Latest news with #Southampton-based
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
The Hundred set for 'enormous boost' after ECB decision and new 'silver bullet'
MCC, the organisation of which Nicholas is chair, kept its 51 per cent stake in London Spirit, with Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, a consortium of US-based tech entrepreneurs, snapping up the rest. Mark Nicholas believes the incoming injection of private funding into the Hundred will give the competition 'an enormous boost' and help address the fact it has 'eased off'. The ECB sold its 49 per cent stake in each of the eight competing teams earlier this year, with host clubs then deciding how much of their stake to retain. MCC, the organisation of which Nicholas is chair, kept its 51 per cent stake in London Spirit, with Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, a consortium of US-based tech entrepreneurs, snapping up the rest. London Spirit was valued at £295million, the most of any team, and Nicholas – who was on the board of Southampton-based Southern Brave before moving to Lord's – is excited to see how the investment takes the competition to new heights. 'It's interesting that it seems to have eased off a bit,' he said. 'If you'd asked me at the end of the first year, I'd have said 'eureka'. I was astonished, and the impact on the women's game in particular was fantastic. I can't quite get why audiences have gone down a bit, but I like The Hundred, I like the format, I think it's a bit more nuanced than T20. I am a big fan of it. 'I think it will get the most enormous boost next year. Once these private owners take over and you suddenly get that 'brand feel' to each of the franchises, their own marketing impact and fan engagement modelling, I have no doubt the tournament will be really successful here. 'It will be a great venture. Whether it can be the silver bullet, I don't know, but I think it will be a very strong product for English cricket in the years to come.' Nicholas was speaking ahead of the second World Cricket Connects forum at Lord's, at which franchise cricket will be among the topics debated by a collection of key figures from within the sport as well as external commercial voices. Other themes including the state of the game, women's cricket and 'is cricket cool?' will be up for discussion at Lord's, while Australia captain Pat Cummins will be interviewed as part of a panel surrounding climate issues in cricket. 'This year is a little bit more driven by the business of the game,' he said. 'Last year we had the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Jos Buttler and Brendon McCullum, whereas this year we have gone for big players in the various markets. 'That was to some degree driven by the ICC wanting some input to the event but driven more by our thinking that it needed a different angle this year. 'There are still big names who will be speaking – Kumar Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly, Andrew Strauss. We really did have some exceptional presentations last time and I think we are well on course to have the same this year.' World Cricket Connects is an initiative dedicated to bringing together cricket stakeholders from around the world to discuss and shape the future of the sport. Through events, discussions, and collaborations, World Cricket Connects aims to foster innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability in cricket.
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Mark Nicholas welcomes private funding into the Hundred
MCC, the organisation of which Nicholas is chair, kept its 51 per cent stake in London Spirit, with Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, a consortium of US-based tech entrepreneurs, snapping up the rest. London Spirit was valued at £295 million, the most of any team, and Nicholas – who was on the board of Southampton-based Southern Brave before moving to Lord's – is excited to see how the investment takes the competition to new heights. 'It's interesting that it seems to have eased off a bit,' he said. 'If you'd asked me at the end of the first year, I'd have said 'eureka'. I was astonished, and the impact on the women's game in particular was fantastic. 'I can't quite get why audiences have gone down a bit, but I like The Hundred, I like the format, I think it's a bit more nuanced than T20. I am a big fan of it. 'I think it will get the most enormous boost next year. Once these private owners take over and you suddenly get that 'brand feel' to each of the franchises, their own marketing impact and fan engagement modelling, I have no doubt the tournament will be really successful here. 'It will be a great venture. Whether it can be the silver bullet, I don't know, but I think it will be a very strong product for English cricket in the years to come.' Nicholas was speaking ahead of the second World Cricket Connects forum at Lord's, at which franchise cricket will be among the topics debated by a collection of key figures from within the sport as well as external commercial voices. Other themes including the state of the game, women's cricket and 'is cricket cool?' will be up for discussion at Lord's, while Australia captain Pat Cummins will be interviewed as part of a panel surrounding climate issues in cricket. 'This year is a little bit more driven by the business of the game,' he said. 'Last year we had the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Jos Buttler and Brendon McCullum, whereas this year we have gone for big players in the various markets. 