
Saturday's British newspapers cover the Metropolitan Police probe into David Walliams, Reform UK's crypto lobbying, Noel Fielding on Russell Brand, asylum housing plans, and more.
British newspapers lead on the Metropolitan Police investigation into David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences, alongside coverage of Nigel Farage's Reform UK security funding, Russell Brand's sentencing, asylum housing plans near Piddington, Nvidia's Jensen Huang resignation, Hamas-linked UK citizenship, and David Cameron's Alzheimer's campaign.
AI-generated summary
The article is a press roundup summarizing Saturday's front pages from major British newspapers. The Metropolitan Police is investigating David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences separate from earlier reporting by ITV News and the Guardian. Reform UK's deputy leader lobbied the Bank of England on crypto after a £9m donation. Russell Brand was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. The government granted planning permission to house more than 1,200 asylum seekers at a former military site near Piddington, Oxfordshire. Nvidia's board approached Rene Haas to succeed Jensen Huang, whose career imploded over an infidelity scandal. Mohammed Alfatih, linked to Hamas, was given UK citizenship and re-arrested by German authorities. David Cameron is urging the government to make Alzheimer's breakthrough treatments available on the NHS.
Saturday's Daily Mirror is one of a number of papers leading on the Metropolitan Police launching an investigation into David Walliams over reports of "alleged serious sexual offences". The force said it was investigating allegations which were separate to those reported by ITV News and the Guardian earlier this week, but that detectives were also "proactively reviewing that reporting to establish whether there is any evidence of offences". Walliams said he was "not a sexual predator" and had not "broken the law" after those allegations were first reported.
"New sex offence claims" is the headline on the Daily Star's front page, as it too splashes on the Met's investigation into Walliams. The force said it had received a "number of allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences", the paper reports.
The Guardian likewise leads on the Met's investigation into the 55-year-old entertainer and children's author over the reports of alleged sexual offences. Separately, the paper reports that Nigel Farage's security was "paid for by Reform despite claim" that this was to be funded by a £5m gift he received from a party donor in 2024. Asked about Farage expensing the party, a spokesperson for Reform UK told the Guardian: "As a standard practice, we do not comment on security matters."
Reform also features on the front page of the i Paper today, which reports the party's deputy leader "lobbied Bank of England on crypto after £9m donation". There is no suggestion that Christopher Harborne, whom the paper reports made the donation, asked Tice to write to the Bank of England or that the Reform deputy leader was acting on his behalf, the i notes. Tice has said his intervention is consistent with a longstanding position in support of financial deregulation.
Meanwhile, the Sun splashes on a statement from TV personality Noel Fielding on Russell Brand's sentencing to more than 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. Fielding said he was "appalled" by some of the jokes he made alongside Brand, "and I very much regret them". He told the paper he was completely unaware of Brand's crimes and that he'd had "no contact with him for many years".
The Daily Express focuses on other news: the government's granting of planning permission to house more than 1,200 asylum seekers at a former military site near Piddington, Oxfordshire. "We will fight this betrayal," is its headline as locals vow to oppose the plans. The government has said it will continue to engage with the community and that no final decision on the site has been taken.
The fallout from the resignation of Nvidia chief Jensen Huang continues to lead the Financial Times this weekend. The paper, citing sources familiar, reports that the tech giant's board has approached Rene Haas, a former staffer who is currently running British chipmaker Arm, to succeed Huang - whose career "imploded over an infidelity scandal".
"Bodyguard of Hamas leader was given UK citizenship" is the Daily Mail's front page headline, as it reports on Mohammed Alfatih's links to the proscribed terrorist group. Following his conviction on Friday of unlawfully wounding a bailiff outside his Birmingham home, his links to Hamas can be reported - as well as the fact that he was re-arrested in detention by German authorities on suspicion of being involved in an alleged gun plot to attack Jewish targets. A Home Office spokesperson said the government condemned "those who choose to support [Hamas's] activities and further its aims".
In other news, the shadow education secretary tells the Times that schools should limit the time pupils spend looking at screens. The Conservatives' Laura Trott warns that "overuse of computers and tablets does 'real damage' to children", the paper reports. The Times also carries a photograph of King Charles III from his visit to Croydon on Friday, where he was given a 78th-birthday cake.
The Daily Telegraph leads on its interview with former Prime Minister David Cameron about his family's "harrowing ordeal" with Alzheimer's. Lord Cameron - now the president of Alzheimer's Research UK - is urging the government to "make breakthrough treatments available on the NHS", the paper reports. It also covers the launch of a new campaign against the UK rejoining the EU - Stay Out - ahead of a UK-EU summit next week.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Metropolitan Police will continue its investigation into David Walliams and may bring charges if evidence is found.
Possible · Within weeks
The UK-EU summit next week will feature discussion of the Stay Out campaign against UK rejoining the EU.
Likely · Within days
Queer residents Michael Smith and P. Eldridge are launching CROOKED, an independent queer publication rooted in Townsville's traditional Wulgurukaba name Gurambilbarra, on November 14 to build community in regional Queensland. The project follows a June 2025 disruption at Townsville Pride where an attendee was allegedly assaulted, highlighting ongoing safety risks. Queensland Council for LGBTI Health CEO Rebecca Reynolds says visible inclusion must lead to usable support. A 2025 University of Southern Queensland study of 87 LGBTQ+ people in Toowoomba found participants wanted safety, support, acceptance, friendship and connection.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says US Starshield satellite speed restrictions remain along the entire front line and in occupied territories, hampering Ukraine's ability to intercept drones and sending a bad signal to Russia. Separately, Russia attacked a Kyiv hospital, claimed to have shot down nearly 1,200 Ukrainian drones, and killed four in Volgograd. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned against walking into Russia's traps at an EU summit in Dublin. Russian forces also struck Zaporizhzhia and Odesa, killing three and injuring more than 50.

The US Aviation Administration lifted the nationwide takeoff ban after a pause that lasted more than 4 hours, causing delays or cancellations of about 15,000 flights and canceling more than 700 flights on Saturday. The Secretary of Transportation attributed the problem to outdated air traffic control technologies and routers that were subjected to massive data pressure, while the Secretary of Homeland Security did not rule out the possibility of a cyber attack.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon, halting all plane departures at every airport and stranding millions of passengers.
The US nationwide flight ground stop has been lifted after old communications technology caused intermittent radar and telecom failures. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was zero evidence of a cyberattack and blamed Congress for insufficient funding to upgrade FAA systems.

EU leaders agreed to form a delegation from the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Poland and EU institutions to participate in the Ukraine peace negotiations. The Kremlin has said that Russia is willing to involve Europe in negotiations if Europe is interested in promoting peace, but it advocates reaching a broad agreement on the European security architecture first. German Chancellor Merz criticized the Kremlin's statement as repeating old tunes, and emphasized that the Ukrainian issue cannot be discussed without Ukraine's participation; and European issues cannot be discussed without Europe's participation.