‘The day I found out my father was a paedophile’

Six Nations: England’s Grand Slam hopes ended by Scotland | 12 common mistakes when you’re trying to lose weight

 ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏

Unsubscribe

Open in browser

Sunday, 15 February 2026 Issue No. 357

Good morning. The contents of the Epstein files this week have been greeted with widespread revulsion. For one writer, they have brought back painful memories. Read her incredible account below of the moment she found out that her father was a paedophile. Allister Heath, Sunday Telegraph Editor P.S. Try one year of The Telegraph for £25, including all the articles in this newsletter. If you are already a subscriber, make sure you’re logged in to read today’s stories.   In today’s edition 12 common mistakes when you’re trying to lose weight — Angela Rippon: ‘If I ever write my autobiography, I will name the villains’ — England’s hopes of a Six Nations Grand Slam ended by rejuvenated Scotland

Proud to be British. Read more from journalists who champion our culture, history and values. One year for £25. Subscribe now   ‘The day I found out my father was a paedophile’   “They kicked a hole in the roof, and they’ve taken my computer and some hard drives.” I didn’t need to ask what for. I could already guess. My father was a paedophile, and they must have arrested him on suspicion of making images of child abuse. When I think back, the signs were there, such as the fact that my father always had children’s TV on in the afternoons, even when my siblings and I had long outgrown it. The way he would obsess over making sure he had locked the doors every night before going to bed; that the slightest leak of a bathroom tap would send him into a state of such extreme stress; he wouldn’t sleep at the prospect of having “to get someone in” to fix it. When I see the coverage of Epstein, it brings back lots of horrible and deeply painful memories, including having to sit through my father’s trial in court and hear about the kinds of images he’d viewed and the terms he’d searched for. Read the full story here ➤   Russia murdered Navalny with frog poison Navalny died after collapsing while taking a walk at a Siberian prison   Alexei Navalny was killed with a lethal toxin found in Ecuadorian dart frogs and administered by assassins acting for Vladimir Putin. This was the conclusion of a years-long investigation – an international collaboration involving Porton Down scientists – that was shared with the world yesterday. The extraordinary revelation into the 2024 murder of the Russian dissident was timed to coincide with a security conference in Munich, in which Sir Keir Starmer and European allies pledged to step up on defence in the face of Russian aggression. Navalny’s wife was in the audience. It was more than just a show of European muscle. The findings of the joint intelligence effort shattered Russian claims, first made in 2017, that it would move away from chemical warfare. Britain and its allies are now convinced that Putin possesses a cache of dangerous lab-made weapons which could be used in Ukraine, or against the West itself. Read the full story here ➤ Plus, we have the full inside tale of how Britain and its allies cracked the case here ➤   Opinion Camilla Tominey Parents have given up on parenting, and we’re not even allowed to say so Children have a remarkable capacity to rise above their circumstances and thrive. But not if families evade their basic responsibilities Continue reading ➤     Nigel Farage Labour is setting a chilling precedent for British democracy Continue reading ➤     Jake Wallis Simons As the world descends into carnage, the spineless leaders of Europe are absorbed in a dream Continue reading ➤     To make sure you don’t miss our newsletters when they land in your inbox, click here. In other news Starmer surrenders to EU net zero rules Britain’s youth unemployment tops Europe for first time Labour rebels line up Healey to challenge Starmer Mandelson seen for first time since Epstein revelations 007 has to be a white man, says Bond girl Royal Navy to patrol Greenland for Trump Green Party activists say Zionism is a form of racism Watch: Robot rescues Ukrainian soldier stranded in ‘kill zone’ Six Nations recap England’s 12-match winning streak ended in emphatic style after an alarmingly poor and error-strewn display against Scotland. A number of inexplicable mistakes cost Steve Borthwick’s side and they were turned into a battalion of bunglers overawed by Murrayfield, writes Oliver Brown. Questionable selection and flawed decision-making also proved to be costly, according to World Cup winner Will Greenwood. It was a rare under-par performance for England captain Maro Itoje, while last week’s hat-trick hero Henry Arundell had a match to forget after being sent off before half-time. Earlier in the day, Italy ran Ireland close in Dublin, adding to the suggestion that Andy Farrell’s side are in decline. Read the full match report on England’s alarming defeat ➤   Weekend reads ‘The only thing I regret is not retiring earlier’ The concept of retirement as a clearly defined finish line means that people often regret their entry into it. Too soon, and they might not be financially prepared and end up missing the buzz of working life. Too late, and they might miss out on valuable years to pursue passions outside their career. The reality, as these retirees prove, is much more fluid. Continue reading ➤   The man who saves people from the world’s most dangerous cults The “deprogrammer” Rick Ross has spent more than 40 years working to reunite families with loved ones lost to destructive sects. His expertise spans groups from the Branch Davidians of Waco to UFO cults, and during the course of his career he has advised the