator towers over Nemesis Reborn[/caption]

Daredevils will be seated back-to-back before being flipped around and held face down over a “pool of toxic alien acid”.

The new ride will put riders through heart-pounding centrifugal forces from the spin patterns.

Riders will be able to ride Toxicator from Saturday, March 15.

Now, new drone footage released by Alton Towers shows impressive views over the Staffordshire countryside from the top of the ride.

Reportedly, the Toxicator will be the only topspin ride in the world to be elevated above ground level.

This means other park-goers will be able to watch the ride from underneath.

When it opens, the Toxicator will stand at 78ft (23m), making it the highest ride of its kind at Alton Towers.

The new ride will be located in the Forbidden Valley, next to the newly-reopened Nemesis Reborn, and it will be able to accommodate 500 riders per hour.

And customers can also experience it in the dark as part of the Alton After Dark event.

Only park-goers who are taller than 1.4m will be allowed to ride Toxicator and tickets are now on sale.

Bianca Sammut, Vice President of Alton Towers Resort, previously said: “We’re excited to be giving fans a flavour of the truly ‘spincredible’ power of Toxicator.

“From March 15 those brave enough to submit to the spin will be able to experience the latest that Forbidden Valley has to offer.”

Alton Towers is home to plenty of adrenaline-inducing rides, including Nemesis Reborn, The Smiler and Oblivion.

And Toxicator isn’t the only new attraction set to open at the Staffordshire-based theme park in the future.

For younger park-goers, there’s also CBeebies Land, which is set to get a new junior rollercoaster next year.

The theme park revealed the news via Instagram on December 20, 2024.

Use these tips on your next theme park trip

Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out.

  1. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens.
  2. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer – this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest.
  3. Download the park’s app to track which rides have the shortest queues.
  4. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out “birthday badges” that can get you freebies.
  5. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.

CBeebies Land first opened in 2014 and is currently home to 13 family-friendly rides.

At the end of last year, Alton Towers announced it would be closing its oldest ride permanently.

Meanwhile, here’s an exciting new look at the nearly-completed Epic Universe, which will open later this year.

ATR Toxicator ride seats.
ATR
Daredevils are excited to try out the new ride[/caption]
Roller coaster carriages on a loop.
Staffordshire-based theme park Alton Towers (stock)

Use these tips on your next theme park trip

Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out.

  1. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens.
  2. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer – this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest.
  3. Download the park’s app to track which rides have the shortest queues.
  4. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out “birthday badges” that can get you freebies.
  5. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.

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Why has Neighbours been cancelled and when is the last episode of the Australian soap?

RAMSAY Street has been home to the cast of Neighbours for decades, but sadly for viewers, time is once again up for the soap.

In February 2025, The Sun exclusively revealed that the beloved Australian show is being axed for a second time – here’s everything you need to know.

The cast of Neighbours celebrating their 2000th episode.
PA:Press Association
Neighbours started in 1985 but is now sadly coming to an end[/caption]

Why has Neighbours been cancelled?

The announcement came after production company Fremantle failed to agree a new deal with Amazon, just two years after the streaming service brought the soap back.

A source said: ”Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked but sadly they just didn’t get the viewers. 

”It’s a really sad day especially for the cast and crew who work on the show in Melbourne

”This really is the end of Neighbours just as it’s celebrated its 40th birthday.”

The soap was cancelled by Channel 5 in 2022, before it was later brought back by Amazon.

Channel 5 first began broadcasting the show in 2008, after taking over from the BBC.

Reacting to the news of the axing, one fan took to X and wrote: ”It’s never a good day when a soap is cancelled #Neighbours.”

A second viewer wrote: ”Sad news about Neighbours again been axed from Amazon hope it can be saved again.”

And a third said: ”I can’t believe @neighbours is going to be axed again #Neighbours.”

Final episode

The soap has been a fan favourite both here and across the pond since it first aired in 1985.

Production is now set to come to a close this summer with the final ever episode being aired at the end of the year.

A-list stars

Over the years, viewers have welcomed and waved goodbye to plenty of Ramsay Street residents.

During that time, the soap has been pivotal in the careers of many A-list stars including Margot Robbie who starred as Donna Freedman.

She was on the show from 2008 until 2011, before starring in Martin Scorsese’s blockbuster The Wolf Of Wall Street in 2013.

Promotional image for the new Neighbours series.
The final ever episode will air at the end of the year

Speaking on her time on the soap, Margot admitted that she repeatedly cold-called the casting office until she was put through. 

She recalled: ”I don’t know why, I think it was a mistake.

”They asked: ‘How old are you?’ and I said: ‘I’m 17.’

”She said: ‘Oh, we need a 17-year-old girl right now, so come in next week.”

Other big names to have emerged from the show include Russell Crowe, Natalie Imbruglia, Kylie Minogue, Liam Hemsworth, and Holly Valance.

