Apparently, i died three times. Im alive. Ive been shot at, ive been blown up, all sorts of things. But that, that is scary. Steve was Poole Hospitals first ever covid patient. No wonder they are proud. It has been an unbelievably busy time both in preparation and treating the patients and actually to see our first patient survive and come out in good spirits has been a huge morale boost for the whole team. Steves gratitude for the nhs is now matched only by the love for his favourite beverage. The nhs, it gets knocked, it gets hit. It is probably the best thing we have in this country. I am not a student, i am nothing like that. I am just a normal bloke. I want to see people be happy, people do well. Oh, and drink tea. Duncan kennedy, bbc news. Time for a look at the weather. Heres helen willets. Turbulent skylines in places today and this shower cloud sent in from the isle of wight. Hopefully we will see skylines more like this over the weekend because it looks as if the showers will diminish somewhat. This low pressure is responsible for in the showers but it is slipping away. But not this evening, a cluster of thunderstorms across southern and eastern areas. Still torrential downpours with thunder and lightning. In scotland through the night and Northern England, they will continue, but in many areas they will fade. Under starry skies it will turn a little bit cold tomorrow morning but otherwise it looks like a quieter start to the day. Good spells of sunshine but not altogether dry with showers in scotla nd altogether dry with showers in scotland and in Northern England in particular. And with a northerly breeze it will feel quite cold. There could be the odd rumble of thunder over the hills. Probably fewer showers in northern ireland, wales, southern areas. The odd shower cannot be discounted but it will feel warmer than today. Similar on sunday with the chance of showers in eastern areas and perhaps more cloud into the south. There could be spots of drizzle but mostly dry and bright and feeling quite warm. The start of next week, High Pressure will keep things largely dry, but we may on tuesday at least see rain in the south and a cold breeze picking up. For detail, difficult that far ahead. That is all. We nowjoin news teams where you are. Good evening. Im Chetan Pathak with your latest sports news. Premier league clubs have today discussed what they call the first tentative moves forwa rd to resuming the season. Again stating itll only happen when its safe and appropriate to do so. Earlier, the government hosted a separate video call about stepping up plans for sports eventual return. Our reporter laura scottjoins me now and clubs have been told today neutral venues will be the only way to complete the season . Exactly. We had heard it admitted that neutral venues might be used but today we were told that it was the only way possible for the 92 remaining fixtures to be played and what we understand is that up to ten of those venues will be used. Now, this all rests on licenses from the police and the Sports GroundSafety Authority and we understand that there are going to be more than ten of those issued. Now, this clearly isnt idealfor the of those issued. Now, this clearly isnt ideal for the clubs who will have to sign up to this idea moving forward. There will also have to agree to a medical protocol that has forward. There will also have to agree to a medical protocol that h we premier leagues medical adviser. We understand that around 40,000 coronaviruses test might be needed for players and staff to fulfil this season. For players and staff to fulfil this season. No Firm Decisions taken, the premier league says. What happens next . Well, there is still the commitment from their multi finish this season if they can but clearly there is still work to be done and a lot of it in order to get to the point in both training and then play in games, so yet more meetings, the medical protocol will be tweeted and challenged by the club doctors, by the clubs as well. We know that the players and managers are also going to be consulted on their views about finishing the season because there had been raised by some key players about being asked to go back to training and we know, as you mentioned, the government has also set upa mentioned, the government has also set up a medical working group of the chief medical officers, so those meetings will continue to take place but clearly a lot rests on next week pleasa nt but clearly a lot rests on next week pleasant government review of the lockdown restrictions. Yet more discussions ahead no doubt. 0ur sports news reporter, laura scott. Thank you. Well, how the season resumes is easily the biggest dilemma the premier leagues faced in its history. One thing thats clear is if it does resume things are going to feel very different at a football match, asjoe lynskey reports. When football comes back, it wont look the same. Right now, experts say we cant have massive crowds until we have a vaccine. It means if the premier league resumes, it gets played in empty grounds. Thats how football looked in italy before the lockdown. In march, most matches went behind closed doors. And for asmir begovic, his home debut for milan had nobody watching. Asmir begovic, his home debut for milan had nobody watchingm asmir begovic, his home debut for milan had nobody watching. It was surreal. It is something that we could get used to if we do it more often but you cant underestimate the build up to the game and the atmosphere of the actual game. You really get a sense of what the game means and as a footballer you react to that. Not having that to the same level as going to be difficult. Well, there wont be any pre match handshakes from now on, but any fixtures that do go ahead will still have to 22 players in close contact. To stop the virus spreading between them, one option is to put teams under strict quarantine measures. But that puts a huge Mental Health burden potentially on players. Regular