The highly anticipated new Nissan Qashqai has recently been unleashed on the stunning roads of the Algarve, where I had the opportunity to test drive it, writes Sorted Magazine’s Motoring Editor Tim Barnes-Clay.
The crossover made a lasting impression with its refreshed styling, which exudes a sharp and modern dynamism.
The new Qashqai, a testament to Nissan’s commitment to innovation, features a striking front grille with numerous high-gloss, three-dimensional comma-shaped elements in a black finish. The re-shaped headlights, distinctive daytime running lights, and revamped rear lighting elements add to its unique appeal. It also offers new alloy wheel options and captivating new colours.
Furthermore, the Qashqai N-Design grade introduces a fresh and dynamic dimension to the lineup. Its body-coloured lower portions and 20″ alloy wheels elevate its on-road presence. The vehicle is available in different trim levels to suit diverse preferences, ranging from Acenta Premium, N-Connecta, N-Design, and Tekna to Tekna+.
The 2024 Qashqai boasts Alcantara in the cabin. It adorns the dashboard, door inserts, armrests, and centre storage console lid of the upper-grade models, offering a sophisticated feel. The upper three grades feature intricately patterned materials and sumptuous seat trims, reflecting meticulous attention to detail and providing comfort and elegance.
Technological advancements include the upgraded Around View Monitor system with a 3D feature for enhanced visibility and safety through multiple external camera viewpoints. The integration of Google as part of the NissanConnect infotainment system ensures seamless connectivity. NissanConnect Services also provides security and convenience with vigilant monitoring and alerts for added peace of mind.
The new Nissan Qashqai is not just about looks, though – it’s about performance. Nissan’s innovative e-POWER system combines a petrol engine with a compact electric motor, delivering an electric drive sensation without the need for traditional charging. This provides a compelling option for motorists seeking the advantages of an electric vehicle without range anxiety. The Qashqai also offers a refined and comfy driving experience, responsive and precise handling, smooth ride quality, impressive power delivery, and efficiency.
The new 2024 Nissan Qashqai, a perfect blend of safety, comfort, and versatility, is now in production at Nissan’s Sunderland Plant in the UK. With a starting price of £30,135, it’s a compelling choice for families. Indeed, it marks another milestone for a vehicle that has seen over four million units built since its original launch in 2007, making it a proven and trusted choice for motorists.
Photo credits: Courtesy of Nissan Qashqai and Tim Barnes-Clay
D-Day 80 is a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. A series of major commemorations in both the UK and France will honour the brave personnel who risked their lives for freedom and peace. Bob Fraser has been following the media coverage of these events and here he reflects on what they mean to him.
World War II photograph shows an aerial view of the various naval vessels around the beaches of Normandy in northernmost France. Shown here landing supplies such as tanks, military vehicles, weapons and troops; the Invasion of Normandy is considered the largest amphibious invasion in history.
Bob writes: Many of us will have been watching the D-Day commemorations on TV. I can’t imagine what those involved would have gone through eighty years ago.
The veterans who are telling their poignant stories now, are of course, all in their late nineties. One man interviewed was 104 years old and still articulate, still living independently. Many become emotional as they re-live the stories of their involvement; while remembering the comrades they served with, and remembering those they lost. The reminder to ‘never forget’ is a poignant message.
My tenuous link with it all is my father, who was in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Following the evacuation of British and Allied soldiers from Dunkirk in June 1940, codenamed ‘Operation Dynamo’, there were lesser known evacuations from other ports further along the French Coast at Le Havre and Cherbourg. Saint Nazaire was a major port on the west coast of France and my father was deployed there as second in command to assist with evacuation of soldiers retreating from the advancing German army and get them safely back to Blighty.
Digitally restored vintage World War II photo of American troops wading ashore on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.
I can find little record of this, as opposed to Dunkirk, but the story goes that many soldiers weren’t able to get to Dunkirk in time for the evacuation, and made their way further along the French coast in the hope of rescue. As the Germans continued their advance, my father was waist deep in the sea water for long hours without much food, helping men to embark on rescue ships and head to safety. Not surprisingly, his health deteriorated to the point where he was hospitalised on his return to the UK. The Germans subsequently occupied the Port of Saint Nazaire and turned it into a fortress like base for their submarine operations.
