London Tonight Tonight Monday 30th April

Hello.
What a day: the more you think about it, and the implications of it, the more terrifying it becomes:

At 11.16 am, this appeared on the computer screens in the news-room:
"Omar Khyam found guilty at the Old Bailey".

And then, 30 minutes later, this:

" It can now be revealed that Mohammed Sidique Khan, the ringleader of 7/7 was a close associate of Omar Khyam when he was one of Britain's top terror targets and in the final stages of his plotting. Khyam also met another of the July 7 bombers, Shehzad Tanweer".

Tonight we will be asking, if the Security Services knew that, why did they not do more to stop 7/7 happening.
We'll talk to the friends and families of those who suffered and died on 7/7 to find out what they think.
We will also reflect the fact that the Police have had a really great result today, too. Had Omar Khyam and his gang not be stopped, the Ministry of Sound and Bluewater shopping centre might have been levelled, with countless deaths and injuries across the south east.

We also have the story of the little boy, desperate for a transplant, whose ethnic background makes that a lot more difficult.
We'll also have an old friend back with us who is living proof of why bone-marrow donations are literally a matter of life and death.

And we'll be reporting on why Kate Moss is causing queues in Oxford Street.

So I think it's all there but the top bit will knock your socks off.
Hope you can be there at 6.

Alastair and Tamzin.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 27th April

Hello, good afternoon, and roll on the weekend!

If you're thinking of some Oxford Street shopping this weekend then beware - part of the capital's famous shopping street is likely to be shut. It follows a massive fire there last night. We have the pictures - they show shoppers fleeing in panic as flames tore through the New Look store (that's the one next to Marks and Spencer between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road). No-one was hurt - which is something of a miracle. See the fire unfold tonight at 6.

Also - fortnightly bin collections. It's a hot topic - especially as the weather hots up - will it mean stinky bins and rats? And why are London councils largely ignoring the trend? We investigate.

The Tour de France is coming to London - we're live in Blackheath with lots on this tonight.

Plus James King talks movies, and Tamzin talks to Robert Carlyle - him from The Full Monty and Trainspotting.

That and much more - on London Tonight at six.

Stuart
Editor, London Tonight

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 26th April

Good afternoon - it's all a bit of a mess tonight: baked beans all over the place, up-turned buses and smoke and soot draping Deptford. Katie is on assignment so let me try to tidy things up a bit.

Faye, our lovely Producer, likes hers with HP or Worcester sauce. I said I preferred them with a bit of grated cheese on top, and we both confessed to having eaten them cold after a bit of a night on the town. Cilla Black advertised them and kids make unnecessary jokes about them. Hugh Grant, ALLEGEDLY, throws them at paparazzi photographers or so the snapper claims. A lesson in culinary arts or the science of ballistics? All will be revealed by Simon at 6.

I once had a film crew at my house doing Through the Keyhole. My dog Charlie flattered Lloyd Grossman and ran off with the lighting-man's cardigan. When they came into the house they put cotton bags over their shoes and left everything as they had found it. Very sweet and we remained apologetic about Charlie's behaviour in the garden.
When the company who made the film 28 Weeks Later revisited London, they managed to wreck what they hadn't wrecked the first time they came to make 28 Days Later. God knows what they'll do if they ever make 28 Years Later.
And I don't know if it's a good movie or not, but it's certainly great pictures: Chrissie will guide you through.

Deptford is a wonderful and fascinatingly historic bit of London which, alas, caught fire this morning: no-one was hurt but the borough is looking a bit Great Fire of London-ish again as Jon discovered.

Our favourite Harrow School boy, who went into space, is back and talking to us from the Science Museum. Is there life out there? Are the aliens nicer than the kids he went to school with in Harrow? Tune in to find out at 6.
Willsy, who wields a mean putter, is hoping to avoid the rough this evening: that's progress...

Chip chip.

Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 24th April

Good afternoon and here's what's ahead on London Tonight Tonight. We're packed full of news this evening.