FBI, testified in court, received death threats and been sued five times (most recently, the sex cult Nxivm spent $5m in legal fees trying to take him down). Sanjiv Bhattacharya visits him at his eccentric home in Arizona to hear more about the still-controversial practice. Continue reading ➤   The desperate race to escape AI’s permanent underclass AI threatens a jobs apocalypse. Firstly, a new AI trading tool has triggered widespread panic in the City, wiping billions off the values of major wealth management stocks as traders panic that chatbots will soon be able to manage people’s money. A second example is Leonie Tucker, who poured two decades of her life into the film industry until AI came along. “Everything I’ve ever worked for is this industry, it’s now been ripped away from under my feet. I’m very qualified and sought-after in this job. Now, I’m on Universal Credit,” she says. Thirdly, read on to find out why even manual jobs may not be safe. Continue reading ➤   Angela Rippon: ‘If I ever write my autobiography, I will name the villains’ Best known for her years presenting the BBC Nine O’Clock News and that high kick on Strictly, Angela Rippon shares the highs and lows from her life and 60-year career: from being single at 81 to a sexist encounter with the former director-general of the BBC. Continue reading ➤   A guide to middle-class cars in 2026 From SUVs to 4x4s, Sophia Money-Coutts has the low-down on which middle-class cars are in (such as the Land Rover Discovery 5) and which are firmly out (like the BMW X5, which is “so OTT”). Make sure you don’t embarrass yourself on the school run or on your drive to Cornwall with Sophia’s helpful guide. Continue reading ➤   Your Sunday 12 common mistakes when you’re trying to lose weight It sounds counter-intuitive but cutting calories too drastically can halt weight loss. “I see this constantly,” says Dr Abby Hyams, chief medical officer at Medicspot. “Someone drops to 1,200 calories, loses weight fast, then hits a wall and can’t understand why.” Eating too little is just one of many mistakes people make in the pursuit of fat loss, with fasting incorrectly and not doing enough strength training among the others. Mary Comber speaks to the experts about what really works. Continue reading ➤ Below are two more articles that I hope will improve your weekend: From its mainland to hundreds of islands, Greece offers an excellent range of stellar holidays. Our experts have picked out the 20 best for you. As a gerontologist, Dr Kerry Burnight has spent 30 years researching how we can increase our “joyspan” as we age – these are four areas to focus on.   Inexplicable ‘I saw axe-wielding gangsters kidnap a man on the Tube’ Every week, Sarah Knapton, our Science Editor, and Joe Pinkstone, our Science Correspondent, demystify your supernatural experiences. From ghoulish encounters to bizarre coincidences, there’s always a scientific explanation and nothing is as strange as it seems. A baffled reader writes... “In the 1960s, travelling the Piccadilly Line in London. At Leicester Square, a small man jumped in at the last moment and the doors closed. There were shouts from the guards and the doors opened. “I looked back from my seat, down the train and as I did the man turned to the carriage and cried in a beautifully spoken English accent: ‘I APPEAL TO YOU.’ “The people looked at each other. I actually said: ‘What have you done?’ Then two large men grabbed him and he was hauled off the train. We all got on with our newspapers. The train went on. A thief? “Yet as I looked the men who were waiting for him were tall and tanned, wearing light suits and two were carrying axe handles over their shoulders. What could that have been?”     Sarah and Joe answer: A shift away from the paranormal this week to something more down-to-Earth, though equally intriguing and slightly sinister. Why would a well-spoken Londoner be hauled off a Tube train by men in suits armed with club-like weapons? The key to this case may be the date. 1960s London was awash with organised crime and celebrity gangsters who operated protection rackets, embarked on violent turf wars and carried out ruthless hits. Read the full answer here ➤ Plus, send in your questions for Sarah and Joe here ➤   One great life Philippe Gaulier, clown school founder who taught Sacha Baron Cohen how to be funny Gaulier: ‘He just insults his students all day long until they start laughing and their ego gets out of the way’ Philippe Gaulier, who has died aged 82, brought his school of clowning from Paris to London in 1991 and taught the arts of buffoonery to a string of future or existing celebrities, writes Andrew M Brown, Obituaries Editor. Gaulier was hailed as a legend in British theatrical circles, a label he rejected in typically curmudgeonly style: “It would make my mother happy, but she’s dead. So I don’t care.” To call his approach “brusque” scarcely comes close to capturing his bootcamp-style training methods. The aim was to strip the actor of self-consciousness – though Gaulier had no time for method acting, dismissing its proponents as “imbeciles”. For Gaulier, actors should be seen to relish the performing, what he termed complicité between actor and audience – “like a wink”. Sacha Baron Cohen, creator of Ali G and Borat, studied at the Gaulier school. He called the great clown master “probably the funniest man I have ever met”, adding: “Without him, I really do doubt whether I would have had any success in my field.” Read his obituary in full here ➤   Puzzles Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.   Yesterday’s Panagram was TREATMENT. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle.   Thank you for reading. Allister Heath, Sunday Telegraph Editor P.S. Please share your thoughts on the newsletter here.

