“I Didn’t See It Coming… And It Broke Me.” — Stacey Solomon was left visibly shattered in a raw, unscripted moment that stopped fans in their tracks, her voice cracking as she admitted, “I held it together for everyone else… but inside, I was falling apart.” Those watching say the pain on her face was impossible to miss as tears spilled and the truth she’d been quietly carrying finally surfaced, with Stacey confessing, “Some days I smile, some days I survive — this was one of the hard ones.” Social media flooded instantly, supporters saying they felt her hurt through the screen, calling it “too real” and “heart-punching,” while insiders whispered that the emotional weight had been building for weeks behind closed doors. As Stacey steadied herself, she delivered the line that broke hearts nationwide — “I’m strong, but I’m still human” — turning a fleeting moment into a devastating reminder that even the brightest, warmest faces can be hiding storms no one ever sees.

Stacey Solomon was left “devastated” in the latest episode of her docuseries, Stacey and Joe.

The BBC programme, which is in its second series, follows the presenter and husband Joe Swash as they juggle their busy careers with their five children, two dogs, chickens, ducks and array of other responsibilities at Pickle Cottage.

The latest edition saw Ms Solomon, 36, navigating a tricky period as the family’s beloved dog Teddy recovered from major surgery.

The cocker spaniel wasn’t out of the woods yet, with medics urging the TV personality to keep an eye on him, advising if he didn’t regain feeling in his legs they may have to consider other options.

Stacey Solomon’s dad comforted her following the BAFTA snub

 | BBC

A happy distraction came from the presenter being nominated for two BAFTA awards for her other BBC series, Sort Your Life Out.

Ms Solomon enjoyed preparing for the big night and even had her wedding dress altered to re-use the special gown.

However, she was unfortunately snubbed as Rob Rinder, Rylan Clark and Joe Lycett were instead awarded the gongs.

As she was filmed leaving the ceremony with Mr Swash, the presenter looked at the cameras and commented: “boo!”

Stacey Solomon admitted she was ‘devastated’ over the BAFTA loss

 | BBC

“Don’t want to talk about it, we’ll talk about it in the car,” Mr Swash commented.

Later, Ms Solomon called her dad during the drive back, explaining: “I lost them both, dad.”

Speaking to the cameras on the documentary, she recalled: “It was devastating when we didn’t win.”

In a candid admission, she added: “And I know you’re not supposed to say that, and people are like, ‘oh, lose gracefully.’ And I think, well why? I was gutted.”

When her eldest son Zachary took the phone to chat to his mum, he quipped: “I think you should just take me next time, I don’t think Joe’s very lucky.”

“Yeah, you’re my lucky charm Zach, I think it’s Joe. I think it’s Joe that makes me lose every time,” the mother-of-five replied.

When she got back home, her dad David quipped: “I know you didn’t get the award…But you got a beehive instead,” referencing the fact she’d started her journey of bee-keeping prior to attending the ceremony.

Comforting his daughter, David remarked: “Well done, well done. Listen, you were nominated, that’s the most important thing.”

Stacey Solomon claimed she was ‘robbed’ | BBC

A doubtful Ms Solomon replied: “I was robbed, I tell you,” to which her dad joked: “I mean Joe Lycett is funny though, isn’t he?”

Thankfully, Teddy seems to be progressing with recovery, with Ms Solomon sharing positive updates on her social media since the episode, which was filmed in May.

Stacey Solomon confessed she found it hard to ‘lose gracefully’ | BBC

Taking to Instagram recently, she shared a clip of the dog, stating: “Thank you for always asking after Teddy. It really means a lot. He’s such a happy boy. He’s such a lovely boy.

“He will never be able to use his legs again, but he’s getting used to the wheelchair and, just, yeah. You just get on with it, don’t you, Teddy?”

The Formula 1 world woke up this morning to a controversy that threatens to tear the 2026 season apart before a single wheel has turned. Just weeks ahead of the biggest regulatory overhaul in modern Grand Prix history, a bombshell discovery has sent shockwaves through the paddock: Mercedes and Red Bull may have found a decisive “magic bullet” in the engine regulations, leaving rivals like Ferrari, Honda, and Audi scrambling for answers.

For Lewis Hamilton, who stunned the sporting world by leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari for this very reset, the news couldn’t be worse. The seven-time champion bet his legacy on the Scuderia being the team to beat in the new era. Instead, he faces the gut-wrenching possibility that the team he left behind has engineered a masterstroke he will now have to race against.

The “Thermal Expansion” Trick Explained

At the heart of the scandal is a clever piece of engineering that dances on the razor’s edge of legality. The dispute centers on Article C 5.4.3 of the 2026 FIA technical regulations, which drastically reduced the allowed engine compression ratio from 18:1 down to 16:1. In layman’s terms, a lower ratio usually means less explosive power from the internal combustion engine.

