Archive September 2, 2025

Australia captain Cummins expected to be fit for Ashes

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Pat Cummins, an Australian captain, has a back issue that prevented him from starting the limited-overs series against New Zealand and India. He is expected to be fit for the Ashes’ Ashes against England this winter.

The 32-year-old pace bowler played in the West Indies’ third Test in July before missing the white-ball series against South Africa and the same opponents.

Following the West Indies Test tour, Cummins has experienced some ongoing lower back pain, despite this planned rest period, according to a Cricket Australia statement.

In October, Australia will play three Twenty20 matches in New Zealand before hosting India in three one-day internationals and five T20 matches.

Perth, Western Australia, will host the five-test Ashes series on Friday, November 21.

There is still plenty of time left, according to Australia’s selectors, George Bailey.

We are confident in his knowledge and preparation, even if the time is a constraint.

Cummins took 18 wickets in the series, and Australia won the Ashes in a draw of 2 with England in 2023.

In 19 Tests, he has taken 91 wickets for England, an average of 24.10.

Six months before the men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, fellow fast bowler Mitchell Starc has retired from T20 internationals.

The 35-year-old helped his country win the T20 World Cup in 2021 and has taken 79 wickets in 65 matches played for his country under the shorter format.

Starc said, “I have loved every second of every T20 game I’ve played for Australia, especially the 2021 World Cup, not just because we won but also because the other team was fantastic and the team was fantastic.”

I believe that in the lead up to an Indian Test tour away from home, the Ashes, and the 2027 ODI World Cup, I think this is my best chance to stay active and mentally prepared for those campaigns.

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Anti-ageing serum that ‘really works’ for reducing fine lines with ‘great results’ is now £10

The price of Nip+Fab’s retinol serum has been reduced from £30 to £10 as a result of the Boots’ £10 Tuesday deal, which saw shoppers praised its “excellent results” for removing fine lines.

The Nip + Fab serum is now £20 off in Boots £10 Tuesday deal(Image: Getty Images)

As any lover of beauty knows, Boots £10 Tuesday deals are one of the best ways to save some serious money on your favorite products or a fantastic opportunity to try something new without breaking the bank. Significant savings are often made on products like skincare, makeup, and wellness products as part of the offer, which can cost you two to three times the price.

The Nip+Fab Retinol Fix Serum Extreme 3%, a great anti-ageing addition to your skincare regimen, is one we’ve got our eyes on this week’s £10 Tuesday deal. The serum is now reduced to £10 until midnight tonight, instead of the usual $30 for 50ml.

READ MORE: I received free luxury beauty products in the form of “LookFantastic’s 2025 beauty advent calendar.”

READ MORE: What to buy now: Boots’ Star Gifts is back to save you 50% on beauty Christmas gifts.

The serum is a wise investment because it will help you avoid wrinkles in the future and reduce existing fine lines, making skin that looks younger. The high-performance pure retinol complex, which is more effective at piercing your skin, makes up the Nip+Fab Retinol Fix Serum Extreme 3%.

This results in younger skin on the inside and deeper beneath your skin layers. Additionally, it has a peptide complex that helps you tone and texture while also addressing fine lines and wrinkles.

Nip + Fab anti-ageing serum
The retinol serum penetrates deep into your skin(Image: Nip + Fab)

Additionally, the Retinol Fix Serum Extreme 3% contains bakuchiol, a naturally occurring substitute for retinol that results in comparable anti-aging effects, and works well with the other ingredients to promote increased cell turnover. The combination of ingredients helps stop conditions like hyperpigmentation, especially those brought on by sun exposure, as well as combating age-related signs.

The Nip + Fab serum is also sold at stores like LookFantastic and Boots, which frequently offer great deals on skincare. If you’ve missed out on the Boots £10 Tuesday offer, keep an eye out there. Other than the price, customers can purchase Encapsulated Retinol 3% Renewing Serum from Facetheory for as little as £30.

The Resist Anti-Aging Retinol Serum’s price has also been reduced from £47 to £39.95 thanks to a formula that uses 0.1% retinol and vitamin C to combat a variety of aging signs. The Retinol 3TR Advanced 0.3% Vitamin A Serum costs £20 less than it did in the Medik8 Outlet, which is also available there.

