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.
Yes, ANOTHER heatwave is set to hit the UK - the fourth in 2026 so far - and, understandably, Yorkshire residents are already preparing for the latest blast of hot weather and wondering when it arrives.
Yes, in case you missed the news, more high temperatures are set to spread across the UK and Ireland this month and heading into August.
The increase will gradually build throughout this week, with Wednesday tipped to be the hottest day according to various meteorologists.
While Yorkshire thankfully isn't quite slated to get the sweatiest, parts of the Midlands and the usual suspects down south are set to hit the highest numbers, but the thermometers are still on course to reach around the mid-20s over the coming days.
Estimates of 26°C were predicted for this coming Tuesday, with the levels floating in and around 24/25 on the following Wednesday.
The heat is then due to drop off slowly, with top scores of no higher than 21°C on the cards for Thursday and Friday. Although the weekend forecast is less certain at present, one thing that has been announced is reduced rainfall.
Aside from a few more trickles today (Mon, 27 July), the showers or lack thereof cease rather soon, with some of the driest parts of the country already having various effects; for instance, parched parts of Wales have even revealed lost archaeological sites last Friday (24/7/2026).
It would be remiss if we didn't mention the obvious moorland fires across our region, which were sadly exacerbated by hot weather earlier this month.
At least it'll be a bit cooler here than in other parts of the country. ☀️
Bus operator partners with Leeds hospitals to help mums-to-be make vital appointments
Clementine Hall
First Bus is partnering with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to support vulnerable women during pregnancy.
The bus operator is providing an incredible 1,000 day tickets to help vulnerable mums-to-be make appointments.
The free travel passes can be provided by maternity teams to women mainly from minority or disadvantaged communities, helping them to attent important check-ups and appointments.
A recent review of records estimates that 100 pregnant women every month struggle to make hospital appointments as they have no access to funding support or face other barriers to transport.
Image: Supplied
First Bus will provide 100 day tickets per month until March 2027 for midwives to distribute to women based on travel needs following a financial assessment which is carried out during their initial appointment with the maternity team.
Nada Abdul-Majid, Specialist Midwife Health Equity at the Trust, said: “I’ve seen first-hand how women struggle to get to their hospital appointments if they don’t have enough money to use public transport.
“Our Haamla team carry out home visits to these vulnerable women however, it is important that families are able to travel to the hospital for scans, doctors’ appointments, labour and obstetric emergencies.”
Zoe Hands, Managing Director of First Bus Franchising which includes the West Yorkshire region, said: “Supporting communities in the areas we serve means, where we can, being able to assist people in all stages of life. Nothing can be more important than helping to ensure the health and welfare of mothers-to-be and the benefits this will bring to their newborn children.
“We’re pleased to be working in partnership with the Trust and seeing the positive impact our travel support can make to the lives of vulnerable women in Leeds.
“We’re really grateful to First Bus for providing these tickets for women so they can receive maternity care without worrying about the cost of travel to and from appointments,” added Nada. “This will make a real difference to mothers and babies.”
Sophie Smith -
11th January 2022 