However, the rulebook contains a critical flaw: it states the engine must be measured at “ambient temperature”—essentially, when the car is cold and sitting in the garage.

According to explosive reports breaking over the Christmas holiday, Mercedes and Red Bull have designed engine components using specific materials that deliberately expand when heated. When the FIA measures the engine cold, it sits perfectly within the legal 16:1 limit. But once the engine fires up and reaches race temperature, the pistons and cylinders expand, closing the gap and effectively restoring the compression ratio closer to the banned 18:1 figure.

The result? An estimated 10 kilowatts (roughly 13-15 horsepower) of “free” performance. In the tight world of F1, that translates to three or four-tenths of a second per lap—a lifetime in racing terms. It is the difference between fighting for pole position and struggling to make it into Q3.

The Opposition Coalition Strikes Back

The discovery has triggered panic and fury among the manufacturers who played it safe. Ferrari, Honda (supplying Aston Martin), and newcomer Audi have formed what insiders are calling an “opposition coalition.” They have fired off a joint letter to the FIA demanding immediate clarification and closing of the loophole.

Their frustration is palpable. Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur, speaking just days before the story broke, seemingly predicted the chaos. “When it comes to loopholes in the wording, that becomes much more difficult for everybody and much more dangerous for F1,” he warned.

The anger isn’t just about the speed; it’s about the timing. The deadline to “homologate” (lock-in) engine designs for the season is March 1, 2026. If Ferrari and Audi are forced to redesign their engines to match this thermal trick, they would need months of development they simply don’t have. They are effectively stuck with a slower engine while their rivals start with a baked-in advantage.

A Legal Quagmire for the FIA

The FIA now finds itself in a nightmare scenario. On one hand, Mercedes and Red Bull are technically complying with the written test procedure. If the rule says “measure it cold,” and it passes when cold, they haven’t failed the test.

On the other hand, Article C 1.5 of the regulations states that cars must comply “at all times.” Rivals argue that running an 18:1 compression ratio on track violates the spirit and letter of the performance limits, regardless of what the ruler says in the garage.

History suggests the FIA might be reluctant to intervene heavily at the last minute. We’ve seen this movie before: the Brawn GP “double diffuser” in 2009 and Mercedes’ “DAS” system in 2020. In both cases, the teams that found the clever innovation were allowed to keep it for at least a season before it was banned, usually winning championships in the process. If that precedent holds, Mercedes and Red Bull could run unchecked throughout 2026.

The Human Cost: Hamilton’s Regret?

The narrative takes a deeply personal turn when looking at Lewis Hamilton. His move to Maranello was predicated on the belief that Ferrari was better positioned for the 2026 reset. He left the safety of Mercedes—the most successful engine manufacturer of the hybrid era—seeking a final challenge.

Now, he faces the prospect of watching George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes cars he vacated storming down the straights with an engine advantage he cannot touch. While Hamilton has publicly stated he is “excited” for the Ferrari challenge, privately, this news must be a bitter pill to swallow. If the rumors are true, his former boss Toto Wolff hasn’t just built a good car; he’s outsmarted the rulebook again.

What Happens Next?

The clock is ticking. Reports suggest an emergency meeting has been called between the FIA and all five power unit manufacturers. Ferrari has already threatened to lodge a formal protest at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8 if the issue isn’t resolved.

Imagine the scene: the first race of the revolutionary new era, overshadowed by lawyers, protests, and asterisks next to the race results. It is a disaster scenario Formula 1 is desperate to avoid.

For now, the paddock waits with bated breath. Is this a genuine crisis that hands the title to Mercedes or Red Bull before the lights go out? or is it high-stakes political poker designed to slow down the frontrunners? One thing is certain: the 2026 season hasn’t even started, and the drama is already redlining.

NEVER FORGET: 1,400 GIRLS FAILED by the System — The Grooming Scandal Britain Still Won’t Fully Confront  While officials argued, delayed, and looked away, vulnerable girls were left unprotected. A devastating investigation lays bare how fear of controversy, political pressure, and institutional paralysis allowed abuse to continue — unchecked and unanswered. This isn’t about ideology. It’s about justice, accountability, and the girls who were ignored.

Want to educate young boys about misogyny? Run a lesson on Pakistani rape gangs – Carole Malone

Jess Phillips speaks to GB News ahead of VAWG announcement in the Commons |

Will teachers discuss that I wonder? asks columnist Carole Malone

So, Shabana Mahmood has declared violence against women as a national emergency and vowed to halve it in a decade.

Do you believe her? I don’t. Not for a second.

Because to deal with misogyny together with the physical and sexual abuse of women that is now commonplace here in Britain, you have to deal with the root causes. And I don’t believe for a second this Government is prepared to stick its head above the parapet and say what the causes are.

And one of the major causes of misogyny in this country is the abject failure of multiculturalism. Britain is now a place where women are forced by their religion (but mostly their husbands) to walk around swathed from head to toe in dark, flowing robes, their faces hidden by masks or cages, all of which are visible and sinister signs of oppression in our supposedly civilised and democratic country. Yet we allow it because we’re terrified of offending certain religious sensitivities.

