we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. imagine swimming at the north pole. or in a tunnel below the ntarc ice. or belong the entire length of the english channel. all of these seats of super human endurance have been undertaken by my guest today, lewis pugh, what is he do it? to focus attention on the climate crisis and its impact on our blue planet. his death—defying exploits of one him political access from downing street to the kremlin. but is the response to little too late?

lewis pugh, welcome to hardtalk. lewis pugh, welcome to hardtalk— lewis pugh, welcome to hardtalk. ., ~ c hardtalk. thank you so much. it's ureat hardtalk. thank you so much. it's great to — hardtalk. thank you so much. it's great to have _ hardtalk. thank you so much. it's great to have you - hardtalk. thank you so much. it's great to have you on - hardtalk. thank you so much. it's great to have you on the i it's great to have you on the show. here you are before me in your very smart suit but soon your very smart suit but soon you will be back in your trunks on another marathon swim. you've just announced you're going to swim the entire length of the hudson river three new york state, ending up in new york state, ending up in new york city at the time of the un general assembly. york city at the time of the un generalassembly. it's york city at the time of the un general assembly. it's a massive undertaking. do these things get easier with experience and with time? mentally easier. mentally easier. physically, perhaps not

so but mentally, yes. because, without being _ so but mentally, yes. because, without being impolite, - so but mentally, yes. because, without being impolite, you - without being impolite, you began these endurance tests as extreme swimming in your 30s and you are now into your 50s. just physically, how demanding is this one going to be? i think it's going to be very, very demanding. it's a long swim, we think it will take me 30 days and the big challenges are obviously the hudson has got rocks, there are rapids to begin with so you will hit a rock and your swim can and very, very quickly and it's a very, very quickly and it's a very long swim and also there is pollution in the water. so you put all those things together and it makes it a very, very challenging swim. ii very, very challenging swim. if that something interesting about the way in which pain and suffering works for an extreme endurance swimmer. you said it's the only spot in the whole world that i'm aware of that the more experience you have, in a way, the harder it becomes. ijust wonderwhen in a way, the harder it becomes. i just wonder when you said that, what did you mean by it? i said that, what did you mean by it? 4' said that, what did you mean by it? ~ ., �* , said that, what did you mean by it? ~ .

it? i think that's correct. i mean. — it? i think that's correct. i mean. for— it? i think that's correct. i mean, for example, - it? i think that's correct. i j mean, for example, when it? i think that's correct. i - mean, for example, when you watch a tennis player and you watch a tennis player and you watch a tennis player and you watch a tennis player hit so many balls and the more balls were hit, the better they become. but when you have been really, really, really cold, it stays in your bones and then every single subsequent swim becomes exponentially harder. so for example you talked about doing the swim underneath the antarctic ice sheet and in order to do that, i had to forget what happened at the north pole in my hands were so cold, i had to forget what happened on everest when i did a swim at everesting 2010 when i could barely breathe and what happened in the ross sea when the water was lapping up against the side of the boat and turning into slush mid air. you have to forget it before you can actually get back into the water again.— the water again. you've said uuite the water again. you've said quite candidly _ the water again. you've said quite candidly i _ the water again. you've said quite candidly i don't - the water again. you've said quite candidly i don't like . quite candidly i don't like swimming in cold water. i tolerate it. i tolerate swimming in cold water. i tolerate it. itolerate it. swimming in cold water. i j tolerate it. i tolerate it. it 'ust tolerate it. itolerate it. it just makes me think there is something very perverse about you, lewis pugh, because for a

man who is open about his dislike of cold water, you have sort it out throughout your aduu sort it out throughout your adult life.— sort it out throughout your adult life. swimming in the laces adult life. swimming in the places where _ adult life. swimming in the places where i _ adult life. swimming in the places where i do - adult life. swimming in the places where i do for - adult life. swimming in the i places where i do for example across the north pole in antarctica and the ross sea, unable to convey a message about what is happening to the planet, —— i am able to. to shine a light on these places where we really do need to shine a light. so for example the swim across the north pole in 2007, it was across an open patch of sea. the message was simple — can you swim across the north pole? or in the ross sea, it was to get the area protected. i did the swim down there and afterwards to the kremlin and two years later shuttling back and forwards, we were able to get the area protected. and so i think that swimming in cold water captures the imagination of the media and also, it conveys a message — there is a vulnerability to our planet. bill - there is a vulnerability to our planet-— our planet. all of that, we will unpick _ our planet. all of that, we will unpick in _ our planet. all of that, we will unpick in some - our planet. all of that, we will unpick in some detail| will unpick in some detail because you've been campaigner, you've now, i think, taken the

