The Brendan revolt
The recent news of the departure of Brendan Cole one of the longest serving professional dancers on Strictly Come Dancing. One time judge Arlene Phillips crictised current head judge Shirley Ballas over comments on one of Cole and his partner Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte Hawkins routines. This has lead to Hawkins fellow GMB presenter Piers Morgan to start a campaign for Cole to get back on the show. Though there are rumours that Cole could be a judge on the next series of ITV rival Dancing on Ice.
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Tuesday, 30 January 2018
No you can't have that
News has emerged that the producers of Mastermind are having to turn down contestant applications on the basis that their specialist subject has been done too many times before. The main culprit being Harry Potter. It appears that someone's best chanee to get on the show is to do an obscure subject like Icelandic Football.
News has emerged that the producers of Mastermind are having to turn down contestant applications on the basis that their specialist subject has been done too many times before. The main culprit being Harry Potter. It appears that someone's best chanee to get on the show is to do an obscure subject like Icelandic Football.
Monday, 29 January 2018
Grammys 2018
The big event of the music world this year left a couple of talking points. The first concerned a pre taped segment which had an number of music stars and beaten Presidential candidate Hilary Clinton reading excepts from Michael Wolff's warts and all examination of the current White House administration. The another was about the fact that only one major award was won by a Woman. For the last few years Men and Women have been competing against each other. The only Female victor was Alessia Cara who won the Best New Artist Award.
The big event of the music world this year left a couple of talking points. The first concerned a pre taped segment which had an number of music stars and beaten Presidential candidate Hilary Clinton reading excepts from Michael Wolff's warts and all examination of the current White House administration. The another was about the fact that only one major award was won by a Woman. For the last few years Men and Women have been competing against each other. The only Female victor was Alessia Cara who won the Best New Artist Award.
Sunday, 28 January 2018
Film the legend
The Darkest Hour starring the heavily Oscar tipped Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill has come in for some criticism. These are about scenes of Churchill riding on the London Underground getting public opinion on possible appeasement with the Nazis. Here 3 other films that did some truth bending.
Braveheart
In Mel Gibson's multi Oscar winning epic the Battle of Stirling is depicted as a pitch battle on an open field. However in real life it was more of a case of a large scale ambush as William (of course in the film played by Gibson) Wallace's forces attacked English troops as they crossed a bridge giving them a vital victory.
Chariots of Fire
Another Oscar winner that took major liberaties with the facts was the film about 2 British Athletes at the 1924 Olympics. In the film Eric (Ian Charleson) Liddell discovers just as he about to aboard the ferry taking him and the rest of the British team to France that the heats of the 100m were taking place on a Sunday however in real life he knew this several months before. In both Fact and Ficiton he pulled out of the 100m due to his religious beliefs though he would win the Gold in the 400m.
The Untouchables
The film depicts the reason for notorious gang boss Al (as played in the film by Robert de Niro) Caopne as tax evasion although it overplays the role of Elliot (Kevin Costner) Ness. In reality Capone's downfall was mainly due to the work of U S Attorney General George E Q Johnson and I R S agent Frank Wilson.
The Darkest Hour starring the heavily Oscar tipped Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill has come in for some criticism. These are about scenes of Churchill riding on the London Underground getting public opinion on possible appeasement with the Nazis. Here 3 other films that did some truth bending.
Braveheart
In Mel Gibson's multi Oscar winning epic the Battle of Stirling is depicted as a pitch battle on an open field. However in real life it was more of a case of a large scale ambush as William (of course in the film played by Gibson) Wallace's forces attacked English troops as they crossed a bridge giving them a vital victory.
Chariots of Fire
Another Oscar winner that took major liberaties with the facts was the film about 2 British Athletes at the 1924 Olympics. In the film Eric (Ian Charleson) Liddell discovers just as he about to aboard the ferry taking him and the rest of the British team to France that the heats of the 100m were taking place on a Sunday however in real life he knew this several months before. In both Fact and Ficiton he pulled out of the 100m due to his religious beliefs though he would win the Gold in the 400m.
The Untouchables
The film depicts the reason for notorious gang boss Al (as played in the film by Robert de Niro) Caopne as tax evasion although it overplays the role of Elliot (Kevin Costner) Ness. In reality Capone's downfall was mainly due to the work of U S Attorney General George E Q Johnson and I R S agent Frank Wilson.
Friday, 26 January 2018
Thursday, 25 January 2018
Death of the dish
The sight of satellite dishes stuck on house is about to end. Sky have announced there services will be mostly available through online services. This has been seen as a response the increasing power of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. The UK will see this come into effect around 2019. This will be good news for those who complain that dishes on houses are an eyesore.
The sight of satellite dishes stuck on house is about to end. Sky have announced there services will be mostly available through online services. This has been seen as a response the increasing power of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. The UK will see this come into effect around 2019. This will be good news for those who complain that dishes on houses are an eyesore.