This is now a country where men from certain religions have multiple wives, where Sharia Courts – all 85 of them – operate freely, and all too often women are cruelly discriminated against over matters of divorce, child custody and inheritance.

Under the Government’s new strategy, teachers in all secondary schools in England will be required to teach students about healthy and respectful relationships.

This comes in the wake of research showing that four in ten young men hold a positive view of sexist commentators like Andrew Tate, who holds extreme misogynistic views and has come out with stuff like “ women should be in the home”, are “the property of men”, and he reckons that women should “bear some responsibility” for sexual assault.

So yes, young men need to be taught that toe rags like Tate are misogynist, sexist scum who should be driven out of all decent societies.

Want to educate young boys about misogyny? Run a lesson on Pakistani rape gangs – Carole Malone

But I fear the Government’s plans to tackle misogyny and violence against women, which it claims are “ambitious and bold”, will just be tickling around the edges of the problem.

If the Government and particularly Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, want to tackle misogyny head-on on they have to make young men aware of why and how it’s escalating. They have to teach kids the root causes of it.

So, will these lessons in schools feature the grooming gangs? Will students be taught that Pakistani Muslim men raped and abused thousands of vulnerable white girls because they believed them to be trash? In the words of one victim: “I was told white girls are all trash. They are all whores and should be raped as punishment for not obeying Allah”

Will teachers discuss that, I wonder?

Will they explain that sexual violence is rocketing on our streets at the hands of men from countries like Afghanistan and Sudan because in their cultures, raping women and young girls isn’t seen as wrong?

Will they be told that men born in these countries are more like to commit sex crimes than men born in others?

Or will this country’s obsession with not “inflaming community tensions” take precedence over protecting young girls from the misogyny of alien cultures?

Mahmood says the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy will be the largest crackdown in British history.

And so, it should be borne in mind that more than 200 rapes are recorded every day and even more go unreported.

And I might be more willing to believe Mahmood if it hadn’t been for the fact that only 2.6 per cent of rape reports in the year Mar 23-24 led to the defendant being charged.

I might believe be willing to believe her if the statistics didn’t show that more than 37,000 sexual offences took more than three years to be completed. Some poor victims have to wait nine years for justice.

Does that sound like a society that gives a toss about misogyny or women’s safety?

My problem is that while Mahmood’s intentions might be good, what she’s proposing won’t happen because this Government and the teachers who are expected to enforce this new strategy are too terrified to take on those cultures where women are treated as subhuman and where abuse is the norm.

It was just two years ago that the Government’s rape tsar, Emily Hunt, a rape survivor herself, resigned and said she had so little faith in the police’s commitment to investigating rape that she wouldn’t bother reporting one herself.

She said there was a distinct lack of will to change how the police approach rape.

Add to that Baroness Casey’s report into the Met Police, which said that in rape and domestic abuse cases, survivors were “made to feel like an inconvenience and gaslighted”.

In that report, one officer said: “If you look at our performance around rape and serious sexual offences, the detection rate is so low you may as well say it’s legal in London.”

What a bloody indictment!

So, forgive me if I don’t believe what the Government or Mahmood want to do will make the slightest difference to the plight of women in this country. Don’t get me wrong. I want it to. More importantly, millions of women desperately need it to.

We all want to see these specialist investigation teams Mahmood has proposed rounding up rapists and sexual predators and chucking them in jail.

But first, there has to be an attitude shift. It has to be accepted that the failure of multiculturalism is in part to blame.

Also, police have to WANT to stop the rape and abuse of women because until now it hasn’t been a priority. And they have to take seriously those women who find the courage to come forward and report rapes and abuse because that hasn’t been happening either.

As I said, I want to believe this Government is taking rape and misogyny seriously.

And this is its chance to finally do something about it. But God help them if this turns out to be yet another broken promise!!!

MADELEINE MCCANN BREAK: HE FOOLED THE ENTIRE WORLD.  We thought he was a drifter. We were wrong. He was hiding in the one place nobody thought to look: His mother’s house. His mother has just passed away, but her final, dying words have shattered the investigation into Madeleine McCann.  READ THE MOTHER’S CHILLING FINAL CONFESSION IN THE COMMENTS

MADELEINE MCCANN BREAK: HE FOOLED THE ENTIRE WORLD.   EXCLUSIVE: HE FOOLED THE WORLD — BRUECKNER WAS LIVING WITH HIS MOTHER. AND SHE HEARD THE “CRYING” FROM THE CELLAR. THE INVESTIGATION IS SHATTERED. THE PRIME SUSPECT WASN’T A LONER DRIFTING THROUGH EUROPE.  HE WAS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT AT HIS MOTHER’S HOUSE. NOW, ON HER DEATHBED, SHE HAS REVEALED THE NIGHTMARE BURIED BENEATH THE FLOOR.

