As Saturday afternoons go, Harry Styles’ one wasn’t the most usual.
The former One Direction star spent it being wheeled around on a giant bed outside Buckingham Palace, as you do.
Pictures and videos shared on social media show Harry having a tuck-in with two musicians who were holding a guitar and a drum, as they took over The Mall in central London.
The Watermelon Sugar singer was dressed in what appeared to be brown pyjamas with blue polka dots, finishing off the look with a lime green and pink scarf.
It is thought Harry is filming a new music video.
One onlooker, who gave her name as Ana, said it was “so surreal”, telling the PA news agency: “I was just taking a stroll in London and there he was, doing the most Harry thing ever, riding on a bed across the Buckingham Palace.”
It had been rumoured Harry is planning to release new music in 2022, following up on the success of his second album Fine Line, which came out in December 2019.
This year will also see the release of two films Harry shot last year.
Jon Richardson remembered the “effortlessly hilarious” Sean Lock after one of the late comedian’s last 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown appearances aired on Channel 4.
Jon, who starred alongside Sean, said he noticed how upset he had been during the episode but that his fellow team captain had remained “a true comic to the end”.
After Friday’s episode, which was dedicated to Sean, Jon tweeted: “Watching Sean’s last ep of Countdown I can see how upset I was knowing he was ill and how much that affected my performance, while Sean himself continued to be effortlessly hilarious.
“A true comic to the end. That’s why he’s trending on Twitter and why he’s so missed.”
Panellist Rosie Jones, who also featured in the episode along with Harry Hill and Nick Mohammed, said watching it air was “bittersweet”.
Following his death last year, tributes to Sean poured in from other comedy greats such as Lee Mack, Bill Bailey and Eddie Izzard.
As well as his 10-year stint as a regular panellist on 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Sean was known for appearances on other comedy shows like QI, Have I Got News For You and the Diane Morgan series Mandy.
Graham Norton’s quick wit got the better of Adele after she made a claim during her appearance on his chat show on Friday night.
Graham had been chatting to musical guest George Ezra, who struggled to tell the host when his live shows were coming up.
Reassuring him, Graham said: “No artist ever knows when anything’s happening.”
Adele chipped in, saying: “I always know when something’s happening,” before Graham quickly retorted: “You don’t know when Vegas is happening!”
The Easy On Me singer burst into laughter, admitting: “That was very good… that was very quick.”
Although she has yet to set a date, she insisted her string of residency shows will “100%” be happening before the year is out.
Asked about what happened in Vegas during an appearance she said: “I tried my hardest and really thought I would be able to pull something together in time.
“I regret that I kept going until that late in the day. It would have been a really half-arsed show and I can’t do that. People will see straight through me up on the stage and know I didn’t want to be doing it. I’ve never done anything like that in my life and I’m not going to start now.”
The Rachel Green actor celebrated her 53rd birthday on Friday, with a number of her famous pals sharing messages on social media.
Courteney, who played Monica Geller on Friends, was among them as she posted a picture of her and Jennifer she’d found placed on the set of their old apartment during the filming of the recent reunion special.
Sharing it on her Instagram Story, Courteney wrote: “Happy Birthday @jenniferaniston. I found this picture in our apartment on set.
“It was the first year we became friends. I loved you then and I love you even more now.”
Among the other stars wishing Jen a Happy Birthday online was her The Morning Show co-star Reese Witherspoon, who praised her friend’s “love of life, humour and endless positivity”.
She wrote: “When I think of Jen and all the wonderful adventures we have had together, I just smile.
“Knowing that @JenniferAniston is in the world makes me happy!
“Her love of life, her humour, and her endless positivity are such a gift. Let’s all wish Jen Happy Birthday.”
US TV show host Ellen DeGeneres posted a compilation video of Jennifer on her show, writing: “Happy birthday to a true day one.”
We’re used to people using shows like The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent to launch themselves into the spotlight – but what you might not realise is that plenty of household names made their TV debuts in a very different way.
Long before shows like Cutting It, Wild At Heart and Britain’s Got Talent came calling, Mandy made her TV debut when Cilla Black tried to find her a match on Blind Date.
