Bundlezy My WordPress Blog

DJ superstar Steve Aoki kissed his wife Sasha’s bare baby bump after revealing he’s going to be a dad for the first time.

The 47-year-old EDM legend announced his wife, Sasha Sofine, 27, is pregnant during a gig in Dubai in January.

Instagram

Steve Aoki kissed his pregnant wife Sasha’s bump[/caption]

Instagram

The happy couple had a baby shower in Las Vegas[/caption]

Instagram

Sasha is 20 years younger than Steve[/caption]

Now, they’ve thrown a baby shower in Las Vegas at which Steve showed his affection for Sasha and their soon-to-be-born son.

Steve wrote: “From the baby shower to the after party at Palm Tree, we can’t wait to welcome baby Rocky.”

They were congratulated by their celebrity pals, with Brody Jenner writing: “So happy for you brother. You are going to be the best Dad. My baby girl is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Diplo posted: “congrats papasan.”

Black Coffee shared: “Congrats [heart emojis].”

The pair were joined by family and friends at the feel-good event.

Dressed in a Taylor Swift vest and cap, Steve chugged drink from a baby bottle and gazed lovingly at Sasha on the day.

Guests decorated plain white baby vests and displayed them on a table.

Later in the day, Steve played a gig in Las Vegas and looked to be having the time of his life.

The couple married last July in Montenegro, seven years after his divorce from first wife Tiernan Cowling.

Sasha studied in Moscow, winning a regional rowing championship, and now works for LA-based social media app Locals.org as Head of Community Growth.

Steve’s live shows are synonymous with caking audience members.

Fans bring signs begging the DJ to launch huge cream cakes at them from the stage, which he happily obliges.

He has worked with the biggest names in music from Linkin Park and Louis Tomlinson to BTS and Lil Yachty.

Instagram

Steve chugged drink from a baby bottle[/caption]

A FAMILY favourite pizza brand sold in major supermarkets has been axed, leaving shoppers devastated.

Dr. Oetker’s Pizza Pollo has now permanently disappeared from supermarket shelves.

The savoury delight came with a tomato base and was topped with chicken, sweetcorn and herbs.

It cost around £3 and was found in the frozen aisle of supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Iceland.

Eagle-eyed customers took to social media to find out what happened to the Italian-inspired dish.

Writing on X, one customer said: “I cannot find your pizza pollo anywhere anymore.

“I am absolutely gutted as it was my fave. Has it been discontinued???”

A spokesperson confirmed in a response to the customer that the pizza flavour was no more.

They said: “Our Pollo pizza has been discontinued in the UK, but we’ll let our pizza experts know that you want it back! Thanks.”

The move will come as a blow to shoppers who in the past described it as “delicious.”

Another shopper said the pizza was their “family’s favourite”.

They said: “The amount of tomato and cheese is just right on the base then you get the toppings of chicken and spinach which are delicious.”

Dr. Oetker still has a range of flavours available to customers, including Mozzarella and Hawaiian.

The news comes in the same week pizza lovers were told that Domino’s Ultimate Chicken Mexicana Pizza was axed.

The menu option combined spiced pulled chicken, juicy tomatoes, crunchy onions, spicy jalapenos and green and red peppers, topped with a spiced mayo drizzle.

However, Domino’s has now confirmed it has been dropped from menus.

MORE DISCONTINUED FOOD

Foodies were also devastated to learn that Greggs has axed two menu items.

The Chargrill Chicken Oval Bite and Spicy Veg Curry Bake are no longer being sold in stores.

Elsewhere, Sticky soy sauce has now permanently disappeared from the Wetherspoon menu.

The Asian-inspired dip, which was often served with breast bites, was a popular choice amongst diners.

Spoons has also cut steak, mixed grills and gammon from menus across the country in a cost-cutting shake-up.

But it is not all bad news for punters as the chain has launched a range of new Gourmet Burgers.

Spoons also launched a £2.99 breakfast deal in February, with customers able to get a breakfast muffin or small breakfast with soft or hot drink.

LIVING in central London can sometimes make you feel boxed-in – like there is no escape of either countryside or sea.

And whilst this is one of the sacrifices you have to make when you live in the city, wouldn’t it be ideal to find a spot in the city that gives you the feel of being by the sea?

