• Koeman was furious after Van Dijk picked up a yellow for protesting a challenge 
• Van Dijk was sent off minutes after as the Netherlands drew 1-1 with Hungary 
• LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! , available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday 

By Alex Conrad

Published: 09:06 BST, 12 October 2024 | Updated: 09:53 BST, 12 October 2024

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman struggled to understand why skipper Virgil van Dijk was booked for protesting a decision with the referee, only to be sent off just minutes later.

Van Dijk received the first red card of his international career during the Netherlands’ 1-1 draw with Hungary on Friday after he picked up two yellow cards within three minutes.

The first booking stemmed from his protests to referee Lukas Fahndric after Dutch star Donyell Malen was knocked to the turf late in the second half.

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Van Dijk then committed a foul that forced Fahndric to brandish a second yellow and subsequently send the Dutch captain off for an early shower.

Speaking after the match, Koeman went in to bat for the Liverpool star and was left baffled as to why Van Dijk picked up a booking for discussing the foul on Malen.

Van Dijk was booked for protesting what he thought was a strong foul on a Dutch team-mate

The Dutch skipper was sent off minutes after he picked up his first yellow against Hungary

Koeman was left furious after Van Dijk copped a yellow for protesting a referee’s decision

‘That moment was frustrating,’ Koeman told NOS.

‘I don’t understand it either. I think we have agreed that a captain can protest to a referee. That violation (on Malen) was good for a red card. There was no intention at all to play the ball.

 ‘The fact that Virgil then takes that second card is not convenient. He just had to follow along, but he knows that himself.’

Van Dijk conceded the red card was ‘a bummer’, but the first booking rendered him ‘especially angry.’

‘They say the captain is the only one who can talk to the referee,’ Van Dijk told ESPN Netherlands.

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‘I walk up to him. Up tempo, but not in a nasty way, not at all. Very respectful. Because I felt it was a breakaway player, he did not go for the ball at all.

‘If even the captain can not say anything … then it gets difficult.’ 

Van Dijk’s red card left the Dutch with a difficult task after Roland Sallai put Hungary in front in the 32nd minute.

Hungary secured a surprise lead over the Dutch in the first half via Galatsaray’s Roland Sallai

Denzel Dumfries managed to salvage a late point for the Netherlands against Hungary

The result maintained the Netherlands’ unbeaten run in the Nations League after three games 

Despite the lion’s share of possession, the Netherlands simply could not find a way through a resolute Hungary defence.

However, Denzel Dumfries popped up with a thumping header in the 83rd minute to salvage a draw for the Dutch.

The result kept Koeman’s side second in Group 3 in the Nations League A on five points while Hungary sit third with two points.

The Netherlands take on group leaders Germany on Monday in their final international fixture before club football resumes.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enjoyed an intimate double-date night with best pals Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds after both power couples donated to hurricane relief efforts.

The A-list foursome was seen arriving at hotspot The Corner Store in the Soho neighborhood of New York City on Friday night.

Taylor and Travis packed on the PDA as they strutted hand-in-hand to the hotspot after her Swifties ripped his ex Kayla Nicole for her recent tell-all interview.

The pop megastar put on an eye-popping display in a sexy black and nude-colored corset  featuring a monogrammed pattern and plenty of lace.

She also showed off her signature long legs in a silk black mini skirt along with matching leather heeled booties.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enjoyed an intimate double date night with best pals Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in New York on Friday

Blake and Ryan looked happy as they painted the town red 

Taylor covered up in a long beige double-breasted coat as she strutted her stuff next to her Super Bowl winning beau.

She accessorized with gold earrings, necklace, and multiple rings as she carried along a black leather Christian Dior saddle bag which retails for $4,400.

Her signature blonde locks were worn down as she accentuated her porcelain skin with natural make-up contrasted with a swipe of bright red lip.

Travis went casual in a blue patterned short-sleeve button down top with matching trousers and white sneakers.

Their double date partners showcased just as much affection as they also held hands while arriving at the American eatery. 

Blake, 37, looked absolutely stunning in a completely sheer burgundy number consisting of a clinging dress over matching stockings and leather booties.

She accessorized with a small beaded black  bag and large chain necklace.

Her blonde locks were worn down into waves which flowed over her shoulders as she showed off her natural looks with complementary make-up.

Taylor and Travis looked unbothered as they packed on the PDA as they strutted hand-in-hand to the hotspot after her Swifties ripped his ex Kayla Nicole for her recent tell-all interview

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The pop megastar put on an eye-popping display in a sexy black and nude-colored corset featuring a monogrammed pattern and plenty of lace

Showing off her famous svelte physique, Taylor caught the eye in her daring black and nude ensemble as she and Travis headed to their double date hand-in-hand

She also showed off her signature long legs in a silk black mini skirt along with matching leather heeled booties

Taylor covered up in a long beige double-breasted coat as she strutted her stuff next to her Super Bowl winning beau

She accessorized with gold earrings, necklace, and multiple rings as she carried along a black leather Christian Dior saddle bag which retails for $4,400

Following their dinner, Taylor and Travis were greeted by an army of excited fans as they left the eatery hours later

The star stunned in her stylish look as she headed home from the swanky restaurant

The hitmaker covered up her stylish outfit in a long camel overcoat, and finished her outfit with a chic black leather handbag

Ryan, 47, donned a white zip-up short-sleeved top over navy blue trousers, and light brown suede boots. 

