‘I couldn't risk coming clean and telling her': IRA bomber shares how he told partner the truth of his guilty in new book
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Metro
22 minutes ago
- Metro
British couple held in Iran over spy charges speak to family after 213 days
Craig and Lindsay Foreman, in Isfahan, before being detained by the Iranian police (Picture: AFP) A British couple have finally been allowed to speak with their family for the first time in 213 days after being charged with espionage in Iran. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were detained in January after crossing from Armenia during their global motorcycle tour. The pair deny the allegations, and their family insist they are not spies. Their son Joe Bennett, of Folkestone, in Kent, revealed he had an eight-minute call with his mother – after not having confirmation if she was even alive. He told the BBC: 'We laughed, we cried, and for a few brief moments, it felt like the weight of the past seven months lifted.' Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Mr Bennett said his parents were 'holding strong,' adding that they remain 'resilient, positive, and somehow, they are still smiling.' He stressed that the call had been a 'real boost' for everyone, but said it was still a 'very traumatic time'. During the phone call, it was revealed that Mr and Ms Foreman had been separated and were being held in what their son described as 'Iran's worst prisons'. The couple have now been separated in two prisons (Picture: AFP) He also told BBC Radio Kent that British officials saw his father was 'dishevelled and had lost a lot of weight'. Meanwhile, his mother is not walking well due to the conditions inside the jail. The update on their plight comes as the Iranian regime executed as many as 29 prisoners in just four days, including one woman. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises British and British-Iranian nationals, who are at significant risk of detention, not to travel to the Middle Eastern country. A spokesperson said: 'We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. 'We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. 'We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.' Iran hangs 29 prisoners in 4 days - who are they? Iran's official news agency reported on Wednesday, August 6, the executions of Roozbeh Vadi, 40; Mehdi Asgharzadeh, 35; Ali Rajaei, 33; Reza Sharifzadeh, 35; and Mojtaba Izadi, 35. The last three were executed in Isfahan. Tuesday, August 5, saw the executions of five prisoners: Ali Showkat, 34, in Saveh; Ali Hosseinpour, 35, and Mohammad Abakhti in Karaj; Farzad Yari in Malayer; and Jahanshah Iravani in Semnan. On Monday, August 4, eight prisoners were hanged: Mohammad Golestani, 30; Bahman Pirouzaei, 30; Davoud Najibollahi, 40; and Reza Sarparast, 30, in Mashhad; Matin Shahbazzadeh, 24; Hessam Moloudi, 29; and Enayat Semsari, 36, in Tabriz; and Hamid Soroush in Nur. On Sunday, August 3, 11 prisoners were executed: Meysam Joudi and Sajad Pourdanesh in Karaj; Eghbal Abdali in Ilam; Hassan Ramazani, 28, and a woman in Khorramabad; and five other prisoners whose names were announced in a previous statement. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Map shows Thailand-Cambodia border where UK tourists warned to 'take extra care' Arrow MORE: First look inside Putin's secret 'death' factory where teenagers build drones Arrow MORE: Is it safe to travel to Tunisia? Latest advice as UK Foreign Office issues tourist warning
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- The Independent
Gregg Wallace's replacement for final MasterChef episodes revealed
Gregg Wallace is set to be replaced by Irish chef Anna Haugh towards the end of the new MasterChef 2025 series. This decision follows an independent report substantiating 45 allegations against Wallace, including inappropriate sexual language and unwelcome physical contact. Co-host John Torode also had an allegation of racist language upheld against him, which he denies recalling. The BBC controversially decided to broadcast the 2025 series, stating it was to recognise the efforts of the amateur cooks involved. Anna Haugh will take over from Wallace after the semi-finals, while Grace Dent has already replaced him on the next series of Celebrity MasterChef.
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
With TWO disgraced presenters, BBC decision to air MasterChef is an insult to all of us and a slap in the face to everyone who has been belittled and abused on the show, says CHRISTOPHER STEVENS
How bad do things have to get before the BBC does the right thing and bins MasterChef? The return of the long-running culinary contest, after the sacking of its disgraced presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode, is an insult to licence-payers and a slap in the face for all the participants and crew who have been belittled and abused over the years. Series 21 is to air in full, supposedly because cancelling it would be unfair to this year's 60 contestants – even though one of them, Sarah Shafi, called for it to be axed. Instead, she was edited out of the show, a move that left her 'flabbergasted'. After watching the first episode, I'm flabbergasted too. It's as though the production company, Banijay, has watched the playbacks and thought: 'Don't panic! There's at least an hour of footage where Gregg has his trousers on and John says nothing racist. We're good to go!' If you've sidestepped the furore leading up to this broadcast, you might suppose I'm being facetious. But the extraordinary truth is that, following multiple complaints, Banijay carried out an investigation into Wallace's behaviour. The majority of the 83 allegations against him related to 'inappropriate' sexual language and humour – though that raises another question of whether the producers think sexual remarks and jokes are ever appropriate on a TV set. Perhaps they don't understand that 'food porn' has nothing to do with nudity. Wallace certainly didn't. Of the 45 complaints against him upheld, one related to 'unwelcome physical contact' and three to being 'in a state of undress'. In the course of their enquiries, Banijay also learned that Torode had used a racist slur. Despite protesting their innocence, both men were dropped from the show... and yet, here we are, with Wallace and Torode once again the judges. I do not believe for a second that BBC executives feel compelled to air the series as a favour to contestants, as the Corporation has suggested. The TV industry is not that sentimental. It's much more likely to be about money. The Beeb has paid for MasterChef and now it wants its pound of flesh, lightly seared and served on a bed of herby potatoes with a scatter of grated walnuts. Even now, it is entirely within the BBC's power to cancel the series. The Government would certainly support that, as would its union paymasters. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says she won't be watching. Downing Street has welcomed the BBC's decision to 'sever ties' with Wallace. And the broadcasting union Bectu has said the presenters 'should not be rewarded with prime-time coverage'. There is strong precedent, too. BBC One removed episodes of The Repair Shop from its schedule last year after presenter Jay Blades was charged with coercive and controlling behaviour against his estranged wife. Series 21 is to air in full, supposedly because cancelling it would be unfair to this year's 60 contestants – even though one of them called for it to be axed The majority of the 83 allegations against Wallace related to 'inappropriate' sexual language and humour – though that raises another question of whether the producers think sexual remarks and jokes are ever appropriate on a TV set Yet dozens remain on iPlayer, even though Blades faced two much more serious charges of rape this week. Whether he will be edited out of old episodes if found guilty, the BBC has not said. It has to be emphasised, of course, that neither Wallace nor Torode has faced a police investigation, much less criminal charges. Yet, strict action has been taken over other controversies. In 2020, Sky chiefs were horrified to realise a heavily tattooed contestant on a forthcoming reality show was actually flaunting neo-Nazi symbols. It was only when trailers for woodworking competition, The Chop, featured contestant Darren Lumsden that social media users pointed out that elements of his body art were coded displays of support for Adolf Hitler and white supremacy. Sky could have fudged the issue. Instead, they did the right thing. The Chop got the chop. The BBC lacks the common sense to follow suit. Its solution is to sieve out all but the blandest moments featuring Wallace and Torode. We see them asking innocuous questions about dishes and then grinning silently at the answers. Almost all his cheesy banter has gone. As a result, the hour is as tepid and flavourless as the water strained from a pan of spaghetti. The judges might as well be a pair of AI robots. And if MasterChef is to continue, perhaps that would be the Beeb's safest option.