Seven years ago Lucie Blackman disappeared thousands of miles from home. Her family fought constantly for justice, flying backwards and forwards from Sevenoaks to Tokyo to try to find her killer.
Then they thought they'd found him. Today, a court in Japan told them they were wrong.
We hear from Lucie's father about what he thinks happened, and from Lucie's mother too about the bitter recriminations destroying her family. It's a tough story to watch.

In other stuff...
There've been more terror arrests across the capital. Liz is digging to find out all she can.
Victoria station's getting a makeover - Phil took a hit for the team and went to be a sardine for the morning, to see for himself what rush hour is really like at one of our busiest stations.

And then there's Nicole Kidman's husband on being Nicole Kidman's husband... Chrissie Reidy running around a field with a bunch of police dogs... And a hundred year old man who bet on his OWN longevity. His story will really leave you with a smile.

Don't miss any of it, at six.

London Tonight Tonight Monday 23rd April

Afternoon, devoted followers of fashion...

Tonight's show is full of battles.

First up, the battle to get round the course at yesterday's marathon, only to find that some of the stations had run out of water! So, despite the copious warnings about record temperatures, the runners were left quite literally high and dry!
We'll be asking the boss of the race why the contingencies weren't good enough to cope.

Then there's the Newspaper Wars. The fight over your freesheet has just got nastier. London Lite and The London Paper square up over distribution. It turns out they've caught each other on camera throwing thousands of copies in the bin! Cue a PR battle.

St George fought a dragon and won! And despite his heroics hardly any of us know that today is his special day. Find out what the Mayor plans to do about it.

There's a battle on to get the best price for your home... Meet the estate agents with a new weapon - the Home Video!
Plus... Spiderman tackling the villains to save the world... Like I said, Monday's alright for fighting.

Join Katie and Al at six.
Your favourite Programme Editor, Faye.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 20th April

Hello from the London Tonight Friday team.

This evening we start with a fascinating look at pirate radio. New research from regulator Ofcom reveals that more than 800,000 Londoners are tuning in each week - and in some London boroughs more than a quarter of adults are listening. What does that say about the current mainstream radio stations? We've been investigating, and we've had exclusive access inside one of the stations today.

Where do you put a big bronze statue of Nelson Mandela? That question has caused a five year row - but the model of the former South African president now has a home. Or it will do soon, anyway. Find out where officials have finally decided to put it at six.

It's Marathon weekend - we're live on the course with advice for those running - and those watching.

Arsenal are playing in the UEFA cup final tomorrow. With a twist. We won't give the game away now, but it's an interesting story.

There have also been developments at Chelsea this afternoon - we'll keep you updated.

James looks at this weekend's movies - and then soul legend Alexander O'Neal is with us in the studio.

Don't miss the programme - it's Alastair and Tamzin with you this evening - and we're live at six.

Stuart
Editor, London Tonight

London Tonight Tonight Thursday April 19th

Good afternoon.

It's terrifying stuff. I bet most of you commute to work if you're reading this .. And I bet a fair amount of you fight every morning and evening to get a seat on the train. Well, new research today shows you're right to. Unbelievably, 8 years on from Ladbroke Grove, our sister documentary show, The London Programme, has commissioned the first research into what actually happens to passengers in train crashes. And that research, using clever simulations of crash test dummies, finds that if you're standing on a train, you're much more likely to be injured or killed. And this at a time when even with new carriages, more people than ever will find there's standing room only. We'll have all the details for you at 6.

Crime figures out today .. And as usual, the devil is in the detail. Headine figures are pretty postitive, but dig a little deeper, and you find that black on black homicide is up 20 percent. We've been to the communities most affected to get reaction, and Ronke's taken their thoughts right to the top - Sir Ian Blair.

We think there might be funny goings on at Arsenal. As rumours fly about David Dein's departure and boardroom splits, we've sent Marcus Powell, a committed Gunner, to investigate. Could Arsenal be about to become the next US owned football club?

