London Tonight Tonight: Friday 31st August

Hello, hello, hello to you.

Don't know what your weekend holds - it could well be work - but let's hope the sun shines. It's not rained for days and, truth to tell, we're getting used to it.

In fact , if you haven't got your weekend plans sorted - even more reason to watch the programme. Not only will we have our guide to the weekend wonders - 'What Not to Miss' - Mr King will also be here to look at a couple of the big movies you can take in.

Before all that though, a couple of dreadful stories for us to tell. A group of children have been convicted of manslaughter today after they stoned a man to death as he played cricket with his son in Erith. Unprovoked. Inexplicable. While Ronke Phillips has all the details on the death of Ernest Norton, Marcus Powell has been to the town to see what it's like, to try and understand the feelings there. It all makes for extraordinary, enlightening viewing.

And, sadly, there is more sadness from Newham. A 17 year old lad was stabbed to death last night. Tamsin Roberts will have the latest on the police investigation from there.

Meanwhile Phil Bayles looks back on 20 years of the Docklands Light Railway... and young Oliver Williams rounds off our week of reports from some of our younger viewers with his take on the Stansted Airport expansion row... PLUS there'll be more from the world of entertainment, with Steve Hargrave chatting with South London band, Athlete.

So, start your weekend with all of us. ITV1. At six.

See you then.

Ben & Tamzin

 

 

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 30th August

Good evening and what a feast of ferocious debate we have for you tonight, wrapped around our news agenda like the Union Jack is wrapped around a winning athlete.
And that is where we'll start.

Our features producer knew Christine Ohuruogu when they were kids and won't hear a word against her. That wasn't quite the view adopted by the athletics authorities when Christine missed not one , not two but three dope-testing sessions. No drugs were ever found but it was still enough for them to ban her for a year from competition, and for life from the Olympics.
More than a year passed and up she pops in Japan, quite legally, and wins Gold in her 400 metres event. Cue smiles, flapping Union Jacks and the British Olympic Association pouring cold water on her victory parade. Sangeeta is under starter's orders for a fascinating dash on this story. And we want your thoughts, too. Remember, Beijing is less than a year away and Gold medals don't exactly wrap themselves round British necks that often....

Next, we sometimes look at a story and say "bin it" - not good enough for you, not interesting enough or, perhaps, we've already told you about it. That's fine for a story but should a rowdy kid get the same treatment for irritating a copper?
PC Slam-Dunk popped a rowdy in a bin, feet first, a few years back. You may be amused, infuriated, jealous or content when you hear what the kid got from the cops for his inconvenience, discomfort and general annoyance. Ronke is banging lids for us.

We board a transport police chopper to take a look at some of our railway lines that other kids are mistaking for hurdles, a hop-scotch course or just a short-cut. Silly kids? Actually, dead kids in some cases. Pause-for-breath time.

Have you ever noticed how different the stewards and stewardesses are on different airlines? Some of the Cheap and Cheerful ones seem to just want to get home and out of those hideous uniforms. The American ones can ONLY smile. German ones are blonde, efficient and think you should drink beer rather than wine. But the biggest contest, I think, is between the cheeky chaps and chapesses of Virgin and the slightly more proper trolley-dollies and dereks of BA. Ah well, its an important job and they are there for our safety.

Forty years ago, Tricia Fitzgerald wanted to give it a go. Forty years on, she finally dons the uniform...   but which airline has the benefit of her beauty and experience? Mike Pearse has a hot-towel and something for you to read at six.

Bailey McKenzie prompted some Life of Brian-like plagiarism from Faye: "he's a right naughty little boy" and, more Oscar Wilde, "a precocious little mite". Anyway, he is our football and history loving Cub-reporter tonight - the two do go together in a fascinating way.

Bailey didn't go to High School Musical 2 but Steve did and Katie will kill for tickets. Promoters be warned.

 

Finally, mystery still surrounds the death of Dr Victoria Anyetei. Today her brave brother goes on air to appeal for help in hunting down whoever murdered his sister. It is very moving. I'll say no more.