Cyann Fielding

Founder’s Arms is located on the Thames between The Tate and Blackfriars station[/caption]

cyann fielding

In addition to the beach below, there is an outdoor terrace[/caption]

cyann fielding

When the tide is out, the golden sand beach appears[/caption]

Well, after five years of living in the capital – I have finally found that spot.

Between the Tate Modern and London Blackfriars Station, the Founder’s Arms on the River Thames seems like an ordinary Fuller’s pub.

But when the sun is shining and the tide washes out, directly beneath the pub a sandy beach emerges.

Now, I know you might be thinking that the Thames just has mud and probably an old tire.

But when I say beach, I mean it – golden sand and all.

Myself and fellow travel reporter, Alice Penwill grabbed a glass of wine and headed down to the beach.

A medium glass of white cost me just over £7 – and for a lunchtime tipple, I would say it was a generous medium.

The sitting in the beaming sunshine, watching a couple boats whizz by, Alice and I did feel like we were somewhere else.

Whilst the water obviously doesn’t looking inviting, we were sat on a beach in the city, with wine – all during our lunch break.

Not many Londoners can say they have popped to the beach during the working day.

The beach was also surprisingly clean, with only a few stones scattered across.

A couple nearby visitors were investigating the beach – presumably mud-larking for treasures.

But the most noticeable difference compare to the seaside on the coast? No screaming gulls.

Despite not having an ice cream in my hand, I felt confident that if I did have one, it wouldn’t have been snatched by an over-confident bird.

The pub itself also has a nice seating area outside, that overlooks the Thames and across to St Paul’s cathedral.

cyann fielding

Alice (right) and I (left) nipped down to catch some sun and sand on a lunch break[/caption]

cyann fielding

From both the pub and the beach, you can see London’s impressive skyline[/caption]

If the weather does take a turn for the worse, like it often does in the UK, there is also a bar inside and plenty of seating that looked comfy and cosy.

Pooches are also welcome in the pub, thankfully.

Make sure to head to tide-forecast.com to check when the tide is out, to ensure you get to enjoy the beach on your visit.

In the mean time, there is another London pub that has a secret beach behind it.

Plus, the English pub where the beer garden is on the beach that people say feels ‘more like Miami’.

cyann fielding

Make sure to check the tide times to know when the beach appears[/caption]

MANCHESTER CITY are in dire need of a fresh start.

While finishing third in the Premier League is not a total disaster, the way their title defence collapsed sent a signal that the force that had dominated English football for half a decade was no longer infallible.

Alamy

Pep Guardiola will have three new expensive toys to play with for his Man City squad at the Club World Cup[/caption]

Getty

Tijjani Reijnders represents the most expensive of the deals and comes in as a direct Kevin De Bruyne replacement[/caption]

Getty

Rayan Cherki arrived from Lyon after a statement year for him[/caption]

Getty

Rayan Ait-Nouri has Prem proven guile to make a real difference to City’s defence[/caption]

Watch EVERY match of the Club World Cup 2025 live on DAZN

We can, of course, point to the long-term injury to the Ballon d’Or winner Rodri as one of the driving points behind their struggles, but even then, you would expect Pep Guardiola‘s side to have the depth to deal with his loss more effectively.

In the end, rather than a tactical change, City splashed more than £170million on new signings Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Victor Reis to get their season back on track.

However, out of these four, only Marmoush has had a significant impact thus far. Gonzalez was relegated to a reserve team spot early on, Khusanov had a shaky start, and Reis has played just one league minute since his arrival.

Losing talisman Kevin De Bruyne is doubtless a loss for the squad after the club allowed his contract to run down, but City requires fresh blood if they are to close the gap to champions Liverpool.

And they have moved swiftly by adding three new players in Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki, while a fourth signing in Marcus Bettinelli is expected to fill the Scott Carson role of third-choice goalkeeper and squad cheerleader.

Below, we look in depth at the three new signings and show how they will have an impact on this City squad going into next season and going into the Club World Cup.

Rayan Ait-Nouri, 24-years-old, Left-Back

The first player we will discuss is 24-year-old Algerian international, Rayan Ait-Nouri, signed in a £31m deal from Wolves.

The signing of Ait-Nouri ticks two big boxes for Guardiola and his staff.

First of all, he has extensive Premier League experience with 135 appearances in the competition since joining Wolves from Angers in France in 2021.

The second important tick is he fills a position of a real specialist at left-back, rather than a player being shoehorned in like Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake or Rico Lewis have been previously.