'That was to some degree driven by the ICC wanting some input to the event but driven more by our thinking that it needed a different angle this year. 'There are still big names who will be speaking – Kumar Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly, Andrew Strauss. We really did have some exceptional presentations last time and I think we are well on course to have the same this year.' World Cricket Connects is an initiative dedicated to bringing together cricket stakeholders from around the world to discuss and shape the future of the sport. Through events, discussions, and collaborations, World Cricket Connects aims to foster innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability in cricket.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I had £7,000 weight loss surgery in Turkey and I'm worried I'll rip apart'
Chantelle Woolston says the tummy tuck and breast revision was her'biggest regret' and she feels she 'looked better with the fat' Mum-of-two Chantelle Woolston was excited when she booked her £6.9k "mummy makeover" in Turkey, counting down the days until she could board the plane and move towards a future where she felt happier in her own body, reports Surrey Live. Now, however, 46-year-old Chantelle calls it her "biggest regret". Following a successful gastric sleeve operation in Istanbul in 2020, the Southampton-based administrator shifted an impressive 6st 7lbs -seeing her drop from a size 18 to a size eight- but the surgery left her with unwanted excess skin. She shared: "I was looking in the mirror and seeing droopy boobs and rolls of fat. I didn't feel attractive. I wanted to look nice." Deciding to undergo a tummy tuck and breast revision, Chantelle meticulously researched the various options, choosing not to return to the previous clinic as the medical team she knew had moved on. She selected a clinic in Izmir, Turkey, which even threw in a back lift for the all-inclusive price. She shared: "I trawled the internet for places to go. I didn't see any negative on this Facebook group. It was just so positive and they sent me pictures of stunning women. I thought 'bloody hell, can I have that body?'" However, it was only after she'd paid her deposit that Chantelle began to notice some negative comments. Despite this, she flew out in February this year with her husband, Marc, 50, a maintenance worker. But Chantelle felt uneasy and said she felt "rushed" to sign the paperwork to get her into surgery. She expressed: "It was a case of you need to hurry up. It's like a conveyer belt." And things went from bad to worse. "When I came round I was in a mess. I was freezing cold. I thought 'I've made a big mistake'." After spending a week in Turkey, Chantelle returned home. Initially, she was excited to see the results but two months later, she feels unhappy with her healing journey. She is plagued by discomfort, unable to stretch without fearing she'll "rip in half", and is horrified by her "hard as a block" stomach and bunched-up skin. She expressed her deep regret: "I'd built it up so much and I was so excited to go. "I couldn't wait to see the results. I 100 per cent wish I hadn't done it with this clinic. I'm regretful of going with this clinic. I wish I'd researched more. Now I have to tell people I'm devastated with how my body is. I looked better with the fat." "I should have known by the deal that it was too good to be true." Chantelle revealed: "I'm now able to lie on my side in bed and if I have move in bed I feel like I'm going to rip in half. I can't open my garage to park my car - I can't stretch. I have skin that looks like dog ears above my pubic bone. It's like a zip. I have flaps of skin and three rolls of skin sewn up - it's just been sewn up and gathered." She continued: "My stomach is hard as a block. My body has completely healed but my breasts are all crusty. I feel hollow in places." She said: "My scarring is there - it's like a roadmap. I asked for a flat stomach not for three rolls." Despite being told that healing can take between three to six months, Chantelle doesn't believe her results will improve. She has been in contact with the clinic, who advised her to "trust the process" and to "exercise". Chantelle now wants to caution other women before they make the same mistake she did, saying: "Trust your gut." The clinic responded: "While we aim to give patients ample time to read and sign these documents, the pre-operative schedule-including tests and consultations-may create a sense of urgency for some individuals on the day of surgery. Post-operative recovery varies per patient, and swelling, tightness, and temporary asymmetry are common in the initial stages. Get health warnings straight to your WhatsApp! "We advise patients that full healing can take months, and we provide detailed aftercare instructions. Terms like "dog ears" or "gathered skin" often describe normal transient swelling or suturing techniques that improve over time. "However, we always encourage patients to voice concerns during follow-ups so we can assess and reassure or intervene if medically indicated. Our team remains available post-operatively to guide patients through their recovery." They continue: "While phrases like 'trust the process' may stem from managing early-stage expectations, we prioritise addressing concerns with clinical evaluations when needed. We regret that this patient feels dissatisfied and invite her to contact us directly so we can review her case in detail and provide personalised support."
