Category News

Why Sunderland v Newcastle means so much

By in News, Sports News
Getty Images

Ciaran Kelly

Newcastle United reporter
  • Comments

Eddie Howe was technically on safe ground as he rang the bell.

The Newcastle United head coach had just got the 2023 Great North Run under way to loud cheers in the heart of the city.

But he had not accounted for those Sunderland-supporting runners who were not so thrilled to see him as they whizzed past.

“The biggest stick I’ve ever had,” he said this week. “I got abused by 50% of the people there.”

This is not an inter-city rivalry. These North East neighbours have won only one major domestic trophy between them in the past 50 years, and Sunday’s game (14:00 GMT) marks the first time they will even meet in the Premier League for nearly a decade.

But few fixtures bring a region to a standstill quite like the Tyne-Wear derby as former Sunderland manager Peter Reid knows better than most.

“They’re football crackers,” he said. “Let’s just say there is a little bit more needle up there.”

Another Liverpudlian across the divide feels similarly before the game at the Stadium of Light.

Ryan Taylor, the last player to score a winning goal for Newcastle against Sunderland in the top flight back in 2011, likens the intensity of the rivalry to the Old Firm in Scotland.

“There is a hell of a lot more passion in this derby compared to the Manchester derby and, even the Merseyside derby,” the retired defender said. “There’s just raw emotion.”

Such fervour is one of the many reasons why the This is Wearside supporters group started planning their biggest ever flag display for the derby once Sunderland secured promotion via the play-offs in May.

Dedicated volunteers have been spending up to 12 hours a day preparing the mammoth operation in recent weeks.

That is how much this game means.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

‘The two biggest games of the season’

Nikos Dabizas also knows what can happen when these worlds collide.

A huge framed photograph in the former Newcastle centre-back’s home serves as a daily reminder.

It captures the Greek wild-eyed, bare chested and surrounded by his elated team-mates, after scoring the winner in front of the away fans at the Stadium of Light in 2002.

This was a fixture that certainly left its mark on him.

“It’s the intensity of the fans,” he said. “It’s something that goes from generation to generation. This tradition makes this game so special.”

So what is at the root of the fierce rivalry between two one-club cities less than 15 miles apart?

Well, as far as Sunderland season ticket holder Stokell is concerned, it goes beyond football itself.

“You can go back to the English Civil War with Newcastle siding with the monarchy and Sunderland siding with the government,” he said. “It’s all political and economical.

“Newcastle get the funding, Newcastle have the big city, Newcastle are the ones people always talk about when it comes to the North East. Sunderland are always shadowed.”

But it is far from one-sided.

Taylor’s father Darren was even “mobbed” by joyous Newcastle supporters after his son scored a decisive free-kick in that 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light in 2011.

That is how much it meant to Geordies.

“It took a little bit of time afterwards to realise the significance of it,” Taylor said.

“It made my life a lot easier. I was allowed to make the odd mistake when playing, purely because of that goal.

“I still go up to St James’ Park now and you’ve got dads telling their kids, ‘See this lad? He scored the winner against the Mackems’.”

A derby win can even further elevate the standing of an already popular figure.

Chris Hughton had not long delivered promotion back to the Premier League when he took charge of his first derby as Newcastle manager in 2010.

There may have only technically been three points at stake, but Hughton quickly recognised the “added responsibility” of this game because people in the North East “live for their football”.

He said: “There are some derbies where you are not quite sure why they are derbies. This one, you do.

“These are two huge clubs – not far away from each other – with their own identities.

‘The world will know the North East is back on the map’

Hughton need not have worried.

His side ended up hammering Sunderland 5-1 at St James’ Park in 2010, but Newcastle have only won a single derby in the Premier League since then.

In fact, Sunderland have triumphed in six of the last seven meetings in the top flight.

Former Black Cats manager Gus Poyet oversaw half of those victories, having swiftly realised that the fixture was “much bigger” than many outsiders thought.

“After family, the club is the most important thing to the people of Sunderland,” he said.

“It’s so intense that the result of the club can change the mood of the city so imagine the result of the derby? You can feel it.

“They told me on the first day. ‘Please stay up, but you must beat Newcastle’. I still don’t know if it was more important to stay up or to beat Newcastle.”