Wednesday, 24 January 2018
NTA Awards 2018, same old same old
Well this year awards were very much like years. Ant & Dec (despite the formers personal problems) walked away from the ceremony with 3 awards including one named after the late Bruce Forsyth. Meanwhile Suranne Jones retained her best acting prize for her role in the melodrama Doctor Foster. Emmerdale won Best Soap for the second year running. One fresh winner was David Attenbrough who was given the Impact prize for his work in natural history. Though the main highlight was not shown as the stage was invaded by a protester, the problem for him was that he made his protest during pre filmed segment was shown on TV so his protest was not seen by the viewers at home.
Well this year awards were very much like years. Ant & Dec (despite the formers personal problems) walked away from the ceremony with 3 awards including one named after the late Bruce Forsyth. Meanwhile Suranne Jones retained her best acting prize for her role in the melodrama Doctor Foster. Emmerdale won Best Soap for the second year running. One fresh winner was David Attenbrough who was given the Impact prize for his work in natural history. Though the main highlight was not shown as the stage was invaded by a protester, the problem for him was that he made his protest during pre filmed segment was shown on TV so his protest was not seen by the viewers at home.
Tuesday, 23 January 2018
From roses to thorns
The anti Oscars the Razzies threw an interesting nomination this year. Jennifer Lawrence who has recent years has become a regular Oscar nominee has found herself up for a Razzie. This is for her performance in Mother! perhaps one of the worst reviewed films in recent years. This is one award Lawrence will not want to win.
The anti Oscars the Razzies threw an interesting nomination this year. Jennifer Lawrence who has recent years has become a regular Oscar nominee has found herself up for a Razzie. This is for her performance in Mother! perhaps one of the worst reviewed films in recent years. This is one award Lawrence will not want to win.
Monday, 22 January 2018
Sunday, 21 January 2018
The fall of Big Brother?
Early today there had been tabloid reports that Big Brother was being axed. However Endemol the production company that makes the show and Viacom owners of Channel 5 who show both later dismissed the claims. They both said that they were in discussion on an new contract. One has to wonder if this piece of price haggling to lower the costs of the show.
Early today there had been tabloid reports that Big Brother was being axed. However Endemol the production company that makes the show and Viacom owners of Channel 5 who show both later dismissed the claims. They both said that they were in discussion on an new contract. One has to wonder if this piece of price haggling to lower the costs of the show.
Friday, 19 January 2018
Lost in France
The death has been announced of Peter Mayle who was made famous by his books detailing his experience of living in France as an expat. The most famous of these was A Year in Provence which proved so poplar that it turned into a TV series starring John Thaw however it was an infamous flop. Mayle then moved into fiction with the Novel A Good Year, that was turn into a film directed Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe but that was a big misfire. It is curious that once upon a Briton was popular for living in Europe.
The death has been announced of Peter Mayle who was made famous by his books detailing his experience of living in France as an expat. The most famous of these was A Year in Provence which proved so poplar that it turned into a TV series starring John Thaw however it was an infamous flop. Mayle then moved into fiction with the Novel A Good Year, that was turn into a film directed Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe but that was a big misfire. It is curious that once upon a Briton was popular for living in Europe.
Thursday, 18 January 2018
Peter Wyngarde (1927 - 2018)
Today the death has been announced of Peter Wyngarde for whom the term of cult actor is more than approiate. The son of a diplomat he moved around many countries due to his father's work as a diplomat at one time in China he found himself in an interment camp along J G Ballard who famously wrote about the experience in Empire of the Sun. Wyngarde started his acting career in the 1950's. In the 1960's he made guest appearances in such hit TV shows like The Avengers, The Prisoner and The Saint. His greatest fame would come with the show Department S playing the role of Novelist Jason King who was part of a team that investigated impossible crimes. The character of King proved to so popular that he was given his own spin off show and has provided the basis of many spoof character the most famous being Austin Powers. However after being fined for gross indecency in 1975 Wyngrade's career suffered. in 1980 he appeared as Ming the Merciless henchman Klytus while he appeared in the 1984 Doctor Who serial Planet of Fire. Wyngarde's last film/TV credit was an episode of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett in 1994. With his discintive voice Peter Wyngarde leaves behind some memorable characters.