term environmental diplomat to describe what you do with your swimming but that's not where it began. swimming but that's not where it bean. ., ., ., it began. no. i want to get back to the _ it began. no. i want to get back to the very _ it began. no. i want to get back to the very youthful l it began. no. i want to get - back to the very youthful lewis pugh, teenager living at the time in cape town, south africa, who decided he was going to swim out of to reach that rocky outcrop robin island. it that rocky outcrop robin island. . , that rocky outcrop robin island. ., , , ., , island. it was your first significant _ island. it was your first significant see - island. it was your first significant see swim. i island. it was your first | significant see swim. -- significant see swim. —— robbin. at that point, try to remember what motivated you to do it? i think geography moulds you so when you grow up, multi—, and i had grown up in plymouth, and my mama told me a story, i was about 12 years old and my school was at a trip on the howe and looked out over the howe and looked out over the horizon and said to my mum one day i want to be one of those ships and then we moved out to south africa when i was ten and eventually settling in cape town when i was 17 years old in one of my friends had swung from robben island back

to cape town. and those waters are treacherous.— are treacherous. they are reall , are treacherous. they are really, really _ are treacherous. they are really, really cold - are treacherous. they are really, really cold and - are treacherous. they are l really, really cold and from are treacherous. they are - really, really cold and from my history classroom i could see robben island and i said i want to do it one day and that's where it all started. it started and it never really stopped and you had a career in corporate law, maritime law. and you're making good money but in your 30s you quit that to embrace full—time endurance extreme swimming. to embrace full-time endurance extreme swimming.— to embrace full—time endurance extreme swimming. yes. i 'ust. .. extreme swimming. yes. i just- -- in _ extreme swimming. yes. i just- -- in a _ extreme swimming. yes. i just... in a way, _ extreme swimming. yes. i just... in a way, i- extreme swimming. yes. i just... in a way, ijust - extreme swimming. yes. i. just... in a way, ijust wonder whether ego is a part of this and whether you are, let's get to the campaigning in a minute, but whether you are also trying to prove something to yourself about yourself. 50. to prove something to yourself about yourself.— about yourself. so, ithink there's been _ about yourself. so, ithink there's been a _ about yourself. so, ithink there's been a transition. | about yourself. so, i think. there's been a transition. so you are very, very right, i started out as a swimmer and i love swimming but then, i became a maritime lawyer and then i became an ocean advocate and now i represent the united nations as a un patron of the oceans and so, i suppose i'm on my mental diplomat, so there's been a transition but insofar

as ego is concerned, there are easier ways of doing things. when you go into these swims, they are extremely, extremely hard. i they are extremely, extremely hard. . . . they are extremely, extremely hard. , ., ., , hard. i understand that but does breaking _ hard. i understand that but does breaking records, - hard. i understand that but l does breaking records, doing things that others have never done, matterto things that others have never done, matter to you? things that others have never done, matterto you? because i'mjust done, matterto you? because i'm just thinking of the done, matter to you? because i'm just thinking of the way done, matterto you? because i'm just thinking of the way in which you, i think even yourself have compared yourself to people like edmund hillary, the first conqueror of everest. you are an explorer, in a sense, because you go to the most remote places. and there is always, for the rest of us who don't do that sort of thing, a fascination with motivation.— thing, a fascination with motivation. . �* motivation. yeah. i i've ever compared — motivation. yeah. i i've ever compared myself _ motivation. yeah. i i've ever compared myself to - motivation. yeah. i i've ever compared myself to sir - motivation. yeah. i i've ever . compared myself to sir edmund hillary. just to put him in perspective, he was the first person to climb mount everest but it was what he did afterwards which was so inspirational. i mean, he became a voice notjust for mountaineering but for working together. he was an incredible voice in southeast asia and india and nepal. i dream to be

