Foreign national offenders are having their sentences cut short and being paid up to £2,000 to leave the country voluntarily. ITV News has filmed the money being handed over on cards - on the first deportation flight to be filmed. The Home Secretary said "Out of context, it's not great, it doesn't look good' but she says it saves the British taxpayer money. But how? And does it matter what crimes they committed? UK Editor Paul Brand tells Faye Barker what you need to know. Full report: https://w...
Sep 25, 2025•12 min
"Terrifying" and "massively overwhelming". That's how one mum described the prospect of taking her council to court to get the special educational needs support she thinks he needs. She also had to sell her car to fund the fight. In 99% of cases, councils lose. ITV Anglia's Neil Barbour tells Lucy Watson why so many councils still face off with parents, at significant costs to them too. Lucy and Neil are also joined by Claire Rooney, the founder and CEO of EHCP.org.uk - a new platform, launching...
Sep 22, 2025•21 min
Takeaway food, coffee, ice lollies - you name it - can be delivered to your back garden in minutes at the press of a button. It won't come by road, where it might get stuck in traffic, but by air - arriving at your door still piping hot. This isn’t science fiction, it's everyday life in parts of Dublin. Drones take off on their own, fly on their own, and deliver on their own. So, how do they work, and who controls them? And what's stopping them from landing in the UK right now? Our Science corre...
Sep 18, 2025•18 min
Up to 150,000 people are thought to have descended on London to hear Tommy Robinson and a number of his like-minded guests - including Elon Musk - speak. An outbreak of violence was perhaps to be expected as their followers fought with police separating them from anti-racism protesters in Whitehall. But it was the overall scale of Saturday’s Unite The Kingdom rally that clearly took the authorities by surprise. So how significant a moment was this for the far right? And what are the repercussion...
Sep 15, 2025•18 min
WARNING: This podcast contains details of the Southport stabbing attacks The attacks in Southport last year on young, defenseless, innocent children horrified and upset the whole country. Children and adults stabbed, many more traumatised - and three girls: little Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Aguiar, murdered in a holiday dance class. Now their grieving parents, alongside victims and families are having to describe the impact of that horrific summer's day. It is all for an inquiry to...
Sep 11, 2025•14 min
A survey for ITV News has revealed just how much abuse women and girls are facing in the street. So with the risks going up as the nights draw in, what is being done to stop it? Reporter Helen Keenan has been out speaking to women on nights out in London's Soho, where she herself was harassed while filming. Lily White is the founder of the all-women night running club The Night Club. They join Lucrezia Millarini to discuss what you need to know.
Sep 08, 2025•18 min
It's been described as the scariest grouping of nations. Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong Un shoulder to shoulder as China shows off its supreme military power. So how dangerous is this alliance? How will Donald Trump and the West react? And how could it reshape the world order as we know it? Debi Edward and Rageh Omaar tell Daniel Hewitt what you need to know.
Sep 04, 2025•15 min
You can buy anything online can't you? Well you might be surprised to learn that you can buy a child's skull for thousands of pounds, or a wallet made of human skin. And you may be amazed to learn it's not illegal. Why not? And is anything being done to stop this multi-million pound industry? Sam Holder and Lois Smith tell Faye Barker what you need to know.
Sep 01, 2025•13 min
He didn't accept the election result and was accused of being part of an attempt to overthrow his successor. Now with Ex-Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro's trial nearing its end, could he be saved from decades in jail by his most significant ally Donald Trump? Reporter Will Tullis tells Mary Nightingale what you need to know.
Aug 28, 2025•14 min
It's believed to be the longest cold case to have ever been cracked in the UK, and today we'll hear how the 92 year old Ryland Headley was finally convicted for Louisa Dunne's rape and murder, almost 60 years on. ITV West Country Correspondent Robert Murphy tells Lucrezia Millarini what you need to know. Robert's documentary Cold Case Justice: Solving the Murder of Louisa Dunne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yy3A8j_uN0&t=5s
Aug 25, 2025•13 min
A bitter row between two rival cat shows has flared up, with events cancelled and customers left out of pocket. So what happened and will any ever be able to reach the success of dog events like Crufts? Consumer Editor Chris Choi tells Lucy Watson what you need to know.
Aug 21, 2025•15 min
Lucy Watson and ITV Tyne Tees' Amy Lea share the stories of two incredible women living with alopecia and empowering others. Online influencer Dani Gilbert's hair loss began in childhood. Her videos help people embrace alopecia, as well as use wigs and makeup to face the day. Gaileen Smailes' hair loss began in 2024, following a bereavement. She has found confidence by setting up a support group. You can watch Amy's film with Dani and Gaileen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPHJm8Dt3eM...
Aug 18, 2025•15 min
Hundreds of thousands of students have been receiving their A-Level, T-Levels and BTEC grades. For some, it's a day of joy, relief and celebration - others though, will be feeling anxiety, trepidation and disappointment. But even if things haven't gone to plan, there are still options and the results won't come to define you. Kim Eccleston from UCAS and Tracey Lancaster, Deputy Vice Chancellor from Leeds Beckett University, join Nina Hossain to share top tips on finding a course through clearing...
Aug 14, 2025•15 min
In September 2024, a man emerged from the sea in Jersey, quoting Shakespeare and claiming to be British. He said he'd swum from France. He was put in jail but with his sentence almost up, and authorities still unable to identify him - where will he go? ITV Channel's Emma Volney tells Lucy Watson what you need to know.
Aug 11, 2025•11 min
More and more children are not just growing up online but generating money in the process. By pulling in millions of viewers on TikTok, Twitch and YouTube, some can generate serious income. But what are the risks? And should it just be down to parents to protect them? Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda and Producer Sarah Toner tell Lucy Watson what you need to know.
