Danny Murphy baffles fans with cat anecdote during World Cup match

Danny Murphy put a cat among the pigeons on BBC commentary (Pictures: Getty)

Danny Murphy caught fans by surprise during Norway vs Ivory Coast at the World Cup on Tuesday as he told an eyebrow-raising cat anecdote out of nowhere.

The last 32 clash in Arlington, Texas was a perfectly entertaining one, which Norway dramatically won 2-1 late on.

Antonio Nusa had put Norway ahead in the first half with a brilliant strike into the top corner as he cut in from the left.

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo came off the bench to score arguably an even better goal as he jinked into the box and finished smartly.

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It was, predictably, Erling Haaland who had the final say, though, as he tapped home the winner on 86 minutes.

The Manchester City superstar has already scored five goals in this tournament and his latest booked his country a place in the last 16 against Brazil.

Murphy briefly turned attention away from the football during the second half as he indulged in a story about a cat, which caught BBC viewers by surprise.

Danny Murphy with a bizarre piece of commentary pic.twitter.com/YdiPDk4Src

— Cal_SCFC (@cal_scfc) June 30, 2026

Spurred on by Fulham’s Oscar Bobb rising from the bench, the former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder said: ‘I used to have a cat called Bob.

‘He jumped in the back of a Royal Mail van and we lost him.’

There was a brief pause before he finished with: ‘Sad really. Anyway…’

As Murphy began the tale about his cat, commentator Steve Bower suggested, ‘the game’s not that bad!’

Erling Haaland scored the winner for Norway in Arlington (Picture: Getty Images)

There was a silence after the anecdote concluded, before Bower continued: ‘Anyway…18 minutes to go and Ivory Coast need a goal.’

Posting the clip on X, @cal_scfc described the words as a ‘bizarre piece of commentary.’

Popular podcast The Football Ramble was a bit more generous, posting: ‘Truly iconic commentary from Danny Murphy on the BBC just now.’

Comedian Mark Nelson added: ‘Good game that.

‘Highlight was Danny Murphy talking about his cat being kidnapped by the Royal Mail.’

‘Danny Murphy with the most ridiculous and greatest bit of commentary at this World Cup,’ added @Steve_Racing82.

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Hospital lockdown amid fears patient has Ebola symptoms

(Credits: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

A patient feared to have the deadly and contagious Ebola virus has put a Scottish hospital in lockdown.

The suspected patient had just arrived back in Glasgow from an affected Ebola country.

They went to the hospital after developing symptoms.

The unit has been sealed off to the public on Tuesday afternoon.

If confirmed it would be the first Ebola case in Scotland for a decade.

A source told the The National: ‘Obviously Ebola is a deadly and contagious illness, and emergency measures had to be put in place immediately to protect both staff and any members of the public.

‘The person came to the Acute Receiving Unit, where people are sent by their GP or the health board’s 101 number to avoid having to present at accident and emergency. This was quickly shut down and sealed off from the rest of the hospital.

‘The person was assessed there and then taken elsewhere in the hospital. I believe they were put into confinement while the tests to establish if they have Ebola or something else are carried out.’

Another hospital worker told the Glasgow Times: ‘The mere mention of the word Ebola strikes panic into people. You think of it as a disease that happens elsewhere.

‘The hospital has strict protocols and procedures to deal with these types of rare occurrences and everything seemed to be followed to a tee, but it is still a worry for those who were on duty at the time.’

A spokesperson for Public Health Scotland (PHS) said: ‘Public Health Scotland is working closely with UKHSA to assess routes by which travellers may enter the UK from affected countries.

‘The risk from people arriving in the UK from affected areas is low and the NHS has safe procedures in place for detecting and managing any such cases.

‘PHS and NHS boards across Scotland have well established protocols for assessing and testing travellers arriving in the UK from areas affected by Ebola where necessary.

‘Where required, contact tracing will occur and contacts may undergo clinical assessment and precautionary testing.