During her 1991 appearance on the show, Amanda introduced herself as a drama student who loved singing the blues as well as classics like Knees Up Mother Brown (??), as well as confessing her ultimate celeb crush was Jack Nicholson.
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Sadly, though, it wasn’t to be, with the future BGT star going home without a date… which her potential suitor seemed more than a bit gutted about when he clapped eyes on her for the first time.
But Mandy isn’t the only member of the BGT panel with a surprising game show appearance near the top of her CV.
Simon Cowell’s very first TV appearance was as a contestant on Sale Of The Century, two years before his eventual co-star’s stint on Blind Date.
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He may be best known now for his business decisions, but his time on Sale Of The Century ended in him leaving with 20 quid’s worth of cooking utensils. We wonder when the last time he picked them up was…
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Olly Murs’ optimism came back to bite him somewhat when he was a contestant on Deal Or No Deal, during which he turned down an offer of £26,000 and ended up pocketing just a tenner.
The future chart-topper appeared on the Channel 4 game show two years before shooting to fame on The X Factor, and after becoming a household name, he was invited back to compete in a celebrity special.
Unfortunately, he fared even worse second time around, ending up with just 50p. To make it up to his chosen charity, Olly pledged to donate £5000 of his own money.
We know him best as a member of JLS, who became one of The X Factor’s most successful acts ever in 2007, but Aston has actually been singing on screen for a lot longer than that.
As a teenager, he appeared on Stars In Their Eyes Kids, telling host Matthew Kelly: “Tonight, Matthew, I’m going to be Michael Jackson.”
He performed a cover of The Jackson 5’s Rockin’ Robin, ultimately finishing in second place.
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And speaking of celebs who appeared on TV classics as teenagers, let’s talk about Michael Underwood, who was a contestant on a kids’ special of The Crystal Maze when he was 15.
The presenter was the first of the young contestants to take on a challenge, but failed to win his team any crystals in either of the physical or skill-based tasks he took on.
Michael’s presenting career began almost a decade later, when he began hosting the dream-fulfilment show Whatever You Want.
Minus his trademark beard, Joe Wicks suffered a very stressful blunder when his buzzer appeared to not be working, leaving him rather vexed, as you can see in the video above.
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Just four years before The Office would achieve huge success, Stephen Merchant was a contestant on Blockbusters back in 1997.
Despite getting off to a good start, it wasn’t ultimately a strong showing for the comedy writer and actor, finishing with 15 points to his opponents’ 50.
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Another comedy star with a previous game show appearance in their past is Taskmaster favourite Alex Horne.
Alex did a great job on Countdown, winning three consecutive shows in 2008 during Des O’Connor and Carol Vorderman’s tenure, before he was eventually bested.
Having gone on to become a popular comic, Alex has returned to Countdown several times, appearing as a guest in Dictionary Corner as well as a panellist on the show’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats specials.
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","type":"video","meta":{"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrD_6wApzIg","type":"video","version":"1.0","title":"Who Wants to be a Millionaire Mark Labbett (The Beast) 29th April 2006","author":"Ben Crowl | The Home Of Millionaire","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrwcOkjonY5As8aEiL3uEZA","provider_name":"YouTube","description":"On this episode of WWTBAM, we see Mark Labbett AKA The Beast from ITV’s The Chase, return to take on the Millionaire computer and it’s cash for questions.\nHow will he get on…. you’ll have to watch to find out!\n\nIf you are enjoying my videos, please Like, Comment and Subscribe for more.\n\nSocial Media:\nFacebook: BenCrowlWWTBAM","thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jrD_6wApzIg/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"thumbnail_height":720,"cache_age":86400,"options":{"_start":{"label":"Start from","value":"18","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s"},"_end":{"label":"End on","value":"","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s"},"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"click_to_play":{"label":"Hold load & play until clicked","value":false}}},"fullBleed":false,"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"slideshowAd":{"scriptTags":[],"otherHtml":""},"slideshowEndCard":{"scriptTags":[{"attribs":{},"scriptBody":"\r\n (function(){\r\n var c = document.getElementById(‘taboola-endslate-thumbnails’);\r\n c.id += ‘-‘ + Math.round(Math.random()*1e16);\r\n \r\n var taboolaParams = {\r\n loader: \"//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/aol-huffingtonpost/loader.js\",\r\n mode: \"thumbnails-b\",\r\n container: c.id,\r\n placement: \"Endslate Thumbnails\",\r\n target_type: \"mix\"\r\n };\r\n \r\n if (typeof window.modulousQueue === \"function\") {\r\n \twindow.modulousQueue.add(function(){ doTaboola(taboolaParams); });\r\n } else {\r\n \tdoTaboola(taboolaParams);\r\n }\r\n }());\r\n"}],"otherHtml":"
Mark “The Beast” Labbett is one of the UK’s most famous quizzing experts, so it’s probably no great surprise that before finding fame on The Chase, he gave a few game shows a go, including Mastermind and Fifteen To One.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? was perhaps his most successful attempt. Having failed to land in the hot seat when he played Fastest Finger First in 2005, Mark – who was then working as a supply teacher – returned a year later, leaving with an impressive £32,000.