For years, the world believed Christian Brueckner was a nomadic predator, living in camper vans and shacks in Portugal. We were wrong. A devastating new testimony has emerged following the death of Brueckner’s mother, “Brigitte B.”, just 48 hours ago.  Her final words, whispered to a priest and a terrified night nurse, suggest that the suspect pulled off the greatest deception in criminal history. He didn’t hide Madeleine McCann in a well. He didn’t hide her in the ocean. According to the dying woman, he brought her home. THE SECRET GUEST Brigitte’s confession reveals that in late May 2007—weeks after the abduction—her son returned to her secluded property in Germany.

He told the neighbors he was alone. He told the police he was traveling. But Brigitte told the priest: “He wasn’t alone. He told me to never go into the basement. He installed a heavy steel lock on the door.” THE VOICES IN THE WALLS The most harrowing part of the confession is not what Brigitte saw, but what she heard. The elderly woman claimed that for weeks, she was tormented by sounds drifting up through the floorboards of her kitchen. “It started at night,” the nurse recalled Brigitte saying. “Soft sounds. Like a kitten mewing. But then… it became words. English words.” Brigitte admitted she would press her ear to the linoleum floor. She heard a child’s voice singing nursery rhymes to comfort herself in the dark. She heard the words, “I want to go home.”

“I WAS TOO SCARED TO LOOK”

When Brigitte confronted her son about the “ghost” in the cellar, his reaction was reportedly psychopathic. “He didn’t deny it,” the confession states. “He just smiled and said, ‘Mother, if you love me, you are hearing things. If you open that door, we both go to prison forever.’” Out of a twisted maternal loyalty—and paralyzing fear of her own violent son—she stayed silent. She cooked him dinner while a child potentially wasted away just ten feet beneath their chairs. THE SEARCH BEGINS German police, acting on this explosive deathbed tip-off, have reportedly secured the property.  Ground-penetrating radar is being deployed to scan the basement floor for “anomalies” or hidden cavities that may have been sealed up with concrete years ago. Christian Brueckner tricked the world into looking at the Algarve, while the truth may have been locked in his childhood home all along.  His mother took the secret to her grave… but she left the key behind.

INVESTIGATIVE RED FLAG: SUSPECTED FABRICATION READERS ARE ADVISED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION REGARDING THE ACCURACY OF THIS REPORT.

It is highly probable that this text is “Fake News” designed to exploit emotional investment in the Madeleine McCann case.  Until an official police statement is released, this information should be considered baseless.

“Enough Is Enough” Fury Boils Over as Shocking Footage Emerges of English Men on French Coast Targeting Migrant Boats, With Viral Videos Exposing Public Anger at Border Failures and Raising Alarming Questions About Vigilantism, Government Inaction, and a Crisis Now Spiraling Beyond Political Control

British vigilantes slash small migrant boats on French coastline

Britons have been filming themselves travelling to beaches in France and ‘destroying’ small  boats – gaining thousands of views in the process

Sanya Burgess is an award-winning journalist whose investigations have included revealing Deliveroo was not paying the living wage to all riders, despite the company’s pledge to do so. She has also tracked disinformation and far right hate speech in the UK during the Southport riots, conspiracy theories about the attempted shooting of Donald Trump and revealed that Elon Musk was paying some of Tommy Robinson’s legal fees. She has also worked on issues relating to Big Tech and underage gambling, as well as uncovering war crimes and human rights abuses in Iran, Myanmar and the UAE – including the ‘hostage’ tapes of the detained Dubai Princess Latifa.

London Travel Guide

British vigilantes who spearheaded efforts to fly England flags across the country have launched a new anti-migrant protest – attempting to block illegal Channel crossings.

Using the term “Operation Stop The Boats”, members of the group have been filming themselves slashing small  boats before they are used by migrants to cross the English Channel from France.

Posts on social media show members calling for other British men to join them in France, including making a direct appeal to football hooligans, saying “we need to make a stand”.

In one video message shared this week by a member of the Raise the Colours group – the grassroots movement that has seen flags fixed to lampposts, motorway bridges and roundabouts across England – two men are seen evoking military language and the spirit of the British fight against the Nazis in the Second World War.

Claiming to be recording from the northern French coast, one said: “Just like in the 1940s, we must take a stand, and it starts with the men of England and Britain.”

Making an appeal to “firms” – a phrase that refers to football hooligan groups – the other man added: “Our country is doing nothing. Weak government, weaker borders.

“They are doing nothing, so we need to make a stand, boys. Get the lads together, get your firms together, get the lads in the pub, get the lads down the bars, if you’re talking about it and you agree with what we are doing, give us a hand.”

The Government is under pressure to act after more than 36,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats (Photo: raisethecolours.org.uk/Instagram)
The Government is under pressure to tackle the issue of migration amid a record number of asylum applications, surging small  boat crossings and protests at hotels housing asylum seekers.

On Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out a package of reforms to asylum policies aimed at tackling illegal migration, telling MPs the current situation is “out of control and unfair”.

The latest videos shared by those linked to the Raise the Colours group have separately been referred to as “Operation Overlord”.

Earlier clips showed two men saying they were taking matters of illegal migration into their own hands and filming themselves stamping on and smashing a small  boat’s engine.

In the clips, they refer to themselves as “patriots” and make a number of claims without evidence, such as that they are stopping “rapists and murderers” from “coming to a town near you”.

One video shared by the group (Photo: raisethecolours.org.uk/nstagram)
The flag-raising group, who have a combined 100,000 followers on X and Instagram, also posted a plea on X for donations last week, writing that they are: “STOPPING The  Boats, whether the migrants or government like it or not!”

Two videos from the group have recently been shared to the 1.7 million X followers of Tommy Robinson. The far-right figure and former leader of the English Defence League, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has previously been accused of mobilising football hooligan firms in an attempt to launch anti-Muslim rallies across the country.

Separately, French media reports that the Dunkirk Public Prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary investigation into “aggravated violence” against migrants by suspected British far-right figures.

One of the details being examined by the French prosecutor is the claim that in September, four men waving British and UK flags verbally and physically attacked migrants on the French coast. It is alleged that they told the migrants they were not welcome in England and proceeded to steal some of their belongings.
London Travel Guide
The men are not the first anti-migrant figures to travel to France in a bid to take matters into their own hands.

In September, Ukip, Nigel Farage’s former political party, posted a video to their X account showing what appeared to be sleeping migrants in France being woken by people flashing strobe lights in their faces and shouting at them.

Nick Tenconi, Ukip’s current leader, also posted a video captioned: “In Calais hunting for illegal invaders trying to cross into Britain.”
Political Satire Merchandise
The Home Office and French authorities were contacted for comment.

In the high-octane world of Formula 1, where loyalty is often a currency as volatile as the fuel in the tanks, one moment in August 2022 redefined the career of a young Australian prodigy. It wasn’t an overtake at 200 miles per hour, nor was it a podium celebration bathed in champagne. It was a tweet. A simple, ruthless digital declaration that sent shockwaves through the paddock and brought a billion-dollar automotive giant to its knees.

Oscar Piastri, the boy from Melbourne with no family dynasty to lean on, has done what few dared to imagine. As we stand here in late 2025, watching him dominate the season with seven Grand Prix victories and a stranglehold on the World Championship, it is easy to forget the gamble that brought him here. But to understand the “Ice Cold” determination of the man leading the grid, we must rewind to the moment he decided to burn a bridge to build an empire.

The Rise of an Outsider

Born in 2001, far from the glitz of Monaco, Piastri’s journey was paved with grit rather than gold. His father, a mechanic and engineer, laid the technical foundation, but it was Oscar’s raw adaptation that set him apart. By 2016, the Piastri family had uprooted their lives to Europe, chasing a dream that eats teenagers alive.

His junior career was nothing short of historic. He didn’t just participate; he conquered. Winning the Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3, and Formula 2 titles in three consecutive rookie seasons is a “hat-trick” achievement unmatched in modern motorsport. By the end of 2021, he had proven he was ready. But Formula 1, in its cruel exclusivity, had no room.

Relegated to a reserve role at Alpine for 2022, Piastri watched from the sidelines. Alpine, the team that had nurtured him, felt secure in their ownership of his future. They viewed him as an asset to be deployed on their timeline, floating plans to loan him out to slower teams like Williams for a “career detour.” For a driver of Piastri’s caliber, two years at the back of the grid was a death sentence. He knew his worth, even if Alpine didn’t.

The Tweet Heard ‘Round the World

The summer of 2022 brought the chaos. When Fernando Alonso shocked the paddock by defecting to Aston Martin, Alpine scrambled. In a desperate bid to save face and fill the seat, they issued a press release announcing Oscar Piastri as their 2023 driver. They thought it was a done deal. They thought they had the power.

Hours later, Piastri dropped the bombshell on Twitter: “I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release… This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”

It was a move of breathtaking audacity. For a driver who hadn’t started a single Grand Prix to publicly refute a factory team was unheard of. Alpine was furious, dragging the matter to the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board, claiming they had a binding agreement. The result? A unanimous humiliation. The board ruled that Alpine’s “contract” was practically nonexistent, while Piastri’s secret deal with McLaren was ironclad.

Piastri hadn’t just beaten them on the track; he had outmaneuvered them in the boardroom. He exposed Alpine’s disorganization and secured his seat at a team that actually wanted him to win.

The McLaren Era: From Rookie to Ruler

The pressure on Piastri’s shoulders entering 2023 was immense. He had to justify the legal war, the bad blood, and the “disloyal” tag. He didn’t flinch. A sprint win in Qatar and two podiums in his rookie season silenced the critics. By 2024, he was a Grand Prix winner, taking his maiden victory in Hungary amidst a tense team-order drama with teammate Lando Norris.