And Steve Hargrave's been out in the sunshine, catching a few gigs and drinking beer. And he calls it work! It's the Camden Crawl, and he hooked up with Travis .... It's a hard life.

The gorgeous Robin is with us with the weather ("why does it always rain on him," asked Alastair at the meeting .. Which I thought was really quite witty!)

See you at 6.

Katie and Al. X

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday 18th April

Hello!

Tales of traffic chaos today I'm afraid. If any of you are planning to use the Blackwall Tunnel tomorrow... Keep your fingers crossed. There were big tailbacks this morning as TFL thought they'd stop the contraflow in a bid to prevent accidents when drivers unwittingly find themselves heading into traffic in the wrong lane. Good intentions, we think... But of course the result today is chaos. We've been investigating...

Another triumph for people power... You may remember the locals in Hackney up in arms about a mobile phone mast being erected near to a park. Well, hold the front page.. But just this very afternoon T-Mobile have backed down and agreed to go back to consultation. Hooray! You see, it's always worth shouting to get heard... Glen's been following the story.

You may be planning a super cheap holiday in the States now that you can get 2 dollars for every pound... But how about our friends across the pond? Are they still going to come to visit us? Because, let's face it, tourism brings a lot of cash into our fair city. Well, the sun was shining, we were passing Buckingham Palace .. And we found a lovely family of American tourists. And we thought we'd show them what a great time you can have here without having to spend much money... Tune in to find out what they got up to!

Football fans will know there's a crunch match tonight between West Ham and Chelsea. There's a lot to play for on both sides... Will an Icelandic tenor make the difference for the Hammers?

Meanwhile Chrissy has been helping put fish to sleep - no, really...

So you better join me and Chris Rogers at 6 to find out more!

Katie x

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 17th April

Good evening, it's Tuesday and did you notice how the temperature dropped this morning? Bit of a shock after all that spring sunshine, eh!

And before we get into the details of tonight's programme, we're feeling a little guilty in the newsroom. We thought one of our number was suffering from a bout of man flu - you know the kind that keeps one off work when there's a DVD box set of Lost to watch - only to discover that the poor boy is really ill! We send him all our grovelling positive thoughts and wish him better right away.

Now onto the show...
Up first. His dad has a Pucka pub, which serves some lovely-jubbly nosh. Recognise him yet? Jamie Oliver's dad's place has been hit by a gang of armed robbers and we've been to the Cricketers to hear all about it. Jamie reckons 150 grand ought to bring the culprits out of the woodwork. Marcus has more.

Talking of daylight robbery - check this out. A pensioner of 84 was shocked to say the least when a letter landed on his doorstep saying he was a penny in arrears on his rent. Yes, you did read right, that was a PENNY! Southwark Council's letter said he was facing eviction if he didn't pay up. Emma went to meet Frank to hear his story.

There's been a massive police raid on a posh vice ring - prostitution for sale in two of the most upmarket neighbourhoods in the capital. Piers Hopkirk will be live on the scene with the very latest - including the fleet of cars bought with the proceeds.

And, just when you thought that was enough to whet your taste buds... There's an allotment on the top of Harrods for anyone too posh to plant, and Sherlock Holmes says "es elemental, mi estimado Watson".
It's not as ridiculous as it sounds!!!

See you at 6.
The team.

London Tonight Tonight Monday 16th April

Good afternoon: Tamzin and I respectfully invite you to join us for London Tonight at 6... So long as you don't trash the place.

This message is coming to you via the internet: it is a brilliant tool which brings people together, shares information, finds goods at competitative prices and has led to at least two homes being trashed. This time we are not talking about a wayward teenager perhaps allowing things to get out of hand at a family home. We are talking about someone's property which was advertised for rent and they got a great deal more from their enquires. You really will want to know the full details from Glen at 6.

