new figures show record waiting times in england for an ambulance and for treatment in a&e. many patients are waiting five times longer than they should for an ambulance. the widow of one man who died after no ambulance came speaks of her anguish. but we kept thinking, the ambulance will pull up every minute. we kept thinking, oh, it's going to arrive, it will be ok. and itjust didn't. one patients�* group says the pressures on the nhs this winter have become intoleratble. also this lunchtime... russians fighting in ukraine claim they've found the body of one of two british aid workers who've been reported missing. meanwhile, new footage shows ukrainian troops

being rescued on the front line as fighting rages around them. calls for energy companies to stop making their customers use prepayment meters because they're struggling to pay their bills. bumper christmas sales for some of britain's biggest retailers, despite the cost of living crisis. and tributes for the legendary rock guitaristjeff beck, who has died at the age of 78. and coming up on the bbc news channel... great britain's jack draper will hope to be the headline—maker in the first round of the australian open on monday. he's been drawn against the defending champion, rafael nadal.

good afternoon and welcome to the news at one. there's more evidence of the crisis in the nhs in england. ambulance response times reached their worst level on record in december. category 2 emergency calls, which include strokes, took more than an hour and a half on average. the target is 18 minutes. the highest priority calls, with an immediate threat to life, took almost 11 minutes on average. the target is seven. and patients are waiting even longer in accident and emergency. 35% waited more than four hours, another record low. our health correspondent jim reed reports. long queues for ambulances, the most 999 calls ever, record waits in a&e, new figures today show in blunt terms the pressure the nhs is under.

martin started feeling chest pains in his home in east sussex in november. his family rang three times for nmb lengths. we november. his family rang three times for nmb lengths.- times for nmb lengths. we kept thinkin: , times for nmb lengths. we kept thinking. the — times for nmb lengths. we kept thinking, the e-mails _ times for nmb lengths. we kept thinking, the e-mails will - times for nmb lengths. we kept thinking, the e-mails will pull i times for nmb lengths. we kept | thinking, the e-mails will pull up thinking, the e—mails will pull up any minute, it is going to arrive, it is going to arrive, it will be ok. and itjust didn't. it is going to arrive, it will be ok. and it just didn't.- it is going to arrive, it will be ok. and itjust didn't. 0k. and it 'ust didn't. after 45 minutes 0k. and itjust didn't. after45 minutes an — 0k. and itjust didn't. after45 minutes an ambulance - 0k. and itjust didn't. after45 minutes an ambulance had - minutes an ambulance had not arrived so his family had to drive martin to the hospital themselves. we so his family had to drive martin to the hospital themselves.— the hospitalthemselves. we 'ust drove, we drove i the hospitalthemselves. we 'ust drove, we drove to i the hospitalthemselves. we 'ust drove, we drove to the i the hospital themselves. we just drove, we drove to the hospital, | the hospital themselves. we just i drove, we drove to the hospital, we drove, we drove to the hospital, we drove at speed, i unclipped my seatbelt and i seatbelt drove at speed, i unclipped my seatbelt and i held my husband and

told him i loved him and... and then that was it, he was gone. last told him i loved him and... and then that was it, he was gone. last month was the busiest _ that was it, he was gone. last month was the busiest on _ that was it, he was gone. last month was the busiest on record _ that was it, he was gone. last month was the busiest on record for- that was it, he was gone. last month was the busiest on record for the - was the busiest on record for the nhs in england, with high rates of flu and covid filling up hospital wards. on average, ambulance response times rose to their highest level on record for urgent category 2 that was it, he was gone. last month was the busiest on record for- level on record for urgent category 2 calls like a heart attack or stroke, the target time to get to a patient is 18 minutes, the average response now takes over 90 minutes. this comes as hospitals are operating above normal safe limits. in england, 95% of beds were full

