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Jun 5
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso, and Little Britain actor Anthony Head dies

In a statement, his daughters said he "passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family". The star was best known as librarian Rupert Giles in the cult US supernatural TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, which ran from 1997 to 2003. More recently, Head appeared in football comedy Ted Lasso, where he played former Richmond FC owner Rupert Mannion. Other notable roles include playing the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon in the TV show Merlin, the father of Prince Arthur. Head's daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, said in their statement that: "Our grief is far greater than the hole he has left behind but we know his legacy will live on in the shows he was a part of and in the audiences that love them." Known for his distinctive baritone voice, Head first rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s in the Nescafe Gold Blend television adverts. The ads, which ran from 1987 to 1993, saw Head play one half of the on-screen "Gold Blend couple," alongside Sharon Maughan, who struck up a slow-burning romance over a cup of coffee. Over the years, the star also appeared in Motherland, Manchild, Silent Witness, Spooks, Doctor Who and My Family. In July 2018, he joined the cast of BBC Radio 4 long-running drama The Archers, playing Robin Fairbrother. Head was also a singer, having appeared in the West End and recorded music, including the album for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode. His long-time partner, animal welfare campaigner Sarah Fisher, died in December 2025 aged 61. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

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No Writer
Jun 5
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso, and Little Britain actor Anthony Head dies

In a statement, his daughters said he "passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family". The star was best known as librarian Rupert Giles in the cult US supernatural TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, which ran from 1997 to 2003. More recently, Head appeared in football comedy Ted Lasso, where he played former Richmond FC owner Rupert Mannion. Other notable roles include playing the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon in the TV show Merlin, the father of Prince Arthur. Head's daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, said in their statement that: "Our grief is far greater than the hole he has left behind but we know his legacy will live on in the shows he was a part of and in the audiences that love them." Known for his distinctive baritone voice, Head first rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s in the Nescafe Gold Blend television adverts. The ads, which ran from 1987 to 1993, saw Head play one half of the on-screen "Gold Blend couple," alongside Sharon Maughan, who struck up a slow-burning romance over a cup of coffee. Read more from Sky News:Two men recruited by Iran found guilty of stabbing TV presenterMan in his 50s dies after fight at Cornwall holiday park Over the years, the star also appeared in Motherland, Manchild, Silent Witness, Spooks, Doctor Who and My Family. In July 2018, he joined the cast of BBC Radio 4 long-running drama The Archers, playing Robin Fairbrother. Head was also a singer, having appeared in the West End and recorded music, including the album for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode. His long-time partner, animal welfare campaigner Sarah Fisher, died in December 2025 aged 61. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

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Jun 5
Henry Nowak's murder shows we need to end religious exemptions for knife laws, ex-deputy Labour leader says

Henry Nowak was stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, who was jailed this week, with a ceremonial Pesh Kabz, a 21cm Indo-Persian dagger previously used in battles to pierce through armour. Digwa claimed he carried the murder weapon for religious reasons. He was also carrying a kirpan, the small knife not usually more than six inches long, including the handle, that is more commonly carried by Sikh men. Harriet Harman, former deputy leader of the Labour Party, told Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast it should no longer be lawful to carry knives for cultural or religious reasons. "One of the issues on knife crime is whether it counts as lawful grounds to carry a weapon because you are a Sikh or it is a ceremonial knife," she said. "Now, the knife that was used to stab Henry was not a Sikh ceremonial knife, but there is a tradition of allowing Sikh knives to be kept as part of cultural and religious tradition - same as there's an allowance of, in Scotland, the dirk, the dagger that's in the top of men's socks. "These are currently a lawful reason to carry a knife. "If you were a chef carrying your knife to work or something like that, there's a recognition in the law that this is not carrying an offensive weapon. "But actually, I don't think that religious or customary grounds for carrying bladed weapons should be acceptable anymore." Read more: Henry Nowak protesters accused of 'hijacking' tragedy Under Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, carrying a knife for work, as part of national costume or for religious reasons are potential lawful defences. Mark Nowak, Henry's father, told reporters outside Southampton Crown Court this week: "People should not be able to walk openly through the streets of Britain carrying a 21cm blade."