 

So, there you go: on your marks, get set, go and do whatever else you need to - but be back by 6.

 

Alastair and Katie.
 

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 28th August

Good afternoon: post-Bank Holiday blues seem to have permeated some of our number so we have done all we can to raise their spirits: I , for example, held Programme Editor Faye's hand briefly during our planning meeting and Katie, for another, mentioned one of her favourite nursery rhymes. So, incase any of you are in a similar frame of mind, here is my electronically extended paw and Katie's "Ring A Ring A-Roses" bid to pull you out of your Tuesday torpor. If that is not where you are - sorry. I'll press on anyway.

Heroism tinged with tragedy is a challenging start but that is Glen's lot in Essex at the scene of a plane crash: one adult male and a little girl  died as a light aircrafty crashed, shortly after take-off; but, somehow, an adult female managed to survive and was rushed to hospital by those ever-brilliant and brave paramedics. We'll have the full story at 6.

And we've the young back-packing Londoner, languishing in an Indian jail cell facing the prospect of ten very disagreeable years with 49 very disagreeable inmates for drug smuggling. Tough, if he did it you might say; but he says his confession was tortured out of him. We'll tell you about the extraordinary lengths his mum and dad are going to to help him prove that and get him home. Not a pleasant story but one all parents of would-be back-packers should give ear to.

It still seems odd to me but 2 shootings and a knifing is judged a "good result" by the organisers of the Notting Hill Carnival. But I guess, with over a million people on the streets, the extraordinary thing is that there weren't more deaths, births and marriages! All the details.
Also a new generation of Carnival through the eyes of a new generation of Londoner: Malachi will melt your heart and probably end up doing me out of a job: he's on at about 6.15.
Carnival was raising money for our friends at the African Caribbean Leukemia Trust - you remember, Daniel de Gale's mob!
Well, we've also the story of Damario Thomas who, thanks to that, will be able to go to Carnival in his own right in a few years time. Job done.

No-one looks like doing Boris Johnson out of a job except himself. Why the sweet taste of potential victory in London could get him a P45 in Henley - and why the flaxen warrior is smiling, despite only looking likely to win the chance to take his chance.
Jamie Bell was a brilliant Billy Elliot and has landed his first major movie role. Clear.
Tinchy is a "grime" artist - a stellar example of a sub-genre of urban music variously described as London Rap or 'Dizzee Rascal meets Arthur Mullard'. Or 2-step meets break-dancing. Unclear.

But I'll tell you what - the kid has real talent and is asking for your votes in the up-coming MOBOs. Tamzin will explain all. To you. And to us.
Respect.

See you at 6.
Alastair & Katie

London Tonight Tonight Friday 24th August

Afternoon kids...
It's almost the bank holiday so hang on in there... We've got your weekend edition of London Tonight to get you started, and here's what's in it!

 

Crime on our trains. We've all seen it - from anti-social behaviour to graffiti and drunken louts. Now the British Transport Police say we must all stand up for ourselves and not suffer in silence. But what happens when we do that? Robin Ross has spent the day with the patrols and the passengers hearing why we're all living in fear.

 

And talking of living in fear... the Met has announced that the number of gangs in London is growing all the time. Now up to 257! Amazing as it sounds, we ask the Commander of the police's Youth Violence Unit what we can do about it.

 

And when they should be responding to those emergencies on our streets - unfortunately too often our 999 call centres are busy having to field crank calls from the public. Well today they're naming and shaming some of the culprits. Glen Goodman will play you the most ridiculous and frustrating of those time wasters.

 

Then we talk to Rihanna about being an international music superstar, and Robin will have the weather prospects for the bank holiday weekend.

 

So don't miss any of it,

We'll see you at six.

Faye
(The Programme Editor)

 

 

London Tonight Tonight: Thur 23rd Aug

Good afternoon.

 

Well that's a lie, for a start: it is raining.

 

So, allow us to take you away from all that in what is the final lap before a bank holiday weekend that threatens to be summer, all crammed into 72 hours.

 

Peter, Paul and Mary: a curious musical combo from way back when - actually the 50s and 60s I think - sang of "Leaving on a jet 'plane". They also sang about the now seriously politically incorrect "Puff, the Magic Dragon" so we'll have none of that.