able to, one day, have the type of legacy. able to, one day, have the type of legacy-— of legacy. but breaking records. _ of legacy. but breaking records, does - of legacy. but breaking records, does it - of legacy. but breakingj records, does it matter of legacy. but breaking i records, does it matter to of legacy. but breaking - records, does it matter to you? yes it does, stephen, and the reason why it is as follows — when you're trying to tell a story about a place, you want to be the first person to go there to tell the story. right? so you're trying to capture the imagination of people. so, trying to be the first or — it does matter. trying to be the first or - it does matter.— trying to be the first or - it does matter. , ., ., ., does matter. does that mean at times you're _ does matter. does that mean at times you're deliberately - times you're deliberately putting yourself in jeopardy? i mean, if you want to tell stories, the story that fascinates people the most is that sort of man against the elements to the point of where death is a possibility. is that something you had to embrace? i don't think death. i do the swim is because i care deeply about life. and all forms of life, notjust humans but also the whole of the animal kingdom, why do these swim is to tell a story about the health of our environment. also

i do these swims. but in a very busy news world, to be able to capture the imagination of the media, there has to be something special. so undertaking a swim, the first swim across the north pole, it automatically gets the media's attention and when you've got that attention, you have influence.— that attention, you have influence. . . influence. have things ever one influence. have things ever gone seriously _ influence. have things ever gone seriously wrong? i've| influence. have things ever i gone seriously wrong? i've done a few swims _ gone seriously wrong? i've done a few swims which _ gone seriously wrong? i've done a few swims which were - gone seriously wrong? i've done a few swims which were very, i a few swims which were very, very close to the edges. right. your swimming very close to the edges. right. yourswimming in very, very close to the edges. right. your swimming in very, very high consequence environments so let me explain, give you an example. when i swim across the north pole, we prepared for the swim, we prepared as thoroughly as possible but you cannot go there and do a practice swim. and i remember arriving there in the north pole and looking out over this icy terrain and its blackwater. it's really, really frightening. and just thinking as i'm about to get into the water, well, this water is below zero. it is —1.7

celsius. 29 fahrenheit. it's unbelievably cold. and just thinking there's so many things which could possibly go wrong in here. and i drove into the water and i swam as hard as i could. i got out the other end and it had taken me 18 minutes and it had taken me 18 minutes and 50 seconds and it felt like i had been in there for 18 hours. and this left—hand afterwards, it was incredibly painful. it took a few months for me to get proper feeling backin for me to get proper feeling back in my fingers again. just to be clear. _ back in my fingers again. just to be clear, you _ back in my fingers again. just to be clear, you always — and i mean always — swim with just swim trunks, goggles but no wetsuit? . . wetsuit? yes, and there were reasons for— wetsuit? yes, and there were reasons for that. _ wetsuit? yes, and there were reasons for that. i'm - wetsuit? yes, and there were reasons for that. i'm trying i wetsuit? yes, and there were reasons for that. i'm trying to get world leaders to be courageous, to make the tough decisions which i needed right now to protect the planet. and if i'm asking for them to be courageous, i myself must also be courageous and swimming in a wetsuit or a dry suit wouldn't send the same message. but then, there's the other aspect

and just to give you mountaineering analogy, people who climb everest and they climate with oxygen and they climate with oxygen and they climate in big teams, for example, and there are people who do sort of climbing free solo, without ropes and on their own. these are very different experiences when you are assisted and not assisted. and so, when i get into the water and it'sjust and so, when i get into the water and it's just myself, just in a speedo, just a cap, just in a speedo, just a cap, just the goggles, i'm in there and it's... it's very, very challenging but i enjoyed it. for mortals like myself, it's very hard to imagine how you do survive. is this something physiological about you that makes you different? i have read that you have an extraordinary capacity when you're about to enter this freezing environment, the cold water, a capacity to begin to generate heat in your body, your core body temperature goes

