Capcom developers didn’t know about Nvidia DLSS 5 before reveal claims report

Leon under the DLSS 5 gaze (Capcom/Nvidia)

Developers at Capcom and Ubisoft were apparently unaware of the company’s support of Nvidia’s DLSS 5, as the AI upscaler controversy continues.

Nvidia’s new DLSS 5 technology, which uses generative AI to alter a game’s visuals, has become a new focal point in the conversation around generative AI.

After the technology was showcased earlier this week, many fans and developers have criticised it for how it alters character’s faces to the point of being almost unrecongisable and changes the lighting to make it less realistic – based on comparison shots using Resident Evil Requiem, Starfield, and others.

Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang has been bullish about the criticism, calling it ‘completely wrong’ and insisting that it ‘doesn’t change the artistic control’. However, the latest report suggest that developers at Capcom and Ubisoft had no idea about the technology until it was unveiled to the public.

As noted in the original blog post, the announcement of DLSS 5 was supported by several companies, including Bethesda, Capcom, Hotta Studio, NetEase, NCSOFT, S-Game, Tencent, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros. Games.

According to Insider Gaming, DLSS 5 was revealed to developers at Capcom and Ubisoft at the same time as everyone else. ‘We found out at the same time as the public,’ one unnamed Ubisoft developer told the outlet.

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It’s claimed developers at Capcom were particularly shocked by the studio’s involvement, as they had historically been very ‘anti-AI’ with projects like Resident Evil Requiem. Now, some fear this might represent a change in attitude among higher-ups.

In the original announcement, Capcom’s executive producer and corporate officer, Jun Takeuchi, described DLSS 5 as ‘another important step in pushing visual fidelity forward, helping players become even more immersed in the world of Resident Evil.’

Additionally, Charlie Guillemot, co-CEO of new Ubisoft subsidiary Vantage Studios, said: ‘Immersion is about making the world feel real. DLSS 5 is a real step towards that goal. The way it renders lighting, materials, and characters changes what we can promise to players.

‘On Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it’s letting us build the kind of worlds we’ve always wanted to.’

While Nvidia clearly got support from executives, it’s not going to help their position if the actual teams within Capcom and Ubisoft – whose work DLSS 5 directly affects – were not consulted beforehand.

GameCentral has reached out to Ubisoft and Capcom for comment.

It seems as if the backlash against DLSS 5 has come as a surprise to many within the industry. After posting positive impressions about the technology earlier in the week, Digital Foundry founder Richard Leadbetter has since said in a new video that they ‘don’t think we did a good enough job on the day’, saying they should have ‘taken more time with the material’ before posting the video.

The blowback they received even led to death threats against the team, which Leadbetter described as ‘crossing the line’ and ‘totally unacceptable’.

Starfield characters rendered using DLSS 5 (Nvidia)

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Spice Girls pull the plug on 30th anniversary reunion tour at ‘last minute’

It seems Spice Girls fans won’t be getting a big announcement any time soon (Picture: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

The Spice Girls’ 30th anniversary reunion is reportedly not happening afterall, with those involved failing to reach an agreement.

It’s been widely reported that Melanie C, Emma Bunton, Mel B, Geri Halliwell-Horner, and even Victoria Beckham had been planning to reunite the beloved 00s girl group in honour of their 30th anniversary.

But it seems the plans have now been abandoned with Mel C, 52, saying in an interview on Australia’s KIIS 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.’

Additionally, The Sun reports: ‘They failed to reach an agreement and plans for a comeback tour in 2026 have been ditched.’

The band ‘failed to reach an agreement in time’ (Picture: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

While the group won’t be performing anytime soon, they did reunite recently to support Victoria for the release of her new Netflix series.

Geri Halliwell-Horner, Emma Bunton, and Melanie Chisholm, with whom she was part of the Spice Girls from 1994 until their split in 2000, were all at the premiere.

But not in attendance was their bandmate Mel B, who Victoria detailed having a difficult moment with years ago in her documentary.

In one scene reflecting on her time with the biggest-selling girl group of all time, Victoria spoke about an interaction during their 2007 Return of the Spice Girls tour.