The outing came after it was revealed that the couple who share four children had made a generous donation to hurricane relief efforts in wake of the devastation caused by Helene and Milton in the last two weeks.

It was revealed Thursday that Blake and Ryan — who reportedly have a combined net worth of $380million — have donated $1million to the non-profit Feeding America’s disaster relief fund.

Feeding America announced via Instagram that the seven-figure donation will ‘help people impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton rebuild and recover.

‘These funds will help food banks provide basic needs like water, ready to eat food and supplies to communities facing heartbreaking loss and a long recovery.’

Lively and Reynolds’ contribution comes one day after their billionaire pal Taylor Swift donated a whopping $5million to hurricane relief.

Meanwhile Travis’ ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole has been slammed by Taylor’s fans after lifting the lid on her relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs star this week. 

Nicole, who dated Kelce on and off for five years before his romance with Swift, was grilled about her old boyfriend on the latest episode of WNBA star Angel Reese’s ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast.

Blake, 37, looked absolutely stunning in a completely sheer burgundy number consisting of a clinging dress over matching stockings and leather booties

She accessorized with a small beaded black bag and large chain necklace

Her blonde locks were worn down into waves which flowed over her shoulders as she showed off her natural looks with complementary make-up

Ryan, 47, donned a white zip-up short-sleeved top over navy blue trousers, and light brown suede boots

After their meal, Ryan and Blake were also pictured leaving the eatery

Blake showed off her incredible figure in the eye-catching wine-coloured dress with matching patent boots

Amongst many other revelations, the 32-year-old influencer explained why Travis’ new relationship with Taylor means they can no longer speak if they see each other in public, and how vile abuse from ‘Swifties’ on social media has impacted her.

And in the wake of her tell-all interview, Swift’s die-hard legion of fans have taken aim at Nicole once again.

One wrote on X: ‘What does she mean there’s not room for us to talk WHY WOULD IT BE HES IN A RELATIONSHIP IS SHE DUMB????’

Another put: ‘This girl needs to move on, he’s in a happier place now.’

‘Why is she talking about him? Let’s move on,’ said a third.

A fourth put: ‘When your ex is in a new serious relationship, there is no room for you anymore.’

While one simply concluded: ‘She is embarrassing herself badly’.

Nicole also drew criticism from ‘Swifties’ for refusing to acknowledge the singer by name and instead describing her as Kelce’s new ‘situation’. 

This comes as Travis’ ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole (left) was been slammed by Taylor Swift fans

Nicole was grilled about Kelce on WNBA star Angel Reese’s ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast

‘I’d probably like hit him with a head nod,’ she said when asked if her and Travis would speak to each other in public. ‘That’s about it. 

‘We’ve seen each other in public spaces but we are both aware of the nature of his situation that there’s just no room for us to communicate or acknowledge each other publicly. So we’d just keep it moving.’

‘Travis made the first move and now Taylor is just a “situation”?’ one fan commented. ‘The audacity of this lady’.

While another said: ‘Am laughing at the situation in question.. being TAYLOR MOTHER F*****G SWIFT – This is called a relationship… yours called creepy ex situation.’

Nicole also addressed rumors that Kelce made her split the bill on dates during their relationship, insisting there is no truth to them whatsoever.

Swifties took aim at the 32-year-old influencer after her tell-all interview this week

She dated the Kansas City Chiefs star on and off for five years before they went separate ways

Kelce has since gone on to form one of the most famous relationships on the planet with Swift

 When Reese asked if that was the reason they broke up in 2022, Nicole replied: ‘Do I look like I would go 50-50 on bills? 

‘So yeah, that was ridiculous. But he addressed that too though.

‘I don’t even know why that became a thing. That was never an issue in our relationship, but it was definitely a rumor on the internet.’ 

Telescopes on Earth have found evidence of intelligent alien life and the proof will be released in less than one month, a filmmaker claims.

Simon Holland, who has worked on documentaries for the BBC and NASA-funded projects, said that an Oxford-backed program searching for extraterrestrial signals has quietly identified ‘non-human intelligence in our galaxy.’ 

The signal — a five-hour-long burst of radio waves — appeared to be from a region around Proxima Centauri, a star about 4.2 light-years away from Earth.

The Oxford team has confirmed they are analyzing the signal but have not revealed the likely source.