Sunderland, like Newcastle before them, eventually slipped through the relegation trapdoor in 2017, and spent eight years outside the top flight.

So a division separated these rivals when they last met in the FA Cup third round nearly two years ago.

And the contrast was stark.

The combined cost of Sunderland’s starting line-up that day was a mere fraction of the £40m Newcastle had spent on Joelinton.

Alex Pritchard, who joined on a free transfer, was the most experienced individual in the hosts’ starting line-up by a considerable distance. At just 30 years of age.

“I don’t think the fans really believed, deep down, that we were going to win that game,” the former midfielder said. “But now it’s different.”

In so many ways.

Dan Ballard and Trai Hume are likely to be the only survivors from that 3-0 defeat in Sunday’s XI following the inspired arrivals of, among others, Granit Xhaka, Enzo le Fee, Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Noah Sadiki and Omar Alderete.

Sunderland also have a different manager, of course, in Regis le Bris.

Not only has the Frenchman led Sunderland to promotion – his fearless side have gone toe-to-toe with some the best teams in the top flight.

In fact, Manchester City are the only team in the current top six to have defeated Sunderland this season, while Le Bris’ side are also unbeaten on home soil.

Such an impressive start to the campaign means Sunderland go into Sunday’s game a point clear of Newcastle in the table.

So it is all set up to be a gripping afternoon when these rivals renew hostilities at the Stadium of Light.

What information do we collect from this quiz?

Related topics

  • Sunderland
  • Premier League
  • Newcastle United
  • Football

More on this story

    • 17 October
    A graphic of Premier League players from every team in the division in 2025-26 season, with the Premier League trophy in front of them.
  • Quiz logo

Gaza to Dublin: A journey through war, displacement, hope

By in News, World News

Dublin, Ireland – When I was accepted to Trinity College Dublin, I imagined a fresh start, new lectures, late-night study sessions and a campus alive with possibility.

The plan was clear: begin my studies in September 2024 and finally step into the future I had worked so hard for.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

But when September came, the borders of Gaza were shut tight, my neighbourhood was being bombed almost every day, and the dream of university collapsed with the buildings around me. Trinity sent me a deferral letter, and I remember holding it in my hands and feeling torn in two.

I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or heartbroken. That letter became a strange symbol of hope, a reminder that maybe, someday, my life could continue. But everything else was falling apart so quickly that it was hard to believe in anything.

My family and I were displaced five times as the war intensified. Each time, we left something behind: books, clothes, memories, safety.

After the first temporary truce, we went home for a short time. But it no longer felt like the place we had built our lives. The walls were cracked, windows shattered, and floors coated in dust and debris.

It felt haunted by what had happened.

I knew I had to go

I’m the middle child among three siblings. My older sister, Razan, is 25, and my younger brother, Fadel, is 23.

You might think being a middle child spares you, but during the war, I felt responsible for them. On nights when bombings shook the building and fear crept into every corner, I tried to be the steady one. I tried to comfort them as I trembled inside.

Then, in April 2025, my name appeared on a small, restricted list of people allowed to leave Gaza. About 130 people could cross at that time, dual-nationality holders, family reunification cases and a handful of others. My name on that list felt unreal.

The morning I approached the crossing, I remember the long, tense line of people waiting, gripping documents, holding bags, clutching their children’s hands. No one talked.

When two IDF officers questioned me, I answered as steadily as I could, afraid that something, anything, might go wrong and they’d send me back.

When they finally waved me through, I felt relief and guilt at the same time.

I didn’t call home until I got to Jordan. When my mother heard my voice, she cried. I did, too. I told her I was safe, but it felt like I had left a part of my heart behind with them.

Alagha had to leave her mobile phone behind in Gaza; this is one of the few photos she still has, of her mother embracing her on her graduation day in Gaza [Courtesy of Rawand Alagha]

My family is now in Khan Younis, still living through the chaos.

I arrived in Amman on April 18, my heart heavy with the weight of what I had escaped. The next morning, I boarded a flight to Istanbul, with nothing around me feeling real.

The sounds of normalcy, laughter, announcements, and the rustle of bags were jarring after the constant bombardment. I had been living in a world where every sound could signal danger, where the air was thick with fear and uncertainty.

