and there is the possibility they may have to make up to 65% of the staff here redundant. last year, julie hesmondhalgh starred in mother courage at the royal exchange. it's really emotional here with all the lights off. today she sat on its empty stage and called for increased government support for the theatre industry. it's notjust about people having a lovely night out in the west end, it's about the infrastructure of the creative industries in this country, and about people's jobs, jobs that will go for ever unless they step in now. i want to be back in this theatre and on this stage or in one of those seats as soon as possible and more than that i want the people who are the beating heart of this building, which are the staff, reinstated as soon as possible. today the scottish government announced a £10 million fund to support the performing arts. the uk government says...

theatre bosses warn they need urgent help. if sadlers wells doesn't get any support soon, then we will probably be closed by the autumn because we've run out of money. about 90% of our money comes from people coming into the theatre. the national theatre says it can't support 400 casual staff beyond the end of august and job losses are inevitable. for southampton‘s nuffield theatre is it's already too late. having closed the doors for lockdown they've announced they will now stay shut permanently. judith moritz, bbc news. time for a look at the weathe, here's nick miller. we don't need any more rain, do we? maybe not, but it is still coming.

it has been a soaking day for some of us today and with low pressure closed by this weekend there will be more rain. but the main story is how windy it will be by sunday. over the past few hours you will know where it has been wet if you have been under theirs. that rain is slipping south eastwards and pulling away from much of scotland. this evening and tonight still simmering into parts of england, wales and northern ireland, but drier for scotland and clear spells developing in the north—east and the cool spots could be into single figures. look how the temperatures stay up in england and wales. it is a muggy night with low cloud and mist in the hills. plenty of cloud again tomorrow. you can see outbreaks of rain, just not with the intensity you have seen today. most of that falling across the north and the west. but you may see some sunny spells and it could feel a bit warmer than this. it is humid and

windy, gusting 30 to a0 miles an hour. this area of low pressure will pass close to scotland with yet more rain. on the southern flank look at the isobars, rain. on the southern flank look at the isoba rs, and rain. on the southern flank look at the isobars, and that means the winds are picking up. the weather front is moving south and behind that it will be fresher and a bit cooler, but it will be brighter. we will brighten up on sunday, but showers around, with some of those heavy and thundery. a spell of rain in northern scotland, but it is here where we see the strongest winds. they could be gusting 50 to 60 miles an hour, may be a bit more, potentially disruptive wins for some of us on sunday. sunday has more of an airof autumn of us on sunday. sunday has more of an air of autumn about it in summer. sunday has more of an air of autumn about it in summer. that's it, so goodbye from me. now on bbc one let's join our news teams where you are. have a very good evening.

hello and welcome to sportsday — and we'll be looking ahead to a busy weekend in the racing calendar... with the epsom derby and the oaks on the same day. behind closed doors but it's business as usual for lewis hamilton as the formula i season finally gets underway in austria... and ‘the lost summer of women's sport‘ — but could it last a lot longer? we hear from female athletes amid concerns the pandemic has put women back decades. hello and welcome to the programme — we begin with some good news for cricket fans in england and wales. it looks like recreational cricket is set to return from next weekend.. last month, the prime minister said that grassroots cricket could not be played because the ball is a "natural vector of disease" — and today backed up those comments in a radio interview in which he also blamed "the teas and the changing rooms."

but in the last couple of hours, borisonjohnson announced a u—turn — and confirmed cricket will return from next week. i have sought scientific advice and the medical opinion of the third umpire has been invoked and what i can say is that we do want to work as fast as possible to get click it back and we will be publishing guidelines in the next few days so that cricket can resume in time for next weekend. provided people don't do things that are clearly not sensible, ranging from hugging the bowler to splitting the ball, it should be possible to make the game itself very safe because it is a outdoor spot at a distance. it is not a contact sport and a sense that assists high—risk outdoor spots are.