testing perhaps every two daysis regular testing perhaps every two days is also being considered. But evenif days is also being considered. But even if just days is also being considered. But even ifjust one infected player ta kes to even ifjust one infected player takes to the field, that risks both this sport and the wider community. Theres the chance that you might start to transmit a bit of the virus before the test is able to detect it. We just have to be really concerned if you have a group of people that are travelling and then mingling with other groups that are also travelling throughout the country. This is a really effective way to spread a disease. The results now are insignificant. It is the decisions of the field that have the highest stakes. A football to go forward , highest stakes. A football to go forward, it may need to be patient. The goverment says its intervened to protect an entire sport after giving rugby league in england £16 million to help it recover from the impact of the pandemic. Its hoped the emergency loan will secure the immediate future of the game, with the world cup due to take place in the uk next year. Heres our Sports Correspondent andy swiss. It was a sport on the brink, but by it was a sport on the brink, but rugby league, it seems, has been rescued. £60 million from the government has given the game some much needed cheer. This was the last time we saw it being played, in the middle of march. A sport intrinsic to committees in the north of england. Lockdown was threatening its future. But now its social value has brought financial support. In terms of Mental Health and physical health and a sense of pride and well being and those messages have clearly resonated with the treasury and im delighted they have and will definitely continue to do that work. Where you and situation, do you think, where the future of some clubs and perhaps even a sport was in somejeopardy . Some clubs and perhaps even a sport was in some jeopardy . Undoubtedly. We are realistic about the responsibilities that come with this money, this loan, and we will rise to that challenge. The money has also been welcomed by players. Salford red devils player mccarthy said it was fantastic news and so many amenities will be lifted. Rugby league towns throughout the north of england, the club is very much at the heart of the community. It is notjust the heart of the community. It is not just about fans coming to watch games, but most clubs are ingrained in cultures and do so much valuable work as well. And it is that conservation that has been recognised by governments. Your royal highness, if you would like to draw the first ball. And england is also due to host the world cup, of course. This was prince harry conducting the drawback injanuary, and the success of next year bosman tournament was also a factor. This is the first port to be bailed out by the government, who insist it is an exception, and i2 by the government, who insist it is an exception, and 12 financial battle still i had. For now, at least, rugby league will be feeling relieved. Cricket, like rugby league, is having to cope with the Economic Impact of the pandemic. In recent years, lancashires developed a commercial model thats seen income generated from a new hotel and concerts, in addition to cricket at the emirates old trafford. Theyve been hit harder financially than some other counties. Our Sports Editor dan roans been speaking to the clubs chief executive Daniel Gidney you got a scenario where we literally now are just having cash leave the building everyday with no cash coming in, so it is very much about how do you navigate that . We then looked at the Job Retention scheme to help prevent permanent redundancies, because permanent redundancies, because permanent redundancies doesnt help. In a recession, that would work, but in this scenario it is baiting and we are all hopeful that at some point we will be able to open the doors again. If you make a lot of people redundant, you cant remodel, so it is about bridging that casual for the period until you can reopen. Time now for some of the days other sport stories. The england and Wales Cricket boards has unanimously endorsed ian watmores appointment as chair elect. It follows a review into his conduct in his previous role at the english football league. His appointment will be ratified at the agm this month. Australia are back at the top of the test rankings for the first time in four years. Justin langers side replace india, despite having not won an away series since beating new zealand in 2016. And england right back Kieran Trippiers been charged with misconduct for alleged breaches of the fas betting rules. The alleged offences occurred in july 2019. He has until the 18th of may to respond and has denied placing a football related bet during his career. It should have been a big weekend for british boxer dillian whyte, whos highly anticipated heavyweight showdown with Alexander Povetkin was set for tomorrow. It is of course, one of many high profile bouts postponed. But promoter eddie hearn says it could be the first major fight to take place in an empty arena when its rescheduled. Dillian whytes currently in a lockdown Training Camp and told me earlier hes ready to fight behind closed doors. Ina time in a time like this, people need things to draw strength from, whether it is a sporting event. People need something to look forward to. It would be a bit strange. Not having the media there, the cloud and stuff like that. It would just be different. But it would just be different. But it would be challenging. It would be good for me to do something different, challenge myself in a different, challenge myself in a different way, i weigh i never thought would have been possible. And finally, were actually going to get to show you some professional sport that happened today. A small tennis exhibition event is underway in germany. With players wearing face masks, just one of the Safety Measures in