We have sent you this email because you have either asked us to or because we think it will interest you. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Update your preferences. If you are a Telegraph subscriber and are asked to sign in when you click the links in our newsletters, please log in and click "accept cookies". This will ensure you can access The Telegraph uninterrupted in the future. For any other questions, please visit our help page here. Any offers included in this email come with their own Terms and Conditions, which you can see by clicking on the offer link. We may withdraw offers without notice. Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited or its group companies - 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT. Registered in England under No 14551860.

Labour’s plot to devalue your house

I travelled to Japan in search of eternal youth | How we moved our family to France

 ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏

Unsubscribe

Open in browser

Saturday, 14 February 2026 Issue No. 356

Good morning. Labour’s war on homeowners may be about to intensify. Sir Keir Starmer is targeting young voters struggling to enter the housing market, but his plan to build 1.5 million new properties could devalue your home by two per cent, as Pui-Guan Man, our Property Correspondent, explains. Elsewhere, Laura Donnelly, our Health Editor, has travelled to Japan, where she met with the world’s most impressive “super-agers”. She reveals the habits that allow them to live healthy lives for longer – and explains why the secret to eternal youth is simpler than you might think. Chris Evans, Editor P.S. Try one year of The Telegraph for £25, including all the articles in this newsletter. If you are already a subscriber, make sure you’re logged in to read today’s stories.   In today’s edition How we moved our family to France — Margot Robbie is now the most powerful woman in Hollywood — Chris Packham: ‘I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to make a difference’

