Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Thomas Skinner has claimed the BBC rigged the vote that saw him leave the show.

The social media personality alleged in an online post that the night he left the competition he was sent an "anonymous email claiming to be from a BBC exec with stats" that showed he had "received far more votes than it appeared".

He went on to say the email also claimed the BBC was "angry" and "nervous" over his meeting the US Vice-President JD Vance.

It follows reports Skinner is suing the BBC over claims the vote was rigged against him. A BBC spokesperson rejected the allegation, saying Strictly's public vote was "independently overseen and verified to ensure complete accuracy".

They added: "Any claims to the contrary are entirely without foundation."

PromoVeritas, the company which verifies the show's public vote, said all the votes it receives are "validated" and "independently and comprehensively verified by two auditors".

It is understood the BBC is not aware of any legal complaint over the matter.

Skinner was the first celebrity contestant to be voted out in this year's series.

Ahead of Saturday's final - which sees former contestants return - he announced he would not be attending.

"I spoke with my lovely dance partner, Amy Dowden to make sure she was okay with me not attending," he wrote in a lengthy post on X, explaining his post was "so people know the truth" regarding his absence.

"I don't want people thinking I am bitter when I ain't."

Skinner claimed he had the authenticity of the alleged email from a BBC executive "independently verified", though it is unclear how he did so.

He said he had asked to see the official voting tallies "to back up the ones I was sent in the email but was told they couldn't be shown to me" and "have never been shown in the history of the show".

He added that there were "smaller things" that added to the feeling of "how unfair it all was", such as his welcome gift to the show being the only one that "got stolen apparently".

The BBC spokesperson said Skinner had yet to share the email with anyone from the broadcaster "despite requests for it", and so they were unable to comment.

They added that the Strictly team "categorically did not supply 'welcome gifts' to any of the cast".

Skinner first hit TV screens on The Apprentice in 2019, and has since appeared on shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats, Michael McIntyre's Big Show, Good Morning Britain and Celebrity Masterchef. He is also due to appear on Celebrity Apprentice this Christmas.

He is also known for his social media videos encouraging people to think positively, which typically end with a trademark "bosh".

But he has attracted criticism in recent months for meeting Donald Trump's vice-president over the summer and being pictured wearing a Make America Great Again cap.

Skinner stressed in his post that he was "not a political bloke", adding: "I just love my country and am patriotic."

He said he had a "private" Zoom call with BBC executives on Wednesday about "going forward" that had been leaked and was "national news" by the following morning.

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The family of a 16-year-old have paid tribute to their "bright, beautiful" girl after she died following an incident on the London Underground.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers and paramedics were called to Loughton Underground station, Essex, with reports of a casualty on the tracks.

Daisy House died in hospital and her family said: "Our beautiful daughter Daisy lost her life. She was a bright, beautiful, clever, and funny girl who had just started sixth form and had her whole future ahead of her."

They also thanked the emergency services who tried to save her following the incident at about 14:30 GMT on Monday.

The statement continued: "We thank everyone who has sent best wishes, kind messages, and floral tributes.

"We would now ask for our privacy to be respected while we come to terms with the loss of our Daisy and what life will be like without our daughter."

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Anxious waits for arrivals are nothing new at Christmas as people track special deliveries.

But for one Shropshire woman, the package two years ago was more precious than something due in the post. It was the child she adopted - the sister of the boy she had made part of her family the year before.

"[We were] on tenterhooks as to whether she would be here for Christmas," remembered Sarah, 44.

She was not disappointed. In that December of 2023 she formally became a mum of two. Adopting siblings, she said, was "the best decision I ever made".

It was, then, the best of times and the busiest of times. Christmas, she recalled, "is carnage in the best possible way with small children".

And it was a journey to get there. It began when Sarah found out she would be unlikely to have a healthy pregnancy. Her story took a huge stride forward when she adopted her son in July 2022.

Sarah described how she had read the then 17-month-old's profile prior to adoption and "knew he was mine". She said she "got butterflies".

She then found out that her son's birth mother was pregnant, and decided to put herself forward as a potential parent for this new baby, should that be needed.

The girl, the half sister of Sarah's son, was born on Christmas Day 2022, and the family became a trio the following December.

They are about to celebrate their third Christmas together, but Sarah insists on trying to make "every day special".

She said: "If I see in a shop a toy or something that I think they'd like, I'll buy it, because it doesn't have to wait until one single day a year.

"Especially with adopted children, a lot of them have trauma in some way, shape or form.

"They can push you away because they feel unsafe. But if you can show them that you aren't going anywhere and you're there forever – if it means that once a month they get a treat – then so be it.

"And to be honest," she said, "as long as the children are happy and content and have got somewhere safe, especially at Christmas, that's what matters."

Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

A photo of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lying on the laps of women is among the thousands of Epstein files which have been released by the US Department of Justice.

In the picture, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell hovers in the background smiling at the former prince. The photo appears to have been taken in the saloon room at Sandringham, the royal estate in Norfolk.

The emergence of the photo will add to scrutiny on Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, after he was stripped of his remaining titles and honours over his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing.

Two of the photos also show Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, in the company of women whose faces are covered by black squares.

BBC News has approached Ms Ferguson's representatives for comment.

Simply appearing in the photos or documents is not evidence of wrongdoing.

The heavily-redacted tranche of some of the so-called Epstein files - the long-awaited documents relating to the US Department of Justice's investigations into Epstein - were released on Friday night.

The documents were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by 19 December.

They contain photos of the interiors of Epstein's homes, his overseas travels and celebrities including US President Bill Clinton, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and Michael Jackson. President Donald Trump was hardly mentioned in the files.

Many of those identified in other releases, including President Trump, have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

In the undated picture of Andrew, the former prince - now 65 - looks much younger. He is smiling with his eyes closed.

The faces of the women, who are sitting in front of a grand fireplace, have been redacted with black squares. The photo appears to be at Sandringham, King Charles's private estate in Norfolk.

In another picture, he appears to be at Royal Ascot with Epstein and Maxwell.

Also among the files are undated photos of Maxwell standing outside the door of 10 Downing Street.

In the picture she is alone and no context was provided with the photo about why she is there or when the image was taken.

The issue over Andrew’s friendship with Epstein has continued to dog the royals.

The King stripped his younger brother of his prince title following weeks of intense pressure over his links to the paedophile financier.

He is also expected to shortly move out of his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge.

It came after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - as he is now known - gave up his other royal titles, including the Duke of York, after more questions and allegations about his private life.

At the start of this year, emails showed that he had stayed in contact with Epstein for longer than he had previously admitted.

In a posthumous memoir published in October, Virginia Giuffre - a prominent accuser of Epstein - repeated allegations that, as a teenager, she had sex with Andrew on three separate occasions. Andrew has always strenuously denied the claims.

Andrew has also faced calls from Democrat members of the US Congress to give evidence to a committee investigating Epstein's activities. He had not replied to the request by the end of their deadline last month.

Separately, two photos of Ms Ferguson - then the Duchess of York - have emerged in the document dump.

One shows her standing on a pavement next to an unidentified woman holding a shopping bag. In the other, she is sitting cross legged on a green sofa.

Ms Ferguson has also faced her own Epstein controversy earlier this year, after an email from 2011 revealed she called him her "supreme friend".

Multiple charities dropped the then-Duchess of York as a patron or ambassador after the emergence of that email, in which she also seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.

The extensive redactions have been criticised by Democrats for violating the transparency law.

But the White House says the Trump administration is the "most transparent in history", as the DoJ says it has "erred on the side of redacting to protect victims".

The Prince of Wales has brought his 12-year-old son Prince George to help at a homeless shelter, so he can teach him about homelessness and show him the efforts of organisations trying to tackle it.

Prince William took his son to a charity with a deep personal connection - the Passage, in Westminster - where William had been brought as a child by his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

This handing on of the torch took place last week, with George helping to make lunch for people being supported by the Passage, which works with homeless people in central London.

Prince George signed a visitors' book using the same page signed by William and his grandmother Diana in December 1993.

Mick Clarke, chief executive of the Passage, said Prince George had come when they were preparing Christmas lunch for 150 people.

"So it was really about, 'Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in?' And he very much was," said Mr Clarke.

"Very much like his dad, actually - just wanted to get stuck in and help," said the charity chief.

"A lovely kid is how I would describe him, and he just really seemed very interested in the work that we do and particularly in talking to people who have used our services," said Mr Clarke.

There was some competition between father and son in getting the food ready.

"William was on the sprouts, getting his sprouts ready so they could go into the steamer, and Prince George was helping with the Yorkshire puddings," said Mr Clarke.

He described the signing of the book with Princess Diana's name as a "lovely, beautiful moment - I think particularly with Prince William pointing out to George, 'This is my mum's signature. This was the first time that she brought me here.'

"It kind of felt full circle, really - 1993 through to 2025, with William bringing George," said Mr Clarke.

The charity head said it seemed as though Prince George's family were trying to show their children life outside the palace and how it was important that "the most vulnerable in society are supported and looked after".

And in terms of contrasts, the visit to the homelessness charity came on the same day as the annual Royal Family Christmas lunch in Buckingham Palace.

Prince William has been a supporter of the Passage since he was brought as an 11 year old by his mother, who had made regular visits, both public and private.

William is running his own campaign to tackle homelessness, Homewards, and he has described his early experience of visiting the Passage as an inspiration.

He remembered being anxious about his first visit with Princess Diana, but finding an unexpected warmth and happiness.

"My mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed, and having a laugh and joking with everyone," he said in an interview last year.