‘The UKHSA Returning Workers Scheme (RWS) which aims to protect and monitor the health of those who may travel from the UK to affected areas for their work, has been activated.

‘Organisations deploying workers to affected areas where they may be exposed to Ebola through their work, should register those workers with the scheme.’

The outbreak has been raging for over a month now (Picture: Reuters)

It came under a week after a French doctor working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) tested positive for Ebola after returning home.

France’s health ministry said the patient had been on a humanitarian mission and is currently isolating.

Those who may have come into contact with the patient are being traced, and the general risk the outbreak presents in Europe remains low.

Last week, it was revealed that the ‘first line of defence’ against the deadly strain of Ebola has collapsed.

Why is this Ebola outbreak so concerning?

The Red Cross is working to contain the deadly disease (Picture: Reuters)

The strain of Ebolavirus behind this outbreak, known as Bundibugyo, is rare and currently has no vaccine or treatment.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed this is the largest Bundibugyo outbreak on record.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a public health emergency last month following the outbreak.

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a rare haemorrhagic fever which spreads through the fluids of infected and dead patients.

Ebola symptoms can start between two and 21 days after infection. They can appear suddenly and include flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, extreme tiredness and a headache.

Other symptoms include:

• bleeding from the nose, gums or vagina
• being sick
• diarrhoea and tummy pain
• a skin rash
• yellowing of the skin and eyes
• blood in stools
• bruises all over the body
• bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose or mouth
• muscle pain
• sore throat
• blood in vomit

Contact tracing – identifying the people an infected person has come into contact with – has just 43% coverage in DRC.

Oxfam fieldwork found that there are just 0.2 doctors per 1,000 people, and some 70 health facilities have been destroyed by conflict.

The years-long violence in DRC has displaced millions, including people in Ituri, complicating contact tracing efforts.

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Novak Djokovic makes special request after ‘high-risk’ Wimbledon proposal

The couple got engaged during Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon match (Pictures: BBC/Getty)

Love was in the air on the first day of Wimbledon with one couple getting engaged during Novak Djokovic’s opening match on Centre Court.

As Djokovic and his opponent Wu Yibing took a breather after the conclusion of the first set, cheers could be heard from one corner of the arena.

BBC presenter Clare Balding was unaware of the cause of the jubilant scenes but Djokovic was seen making a heart with his hands as player was about to resume.

The tennis legend, bidding to win a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title, then turned to the couple and said: ‘I want an invitation to the wedding!’

It was only then that BBC commentator Andre Cotter and pundit John McEnroe clocked that a proposal had taken place at the All England Club.

The cameras then picked up the newly-engaged couple who appeared to grant Djokovic his wish of a wedding invite before celebrating their engagement with a kiss.

‘Novak has just said he wants an invitation to the wedding!’ three-time Wimbledon champion and seven-time Grand Slam winner McEnroe said.

Djokovic gestured to the newly-engaged couple (Picture: BBC)

Love was in the air at Wimbledon (Picture: BBC)

The proposal was described as ‘high-risk’ (Picture: BBC)

‘Apparently this lady was just asked if she would marry this gentleman. It’s quite a moment for these two!’

As the couple continue to revel in a successful proposal, commentator Cotter added: ‘Alright, concentrate on the tennis, everyone!

‘That’s a high-risk strategy, isn’t it? Asking that question on Centre Court at Wimbledon…’

McEnroe then added: ‘He probably mentioned it beforehand… he probably said, “if by some chance I decided to do this, what would you say?” just to make sure.’

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Manchester United looking to snap up two Man City prospects

Xavier Parker has emerged as a Manchester United target (Picture: Getty Images)

Manchester United are keen on two prospects from Manchester City’s academy, looking to snap up teenage talents Xavier Parker and Karim Cassim.

The Red Devils are plotting a summer of significant investment after an encouraging second half of last season under Michael Carrick.

Their third-placed finish secured them a return to Champions League action and they are looking for both added quality and numbers.