Business News Wales
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Three New Partners at FRP Amid Annual Promotions
Specialist business advisory firm FRP has added three colleagues to its partnership as it continues to invest in its team across the UK. As part of its latest round of promotions, Thomas Edwards (Cardiff) and Daniel Brecker (Manchester) have been named partners in FRP's corporate finance practice, while Tony Keehan (Brentwood) has been named partner in its restructuring advisory team. Meanwhile, Claire Huartson (Brentwood) has been named appointment-taking director and Mick Naumann (Leigh on Sea) director in the business' restructuring practice. Alexis Ioannides – based in FRP's office in Cyprus – has been made director in its financial advisory team. 96 further colleagues have been promoted across the business' restructuring advisory, corporate finance and financial advisory pillars, along with its central services team. In total, 27 colleagues have been promoted in FRP's London offices, 12 in Manchester, nine in Sheffield, eight in Brighton, seven in Brentwood, four in Cyprus, as well as others across the UK. The announcements come amid a period of sustained growth for the business, as it continues to enhance its national and international coverage and deepen its expertise across key service areas. In the last 13 months, FRP has completed five acquisitions, including Southampton-based commercial finance specialist Hilton-Baird, Newcastle-based WilliamsAli Corporate Finance and valuations specialist GlobalView; as well as launching offices in Northern Ireland and Wales that now give the firm an on-the-ground presence in every UK nation. It has also invested in new service lines, appointing John Nelson as a specialist training director to support the learning and development offering it provides to its national client base and Neil Withington to lead its national corporate simplification service, as well as opening a new office in Bournemouth. FRP now operates across a network of 33 locations in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Cyprus. Jeremy French, chief operating officer at FRP, said: 'These promotions recognise the dedication, expertise and ambition of our colleagues across the firm, who deliver outstanding service to our clients day-in, day-out. 'Our business has seen rapid growth in recent times and we have big plans for the year ahead. Further investment in our people is at the centre of our plans, ensuring we continue to attract the very best talent, create an environment where everyone can achieve their personal ambitions and continue to deliver the quality of service that we are known for.'
The Guardian
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Oh my God sir, you're on Love Island!' What happens to teachers who do reality TV?
When students used to ask English teacher Joe Scott to sign their homework planners, it was usually because they were in trouble. But things changed in January, when the Southampton-based secondary schoolteacher appeared in the latest series of the BBC reality show The Traitors. Pupils started voluntarily pressing their planners into his hands – for autographs. 'It felt funny,' says the 38-year-old. 'It was such a juxtaposition.' Teachers have always gone on reality TV – but they haven't always come off well. In 2001, a contestant on the second series of Big Brother was fired from her job at an east London girls' school after her towel slipped on air. Six years later in 2007, parents complained after an American elementary school teacher missed 22 days of work to appear on The Bachelor. Just last year, a Canadian educator was let go after taking unauthorised leave to compete on Survivor. Expulsions like these make for explosive headlines, but like Scott, many teachers do in fact return to the classroom after appearing on reality TV. What is it like to try to discipline teenagers after they've watched you lose a gameshow or snog a stranger? 'I was mindful that I needed to act in a certain way because I knew my pupils would be watching,' says Scott, who was in teacher training and working at a placement school when he applied for The Traitors. Handily, the show's shooting schedule coincided with the school holidays, but he says BBC rules dictated that police officers, medical professionals, prison workers and teachers had to inform their employers they were going on the show. He told the headteacher his plans. 'They were so supportive, they said it would be good to show the pupils that as teachers we do have a life outside the classroom,' Scott says. Nonetheless, the school wrote him a letter of dos and don'ts: don't name the school, and definitely don't name any pupils. Scott told himself not to swear during the show's heated 'round table' arguments – but naturally the one time a curse slipped out, it was aired. 'I thought, 'Oh, I've been so good! And that's the bit that gets shown!'' Today, Scott is permanently employed at his placement school. Students only found out he was going to be on the show when the general public did – the school then sent an email to parents so they wouldn't be shocked to see their child's English teacher pop up on the telly. Almost immediately, Scott's pupils went into 'game mode', dissecting the episodes after they aired. 'As opposed to being like, 'Oh my God sir, you're on TV!' it was more like, 'Oh my God sir, do you not know Linda's a traitor?'' Scott survived for 10 of the 12 episodes, but – perhaps overestimating how life-changing the prize money would be – students surmised that he couldn't have won, or he wouldn't still have been standing in front of them. Scott implemented a routine where he would take the register and allow pupils to ask questions about the show for a couple of minutes before he began teaching. He says this 'outlet' was better than the 'constant disruption' of questions popping up during class. 