Much later, he made an appearance on the rebooted version of the show in 2020, serving as Charlotte Church’s “phone a friend” during a celebrity special.
Her specialist subject was “The Life And Works Of Lorenz Hart”, the lyricist behind standards including Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered, The Lady Is A Tramp and My Funny Valentine. Sadly, no clip exists of Anne in action, but enjoy this snap of her looking ever-so-80s in the Mastermind studio all the same.
","type":"video","meta":{"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA_3LfuwVyw","type":"video","version":"1.0","title":"Stephen Fry on University Challenge 1980","author":"atariman1988","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJgdLKhSVWCWBuh9ZRiOWA","provider_name":"YouTube","description":"A clip of Stephen Fry on University Challenge in 1980. NOTE: I do NOT have a copy of the full show. This clip was shown as part of the BBC show ‘Before They Were Famous’ and this is all they showed. The laughter was added for that show, and would not have been on the original UC broadcast. Also note that this is NOT a clip from ‘The Young Ones’. This really was Stephen Fry appearing on the real University Challenge in 1980.","thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jA_3LfuwVyw/hqdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":480,"thumbnail_height":360,"cache_age":86400,"options":{"_start":{"label":"Start from","value":"","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s"},"_end":{"label":"End on","value":"","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s"},"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"click_to_play":{"label":"Hold load & play until clicked","value":false}}},"fullBleed":false,"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"slideshowAd":{"scriptTags":[],"otherHtml":""},"slideshowEndCard":{"scriptTags":[{"attribs":{},"scriptBody":"\r\n (function(){\r\n var c = document.getElementById(‘taboola-endslate-thumbnails’);\r\n c.id += ‘-‘ + Math.round(Math.random()*1e16);\r\n \r\n var taboolaParams = {\r\n loader: \"//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/aol-huffingtonpost/loader.js\",\r\n mode: \"thumbnails-b\",\r\n container: c.id,\r\n placement: \"Endslate Thumbnails\",\r\n target_type: \"mix\"\r\n };\r\n \r\n if (typeof window.modulousQueue === \"function\") {\r\n \twindow.modulousQueue.add(function(){ doTaboola(taboolaParams); });\r\n } else {\r\n \tdoTaboola(taboolaParams);\r\n }\r\n }());\r\n"}],"otherHtml":"
Then in his early 20s, comedian and actor Stephen Fry appeared as a contestant on University Challenge in 1980, representing Queen’s College, Cambridge.
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He’d later achieve huge success as a quiz show host, when he began presenting the hit panel show QI.
Miriam Margolyes – University Challenge
Miriam Margolyes
Another iconic Cambridge alum to compete on University Challenge was the always-outrageous Miriam Margolyes.
We say “always-outrageous” because Miriam has long claimed that this appearance on University Challenge was the first case of anyone saying the f-word on the BBC after struggling to contain her disappointment about a botched answer.
The moment itself was censored, though Miriam has insisted it was very much apparent what she was saying – though sadly a clip of the explicit outburst doesn’t appear to exist.
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Around the celebrations for Sir Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday, the BBC dug out this old clip of him competing on Blankety Blank, where he tried to match his answers to celebrity panellists like Freddie Starr, Ruth Madoc and Roy Kinnear.
He went out on the first round during a 1983 Christmas special – but at least he got to keep the iconic Blankety Blank cheque book and pen, eh?
