Prepared for him missing the test, but the actual decision we wont prejudge. Why would you . Decision we wont prejudge. Why would you 7 as decision we wont prejudge. Why would you . As you said in your question, a lot of issues in this area are not precise medical science and we will see what happens. We wishjoe and we will see what happens. We wish joe and his and we will see what happens. We wishjoe and his family all of the best and it is very important moment for that family. He has ourfull support to be with them, of course he does, and we have plans in place for if he isnt there, but we will come to that if it happens. Thats all from sportsday. Our top story, of course, the return of the premier league. Half time at villa park no goals between manchester and sheffield united. Im sure you can wait a little longer for a sheffield united. Im sure you can wait a little longerfor a goal there. Commentary of that match will be on 5 live, followed by Manchester City against arsenal. Have a great evening. Hello, you are watching bbc news. Lets take a reminder of the main points from todays downing street briefing with the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Oliver Dowden. The culture, media sport secretary started the briefing with the latest uk data. A further 184 people have died from covid 19 in the uk, bringing the total death toll to 42,153. The premier league is returning tonight, with the first game between aston villa and sheffield united. Mr dowden called it a hugely symbolic moment, but urged fans to play their part by supporting from home. A third of all premier league games will be free to view on television, with the first free to view game on friday when norwich play southampton. The culture, media and sport secretary also spoke about the Performing Arts with the aim to get Live Performances back up and running. Mr dowden said over the next few
weeks medical experts and leading performers will Work Together to develop a roadmap to performing safely. With the imminent return of the premier league, Oliver Dowden warned fans that there was nothing to be gained from crowding outside stadiums while football matches were going on. Injust under one in just under one hours time, the best league in the world will be back up and running after a 100 day pause. All but five countries will be airing tonights games, undermining footballs global reach and the soft power of uk sport. The premier league is returning and the world will be watching. 0f premier league is returning and the world will be watching. Of course, it will be a very Different Event to what we are used to, but there is no doubt that this is a hugely symbolic moment. An important step forward in oui moment. An important step forward in our careful journey back moment. An important step forward in our carefuljourney back towards normality. Players back in their place of work and a boost for our
football loving nation. We have worked really ha rd football loving nation. We have worked really hard with that will authorities, police and medical experts to get to this point, but we do need fans to play their part as well. So please, look after your fellow fa ns well. So please, look after your fellow fans and your communities by watching from home. To keep the home advantage, support from home. Now, all 92 remaining premier league games will be shown live on tv and i am delighted that i and others have managed to work hard to get a third of them to three to air channels. Friday will be the first free to air with no versus southampton and then an important day on saturday will be when we have the first ever premier league game on the bbc, followed by the merseyside against derby, again free to airon the merseyside against derby, again free to air on sunday. There will be extended highlights of all the games free to air so you wont have to
miss a single goal. 0ur sportsmen and sportswomen have set an incredible example chain is pandemic, using their profiles to support worthwhile causes across the uk. Englands cricket teams have donated £500,000 to charities, other teams have delivered food for the homeless and elderly and of course Marcus Rashford has made to front and back pages for the very best of reasons, highlighting the struggles facing many families during this very difficult time. That is in addition to the fantastic work he has been doing helping to feed millions of children through the fairshare millions of children through the fair share charity. The last few months have really demonstrated that spirit of sport, bringing us together through kindness and humanity. I was struck with this last week when i teamed up with his royal highness, the duke of cambridge, and son of britains
biggest sports stars on Mental Health awareness. We chatted about the need to deliver a change in perceptions and develop tools for good Mental Health, whether you are a sports star at the top of your game or a sports star at the top of your game 01 a a sports star at the top of your game or a junior just starting a sports star at the top of your game or a juniorjust starting out 01 game or a juniorjust starting out orafan going game or a juniorjust starting out or a fan going through a difficult period. As we get sport back, i think this is a great opportunity for all of us to be much more open about talking about Mental Health. The Sports Academy is neverjust about top league sports. I know that cou ntless about top league sports. I know that countless people are itching to get back to their gyms, their leisure centres, then five a side and all of their normal fitness activities. I am working closely with the fitness sector to get grassroots sport is backed up and running as soon as it is safe to do so, with an aim of the start ofjuly at the very earliest. As we continue our efforts to get children back to school, i want to focus on the role sport can play in improving young peoples physical and Mental Health. Today is an
important moment in our recovery. The return of a leak sport has provided a model to follow, one which is based on close partnership, working with government, sport and the medics to bring it back safely. But it is a model we are also applying to other much loved and much missed parts of the economy, in particular the Performing Arts. I know they face enormous challenges, particularly given the impact of social distancing on live venues, andi social distancing on live venues, and i really am looking hard at how we can address those challenges. 0ver we can address those challenges. Over the past few weeks and months, i have been talking extensively with people from across the uks cultural sector to try to find a way through these issues, from some of our most creative directors and producers to those running our greatest museums, theatres and music venues, and an important part of this is to get performances back up and running again. We have made a lot of progress through the Cultural Renewal Task force and the entertainment and Events Working Group that sits within that. However, it is clear from all of
this that we do need greater flexibility to overcome some of the very specific and practical obstacles very specific and practical o bsta cles to very specific and practical obstacles to returning to live performance. That is why over the next week we will be convening experts in a targeted way, bringing together high leading performers in theatre, choirs and orchestras with medical experts and advisors. The idea is they will Work Together in detail to develop that road map which is so badly needed to performing safely, with a particular focus on piloting innovative ideas that may permit Live Performances. I know how essential our theatres, and music venues and a Performing Arts are to our wider cultural ecosystem. Culture is our calling card. It is respected around the world and im determined to work with them and across government to support it and to preserve its world leading position. Todays return of Live Football represents a significant milestone, but i hope it isjust
another step towards normality, to be followed by many more in the months to come. That was a sport and culture secretary, 0liver dowden. Time now for a look at the weather. Good evening, and thundery day. Some cloud and quite a lot of thundery activity and that is how the rest of todayis activity and that is how the rest of today is going to play out. There is a risk of localised flooding and this gives you an indication of where the thunderstorms have been so far this evening and they were developing other areas before night falls. 0nce nike does fall and we get into the early hours of tomorrow morning they will start to ease awake and instead give way to a lengthy spells of rain coming into east anglia and the south east, spreading gradually westwards, so again another close night to come here, with the misty, low cloud we have seen recently drifting in land and it will take a while to clear back to the north sea coast
tomorrow. 0therwise, back to the north sea coast tomorrow. Otherwise, it promises more sunshine for scotland and a few showers across northern ireland, as this range makes its way westwards and breaking out in the south again