Nor jet 'planes, come to that: but we have got pretty well every other form of transport trundling into our news agenda.

Well, rather than 'trundling', potentially grinding to a halt, for starters: the tube network. Maintainance staff, who keep the tube running safely and smoothly want to do neither for 72 hours to demonstrate their disquiet at receiving no guarantees from the now bankrupt and pretty well defunct Metronet that none will lose their jobs, their pensions nor have an iota of their working conditions impinged upon by this half billion pound collapse. Right. Piers is the man clutching the potentially redundant Oyster Card and explains why events in Whitechapel might just have helped their case. Falling masonry, he cried.

 

Next Liz, a woman I 've always thought of as a very womanly woman, has decided she wants to be a pilot - a ship's pilot, so relax if you feared I was reneging on one of my Peter, Paul and Mary pledges!.

She has a high old time in the simulator but wait until she gets a go with the real thing. Anchors away - well away, if I were you. She's just told me she told the instructor she can't even parallel park a car. And you'll love the explanation from the pilot of what was at stake when she muddled her port with her starboard"!

 

There's nothing worse than someone peeing in your back garden. Well, there is but let's settle for a lavatorial statute of limitations on this one. If your garden is at the end of a Bus route and the driver is in need, your flora bunda may get an unwelcome boost of uric acid which Titchmarsh himself tells me is no good for anything except dandelions. The drivers want portaloos or something like that and the gardeners are with them. Phil is flushed with his own success with this one.

 

We also talk to the bus driver who I am sure would no more pee in a garden than drive his car in a bus lane. He is a hero, a man of honour and our sort of guy. Hear why from the father who owes him a huge amount in what could have been a life and death challenge. Marcus will ring the bell when everyone's ready to start.

 

Finally, Ashley Walters became a pop star who became part of So Solid Crew who became Asher D who did some bad stuff who did time who saw the error of his ways who became a movie star. Sweet.

Sugarhouse sweet, in fact. Great guy (now!) and a great movie: he joins us live.

 

So, back to the packing and planning for the Bank Holiday but take a tea break with us at 6 and your spirits will soar. Unless you liked Puff The Magic Dragon who, to be fair, did live by the sea and did frolic.... enough!

 

There's work to do.

 

Alastair & Katie.

 

 

 

London Tonight Tonight Weds 22nd August

Good afternoon gang... and we've got a great show for you tonight. It's full of compelling and heartwarming stories aswell as things that will probably make you want to throw your remote at the telly!

 

Let's start with an exclusive look at the dangers of Crystal meth. The drug is fairly new on the London party scene... unfortunately becoming an addict of meths is far from a party. It ravages the body and the soul, and tonight we bring you the story of how it can also kill. Ben Grey's life quickly spiralled out of control when he started taking crystal meth. Now he's dead and his partner says it was the drug that killed him. We hear his story and hear from one former dealer about the timebomb waiting to go off.

 

Then there's the amazing story of the bus driver who saved a young boy's life. Conroy Ellis was minding his own business when a gang of youths starting yelling racist abuse at him. Within seconds a bus driver parked nearby realised he was in terrible danger. He stepped in and helped him escape... tonight we hear from Conroy's dad about the hero that saved his boy from becoming another Stephen Lawrence.

 

Talking of heroes. Ronnie Wood. Yes I did say Ronnie Wood is joining us to tell us all about art and music - and lighting up on the O2 stage. Alastair is beside himself with excitement!

 

That, and the inspiring story of little Harvey Perry who's 22 months old with no legs, but who's family is fighting to give him a chance at a normal life. If he doesn't win you over, nothing will... and Ben Scotchbrook asks why Summer in the City has been a total washout.

 

 

You'd better watch - it's a goodun!

 

Katie and Al will see you at six,
Faye (the Programme Editor)

 

 

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Mon 20th Aug

Good afternoon.

Katie is back and she wasn't in Jamaica so she is OK and has come back at a time of her own choosing.