Been down the Westway lately? Seem a little dark? Well, at least you haven't been hit by an avalanche of collapsing street lamps, so who are you to complain? I think you will want to know the connection between these two strange observations and Simon Harris is the man to explain. Have your Health & Safety manuals to hand but don't throw them at the screen, however much you are tempted. There's no need for that kind of trashing!

No trashing at Stamford Bridge where, apparantly, it's all Russian Bear Hugs and Portuguese ... (what do the Portuguese do when they like someone? Dunno. Oh well) ... Portuguese Pleasantries as Ro-Man and The Man make up. Yeah? Yeah! Marcus Powell told me and will tell you.

I thought Rosamund Pike was spectacular in the James Bond film Die Another Day even if she did allow The Reform Club to be utterly trashed.
Tamzin went to see her, and is editing an interview as we speak. I am looking forward to seeing it unless the edit suite is trashed by Anti-Pike members of the Reform Club.

We're still worried about the declining numbers of bees in the capital and Chrissie has a new theory, along with the weather.
Tamzin thinks most of the missing honey-makers were trashing her garden this weekend but I have my doubts.
There's lost more but I have to go and have a cup of tea: I feel a bit trashed having just arrived from an over-night flight this morning. I'll be fine and thanks for worrying.
See you at 6
Alastair

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 13th April

Good Afternoon and a very 'Happy Weekend' to you all,

One of the double lovely things about a Bank Holiday weekend is that it's just the four days until there are two more days for loafing. And this weekend looks like we'll be loafing in the sun: "We'll have joy, we'll have fun, we'll be loafing in the sun..." A classic, we reckon, providing Chrissie's right about the forecast.

Now - onto the evening's line-up - and we start with a council admitting that they, er, may have got it wrong... Yes, really. Camden council sent out letters to parents on a housing estate in Hampstead because their children were, really rather selfishly, playing football outside. If they didn't stop all that noise, they were told, their ten and eleven year old darlings would be slapped with ASBOs. Marcus Powell's been talking to both sides of the argument.

Next up: Bees, or rather a lack of them. It seems London's little honey-makers have been doing a rather worrying disappearing act. We say 'honey-makers' - they actually make about a third of our food-chain tick along - what with all their pollinating. Glen Goodman has been investigating. Glen likes honey.

Phil Bayles, meanwhile, will be reporting on Transport for London's latest efforts to get us out of our cars and onto buses, trains, bikes or, indeed, or our own two feet. Sutton residents are the guinea-pigs in all this with 'experts' a-knocking on their doors offering personalised, green, travel solutions. So, if you're in Sutton, keep an eye out for people carrying clipboards and wearing yellow-shirts coming to your door.

By the way, you'd better hope they don't trip over your rubbish on their way up the path - councils have been fining people who put it out too early.

We'll be speaking to an actress who made her international reputation working alongside Bond, James Bond... and then we'll be looking at the weekend's movie releases with the King, James King.

And, as well as giving us the low-down on our sunny loafing chances, Chrissie will be talking to some real Mohican Indians - in Herne Hill, obviously.

Talk about a packed show. At SIX, we won't just be talking about it...

Ben & Tamzin

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 12th April

Hello and merry Thursday.

Here's what's ahead at 6.

100 armed police, 160 people found in possession of drugs and a dawn raid on a Rastafarian temple that officers described as "Crack Central".
It's a victory for the cops but after eight weeks of around the clock surveillance - have they got enough evidence to put the suspects away?

Fancy a cheap flight to New York - don't we all? Well, never fear the budget airline is here. Zoom airways is offering bargain basement prices - they say we've been held hostage by the trans-Atlantic airlines for too long. Are you convinced? Well we weren't. So we sent Simon Harris to find out if it's too good to be true.

And we've got the story of the Gorillas in the concrete. The great apes are a bit squashed in at Chessington World of Adventures and the powers that be have decided, enough is enough. Find out what will happen to them.
And just when you thought that was more than you needed - Matt Dawson in shorts - just a little titbit for the girls!

See you at six.

Faye, the Programme Editor (hence Matt Dawson... in shorts!)