Today the death has been announced of Peter Wyngarde for whom the term of cult actor is more than approiate. The son of a diplomat he moved around many countries due to his father's work as a diplomat at one time in China he found himself in an interment camp along J G Ballard who famously wrote about the experience in Empire of the Sun. Wyngarde started his acting career in the 1950's. In the 1960's he made guest appearances in such hit TV shows like The Avengers, The Prisoner and The Saint. His greatest fame would come with the show Department S playing the role of Novelist Jason King who was part of a team that investigated impossible crimes. The character of King proved to so popular that he was given his own spin off show and has provided the basis of many spoof character the most famous being Austin Powers. However after being fined for gross indecency in 1975 Wyngrade's career suffered. in 1980 he appeared as Ming the Merciless henchman Klytus while he appeared in the 1984 Doctor Who serial Planet of Fire. Wyngarde's last film/TV credit was an episode of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett in 1994. With his discintive voice Peter Wyngarde leaves behind some memorable characters.
Wednesday, 17 January 2018
Laying on the shelf
While ITV were content to put onto a 2 and a half hour countdown of the most popular dog breeds in the UK, 2 episodes of the ever popular Midsomer Murders still remain unshown. The episode were filmed at the end of 2016. What makes the slow wait ridiculous is that both episodes have already been shown in Australia. You have wondered what is going through the minds of ITV top brass.
While ITV were content to put onto a 2 and a half hour countdown of the most popular dog breeds in the UK, 2 episodes of the ever popular Midsomer Murders still remain unshown. The episode were filmed at the end of 2016. What makes the slow wait ridiculous is that both episodes have already been shown in Australia. You have wondered what is going through the minds of ITV top brass.
Tuesday, 16 January 2018
Ultimate filler
Tonight on ITV for 2 and a half hours there is a count down on the 100 most popular dog breeds. Now this is what as known to uninitiated as filler TV, companies with nothing important to show will put on programmes just to fill the space. The countdown faces BBC1 comeption from Eastenders, Holby (Scotland gets home grown soap River City) City and Silent Witness. Next week though ITV should have higher figures with the National Television Awards,
Tonight on ITV for 2 and a half hours there is a count down on the 100 most popular dog breeds. Now this is what as known to uninitiated as filler TV, companies with nothing important to show will put on programmes just to fill the space. The countdown faces BBC1 comeption from Eastenders, Holby (Scotland gets home grown soap River City) City and Silent Witness. Next week though ITV should have higher figures with the National Television Awards,
Monday, 15 January 2018
On thin ice
After a 6 year gap Dancing on Ice the pro-celeb Ice Dancing competition came back onto the screens. However the shows commenter Tony Gubba had died in the intervening period. His place was taken by Matt Chapman known for his work on Horse Racing however after a fan outcry he was dropped after just 1 show and replaced by Football's Sam Matterface. As they say the show must go on.
After a 6 year gap Dancing on Ice the pro-celeb Ice Dancing competition came back onto the screens. However the shows commenter Tony Gubba had died in the intervening period. His place was taken by Matt Chapman known for his work on Horse Racing however after a fan outcry he was dropped after just 1 show and replaced by Football's Sam Matterface. As they say the show must go on.
Sunday, 14 January 2018
Sing a-long with Russ
The death of Bella Emberg has course brought up her work with Russ Abbot most famously playing the Wonder Woman spoof Blunderwoman. in another sketch Abbot takes on the guises of George Michael, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Palmer and Simply Red's Mick Hucknell. The Palmer section is of course a spoof on his Addicted to Love video where his backing band is made up of very thin models, of course this is far from the case in Abbots version there is the far from thin Emberg and 2 men including his long collaborator Les Dennis. You can see the sketch on Youtube.
The death of Bella Emberg has course brought up her work with Russ Abbot most famously playing the Wonder Woman spoof Blunderwoman. in another sketch Abbot takes on the guises of George Michael, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Palmer and Simply Red's Mick Hucknell. The Palmer section is of course a spoof on his Addicted to Love video where his backing band is made up of very thin models, of course this is far from the case in Abbots version there is the far from thin Emberg and 2 men including his long collaborator Les Dennis. You can see the sketch on Youtube.
Friday, 12 January 2018
Do you remember these shows?
Here is a list of 3 TV dramas that lasted for just one series
Moon & Son
A clairvoyant and her son solve crimes. The show was created by Robert Banks Stewart who also created Bergerac which in complete comparsion ran for 10 years.
Specials
This show focused on a group of part time police officers in Birmingham. The concept proved to a be turn off for viewers.
Seaforth
A drama set in a fictional northern town post WWII. Despite having a cast made up of such respected actors Linus Roche and Ciran Hinds the show failed to find a audience.
Thursday, 11 January 2018
Radio Review: Angstrom
Radio 4, 6:30pm, Wednesday
Starring Matthew Holness
Holness is still best known for his 2004 TV show Garth Marenghi's Darkplace which spoofed the Horror genre and now he stars in this spoof of the Scandi-Noir. The show is written by Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley and plays on the conventions of such material as Wallender, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc. There is only one actual Scandinavian accent and that is for the narration leaving the cast to use British accents. Holness in the title role comes off across as a take on British Detectives because though that is no bad thing as his character curses sharks for always getting away with murder, dealing with visions of his dead Wife and pet and a murder case with no corpse. As long you have some knowledge of the genre you will have laughs anyway it is good to have Matthew Holness back in a high profile venture.
