Great Britain set a new national record in the women’s 4x400m relay to win silver behind hosts the Netherlands at the European Athletics Indoor Championships.
WATCH MORE: Ireland’s Healy pips GB’s Courtney-Bryant to 3, 000m gold
READ MORE: GB win three silvers on final day of European Indoors
Holly Willoughby admitted that she was feeling emotional just minutes into Dancing On Ice’s latest final amid speculation over the long-running show’s future.
The current series of ITV show concludes tonight after having launched back in January. Holly, 44, and Stephen Mulhern, 47, are hosting the final, in which one contestant and their skating partner will be crowned the new winners.
The episode opened with the cast reflecting on the latest series before finalists Anton Ferdinand, Michaela Strachan and Sam Aston took to the ice for a group performance to Sigma and Morgan’s song Adrenaline Rush. Some of the show’s professional skaters were also involved in the routine.
Following the performance, co-hosts Holly and Stephen teased what to expect from the rest of the episode. Holly told viewers: “It’s so exciting in here, I can’t tell you”. After showing off the trophy, Stephen teased: “It’s gonna be an emotional night”.
Holly added in their opening scene: “I know… don’t”! Stephen responded: “You’re getting emotional already”. Seemingly referencing the opening scenes of the final, Holly told her colleague: “That set me off just now”.
Holly was met with compliments earlier in the evening after showcasing her finale outfit on Instagram. She shared a photo of herself modelling her shimmering gown shortly before the live episode launched. The layered dress features silver sparkles on its bodice that disappear further down to unveil the white gown underneath the glitter.
One person commented on the look: “Gorgeous dress Holly”. Someone else wrote: “You look STUNNING in that dress”. Whilst a third follower on the platform said: “So pretty”. Another person told Holly: “Wow, stunning dress”.
It comes amid speculation that the episode could be its last. As previously reported, over the past two years DOI has lost more than one million viewers, with the 2023 launch episode being watched by 4.1 million people. However, this series has not made it over 3 million, according to official overnight ratings from BARB. It’s suggested that channel chiefs believe the only way to justify the huge costs involved in making Dancing on Ice going forward is by attracting a blockbuster audience, which isn’t happening.
One source said: “There are very real fears this is the end of the road for Dancing on Ice. It’s had a good run for nearly 20 years and has a very loyal set of viewers who really love it but the sad truth is there’s just not enough of them. We need bums on seats but the ratings have dropped to a point where it’s difficult to justify the cost”.
The latest series has featured contestants including EastEnders star Charlie Brooks, the Traitors finalist Mollie Pearce and Love Island’s Chris Taylor – who were all voted off in the weeks prior to the final. Whilst last weekend’s semi-final saw the Only Way Is Essex star Dan Edgar voted out of the competition. The final is set to conclude with either Anton, Michaela or Sam being named this year’s winner.
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Watch as Jamie George, on his 100th appearance for England, assists Ollie Sleightholme as he scores their sixth try against Italy in the Six Nations.
READ MORE: England score seven tries in convincing win over Italy
Watch highlights on Six Nations Rugby Special on BBC iPlayer.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer might have found a new way to fire a blank as he missed a Premier League penalty for the first time in the 1-0 win at home to Leicester City – but the fact he played at all was perhaps equally noteworthy on Sunday.
Going into the match, Palmer’s involvement was in doubt after he missed training with a fever but insisted on playing to “help the team”.
And the England international was perfectly placed to end his goal drought – standing at eight games going into the match – in the 22nd minute but his well-struck effort was saved by goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Previously, Palmer had scored all 12 of his penalty kicks in the Premier League, beating the record for perfect attempts held previously by former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure.
It was the latest episode in a dip in form since the end of 2024. Last year, he scored 26 times and delivered 13 assists in the Premier League, more than any other player in England’s top-flight during that period. He also broke the Chelsea club record for goal involvements in a calendar year.
But having also squandered several big chances in the 4-0 win against Southampton last week, the signs are that his confidence is on the wane.
Palmer has varied his finishes from the penalty spot, but stats show that shooting with his left foot across to his right is his favoured option.
This is likely something that Hermansen will have known and he managed to get across the goal to save the shot despite it being close to the corner.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Cole Palmer’s penalty wasn’t one from someone with a lot of confidence. He went for power over real placement and the goalkeeper does so, so well. It wasn’t his best penalty.