‘They are looking for details, hence the delay in publishing the news,’ Holland told DailyMail.com of the strange radio signal, which has been hotly debated ever since astronomers first detected it on April 29, 2019.

Popular YouTuber ‘Prof Simon’ Holland said that a source inside the $100 million nonprofit ‘Breakthrough Listen’ claims it has finally found proof of alien life. Above, Comet PanSTARRS C/2014 Q1 visible over Australia’s Parkes radio telescope – which first detected the signal

Holland described the signal as currently being in the ‘low information zone,’ a term coined by skeptic Mick West to describe cases where tantalizing but minimal data makes it all but impossible for science to rule out even the most incredible theories.

‘The technical hurdles faced,’ Holland said, ‘are that the signal is very weak.’ 

But citing a source with firsthand knowledge from within the Oxford-led nonprofit project Breakthrough Listen, Holland is persuaded that evidence is mounting in favor of the theory that this signal did originate from an advanced alien species.

‘My contact is a senior EU [European Union] radio telescope administrator,’ Holland told DailyMail.com.

‘We have found a non-human extraterrestrial intelligence in our galaxy,’ he said, ‘and people don’t know about it.’ 

Breakthrough Listen began as a $100-million nonprofit research project initiated by the Soviet-born Israeli entrepreneur, investor and physicist Yuri Milner in January 2016.

Its radio telescope-based ‘search for extraterrestrial intelligence’ (SETI) efforts are just one part of the billionaire’s wider moonshot program, Breakthrough Initiatives.

Since 2023, Breakthrough Listen has been led by the physicist Dr Andrew Siemion at Oxford University in the UK.

According to Holland, Breakthrough Listen on the cusp of confirming that its prime candidate for a message from an extraterrestrial civilization, BLC-1, is the real thing.  

The project first picked up BLC-1 via Australia’s Parkes radio telescope in 2019, but by 2021 the team’s astronomers had come to believe that it was likely a false positive or ‘an artifact of Earth-based interference from human technologies.’

Back in October 2021, Breakthrough Listen announced that the radio signal it researchers thought came from near Proxima Centauri (above) was likely nothing more than a ‘false positive.’ Word from Holland’s source inside the group is that the team’s opinion has changed

In short, although BLC-1 appeared to originate from a world orbiting the star Proxima Centauri, the team noted other Earth-based signals that it closely resembled. 

Their provisional conclusion in 2021 was that BLC-1 was much more likely to be some unidentified radio wave pollution coming from Earth, possibly even in Australia. 

But Holland said that Breakthrough Listen might be changing its tune.

‘The signal, instead of being the giant buzz of everything in the universe that we hear through all radio telescopes, was a narrow electromagnetic spectrum,’ he explained.

‘It’s a single point source,’ Holland emphasized in his interview Thursday, meaning that he has been told the signal is unlikely to be local or noise from deep space. 

‘They found the evidence of a non-human technological signature,’ he said.

The possible signal from an alien civilization, BLC1 (pictured), had ‘characteristics broadly consistent with hypothesized technosignatures’ – meaning that they could be interpreted as evidence of some kind of intelligently made technology detectable from light years away 

Holland, a popular science educator known as ‘Professor Simon’ on YouTube, has had a long career producing films with the BBC, Smithsonian TV, and PBS Nova, as well as for the University of Hawaii’s NASA-funded ‘Finding Earth-Killer Asteroids.’

‘I am a retired BBC film editor, specialist factual dept.,’ as Holland summed it up to DailyMail.com. ‘I taught media studies at the graduate level after leaving the BBC.’

Holland said that he believes, from his conversations with insiders and his own analysis, that Breakthrough Listen is now in a race against time to beat Chinese government researchers to publication with their earthshattering findings.

‘The Chinese might be pipping them to the post, with their, FAST [Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope] program,’ Holland told the Mirror. ‘It’s the largest telescope in the world since Arecibo.’

Holland (above) said that he believes Breakthrough Listen is now in a race against time to beat Chinese government researchers to publication with their earthshattering findings. ‘The Chinese might be pipping them to the post,’ as he told reporters this week

A curious announcement — almost immediately retracted — from China’s state-backed publication Science and Technology Daily did announce that FAST had discovered an alien signal back in 2022.

But the notoriously tight-lipped Chinese government has yet to clarify the retraction, or whether FAST, nicknamed ‘Heaven’s Eye,’ was trained on this same BLC-1 signal.

Holland said that both Breakthrough Listen and the Chinese government scientists expect to be breaking news of their confirmed signal from an alien civilization soon.

But, Breakthrough Listen’s last public comments on the mystery of BLC-1 came in October 2021, when its radio astronomers were leaning more toward the idea that this unusual signal had merely come for human sources.

Although BLC1 had ‘characteristics broadly consistent with hypothesized technosignatures,’ the team’s consensus was that they were really just signals from Earth that were getting in the way of their efforts to listen-in on distance worlds.