Nip + Fab retinol serum
The serum has been highly praised by shoppers(Image: LookFantastic)

The Nip+Fab Retinol Fix Serum Extreme 3% has an impressive 4.7 star rating, but Boots customers appear to be very fond of it. One user expressed “Love this product, my skin feels amazing,” while another expressed “Great results, face feels so plump after use.”

Other customers chimed in, “Really happy with my skin – this actually works,” before adding, “I’ve been using Nip+Fab for about a year and a half, and the difference in my skin has been gradual but genuinely noticeable.” My skin appears radiant and healthy, and I frequently think, “My skin looks good.”

What I really like about it is how straightforward it is, saving me time searching for the best serum online and deciding what to layer. My skin barrier, which has previously been a problem with other products, has no longer been a problem with this serum.

One person did say, “Love the texture and how it makes my skin feel, just like the cream, but I really don’t like the smell.”

While another claimed that while the serum initially smelt a little sticky (like a banana), my skin felt soft the following morning. But I still don’t know if my skin has changed much.

Continue reading the article.

However, others praised it, saying it was “shocking on the face and soft on the skin.”

Only The Poets admit ‘it’s our dream’ as they reveal major career milestone

Only Tommy and Clem, the only Poets members, have revealed that the band has accomplished a significant milestone by playing at their “dream” venue while making a passionate plea for justice.

With concert tickets rising due to the cost-of-living crisis, rockers Only The Poets are set to change things. A massive concert will be played for just £1, and the band, which will feature frontman Tommy Longhurst, guitarist Clem Cherry, bassist Andy ‘Roo ‘ Burge, and drummer Marcus Yates, will be playing.

Since launching the band seven years ago, the quartet has toured across the globe, supporting artists such as Louis Tomlinson, Yungblud, Lewis Capaldi, and Bastille. However, the boys aren’t particularly interested in raising the costs of their gigs, despite the fact that dozens of musicians do so.

Instead, they will headline the iconic O2 Brixton next year, and fans won’t have to spend a lot to see them. Tommy and Clem exclusively revealed how important music was to them in their early years through an initiative that supports the LIVE Trust.

Only The Poets frontman Tommy Longhurst struggled to contain his excitement over their upcoming Brixton gig(Image: Redferns)

Anything more than that is a total bonus, Tommy said backstage at their Berlin show last week, “It’s always been the destination for us, that’s the dream, that’s the goal, everything is the dream.” He went on to add: “It’s a rite of passage in the UK, it’s a phenomenal venue. We couldn’t think of a better place to perform it because we were very inspired in that room. We’re going there and playing a show there, hopefully doing something similar for some younger people, and for our fans because it’s our dream venue.

The gig will take place on February 2 next year, just days after the release of their debut album, And I’d Do It Again. Regardless of socio-economic status, they are passionate about making music accessible to everyone. “Music for us in our early years was so important, especially live music”, Tommy added, before explaining the band wants the night to be an “escapism” for people to leave all of their troubles at the door.

Clem responded, “To draw attention to a problem that, for us, gigs were everything. Going to concerts is where we made our friends, it’s where you go to let go and escape, for us, musically speaking, it’s where we got our inspiration to start picking up instruments. That’s everything if we can return that to other people.

The lads will play the O2 Brixton next year, and tickets will cost just £1
The lads will play the O2 Brixton next year, and tickets will cost just £1(Image: Instagram/onlythepoets)

Emotionally Hungover is one of the band’s upcoming albums that makes them particularly proud. “I guess that song is about how even your emotions can bring you to a point that you almost feel like you’re feeling hungover, and you feel rough just from your brain”, Tommy explained.

The album, which centers on the direction they are currently headed, is called “And I’ll Do It All Again,” as the quartet firmly believes that “everything happens for a reason.” Tommy explained: “It feels like it’s almost a time capsule of our journey as a band for the last seven years.

However, we have all experienced a lot of personal hardship when writing and producing it. It’s a real emotional journey. We simply believe that everything in life, not just the band, everything that happens in our lives, has led to this conclusion, I suppose. And if people say, ‘ Would you change it a bit? ‘ No, that’s the answer. We really believe that everything happens for a reason, and hopefully, the fans will feel like we’re celebrating with them.