There was a concern that Chrissie's weather forecast could make her wish she had stayed where she was but she has cried "Nonsense" to that and can't wait to get to grips with what we have for you tonight. Can't blame her, given what we've got.

The killer of headmaster Philip Lawrence is due to be released shortly having served 12 years for the man's murder. The Home Office wanted him sent back to Italy from whence he hailed. But, they were warned, that would infringe his human rights. And Philip's, you might ask? And Mrs. Lawrence's? Ben investigates and we'll be asking for your views.

Camilla Batmanghelidjh has a crazy name and wears crazy head-gear. But she is also the founder of "Kids Company", a charity many think does more to keep kids on the straight and narrow than many others. Given what happened to Philip Lawrence and what has happened to getting on for 20 kids so far this year, her work is vital. Literally.

But she is running out of cash and energy. She'll tell us of her problems live on the show.

I don't think she'll copy the woman with a brain tumour who is launching a charity dating agency to raise a million before the ghastly growth takes her life.

But who knows.

Our education administrators who, of course, also have some influence on how our children turn out, show no signs of holding back on their remarkable displays of insensitivity and crassness: tonight Emma has the example of Potters Bar and a school closure leading to the moving of kids to another school.... without enough classrooms.

It would be "a cracker" were it not to do with the educational prospects of yet more of London's children.

And Black Gold on The Buses: Ken's Venezuelan oil bonanza has gushed all over some Oyster cards held by the less well off: Phil is our answer to Red Adair.

See you at 6!

Alastair & Katie

 

 

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 17th Aug

Good afternoon.

What a pond of anger and disquiet we dipped into last night! I had never even heard of "Chafford Hundred" though I know Lakeside very well. Chafford Hundred is a new housing development out there - where lots of lovely people are making their homes but not getting their kids into the schools they want. 22 kids to be precise. And it was clear from your calls and e-mails that what Liz discovered out there is far from unique.

Tonight, we've new twists that involve kids from the same family being forced to go to different schools in a way that drives a coach and horses through regulations. And a local MP who is outspoken, colourful and Labour - but who HM Government may wish had stayed on holiday! The Thurrock Thunderer, live at 6,.

Talking of holidays, I am afraid there's still no good news on the Heathrow front ; we take no sides on the environmental issues at stake but can report the protestors aren't moving - in more ways than one. Some are still firmly, if not a little muddily, at Heathrow. Others were firmly fixed at the Department of Transport and, in some cases, to the Department of Transport in what will prove a very painful way. Up, up and away with all on that story at 6.

My favourite tale tonight would not be out of place in an episode of Blackadder and a version of it featured in The Madness of King George. It is living proof that the old ways are sometimes still the best ways. It involves 30 slimy horrors, a mangled limb and a very happy man. You see if I'm not right!

But top of our news list is a simple yet stunningly powerful piece of work designed to save lives in London.

Hearts are not worn on sleeves nor is your nose rubbed in the bloody aftermath of a street shooting or knifing. A moving mix of classical music and stunning photography, blended with the image of a boy whose cousin was a victim, and the result is breath taking. We know you will be impressed and we all hope it does some good.

It is Friday so we will flirt, outrageously, with Julian Clary. Steve Hargrave took plums and a sausage to the interview which, personally, I think don't make for an agreeable lunch: sausages and tomatoes or plums and shortbread - but not plums and sausages. Anyway, we'll see what Julian makes of them.

Jasmin caught Matt Damon at the premier of Bourne Ultimatum and secured a terrific interview - even if it left her not a little speechless. (Mind you, Faye The Boss was as much use as a paper teapot afterwards, too, so it is hardly Jasmin's fault.)

Anyway, Helen casts a much more objective eye over the movie itself to help you decide whether it joins your Must Do This Weekend list or is a case of Bourne Avoidance.

She also looks at Bratz which I'd swear my kids auditioned for. Maybe they are in it? They never tell me anything these days apart from when they've run out of money.

Romily has answered the titanic challenge of crafting and recording her version of What Not To Miss - she looked a little nervous when The Boss asked her to do it and I think may even have gone for a lie-down , as I write, so as to be in mental and physical readiness for what many see as the Everest of TV packaging.

