Octopus is set to become the UK’s second biggest energy supplier after it announced plans to buy Shell’s household gas and electricity business.

The company, which started as a challenger to traditional suppliers, has climbed the rankings of the energy firms and now only Centrica-owned British Gas lies ahead of it.

Founded in 2015 by businessman Greg Jackson, Octopus will supply energy to almost 6.5m customers following the deal.

The acquisition, which also includes Shell Energy’s German business, comes less than a year after Octopus took on 1.5m customers from Bulb after its collapse into administration.

The deal needs regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of the year.

The Competition and Markets Authority declined to comment on whether it will investigate.

Chief executive Jackson said: ‘Octopus has proven that it delivers game-changing service while innovating and investing relentlessly towards a cheaper cleaner energy system.’

Consolidation in the energy sector has ramped up over the last few years with Octopus emerging as one of the major players.

Many smaller suppliers collapsed in the autumn and winter of 2021 under the pressure of soaring wholesale gas prices, with millions of customers snapped up by surviving businesses. The biggest casualty of the crisis was Bulb, which had been Britain’s seventh biggest energy supplier.

E.On bought N Power in 2019 and Ovo Energy, founded by Northern Irish businessman Stephen Fitzpatrick in 2009, purchased SSE in January 2020.

Ovo Energy’s and Octopus’s trajectories are similar.

Both were founded by British entrepreneurs as challengers to the established suppliers and have gone on to become two of the major players in the UK’s energy market.

Shell Energy entered the UK domestic energy market when it bought First Utility in 2018. The oil giant announced in June that it had put its British and German domestic energy business up for sale, exiting the household energy supply sector after just five years.

It followed a strategic review of the division under chief executive Wael Sawan, who was appointed in January this year.

In May, it was reported that Ovo and Centrica were among those also interested in bidding for the company.

Shell Energy customers in the UK will be transferred to Octopus following the deal’s completion and will not face any disruption to energy supply.

Shell is also winding down its home energy retail business in the Netherlands but said it does not plan to exit the home energy markets in Australia or the USA. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said that the ‘deal suits the strategic objectives of both firms’.

‘Shell exits a market that has seen low returns for energy providers, thanks to soaring wholesale energy costs and increased regulatory and political pressure in the form of caps on the prices that suppliers can charge their customers,’ Mould said.

He added: ‘Providing the transaction gets regulatory approval, this is another step for Octopus to cementing its position as a leading supplier in the UK energy supply market, following the failure or withdrawal of many rivals and its purchase of Bulb in 2022.’

The deal also includes 500,000 UK broadband customers.

Octopus does not currently have a broadband division and said it could not comment on plans for those customers until after the deal receives regulatory approval.

James Mabey, an analyst at analysis provider Cornwall Insight, said: ‘This marks the second major customer book acquisition by Octopus Energy in the last year, after the transfer of Bulb’s customers.

‘The transfer of Shell’s customers will represent an increase in customer numbers on a similar scale. The acquisition will see concentration in the domestic supply market taken to its highest level since early 2016.’

What to do if you’re a Shell Energy customer

The deal is expected to complete in the final three months of 2023 following regulatory approval so Shell customers have been advised to sit tight.

In time they will be transferred to their new account with Octopus, together with their existing direct debits and all customer credit balances are protected.

Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch, said: ‘Until any takeover is done and dusted, the business will operate as normal. 

‘Customers can be reassured that whatever happens, their credit balances will be protected and no action is required from them.

‘Shell Energy’s decision to exit the market is disappointing, as it has been a well-backed challenger to the larger energy suppliers.

‘It is important that there is strong competition between firms in the longer term, so suppliers cannot rest on their laurels when it comes to service quality and price.’ 

What about broadband customers?

Peter Ames, broadband expert at Broadband Genie, said: ‘While many eyes will be on how the Shell Energy takeover by Octopus will affect its energy customers, around half a million people also get their broadband through the company.

‘A question mark remains over the future of Shell Energy Broadband and whether Octopus will use this acquisition to venture into telecoms. 

‘For the time being at least, we are being told that customers won’t see a drop in service or an increase to their bills.’

They confirmed their romance in June.

And Holly Ramsay and Adam Peaty‘s relationship appears to be going from strength to strength, as he made an appearance in her latest Instagram post.

The daughter of chef Gordon Ramsay, 23, shared a gallery of images from her recent outings, which included a snap of the Olympic swimmer on a countryside dog walk.

Captioning her post: ‘Recently,’ Holly also shared off her abs in a daring black crop top in one image, along with another throwback snap from her trip to Croatia.

Other images showed the blonde beauty dressed in a glamorous black mini dress for a night out, and cycling shorts and an oversized shirt for a shopping trip.

Holly also shared a cute image with her little brother Oscar larking about in a photobooth, before settling down to make friendship bracelets with her family.

