Crime & Safety
Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor discusses retirement
The 62-year-old was diagnosed in 2009 with breast cancer when she was 46 years old.
The actress, best known for playing Sally Metcalfe in the ITV soap since 1986, learned about her own diagnosis on the same day she filmed the scene where she shared her diagnosis with her on-screen husband.
Speaking to Prima magazine, she said she would play the storyline differently if she had the chance after going through the experience herself.
She said: “I think there are moments in the show that, like the breast cancer storyline, which, if I went back, I think I would have done very differently.
“In the sense that because I got it myself, I realised what it was like to go through breast cancer and how much you hide your pain from people you love.
“I think I didn’t play it that way.
“I played it that Sally was very emotional and upset, and I think that now I would have gone back and played it completely differently because real-life experiences make you go, ‘Ah, I shouldn’t have done that, I shouldn’t have done this’.”
She added: “The first day when I came back after having six months off… I felt incredibly emotional and so grateful that… I’d not taken it for granted at all, but to go away and think, ‘Will I ever go back?’ and then to be doing what you enjoy doing, you’re just so grateful for having that opportunity again.”
Dynevor described the role as the “perfect job” and said she never in a “million years” thought she would be on the famous cobbles for four decades.
She said: “I just thought it was going to be a year at the most, but I look back now, and I think, ‘Gosh, four decades, that is a long time.’
“Not many people are in the same job for 40 years any more, let alone acting.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to retire.
“I’ll stay here as long as they want me; if they don’t want me any more, I’ll still try to do something, because the idea of retirement just sounds awful to me!
“When you love what you do, why would you want to retire? I come into work every day and I’m surrounded by wonderful young people who are showing me what’s going on in the world and the fashions, and they’re exciting and interesting. I love young people.
“So the idea of just packing it all in and sitting at home and going, ‘Right, what shall I do today?’
“Just absolutely not.”
Who’s your favourite Corrie character? Let us know in the comments
Crime & Safety
Oxford warning after man ‘exposed himself’ on bridge
The incident occurred between 3.30pm and 5pm on Sunday (April 26) when a man was exposing himself around Donnington Bridge, Donnington Bridge Road.
He has been described by police as a white man in his 50s, around 5ft 10ins tall with grey hair, and was wearing a grey t-shirt and tan shorts.
READ MORE: Man and woman charged over knife in Oxfordshire
Thames Valley Police has now asked the public for information in an appeal this afternoon (Wednesday, April 29).
A spokesperson for the force said: “We are appealing for witnesses following an indecent exposure in Oxford.
“Anyone who has any information, was around the area during that time, has CCTV or dash cam footage, please get in contact with us by calling 101 or making a report via our website quoting reference number 43260203749.”
Crime & Safety
Oxford: Major campus development begins construction
Works have started at the OxBio Hub in Oxford, a 130,851 sq ft development, that will deliver the comprehensive refurbishment, reuse and extension of Building 2700 into a major new science and innovation campus in Oxford.
Angus Bates, director of GreyArc Investments and owner of OxBio Hub, said: “We understand that science and innovation thrive in environments built around people and community.
“That’s why we are investing heavily in creating a genuinely connected ecosystem at OxBio Hub, where occupiers don’t just lease space, but become part of a thriving, collaborative environment designed to support growth, innovation and long-term success.”
READ MORE: Countdown icon spotted in Oxford for good cause
Inside the hub (CGI generated) (Image: OxBio Hub)
The scheme has rapidly moved forward since planning permission was granted and will offer flexible R&D and office space ranging from 4,000 to 130,851 sq ft.
A major strip-out of the existing building has been completed, clearing the way for refurbishment and expansion.
This included removing mechanical and electrical systems, internal partitions, ceilings, floor finishes, and decommissioning old building infrastructure.
The steel frame of the building is now being exposed in preparation for structural strengthening and reconfiguration.
A preview and early access tour of the OxBio Hub will be held on May 7 from noon to 2pm.
READ MORE: 17th century farmhouse with stables and sunroom on market for £2m
Inside the hub (CGI generated) (Image: OxBio Hub)
The event will give potential occupiers and stakeholders a chance to see the site and learn more about the project’s vision and progress.
The campus is designed to meet current and future needs of science and deep-tech businesses.
It will feature CL2 lab-ready space suitable for advanced research, modern laboratories, and high-quality office environments.