In every hope she survives the ordeal, we'll both see you at 6.

Alastair and Romily

 

 

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 16th August

Good afternoon, and seeing as Alastair just gave me his last jelly baby, the least I could do was offer to write our daily rundown of what not to miss on London Tonight at 6!

 

At six months pregnant, Denise Darrell-Lambert faces the prospect of walking 3 miles, to take her young daughter to school. Having failed to get a place at her chosen primary (a ten minute stroll away) - the four year old will face an hour and a half trek just to go to school and back. They live in Chafford Hundred in Thurrock, where more housing is due to be built imminently. So, what are the council doing to provide adequate school places? And what are families supposed to do if their children have to commute miles to class? Liz Wickham has been meeting the affected families, and we've put the Chief Exec of Thurrock Council on the spot.
Staying on the theme of education - and plenty of bright sparks have been celebrating brilliant A levels results across the capital today. It's prompted plenty of chat in the newsroom... it's amazing how fresh the memories of that morning are for some fairly hardened hacks! Well today - we've followed one outstanding pupil as he discovered just how well he'd done - and the results are far more hi-tech nowadays!

Next - the 7/7 report highlighting the fact that more than two years on, the emergency services are still struggling with inadequate communications underground. The airwave radios promised to police, fire and ambulance crews for use in the depths of the tube network have still not materialised - begging the question, if disaster struck tomorrow, would we be any better off than we were two years ago?

Well, we've been waiting with baited breath for some action, and today the protestors at the Heathrow climate camp, targeted another local airport. And whilst they chained themselves to the front gates at Biggin Hill, we're asking if this was a dry run for things to come at Heathrow?

Meanwhile, to the beautiful game - which has turned ugly. West Ham are now being sued by Sheffield United, Piers Hopkirk is at Upton Park with the latest.

All that, and a guide to how to avoid being ripped off by cowboy plumbers, electricians, and builders - don't miss it at 6.

Emma and Alastair

 

 

 

London Tonight Tonight Weds 15th August

Good afternoon.
I made a proposal to  Emma, and gave her something of  an ultimatum: given she has written the blog for the last two days, I will write it today. Or I will never write it again.
Faye, the Boss, was keen to call my bluff and save you from my occasionally surreal ramblings but Emma agreed to my proposal so no need to return to the ultimatum.
I could have taken to the skies to make my proposal if I was as imaginative and romantic as one viewer from East Sheen: James made Floss a seriously happy lass at several hundred feet up in the skies.. with a little help from his farmer dad. It will all make sense and make you shed a tear of joy and heave a sigh of blissful approval. Unless you're a crop-circle afflicted farmer.

Down to earth and Waterloo to be precise. The most bankable movie star in Hollywood was there a while ago to learn something very complicated to his advantage. We have issued him with an ultimatum to explain all to Jasmine, who was born to rub shoulders with the stars,  in Leicester Square.

In Wokingham they are very sad but deeply proud. Captain David Hicks hails from there. He died in action in Afghanistan, leading his troops and looking after them. His is a noble and moving story, told with passion and sensitivity by Simon Harris.

Marcus will try to unravel the brutal mystery surrounding another much loved person, knifed to death in her own car. She was on her way to work. She was a leading children's doctor. Police think her killer waited and waited and then struck. It is a tragic loss and a chilling tale.

But nothing competes with our lead story which is why it is our lead story.
The bare facts centre on litter, good citizenship and a cold killing. Can we no longer act the good citizen? Can we no longer intervene, safely, on the side of what is right? Has London become too dangerous for the law-abiding among us? It is that sort of story and you won't want to miss it.
Or any of it.

 

(Thanks Em': glad I got that off my chest.)

 

See you at 6

 

Alastair and Emma

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 14th August

Good afternoon - and what a soggy one it must be for all those climate change protestors in tents at Heathrow! Nevertheless, as promised, Simon Harris was given a guided tour of the site today, and has been quizzing the campaigners on plans to cause chaos for holidaymakers.