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Deal Or No Deal worked a little differently in America, where contestants had briefcases opened by models, rather than boxes being unveiled by their fellow players.
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One such model was the future Duchess of Sussex, then an aspiring actor by the name of Meghan Markle. She would, of course, later achieve success as part of the cast of Suits, before her humanitarian work led her to meeting (and, indeed, marrying) Prince Harry.
When I caught COVID right before Christmas — a breakthrough infection I got despite being vaccinated, boosted and wearing a medical-grade mask just about everywhere I went — I resigned myself to the fact that my kids would get it, too. We live in a tiny New York City apartment, after all. And my younger child is too young to be vaccinated.
But we tested them frequently throughout my quarantine, and after 10 days I hadn’t spread it to either of my kids or my husband. This has caused some people in my life to question whether I really had COVID-19 after all. (I’m going to believe the, like, seven at-home rapid tests that told me I did.)
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But it’s also made me wonder a lot about the mysteries of COVID spread within households and how that has changed because of omicron. Many people fighting infections are also dealing with the same phenomenon.
Here’s what experts have to say about household COVID spread right now:
Omicron is more likely to spread within households than previous variants
Estimates suggest the initial omicron variant is up to four times more transmissible than previous COVID variants — and the newest omicron subvariant (BA.2) may be even more contagious than that. That seems to track within households as well. In early December, British health officials estimated that the risk of spreading omicron within a household was three times higher than with the delta variant.
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With all of the variants, households pose a big risk just because of how much time you’re spending around those people.
“There are a lot of high-touch surfaces that might not get cleaned frequently. You might interact directly with saliva more frequently, especially if you have little kids. You’re probably not masking at home, so sitting next to each other on the couch you could easily get a spray of the bigger droplets in your face,” explained Alex Huffman, an aerosol scientist with the University of Denver.
“But, most importantly, your exposure to inhaled virus is likely much higher at home,” Huffman said. A lot of that has to do with ventilation.
“Many apartments and houses have pretty low air-exchange rates, so the air doesn’t get refreshed very often, and air that an infected person breathes out can build up to fairly high concentrations,” he said.
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That said, household spread is not inevitable
One of the many reasons why health experts really hate the idea of just “getting omicron over with” ― aside from the fact that even “mild” COVID can feel really bad and that long-haul symptoms are a real risk ― is that it is by no means inevitable that you’ll get infected just because someone else in your family or home is sick.
“It’s very difficult to compare one study against the next. In general, early on in COVID, it was roughly found that between 10 to 20% of household exposures would end up with COVID, and that was pre-vaccine,” said Dr. Richard Martinello, an associate professor of infectious diseases and pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine. Other studies have put the secondary attack rate (i.e., the spread of the disease within a household or dwelling) a bit higher — more like 25% or 30%.
With omicron, those rates are likely higher. But again, it is by no means inevitable. Martinello pointed to a recent study from Denmark — which has not yet been subject to peer review — that suggests that with BA.2, a little over 40% of household contacts became infected themselves. With BA.1 (the initial omicron strain), it was more like 30%.
Basic prevention makes a big difference
There are a lot of factors that determine how likely household spread is, which is one issue that makes precise estimates of that type of transmission so challenging.
For one, some people shed more of the virus than others. People who are immunocompromised, for example, tend to have more severe, long-lasting infections. That means they’re likely to shed the virus for a longer period of time. Then there are other elements, like whether everyone in your home is vaccinated. The fact that my unvaccinated preschooler never got COVID when I had it makes me question whether he had an asymptomatic infection at some prior point that we never knew about that gave him some level of immunity, but I have no evidence of that. Also, antibody tests can be unreliable.
No matter your family or household’s specific circumstances, prevention can make a big difference in stopping the spread at home. To the extent it is possible, you should still isolate within your own home. (I fully admit that I gave up on this quest when I was sick myself because it was Christmas and also because there are only so many places you can hide from a zealous 3-year-old in an 800-square-foot home.)
“If the sick person can’t be fully isolated, I would suggest keeping as much distance as possible; wearing high-quality, tight-fitting masks (i.e., N95s); opening windows when you can; adding a couple portable air filters (like commercial HEPA filters or DIY Corsi-Rosenthal boxes); and limiting the time you spend in shared areas together,” Huffman said.