up your core body temperature goes up before you even undertake the task. i think they are calling it anticipatory thermogenesis. calling it anticipatory i thermogenesis.- is this thermogenesis. yes. is this proven? — thermogenesis. yes. is this proven? is _ thermogenesis. yes. is this proven? is this _ thermogenesis. yes. is this proven? is this real? i thermogenesis. yes. is this proven? is this real? this i thermogenesis. yes. is this i proven? is this real? this was a scientist _ proven? is this real? this was a scientist in _ proven? is this real? this was a scientist in south _ proven? is this real? this was a scientist in south africa i a scientist in south africa called professor tim noakes who had studied me for many, many years and before i get into the water he noticed my core body temperature rises. andy came up with this expression anticipatory thermogenesis, so creation of heat before an event. and certainly, this does happen. but what i would say is the reason why i can withstand these temperatures is because i've spent a lifetime swimming in cold water. right? it's years and years and years of practice. years and years and years of ractice. . years and years and years of practice-— years and years and years of ractice. ., ., �* , practice. yeah. now, let's get to the environmental- to the environmental observations you have made in the course of the last two decades. if you think back to the beginning and you think back to what you see when you swim now, are there noticeable

trends in the oceans and, indeed, in the rivers too that you can tell us about? the two bi est you can tell us about? the two biggest changes _ you can tell us about? the two biggest changes i've _ you can tell us about? the two biggest changes i've seen i you can tell us about? the two j biggest changes i've seen have beenin biggest changes i've seen have been in the polar regions and the coral reefs of the world. there, the changes are enormous. sojust there, the changes are enormous. so just to give you an example, when i did my first swim in the high arctic, in the norwegian arctic on the edge of the arctic ice pack, and i did my first swim there, the water was three celsius. i went back there 12 years later, the water was no longer three, it was now 10 celsius. was no longer three, it was now 10 celsius-— was no longer three, it was now 10 celsius.- it's _ was no longer three, it was now| 10 celsius.- it's enormous. 10 celsius. wow. it's enormous. whenever— 10 celsius. wow. it's enormous. whenever i _ 10 celsius. wow. it's enormous. whenever i tell _ 10 celsius. wow. it's enormous. whenever i tell a _ 10 celsius. wow. it's enormous. whenever i tell a world - 10 celsius. wow. it's enormous. whenever i tell a world leader i whenever i tell a world leader that, it shocks them because it's the speed of the change, 0k, it's the speed of the change, ok, which is... it's the speed of the change, 0k, which is...— it's the speed of the change, 0k, which is... what about the marine life. — 0k, which is... what about the marine life, you _ 0k, which is... what about the marine life, you know? - 0k, which is... what about the marine life, you know? you've| marine life, you know? you've had the chance because you've swum in all five of our oceans, also the ancient seven seas. you have swum in more water as well as cold water. so everything from fish to coral. what do you notice?-

what do you notice? well, certainly — what do you notice? well, certainly in _ what do you notice? well, certainly in terms - what do you notice? well, certainly in terms of i what do you notice? well, certainly in terms of the i what do you notice? well, i certainly in terms of the coral reefs, the water is warming because the water is warming the coral reefs are dying. and the coral reefs are dying. and the science is so stark, the scientists are telling us we have heated the planet by about 1.2 celsius. at 1.5, they say that we will lose 70% of the world's coral. two degrees, we will lose virtually all of the coral and we are currently on track for 2.7 celsius. so it's now in a race against time to save the environment.- save the environment. your message — save the environment. your message is _ save the environment. your message is all _ save the environment. your message is all about - save the environment. your message is all about the i message is all about the dangerous, urgent impacts of our warming planet. you talk less about the impacts on people and communities and i'm just wondering whether you ever think about the people and communities, for example, undertake fishing, even wailing, in the oceans that you've swum in, where you've made such a point of sort of condemning the human interventions, including fishing and whaling, and yet

there are livelihoods on the line here and i wonder whether you've spent any time talking to those communities, giving them some thought. absolutely, i have. i them some thought. absolutely, i have- i can _ them some thought. absolutely, i have. i can say— them some thought. absolutely, i have. i can say one _ them some thought. absolutely, i have. i can say one thing i i have. i can say one thing that reproductive areas are like national parks in the city which protect the oceans and protect the wildlife in the oceans. they are fishermen's friends because if we carry on the way we carry on, we will have no more fish. neverforget once when i did in antarctica and a place called deception island and when i arrived there was this old whaling station and i drove into the water and on the forget it because underneath me were well below wild high, ripped bone, spine burns, jaw bones, thousands and thousands and thousands of them. we came within an inch of pushing the whale into extinction. and i like to think that those well bones which are

