that is the same. it is that a virus we had barely heard of 12 months ago is once again forcing the prime minister to act in a way that would be alien to us in anything like normal times, the idea that our politicians would be telling people to stay indoors, the idea that politicians would be changing the law, to make it illegal do the things that are formally com pletely do the things that are formally completely standard for many of us. but that is the situation that coronavirus has forced on us and it seems that the new speed of this variant is what has changed things so variant is what has changed things so much. and just to leave you with one statistic on boxing day there we re one statistic on boxing day there were 18,000 people in hospital with coronavirus, in england. as things stand now, in that short time, it has grown to 26,000. and the pace of the spread of this virus has left politicians across the uk feeling they have no choice but to take so much of our choice away from us. we will hear what the prime minister has to say here on bbc one, at eight a clock. laura, at westminster, thank you.

time for a look at the weather. here's matt taylor. have you got better news for us? i wish i did. the days are getting longer, ten minutes more than we had in the winter solstice. think i. hastings falls in this area of darkening blue on the map which shows where the wettest weather will be, up to 50 millimetre, two inches possible. but even with that rain through the night there could be snow on the kent downs and the sussex hills. wintry showers continue further north, north wales, morning england into southern scotland, a dusting of further snow possibly, many will see clear skies, another frosty and icy start. temperatures at the theest in western scotland. but another sunny day here and for much of northern ireland too, wintry showers continue to the south and east of scotland, northern enlisten and that rain persists with the strong and gusty winds, far south—east and the channel islands could touch gale force at times and that will make it

feel cooler than temperatures of 3—5 would suggest. another chilly day in western scotland, even with the sunshine. now as you go through into tomorrow evening we continue to see the showers feed in that north—easterly wind, but there will be changes into wednesday, notice on this chart how the isobar, the lines start to open out a bit and that means the winds will start to fall lighter. they will shift in direction but clear some the rain away from the far south—east. there will be wintry showers drifting south wards in england and wales but a lot of dry and bright weather to come on wednesday, a cold day and then cloud and rain arrives in the north—west. that will lift temperatures the as we go through wednesday night, but a very frosty start to thursday in england and wales, with lots of dry and bright weather to see the week out. thank you. thank you. that's all from the bbc news at six, so it's goodbye from me, and on bbc one, we nowjoin the bbc‘s

hello, i'm 0lly foster, here's what's coming up on sportsday tonight. every precaution is taken, but england's cricketers are still dealing with a positive covid case in sri lanka. the virus has forced a change at southampton tonight, the saints are missing their first choice keeper against liverpool. the iceman cometh, but what a strange path he's taken. gerwyn price tells us how he left rugby to become the world darts champion. also coming up in the programme... we meet the teenage motorports star with formula one in her sights. it would be really nice to see a female and f nice to be the one to do it. —— to see a female and f1 and it would be nice to be the one to do

it. we will head to st. mary's and a second but we will start with that big cricket news. it looked as though england's cricketer‘s had done everything by the book, the whole touring party tested negative before boarding their charted flight to sri lanka where they were hosed down with disinfectanty on arrival, but after a second round of testing, moeen alli had returned a positive result. he'll have to isolate for ten days, chris woakes is also having to self—islolate because he was a possible close contact. in a moment we'll hear from our cricket correspodnent jonathan agnew, but first here's jimmy anderson, talking before the alli positive came to light, about the biosecure protocols they've had to go through. 0bviously with sri lanka, fairly low cases, they are taking every precaution to make sure that they stay safe over here so it is

understandable those measures were taken. and yes, it looked unusual with all the hazmat suits and everything but like i said i think it is better to be safe in this situation and we totally understood and got on with it. this is a really serious virus. and we want to take every precaution that we can and i think we know from this summer that you can still play sport and not spread the virus, but there are restrictions on you when you do that, so we totally understandable of the current situation and we would just try and get on with it as best we can. jimmy anderson there, a little earlier i spoke to our cricket correspondent jonathan agnew about the last 48 hours since the touring party left the uk as they try and work out how moeen alli could have tested positive. they were tested on friday, and they flew on saturday and arrived sunday morning where they were tested again

twice at the airport. two different types of tests i understand. one set of tests came back negative, but then the one that did come back showed that moeen ali was testing positive. so it is clear that there is an issue as to why everyone tested negative on the friday and then this one now appears positive. hopefully moeen ali is ok. but he faces ten days of self isolation in his hotel room. he has food delivered to his door. it also knocks him out of the first test match, which he might not have played, but he is there as the third spinner in that squad, but now having spent ten days in his room, there is no way he'll be fit to play in ten days‘ time. this is obviously the series that was scrapped nine months ago that england i'm not honouring. all those feelings must be coming back for all those cricketers. they have went to

this summer being fairly well behaved and those bio bubbles for the most part. but what a horrible start for them also be going through to the new year. absolutely. they are trying their best. i think cricket it is trying to help everybody within the game. i know the ecb are very grateful last year for the west indies, pakistan and i'll show you coming in the middle of the pandemic and i do think they feel they owe some back in return. —— and australia coming. i gave south africa the best shot but it didn't end well and now this was hasn't started well. you're up against this virus and they will give their best shotjoe root said before they left that they left at the show will go on whenever possible and that includes positive test. and we know that chris woakes is now seen as being a possible contact as well of mowing oddly, so he will have to face a period of isolation. we don't know how long. —— mowing ali. but there is a word

