Stormzy’s producer Fraser T Smith shares his best stories from the studio
Getty Images / BBC When you picture Stormzy in the studio, you probably don’t imagine his chief collaborator to be a 47-year-old dad from rural Buckinghamshire. But record producer Fraser T Smith is one of the star’s closest confidants, helping him create Gang Signs & Prayer in almost complete secrecy last year. It followed his […]
Electric car battery plant gets millions in funding
Britishvolt Artist impression of the Britishvolt factory, being built in Northumberland A firm planning mass production of electric car batteries in the UK has secured government funding for its proposed factory in Northumberland. Britishvolt announced plans for the so-called gigafactory in Cambois two years ago, saying it would create 3,000 jobs. The BBC understands the […]
Dick Van Dyke and Cher forced to evacuate Franklin fire in Malibu
Watch: Wildfire rages in California’s Malibu Canyon Actor Dick Van Dyke and musician Cher are among thousands of residents who have been told to leave their homes in the city of Malibu after a fast-moving wildfire broke out and burned acres of the wealthy enclave near Los Angeles. Hundreds of personnel have been deployed to […]
Is smoke toxic to the East Coast?
Getty Images Harmful smoke, fuelled by strong winds, has been spreading across California As firefighters work endlessly to control California’s raging fires, experts warn of long-term damage from wildfire smoke that could affect millions – and potentially even those on the east coast. The fires have burned through over 200,000 acres, blanketing parts of California […]
Deborah James ‘taught us how to live and how to die’
Getty Images Podcast host and campaigner Dame Deborah James has died, after announcing in May that she was receiving end of life care for bowel cancer. With her candid persona and infectious sense of fun, the presenter of the BBC’s You, Me and the Big C touched the lives of many. “She was one of […]
Motorsport fears over car modification rule changes
Jason Finn/Getty Images The government said it wants to prevent “tampering” of road vehicles for safety and environmental reasons. Plans to tighten rules on modifying cars are “ringing alarm bells”, motorsport enthusiasts have warned. The government said it wants to prevent “tampering” of road vehicles for safety and environmental reasons. Barry Guess, organiser of the […]
Fashion designer leaves Maison Margiela after 10 years
Fashion designer John Galliano has announced he is stepping down as creative director of Maison Margiela after 10 years. In a statement on Instagram, Galliano said “today is the day is I say goodbye” to the company, adding that his “heart overflows with joyous gratitude, and my soul smiles”. The 64-year-old did not announce his […]
Ryan Adams accused of sexual misconduct by several women
Reuters Ryan Adams found fame with albums like Gold and songs such as New York, New York in the early 2000s Several women have accused alternative rock star Ryan Adams of emotional and verbal abuse and offering career opportunities as a pretext for sex. A report in the New York Times outlines a pattern of […]
Government resignations: Who resigned, who stayed?
PA Media As Boris Johnson decides to step down as prime minister, who resigned from his government ahead of the announcement? Resigned Getty Images Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid quit Boris Johnson’s cabinet on Tuesday night, unleashing a flurry of resignations from government roles. Chancellor Rishi Sunak Health Secretary Sajid Javid Welsh Secretary Simon Hart […]
Minister urges ‘caution’ as lockdown is eased
BBC Elizabeth Truss said “we need to be cautious about opening up after the lockdown” People need to be “cautious” as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions ease, a cabinet minister told BBC Politics East. “We have been making huge progress in terms of vaccinations,” she said. “But we all recognise that making predictions about a few months’ […]