A deal to sign midfielder Ederson from Atalanta has been agreed, but fans can expect more arrivals in midfield and defence.

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However, the club is also looking to the future and is trying to bring in prospects they hope to make an impact in years to come.

The Daily Mail report reports that Manchester City starlets Xavier Parker and Karim Cassim are both on Manchester United’s radar.

In fact, they are not just well-liked at Old Trafford, the report states that the Red Devils are ‘attempting to raid’ their city rivals for the teenagers.

Karim Cassim will have a big decision to make on his future this summer (Picture: Getty Images)

Parker is a 16-year-old midfielder who has only been with City since 2024, when he moved north from West Ham.

Described by his club as a ‘dynamic, attack-minded’ midfielder, he stepped up to the Under-18 squad last season, despite only turning 16 in May.

Liverpool are also thought to be interested in the talented youngster, who has been capped by England Under-16s.

Cassim is also a 16-year-old and plays in central midfield and has been capped by England at youth level as well.

Ben Wilkinson is leaving Manchester City with a glowing reputation (Picture: Getty Images)

There are changes going on at academy level at Manchester City, with the head coach of the Elite Development Squad, Ben Wilkinson, leaving for Derby County.

Wilkinson has been praised with helping bring youth talents into the first team at the Etihad, most notably Nico O’Reilly in recent times.

Under-18s manager Oliver Reiss is stepping into Wilkinson’s role and Lauris Coggin takes Reiss’ former position.

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Charity takes on Dr Todd in Emmerdale – and the police take Mack

Up Next

Emmerdale’s Dr Caitlin Todd (Caroline Harker) might be smug, but she doesn’t realise who she’s actually taken on: Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) doesn’t have legendary status for nothing.

While battling with the enormity of keeping the attack and the blackmail from her family, Charity still managed to take herself to the police. Her initial report didn’t do the job – Todd was released shortly after being questioned – but Charity didn’t give up.

She later decides to risk everything and go back and report the blackmail to the police in the hopes it might be enough to knock Todd off her perch.

That too fails, as DS Reid (Angela Lonsdale) breaks the news that the two allegations would be treated separately rather than as part of a bigger crime.

But Charity still isn’t done.

Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) is now in the know about most of what happened and while he’s utterly rocked by it all, he initially manages to cope somehow to support his wife.

Things get even worse (Picture: ITV/Metro)

But as the Christening arrives, it’s his turn to crumble. Unable to cope with the self-loathing, he picks a fight with Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill).

In an unexpected turn of events, Kev doesn’t bite. He’s a baker now. These fists are built for kneading dough, not breaking jaws. Instead, he works it so that Mack feels compelled to explain himself.

Mack is as surprised as anyone when he blurts out that Charity cheated on him. Kev suggests he starts planning revenge – on Todd.

Charity is determined to get justice (Picture: ITV)

Mack finds support from a surprising source (Picture: Mark Bruce/ITV)

This seems like a good way to channel his anger, and Mack easily tracks her down to a new hospital. She is there, gloating, like butter wouldn’t melt.

She tries to twist it that Charity isn’t trustworthy and that everything she’s said is lies. But to her surprise, Mack backs Charity, and seethes at Todd that she’ll be imprisoned soon.

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She’s not worried. Nothing will wipe the smile of Todd’s face, not even when Mack threatens to kill her – she clearly has more torture up her sleeve. Either that or she’s been here before and got away with it before.

Has Todd turned the tables again? (Picture: Mark Bruce/ITV)

She thinks she knows how to play the game.

Charity is on the verge of giving up but it’s Serena Sugden (Casey Al-Shaqsy) who convinces her she must press on and go against her attacker. Serena’s words work, Charity is galvanised into action. But at that exact moment, the police arrive for Mack.

It never rains, eh?

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Chelsea receive message from Sunderland after £8m Granit Xhaka bid

Chelsea want to sign Granit Xhaka from Sunderland (Picture: Getty)

Sunderland have not only rejected Chelsea’s opening offer for Granit Xhaka but warned their Premier League rivals the midfielder is not for sale ‘at any valuation’.