last week, with similar pressure across other parts of the uk. firstly, the number of patients with flu and secondly the number of patients with covid both peaked at around the same time during december, what that means is that around 10,000 patients were in hospital with flu or with covid at the same time, and that is a really high number, for both of them to peak at the same time. fine high number, for both of them to peak at the same time.— high number, for both of them to peak at the same time. one in eight hosital peak at the same time. one in eight hospital beds _ peak at the same time. one in eight hospital beds are _ peak at the same time. one in eight hospital beds are being _ peak at the same time. one in eight hospital beds are being taken - peak at the same time. one in eight hospital beds are being taken up - peak at the same time. one in eight hospital beds are being taken up by| hospital beds are being taken up by patients well enough to go home but who cannot be discharged because of

delays in finding the right social care support. that is all putting pressure on a&e and on the ambulance service with queues of paramedics having to wait outside hospital rather than getting back out on the road quickly. fine rather than getting back out on the road quickly-— rather than getting back out on the road cuickl . ., ., road quickly. one thing we have done is 500 million — road quickly. one thing we have done is 500 million investment _ road quickly. one thing we have done is 500 million investment to - road quickly. one thing we have done is 500 million investment to help - is 500 million investment to help -et is 500 million investment to help get people out of hospital, that is a get people out of hospital, that is 6 adult _ get people out of hospital, that is a adult discharge fund to help people — a adult discharge fund to help people to get out of hospital and -et people to get out of hospital and get care — people to get out of hospital and get care at home or in care homes. just before — get care at home or in care homes. just before christmas and ambulance was called in devon for colin's wife. they were told paramedics

would be there in two hours. we 'ust sat, fully dressed, i would be there in two hours. we 'ust sat, fully dressed, ready i would be there in two hours. we 'ust sat, fully dressed, ready to i would be there in two hours. we 'ust sat, fully dressed, ready to go, h would be there in two hours. we just sat, fully dressed, ready to go, and l sat, fully dressed, ready to go, and wondered _ sat, fully dressed, ready to go, and wondered when the ambulance would be coming _ wondered when the ambulance would be coming. and the the gmb, one of the unions involved in the _ the gmb, one of the unions involved in the ambulance action, we could see up— in the ambulance action, we could see up to — in the ambulance action, we could see up to six new strike dates announced next week, with strikes possible _ announced next week, with strikes possible towards the end ofjanuary or beginning of february if that's the case, — or beginning of february if that's the case, if there is no movement at these _ the case, if there is no movement at these pay— the case, if there is no movement at these pay talks. the case, if there is no movement at these pay talks-— these pay talks. thank you, jim reed, these pay talks. thank you, jim reed. our _ these pay talks. thank you, jim reed, our health _ these pay talks. thank you, jim | reed, our health correspondent. you can check how many people are waiting at your local hospital using the bbc�*s nhs winter tracker. that's at bbc.co.uk/nhstracker. wherever you are in the uk just put in your postcode to see the latest published info on waits in a&e, routine operations and ambulances.

a russian mercenary group fighting in ukraine claims it has found the body of one of two british aid workers who've been reported missing. the bbc hasn't been able to verify the claim. andrew bagshaw, who is a8, and 28—year—old chris parry were last seen heading to the town of soledar on friday. our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse reports. ben, the closer you get to fighting, and the heavier that fighting is, the harder it is to verify claims from both sides. the town of soledar doesn't get any hotter, to use a

phrase, on the frontline, it is where russia is sending recently mobilised troops to continue to push in its quest to conquer the donetsk region. we were there over the weekend, there was a lot of military activity on the ukrainian side, and this is a place where shells rained down and writing continues on what is left of the streets there. the british foreign office has long urged british nationals not to travel to ukraine, since the start of the war. but for andrew bagshaw and christa perry, well, they felt they had no choice but to go.

