British actor Lewis Cope has become an unexpected addition to the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 lineup, stepping in as a last-minute replacement for Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn, who withdrew from the competition on medical grounds. The 30-year-old Emmerdale star, who plays Nicky Milligan on the popular ITV soap, received the surprise call while walking down Oxford Street on his way to meet a friend. Cope's sudden entry has made him an early standout in this year's competition, marking one of two late cast changes that have reshaped the series before its first live show.

Cope brings significant performing experience to the dance floor, having made his stage debut at just 11 years old in the West End production of Billy Elliot: The Musical, where he played Michael. The actor has credited that early experience with shaping his career, telling Tresa magazine, "If I hadn't have done that show when I was 11, I wouldn't be an actor now. It opened my eyes." His connection to the Billy Elliot story runs particularly deep, as he noted that his grandfather was a miner, making the production's themes "very close to home."

Beyond his theatrical background, Cope possesses actual dance training from his teenage years as part of the hip-hop troupe Ruff Diamond. The group achieved notable success, finishing as runners-up on the Sky One dance competition Got to Dance in 2013 and receiving praise from judge Kimberly Wyatt, who called their initial audition the best of the series. This combination of stage experience and specific dance training positions Cope as a potentially strong contender in the competition, despite his late entry.

The actor joins fellow replacement Amber Davies, who was brought in after Dani Dyer withdrew due to an ankle fracture sustained during rehearsals. Cope expressed that the sudden nature of his casting might work to his advantage, stating, "I think, if anything, it's probably helped me because I haven't really had time to think about it or anything so now the excitement has kind of just taken over. I think it's probably better for me." He has also identified judge Shirley Ballas as the panel member he's particularly hoping to impress as he makes his Strictly debut.

Families of the 29 victims killed in the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash are escalating their decades-long fight for answers, preparing to deliver a petition with more than 47,000 signatures to Downing Street demanding a public inquiry. The Chinook Justice Campaign has published 110 "critical questions" they want answered about the tragedy that claimed the lives of 25 intelligence experts and four special forces crew members when the aircraft crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2, 1994.

The campaign comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls for a judge-led inquiry into the incident, prompting families to declare they will "see the UK government in court." Among those delivering the petition on Tuesday are brothers Andy and Matt Tobias from Watford, whose father John Tobias was killed in the crash. The petition delivery will be accompanied by an attempt to deliver a letter directly to the Ministry of Defence.

Central to the families' concerns are questions about mission authorization, aircraft selection, and whether those on board were properly warned of risks. The campaign has gained momentum amid revelations that key documents related to the crash have been sealed until 2094—a century after the incident occurred. David Hill, technical expert for the Chinook Justice Campaign, characterized the government's position as "a betrayal by the state of them and their loved ones."

The crash investigation has followed a contentious path over the past three decades. Initial findings blamed pilot error for the tragedy, but this conclusion was overturned in 2011. The continuing secrecy surrounding the incident has drawn criticism from campaigners who argue it "undermines trust not only in the MoD but in the government itself." As families prepare to confront the government directly, the case represents one of Britain's longest-running military accountability battles.