The radio wave signal was initially detected in April and May 2019 from the Australia-based Parkes Telescope at a frequency of 980 MHz. 

‘The original signal found by Shane Smith [an intern] is not obviously detected when the telescope is pointed away from Proxima Centauri,’ Dr Sofia Sheikh, a radio astronomer and astrobiologist with Breakthrough Listen, said at the time.

Proxima Centauri is 4.2 light years from Earth and has two confirmed planets, a Jupiter-like gas giant and a rocky world called Proxima b in the habitable zone — key features of the star system that still has scientists excited about its prospects as a home for alien life.

Breakthrough Listen’s researchers scanned the Proxima Centauri star system across a wide range of frequencies, from 700 megahertz to 4 gigahertz ‘(in other words, performing the equivalent of tuning to over 800 million radio channels at a time,’ according to their statement at the time. 

They found four million hits that were eventually whittled away to 1 million after looking at hits with no motion.

Another filter was applied for the remaining hits, as they had to appear to come from the direction of Proxima Centauri.

The researchers pointed the Parkes Telescope at the star and then pointed it away, toggling between the ‘on-off’ pattern several times, which left them with 5,160 possible candidates.

While the team had quickly ruled out interference from satellites or other human aircraft, they came to suspect that faulty equipment near the Parkes radio telescope in Australia had created BLC-1.

‘The Chinese might be pipping them to the post, with their, FAST [Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope] program,’ Holland told the Mirror. ‘It’s the largest telescope in the world since Arecibo.’ Above, an aerial view of FAST, which is nicknamed ‘Heaven’s Eye’

A curious announcement – almost immediately retracted – from China’s state-backed publication Science and Technology Daily did announce that FAST had discovered an alien signal in 2022. China has yet to explain this episode 

When Dr Sheikh and here colleagues revisited the signal, they discovered that an automated sorting program among their filters had previously ignored several ‘look alike’ signals that resembled BLC-1 but emitted at other frequencies.

Dr Sheikh told the journal Nature at the time that she suspected the signal was coming from a local piece of malfunctioning electronic equipment, like a phone or computer, just before the faulty device was shut down for repairs.

The signal contained a range of frequencies, the team reported in their peer-reviewed study in Nature, that was ‘consistent with common clock oscillator frequencies used in digital electronics.’

‘Given a haystack of millions of signals, the most likely explanation is still that it is a transmission from human technology that happens to be “weird” in just the right way to fool our filters,’ Dr Sheikh said in 2021.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Breakthrough Listen for comment, and this article will be updated, if the non-profit SETI initiative responds.

KEY DISCOVERIES IN HUMANITY’S SEARCH FOR ALIEN LIFE

Discovery of pulsars

British astronomer Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell was the first person to discover a pulsar in 1967 when she spotted a radio pulsar.

Since then other types of pulsars that emit X-rays and gamma rays have also been spotted.

Pulsars are essentially rotating, highly magnetised neutron stars but when they were first discovered it was believed they could have come from aliens.

‘Wow!’ radio signal

In 1977, an astronomer looking for alien life in the night sky above Ohio spotted a radio signal so powerful that he excitedly wrote ‘Wow!’ next to his data.

In 1977, an astronomer looking for alien life in the night sky above Ohio spotted a radio signal so powerful that he excitedly wrote ‘Wow!’ next to his data

The 72-second blast, spotted by Dr Jerry Ehman through a radio telescope, came from Sagittarius but matched no known celestial object.

Conspiracy theorists have since claimed that the ‘Wow! signal’, which was 30 times stronger than background radiation, was a message from intelligent extraterrestrials.

Fossilised Martian microbes

In 1996 Nasa and the White House made the explosive announcement that the rock contained traces of Martian bugs.

The meteorite, catalogued as Allen Hills (ALH) 84001, crashed onto the frozen wastes of Antarctica 13,000 years ago and was recovered in 1984. 

Photographs were released showing elongated segmented objects that appeared strikingly lifelike.

Photographs were released showing elongated segmented objects that appeared strikingly lifelike (pictured)

However, the excitement did not last long. Other scientists questioned whether the meteorite samples were contaminated. 

They also argued that heat generated when the rock was blasted into space may have created mineral structures that could be mistaken for microfossils. 

Behaviour of Tabby’s Star in 2005 

The star, otherwise known as KIC 8462852, is located 1,400 light years away and has baffled astronomers since being discovered in 2015.

It dims at a much faster rate than other stars, which some experts have suggested is a sign of aliens harnessing the energy of a star.

The star, otherwise known as KIC 8462852, is located 1,400 light years away and has baffled astonomers since being discovered in 2015 (artist’s impression)

Recent studies have ‘eliminated the possibility of an alien megastructure’, and instead, suggests that a ring of dust could be causing the strange signals.

Exoplanets in the Goldilocks zone in 2017 

In February 2017 astronomers announced they had spotted a star system with planets that could support life just 39 light years away.

