Good afternoon from the newsroom to which we returned after being Camilla-ed and Kid Co-ed yesterday. Hope you felt as good about it as we did.
So, odd to say, sandwiched by two youth-murder trial verdicts and sentencing, we look at what one council is doing to stop kids buying knives which they do not intend to use for whittling or any other aspect of scouting. Ronke has a shocker but at least someone is trying.
Then Lucy is all a-glow, Harris is being seriously numerate, Nick somewhat disbelieving and all of us deeply saddened.
In reverse order, the collective sadness is at the news of Gloria Taylor's death. Damilola's parents were never publicity seekers: she was quiet to the point of being self-effacing. He, Richard, is a giant of man both physically and morally. They bore their loss, anger and disbelief with a towering integrity leaving us to do all the pushing and shoving. Sadly, whilst out for a walk with her husband, she had a heart attack and, a few hours later, died. The sense of loss over Damilola never left them, and now Richard has to bear a double dose of it. We'll pay a little tribute to a remarkable woman at the end of the show.
Nick's disbelief is based upon the unlikely physics of roller-blading and the utterly impossible physiology of a 71 year old being rather skillfully addicted to it. He has just said "it's a bit like watching Jimmy Saville on speed". Please don't let that put you off.
Harris's numeracy involves an abacus, a trade union, a former Labour MP, a Mayor of London and a 1% lead for someone which has shocked several players in this piece of political theatre. He loves it and has even been seen smiling - though that may have been the tea-trolley effect.
Finally Lucy met George and is happy. Not Star Wars' George Lucas; not George of George and Mildred infamy. George Best, George Formby and George Harrison, tragically, would have been impossible; suffice to say, she is the envy of virtually every woman in the newsroom and , I think truth to tell, not a few of the chaps. I think he was best as Ed Murrow, others favour the Ocean's series. Tune in and be titillated to your own conclusion.
Weather, papers and a cold shower would seem to be the only way to end all of this.
See you at 6
Alastair and Katie.