” It’s just not happening for Cole Palmer at the moment. The longer it goes on, there is more frustration and there will be more the element of trying to be selfish and making the wrong decisions. “
There was a two minute and 24 second wait to take the penalty that can’t have helped – as Chelsea and Leicester players argued on the edge of the box – and referee Tim Robinson asked him to re-spot the ball.
Ultimately the penalty miss did not matter for Chelsea as Marc Cucurella popped up with the long-range winner in the 60th minute as they hung on to the win despite a nervy end.
It was also arguably Palmer’s worst performance of the season as he was substituted in the 73rd minute, the fourth-earliest he has come off in a match since joining the club.
However, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said there was a reason the forward was perhaps not at his very best.
” It’s very easy: Cole didn’t train yesterday and during the night he didn’t feel well, “Maresca said.
” The reason why he didn’t train yesterday is fever and diarrhoea in the last 48 hours. This morning, he woke up and he asked me, ‘ I want to be on the pitch because I want to help this team, this club to play Champions League’.
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Palmer is on a nine-game goalless run in all competitions, extending back to his last goal on 14 January against Bournemouth.
The last time he registered an assist stretched back even longer to 1 December, these being his longest barren runs since joining Chelsea.
But there are numbers behind these two headline statistics that reveal more about this run in the league.
In chasing that elusive goal, Palmer is shooting more with 4.2 shots per game in matches since he last scored compared to 3.6 beforehand, though his shots inside the box remain the same at 1.9 per match.
He is also averaging 5.2 touches in the opposition box since his last goal which is up from 4.0 but, despite being up on certain metrics, his expected goals, excluding penalties, has dropped to 0.39 from 0.46, which suggests the quality of chances that he is being presented with are worse.
Palmer remains Chelsea’s top goalscorer in the Premier League on 14 goals this season.
However, despite certain metrics increasing on shots taken, Palmer’s creative stats are down in the league.
He is down from 2.8 chances per 90 minutes created since his last assist on 1 December to 2.5 – and chances created from open play (excluding set-pieces) is down from 2.5 to 1.8.
It still does not feel like Chelsea are fully back to form despite back-to-back wins for the first time since between November and December.
On Sunday, Chelsea supporters again booed players who passed the ball backwards and, after Cucurella’s goal, Maresca turned to supporters and told them to pump up the volume.
When addressing the situation in his post-match comments, the Italian added: “People have to understand this is our way, our style, and this is the way we are going to play. When a team creates the number of chances we created today you have to be happy.
” It’s not easy. Leicester until minute 83 were 0-0 against Arsenal. The same thing happened against]Manchester] City. If you think football is just PlayStation and you win easy? No way. Every game is difficult. “
The Blues had looked like title contenders while in second place December and the fans were chanting” we’ve got our Chelsea back “during a win at home to Brentford.
However, they then went on a run of just two wins in 10 matches and the chants of” we want our Chelsea back “returned from last season.
But victory, even if unconvincing, sees Chelsea leapfrog Manchester City and move back in fourth place with Champions League qualification back in the club’s sights for the first time under this new ownership.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer might have found a new way to fire a blank as he missed a Premier League penalty for the first time in the 1-0 win at home to Leicester City – but the fact he played at all was perhaps equally noteworthy on Sunday.
Going into the match, Palmer’s involvement was in doubt after he missed training with a fever but insisted on playing to “help the team”.
And the England international was perfectly placed to end his goal drought – standing at eight games going into the match – in the 22nd minute but his well-struck effort was saved by goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Previously, Palmer had scored all 12 of his penalty kicks in the Premier League, beating the record for perfect attempts held previously by former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure.
It was the latest episode in a dip in form since the end of 2024. Last year, he scored 26 times and delivered 13 assists in the Premier League, more than any other player in England’s top-flight during that period. He also broke the Chelsea club record for goal involvements in a calendar year.
But having also squandered several big chances in the 4-0 win against Southampton last week, the signs are that his confidence is on the wane.
Palmer has varied his finishes from the penalty spot, but stats show that shooting with his left foot across to his right is his favoured option.
This is likely something that Hermansen will have known and he managed to get across the goal to save the shot despite it being close to the corner.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer told BBC Radio 5 Five Live: “Cole Palmer’s penalty wasn’t one from someone with a lot of confidence. He went for power over real placement and the goalkeeper does so, so well. It wasn’t his best penalty.
” It’s just not happening for Cole Palmer at the moment. The longer it goes on, there is more frustration and there will be more the element of trying to be selfish and making the wrong decisions. “
There was a two minute and 24 second wait to take the penalty that can’t have helped – as Chelsea and Leicester players argued on the edge of the box – and referee Tim Robinson asked him to re-spot the ball.