‘One of the girls actually said to me – and it did upset me – it was Melanie B who said to me, “Don’t forget where you come from”,’ she told the camera.

The girl group are ‘always communicating’ (Picture: Instagram)

‘I have never forgotten where I’ve come from. I’ve never ever forgotten that Posh Spice is the reason why I’m sitting here. She might have been grumpy, but she was actually great,’ she added.

Speaking about returning to performing during that time, Victoria said that while it was ‘good to be back’, that tour made her realise she ‘didn’t belong on stage’.

As it stands, it seems it will be some time before Spice Girls fans can expect to see them in concert again.

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Is the US still in charge of its own foreign policy? Readers debate

Readers discuss whether Israel controls the US’s foreign policy, the cost of the war and whether Starmer is making the right call (Picture: GIL COHEN-MAGEN / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments

'Somebody is pulling the strings', says reader

When Donald Trump suddenly announces a new foreign policy decision, the immediate reaction is that it is an attempt to divert attention from the toxic Epstein Files.

Too often, such initiatives happen because someone is pulling his strings. With Iran, that someone is Israel’s president, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein reportedly had links with Mossad, Israel’s intelligence services.

Mossad will know what is in the Epstein Files. So will Netanyahu. And ‘Netanyahu is in the driving seat,’ as LBC Washington correspondent Simon Marks put it.

Israel decided to bomb Iran and Trump and the US were dragged along.

The US is no longer in charge of its own foreign policy. This is why the Iran war is being described in America as ‘a war in search of a strategy’.

There surely could not be any threat from Iran. Only six months ago, in August last year, Trump proclaimed that any Iranian threat had been ‘obliterated – and anyone who questioned it was condemned.

But now Iran is being bombed – and obliteration is again being threatened.

The Epstein Files must hold some really Trump-toxic material.

The cover-up has now dragged the US into yet another Middle Eastern war at a cost of around $1billion a day! Drew Milroy, Trowbridge

US is ‘determined to reassert US dominance in a world China and Russia seek to control’, says reader

Your contributors all seem to think the war on Iran is crazy but show little understanding of contemporary history or political realities (MetroTalk, Fri).

Donald Trump’s administration is a neo-con update of George W Bush’s government two decades ago – it is determined to reassert US dominance in a world China and Russia seek to control.

The war on the Iranian regime makes good sense – the mullahs are Nazi nihilists, determined to make a nuclear weapon and destroy Israel with it, whatever the cost – it is as simple as that.

Barack Obama may be far more articulate than Trump but he never had a plan to deal with these various threats to western values and world peace.

Britain, sadly, no longer has military capabilities that the US needs beyond our ports and airbases and we in return rely almost entirely on the US for our defence, as does all of Europe.

As an example, the entire British army would be wiped out in a matter of months of conventional warfare in Ukraine. Sir Keir Starmer knows all of this and did try to support Trump but was initially – and humiliatingly – blocked by his own cabinet.

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The Iranian government has flooded Britain with agents determined to intimidate or kill Jewish people, infiltrate college campuses and subvert Palestinian campaigns to their own ends. The Green Party, wittingly or otherwise, plays straight into their hands.

Supporting the destruction of the Iranian leadership and its replacement with more compliant leaders who disavow nuclear ambitions will certainly require boots on the ground.

The difference with Iraq is that the majority of the lranian populace profoundly want this change and all we in Britain have to do is support it. Chris Shepherd, London

Tis reader says Starmer did agree with Trump, but was ‘humiliatingly’ blocked by his cabinet (Picture: Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)

‘I have a long-standing dislike of the US’

I have a long-standing dislike of the US and all it stands for, so I applauded Sir Keir Starmer’s initial decision to stay out of the illegal American and Israeli attacks on Iran.

However the prime minister’s recent decisions to aid the United States by allowing them access to some of our airfields makes him a collaborator with international law-breakers.

By not upholding the principals of international law, our world will descend into the completely lawless, free-for-all, anything-goes state that much of the US has been in since its creation almost 250 years ago. A country where even an insane psychopath can become president.