But 2025 has been the year the gamble truly paid off. The current season has seen Piastri transform from a contender into a conqueror. While his teammate Norris took the opener in Australia, Piastri responded with a ruthlessness that recalls the sport’s legends. Wins in China, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia set the tone. He followed up with victories in Miami, Spain, Spa, and a dominant “Grand Slam” in the Netherlands.

The statistics tell one story—seven wins in a single season—but the atmosphere tells another. The internal battle at McLaren has reached a boiling point. The camaraderie of 2023 has evaporated, replaced by the friction of two alphas fighting for the same crown. When asked about Norris closing the gap, Piastri’s response was chillingly simple: “I don’t really care. I just want the best chance to beat Lando.”

The Verdict

Oscar Piastri’s story is a masterclass in self-belief. In a sport governed by politics and deep pockets, he bet on his own talent. He rejected the “safe” route offered by Alpine, risking his entire career for a shot at a competitive car.

Today, as McLaren sits atop the Constructors’ Championship and Piastri leads the Drivers’ standings, the lesson is clear. He didn’t wait for permission to be great. He took it. The “betrayal” that rocked F1 was, in hindsight, the most intelligent career move of the decade. Oscar Piastri didn’t just outsmart a team; he outsmarted the system, and now, the world is watching him take his victory lap.

 He didn’t try to be an icon — but Britain crowned him one anyway. With gentleness, intelligence and quiet confidence, Tom Read Wilson shattered tired reality-TV stereotypes without raising his voice once. No drama. No performance. Just authenticity — and it radiated through every moment in the jungle. For countless viewers, especially LGBTQ+ young people, he became something rare: proof that softness is strength, and pride doesn’t need to shout to be powerful.

In a season dominated by chaos, clashes and record-breaking votes, something extraordinary happened in the I’m A Celebrity jungle this year.
Not loud.
Not flashy.
Not dramatic.

Just quietly, beautifully transformative.

Tom Read Wilson — the gentle, eloquent TV personality known for his charm and kindness — walked into the jungle as a familiar face. But he walked out as something far bigger:

a national sweetheart, an LGBTQ+ icon, and the emotional centrepiece of the entire season.

 The Contestant Who Won Without Playing the Game

While others fought, panicked, clashed, or strategised, Tom did something radical:
He simply chose to be kind.

And that decision changed everything.

He grounded the camp.
He uplifted every teammate.
He reminded Britain that softness is not weakness — it is power in its purest form.

Across social media, viewers were unanimous:

“He’s the spirit of the series.”
“Reality TV needed this energy.”
“Tom Read Wilson restored my faith in humanity.”

His presence didn’t just entertain —
it healed.

 The Emotional Arc No One Expected

Every season has a hero.
This year, that hero was not the loudest, the strongest or the most dramatic.

It was Tom — the soft-spoken storyteller whose compassion shaped the entire narrative.

He became the jungle’s moral compass.
Its warmth.
Its quiet strength.

Each episode revealed another layer of his resilience and depth — a steady glow in a setting designed to break people down.

By the time the public crowned AngryGinge the winner, tens of thousands were already saying the same thing:

“Tom is the winner in our hearts.”

And they meant it.

 A Friendship That Redefined Masculinity

One of the most unexpectedly beautiful parts of Tom’s journey was his bond with rapper Aitch — a pairing so unlikely, so genuine, so charming that it captivated the entire nation.

They joked, sang, supported each other, and created the kind of friendship that breaks stereotypes and builds bridges.

It was more than TV chemistry.
It was representation.
It was connection.
It was joy.

Their promise to continue meeting for breakfast in the UK sent fans into a frenzy —
because some friendships simply feel iconic.

 A Symbol Britain Didn’t Know It Needed

Tom didn’t try to be a hero.
He didn’t try to be an icon.
He didn’t even try to stand out.

He just showed up as himself — gracefully, unapologetically, authentically.

And that was enough to change people.

In a reality-TV world built on conflict, Tom proved something radical:

That gentleness can lead.
That kindness can win.
That being real is unforgettable.

 **Runner-Up? Yes.

Emotional Winner? Absolutely.**

Finishing second didn’t diminish Tom’s triumph — it amplified it.

The public didn’t fall in love with him because he conquered trials or outperformed rivals.

They fell for him because he made them feel something:

Seen

Safe

Hopeful

Connected

And at a time when people needed it most.

 A Future Brighter Than Any Crown

Since leaving the jungle, Tom’s popularity has exploded.
His name trends daily.
Celebrities praise him publicly.
Young LGBTQ+ viewers call him a role model.
Parents say they want their kids to grow up like him.

And yet, through all the noise, Tom remains exactly who he was on day one:

Gracious.
Gentle.
Grateful.
Glowing.

