Author: SKYNEWS

The final episode of the Hairy Bikers has aired, after star Dave Myers died earlier this month.Myers died at the age of 66 towards the end of February, less than two years after revealing his cancer diagnosis. His death was announced by co-star Si King, who said he was with him when he passed.But the pair’s final show had already been filmed, taking place as Myers underwent chemotherapy.The BBC decided to continue to air the series in tribute to Myers, as it began shortly before he died. Tonight, the final episode of The Hairy Bikers Go West, aired in which…

Tesco has lost an appeal in a row with discount rival Lidl over the use of a yellow circle against a blue background in its Clubcard branding.The High Court ruled last year that the UK’s biggest retailer had taken “unfair advantage” of the Germany-based firm’s distinctive reputation for low prices when it brought in the Clubcard Prices discount scheme. However, the judge in the case last April rejected the claim that Tesco had “the deliberate subjective intention of riding on Lidl’s coat tails”.Lidl has traditionally used a yellow circle on a blue background in its main logo.Money latest:Washing powder ‘shrinkflation’…

The Princess of Wales’s doctored family photograph has been the subject of intense scrutiny and speculation in the UK since it was posted on the royal’s Instagram on Mother’s Day.The photo aimed to quell speculation about Kate’s health since she spent a short period in hospital in January for abdominal surgery, shortly after her 42nd birthday. The princess has since been filmed smiling and looking happy while out shopping with her husband Prince William, but The Sun’s footage came after the edited image prompted far-fetched conspiracy theories – not just here but in the United States as well.Sky News analysis…

The Mais lecture has become a kind of rite of passage for all aspirant chancellors.This annual speech, held at the Bayes Business School in the City of London, was where Nigel Lawson laid out his thinking about reforming the economy in the 1980s. It was where George Osborne provided his plan for his first 50 days in office, where Gordon Brown explained the economics behind his policies.It is, in short, a very big deal.Money blog: Big drop in inflation predicted So the merest fact that Rachel Reeves has given this lecture is, in a sense, a part of the story…

Live music fans are being charged up to 20% extra on the face value price of a ticket by ticketing sites, according to research from Which?The consumer body compared the cost of a ticket to an Anne-Marie concert at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena last November – which had a face value of £45 – between vendors. Which? found that on average, the biggest ticketing sites add around 20% extra to the cost of a ticket but noted “charges can be lower or even sometimes higher than this”.Eventim charged a total of £56.37 after adding a £1.50 processing fee, £2.50 delivery and…

HMRC will close its self-assessment helpline line for almost six months every year, forcing customers to use its online services instead.Taxpayers will be unable to call the tax office from 8 April to 30 September, HMRC has confirmed, meaning people who would previously have spoken to an adviser about their enquiries will now have to self-serve online. The phoneline will close during the same period every year, it added.HMRC said it was taking the step because “around two-thirds of calls” to its helpline were “routine or simple enquiries, which can be resolved online using our digital services, tools and guidance”.It…

He’s being touted as the next 007, but who is Aaron Taylor-Johnson – and does he have the action and acting skills to be the next James Bond? Image: Pic: AP First off, who is he? The 33-year-old British star was born Aaron Perry Johnson in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, in 1990.Excelling at drama, dance and singing, he was a successful child actor – with his first professional stage appearance aged just six in a London production of Macbeth.As a teenager he appeared in movies including Shanghai Knights in which he played a young Charlie Chaplin, and The Illusionist, where he…

The takeover of the Telegraph has been referred for further regulatory scrutiny as the communications watchdog said the purchase, by an Abu Dhabi-backed investment fund, may “operate against the public interest”. Competition and communications regulators, the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) and Ofcom, have been directed by Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer to enter the next stage of their investigation into the purchase of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers and the Spectator magazine. Money blog: Washing powder ‘shrinkflation’ exposed by shopperAccording to Ms Frazer, Ofcom’s initial findings are that the acquisition of the media brands by a 75% Abu Dhabi-backed…

Katie Price has said she missed a court hearing where she was declared bankrupt for the second time because she was “dealing with serious stuff”.The former glamour model and TV personality owes nearly £762,000 to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), which issued a bankruptcy petition last October. The debt comes from her tax self-assessments from the years 2020-2021 and 2021-22, and includes income tax, VAT, surcharges and interest, a judge said.Price, 45, failed to appear at the Insolvency and Companies Court on Monday.The London hearing was told she did respond to HMRC over the debt, and she was declared bankrupt…

JD Sports has come under fire after posting an “irresponsible” advert showing motorcyclists wearing trainers.The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had received 41 complaints about the social media adverts promoting Nike Air Max 95s in which bikers are seen performing stunts such as wheelies. The footage carried the disclaimer “stunts performed by professionals – do not try at home”, but still gained criticism from the public.”What level of riding protection do your trainers offer, seen as your promotional angle is biker wear,” one person wrote in the comments on Instagram.While another added: “Wow @jdsports making bikers look like hooligans.…