Good afternoon.
I am sorry if this is a little late but I had to pop out to get my hair cut - I know, not a lot there but it does require disproportionate care. There, in the chair before me, was Cecil Parkinson, now Lord Parkinson, one-time Chairman of the Tory party and matinee idol to a generation of blue rinse babes some little time ago.
He was, in his time, one of the great Tories.
Odd, however, that Ken should have chosen to compare himself to another great Tory in his fight back over allegations concerning his consumption of the demon drink.
Churchill drank to a degree which would have put an entire shoal of fish to shame. And he fought against the South African Boers. And he beat the Germans. And he used to be a Liberal. And he called his wife Piggy. And he was father to a noted alcoholic who became a less noted back-bench MP. When it comes to comparisons I guess you take your pick. How much Ken really has in common with Winnie is the subject of Glen's magnum opus.
Amy Winehouse has an unfortunate name, to say the least. Allegations of wrestling matches with the demon drink are also legion in her life and she is pretty upfront about them. Mention hard drugs and it all gets a little more difficult and delicate. So when a national red Top paper splashes images purporting to be dear Ms Winehouse, smoking crack cocaine, things get horrid. We ask an expert just how much trouble this brilliant singer is in with her health.
I am sorry if this is a little late but I had to pop out to get my hair cut - I know, not a lot there but it does require disproportionate care. There, in the chair before me, was Cecil Parkinson, now Lord Parkinson, one-time Chairman of the Tory party and matinee idol to a generation of blue rinse babes some little time ago.
He was, in his time, one of the great Tories.
Odd, however, that Ken should have chosen to compare himself to another great Tory in his fight back over allegations concerning his consumption of the demon drink.
Churchill drank to a degree which would have put an entire shoal of fish to shame. And he fought against the South African Boers. And he beat the Germans. And he used to be a Liberal. And he called his wife Piggy. And he was father to a noted alcoholic who became a less noted back-bench MP. When it comes to comparisons I guess you take your pick. How much Ken really has in common with Winnie is the subject of Glen's magnum opus.
Amy Winehouse has an unfortunate name, to say the least. Allegations of wrestling matches with the demon drink are also legion in her life and she is pretty upfront about them. Mention hard drugs and it all gets a little more difficult and delicate. So when a national red Top paper splashes images purporting to be dear Ms Winehouse, smoking crack cocaine, things get horrid. We ask an expert just how much trouble this brilliant singer is in with her health.
We also talk to the woman who knows she has problems with her life because she did time for them. But she has turned a corner and she shares that experience with others, including you, tonight.
The village of Harmondsworth shares with you it's rich heritage which goes back to that French upstart, William the wouldn't-have-been-a Conqueror if Harold and his boys hadn't been so tired in 1066.
They've seen off all challenges since but fear the British Airports Authority may do to them what Civil War, Zeppelins and the Luftwaffe couldn't. Damien, who I've never seen as a plane-spotter, has goggles around his neck and a little note-book in his gloved hand, and all for you.
Which ever side loses tonight's Carling Cup semi-final will say it is an unimportant leg in an unimportant competition. Whichever wins will hail it as another victory laurel on the way to football's nirvana. Anyway, it will be big as it's Gooners Vs Spurs (why don't they have a more imaginative nick-name?) and Estelle will brief you. I think she is a Southampton fan with a long memory of glories, thirty odd years ago.
The papers will talk of terror on the trading floors of London's stock markets and tomorrow it will probably be boom time again.
Chrissie, always a boom, has the weather.
It was really cold when I came back from the barbers, as I told Faye. She just laughed because I went to the same hairdresser as Cecil Parkinson. Hurt, I still concede she looks her lovely self today but I detect a cruel streak developing.
See if it shows up in tonight's edition of the programme that, for the time being, she is in charge of.
See you at 6.
Alastair and Katie
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