therefore is in the waters down deception island are reminded of one's potential for folly but they aren't. first we came to the sealed inimitable of them and then we came to the whales and took virtually all of them. and the now were going for the antarctic toothfish and taking them and now even go over the tiniest life down there in which everything relies, krill. we have to know what it is time to stop the project areas.— what it is time to stop the project areas. the message is verv powerful— project areas. the message is very powerful and _ project areas. the message is very powerful and it's - project areas. the message is very powerful and it's the i project areas. the message isj very powerful and it's the kind of testimony that only you can provide because you've undertaken swims like no other human. but there is something little bit maybe self aggrandising about the way you now describe yourself as an environmental diplomat who is capable of changing minds, of persuasion on a global scale, you talk about how you went to the kremlin, how you met the man who is now defence minister

of vladimir putin sir gay shoigu and convinced him that russia should join the treaty protecting the rough sea and the deep southern ocean. you make it sound as though you and the power of your story changed putin's mine. did you really believe that? ii putin's mine. did you really believe that?— putin's mine. did you really believe that? if you want to work in environmental i believe that? if you want to i work in environmental advocacy you have to be like a locksmith. you can't keep going to the same door with the same close door, do you have to try something different. over a period of 17 years american diplomat and new zealand might who are trying to protect the ross sea had failed every single year, they try to get russia to agree to it, but russia to agree to it, but russia was not interested. i went down there, did a swim, then went to the kremlin, i met with sergei shoigu, all of them, we started the conversation and over a

two—year period shuttling between there and the american diplomat, we were able to get that area protected. that is the size of britain, france, germany and italy all put together. germany and italy all put together-— germany and italy all put together. germany and italy all put touether. ., ., , ., together. low and behold you set another _ together. low and behold you set another occasion - together. low and behold you set another occasion you i together. low and behold you| set another occasion you swim the length of river thames which of course goes across southern england and in london and the estuary. you say when you swim pathwest minister tony blair summoned you to see him and you chatted with him and low and behold shortly afterwards the labour government of tony blair passed new measures to protect from pollution. again, it sounds extraordinary. but you really think individual campaigners such as yourself can make the difference yes, i do.— difference yes, i do. another example. — difference yes, i do. another example. i — difference yes, i do. another example, i do. _ difference yes, i do. another example, i do. another- difference yes, i do. another- example, i do. another example, most swim the full length of the english channel so i started and 49 days later arrived in dover. during that period i urged the british

government to properly protect the waters around the united kingdom, but ellipta attacked at least 30% of the waters around the united kingdom. what happened? environment secretary happened ? environment secretary met happened? environment secretary met me down there, made a commitment to me on the beach there in dover that britain would back the call. a month later lord god stood up in the general assembly and made that commitment. i urged other nations tojoin them commitment. i urged other nations to join them in this pursuit. and since then 1120 nations, more than half of the world's nations have agreed to this standard which is protecting at least 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. the lanet world's oceans by 2030. the planet is _ world's oceans by 2030. the planet is still _ world's oceans by 2030. the planet is still warming. the un secretary general says the climate crisis is, quote, out of control. there are some environmental activists who responded to that by thinking the time has come for direct actions which undoubtedly inconvenient at the very least the general public, we're talking about people who believe themselves to highways, glue themselves to trains,