the dramatic music isn't really needed, but this video, needed, but this video circulated by ukraine's military gives you an idea of soledar today. here, they evacuate an injured soldier. the journey out is winding and dangerous. translation: there are 559 people still left in soledar, _ including 15 children. that's as of today. they had the opportunity to leave before 5th january but they chose not to. the city was then closed because of active fighting and enemy attacks. when you compare satellite images from six months ago and this week's, you're amazed it's that many. despite the real risks, chris parry and andrew bagshaw wouldn't be put off from helping people escape. now we've come back to pretty much the front, 300 metres from the russians, picked up two people, a woman, 40, and her mother, 60 or so, who actually i met a week or so ago when i was picking up the two elderly who got lost and then they got trapped by a tank. theirfamilies had said they were both proud and worried after they disappeared on their way into the town. then a claim by russian mercenaries from the so—called wagner group which they'd never want to see. images of documents posted online with the claim they belonged to both men and that they'd found one of their bodies. this is all still unverified and the british foreign office isn't confirming it. it's told the bbc it's supporting the families of two british men who have gone missing in ukraine.

the picture of soledar is murky. wagner is claiming to be in control. ukraine begs to differ. translation: the enemy trying unsuccessfully to break - through our defence and capture soledar is suffering heavy losses. the approaches to the city today are actually dotted with the bodies of killed putin troops. nevertheless they are moving over the bodies of their fallen soldiers. even the kremlin has acknowledged continued fighting. it's why it's replaced russia's top commander in ukraine, sergei surovikin, after three months in thejob. valery gerasimov will be expected to deliver moscow progress on the battlefield — and quickly. james waterhouse, bbc news, kyiv. there are calls today for a ban on energy companies forcing customers on to prepayment meters. the charity citizens advice says many are struggling to pay their bills. it says it saw more people who couldn't top

up their meter last year than in the entire previous decade. our business correspondent theo leggett is here. just tell us a bit more about the problem people are having with prepayment meters.— problem people are having with prepayment meters. there are two issues, prepayment meters. there are two issues. energy— prepayment meters. there are two issues, energy prices _ prepayment meters. there are two issues, energy prices have - prepayment meters. there are two issues, energy prices have gone i prepayment meters. there are two i issues, energy prices have gone up prepayment meters. there are two l issues, energy prices have gone up a lot, more or less double last year and if you are under prepayment meter you pay a higher rate. that's causing problems for a lot of people who don't have the cash to top up their meter and if they don't top it up their meter and if they don't top it up they are at risk of disconnection. that's one problem. then there's the increasing number of prepayment meters and this is key, because in the past to install a prepayment meter your supplier had to come into your house and physically install it, but now, if you've got a smart meter, they can do this remotely. they can reset your smart meter to be a prepayment meter and what citizens advice are saying is this is happening to people who should not be on prepayment meters, people who are vulnerable, who have long—term

medical conditions, who rely on medical conditions, who rely on medical equipment that needs power, and they say this kind of thing has now to stop. the outcome of not forcing people onto prepayment meters may be that we see an increase in energy debt. however, the alternative is much worse. what we're talking about here is people sitting in houses with no heat, no light, no hot water, absolutely nothing. now, of course, if energy isn't paid for or if some people don't pay their bills than everyone else has to pay more, that's accepted, but theissue to pay more, that's accepted, but the issue citizens advice is working on is the kind of people who are being cut off who shouldn't be cut off. some people should be allowed electricity and gas even if they are struggling to pay their bills. find struggling to pay their bills. and if the are struggling to pay their bills. and if they are really _ struggling to pay their bills. and if they are really struggling and in trouble, what is the advice? what can they do about it?— can they do about it? there are rules set by _ can they do about it? there are rules set by ofgem. _ can they do about it? there are rules set by ofgem. for- can they do about it? there are i rules set by ofgem. for example, some people are not supposed to be at risk of disconnection at all, so if you have medical equipment that relies on a steady power source for