"I remember at the time, kind of thinking, well, if everyone's not got a home, they're all going to be really sad.

"But it was incredible how happy an environment it was," recalled Prince William.

The Passage, which takes its ethos from the social reformer St Vincent de Paul, has been working in Westminster since 1980, and last year helped more than 3,000 people who were facing homelessness.

The charity says poverty is one of the main causes and "many people are just one bill away from experiencing homelessness".

It also warns of risk factors such as addiction and substance abuse, mental health problems, domestic violence and traumatic events in families.

The Passage has also highlighted links between homelessness and people being exploited in human trafficking and modern slavery.

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The US justice department has released an initial tranche of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, which include photos, videos and investigative documents, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by Friday. The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, acknowledged it would not be able to release all of the documents by the deadline.

A number of famous faces are included in the first batch of files - including former US President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.

Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Many of those identified in the files or in previous releases related to Epstein have denied any wrongdoing.

Several hundred thousand pages still have not been released

Among the documents released on Friday are many that are redacted, including police statements, investigative reports and photos.

More than 100 pages in one file related to a grand jury investigation are entirely blacked out.

Officials, as outlined in the law, were allowed to redact materials to protect the identity of victims, or anything related to an active criminal investigation, but they were required by law to explain such redactions, which has not yet been done.

The thousands of pages released on Friday are only a share of what is to come, according to the justice department.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing "several hundred thousand pages" on Friday and that he expected "several hundred thousand more" to be released over the coming weeks.

He told Fox & Friends that the department was heavily vetting each page of material to ensure "every victim - their name, their identity, their story, to the extent that it needs to be protected - is completely protected". That is a process, he argued, that takes time.

The timing of when additional materials will be released is unclear, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed frustration.

Democrats including Congressman Ro Khanna have threatened action against members of the justice department, including impeachment or possible prosecution over the delay.

Khanna led with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, defying US President Donald Trump who at first urged his party to vote against the measure.

"The DOJ's document dump of hundreds of thousands of pages failed to comply with the law," he said on social media, saying in a video that all options were on the table and being mulled over by him and Massie.

Bill Clinton pictured in pool and hot tub

Several of the images released include former US President Bill Clinton.

One picture shows him swimming in a pool, and another shows him lying on his back with his hands behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub.

Clinton was photographed with Epstein several times over the 1990s and early 2000s, before the disgraced financier was first arrested. He has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein's abuse, and has denied knowledge of his sex offending.

A spokesperson for Clinton commented on the new photos, saying they were decades old.

"They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," Angel Ureña wrote on social media.

"There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We're in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that," he continued.

"Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats."

Epstein allegedly introduced Trump to 14-year-old girl

In the tranche of files released by the justice department are court documents that mention the US president.

The court documents detail that Epstein allegedly introduced a 14-year-old girl to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

During the alleged encounter in the 1990s, Epstein elbowed Trump and "playfully asked him", in reference to the girl, "This is a good one, right?", the document says.

Trump smiled and nodded in agreement, according to the lawsuit filed against Epstein's estate and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2020.

The document says that "they both chuckled" and she felt uncomfortable, but "at the time, was too young to understand why".

The victim alleges she was groomed and abused by Epstein over many years.

In the court filing she makes no accusations against Trump, and Epstein's victims have not made any allegations against him.

The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.

The alleged episode is one of very few mentions of the president in the thousands of files released on Friday. He can be seen in several photos but his inclusion is minimal at best.

The Trump War Room, the official X account for the president's political operation, instead was posting photographs of Clinton. Trump's press secretary, too, re-posted images of Clinton, saying "Oh my!"

However, there are still pages to be released.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said that "several hundred thousand" pages of documents are still being reviewed and have yet to be made public.

The US president has previously said he was a friend of Epstein's for years, but said they fell out in about 2004, years before Epstein was first arrested. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Photo appears to show Andrew laying across laps

A photo in the released files appears to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor laying across five people, whose faces are redacted. Epstein's convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell is seen in the image standing behind them.

Andrew has faced years of scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein, who does not appear in the photo.

He has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he did not "see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction".

Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chris Tucker and Mick Jagger

The newly released documents include the widest assortment of celebrities we've seen in an Epstein file release so far.

The former financer was known for having connections across entertainment, politics and business. Some images released by the DOJ show him with stars that include Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger and Diana Ross.

It's unclear where or when any of the photos were taken or in what context. It's also unclear if Epstein was associated with all of these figures or whether he attended these events. Previously released photos from Epstein's estate have included photos that he did not take from events where he was not in attendence.

In one of the newly released photos, Epstein is photographed with Michael Jackson. The pop idol is wearing a suit and Epstein is seen in a zip-up hoodie.

Another image of Jackson shows him with former US President Bill Clinton and Diana Ross. They are posing together in a small area and multiple other faces are redacted from the image.

Another photo in the thousands of files shows Rolling Stones legend Jagger posing for a photo with Clinton and a woman whose face is redacted. They are all in cocktail attire.

Several photos include the actor Chris Tucker. One shows him posing and seated next to Clinton at a dining table. Another shows him on an airplane tarmac with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Epstein.

The BBC has contacted Jagger, Tucker and Ross for comment. Clinton has previously denied knowledge of Epstein's sex offending and a spokesperson on Friday said they were decades-old photos.

"This isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," the spokesperson said.

Epstein threatened to burn down house, accuser says

One of the first people to report Epstein is included in the files. Maria Farmer, an artist who had been working for Epstein, told the FBI in a 1996 report that he had stolen personal photos she took of her 12-year-old and 16-year-old sisters.

She said in a complaint that she believed he sold the photos to potential buyers, and said he threatened to burn her house down if she told anyone about it. Her name is redacted in the files but Farmer confirmed the account was hers.

She notes in the report that Epstein had allegedly asked her to take pictures for him of young girls at swimming pools.

"Epstein is now threatening [redacted] that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down", the report states.

Farmer said she feels vindicated after nearly 30 years.

"I feel redeemed," she said.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced to further jail terms following a fraud case involving state gifts.

They were convicted of breaking Pakistan's rules on gifts after Bibi was given a luxury jewellery set by Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman during a 2021 state visit.

The pair are already serving time in prison for earlier convictions, and the new sentences - 10 years for criminal breach of trust and seven years for criminal misconduct, and a fine - will reportedly run concurrently to their earlier terms.

Khan has described the charges as politically motivated and his lawyer told BBC News his team plan to challenge the verdict.

Speaking to the BBC after the sentencing, the former prime minister's lawyer, Salman Safdar, said Khan and his wife had not been present for the hearing.

Mr Safdar said their legal team had only been informed about the sentencing late on Friday night, after normal court hours.

They planned to mount a challenge to the verdict in the high court, Mr Safdar said.

This case is the latest in a series of charges laid against the cricket star-turned-politician, who has been detained since August 2023. In January, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison over a separate corruption case.

He has faced charges in more than 100 cases, ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts. The BBC has been unable to confirm the exact number brought against him.

The jewellery case, referred to as Toshakhana 2 in Pakistan, concerns a Bulgari jewellery set given to Bushra Bibi by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a state visit in 2021, according to court documents.

Under Pakistan's rules on state gifts, these items go to Pakistan's Toshakana department (state treasury), but politicians are able to purchase the items back.

Khan is alleged to have asked a private firm to undervalue the jewellery set, before purchasing it back at a significantly reduced price.

In addition to their jail terms, the pair were handed a fine of over 16 million Pakistani rupees (£42,600).

Khan has previously been acquitted in a separate Toshakhana case.

The former leader still has other cases outstanding against him.

These include terrorism charges relating to violent protests that took place on 9 May 2023, when he was previously arrested.

Khan was Pakistan's prime minister until April 2022 when he was ousted in a vote of no confidence.

Although he has not been seen in public, his social media accounts have continued to operate with messages attributed to him on X often appearing after jail visits.

These have been highly critical of Pakistan's current government and its politically powerful army Chief Field Marshall Asim Munir, including posts calling him a tyrannical dictator.

In November, he was denied any visitors for nearly a month.

After campaigning by his family and party, his sister was allowed to visit in early December; a few hours after she saw him, his account posted a comment credited to Khan calling the Field Marshall Asim Munir a "mentally unstable person".

Khan has not been allowed any family visits since.

According to an official at the jail, Khan and his wife were present when the verdict was announced but no journalists were allowed to observe.

The judgement states the judge was lenient in sentencing because of Khan's "old age".

Additional reporting by Usman Zahid

The family of a 16-year-old have paid tribute to their "bright, beautiful" girl after she died following an incident on the London Underground.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers and paramedics were called to Loughton Underground station, Essex, with reports of a casualty on the tracks.

Daisy House died in hospital and her family said: "Our beautiful daughter Daisy lost her life. She was a bright, beautiful, clever, and funny girl who had just started sixth form and had her whole future ahead of her."

They also thanked the emergency services who tried to save her following the incident at about 14:30 GMT on Monday.

The statement continued: "We thank everyone who has sent best wishes, kind messages, and floral tributes.

"We would now ask for our privacy to be respected while we come to terms with the loss of our Daisy and what life will be like without our daughter."

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

A photo of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lying on the laps of women is among the thousands of Epstein files which have been released by the US Department of Justice.

In the picture, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell hovers in the background smiling at the former prince. The photo appears to have been taken in the saloon room at Sandringham, the royal estate in Norfolk.

The emergence of the photo will add to scrutiny on Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, after he was stripped of his remaining titles and honours over his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing.

Two of the photos also show Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, in the company of women whose faces are covered by black squares.