Sadly, My father was unable to take any further part in the war and spent many months convalescing in hospitals, before being discharged from the Navy. His health never fully recovered and my mum recalled that, in the twenty years they were married, he had a spell in hospital every year bar one. As a boy, I was shielded from much of this and I knew very little of the part he had played in the war. His poor health finally got the better of him when I was sixteen. He had never spoken about the war and I had never asked. It didn’t seem important to me as we were living in a time of peace. It never occurred to me that he had been an ordinary bloke doing extraordinary things to serve others in a time of war. It’s only in more recent years that I’ve tried to find out more about his life.
US soldiers invading Omaha Beach on D Day
As I reflect on not just my father, but all those who served in WW2, it’s helpful to listen to their stories. Most of them had no idea when they were going or where they were going until the orders were given. There was a long period of preparation and an anxious wait as D-Day approached. Most of the Veterans talk about just ‘doing their bit’ or being ‘no one special’, but many of them found depths of courage and sacrifice which they never knew they had. They became real heroes and their contributions made a significant difference and turned the tide of the war.
It’s easy to talk about the futility of war but, as we can now understand a bit more clearly, there is sometimes a need to make a stand for a just cause and resist an enemy who is determined to occupy your land. Peace sometimes comes with a hefty price tag, and we do well to keep on remembering the courage and sacrifice which has bought our freedom.
This year, Wycliffe Bible Translators celebrates the 700th anniversary of the birth of John Wycliffe, the man who first translated the Bible into English. While the anniversary is a celebration, it also acts as a reminder of the one in five who still lack access to a Bible in the language they know best.
James Poole, Wycliffe Bible Translators’ Executive Director, explained: “John Wycliffe’s commitment to translating the Bible into the language that people know best was revolutionary. 700 years later the passion for Wycliffe’s vision of a world where everyone can know Jesus through the Bible continues to burn brightly.”
John Wycliffe is a pivotal figure in history. His ground breaking work of providing the first English translation of the Bible continues to resonate across the globe. Despite so much progress to date in worldwide Bible translation, much work remains. An estimated 1.5 billion people representing over 6,000 languages are still waiting to receive the Bible in the language they understand best. Wycliffe Bible Translators is committed to all people having access to the Bible.
Thought to have been born in 1324 in Hipswell, Yorkshire, John Wycliffe was a theologian, scholar and reformer. His passion for making the Scriptures accessible to ordinary people led him and his team to undertake the monumental task of translating the Bible from Latin into English by hand. Wycliffe believed that everyone should have direct access to God’s word.
He faced great opposition from the church at the time for his translation, ideas and teaching, but his conviction was strong and was not deterred. After his death, he was declared a heretic and his bones were dug up, burnt and his ashes scattered in the River Swift in Leicestershire.
Poole continues: “John Wycliffe argued that the Bible should be accessible to all, regardless of social status or education. His courage and vision continue to inspire our work today. There is now more Bible translation work in progress than ever before. We have a historic opportunity to get closer to the vision of everyone being able to know Jesus through the Bible.”
John Wycliffe’s translation work opened the door to other English translations. He was also known as ‘the Morning Star of the Reformation’, given the influence of his teaching and work on others like Martin Luther, who translated the Bible into a form of German, as well as being the key figure in the Reformation.
The last 12 months have been a record-breaking year for Bible translation. A new Bible was launched at a rate of one per month, a New Testament at the rate of one per week and translation work began in a new language at a rate of one per day. Komi Sena is a modern-day John Wycliffe. Komi is an Ifè translator, despite setbacks, the Ifè New Testament has been completed, leading to a surge in local churches. Komi enthused: “Translating the Bible is so important because many people don’t understand French, so they are not able to read and understand the Scriptures. And it does not change their lives when they do not understand it. Translation of the Bible also enables nonbelievers to hear the good news in their language.”
Now, Komi and his team are working on the Old Testament, aiming for completion by 2026. Komi also assists other translation projects across Togo and Benin, highlighting the transformative impact of having the Bible in one’s native language.