example, or a long—term medical condition, you are not supposed to be at risk of disconnection. but also if you are struggling to top up your meter, then suppliers are supposed to offer you emergency credit for a few days to tide you over, they are supposed to talk to you and come up with a payment plan for your debts, so the first step is to get in touch with your energy supplier. to get in touch with your energy su lier. ., ., to get in touch with your energy su--lier. ., ., , , ,, supplier. theo leggett, our business correspondent. _ supplier. theo leggett, our business correspondent, thank _ supplier. theo leggett, our business correspondent, thank you. _ supplier. theo leggett, our business correspondent, thank you. the - supplier. theo leggett, our business| correspondent, thank you. the prince and princess of wales have appeared together in public for the first time since the duke of sussex published his memoir which has laid bare his relationship with the couple. william and kate arrived to officially open the new royal liverpool university hospital. harry's controversial autobiography, spare, has become the fastest selling nonfiction book in history according to the publisher, penguin random house, which reported more than 1.4 million copies were sold on tuesday, the first day went on sale

in the united states, canada and here the uk. it's coming up to 1:15pm. our top story this lunchtime... new figures show record waiting times in england for an ambulance — and for treatment in a&e. coming up. a return to the stage for sporty spice — mel c is put through her paces at london's sadler�*s wells. coming up on the bbc news channel — after they were knocked out of the league cup last night by a rejuvenated southampton, pep guardiola says manchester city have some improving to do ahead of saturday's manchester derby. new figures show some of britain's biggest retailers had a bumper christmas despite the cost of living crisis. tesco has reported a 7.2% increase in sales over the festive period. marks & spencer sales for quarter including christmas were also

up, by nearly 10%. here's our business correspondent emma simpson. christmas, it feels like a long time ago. for retailers, it's about shifting end of year stock now. so how did it go? some of us were tightening our belts. i was spending a lot less on each person for christmas because everything's so expensive. but others didn't hold back. spent a lot. we gave the kids budgets and we're like, no. and then we went above and beyond that. l this christmas, i did spend a bit. more because we didn't have covid, so i actually got time to see my friends. i so you splashed out a bit then? yeah, a little bit, yeah. here at bluewater mall in kent, the christmas story was all about people returning to shops. we've seen a really positive december with a double digit increase in footfall compared to last year. and the postal strikes definitely meant that customers chose to visit

stores rather than buying online for those last minute food did well, tesco says they planned for a good christmas and that's what they had. its boss says the uk consumer has proved quite resilient. m and s did even better with its strongest ever sales for food and clothing winning market share. it’s food and clothing winning market share. �* , , , ., , share. it's the first christmas eo - le share. it's the first christmas people have _ share. it's the first christmas people have had _ share. it's the first christmas people have had to _ share. it's the first christmas people have had to for- share. it's the first christmas people have had to for three | share. it's the first christmas - people have had to for three years, there is cause for celebration there and may people have wanted to whoop it up a bit. equally there is evidence they've traded down from brand so they've been price conscious and supermarkets have responded to that. fin conscious and supermarkets have responded to that.— responded to that. on online retailer asus _ responded to that. on online retailer asus saw _ responded to that. on online retailer asus saw its - responded to that. on online retailer asus saw its sales i responded to that. on online i retailer asus saw its sales fall. disruption from postal strikes and the end of the endemic booming e—commerce. christmas hasn't been a disaster for retailers but it hasn't been sparkling either. for many, sales are up but that's because goods have been more expensive stop

in other words, overall people have been spending more but buying less. and then there's this year.— and then there's this year. people's disosable and then there's this year. people's disposable incomes _ and then there's this year. people's disposable incomes are _ and then there's this year. people's disposable incomes are going i and then there's this year. people's disposable incomes are going to i and then there's this year. people's i disposable incomes are going to come under even more pressure so we think that the challenges for households are going to be particularly tough in the first half and that will put even more pressure on many retail businesses. even more pressure on many retail businesses-— businesses. with credit card bills landin: , businesses. with credit card bills landing. was _ businesses. with credit card bills landing, was christmas - businesses. with credit card bills landing, was christmas the i businesses. with credit card bills landing, was christmas the last i landing, was christmas the last hurrah before tougher times ahead? emma simpson, bbc news. people claiming sickness and disability benefits could soon be allowed to keep receiving their payments even when they find a job. the plans are being considered as part of government changes aimed at getting more people back into employment. at the moment, benefits can be reduced or withdrawn altogether when a claimant returns to work. efforts to resolve the row over the northern ireland protocol will be raised during talks later between stormont parties and political leaders