It’s really going back to where it started at the point of our record, behind the messaging of it all, and it’s that full-circle moment. “We’re going to all the grassroots venues that we love dearly. We’re so proud of it, the boys produced it with our producer Dandelion, it feels the most cohesive, and we feel like we’re the band we’ve always wanted to sound like”.

Clem admits that the band never set out to record and release the album, admitting it happened naturally
Clem admits that the band never set out to record and release the album, admitting it happened naturally(Image: Getty Images)

Meanwhile, while Clem admits things have never felt “forced”, he says this record is the most “unforced” project they have ever worked on. He said: “The whole process of putting it together has just been so natural. We never really sat out like ‘Right, it’s time to make an album’ it was just kind of like we just sort of slowly stockpiled this collection of songs that kind of all met each other in terms of like themes, in songwriting, and sonically, they kind of gelled, it felt like it was a really natural, organic process for us as well.”

Although the band are signed to Capitol UK, one of the biggest labels in the world, one thing that will never change is how much creative freedom the four lads have. “We’re firm believers in doing everything like this,” Tommy said, adding that they always want to make the fans feel involved in “really poignant moments” of their career.

The boys have always had a lot of open communication with fans about their mental health, breaking the silence on men talking about emotions, which Tommy says is very important to them. “We are four guys that are incredibly with how we feel and we’re more than happy to be open”, he said.

He continued, “Music is kind of that outlet for us, isn’t it,”’ he said, referring to Clem. We’ve poured that into this album and these new songs, and hopefully, if we can encourage even a couple of people to feel like they can speak up about how they’re really feeling, that’s just an amazing bonus. To assist people, that’s kind of the purpose of your music. I do think the conversation is definitely getting better, and I feel more people are, even with me and my friends, everyone is more open than they were maybe a decade ago. We must feel very strongly about that, in my opinion.

Despite being signed to one of the biggest labels, Only The Poets continue to have freedom over their career
Despite being signed to one of the biggest labels, Only The Poets continue to have freedom over their career(Image: Redferns)

When someone is “having a bit of a wobble,” the lads can check in on one another while traveling by taking some time for themselves. “We do things, go off on our own and have a bit of time on our own”, Tommy said, adding: “We don’t fall out, we know each other so well, so there’s a good dynamic”.

Clem once said, “It’s like a baptism of fire, I think, when you make a band, you hear of so many bands, I suppose, that don’t make it because of inter-political stuff, right? Or, like people fall out and whatever, there’s so many stories about huge bands that have done that. However, I believe we both learned a lot from our interactions because we all have a strong sense of commonality and are now friends with one another.

” You can immediately sense if someone is having a bit of a funny day or whatever, you know to give them space or the opposite, lean in a bit more if that’s what the person needs. We, as a group, are very supportive of one another, in my opinion. That really does shine through. We really make an effort to be there for each other even with our crew because sometimes the road can be challenging, but we also have a dream.

Tommy admits that while aspects of the band, including travelling as far as America, can be tough being away from home, he checks in with himself, saying it’s ok to have a bad day, adding that the band get on” really well, like brothers. “

In recent years, the band have been open with fans and are breaking the taboo around men's mental health
In recent years, the band have been open with fans and are breaking the taboo around men’s mental health(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)

” That kind of falls into the meaning of the album, “Clem said, adding:” Everything we’ve ever done from point A to point B is we are here now as a result of all of those choices and the mistakes and everything but would we want to change any of it to be where we are now well the answer would be no, even the highs and the lows. “

However, the band has had a personal roller coaster over the past seven years, with Tommy claiming that it has helped him learn more about himself. Especially with this album, I went through a breakup and I sort of scratched the service of why that went wrong, “he explained.

