Afternoon all,
Why, oh why, oh WHY would anyone want to keep a snake as a pet? Not just ANY snake, mind. A poisonous snake... a DEADLY poisonous snake. Now, I'm a dog man, me. But I accept not everyone likes dogs. In the same vein, I'm not a huge fan of stinky, pointless, cats. But I'm open-minded enough to accept that some people think they make perfect furry friends (ie our programme editor).
But when it comes to something that would quite happily kill you - and not feel remotely sorry afterwards... What's the attraction?
Well, we'll be asking someone live on the programme. I say 'live'. He nearly wasn't - thanks to a Common Death Adder. I mean, even the name says 'Don't expect any cuddles from me'. Apparently, if a cuddly snake you're after, you want a python. But even then...
So keeping poisonous snakes - that to me, is dangerous. What some people might think is not dangerous (although we, as unbiased journalists couldn't possibly comment) is sitting as a passenger on a stationery bus while someone bounces a somersault on the front of it. No, I haven't been at the gin. A group of acrobats really did do some routines down at Waterloo, leaping about on buses and bus-stops. And when Transport for London found out... gosh, they were cross. And they issued a statement saying how dangerous it could be for bus passengers. You should see the pictures. And you will, if you watch at SIX.
The programme kicks off at the Old Bailey, because the husband of Nisha Patel Nasri was today found guilty of her murder. She was the special constable stabbed outside their home in Wembley last year. He was the chap who appeared on our TV's a few days later begging for help in catching the killer. As they say, be careful what you wish for... Not a nice man - it turns out he'd been sleeping with prostitutes, was having an affair and needed to cash in his wife's life policy to pay off his debts. That's why he hired two hitmen.
What else, what else... Ah yes, FRAUD. In fact, we'll be telling you not which borough has the most fraud in Britain, but the actual street. Here's a clue for now - it's in Tooting. Plus we'll have a live demonstration in the studio of a simple thing we can all do, that will help keep our personal details safe.
We'll also report on the latest worries over 2012 funding... as well as the threat to theatre-types who insist on misrepresenting critics' quotations in a bid to persuade punters to buy their tickets.
So, lots to see.
We'll see YOU at SIX.
Ben & Romilly