from dublin and london. the labour leader sir keir starmer is in stormont to discuss the deadlock, which the dup has cited as its reason for boycotting northern ireland's devolved institutions since may. a group of afghan families who were brought to britain after the taliban took power are taking the government to court. it's after their accommodation was changed, meaning their children had to leave their school. at first the four families were housed in a london hotel, but then they were moved to the north of england. they've struggled to find school places for their children and say their education has suffered. here's our home editor, mark easton. amid the chaos of the evacuation from kabul in the summer of 2021, the uk promised a warm welcome to the uk promised a warm welcome to the families of afghans who had worked with british forces. titer;r the families of afghans who had worked with british forces. they did ri . ht worked with british forces. they did ritht b worked with british forces. they did riaht b us worked with british forces. they did right by us and _ worked with british forces. they did right by us and we _ worked with british forces. they did right by us and we want _ worked with british forces. they did right by us and we want to do i worked with british forces. they did right by us and we want to do right| right by us and we want to do right by them. we want to help their

children settle down in our country and get the education they need. that's our responsibility, as a nation, — that's our responsibility, as a nation, and that's what we will deliver — nation, and that's what we will deliver. �* ., , ., deliver. but has the government delivered? _ deliver. but has the government delivered? 15-year-old - deliver. but has the government delivered? 15-year-old children | deliver. but has the government i delivered? 15-year-old children fled delivered? 15—year—old children fled kabul with their parents but since arriving in the uk almost 18 months ago they've been living in home office hotels and their education, they say, has suffered. i’m office hotels and their education, they say, has suffered.— they say, has suffered. i'm not auoin to they say, has suffered. i'm not going to school, _ they say, has suffered. i'm not going to school, i'm _ they say, has suffered. i'm not going to school, i'm not - they say, has suffered. i'm not i going to school, i'm not studying. i come from afghanistan. in the culture there, there is no study. they are both at the same. irate culture there, there is no study. they are both at the same. we don't have any good _ they are both at the same. we don't have any good education _ they are both at the same. we don't have any good education in - they are both at the same. we don't have any good education in school. have any good education in school and also _ have any good education in school and also in — have any good education in school and also in the hotels. shoulders... knees... and also in the hotels. shoulders... knees--- it— and also in the hotels. shoulders... knees... it was _ and also in the hotels. shoulders... knees... it was months _ and also in the hotels. shoulders... knees... it was months before i and also in the hotels. shoulders... l knees... it was months before these aft han knees... it was months before these afghan child — knees... it was months before these afghan child refugees _ knees... it was months before these afghan child refugees got _ knees. .. it was months before these afghan child refugees got school- afghan child refugees got school places and only then when worried teachers from woolworth economy in south london forced the issue. the children were among those delighted to be in class. but a year on and