BBC News has approached Ms Ferguson's representatives for comment.

Simply appearing in the photos or documents is not evidence of wrongdoing.

The heavily-redacted tranche of some of the so-called Epstein files - the long-awaited documents relating to the US Department of Justice's investigations into Epstein - were released on Friday night.

The documents were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by 19 December.

They contain photos of the interiors of Epstein's homes, his overseas travels and celebrities including US President Bill Clinton, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and Michael Jackson. President Donald Trump was hardly mentioned in the files.

Many of those identified in other releases, including President Trump, have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

In the undated picture of Andrew, the former prince - now 65 - looks much younger. He is smiling with his eyes closed.

The faces of the women, who are sitting in front of a grand fireplace, have been redacted with black squares. The photo appears to be at Sandringham, King Charles's private estate in Norfolk.

In another picture, he appears to be at Royal Ascot with Epstein and Maxwell.

Also among the files are undated photos of Maxwell standing outside the door of 10 Downing Street.

In the picture she is alone and no context was provided with the photo about why she is there or when the image was taken.

The issue over Andrew’s friendship with Epstein has continued to dog the royals.

The King stripped his younger brother of his prince title following weeks of intense pressure over his links to the paedophile financier.

He is also expected to shortly move out of his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge.

It came after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - as he is now known - gave up his other royal titles, including the Duke of York, after more questions and allegations about his private life.

At the start of this year, emails showed that he had stayed in contact with Epstein for longer than he had previously admitted.

In a posthumous memoir published in October, Virginia Giuffre - a prominent accuser of Epstein - repeated allegations that, as a teenager, she had sex with Andrew on three separate occasions. Andrew has always strenuously denied the claims.

Andrew has also faced calls from Democrat members of the US Congress to give evidence to a committee investigating Epstein's activities. He had not replied to the request by the end of their deadline last month.

Separately, two photos of Ms Ferguson - then the Duchess of York - have emerged in the document dump.

One shows her standing on a pavement next to an unidentified woman holding a shopping bag. In the other, she is sitting cross legged on a green sofa.

Ms Ferguson has also faced her own Epstein controversy earlier this year, after an email from 2011 revealed she called him her "supreme friend".

Multiple charities dropped the then-Duchess of York as a patron or ambassador after the emergence of that email, in which she also seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.

The extensive redactions have been criticised by Democrats for violating the transparency law.

But the White House says the Trump administration is the "most transparent in history", as the DoJ says it has "erred on the side of redacting to protect victims".

Is Joshua set for another gimmick fight?

How will master promoter Paul shape the story?

Now is the time to make Joshua-Fury for 2026

• Boxing schedule and results 2025

  Published
  5 hours ago

  

• Watch every Born to Brawl episode

  Published
  28 April 2024

  

More boxing from the BBC

• Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

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After weeks of intense competition, the Strictly Come Dancing finalists are primed to take to the dance floor one last time.

Just three couples remain of the 15 at the start of the series, with celebrities Amber Davies, George Clarke and Karen Carney vying to get their hands on the glitterball trophy.

It's also the last time Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will present a Strictly final. The pair announced they would be stepping down at the end of the current series.

The grand final will be broadcast on Saturday from 19:00 GMT on BBC One and iPlayer.

Amber Davies says she's earned her place in final

One of the main talking points leading into the final has been whether Amber Davies' performing background has given her an unfair advantage.

The Love Island star has faced a backlash online with people pointing out she's had roles in West End musicals Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical, and The Great Gatsby, as well as competing in the 16th series of Dancing on Ice.

This week, she told BBC News and other reporters at a Strictly press conference that she could "appreciate" where the comments are coming from.

"I have experience compared to these two," she said, gesturing at the other finalists. "I'm not shying away from that. However, I would say that the love actually does outshine the hate."

When asked whether she deserves to win, the actress, who is paired with Nikita Kuzmin, said: "I feel like I have worked just as hard as these guys going into the final, because I had to fight to get into the final."

The backlash is perhaps a symptom of a wider theme on Strictly, where over the years some viewers have appeared to form their own judgements on contestants, regardless of what the judges think or what the overall audience vote says.

Earlier this series Lewis Cope received criticism for having been a child actor in Billy Elliot, for example, and last year JB Gill came under fire for having danced before in the boyband JLS.

'I can't believe a footballer is in the final'

And it seems many viewers value an element of surprise or beating the odds, as with Strictly's first blind contestant Chris McCausland winning last year.

For Karen Carney, becoming the first footballer to reach the Strictly Come Dancing final feels "weird" but she's also "really, really proud".

"I can't believe a footballer is in the final," she said in the press conference.

The former Lioness, who is partnered with Carlos Gu, said she had struggled with her confidence in recent years, but added: "I always knew in my heart Strictly would be the thing that would fix me... It's by far the happiest I've ever been."

Crown for the social stars?

For social media star George Clarke, reaching this point in the contest is "mental".

"It's a completely different world to what I'm used to," he said.

Another online star, AngryGinge, was recently crowned king of the jungle in this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! It opens up the possibility of two social media stars winning two of the biggest shows on television.

"I feel like it's a whole demographic that hasn't really been touched massively in mainstream TV," said Clarke, who is partnered with Alexis Warr.

Who is dancing to what this week?

The finalists will perform three routines: they will revisit a previous routine, perform a show dance and then take to the floor with their favourite dance from the series.

This is what they'll be dancing to:

Amber and Nikita

• Showdance to Rain On Me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
• Judges' Pick - Paso Doble to Dream On by Aerosmith
• Favourite Dance - Jive to Proud Mary

George and Alexis

• Showdance to Human by The Killers
• Judges' Choice - Viennese Waltz to Somebody to Love by Queen
• Favourite Dance - Paso Doble to Game of Survival by Ruelle

Karen and Carlos

• Showdance to Inner Smile by Texas
• Judges' Pick - Argentine Tango to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
• Favourite Dance - Jive to One Way Or Another by Blondie

Other highlights from the show will include a group routine from the professional dancers and this year's finalists.

The cast of 2025 will return to the dance floor one last time for a group number, although BBC News understands that Apprentice contestant Thomas Skinner will not join.

What time does the Strictly final start?

Strictly Come Dancing 2025's grand final is at 19:00 GMT this Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer.

It will also be available to watch on the live page on the BBC News website.

The live page will also have plenty of build up ahead of the show - plus extra insight on the dances, the outfits, the judges' comments, and much more.

How can I vote for my favourites?

This year, Strictly has moved to online-only voting.

When the vote is open, shimmy over to this website to make your decision!

As with every final, all of us at home have the full power to decide the winner.

The judges will give their scores, but these will just be for guidance and don't get combined with the viewers' votes.

What happened last weekend?

Warning: The section below includes spoilers from last week's Strictly

Standards were incredibly high last week, as you would expect for a semi-final.

Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin kept up with their perfect score for a third consecutive week, while Karen Carney's Waltz had judge Anton Du Beke "a bit emotional" and George Clarke captivated the judges with his hip movement.

• Strictly stars in glitterball showdown to secure spot in final

In the end, Balvinder Sopal and Caillon left the competition, following a dance off on Sunday night against Davies and Kuzmin.

Tess and Claudia's last Strictly final

In October, we had the shock announcement by Daly and Winkleman that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series.

The celebrity contestants later told me that the news took them by surprise too. "No one saw it coming," one said.

Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004.

This Saturday will be their last time presenting a Strictly final. Speaking on Strictly's sister show It Takes Two last week, the pair admitted they might feel "emotional" after the show.

Their last ever appearance on the show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.

There have been plenty of twists and turns in the show's 21st year.

But the show has also been embroiled in controversy.

In November, it emerged that an unnamed star from Strictly has been arrested on suspicion of rape. It comes after another man involved with the hit BBC dance show was also arrested on suspicion of rape in August.

It is understood that neither developments were related to the current series of Strictly.

It came after a difficult few years for the show, with a number of former celebrity contestants speaking up about their negative experiences on Strictly.

Last year, the corporation introduced new duty of care measures, including putting chaperones in rehearsals.

The Australian state where the Bondi shooting occurred plans to ban the phrase "globalise the intifada" as part of a crackdown on "hateful" slogans.

New South Wales (NSW) premier Chris Minns has also called for a Royal Commission into the Bondi attack, marking the deadliest shooting in Australia in nearly 30 years.

Fifteen people were killed and dozens injured last Sunday when two gunmen, believed to have been motivated by "Islamic State ideology", opened fire on a Jewish festival at the country's most iconic beach.

Australia's state and federal governments have announced a raft of measures to counter extremism since the attack.

Minns plans to recall the state parliament next week to pass through stricter hate speech and gun restrictions. Earlier this week, he also suggested he would tighten protest laws to scale back mass demonstrations to encourage "a summer of calm".

The premier confirmed he would seek to classify the chant "globalise the intifada" as hate speech.

Two pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly shouting slogans involving intifada at a demonstration in central London.

The term intifada came into popular use during the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1987.

Some have described the term as a call for violence against Jewish people. Others have said it is a call for peaceful resistance to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and actions in Gaza.

Earlier this week, Minns, along with the NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane, attended the funeral Matilda, 10, who was the youngest victim of the Bondi shooting. He read out a poem dedicated to the young girl at the event.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has announced a new gun buyback scheme to purchase surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms. Hundreds of thousands of guns will be collected and destroyed, the government predicts.

Around 1,000 lifeguards staged a tribute on Saturday, lining up arm-to-arm facing the ocean, on the shorelines of Bondi beach. Surf lifesaving teams at other beaches around Australia were photographed performing a similar memorial.