And be strategic about the time you spend together, he added.
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“If possible, make sure you eat and drink in separate areas where the air can be ventilated or filtered more quickly,” he said, because any time the masks come off, the risk is highest.
Experts are still learning about COVID-19. The information in this story is what was known or available as of publication, but guidance can change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.
Boris Johnson “fears for the security of Europe” as tensions mount over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine and British people were urged to leave the country.
The UK prime minister voiced his concern during a call with Western leaders – including US president Joe Biden – as the Foreign Office updated its advice on Friday evening to urge UK nationals to “leave now while commercial means are still available”.
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At the same time, Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said there is the “credible prospect” of an invasion of some sort taking place before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20.
He said the Russians are in a position to “mount a major military operation in Ukraine any day now”, which could include a “rapid assault on the city of Kyiv” or on other parts of the country.
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The warning was echoed by UK defence secretary Ben Wallace, who said warned an invasion could come “at any time”.
Tensions have heightened in the last 24 hours as Russian president Vladimir Putin has now amassed an estimated 130,000 troops on the border with Ukraine.
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<img class="img-sized__img landscape" loading="lazy" alt="US national security advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during the daily White House press briefing.” width=”720″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.wellnessmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/boris-johnson-fears-for-the-security-of-europe-as-tensions-grow-over-potential-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2.jpg”>
US national security advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during the daily White House press briefing.
Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
The Foreign Office followed the US in advising against all travel to Ukraine, with a spokesman saying: “The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority, which is why we have updated our travel advice.
“We urge British nationals in Ukraine to leave now via commercial means while they remain available.”
After Johnson and world leaders held the virtual call, a No 10 spokesperson said: “The prime minister told the group that he feared for the security of Europe in the current circumstances.
“He impressed the need for Nato allies to make it absolutely clear that there will be a heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go, should Russia make the devastating and destructive decision to invade Ukraine.
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“The prime minister added that president Putin had to understand that there would be severe penalties that would be extremely damaging to Russia’s economy, and that Allies needed to continue with efforts to reinforce and support the Eastern frontiers of Nato.
“He urged the leaders to work together to deliver economic and defensive support to Ukraine.
“The leaders agreed that if president Putin deescalated, there was another way forward, and they pledged to redouble diplomatic efforts in the coming days.”
Speaking from the White House, Sullivan said Russia could choose “in very short order to commence a major military action against Ukraine” but stressed the US does not know whether Putin has made a final decision.
Moscow denies it is planning an invasion and called the Western military actions provocations meant to bait Russia into war.
But diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis have yet to yield results.
The two countries share a border, and between 1919 and 1991 Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union in the early-1990s but maintained close economic and cultural links with Russia.
Russia has been trying to reunite with its neighbour even since, with Putin calling the break-up of the Soviet bloc the “greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century”.
It’s not entirely clear why Putin is acting now. There’s speculation he may be moving because the US looks weak following the messy evacuation from Afghanistan.
The prime minister’s allies have been warned not to “bully” police investigating Partygate after an extraordinary comment was made in a newspaper.
Senior Tory MPs are among those who urged Boris Johnson to distance himself from the controversial remarks made in The Times.
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A source close to the PM apparently said the Met Police will need to be “very certain” that he had broken lockdown rules before issuing him with a fixed penalty notice.
The source added: “There is inevitably a degree of discretion here. Do you want the Met Police deciding who the prime minister is?
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“If he does get one, it would be odd if the discretionary action of the police determines the future of the country.”
Sir Bob Neill, Tory chair of the Commons justice committee, hit back: “It is completely inappropriate to suggest that there should be any special treatment for anyone involved in these inquiries and any suggestion of political pressure on the police is completely reprehensible. No.10 would do well to disown it.”
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The SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “The prime minister must distance himself from this extraordinary threat to the police. No-one is above the law, not even Boris Johnson – no matter what he might believe.”
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey added: “This veiled threat by Number 10 allies is amongst very heavy competition perhaps the darkest moment of this whole sorry saga.”
