Archive June 13, 2025

As one of the longest-serving members of Soccer Aid’s England team, Paddy McGuinness is back in action this weekend with a host of famous faces helping to raise funds for Unicef in the charity game

“The only thing that ruins Soccer Aid slightly is the game because you’re that nervous!” laughs Paddy McGuinness as he prepares to join the England squad facing the Soccer Aid World XI FC in the annual charity clash.

TV host and comedian Paddy, 51, is playing alongside some famous faces and footballing legends in the match that kicks off at 7.30pm this Sunday. England will be hoping to retain their winning streak led by a coaching team that includes Harry Redknapp, Wayne Rooney and Tyson Fury.

“There’ll be no excuses saying you can’t hear him,” Paddy says of two-time world heavyweight champ Fury. “Sometimes you can get away with that. ‘Oh sorry, I didn’t hear your gaffer.’ But you’re going to hear Tyson, aren’t you?

“It’s my first time meeting him. His brother Tommy [Fury] usually plays in Soccer Aid and he’s a lovely lad. This year we’ve got Tyson. But no, he’s a fellow northerner so we’ll be right as rain.”

Having been involved with Soccer Aid almost continuously since 2010, Paddy jokes he’s become a seasoned ’stalwart’ of the home side and has counted some of his footballing heroes as his teammates and rivals.

“Ronaldinho, Zidan, Figo, Giggs, Keane… I’ve played against some amazing players. Legends. But weirdly, being a football fan I’m just glad to be on the pitch with them even if they are on the other side!

“Even someone like Usain Bolt, who everyone knows for what he’s achieved in his sprinting career, but then he also could have played professional football as well he’s that good. He came burying down the pitch for a one on one with me last year and I just managed to save it.

“It can be terrifying. But once you’ve kicked the ball a couple of times the nerves go then. And if you’re not nervous in front of 70,000 people, live on telly and playing a football game then something is not right.”

This year the match returns to Manchester United’s Old Trafford, not the first time Paddy has played at the Theatre of Dreams during his tenure on the team. “I’ve played up at St. James’ Park as well and at Wembley. So, you know, I’m very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play at some of the most famous grounds in the country. And ‘lest we not forget the mighty Toughsheet Stadium, Bolton,” says the Lancashire native. Maybe next year.

For the last two years, Paddy has volunteered himself as team goalkeeper. “All these young whippers now running round, left, right and centre flipping heck that used to be me. I still keep myself fit and I’m athletic but now I just take it a bit easier in the net.”

But life in goal isn’t all standing around, as Paddy found out last year when he was trained up by ex England keeper David Seaman who put him through his paces with a one on one masterclass.

“On the first day, David said to me ‘Get in the net’. He picked a ball up, booted a half volley at me. I caught it and he said ‘Right, job done!’ I said, ‘Is that it!?’ It wasn’t.

“He’s a lovely bloke. I love being around him. You know, when he’s teaching me little tips about goalkeeping, I kind of think to myself, ‘Bloody hell this is David Seaman talking to me as though I’m a pro keeper as well,’ which obviously I am not.

“I’ve found a new appreciation for goalkeepers since playing in Soccer Aid because you get covered in bruises and scratches and bumps and bangs because you’re constantly diving about.”

Training kicked off this week with the likes of former Lioness Jill Scott, presenter Sam Thompson and ex-Olympian Mo Farah playing for England. While Carlos Tevez, comedian Lee Mack and Strictly Come Dancing’s Gorka Márquez are among the big names playing for the opposition.

Sunday’s game will be taken incredibly seriously — especially by England’s co-managers Redknapp and Rooney, who is also playing.

“Harry is so funny, but when it comes to game day, you see him change,” says Paddy. “And that’s really nice to be a part of. They aren’t pushing for promotion but of course they want to win.”

As well as the glory of taking home the Soccer Aid Shield, the match also raises millions of pounds for children’s charity Unicef each year, including over £15million raised last year. The event was masterminded by pop star Robbie Williams in 2006 and has grown into a global phenomenon with celebrities and footballers from around the world wanting to play their part.

“It’s a win-win Soccer Aid because everyone playing in it really enjoys it and you get to play with these heroes you’d never get a chance to play with before,” says Paddy. “And all the people who come to watch the game love it and you know, and they might not necessarily be football fans, they might be there to see a pop star or a film star. And in the mix of all that, you’ve got Unicef making millions of pounds for their charity.

“The crowd is so good. At my first one, I could hardly hear the person at the side of me speaking to me on the pitch. I spoke to a couple of the ex pros and I said, ‘I don’t know how you go on playing football with that noise,’ and they said not even at the World Cup does it reach that level.

