This week's UK news: 28 September 2016
28 September 2016


Every week, we summarise the news to give you some insight into what is happening in Britain, and what people are talking about.

This week, England loses its second national football manager in six months, dinosaurs had ginger hair, a sporting hero saves his brother in the triathlon and yet more news about the UK's favourite TV show.

England looking for new football manager - again

This summer, England did not progress beyond the group stage in the European football tournament. The manager, Roy Hodgson, resigned. 

His replacement was a man called Sam Allardyce. This week he left the job after 67 days and one match, after conversations he had with footballers' agents were recorded by journalists.

Dinosaurs had ginger hair, say scientists

Scientists at Manchester University in the UK have been analysing the feathers of birds descended from dinosaurs. They have found colours in the feathers which suggest dinosaurs had hair the same colour as humans, including blond, red, black and dark brown. Traces of metals which create these hair colours have also been found in dinosaur fossils.

This discovery means scientists will be able to identify the true colours of dinosaurs, which has been a mystery. Experts had thought dinosaur skin might be grey or green to help disguise them but this research suggests a wider range of colours. 

Brotherly love loses triathlon

Alistair and Jonny Brownlee are brothers from Yorkshire in the UK who both excel at the Triathlon, the sport where competitors swim, cycle then finally run. The pair are usually rivals. But they were in the news last week when Alistair risked his race position to help his younger brother Jonny.

They were taking part in an event in Mexico. Jonny was on course to win the race, and become world champion for the second time.  When Alistair came round the last corner he saw Jonny staggering in front of him. He had "come as close to death as you can be in sport" because of the heat and lack of water.

Alistair pushed Jonny over the line so that he could get medical help fast. Jonny came second and Alistair third.

New Bake Off show?

The stories have continued about the UK's most popular TV show, The Great British Bake Off. The series, which got the UK's highest ratings last year, is currently being shown on the public service broadcaster the BBC, which developed it. But the programme is actually made by an independent company, which earlier this month sold The Great British Bake Off for more money to a rival, Channel 4.

There was a lot of upset about this. Soon after the sale was announced, the show's two presenters announced that they would not move with the show. Now one of the two judges, 81-year-old Mary Berry, has said she will stay with the BBC. Only Paul Hollywood, the other judge, has signed a contract to stay with the show, and there are lots of jokes that Channel 4 has bought him and the tent. 

Now there are stories that the BBC is planning to make a new cookery competition with the Bake Off stars who have stayed.

 

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