The mother of Cassie Ventura has told a court she felt “physically sick” when her daughter told her Sean “Diddy” Combs had threatened to “release two explicit sex tapes” after discovering his long-time girlfriend was dating someone else.

Giving evidence on Tuesday, the seventh day of the trial, Regina Ventura said she did not initially understand the email Cassie sent her in December 2011, saying, “The sex tape threw me, [Diddy] was trying to hurt my daughter.”

The email said Combs was planning to release two explicit videos of her and send someone to hurt her and the man she was seeing, rapper Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi.

Regina said the family took out a home equity loan and paid Diddy $20,000 to recoup money he had spent on Cassie “because he demanded it,” angry that Cassie was now dating Cudi.

She said the money was returned days later.

During her evidence, jurors were shown photographs of bruises on Cassie’s body Ms Ventura said were taken when her daughter returned home for Christmas in 2011.

Regina’s time on the stand was fairly brief, as the defence declined the opportunity to question her.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial: Day 7 – As it happened

Prosecutors say Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, forced women to take part in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances known as “Freak Offs” from 2004 to 2024, facilitated by his large retinue of staff. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty.

The rapper faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Last week, the prosecutors’ star witness, Cassie Ventura, who dated Combs for over a decade, spent four days giving evidence.

Combs’s legal team has sought to show jurors that his relationship with Ventura was complicated, and while they acknowledge he was an abusive partner, and had substance issues, they say the sex acts described by the prosecution were consensual.

Read more:
Everything you need to know about the Sean Combs trial
The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

‘Diddy wanted our bodies to shine’

A male exotic dancer nicknamed “The Punisher” also gave testimony, telling jurors that in the autumn of 2012, Cassie contacted him asking him to “create a sexy, erotic scene” Diddy, and using the pseudonym “Janet”.

Sharay Hayes said he went on to have eight to 12 more encounters with the couple, having sex with Cassie, while Diddy watched from a distance.

He described the hotel rooms as routinely being dressed with electric candles and sheet-covered furniture, and says Cassie told him not to “acknowledge” her husband, and to “try not to look at him and no communication”.

He says Diddy would often wear a cap, and he could not see his face, but he later realised it was the famous rapper.

“The Punisher” mentioned using a “considerable amount of baby oil” during the performances, saying “[Diddy] wanted us to keep our bodies covered, to shine”.

He later described the acts as “a fetish type thing,” and while he said he believed Cassie was fully consensual, he also said he “did occasionally see her sigh or wince” and said she would frequently look at Diddy “for cues”.

Paid between $1,200 (£900) and $2,000 (£1.500) for each performance, he said he was not called back after struggling to get an erection during one encounter.

He said he never saw Diddy use drugs or saw filming during any of the performances.

Car park dispute with Suge Knight

David James, Diddy’s ex-personal assistant, also completed his evidence and testified that he never saw physical violence between Cassie and his former boss.

James, who worked for Diddy for two years, said he left Diddy’s employment after he realised his “life was in danger” following a dispute in a car park with rival record label owner Suge Knight, which culminated in Diddy bringing three handguns to try to find Knight and his entourage.

He also detailed an altercation between Diddy and his personal chef, Jourdan Atkinson, and said he refused to file a police report after Diddy told him to say “Chef Jourdan hit him first”.

The final person to give evidence was a special agent responsible for planning the March 2024 raids on Combs’s Miami home on Star Island.

Steve Gannon showed photos of items taken during the raid, including sex toys, high heels and loaded guns, and explained how an armoured vehicle was used to break down the mansion’s front gate to gain entry while the family was away on a trip.

Combs has been held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since September and faces at least 15 years or possibly life in prison if convicted.

The trial is set to last for around two months.

Netflix and Sesame Street have agreed a deal that will bring the children’s show to the streaming platform’s wider audience after President Trump cut federal funding for the free-to-air TV network Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

Later this year, new episodes will be shown on Netflix as well as PBS and the PBS Kids app on the same day.

Select past episodes will be available on Netflix worldwide. No specific start date has been announced.

