North East stories you may have missed this week
How brothers survived rip current surf terror
On Saturday 17 May, two brothers got caught in a terrifying rip current at a popular surfing beach in north-east England. Euan, 21, and Andrew, 19, were among the dozens dotting the breaking blue waves at Longsands that lunchtime.They hope sharing their experience will save lives.Read more about what the brothers are advocating for here
Council struggling to contact 296 mould-hit homes
A council says it is struggling to contact close to 300 people who had previously reported damp and mould in their homes.Newcastle City Council inherited more than 1,800 reports from management organisation Your Homes Newcastle, which was abolished last July.Of the 491 outstanding cases it still had last month, the local authority said it had now attempted to contact each of the residents affected.Read more about the council's pledge to deal with the backlog in damp and mould here
Festival to go ahead after new organiser appointed
Investors behind the Lindisfarne Festival in Northumberland have appointed its founder, Conleth Maenpaa, to ensure it goes ahead on the last weekend of August.The decision came after original organiser Wannasee, which was behind numerous festivals in the region, announced it was speaking to liquidators and cancelling other events.The news has been welcomed by ticketholders and businesses, with headliners at the Beal Farm event set to include Armand Van Halen, Doves and The Waterboys.Read more about the plans for the festival here
Lost parrot home after frantic five-day search
A pet parrot who only recently started to fly has been reunited with his owners following a frantic five-day search.Burt, an African Grey, who is about five months old, went missing from his home last Thursday, leaving Stephen and Christine Wilkinson devastated.Mrs Wilkinson said her husband, who has cancer, got her Burt as a companion and they quickly bonded, so it was "total and utter, consuming grief" when he disappeared.Find out where Burt turned up here
Sting's gift 'future-proofs' kids' access to arts
An undisclosed amount of money donated by the singer-songwriter Sting will help sustain programmes for children for the foreseeable future, an arts boss has said.The 73-year-old former Police frontman from Wallsend gifted money to the Baltic Arts Centre in Gateshead but asked that the amount stay secret.Baltic chair of trustees Kirsty Lang said the gift was "significant" and would help fund programmes for young people at the venue and provide access to "world class contemporary art to inspire".Read more about how the money will help here
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BBC News
37 minutes ago
- BBC News
Alex Kingston is the third celebrity contestant announced for Strictly Come Dancing 2025
Doctor Who and ER star Alex Kingston has been announced as the second celebrity taking part in the new series of Strictly Come Dancing. The multi-award-winning entertainment show, produced by BBC Studios, will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for its new series this September. Alex Kingston has been a star of stage and screen for more than four decades, gaining international fame as Dr Elizabeth Corday in the global hit TV drama ER for eight years, winning a SAG award in the process. She is known to millions of Doctor Who fans as the iconic River Song, aka The Doctor's Wife, a role she has played opposite three Doctors on screen and continues in audio adventure and novel form. Other television work includes a BAFTA-nominated performance as Moll Flanders, plus roles in Douglas Is Cancelled, Treason, Gilmore Girls, Boudica, Lost in Austen, Dodger, A Discovery of Witches, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Arrow. Her extensive theatre roles range from playing Lady Macbeth, to Nurse Ratchet in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Prospero for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and many many more. More: Strictly Come Dancing 2025 - find out everything you need to know about the new series Meet the new Professional Dancers joining the Strictly family in 2025 Watch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist On joining Strictly Come Dancing, Alex Kingston says: 'Aaaaagghhh!!!!!!' The news was revealed on The One Show on Monday 11 August. The remaining celebrity contestants joining the new series will be announced in due course. Strictly Come Dancing is a BBC Studios Entertainment production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer and was commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producer is Sarah James, the Series Editors are Nicola Fitzgerald and Jack Gledhill. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Jo Wallace. Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this September. Add Strictly to your watchlist on BBC iPlayer now. GK
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Some call the Sussexes' Netflix deal a demotion - but the company still sees them as a power couple
