Good afternoon.
I think Faye has already launched the 12 days of Christmas, decked, as she is, in a spangly silver dress today. This metallic vision of festive energy opened our planning meeting with the excited claim "We've got a cracker". I thought this was another yuletide reference but, no, it was her energetic description of the programme I seek to entice you to watch from 6.
I think Faye has already launched the 12 days of Christmas, decked, as she is, in a spangly silver dress today. This metallic vision of festive energy opened our planning meeting with the excited claim "We've got a cracker". I thought this was another yuletide reference but, no, it was her energetic description of the programme I seek to entice you to watch from 6.
We had a fierce argument over whether we'd prefer to talk to Nicole Kidman or Daniel Craig at the premiere of Golden Compass.
Goldfinger was a Bond film so was The Man With The Golden Gun. But Golden Compass, despite the reference to precious metal and Mr. Craig's involvement, isn't.
It is the film version of Phillip Pullman's amazing children's saga said, by many, to be the heir to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It has its premiere in London tonight and we are there, still deciding who we'd rather talk to.
Salma says the Speedos win it for Daniel.
Our own Daniel , (we call him Dan The Director), and I are for Nicole purely on the basis of method-acting ability.
But we'll see. Jasmine will be there for you, saying Lights, Camera, Action!
For those coming into London by train to see it, enjoy what will soon seem like a "cheap as chips" fare.
Harris is like a saucepan full of boiling water having uncovered that South Eastern are poised to up their fares by inflation plus whatever comes into their minds. Not entirely fair but it is at least inflation plus 3% and for some folk, like the entirely innocent people of Hayes, it's 15%. SET's transparently ludicrous justification? High speed trains. Take a hike! Actually, many of you probably will, come the New Year and the new fares.
Once in town, you may hop on a pedicab to get from Charing Cross to Leicester Square. In doing so, you run the risk of either being killed or becoming one of the most unpopular road users in town, according to TfL and Westminster Council.
The Rickshaw pedal-cabs are dangerous and disruptive, they say, and licenses are the answer. Not sure about the prescription but, here in the newsroom, there's a lot of sympathy for the description of the symptoms.
See what you think as Lucy rolls up her sleeves and gets into harness at 6.
We've thousand of pounds to give away again in the People's Millions and we tell one of our two hopeful candidates from last night, that they can do even MORE good in the future with our dosh.
Christine Ohuruogu also got some great news today. The world champion, medal winning, hope-above-hope for the next Olympics was told she had won her appeal against a ban for failing to make a drug test appointment... or three.
Mixed opinions and mixed emotions on this one. You will be the judges at 6.
No mixture of emotions on Brick Lane, home to much of London's Bangladeshi community, just bitter sadness. One in twenty lost a relative in the recent cyclone. Liz meets one woman with 35 members of her extended family lost or left homeless - none of us could even think of 35 members of our own extended families. That's a bit sad, but not as sad as the good folk of Brick Lane. A moving report from Liz.
So, a cracker? I think so... But I won't say who's wearing the silly paper hat nor who's a bit of a joke - you'll have to pull it apart at 6 and make your own minds up.
We're out of the rickshaw and onto the starting blocks, waiting for the off. Be there promptly or you won't get a seat...
See you at 6.
Alastair & Salma