It comes after Warner Bros Discovery decided last year not to renew its deal for new episodes on HBO and Max, though episodes will remain on there until 2027.

That was followed by Donald Trump issuing an executive order earlier this month to block federal funding to PBS and the National Public Radio (NPR) network, because he believes their coverage is biased.

For the show’s 56th season, the episodes will revolve around one 11-minute story, Netflix said.

It will feature more exploration of the Sesame Street neighbourhood and also give a look inside 123 Sesame Street, which houses Elmo, Bert and Ernie, and others.

Sesame Street said on X: “We are excited to announce that all new Sesame Street episodes are coming to @netflix worldwide along with library episodes, and new episodes will also release the same day on @PBS Stations and @PBSKIDS platforms in the US, preserving a 50+ year relationship.

“The support of Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting serve as a unique public-private partnership to enable Sesame Street to continue to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.”

Read more:
Second man charged over fires at properties linked to Starmer
EU members want UK access to rearmament fund limited
Pop star says Diddy threatened to kill her

Sesame Workshop said in a statement: “This unique public-private partnership will enable us to bring our research-based curriculum to young children around the world with Netflix’s global reach, while ensuring children in communities across the US continue to have free access on public television to the Sesame Street they love.”

Follow the World

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday

Tap to follow

Sesame Street has won more than 200 Emmys in addition to Peabody awards, as well as a Kennedy Centre Honour for lifetime artistic achievement.

Gary Lineker has confirmed he is leaving the BBC after this season’s Match Of The Day and will no longer present its World Cup coverage.

It comes after the 64-year-old “apologised unreservedly” for sharing a social media post illustrated with a rat – which has been used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda, including Nazi Germany.

Read more: A history of Gary Lineker’s most controversial posts

In a statement on Monday, Lineker said: “Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio.

“I care deeply about the game, and about the work I’ve done with the BBC over many years. As I’ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for.

“However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”

Analysis: BBC can breathe easier after Lineker leaves

Lineker said he deleted the post when he learned about the rat’s symbolism, adding he would “never knowingly share anything antisemitic”.

In a separate video posted to Instagram, the pundit added: “I’ve stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all of my life, including, of course, antisemitism, which I absolutely abhor.

“There’s no place for it and never should be.”

He went on to thank the “brilliant, talented” people he has worked with and described his relationship with the BBC as “long and wonderful”.

He added: “But it’s the right time for the organisation and myself to go our separate ways.”

Lineker’s last appearance on the BBC will be on Sunday 25 May, the final day of the season.

‘A defining voice in football coverage’

Also confirming Lineker’s exit, BBC director general Tim Davie said: “Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season.

“Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond.

“We want to thank him for the contribution he has made.”

Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC’s director of sport, said in an email sent to staff that it had been a “difficult” and “emotional” week.

He went on to say: “It is sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster and I also want to thank Gary for his years of service. As ever, if you have questions, you know where I am.

“Let’s finish the season strongly with Gary’s final show, enjoy an incredible summer of sport and look forward with excitement to what lies ahead.”

Lineker announced in November he would step down from Match Of The Day this year, but was set to return to front the World Cup in 2026, as well as FA Cup coverage.

The former England star was temporarily suspended from the BBC in March 2023 after an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the then Conservative government’s asylum policy.

He will be replaced on Match Of The Day by Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman, who will share the presenting role from the next Premier League season.

Read more from Sky News:
What is in the Brexit reset agreement?
Politicians send messages of support to Joe Biden

Lineker has hosted Match Of The Day since 1999 and has been the BBC’s highest-paid on-air talent for seven consecutive years.

He joined the programme having started as a BBC Radio Five Live presenter, also working on the broadcaster’s former flagship sports show Grandstand during his early years in broadcasting.

The Leicester-born presenter is also the co-founder of podcast producing company Goalhanger, which makes the popular The Rest Is History series and its spin-offs about politics, football, entertainment and money.

His parting ways with the BBC also includes the licensing deal for Goalhanger podcast titles on BBC Sounds, which ends this year, the PA news agency reported.