Ait-Nouri should come in immediately and make that position his own.

Ait-Nouri was one of the standout players for Wolves last season in the context of a team that were struggling towards the bottom of the table for most of the season.

He is a balanced defender who will provide real quality for City in all phases of the game.

When defending he is comfortable defending when he is isolated wide and he generates turnovers with tackles, blocks or interceptions, as well as being able to come inside to help his central defenders.

He is also very capable of contributing a lot in the attacking phase, creating threat for his team by staying wide and stretching the width of the pitch.

In the middle third, when he takes the ball, he finds creative passing angles to find the striker on the last line or to break the last line with through balls that can release runners behind the defensive line.

And in the final third he gets on the ball and can cross with quality from deep or when bursting towards the by-line.

City appear to have moved very quickly in order to secure the signature of their first choice left-back for the foreseeable future.

Tijjani Reijnders, 26-years-old, Central Midfielder

From an age perspective, it is interesting City have moved against the general trend by signing a player that is already 26 years old in Reijnders, signed from AC Milan for £46m.

The Dutch international has 23 caps and four goals at senior international level and last season he ended with 10 goals and five assists in the Serie A alone.

Is Reijnders seen as the replacement for De Bruyne in the City midfield? Well, maybe at least partly. The two are similar in that they are at their best in the attacking phase of the game.

Reijnders is a ball carrier who can take possession in tight spaces and help to break down a deep block by dribbling or finding creative passing angles.

This was an area of the game where City struggled last season with teams sitting deep and City trying to attack in the wide areas to break them down with little quality in the middle.

While Reijnders does contribute defensively, he is especially strong when pressing and counterpressing when his team lose possession in higher areas.

He can play deeper, almost beside the 6, and receive and play the ball to dictate the tempo of the attack for his team but he is also very impressive in more advanced positions when the game is really tight.

His ability to take the ball and beat a man 1v1 centrally can really open up games for his team by creating space for others, but he also uses this in the final third to create an angle for shots around the edge of the area.

Reijnders can play more as a box-crashing midfielder but also poses a threat with his ability to shoot from distance.

In this instance, he does have some similarities to De Bruyne, and he will provide a goal threat from the midfield City would otherwise be missing.

With De Bruyne having left the club and with Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic all entering the end of their peak years, it was important City strengthened the position.

And Reijnders should go a long way to helping them break down opposition defensive blocks.

Rayan Cherki, 21-years-old, Attacking Midfielder

City have already pulled off one of the most intriguing transfers of the summer with the £35m deal to sign 21-year-old Rayan Cherki from Lyon in France.

Cherki has long been discussed as one of the most naturally gifted and technically talented players of his generation.

The Frenchman, however, was seen as a player who was difficult to deal with and who had a very close connection to his home city in Lyon.

But last season Cherki matured as a player as he had a more central role for his team which really saw him emerge as one of the best young players in Europe.

He has now made his full international debut for France and he looks set to become a key attacking player for the national team.

His decision to leave Lyon triggered interest from top teams in England, but it was City who moved quickest to secure his signature.

There are two big questions around the signing of Cherki by City. The first is whether Guardiola will allow Cherki to retain his unique creativity and dribbling style.

When Jack Grealish arrived at City for a club-record £100m from Aston Villa he was a strong ball carrier.

But that dynamic ability to take on his man has been coached out of his game, and is part of the reason he is now deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad after being left out of their Club World Cup squad.

That said, Guardiola has been happy for Jeremy Doku to be a high-volume dribbler during his time at City, so maybe the Spanish coach will allow Cherki to be the same.

The second question regards his position. Cherki does not have the defensive profile or work rate to play in deeper midfield areas, so he will probably not fit as one of the two 8’s in the midfield for City.

That could mean he plays from the right of attack, and with Doku on the left, we could see City build an attack with incredible threat from either flank.

Cherki can score goals for himself but is extremely creative and capable of playing through tight defensive blocks with his ability to dribble and play quick passes in and out to teammates to break through and create space that can be exploited.

In signing Cherki, it is fair to say that Man City may have signed a true gamebreaker for next season.

The Club World Cup and Conclusion

City named all seven of the signings they made in the past six months – coming out to a total of almost £300m – in the 27-man travelling squad for the Club World Cup in the United States.

It will give Guardiola a chance to see all three of his new toys on the pitch in his system of play.