Earlier this week, Holly Ramsay stunned in a floral bikini as she shared throwback snaps from her sunny getaway in Croatia.

She showcased her sensational physique in a skimpy bikini as she posed against the idyllic backdrop for a sizzling snap.

The influencer flashed a sweet smile and appeared to be in happy spirits as she soaked up the sun.

Her new boyfriend Adam Peaty, 28, commented on her throwback snaps ‘Get me there’, along with a love heart face emoji.

The couple’s relationship has gone from strength to strength since they confirmed their romance in June.

Adam accompanied Holly to the launch of her chef father Gordon, 56, new Lucky Cat restaurant in Manchester.

Adam and Holly had enjoyed a PDA-filled getaway to Rome together late last month, which they eagerly documented for their followers on Instagram.

The week before, sources claimed Adam had been secretly dating for four weeks, and the swimmer has already spent time at her family home in Rock, Cornwall.

A source told The Sun: ‘Holly is a gorgeous girl and Adam sparked up a conversation on social media. He was liking a lot of her photographs on Instagram and he’s now made a move.

‘They have been seeing each other for around a month and Adam is made up. Holly invited Adam to spend time with her at the house owned by her dad (TV chef) Gordon and mum Tana.’

‘It gave them proper alone time and made them realise they wanted to become more serious.’

Rumours began swirling between the pair when Holly posted a selfie showing her preparing for a night out at the Cannes film festival wearing only a hotel dressing gown.

Holly then finally confirmed her rumoured romance with the former Strictly star, as they appeared to enjoy a romantic week together.

The stunner – who met the athlete when her sister Tilly, 21, appeared with him on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 – took to her Instagram to share with followers a sizzling bikini snap before tagging her new man, who was behind the camera.

It’s a picture certain to raise Instagram likes: a clear blue sky background, a look at the calm ocean and a colourful billowing dress soaring in the wind.

These images, known as ‘flying dress photos’, largely started out on the picturesque Greek island of Santorini, with whitewashed buildings and the sapphire sea providing the perfect backdrop to eye-catching frocks with enormous trains.

But they have since become popular in other tourist spots, such as Hawaii, Dubai and Jamaica.

Looking like they could feature in a high-end fashion magazine, the images have become increasingly common, with several businesses now offering nothing but ‘flying dress photoshoots’.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Stacey Williams, a photographer based on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, started her business devoted to the trend in April 2021, booking typically 12 to 15 photoshoots a month, which cost customers from $800 (£622) plus tax.

Her clients (ranging in age from 30 to 50 and located across the world) have reserved slots as far out as June 2024 already – so the craze seems to show no signs of slowing down. 

She explained how the ’empowering’ shoots are often booked for milestone birthdays (even an 80th on one occasion) as well as family photos, anniversaries and to celebrate major life changes.

The photographer said: ‘While many are in pursuit of that beautiful image to post on Instagram or hang on their wall, most of our clients are doing it for the experience. 

‘It might be their first solo trip and they want to celebrate that and feel empowered, or they want to celebrate something they have accomplished or overcome in life. 

‘When I started this business and started working with the flying dresses I never knew what they would mean to our clients. 

‘Many struggle with insecurities, however there is something truly special about how beautiful you feel when you put on this long train dress and feel the wind flowing through it.’ 

Stacey – who supplies the dresses for her clients and assists with planning the location or transportation, makeup artists and even drone footage – initially wanted her own red flying dress to use during her journeys around the world.

‘However once I put the dress on I immediately knew I needed to offer it to every other woman out there,’ she explained. 

‘I wanted them to feel as amazing as I did in it and I was also inspired creatively to capture images of these dresses against the Hawaii landscapes.’

She continued: ‘I have always been impressed by the beautiful flying dress images in Santorini and in 2021 I discovered a local company on Maui was manufacturing flying dresses so I felt it was the perfect time to try them out on Oahu.’

A customer from Texas recently reviewed the experience, saying: ‘Stacey and her stylist made my 50th birthday photoshoot amazing! I felt like a model. I felt beautiful. I felt empowered! 

Another wrote: ‘No matter what your insecurities are, they just vanish when you are in this dress. The wind and the sun… it’s just perfect.’

Several photoshoots around the world are priced upwards of €550 (£477) per hour per person, according to Bloomberg Línea. The publication estimated that a business committed to providing the Instagrammable holiday photo can make more than a quarter million pounds (£388,465) in just four months.

They noted that most clients will add on other costly services, including transportation, makeup and hair styling and several dress options. A customer booking a full package could pay €1,500 (£1,302)

‘We’ve had persons who travelled just for their [flying-dress] shoot,’ Chrisan Hunter, founder of the flying-dress photo service HerDressJamaica told the publication.

