Remember that #FreeCuthbert fight that Aldi had with M&S last year?
Well the whole fight ended up in court.
Finally, M&S and Aldi have reached a settlement in a copyright dispute over the design of their caterpillar cakes.
Who can forget the whole Colin the Caterpillar fiasco that went down last year?
In case you do need your memory jogging, all the way back in April 2021, leading retailer Marks & Spencer decided to launch legal action against Aldi over the iconic Colin the Caterpillar cake, claiming that the budget supermarket’s own larvae dessert - Cuthbert the Caterpillar - was just too similar and infringes its trademark.
It was a case that blew up on social media, with plenty of other well-known supermarkets and retailers showing their support after Aldi launched its own #FreeCuthbert campaign.
After the rollercoaster case began to die down a bit, Aldi made the bold move to start selling its caterpillar cake once again in May after making some slight changes to its design, and now, both supermarket giants have confirmed earlier this week that a deal has been struck.
Deputy Master Timothy John Bowles has today signed off an agreement in a consent order filed at the High Court.
The order - which was first reported by The Telegraph - allowed the claim to be withdrawn and said the retailers had reached a "confidential agreement" in November.
In true comical Aldi style, the supermarket confirmed the settlement and teased Cuthbert the Caterpillar's imminent return on Twitter saying: "Getting out early on good behaviour, keep an eye out for Cuthy B this Spring."
Speaking more formally on the order this week, an M&S spokesman said: "The objective of the claim was to protect the intellectual property in our Colin the Caterpillar cake and we are very pleased with the outcome.", while an Aldi spokesperson added: "Cuthbert is free and looking forward to seeing all his fans again very soon."
M&S and Aldi have finally reached a settlement in a copyright dispute over the design of their caterpillar cakes / Credit: Aldi UK
Matters here may have drawn nicely to a close, but the tensions between the two retailers still remain high.
This is because, back in December 2021, it was revealed that M&S is once again launching legal action against Aldi and has accused the retailer copying the design of one of it’s most popular festive products - a Christmas gin liqueur with gold flakes.
The M&S spokesperson added on the case: "Like many other UK businesses, large and small, we know the true value and cost of innovation and the enormous time, passion, creativity, energy and attention to detail, that goes into designing, developing and bringing a product to market and building its brand over many years.
"So it is understandable that we want to defend our intellectual property and protect our suppliers - many of them small businesses that have worked with us for decades."
In gutting news for the Owls, the already struggling Sheffield Wednesday FC have been informed that they could very well be starting next season with an immediate points deduction.
From bad to worse, it seems, at the moment.
Wednesdayites have been through it all over the past few years, with unpaid debts and salaries resulting in administration, sparking protests; now relegation to the third tier and the threat of complete collapse.
And as if things weren't hard enough already, Sheffield Wednesday have now been told that they will automatically be deducted 15 points from the beginning of the 2026/67 League One campaign if creditors aren't paid in full - starting with outgoing and controversial owner, Dejphon Chansiri...
BREAKING: Sheffield Wednesday look set to start life in League One next season with a 15-point deduction, because none of the bidders currently trying to buy the club is prepared to pay £15m to the outgoing owner, Dejphon Chansiri. pic.twitter.com/UoAgIMsB4p
Chansiri has loaned over £60 million to the organisation during more than 11 years in charge, but because this money was never converted into share capital, he is the entity that the club owes the biggest amount to.
Addressing supporters in a statement back in September 2023, the 57-year-old member of the millionaire family that controls the Thai Union Group, wrote: "I will not inject any more money into the club if I am being treated unfairly.
"Those fans who create trouble [for] the club and me, and believe that they are the real owner of the club, need to be responsible for the financial matters of the club from now on."
It's fair to say that relations with the fans have far from improved since then, and they've been left even more furious following this most recent development.
At present, Chansiri must be paid at least £15m (effectively almost half of the entire organisation's total purchase price at current valuation), but none of the interested bidders has ultimately been willing to do so thus far.
However, the Arise Capital Partners LLC consortium - led by David Storch and son Michael, as well as Tom Costin - has been identified as the 'preferred' party to complete a buyout.
Newcastle United Mike Ashley was also said to be in the running to take over the club, but ultimately was unprepared to settle this fee with Chansiri, and there remain doubts over whether or not Storch is willing to either.
As for the loyal Hillsborough matchgoers, they have accused the EFL of punishing them and the club rather than the ownership and wider executive board, who have overseen this turbulent period for the historic local institution.
One person wrote underneath the post in social media: "So a club gets penalised because their owner is a piece of shit, but Man City and others just get away with it, makes sense"; many others have simply added that the pending treatment is "unfair" and targets the wrong people. What do you make of it all?
Elsewhere in the Steel City, fresh hope and a new chapter are coming to the world's oldest football club as native musician Jon McClure has been confirmed as the new chairman. Find out more down below.
Featured Images — Kenneth Yarham (via Geograph)/Kivo (via Wikimedia Commons)
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People from Yorkshire wanted to take part in next series of BBC’s popular Gladiators reboot
Emily Sergeant
The BBC is back casting for the next series of Gladiators, and producers are looking for people from Yorkshire to take part.
The gladiators are ready for a new series… but are the contenders?
That’s right – arguably the most exciting and energetic sports entertainment game show of all time is coming back for another series following its long-awaited reboot back in 2025, and that means that the BBC is looking for some brave new contestants to take part.
Yorkshire residents are among those producers are calling on to consider sticking an application in.
Unfamiliar with the premise of Gladiators? The massively-popular series – which is based on an American show of the same name – sees four contestants compete in a number of physical challenges against the ‘Gladiators’, all with the aim of securing as many points as possible for the final event, which is known as ‘The Eliminator’.
Image: BBC
Contestants battle against each other to win a place in the grand final, and ultimately be crowned the champion for the series.
Putting out a UK-wide casting call on the BBC website this week, producers Hungry Bear Media wrote: “Gladiators, one of the most exciting and energetic sports entertainment game shows ever is back for a fourth series.
“We are on the look out for the bravest members of the British public who have the speed and skill to take on our superhuman Gladiators.”
Reckon that’s you then?
With filming set to start soon, applications are now open for the new series of Gladiators, and all you need to do to be in with a chance of being selected as a contestant is being over 18 years old, and fill out an application form.
You can apply on the BBC website here, before applications close on 31 May 2026.
The Hoot -
4th February 2022 