City’s underperformance last season triggered a decisive response from City chiefs, with some key recruitment needs already being met with even more business likely when the open reopens on June 16.

All three new signings have the ability to make an immediate and important impact on the squad, but living up to some of their predecessors will be a huge ask.

GLANCING across the polo pitch, Arthur Edwards’ eyes land on the golden ‘D’ hanging around the young woman’s neck.

He approaches the shy young girl and after asking politely she agrees to pose for a photo, an image that would later go down in history.

Lorna Roach

News Group Newspapers Ltd

News Group Newspapers Ltd

Arthur says he has changed his ‘aggresive’ approach from his early years as a photographer and is now very friendly with the royal family. Seen here with Charles on his 70th birthday[/caption]

It was the Sun’s royal photographer’s very first photograph of Lady Diana Spencer, then 19.

But rather than hitting the front page, the iconic portrait spent weeks in a drawer.

“Although I was told by royal equerries that Lady Diana Spencer was Prince Charles’ new girlfriend, I had a hard time believing it,” Arthur says.

“He was 32 at the time and I remember thinking ‘he’s not running around with teenagers.’”

However, six weeks later and by pure coincidence Arthur had their relationship confirmed.

FURIOUS PRINCE

Speaking as part of Life Stories, The Sun’s YouTube series that features ordinary people who have had extraordinary lives, he explains: “I was driving along the River Dee up in Balmoral to the Braemar Games and I saw Prince Charles fishing and next to him was Diana Spencer.

“So I jumped out of the car, grabbed the camera and rushed to snap a picture. 

“She saw me, she rushed through the bushes. I managed to get a picture of him running up through the woods.

“Prince Charles was angry, god was he angry. He threw the fishing rod down and stormed off.

“The following day we ran the photo I had taken of Diana at the polo on the front page and underneath the headline was ‘Lady Diana Spencer, all the qualities to be Queen.’”

It was a career defining moment for Arthur who in half a century on The Sun, Arthur has travelled to 120 countries, taking photos of not just the Royal Family but many of the world’s biggest names.

But unlike many paps the lorry driver’s son, who left school at 15, was as much a hit with his subjects as he was with his editors.

Diana once described him as her favourite royal photographer and he was among those who regularly joined Prince Harry for a drink following a royal tour.

And last month he was congratulated by Queen Camilla personally when he picked up a Lifetime Achievement gong.

Arthur, 84,  says that the secret to getting his subjects on side has always been to ‘ask nicely.’

He explains: “Most people are nice and if you’re pleasant you’ll get a similar reception back is what I have always found.

“One of the most iconic photographs I took of Diana in the see-through skirt in 1980 was taken because I travelled to the nursery she was working at and asked her nicely.

“I always say, you get more with sugar than you do with vinegar.”

News Group Newspapers Ltd

The Sun

The Sun

However, Arthur is the first to admit that niceties weren’t always part of his nature and that while starting out he took an ‘aggressive approach.’

‘AGGRESSIVE APPROACH’

“When I started doing the job, I wasn’t bothered one way about the Royal Family,” he explains.

“The thing about the newspaper business is you can’t come back empty handed, editors don’t want excuses, they want pictures. 

“So I was aggressive and some of the things I did then I’d be ashamed of today.”

Arthur says there is one incident that he particularly regrets from his early career.

“I went to the Bahamas in 1982 while Diana was pregnant with William and photographed her in a bikini on the beach with Charles,” he says.

“There would be uproar over that now. 

“It was probably one of the things I regret because they didn’t see me as I was hiding in the bushes.

“I got great pictures of course but I got a lot of stick for it.

“The only person who was pleased with the photos was my editor, even the office driver was disgusted with what I had done.”

However, Arthur says that Diana was able to have the last laugh when she eventually confronted him about the photographs on the royal couple’s Australian tour the following year.

“During the tour Diana asked me how much I was paid for the pictures and I said, ‘nothing, ma’am. I said, I just got expenses like I was doing a court case in Bradford’,” he says.

“She smiled and said, ‘pass me the Kleenex.’

“She wasn’t offended, so I felt a lot better about it after that.”

It wasn’t just Diana who saw the funny side of some of Arthur’s more controversial photos.

“I remember one occasion when I was photographing a young Charles leaving a polo match in the late 70s. I caught the back of his head which showed his bald spot,” Arthur says.