We believe in freedom. Free press. Free speech. Free markets. If you share these values, join us today. One year for £25. Subscribe now   Labour’s latest vote-winning plot to devalue your house Pui-Guan Man Property Correspondent   Labour came to power promising a housing revolution, but only now are ministers saying the quiet part out loud – it could devalue your property. Matthew Pennycook, the housing minister, has admitted that the Government’s plans to build 1.5 million homes by 2030 could engineer an average price fall of at least two per cent. It is an aim that may resonate with young people locked out of the property market. However, for swathes of British homeowners it has sparked fears that Labour is coming for their nest eggs. While Steve Reed, the Housing Secretary, was quick to try to walk back Pennycook’s remarks, experts believe the messaging is a sign of an alarming shift. Paul Cheshire, a professor at the London School of Economics, warns: “There is a tension between what you might call the housing haves, and the housing have-nots. The balance is moving towards the housing have-nots.” Read the full story ➤   ‘I travelled to Japan in search of eternal youth’ Although approaching 83, Rikio Yokoda has no plans to retire Laura Donnelly Health Editor   The subtropical islands of Okinawa in Japan are the original Blue Zone – regions where the world’s highest proportion of super-agers, including centenarians, live. Researchers have long pored over their diets, daily routines and social habits, trying to uncover their secret. I spent a week there, tasting some of the best food I’ve ever eaten and immersing myself in the rhythm of life that has made the islands famous. At the heart of traditional Okinawan life is a vibrant, plant-rich diet, combined with natural, everyday movement. There’s more to the region than food and exercise, though. Shabu-shabu – one of the dishes Laura ate – is a traditional hotpot of thin slices of meat, vegetables and tofu cooked in a savoury broth Many elders take up new work in their 60s, maintain a strong sense of purpose (ikigai) and rely on a close social circle (moai), while making time to rest deeply. There is a major debate about “Blue Zones” and in particular about the data behind them, which is a fascinating tale in its own right. Okinawa’s traditional lifestyle has long been under attack, with fast-food chains, convenience stores and sedentary lifestyles eroding the habits that created decades of vitality. Spending a week with the elders, seeing their vigour, joy and extraordinary flexibility, is a reminder of something we sometimes forget – that the best chance of a good old age depends on the habits built long before. This is what we in Britain can learn from them. Read Laura’s full report ➤   Opinion Camilla Tominey For the monarchy, the Andrew saga is very far from over New allegations about the former Duke of York’s behaviour as a trade envoy cross the Rubicon Continue reading ➤     Michael Deacon Sir Jim Ratcliffe should not have apologised Continue reading ➤     William Sitwell My 10-point plan to save the countryside Continue reading ➤     To make sure you don’t miss our newsletters when they land in your inbox, click here. In other news Election delays are wrong, says watchdog Labour launches ‘devastating’ new attack on pubs Two British skiers killed in French Alps avalanche Mandelson summoned to testify in US Epstein investigation Andrew ‘said Epstein victim invited to Buckingham Palace was called Mrs Windsor’ Terrorist shot dead after trying to stab police at Arc de Triomphe Starmer: Britain’s Brexit years are over Vitruvian Man stripped of his genitals by Italy’s state broadcaster The opening graphics for the Winter Olympics featured the censored Vitruvian Man weekend reads Tony Blair’s New Labour project lies in pieces, writes Sam Ashworth-Hayes The collapse of Tony Blair’s Britain This week, a very public changing of the guard played out in Downing Street. Blairites vacated office, replaced by figures from the Left of the party. This reflected a sobering reality for remaining supporters of “red rose modernisation”. Almost 30 years after Sir Tony Blair swept to power, his vision for Britain is in tatters. From migration to foreign policy and human rights to devolution, Sam Ashworth-Hayes tracks how the New Labour dream collapsed. Continue reading ➤   ‘There isn’t a place for trail hunting in the 21st century in Britain’ Chris Packham: ‘I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to make a difference’ He has been called a militant. His home has been attacked by protesters. An opinion piece published by The Telegraph earlier this week called for the BBC to sack him. However, the wildlife presenter, author and activist has no plans to temper his campaigning. “I don’t care about conflict,” the 64-year-old tells Ed Cumming. Continue reading ➤   Harry Vane, 12th Baron Barnard, and his wife Kate, the owners of Raby Castle ‘We have a whole room filled with broken loos’: The reality of running a castle They say an Englishman’s home is his castle. For those for whom that is literally the case, however, day-to-day existence is not always a picnic. We spoke to castle-dwellers about staggeringly expensive repairs, highly demanding guests and not knowing how many rooms you have. Continue reading ➤   The ‘millennial Brigitte Bardot’ has built a hit-making empire on screen and off How Margot Robbie became the most powerful woman in Hollywood She