the girls are not here. the home office suddenly moved them to another hotel in the north of england without arranging school places for them.— england without arranging school places for them. look at the care. isn't it glorious? _ places for them. look at the care. isn't it glorious? that's _ places for them. look at the care. isn't it glorious? that's a - places for them. look at the care. isn't it glorious? that's a lot i places for them. look at the care. isn't it glorious? that's a lot of i isn't it glorious? that's a lot of work. isn't it glorious? that's a lot of work- the _ isn't it glorious? that's a lot of work. the principal _ isn't it glorious? that's a lot of work. the principaljess- isn't it glorious? that's a lot of work. the principaljess west | isn't it glorious? that's a lot of i work. the principaljess west says she cried when she received handmade christmas cards from some of the afghan girls who were forced to leave the school bus yellow we know them, we love them, we look after them, we love them, we look after them, we love them, we look after them, we care for them.— them, we care for them. what's really difficult _ them, we care for them. what's really difficult see _ them, we care for them. what's really difficult see that - them, we care for them. what's really difficult see that moving l really difficult see that moving from a situation that was precarious, that we did everything we could to try and shore up for them, to another situation that isn't permanent and is just as precarious. isn't permanent and is 'ust as precariouefi precarious. one of the girls, stud in: precarious. one of the girls, studying for _ precarious. one of the girls, studying for her— precarious. one of the girls, studying for her gcses, i precarious. one of the girls, studying for her gcses, has| precarious. one of the girls, l studying for her gcses, has to repeat a year because local schools have no year 11 vacancies. the other is having to study online with material provided by walworth academy. i material provided by walworth academ . ~ , material provided by walworth academ . ~' , , academy. i think they broke their romise academy. i think they broke their promise and _ academy. i think they broke their promise and the _ academy. i think they broke their promise and the hotel _ academy. i think they broke their promise and the hotel is - academy. i think they broke their promise and the hotel is like i academy. i think they broke their promise and the hotel is like a i promise and the hotel is like a jail. promise and the hotel is like a “ail. �* , ., promise and the hotel is like a “ail. . , ., ., promise and the hotel is like a “ail. . , . ., , promise and the hotel is like a “ail. . , ., ., , ., ., jail. abdullah, not his real name,

was a sniper— jail. abdullah, not his real name, was a sniper who _ jail. abdullah, not his real name, was a sniper who worked - jail. abdullah, not his real name, i was a sniper who worked alongside the british military in afghanistan. for legal reasons he can't be identified but he is among those taking the home office to court over its treatment of afghan families brought to the uk.— its treatment of afghan families brought to the uk. they made a lot of promises- _ brought to the uk. they made a lot of promises. one _ brought to the uk. they made a lot of promises. one of _ brought to the uk. they made a lot of promises. one of the _ brought to the uk. they made a lot of promises. one of the promises l brought to the uk. they made a lot i of promises. one of the promises was ourfamilies will of promises. one of the promises was our families will live secure, safely, but unfortunately they are suffering. safely, but unfortunately they are sufferinu. ., , . , ., suffering. the home office says that to deliver value _ suffering. the home office says that to deliver value for _ suffering. the home office says that to deliver value for money _ suffering. the home office says that to deliver value for money afghan i to deliver value for money afghan families may be moved from one hotel to another, then it's the local authorities' responsibility to find school places and there may be delays in allocating those places. but with 5000 afghan children still living in hotels, a judge must now decide if operation warm welcome has been warm enough. mark easton, bbc news. two people remain in police custody after they were arrested in connection with the murder of elle edwards. the 26—year—old was shot outside a pub on christmas eve in

wallasey. police are questioning a man and a woman from the same area held on suspicion of assisting an offender. three people who were previously arrested over the shooting have since been released. aides of the us president, joe biden, have found a fresh batch of classified government records at a second location, in a growing political embarrassment for the white house. it's not yet clear when or where the additional files were found. but it follows other documents being discovered at a private office in washington dc, which mr biden used after his vice—presidency. the matter is under review by the us department ofjustice. a cyclone off the coast of california has continued to pour rain onto the already soaked american state — which has now seen at least 18 flood—related deaths. a series of storms since christmas have toppled power lines and sent rockslides onto highways. homes have been inundated with water and more severe weather is forecast,

as northern california braces itself to be hit next. one of the most influential rock guitarists of all time, jeff beck, has died at the age of 78. the british musician rose to fame in the 1960s as part of the yardbirds, before forming thejeff beck group with sir rod stewart. fellow musicians have described him as a genius who made the guitar sing. our arts correspondent david sillito looks back at his career. when eric clapton left the yardbirds in 1965, the question was, who could replace him? two days later, they had their answer — jeff beck. two years later he helped make rod stewart a star in thejeff beck group. helping to pioneer a blues rock