As hundreds of thousands of festival-goers get ready to head to Glastonbury later this month, worries over possible measles outbreaks have been raised by experts

Health experts have warned that Glastonbury could be a super-spreader event for measles as outbreaks continue across the UK. This year’s festival is being held from June 25th-June 29th at Worthy Farm, Somerset, and the headline acts will be Neil Young, The 1975, and Olivia Rodrigo.

The event’s capacity is 210,000 people, which has sparked concern over a possible outbreak of infections this year. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: “It’s festival season. Don’t let #Measles be part of your festival line up.”

It urged festival-goers on social media to get two doses of the MMR vaccine to protect against the illness. The post added: “If you’ve missed yours, you can catch up through your GP surgery.”

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told MailOnline that Glastonbury could worsen the outbreak. He said: “Given the currently high numbers of measles cases in the UK, particularly in the South West and London, and reduced uptake of the MMR vaccine, gatherings at festivals like Glastonbury are a perfect place for measles to spread.”

Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, a runny nose, or a cough. It is then followed by a rash a few days later, and some people may also get small spots in their mouth, the NHS explains.

The infection is spread by someone breathing, coughing, or sneezing, and you’re infectious from when you first have symptoms until four days after you get the rash.

Measles can also lead to serious problems like pneumonia, meningitis, seizures, and blindness. Babies and people with weakened immune systems are more at risk of developing these complications.

Dr Alasdair Wood, a consultant at UKHSA South West, told ITV: “We want festival-goers to enjoy their time at Glastonbury and other festivals this year. Being aware of the current health risks will help those attending enjoy their time as much as possible.”

He added that with cases circulating across the country, “festivals are the perfect place for measles to spread”. Earlier this month, the UKHSA announced that measles outbreaks were continuing across the country. There were 109 confirmed cases in April and 86 so far in May – and the UKHSA said it was concerned that more outbreaks could occur on a larger scale this summer.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the department, said: “It’s essential that everyone, particularly parents of young children, check all family members are up to date with 2 MMR doses, especially if you are travelling this summer for holidays or visiting family.”

She added that measles “spreads very easily and can be a nasty disease, leading to complications like ear and chest infections and inflammation of the brain”. Dr Sailba warned that in some cases, children can end up in hospital and suffer life-long consequences.

The MMR vaccine is administered over two doses, and about 99% of people with the two doses will be protected. It is never too late to catch-up if you missed the vaccine as a child, the government advises, and anyone who has not had the two doses can contact their GP to book an appointment.

Dr Amanda Doyle, the national director for primary care and community services at NHS England, said: “Too many babies and young children are still not protected against the diseases, which are contagious infections that spread very easily and can cause serious health problems.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have hired a new PR executive who has a complicated history with the royal family due to her previous high-powered role

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have hired a new public relations executive who has a complicated history with the royal family, it has emerged. The Sussexes are said to have hired Emily Robinson as their new Director of Communications, who previously oversaw global publicity for The Crown from seasons three to six.

Season six of the hit Netflix drama programme aired controversial storylines that included Prince Harry wearing Nazi fancy dress, Princess Diana’s Panorama interview, and scenes depicting Diana as a ghost speaking to Queen Elizabeth II. And it seems that due to Ms Robinson’s involvement with the dramatised show, her new employment with the Sussexes has raised eyebrows.

A source told The Mail: “In the circumstances, it’s almost beyond belief that Harry and Meghan would hire someone straight from The Crown.”

Prince Harry has previously expressed support for The Crown, despite its contentious depictions of his family, as he said in a 2021 interview with James Corden: “They don’t pretend to be news. It’s fiction. But it’s loosely based on the truth. Of course, it’s not strictly accurate.”

“It gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle, what the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, what can come from that.” He added: “I’m way more comfortable with The Crown than I am seeing the stories written about my family, or my wife, or myself.”

During a 2023 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Harry spoke candidly about how he feels about the show and its fictionalisation of his family. When asked by the TV host if he had ever watched the programme, Harry candidly said: “Yes, I have actually watched The Crown. The older stuff and the more recent stuff.”

Colbert then asked Harry whether he ‘fact-checked’ the show while watching. The Duke jokingly mimed as though he were taking notes, raising an eyebrow in jest – much to the delight of the audience, who erupted into laughter. He then paused before responding: “Umm… yes I do actually,” which received more fits of giggles..

Speaking to royal author Robert Hardman for his book, The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, a source said: “The Prince… rolls his eyes when people say that ‘it’s just drama’. Yet he will not give it any greater publicity by complaining. He doesn’t like the idea of being seen as a complainer all the time.”

King Charles is also thought to have stopped watching the series as began to follow his immediate family members, with a source saying the monarch found the series “too close to the bone” to be enjoyable.

Ms Robinson left her role with The Crown in April 2024, several months after the controversial season aired. A source told the Mail: “She was always very charming and supportive to [creator of The Crown] Peter Morgan and all the actors in The Crown. She is one of the breed of publicists who think that the talent can do no wrong.”