Mr Bates said: “Once complete, OxBio Hub will be far more than a place of work.
“Amenities are central to the vision, with high-quality facilities including a gym, café, meeting rooms, auditorium, fully serviced internal and external breakout areas, secure access, dedicated delivery facilities, cycle storage, extensive parking, and reimagined communal spaces designed to encourage interaction, collaboration and wellbeing.”
He highlighted the site’s strong transport links and proximity to academic institutions as key advantages.
Mr Bates said: “Our location on Oxford’s Ring Road, close to leading universities and innovation hubs such as the BioEscalator, further strengthens this offering.
“We are also looking forward to the building’s availability aligning with the opening of the Cowley Branch Line, just 400 metres away, which will significantly enhance connectivity and accessibility for occupiers and visitors alike.”
Bosses are targeting a ‘BREEAM very good’ rating, with an emphasis on low embodied carbon, reuse of existing structures, and responsible resource management.
Crime & Safety
All Strictly pros who have left BBC show for 2026 series
Gorka Marquez is the latest to confirm that he has left Strictly Come Dancing, but he is not the only dancer who will not be back for the next series.
Reports have suggested that there are plans to reinvent the series, particularly off the back of long-time presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly leaving.
Here are all the Strictly pros who have left the BBC show and will not be back for its next series later this year.
All Strictly pros who have left BBC show for 2026 series
Karen Hauer
Karen was the show’s longest-serving Strictly professional in the current roster at the time she was axed.
A source said at the time that the dancer was “very upset after being told the news” but was “trying to remain positive about the future”.
She joined Strictly in 2012, with her most successful series being in 2020, when she came runner-up alongside Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing.
Karen Hauer was the long-serving pro when she left (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)
With Karen’s exit, the longest-standing current Strictly professional is now Aljaž Škorjanec, who has been in all but two series in 2022 and 2023 since 2013.
Nadiya Bychkova
Nadiya Bychkova was another who was axed from the BBC dance show after she had been on the series for nearly a decade.
Her best result was in the 2021 series with TV star Dan Walker, where the pair finished fifth.
Despite leaving the show, she wrote: “This isn’t the end… I look forward to being part of the Strictly world for many years to come in ways I am beginning to explore.
“I’m excited to have time to focus on new projects, and to spend more precious time with my beautiful daughter. Life feels full of possibilities.”
Luba Mushtuk
Russian pro Luba revealed she was leaving Strictly in late March, after being part of the series for 10 years.
“Thank you for the amazing opportunity and the unforgettable memories”, she said in a statement at the time.
Fans were sad to see the dancer leave, with one saying they were “ruining the show”.
Another wrote: “You’re going to have to let us in on your strategy for this mass cull because loyal viewers like myself root for all the pros and I have really struggled to understand why they are doing this.”
Michelle Tsiakkas
Cyprus-born dancer Tsiakkas said she had “hoped to have more time” on the BBC dancing competition in a statement at the time.
She only joined in 2022 and did not receive a partner in the last series.
She also revealed that she had made the “very hard decision” to pull out from the upcoming Strictly: The Professionals tour.
The BBC wrote: “Her talent, dedication and energy have been much appreciated, and everyone wishes her all the very best for what comes next.”
Gorka Marquez
Gorka is the latest Strictly pro to reveal that they are not returning in 2026.
He was another long-standing dancer, having joined in 2016, and been runner-up three times, most recently in 2022 with Helen Skelton.
The show’s official Instagram account hailed the Spanish star as “a hugely popular” part of the show.
They said: “We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Gorka for his exceptional contribution to Strictly Come Dancing over the years.”
Other changes for Strictly Come Dancing in 2026
The next series of Strictly may seem very different to many viewers, with bosses reportedly overhauling the show.
The big one is the departure of long-term hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Names have been flying around regarding potential replacements, including names like Alex Jones, Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, and Emma Willis.
The popular companion show, Strictly – It Takes Two, is also reportedly being scrapped in favor of a “vodcast” format aimed at reaching a wider, younger audience.
The format would allegedly similar to The Traitors spin-off Uncloaked, hosted by Ed Gamble.
Rumours say that Janette Manrara and Fleur East may not return.
Which dancer(s) will you miss most in the next series of Strictly Come Dancing? Let us know in the comments below.
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