sound that others would turn into huge commercial success, butjeff beck was never going to stick with just one style. jazz fusion, techno... and here's something rather more classical, he tried it all. you probably should measure his success not by album sales but by how he influenced those around him. he meant so much to so many of us. i knew him personally as well but i wheeled him you that we all admirejimmy page, the greatjimmy page, and eric clapton, you know, the iconic, especially english, guitarists, but they will all tell you that onlyjeff beck could play that instrument in ways that they couldn't dream of. other tributes today, rod stewart, ronnie wood and mickjagger. the rolling stones had tried to recruitjeff beck in the �*705.

but what about his one big hit, hi ho silver lining? a catchy pop song he was told to record. it would be fair to say it wasn't his favourite. it's like being asked to wear a pink frock and walk on top of a bus down oxford street! it was framing me with this embarrassing pop song. that wasn't me. but by the end, he no longer hated it, he was even occasionally prepared to play it. but probably it is better to remember him for moments like this. stevie wonder, just one of an extraordinary list of artists who had worked with him over the years. if anyone was a guitar hero, it was jeff beck. jeff beck, who has died at the age of 78. as the sporty one from

the spice girls, mel c made backflips her signature dance move performing in front of millions of fans. now, the spice girl who turns 49 today is making a different kind of debut at london's sadler�*s wells theatre. our arts reporter sophie van brugen has been to meet her. piano music plays. it's taken months of hard work and rehearsals. mel c's first foray into the contemporary dance world. and it was a challenge that she was ready to take on. this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. i danced from a really young age. i think i started when i was about three. kind of got more into it and serious when i was about eight years old. and i think when i went into secondary school, i was, like, performing is definitely a career that i want and to have an opportunity to dance at sadler�*s wells is...i still actually can't believe it.

when i hit the stage, i'll be 49 years old. and, you know, who knew i'd be dancing professionally at that age? and i feel very proud of that. but there are definitely things that i can't expect my body to do now. myjoints aren't happy with me. they're not my friend. but, you know, definitely with the right care and attention, you can still go to do the things you love. it's hard work. there's been lots of ups and downs. there's been lots of tears, but i know at the end of the day, i'm going to really appreciate the work that i've put in and how much faith everyone's put in me. will the other spice girls be coming to see you? because you're all so supportive of each other. yeah, absolutely. i was recently on stage with emma and everyone's just so excited. i know mel b will be there, geri will be there. yeah, i'll have to see if victoria is going to come down. the last time the spice girls

performed together was 2019, but minus victoria beckham. so are there any plans for posh to join them again? i think you might have seen us on social media having a little boogie at geri's 50th. we're definitely luring her back in! so we're working on her! what do you want the audience to take away from seeing you in this production? i really want them to be moved. i want them to feel the emotion. it's a world of magic. and that's what captured...i feel emotional! that's what captured my imagination when i was a child. and now, whenever i get on a stage, when i go to, like, sound check or rehearse, ijust look out and i remember how i felt as a child and how itjust captivated me. and that's my life. that's what i do. i continue to do that

and hopefully i'll do it forever. melfi there, speaking to sophie van brugen, ourarts melfi there, speaking to sophie van brugen, our arts reporter. melfi there, speaking to sophie van brugen, ourarts reporter. —— mel c there. conservationists say they are the world's rarest chimpanzee, but now there's a newborn addition to the family of the western chimpanzees at chester zoo. the baby chimp has been described as a "small but vital boost" to the global population of the species, which is under threat in the wild. in line with the tradition at chester zoo, the chimp will be named after a pop or rock star in the next few days. or maybe even after chris fawkes, who has the latest weather forecast for us. no muggy around from me! let's talk about the flooding, these are some of the roads in the vale of glamorgan, we've had disruption on the railways in wales with trains struggling to make it through the flood waters between cardiff and caerphilly, so check before heading

out today. lots of flood