Through the week, Bondi's surf volunteers have been commemorated as some of the heroes of the shooting. Lifeguard Jackson Doolan was photographed sprinting over from a neighbouring beach during the attack carrying a red medical supply bag.

Hundreds of swimmers and surfers paddled out at Bondi beach yesterday to create a giant circle to pay tribute to the victims of the attack.

On Sunday, Australia will hold a national day of reflection with the theme "light over darkness" marking precisely one week after the attack started with a minute's silence at 6:47 pm (0747 GMT).

Flags will fly at half-mast and Australians are being asked to light a candle in their windows to honour the victims.

"Sixty seconds carved out from the noise of daily life, dedicated to 15 Australians who should be with us today," prime minister Albanese told reporters Saturday.

"It will be a moment of pause to reflect and affirm that hatred and violence will never define us as Australians."

Bondi's attack was Australia's worst mass shooting since Port Arthur in 1996, where 35 people were killed and prompted then-prime minister John Howard to introduce strict gun control measures.

An appeal for information has been sent to all MI5 staff over false evidence the service gave to three courts in a neo-Nazi spy case.

MI5's regulator is investigating how it came to make false claims about conversations with the BBC.

The Investigatory Powers Commissioner Sir Brian Leveson, who is overseeing the inquiry, said it was "surprising" that new material was being uncovered years after the case began.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ordered the investigation in September after the BBC revealed that MI5 had lied to three courts.

The prime minister's demand followed requests from the High Court and Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which both rejected MI5's explanations about what happened.

MI5 also gave false evidence to its regulator, Sir Brian Leveson himself, whose office is conducting this new investigation.

The case centres on a neo-Nazi state informant known as Agent X, who used his MI5 role to coerce his girlfriend, whom he attacked with a machete.

Sir Brian has now sent a letter updating the prime minister, the attorney general and the home secretary on the investigation into the false evidence.

In the letter, he reveals the investigation team "asked that a message be disseminated to all current MI5 staff", inviting anyone who believes they have information which may assist, to make contact.

He adds: "I am grateful for MI5's prompt and constructive engagement to achieve this."

But he also notes that "relevant material" continues to be identified, adding that it is "surprising" four years after the case began and "over three years after my inspectors first considered the Agent X case."

Earlier this month, MI5 was heavily criticised by the police investigation into the state agent Stakeknife for only disclosing crucial documents years after that inquiry began.

The investigation into the false evidence in the Agent X case is being led by Sir John Goldring, the Deputy Investigatory Powers Commissioner.

In the update letter, it is revealed that Sir John and his investigators have interviewed 36 people over the past five weeks, including "current and former staff of the intelligence services", as well as BBC staff, government lawyers, and barristers representing MI5.

The new investigation is said to have identified "additional lines of inquiry" after obtaining material beyond that which was disclosed in the three court cases. The investigation report is not expected to be completed before March.

In February this year, the BBC revealed that MI5 had lied to three courts while defending its handling of the misogynistic MI5 agent, whom the BBC had sought to expose in a 2022 investigation.

Arguing for secrecy, the Security Service told judges it had stuck to its policy of not confirming or denying informants' identities.

In fact, MI5 had disclosed Agent X's status in phone calls to me, as it tried to persuade me not to investigate him. The service aggressively maintained its position until I produced evidence proving it was untrue, including a recording of one of the calls.

Following the BBC's revelations, MI5's Director General Sir Ken McCallum issued an "unreserved apology" for the false evidence.

Two official inquiries then took place which absolved MI5 and its officers of deliberate wrongdoing, claiming the false evidence was down to mistakes and poor memories.

But, in July, a panel of senior high court judges ruled that the "investigations carried out by MI5 to date suffer from serious procedural deficiencies" and that "we cannot rely on their conclusions".

They said it would be "premature" to decide whether to begin contempt of court proceedings against any MI5 officers before a new investigation took place.

Sir Ken previously said the service would co-operate fully with the new inquiry.

There can be a lot to think about at Christmas, from whether public transport is running to when shops and services are open.

With UK bank holidays on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, and a fourth holiday in Scotland on 2 January, here are some tips to help you win the festive period.

When are roads likely to be busiest?

Motoring organisations the RAC and AA predict that 2025 could see the busiest festive getaway on record.

The RAC expects 37.5 million trips to take place in the week running up to Christmas Day. It thinks roads are likely to be especially busy after lunchtime on Saturday 20 December, and during the afternoon and evening on Christmas Eve.

It suggests the following periods may be quieter:

• Saturday 20 December, before 12:00 GMT
• Sunday 21 December, before 10:00
• Monday 22 December, after 17:00
• Tuesday 23 December, before 11:00
• Wednesday 24 December, before 11:00

You can check for planned roadworks and closures in England on the National Highways website.

For instance, the M27 motorway will be closed in both directions between junctions nine (Whiteley) and 11 (Fareham), from 20:00 on 24 December until 04:00 on Sunday 4 January.

Details of planned roadworks are also available from Traffic Scotland, Traffic Wales and TrafficwatchNI.

You can also check local weather warnings before setting off.

Make sure you have plenty of fuel, that your tyres are properly inflated and your lights are working. Prepare for bad weather by carrying a charged phone, food, drinks and warm clothes. Top up your screen wash and de-icer supplies.

Many BP and Shell petrol stations will be open as usual, but some garages may have shorter hours. All Tesco petrol stations will be closed on Christmas Day. On other days, opening hours could be different to those of the linked store.

Are trains, buses and ferries running?

Trains

Some National Rail services will finish early on Christmas Eve, and no trains will run on Christmas Day.

Most train operators won't run any services on Boxing Day either. However, a small number of firms (Chiltern Railways, London Overground, Merseyrail, ScotRail, Southern and Stansted Express) will have a very limited service.

The UK's busiest station, London's Liverpool Street, will be closed for eight days between Christmas Day and New Year's Day, for works on its roof.

No trains will call at London Waterloo on 27 and 28 December, with trains terminating at Clapham Junction and a reduced timetable between 29 December and 4 January.

Improvement works will also affect services into Cardiff Central station between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

You can check for other engineering works and timetable alterations on the National Rail website.

There are no Eurostar services on Christmas Day, but trains are running every other day.

Buses and coaches

Most local bus services will not run on Christmas Day, but check individual websites for detailed schedule information.

National Express is running extra coaches on a number of UK routes between 20 December and 4 January.

On Christmas Day itself, 355 services will operate from 96 locations. This includes routes between Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, as well as some to and from Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports.

Transport for London (Tfl)

Bus, tram, DLR, underground, overground and Elizabeth Line services will finish earlier than usual on Christmas Eve. No services will run on Christmas Day.

There is no Elizabeth line service on Boxing Day, and a number of overground lines are also shut. Some Tube lines have restricted service. No night Tube or night overground services will operate.

Tfl services will run through the night on New Year's Eve.

Some black taxis and private cab firms may operate throughout the period, including Christmas Day. Hire bikes and electric scooters will be available.

The congestion charge will not apply between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is suspended on Christmas Day only, but the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) remains active throughout the period.

Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charges do not apply on Christmas Day.

Ferries

The Port of Dover will close at 15:30 GMT on Christmas Eve and reopen at 07:30 on Boxing Day.

The final departures on 24 December are:

• DFDS (Dunkerque route): 12:00
• DFDS (Calais route): 13:15
• Irish Ferries:14:25
• P&O: 16:05

There are no sailings to or from Holyhead or Portsmouth ports on Christmas Day either, but services will run on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

What if I'm flying over Christmas?

Most UK airports are open on Christmas Day, although they may have a reduced schedule. All Heathrow and Gatwick terminals will be open as normal.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) expects Friday 19 December to be the busiest travel day, with around 460,000 passengers. Around 160,000 people are due to fly on Christmas Day itself, a 13% increase on 2024.

Planned strike action at London Luton Airport could cause disruption, between 19 and 29 December. Some easyJet check-in and baggage handling staff employed by DHL Group are set to walk out over pay.

All air passengers are advised to check the status of their flights before setting off. Experts also recommend confirming any return journey.

As usual, passengers should arrive at the airport three hours before long-haul flights and two hours before short-haul flights.

You may need to make alternative travel arrangements to get to the airport if public transport is not running. If you plan to drive, consider booking parking in advance.

The CAA recommends that passengers:

• leave presents in hand luggage unwrapped, to allow security checks
• remember that party poppers are not allowed on UK aircraft
• remember that some airlines do not allow other festive items like crackers

What if I need a doctor or dentist?

GP surgeries are generally closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Some practices offer out-of-hours services which you can access via the NHS 111 helpline, which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones.

If you run out of medication when your GP is closed, you can use the NHS 111 emergency prescription service.

A&E departments will be open as usual throughout the festive period. Urgent treatment centres are also operating, but may have reduced hours.

You should only call 999 for life-threatening emergencies such as heart attacks, strokes, severe bleeding or difficulty breathing.

Most NHS dentists are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Emergency services are available via NHS 111 for urgent issues.

When will pharmacies be open?

Most pharmacies will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

However, one or more should be open near you under out-of-hours arrangements. Your local pharmacy should display details of the rota, or you can find details online.

You can find open pharmacies near you via the relevant NHS website:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

Boots will open more than 60 pharmacies on Christmas Day and more than 460 on New Year's Day.

All Superdrug pharmacies will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Most branches in Scotland will remain shut on 2 January.

What about supermarkets and food delivery services?