He entered the jungle as a contestant —
and left as a symbol of hope.

A reminder that in a world starved for kindness…
one gentle soul can shift an entire nation.

“MADDIE IS HERE!” — CHILLING “FRITZL-STYLE” DUNGEON DISCOVERED IN BRUECKNER’S BASEMENT! “MADELEINE MCCANN IS HERE.” Investigators have made a CHILLING DISCOVERY of a Josef Fritzl-style dungeon hidden deep in the basement where prime suspect Christian Brueckner once lived! The horror hidden beneath the floorboards has finally been exposed. See the terrifying photos in the comments!

“MADDIE IS HERE!” — CHILLING “FRITZL-STYLE” DUNGEON DISCOVERED IN BRUECKNER’S BASEMENT!

Christian Brueckner allegedly said he wanted it built with soundproof walls- although there is no evidence to suggest he ever followed through with his idea Christian Brueckner, suspect in the Madeleine McCann case(Image: ITALIAN CARABINIERI PRESS OFFICE) Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner allegedly said he wanted to make a Josef Fritzl-style dungeon in his home. Brueckner, the 43-year-old paedophile suspected of abducting and murdering Madeleine 13 years ago, said he wanted to create the dungeon in his cellar, a friend has claimed.

The suspect allegedly said he wanted it built with soundproof walls- but there is no evidence to suggest he ever followed through with his idea. The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Sun :

“He had a cellar and he said he wanted to line it with heavy plates, like the guy in Austria.” Madeleine McCann who went missing while on holiday in Portugal(Image: PA) Brueckner ran a kiosk next to a school and kindergarten, it is claimed(Image: Daily Mirror) He reportedly led the  TV crew to the house where Brueckner was living in around 2013.

Brueckner reportedly told his friend his ‘fantasy’ while living in Brunswick, Germany, after returning from Portugal.

The anonymous friend also claimed Brueckner ran a kiosk next to a school and kindergarten in Brunswick. Fritzl was jailed for life after it emerged he and kept his own daughter as a sex slave for 24 years in a horror dungeon(Image: AFP/Getty Images) The garden house of a house owned by Fritzl(Image: AFP/Getty Images) He said: “[The children] would spend their pocket money on sweets here. “He gave the kids lollies for free.” More than 10 years ago Fritzl was jailed for life after it emerged he and kept his own daughter as a sex slave for 24 years in a horror dungeon.

He was given a life sentence for his incestuous and disgusting crimes at his home in the town of Amstetten in the north-eastern state of Lower Austria before her ordeal finally came to an end on April 19 2008.

A handful of World Championship F1 races have been held over the Holiday period. Here’s a look back at those few events, including the one which saw a new champion crowned

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Jim Clark and Graham Hill on the front row of the grid

The winter of 1962-63 in the UK was so infamously harsh that it was given its own nickname: The Big Freeze. The three months of December 1962 and the following January and February remain the coldest since at least the 1800s and snow drifts in some areas were several metres deep – highly unusual for Britain.

Some snow had fallen earlier in December but it was the blizzards at the end of that month, overnight on December 29-30, which left the country under a freezing white blanket which, because it was so cold, did not melt away in some areas until the Spring.

Several of the UK’s finest-ever motorsport exports, though, were not around to see it fall. Despite it being just days after Christmas the likes of Jim Clark, John Surtees and Graham Hill were not even in the same hemisphere. They were in East London – but a long, long way from Dagenham.

East London is a far less globally-famous city on the south-east coast of South Africa, notable in the F1 world for being the site of the first World Championship South African Grand Prix. And there wasn’t a snowflake in sight.

But there was a World Championship to be decided for both the drivers and teams who had made the trip south for the season finale, including a one-on-one showdown between Brits Clark and Hill – both bidding to become champion for the first time.

Hill, the father of future title-winner Damon, had a nine-point lead over Clark heading into the race, in an era when victory was worth… exactly nine points. However, only each drivers’ top five results of the year counted, meaning a Clark victory would make him champion, despite Hill having scored more points overall.

Their rivalry was reflected in the battle for supremacy between their respective teams. Hill’s British Racing Motors (BRM) also had an overall points advantage over Clark’s Lotus team, but that early scoring system left both championships open for the taking.

And, for a long time, Hill and BRM would have been very nervous. In qualifying, the two title contenders were the only drivers to set a lap time below 90 seconds. Crucially, though, Clark snatched pole position by three-tenths, putting Hill in a position where he would have to overtake his fellow Brit to avoid being leapfrogged in the final standings.

December 29 was race day and, a few hours before those blizzards began to batter Britain, thousands of miles away it looked for all the world as if Jim Clark was about to become world champion for the first time. He kept the lead from pole position and looked set to take a comfortable one and title-deciding victory, until his Lotus sprang an oil leak.