But we start the show tonight with a terrible story. The tragic death of a two year old - stabbed to death by her own mother. Police were called to a flat in Barking in the early hours of this morning where they made the gruesome discovery. Ronke Phillips has been talking to neighbours who had already reported the woman's erratic behaviour, and voiced their concerns over her child's safety. It all raises the question - could this little girl's life have been saved?

Next - how can we avoid paying to drive into our city? Well it's simple according to Ken Livingstone, who plans to allow small cars a free ride when the congestion charge is reviewed in Feb 2008. If your car has a small carbon tyre print - no more charge, but for the gas guzzlers there will be a hefty bill to pay. Ben Scotchbrook has the complete run down on exactly who will be exempt.

 
When Bradley Evans travelled to Turkey on a diving holiday, he knew his father was due to have heart surgery next week, so stayed in regular contact. But last Monday, the phone calls stopped - he had vanished. His family have been telling Marcus Powell how it is completely out of character, and how they are worried sick about what has happened to him.

On to entertainment - and what more do you need than the fabulous Avenue Q! Celebrating their 500th show in the West End, the cast have been telling Jasmine Lowson all about the avenue's appeal, and how their Sesame street-style characters manage to keep adult audiences giggling. I certainly had sore sides after my visit - not for the easily outraged though!

No such strong language in London Tonight of course - so make sure you tune in for all the latest at 6.

Emma and Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Monday 13th August

Afternoon everyone,

 

Another busy start to the week here in London, and we've got all the top stories for you.

 

We start with a harrowing appeal from a grieving mother - begging local people to help catch her son's killer. Ben Hitchcock was one of a record 18 teenagers killed on London's streets this year alone - and his mum is certain someone knows who's responsible. She tells Ronke Phillips how she hopes they'll be brave enough to come forward.

 

Next - how would you feel if a teenager told you what to do in the street? Well, with two sixteen year olds now appointed as community support officers in Reading -Thames Valley residents better get used to it. We'll be finding out why the force thinks kids are capable of supporting the police.

 

They've vowed to cause disruption and admitted they do plan to break the law - we're live at the Camp for Climate Action at Heathrow, as Simon Harris investigates what chaos may ensue at the capital's busiest airport.

 

Now - how many of you carry a donor card? And how many of you have even given due consideration to whether you would donate your organs?

Well, one man on the show tonight is hoping that he might just be able to persuade you it's the right thing to do. Peter Williams is 28 years old, but has been told that without a new heart he will die in three weeks time. Marcus Powell met the father of three, fighting for his life.

 

And finally tonight - "I feel the need for speed". Well sort of! If you recognise that line, you'll definitely want to see Chrissie at a gathering of Top Gun fans tonight.....she hasn't told us whether she'll be in a flight suit just yet...but she is meeting "Viper" and promising not to lose her wing man!

 

Plenty to keep you watching - so hope you'll join us at 6.

 

Emma and Alastair

 

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 10th Aug

Good afternoon and welcome to London Tonight Tonight in which we try to tempt you to join us and stay with us for the whole programme tonight.

 

Well, if I wasn't presenting it,l I'd scoot home to make sure I could watch it!

We take you inside the Pirbright facility where we are now almost certain the Foot and Mouth outbreak began. We talk to the Chief Vet Debbie Reynolds about the latest scares. (By the way, do you think, in 30 years, there'll be a Chief Vet called Uma Thurman or Kate Winslett?)

Away from that, George Galloway reveals which parliamentary seat he intends to contest at the next general election: you probably already know he'd said it wasn't going to be Bethnal Green and Bow again but the person he hopes to hurt this time is even more important, at the moment, than Oonagh King was last time.

The night before graduation at the Sandhurst Military Academy, or passing out as they call it, and disaster struck.

The ghastly details are more Peyton Place than An Officer and A Gentleman.

A young woman cadet, seriously ill in hospital; a young male cadet, held by police investigating attempted murder; 4am booze-ups and people in their underwear. And all among the country's future Officer Corps. It is jaw-dropping.