While I was no superfan of the monarchy when I started out, as I spent more time with Charles I realised he was something very special

Arthur Edwards

“The following Wednesday, I’m at another polo match at Windsor and his security told me that Charles wanted a word with me.

“He asked me if I was the man who had taken the photo and then asked me how many people had seen it.

“When I told him the paper readership was around seven or eight million he said ‘oh my God, that’s why everyone is taking a photo of the back of my head wherever I go!’”

That was Arthur’s first conversation with the now King, and the pair have gone on to have many more since with the photographer one of the monarch’s greatest champions.

KING’S CHAMPION

“While I was no superfan of the monarchy when I started out, as I spent more time with Charles I realised he was something very special,” Arthur says. 

“Over the years I have observed him truly throw himself into his environmental and charity work with real passion.

“And so when he faced criticism from a government minister and Mr Murdoch asked me to write an opinion piece on our then future monarch I gladly did it.

Lorna Roach

Arthur has worked for The Sun for over 50 years[/caption]

News Group Newspapers Ltd

He says he has become a great admirer of the monarch’s charity and environmental work. Pictured: Charles in his favourite wildflower meadow, Wiltshire[/caption]

The Sun

Arthur says that Prince Harry, pictured in Bridgetown hospital Barbados in 2008, was a ‘vital part of the royal family’[/caption]

“I highlighted all the good he did and he must have seen it because our relationship changed over time.

“I became a tremendous supporter of him from that onwards and ultimately so did the paper.

“He was no longer the playboy prince who was ridiculed for talking to his plants but a real champion of the nation and one of the reasons I am still working today at 84.”

Sadly, the same can not be said for the King’s youngest son.

HARRY’S CRUELTY

Once one of Prince Harry’s biggest supporters, Arthur says that he has been astonished by his ‘cruelty.’

“When it comes to a reconciliation I never say never but I think the problem is the damage has been done,” Arthur says.

“While the Oprah interview might have been Meghan’s doing, the tell-all Spare book was all Harry and that was pretty damn cruel.

“He mentioned that he wanted a reconciliation in his recent interview with the BBC but what he should have been saying was ‘sorry.’”

While he might think of himself as the ‘Spare’, Arthur says that his own experience proved that he was anything but.

“I think it’s such a shame Harry calls himself that as he was far more than a ‘spare’, he was a vital part of the royal family,” Arthur explains.

I think it’s such a shame Harry calls himself that as he was far more than a ‘spare’, he was a vital part of the royal family

Arthur Edwards

“He was by far as our readers were concerned, I thought he was their most popular member of the royal family.

“He was a super guy to work with and I loved working with him.

“At the end of every trip we would all go to the pub and they would close the bar for Harry and then we’d have an hour and a half where we’d chat.

“He would be candid too, Harry always told you when he didn’t like a picture

“I remember him once telling me that he would do everything in his power to help us out, and he really did.

“Now it’s hard to sort of say anything nice about him but in my heart, I hope one day, somehow he can come back and work for the country.”

Meanwhile Arthur, who has worked for The Sun for over 50 years, plans to continue serving his own role for as long as he can.

He adds: “My job is a way of life and it’s been a way of life for 50 years.

“I’ve enjoyed every bit of it and I plan to carry on as long as that’s still the case.

“As Piers Morgan once said, ‘treat every day as your last because one day you’ll be right’.”

Lorna Roach

Arthur says that he intends to carry on working for as long as he can[/caption]

A LEGENDARY jockey who got knocked out in a fight HE started has been hit with a massive ban.

Multiple Group 1-winning rider Noel Callow was rushed to hospital with injuries following an explosive weighing room bust-up with rival rider Kyle Wilson-Taylor.

Alamy

Legendary jockey Noel Callow has been given a three-month ban after starting a fight with a rival jockey[/caption]

Callow, 50, bumped into Wilson-Taylor, 25, at the scales and chased him back into the jockeys’ quarters.

An investigation ruled Callow made ‘aggressive contact’ with Wilson-Taylor from behind before the pair fell to the ground.

Wilson-Taylor was then said to have mounted Callow and delivered two blows to the head at Doomben racecourse in Australia.

Callow, who was concussed in the scrap, was quickly taken to hospital and immediately stood down from racing.

Bosses have now given him a huge three-month ban, which will be reduced to two once he completes an anger management course.

Callow, who has won more than £22million in his career, admitted in a written note to stewards he had issues with his temper.

He also has to provide evidence he has been to see a sports psychologist before being allowed to race again.