You’ll hear and feel that undertone throughout it, and he continued, “Before that, I started to analyze myself. It’s a very honest recollection of that kind of reflection amongst the record. What I’ve learnt about myself, I’ve had some kind of hard conversations with myself but then come out the other side, lighter and better. “

Clem continued, “I’d say the thing I’ve learned is how incredibly powerful it can be, not about me but our fans. It really is amazing for us to have the fan base that we do. They are truly amazing and powerful, and their actions are unfathomable. “Tommy continued”, Like Clem said, it’s the most amazing feeling, everyone’s got your back. “

The quartet have some of the most dedicated fans, with some jetting into foreign cities to see them perform and catch up with friends
The quartet have some of the most dedicated fans, with some jetting into foreign cities to see them perform and catch up with friends(Image: PR Handout)

” We now know of so many people by name, and we know they are best friends through liking us. This entails the album’s complete circle, revealing how significant live music is. We feel so grateful and honoured, there’s no bigger compliment than helping people. The band shares their musical connection with this, “having met through music.” We know there are some fans of ours, who will come to our shows to see friends they’ve met at shows, “Clem commented, adding that some fly in from foreign cities to catch up with their pals. He claimed that it was “that all-inclusive sense of community that I find to be incredibly beautiful to see occasionally.”

And while they’ve played some incredible venues across the world, grassroots venues will always remain close to their hearts”. It simply stated, “Tommy said of dozens, including Sheffield’s The Leadmill, closing down.” He went on to add that many musicians start their careers at smaller venues, performing to a handful of people”. He continued, “You fall in love with it more,” adding, “They are the seed that will hopefully grow the tree and help you climb the live music ladder.”

Tommy admits it's 'sad' that grassroots venues are closing down
Tommy admits it’s ‘sad’ that grassroots venues are closing down(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)

Clem said, “I think that’s what gives a lot of up-and-coming or undiscovered artists the confidence that they can do it, which is obviously what happened.” “This week, having already played a handful of shows in Europe and their hometowns, the band will hit the road, performing in Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford and Southampton.

However, they will begin their biggest American tour to date next month. Tommy said:” We’ve only ever done four states, we’re doing 20 shows with The Wombats, which is going to be unbelievable. They won’t be slowing down anytime soon, though, as their next album will be released next year.

” Then we’re doing our biggest European tour and our biggest ever US headline tour and hopefully a bunch of festivals, “an excited Tommy said. They’ll be traveling across the country in a van for their US trip, which will take them ten hours.

And while they’ve already played Reading and Leeds Festivals in the past, the thought of playing on the Main Stage as the opening act would be the” cherry on the cake “for them”. “Tommy said, “I’d love to open the Main Stage, I think that’s a slot that people don’t really like,” adding, “I’d love to do that, fingers crossed.

Only The Poets will become the only band to headline O2 Academy Brixton for £1 on February 2, 2026. For pre-sale, click here starting at 10am on September 11.

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Why Ten Hag lasted less than 10 weeks

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Some critics refer to Erik ten Hag as “Erikaten Ten Weeks” after his brief tenure at Bayer Leverkusen.

His reign lasted just one day, not nine, and he clocked in at 62 days, which is an exaggeration. Only two Bundesliga games saw him play.

After Leverkusen lost a 3-1 lead to 10-man Werder Bremen on Saturday, Leverkusen drew 3-3.

One week prior to Leverkusen’s home opener against Hoffenheim, the team suffered a disappointing result. Ten Hag only managed to defeat a fourth-division team in a competitive game to earn the German Cup tie.

The seasoned Dutchman took Xabi Alonso’s place in the title-winning coach’s place in late May, but he didn’t start working until July 1st when he left for Real Madrid.

Leverkusen initially appeared to believe he could start a partial rebuild because Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah, two important players, had already lost.

Although Ten Hag’s dismissal was based on early results this season, they were not the only or even the main factor in their dismissal.

Ten Hag’s decisions and behavior almost immediately irritate people.

For instance, he changed the timing of a friendly between Leverkusen’s under-20s team and Flamengo’s training camp in Brazil. Leverkusen lost 5-1 in a surprisingly upset match that was played four days earlier than the original plan.

Ten Hag criticized Granit Xhaka’s departure around the same time, saying that Leverkusen had already lost enough key players.

However, Leverkusen had stated that Xhaka could withdraw if the best offer was made. He visited Sunderland.

Ten Hag also criticised his players for not being physically fit enough, despite the fact that he and his staff had pre-season training.

And he is accused of lacking the charisma needed to lead any ambitious top-flight team, especially a newly formed group of players. He reportedly struggled to persuade others to share his ideas. He allegedly conducted mediocre pre-game discussions, according to sources close to the club.