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday 11th April

Hello! Teatime here so a pause to give you some info' about what is on the show tonight. Katie's on a late lunch so it falls to me to drop you an electronic line.

Here's an odd thing: the earliest known form of art is scrawlings of animals on cave walls in central France.
Ever since people learned to write, if they are cross about something, they scrawl it on walls.
And one of the greatest pieces of modern art, in my view, is Picasso's 'Guernica', not a scrawl but an amazing mural.
So..... Why shouldn't friends and family of Billy Cox, one of the south London victims of gun-crime, celebrate his life and death in a huge, and rather beautiful, end of terrace mural? Lots of voices saying they shouldn't, so we asked Simon Harris to talk to both sides and gives us his take.

Swans should be white: grey, if they are babies, or signets if you are being pedantic. They shouldn't be pink. In Windsor they are. Chrissie wanted to know why so we sent her to find out, do the weather and then tell us ... and you.

You buy a house. You insure it. An "Act of God" damages it. The Council orders it knocked down. You get another house.
Follow all of the above and all is well.
Leave the second one out and you are well and truly up the creek without means of nautical propulsion. Or a house.
Many of you will remember the house collapse story in Bromley last year. Not a happy ending, I fear.

Not a happy ending for Piers Morgan, who edited the Daily Mirror, published some great pictures that were fakes and got the sack.
Down-cast, disheveled, out of work and out of sorts? Nah! Star of stage, screen and after dinner-speech circuit, he has also written a couple of rather light but rather funny books about his post-Fleet Street exploits. The latest will feature in our conversation tonight.
Petula Clark never edited a newspaper but kept many a showbiz and music correspondent in copy for years.
Did Piers always get it right about her?
Well, if not she can give him a good slap because she's with us tonight, too!
I am getting quite excited about it all: hope you are too.
See you at 6
Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 10th April

It is always an odd day - back from a delightful Bank Holiday break and facing the prospect of a new week. The weather was good and we hope you all had a decent break, too.

Anyway, back we are, and under the energetic leadership of The Boss who is in "sleeves-rolled-up-and-raring-to-go" mode so follow her, we will!

Tamzin is a fine example to us all, today: not only is she presenting with me tonight, she is also doing a report on Wembley's contribution to Al Gore's concerts that are being held to Save The Planet. It may just be that they will also save a few, faltering careers in pop and politics, too, but it's in a Good Cause so we are all for it.
(Al Gore's wife Tippa always used to complain about rock and pop lyrics being corrosive bile, infecting the minds of our poor young kids: so she'll enjoy a lot of Madonna's back-catalogue and, as for Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas, I want a seat close to the former Vice President's lady so I can watch her eyebrows!!)

Talking of the United States, when they overtook the British Empire to become the most powerful industrial force on the planet, they had the decency to talk English so we could keep abreast of what was going on!
Now China is about to take over the world, but the mighty dragon is showing no signs of being so helpful: it will be Mandarin - take it or leave it.
SO, Londoners are showing their resilience and imagination: the nanny-employing classes have added another requirement to clean shoes, clean finger nails and an ability to switch off the TV: hear from the woman who says an ability to speak and even teach China's first language is the latest "must have" in certain fashionable parenting circles.

Blending pop music and parenting, (are you keeping up?) Natasha Beddingfield is live in the studio to talk about her latest offering which, I gather, is a crie de coeur from a beautiful woman who wants to be loved.... Ah!
At the other end of the age range, The Royal Hospital in Chelsea, is building a new infirmary and the Honourable Gentlemen in Red Coats have come up with a great idea to tempt you to help them.... You'll want to get involved, honest.
The Football Club of that same address are in action tonight with as many concerns about crowd safety as about team performance: we'll have the latest from pitch-side in Valencia.
( I just asked Ken, He Who Knows About Football, to remind me where they are playing: "Basra" he said " At least it might as well be if the last couple of European away games are anything to go by". Ouch.)