I felt like a ghost, wandering through a world that no longer belonged to me.

Finally, after hours of flying, waiting, being screened and watching departure boards, I landed in Dublin. The Irish air felt clean, the sky impossibly open. I should’ve been happy, but I was engulfed by crushing guilt, the joy overshadowed by the pain of separation.

I wasn’t completely alone. A Palestinian colleague from Gaza had arrived in April 2024, and two friends were also in Ireland. There was an unspoken understanding between us.

“You recognise the trauma in each other without saying a word,” I often tell people now. “It’s in the way we listen, the way we sit, the way we carry ourselves.”

Back in Gaza, my daily life had shrunk to pure survival: running, hiding, rationing water, checking who was alive. Bombings hit every day, and nighttime was the worst. Darkness makes every sound feel closer, sharper.

You don’t sleep during war. You wait.

Those nights, the silence was deafening, punctuated by the distant echoes of explosions. I would lie awake, straining to hear danger.

The darkness wrapped me like a suffocating blanket, amplifying every creak of the building, every whisper of the wind.

During the day, people on the street moved quickly, eyes darting, alert.

Water was a precious commodity; we would line up for hours at distribution points, often only to receive a fraction of what we needed. It was never enough.

No human should live like that

Five times, we fled in search of safety, packed in minutes, hearts racing with fear.

In one building where dozens of displaced families stayed, people slept on thin mattresses, shoulder to shoulder. Children cried quietly, adults whispered, trying to comfort one another, but every explosion outside sent ripples of panic through the rooms.

No human being should have to live like that, but millions of us did.

As I sit in Dublin, I carry the weight of my family’s struggles with me, a constant reminder of the life I left behind.

The guilt of survival is a heavy burden, but I hold onto hope that one day, I can return and help rebuild what has been lost.

Even now, far from Gaza, I feel it. You don’t leave war behind; you carry it with you like a second heartbeat.

A workshop at the University of Dublin welcoming the Palestinian students [Courtesy of Rawand Alagha]
A workshop at the University of Dublin welcoming the Palestinian students [Courtesy of Rawand Alagha]

Watching a world I’m not part of yet

I often stop in the campus courtyards. Not just because they’re beautiful, though they are, but because I need those moments to remind myself that I survived.

The laughter of children here feels foreign, a reminder of joy that has been stolen from so many.

Walking through Trinity College today feels surreal. Students laugh over coffee, rush to lectures and complain about assignments. Life moves so seamlessly here.

I message my family every day. Some days, they reply quickly. Other days, hours pass with no response. Those silent days feel like torture.

But I’m determined. Being here is about rebuilding a life, about honouring the people I left behind.

Survival comes with weight.

I carry the dreams of those who couldn’t leave. That responsibility shapes the way I move through the world; quieter, more grateful, more aware.

I hope someday I can bring my family to safety. I hope to finish my studies, rebuild my life and use my voice for people still trapped in war.

Peter Andre ‘fully supports’ social media ban as he issues chilling warning

By in Entertainment News, News

Peter Andre has backed Australia’s social media ban for teenagers and warned that the ‘dangers are so real’ online for children as he hopes that other countries will follow suit

Peter Andre has publicly backed Australia’s decision to ban teenagers from using social media as he warned of the “dangers” children could face online.

The ban, which came into effect overnight last Wednesday, means that children under the age of 16 in Australia are no longer allowed to have social media accounts. Some campaigners said such a ban could lead to bad actors targeting children in other online spaces, such as gaming or messaging platforms.

Pop star Peter, 52, who has Junior, 20, and Princess, 19, with ex-wife Katie Price but is now married to Emily Andre and has Millie, 11, Theo, nine, and 20-month-old Belle with her, grew up in Australia and threw support behind his home country’s decision.

Writing in his new! magazine column, he said: “Australia has implemented their social media ban for under 16s, and it’s great. When people ask me if it’s a contradiction that I’ve had my kids on social media, we have to remember that when social media first started, we were all new to it. We didn’t know the pitfalls of it.

“Now, we’re seeing what AI can do; that’s why our youngest children are not on it. I fully support the ban. I know that’s not what kids under 16 want to hear, but it will do them so much good. I hope the rest of the world catches on. The dangers are so real.”

