William Mata

What is FAFO and does it work? Parenting experts tell LBC that TikTok trend is ‘cruel’ | LBC Parenting experts tell LBC that viral FAFO trend can be unloving and also undermine a relationship

“I think it is extreme stuff and some of it worries me"

Parenting experts tell @lbc.co.uk that the FAFO trend might cause children to be "humiliated"

www.lbc.co.uk/article/what...

Aryna Sabalenka profile as Belarus tennis star heads into Australian Open final | LBC The world number one, who is unafraid to speak against her own country, aiming for another grand slam title.

Aryna Sabalenka profile for LBC as Belarus tennis legend sets up Australian Open final with Elena Rybakina

www.lbc.co.uk/article/aryn...

Relationship status changed to, "It's complicated"

Let's play, Sith Code or Board of Peace manifesto?

"Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.
Through Passion, I gain Strength.
Through Strength, I gain Power.
Through Power, I gain Victory.
Through Victory my chains are Broken.
The Force shall free me"

Trump's 'Board of Peace' photographed

What really happened between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy as Saipan released in UK | LBC Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan play Irish manager and football captain who infamously fell out at 2002 World Cup

This took forever to write and feel the Saipan incident could be my specialist subject now.

Will I watch the film? Definitely!

@lbc.co.uk article here: www.lbc.co.uk/article/saip...

I miss the pre X and Elon Musk age of Twitter, now gone forever | LBC The Muskification of Twitter has brought an end to a brief and now rather quaint age of online discussion

Maybe this isn't the best forum to post this... Or maybe sharing on Bluesky is ideal!

www.lbc.co.uk/article/twit...

Why is 2016 back in fashion? So many celebrities died, we voted for Brexit, Trump was elected, and the year finished with Madonna saying, please can we never do that again...

Just once, I want to see an album hyped as their 'most detached, impersonal and aloof yet'

All the Conservatives who have joined Reform as Nadhim Zahawi leaves Tories | LBC The full list of ex-Conservative Members of Parliament who now back Nigel Farage

Instead of Rightmove, is Reform using a website called Move Right, where they eye up potential Tory recruits?

www.lbc.co.uk/article/all-...

There should be a word for the shame you feel eating a cheese sandwich at your desk when your colleagues all have super food, salad, specially made topping, gourmet chicken, creme de la creme, deluxe brown rice box - specially curated for the week

How I am learning to deal with the scary headlines and keep positive in 2026 | LBC There is a lot of bad news around, but don't give up hope

A column this week for LBC, written to try and help see some perspective on things

www.lbc.co.uk/article/how-...

Christmas is over, then

(I did pull the trees out of Essex Road but thought the photo captured my mood)

When is Quitters Day 2026 and how to keep going with your New Year resolution | LBC Smoke Free app founder tells LBC why your New Year's resolution CAN make it past the fabled January 9 'day of failure'

Was good to speak to Dr David Crane from Smoke Free about why Quitters Day does not have to be the end of your New Year's Resolution. Feature for LBC here:

www.lbc.co.uk/article/quit...

Tomorrow is Quitter's Day - when you're statistically most likely to break a new year resolution. Open to ideas for an article of how to get through it. (My own technique of distracting myself by booking loads of fun things is not great for my energy or bank balance!)

Full list of characters to have left The Simpsons as Duffman retires | LBC Only a handful of characters have departed Springfield since the cartoon's first episode in 1989.

Edna Krabappel is obviously the best character to have been lost - and maybe even the best there ever was.

www.lbc.co.uk/article/list...

The year of finally trying to read some classics I bought while at university

Enzo Maresca was very keen to make good on any predictions that he would leave Chelsea this year...

A genuine question: Is anyone buying cassettes and playing them, not just storing them as a collector's item?

No judgement, I always buy CDs, but just wondering what's behind this sudden comeback of tapes?

If 'Avatar 4' doesn't happen, James Cameron will 'hold a press conference' to reveal plot details Should 'Avatar 4' and 5 not happen, James Cameron promises he'll 'hold a press conference' to reveal the original endgame for the franchise.

It would be tragic if Avatar 4 and 5 are not financially possible, but the idea of James Cameron describing the plots in a press conference did make me laugh
ew.com/avatar-4-jam...

A further line of The Fairytale of New York seems to be cut out of Radio 1's edit with every year. Might just be a tune by Christmas 2030

Does Grok, Gemini, ChatGPT or Claude tell a better Christmas cracker joke? | LBC We compared four AI chatbots to see which one got the biggest groan and Grok's answer was... confusing

Which AI tells the best Christmas cracker joke? They were all pretty bad - but even worse - one of them needed explaining

www.lbc.co.uk/article/ai-b...

Best sitcom Christmas special?
1) Peep Show
2) Gavin and Stacey
3) Father Ted

Autumn Budget 2025: Live updates as UK Government prepares for financial statement | LBC Autumn Budget 2025 date and latest news as chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to make UK Government's financial address

Autumn Budget 2025 live updates for @LBC as Rachel Reeves prepares to give the government's spending plan from the Commons

www.lbc.co.uk/article/live...

What I'm wanting from a second Simpsons film:

- Arnie Pye in the Sky,
- Kirk Van Houten,
- An Itchy and Scratchy episode,
- A full 20 minute episode of Eye on Springfield as a DVD extra,
- Richard and Lewis,
- A large role for Patty and Selma,
- A Scott Christian appearance

The best memes: Funny moments from Donald Trump's state visit to the UK | LBC From Donald Trump forgetting who Peter Mandelson is, to Melania's hat being compared to a UFO... Here is what Twitter had to say about the second state visit.

Open to caption suggestions for this main photo

www.lbc.co.uk/article/best...

Has anyone yet made the pun "unpresidented" about the second state visit? Just need some variety at this point

The 'performative male' trend needs to challenged - blokes are allowed to be Sally Rooney fans | LBC Enjoying Sally Rooney, Clairo, and, if you must, matcha tea shouldn’t, mustn’t, be seen as a bad thing; or necessarily mean a man has ulterior motives.

Listening to Lana Del Rey does not make a guy a 'performative male'. Column here for LBC
www.lbc.co.uk/article/stop...

Why successful musicians are losing money: Performers on OnlyFans and Universal Credit to cover costs | LBC As venues close, folk singer Billie Marten says she echoes the situation of many in

Final plug for my in-depth feature: Why successful musicians are ‘sofa surfing and on Universal Credit’
www.lbc.co.uk/article/why-...

Campaigners are right, we should name storms after fossil fuel companies | LBC In what’s becoming a late summer tradition almost as unwelcome as an actual rain shower, the Met Office is about to release its storm names for 2025/26.

An, errm, alternative take here
www.lbc.co.uk/article/camp...