in north shropshire. the scale of the loss has prompted some of his mps to question his leadership and to urge him to make changes. another 93—thousand cases of covid have been recorded across the uk, a record total for the third day in a row. the government's scientific advisers have said more stringent restrictions will he need to be implemented "very soon" in england to prevent covid hospital admissions reaching three thousand a day. ghislaine maxwell, who's on trial in the us on sex trafficking charges, has told the court she won't be giving evidence. ms maxwell said there was no need to testify because the prosecution hadn't proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. she denies grooming girls for the late convicted paedophile, jeffrey epstein. now on bbc news, it's

time for the media show hello, good evening. good evening. that distinctive music could only mean one thing. it's time for channel 4 news one of the most famous faces in broadcasting. jon snow has been the face of the programme since 1989. over the course of three decades, he has grown every prime minister for margaret thatcher up to and including theresa may. he drew the iconic words, let bygones be bygones from nelson mandela. he shared a plane with idi amin, reported on wars in iran and crises in vietnam. and it's not all been hard news. he has danced and sung on tv and even got stoned on camera. but he has also been accused of being too partisan, of having political views that were too obvious and which undermine the network's impartiality. and so, at a time when the future of channel 4 is up for grabs, his words have come under unprecedented

scrutiny. jon snow, welcome to the media show and i guess before we start, the first question is, you've got a few days left at channel 4 news. hoping for an interview with borisjohnson? i'm absolutely standing ready and i have every hope that that phone call will come and i'll suddenly be able to say i have literally interviewed every prime minister since i've started. before we get stuck in, i just want to get one thing clear, which is how you see yourself. we know how we see you, but how do you see yourself? do you see yourself as a newsreader first and foremost? are you a reporter digging for originaljournalism who just happens to read the news? i see myself as lucky. and on top of that, i'm a reporter. i have nothing else, no other responsibilities than to tell the stories, to tell the truth and to interrogate. you love being on the road, don't you? oh, i love being on the road. that is the real

arena of retrieving information and ideas and stories that maybe no one else has gotten to. and you spend a lot of your career doing that out on the road as a newsreader. you are in haiti after the hurricane, you are in new orleans after the flooding, you're on the ground outside of grenfell tower. you've been working for a very long time and you went to india over a decade ago. what do you get from being on location that you would not get otherwise? i location that you would not get otherwise?— otherwise? i think you get totally plugged _ otherwise? i think you get totally plugged into - otherwise? i think you get| totally plugged into reality. there's nothing between you and what you are looking at. it is up what you are looking at. it is up to you to try to make something of it and to interrogate anyone who was there and indeed, to interrogate what it is you are being told. interrogate what it is you are being told-— being told. let's go back to where it — being told. let's go back to where it all _ being told. let's go back to where it all began. - being told. let's go back to where it all began. you - being told. let's go back to l where it all began. you went being told. let's go back to - where it all began. you went to university to study law, but you are thrown out for taking part in anti—apartheid protest. did you grow up in a political

household?— did you grow up in a political household? ., , ., household? politically, and the sense that _ household? politically, and the sense that my _ household? politically, and the sense that my parents - household? politically, and the sense that my parents were, i sense that my parents were, what you call, automatic tory. i don't think ever thought of any actual choice. there was no choice. and additionally, extraordinarily, my father was the headmaster of the school in sussex. and it was there that i encountered my first politician. the extraordinary thing is i was in the chapel and is said to my mother, who was that unhappy looking man down there at the end of our pew? she said jonathan, because that's what they called me. this is mr harold macmillan. he is the prime minister. do you know what a prime minister is, young man? and i said no sir. well, i am a conservative politician and i run the country. politician and i run the country-— politician and i run the count . ,, ., ., country. see you met harold mcmillan _ country. see you met harold mcmillan and _ country. see you met harold mcmillan and you _ country. see you met harold mcmillan and you didn't - country. see you met harold| mcmillan and you didn't from your career, said that he wanted to be a politician. but