On the entertainment front, I am in a state of deep decline because Tamzin and I didn't get to interview Natalie Imbruglia who, instead, pours out her heart to Steve. I no longer support his campaign to play Buddy in the West End. (Tamzin says it was only ever a one-man campaign so "He's stuffed!")

Helen will be here to cast an eye over the movies and Tamzin will, as ever, craft her indispensable almanac of the weekend joys in the capital: yes, it is What Not to Miss.

I fought the fight but, alas, there will also be a preview of the footy season that pours, like a pot of poison, across your paths this weekend. The good news is that Piers and producer Chris have come up with a very clever, informative and even sexy take on this commencement of sporting hostilities - even I enjoyed it!

So with the weather wrapped like fine fish and chips in tonight's newspapers, it should be a feast fit for all of you.

Chomping begins at 6.

See you there.

Alastair and Tamzin.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Thurs Aug 9th

 

Hello.

Busy programme tonight - and here's just some of it.

Among the stories - a twelve year old trapped on Southend beach as the tide came in - it took rescuers twenty terrifying minutes to save her - we talk to her AND her rescuers tonight.

Lots more dogs are being dumped in London - in fact the figures are up a third in a year. Apparently too many people are getting dogs as fashion accessories and then realising they don't actually want them. We investigate and see some of the abandoned canines.

Plus we meet those living in the middle of the Olympic construction site.

We have the latest live from Surrey on Foot and Mouth.

 

 

Oh - and we go down to Devil Gate Drive.  Yes - the queen of leather rock - Suzi Quatro - is with us in the studio.

 

Join Alastair and Tamzin for the latest at six.

 

 

Stuart

Editor

 

 

 

 

 

London Tonight Tonight

Afternoon!

I will be holding the fort alone in the studio this evening as Ben is right this moment hot footing it to Surrey, to bring you the inside story on foot and mouth.
He will be disinfecting his boots and talking directly to farmers about how they are bearing up under the strain of living inside the surveillance zone. 

 

And you know what's really upsetting the farmers -  the possibility that this outbreak has come from one of the animal health labs that is supposed to be protecting animals not INFECTING them.  Tonight both laboratories under suspicion -  the government one and a commercial one - are effectively saying it's not us.  Glen Goodman will be attempting to get to the bottom of who's to blame.

 

It seems as though we have had to report far too many stories of shootings in the Capital this year.  The death of Nathan Foster is another where you just think: God, what a terrible waste.  Nathan was 18, he had everything going for him and he was trying to STOP a fight when he was shot.  Ronke has been talking exclusively to his devastated sister and girlfriend.

 

We will also bring you the latest on the row over the eco demo at Heathrow - disruptive and dangerous or legitimate protest?

And property guru Kirstie Allsopp has been looking into the future to predict where house prices are going. So if you have a property, want to get one or are thinking of selling up - don't miss it.

 

See you at 6,

Romilly

 

 

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 3rd Aug

Good afternoon: it is hot, bright and Friday; and, as with night following day and traffic wardens following innocent motorists, Saturday and Sunday beckon. We will get you off to a cracking start.

Unless you live in Surrey this weekend, where we've breaking news of a possible disease outbreak. Could be some time before we know if it's for real. It could be that, just at the moment you spread marmalade on your breakfast toast, the all-clear will be sounded.

Or not. We'll tell you what the experts are saying tonight at 6.

Idi Amin was a fat, brutal dictator who, whilst falling short of mass genocide, was a killer and torturer of hideous proportions: both the size of the man and the scale of his crimes, if you follow me.

All I want to say at this stage is, given all we know about genetics and nasty things that run in the blood of even nastier families, you will be pleased to hear the current whereabouts of a young thug who was involved in some brutal goings on in Camden last year. It is the stuff of movies, I tell you. Piers is our Stephen Spielberg.

Earlier this week someone found the Boss's baby son's hat and the car keys we had separately left on different trains. We both got back our precious property. Hurrah.

In my case some kind soul handed them in and I got them back from Waterloo Lost Property just 24 hours later. Thank you God, thank you "finding person" and thank you Waterloo lost property.

They were sitting on top of a medium size tray in the Lost Property Office with about thirty keys in it....