You should check your local store's opening hours, but in general you should assume:

• early closing on Christmas Eve
• almost all stores will be shut on Christmas Day
• Aldi, Lidl, M&S and most Waitrose shops will also close on Boxing Day. Other chains have reduced hours
• early closing on New Year's Eve
• Aldi, Lidl, M&S and most Waitrose shops are closed on New Year's Day

Smaller local shops are more likely to be open earlier and later than the large superstores. Many petrol station forecourt shops will be open too.

The Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats apps and websites will be running throughout the festive period, but restaurants will set their own operating hours.

When will universal credit and other benefits be paid over Christmas?

Some payments will be made earlier if they're due between 24 December 2025 and 2 January 2026:

• universal credit payments due on 24, 25, or 26 December will be made on 24 December
• other payments due on 24, 25, 26 December will be paid on 23 December
• all payments due on 1 January including Universal Credit will be paid on 31 December
• in Scotland, payments due on 2 January will be made on 31 December

Child benefit payments due on bank holidays will also be paid on a different date:

• in Northern Ireland, payments due on 29 or 30 December will be paid on 30 and 31 December
• in Scotland, payments due on 5 January will be made on 6 January

The Department for Work and Pensions says that you should tell the office that pays your benefit if you do not get your payment.

What was the last thing you asked an AI chatbot to do for you?

Maybe you asked it for an essay structure to help answer a tricky question, provide an insightful analysis of a chunky data set, or to check if your cover letter matches the job description.

Some experts worry that outsourcing these kinds of tasks means your brain is working less - and could even be harming your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Earlier this year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) published a study showing that people who used ChatGPT to write essays showed less activity in brain networks associated with cognitive processing while undertaking the exercise.

These people also couldn't quote from their essays as easily as those in the study who didn't use an AI chatbot.

The researchers said their study demonstrated "the pressing matter of exploring a possible decrease in learning skills".

All 54 participants were recruited from MIT and nearby universities. Their brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), which involves electrodes being placed on the scalp.

Some of the prompts used by the participants included asking AI to summarise essay questions, track down sources as well as refine grammar and style.

It was also used to generate and articulate ideas - but some users felt AI wasn't very good at this.

'AI makes it too easy to find answers'

Separately, Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft, which operates Copilot, found people's problem-solving skills could diminish if they became too reliant on AI.

They surveyed 319 white-collar workers who used AI tools for their jobs at least once per week about how they apply critical thinking when using them.

They looked at 900 examples of tasks given to AI, ranging from analysing data for new insights to checking whether a piece of work satisfies particular rules.

The study found that higher confidence in the tool's ability to perform a task was related to "less critical thinking effort".

"While GenAI can improve worker efficiency, it can inhibit critical engagement with work and can potentially lead to long-term overreliance on the tool and diminished skill for independent problem-solving."

Schoolchildren in the UK were similarly surveyed for a study published in October by Oxford University Press (OUP).

It found six in 10 felt AI had negatively impacted their skills in relation to schoolwork.

So, with the massive explosion of AI use, are our cognitive skills at risk of decline?

Not necessarily, says Dr Alexandra Tomescu, a generative AI specialist at OUP who worked on the school survey.

"Our research tells us that nine in 10 students say AI has helped them develop at least one skill related to schoolwork - be it problem-solving, creativity or revision.

"But at the same time, about a quarter state that AI use made it too easy to do work for them… So [it's] quite a nuanced picture."

She adds that many pupils want more guidance on how to use AI.

ChatGPT, which has more than 800 million weekly active users according to boss Sam Altman, has published a set of 100 prompts for students designed to help them get the most out of the technology.

But Prof Wayne Holmes, who researches critical studies of artificial intelligence and education at University College London (UCL), says this isn't enough.

He wants much more academic research to be done about the effects of AI tools on learning before pupils and students are encouraged to use them.

He tells us: "Today there is no independent evidence at scale for the effectiveness of these tools in education, or for their safety, or even for the idea they have a positive impact."

Better results but worse learning?

Prof Holmes points to research about cognitive atrophy, where someone's abilities and skills become worse after using AI.

He says this has been a problem for radiologists who use AI tools to help them interpret X-rays before they diagnose patients.

A study by Harvard Medical School published last year found AI assistance did improve the performance of some clinicians but damaged others for reasons researchers don't fully understand.

The authors called for more work to be done on how humans interact with AI so we can figure out ways of using AI tools that "boost human performance rather than hurt it".

Prof Holmes fears that students, whether in school or university, could become too reliant on AI to do their work for them and not develop the fundamental skills an education provides.

A student's essay might receive better marks thanks to help from AI but the issue is whether they end up understanding less.

As Prof Holmes puts it: "Their outputs are better but actually their learning is worse."

Jayna Devani, who leads international education at OpenAI - the company that owns ChatGPT - and helped secure a deal with the University of Oxford, says the firm are "very aware of this debate right now".

She tells the BBC: "We definitely don't think students should be using ChatGPT to outsource work".

In her view, it's best used as a tutor rather than just a provider of answers.

The example she gives is of a student having a back and forth with ChatGPT using the study mode setting.

You enter the question you're having difficulty answering and the chatbot can break down its components and help you understand it.

The example she gives is of a student doing an assignment late at night about a topic they don't quite understand.

"[If] you have an upcoming presentation to give and… it's midnight, you're not going to email your [university] tutor and ask for help," she says.

"I think the potential is truly there for ChatGPT to accelerate learning when it's used in a targeted way."

But Prof Holmes insists that any student who uses AI tools should be aware of how its reasoning works and how the companies providing them handle data. He stresses that results should always be checked.

"It is not just the latest iteration of the calculator," he says, describing AI's far-reaching capabilities and implications.

"I never say to my students, you shouldn't use AI… But what I do try to say is look, we need to understand all these different things about it so that you can make informed decisions."

Long queues of travellers have formed at the Port of Dover, which are being blamed on IT issues at French border controls.

The situation has been described as "absolute chaos" by one traveller, and images of the port show a long line of vehicles queuing at a standstill.

Around 30,000 cars are expected to pass through Dover this weekend as the Christmas getaway reaches its peak.

Doug Bannister, the port's chief executive, said: "There are still some ongoing (IT) issues, which are causing increased wait times whilst traffic is being processed."

He added: "We are working with our partner agencies whilst they try to resolve these issues."

The port says travellers face a processing time of one hour once vehicles arrive.

One traveller posted on X: "Horrible experience at Port of Dover this morning. Absolute chaos.

"Traffic at a standstill for an hour. Worst start to holiday imaginable. Just missed our boat. Still stuck. Kids in car."

One local resident told the BBC the town was "proper rammed".

'Christmas shopping'

The port advised passengers not to arrive more than two hours before their sailing.

It said if customers do miss their scheduled sailing due to the wait times, their ferry operator will place them on the next available crossing.

Long queues have been seen on the roads leading into Dover.

A port spokesperson asked all port-bound traffic to remain on main roads "to allow the Dover community to travel to festive events and finish their Christmas shopping in the town".

Meanwhile, public transport operators are experiencing problems reaching the port.

Bus company Stagecoach said in a statement: "Due to heavy traffic at the docks the service will be unable to serve Eastern Docks at the moment."

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

The US justice department has released an initial tranche of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, which include photos, videos and investigative documents, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by Friday. The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, acknowledged it would not be able to release all of the documents by the deadline.

A number of famous faces are included in the first batch of files - including former US President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.

Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Many of those identified in the files or in previous releases related to Epstein have denied any wrongdoing.

Several hundred thousand pages still have not been released

Among the documents released on Friday are many that are redacted, including police statements, investigative reports and photos.

More than 100 pages in one file related to a grand jury investigation are entirely blacked out.

Officials, as outlined in the law, were allowed to redact materials to protect the identity of victims, or anything related to an active criminal investigation, but they were required by law to explain such redactions, which has not yet been done.

The thousands of pages released on Friday are only a share of what is to come, according to the justice department.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing "several hundred thousand pages" on Friday and that he expected "several hundred thousand more" to be released over the coming weeks.

He told Fox & Friends that the department was heavily vetting each page of material to ensure "every victim - their name, their identity, their story, to the extent that it needs to be protected - is completely protected". That is a process, he argued, that takes time.

The timing of when additional materials will be released is unclear, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed frustration.

Democrats including Congressman Ro Khanna have threatened action against members of the justice department, including impeachment or possible prosecution over the delay.

Khanna led with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, defying US President Donald Trump who at first urged his party to vote against the measure.

"The DOJ's document dump of hundreds of thousands of pages failed to comply with the law," he said on social media, saying in a video that all options were on the table and being mulled over by him and Massie.

Bill Clinton pictured in pool and hot tub

Several of the images released include former US President Bill Clinton.

One picture shows him swimming in a pool, and another shows him lying on his back with his hands behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub.

Clinton was photographed with Epstein several times over the 1990s and early 2000s, before the disgraced financier was first arrested. He has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein's abuse, and has denied knowledge of his sex offending.

A spokesperson for Clinton commented on the new photos, saying they were decades old.

"They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," Angel Ureña wrote on social media.

"There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We're in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that," he continued.

"Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats."

Epstein allegedly introduced Trump to 14-year-old girl

In the tranche of files released by the justice department are court documents that mention the US president.

The court documents detail that Epstein allegedly introduced a 14-year-old girl to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

During the alleged encounter in the 1990s, Epstein elbowed Trump and "playfully asked him", in reference to the girl, "This is a good one, right?", the document says.

Trump smiled and nodded in agreement, according to the lawsuit filed against Epstein's estate and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2020.

The document says that "they both chuckled" and she felt uncomfortable, but "at the time, was too young to understand why".