there must be some sort of media gene and the snow family because dan snow is also a tv presenter. did you always know you wanted to be a journalist? no, i didn't know what i really want to be a troublemaker. i wanted to change things. after i was sent down from university, had to find something to do and i went to work and a day centre for homeless and vulnerable teenagers they stayed there for three years and it taught me everything i had not learned at that point. everything i had not learned at that point-— that point. and now you're sittin: that point. and now you're sitting with _ that point. and now you're sitting with me _ that point. and now you're sitting with me of- that point. and now you're sitting with me of the - that point. and now you're i sitting with me of the media show. i sitting with me of the media show. , _, �* show. i wish i could've said i had worked _ show. i wish i could've said i had worked for _ show. i wish i could've said i had worked for the - show. i wish i could've said i had worked for the bbc - show. i wish i could've said i had worked for the bbc and | show. i wish i could've said i - had worked for the bbc and that made the transformation. but despite pining to work for the bbc, i never have been invited. there is still time. but bbc, i never have been invited. there is still time.— there is still time. but and

that time. _ there is still time. but and that time, the _ there is still time. but and that time, the creation - there is still time. but and that time, the creation of i that time, the creation of commercial radio was hatched and the first station on air was l bc and i apply for a job there and for some reason, i think yes, probably peter snow, jon snow, may be our ownjon snow, he can be all right. they have peter snow. it will make sense. and i have three years of amazing journalism, really. because sadly, the ira went wild removing the way across london and lucky thing was that i rode a bicycle. and so i got to the scene of the crime often before anyone else is anywhere near it. and all he had to do was find some would like my bike up. other than that i have my tape recorder on my shoulder and dived straight in. and if you are getting raw amazing reviewing stuff, right there on

the ground, it is much more powerful, even if it is not as good. it may not be great journalism, but it was very powerful radio and people thought they were right in the heart of it. and you are thought to be a very good reporter, even though i probably was a terrible reporter. probably was a terrible reporter-— probably was a terrible re orter. ., ., ~ ., .,, reporter. he took over as channel _ reporter. he took over as channel 4 _ reporter. he took over as channel 4 news - reporter. he took over as channel 4 news from - reporter. he took over as l channel 4 news from peter reporter. he took over as - channel 4 news from peter after he absconded to the bbc. was that always struggled to be in the news? i that always struggled to be in the news?— the news? i don't think it was never regarded _ the news? i don't think it was never regarded as _ the news? i don't think it was never regarded as student - never regarded as student regarded as the job i never regarded as student regarded as thejob i do never regarded as student regarded as the job i do a channel for news as reading the news. it is interrogating the news. it is interrogating the news. of course, you've got a layout the facts and then challenge the people who are involved in those facts and determining whether they really are facts too. it's for the inquisitorial and reportage.

let's talk about your big scoops, and 1976, you were flying and a falcon executive jet along with the honour idi amin who was the dictator in uganda. how did you come to be on that plane? i uganda. how did you come to be on that plane?— on that plane? i have to give ou on that plane? i have to give you little _ on that plane? i have to give you little bit _ on that plane? i have to give you little bit of _ on that plane? i have to give you little bit of background. | you little bit of background. when i left school, i went on voluntary service overseas to uganda and never having been out of england. so, it was a big cultural shock, but it was also the most intoxicating and wonderful and amazing way of learning about the world. they developed this love of uganda and of africa and as soon as i became a reporter, i did a lot of reporting from africa. i know that you are interested in to go along with much of what he has been seeing recently. he does not want it to be colonised by africa. does not want it to be colonised b africa. �* ., , ., colonised by africa. and was on one of those —