Australia has announced that all citizens under 16 will be banned from using social media. From December 10, the Australian government requires platforms to deactivate all accounts for under 16. These platforms must take “reasonable steps” to prevent users from holding an account until after they turn 16, or face a fine of up to $49.5m (£24.5m).

Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch and Kick are named as the apps to be included in the ban. However, the Australian government has said the list is dynamic and other platforms could be added if kids flee to one that hasn’t initially been included and raises similar concerns as those posed in the banned apps.

Platforms will need to decide how users’ ages are verified, but have required that requesting ID cannot be the only form of age check. Reactions to the ban have been varied. Some believe it’ll be “ineffective” and others believe the apps that have been banned aren’t “essential” anyway. One wrote: “I hate the ban, I’ll have to fake my age. Hope the government didn’t see that.”

A petition against the ban said it would be “unfair and harmful” for Australian teens, citing a loss of online safe spaces and future opportunities, privacy risks and increased loneliness for young people.

“Instead of banning social media, the government should teach digital safety, promote healthy online habits, and make platforms more responsible. Young people deserve to be part of the digital world safely and with their voices heard,” the now-closed petition read.

However, on TikTok, responses seem to be positive, especially from users across the world. One wrote: “I’ve been online since I was 10 and I’m 23 now. I fully support this. I’m certain I’ve been messed up in many ways from this. Thank you Australia, from Canada.”

However, on TikTok, responses seem to be positive, especially from users across the world. One wrote: “I’ve been online since I was 10 and I’m 23 now. I fully support this. I’m certain I’ve been messed up in many ways from this. Thank you Australia, from Canada.”

Another commented: “They should do this everywhere in the world.” “Genuinely best law ever, I’m 18 and my brothers are just too young for social media, literally unnecessary!!! I was too young too,” a third typed.

Article continues below

A fourth wrote: “As a Gen Z who accidentally discovered so many weird things on the internet, I’m so glad this is happening. I wasn’t protected from social media as a child and it wasn’t fun so I feel like 16 is the perfect age.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left ‘furious’ over unexpected Christmas ‘snub’

By in Entertainment News, News

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reportedly ‘tipped over the edge’ during the final Christmas with the Royal Family, leaving them certain they needed to make their ‘own path’

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last celebrated Christmas as part of the Royal Family, they were reportedly left ‘furious’ over a snub by the late Queen Elizabeth in her annual address. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sensationally quit their royal duties in January 2020, after one particular moment was the “final straw” for them just weeks earlier.

In 2019, Harry and Meghan, with seven-month-old Prince Archie in tow, spent the festive period in Canada with Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland and they were allegedly ‘tipped over the edge’ during the late Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas broadcast. As the monarch addressed viewers, family portraits were clearly visible on her desk, however, one was missing as there was no picture of Meghan and Harry with their then-newborn son.

READ MORE: Have William and Kate been ‘selfish’ in their move to Forest Lodge? Take our poll and have your sayREAD MORE: Princess Anne praised for no nonsense sign-off in annual Christmas card

In the book Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand claimed the Sussexes believed the Royal Family were “conspiring against them” with the move, as they said the couple felt they had “long been sidelined by the institution and were not a fundamental part of its future”.

They wrote: “One didn’t have to look further than the family photos displayed during the Queen’s Speech on Christmas Day. In the Green Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, where the Queen delivered her address, viewers glimpsed photos of the [Waleses] and their children, Charles and Camilla, Prince Philip, and a black-and-white image of George VI.

“Noticeably absent was a photo of Harry, Meghan, and their new baby, Archie.” The authors explained the Palace’s reasoning behind the snub, as royal sources insisted the photos were chosen to represent the “direct line of succession”. However, Omid and Carolyn said Harry and Meghan felt it was “yet another sign that they needed to consider their own path.”

During the 2019 Christmas period, the royal couple missed the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace and were not present for the traditional royal family gathering at the monarch’s private Sandringham estate on Christmas Day.

It was the second time Prince Harry has missed spending December 25 with his immediate family, the first being when he was on a tour of Afghanistan while in the Army in 2012.