there are however other risks associated that we need to think about and these are particularly manageable but particular ones would be people going on afterwards and a crowded space like in the pavilion to have tea and a beer. well among those who campaigning to get organised cricket back under way is the former england captain michael vaughan — who's been vocal on the matter. describing some of boris johnson's previous comments as "utter garbage." michaeljoins me now.. the bill being a natural vector of disease was what a nonsense, going into the dressing room, you don't need to go in there, those who played the recreational game you can go in with a packed lunch, there has

been many times and i have seen the batsmen come from inside their own carand batsmen come from inside their own car and that is what they are going to have to do for next saturday. could it have been done earlier? yes. but should we celebrate the fa ct yes. but should we celebrate the fact that recreational cricket is backin fact that recreational cricket is back injuly fact that recreational cricket is back in july the 11th? absolutely. fact that recreational cricket is back injuly the 11th? absolutely. i think there will be many around the country raising glass this weekend. it isa country raising glass this weekend. it is a great u—turn, it is exactly right because as you have said there it is the spot that is played outside, it is a sport that should be quite easy to social distance, totally agree with that, so i think there will be a lot of excited kids as well. there were lots of kids that were inspired from the england side last year with a fantastic ashes series, incredible england women's team, i know heather knight has been campaigning as well, she has been campaigning as well, she has been campaigning as well, she has been desperate to see the recreational game back and neck saturday it will be back so great news for the name. game. something you talked about was the fact that so

you talked about was the fact that so many young people in particular will have been missing out when other sports like golf example have been allowed to go ahead. other sports like golf example have been allowed to go aheadlj other sports like golf example have been allowed to go ahead. i think thatis been allowed to go ahead. i think that is what has been a frustration. many kids and recreational players have turned their hand to golf because that has been the one spot they came back and i know from living around the cheshire area there has been a real uplifting memberships from the golf clubs around here and many of them are recreational cricketers. i just around here and many of them are recreational cricketers. ijust hope that they kind of give golf a little bit of a birth now and come back to cricket next week and get back playing the game. i think the ecb will announce maybe tonight or tomorrow how the game potentially could look. i am led to believe that it could be 11 a side which would be great news, but it is exciting, i think there will be lots of kids around the country in particular that will be celebrating this evening. i don't know what they will be doing, they will be playing on their game boxes or something like that to celebrate, that is what they do these days, but they will be absolutely delighted that they can play cricket for next week. you

criticise some of borisjohnson‘s comments and perhaps his lack of knowledge in cricket. you fancy getting him round for a game to maybe educate him ? getting him round for a game to maybe educate him? he needs a haircut, never mind the game of cricket! whether it is lack of knowledge i'm not too sure. i think common sense has been prevailed in the end. cricket is a very simple spot played outside, they're easy to socially distance, a huge amount of warmth and love for the game, we see the england teams play and it will be on television next week, july the 8th, first game against the west indies and you mustn't forget where all those players come from, from the recreational game, village cricketers, many of them will have played for local clubs around the areas in that for me is what cricket is all about because you're not being a professional cricketer by coming through the system, coming through the junior ranks playing for the clubs, the counties, and then all of a sudden you get the opportunity to play for england and people sometimes forget what it all

started on that is why i have been kind of speaking out about it because i live in an area where there is a lot of passion for the game of cricket as there is across the whole country and i know many local recreational players have been desperate to get the game started so they will be absolutely delighted tonight that they have got eight days to prepare for their first game. a lot of people happy with their new spice evening. thank you very much forjoining us and sort stay now ith a busy weekend of sport ahead — things almost feel back to normal. particularly with the inclusion this friday of formula one. yes — it's back... the season starting four months late.. after coronavirus forced a complete rethink. from lewis hamilton today — a real statement of intent ahead of the austria grand prix on sunday... as he dominated first and second practice. earlier our fi reporterjennie gow told me hamilton and mercedes are picking up exactly

where they left off. mercedes were vapid today and lewis lewis hamilton fastest in both of the opening practice sessions and i have to say they were the class of the field and everybody else looks to have very little to offer in a nswer to to have very little to offer in answer to what mercedes have had for the last six years so will it seventh world title for them? the seventh world title for them? the seventh world title for them? the seventh world title for lewis hamilton? i mean, it is only day one so hamilton? i mean, it is only day one solam hamilton? i mean, it is only day one so i am not going to do when disservice to the championship, but let'sjust say they disservice to the championship, but let's just say they had a good day