colonised by africa. and was on one of those trips _ colonised by africa. and was on one of those trips that - colonised by africa. and was on one of those trips that we - colonised by africa. and was on one of those trips that we were | one of those trips that we were sent to uganda to try and hunt down idi amin and challenging for the terrible things he was doing. and the funny thing is, idi amin was rather taken with the fact that i had lived in uganda and he thought of me is on his side. so he invited us on his side. so he invited us on his side. so he invited us on hisjet to on his side. so he invited us on his jet to see the country. and there i was with my crew and a rather broadly looking security guard read a gun in his hip. as we continued our journey. it became clear that he had gone to sleep and i was sitting next to him and i thought, i saw this pistol hanging off his belt. i thought, should i shoot him? you really considered it? i don't think he was serious, but also me, pistol, him murderous,

meek, brave and courageous and looking for the truth. it is time i did something about this. jon snow, there's no possibility. and i thought, he may not actually be asleep, he might be pretending to be asleep. and i looked at the holster and the holster was undone and i could'vejust pulled the gun out but was it loaded? with idiot would let idi amin on board a loaded pistol? and then i thought, you're not going to survive this if you try that. and so, i did not. ., , ., . this if you try that. and so, i i did not._ thank did not. to your credit? thank goodness. _ did not. to your credit? thank goodness, what _ did not. to your credit? thank goodness, what a _ did not. to your credit? thank goodness, what a stupid - did not. to your credit? thank goodness, what a stupid thing to try and do. goodness, what a stupid thing to try and do— goodness, what a stupid thing to try and do. you watch nelson mandela walk— to try and do. you watch nelson mandela walk to _ to try and do. you watch nelson mandela walk to freedom, - to try and do. you watch nelson mandela walk to freedom, what| mandela walk to freedom, what was that like and how do you go about reporting the story of that kind was shallow it was intoxicating. it was absolutely the most glorious it

intoxicating. it was absolutely the most glorious— the most glorious it was liberation. _ the most glorious it was liberation. south - the most glorious it was liberation. south africa | the most glorious it was i liberation. south africa had the most glorious it was - liberation. south africa had a terrible record of apartheid and here i was, almostjesus christ figure who had appeared out of prison, an absolute hero of the time and amazing responsibility of being allowed to interview him. because he was no problem at all. it is impossible to say that he was as interested in me as he was in him. i don't want to disappoint you, but have to ask you, it is you want to hear from him, not you asking me. i know nothing and you know everything. can we just do this interview. and we had a beautiful interview and he was the most lovely and gracious and amazing guy who had been through so much and yet was still the most vivid and

affectionate and loving human being. affectionate and loving human beinu. �* being. and he said led let bygones _ being. and he said led let bygones be _ being. and he said led let bygones be bygones - being. and he said led let - bygones be bygones villanelles most important thing to him, peace rather than taking it on the people who took it out on him. , , , ., , ., him. the pressure that everyone has exerted _ him. the pressure that everyone has exerted and _ him. the pressure that everyone has exerted and also _ him. the pressure that everyone has exerted and also the - him. the pressure that everyone has exerted and also the fact - has exerted and also the fact that apartheid committed so many crimes and some the crimes are committed in the name of apartheid, what should happen to people who committed those crimes? i to people who committed those crimes? ., , to people who committed those crimes? . , crimes? i have been saying throughout _ crimes? i have been saying throughout let _ crimes? i have been saying throughout let bygones - crimes? i have been saying throughout let bygones be| throughout let bygones be bygones. throughout let bygones be b ones. ,., throughout let bygones be bygones-— throughout let bygones be b ones. ., , ., bygones. nelson mandela is not the only world _ bygones. nelson mandela is not the only world leader _ bygones. nelson mandela is not the only world leader you - bygones. nelson mandela is not the only world leader you have i the only world leader you have interviewed and you also grilled almost every prime minister since margaret thatcher. do you think politicians are harder to pin down now than when you first started? it