Seven Earth-like planets were discovered orbiting nearby dwarf star ‘Trappist-1’, and all of them could have water at their surface, one of the key components of life.

Three of the planets have such good conditions, that scientists say life may have already evolved on them. 

Researchers claim that they will know whether or not there is life on any of the planets within a decade, and said: ‘This is just the beginning.’ 

By City & Finance Reporter

Updated: 21:50 BST, 11 October 2024

Saga said it is in ‘exclusive negotiations’ with a Belgian rival over a tie-up for its troubled insurance arm.

As it announced a surge in profits on the back of booming demand for its cruises, the over-50s group also said it has agreed to sell its insurance writing business to the same firm, Ageas, for £67.5m.

The update sent shares in Saga up 9.1 per cent, or 11.4p, to 136.4p.

The companies last week said they were holding talks over a potential deal, which would help it to reduce its debt burden.

Saga told its shareholders yesterday it is in exclusive negotiations with Ageas to establish a 20-year partnership for motor and home insurance. 

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Plain sailing?: Saga announced a surge in profits on the back of booming demand for its cruises

Ageas UK would run Saga’s motor and home products, which consisted of gross written premiums in excess of £479m for the year to July. Ageas will pay £80m up front as part of the deal, with this potentially increasing if certain targets are met.

The firms also confirmed that Ageas will buy Saga’s Acromas insurance underwriting business. Ageas UK will pay £67.5m for the business in a deal expected to complete in the second quarter of next year.

Saga boss Mike Hazell said: ‘We are hugely excited at the opportunity to grow our home and motor insurance business through this proposed partnership with Ageas.’

Ant Middle, chief executive of Ageas UK, said: ‘This proposed deal with Saga aligns perfectly with our strategy to profitably grow in UK personal lines and in creating powerful partnerships to the benefit of our customers.’

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The roast dinner has been a staple meal in the British diet since as far back as 1485 – with King Henry VII allegedly a proud meat and gravy guzzler.

But now, the humble dish has become a much pricier commodity, with Gen Z Brits now opting to spend their Sunday’s tucking into luxury lunches with steak fillet, bone marrow gravy and lobster tail trimmings.

Gone are the days when a classic serving of meat and two veg could be found in nearly any British pub for under £20.

Young people are now paying upwards of £70 for Yorkshire puddings, mash and all the usual (and the less usual) trimmings.

One TikToker, who’s account is called @eatingwithtod, is famed on TikTok for discovering some of London’s tastiest eats.

One of the most expensive on the list is one acclaimed venue – The Lanesborough Grill (pictured) in London – that charges a whopping £75 for what they describe as a ‘sensational’ three course meal 

In one video revealing his ‘top’ roasts, he shares four London eateries, each serving up their own version of luxurious roast dinners.

In the video, the food vlogger suggests three different dinner offerings in the capital, each respectively costing £58, £54, and the cheapest, a £25 meal.

One of the most expensive on the list is one acclaimed venue – The Lanesborough Grill in London – that charges a whopping £75 for what they describe as a ‘sensational’ three course meal.

The eye-watering lunch boasts premium cuts of meat such as Roast Sirloin of Hereford Beef, Roast Salt Marsh Lamb, Dover Sole and Beef Wellington. 

Included in the premium price is a starter and a pudding, both which come made using prime ingredients.

Twists on the classics include one Caramelised brioche pudding, burnt orange purée, buttermilk ice cream, and another, Lemon tart, candied citrus fruit, Earl Grey meringue. 

Among those pricier Sunday grubs is Ned’s Feast at Millie’s Lounge, which serves an all-you-can-eat lunch every week.

The posh venue not only serves up roast cuts of meat, but offers customers lobster tail to have alongside their gravy and mash.

Among those pricier Sunday grubs is Ned’s Feast at Millie’s Lounge, which serves an all-you-can-eat lunch every week

Another popular venues is The Dorchester, with dozens of videos showing keen customers tucking into their popular £65 roasts (pictured) 

Another London venue watering eyes more than mouths, is No. Fifty Cheyne in Chelsea – the restaurant charge a whopping £35.50 for roast chicken, which is usually a budget ingredient

The ‘feast’ costs a whopping £100 per person, and treats customers to unlimited piles of roast, trimmings, lobster and even oysters. 

The venue has racked up dozens of admirers with TikTokers across the globe travelling to the capital to tuck into the luxury lobster roast dinner. 

Co owner and Chef Director of The Duke of Greenwich, Dan Blucert isn’t surprised by the hefty prices for London roast dinners.

He said: ‘People are willing to pay more for quality, whether it be fashion, furniture or food, so it’s not surprising to see a more premium offering enter the market.’

His own pub now offers ‘premium sharing roasts with prime cuts’ which never fail to draw in customers. 