And we start tonight with the tragic story of the man, suspected of knifing his young son to death, who's killed himself while on remand in jail. There is no upside to this story but we want to know, whatever he was accused of, why the hell wasn't he on suicide watch?

There you go: quite a mix and no slack or fat.

See you at 6.

Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 5th April

Good afternoon.
July 7th 2005 still looms large in most Londoner's darker memories but one of the strangest things about it was that those that let off the bombs killed themselves in the process: no culprit you could see, no perpertrator you could vent your anger on or share your forgiveness with.
It was done and they were gone.
It also meant no closure for the injured survivors and no justice for the relatives of the victims who didn't survive. But from day one, the Police have always said there must have been others involved and they never let up on their investigations.
Today, three people have been charged in connection with those events and we will have all the details for you at 6.

It's a beautiful day and the Bank Holiday weekend promises more good weather. Stay in your garden and enjoy? Visit one of London's stunning parks? You've promised yourself an outdoor treat for long enough - this weekend is the time to do it! Go to France, Latvia, Italy or even Bognor! Whatever, you are the kind of people who don't just let time slip by and we aren't the kind of people to deny you all the tips you need to make the most of the Bank Holiday weekend. Glen, Liz and Chrissie have your survival pack.
Talking of which, Ben is still in Ghana with his intrepid air cadets: they threaten to rebuild a school, subject to planning permission and Health and Safety... Joking about planning!
A Newham woman had always planned to have her baby naturally, and even when serious problems developed she bravely tried to stick to her guns. How supportive the medical team with her were..... NOT!!!!
You will be amazed and, I might venure, furious when you hear what one of them had to say.
Finally, when I asked the team what Scooby Doo's catch phrase was they all said, like some demented choir, in four part harmony, "it's Scoooby Dooby Doo, dummy!" Charmed I am sure.
Anyway, the dog's on the show, though I am not entirely clear why: join me in finding out at 6.
Alastair

PS Katie sends her best and will be there too!

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday 4th April

Afternoon!

A great victory has been won! The Crushing Council, Lambeth, has come under some pretty crushing pressure from you and us in the last couple of days , and, I'm happy to report that they have performed a massive U turn, and are changing their policy on crushing cars. Tune in at 6 to find out more... And we'd like to hear from you if you're irritated by illogical red tape in your local council, whether it's parking, rubbish, libraries .. You name it, if you're annoyed by it, let us be your champions.

There's been a huge sentence handed down today to a group of armed robbers who killed a man during the raid. 98 years between 6 guys, one of whom is a very good footballer. He even acted as Thierry Henry's body double in an advert. What a waste.

Simon Harris has been going underground, checking out a major tunnel that will be needed for the London Olympics, already completed.. And getting a peak at some of the other construction projects that they promise will be finished soon.

We've the latest installment of Ben's "one goes mad in Ghana" series... Today he and his hardy group of RAF cadets are on their way to rebuild a school classroom... I suspect there are some japes en route..

Then Al and I will be talking to Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting and 28 days later, about his new sci fi epic, Sunshine. Fab.

All that , and Robin will be frolicking in the spring sunshine in Hyde Park.

See you at 6!

Katie and Al. x

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Tues 3rd April

Hello.

If you saw yesterday's programme you may have been astonished at our lead story - the couple from Streatham who legally parked their car - went on holiday - and came back to find it had been crushed by the council.

Tonight - another - similar tale - and Lambeth Council defend their policy. You will not want to miss it.

Talking of crushing - Network Rail are trying to end the overcrowding on commuter trains by pouring huge amounts of money into new projects. Will your line be getting a slice of the cash? Tune in to find out.

It's the third anniversary of the Safer Neighbourhood policing - we hear Ken Livingstone and Sir Ian Blair's verdict.

Plus day 2 in Ghana doesn't quite go to plan - we're live at the boat race weigh-in - and the Bollywood movie star talking to us about playing a Southall woman.

It's quite a mix.

Join Katie and Alastair at six.

Stuart
Editor, London Tonight