So, I’ve been away for the weekend. Usually, I hear a little about this year’s big brother but I am not really following it. There are certain things that you understand after there being a couple of series – one of which is that, eventually, they all start to remove layers of clothing.

I imagine that the current weather has our lot stripping off on a daily basis. Which, I guess, should send some of the viewing figures up this year! But I do know a couple of things:

• The girls keep getting voted off
• This is because people want to keep the cute guys on
• Federico is cute but keeps failing the tasks

Now, what would I know about this stuff if I watched any of it? Perhaps I should read the official site occasionally.

On this day…

No other posts on this day.

I had an idea for a serious post today. Honestly, it was going to be very serious but now it’s not.

• Leave Fed alone
• Stop this wickedness
• Leave him in the house

Thanks and now I can return to a normal service without references to Big Brother 2003 – and I don’t even watch it.

On this day…

2003: Employment Law: Update
2002: Welcome to Musak

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | TV and Radio | Crossroads ‘was all a dream’

The final episode saw the Crossroads hotel boss Angel (Jane Asher) realise her job had all been a dream – as she returned to her real-life job as a supermarket checkout assistant in Birmingham called Angela.

I’ve posted quite a lot today. But I just had to post this one. Crossroads was a dream? What a nice way to end the week …

On this day…

2004: Troy
2004: Polo Shirts: A Fashion Idea For 2004
2003: Open Secret
2003: Pop Life
2003: Unfortunately There Are Effectively No Funds Available To Pay The Salaries
2003: No Consensus In Support Of Same-Sex Unions
2003: Dr Kildare is a Sissy

It would appear that Russia is the place to be for music tonight. Who would have thought Tatu and Paul McCartney would be connected?

• Rock legend Sir Paul McCartney is preparing to fulfil an ambition which eluded even The Beatles – playing live to fans in Moscow’s Red Square [Source: BBC NEWS | Entertainment | McCartney to rock Red Square]
• The Russian pop duo Tatu remain the favourites to win the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, as the Latvian capital Riga prepares to host the event. [Source: BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Music | Riga prepares for Eurovision]

Of course the shocking music headline of the day is that Cilla admits to smoking cannabis (honest – I heard the interview 🙂

• In an interview with Mark Lamarr on BBC Radio 2, the 60-year-old entertainer said she had “smoked a joint” while she was singing star in the 1960s, but had been a “good girl” when it came to harder drugs. [Source: Cilla admits to smoking cannabis]

On this day…

2005: Danny Baker Shuts Up His Tree House
2004: Palme d’Or
2003: Here We Go Again
2003: An identity crisis

The Salon, Channel Four’s current reality TV show set in a beauty salon is an interesting concept. Book an appointment for a cut and blow-dry and then see yourself on television. To be honest I was quite keen on this one (I’m not sure why it appealed more than some of the other formats, but it did). Sadly, silly scheduling means I saw the two opening shows and have not watched another one. As it turns out, I am quite glad as it seems it could turn into a celebrity rehabilitation centre. Missing out television exposure? Turn up and get your hair cut and your celebrity past will, most likely, mean you’ll make it to air. Has anybody really sunk this low to grab some TV time? Yes, Michael Barrymore. [Source: Ananova | Channel 4]

On this day…

2008: When Will I See The Ghosts Again

I went to see Boy George’s Taboo last Friday and have been contemplating the blog entry ever since. I have to say that I thought that it was fabulous and I want to see it again (I even ordered the soundtrack last night!). It’s a fictional account of a lot of real people but most of the plot must be based on Boy George’s own life story as I recognised may of the characters and plot lines from his book Take It Like A Man. Obviously, he is a key (though not the central) character. I would thoroughly recommend to this anybody visiting London regardless of the way you feel about Boy George. It’s a strange time capsule of a musical and his songs are great – although several of them are old (some of which are taken from the under-rated album Cheapness and Beauty which I regard as one of the best of all time). The story is tender, the performances top-rate and the whole thing is laugh-out-loud funny (especially, Julian Clary). Lastmiunte.com often has cut-price tickets a few days before a show. Go see it. Often.

[Links: BBC News – George breaks 80s Taboo | BBC News – Matt Lucas’s comic extremes | Guardian – We were so naughty | I Love the 80s]

On this day…

2005: Admonished By A Snack Food Wrapper
2004: Wet London 20
2004: 21 Dog Years: Doing Time At Amazon.Com

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In case you’re wondering, my attempt to bring forth an avalanche of programmes from my childhood didn’t quite have the desired result. However, Danny Baker on BBC London this morning did spend some time talking about Rainbow (fab title sequence here). Somehow, it doesn’t seem quite so much of a spooky coincidence as the whole Fame thing.

On this day…

2004: BBC4 Should Broaden Its Appeal
2002: Awww

Last night I watched nearly two hours of Channel Five’s new cop show, The Shield. I enjoy television drama when it’s done well and I think Five (as they are now called) could do very well out of this one:

The Shield stars Emmy Award ‘Best Actor’ winner Michael Chiklis as Detective Vic Mackey. Mackey leads a corrupt, but highly effective, Strike Team in the fictitious L.A. precinct of Farmington. Michael’s portrayal of the morally ambiguous cop challenges the viewer: do his ends justify the means? [Channel Five]

I would write more, but that really sums it up.

On this day…

2004: The End Of September
2003: Good TV?

“In a stunning new series from BBC Science, Donal MacIntyre is blasted, roasted, frozen and soaked on an epic journey to experience and understand the wildest weather the planet can throw at him”. [link]

I’ll say (or was I just too drugged up – medicinally – to care?)

Last night, in my ill state (thanks, but no I still feel really bad and if had any sense would be at home right now rather than sitting in the office), I just about managed to watch Wild Weather on BBC One. I was absolutely fascinated by it. Donal MacIntyre always annoyed me on TV (I’m sure he’s really rather nice in real life) until yesterday. Wild Weather, however, is was one of the most interesting, brilliantly shot programmes I have seen for a long time. Thank goodness I still pay a licence fee. Hoorah for the BBC.

If I was feeling better I would talk at length, but I suggest you watch it next week or read this.

On this day…

2005: A New Champion
2004: Lord Hill’s Mighty Tower
2002: Plastic, Moi?