‘When we buy a whole lamb, we will sell the racks for £70 for the whole rack for 2 or 3 to share and they always sell out,’ he said.

Hosting and events expert and founder of her own company, Lavinia Stewart-Brown said: ‘Food experiences as a whole have definitely levelled up in the last few years—the options in terms of restaurants and cuisines are endless.

‘However, the roast has had a real facelift in the last few years – in what is a crowded food and restaurant market, people have had to make fun and interesting changes to stand out.’

One pub, Lore of the Land on Conway Street, has it’s cheapest option – a vegetarian meal of Crispy Chickpea Pasnisse, Soused Leak, Walnut Pesto, Pickled Radicchio, Whipped Vegan Feta – priced at £23 – meanwhile the chicken costs £54

Even budget options aren’t ridiculously cheap. Ganley’s Irish Bar in Morden markets itself as a budget friendly eatery, serving up carvery’s from a counter

Another popular venues is The Dorchester, with dozens of videos showing keen customers tucking into their popular £65 roasts.

The eatery serves three different kinds of meals, including a roasted Grass-Fed English Beef Sirloin, 22 Day Aged Grass-Fed Beef Wellington and the Vegetarian Wellington, Mushrooms, Spinach, Carrots.

Each item on the menu is set at the same price, selling for £65 along with the usual trimmings.

Another London venue watering eyes more than mouths, is No. Fifty Cheyne in Chelsea. The west London restaurant charge a whopping £35.50 for roast chicken, which is usually a budget ingredient. 

The menu even includes a 100-Day Aged Rib of Belted Galloway Beef with smoked bone marrow, which will set you back £58 for one portion.

And it’s not just posh diners in the city’s upper crust charging extortionately for their Sunday grub. 

One pub, Lore of the Land on Conway Street, has it’s cheapest option – a vegetarian meal of Crispy Chickpea Pasnisse, Soused Leak, Walnut Pesto, Pickled Radicchio, Whipped Vegan Feta – priced at £23.

The pub, which is price rated with only two pound signs on Google, serves cuts of roast beef, chicken, or lamb, with some which will set you back well over £30. 

A 90-Day Old Whole Saxon Chicken, served with the usual trimmings, cooked in beef dripping, will cost £54. 

Even budget options aren’t ridiculously cheap. Ganley’s Irish Bar in Morden markets itself as a budget friendly eatery, serving up carvery’s from a counter.

Piles of potatoes, steamed vegetables and slabs of meat are all served from one counter which customers collect themselves. Despite the budget friendly atmosphere and service, a plates worth of Gangley’s carvery is priced at £18.95. 

So, will you take my Just One Thing challenge?’ asks Dr Michael Mosley, eyes glinting, in the first episode of a new TV series he was filming in the months before he died.

Only two episodes were completed before his untimely death on the Greek island of Symi earlier this year.

But as he returns to our screens one final time, it is this infectious call-to-­action that lives on.

Building on the success of his hugely popular podcast and best-selling book, the presenter and Daily Mail columnist challenges viewers to try one of his ­scientifically proven tips for a week to see for themselves how they can boost body and brain.

First up is single mum Jane from North Wales who agrees to try a 30-second cold shower every morning. After much ­initial squealing, she soon finds that a short burst of cold water first thing leaves her feeling energised and more alert.

Dr Michael Mosley returns to our screens one final time in the first episode of a new TV series he was filming in the months before he died

She then recruits a group of friends to give it a try. Though reluctant to begin with, they are soon converts, too, thanks to Dr Mosley’s gentle encouragement, agreeing that this quick technique has a huge impact on how they feel.

Just One Thing is all about making small changes that can make a big ­difference. And for some of these changes, Dr Mosley believed timing is key, explaining not only why they work but suggesting the best time of day to do them.

Did you know that a walk has added benefits when you get ­outside in the early morning light? Or that coffee is best drunk a couple of hours after you’ve woken up?

So, as we celebrate the very best of his transformative advice in a new two-part series, here is the definitive guide to incorporating Just One Thing into your daily routine, starting with what you can do when you first wake up.

Early morning boosters 

Take a cold shower

If less than a minute of ­discomfort each morning can help you combat stress and ­bolster your immune system, a 30-second cold shower’s got to be worth a try.

After your normal warm shower, turn the tap to the coldest ­setting and breathe slowly and steadily for 10 to 60 seconds.

The first time I did this, it was a real shock. There was much ­shrieking from the bathroom and I was out of there in less than ­10 ­seconds. But it gets better with practice.

Mercifully, you don’t have to spend very long in a cold shower to gain the benefits. (In fact, ­staying too long can be counterproductive). The important thing is to remain in long enough to get your breathing under control.

As well as cold showers, cold water swimming is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to claims that it can boost your mood, lower stress, improve your cardiovascular health and strengthen your immune system. So what’s going on?

Well, the first time you have an icy cold shower or jump in the sea in winter, it will, not surprisingly, trigger a stress response.

