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Maura Higgins ‘confirmed’ for HUGE reality show after rumoured cast list leaks online
MAURA Higgins has been’confirmed’ for a huge reality show after being replaced on Love Island USA.
It was revealed last week that Maura, 34, had been replaced as a host on Love Island USA – but she’s already moving on with her bid to break America.
Maura has been named as one of the stars of the upcoming series of The Traiters USA, after the cast list leaked online.
It comes after The Sun revealed Irish beauty Maura was set to appear on the show.
Horse racing tips: This 16-1 pick is lightly raced and returns with strong form to his name
SUN Racing’s Saturday tips are below.
Back a horse simply by clicking their odds.
LONGSHOT
NORTHERN TICKER (3.35 York)
He has few miles on the clock and followed two wins with a good third at Redcar when last seen.
EACH-WAY THIEF
FINANCER (2.25 York)
He was a good third at Thirsk last time and Tim Easterby has a good record in this race.
MAELSTROM (3.35 York)
He made it three wins in a row at Haydock last time and likes this trip.
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Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.
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 chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
I’ve found a beautiful 15-2 tip at York that can build the bank for Royal Ascot
THIS weekend is very much the calm before the Royal Ascot storm – but I still reckon I’ve managed to unearth a tasty punt.
I’m hoping to warm up for the big meeting with a decent eachway run from Blue For You in the 7f handicap at York.
My selection is handicapped to go well for David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope.
To be honest I don’t often get this yard right, but I think Blue For You is worth taking a risk on as an animal who loves the track.
Blue For You usually goes over a mile, and was a winner at York in July of last year off 95.
Having not scored since, he’s on 95 again now, and he had a perfectly decent run over 7f at Haydock in April.
He’s hard to predict but a few quid each-way is, in my opinion, well worth it.
Elsewhere at York I wonder if some headgear will spark up Chillingham? Time will tell… but I’ll give him a go each-way too.
Meanwhile, the Greyhound Derby final is here and it’s the defending champion against a fellow Irish champion in a right old smashup.
That’s what we get in the climax of the coveted £175,000 Starsports Greyhound Derby at Towcester on Saturday night, which promises to be an absolute belter.
De Lahdedah, handled by Liam Dowling, bids to become just the fifth greyhound in history to achieve back-to-back successes.
And remember those that have done so are names from yesteryear that will always live long in the memory of dog loving fans.
Think Mick the Miller (1929-30), Patricias Hope (1972-3), Rapid Ranger (2000-1) and my personal favourite Westmead Hawk (2005-6).
But to score, De Lahdedah will have to destroy Graham Holland’s Bockos Diamond, who aims to make history and do something only Toms the Best has ever achieved, and that’s to land the Irish and English Derby.
This is a proper race, and after ITV duties at York I’m dashing straight to Towcester to enjoy the moment.
I hope you will be there to. Those in charge have put on loads of entertainment and music throughout the day.
It will be a party atmosphere. So come on down and say hello.
If you can’t get to watch the race live on track, then remember all the action can be seen on the Gone to the Dogs live channel.
You’ll find it with a simple ‘Google’ search.
And if you are a dog lover, don’t forget there is a Just Giving page to support the rehoming of greyhounds.
Any support is always welcome and it’s something the game takes very seriously.
So who will win? And is this a two dog race?
Well the answer to the latter question is clearly no. We have all been around too long to dismiss the unexpected.
As is always the case in greyhound racing, though, the draw is crucial and Bockos Diamond is plotted up in the black and white stripes of Trap 6, with kennel companion Cheap Sandwiches next to him in the orange of Trap 5.
That also happened in the semi-finals, when Bockos Diamond destroyed Cheap Sandwiches for early pace.
The former doesn’t always get out as quickly as he did that day, in an impressive 3.95s. But Trap 6 seems to be the spot where he traps best.
Cheap Sandwiches also chased home Bockos Diamond in his Irish Derby victory, where the latter dashed better early pace despite not getting an electric start.
Some have a theory that the inside of the track is the place to be at Towcester, and that means De Lahdedah will have plenty of supporters.
He’s in the white jacket of Trap 3, and that box holds no terrors for him, although he landed his semi-final from the blue of Trap 2.
De Lahdedah will need luck in the early stages, as he’s a strong stayer who lacks early dash.