Ultimately the penalty miss did not matter for Chelsea as Marc Cucurella popped up with the long-range winner in the 60th minute as they hung on to the win despite a nervy end.
It was also arguably Palmer’s worst performance of the season as he was substituted in the 75th minute, the fourth-earliest he has come off in a match since joining the club.
However, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said there was a reason the forward was perhaps not at his very best.
” It’s very easy: Cole didn’t train yesterday and during the night he didn’t feel well, “Maresca said.
” The reason why he didn’t train yesterday is fever and diarrhoea in the last 48 hours. This morning, he woke up and he asked me, ‘ I want to be on the pitch because I want to help this team, this club to play Champions League’.
Palmer is on a nine-game goalless run in all competitions, extending back to his last goal on 14 January against Bournemouth.
The last time he registered an assist stretched back even longer to 1 December, these being his longest barren runs since joining Chelsea.
But there are numbers behind these two headline statistics that reveal more about this run in the league.
In chasing that elusive goal, Palmer is shooting more with 4.2 shots per game in matches since he last scored compared to 3.6 beforehand, though his shots inside the box remain the same at 1.9 per match.
He is also averaging 5.2 touches in the opposition box since his last goal which is up from 4.0 but, despite being up on certain metrics, his expected goals, excluding penalties, has dropped to 0.39 from 0.46, which suggests the quality of chances that he is being presented with are worse.
Palmer remains Chelsea’s top goalscorer in the Premier League on 14 goals this season.
However, despite certain metrics increasing on shots taken, Palmer’s creative stats are down in the league.
He is down from 2.8 chances per 90 minutes created since his last assist on 1 December to 2.5 – and chances created from open play (excluding set-pieces) is down from 2.5 to 1.8.
It still does not feel like Chelsea are fully back to form despite back-to-back wins for the first time since between November and December.
On Sunday, Chelsea supporters again booed players who passed the ball backwards and, after Cucurella’s goal, Maresca turned to supporters and told them to pump up the volume.
When addressing the situation in his post-match comments, the Italian added: “People have to understand this is our way, our style, and this is the way we are going to play. When a team creates the number of chances we created today you have to be happy.
” It’s not easy. Leicester until minute 83 were 0-0 against Arsenal. The same thing happened against]Manchester] City. If you think football is just PlayStation and you win easy? No way. Every game is difficult. “
The Blues had looked like title contenders while in second place December and the fans were chanting” we’ve got our Chelsea back “during a win at home to Brentford.
However, they then went on a run of just two wins in 10 matches and the chants of” we want our Chelsea back “returned from last season.
But victory, even if unconvincing, sees Chelsea leapfrog Manchester City and move back in fourth place with Champions League qualification back in the club’s sights for the first time under this new ownership.
Batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from this year’s Indian Premier League, saying he wants to prioritise playing for England.
Brook, 26, was signed by Delhi Capitals at the IPL auction last year in a deal worth 6.25 crore (£590, 000).
But he has withdrawn for the second year in a row, leaving him at risk of being banned from the tournament for two years.
“I know not everyone will understand and I don’t expect them to, but I have to do what I believe is right and playing for my country remains my focus and priority”, said Brook.
Brook, an England regular across all formats, pulled out of last year’s IPL following the death of his grandmother.
The IPL brought in a new rule for this year’s tournament, under which players who pull out after being selected are banned for two seasons. There is an exemption for “injury or medical condition”.
Brook was part of England’s squad who exited the Champions Trophy without winning a match last week.
Prior to that he was part of the party that toured India and lost seven of their eight white-ball matches.
Brook has struggled for form personally, with only 188 runs across 11 innings at an average of 17.09 this year. Despite that, he is seen as one of the leading candidates to replace Jos Buttler as England’s white-ball captain.
Brook apologised “unreservedly” to Delhi Capitals and the franchise’s supporters.
“I love cricket. Ever since I was a boy I have dreamt of playing for my country and I am thankful to have the opportunity to play the game I love at this level”, he said.
“With the guidance of people I trust I have taken the time to seriously consider this decision. It is a really important time for England cricket and I want to fully commit to preparing for the upcoming series”.
England do not play again until a four-day Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, which begins on 22 May. The IPL final is on 25 May, the fourth day of the Test.
After Zimbabwe, England have three one-day internationals and three T20s against West Indies before a much-anticipated five-match Test series against India.