‘We are strictly done dancing’ and ‘Stop the show trials’
“We’re definitely done dancing” is the Daily Express headline, as it begins with Strictly hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly splitting after 12 years. The duo is quoted as saying “now feels like the right time” to “waltz”, as the newspaper puts it.
The duo’s announcement also leads Metro to use the phrase “Quitterball” on its front page. Outgoing homeowners say it’s “time to pass on the glittering baton.”
Former contestant and former BBC radio presenter Zoe Ball is tipped to be the new host of Strictly Come Dancing, says the Daily Star.
The decision left the BBC “off guard”, the Sun reported, reporting that Daly and Winkleman “promised to leave in a secret agreement a year ago”.
Elsewhere, The Daily Telegraph is leading calls for Sir Keir Starmer to reintroduce the Succession Act after Troop F was cleared of charges relating to the 1972 Bloody Sunday murders. The newspaper includes criticism from the Ulster Unionist Party, which likens this to a “show trial”. A government spokesman said they were determined to find a way forward that “acknowledges the past while supporting those who served their country”.
The Daily Mail also comes to a decision that it calls a “witch hunt”. The newspaper quotes campaigners who warn that more veterans are “still at risk of being brought to trial” and call on the government to relax its commitments to repeal the Inheritance Act.
King Charles and Pope Leo’s historic prayer in the Sistine Chapel tops the Daily Mirror. The newspaper writes that this is “the first since Henry VIII’s departure from Rome” and describes it as “a boost for Anglicans and Catholics hoping for closer ties with Christians”.
India and China’s plans to stop fuel imports from Russia constitute the main news of the Financial Times. This comes “after Donald Trump sharply increased US sanctions against Moscow,” the newspaper says. The FT also includes a large image of the King and Pope side by side, calling their joint prayer a “bridge of faith”.
The Guardian reports more budget leaks claiming Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering increasing income tax. He quotes sources “close to the process”. The newspaper says the chancellor “is understood to be concerned about the political consequences” because doing so risks going against a previous party promise.
i Paper also reports income tax proposals, which say the government plans to fill a “£30bn gap” in the budget.
Gang survivors “may have to wait until next year” for the national investigation to begin, the Times reported. Government sources told the newspaper it “could take months” to find someone to lead it.