Any abandonment of international law will soon have repercussions domestically, with a breakdown in law and order that will effect everyone of us.

So, please, do not let us go down the American route, that would be a BIG mistake! RA Skett, Tamworth

Would it be a ‘big mistake’ to go down the ‘American route’?

This reader says Ayatollah Khomeni’s regime was ‘even more repressive and brutal than the Shah ever was’ (Picture: Iranian Leader Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Will (MetroTalk, Thu) says the current war on Iran is comparable with the West ovethrowing the democratically elected government in 1951 and installing the dictatorial Shah.

The writer fails to mention that, for the past half century, since Ayatollah Khomeni came to power, Iran has been ruled by a fanatical Islamic regime, which is even more repressive and brutal than he alleges the Shah ever was. One only has to see what happened earlier this year, with thousands of peaceful protesters being massacred on the streets.

Although there were great disparities of wealth under the Shah, people were free to lead a Western life – without the restrictions imposed by Sharia law – and were probably better off then than they are now.

Unfortunately the bombing raids carried out by the US and Israel seem more aimed at reducing Iran to rubble (as they have done in Gaza) than bringing about meaningful regime change.

One can only hope that once it is over, Iran can recover and the people there can have the freedom and happiness they deserve. Julie, Bath

‘The bombing raids carried out by the US and Israel seem more aimed at reducing Iran to rubble than bringing about meaningful regime change’

This reader says the US and Israel’s attack on Iran is not about regime change (Picture: EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH)

Tony Blair loves being the centre of attention and has waded in, supporting Trump and his illegal war to try and make himself relevant again (Metro, Mon).

That’s good to know, because we’ve seen how badly wrong Blair was before about the Middle East with his disastrous war in Iraq – and we must therefore do the exact opposite of whatever he suggests and distance ourselves from Trump and the US, or risk suffering years of upheaval again. Sally Wilton, Bournemouth

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Upgraded PS5 Pro PSSR support ‘justifies the existence’ of Sony’s console

Is the PS5 Pro worth it now? (Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Sony is rolling out wider support for its upgraded PSSR, including titles like Silent Hill 2, Control, Nioh 3, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

When the PS5 Pro was announced, one of the biggest selling points was Sony’s PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) technology, which provided a specialised, AI-driven upscaler for the console.

However, while it promised to allow for both high frame rates and high resolutions, its actual implementation has varied massively across different games. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, for example, ran worse on a PS5 Pro than a regular PlayStation 5 at launch.

Sony has made steps to improve the experience through an updated PSSR which launched last month with Resident Evil Requiem. Now, it’s rolling out support for this upgraded version to various other games, starting from today (March 16).

As outlined on a PlayStation blog post, this new PSSR promises ‘enhanced visual stability, improved clarity in fine details, and more consistent performance’ across supported titles.

Along with Resident Evil Requiem, the list of supported games now includes Silent Hill f, Silent Hill 2, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Control, and Nioh 3. Crimson Desert will also support the new PSSR when it launches on March 19, while Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077 will receive a patch ‘in the coming weeks’ to support the upgraded tech.

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You can check out a full list of all the supported games, including upcoming titles, below.

All PS5 Pro games with upgraded PSSR support

• Resident Evil Requiem
• Silent Hill 2
• Silent Hill f
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• Alan Wake 2
• Control
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Nioh 3
• Rise Of The Ronin
• Crimson Desert
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Dragon’s Dogma 2
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Cyberpunk 2077

The PSSR upgrade is tied to a PlayStation 5 system software update which is set to be rolled out in phases starting today, and will become available to everyone over the coming days. Alternatively, you can check for the update via the PlayStation 5 system settings.

Digital Foundry got early hands-on access with several updated games, describing the new PSSR as a ‘big improvement’. In the breakdown video below, which covers Silent Hill f, Monster Hunter Wilds, and others, they go on to describe the update as ‘so big that it justifies the existence of the PS5 Pro almost on its own’.

