Broadcast timeline
ITV Lunchtime News
Wednesday 26 August 2026 · 13:30 BST · 25m · 7 stories · 15 annotated moments · 20 of 25 min on news stories (82%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
The broadcast led with reaction to the death of Dolly Parton, with US flags at half-mast and tributes from the Prime Minister, Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, and others. A report from Nashville described performers playing her music and fans mourning, while her charitable work, including literacy programmes, was highlighted. The item also noted that the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace played "9 to 5" as a tribute.
Hundreds of people were reported missing after an avalanche of ice and rock triggered flash floods on the Nepal-Tibet border, with at least eight deaths confirmed and 384 travellers missing, including British nationals. Separately, at least 14 babies died in a fire at a hospital nursery in Islamabad, Pakistan, with officials saying it started from an air conditioning unit and spread quickly. In breaking news, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had arrived back in the UK with their children, landing at Birmingham Airport, with plans to live in the Cotswolds as non-working royals.
Ofgem announced that typical energy bills for households in England, Scotland, and Wales would rise by 3.6% in October to a three-year high, with the average bill reaching £1,723. A study on HRT found that starting treatment between ages 46 and 56 was linked to a 10% reduced risk of dementia and a 16% reduced risk of Alzheimer's, with researchers noting benefits for certain groups. The Welsh government was still assessing how many extra childcare workers were needed to deliver its flagship policy of 20 hours of government-funded childcare for children aged nine months to four years, with documents showing workforce capacity was a critical constraint.
- 0:01 Story begins Dolly Parton dies at age 80
- 4:37 Story begins Nepal and Tibet earthquake death toll rises to 750
- 4:43
Claim Nepal and Tibet earthquake death toll rises to 750
The reported death toll from the floods ranged from 8 to 17.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 4:43-4:46
- 5:42
Claim Nepal and Tibet earthquake death toll rises to 750
Nepal's foreign minister suggested the floods, triggered by an avalanche of ice and rock, may have been caused by an earthquake.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 5:42-5:51
- 6:16 Story begins 14 newborn babies die in Islamabad hospital fire
- 6:50
Claim 14 newborn babies die in Islamabad hospital fire
A fire at a hospital maternity ward killed more than a dozen infants, with 15 newborns on the ward at the time, and reportedly started after an air conditioning compressor exploded.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 6:50-6:56
- 7:07
Charged quote 14 newborn babies die in Islamabad hospital fire
I have a three-day-old son How can they say that all the children were burned when none of the staff were burned? They say we have to save the adults first. We save them. Why were they saving adults? They could have gone out on foot Why didn't they save the children first? Why was the children's ward locked?
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 7:07-7:20
- 7:35
Claim 14 newborn babies die in Islamabad hospital fire
A fire at a hospital maternity ward killed more than a dozen infants, with 15 newborns on the ward at the time, and reportedly started after an air conditioning compressor exploded.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 7:35-7:42
- 7:55
Charged quote 14 newborn babies die in Islamabad hospital fire
It did not take much time and from what I know the fire brigade arrived here very quick within five to ten minutes Emergency services are at the scene as investigations continue to piece together what went so wrong The families here want accountability and they want answers as they grieve for the children They never got to bring home. Ayesha Zahid, ITV News Some breaking news this lunchtime
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 7:55-8:05
- 8:07
- 8:22
Claim Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to UK with children
Prince Harry, Meghan, and their children returned to the UK, landing at Birmingham Airport without police protection.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 8:22-8:35
- 8:29
Claim Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to UK with children
Prince Harry, Meghan, and their children returned to the UK, landing at Birmingham Airport without police protection.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 8:29-8:40
- 8:29
Claim Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to UK with children
Prince Harry, Meghan, and their children returned to the UK, landing at Birmingham Airport without police protection.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 8:29-8:35
- 8:35
Claim Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to UK with children
Prince Harry, Meghan, and their children returned to the UK, landing at Birmingham Airport without police protection.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 8:35-8:40
- 8:45
Claim Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to UK with children
The children have been enrolled in new schools for the upcoming term.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 8:45-8:52
- 8:45
Claim Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to UK with children
The children have been enrolled in new schools for the upcoming term.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 8:45-8:52
- 8:52
Claim Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to UK with children
The family will base themselves at a private property in the Cotswolds.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 8:52-8:57
- 9:31 Story begins Ofgem raises energy price cap by 4% for winter
- 10:25
Claim Ofgem raises energy price cap by 4% for winter
Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 4% for October to December.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 10:25-10:43
- 11:02
Claim Ofgem raises energy price cap by 4% for winter
The increase was attributed to higher wholesale gas prices, partly due to the war in Iran.
ITV, ITV Lunchtime News, 26 August 2026, 11:02-11:06
- 12:49
- 17:12
- 20:30 ~5 min without annotations
Source: ITV1, "ITV Lunchtime News", Wednesday 26 August 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.