Aug 07, 2025•17 min
In the latest episode, Consumer Editor Chris Choi brings a short update on customers' long-running battle for compensation over car loan commissions. A Supreme Court ruling means millions will miss out but the Financial Conduct Authority has now proposed a national redress scheme for those who are in line for compensation. For more background, listen to the previous episode of What You Need To Know, in which Chris explains to Paul Brand how we got here.
Aug 04, 2025•9 min
Lenders have avoided potentially needing to pay compensation to millions of drivers following a Supreme Court ruling. It ruled that lenders are not liable for hidden commission payments in car finance schemes. But it might not be as bad as it seems.... Our Consumer Editor Chris Choi tells Paul Brand what you need to know. For more information on this, advice can be found on the ITV News website...
Aug 01, 2025•15 min
Josh is 21, and he's spent his entire adult life trapped in a hospital. He's one of thousands of people with severe learning disabilities and autism, detained on a secure unit, who do not need to be there. So why can't Josh, and so many others, leave? Peter Smith tells Daniel Hewitt what you need to know. You can read more and watch Peter's full report here .
Jul 28, 2025•15 min
Thousands of soldiers may be suffering from life-changing brain damage caused by blasts from the British Army's own weaponry, ITV News has revealed. It is the first time the Ministry of Defence has admitted its own weapons are leading to such damage. How now can soldiers and veterans be helped? Geraint Vincent has been meeting veterans affected and is joined by Science Correspondent Martin Stew and Senior News Editor Paul Tyson, who has led the investigation into blast-induced traumatic brain in...
Jul 23, 2025•19 min
ITV Weather Presenter Lucy Verasamy joins Lucy Watson to breakdown the different types of heat - where it comes from and how that changes what it feels like. Most importantly, will we get another heatwave before the end of summer?
Jul 21, 2025•12 min
The government has committed to giving 16 and 17 year olds the vote by the next general election. But exclusive ITV News polling shows that half say they do not agree with the policy. They were also polled on their top issues, favoured parties and democracy itself. Meanwhile, we have spoken to some older voters with a surprising suggestion for another change to electoral law. Westminster Digital Reporter Lewis Denison and Senior Politics Producer Maya Bowles tell Daniel Hewitt what you need to k...
Jul 18, 2025•15 min
Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, have been jailed for 4 years and 3 months for cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree in 2023, in an act of "sheer bravado" according to the judge. Tom Barton is ITV Tyne Tees' Northumberland correspondent and has followed this unforgettable story and trial every step of the way. He joins Daniel Hewitt to breakdown how the damage they did and the impact their actions had led the judge to her decision. Watch Tom's documentary Sycamore Gap: Britain's L...
Jul 16, 2025•13 min
Electric motorbikes, souped up to reach speeds of 50 and even 70mph are causing havoc in communities across the country. You might have seen them - tearing through towns, their riders often in balaclavas, riding illegally, two abreast. The police say they want to do more to stop them - so why can't they? Rhys Williams tells Lucy Watson what you need to know.
Jul 14, 2025•14 min
Millions of young children are being sexually abused, with perpetrators often on the other side of the world. Online livestream abuse has become a booming global industry - with the UK the third largest consumer. How does this sick practice too often go undetected? And could AI be the solution to shutting it down? Julie Etchingham and John Tanagho, Executive Director at the International Justice Mission, tell Lucy Watson What You Need To Know. You can watch Julie's investigation here ....
Jul 11, 2025•16 min
How much do you think your personal information is worth to criminal gangs? Millions of customers details were stolen when Marks and Spencer was hacked in April, bringing much of its online business to a standstill for weeks. So how much damage has it done and who are DragonForce, the group the Marks and Spencer chairman said is believed to be behind it? Consumer Editor Chris Choi tells Lucy Watson What You Need To Know....
Jul 09, 2025•20 min
One month into the ban on disposable vapes, how much waste is being cut and what environmental impact is it actually having? The all-important refillable pods are in scarce supply, so is there a massive flaw in the rules? Digital Reporter Sam Leader tells Lucy Watson What You Need To Know.
Jul 07, 2025•15 min
Amanda Knox's every move has been scrutinized for nearly all of her adult life. The murder of Meredith Kercher and the subsequent arrest, trial, conviction, imprisonment, acquittal and release of Knox, then her retrial, second conviction, and ultimately her definitive exoneration by Italy’s Supreme Court in 2015 is a story that has made headlines around the world for almost twenty years. Amanda is now 37, a wife to author and podcaster Christopher Robinson, and a mother of two children, Eureka a...
Jul 04, 2025•16 min
Ever heard of Baby Botox? The latest desirable injections. Their popularity is booming - young people, some still in their early 20s are buying into the promise of being unwrinkled for life. But behind the satisfying selfies lies a much darker truth: with many risking lasting damage to their faces by choosing cheap deals online. So what is driving the trend? How do you spot counterfeit botox? And who should and shouldn’t do the injections? Faye Winter is an influencer and former Love Island cont...
Jul 02, 2025•16 min
It's been called a bigger scandal than thalidomide but one you may never have heard of. For decades women were taking an epilepsy drug during pregnancy, without being told it could harm their babies. How long were the dangers known about - and why weren't they told? ITV Meridian Social Affairs Correspondent Christine Alsford tells I'm Lucy Watson and this is What You Need to Know. --- For more of our reporting: https://www.itv.com/news/topic/sodium-valproate...
Jun 30, 2025•15 min
Hundreds of fake companies. Thousands of scams. An estimated billion euros swindled. But just one entity apparently behind it all. ITV News has helped uncover a global scamming network - targeting victims around the world - which appears to use ordinary suburban homes across the UK to hide their operation. Sam Holder and Daniel Boal tell Sally Biddulph What You Need To Know.
Jun 27, 2025•11 min