For more information on the charity and the 700th anniversary of John Wycliffe, visit wycliffe700.com
Research suggests that more than 30 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. That’s a shedload of grief – and not just for the mothers-to-be, as George Luke knows all too well.
I remember that Monday afternoon like it was yesterday. I was at work when my wife Karen rang sounding shaken: “Something’s happened. I’m in hospital.”
My job had become a toxic nightmare by this time, so part of me was thankful for an excuse to leave work early. But it wasn’t without a sense of worry; after all, it’s rarely a good thing to be summoned to a hospital at short notice. “I can see a six-week-old foetus with a heartbeat,” the doctor said after examining her, beaming from ear to ear as she delivered the news. Karen and I hugged warmly, she got dressed and we set off home, our hearts considerably lighter than when we’d arrived. Could this be it? Our dream of parenthood becoming real at last? Third time lucky?
Sadly, no. Two days later, my phone rang again. Another emergency summons from Karen. It felt a lot more ominous this time. Sure enough, when I arrived at the hospital the news wasn’t good: the foetus that had filled us with so much hope and joy over the last 48 hours was no more. At least this time round I was able to comfort my wife in person – not like the first time this tragedy hit us, when she was in France and I had to be supportive remotely over the phone hundreds of miles away. I don’t think I’ll ever feel as helpless as I did then.
Baby loss isn’t just tough; it’s an awful, tragic, mind-bender of an ordeal to go through. We all know (or think we know) how it affects women. But how should a man react, respond or even feel when his wife/partner has a miscarriage? He’s lost a child too; how does that affect him? It must do…
Who do we talk to about our feelings? How can we support our wives and partners better? So many questions, no conclusive answers. One thing I do have, though, is a couple of friends who’ve been through the ordeal and have, in their own time and their own way, responded to it. Tom Wateracre is one of the authors of a newly published book No One Talks About This Stuff. Ola Obaro is a trustee of the Miscarriage Association – currently the organisation’s only male trustee.
Tom and his wife Sarah had been married four years when, as he puts it, “Our body clocks were like, ‘Right! Okay – here we go!’” Sarah then became pregnant quite quickly, but then the couple received some devastating news: “We found out that our baby had a genetic condition which some babies can continue with, but it also had heart problems and a load of different things. They said the chances of making it to term were very unlikely, and the chances of making it further than that even less so, and so they offered us a medical termination at 17 weeks.”
In the years following the termination, Sarah had some very early miscarriages. “After four years of that, we just didn’t want any more medical interventions,” Tom says. “So we started the adoption process. That took another four years.
“Part of the adoption process was dealing with the grief. They wanted to make sure that we had absolutely stopped trying for a baby, which is one thing; so we had couples’ counselling at that point just to talk about what that meant: were we actually ready for having a kid that wasn’t going to be ‘our own’, and then going through the various stages of adoption. We ended up doing this thing called Early Permanence, which is where you foster and adopt at the same time. Our daughter came to us and we looked after her for a year. Part of the fostering process is the possibility that the child might go back to their birth parents, so we kind of opened ourselves up to that.
“In the book, I’ve written about the idea that we were prepared for some of the possibilities of that adoption process because we’d experienced that loss. We knew that if our daughter were to go back to her birth parents, we would in some sense have a blueprint of how we would deal with the grief of that. And so that gave me a bit of comfort during that process. It’s like a sneaky superpower.”
Ola’s wife Anjuli first became pregnant about three years into their marriage; it was to be the first of three miscarriages she would have before the birth of their daughter, who’s now five. “By the third one, we were starting to potentially accept that we might need to consider other options,” says Ola. “We were referred to a miscarriage clinic – but then before we’d started any treatment, Anjuli became pregnant again, so all the clinic could do was monitor her. And then we had our daughter. But when we got pregnant again, we were told that because we’d had a baby, everything was now fine and normal… but then we had another loss. Thankfully, we had an amazing GP who was really great, and we had our son almost two years ago.