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Jun 5
Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc fastest from Lewis Hamilton as Ferrari start quickest in Practice One with Mercedes adrift

In the opening session around Formula 1's most-famous circuit on one of the sport's showpiece weekends, Ferrari's drivers were straight in a groove on a twisty track that had been tipped by rivals to particularly suit their 2026 car. Monaco's own Leclerc - who earlier this week renewed his contract at the team - topped the session by 0.226s from Hamilton with a best lap of 1:13.978. Max Verstappen took third for Red Bull but he alone was half a second off the pace. Monaco GP: UK schedule and how to watch on Sky SportsF1 2026 standings | F1 2026 Calendar | F1 Gossip ColumnDownload the Sky Sports app for expert analysis, best video & more📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 Mercedes have claimed every Grand Prix pole and race win so far this season but the feeling is that they will have their work cut out to extend those runs this weekend. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was the quicker of the Mercedes drivers throughout the session and while he finished within a tenth of Verstappen in fourth, team-mate George Russell was a further half a second behind in fifth. McLaren won last year's Monaco race with Lando Norris but finished the first session over one second behind Ferrari this time, with the reigning world champion sixth and Oscar Piastri eighth. On Ferrari's fast start, Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle said: "It looked good, didn't it? "Charles had a couple of adventures early on, the lock-up [at Mirabeau] on the out-lap and he went across the chicane, while they were still struggling with understeer. But the raw pace looked extremely good." Audi enjoyed a positive start to the weekend with Nico Hulkenberg seventh and Gabriel Bortoleto ninth, while Alpine's Pierre Gasly rounded out the top 10. Hadjar and Alonso first to find the barriers Two drivers crashed during the opening hour of running around the barrier-lined track. Isack Hadjar's incident was the most significant when he lost control of his Red Bull exiting the higher-speed Swimming Pool section. The rear of his car got away from him through the sharp right-hander and sent him towards the outside wall and out of the session with 25 minutes to go, much to the Frenchman's surprise. "Yeah [I'm fine], but I don't understand why it snapped off like that," said Hadjar on Red Bull team radio. "I'm sorry." Norris had avoided a similar incident minutes before when he successfully corrected a slide out of the corner, the McLaren driver instead clattering over the kerbs and avoiding the barriers. Two-time Monaco winner Fernando Alonso broke his Aston Martin's front wing against the barriers when his car snapped left under braking coming out of the tunnel into the harbourside chicane. The Spaniard was at least able to continue and return his damaged car to the pits. Both incidents caused brief red flags in a session that saw numerous drivers find the run-off areas, including pacesetter Leclerc twice and Hamilton once. Sky Sports F1's Monaco GP live schedule Friday June 52.05pm: F2 Qualifying3pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference3.30pm: Monaco GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)5.15pm: The F1 Show Saturday June 69.40am: F3 Sprint11.15am: Monaco GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)1.10pm: F2 Sprint2.15pm: Monaco GP Qualifying build-up3pm: MONACO GP QUALIFYING* Sunday June 76.50am: F3 Feature Race8.30am: F2 Feature Race10.50am: Porsche Supercup12.30pm: Monaco GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*2pm: THE MONACO GRAND PRIX*4pm: Monaco GP reaction: Chequered Flag* *Also on Sky Sports Main Event Watch the Monaco Grand Prix, the first of six races in eight weeks, live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

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Jun 5
Which royals rent their homes and how much do they pay?