down now than when you first started? , , ., , started? it is interesting as the technology _ started? it is interesting as the technology has - started? it is interesting as . the technology has developed, so is the capacity for the leader or politician to evade scrutiny. i think that is a fact. and it is much more difficult. there is no question that the interrogation in the comments is good stuff and democracy still functions, but the beauty of the press was that it was able to cut through a lot of stuff and just get to a lot of stuff and just get to a leader in test and that is much more difficult today than it was. difficult in part because they've got people who spend their full—time lives preventing you from getting anywhere near doing anything. yes. �* , ., ., 4' anywhere near doing anything. yes. �* ., ~ ., yes. and someone like margaret thatcher, she _ yes. and someone like margaret thatcher, she didn't _ yes. and someone like margaret thatcher, she didn't actually - thatcher, she didn't actually need massive defenders. she was happy to be quizzed on the doorstep of number ten, as anyone. and it has become much,

much tighter and much more difficult and in a funny sort of way, it has almost left leaning politicians looking smaller than their forbearers used to be able to give amazing accounts. you could say what's going on and you would get an answer. now, it is much harder. they think the enemy. it's gotten to a very soft and said space. of course not. i want truth, i want to know what's going on. i want to know more about on behalf of the viewer and the listener, what is happening? what is your purpose. what is the purpose of this law? what is the purpose of what you are doing? but it can be very difficult. you can get a background briefing, but there are no pictures. you have nothing to prove that you respect anyone because it is off—camera. respect anyone because it is off-camera— respect anyone because it is off-camera. ~ , ., off-camera. were full big-name interviewers _ off-camera. were full big-name interviewers kind _ off-camera. were full big-name interviewers kind of _

off-camera. were full big-name interviewers kind of a _ interviewers kind of a particular approach. andrew neil would adopt a tone of incredulity, how would you describe your interview style? i am much thicker than they are. accomplish people universal degrees and i am not and therefore i have to be much more animal and i try to ask the questions that the viewer might really want answered. i try to follow up with an intelligent question, but the idea that i know any more than the average citizen, perhaps thatis the average citizen, perhaps that is the joy of this. the average citizen wants you to ask questions their behalf. they don't want you to plug your phd in check subsection five cloths six and see with the minister is telling the truth or not. they want you to ask straight on, what is going on here? as you wander around the party here, there is one thing that strikes you in that extraordinary number of people in your own party hate you. why do they hate you? i

in your own party hate you. why do they hate you?— do they hate you? i don't find that, actually. _ do they hate you? i don't find that, actually. ice _ do they hate you? i don't find that, actually. ice find - that, actually. ice find travelling around this conservative conference i've spoken to every area of reception, travelling around the country, supporting conservative campaigns and colleagues. conservative campaigns and colleagues-— conservative campaigns and colleauues. , , ., ., colleagues. they find you aloof that you're _ colleagues. they find you aloof that you're not _ colleagues. they find you aloof that you're not one _ colleagues. they find you aloof that you're not one of- colleagues. they find you aloof that you're not one of them. i i that you're not one of them. i just do not accept that. i really— just do not accept that. i really don't i don't accept that— really don't i don't accept that for— really don't i don't accept that for a minute.- really don't i don't accept that for a minute. you have been stoned _ that for a minute. you have been stoned on _ that for a minute. you have been stoned on tv, - that for a minute. you have been stoned on tv, you - that for a minute. you have i been stoned on tv, you have danced, you have sung on camera. i know you are a former chorister, is that something where is there a case or not a case for saying the news reader shouldn't be a part of the story that audiences want a more bland figure? i story that audiences want a more bland figure?- more bland figure? i don't think the _ more bland figure? i don't think the presenter- more bland figure? i don't think the presenter of - more bland figure? i don'tl think the presenter of news more bland figure? i don't - think the presenter of news has a responsibility to evade the truth that he or she is a human being. and i think the attraction in many ways of what