Meanwhile, the PM’s former chief aide turned critic Dominic Cummings tweeted: “Tory MPs are propping up a guy not just trying to fix illegal donations etc but trying to bully cops into treating him differently.”
Adam Wagner, a human rights barrister and expert in Covid regulations, stressed that the legal test is that the police “reasonably believe” someone has committed an offence before issuing an FPN.
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“This will be the same regardless of how important the person is — this is the rule of law,” he added.
The Metropolitan Police Service is investigating 12 alleged Covid-rule breaking gatherings held in Downing Street and Whitehall during the pandemic.
Among them are parties Johnson is understood to have attended as well as a separate bash held in his Downing Street flat.
Police said they need to contact “each individual” who attended the events – which means both the PM and his wife Carrie could face interviews.
Detectives investigating the alleged rule-breaking parties are due to contact more than 50 attendees this week.
Officers will send formal questionnaires to those individuals over events that took place between May 20 2020 and April 16 2021.
Anyone found to have breached Covid rules without a reasonable excuse could be issued with an FPN.
The prime minister has so far refused to confirm he would quit if police rule he broke lockdown laws
A spokeswoman told the Mail: “This government has always backed the police and fully respects their complete independence to carry out inquiries without fear or favour.”
Finally, we’re allowed out and about to celebrate Valentine’s Day but dine-at-home meals are still very much on the menu. The HuffPost UK Life team snuggled up with our better halves and friends to find the best meal for the big day.
We’ve reviewed them for taste, ease and value for money and ranked them by hearts out of five. Here are our favourites.
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Waitrose’s £20 dinner for two
❤️ ❤️ ❤️
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Harry Slater
Waitrose’s sea bass fillets with greens.
Everything in Waitrose’s £20 dinner for two was perfectly fine and that’s sort of the problem. A Valentine’s meal should be special and pre-prepared food, no matter how fancy, doesn’t exactly say “I love you”. Granted, you could say this about every meal in our taste test, so let’s talk about the food.
Simple and satisfying, our two smoked and poached salmon terrines were close to the perfect starter. Along with a couple of glasses of San Leo Nerello Mascalese Rosato, they made for the best part the meal. (If you prefer a very dry fizz, go for the Calle d’Oro prosecco.)
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Harry Slater
Waitrose’s salmon terrines.
The main required a bit more effort. With only buttered greens as a side, the sea bass fillets with a roasted tomato and olive filling needed some company and the addition of a bed of brown packet rice made the dish look prettier and fuller. Finally, gooey chocolate puddings from Waitrose’s luxury No.1 range were an indulgent but slightly floury end to our meal. They need a scoop of real vanilla ice cream with them.
Despite these shortcomings, it’s hard to knock the value for money from Waitrose’s extensive range. Treat yourself. Harry Slater, Deputy Editor.
Co-op’s £15 meal with alcohol (or £12 with a soft drink)
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
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Faima Bakar
Co-op’s Irresistible range for Valentine’s Day.
Co-op’s Irresistible range for Valentine’s Day is fantastic and extensive. We started with a drool-worthy portion of their Camembert with garlic and parsley sharing bread. Although we found the bread a little dry, the cheese is so rich and creamy we didn’t mind. x
Their standout main is the steak and scotch eggs, which is sure to be a partner pleaser. I can’t eat meat, so instead tried the sea bass with a side of steak chips and Mediterranean-style veggies, and of course cute heart-shaped butter pieces on top.
Lastly, the melt in the middle puddings could melt your heart. They were a truly indulgent chocolatey, gooey bite heaven – but a 500 calories a pop, I can’t imagine having them often. And the prosecco didn’t disappoint. Faima Bakar, Life Reporter.
Tesco’s £15 meal with Prosecco
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Rachel Moss
The starter, main with two sides, and dessert from Tesco. Comes with Prosecco.
Tesco’s deal has an impressive 32 products (including a number of vegan items), allowing shoppers to choose from more than 76,000 combinations, so you’re bound to find something you like.
We opt for the feta and red pepper tartlets to start, which are surprisingly light and moreish, but do look a little plain on the plate without the addition of some rocket (which I bought separately).