In 2020, the couple decided to step back from life as senior royals and moved overseas to America, where they still live today with their children Archie and Lilibet.

Article continues below

A year later, the couple sat down with Oprah Winfrey in a 2021 bombshell interview where they discussed their reasons for quitting royal life, while also hurling damning revelations and accusations at the Royal Family.

Since then, relationships between the Sussexes and the Royal Family have been fractured, especially after the release of their Netflix docuseries in 2022, followed by Harry’s memoir Spare in 2023, and a string of candid jabs at the Firm during public appearances over the years.

Gemma Collins’ Christmas heartbreak as she admits ‘I am not feeling festive one bit’

By in Entertainment News, News

Gemma Collins has given a candid update on her feelings towards Christmas after her mother Joan’s recent health issues, as she looks forward to 2026

Gemma Collins says she’s “not feeling Christmas one bit” in a candid update. The former The Only Way Is Essex star has admitted she can’t wait for this year to end as she shared her festive struggles.

The reality star has confessed she isn’t looking forward to the holiday season due to her mum’s poor health. Thankfully now Gemma may be able to get into the festive spirit, after her mum was allowed to return home from hospital.

Speaking exclusively to The Mirror recently, she said: “I’m not feeling Christmas this year. I don’t feel that there’s any magic in the air. My mum’s in hospital at the moment. Until she’s home, I can’t really think about it. I am not feeling Christmas one bit.”

Whilst her mum is now doing better, Gemma is struggling with one other thing this festive season. Admitting it’s been tough for her to see everyone so ‘over the top’ on social media, Gemma wants people to keep it real.

“Thankfully I feel that it’s become, this year, just very grotesque – so much over-the-topness on Instagram. People are losing the meaning of Christmas. It’s about who you’re spending time with and who’s around your table, not the presents. I think everyone needs to calm themselves down and remember what Christmas is actually about,” she said.

For Gemma, Christmas is all about her family and loved ones – as she prepares to wed her fiancé Rami Hawash next year.

Favourite Christmas memory? I think it’s always about being with your loved ones. For me, I’ve always cherished family and quality time, so it’s never about the presents for me. I think people do really need to remember that it is about who you spend the time with.

Earlier this week, Gemma revealed that her mum was finally coming home after five weeks in hospital with pneumonia.

Taking to social media, she shared: “This day I will never forget. Thank you to EVERYONE AT BROOMFIELD Hospital the LAST 5 weeks from reception to tea lady to Physios doctors nurses its an Absolute MIRACLE.

“Thankyou to everyone Whos come up to me contacted me prayed for my mum ! Ive been blow away by the amount of people who hugged me in the shops and everyone who would ask me how mum is I APPRECIATE you more then you will ever know. My Closest friends people Who cooked me dinner the lovely Lambas it meant so much. GOD is GOOD @nhsengland.”

Article continues below

In a plea to others, she added: “Please make the most of loved ones this Christmas not the presents not the matching pyjamas, just who is round the table,” as she reminded people to focus on their loved ones this festive season.

In partnership with Gemma Collins, AliExpress See the Signs 11.11 campaign encourages shoppers to tune into symbols of renewal and self-belief, whether that means manifesting goals for the year ahead or recognising the right moment for a savvy buy.

Expert warns of ‘Ozempic face’ rise as stars sound alarm on weight-loss jabs

By in Entertainment News, News

Weight-loss injections have sparked rapid transformations among the famous, but experts warn that the after-effects are becoming harder to ignore

The rise of celebrity weight-loss injections shows no sign of slowing – but the after-effects are becoming harder to ignore. From Hollywood red carpets to UK TV studios, rapid weight loss has become the defining body trend of the decade, with famous faces leading the way. Serena Williams has spoken openly about using weight-loss injections, while a growing list of stars have sparked speculation with dramatic transformations in a matter of months.

But now, as the pounds continue to drop, experts warn that the impact on the face is catching up – and some celebrities are starting to sound the alarm. Singer Robbie Williams recently admitted he experienced serious health concerns after using weight-loss jabs, while fans have expressed worry over the increasingly gaunt appearances of stars, including Meghan Trainor, who has discussed her dramatic weight loss publicly.

Other celebrities have been widely reported or rumoured to have used injections following rapid slimming, though many have never confirmed it themselves.