'And then as it went on, they stopped asking. It was quite humbling. One of my classes, I said, 'Right, any questions?' and someone put their hand up and said, 'Sir, is there a new seating plan?'' Unfortunately for Scott, the general public were a lot more vocal than his pupils. Tweets with thousands of likes branded him 'one of the worst people to ever be on The Traitors', while posters on Reddit objected to his 'sneering, aggressive tone'. Some even claimed he couldn't possibly be a good teacher. 'It did affect my confidence at one point,' Scott says. 'I know I'm not like that, but then you almost start believing what you're reading.' Scott spoke with his headteacher as well as the BBC's welfare team. He reminded himself that no students had ever complained about his conduct – and in fact, some became protective when they saw the online hate. 'Because they all know me and my character, they know what people were saying wasn't an accurate representation.' Scott says the show hasn't affected his ability to discipline his pupils. It's easy to imagine an impish whippersnapper sneering, 'Whatever, you lost The Traitors!' when being told off, but Scott says nothing like this has happened to him. In fact, he feels better able to command respect. 'If anything, I felt like they were even more invested than usual, I held their attention even more. It seemed to go to my advantage.' Kai Fagan, a 26-year-old PE teacher in Milton Keynes, won the ninth season of Love Island in 2023. Although he quit his secondary school job to appear on the dating show, he resumed teaching at a different college in 2024. 'I woke up really early because I was nervous, I was so anxious,' he says of his first day. 'My students were shocked, but I just addressed it straight away.' Like Scott, Fagan offered the opportunity to ask questions. 'But then I also made it clear exactly what I expected from running the lessons, to not be disrespectful.' During his time on Love Island, Fagan 'coupled up' with five women and took part in so-called 'raunchy' challenges; naturally, he was also frequently filmed with his top off. 'None of the [students] have ever asked me about any of the challenges,' he says. 'They just don't care.' Fagan thinks this is partly because his students are all over 16 and are learning in a college environment where they are treated like adults. He also believes it's because he is the same person, whether on TV, online or in the classroom. 'If you show people exactly who you are and what you stand for, they can't really laugh at you. They can only laugh if you're completely different and you're putting on a different persona.' Like Scott, Fagan reports no issues with discipline and even thinks his time on the show (and his work as an influencer) has engendered respect. Now, he can teach students about more than just PE. 'I'm a massive advocate for social media. So if they have a passion, how can they differentiate themselves? If you want to be a football analyst, why don't you do some football analysis on TikTok? If you want to become a football journalist, why don't you do some match reviews?' While it's hard to imagine reality TV experience benefiting, say, geography lessons, it's easy to see how it might be useful in drama class. Scott teaches drama once a week and has been able to introduce games inspired by the show. Grace Elliott, a 27-year-old drama teacher based in Berkshire who appeared on the Channel 4 show Hunted in 2022, found benefits, too. 'All the time in drama, we're pushing students out of their comfort zones. That's how we grow as performers,' she says. Whenever pupils seem reluctant to get up on stage, she has a ready retort. 'I'm like, 'Well, I went on telly for 16 days. I wasn't in my comfort zone for any part of that at all!'' Contestants on Hunted have to go on the run and evade being captured: 'You don't know when you're next going to get a meal or water, or where you're going to sleep, and it is mentally draining,' says Elliott. When the show came out, she was honest with her students about how challenging she found it as well as her previous experiences with ill mental health. She initially worried that pupils might think, 'Oh, my teacher is not as strong as I thought she was,' but she now believes it was beneficial for them to see her overcoming low moments. And as a result, 'Now I'm locked into Duke of Edinburgh for life!' When Elliott ultimately lost the show, a pupil wrote a sweet message on her whiteboard: 'Seriously congratulations, we are all so proud of you, you D-list celebrity.' Her students even monitored social media so she didn't have to, saying: 'Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on all the comments for you and shut down any trolls.'' Mums and dads were positive too, congratulating her at parents' evening. Elliott says it was a valuable experience for her pupils to see that she was a real person with her own life. 'They can talk to you about things, they'll open up to you about things, and that's how they'll learn from you,' she says. Although, as time goes by, younger cohorts don't necessarily recognise her. Scott only appeared on TV two months ago, and already the students' requests to autograph homework planners have stopped. 'They don't really mention it now,' he says. 'It's yesterday's news. Back to normality.'