The investigation found that many royals have been paying below market rents, while some have their accommodation costs paid for by the King and others sub-let the properties for an unknown amount. The report has sparked accusations that the Royal Family has shown "total contempt for the taxpayer", especially in cases where support was provided to non-working royals. So what are the Royal Family's residential property arrangements? Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor The former prince has received an undisclosed private income from subletting three cottages on his Royal Lodge estate for two decades, while paying a peppercorn rent. "Three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate were also sublet with income generated from subletting payable to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor," the report said. Andrew was entitled to sublet up to three properties on the Royal Lodge estate in Windsor Great Park under the terms of his lease. No figures have been provided of how much income the properties generated, with the NAO saying the figure was private. However, royal insiders suggested that Andrew's subletting did not produce a profit because the rate only covered maintenance and running costs. Andrew left Royal Lodge earlier this year and moved to the King's private Sandringham estate in Norfolk in April, after he was charged with misconduct in public office over his links to Jeffrey Epstein. The late Queen's second son, who was stripped of his prince title and dukedom by Charles over his friendship with the billionaire sex offender, was not asked to provide figures for the amount of money the sublets produced. It has been widely reported that Andrew may not receive the compensation he is due for giving up his lease, which would be a pay out of between £301,967 and £488,342, depending on the condition of the property and the date the lease is officially surrendered. It is also not known whether Andrew's sublet properties were consistently rented out, but his subletting of the residences ended in April 2026. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie The King has footed the bill for the daughters of Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, who are non-working royals, to live in accommodation in royal palaces, the report said. The rents set for their accommodation are also based on out-of-date valuations, the NAO found, in part because royal household properties require tenants with security clearance. Princess Eugenie's rent for Ivy Cottage in Kensington Palace is based on the 2018 valuation between 2020 and 2021 and Princess Beatrice's apartment in St James's Place on a 2020 valuation. The princesses were then only required to pay a percentage of that value, with both paying a percentage between 50% to 68% of the market rent since 2020. However, both their rents are actually paid to the royal household by Charles out of the Privy Purse, made up of his Duchy of Lancaster income and other private funds. Eugenie is said to have carried out refurbishments at Ivy Cottage at her own expense. It's believed the arrangement was put in place by the late Queen Elizabeth II for her granddaughters, and Charles has continued it. The Sovereign Grant, which pays for the Royal Family's official duties and the upkeep of royal palaces, is met from public funds in exchange for the King's surrender of the revenue from the Crown Estate. The Prince and Princess of Wales William and Kate pay £307,200 a year for their home, Forest Lodge in Berkshire, and have avoided peppercorn rent accusations. The report said the couple signed a "short-term 20-year lease" with quarterly rent payments of £76,800 every three months, and no upfront deposit because they pay for all internal refurbishment costs. But the Crown Estate paid £396,993 for repairs at the mansion, two of three cottages on the site, the barn and the grounds before the couple moved in. The tenancy covers the Grade II listed Georgian house, gardens, paddock with 7.4 hectares, a barn, and three cottages. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent The late Queen's cousin and his wife, Marie-Christine, have also had their rent paid by the King from the Privy Purse. The couple sparked a scandal and were dubbed the "Rent-a-Kents" when it emerged in 2002 they paid a peppercorn rent of just £69 a week to live in the grand Apartment 10, despite not being working royals. When the arrangement emerged, the Kents argued that Queen Elizabeth II had given them the use of the Palace as a wedding present, after MPs on the Commons' Public Accounts Committee demanded they pay full rent. A commercial rate rent of £120,000 a year was paid on their behalf by the late Queen, but they would need to pay their own way from 2009. But the report shows the Kents never paid their own rent, after the Queen privately agreed to continue the private funding. As a result of this agreement, the King has continued to pay their rent, which is now set at 63% of open market value. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh Edward and Sophie were also found to pay a peppercorn rent after signing a long lease of 150 years in 2007 for Bagshot Park in Surrey with a payment of £5m. The King's brother and his wife have, like Andrew, generated a private income by renting out the property, letting out the stable to a third party in 2020. Edward's company Eclipse Nominees Limited is listed as the leaseholder. They previously held a lease from 1998 to 2007, and committed to spend £1.38m on restoration. Princess Alexandra and Marina Ogilvy The late Queen's cousin Princess Alexandra pays an annual ground rent of £1,500 to live at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond Park, which is leased to THL Trust. The amount she pays changes depending on the time that has lapsed, after a premium payment of £670,000 in 1995, following a previous lease in 1971. Her daughter Marina Ogilvy has a shorthold lease on a cottage on the Windsor Estate and pays an annual rent of £17,436. 'Taking the public for a complete ride' Former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker, who has long been a critic of royal finances, branded the arrangements as "outrageous". "The whole thing is outrageous. If you look at Andrew, this is adding insult to injury," he said. "It shows an absolute total contempt for the taxpayer, not only that Andrew was able to have a peppercorn rent for a gigantic property, but then to make potentially millions on the side from subletting properties. "The money should have gone to the Crown Estate, not into his pockets." On Beatrice and Eugenie, he said: "There's no way that non-working members of the Royal Family should be subsidised by the Duchy of Lancaster. "The Royal Family is yet again taking the public for a complete ride." He added that any profits made from sub-letting the properties should go to the Crown Estate. "We are, in fact as taxpayers, subsidising money to go into Andrew's pocket and indeed Edward's pocket," he told Sky News. Read more from Sky News:Andrew and Mandelson investigations updateThree more charged over Henry Nowak protests The report will form the basis of the Public Accounts Committee's inquiry into royal properties. Former Labour MP Baroness Margaret Hodge, who once chaired the Public Accounts Committee, agreed it was "outrageous" that some figures concerning the income royals earned from sub-letting the properties were missing from the report. "There's a lot of taxpayer money that goes into supporting the Royal Family, quite rightly, but that means we need transparency and we need accountability, particularly at a time when everybody is struggling very much," she said. "I welcome the report, but there's a lot missing." Royal commentator, Jennie Bond, said there needed to be "more transparency" around the royal's financial arrangements, especially when it involves private sub-let agreements "The point of all this is these are part of the Crown Estate," she said. "The Crown Estate is an independent commercial operation which must be run for profit, and that profit goes directly back to the Treasury. "In other words, it's public money. And that is why there is public interest in exactly who pays what." Ms Bond also criticised Beatrice and Eugenie and said she did not understand why they had to "sponge off their uncle" as "grown women". "They have their own careers. They're both married to a successful businessman," she said. A spokesperson for the Crown Estate, said: "The Crown Estate welcomes the National Audit Office's review which confirms its leases with members of the Royal Family were agreed in line with independent, professional advice and open market valuations. "We look forward to discussing the report further with the Public Accounts Committee in due course." Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