Sony states ‘most new’ PS5 Pro titles will launch with support for the enhanced PSSR moving forward. Additionally, you can test to see if the improved upscaler benefits any other games not mentioned above, via a toggle in the ‘screen and video’ settings.

‘While results may vary by title, many games may see improvements in clarity and image stability,’ Sony states in the blog post. ‘If it results in any unexpected visual effects, you can turn it off at any time.’

The PS5 Pro might look more appealing following this update (if you’re the kind of person who cares about crispness of a blade of grass), but it’s taken Sony a long while to get it where it should have been at launch. The console came out in November 2024, at the eye-watering price of £699.99.

Cloud’s hair is an upscaled marvel (Sony Interactive Entertainment)

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Coronation Street’s Alya faces horrendous consequences over secret in new spoiler video

Up Next

The plot thickens in Coronation Street when Alya Nazir (Sair Khan) is confronted by a mysterious face from her past with a chilling threat…

Alya’s been acting pretty shifty lately – and in a soap teaming with liars, schemers and Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard), that’s really saying something.

The lovely Alya is usually the very last Weatherfield resident we expect to have skeletons in the closet. She won our hearts bravely fighting for family when she helped her mother Yasmeen Nazir (Shelley King) escape her controlling, abusive husband Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew). More recently, she’s happily settled into her career as a trainee solicitor working at Barlow Legal Services for Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson), who just so happens to be her boyfriend.

Adam and Alya are partners in law and love… but for how long? (Picture: ITV)

This may be about to change.

In Tuesday’s episode on February 10^th, fans were intrigued to see Alya’s romantic date with Adam disrupted when she received a text from an unknown number. Whoever it was, she clearly didn’t want her boyfriend to see and quickly turned her screen away. However, the mystery caller refused to take ‘no’ for an answer…

… and sure enough, Alya approached a parked car driven by a mysterious visitor.

A flash car? In this neighbourhood? Expect trouble, Alya. (Picture: ITV)

This unwanted blast from the past is Rich Pemberton (Jamie Cho), a high-flying lawyer who previously hired Alya to work at his firm Fabian Croft’s, in Dublin. The last time these two crossed paths in Coronation Street was when Rich walked in on Alya finally giving into temptation with Adam and sharing their first kiss.

This did not bode well for Alya’s training secondment in Dublin, so she andAdam had to put forward their most compelling case yet to convince Rich not to kick her out.

Now the smooth-talking solicitor is back, and he wants something from Alya which is sure to put her relationship with Adam in jeopardy.

Rich’s return to the Cobbles spells bad news for Alya (Picture:ITV)

Adam is currently on cloud nine, celebrating the fact that he and Alya have managed to poach Jenna Mackie, one of Fabian’s biggest clients. Obviously Rich is less than happy about this little development, as we will soon see…

In this sneak-peak video, Alya finds herself cornered by Rich at work.

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Rich confronts Alya for avoiding him and demands to know if she has ‘done what he asked’. True to form, Alya defiantly states she has not and has no intention of doing so either.

She states in no uncertain terms that if Jenna Mackey wants Barlow to represent her, then she will.  Sticking to her guns, Alya refuses to be bullied by Rich. Turning nasty, Rich warns her that there will be consequences before storming out.

What dirt has Rich got on Alya? Will those consequences be for her job, her relationship… or both?

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Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor head for ‘clean break’ by starting divorce proceedings

Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor are heading for divorce (Picture: Darren Gerrish/Getty Images for Ralph Lauren)

Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor have officially kick-started their divorce, one month after splitting.

Made in Chelsea stars Millie, 36, and Hugo, 39, married in June 2018, and they share two young daughters, Sienna and Aurelia.

But after seven years of marriage and documenting their family life online, in early February, it emerged that they had parted ways.

At the time, a source confirmed they had ‘sadly decided to split’ following ‘serious conversations about their future in recent weeks’.

Now, they have quietly begun legal proceedings to formalise their separation.

A pal told The Sun: ‘Fans will be sad to hear that their relationship is really over, but the pair just want a clean break.