The victim alleges she was groomed and abused by Epstein over many years.

In the court filing she makes no accusations against Trump, and Epstein's victims have not made any allegations against him.

The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.

The alleged episode is one of very few mentions of the president in the thousands of files released on Friday. He can be seen in several photos but his inclusion is minimal at best.

The Trump War Room, the official X account for the president's political operation, instead was posting photographs of Clinton. Trump's press secretary, too, re-posted images of Clinton, saying "Oh my!"

However, there are still pages to be released.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said that "several hundred thousand" pages of documents are still being reviewed and have yet to be made public.

The US president has previously said he was a friend of Epstein's for years, but said they fell out in about 2004, years before Epstein was first arrested. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Photo appears to show Andrew laying across laps

A photo in the released files appears to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor laying across five people, whose faces are redacted. Epstein's convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell is seen in the image standing behind them.

Andrew has faced years of scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein, who does not appear in the photo.

He has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he did not "see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction".

Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chris Tucker and Mick Jagger

The newly released documents include the widest assortment of celebrities we've seen in an Epstein file release so far.

The former financer was known for having connections across entertainment, politics and business. Some images released by the DOJ show him with stars that include Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger and Diana Ross.

It's unclear where or when any of the photos were taken or in what context. It's also unclear if Epstein was associated with all of these figures or whether he attended these events. Previously released photos from Epstein's estate have included photos that he did not take from events where he was not in attendence.

In one of the newly released photos, Epstein is photographed with Michael Jackson. The pop idol is wearing a suit and Epstein is seen in a zip-up hoodie.

Another image of Jackson shows him with former US President Bill Clinton and Diana Ross. They are posing together in a small area and multiple other faces are redacted from the image.

Another photo in the thousands of files shows Rolling Stones legend Jagger posing for a photo with Clinton and a woman whose face is redacted. They are all in cocktail attire.

Several photos include the actor Chris Tucker. One shows him posing and seated next to Clinton at a dining table. Another shows him on an airplane tarmac with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Epstein.

The BBC has contacted Jagger, Tucker and Ross for comment. Clinton has previously denied knowledge of Epstein's sex offending and a spokesperson on Friday said they were decades-old photos.

"This isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," the spokesperson said.

Epstein threatened to burn down house, accuser says

One of the first people to report Epstein is included in the files. Maria Farmer, an artist who had been working for Epstein, told the FBI in a 1996 report that he had stolen personal photos she took of her 12-year-old and 16-year-old sisters.

She said in a complaint that she believed he sold the photos to potential buyers, and said he threatened to burn her house down if she told anyone about it. Her name is redacted in the files but Farmer confirmed the account was hers.

She notes in the report that Epstein had allegedly asked her to take pictures for him of young girls at swimming pools.

"Epstein is now threatening [redacted] that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down", the report states.

Farmer said she feels vindicated after nearly 30 years.

"I feel redeemed," she said.

Flu should always be taken seriously. It is a virus that kills thousands of people every winter and puts intense strain on hospitals.

However, I can't remember a flu season that has played out quite like this. There have been claims it is both a "superflu" and "unprecedented" across the media and even from NHS England - while experts say this year's flu is not out of the ordinary with accusations of "crying wolf".

So what's really going on and is anything truly different this year?

As I reported in early November, there were concerns the flu season had the potential to be the worst for a decade.

Scientists who track the multitude of flu viruses around the world noticed seven fresh mutations appear in a strain of influenza – a type called H3N2 – in June.

This newly mutated virus rapidly became the dominant form of H3N2 and was named subclade-K.

The flu season took off a month early in the UK hinting the virus may have the potential to spread more widely than normal and it was too late to adjust this year's flu vaccine to match the new mutations.

That was the concern, but the reality has been more in line with a normal flu than a super flu.

The K-flu virus has not gained a dramatic ability to rip through the population.

"It was basically spreading at a very similar speed to previous years, it was towards the upper end, but it wasn't an outlier," says Prof Christophe Fraser, who is analysing the spread of the virus at the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.

His team's latest analyses, still to be published, suggest the mutations did give the virus a slight edge at slipping past our immunity – in the region of 5-10% more than usual. It is not clear if that applies to everyone or is concentrated just in children and young adults who have caught less flu in the past and who have been most affected so far.

H3N2 viruses always tend to be more severe for the elderly and there is no clear evidence the virus is worse than expected this year. A rapid analysis of the seasonal flu vaccine also suggested it was performing in line with previous years despite fears of a mismatch.

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: "The things that we saw that were unusual this season are the early start to the season, we also saw this change to the virus, with more evolution than we typically see.

"But overall, in terms of the impact on the NHS and the impact on people's health, we're seeing a broadly typical flu season."

There are suggestions that flu may already be peaking, although this comes with significant uncertainty. There are questions about what happens over Christmas when everyone meets up and it's easier for the virus to infect older people who are more at risk. There are also signs a different strain of flu - H1N1 - is picking up in Europe and may lead to an increase in cases here too.

But a "broadly typical flu season" is probably not the sense you'd get from watching or reading the news.

Statistical artistry was used to compare an early flu season to one that started much later allowing claims of flu cases being "an incredible 10 times higher" than in 2023.

It was technically true, but is like saying your train to Glasgow got you there in record time… but the journey time was identical, you just booked an earlier train.

NHS England was not the first organisation to start calling it superflu, but Prof Meghana Pandit, national medical director at NHS England, did label it an "unprecedented wave of super flu".

It has been suggested by the British Medical Association that flu has been used to scaremonger while resident doctors were deciding whether to continue their strike action.

Superflu isn't a scientific description and the BBC Health Team has not found any expert who thinks it is an accurate one.

"I don't think it's a helpful term, there isn't a particularly unusual set of symptoms, there's no indication of it being associated with exceptional severity, exceptionally rapid spread or exceptional health impact," says Prof Fraser.

One of the UK's top flu scientists, Prof Nicola Lewis, the director of the World Influenza Centre at the Francis Crick Institute, said the virus was "not particularly unusual" and that she saw "no evidence" the virus was "particularly different" and superflu "wouldn't be my description".

The former deputy chief medical officer for England through the pandemic, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, posted: "I'm very unclear what is meant by the rather silly term of 'superflu'."

Crying wolf?

Persuading people to get the flu vaccine saves lives and last winter the jabs were estimated to have kept around 100,000 people out of hospital.

However, experts have started to question whether the escalation in language used since the Covid pandemic could harm trust in official health advice. Previous winters came with warnings of a tripledemic of flu, Covid and RSV; then it was upgraded to a quademic adding in norovirus; this year it's superflu.

Dr Simon Williams, who researches psychology and public health at Swansea University, says there are issues with the "current language around every winter being 'the worst' in some way or another" and risks a "cry wolf" effect that damages trust and means people become "numb" to the advice.

He said there was a danger of "over-using the narrative that viruses will overwhelm the NHS" when "ultimately the NHS hasn't got overwhelmed to the point of not being able to carry out emergency and basic functions".

Instead he argues a "fine balance" is needed between raising awareness and "not falling into the trap of fear-messaging or being overly alarmist, which can backfire".

Prof Jonathan Ball, a virologist at Nottingham University, agrees saying: "I think it is a concern to use words like super flu, when we may one day experience a real super flu.

"We have to be very, very careful about how we communicate these things to the public, because there is a risk that we can cry wolf."

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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of one day adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This year, Pantone has chosen white as its colour of the year.

More specifically, Cloud Dancer - a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

It is the first time white has been chosen as the colour of the year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

Laurie Pressman, VP of the Pantone Colour Institute, told the BBC that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, a style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A cultural mood, not a trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury", burnout and a rejection of excess.

She says feedback from her clients has been largely positive, with many craving calmer, more restorative spaces.

"Many people are actively seeking tranquillity and serenity in their homes and aren't always ready to commit to more daring colours," she explains.

Whether white feels calming or sterile, Malik argues, depends on how it is used and far from being "Pantonedeaf", she sees it as one of Pantone's most usable picks.

Cloud Dancer is described as a blank canvas that allows "all colours to shine", a view Malik shares.

"A blank canvas isn't an empty space, it's a space filled with potential," she says.

Adding that its success "won't be in its universal adoption, but in how it anchors a larger conversation about what we want from our homes".

For those tempted to embrace Cloud Dancer in all its pristine glory, one thing may be essential: a very good stain remover, kept firmly within reach.

Too little, too late

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When two armed men in balaclavas tried to murder Christopher Mills in the idyllic countryside caravan he shared with his wife, he fought for his life – and to protect the woman he loved.

He was bludgeoned with a gun in the brutal attack, which lasted just minutes, before the men ran off into the night.

But in the days that followed that botched raid in the village of Cenarth, Camarthenshire, Christopher learned his wife, Michelle, was behind the plot to kill him.

She and her secret lover, Geraint Berry, wanted him dead so they could start a new life together.

"It's like a film script," said Christopher, a 55-year-old Army veteran. "I just didn't connect that my wife was involved in it."

Michelle Mills, from Llangennech, Carmartheshire, and ex-marine Berry, both 46, of Clydach, Swansea are each starting sentences of 19 years for the plot in September 2024.

She and Berry, who met through work at a homeless charity for veterans, had exchanged messages during their three-month affair about smothering Christopher with a pillow or poisoning him with antifreeze in his gravy.

They were both found guilty of conspiracy to murder after a trial at Swansea Crown Court.

A second man, Steven Thomas, 47, from Blaengwynfi in Neath Port Talbot, was cleared of the conspiracy to murder charge but was sentenced to 12 months for carrying an imitation firearm.