Xabi Alonso is pushing Chelsea to sign former Arsenal captain Xhaka, who he managed at German club Bayer Leverkusen.

Xhaka is believed to be keen to move to Stamford Bridge, with reports suggesting he has already agreed personal terms with Chelsea.

But Sunderland made it clear from the start of the transfer saga that Xhaka, who joined them last summer ahead of their return to the Premier League, was not for sale.

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That did not prevent Chelsea from submitting an official bid for Xhaka worth £8m.

The Athletic say Chelsea felt the proposal was ‘fair’ given Xhaka turns 34 in September, but Sunderland instantly rejected the approach and regarded it as a ‘lack of respect’.

It is claimed Sunderland told Chelsea in no uncertain terms that ‘no further offers would be entertained’, hoping that the Blues will now ‘respect’ their position.

Incoming Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty)

While Xhaka would be far from a glamourous signing, he would provide a level of experience and leadership that has been badly missed at Chelsea in recent seasons.

The Blues finished just 10th in the Premier League last term – two points behind newly-promoted Sunderland – failing to qualify for any European competition.

Enzo Maresca started the season as Chelsea’s manager but both he and his replacement Liam Rosenior were sacked, with Alonso now set to take over from the start of July.

Xhaka captained Arsenal during his seven-year spell at the Emirates Stadium before joining Alonso at Leverkusen in 2023.

The midfielder, currently at the World Cup with Switzerland, helped Alonso’s Leverkusen win the Bundesliga title before moving back to the Premier League last season.

Sunderland were among the favourites to be relegated but Xhaka played a key role in the Black Cats not only avoiding the drop but finishing in the top-half of the table.

Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney was among those to label Xhaka one of the signings of the season.

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Casualty confirms devastating death as Flynn is staggered – and it’s not Rory

Devastation hits the ED as Flynn and Rory are left staggered (Picture: BBC / Metro)

Casualty spoilers follow for Saturday’s (June 27) episode that is now available to view on BBC iPlayer. The episode in question will air on BBC One at 8:10pm. 

Flynn Byron (Olly Rix) and Rory Dickson (Gwïon Morris Jones) were both left reeling by an unexpected and devastating death.

Holby ED’s Clinical Lead Flynn, as viewers know, has been determined to expose Colonel Jack Bard (Mark Womack), who he suspected was abusing and hazing his soldiers.

Private Rory, who accompanied an injured soldier to the ED weeks ago, was quizzed by Flynn about the patient’s historic injuries, with Bard soon intervening in a bid to stop his investigations.

But Rory was subsequently admitted to hospital himself when he and fellow soldier and best mate Kev were injured in a military training exercise gone wrong.

Flynn spotted injuries on Rory that did not align with the fall and thus attempted to dig deeper, asking Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) – who was treating Kevin – to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

Up Next

Stevie ultimately made the discovery Flynn was looking for, sharing evidence of unreported historic fractures on the soldier. Kev was seriously injured and kept in hospital while Rory returned to the barracks with Bard.

Rory, however, was re-admitted to the ED after an eventful night, leaving Flynn fearing for the young private’s mental health as he urged him to open up. Rory was later involved in an accident and it was touch and go for quite some time but Flynn, refusing to give up, saved his life using a procedure known as a bilateral thoracostomy.

Flynn was by Rory’s side when tragedy struck (Picture: BBC STUDIOS)

Despite being rushed into theatre the following week, Rory made a full recovery, with scenes this week seeing him discharged.

He was thankful to Flynn for saving his life and giving him the strength he needed throughout his ordeal. The young soldier was on his way to visit Kev and his face lit up as he spoke to Flynn about his best friend and told the Clinical Lead that he would report Colonel Bard if that’s what Kev wants when he wakes up.

But tragedy was afoot.