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Jim Clark, left, and Graham Hill would both go on to become multiple F1 champions

Just 20 laps from the end of an 82-lap showpiece, and having built a lead of more than half-a-minute, the Scot was forced to retire from the race. Hill inherited the lead of the race, though it no longer mattered – he was going to be champion regardless. In the end, he did it in style by crossing the line almost 50 seconds clear of 1960 title-winner Bruce McLaren in second place.

Hill and BRM won the drivers’ and constructors’ titles respectively, each for the first time. It was a tough defeat for Clark, but he came back much stronger the following year and won both the South Africa race and, indeed, the title.

Sadly, both men would die far too young. Jim Clark might have won more than the two championships he managed had he not died in a crash at a Formula Two race at the Hockenheimring, Germany, in April 1968. He was 32. Graham Hill survived his racing career but was just 46 years old when, on November 29, 1975, the plane he was flying crashed while he was preparing to land at an airfield north of London. He was among six people killed, the others being senior members of his Embassy Hill team.

The Formula 1 landscape is currently shivering through its winter break, but behind the closed doors of Maranello and Brackley, a high-stakes technical war is reaching a fever pitch. As the sport prepares for the radical 2026 regulatory overhaul, new rumors and official announcements are painting a picture of a grid that could be completely turned on its head. From aerodynamic “cheats” to shocking driver shifts, the path to 2026 is becoming increasingly volatile.

The Ferrari “Outwash” Gamble

While much of the recent paddock chatter has centered on Mercedes’ potentially dominant new power unit, Ferrari is reportedly taking a different route to glory. Sources suggest that Ferrari’s aerodynamicists have found a way to circumvent the FIA’s strict 2026 “anti-outwash” regulations. The new rules were specifically designed to minimize dirty air, making it easier for cars to follow one another. However, Ferrari is allegedly working to “partially recreate” the outwash effect—pushing air away from the car’s body to clean up its own aerodynamic flow while making life miserable for anyone trying to chase them.

This move is a classic Formula 1 “gray area” maneuver. If Ferrari can successfully manage their tire wakes and sidepod airflow to create this outwash, they could gain a significant performance advantage that offsets any horsepower deficit. While it may go against the “spirit” of the rules, in the objective world of F1 technical inspection, if it ticks the boxes, it’s legal.

The Mercedes Engine “Loophole”

The urgency in Maranello is fueled by the terrifying rumors coming out of the Mercedes High Performance Powertrains division. There is growing speculation that Mercedes has discovered a loophole regarding variable compression ratios. By potentially increasing the compression ratio while the engine is running—perhaps through thermal deformation or other innovative engineering—Mercedes could be looking at a gain of roughly 13 horsepower.

In the world of F1, 13 horsepower can translate to roughly three-tenths of a second per lap. Ferrari, historically the “master of coming second,” is desperate to avoid a repeat of the 2014 era where the Mercedes engine was so dominant they actually had to turn it down to avoid FIA intervention. To counter this, Ferrari is leaning heavily into their ERS (Energy Recovery System) software, believing that smarter battery management can eliminate the need for the “lift and coast” tactics that plagued them throughout the 2025 season.

Verstappen’s “Silver” Future?

In a move that sent shockwaves through the social media landscape, Verstappen Racing has officially announced a multi-year partnership with Mercedes-AMG for their GT3 activities. While Max Verstappen remains a Red Bull driver in Formula 1 for now, seeing the reigning champion behind the wheel of a Mercedes GT3 car in 2026 is a visual that many believe is the “first step” in Toto Wolff’s long-term plan to lure the Dutchman to the Silver Arrows.

Wolff has never hidden his desire to bring Verstappen into the fold, and this GT3 collaboration provides a “foot in the door” that could evolve if Red Bull’s own 2026 engine project stumbles.

The Hamilton-Adami Alliance

For Lewis Hamilton, the transition to Ferrari has been anything but smooth. His final year at Mercedes was marked by visible frustration, and his early interactions with his future Ferrari race engineer, Riccardo Adami, were scrutinized after several tense radio exchanges. However, reports now indicate that the pair held a “positive end-of-year dinner” to clear the air.

The complexity of the 2026 cars will require a level of communication never seen before. Teams are even planning to add dedicated ERS engineers to the pit wall specifically to talk the drivers through energy deployment strategy in real-time. For Hamilton to secure that elusive eighth title, his relationship with Adami must be flawless.

A New Era of Racing

As we look toward the 2026 regulations, the drivers themselves are beginning to adapt. While initial simulator sessions left many stars feeling “unhappy” with the new handling characteristics, that sentiment is shifting toward excitement as they realize the tactical depth required for the new power units.

The battle for 2026 isn’t just about who has the most money or the biggest names; it’s about who can find the cleverest loophole in the rulebook. Whether it’s Mercedes’ engine compression or Ferrari’s aerodynamic trickery, the next generation of Formula 1 is already being won and lost in the shadows of the design offices. One thing is certain: the rivalry between the Prancing Horse and the Silver Arrows is about to enter its most intense chapter yet.