Finnish singer Kela to perform 25-year-old album at Helsinki Festival as Norways Ingebrigtsen apologises in podcast

The Finnish singer-songwriter Anssi Kela is set to perform his 1997 album *Nummela* in full at the Helsinki Festival’s Huvila Tent, marking the record’s 25th anniversary. Kela, reflecting on a nearly 50-year-old photograph of himself holding a violin, described the image as capturing a boy with a dream of performing for others, much like his parents did .

Meanwhile, in Norway, controversy continues to surround former track coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen after his appearance on Stavanger Aftenblad’s podcast *Jonas*, published on Aug. 24. Ingebrigtsen, who was acquitted last year of abuse charges involving two of his children but convicted of one count of bodily harm against his daughter, told the podcast he felt a need to apologize. “This is a good opportunity to apologize,” he said, adding that if his children were before him, he would “do my best to give a heartfelt apology for the situation we are in. There is no doubt that the responsibility is mine.”

He acknowledged feeling “partially acquitted” legally but not in his personal life, stating, “This is my fault, not legally, but it is my fault and my responsibility that we ended up in this situation. I will carry that guilt and shame with me for the rest of my life.” Ingebrigtsen also said he hoped recognizing his mistakes could eventually lead to repair .

Espen Skoland, media advisor to Ingebrigtsen’s sons Jakob, Henrik, and Filip since 2023, criticized the podcast for failing to press Ingebrigtsen on specifics. Skoland told VG it was “difficult to grasp what Gjert Ingebrigtsen actually regrets, what he considers his mistake, and what he carries shame for, as long as he does not elaborate and as long as Stavanger Aftenblad does not do its job and follow up on these obvious questions.” Skoland demanded answers on whether Ingebrigtsen regretted threatening to sabotage his sons’ athletic careers, a claim sport director Erlend Slokvik of the Norwegian Athletics Federation said Ingebrigtsen had made in court. VG also reported Ingebrigtsen had threatened to cause trouble at the 2023 World Championships in Tokyo if denied accreditation .

Ingebrigtsen has been denied accreditation to multiple major championships since his 2022 falling-out with his sons, including the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, the 2024 Olympics, and the 2025 World and 2026 European Championships. World Athletics’ safeguarding rules, designed to protect athletes from harassment and abuse, were cited as the reason. During the 2026 European Championships in Birmingham, Ingebrigtsen attended as a personal coach for Portuguese athletes Patricia Silva and José Carlos Pinto but told VG he was reconsidering his coaching future. “If I am to continue as a coach, there must be a change. I am tired of this fight,” he said .