Two little boys

There have been many many words written, spoken and filmed about the late night phone calls made by Messrs Brand & Ross to Andrew Sachs answer machine.

What started as a puerile school boy prank (with only two "at the time" complaints) has snow balled into a media feeding frenzy, which has resulted in both being suspended by the BBC and tonight Brand resigning from the Corporation.

What they did was stupid and insensitive, but containable if it had never been broadcast, which the BBC had the ability to achieve. Once, however, it did go out (and what was the person making that decision thinking of?) the two perpetrators had the misfortune to tap into a feeling increasingly held, that attitudes and language on the BBC had got out hand. I have enjoyed some of Ross's guest on his TV show, but his (and his guests) constant swearing does get boring after a while. Lets be honest, it's not big or clever. Their actions have now become the catalyst for 27000 (and counting) complaints and for the BBC to decide that as a publicly funded broadcaster they have standards to up keep and that actually this was their chance to take a stand. Hence the suspensions and Brands resignation.

I doubt either will be missed from our TV's for long, as commercial TV will snap them both up quickly (I'm assuming Ross will leave the BBC as well). They may find, however, that it will be not appearing on Radio that will harm them most. There just isn't an alternative to BBC Radio and in both cases their radio shows under pinned the TV appearances they made. Even in the digital age Ross or Brand on Capital radio or Virgin will have 10% of their Radio 2 shows.

Silly silly boys.

Hurry up Harry

While I try and see the best in everyone, Harry Redknapp is someone I have a problem with, mainly through his inept attempt at keeping Saints in the Premiership when he was our manager. (There is a school of thought that he was in fact very successful in that role...as in "agent Redknapp your job is complete return to base" I.E Pompey, where he returned as manager after our relegation)

Well now he has done it again! Walked out on Pompey (7th in the league, 13 points) for Spurs (bottom of the league - 2 points). Spurs have allegedly paid Spurs £5m for Redknapp and good luck to them, because if they do get relegated it is unlikely to be Harry's fault. He will have a whole list of excuses already lined up - top of which will be "they were already down when I took over" or "I didn't realise quite how bad things were when I took over".

Runaway

The BBC series "Merlin" is good Saturday night TV with heroes and villains, magic and mystery.

Not great acting or script but the stories are well enough written to appeal to the ready made market generated by the previous successful series "Robin Hood". It also has Richard Wilson and Anthony Head as well as the voice of John Hurt. Finally each week one well known soap or TV star appears.

Unfortunately I'm of the generation that is waiting for "Camelot...it's only a model" to be uttered by Arthur. This week, if they had wanted to, they could have used both that line, had a "Knights of the Round table" song routine and had the knights all fleeing the Gryffin shouting "run away run away!!". In addition why is the theme tune not from the classic Rick Wakeman album..you know "whosoever pulleth this sword for this anvil is the true born king of ...." and then lots of keyboard wizardry.

Mind you it will give lots of parents a great line to use to justify dragging children to "Spamalot"!!

A day in the life

Today, Sunday October 12th has been an odd one. Full of ups and downs.

It started with a missed radio programme, but more of that later.....

This morning Will, my Mum and I (Matt was away with the BB in Torquay) went to church in Shirley in Southampton, to take part in the St James Road Methodist Church's 80th Anniversary celebrations. I went to that Church for most of my childhood until I moved to Jersey when I was 20, so much of my faith and "growing up" memories have that church as a backdrop.

Going back is always poignant and today even more so, but again more of that later! It was great to see everyone and especially to see two friends Rosemary and Mark who had been very good friends when I was a teenager, but who I had lost touch with since. E-mail addresses have been exchanged and it will be good to keep in regular touch.


The service itself was very good. with one of my favourite preachers, Rev Tom Stuckey, delivering an excellent sermon. The choir sang a very uplifting anthem and the organist, David Woodman, played one of my favourite pieces as we left the church.

After that there was a lunch (three course) for 200 which was great fun and again stories and memories were readily swapped.

The only concern I have is that many of the church regulars who were there when I was are still there and when they aren't there, who will be? As Will said to me "there's a lot of grey hair here today"

After that we went to Southampton General hospital so see my Dad, who is quite seriously ill at present. He has leukemia and while it has been treatable, over the last two weeks it has got worse, to the point where he has been in hospital now for nearly two weeks. He has had chemotherapy, which seems to have worked, but his blood is generally "in a bad place" and on top of that, as can happen, constant bed rest has brought on a dose of pneumonia. Last Thursday I was seriously concerned that, this was it, but he has rallied and now while still unable to walk has been sitting out of bed and is more like his old self. He tires easily and 90 minutes is as long a visit as he can cope with. We're not out of the woods yet but "Dad" is on an up at present.

He should, of course, have been at Church this morning, so it was sad knowing that he would have loved it and he was missing out. He was remembered in the prayers and we turned up to visit this afternoon full of messages of love and support.

This evening while dropping Will back at his Mum's I saw my friends Steve & Luanne who are over on a visit from Newport, Kentucky and plans were made to hook up later this week to "chew the fat" together. They are good friends and seeing them ended the day on a high.

The radio programme I missed was "The Tim Daykin Show" on BBC Radio Solent, which featured this morning, the 1st Chandlers Ford BB brass band featuring my son Matt on Drums! It's on at 6am, so it's not a surprise I missed it. As I write this blog, I am listening to it on the BBC "catch up" service via my lap-top. The star performers are on at 1 hour 46 minutes into the programme!

Downside up

Let's get this clear! You can't "part nationalise" anything! It's either nationalised or it's privately owned. Fleet street editors please note!!!

Our mutual friend

Over the last few weeks, there is little on the TV that i have made an effort to watch. In fact they only thing I have really followed has been the BBC series "Mutual Friends"

A kind of "Cold Feet" for this century, it starred Alexander Armstrong, Marc Warren, Keely Hawes and Sarah Alexander (all pictured) and the story revolved around their various love lives. The star for me was Alexander Armstrong who stole every scene he was in and most of the time he was on his best "Pimms o'clock" form.

While it dealt with serious subjects like IVF, the death of a young husband and affairs and the damage they cause it was mostly a comedy and had various laugh out loud moments.

You can catch the last episode on the BBC iPlayer ot buy episodes on iTunes.