we have, let's and more opportunity to question people and be more discusses, is that we remain human beings. we did not become automatons or trapped persons were doing other peoples bidding. the danger is that they will bring their weapons out onto the street and that there will be bloodshed again. moments later, guns actually did appear in order was eventually restored by those who express no sympathy for the women's position. sympathy for the women's position-— position. your accent has definitely _ position. your accent has definitely changed - position. your accent has definitely changed over l position. your accent has l definitely changed over the years. we ever told you sounded to posh? years. we ever told you sounded to osh? ., ., years. we ever told you sounded to osh? . ., to posh? often. i am a posh bo . to posh? often. i am a posh boy- did _ to posh? often. i am a posh boy- did you _ to posh? often. i am a posh boy. did you change - to posh? often. i am a posh boy. did you change it - to posh? often. i am a posh boy. did you change it on i boy. did you change it on purpose? _ boy. did you change it on purpose? know. - boy. did you change it on purpose? know. i- boy. did you change it on purpose? know. i speakl boy. did you change it on i purpose? know. i speak asi ever did- — purpose? know. i speak as i ever did. your _ purpose? know. i speak as i ever did. your voice - purpose? know. i speak as i ever did. your voice is - ever did. your voice is definitely _ ever did. your voice is definitely leveled - ever did. your voice is | definitely leveled out? ever did. your voice is - definitely leveled out? has it? come on- _ definitely leveled out? has it? come on- l _ definitely leveled out? has it? come on. i would _ definitely leveled out? has it? come on. i would dispute - definitely leveled out? has it? | come on. i would dispute that. 0k, come on. i would dispute that. ok, i come on. i would dispute that. 0k, iwill come on. i would dispute that. ok, i will place some tapes

later. you have been called a lefty, has the question of impartiality ever been raised to you by your bosses? nobody. no one is _ to you by your bosses? nobody. no one is ever _ to you by your bosses? nobody. no one is ever sat _ to you by your bosses? nobody. no one is ever sat me _ to you by your bosses? nobody. no one is ever sat me down - to you by your bosses? nobody. no one is ever sat me down and j no one is ever sat me down and said you are to right winger to left wing or everything else. and i don't think i am. i think i go straight down the middle. for example, you to grenfell tower. grenfell tower is an extraordinary event in our time that speaks so loudly of inequality that if i were to take a position that looks at this from the point of view of a victim, someone who is living up a victim, someone who is living up the 73rd floor and lost their husband, child and everything, and by then to say look, i'm sorry. i have to be completely objective about this, if they worked hard or they would not have been on the top no. no. you have to be the

right person asking the right question at the right time and you're not going to adjust yourself because you think in some way, you are to left to write. don't think of these things. i think the appalling suffering the person on the 12th floor who went to that terrible experience. andrew, but he was — terrible experience. andrew, but he was stepping - terrible experience. andrew, but he was stepping down i terrible experience. andrew, i but he was stepping down from the bbc tojoin lb but he was stepping down from the bbc to join lb see, but he was stepping down from the bbc tojoin lb see, he but he was stepping down from the bbc to join lb see, he said he wants to get his own voice back. do you feel constrained but what you can say because you were for channel 4 news michelle absolutely not. i feel no constraint at all and i have very rarely ever been ticked off very rarely ever been ticked o �* ., ., , ~ ., off over anything like that. you have _ off over anything like that. you have been _ off over anything like that. you have been heavily - you have been heavily criticised by the government, some of them see it as having a left—wing political bias which channel 4 news entirely disputes. channel 4 disputes obviously. why do you think they have that impression about channel 4 news? because the changed consultation on channel 4's future. it changed consultation on channel 4's future. ., ,

4's future. it has the responsibility - 4's future. it has the responsibility of - 4's future. it has the responsibility of not| 4's future. it has the - responsibility of not being the bbc and i listen to it and i watch it far more than a watch any other channel. but the fact is, that given the bbc�*s position and given the fact that it position and given the fact thatitis, position and given the fact that it is, innocence, it runs a very fine and objective operation. having the glory of channel 4 is that it is not the bbc and that it actually has the opportunity to roam free and make of the world will be canned. ., , ., , and make of the world will be canned. ., i. , ., canned. can you remember a time when journalists _ canned. can you remember a time when journalists came _ canned. can you remember a time when journalists came under - canned. can you remember a time when journalists came under so i when journalists came under so much criticism from the public as well as the government group feel i believe there's been many times where it has been tough, i don't think it is going on as long as this but this epidemic— going on as long as this mt this epidemic is an exacerbating factor. but there were times in the stature of�*s