has made more than £1bn at the box office as Barbie, but Margot Robbie’s business brain reaches far beyond plastic dolls. At 35, the Australian actress has become the most powerful woman in Hollywood. She has worked with Tarantino and Scorsese, has three Oscar nominations – and now her turn in Wuthering Heights promises to be the cinema event of the year. Continue reading ➤   Dr Michael Baden is unconvinced that Jeffrey Epstein took his own life ‘I witnessed Epstein’s post mortem. His death must be reinvestigated’ Jeffrey Epstein’s death was “most likely caused by strangulation pressure rather than hanging”, a doctor who was present at his post mortem tells The Telegraph in an exclusive interview. Dr Michael Baden is unconvinced by official findings that the paedophile took his own life and, in light of new documents released in the Epstein files, has called for further investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Continue reading ➤   Your Saturday ‘How we moved our family to France’ The Broad family made the move across the Channel in 2017 France is famous for its frighteningly complex bureaucracy, so moving a family there may seem like a daunting task – especially after Brexit. In the latest instalment of our series, the Broad family explain how they coped with the paperwork, the language barrier and the differences in the school system, in order to relocate to the French Alps. Continue reading ➤ Below are two more articles that I hope will improve your weekend: When it comes to cholesterol, we generally know which foods to avoid. Rarely do we think about what we drink. These are the worst beverages, and five expert-backed alternatives. In need of a cry? Or do you want to feel like there’s life after love? Film and television can work wonders for the heartsick. Here are 20 things to watch if you’re heartbroken.   Diana’s Weekend table Half-term dishes Roast chicken with crème fraîche and herbs Diana Henry The Telegraph’s award-winning cookery writer   I’m getting ready for half term. Friends with children are coming, and I’ve been propelled back to the “oh my God what are we going to eat?” phase of my life. You need a head full of “bung it in the oven” dishes. I’ve tidied the house, but I am not good at making it child-safe these days. Little ones will arrive and knock over piles of books as they tear round the living room. You get brownie points for good food, but I won’t be making special meals for the children. I hope we can do supper for everyone at 6.30. This is a special roast chicken – the acidity of the crème fraîche makes the meat tender and creates a sauce round it. Serve with roast peppers and little olive oil roasted potatoes. Ottolenghi’s hummus I used to do what we called “continentals” when my kids got grouchy in the afternoon. Sticks of carrot, slices of apple, hummus, cheese, pitta bread, grapes (you get the picture) will be in the fridge. Soft food was always popular with my boys, so I’ll be doing salmon fish cakes (you can freeze these ahead of time). Chicken, basil, spinach and lemon meatballs with orzo Pasta is inevitable, but that doesn’t have to mean spaghetti with tomato sauce for 45-year-olds. Soft meatballs – made with minced turkey, chicken or veal and cooked with orzo (that’s a very small pasta shape, which takes minutes to cook) – are a real treat. If you don’t want to cook spinach, use frozen stuff (defrost it and squeeze out the water with your hands). Get ready for the invasion. Find me here every Saturday – and in the new Telegraph Recipes Newsletter which you can sign up to here. Happy cooking!   Andrew Baker’s Saturday Quiz Gather round for the latest instalment of my Saturday quiz. It is St Valentine’s Day. As well as being the patron saint of lovers, he is also patron saint of apiarists – people who specialise in the care of what? Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to do what? Where will you find things called Valentine’s Brook, Foinavon and The Chair? The image of a simple wooden chair with a rush seat on which are placed a pipe and tobacco pouch is one of the most celebrated works by which artist? The Coronation Chair has been used at the crowning of every English monarch at Westminster Abbey since 1308. What is it made of?   You can find the answers at the end of the newsletter.   Puzzles Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.   Yesterday’s Panagram was LYRICALLY. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle.   Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor P.S. Please send me your thoughts on this newsletter. You can email me here. Quiz answers: Bees Fly in space Aintree racecourse Vincent van Gogh Oak

We have sent you this email because you have either asked us to or because we think it will interest you. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Update your preferences. If you are a Telegraph subscriber and are asked to sign in when you click the links in our newsletters, please log in and click "accept cookies". This will ensure you can access The Telegraph uninterrupted in the future. For any other questions, please visit our help page here. Any offers included in this email come with their own Terms and Conditions, which you can see by clicking on the offer link. We may withdraw offers without notice. Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited or its group companies - 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT. Registered in England under No 14551860.