disrupt major cultural and sporting events, and i am wondering, you talk about diplomacy. this is a diplomacy, this is direct action. are you supportive of it or not? i feel deel supportive of it or not? i feel deeply uncomfortable - supportive of it or not? i feel deeply uncomfortable with i deeply uncomfortable with environmental campaigners and all of these are peaceful environment of campaigners being locked up. ifeel deeply uncomfortable with the situation.— uncomfortable with the situation. g , ., , ., situation. my question is do ou situation. my question is do you support _ situation. my question is do you support them? - situation. my question is do you support them? i - situation. my question is do i you support them? i absolutely su ort you support them? i absolutely support those _ you support them? i absolutely support those people _ you support them? i absolutely support those people trying i you support them? i absolutely support those people trying to l support those people trying to highlight the situation which we face now. i thought about... we face a situation where every single year i am significant warm, everything we i see less and less sea ice in the arctic, coral reefs diane, yet people who are meant to be leading the situation trying to protect the planet, they are just not doing thejob. planet, they are 'ust not doing the 'ob. .,, ., ., ,, planet, they are 'ust not doing the 'ob. ., .,~ ., , the job. those who take a very different view _ the job. those who take a very different view of _ the job. those who take a very different view of the _ the job. those who take a very different view of the urgency i different view of the urgency of this climate crisis, they point to what they see as

hypocrisy amongst some environmental campaigners and maybe you could be accused of that yourself. i'm picky about the fact that one of your sponsors some of these extraordinary missions you undertake is the legal and generalfinancial undertake is the legal and general financial institution, financial corporation. the investment arm has a living and holding of shell oil shares so in a strange way indirectly benefiting from investment in fossil fuel activity. another example would be the degree to which you fly and use ships to get your message around the world. all of it adding to your carbon footprint. but is here to say that the example of hypocrisy that you think about that and are you changing your own way of living? i that and are you changing your own way of living?— own way of living? i absolutely do think about _ own way of living? i absolutely do think about that. _ own way of living? i absolutely do think about that. and i own way of living? i absolutely do think about that. and every| do think about that. and every time i take on a sponsor, we do due diligence of them and legal and general investment came at the top of the list hearing

you, come near the top of the list in terms of those doing the most environmentally friendly everlasting. find the most environmentally friendly everlasting. and you ask them _ friendly everlasting. and you ask them to _ friendly everlasting. and you ask them to divest _ friendly everlasting. and you i ask them to divest themselves of shell shares?— of shell shares? they follow a tracker phone. _ of shell shares? they follow a tracker phone. you _ of shell shares? they follow a tracker phone. you have i of shell shares? they follow a tracker phone. you have to i tracker phone. you have to speak to them about it but they follow a tracker fund so we do that type of investment, that's the system. we have to change the system. we have to change the system. we have to change the system-— the system. we have to change the system. right. iwonder, as we think about _ the system. right. iwonder, as we think about you, _ the system. right. iwonder, as we think about you, about i the system. right. iwonder, as we think about you, about the l we think about you, about the jet off to the united states, swim the hudson river, you want to and the swim at the united nations as they consider a new treaty to protect the cities. even anyway feel overwhelmed by the scale of the climate emergency and the degree to which even your actions, you talk about the impact they have had, can't begin to meet the scale of the challenge? it’s scale of the challenge? it's happening _ scale of the challenge? it's happening so _ scale of the challenge? it�*s happening so quickly, it's a race against time to save the planet. one reason why it chose

the river to swim in is because it's more achievable to clean up it's more achievable to clean up and get a healthier bar, all of us are close to a river and we look out across the oceans and its 70% of the planet and we look out across and it can seem overwhelming. i we look out across and it can seem overwhelming.- seem overwhelming. i hated holiness. — seem overwhelming. i hated holiness, the _ seem overwhelming. i hated holiness, the new— seem overwhelming. i hated holiness, the new york i seem overwhelming. i hated i holiness, the new york times todayis holiness, the new york times today is very excited about your swim and that you will face rat infestations, sewage outflows, and residue of toxic chemicals including mercury on your hudson river swim. so, again, this is a challenge that frankly is getting worse. irate frankly is getting worse. we need to take _ frankly is getting worse. - need to take urgent action right now. that's the simple message, we can't delay any longer. message, we can't delay any lonaer. �* , ., message, we can't delay any lonaer. �* ,, , message, we can't delay any lonaer. �* , , longer. but you still believe that it's a — longer. but you still believe that it's a fight _ longer. but you still believe that it's a fight that - longer. but you still believe that it's a fight that can i longer. but you still believe that it's a fight that can be l that it's a fight that can be one of humanity? i that it's a fight that can be one of humanity? i believe we are passing — one of humanity? i believe we are passing certain _ one of humanity? i believe we are passing certain tipping i are passing certain tipping points unless take urgent action now we will pass more tipping points. there are about 8 million plants and animals on this planet and of those about

