On the show tonight...more on the story of a doctor found guilty of attempting to spike his lover's drinks to make her miscarry. Married father of two, Edward Erin, from Kensington was found guilty at the Old Bailey this afternoon of attempting to spike his lover's coffee and orange juice. His mistress and former secretary, Bella Prowse, fell pregnant during their affair, but when she refused to have an abortion, Erin crushed up drugs and laced her drinks in the hope that she would lose the baby. She went on to have a healthy little boy. Erin will be sentenced at a later date.
Also coming up: a leading engineer has backed plans by Boris Johnson for an airport in the Thames Estuary and depressing news of a sharp rise in burglaries in the capital. We'll also report on plans to turn Battersea Power Station into thousands of homes, offices, shops and restaurants.
Next, a story that seems to be following me around today - on the radio as I got ready for work, in the paper on the train in and now on tonight's programme. That's not unusual as you try to keep across the news throughout the day, but every so often you hear an interview or read an article that stops you in your tracks. That was the case today with the story of Katie Piper. A former model and tv presenter, Katie was left fighting for her life after sulphuric acid was thrown in her face by the accomplice of a man who had previously violently raped and beaten her. She was left to rebuild her life while doctors used pioneering techniques to literally rebuild her face. She spoke eloquently on the radio this morning about her ordeal and how, while she was recovering in hospital and unable to speak, she wrote her parents a note asking them to end her life, such was her despair. Now, thirty operations later, she says she likes her new face even more than the old one because it means so much to her. Sally Rourke has been to meet Katie, who waived her right to anonymity so she could thank the surgeons at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
Joining us in the studio later - Esther Rantzen. In the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal, she recently announced she's going to stand for parliament as an independent candidate for Luton South (the seat that will be vacated by gardening enthusiast Margaret Moran at the next election). Now, I think I speak for most of us when I say that the MPs' expenses scandal has left us all pretty livid and you have to admire anyone who's is willing to put themselves out there rather than just chunter about it over their cornflakes every morning, like I do. But there comes a point after announcing you're going to stand for parliament that you have to actually lay out the nitty gritty of the platform upon which you intend to do it - and that time has come for Esther.
Showbiz - and embarrassingly we have a really popular guest on the show, whose work I am not at all familiar with. After doing a quick internet search it seems that in folk and blues circles 'Seasick' Steve Wold is a bit of an icon. The Californian bluesman spent his working life as a farm hand, a funfair worker and busker, among other things, but found fame after moving to London in his 60's. Tonight he's playing the The Lexington, but took time out to talk to Sangeeta Kandola. I can only apologise for my ignorance. If it's any consolation, I've just spent half an hour trying to (legally) download some of his music on to my phone to experience on the journey home later...no joy as yet though.
See you at six, providing I haven't crashed the whole ITN computer system with 18 attempted downloads of Seasick's new album!
Matt and Katie.
