screenwriters demanding more pay could bring hollywood film and television studios to a standstill next week. a may 1st deadline has been set for an agreement. now on bbc news, behind the stories: the monarchy. i was at home when i got a phone call from the director of news at the bbc saying that s the queen was gravely ill. he didn t stand on ceremony or offer any small talk clive, how are you? he simply said the queen is gravely ill and can you come in? and i was preparing to fly to italy on a filming trip the next day and i thought. i should go in. i was in the newsnight office because we d had wind, obviously with a note being passed through the house of commons, that something was happening. i know i speak on behalf of the entire house when i say that we send our best wishes to her majesty the queen and that she and the royal family are in our thoughts and prayers at this moment. and of course there s this big protocol, obviously, if the queen had passed away then
the scottish national party s chief executive has resigned with immediate effect after they were forced to reveal a dramatic drop in membership this week. now on bbc news, it s time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday. it s crunch time in dublin as ireland go for the grand slam against england we ll have the latest. earlier france kept alive their hopes of snatching the title, with a win over wales in paris. and reunion at the etihad but will burnley s vincent kompany come away all smiles against his former boss in the fa cup quarterfinals? a blow for f1 champion max verstappen he won t be on pole, for this weekend s saudi grand prix. we ll tell you why. and a big fight at the 02 can we expect fireworks in the ufc, in the rematch between leon edwards and kamara usman? hello there, and welcome along to sportsday. plenty to come, but we start with the six nations and ireland are within touching distance of a first six nations title since 2018. they re on course to
were forced to reveal a massive drop in party membership this week. now it s over to the sports centre for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday. i m gavin ramjaun. ireland are grand slam champions they defeated england in dublin and the celebrations are onlyjust beginning. france kept their end of the deal, but ultimately not enough they came away with a win over wales in paris. also coming up on sportsday: a blow for f1 champion max verstappen he won t be on pole for this weekend s saudi grand prix. we ll tell you why. and a big fight at the 02 can we expect fireworks in the ufc, in the rematch between leon edwards and kamara usman? from the bbc sport centre, this is sportsday. hello there, and welcome along to sportsday. plenty to come but we start with the six nations, and ireland have won a first six nations title since 2018. they ve completed the grand slam with a 29 16 win against england in dublin. jess softley reports. this is ireland s night. this is the
in decades, jeremy hunt wants get millions of those seen as economically inactive back working. how? i ll have the details. and former england rugby player tom youngs speaks to bbc breakfast for the first time since his wife died from blood cancer lastjune. the loneliness probably the one which really gets you. and which really gets you. and which really -ets you. you think, i will rin- someo but and you think, i will ring someone, but it s and you think, i will ring someone, but it s still and you think, i will ring someone, but it s still not the same as having but it s still not the same as having someone there to talk to. we are having someone there to talk to. are gearing having someone there to talk to. - are gearing up for the opening day of the chelsea festival mac cheltenham festival, the highlight of the british jump cheltenham festival, the highlight of the britishjump racing calendar. it is a cold start to the day, a risk of ice on untreated surfaces, a
andm we ll be hearing all about the appeal and we ll be hearing all about the appeal to recruit more bell ringers, in time for the king s coronation. good morning and welcome to bbc news. health secretary steve barclay will meet members of the royal college of nursing today after the union announced it would suspend a planned strike in england next week to enter talks on pay with the government. in a joint statement, both the college and the department of health and social care said they would begin intensive talks on pay, terms and conditions and producitivity enhancing reforms. government proposals for next year s public sector pay are also being drawn up. the rcn had originally asked for a pay rise of 5% above inflation. it has since said it would be willing to meet the government half way. next week s walk out in england, from the first to the third of march, was set to be the biggest strike so far of this winter s dispute, with half of front line services affect