period with the media. it goes in cycles, i've remember harold wilson complaining about the media. it's a part of the furniture. frankly, if democracy stops complaining about the media, and we have reached a bad situation.- reached a bad situation. does cancel culture _ reached a bad situation. does cancel culture exist? - reached a bad situation. does cancel culture exist? not - reached a bad situation. does cancel culture exist? not hisl cancel culture exist? not his first channel— cancel culture exist? not his first channel for— cancel culture exist? not his first channel for his - cancel culture exist? not hisj first channel for his concern. i am not conscious of it all. everyone is under pressure one way or another, may be under pressure to tell the truth and thatis pressure to tell the truth and that is our responsibility. if furniture were telling the truth, then maybe we should be called to attention and not repeated. but the fact is, that doesn't happen very often. i think people exaggerate the extent to which there is some sort of a battle going on. i don't really think there is. and i'm really interested in hearing your take on the health of the news industry right now. you work at itn which makes

channel 4 news, channel five news, is there a lot of competition that your colleagues at itv had last week as we discussed in the media show. joking about downing street party. what was the moody channel 4 news watch your colleagues could such a big scoop? colleagues could such a big scoo - ? ., , colleagues could such a big scoo - ? . , , scoop? pleasure. genuine pleasure- _ scoop? pleasure. genuine pleasure. because - scoop? pleasure. genuine pleasure. because it - scoop? pleasure. genuine pleasure. because it had i scoop? pleasure. genuine - pleasure. because it had come from itv which did not have a great track record of real mass of scoops like that. and it was a real utterly brilliant scoop and a very meaningful one. and we were envious, but we were thrilled. we didn't celebrate very much because we had access to it, but no, it was pleasure that our building, which houses a lot of tv channels had done something that the bbc must�*ve been, well, flipping their news about starpointe there's been a lot of talk about old guard.

andrew neil has had his own well—publicized exit from broadcasting for the moment. what do you make of all these big news beasts going all at once? i big news beasts going all at once? ., , , once? i think the big thing is to say how — once? i think the big thing is to say how old _ once? i think the big thing is to say how old are _ once? i think the big thing is to say how old are we - once? i think the big thing is to say how old are we and i once? i think the big thing is| to say how old are we and we look at the age, the ages that we emerged from in many ways, the naive youthful period of the naive youthful period of the medias development in which there was, we were all finding our way and the media today, obviously is quite different from the very odd and confused and rather posh outfits that used to exist in the 50s and 60s. �* ., ., used to exist in the 50s and 60s-_ and - used to exist in the 50s and 60s._ and all | used to exist in the 50s and i 60s._ and all mail 60s. and all mail. and all mail and now it's — 60s. and all mail. and all mail and now it's multicultural i 60s. and all mail. and all mail and now it's multicultural and l and now it's multicultural and it's all men and women and it's a different world. we've been lucky enough to be born in the right years, the late 30s and early 50s and we have come of age is broadcasting in the media have come of age and we

have blossomed and enjoyed it and given back. and ifeel very proud to be part of it. hope and given back. and i feel very proud to be part of it.- proud to be part of it. how do ou feel proud to be part of it. how do you feel about _ proud to be part of it. how do you feel about leaving - you feel about leaving channel 4 news after three decades? it's been a long time? it’s it's been a long time? it's like leaving _ it's been a long time? it's like leaving the _ it's been a long time? it�*s like leaving the marriage. there were kids and all the links in the best of it. you know, we are all interdependent and so many ways of the workplace and use each of the day after day, week after week and month after month and year after year. and it's a big wrench. after year. and it's a big wrench-— after year. and it's a big wrench. �* ., , wrench. and your routine is channel _ wrench. and your routine is channel 4 _ wrench. and your routine is channel 4 news. _ wrench. and your routine is channel 4 news. my - wrench. and your routine is| channel 4 news. my routine hasn't changed _ channel 4 news. my routine hasn't changed in _ channel 4 news. my routine hasn't changed in 33 - channel 4 news. my routine hasn't changed in 33 years. | hasn't changed in 33 years. looking back over your time and the role, a lot of people, through movies i have encountered, because if you're jaded. they say you know, the same stories keep coming up again, it is depressing, nothing changes. do you feel