You will start hyperventilating, your heart rate will shoot up and your body will be flooded with adrenaline. The shock of the cold water sends your circulatory ­system into overdrive.

But if you keep on doing it, your body will, over time, get used to it. Research has shown that it takes six immersions in cold water to halve our stress response – our heart rate doesn’t rise as much, we panic less.

The idea is that repeatedly undergoing the mild stressor of immersion in cold water will help you cope with other stressors as well, thus helping you fight infections. In a large trial, carried out in the Netherlands in the winter months, 3,018 volunteers, aged between 18 and 65 and with no previous experience of regular cold showers, were randomly allocated to having a cold shower or a warm shower every morning, for a month.

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Research has shown that it takes six immersions in cold water to halve our stress response – our heart rate doesn’t rise as much, we panic less

The study found that those who had the cold shower took 30 per cent fewer days off sick from work than the control group.

Cold water immersion also appears to have an anti-­inflammatory effect, which is important when you consider that so many of the modern ­conditions that affect us – Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, ­depression – have their root in chronic inflammation.

If you are planning on moving on from showers to cold water swimming, try it with a friend or join a club (there are lots out there).

And do check with your GP first if you have any underlying health conditions as getting cold can be a ­double-edged sword.

Go for an early walk

Getting out and about first thing – within an hour or two of getting up – can improve your sleep, boost your mood, increase your fitness and cut your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

You get the health benefits not only of the exercise, but also of exposure to natural light.

Light levels outside are at least ten times brighter than inside your house and when this light hits sensors at the back of your eyes, this sends messages to your ­pituitary gland, ordering it to stop producing melatonin.

Melatonin is known as ‘the ­hormone of darkness’ because rising levels in the evening help put you to sleep at night.

As well as waking you up, bright outdoor light helps reset your internal body clock, which in turn helps regulate hunger, mood, body temperature and all sorts of other important ­bodily processes. This resetting of the internal clock also means that when you head for bed, you are ready to sleep.

Any walk – short, long, fast or slow – will also strengthen ­muscles and bones, reduce joint and ­muscular pain, burn a few calories and increase energy levels.

If you want to supercharge it, speed it up. A brisk walk at about 100 paces a minute not only increases your fitness, it might even extend your life.

It increases your heart rate, placing a greater demand on your cardiovascular system, thereby maintaining cardio fitness and helping lower blood pressure.

Which is why brisk walkers have a 21 per cent lower risk of death from heart disease than the more sedentary.

Sing for five minutes

Singing in the shower or while you are making breakfast is a great way to boost mood, reduce anxiety and even relieve chronic pain. Also, and most importantly, it is fun.

One way singing makes us feel good is by boosting our ­endocannabinoids. These are chemicals naturally produced in our bodies that have a very ­similar structure to those found in the cannabis plant; in high concentration, they can have mood-boosting effects.

Studies by Dr Daisy Fancourt and her team at University ­College London have found a ­single session of singing can lead to improvements in mood and measurable reductions in stress and inflammation.

Her team have also measured improvements in lung function in people with lung diseases and in memory in people with dementia, as well as notable reductions in blood pressure, muscle tension and feelings of loneliness.

The natural endocannabinoid high you get from singing can also help with pain relief.

Breakfast time tweaks 

Don’t eat too early

By delaying breakfast for an hour, you will be extending your overnight fast (i.e. how long it has been since your last meal). This is known as time-restricted eating (TRE) and is based on research showing the multiple health ­benefits to be had from having a slightly later breakfast and an earlier evening meal (and, of course, no late-night snack!)

There have been numerous studies showing that extending your overnight fast and eating within a shortened daytime ­window can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, help you lose weight, improve your sleep, cut your risk of ­developing type 2 diabetes, and may even slow the rate at which the brain declines as we age. 

Research shows there are multiple health ­benefits to be had from having a slightly later breakfast and an earlier evening meal

Dr Emily Manoogian, a leading researcher from the Salk ­Institute, suggests choosing an eight to ten-hour eating window that ideally starts one or two hours after you wake up in the morning and ends three to four hours before you go to bed.

‘If possible, aim to eat most of your calories in the first half of your day, and for best results, aim to have a consistent eight hours in bed each night,’ she says,

Outside of the eating window, while you are effectively ‘fasting’, she recommends drinking only water – hot or cold.

Serve up some bacteria

Whether or not you decide to delay your breakfast (and some people skip it altogether), the big question is: what are you going to eat? I’m not a big fan of breakfast cereals, as many of them can be up to 35 per cent sugar.

I prefer kippers, porridge with toasted walnuts or eggs for breakfast. Eggs are a great source of protein and will keep you fuller for longer. And with my eggs, I often eat a big dollop of homemade purple sauerkraut.

I find the tangy pickled cabbage brings out the creamy taste of the eggs, but I also enjoy eating it because it is bursting with ­gut-friendly beneficial bacteria.

