Talk show host and comedian John Oliver said he could not believe the news that Universal Studios was planning to build a theme park near his home town. The presenter, who grew up in Bedford, joked on US talk show Late Night with Seth Meyers about plans to open Europe's first Universal theme park in rural Bedfordshire,

The Middle East is looking to cement itself as the new global theme-park hot spot. Disney is the latest and biggest entertainment company to plant a flag in the region, as it said its seventh global theme park will be located in Abu Dhabi.