He does, however, have tremendous track craft and he’ll keep plugging away.
If Bockos Diamond gets away I can’t see him being picked up, but we are talking narrow margins here.
It just promises to be a wonderful event, and greyhounds are beautiful animals to watch in fluent motion.
Their long, powerful legs, deep chest, flexible spine and slim build allow them to reach speeds of 40mph.
Bockos Diamond will need to use all those attributes at 9.15pm tonight. Shine bright Bockos, like a diamond.
FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.
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 chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Pizza Hut to make a HUGE change at all 136 dine-in restaurants with dozens of jobs sliced
PIZZA Hut is rolling out new digital ordering screens across all 136 of its dine-in restaurants, a move that could make over 100 staff members redundant.
The pizza chain, which employs 3,000 staff, is set to cut 120 front-end roles as part of the shake-up.
The new terminals at the front of restaurants will make it quicker for customers to order.
A letter to staff at risk of redundancy said: “Over the coming months we are introducing new customer-facing technologies across our restaurants, including digital ordering through QR codes and the installation of in-store kiosks.
“These changes are designed to enhance the customer experience and allow guests to be more self-sufficient when dining with us.”
Other chains such as Wetherspoons and Nando’s have already installed similar screens or offer QR code ordering from the table.
Emily Curtis from DC London Pie, which owns Pizza Hut UK’s dine-in restaurants, explained that the decision to cut jobs is due to more than 60% of in-store orders now being placed digitally.
She said the company has invested heavily in new technologies to keep up with changing customer preferences.
“As part of this journey, we are adapting our staffing model, particularly in our front-of-house teams,” she added.
“While these decisions are never easy, they are necessary to ensure we continue meeting customer expectations and stay competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace.
“We are committed to supporting affected team members and will work closely with those impacted to help them find new opportunities within the wider Pizza Hut network.”
The dine-in arm of the restaurant was rescued by private equity firm Directional Capital, which created DC London Pie Ltd to take over the franchise.
It saved 3,000 jobs and saw the closure of one restaurant.
It is separate to the delivery side of the chain, which is owned by Yum! Brands, the US firm that owns KFC.
Pizza Hut first arrived in the UK in 1973 and quickly became a favourite with diners.
At its height, the chain operated over 260 restaurants nationwide, employing 10,000 staff and welcoming three million customers each month.
Some of its most notable creations include the introduction of the pan pizza in 1980, the stuffed crust in 1995, and the re-launch of the pan pizza as the grand pan in 1998.
Pan pizzas are baked in a deep, oil-coated dish, giving the crust a deliciously crispy, golden edge and a lightly fried texture on the bottom.
Like many businesses, Pizza Hut faced challenges during the coronavirus pandemic.
To manage its financial difficulties, the company entered into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) – a deal with lenders to cut costs and stay afloat.
At the time, Pizza Hut had over 240 locations across the UK but was forced to close 29 branches as part of the restructuring plan.
What are my rights if I'm made redundant?
YOU are entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you have worked for your employer for two years or more.
The statutory rate is based on your age, weekly pay and number of years in the job.
You will get:
- Half a week’s pay for each full year you worked aged under 22
- One week’s pay for each full year you worked aged 22 or older, but under 41
- One and half week’s pay for each full year you worked while aged 41 or older.
You cannot be paid less than the statutory amount.
If you were made redundant on or after April 6 2025, your weekly pay is capped at £719 and the maximum statutory redundancy pay you can get is £21,570.
The government has a calculator on its website to help you work out how much you are owed.
You may get more than this statutory amount if your employer has a redundancy scheme.
HOSPITALITY WOES
The hospitality sector has struggled to bounce back after the pandemic, facing challenges including soaring energy bills, inflation and staff shortages.
In January 2023, Byron Burger fell into administration with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Around 12 branches were saved in a rescue deal with Tristar Foods, which is owned by Calveton.
The Restaurant Group (TRG), which owned Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquito and Wagamama, shut dozens of sites in the same year.
It then went on to sell its Frankie & Bennys and Chiquito brands to Cafe Rouge owner The Big Table group in September 2023.
Italian restaurant chain Prezzo also closed dozens of sites in the same year.
In April 2024, Tasty, the owners of Italian restaurant Wildwood and Dim T, a pan-Asian restaurant, announced plans to exit 20 loss-making restaurants.