At St Pancras, soon to be home to Eurostar, imagine the size of tray (or probably packing case) they require to hold the hundred examples of a particular item already handed in this year. It is rapidly becoming the most frequently lost/found thing at that beautiful terminus: bigger than a set of keys but smaller than an artificial leg, also often lost apparently!

All will be revealed to a chorus of "Ah" at 6.

A man from Wimbledon packed his jam-sandwiches, flask of tea and a bit of toffee and set sail for Australia. Weeks and thousands of miles later he foundered. He had not one but two maps and the cause of his disappointment has form. So what was it and how come he is the man with the reddest face in both northern and southern hemispheres? Give ear to Robin Ross in her fetching matelot outfit, tonight.

Which just leaves Buddy the stage show, a terrific film about the hoax surrounding Howard Hughes (The Aviator) diaries and Tamzin's stellar What Not To Miss, all wrapped up in a review of the evening papers and tied together with Mona's weather forecast: how big will those UV numbers be tonight?

Join me and Tamzin, wrestling with her What Not to Miss script as I write, at 6.

Sun bathe first but be there later!!

Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 2nd August

Afternoon,

The second report into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes is finally out - and as leaks yesterday suggested it highlights serious errors of communication at the very top of The Met.
The report exonerates Met chief Sir Ian Blair from charges of deliberately misleading the public.

In a press conference today Sir Ian stressed again that he did not lie. However questions remain over HOW the message that an innocent man had been shot took so long to get to the man at the top. Especially when rumours were reaching OFF-DUTY officers at a cricket match on the afternoon of the shooting. We'll examine the report and speak to one of the men in charge on the day.

 

Away from our top story - a tragic tale of a young boy maimed for life after an horrific dog attack in Hoxton. 7 year old Wassim Seghir was mauled so badly by the Staffordshire Bull terrior that doctors say he's lucky to be alive.  The little boy is having another operation today as surgeons battle to rebuild his face. So should there be more stringent controls on dogs ?

 

A couple in Wembley have made a pretty grim discovery in their back garden....a human skull. Police think the murder was likely to have occured just a year ago. We're on board with the real "cold case" experts as they attempt to solve the mystery.

 

Also....Covent Garden market away from the flowers and back to its roots - as a purveyor of fine foods. Sangeeta will be there tonight as it launches as a new evening food market. We'll be forcing her to eat chocolate cake, poor girl.

 

All that and Steve Hargrave chatting to some of pop's top producers-turned-performers...

AND Robin with his usual surreal brand of weather forecast.

It's happening at 6 - see you there.

 

Tamzin and Ben

London Tonight Tonight Weds 1st August

Good evening.

Breaking news is coming in as I type this of a building collapse in Southwark -  we're being told at least one person has died. Details are sketchy at the moment but do tune in at  6 when we'll endeavour to bring you the full story.

 

Also on tonight's programme - the second report into the Stockwell shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes is out tomorrow...but there have been leaks. Those leaks would seem to suggest no heads will roll at The Met. The investigation was into why initial briefings to the press and public suggested that Jean Charles WAS linked to the terror attacks on the capital. Why there was so much apparent miscommunication....Why SUCH important messages were getting mixed. There are some criticisms leveled at senior officers though - we'll have the full story.

 

We're a nation of pet lovers aren't we? So why then were incidents of animal cruelty UP 17 % in London last year? Ronke's been out and about with the RSPCA, seeing the conditions some of our four legged friends have to put up with, and meeting the men and women who fight to protect them. She also makes friends with some kittens so be prepared to get a bit soppy...

 

We're keeping an eye on the story we've been following since last week about the injunction Heathrow airport is attempting to bring against climate change protestors....

And - maybe it's because she's a Londoner but Kate Nash is having a pretty hot time of it. Tipped as the next big thing, with a single that's rapidly becoming the soundtrack to our rather soggy summer... This is a girl going places - and this afternoon Steve Hargrave joined her on her way.

All that plus Chrissie (in the sunshine for once).

Switch on at 6 and we'll tell you more

 

Tamzin and Alastair