The couple are said to have split early last month after seven years of marriage (Picture: Instagram)

‘Millie and Hugo are committed to co-parenting their two young children and keeping everything stable.’

The friend insisted that ‘they are still very amicable with each other and have a lot of respect for one another.’

‘They want the divorce to go through as painlessly as possible and are focusing on work in the meantime.’

For Millie, work involves creating fashion, beauty, and wellness content for social media, as she boasts an impressive 1.3million followers on Instagram.

She also documents her sobriety journey following the release of her 2025 book, Bad Drunk.

As for Hugo, alongside his own influencing activities and promoting luxury brands, he is the director of fitness brand Oner Active.

Millie and Hugo remain on good terms for the sake of their children (Picture: Instagram)

They are now navigating co-parenting daughters Sienna and Aurelia (Picture: Instagram)

He and Millie met as teenagers before joining the E4 reality series, which has catapulted names like Sam Thompson, Spencer Matthews, and Jamie Laing to fame.

Millie was one of Made in Chelsea’s first-ever stars, joining at age just 21 in 2011 and leaving in 2013. Hugo was also part of the original cast.

The ex-lovebirds officially started dating in 2010, with their squabbles and scandals well documented on the programme.

Just months after their first split in 2011, Millie embarked on a high-profile romance with rapper Professor Green, whom she wed two years later.

The 42-year-old musician (real name is Stephen Manderson), who recently revealed he and Millie are back in touch, separated in 2015, with Millie having since revealed they both had their ‘own struggles’ and ‘thought [they] could fix each other,’ contributing to the marriage’s demise.

After their breakup, she and Hugo reconnected, and they went on to start a family.

Last Valentine’s Day, Millie wrote about feeling ‘incredibly lucky’ to be married to Hugo (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVofRKyiFoQ/

Posting for Valentine’s Day last year, which would be their final one together, Millie declared herself ‘incredibly lucky’ to have Hugo in her life.

‘More than half my life knowing you, nearly a decade together, and five years married… It’s wild to think how much we’ve grown, both as individuals and as a team,’ she wrote alongside a photo.

‘Through every up and down, every challenge and every joy, we’ve always found our way back to each other—stronger, more resilient, and more in sync than ever.

‘I feel so incredibly lucky to have you by my side, navigating all of life’s twists and turns together. Here’s to us, always 💗’

Alas, things weren’t to remain rosy forever, as they decided this year that it would be ‘better’ to be apart.

A source revealed to The Daily Mail: ‘Millie and Hugo are currently going through a separation and have sadly decided to split. 

Pictured here in 2011, the pair met as teenagers and their romance was a big part of Made in Chelsea’s storylines (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘They have known each other for many years, and in recent weeks, have had serious conversations about their future, ultimately deciding it’s better for them both to part ways. 

‘Their main priority remains their children and family life, and separating is not something they ever hoped would happen.’

Millie and Hugo are believed to be ‘considering what living apart might look like and how they plan to navigate co-parenting their young children.’

‘It’s been an incredibly difficult start to the year, and one they hope to continue managing in private.’ 

Neither Millie nor Hugo has commented publicly on their divorce yet, but the mum-of-two continues sharing glimpses of her home life on the internet.

Most recently, she wrote a sweet message to her daughters for International Women’s Day, saying the annual event felt ‘especially meaningful as [she] raises two girls.’

‘I hope they grow up kind, confident in their voices and deeply sure of their worth, and I hope they always know they don’t have to shrink themselves for anyone,’ she added.

‘They remind me every day what really matters.’

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Premier League explains why Arsenal were not given a penalty vs Everton

Arsenal were denied a penalty in the first half against Everton (Getty)

Arsenal were furious after they were denied a penalty in the first half of their Premier League game against Everton on Saturday.

Eberechi Eze had played Kai Havertz in on goal but the Arsenal forward appeared to be clipped by Michael Keane.

Referee Andy Madley waved play on while VAR opted not to send the official to the screen to review the decision.

In a statement explaining the decision, the Premier League Match Centre said: ‘The referee’s call of no penalty to Arsenal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact from Keane on Havertz deemed to be minimal.’

Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp branded the decision an ‘absolute disgrace’.

‘It’s so clear. How on earth have VAR taken three seconds to say that’s not a penalty? That’s a horrendous decision,’ Redknapp said.

‘It’s definitely a penalty and it should be overturned.

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‘We see VAR make decisions sometimes that everyone at home can see is not a penalty and it takes five minutes.

‘They’ve taken three seconds to say it’s not a penalty. That is an absolute disgrace.’

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You can now apply to be represent the UK in the ‘Sperm Racing World Cup’

For once, the point is to finish first and as soon as possible (Picture: Sperm Racing/Instagram)

Start your engines, and may the best sperm win.

Last year saw the world’s first ‘sperm race’, where two chubby cells raced along a 20cm track modelled after the female reproductive system.

University of Southern California student Tristan Milker, 20, won the fertility showdown in Los Angeles and bagged $10,000.

But Sperm Racing, which describes itself as a sports league, announced on Instagram yesterday that it’s hosting a ‘World Cup’.

‘We are searching for the healthiest man alive,’ an announcement video said.

‘The race will immortalise a nation. Your country is watching. The world is waiting.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVwqy7NEmue/

The video cuts to dozens of sperm speeding through a futuristic tube – with what we assume to be micron-long banner ads for the betting app PolyMarket, of course.

The 128 athletes will be competing for a grand prize of $100,000. Though we’re not sure if the sperm or the man gets to keep the money.

The tournament’s website says: ‘Sperm racing is a science-based competitive sport.

‘During the 2026 sperm racing world cup, athletes compete by representing a country, advancing through qualifiers, matchups, and tournament rounds that are broadcast and shared publicly.

‘This is not a lottery or a game of chance. Selection and advancement are based on eligibility, performance, availability, and competitive structure.’

Athletes must be at least 18, free of sexually transmitted diseases and be able to ‘provide biological samples’ to compete.

The tournament was made to promote awareness over declining male fertility (Picture: Sperm Racing)

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This could be you, dear reader (Picture: Sperm Racing)

A poster for last year’s sperm race (Picture: Sperm Racing)

Organisers have yet to confirm the date and timings of the event.

Eric Zhu, one of the masterminds behind sperm racing, told Metro last year that he’s all too aware of how much of a joke this sounds.

‘It’s so, so stupid,’ the analytical platform Aviato founder said, ‘but it just might work.’

Despite being the tiniest cells in the human body, sperm can slither, spin and dash at speeds of 28mph all to wriggle into an egg cell.

Sperm, of course, don’t have eyes. Instead, they know where to go because egg cells let out a chemical which they sniff out, called chemotaxis.

To replicate these bodily conditions for the 0.05mm racers, the racecourse was fit with ‘chemical signals’ to fool the spermatozoa into swimming.

From left to right: Shane Fan, Eric Zhu, Nick Small and Garrett Niconienko. The four men are behind Sperm Racing (Picture: Sperm Racing)

Eric said that the idea for the F1 of spermatic fluid came from discussions around the decline of male fertility.

Sperm counts have declined by half over the past 50 years for reasons researchers aren’t entirely sure about.

‘If you look at cigarettes, 50 years ago, no one was talking about [the negative health effects],’ Eric added.

‘When people started talking about it, people were getting healthier when they got rid of cigarettes. And I think the same with sperm.

‘In the last 50 years, not enough people have been talking about it.’

Together with three friends, the spunky entrepreneur founded a start-up and nabbed hundreds of thousands of dollars in investments in a week.

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At least 80 children have been infected with measles in just one London borough

Measles is an airborne virus (Picture: Getty Images)

A single London borough has had 80 cases of a ‘fast-spreading’ measles outbreak in less than three months.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that notoriously causes a red rash behind the ears or hairline that quickly spreads downward.

At least 235 cases of measles have been confirmed in the UK since January, according to UK Health Security Agency data released today.

Of them, 107 occurred in the past four weeks.

The agency says 80 laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease were in Enfield, north London, and 15 in the neighbouring borough of Harringey.