“The first loss really stands out because like all of the stuff you read about, you never think it’s going to happen to you. You know it happens; you may even broadly know the statistics – one in four or one in five, depending on what you read – but then when it happens… I was just in a state of shock. This wasn’t part of the plan! Between me and my wife, I’m the problem solver:‘You get stuff done’. Only in this case, you can’t.”
“My constant thinking was that my emotions are not useful here,” Tom recalls. “Sarah’s the one who’s had all of the actual trauma; I’ve just been like a bystander. It’s almost as if I didn’t have as much of an emotional stake in it as she did. So I just bottled it up until the point where I had a panic attack on the train one day. That was when I realised I needed to talk to someone about it.”
Churches generally do a great job at preparing couples for marriage, but both Ola and Tom think that some pre-emptive advice on dealing with baby loss would have been helpful. “Anj and I did a bunch of marriage courses,” Ola says, “and neither of us can remember this subject coming up. What does come up is ‘Do you want kids?’and disciplining kids. Nobody talked about what happens if you want kids but can’t have them. Yes, it might have been a bit of a downer. But there were enough people in the room that statistically some of us would experience this.
“Nobody wants to think about it, but unfortunately it is going to happen to some people. So there’s some responsibility to prepare people for it in a loving way, just as they prepare us for arguments and communication issues. Baby loss is such a traumatic experience; it could shatter your marriage if you haven’t been emotionally prepared. Churches could do a better job of talking about it openly –how you carry on having faith but potentially being prepared for not getting something you always thought was going to be part of your life.”
“Even when your story ends in a baby, that’s not the end!” says Tom. And he’s right; the thought of what could have been doesn’t just go away overnight. Tom and Sarah now have their daughter, Ola and Anjuli have a girl and a boy, and Karen and I have our two girls. Mission accomplished? Not quite. The experience of ‘almost parenthood’ (to borrow a phrase from Tom’s book) has a way of messing with your head. There are groups that host memorial events for those who have lost babies through miscarriage in the past. Ola recalls going to a few such events and meeting people who were mourning babies they’d lost 30 or 40 years ago. “Even if you have another kid or you adopt a child three or four years later, that’s a whole different trajectory of hopes and dreams,” he says. “But those previous ones never got borne out and nothing can take that away.”
And maybe that’s a good thing. Not everything in life has a nicely wrapped up conclusion, as much as we would like them to. “Dealing with the lows of life needs to be something that we’re more comfortable with,” says Ola. “Always seeing those lows as a part of your eventual victory can be unhelpful sometimes. Nobody wants to consider that bad things could happen to them, and what that could mean. But it’s so important that we do.”
There are a number of organisations who offer help to those in this situation:
Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research is the largest of its kind in Europe. They offer lots of information and encouragement. tommys.org/baby-loss-support
Miscarriage for Men has a community forum with links and blogs. miscarriageformen.com
Child Bereavement UK supports families when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying. They have a helpline, face-to-face groups and information resources. childbereavementuk.org
Cruse Bereavement Care helps people understand their grief and cope with their loss. They have a helpline and a network of local branches where you can find support. cruse.org.uk
The Miscarriage Association provides a helpline five days a week, plus a forum and support groups. www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
I was on holiday in France some years back and, if I’m honest, my French isn’t up to much. I can just about cope with a “bonjour” and a “merci” when the situation demands. And I have been known to order a café au lait when I’ve been feeling supremely confident (and in desperate need of caffeine), but anything else I leave to my wife, who is far more capable in the language department.
However, on this particular day, I’d taken it upon myself to pop, alone and unaided, to the shop for some lunchtime essentials. It would be fine, I told myself, I’d have no problem locating ham, bread and butter. What could go wrong?
Just as I thought, I discovered my prospective purchases with ease and, having slipped them into my basket and feeling perhaps just a little giddy with my success, I decided the time was right to venture a question to the lady behind the till.
I cleared my throat in readiness. I gave her a warm and relaxed smile and asked, in English with my best French accent, “Do you have pâté?”
“Pâté?” came the quizzical reply.
“Oui, pâté,” I reiterated, impressing myself with an actual full sentence in the lingo. Perhaps there was nothing to this foreign language lark after all.