The court was told he had been recruited by Berry for the mission, which was intended to make it look as if Christopher had killed himself.

The case was described by police as "like a TV drama", but for Christopher it was horribly real.

He had thought his marriage was happy before the attack at their caravan on 20 September 2024.

"Everything was hunky dory," he said.

"We'd been together about 10 years, married for six. Everything was nice."

Although he had noticed she had become "colder" and "more distant" that summer, he would never have imagined what would come next.

"When I was fighting with those two men in the caravan, I was fighting for me and Michelle," he said.

"I thought it was an armed robbery. But then to find out that she'd instigated it, it's terrible.

"I never thought she'd be capable of something like that."

On the night of the attack, Christopher and Michelle Mills were getting ready for bed when there was a knock on the caravan door at 23:30 BST.

"I opened [it] and I was met with a masked man," he said.

"He just hit me straight in the face with a gun. Big, heavy, metal thing. It was like being hit with a hammer.

"I fought back. And then they both ran off. I was shocked."

In the 999 call made by Mills, her husband could be heard asking for an "immediate armed response".

"I'm ex-forces," he said. "I've taken the guns off them. They might still be here. It's pitch black here."

The owner of Argoed Meadow caravan park, Rita Owens, was soon at the scene "in panic".

"When I went down there, [Christopher] was badly beaten, full of blood," she said.

Mrs Owens said she asked Michelle Mills what had happened but she "shrugged her shoulders" and was "busy texting".

She added: "They were a happily married couple, I thought, but no."

Armed police arrived after 40 minutes and a helicopter found Berry and Thomas hiding in undergrowth in a nearby quarry.

They had gas masks and cable ties in their bag, and Berry carried a fake suicide note supposedly written by Christopher to his wife.

'My heart sank - I knew Michelle was involved'

It wasn't until the following day, when Christopher was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence based on false allegations made by his wife, that he realised she was part of it.

"It was at that point, that exact second, I just knew then that Michelle was involved," he said.

"I've never committed domestic violence on anybody, especially not Michelle. My heart just sank. I just thought 'this is crazy'."

Police told him his wife had been having an affair and had been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder him.

"I was devastated. It was completely out of the blue," he said.

"I only noticed a change in June 2024 when she became a bit more distant, a bit colder."

When Christopher had asked his wife if everything was OK, she blamed work and reassured him that their relationship was fine.

Christopher saw his wife for the first time since she was arrested in the dock during the trial in October.

He gave evidence, and sat in the public gallery every day.

"She didn't look like the Michelle I knew," he said.

"She lied, she was lying through her teeth in that courtroom."

Mills told the jury she believed the plot was a "fantasy" and an "escape from reality" because her husband was "controlling".

Christopher added: "By that point, I totally fell out of love with Michelle.

"I could never forgive her for what she's done. It's just a nightmare and it's never-ending."

Christopher said he wanted a divorce, but that any progress was difficult with his wife in prison.

"I hardly sleep at all. I don't go out on my own," he said.

"I'll just be glad when I can close the book on that. But it's going to be a long time yet."

Wife ordered lover to delete texts

The jury was shown more than 100 pages of texts between Mills and Berry.

He said in one: "We will watch him die and then come home and chill for the rest of the weekend together and just wait for someone to find him."

In the hours before the assault, Mills told Berry: "Sorry u know what ur doing, and I trust you."

Her final message after the attack was: "Police have been called, delete all communications, I love you..."

'Twists and turns like a TV drama'

Det Insp Sam Gregory, of Dyfed-Powys Police, described it as a "complex" investigation.

"One minute you think you're investigating one offence, but the next, it's developed into the most serious offence," she said.

"The plot's twist and turns are like a TV drama, but ultimately, Mr Mills has been at the heart of this investigation, which could have had potentially fatal consequences."

She said this sort of crime "does not happen" in rural west Wales and added: "It was just such a serious matter. It was real."

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The US justice department has released an initial tranche of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, which include photos, videos and investigative documents, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by Friday. The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, acknowledged it would not be able to release all of the documents by the deadline.

A number of famous faces are included in the first batch of files - including former US President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.

Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Many of those identified in the files or in previous releases related to Epstein have denied any wrongdoing.

Several hundred thousand pages still have not been released

Among the documents released on Friday are many that are redacted, including police statements, investigative reports and photos.

More than 100 pages in one file related to a grand jury investigation are entirely blacked out.

Officials, as outlined in the law, were allowed to redact materials to protect the identity of victims, or anything related to an active criminal investigation, but they were required by law to explain such redactions, which has not yet been done.

The thousands of pages released on Friday are only a share of what is to come, according to the justice department.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing "several hundred thousand pages" on Friday and that he expected "several hundred thousand more" to be released over the coming weeks.

He told Fox & Friends that the department was heavily vetting each page of material to ensure "every victim - their name, their identity, their story, to the extent that it needs to be protected - is completely protected". That is a process, he argued, that takes time.

The timing of when additional materials will be released is unclear, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed frustration.

Democrats including Congressman Ro Khanna have threatened action against members of the justice department, including impeachment or possible prosecution over the delay.

Khanna led with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, defying US President Donald Trump who at first urged his party to vote against the measure.

"The DOJ's document dump of hundreds of thousands of pages failed to comply with the law," he said on social media, saying in a video that all options were on the table and being mulled over by him and Massie.

Bill Clinton pictured in pool and hot tub

Several of the images released include former US President Bill Clinton.

One picture shows him swimming in a pool, and another shows him lying on his back with his hands behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub.

Clinton was photographed with Epstein several times over the 1990s and early 2000s, before the disgraced financier was first arrested. He has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein's abuse, and has denied knowledge of his sex offending.

A spokesperson for Clinton commented on the new photos, saying they were decades old.

"They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," Angel Ureña wrote on social media.

"There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We're in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that," he continued.

"Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats."

Epstein allegedly introduced Trump to 14-year-old girl

In the tranche of files released by the justice department are court documents that mention the US president.

The court documents detail that Epstein allegedly introduced a 14-year-old girl to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

During the alleged encounter in the 1990s, Epstein elbowed Trump and "playfully asked him", in reference to the girl, "This is a good one, right?", the document says.

Trump smiled and nodded in agreement, according to the lawsuit filed against Epstein's estate and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2020.

The document says that "they both chuckled" and she felt uncomfortable, but "at the time, was too young to understand why".

The victim alleges she was groomed and abused by Epstein over many years.

In the court filing she makes no accusations against Trump, and Epstein's victims have not made any allegations against him.

The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.

The alleged episode is one of very few mentions of the president in the thousands of files released on Friday. He can be seen in several photos but his inclusion is minimal at best.

The Trump War Room, the official X account for the president's political operation, instead was posting photographs of Clinton. Trump's press secretary, too, re-posted images of Clinton, saying "Oh my!"

However, there are still pages to be released.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said that "several hundred thousand" pages of documents are still being reviewed and have yet to be made public.

The US president has previously said he was a friend of Epstein's for years, but said they fell out in about 2004, years before Epstein was first arrested. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Photo appears to show Andrew laying across laps

A photo in the released files appears to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor laying across five people, whose faces are redacted. Epstein's convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell is seen in the image standing behind them.

Andrew has faced years of scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein, who does not appear in the photo.

He has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he did not "see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction".

Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chris Tucker and Mick Jagger

The newly released documents include the widest assortment of celebrities we've seen in an Epstein file release so far.

The former financer was known for having connections across entertainment, politics and business. Some images released by the DOJ show him with stars that include Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger and Diana Ross.

It's unclear where or when any of the photos were taken or in what context. It's also unclear if Epstein was associated with all of these figures or whether he attended these events. Previously released photos from Epstein's estate have included photos that he did not take from events where he was not in attendence.

In one of the newly released photos, Epstein is photographed with Michael Jackson. The pop idol is wearing a suit and Epstein is seen in a zip-up hoodie.

Another image of Jackson shows him with former US President Bill Clinton and Diana Ross. They are posing together in a small area and multiple other faces are redacted from the image.

Another photo in the thousands of files shows Rolling Stones legend Jagger posing for a photo with Clinton and a woman whose face is redacted. They are all in cocktail attire.

Several photos include the actor Chris Tucker. One shows him posing and seated next to Clinton at a dining table. Another shows him on an airplane tarmac with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Epstein.

The BBC has contacted Jagger, Tucker and Ross for comment. Clinton has previously denied knowledge of Epstein's sex offending and a spokesperson on Friday said they were decades-old photos.

"This isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," the spokesperson said.

Epstein threatened to burn down house, accuser says

One of the first people to report Epstein is included in the files. Maria Farmer, an artist who had been working for Epstein, told the FBI in a 1996 report that he had stolen personal photos she took of her 12-year-old and 16-year-old sisters.

She said in a complaint that she believed he sold the photos to potential buyers, and said he threatened to burn her house down if she told anyone about it. Her name is redacted in the files but Farmer confirmed the account was hers.

She notes in the report that Epstein had allegedly asked her to take pictures for him of young girls at swimming pools.

"Epstein is now threatening [redacted] that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down", the report states.

Farmer said she feels vindicated after nearly 30 years.

"I feel redeemed," she said.

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After weeks of intense competition, the Strictly Come Dancing finalists are primed to take to the dance floor one last time.

Just three couples remain of the 15 at the start of the series, with celebrities Amber Davies, George Clarke and Karen Carney vying to get their hands on the glitterball trophy.

