Sky Secures Long-Term Future with the Ladies European Tour

Image: Sky Press

By Jon Donnis

Sky and the Ladies European Tour have agreed a fresh extension to their long-running partnership, keeping Sky Sports and NOW as the exclusive home of the Tour until the end of 2030. The deal covers every event on the schedule, along with the next three Solheim Cups, and takes the relationship into an impressive 30th year.

The renewed agreement confirms that Sky will continue to deliver every moment of live action and extended highlights from both the LET and the Solheim Cup. That includes next year's twentieth edition, set for Bernardus in The Netherlands, which already carries a sense of anticipation.

Sky has held the Solheim Cup rights in the UK and Ireland since 1996, and its coverage has played a clear role in the event's rise. The 2023 contest drew a record peak audience of 734,000 viewers as Team Europe secured a third straight victory. It fits with Sky's wider investment in women's sport, where it remains the leading broadcaster in the UK with seventy percent of all televised women's sport on its channels, from football and cricket to tennis, netball, motorsport and rugby league.

Sky Chief Sports Officer Jonathan Licht said the renewed partnership underlines a long-standing commitment to women's golf at a time when interest is soaring. He reflected on the decades of coverage and the way Europe's triumph in 2023 captured viewers across the country, adding that Sky intends to keep showcasing the biggest names and stories to build the audience even further.

LET Commercial Director Theresa McCann welcomed the continuation of a partnership that has already delivered years of growth. She pointed to a remarkable season that featured Lottie Woad's victory on her professional debut shortly after winning the KPMG Women's Irish Open as an amateur, Mimi Rhodes' three wins on the way to the Rookie of the Year crown, and Shannon Tan becoming the first player from Singapore to secure the LET Order of Merit after a close battle with Rhodes. McCann said the renewed deal will help the Tour shine an even brighter light on its standout talents and the stories driving the sport forward, with the aim of inspiring the next generation.

The extension reinforces Sky's place at the heart of women's golf, while the LET continues to build momentum on and off the course.

Beano Steps Into a New Digital Playground with Comixit!

By Jon Donnis

There is something quite charming about seeing a classic make itself at home in a modern setting. Beano has been part of British childhoods since 1938, so its arrival on Comixit! feels like a natural next chapter. The platform launches to the public today, and it has been built with one clear goal. Give a new generation the fun of reading and making comics in a space that feels lively, safe and easy to dive into.

Comixit! bills itself as the world’s first kids-safe comic platform, and the partnership with Beano sets the tone straight away. The old favourites sit alongside tools that let kids create their own strips, which gives the whole thing an inviting hands-on energy. The app is loaded with comic content, challenges and games, including a December run of 24 Days of Comics. It has already picked up a reputation as a sort of Roblox for comics, mainly because it lets children build and even co-create their own stories.

It suits families rather well. The Christmas break can drag once the excitement settles, so the mix of games, comics and creative prompts offers something to keep everyone occupied. There is a running joke that kids might struggle to reclaim the app from their mums and dads, which says plenty about its appeal. Parents can also relax, since Comixit! keeps things safely moderated. It still counts as screen time, but it nudges children into reading through play, which feels like a smart bit of stealth learning.

Beano is not alone on the platform. Other UK publishers, including Markosia and Mayamada, add to the mix, and there is a solid amount of free content to go with the festive extras arriving through December. The app is available now on the App Store and Google Play with a special introductory price of £1.99, which is a hefty seventy per cent discount running until the end of 2025. Comixit! is aimed at ages seven to twelve, although it would not be surprising if a few nostalgic adults join in as well.

Get it now at www.comixit.app

REVIEW: WWE Thumb Wars Superstars by WOW! Stuff (2025 Kids Toy)

Review by Jon Donnis

The fun kicks in the moment you slide one of these little superstars onto your thumb. It feels daft in the best way. You square up, link hands, and suddenly you are in a miniature ring trying to score a clean pin. WWE Thumb Wars Characters lean on that simple thrill, and it works straight away. No setup. No waiting around. Just quick scraps that get louder and sillier with each round.

The characters themselves are only about an inch and a half tall, yet they have a solid feel to them. They sit firmly in place, which helps every push and counter feel deliberate. Younger players get a subtle boost in coordination, and the pace keeps everyone involved without drifting off. The line up gives you Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, Bret Hart, Undertaker, and the rare Rey Mysterio, which adds a bit of excitement when kids compare packs.

What really stands out is how easily these matches pop up anywhere. Whether it is at the dinner table while you are waiting for pudding, or the back of a car on a long journey, it is Thumb Wars, so you really can play anywhere.

The Undertaker is nearly as manacing here as in real life!

The storytelling side flows naturally as well. Kids can relive big WrestleMania moments or make up their own championship runs on the spot.