The gut microbiome is made up of around a hundred trillion microbes – a mixture of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Together, they weigh up to 2kg – more than your brain. They make up half the cells in your body, which means, if you think about it, you are half human and half microbiome.

We know the microbiome can influence our immune system and alter the activity of things like our natural killer cells, a vital part of our body’s defences. Some of them are very adept at turning the fibre in our diet into anti-­inflammatory compounds, which are hugely beneficial because chronic inflammation leads to conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dementia.

But perhaps the most surprising discovery is the link between the gut and the brain. There are certain gut microbes, it seems, that have an impact on our mood.

Dr Kirsten Berding Harold, a dietician and microbiome ­specialist from University College Cork, conducted a study which showed that switching volunteers to a diet packed with wholegrains and vegetables plus two to three servings of kefir (a zingy form of fermented milk), sauerkraut or kimchi (a Korean take on ­sauerkraut) each day resulted in noticeably lowered stress levels and improved mood in just four weeks.

A diet packed with wholegrains and vegetables plus two to three servings of sauerkraut or kimchi each day can result in lowered stress levels and improved mood in just four weeks

Teeth first, then coffee

For many of you, having a lovely coffee is probably Just One Thing that is already ingrained in your daily routine. Coffee provides lots of health benefits.

It is rich in ­flavanols and anti­oxidants called polyphenols – compounds shown to promote better brain and heart health, and to have anti-inflammatory effects.

Studies suggest that coffee ­drinkers have lower rates of stroke, heart disease, cancer and dementia. A single dose of ­caffeine is enough to enhance attention, alertness, contentment and mood.

But it does matter when you drink it. Firstly, you are better off drinking coffee after brushing your teeth to avoid staining them. Coffee is acidic and can weaken your enamel, the outer protective layer of your teeth. And if you then brush your teeth immediately after drinking it, it is like applying sandpaper, it causes micro-abrasions.

Another reason for delaying your morning coffee is that it is not great for your body first thing, particularly if you’ve had a poor night’s sleep. Poor sleep raises levels of the stress hormone ­cortisol and this combined with the caffeine can lead to a surge in blood sugar levels.

It is best to hit your body with caffeine when your cortisol levels are falling, which is why Dr James Betts, professor of ­metabolic physiology at the University of Bath, recommends delaying that first coffee until later to ­minimise its negative effects on your blood sugar levels.

So how much coffee should you drink? The optimal dose seems to be around three cups a day – and no more than five.

Mid-morning makeovers 

Take a break from work

Taking a break, particularly if you get up and move around, could make you more engaged and more productive, and enhance your enjoyment of work. It can also have a big impact on psychological stress.

Studies have shown that micro-breaks can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, making you more effective in the long run. Regular mini-breaks which require you to stand up or walk about are also a golden opportunity to improve your posture and ease joint pain.

The idea that we might all benefit from micro-breaks emerged from research carried out in the late 1980s in the U.S. The researchers found that the workers who took slightly longer breaks – up to about three minutes – not only produced more accurate work, but had lower heart rates, suggesting that taking the breaks had a calming effect

And don’t feel guilty if you, like many of us, drift off into daydreaming while you are sat at your desk.

Neuroscientist Professor Moshe Bar at ­Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv, who has ­written a book on ‘mind wandering’, says this can help improve mood, decision-making and mental resilience.

­Adapted from Just One Thing by Dr Michael Mosley (Short Books, £9.99). To order a copy for £8.99 (offer valid to 26/10/24; UK P&P free on orders over £25), go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.

Michael ­Mosley: Just One Thing will be shown at 8.30pm on BBC1 this Monday (October 14).

Just One Thing by Dr Michael Mosley (Short Books, £9.99). To order a copy for £8.99 (offer valid to 26/10/24; UK P&P free on orders over £25), go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books 

Try an exercise snack

The single reason most ­people cite for not exercising is lack of time. So why not try some ‘exercise snacks’?

These can last from just 20 seconds to 10 minutes and it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you are elevating your heart rate and getting a bit warm. 

After starting your day with a brisk ten-minute walk, plan your next ‘exercise snack’ for midday when you could jump on your bike (or exercise bike) and pedal hard, against resistance, for 20 seconds.

Studies show that ­exercise snacking is great for cardiovascular ­fitness, ­helping to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels

According to Dr Marie ­Murphy, who is professor of exercise and health at Ulster University, the additional benefits of exercise snacking come from the fact that your metabolism remains raised for a while after each brief bout of activity.

Studies also show that ­exercise snacking is great for cardiovascular ­fitness, ­helping to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as reduce weight, ­specifically in body fat.

Better still: you don’t have to get hot and sweaty and there’s no need to get changed into specialist fitness gear. The aim is simply to get your heart beating harder whenever you can, doing enough ‘snacks’ to add up to 30 minutes of activity during the course of your day.