It's also the last time Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will present a Strictly final. The pair announced they would be stepping down at the end of the current series.

The grand final will be broadcast on Saturday from 19:00 GMT on BBC One and iPlayer.

Amber Davies says she's earned her place in final

One of the main talking points leading into the final has been whether Amber Davies' performing background has given her an unfair advantage.

The Love Island star has faced a backlash online with people pointing out she's had roles in West End musicals Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical, and The Great Gatsby, as well as competing in the 16th series of Dancing on Ice.

This week, she told BBC News and other reporters at a Strictly press conference that she could "appreciate" where the comments are coming from.

"I have experience compared to these two," she said, gesturing at the other finalists. "I'm not shying away from that. However, I would say that the love actually does outshine the hate."

When asked whether she deserves to win, the actress, who is paired with Nikita Kuzmin, said: "I feel like I have worked just as hard as these guys going into the final, because I had to fight to get into the final."

The backlash is perhaps a symptom of a wider theme on Strictly, where over the years some viewers have appeared to form their own judgements on contestants, regardless of what the judges think or what the overall audience vote says.

Earlier this series Lewis Cope received criticism for having been a child actor in Billy Elliot, for example, and last year JB Gill came under fire for having danced before in the boyband JLS.

'I can't believe a footballer is in the final'

And it seems many viewers value an element of surprise or beating the odds, as with Strictly's first blind contestant Chris McCausland winning last year.

For Karen Carney, becoming the first footballer to reach the Strictly Come Dancing final feels "weird" but she's also "really, really proud".

"I can't believe a footballer is in the final," she said in the press conference.

The former Lioness, who is partnered with Carlos Gu, said she had struggled with her confidence in recent years, but added: "I always knew in my heart Strictly would be the thing that would fix me... It's by far the happiest I've ever been."

Crown for the social stars?

For social media star George Clarke, reaching this point in the contest is "mental".

"It's a completely different world to what I'm used to," he said.

Another online star, AngryGinge, was recently crowned king of the jungle in this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! It opens up the possibility of two social media stars winning two of the biggest shows on television.

"I feel like it's a whole demographic that hasn't really been touched massively in mainstream TV," said Clarke, who is partnered with Alexis Warr.

Who is dancing to what this week?

The finalists will perform three routines: they will revisit a previous routine, perform a show dance and then take to the floor with their favourite dance from the series.

This is what they'll be dancing to:

Amber and Nikita

• Showdance to Rain On Me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
• Judges' Pick - Paso Doble to Dream On by Aerosmith
• Favourite Dance - Jive to Proud Mary

George and Alexis

• Showdance to Human by The Killers
• Judges' Choice - Viennese Waltz to Somebody to Love by Queen
• Favourite Dance - Paso Doble to Game of Survival by Ruelle

Karen and Carlos

• Showdance to Inner Smile by Texas
• Judges' Pick - Argentine Tango to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
• Favourite Dance - Jive to One Way Or Another by Blondie

Other highlights from the show will include a group routine from the professional dancers and this year's finalists.

The cast of 2025 will return to the dance floor one last time for a group number, although BBC News understands that Apprentice contestant Thomas Skinner will not join.

What time does the Strictly final start?

Strictly Come Dancing 2025's grand final is at 19:00 GMT this Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer.

It will also be available to watch on the live page on the BBC News website.

The live page will also have plenty of build up ahead of the show - plus extra insight on the dances, the outfits, the judges' comments, and much more.

How can I vote for my favourites?

This year, Strictly has moved to online-only voting.

When the vote is open, shimmy over to this website to make your decision!

As with every final, all of us at home have the full power to decide the winner.

The judges will give their scores, but these will just be for guidance and don't get combined with the viewers' votes.

What happened last weekend?

Warning: The section below includes spoilers from last week's Strictly

Standards were incredibly high last week, as you would expect for a semi-final.

Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin kept up with their perfect score for a third consecutive week, while Karen Carney's Waltz had judge Anton Du Beke "a bit emotional" and George Clarke captivated the judges with his hip movement.

• Strictly stars in glitterball showdown to secure spot in final

In the end, Balvinder Sopal and Caillon left the competition, following a dance off on Sunday night against Davies and Kuzmin.

Tess and Claudia's last Strictly final

In October, we had the shock announcement by Daly and Winkleman that they would be stepping down at the end of this year's series.

The celebrity contestants later told me that the news took them by surprise too. "No one saw it coming," one said.

Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004.

This Saturday will be their last time presenting a Strictly final. Speaking on Strictly's sister show It Takes Two last week, the pair admitted they might feel "emotional" after the show.

Their last ever appearance on the show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.

There have been plenty of twists and turns in the show's 21st year.

But the show has also been embroiled in controversy.

In November, it emerged that an unnamed star from Strictly has been arrested on suspicion of rape. It comes after another man involved with the hit BBC dance show was also arrested on suspicion of rape in August.

It is understood that neither developments were related to the current series of Strictly.

It came after a difficult few years for the show, with a number of former celebrity contestants speaking up about their negative experiences on Strictly.

Last year, the corporation introduced new duty of care measures, including putting chaperones in rehearsals.

What was the last thing you asked an AI chatbot to do for you?

Maybe you asked it for an essay structure to help answer a tricky question, provide an insightful analysis of a chunky data set, or to check if your cover letter matches the job description.

Some experts worry that outsourcing these kinds of tasks means your brain is working less - and could even be harming your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Earlier this year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) published a study showing that people who used ChatGPT to write essays showed less activity in brain networks associated with cognitive processing while undertaking the exercise.

These people also couldn't quote from their essays as easily as those in the study who didn't use an AI chatbot.

The researchers said their study demonstrated "the pressing matter of exploring a possible decrease in learning skills".

All 54 participants were recruited from MIT and nearby universities. Their brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), which involves electrodes being placed on the scalp.

Some of the prompts used by the participants included asking AI to summarise essay questions, track down sources as well as refine grammar and style.

It was also used to generate and articulate ideas - but some users felt AI wasn't very good at this.

'AI makes it too easy to find answers'

Separately, Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft, which operates Copilot, found people's problem-solving skills could diminish if they became too reliant on AI.

They surveyed 319 white-collar workers who used AI tools for their jobs at least once per week about how they apply critical thinking when using them.

They looked at 900 examples of tasks given to AI, ranging from analysing data for new insights to checking whether a piece of work satisfies particular rules.

The study found that higher confidence in the tool's ability to perform a task was related to "less critical thinking effort".

"While GenAI can improve worker efficiency, it can inhibit critical engagement with work and can potentially lead to long-term overreliance on the tool and diminished skill for independent problem-solving."

Schoolchildren in the UK were similarly surveyed for a study published in October by Oxford University Press (OUP).

It found six in 10 felt AI had negatively impacted their skills in relation to schoolwork.

So, with the massive explosion of AI use, are our cognitive skills at risk of decline?

Not necessarily, says Dr Alexandra Tomescu, a generative AI specialist at OUP who worked on the school survey.

"Our research tells us that nine in 10 students say AI has helped them develop at least one skill related to schoolwork - be it problem-solving, creativity or revision.

"But at the same time, about a quarter state that AI use made it too easy to do work for them… So [it's] quite a nuanced picture."

She adds that many pupils want more guidance on how to use AI.

ChatGPT, which has more than 800 million weekly active users according to boss Sam Altman, has published a set of 100 prompts for students designed to help them get the most out of the technology.

But Prof Wayne Holmes, who researches critical studies of artificial intelligence and education at University College London (UCL), says this isn't enough.

He wants much more academic research to be done about the effects of AI tools on learning before pupils and students are encouraged to use them.

He tells us: "Today there is no independent evidence at scale for the effectiveness of these tools in education, or for their safety, or even for the idea they have a positive impact."

Better results but worse learning?

Prof Holmes points to research about cognitive atrophy, where someone's abilities and skills become worse after using AI.

He says this has been a problem for radiologists who use AI tools to help them interpret X-rays before they diagnose patients.

A study by Harvard Medical School published last year found AI assistance did improve the performance of some clinicians but damaged others for reasons researchers don't fully understand.

The authors called for more work to be done on how humans interact with AI so we can figure out ways of using AI tools that "boost human performance rather than hurt it".

Prof Holmes fears that students, whether in school or university, could become too reliant on AI to do their work for them and not develop the fundamental skills an education provides.

A student's essay might receive better marks thanks to help from AI but the issue is whether they end up understanding less.

As Prof Holmes puts it: "Their outputs are better but actually their learning is worse."

Jayna Devani, who leads international education at OpenAI - the company that owns ChatGPT - and helped secure a deal with the University of Oxford, says the firm are "very aware of this debate right now".

She tells the BBC: "We definitely don't think students should be using ChatGPT to outsource work".

In her view, it's best used as a tutor rather than just a provider of answers.

The example she gives is of a student having a back and forth with ChatGPT using the study mode setting.

You enter the question you're having difficulty answering and the chatbot can break down its components and help you understand it.

The example she gives is of a student doing an assignment late at night about a topic they don't quite understand.

"[If] you have an upcoming presentation to give and… it's midnight, you're not going to email your [university] tutor and ask for help," she says.

"I think the potential is truly there for ChatGPT to accelerate learning when it's used in a targeted way."

But Prof Holmes insists that any student who uses AI tools should be aware of how its reasoning works and how the companies providing them handle data. He stresses that results should always be checked.

"It is not just the latest iteration of the calculator," he says, describing AI's far-reaching capabilities and implications.

"I never say to my students, you shouldn't use AI… But what I do try to say is look, we need to understand all these different things about it so that you can make informed decisions."

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