The figures look the part too. The paintwork is clean, and each sculpt actually resembles the superstar it represents, which gives them a collectable feel between matches. They look good lined up, ready for the next challenge.

There are only two real knocks against the set. The fit is tight, so it is clearly made for smaller thumbs. Adults will struggle, which is probably for the best given the intended audience. And with just five characters available, you do find yourself hoping WOW! Stuff expands the roster soon.

Even with those limits, WWE Thumb Wars Characters turn a classic playground game into something fresh and lively. It is quick, cheerful, and full of that playful wrestling spirit. A smart little stocking filler that delivers proper fun the moment someone calls out the three count.

Out Now at Amazon - https://amzn.to/4pT3eof

And for more reviews of kids toys check out our specialist site www.playwithtoys.co.uk

Heat, Pressure and Pride: Celebrity SAS Throws Britain and Australia Into the Fire

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

There is something gripping about watching people who live in the public eye get dropped into a world that cares nothing for fame. The new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins leans right into that feeling. It arrives on Channel 4 in January 2026 with eight hour-long episodes, and it wastes no time dragging fourteen British and Australian celebrities into the harsh heat of North Africa. The setting is unforgiving. The challenge is even worse. Years of rivalry between the two nations give it an extra bite.

The line-up is a mix of TV personalities, actors, athletes and social media names. Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen and Jessika Power step forward from the world of reality and entertainment. Jack Joseph and Cole Anderson-James turn up without the safety of their online followings. Ryan Moloney and Natalie Bassingthwaighte bring their Neighbours background into a very different kind of drama. Ben Cohen arrives with World Cup glory behind him, while Toby Olubi swaps the arena for something far less predictable. Graeme Swann and Brad Hodge bring international cricket experience, which will only get them so far once the sand hits their teeth. Olympic swimmers Emily Seebohm and Mack Horton, plus actor and musician Axle Whitehead, round out the group. Fourteen people who normally live polished lives, now reduced to recruits with nothing but grit to rely on.

Chief Instructor Billy Billingham MBE leads the Directing Staff, with Foxy, Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver beside him. They are not interested in how well known anyone is. They are not bothered about past medals, follower counts or glossy careers. The moment the recruits step into selection, everything that once protected them is stripped away. No agents. No comfort. No excuses. The staff push them through a condensed version of SAS selection that offers no escape routes. Only sweat, sand, pain and the uncomfortable truth each recruit usually keeps buried.

As the heat builds, so does the pressure. Every mistake is punished. Any weakness is dragged straight into the light. Watching the UK team and the Australian team try to hold themselves together while the staff tear down their confidence becomes a strange mix of tense and compelling. Bonds fracture. Pride takes a beating. People who are used to controlling their own narratives suddenly have no control at all. Some will simply not last. That is part of the pull.

When the final episode arrives, the real question lingers. Will any of them endure long enough to convince the staff they deserve to pass? And once the dust settles on the desert floor, whose flag ends up flying higher? Britain or Australia. The rivalry has never looked quite like this, and by the end, neither side will forget what it cost them.

A Week of Big Laughs and Bigger Heart for Stand Up To Cancer

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Next week marks the return of Stand Up To Cancer and a fresh push from Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK to shine a light on NHS cancer screening while raising money for crucial research. The whole thing begins with a new comedy sketch that brings Greg Davies and Alex Horne together, with Clare Balding, Claudia Winkleman, Nish Kumar, Tom Daley, Adam Hills, Dermot Murnaghan and Jason Fox all pitching their ideas to the ever intimidating Taskmaster and his not quite as intimidating assistant. It sets the tone nicely for what is shaping up to be a lively and heartfelt run of events.

From Monday 8 December, the campaign rolls into a packed week of fundraising moments and celebrity antics that lead straight into a night of live television on Friday 12 December. Alex Horne has created a fundraising challenge of his own and is already in training for what sounds like a pretty wild test of stamina, nerve and friendship. The full details are being kept quiet, which only adds to the charm, but we do know he will take on the feat over twenty four hours at Battersea Power Station. Things kick off at 10pm on Thursday 11 December and visitors will be able to cheer him on throughout Friday. He put it in his own usual style, talking about his childhood hope of taking part in a celebrity fundraising endeavour and joking about how his traffic warden dreams are probably behind him.

While Alex is pushing himself to the edge, Outlet Shopping at The O2 will host four days of challenges from Monday 8 to Thursday 11 December. Celebrities and content creators will attempt trick shots and all sorts of troublesome little tasks in a shop window as Christmas shoppers look on in varying degrees of confusion. Every successful attempt adds to the pot for Stand Up To Cancer, with the last challenge on the Friday night show carrying a hefty fifty thousand pound prize donation. The line up taking part includes Vicky Pattison, Leigh Francis, Pete Wicks, Adam Hills, Victoria Pendleton, Chris Hughes, Chloe Burrows, Fats Timbo, Charlotte Crosby, Tia Kofi, Ferne McCann, Max Fosh, Suzi Ruffell and Maisie Adam.