What to know about measles

The virus can’t be easily stopped in its tracks (Picture: Getty Images)

Measles spreads when infected people cough or sneeze, spewing viral droplets that float in the air for hours and wriggle on surfaces.

It’s six times more transmissible than Covid-19, making it difficult to contain.

The virus, also called rubeola, can be spread days before symptoms even begin.

Symptoms start around a week after someone gets in contact with the virus, such as a runny nose or a cough.

Within days, measles’s more infamous symptoms, like red or brown blotches and white spots in the mouth, called Koplik spots, emerge.

There’s no specific treatment for measles, other than remedies in hospital, like IV drips and painkillers, to make recovery easier. A vaccine remains the best way to prevent infection.

Precise numbers for other London regions are unclear, as figures are only published for boroughs that have seen 10 more cases.

More than one in three of the infections have been in children aged between one and four, who are particularly vulnerable to measles.

The disease, while mild to most, can lead to pneumonia, which is the leading cause of death from measles among children.

In rare cases, the infection can cause brain swelling, leaving youngsters with damaged hearing or intellectual disabilities.

Enfield Council has told parents and guardians that their children could be excluded from school if they are not vaccinated for measles.

Seven schools in Enfield and Harringey have seen measles outbreaks, with some children requiring hospital treatment, the BBC reported last month.

Most were not immunised against the virus.

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While measles outbreaks do happen, the speed of the infections has taken local healthcare workers aback.

Health experts say that 95% of people need to be vaccinated to curb the spread, with current vaccination rates well below that at 91.9%.

Protection is gained from the two-shot Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) vaccine, given to children when they are 12 months old.

Together, the doses are about 97% effective at preventing an infection.

Enfield has the lowest uptake in the UK, which has alarmed experts like Dr Jo Sauvage, the chief medical officer of the North Central London ICB, which organises healthcare for north London boroughs.

‘As the cases overall rise, it’s really distressing to see the numbers of children who are seriously ill also increase, with more children requiring hospital care,’ Dr Sauvage tells Metro.

Dr Yimmy Chow, UKHSA’s London region deputy director, says that children and adults who become infected with measles can suffer ‘needlessly’ in hospital.

Both Dr Sauvage and Dr Chow say there’s a simple thing people can do, however. Get vaccinated.

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is the best way to protect against the disease (Picture: AP)

‘Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known, and it will find those who are unvaccinated. Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide vital protection,’ Dr Chow says.

‘If your child has missed any vaccinations, or you are unsure whether they are up to date, please contact your GP surgery as soon as possible — it is never too late to catch up.’

The World Health Organisation declared the UK is no longer considered to have eliminated measles last month.

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Amy Dowden reveals biggest Strictly goal ‘if she’s asked back’

Amy has danced with the likes of Tom Fletcher, Brian Conley and JJ Chalmers (Picture: LounisPhotography/ Abaca/ Shutterstock/ Rex Features)

It’s a time of uncertainty for many Strictly professionals, but Amy Dowden is planning for her return should she be offered a spot.

The star has overcome huge obstacles to get back to doing what she loves: dancing.

Amy was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 19, and has been in remission for breast cancer since last year.

The Caerphilly-born 35-year-old spoke to Metro about grabbing life, dodging karaoke and Reborn, her tour with reigning Strictly champion Carlos Gu.

In 2025 Amy was paired with Thomas Skinner in the dance competition – they were the first couple to leave.

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When asked about her ambitions now, she said: ‘If I’m asked back, I’d love to get to Blackpool on Strictly to prove to myself that I’m back to where I was before cancer.’

She exited the show first with Thomas Skinner in Strictly 2025 (Picture: Guy Levy/ BBC/ PA Wire)

Amy was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2024 for her services to Crohn’s disease (Picture: James Veysey/ Shutterstock/ Rex Features)

And it doesn’t stop there, Amy is thinking beyond being just a professional partner on the show: ‘I’d love to enjoy my tenth year on Strictly, then do some presenting down the line and, one day, maybe even join the judging panel.