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Selena Gomez ex-friend Caro Franklin threatens to ‘expose’ star in cryptic deleted post months after sudden fall-out

SELENA Gomez’s former friend Caro Franklin has threatened to ‘expose’ the star in a cryptic deleted post – months after their sudden fall out.

Caroline and Selena, 32, were close friends, and often pictured together.

Selena Gomez and Caro Franklin in a photo together.
Instagram / caro_franklin
Selena Gomez’s former friend Caro Franklin has threatened to ‘expose’ the star in a cryptic deleted post – months after their sudden fall out[/caption]
Selena Gomez at the EE BAFTA Film Awards.
Getty
Around three months ago, Selena’s fans noticed that she’d unfollowed Caro[/caption]
Caro Franklin, Selena Gomez's ex-friend, in a car.
Instagram / caro_franklin
Caro has spoken out[/caption]

But around three months ago, Selena’s fans noticed that she’d unfollowed Caro – with the feud believed to have been started due to their differing political views.

One theory brought to the table by fans is that it’s due to Selena being very liberal, while Caro is pro-Trump.

Now, Caro has spoken out in some now deleted Instagram stories that appear to be directed at her former friend Selena.

She said: “I’ve been transparent with who I am my whole life… Who are you? What have you presented to the world that you are?”

Caro continued: “When I decide how and when to expose you… I will address it with the most detail and sincerity to the 10 year friendship that I experienced and survived… Under oath.”

She finished her post with a kissing face emoji.

Prior to the unfollow, Selena and Caro were often spotted hanging out together.

Caro shared a photo with then bestie Selena back in July 2023, as the girls stunned in pink side by side.

She wrote: “come on Barbie lets go party! HBD SG.”

Meanwhile, Selena confirmed her engagement with Benny Blanco in December 2024.

And the songstress ditched her top and got very cosy with her music producer fiance Benny for a new photoshoot.

The 32-year-old could not keep her hands off her lover in the new pictures for Interview magazine.

In one close-up shot, Selena’s bare shoulders could be seen as she went without a top as Benny clutched her from behind.

In the seductive snap, she held her finger up and pressed it against the inside of his lip before resting her other hand on her bare chest.

Benny opted to strip down to his boxer shorts as he went trouser-less for another snap where he sat on a sofa alongside his popstar partner.

Selena put on a busty display in that image as she threw of a furry coat and channelled old Hollywood glamour with her hair and make-up.

The pair also appeared to get hot and heavy with one another inside a car for the raunchy new images as Selena laid on top of her partner with their bodies hanging out the door of the vehicle.

It comes as the couple confirmed that they would be working together on a collaborative music project.

Vowing to be the nest music power couple, Selena and Benny have teamed up for their first joint album, I Said I Love You First.

Ahead of the impending record’s release, they surprised fans with the first song entitled, Scared of Loving You.

The record was co-written with Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish and her primary collaborator.

A statement to tease the album read: “The album came together organically as a direct result of the comfort that they both felt when working together creatively, allowing them to produce art that authentically reflects their experiences.

“It chronicles their entire story — before they met, falling in love and looking to what the future holds.”

It will be Come & Get It singer Selena’s first full-length release since 2020’s Rare.

Screenshots of Instagram posts threatening to expose a 10-year friendship.
Instagram / caro_franklin
Caro has since deleted these screenshots[/caption]
Selena Gomez and friends hugging in front of the Eiffel Tower at night.
Instagram / caro_franklin
The former friends in Paris together[/caption]

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USAID freeze sows disruption in HIV and malaria product supply chains

The U.S. government’s foreign aid freeze has upended the supply chain for medical products crucial for fighting diseases including HIV and malaria in some of the world’s poorest countries, and life-threatening gaps could persist for months, according to two sources familiar with the sector. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) usually places around $600 […]

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Iss Ishq Ka Rabb Rakha 21st February 2025 Written Episode Update: Meghla gets blamed

Iss Ishq Ka Rabb Rakha 21st February 2025 Written Episode, Written Update on TellyUpdates.com The Episode starts with Ranbir and Meghla seeking Meher’s blessings before heading to the airport. Meher expresses her concerns to Ranbir about Meghla’s irresponsible nature, which upsets Meghla. However, she reassures Meher of her sincerity. Adrija intervenes, advising Meghla to stop [...]

The post Iss Ishq Ka Rabb Rakha 21st February 2025 Written Episode Update: Meghla gets blamed appeared first on Telly Updates.

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MrBeast hits back at terrible Rotten Tomatoes score for Beast Games

The first season of Beast Games sits at a dismally low 13% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, something that certainly irked the creator, MrBeast, but he told Dexerto he makes the show for the many, not the few. Speaking on Dexerto’s Clickbaited show, we asked Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson to expand on his earlier criticism of...

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