‘They come for three days, and then they go home,’ she explained, adding that the business ‘never handles less than 30 shoots per month.’ The prices range from £271 to £349 per hour per person.

Those booking a photoshoot with HerDressJamaica can pick from five different photographers and the dress, hair and makeup are all taken care of, reported CNN.

Explaining how they get the dresses to ‘fly’, Chrisan said: ‘All our shoots include an assistant. 

‘We get our clients dressed and everything, and then once it’s time to shoot, we coordinate with the photographer and it’s a 1, 2, 3 count. We throw up the dress, he catches (the shot) fast.’

One company, Flying Dress Photo, based in Santorini, says they offer their clients a ‘once in a lifetime photoshoot to make you feel like one in a million.’

Sandra Upton, founder of Upton Consulting Group revealed how she had a flying-dress photo taken in Greece in 2022 to mark a year to the month that she made the decision to relaunch her own firm. 

Celebrities have also got in on the action; Jessie James Decker had a mini-me moment with her look-alike daughter Vivianne Rose, then seven, in June 2021 as the two twinned while taking part in a ‘flying dress photoshoot’ during their holiday to Santorini in Greece.

The American country singer and her eldest child with former football star Eric Decker were seen in matching silk fuchsia gowns that blew in the wind as they posed on a mountain top with villas surrounding them.

‘Got to play dress up at sunset with my sweet girl. Thank you @santorinidress for making us feel fancy,’ said the Kittenish designer in her caption for her 3.6million Instagram followers.

The show-stopping dresses had impressive 10ft long trains that blew up in the wind while the pair posed as the sun went down over the Mediterranean Sea.

Rebekah Vardy shared a snap of lookalike daughter Megan to her Instagram on  Saturday.

The proud mum and WAG, 41, gushed as she marked her eldest child completing her A levels and graudating from secondary school. 

Megan, 18, looked gorgeous in a plunging pink dress as she beamed next to a bunch of congratulatory balloons and lavish gifts. 

Sporting a radiant palette of make-up she styled her brunette tresses in loose curls as they fell down past her shoulders.

Rebekah captioned the post: ‘Proud of you, And just like that, A-Levels complete and school is over’. 

Rebekah is also mother to son Taylor, 12 from a previous relationship as well as three children with footballer husband Jamie, 36.

As well as Sofia, age six, Finlay, four, and baby Olivia, one, is also step-mother to her husband’s daughter Ella, 11. 

It comes after Peter Andre insisted he holds no ‘ill feelings’ towards Rebekah after she publicly compared his manhood to a small chipolata sausage.

The Mysterious Girl singer was dragged into her High Court Wagatha Christie battle with Coleen Rooney last year when Rebekah was asked about a kiss-and-tell interview she gave in the past. 

Yet Peter, 50, revealed he isn’t holding a grudge over the crass chat because ‘people say stupid things’, noting he did it himself on his old reality shows. 

However, the singer admitted he was frustrated by the fact the jibe kept getting brought up as he just wants to move on from the incident. 

Speaking on the Off Air podcast, he said: ‘I don’t hold any ill feeling and I’ll tell you why. At the time it wasn’t very nice, that wasn’t the problem – people say stupid things, we all do.’

He continued: ‘I’ve said many stupid things in my life that if I could go back I would clip myself around the head. 

‘Even the old reality shows when I would talk in a way that I would never talk now.

‘That wasn’t the problem, the problem for me was that it was brought up again, and again and again.

‘For me the ill feeling isn’t with [Rebekha]. Something stupid was said, so what? We’ve all said stupid things.

‘I’ve always been a glass half full kind of guy.’

Peter previously revealed he is ‘not holding on to any bitterness’ and has forgiven Rebekah for her indiscretions. 

‘I don’t have ill feelings towards anybody because I’m not perfect,’ Peter told the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine last year. 

‘I’ve made mistakes. I don’t dislike anybody but I do dislike things being brought up all the time.

‘The reason I don’t talk about this is because it’s gone on for years and there’s nothing more to say. But I’m not holding on to any bitterness.’

Peter was mentioned in court when David Sherborne, Coleen’s lawyer, read out excerpts of Rebekah’s 2004 News of the World article about Peter to demonstrate that she has form for giving stories to the media.

But Rebekah claimed that she had been ‘misrepresented’ in the story. She said she had been coerced to do the interview by an abusive ex-partner when she was just 22.

Speaking in court, she explained: ‘There’s a lot of things in there that did not come out of my mouth and were misrepresented. It’s shameful reading that, and one of my biggest regrets.’

Peter – who is married to Emily MacDonagh, a doctor 17 years his junior, with whom he has daughter Amelia, eight, and son Theo, five – previously said he had to apologise to his family after the unflattering comments were repeated in court. 

The singer also has son Junior, 17, and daughter Princess, 15, with ex-wife Katie Price.