In the same month, Whitbread revealed plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants across the UK.
Meanwhile, TGI Fridays was forced to close 35 locations immediately after falling into administration last October.
However, 51 restaurants were rescued through a last-minute pre-pack deal with private equity firms Breal Capital and Calveton UK.
Forgotten Coronation Street storyline set to revived as fans guess shocking paternity twist
A FORGOTTEN Coronation Street storyline could be revived as fans ‘suss out’ a shock paternity twist.
Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) has become a major presence on the cobbles since arriving last year.
Viewers have already suspected he is the biological father of troublesome Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey).
Writing online, fans have speculated another shock paternity twist for Kit – and it could tie into a “forgotten” mystery.
One person penned on Reddit: “The DNA test hasn’t been taken yet but I think Kit has already been confirmed to be the father of Brody.
“Was he missing tonight bc he was taking the test?
“How long will he have to wait for the results?”
The online user then turned their attention to Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) – the daughter of Kit’s police colleague Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers).
They added: “Betsy’s father/ the donor was brought up tonight. I know he was used as a lie, but it got me thinking.
“Betsy is likely 17 now, so maybe in around a year, she’ll want to learn more about him.
“He’s probably just a stranger, but if he were someone on the street, who could it be?
“Kit would probably be the most likely guess, but he would’ve been 13/14 when Becky got pregnant.
“Also, that would potentially make Brody her half- brother.”
Another fan disagreed, writing: “I don’t think a 13/14 year old would be allowed to donate sperm so Kit being Betsy’s dad seems highly unlikely.”
A third shared: “Steve or David are more likely than Kit.”
While a fourth remarked: “Why are people so obsessed with who Betsy’s father is? He’s just a sperm donor most likely a randomer wanting to earn some money like Lisa said.”
Betsy is the biological daughter of Lisa’s late wife, Becky Swain – who died in 2021.
History of the Coronation Street set
By Jake Penkethman, TV Reporter
1960-1968 – Whilst the Coronation Street set remained on Quay Street for 53 years, it actually had three separate studio sites. The first was an entirely indoor wooden set which was used for the first eight years of filming. This encompassed a replica of the Street built entirely indoors. The set was known to be awkward for actors to use and the houses brought to three quarter scale.
1968-1982 – In 1968, the addition of an outdoor set was created to adjoin the existing indoor set which was still used for filming right up until 1982. The set was used only when required with many of the show’s cast reportedly hating it and describing it as ‘the coldest place on Earth’.
1982-2013 – A brand new set was officially constructed in 1982 and was almost built fully to scale but still only permitted for one car to drive down the cobbled street. The house were purpose-built using reclaimed Salford brick in order to give it the most authentic feel possible. During these years, some of the show’s buildings were adapted to allow for both interior and exterior filming at the same time. These locations included Elliott’s Butchers, Barlow’s Buys, Prima Doner and Webster’s Autos. The final scenes to be recorded on this site occurred in December 2013. By early 2014, it began operating as a tourist attraction for around two years before ultimately being demolished and re-purposed in 2017.
2014-present – In early 2014, the show’s set moved to the TV hub of the North – MediaCityUK in nearby Salford Quays. It is now located a stone’s throw from major TV studio Dock 10 as well as the BBC’s base in the North – home to Blue Peter, Newsround, BBC Breakfast and BBC Sport. The new set was even bigger and built to 9/10 the scale of a real street and allowed for two card to be travelling down the road at opposite sides for the very first time. The site has even undergone major expansions during its 10 years. Just four years after opening in 2018, a brand new set extension was unveiled which introduced viewers to Victoria Gardens for the first time in its history. The Weatherfield North tram stop also became visible as did a series of shops which became used as part of product placement advertising deals. Brands to have been seen on the Street so far include a Co-Op, a Costa Coffee and a branch of Hay’s Travel. Four years later in 2022, another brand new set was unveiled, this time being the heavily mentioned Weatherfield Precinct. It became the first time in 62 years that the area had ever been seen on screens. It fearued a variety of shop fronts, a playground and a number of small flats which have begun to house more and more residents on the street in recent months.
Since arriving in Coronation Street, she had a short-lived bond with reformed bully Mason Radcliffe (Luca Toolan).
Although this ended in tragedy when Mason was killed off at the start of the year.