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Jun 5
MOBO Awards founder Kanya King dies aged 57

King was a single mother from a Kilburn council estate when she established the awards ceremony in 1996, which has since grown into a national institution and has championed musicians including Stormzy, Amy Winehouse, Olivia Dean, Raye and So Solid Crew. She died peacefully on 3 June, "surrounded by her family, close friends and love", according to a statement. The statement continued: "Thirty years ago, Kanya King remortgaged her home, alone, without institutional backing, without industry support, to build a stage that would transform British music forever. "She was a single mother from a Kilburn council estate who was told that Black music was too niche, that there was no market and that the industry was not interested. "Instead of arguing, she built. Six weeks later, the first MOBO Awards was broadcast to the nation, and nothing was ever the same again. "What Kanya created was never simply an awards ceremony. It was an act of cultural justice. "Mobo did not just celebrate Black music; it legitimised it, amplified it, and demonstrated its commercial and creative power to a world that had too often chosen not to see it." King played a major role in bringing black music and culture to the mainstream in the UK, using the ceremony to celebrate black British artists who were overlooked by other industry events. She was made a CBE in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours List and received an Ivors Academy Honour in 2025. Just months after her cancer diagnosis, King appeared on stage at the Mobos in Newcastle last year. She told the audience: "I never allowed someone to define my limits. Not in life. Not in business. And I'm certainly not going to have that happen now." Read more from Sky News:Anthropic: 'Risks of humans losing control over AI'Water firm faces £44.7m 'enforcement package' King's "devastated" family said in a statement: "She faced every moment of her illness as she faced every moment of her life: with courage, with faith, with humour, and with an absolute refusal to be diminished." They added: "Kanya leaves behind 30 years of music of joy, of resistance, of proof - proof that one woman, with vision, nerve, and love, can move an entire culture. "We are broken. We are grateful. We are so profoundly, endlessly proud to have been her family." The MOBO Organisation said the world was a "profoundly better place" with King in it. "The Mobo family is heartbroken, but also endlessly grateful, proud and inspired by everything she gave to music, culture and the generations who will follow in her footsteps," the statement continued. "Rest in power, Kanya. You built this. All of it." Tributes have since poured in from stars including award-winning actor Idris Elba, who shared a post to Instagram saying that King was gone "too soon". The star, known for The Wire and Luther, added: "You inspired me. Your dedication is unmatched. I will miss you @KanyaKingCBE, we will all miss you." The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, paid tribute in a post on X, calling King a "true pioneer" who "changed the face of culture and music", while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy wrote that she "changed British music for the better through the Mobo Awards".

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Jun 5
Investigations into Andrew and Mandelson could take 'over a year' - as ex-prince seen with bruise on face

The former prince and Lord Mandelson face questions amid controversy over their respective links to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Both were arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. They were subsequently released under investigation. Both have denied wrongdoing. Speaking about both cases on Thursday afternoon, director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said: "I really don't think that anyone should expect an early resolution of the investigation. "It wouldn't be at all surprising if it took over a year, not because of any lack of urgency, but because of the complexity, and also the international dimension is an extra factor to be considered, notwithstanding that in some cases you can get evidence back in an hour, that's not always the case, and formal procedures have to be gone through that sometimes involve courts, and that can have significant delay, so complex, time-consuming but no lack of urgency around that case." Mr Parkinson added that the police are "responsible for investigations" but that the CPS has been "providing early investigative advice". The update comes after the release of a second tranche of documents relating to Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the United States. The files have fuelled renewed scrutiny of the vetting process and reignited political debate about Mandelson's links to Epstein. Meanwhile, Andrew was pictured on Thursday with what appeared to be a large purple bruise on the right side of his face. He was photographed while driving near his new home, Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate, after he was removed from his former home, Royal Lodge, in February. Although it is unclear how the King's brother obtained the facial mark, it is understood not to be a cause for concern.