In a brilliant blow-by-blow account of how the fight went down, the stewards’ report read: “Following the running of race six at Doomben on Wednesday 28 May 2025, both Mr Wilson-Taylor and Mr Callow presented to steward Simon Fletcher to weigh in for their respective rides in race six.

“Mr Wilson-Taylor proceeded to the scales to weigh in with Mr Callow positioned behind him awaiting his turn to weigh in.

“Mr Callow then positioned himself in close proximity to Mr Wilson-Taylor that then resulted in Mr Wilson-Taylor making contact with Mr Callow in order to exit the scales.

“Mr Wilson-Taylor has then made the comment ‘I’m not scared of you’ to Mr Callow.

“Mr Callow then proceeded to weigh in as Mr Wilson-Taylor then proceeded into the male jockeys’ room.

“Upon completing being weighed in, Mr Callow has then proceeded to run into the male jockeys’ room in pursuit of Mr Wilson-Taylor.

“Mr Callow has then made aggressive contact to Mr Wilson-Taylor from behind resulting in a physical altercation ensuing between Mr Callow and Mr Wilson-Taylor resulting in both Mr Callow and Mr Wilson-Taylor falling to the ground.

“Shortly after falling onto the ground Mr Wilson-Taylor has then struck Mr Callow twice to the head whilst positioned on top of Mr Callow before other riders, along with steward Mr Fletcher, have then been able to separate Mr Callow and Mr Wilson-Taylor.

“As quickly as the exchange escalated, it de-escalated and was finished. It might have taken 15 or 20 seconds.

“This was not an incident thought out and planned beforehand. It was a momentary loss of temper, and any penalty should reflect that.

“There was initiation of the altercation by Callow but that must be weighed against his subsequent restraint, his co-operation during the inquiry, early guilty plea, and steps taken toward rehabilitation.

“The conduct was out of character with Callow’s conduct over recent times and is unlikely to be repeated.

“He has shown insight by taking steps in seeking assistance with anger management.

“He has apologised in writing by his letter dated 31 May 2025.”

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.

COUNCIL tax bills are expected to increase at their fastest rate in 20 years following Rachel Reeves’ spending review.

This prediction comes from Paul Johnson, the head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

Getty

In England, local authorities can increase council tax by up to 4.99% each April without holding a referendum[/caption]

Johnson said that local government in England received “perhaps a little bit better than it might have expected” from the Chancellor’s statement on Wednesday.

However, he warned of a “sting in the tail” – the assumption that council tax bills will rise by 5% annually as part of the funding plan.

The core spending power of councils is set to increase by 2.6% a year from next year, and “if English councils do choose 5% increases – and most almost certainly will – council tax bills look set to rise at their fastest rate over any parliament since 2001-05″, Johnson said.

On Wednesday, Ms Reeves said that ministers will not be “going above” the 5% annual increases in council tax.

She told ITV: “The previous government increased council tax by 5% a year, and we have stuck to that. We won’t be going above that.

“That is the council tax policy that we inherited from the previous government, and that we will be continuing.”

The NHS was the biggest winner from Wednesday’s announcement, which allocated £300billion to public services.

Its budget will increase by £29billion a year in real terms.

Billions of pounds was also allocated to regional infrastructure projects, £39 billion was set aside for social housing, and defence spending was confirmed to increase by £11billion.

The Home Office will get less money in the coming years, even though there are promises to hire more police officers and reduce crime.

Treasury documents reveal that Home Office spending will drop by 1.4% per year between 2025-26 and 2028-29, one of the largest cuts among departments.

However, Reeves stated that police spending power would still rise by 2.3%, potentially through increased council tax, though the exact amount is unclear.

Johnson said yesterday on X (formerly Twitter): “Note wording on police funding. Increase in ‘spending power’ implies that higher precepts from local taxes will play their part.”

Ruth Curtice, head of the Resolution Foundation, echoed this view.

She pointed out that low and middle-income families had gained from the spending review, with the poorest fifth getting an average of £1,700 extra for services like schools, hospitals, and the police.

However, she warned that without economic growth, more tax rises could be on the way this autumn to balance the books.

This comes after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the economy shrank more than expected in April, marking the biggest drop in 18 months.

GDP dropped by 0.3%, driven by a sharp decline in manufacturing and a record fall in exports to the US after tariff hikes by President Donald Trump.