‘I judge a lot of competitions around the UK and around the world and I’d be a nice Strictly judge: fair, honest and sympathetic.’

Of course, since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced their shock exit from the show, there’s now a job going.

With speculation mounting around who could replace them, Metro asked Amy whether she thought it would be strange without the famous duo: ‘Of course, but the producers are amazing and the show will evolve.

‘What makes Strictly work is the format: people falling in love with the celebrities and watching their journey.

‘I always try to make my celebrity fall in love with dancing because, for them, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’

Thomas and Amy managed to squeeze in a Paso Doble during their time on last year’s series of Strictly (Picture: Guy Levy/ BBC/ PA Wire)

The 35-year-old said ‘you never know’ what could happen with each Strictly partner (Picture: Rex Features/ Ken McKay/ ITV/ Shutterstock)

Amy’s latest partner’s time on Strictly was marred with some controversy. Thomas claimed to have received a tip off that he had in fact received more votes than it appeared.

A BBC spokesperson said at the time: ‘Strictly Come Dancing’s public vote is independently overseen and verified to ensure complete accuracy every week.’

They added: ‘Any claims to the contrary are entirely without foundation.’

Unlike some of her previous pairings, Thomas didn’t have any background in dancing. Whereas her 2024 partner, JB Gill, had a some experience throwing shapes while in boyband JLS.

‘All of them are challenges,’ Amy said.

‘And you never know. When last year’s line-up was announced, Karen Carney was odd-on to go out in week three or four.

Amy has been dancing on the show since 2017 (Picture: Rex Features/ Dave Hogan/ Hogan Media/ Shutterstock)

‘Bill (Bailey), Chris (McCausland), Hamza (Yassim), no one imagined they’d win. I embrace it all.’ 

Amy took a break from the show in 2023 after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She recently underwent a second mastectomy in November last year on advice from her medical team.

On top of this, she’s had a broken foot, sepsis, and blood clots. Amy reflected on whether she’d been very unlucky or very lucky: ‘A weird mix of both.’

‘A young lady, Nikki, lost her life to breast cancer when I was going through chemo and her motto was: go grab life.’

‘I’ve promised her and myself, that’s what I’ll do. 

The Strictly star is now ‘grabbing life’ (Picture: Instagram/ amy_dowden)

‘I’m still here, my hair has grown back, I’ve got my energy and dancing sparkle back and, when life is hard, I’m lucky enough to have family and friends around me.’

From her time on the flagship BBC show, she’s struck up a solid friendship with fellow professional Carlos.

On what makes them click, Amy told us: ‘We’ve known each other a long time and were rivals, but never bitter ones, always friends. He’s a beautiful soul who was there for me during my cancer journey.

‘He calls my mum and dad “mama and papa” and we really are like brother and sister.

‘We fight, we cry, we laugh and we don’t hold back – I’ll come downstairs in something and he’ll go, “Who told you you look good in that?!”. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

They’re back dancing together on tour with a 2026 leg of Reborn. Their website reads: ‘Back on stage following a triumphant and acclaimed debut season, Amy and Carlos share an intimate portrait of their lives and journeys, in which the inspirational and transformative power of dance shines through.’

Despite being from Wales, Amy says she ‘isn’t a good singer’ (Picture: Mike Marsland/ WireImage)

Amy teased us with what to expect: ‘There’s going to be an empowering new group number, we’ve got Jake Leigh, who choreographed Carlos’s first-ever 40 in the Couples Choice, plus (Strictly singer) Andrea Grant and some new dancers.

‘With 24 dance numbers, there’s a lot to cram in, but Karen might be making an appearance at one or two venues too, who knows?’ 

The tour also involves singing, but Amy won’t be taking the mic: ‘I may be Welsh, but that doesn’t mean I’m a good singer!

‘Honestly, my karaoke number is the Hokey Cokey, because everyone’s dancing rather than listening to my singing. 

‘So we dance while Carlos sings, which was quite a surprise to the audience – he’s really passionate about it.’ 

Reborn returns on May 29th in Dartford, then tours. See www.amyandcarlostour.co.uk for tickets. 

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