place, surfaces being disinfected as well as no spectators, no linejudges, no ball kids or handshakes. Eight players outside the worlds top 100 are taking part in the tennis point exhibition including dustin brown, who beat rafael nadal at wimbledon five years ago. He made a winning start today. Some sport at least, small steps at the moment. And thats all from me and the team for now. Goodbye. Youre watching bbc news. In the last hour, the Health Secetary matt hancock has given the downing street briefing. First, some breaking news from dublin. The tee shot leo varadkar has extended the duration of the lockdown they are over the coronavirus pandemic. He is actually speaking now. And he announced in the last few minutes and extension of the majority of the countrys coronavirus restrictions. He said this would go on for another 18 or so this would go on for another 18 or so days. That is when there will be a revision of whether or not those restrictions should continue. He is addressing the irish people now and he has made it clear that the lockdown they are in ireland will continue. He did, however, suggest that the economy will be reopened in five stages in a three week period, possibly from the 18th of may. That is leo varadkar speaking now to the irish people, making it clear that the vast majority of the provisions in the lockdown in ireland will continue until around about the middle of this month. In the last hour, matt hancock has been giving more details of the governments coronavirus strategy in the daily coronavirus strategy in the daily coronavirus briefing. Here are some of the key points. He announced that the government has met and surpassed its target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of april. Matt hancock said that a total of 122,347 were carried out yesterday. He called it an incredible achievement and thanked all of the teams of staff and labs for working together with grit and determination to make it possible. The Health Secretary also announced that the total number of people to have lost their lives to covid 19 in all settings thats hospitals, care homes and in the community now stands at 27,510. That is a rise of 739 deaths in the past 24 hours. Before taking questions from both the public and the media, matt hancock said that 0ur goal must be freedom but confirmed that the government wont lift measures until it is safe to do so. This was the Health Secretary speaking during that briefing a little earlier. At the beginning of last month, at this podium, i set a goal that anyone who needs a test should get a test. And that as a nation we should achieve 100,000 tests per day by the end of the month. I knew that it was an audacious goal, but we needed an audacious goal, because testing is so audacious goal, because testing is so important for getting britain back on its feet. I can announce that we have met our goal. The number of tests yesterday, on the last day of april, was 122,347. This unprecedented expansion in british testing capability is an incredible achievement, but it is not my achievement. It is a national achievement, achieved by a huge team of people working together. And ill tell you this, the Testing Capacity that weve built together will help every Single Person in this country. Responding to claims today that the way testing numbers are measured has changed in order to meet the governments target of 100,000 tests, professorjohn newton, coordinator of the uk Coronavirus Testing Programme said that was not the case. Here he is speaking a little earlier. Nhs public englands laboratories including in all four countries of the uk undertook 13,753 tests between them, of which there was 2000 and scotland, 1090 in wales, and 1019 in northern ireland. We have a partnership with roche and they undertook some of those tests, so they undertook some of those tests, so the benefit of Public Private partnerships. The tests undertaken by the new lighthouse laboratories total 79,522. Of by the new lighthouse laboratories total 79,522. Of those, by the new lighthouse laboratories total 79,522. Of those, 39,153 by the new lighthouse laboratories total 79,522. Of those, 39,153 were undertaken in the drive through centres or by units or in fact by Research Nurses who administered tests as part of the office of National Statistics survey. Your question, the home kit still, there we re question, the home kit still, there were 27,497 gets delivered and there we re were 27,497 gets delivered and there were 12,872 tests delivered through the satellite process. And then under the surveillance testing, which is the antibody testing, there we re which is the antibody testing, there were 3072 tests undertaken. Im joined now by the shadow Health Secretary, jonathan ashworth. Hello to. Thanks for being with us. The government has made it clear it has passed its target of 100,000 tests by the end of april, to be exact, 122,347 tests were carried out, and unprecedented expansion, and incredible achievement. We should be applauding that, shouldnt we . Well, we did want to see retesti ng we . Well, we did want to see retesting increases significantly. It isa retesting increases significantly. It is a vital part of our arsenal and how we are going to take this virus. This isnt the time for quibbling, but actually 39,000 of those tests had been posted out so it is not quite that they have hit their commitment to carry out the tests. I dont think posting out the tests. I dont think posting out the tests is the same as carrying out tests, but nonetheless it is welcome that testing has increased, but the testing figure in itself is one strategy. What we need is a Contact Tracing strategy. That is what we have been calling for. That is going to be crucial in breaking the chain. So testing, yes, but we also need to find and locate people with the virus, isolate them and then do Contact Tracing. And we need that integrated strategy. We need to use oui integrated strategy. We need to use our expertise in local governmen