Looking to find your type on paper whilst the world is watching?
ITV has announced that Love Island is back for 2022 and the company is now looking to recruit a number of islanders looking to find love.
For the first time, the cult TV series will take applications from people that identify as non-binary, after only ever taking male and female applications in previous series.
There's a chance to find love, but failing that there's £50,000 up for grabs if you're part of the winning couple, and of course, the chance of becoming rich and famous in the process.
In order to qualify, participants must be over the age of 18, not employed by ITV, Motion or any other company owned by ITV and cannot be an immediate relative or partner of anyone that works for the show. Of course, it helps if you can come up with quotable phrases and are willing to do anything to win over the hearts of not just the other contestants, but the entire UK population too.
In addition to these requirements, you must be exclusively available to participate in the Programme for a minimum of ten consecutive weeks for production and hold (or be prepared to obtain) a passport which is less than ten years old to travel to the destination specified by ITV at the point of production.
If you want to put all your eggs in one basket and apply, make sure you're ready for the rigorous interview process and to be projected in front of millions of viewers for the foreseeable future- which does come with the potential of becoming a viral sensation or a meme respectively.
Recently, Winter Love Island runner up, Siânnise Fudge, spoke on an Instagram story, stating that she missed her pre-Love Island life, how the show had affected her mental health and how she wishes she hadn't participated at all.
"I was very content and happy in my life before 'Love Island' and I feel like mentally I’m not as happy. If I could turn back the clock I think I would have made a different decision. And I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.
"Mental health and happiness comes first for me always."
Now a social media influencer, Siânnise is one of many contestants that has found the journey to fame rocky, but for others, they have used the show to carve a career that leaves them with no regrets about the show.
Amber Davies, who participated in the show in 2017 and won with former islander Kem Cetinay told The Mirror that "some of the life experiences I’ve had from Love Island, I’ll be forever grateful for,” after the show landed her a spot on the West End version of 9 To 5 in 2019, on CBBC's Almost Never and in March the ex-islander will be hosting Proud Cabaret in London.
If you think that appearing on Love Island 2022 in their eight season is the way you want to spend your summer, more information is available on the ITV website.
Leeds Christmas Markets is returning to the city centre in just two months' time and some major plans and changes have been announced.
Although Pop Princess Zara Larsson might want us to believe "Summer isn't over yet", it's safe to say that the recent downpours we've had across West Yorkshire disagree.
Leeds Christmas Markets are also ringing in the new season with a jam-packed video posted to social media announcing all the current plans and changes for its 2026 schedule.
This year, outdoor events company Thor’s Tipi are stepping up as the all-new operators of this Christmastime spectacular and are organising a celebration where 'even if you’re not from Yorkshire, you’re going to leave being from Yorkshire'.
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November with plenty of Yorkshire-centric stalls / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Although Leeds locals already know that Yorkshire is 'God's Own Country', the Leeds Christmas Markets team are making sure that the county is represented through its food, drinks and wider stalls.
In a video uploaded to its social accounts, foodie expert and Little Bao Boy Founder James 'Jimmy Chews' Ooi was given the honour of revealing all these exciting plans.
Informing everyone that "You best come hungry", Ooi noted that some of the phenomenal vendors taking part include La Grassa and The Savvy Baker.
Real Markets Yorkshire and Stump Cross Caverns are also getting into the Christmas spirit and setting up their own stalls at Leeds City Square this November.
La Grassa is just one of many familiar foodie faces returning to Leeds Christmas Markets / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Rated restaurants and bars are contributing to the festive frenzy too, like Cabaret Thursdays at Italian restaurant Bibi's and beer garden destination Green Room are hosting singalongs at Leeds Christmas Markets.
There will be plenty of activities for families happening all around the unofficial capital of West Yorkshire like elf-themed scavenger hunts, various elves on various shelves and lots of live music.
If it wasn't apparent already, in the words of Jimmy Chews himself, there's about to be "So much Christmas that Mariah Carey is going to look like the Grinch".
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November and there will be plenty of exciting announcements to the upcoming celebrations ahead of the big day.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has confirmed it'll be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK - but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues 'for all their hard work' throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That's not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a 'special' 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it's important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to 'ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day'
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year's Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: "Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
"Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
"We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them."
Sophie Smith -
11th January 2022 