While we're all desperate to know what this new deal is really worth in dollars and pounds, one thing I can tell you for certain is that Prince Harry and Meghan want us to know they're delighted that Netflix again wanted to get a deal done. "Absolutely over the moon" is how it was described to me. But they'll also be aware of the attention it'll attract as we all try to pick apart what it means. Image: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Pic: Jake Rosenberg/Netflix Firstly because of that ongoing fascination in how they're making money since stepping away from royal life and losing financial support from the King, but also because of the recent reports that Netflix were intending to cut ties. Yes this is a different type of deal from their original one in 2020. Some have argued that a "first look deal" looks like a demotion from what they previously signed up to. With no real clarity on how much their original deal was worth, and no numbers being publicly thrown around this time, that is hard to judge. But talking to those who know something about these kinds of deals you do get a sense it could potentially be more lucrative than it looks on face value. With first look deals, yes there is often financial commitments from the likes of Netflix to get that first exclusive look at projects and first refusal. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:22 Harry claims: War of words continues But there could be other significant monetary incentives for the Sussexes to sign. For example, when the Obamas signed a first look deal with Netflix, the streaming service agreed to pay the operational costs for their production company "Higher Ground". Could it be that Netflix are also now covering the costs of Archewell Productions? Follow the World Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday Tap to follow It's stating the obvious to say that Harry and Meghan continue to divide opinions, some wanting to watch their programmes from a place of respect and fondness, others as a reason to grumble about them. But signing on this latest dotted line shows Netflix still sees them as a power couple, who attract significant attention and are worthy of investment, whatever that really adds up to.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Brooklyn Beckham 'upsets' entire family as they're all snubbed from vow renewal
Brooklyn Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz have renewed their wedding vows (Image: nicolaannepeltzbeckham/Instagram) Brooklyn Beckham renews his wedding vows to Nicola Peltz - after inviting NONE of his extended family to the service in a brutal snub. Not only were his parents David and Victoria in the dark, but so too were his three siblings Cruz, Harper and Romeo, as well as his grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. None of Brooklyn's UK-based friends were also invited to the Los Angeles-based service. It's thought the first everyone knew about the service was when they read about it in media reports. It comes as the couple are at the centre of a feud with David and Victoria after they snubbed the former's 50th birthday party. READ MORE: Victoria Beckham's four-word comment to Geri Horner amid Spice Girls 'feud' READ MORE: David Beckham ditches iconic tiny trunks on yacht trip with Gordon Ramsay's family Nicola's dad Nelson was the officiant at the vow renewals (Image: Instagram/ @brooklynpeltzbeckham) Today Nicola posted a series of pictures of the event, including a family line-up. One picture appeared to show her dad Nelson officiating the service. A source said: 'It must have been very upsetting to find out this way.' Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola, 30, have only been married three years. Speaking about the August 2 ceremony at the weekend, Brooklyn said: "We just wanted a really beautiful experience — a really cute memory." He added: "To be honest, I could renew my vows every single day with her. I think the most important thing that someone can do is find that person that they're going to spend the rest of their life with. It definitely shapes you as a person. Yeah, it was really, really cute. It was really fun." He said that he would have his vows tattooed on his body, like he did the first time around in 2022 too. He said he's going to have to "find space". "These ones were actually longer than my original ones," he added. Meanwhile, the Beckham family - minus eldest son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola – are currently taking a trip around the coast of Italy on the £16million craft. Victoria, 51, posted a handful of holiday snaps of herself and David, 50, soaking up the sun with Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and Harper, 14. When asked about married life with Nicola, Brooklyn told People magazine at the weekend it was like "a never-ending play date." David and Victoria have become distanced from Brooklyn and Nicola (Image: @victoriabeckham/Instagram) "We don't like to go out for dinner, really," he said "We don't like to party or anything like that. When we are together, which is a lot of the time, we just hang out with our four dogs, and drink wine at home.' Sources close to Nicola have previously insisted there is no chance of reconciliation with David and Victoria at the moment given the 'highly charged atmosphere.' Her friends have previously said that as "an outsider coming into the Beckham family, she has helped Brooklyn see the emotional abuse and toxic behaviour within". The claims - described as 'parently untrue and ludicrous' by friends of the Beckhams - marked the 'nail in the coffin' of any future relationship, according to insiders. The Mirror has told before how David and Victoria Beckham 's pals were desperately worried about their son Brooklyn's 'unhealthy' relationship with wife Nicola. Friends of the couple have said that they believe Nicola is 'isolating' their son from not only them but his friends and extended family members. It comes as Brooklyn this year pointedly pledged his loyalty to his wife in a social media post, saying: 'I always choose you, baby.' Pals said it was 'disappointing but unsurprising' if Brooklyn meant this as a dig at his family - as they laid the blame at his wife. READ MORE: Anti-ageing brand used by Abbey Clancy giving away £200 worth of freebies this week Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