Speaking after delivering her spending review yesterday, Ms Reeves insisted she would not have to raise taxes to cover her spending review.

How are council tax bills calculated?

In England, local authorities can increase council tax by up to 4.99% each April without holding a referendum.

This is broken down into a 2.99% increase for general spending and a 2% precept for adult social care.

Any increase above this 4.99% limit requires a local referendum to gain public approval.

In areas governed by ‘two-tier authorities’, where responsibilities are divided between two councils, your council tax bill is split into two charges – one set by your county council and another determined by your district, borough, or city council.

The proportion of your bill allocated to each council varies depending on the authority, though county councils typically claim the largest share.

District councils are permitted to increase their portion of the charge by up to 3% annually without the need for a referendum

However, these charges have been excluded from our dataset.

In addition to the above charges, your council tax also includes contributions towards local police and crime commissioners, fire and rescue services, as well as any applicable town or parish council charges.

Councils typically finalise their council tax increases by early March, with the new rates coming into effect from April 1.

Check if you can claim a council tax refund

Over three million households are owed a combined total of £544million in council tax refunds, according to a Sun investigation.

The average refund due is around £178, but some could be owed as much as £3,659.

Sun Money submitted a Freedom of Information Request to all 349 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales to find out just how much taxpayer money our councils are sitting on.

You can check to see how much cash your local authority might be sitting on by searching for your council in our tool.

It’s surprisingly easy to overpay your council tax, and millions of us do.

One of the main reasons is moving house.

Council tax is usually billed annually from April to April, but paid in instalments, which means you’re always paying some in advance.

Therefore, if you move out before the year’s end, you’ll likely be due a refund for the remaining months.

Another reason for overpayments is a change in your property’s council tax band.

If the band is lowered, you’re due a refund for the over payments made at the higher rate.

Finally, forgetting to cancel your direct debit after moving out can lead to continued payments and further overpayments.

Finding out if you’re owed a council tax refund is easier than you think.

Many councils have online claim forms available on their website. To find your local council’s site, visit here.

You can also contact them directly by phone, email, or live chat. 

A MARRIED At First Sight star has revealed she’s been subject to “shame” after opting to use fat jabs to lose weight.

The E4 favourite, who featured in the Australian version of the matchmaking series, told of her “frustration” at more traditional methods which failed to have an impact on her wellbeing.

Instagram / itswildbykatie

A MAFS star has revealed she’s turned to fat jabs in desperate bid to lose weight[/caption]

Nine

It came after Katie Johnston had been body-shamed by groom Tim Gromie on the E$ show[/caption]

Instagram / itswildbykatie

Restaurant CEO Katie told how she had been hit with ‘shame’ due to her weight loss method[/caption]

The auburn-haired star, 37, found fame on Married At First Sight‘s most recent series, where fans were quick to call out her groom Tim Gromie’s cruel conduct.

MAFS fans watched in horror as school teacher Tim brutally rejected Katie Johnston just minutes after they said I Do – as he insisted she was nothing like what he “would have wanted”.

Having pulled a producer to the side, he exclaimed: “What the f***?”

He continued: “Totally not what I wanted.

“It’s not good. I normally go just short, blonde. petite.

“Katie is like nothing that I would normally go for.”

After the body-shaming on screen, restaurant CEO Katie told how she was using “scientific help” for her weight loss – because “that’s what it’s there for.”

In a piece to camera filmed outside, she told fans: “I have initially started my GLP1 journey with quite a bit of shame wrapped around it.

“Because I was frustrated that I couldn’t do it myself and I just didn’t have the capacity to figure it out on my own.

“And I utilised scientific help and that’s what it’s there for.

“So it’s anything, any meds that you use to help you control parts of yourself like for example anti anxieties, I’ve used anti anxieties for really bad times in my life that I couldn’t cope.”

GLP1 is a natural hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite.

It also plays a role in slowing down digestion, and is often a treatment used to help Type 2 Diabetes.

The star, whose show groom rudely confessed he wanted to “run away” during the experiment ultimately ended up quitting the series.

Yet Queensland native Katie has gained a legion of loyal fans since appearing on-air, who appreciate her cheery character and bubbly, positive personality.

Though showing how the backlash towards fat jabs had hit a nerve, she said in her long clip: “OK I’m going to go on a little bit of a rant because I’m frustrated and that’s what I do when I’m frustrated.