READ MORE: ‘No wrinkles’ says Medik8 fan after snapping up ‘instant glow’ skincare set

And according to one of Britain’s most in-demand aesthetic specialists, the trend is leaving a visible mark. Roy Cowley – the man behind the faces and bodies of some of the UK’s best-known stars — says he is seeing a sharp rise in what’s become known as ‘Ozempic face’, a term used to describe the hollowed, sagging look linked to rapid weight loss.

Roy, founder of 3D Aesthetics, has worked with celebrities including Christine McGuinness, Amy Childs, Olivia Bowen and Danielle Lloyd, and says the problem has surged alongside the popularity of weight-loss injections.

“Robbie Williams is quite a famous one at the moment — and Meghan Trainor too,” Roy told us. “Really, anyone you see who’s had very rapid weight loss, generally it’s down to these Ozempic-type fat-loss jabs.”

He says the look is instantly recognisable. “It’s the gaunt appearance — sunken cheeks, hollow eyes, sagging skin and more prominent wrinkles. That’s really what defines it. The key thing to understand is that it’s caused by rapid weight loss. Any form of fast weight loss can create the same effect.”

According to Roy, celebrities were the first to set the trend — and the first to experience the consequences. “Everyone rushed to celebrate the weight-loss revolution,” he said. “But nobody stopped to think about the aftermath. Skin doesn’t always bounce back, especially when weight drops quickly.”

Weight-loss injections were originally developed to help people manage diabetes, and are now increasingly used off-label for weight loss. NHS guidance recommends losing around 1–2lbs a week, warning that faster weight loss increases the risk of muscle loss and loose skin.

“When weight comes off too fast, you don’t just lose fat,” Roy explained. “You lose muscle and volume in the face. That’s why people can reach their dream weight but feel older, tired and unrecognisable.”

He added that the emotional toll is significant. “I’ve had clients in tears. They’re slimmer than they’ve ever been, but they don’t like what they see in the mirror. That can be devastating.”

Roy says the aesthetics industry has undergone a dramatic shift. “Two or three years ago, fat-loss treatments were huge. Then everything flipped to injections. Now clinics are flooded with people asking how to fix loose skin, sagging faces and what’s being called Ozempic face.”

Having worked in the industry since 1989, Roy says he spotted the problem long before it hit the mainstream. I saw the skin-laxity crisis coming about a year before it peaked,” he said. “So I started building a solution before people even realised they’d need one.”

The result is 3D ReFIRM, a non-invasive treatment designed to tackle the visible effects of rapid weight loss by combining radiofrequency skin tightening with electromagnetic muscle stimulation. “It’s like a pillow and a pillowcase,” Roy explained. “You shrink the pillow, but the case stays the same. You have to treat both.”

Roy says clinical trials show improvements of up to 80 per cent in skin firmness, with significant increases in collagen and elastin production over six months. Treatments typically involve several monthly sessions and start from £1,000, depending on the protocol. “This isn’t about chasing a quick fix,” he said. “There’s no single miracle cure. It has to be a combined approach — muscle, skin, nutrition and lifestyle.”

Roy, who has previously collaborated with Lord Sugar-backed clinics and worked with high-profile celebrity clients over decades, says demand has shifted dramatically. “In our clinics, fat-loss treatments used to make up around 60 per cent of bookings. Now it’s skin-tightening procedures. That tells you everything.”

He believes awareness is still lagging behind reality. “There’s a gap between people losing the weight and realising there is a solution for the loose skin that follows,” he said. “A lot of people only start looking for help once the damage is already done.”

Roy stresses that prevention matters just as much as treatment. “Gradual weight loss, balanced nutrition, enough protein, hydration and exercise all help reduce the risk,” he said. “Aesthetic treatments can support the process, but they work best alongside healthy habits — not as a last resort.”

As celebrities continue to drive beauty and body trends, Roy believes the conversation needs to be more honest. “The injections did what they were supposed to do,” he said. “But people deserve to feel confident at the end of their journey, not disappointed by what they see.”

Article continues below

And in true showbiz fashion, he had one final message. “If Robbie Williams is reading this — I’m here to help,” Roy joked. “Let me entertain you.”