More devastation for Flynn (Picture: BBC STUDIOS)

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Will Colonel Bard get away with his crimes? (Picture: BBC STUDIOS)

In devastating scenes, Kevin died. Rory was heartbroken and revealed that he hopes for a medical discharge from the army, with Flynn telling him that he’ll sign the papers for him. In emotional scenes, Rory broke down as Flynn gave him a hug.

The prospect of Bard getting away with his crimes didn’t sit right with Flynn and, although Rory decided not to report the abuser, Flynn ultimately decided that he would do so instead after some advice from Stevie.

Will Colonel Bard pay for his heinous crimes?

Casualty airs Saturday at 8:10pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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Horrendous Spice Girls moment from 20 years ago resurfaces leaving fans shocked

The Spice Girls were battling it all in 2007 (Picture: Getty/BBC News)

A truly bonkers interview with the Spice Girls from 2007, where they’re grilled on their ‘girl power’, is shocking a whole new generation.

The interaction took place at a global press conference in the O2 Arena for the hotly anticipated Spice Girls reunion tour, where Victoria Beckham, Mel C, Geri Halliwell, Mel B and Emma Bunton were hyping everyone up with the power of spice.

That’s when Top of the Pops presenter Jayne Middlemiss took the mic and declared: ‘In the papers, it has been commented on in terms – with six children and one husband – you are not the best role models for girl power. I just want to see if you’re hurt or offended by that?’

At this point, Posh and Becks were married with three children, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz; Geri Halliwell had a daughter, Bluebell, with ex-partner Sacha Gervasi;and Mel B was mum to Phoenix with ex-husband Jimmy Gulzar and Angel with ex Eddie Murphy.

As Jayne delivered the question, Scary Spice, who had for some reason been hiding under the table, shot her head up to get involved, shouting: ‘We’re the realistic ones’.

Ginger Spice then took the wheel, passionately speaking into the microphone to defend the Wannabe hitmakers – as she should.

The quintet were celebrating their reunion (Picture: Epa/Shutterstock)

‘The fact of the matter is, we are real people, we are human beings, and there are millions of girls and women out there who are single parents, and they just have to do it. We’re just like every other woman out there.

‘We earn our own money, we encourage and support each other. Yes, we fall down and we’re not perfect, we’ve never claimed to be,’ she said with a satisfied finality.

Still, with the sensibilities of 2026, where we’ve moved on from shaming women around their sex and relationship history, many have been left shocked at the chaotic moment from all those years ago.

Mel popping up from under the table KILLS me,’ X user ab wrote.

People were also thoroughly tickled by Mel B popping her head up out of nowhere (Picture: BBC News)

Meanwhile, Geri Halliwell immediately went to bat (Picture: BBC News)

‘Geri cooked her & Mel B coming up from under the table,’ B.Dewayne shared.

‘I love this mainly because you can see the moment where Geri is like: “yes, right, let’s DO THIS”,’ Jack echoed.

‘Round of applause and cheers for Geri, yes, but my favourite part is Mel B popping up from under the table,’ Nathan Lomax-Fay said.

‘Absolutely crazy. Why would anyone have even asked this question? You go girls,’ Paul declared.

The whole event, introduced by Richard E. Grant, was filled with wild, wonderful and questionable moments that kicked off the record-breaking tour (the O2 Arena tickets reportedly sold out in 38 seconds).

They kicked off their record-breaking reunion with a bang (Picture: Getty)

As to whether we’ll ever see the girl group icons reunite for another feral press conference – sorry to break hearts, but it’s looking unlikely.

In March, the heavily rumoured Spice Girls 30th anniversary tour had a cold water poured over it by Sporty Spice herself.

Mel C shared on Australia’s KISS Radio: ‘No, there is no reunion.

‘We are communicating all the time. We want to do something – who knows when.

‘But I still feel very optimistic and I keep my fingers crossed that you will see the Spice Girls together at some point in the future.’

A source for The Sun then added: ‘They failed to reach an agreement and plans for a comeback tour in 2026 have been ditched.’

So we’ll be waiting a while longer for five to become one again.

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