“I’m over people being shamed for using GLP1 or any other method of weight loss.

“Anything that people do is their choice and it’s up to them and only you know your path and what got you into the position you are and the help that you need.

“Only you know that. Sorry about my b****y state

“But just be kind to yourself.

She rounded off with the words: “So please don’t let the narrative out there that it’s so easy to lose weight and just eat well, just exercise well.

“Just be more motivated, have more discipline – go away! Leave us alone. We’re figuring it out.

“We are giving ourselves breathing space to be able to implement new habits and learn new things and transition our life to a healthier life.

“So help us on our journey and cheer us on instead of giving us a hard time, thank you.”

She captioned the video: “Dear THAT person, go away, we are all on our own path, you do you, ” and one fan replied: “You are so right Katie and I love you either way and you will always be my fave girl x”

A second put: “Love this message,” as a third posted: “Screw them loves you are amazing and you are rocking it.”

One then added: “You just keep being You XOXO.”

Another surmised: “Just keep being you and good luck in your next wellbeing journey everyone needs little help now and again be kind to yourself and ignore the negativity of people xx”

SHOW STORY

Since her show stint which aired in the UK earlier this year, it emerged her groom Tim had been messaging another bride during their honeymoon.

During the scenes, fans were convinced the tattooed star who had an extreme reluctance to talk about his own marriage was a producer “plant.”

Tim told their co-stars at the Dinner Party he felt he was making the most effort in their relationship, having struggled to find a connection with her – despite scenes showing the exact opposite playing out on screen.

It left Katie’s fellow bride Jamie furious as she defended Katie and branded Tim a ‘gaslighter’.

Instagram / itswildbykatie

She has opted for the GLP1 jab[/caption]

Channel 9

The Queensland native suffered a torrid time on the E4 show[/caption]

Channel 4

Fans were shocked at school teacher Tim’s words towards his bride’[/caption]

Thought-provoking or just plain provocative?

Eintracht Frankfurt have told Liverpool and Chelsea they will not lower their asking price for striker Hugo Ekitike.

The highly-rated 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League following a breakout season at Frankfurt.

Ekitike had never hit double digits before the 2024-25 campaign but netted 22 goals in his first full season with Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Frenchman’s form helped Frankfurt finish third in the Bundesliga behind Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen and go deep in the Europa League before they were knocked out by eventual winners Tottenham.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea have expressed interest in signing Ekitike this summer as Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca look to bring some firepower to Anfield and Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool of course won the Premier League last season but did so playing without a recognised striker for most of the campaign.

One of the forwards already at Anfield, Darwin Nunez, is expected to move on amid interest from clubs in Italy, Germany and Saudi Arabia.

Chelsea are also interested in a deal for Ekitike despite welcoming England U21 striker Liam Delap to the club last week in a £30m deal from Ipswich Town.

The Premier League clubs are hoping Frankfurt will lower their asking price for Ekitike, who they value at €100m (£84m).

However, the German club appear ready to stand firm on that valuation, with sporting director Markus Krosche insisting they do not have to sell Ekitike this summer.

‘If the price isn’t right, then he’ll just stay with us,’ he told Wiesbadener Kurier. ‘We don’t have to sell Hugo.’

Ex-England defender Micah Richards recently revealed Arsenal legend Thierry Henry’s verdict on Ekitike.

‘In terms of Ekitike, I’ve spoken to Thierry Henry about him a lot,’ Manchester City hero Richards told The Rest is Football podcast.

‘He says he’s not [necessarily] a frustrating player, but one minute he looks amazing and the next minute he doesn’t really do the basics very well.

‘But he said if he gets it right and improves then his ceiling could be very, very high.’

Richards, meanwhile, is unsure whether Ekitike is an ideal fit for Slot’s Liverpool ahead of their Premier League title defence.

He added: ‘It depends on how they want to play. Do they want a striker who can stretch or they do they want a striker who is going to come to feet and interlink play?

‘Ekitike is not bad on the ball but he’s more of a stretch striker than a [Roberto] Firmino coming in deep and linking play.

‘Where does Florian Wirtz fit into that? Where does Dominik Szoboszlai fit into that? Where does Luis Diaz potentially fit into that.

‘If they get Wirtz I think they may be looking for more a player who can drop and Diaz can play a little bit deeper. He played a lot as a No.9 this season.

‘But talent wise he’s definitely got enough to add to this Liverpool side.’

More to follow…

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.