1 million are at risk, realist of going extinct. big about the statistic. every single fraction of a degree matters, every single thing which we pollute that matters, urging people to take action. shall pollute that matters, urging people to take action. mii people to take action. all i can do is — people to take action. all i can do is wish _ people to take action. all i can do is wish you - people to take action. all i can do is wish you the i people to take action. all i can do is wish you the very best of luck with your next extreme injury and swim along the hudson river. we can talk to at some point after that but for now, thanks for being on high talk. for now, thanks for being on high talk-— for now, thanks for being on hiuhtalk. ., ~ i. . hello. for many it has been a very soggy weekend indeed, with a lot of rain falling in some

parts of the uk. but the main exception was the northern half of scotland, where we did see some blue sky and sunshine, albeit with a scattering of showers. further south, this was the radar picture as we moved out of saturday and into sunday. and it was particularly wet for much of sunday along the line of this weather front here. southern scotland, northern ireland, northern england getting a real drenching, and that frontal system only slowly moving southwards. this was the scene for a weather watcher in hebden bridge, in west yorkshire. and that weather front still moving only slowly southwards as we go through the day on monday. and behind it, we get into this feed of northerly winds, bringing some unusually cool weather for the time of year in our direction. so here's our weather front. some rain moving out of wales, across the southeastern corner of england. behind that, spells of sunshine, scattered showers, perhaps a more general showery rain into the far north west of scotland. temperatures, though, 14—20 celsius at best. how does this compare with the average for the time of year?

well, it is actually below the average in most places. take london, for an example. 23 celsius is thejuly average — just 18 celsius the forecast high for monday. so, yes, it is on the cool side for the time of year. and monday night's actually going to be quite a chilly one. we start tuesday morning with temperatures in single digits in many places, particularly out in the countryside. but after that very fresh start, well, we should see some spells of sunshine. actually, on balance, tuesday is one of the drier, brighter days of the week, but still with a scattering of showers, particularly in northern and eastern parts, and still with those relatively low temperatures for the time of year. and then into the middle part of the week — briefly, a ridge of high pressure. so some dry weather to start on wednesday. but here comes our next rain—bearing weather system. these weather systems being steered in our direction by thejet stream, the winds high up in the atmosphere. and we will see cloud and rain spreading from the west during wednesday. the further east you are, a better chance of staying dry, with some sunshine. still, though, the chance

of 1—2 showers. wednesday night looks very wet indeed. quite breezy, too, as this frontal system swings through. and where you see this weather front bending around here, well, that's where we could keep rain for a good part of thursday, lingering in northern scotland and also actually down towards the south and the southeast of england, and certainly the channel islands. further west, spells of sunshine, still some showers, maybe just a little bit less cool by this stage, at 17—22 celsius. and, for friday, it looks like we will be left with a sunshine and showers day. but the winds no longer coming down from the north, instead coming from the west or the southwest. so, again, not quite as cool. 18—22 celsius covers it for most places. now, i mentioned thejet stream earlier on. here it is as we head into next weekend. still steering weather systems our way, but there are just hints — and they really are just hints — that the jet stream may, at least for a time, bend its way northwards, allowing higher pressure to build towards the south of the uk, bringing something a little bit drier here. still, though, frontal systems in the picture, mostly to the north and the west, bringing some outbreaks of rain.

but i must stress that, overall, this does still look like quite an unsettled weather pattern. and wherever you are in the uk, through next weekend and into the start of the following week, there's still the chance of some rain and it will still be relatively cool for the time of year.

live from london, this is bbc news. first rhodes and now corfu as raging wildfires cause evacuations

in the greek islands. spain's conservative popular party falls short of an all—out election victory. the outgoing socialists say that chances are slim for alberto nunez feijoo to form a government. and history could be made on day five at the women's world cup as a moroccan defender could become the first player to wear a hijab at the tournament. hello, i'm tadhg enright. corfu has become the latest greek island to issue evacuation orders as the country grapples with a series of devastating wildfires. boats have been despatched to take people to safety by sea. on the island of rhodes, 19,000 people have been forced from their homes and accommodation.