“The party is at six,” came the confident but confusing response.
I blinked. My warm and relaxed smile froze, ever so slightly. “No,” I corrected, “Not party – pâté.”
“Oui, the party is at six.”
Puzzled by this misunderstanding, I turned to the trusty translator on my phone and dutifully typed in the word ‘pâté’, wondering if in fact it wasn’t a French word after all. The shop assistant waited patiently until I could show her the word.
“Ah!” she said, smiling. “Pâté! Non, we do not have.”
I was left mystified. My mouth probably hung a tiny bit open. I literally had no clue as to how my pronunciation had differed from hers. But clearly it had, somehow.
However, what I’ve realised is that, when it comes to effective communication, it’s not just getting the accent right that matters.
We’ve just had Sunday lunch, and I shove what’s left of the washing up in the sink and announce that I’m leaving it to soak (a classic manoeuvre that nearly always results in my entering the kitchen at a later point only to discover my wife finished the job and put everything away). What I should have said was: “I think these dishes need a soak. What else needs doing before we sit down?”
Or yesterday, perhaps instead of my saying, “I’ll leave you to unpack the shopping, you know I’ll only put it in the wrong place” (note the emphasis on her having unreasonable and impossibly high expectations), I should have tried, “I’m rubbish at knowing where to put everything, tell me where it goes and I’ll do it.”
What we say and the way that we say it matters. A lot. As men, we often struggle to communicate what we actually mean and sometimes we just use that as an excuse to not even try.
We can be so good at making resolutions to join the gym, climb a mountain, or learn to use a power tool. Why not instead concentrate on getting our words out straight so that we use them to encourage, empower, and put a smile on the faces of those we love?
Many of us have interests where we commit time and energy and routinely engage with like-minded people: a rhythm, a ritual. It’s part of who we are.
It’s almost 12:30pm; you’ve been to the pub, had the same drink you always have, chatted with the lads and made your way to Turf Moor, Harry Potts Way. The colours are on; scarf and woolly hat with matching badges. The chants are going up as you walk along with the boys, perfect! It’s match day, Burnley FC versus Fulham FC.
Now you may not be a Burnley or Fulham fan, or even a footie fan, but the point here is to describe a kind of ‘sacred rhythm’ that week in, week out, whether cold, rain or sunshine, you show up for; rhythms that reflect the things in your life that you commit to, invest in, give to; the stuff that stirs you.
You lay awake at night reading the fixtures, upgrades, signings, transfers, details. You invest time and energy in it, talking about it, watching it, being around it or exploring all the stats with your mates. These sacred rhythms are the stuff that sits deep in our lives, and bring us joy, identity, and shape how we see life.
The concept of a sacred rhythm isn’t foreign to any of us, you don’t have to be ’religious’ to have this stuff working in your life. A rhythm like this is built on something you enjoy and have seen and experienced the benefit from doing.
There was a book a few years ago called Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… and Maybe the World. A simple book that picked up on this sort of vibe, on routine, discipline, and a pattern in your life that gives joy, order, and purpose. I think sacred rhythms touch on this.
Outside the world of sport, cars, films, music, and more, sacred rhythms can take on a spiritual perspective and angle too. The best example I can offer for this is from Jesus, in the Bible. Jesus had a sacred rhythm in his life of prayer, alone and early. The Bible often recorded moments where Jesus stepped away from the crowds and the masses, and got up before his mates in the early hours to go and pray to God, his father.
This simple sacred rhythm on the surface seems so insignificant, but when I have tried it, I can say that this has been one of the most life-changing things for me. What are your sacred rhythms in life? How do they impact you?
The Porsche Taycan GTS saloon is a stunning four-door electric sports car with a sleek and aerodynamic design. Moreover, its lightweight construction makes for an outstanding driving experience.
Under the bonnet, the Porsche has a dual-motor setup that unleashes 590 horses. This enables the electrified sports car to sprint to the hallowed 62mph in 3.7 seconds and on to 155 mph. The Taycan also has an official range of 313 miles, which is more than enough for most UK drivers.
