James Purnell

Navanetham 'Navi' Pillay has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026. The 85 year old South African jurist and former UN Human Rights chief initially thought the news was a joke.

This week’s Conservative Party conference saw Kemi Badenoch further cement her position at the helm of her party. But can her increased personal popularity help a party that is still lagging behind Reform UK in the polls? The daughter of a GP and a professor of physiology, Kemi Badenoch was born in Wimbledon but grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. At the age of 16, she moved to London where she worked various jobs including at McDonalds. She studied at Sussex University and it was an introduction to identity politics there that she credits with confirming her conservatism. After graduating, she worked as a software engineer, a systems analyst before embarking on a career in finance. In 2015 she became digital director at the Spectator magazine. In 2005, aged 25, she joined the Conservative Party and in 2015 she became a member of the London Assembly. At the 2017 snap general election she successfully ran to be Conservative MP for Saffron Waldon in Essex. After landing a number of ministerial roles under Boris Johnson she unexpectedly stood for Party Leader when he stood down as Prime Minister in 2022. She came fourth in that contest but ultimately won the leadership contest after the Labour landslide General Election result of 2024. This week she promised to scrap inheritance tax on family homes, proposed a new ‘Britannia Shield’ missile defence system and ruled out a pact with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. But can she overcome the odds and return the Conservative Party to power? Production: Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Tom Gillett, Bethan Ashmead Latham Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele, Sabine Schereck Technical Producer: James Beard Editor: Justine Lang

Presenter Claudia Winkleman, with her trademark fringe, is the host of The Celebrity Traitors season two. The London-born broadcaster has been a familiar face on television for more than three decades - but who is the woman behind the hair? The daughter of journalist Eve Pollard, known as ‘The First Lady of Fleet Street’, and book publisher Barry Winkleman, as a child Claudia was taken to the National Gallery on weekends by her father to look at one painting at a time for 40 minutes. This early exposure to the world of art helped secure her place at Cambridge University to study History of Art, while making a name for herself as the only student with a tanning bed in her bedroom. The start of her career saw her presenting the BBC’s Holiday programme, along with a host of late-night shows including ‘Liquid News’, ‘God’s Gift’ and even a stint on Good Morning with Anne and Nick as the resident dating guru. But it was moving to co-present Strictly Come Dancing, along with a primetime Radio 2 hosting slot, that led to her biggest role to date - presenting BBC One’s The Traitors, which cemented her status as a household name. Now, as the second season kicks off, Stephen Smith looks back at the life and career of the woman with the most avant-garde outfits on television. Production Producers: Ben Carter and Keiligh Baker Sound mix: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Editor: Justine Lang Archive: Elizabeth Day 'How to Fail' British Museum Bayeux Tapestry trailer

Mark Coles profiles Alice Weidel, the some say, unlikely joint leader and public face of the far right, nationalist AfD - the Alternative for Germany party. Weidel's a right wing populist and a self confessed fan of Margaret Thatcher. Yet in some respects, particularly when it comes to her private life is seemingly at odds with, almost the antithesis of what her party stands for. Her supporters don't seem to mind. Weidel and the AfD have notched up a series of big win in local elections this month, including Saxony Anhalt, causing huge headaches for beleaguered German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s, Christian Democratic Union. With the AfD currently topping opinion polls, many are now wondering out loud if Weidel could become Germany’s first far right leader since the Second World War. Production team: Producers: Ben Carter and Bethan Ashmead Sound mix: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Editor: Justine Lang

Amy Hunt, 24, was born and grew up in Newark, Nottinghamshire. In the classroom, on the sports field, playing cello or tap dancing, she excelled at whatever she did. She wasn't always a quick runner though. Her teacher, Phil Shepherd, recalls that when she was nine or ten 'she had incredibly long legs and her body hadn't grown into it.' But it didn't take long. Aged 12, she joined Grantham Athletic Club, and at first she did middle distance running and triathlon. but after doing a rapid 200m her coaches suggested that she entered some championships. At the age of 20, she was selected to represent Great Britain at the Under 20 European Championships in Mannheim, Germany. She won in 22.42 seconds, which was the fastest time ever by someone under 18. But she was keen to prove that it's possible to be an 'academic badass and track goddess'. She attended Cambridge and obtained a BA in English. But sprinting called and she moved to Italy to work with coach, Marco Airale. Silver medals at the Olympics in Paris, and the World Championships in Tokyo followed by she became the first person in the history of the European Championships to win four gold medals in Birmingham this summer. Becky Milligan looks at Amy's life and career. Production team: Sound mix: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck Producers: Ben Carter and Bethan Ashmead Editor: Justine Lang Archive: Good Morning Britain, ITV Novig advert