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Jun 4
England vs New Zealand: Ollie Robinson bags three wickets in over as Test summer begins in breathless fashion at Lord's

Robinson, exiled since early 2024 due to fitness issues but now recalled as England seek control in their bowling line-up after the chastening 4-1 Ashes defeat, removed Devon Conway (1), Kane Williamson (0) and Rachin Ravindra (0) in the space of four balls. There has never been any doubt about the Sussex seamer's skill - he bagged 76 wickets in his first 20 Tests at an average below 23 - and he displayed that on Thursday, albeit in extremely juicy conditions, as he helped England shred the Black Caps' top order. Scorecard: England vs New Zealand, first Test, Lord'sGot Sky? Watch England vs NZ live on the Sky Sports appNot got Sky? Get instant access with NOW - no contract Robinson pinned Conway and Ravindra lbw around having the great Williamson caught at short leg by England debutant Emilio Gay during a triple-wicket-maiden, with Ravindra's dismissal, to the final delivery of the second over, leaving New Zealand 2-3. The 32-year-old (4-10 from six overs) then returned to bowl Daryl Mitchell (12) as the Kiwi batter played a costly leave, while Gus Atkinson trapped Tom Latham (3) lbw and Josh Tongue splattered the stumps of Tom Blundell (4) for his 50th Test wicket as the visitors closed a remarkable 16-wicket day 79 runs in arrears. It was a truly frantic start to England's post-Ashes reset, with Harry Brook (56 off 71 balls) and New Zealand's Glenn Phillips (31no off 34) the only batters on either team to reach 20. England rolled by New Zealand before Robinson lights up Lord's Ben Stokes' side were guilty of a raft of soft dismissals during the drubbing Down Under, with much of the talk since, particularly from head coach Brendon McCullum across multiple media assignments over the last week, about playing "smarter" cricket. A quick glance at the scorecard would suggest that did not happen but their skittling in 39.4 overs was down to the visitors' pinpoint seam attack way more than injudicious shots, with Kyle Jamieson (5-62), Nathan Smith (3-38) and Will O'Rourke (2-25) excelling as a back spasm limited fellow quick Matt Henry to four overs. Opener Gay (8) edged a corker from Jamieson - who snaffled his sixth five-wicket haul in just 20 Tests in his first five-day fixture in over two years - having got off the mark by nailing the same bowler's full toss for four and then striking a delicious boundary through mid-on in the giant New Zealand quick's second over. Brook, one of those to gift his wicket in The Ashes, profited from drops on eight and 45 - Conway, at backward point, and Ravindra, in the deep, the guilty parties respectively - as he counterpunched from 55-5. England lost three wickets for three runs from 31-1 after an initial two-hour rain delay had come with the hosts 24-1 after 10 overs - Ben Duckett (19) and Jacob Bethell (2) were pinned lbw while Joe Root (1) edged a lifter from O' Rourke to slip. Jamie Smith (1) then shouldered arms to a delivery from Jamieson and had his off stump clattered, while the man he had swapped places with in the batting order, captain Stokes (12), fell to a spectacular one-handed catch from Williamson at slip after Jamieson induced the edge. Jamieson then accounted for Atkinson (4) and Robinson (1) around another stoppage for rain and bad light, while he also took the catch at deep fine leg to remove Brook after the batter hauled a leg-side delivery from Nathan Smith in his direction. Brook clubbed 10 boundaries during his half-century, reaching fifty from 64 deliveries, and it may turn out to be a crucial intervention with this game threatening to be a low-scorer. Shoaib Bashir (14) and Tongue (10no) added 22 for the final wicket - the second-highest stand of the innings, behind only the 39 Brook and Stokes had put on for the sixth wicket - and then it was over to Robinson to show England what they had been missing. Robinson: I thought I'd never play for England again England seam bowler Ollie Robinson, speaking to Sky Sports: "I can't really put this into words right now. It feels a bit surreal. I couldn't have dreamt it, to be honest. It's been an amazing couple of hours, and it's just so good to be back. "There were obviously doubts. I thought at Christmas time, I was never playing for England again. To get back in and get the support of everyone, it been amazing. So special. "When we looked at the pitch this morning, it looked like it was going to play a lot better than it did. New Zealand obviously bowled really well against us and we knew we had to follow suit. "To get then six down there at the end was a great effort from everyone." Watch day two of the first Test between England and New Zealand, at Lord's, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10.15am on Friday. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.

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