It has been claimed that Ten Hag didn’t even speak before the season opener against Hoffenheim.

Getty Images

The decision-makers at Leverkusen’s headquarters to fire Ten Hag so abruptly still shocks.

It doesn’t look good for chief executive Fernando Carro or sporting director Simon Rolfes, who vehemently criticized Ten Hag during the hiring process in May.

Carro said on Monday that it was painful to leave things at this early stage of the season, but it was necessary.

Before hiring Ten Hag, one would anticipate that they had thoroughly background checked candidates.

Even so, Ten Hag was a highly regarded football coach only a few years ago, after a successful stint at Ajax.

In 2019, he advanced to the Champions League semi-finals and won the Dutch championship three times.

Even his promising debut season at Manchester United was frequently attributed to the turmoil at Old Trafford rather than his managerial shortcomings.

Leverkusen, in my opinion, is in a mess. Nearly every player who was considering leaving appeared to be sold.

Malik Tillman and Jarell Quansah both signed at the same time, believing Ten Hag would guide them.

The club was frequently praised for making wise decisions, both before and even before Alonso’s successful run.

That perception might be altered by Monday’s announcement.

During the international break, Leverkusen will now look for a replacement. Former Dortmund and Leipzig manager Marco Rose is also high on their list, along with former Barcelona coach Xavi, who reportedly has spoken with them.

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Kerry Katona reveals she ‘almost became an escort’ at 16 before landing model job

Kerry Katona, the former Atomic Kitten singer, opened up about her turbulent early years and how her early career began when she was 16 years old.

Kerry Katona reveals she ‘almost became an escort’ at 16 before landing Page 3 job(Image: kerrykatona7/Instagram)

Kerry Katona revealed she almost signed up to become an escort when she was only 16 years old. The 44-year-old former Atomic Kitten star has often been open about her tumultuous upbringing from doing cocaine with her mother Sue, who suffered from mental health issues, to landing in foster care.

Kerry tells the Celebs Go Dating about her early career in a new interview on Paul C. Brunson’s podcast, We Need to Talk. She claimed that she had a great set of tits after being revealed that she wanted to be a Page 3 model because she wasn’t going to be a rocket scientist. I had these great boobs because I had been modeling since I was three, so I was, you know, a really good-looking kid.

The photographer inquired whether she wanted to take topless pictures after her mother started her portfolio of pictures. The singer expressed gratitude for being in the industry and said she was aware of her potential as a famous person from a young age.

READ MORE: Kerry Katona furiously defends Romeo Beckham amid nepo baby jibesREAD MORE: Kerry Katona issues heartfelt message to Freddy Brazier after ‘hooked on drugs’ claim

Kerry Katona
Kerry said she almost signed up to be an escort(Image: Daily Record)

Kerry acknowledged it was “her idea,” and host Paul requested Kerry to return the subject to her portfolio’s topless photos. She then admitted that she was considering working as an escort.

She said, “I even planned to sign up to be an escort.” “My mother entered a sex store. All I can say is that I didn’t end up doing it; there was a photographer and my mother didn’t end up coming.

“And he convinced me to do open leg shots – but I’ve gone back to doing it on OnlyFans, gone back to my roots – and that came back to haunt me then, when I became famous, he sold all those pictures.

Kerry Katona and her mother on GMB couch
She also opened up about her tumultuous childhood with her mum(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

The irony is that Brian paid a fortune to try to get removed, but I ended up on OnlyFans and continued to do it.

She worked in a chippy and at JD until she was 17 years old, and she frequently performed lap dances, BT sales advisors, glass collectors, and other odd jobs.

Kerry also made an honest admission about her turbulent early years. The actress, who claimed she was the product of an affair, revealed the many relationships her mother has had with her.

Kerry acknowledged that this was the case when Paul inquired about her mother’s feelings for her. My parents taught me that. My mother raised me in a horrible way. She cherished me, but I don’t think she was particularly aware of how to raise a child.

The star visiting her on the weekends caused her to emotionally discuss her mother being seduced.

Paul C Brunson’s new We Need To Talk episode with Kerry Katona is out now.

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