but there is culminating in the camp as they arrive in sri lanka and it is fingers crossed that it will not spread more widely. —— but there is a worry that there is covid—19 in the camp. so england's cricketers will be keeping everything crossed that there isn't an outbreak, it's something we've seen in football, the football league has been really hit hard, three matches in the premier league called off over the past week, there's one game this evening. alistair bruce—ball is on commentary duty for 5live. southampton against liverpool. the big news their concerns the southampton keeper. yes. the regular keeper alex mccarthy will not be involved in this evening. he's had to enter a period of the self isolation have been tested positive for covid—19. it means that a very experienced goalkeeper will take his place between the six for southampton to but one who hasn't played again for them this season. former england goalkeeper in fraser foster who was on loan as celtic last england so very experienced but a big job to come in and face the

champions liverpool. southampton will have their manager ralph hoss and who told back in the dugout this evening. he missed the last game against west ham having to self—isolate but i've seen him there, he's been walking around the perimeter of the pitch with the satchel in hand and he will be ready to go. i was going to accept. whenever this family member since the positives. that is good news for southampton. —— i was going to ask that. we'll hear from the prime minister later, expected to confirm the elite sport can carry on behind closed doors, we had various outbreaks, football, some football is behaving badly and breaching covid—19 protocols, but the premier league saying they haven't even discussed the idea of closing the season. discussed the idea of closing the season. i think there obviously as clea n season. i think there obviously as clean as possible to keep this season clean as possible to keep this season going if they can safely do s0. season going if they can safely do so. i have to say having gate attendant a lot of these football matches since the very first lockdown, the set up has been a rigorous and their protocols put in

place have worked. and so far, it is been done extremely well. in saying that every individual involved has to ta ke that every individual involved has to take responsibility for their behaviour away from the stadiums to make sure that this can continue, there has been in these discussions about a possible circuit breaker if up about a possible circuit breaker if up all the premier league may be taking a break. but actually i think given the way the virus is spreading at the moment, actually you would need to go longer than a couple of weeks so i think they are keen to try and keep it going if they possibly can continue with safely. this urgent case around the country was reflected in the latest round of premier league testing. —— this recent case. two football matters, we are hoping for a good one tonight. the saints can get themselves back in the mix and when you go back 12 months, liverpool had an eight point cushion at this stage last season. a very different dynamic because man united are hot

on the hills. yes. there's a lot of teams write hot on the hills. the top half of the table within seven points i liverpool lead, liverpool have been frustrated in the last couple of games. they wallop crystal palace and everybody said that as a statement of intent from the champions. they have frustrated at home against west brom in the draw i guess newcastle, man city put in a wonderful performance against chelsea yesterday. and it looks like the title could be anyone. southampton are in that top half of the table. they have fallen away a little bit in recent weeks, only picking up three points in the last four games. but expecting a really good battle this evening and take and get back to the two managers, ralph dubbed as the austrian clock against the realjurgen klopp on the sidelines tonight. we will see how it goes at eight o'clock tonight. —— australian jurgen klopp. a quick round—up of some of the day's other sports stories including some big hitting from two englishman in the big bash league

man city have confirmed for other women's first—team squad have tested positive for the virus. players involved will observe a self isolation period in accordance with the faa uk government protocol. joey barton joey barton has left his job as manager of league one fleetwood town. barton led them to last season's play—offs but leaves with the team tenth in the table after nearly three years at the club. some big hitting from two englishman in the big bash league alex hales hit 46 offjust 26 balls as sydney thunder set brisbane heat 175 to win. joe denly started slowly but 16 off just three deliveries brought up his 50 injust his second game in this year's competition. brisbane reached their target in the final over. the netball series between england and jamaica later this month has been called off because of covid—19 travel restrictions from the caribbean. it's hoped the four match series can be rearranged for later in the year. the masters snooker that's due

to start on sunday will be played in milton keynes rather than alexandra palace. a number of events were held at arena mk last year because there's a hotel on site which makes it easier to maintain a covid safe environment. gerwyn price is the first world champion of the new year. he beat gary anderson seven sets to three in the world darts final at alexandra palace last night becoming the first welshman to lift the trophy and he's also gone to number one in the world rankings. just six years ago, he gave up on a professional rugby career and came through qualifying school to get onto the darts tour. i spoke to ‘the iceman' earlier about last night's final and his journey to the top of his sport. the first set was edgy. the second set in as soon as i found my feet than the third set. just putting off

that. i felt really confident. than the third set. just putting off that. ifelt really confident. i knew i was playing really well. all of my doubles were going again. i was going well. the one set. i didn't know at the time it was a record breaker. but i missed a 9—darter. i knewi record breaker. but i missed a 9—darter. i knew i was playing really well. 136 average in the six that was off the charts. but then this wobble, you miss 11 match starts. what on earth was going to get mine? was it nerves on the big stage? yes. i've won many tenderness before bob never had that sort of pressure to win the first world championship. and to become well number one. ——i championship. and to become well number one. —— i had one mattress before. there was a lot of pressure. i'm sure you can all see it was tough to get over there windy line but thankfully i had such a big lead that i had