The interior of the German-made car is as impressive as the outside. The cabin is spacious and luxurious, with high-end materials and finishes. The dashboard features a clean, uncomplicated design, with a central touchscreen display controlling most functions. The Taycan GTS saloon also vaunts a premium sound system and climate control.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Taycan is its handling. The car is incredibly agile and responsive, with precise steering and excellent grip, thanks partly to all-wheel drive. The GTS also features Porsche’s Active Suspension Management system, which adapts to real-time road conditions to provide a smooth and comfortable ride. Additionally, the saloon’s regenerative braking system helps improve handling, slowing the vehicle down quickly and smoothly.
Safety is a top priority for Porsche. Therefore, the Taycan GTS has advanced safety features that keep you and your passengers as looked after as possible. These include lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera system.
It is an environmentally friendly vehicle that produces zero emissions during operation. This makes the sports car a better transport option for our planet than traditional petrol-powered vehicles. The Porsche also has various charging options, allowing you to charge it at home, work, or a public charging station.
The Taycan GTS is an exceptional electric vehicle redefining industry standards. Its streamlined design, intense performance, luxurious interior, and advanced features make it a top purchase if you insist on electrified performance and luxury.
A new parent hub to help families navigate the world of video games has been launched.
Ukie, the leading video games industry body, has launched Ask About Games a resource designed to support parents, caregivers and families in navigating the world of video games. As technology continues to evolve, so does the landscape of parenting, with video game ownership now a reality for 70% of UK households. Ask About Games aims to equip parents with the necessary tools and knowledge to engage in meaningful discussions about fostering healthy digital habits for their children.
Despite widespread belief among three-quarters of parents that parental controls are essential for safeguarding children, many parents have yet to fully utilise these protective measures. Four in ten parents admit they haven’t discussed online decision-making with their kids. Recognising this gap Ask About Games seeks to empower parents and families to activate these controls, which are readily available on all video game platforms.
Nick Poole, CEO of Ukie, explained: “Our mission is to empower parents with straightforward, practical resources that make video game safety easy to understand and implement. By offering expert advice and clear guidance, we aim to help families ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming environment for their children.”
Ask About Games is backed by the video game industry and designed to distil expert advice into digestible insights. Recognising the time constraints faced by parents, it serves as a one-stop destination for accessing top-notch tips, starting the power up pact, and game guides that help parents navigate the video game landscape. The platform also offers a user-friendly guide on configuring parental controls, ensuring families can enjoy gaming experiences safely and joyfully, as well as the option to search and find games that suits families.
Andy Robertson, Founder of the Family Gaming Database said: “In today’s digital age, it’s crucial for parents to be actively involved in their children’s gaming lives. Our API provides an instantly searchable library of the latest video games for Ask About Games readers.”
New research has revealed the UK’s top ten celebrity golfers, with TV presenter Dan Walker taking the top spot. The study, conducted by luxury golf apparel brand Galvin Green, analysed the list of participants in 2023’s BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am, before filtering through these to rank the UK’s top ten celebrity golfers based on their handicap.
TV broadcaster and presenter, Dan Walker, ranks first in the list of the UK’s top ten celebrity golfers, with an impressive handicap of +0.8. Sharing a fairway with golfing champions, Walker tees off at Hallamshire Golf Club in Sheffield, alongside rising star Alex Fitzpatrick and his brother, 2022 US Open winner, Matt Fitzpatrick.
In second place is football cult-hero and presenter Jimmy Bullard, who plays off scratch 0. The former Premier League footballer went on to co-host the iconic sports show Soccer AM after retiring, but now presents the popular Tubes & Ange Golf Life with his former co-worker Peter Dale (Tubes).
In third place is football legend Gareth Bale, with a handicap of 0.5. Bale built a mini golf course at his home, modelled after three of golf’s most famous Par 3’s: the 12th at Augusta, Royal Troon’s ‘Postage Stamp’, and the tricky 17th at Sawgrass.
Anton Du Beke of Strictly Come Dancing fame, places fourth on the list, with a handicap of 1.4. The famous ballroom dancer turned judge is an avid golfer and a member of the prestigious Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey.