Betsy has also adjusted to life with her mum’s new partner, Carla Connor (Alison King).
Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX.
Lower back pain can be eased with walking – but there’s a golden number of minutes to reach per day, study finds
GOING on a daily walk for a specific number of minutes could slash your risk of chronic lower back pain, a large new study has revealed
Every year, around 9.5 million Brits suffer from the agonising condition, making it one of the most common causes of disability.
In many cases, lower back pain starts suddenly and improves within a few days or weeks.
But if it sticks around for more than three months, it’s classed as chronic, according to the NHS. In some cases, it can be considered a disability.
This is when it can make everyday things like bending, lifting, or standing for long periods much harder.
It typically hits in later life, affecting people over 50 as the spine naturally wears down.
But younger people aren’t immune, those with physically demanding jobs or sedentary lifestyles can suffer too.
Now, researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found that walking around 100 minutes a day can cut your risk of chronic lower back pain by a quarter.
They found that the amount of walking mattered more than how fast or vigorously people walked.
Walking is already known to help reduce lower back pain by improving blood flow, strengthening muscles, and promoting flexibility.
Their large study, published in JAMA Network Open, tracked more than 11,000 adults over four years, using tech to measure daily walking volume and intensity.
They discovered that people walking between 101 and 124 minutes a day had a 23 per cent lower risk of developing chronic lower back pain, compared to those walking less than 78 minutes.
Walking 125 minutes or more daily also lowered the risk by 24 per cent, while higher walking intensity made less difference once total walking time was accounted for.
“These findings indicate that public health strategies promoting walking may help reduce the burden of chronic low back pain,” the authors said.
It comes as Australian study, published earlier this year, found that nine out of ten treatments for back pain are no good.
The NHS recommends anti-inflammatories, stretching, ice and heat packs to alleviate back pain.
If there is no improvement, it urges patients to see a GP.
When to see a doctor or call 999 for back pain
If your back pain never subsides, or if it’s getting progressively worse, despite putting practices in place to try and ease the pain, then book an appointment with your GP who will be able to guide you on the next steps.
It’s also wise to see your GP if the pain is disrupting your day-to-day life or if the pain is sharp and radiating into others areas of the body, as this could potentially indicate something more serious.
Back pain is very common. Physiotherapist Sammy Margo, part of the expert hub behind Mind Your Back, previously told The Sun it is usually injury to a muscle or ligament.
She said: “These strains may occur for many reasons such as poor posture, improper lifting [including during exercise] or being too sedentary and not having enough exercise.”
But back pain with chest pain is a good reason to seek urgent medical help.
It could be the sign of a heart issue or heart attack.
The signs of a heart attack are chest pain, and pain that can spread to other parts of the body, including the back, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, shortness of breath, sweating and nausea.
If you have back pain plus any of these symptoms, don’t delay – call 999 or go to A&E.
Sudden loss of bladder or bowel control (unable to hold it in) is another red flag that the NHS says you should call 999 for.
Cauda equina syndrome, when nerves of the spinal cord are compressed, can cause numbness of sensation in the buttocks — as well as genitals — and incontinence.
Meanwhile, in men, lower back pain could potentially be a sign of prostate cancer.
Other symptoms of prostate cancer include blood in the urine, abdominal pain, difficulty urinating and needing to pee more often.
Men should see their GP if they have these symptoms or are worried about their risk factors for prostate cancer: Use this online risk tool.
Meanwhile, kidney stones can cause agonising back pain, and you should phone NHS 111 if the pain is severe or if you have blood in your urine. Otherwise, see your GP.
Cheapest inflatable pools for UK hot weather from B&M and Wilko with prices slashed by up to 60%
THE UK is basking in sunny weather and what better way to enjoy the heat than splashing around in a paddling pool outside.
Plenty of retailers are offering them on the cheap ahead of the weekend too.
From B&M to Very, Wilko to The Range, here are some of the cheapest we found online.
It’s worth bearing in mind, these are just the cheapest inflatable pools we could find and you might find the same ones, or similar, cheaper elsewhere.
Use websites like Price Spy, Price Runner and Trolley to compare prices across thousands of products.
B&M
Discounter B&M is selling a small Bestway summer set pool for £8 that’s ideal for your little ones to splash around in.