Radio 4, 6:30pm, Wednesday
Starring Matthew Holness
Holness is still best known for his 2004 TV show Garth Marenghi's Darkplace which spoofed the Horror genre and now he stars in this spoof of the Scandi-Noir. The show is written by Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley and plays on the conventions of such material as Wallender, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc. There is only one actual Scandinavian accent and that is for the narration leaving the cast to use British accents. Holness in the title role comes off across as a take on British Detectives because though that is no bad thing as his character curses sharks for always getting away with murder, dealing with visions of his dead Wife and pet and a murder case with no corpse. As long you have some knowledge of the genre you will have laughs anyway it is good to have Matthew Holness back in a high profile venture.
Wednesday, 10 January 2018
The sins of the Grandfather
A law suit is being considered by the estate of Mervyn Haisman over the use of as a character the Grandfather of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart in the recent Doctor Who Xmas special. Haisman and Henry Lincoln introduced the character in 1968 story Web of Fear and became a recurring character on the show down the years earning almost mythic status. In recent years his Daughter Kate was introduced on the show. The estate of Haisman is claiming breach of copyright though the BBC refutes this. The issues still rumbles on.
A law suit is being considered by the estate of Mervyn Haisman over the use of as a character the Grandfather of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart in the recent Doctor Who Xmas special. Haisman and Henry Lincoln introduced the character in 1968 story Web of Fear and became a recurring character on the show down the years earning almost mythic status. In recent years his Daughter Kate was introduced on the show. The estate of Haisman is claiming breach of copyright though the BBC refutes this. The issues still rumbles on.
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
Change of host
Today the nominations for this year's BAFTA Film Awards were announced, The major contenders being The Shape of Water and The Darkest Hour. One another announcement, the being Stephen Fry's replacement as host, Fry had presented the awards for 17 years. So this year Joanna Lumley will be taking his place. The awards will take place on 12 February.
Today the nominations for this year's BAFTA Film Awards were announced, The major contenders being The Shape of Water and The Darkest Hour. One another announcement, the being Stephen Fry's replacement as host, Fry had presented the awards for 17 years. So this year Joanna Lumley will be taking his place. The awards will take place on 12 February.
Monday, 8 January 2018
Sunday, 7 January 2018
Food war tweets
The revelations that US President Donald Trump takes 3 McDonald's Cheeseburgers to bed with him has given one of McDonald's rivals a golden PR opportunity. In a tweet that mirrors the style of the President, KFC made great play of the size of the rations compared to those of their rival. McDonald's have yet to reply.
The revelations that US President Donald Trump takes 3 McDonald's Cheeseburgers to bed with him has given one of McDonald's rivals a golden PR opportunity. In a tweet that mirrors the style of the President, KFC made great play of the size of the rations compared to those of their rival. McDonald's have yet to reply.
Friday, 5 January 2018
Thursday, 4 January 2018
You not speaking for me.
When the Bronte Society announced that model Lily Cole they probably did not expect the fuss it would create. One member Nick Holland the author of an number of books about the sisters whose work included Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre resigned. Mr Holland believed the choice belittled the sisters. The Bronte Society may have gained some headlines but in ways they may have not wanted.
When the Bronte Society announced that model Lily Cole they probably did not expect the fuss it would create. One member Nick Holland the author of an number of books about the sisters whose work included Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre resigned. Mr Holland believed the choice belittled the sisters. The Bronte Society may have gained some headlines but in ways they may have not wanted.
Wednesday, 3 January 2018
Grin and bear it.
In 1984 The National Viewers and Listener's Association the Mary Whitehouse lead group of self appointed moral guardians of British media gave Yes Minister an award for decency in entertainment. The award cermonary itself saw the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher herself turn up to give the award. She also turned with a scrip for a sketch that she 'wrote' herself. She performed it with shows 2 stars Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthrone. You can see the discomfort in both actors faces, Eddington was once a Labour Party member and burned members card in protest it's policy on nuclear weapons so that would put him the complete opposite of Mrs T.
You can see this awkward moment on Youtube
In 1984 The National Viewers and Listener's Association the Mary Whitehouse lead group of self appointed moral guardians of British media gave Yes Minister an award for decency in entertainment. The award cermonary itself saw the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher herself turn up to give the award. She also turned with a scrip for a sketch that she 'wrote' herself. She performed it with shows 2 stars Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthrone. You can see the discomfort in both actors faces, Eddington was once a Labour Party member and burned members card in protest it's policy on nuclear weapons so that would put him the complete opposite of Mrs T.
You can see this awkward moment on Youtube
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