Ahead of the live show on Friday 12 December, Clare Balding has joined the presenting team. She will appear alongside Adam Hills, Hannah Fry and Vicky Pattison for what promises to be an emotional and memorable broadcast. The night will feature special editions of Celebrity Gogglebox and The Last Leg, plus stories, performances and plenty of fundraising moments as celebrities and viewers come together to support life saving work. Babatunde Aleshe will serve as Guest Announcer, with Amy Dowden among the guests.

Davina McCall will also appear with Cancer Clinic: Live, broadcasting from a one off cancer clinic at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. The programme follows patients and their families through several weeks of appointments and results as they continue into treatment. It adds a very real and human dimension to the campaign, showing exactly why this work matters.

In the days leading up to the live show, Clare Balding will be travelling with some well known friends to highlight the NHS and PHA cancer screening programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancer. With an estimated nine million people in the UK currently behind on screening, she will help launch a nationwide Screening Checker on Friday 5 December. It gives the public a simple way to find out which screenings they are eligible for and what to expect from the process. Clare summed up her feelings by saying it is an honour to be part of Stand Up To Cancer this year and to help raise awareness of prevention and early detection. She spoke of how cancer affects so many lives and how important this campaign is in supporting vital research.

Stand Up To Cancer UK brings people together to speed up life saving cancer research. Since starting in 2012, it has raised over one hundred and thirteen million pounds and supported seventy three clinical trials and projects involving more than thirteen thousand patients. These include work on robotic and laser assisted surgery, the use of AI in detection and treatment, and even lollipops that could help identify mouth cancer.

Stand Up To Cancer airs on Channel 4 on Friday 12 December from 7.30pm.

A First Look at A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

Sky has shared the first official trailer for its new half hour drama, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and it gives a warm glimpse of an unlikely partnership roaming through Westeros. The six episode run arrives on Monday, 19 January on Sky and NOW, with a fresh chapter each week. It feels like a gentler corner of the world that fans know well, though still shaped by danger and shifting power.

The story takes place a full century before the events of Game of Thrones. At this point the Targaryen bloodline still rules from the Iron Throne, and memories of the last dragon are held by people who lived through those final flights. Into this setting walk two figures who could not be more different. Ser Duncan the Tall, brave but green, and his small squire Egg. Their simple companionship sits at the heart of the tale. Great trials, well known houses, and a few sharp edged rivals all lie in wait as they travel together.

Peter Claffey leads the cast as Ser Duncan, with Dexter Sol Ansell playing Egg. The wider line up includes Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, Danny Webb as Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen, Shaun Thomas as Raymun Fossoway, Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen, Edward Ashley as Ser Steffon Fossoway, Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, Henry Ashton as Daeron Targaryen, Youssef Kerkour as Steely Pate, Tom Vaughan Lawlor as Plummer and Daniel Monks as Ser Manfred Dondarrion.

The series arrives from co creator and executive producer George R. R. Martin alongside co creator, showrunner and executive producer Ira Parker. Executive producers Sarah Bradshaw, Owen Harris, Ryan Condal and Vince Gerardis join them, with directing duties shared between Owen Harris and Sarah Adina Smith.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms begins its journey on Sky and NOW on 19 January.

Sky Joins HBO on New Keiko Documentary

Image Credit -  Free Willy Keiko Foundation

By Jon Donnis

Sky has stepped in to co-produce a fresh documentary series about Keiko, the captive male orca who became a household name after Free Willy landed in cinemas in 1993. The project now unites Sky with HBO and All3Media's RAW, the team responsible for widely praised titles such as The Tinder Swindler, Don't F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer and Three Identical Strangers. Their partnership also follows the strong reception of the BAFTA-nominated David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived.

The new series charts Keiko's remarkable path through Mexico, the United States, Iceland and Norway. Viewers will be treated to exclusive access to archive footage that has never been shown before, covering everything from his transport out of Iceland as a young calf to the efforts that went into his rehabilitation and training. It promises a clear, intimate look at the life of one of the world's most recognisable whales.

Personal accounts from those closest to Keiko will sit alongside the footage. Some participants have not spoken publicly about him until now, which adds another layer to what aims to be the most detailed portrait of his story to date.

Hayley Reynolds, Sky's Head of Documentary Commissioning, says the partnership with HBO provides the chance to explore the hidden story behind one of cinema's most iconic franchises. She highlights the involvement of director Becky Read and RAW as a sign that the series will be handled with real care and ambition.

Dimitri Doganis, Executive Producer and founder at RAW, notes that Becky Read's team has secured rare access to the people who worked to release a captive orca for the first and only time. He points to a wealth of unseen archival material and describes the tale as one that raises important questions about how humans relate to the natural world, something that continues to resonate today.