In fifth place is England cricketing legend, Sir Andrew Strauss, who has a handicap of 1.8. Strauss’ sporting successes are certainly not limited to cricket, with the former England batsman managing a hole-in-one whilst playing with fellow cricketer Paul Collingwood at Woburn Golf Club.
England’s James Anderson is another cricketer to make the top ten, placing sixth with a handicap of 2.6. Anderson is a member at the prestigious West Lancashire Golf Club, known for its challenging layout, where rolling fairways and strategically placed bunkers demand precise shot placement.
Tied for seventh place is former footballer Jermaine Jenas and entrepreneur Seb Carmichael-Brown, both with handicaps of three. Jenas, who now works as a sports pundit and a presenter of The One Show, claims his handicap once reached as low as 1.5, speaking to Jimmy Bullard on ‘Tubes & Ange Golf Life.’ Seb, who gained notoriety as the co-owner of non-league side Hashtag United, has his own YouTube channel devoted to his golfing exploits Seb on Golf showcasing his impressive golfing abilities on various courses around the world.
Ranking eighth on the list is former Rugby Union player, Thom Evans, with a handicap of 5.2. Evans, who has also worked as a model, made the headlines in 2017 when he took part in a celebrity Nearest-to-the-pin competition at Celtic Manor.
Award-winning actor Tom Holland places ninth on the list, with a handicap of six. In the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am 2023, Holland played alongside his brothers, Harry and Sam, who also boast impressive handicaps of 6.8 and ten, respectively.
Rounding off the list in tenth place, is Naga Munchetty, the UK’s top female celebrity golfer and BBC Breakfast presenter, with a handicap of 6.5. Munchetty uses her platform to promote golf and support noble causes. She presents the annual Charity Golf Day at Moor Park Golf Club, allowing her to give back to the community through the sport she loves.
International Christian media ministry SAT-7 has announced that hit series The Chosen is set to be broadcast on their platforms, enabling viewers across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to watch its powerful portrayal of the life of Jesus.
For the next three years, SAT-7 has secured the rights to broadcast The Chosen’s first three series on their satellite channels, ARABIC, PARS, and TÜRK, as well as on their online streaming platform SAT-7 PLUS. Once the episodes are fully dubbed into Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish, viewers will be able to encounter Jesus through The Chosen on their TVs or personal devices.
SAT-7’s Ministry Content Advisor George Makeen said: “This is a great opportunity to share the gospel with viewers in the MENA: The Chosen presents the Gospel within a rich context: the old Middle Eastern culture that framed the biblical events. As SAT-7 presents this series in the MENA languages, we believe many viewers will be introduced and re-introduced to the Good News in a way that touches their hearts and minds.”
The Chosen is markedly different to other Christ-centred productions, not least because of its strong focus on the lives of Jesus’ inner circle: His twelve disciples and female companions. Jesus’ interactions with those around him are utterly gripping and lead the viewer to encounter His character in a truly unique way. As well as creating a dramatic masterpiece, the show’s creators have been careful to pay attention to important biblical and historical details. The interplay between Jewish culture and the Roman empire is thoughtfully represented throughout the series, and the use of an extraordinary set in Utah – an authentic recreation of the ancient city of Jerusalem – enhances the show’s sense of time and place. “Drama is an attractive genre for viewers all around the world,” Makeen added, “especially in the Middle East and North Africa, where our verbal culture learns more through listening and watching than reading.”
The Chosen, which first took the US by storm and has since spread around the globe, started out with an independently created pilot show in 2017. As excitement for a fully-fledged series grew, over $10 million was raised, making The Chosen one of the biggest crowdfunded projects of all time. Seven years and three series later, the show has amassed 200 million unique viewers and is widely considered one of the most successful Christian media projects ever. Remarkably, The Chosen has managed simultaneously to draw a crowd from across the Christian denominational spectrum and to break into the secular realm, with streaming giants Amazon and Netflix showing the series. It is available in 26 languages and counting. The majority of The Chosen’s viewers are from English-speaking countries, but SAT-7 is part of a push to help the program, and thus the Gospel, reach one billion viewers all over the world.