The main of duck breast with a raspberry hoisin sauce, alongside a trio of greens and heart-shaped herby potato croquette, feels like a real treat and something I wouldn’t usually cook. The duck is fairly small and does shrink quite considerably, though, so I graciously give my husband the larger portion and settle for a piece resembling a large, red slug. Still, it tastes delicious.
The chocolate and orange pots are the real stars, though, with the bottom layer reminiscent of the world’s most delicious Calippo. We practically lick the sides clean. For 15 quid – with a bottle of very quaffable fizz – this meal is great value. Rachel Moss, Life Editor.
Asda’s £15 meal for two
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❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Melanie Grant
Asda’s sirloin steak with honeyed baby parsnips and triple-cooked chips.
Asda’s Valentine’s meal offers plenty of choice with meat, fish and vegan options, and hearts thrown-in for good measure (reader, you’ll see).
We for the tempura prawns followed by the sirloin steak, triple-cooked chips with honey baby parsnips and Chantenay carrots. It’s all relatively easy to put together, even if the starter and both sides all go in the oven at different times. But thanks to the bang-on cooking instructions – especially for the steak – you’ll end up serving a meal that looks restaurant-quality.
The tempura prawns, with its chilli-by-name-not-necessarily-by-heat dip are nice enough but not memorable. The juicy steak is notable though. It’s made all the more succulent swimming in the melted (originally heart-shaped) peppercorn butter and complemented with the dreamy, soft and crispy chips. For that added crunch, I suggest a few extra mins in the oven.
The honeyed baby parsnips are worth fighting anyone for, less so with the chantenay carrots. Even after 40 mins oven-baking, some were still hard.
Melanie Grant
Asda’s gooey chocolate pudding.
It’s much relief that the sticky toffee pudding isn’t another oven job. After 90 seconds of microwaving you’re pouring sweet toffee sauce onto its chocolate-embossed heart (yes, another one). Our rosé pinot grigio helps cut through the saccharine flavours (or you could add a dollop of crème fraîche or cream).
The box of Lily O’Brien’s chocolates is perhaps best saved for after you’ve had your other dessert…Melanie Grant, Audience Editor.
Morrison’s £15 meal for two
Morrison’s
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
With a starter, a main, two sides, a dessert and a drink for just £15, the Valentine’s deal from Morrisons is a real steal. The range of options is impressive and includes plenty of veggie and vegan delights, which impresses my newly vegetarian fiancé.
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We go for the garlic and cream cheese mushrooms to start, which looks a little underwhelming, but once I taste the whipped, velvety garlic topping, I realise looks can be deceiving. It’s the perfect combination of decadent cheese and earthy mushroom.
Next, it’s the slow cooked ‘Coq au Vin’ for me and a vegan beef-lees Wellington for my partner (each extra main comes at an additional cost). Both are quick and easy to prepare.
Served in a red wine and beechwood smoked bacon sauce and topped with mushrooms and onions, the chicken delicately falls off the bone. It’s succulent, warming, and absolutely delicious. The beef-less Wellington also goes down well. My partner describes the pastry as unexpectedly buttery and wonderfully flakey. We share an uneventful side of carrots and kale in an orange dressing and a creamy, garlic-spiked portion of dauphinoise potatoes.
For dessert, my partner tries the Belgium chocolate pudding, but I’m unable to take part as it seems each dessert option “may contain nuts”, and I have a serious allergy. The pud smells absolutely divine. I assume, from the fact my partner demolishes his dessert in about three seconds flat, that it’s just as tasty.
We finish our meal feeling full and satisfied and wash it down with the crisp, satisfying prosecco.
Sainsbury’s £15 meal for two
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I love a good supermarket meal so I’m excited Sainsbury’s Valentines offering. Their options include a starter, main, dessert and bottle of fizz for £15.
We start with the the Scottish mussels in white wine, which were creamy and filling. Next, we tuck into Higgidy’s spinach, red pepper and feta quiche. It’s well seasoned and the feta is delicious. Sainsbury’s doesn’t include a side in their meal, but we can’t resisted their truffle mash. It’s rich and buttery and pairs well with the quiche. Finally, Gü’s salted caramel cheesecake makes for a fantastic finish. Can you ever go wrong with salted caramel? Our sparkling rosé is the only let down. It’s too dry for my taste. Habiba Katsha, Jnr. Life Reporter.