You won’t be able to order it online as the retailer doesn’t offer a home delivery service.
You can find your nearest B&M branch via bmstores.co.uk/stores.
The paddling pool is over 1metre wide so not worth buying if you’re looking for something a bit bigger.
Shoppers will have to buy an air pump separately to pump up the three-ringed pool.
Very
Very has slashed the price of this rectangular paddling pool from £39.99 to £14.99 – around 62% off.
Shoppers can order it via home delivery but will have to pay a small fee. Orders over £30 qualify for free delivery.
The inflatable pool is designed for people aged six and over and measures 2.62m x 1.75m x 51cm.
It also comes with a repair patch you can use to plug any holes.
Wilko
Wilko is selling this interactive inflatable pool for £39.99 which measures 2m x 2.35m x 90cm.
You can order via home delivery with fees starting from £4.99 while click and collect is free.
You can find your nearest Wilko store via www.wilko.com/en-uk/stores.
If you don’t have a Wilko branch near you, The Range is also selling the same pool for £39.99.
Denny Shop
Denny Shop is selling a giant 10ft Jilong Inflatable Round Paddling Pool for just £29.99 that’s big enough to fit the whole family.
Shipping is free across the UK while shoppers can also choose a smaller 8ft size for £22.99.
You can also buy both size pools with filters for £51.99 and £55.99, respectively.
Denny Shop says it takes just 10 minutes to set up the pool and 30 minutes to fill it withwater.
The Range
The Range is selling an Avenli Prompt Set Pool Set for £34.99 down from £49.99 with home delivery from £4.99.
Click and collect is also available at no cost, which might be a better option if you want to collect for the weekend.
The inflatable measures 3m x 3m x 76cm. You just have to inflate the top ring to set up the pool then fill it with water.
Asda
This shark-themed pool from Asda is perfect for any animal-loving kids and costs £15.
Asda says it’s suited to kids aged two years and older, while measuring 1.93m x 2.21m x 68cm.
Shoppers ordering via home delivery and click and collect will be charged £4.
How to bag a bargain
SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
Heidi Klum tends to her garden in just a nude thong bikini and gives fans a glimpse of new puppy
STUNNING model Heidi Klum has tended to her garden in just a nude thong bikini while giving fans a glimpse of her new puppy.
Taking to social media, the 52-year-old starlet could be seen frolicking around her garden with a huge hose.
Spraying the water from between her legs, Heidi put on a rather raunchy display as she rocked only a nude-colored thong and matching bra.
Writhing around and wriggling her body, Heidi’s toned figure was on full display in the sultry clip.
Zooming in on her abs and thin frame, Heidi twerked and wriggled as she beamed and grinned.
Panning the camera around, Heidi then showed off her new puppy who could be seen wagging its tail and sticking its tongue out.
Heidi then moved the camera back around so she was filling the frame once again.
TENDING TO HER GARDEN
Holding the huge hose between her legs, Heidi squirted the water from the hose as she carried out her gardening chores.
In the completely unrelated caption, she asked: “Did you know that I have hazel eyes?”
This comes after Heidi enjoyed a sun-soaked vacation with her husband.
Heidi was seen showing off her figure in a bikini while in France during the Cannes Film Festival.
Accompanied by hubby Tom Kaulitz, the pair looked simply smitten in all of the posts they shared.
In one video, Tom rubbed sunscreen on his wife’s bottom as she gushed: “lucky me!”
In another snapshot from their trip, Heidi could be seen smiling at a table with her husband sitting across from her.
Drinking a glass of white wine each, the couple looked smitten as they smiled at one another and then at the camera.
And a different clip from their vacation saw them looking even more loved up as they gazed into each other’s eyes before smooching.
‘FINALLY FOUND THE ONE’
Speaking about Tom in an interview in 2022, Heidi gushed that she had “finally found the one” in her husband.
“I just know him so well. We just gel really well,” Heidi spilled in an interview with E! News.
“I just feel like, ‘Finally, I found the one.’ So far so good. I hope it stays that way.”
And in 2024 she even lifted the lid on their sex life.
Speaking about their “bedroom sports”, Heidi told The Sunday Times: “Sport en chambre is my favorite exercise — it sounds better in French.
“I have a younger husband,” she gushed.
She also revealed how the Tokio Hotel guitarist is “very good” and she even called her husband “my match”.