that your journalism nothing changes. do you feel that yourjournalism has made a differenceyou're talking earlier on about your background and what you wanted to do when you came to journalism. you think your journalism. you think your journalism has led to change for the better?— for the better? because i'm tall and have _ for the better? because i'm tall and have funny - for the better? because i'm tall and have funny ties, i tall and have funny ties, people are terribly nice to me in the street and you get this feedback. and that is wonderful. you do get feedback and you do get a sense of why people watch and why they enjoy it and the rest is not based on, we are different from other opportunities in other options. and obviously, i'm going to miss that. and obviously, i'm going to miss that-— and obviously, i'm going to miss that. g ., ,, ., ., ,, , ., miss that. jon snow, thank you for coming _ miss that. jon snow, thank you for coming on _ miss that. jon snow, thank you for coming on the _ miss that. jon snow, thank you for coming on the media - miss that. jon snow, thank you for coming on the media showl for coming on the media show today. it is wonderful to hear from you and thank you to our studio engineer. everyone out there, thank you so much for listening and goodbye.

hello. scotland and northern ireland have the lion's share of friday's sunshine, even these areas are likely to turn cloudier as we go on through the weekend. a weekend which will for most places, bring plenty of cloud. despite that, it will be dry, it will gradually turn cooler as that weekend goes on, as well. there is an area of high pressure right across the united kingdom giving plenty of settled weather as we go through the weekend. but trapped underneath that, there is a lot of cloud. now, where there have been clear spells overnight in and into the morning, in scotland and northern england in particular, this is where we will wake up to the lowest temperatures and there will be frost in places too. but there will also be some sunny spells and fog across the eastern side of england in particular, dense in places, some patches lingering all day in a few spots and thick enough to be affecting travel. in terms of where we see some sunny spells, scotland,

northern england, westernmost parts of wales, far south of england, maybe a few brighter breaks in northern ireland at times. temperatures mainly around six or 10 celsius, but there it will be colder, fog lingers and there will be parts of scotland that stay just above freezing all day long. as we go on through saturday night getting its way out for all those breaks in the cloud, particularly into parts of northern england and scotland, you'll find the lowest temperatures that create the risk of seeing a frost going into sunday, picking up the areas in blue here. the cloud, temperatures will not fall too far from where we've been during the day. but that cloud will be back again on sunday and again, there's a risk of seeing some dense fog patches in places to begin the day. in terms of any sunshine on sunday, notjust the higher ground in scotland, northern england and wales venturing into the hills you're most likely to see some sunshine through the valleys below, may well be stuck underneath cloud. and overall, it is trening cooler on sunday and getting colder still as we go into the new week. now, high pressure will eventually give way as we go deeper through the week. but then the big question mark on how quickly these weather systems from the atlantic, or indeed if they will at all, move—in and provide a change

to more unsettled weather in time for christmas. so, colderfor a time next week, more widespread overnight frost. but if you're looking at your app and the forecast online, yes, it may look as the returns and settled just before christmas. but there's still a lot to play for in the details.

this is bbc news. i'm rich preston. our top stories: a record 93,000 new coronavirus cases in the uk: scientists warn that tighter restrictions may be needed "very soon" to control hospital admissions in england. british socialite ghislaine maxwell, who's on trial on sex trafficking charges, tells the us court she won't be giving evidence. hello and welcome to bbc news. the omicron strain of coronavirus is continuing to spread rapidly around the world. the headline figures are coming from europe — in particular, the uk.

over 93,000 cases have been recorded in the past 2a hours —