Quality Street is a solid festive snacking favourite in many British households and has been since 1936.
The iconic octagon-shaped tin is as much of a fixture in most British homes as a Christmas tree once December rolls around, bringing us ample joy with its assortment of different milk and dark chocolates and toffees.
But now. for the first time in its 85-year history, the brand has gone and done something different. It's introduced a new chocolate into the mix, throwing its old milk and dark-only rule out of the window with the introduction of its first-ever white chocolate treat.
Coated in milk and white chocolate with an indulgent caramel flavour, the new ‘Crème Caramel Crisp’ also features crispy biscuit pieces to complement its rich texture.
However, chocolate lovers be warned, the new addition will only be available in participating John Lewis stores as part of its Quality Street pick n mix stations.
This Christmas sees the popular pick n mix stations return to John Lewis department stores after a year off due to Covid, giving Quality Street fans the chance to once again grab their own personalised tins and fill them with their choice of goodies.
Able to choose from the 12 delicious sweets in this year’s assortment and create their own bespoke assortment, there are no excuses for 'only the bad ones' being left in the bottom of the tin this year.
To keep it sustainable, customers can also refill previously used Quality Street tins to save waste.
Cat Mews – Brand Manager at Quality Street – said: “We know how much people missed our pick and mix stations at John Lewis last year, so we are delighted to announce that they are back for 2021.
The Crème Caramel Crisp is the first Quality Street sweet to feature white chocolate / Credit: Quality Street / John Lewis
"It’s a landmark year for Quality Street as the brand turns 85, and we’re celebrating our return to John Lewis with an exclusive new sweet and a beautifully designed collector’s tin that shoppers can personalise with a name of their choice.
“Best of all, you can tailor the contents exactly to your liking, whether that means nothing but purple ones, a tin full of toffees or a feast of fruit crèmes.
“With all this, plus the delicious new Crème Caramel Crisp sweet to try, we think this year’s Quality Street pick and mix stations will be a bigger hit than ever.”
The new chocolate will be available at 17 different John Lewis stores across the UK this Christmas.
Lisa Cherry – Christmas Buyer at John Lewis – added: “Launching the first ever Quality Street sweet featuring white chocolate is so exciting and we can’t wait to hear what our customers think of this new and exclusive flavour.
“It’s just one of the ways we are hoping to make more magical moments for our customers this Christmas.”
Featured Image – Quality Street / John Lewis
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Sheffield Wednesday could be set for a starting points deduction next season
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.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd September 2021 
