The Oz thinks Gordon Brown is poised to go into the grocery business, specifically cheese vending. He may already have done so, come to that: at our meeting, where we hone our precious offerings for you, she said the PM was "a cheese-monger". Perhaps she has an insight I do not or there may be an antipodean secret passage between her London abode and No10 Downing Street. Anyway, she went out this morning to chat to the dance troupe Diversity who most of you, according to the viewing figures, know were the winners of Britain's Got Talent. When it was observed that the PM was keen to sing their praises too, on TV this morning, the Oz blurted out her curious cheese quip. All, I am sure, will be revealed in her report. And, bearing in mind their ages, watch out for the extraordinary revelations about what the Essex ensemble have been up to in the 48 hours since their triumph. Made me smile, given I have a 16 year old son!
What didn't make me smile was the latest on the missing man whose tomato selling girl-friend was found in a pool of blood in a bath in a Parisian hotel, last week. She's dead, he's disappeared but he found time, if the Times has got it right, to phone a former girlfriend and blame the dead girl for what happened at Le Hotel Bristol. I can see David Suchet, penguin like and bedecked with his slug-on-top-lip moustache saying "The little grey cells are, how you say, perturbed". So, too, are mine so I will urge you to rely upon the excellent Nick for un petite peut du claritee....
We unveil a lot of clarity tonight about a moving story from the great days of The Few. He was the Battle of Britain pilot who steered his fatally winged Spit' away from homes and people into a field - and his avoidable death. We asked for witnesses. Amazing and moving news from Phil tonight - more of a Tiger Moth man, in truth, but that is one for those of you with an interest in aircraft and a good memory for Phil's great adventures!
Glen claimed he could play the piano and then got an attack of nerves. I may be being unfair to him but, hey, "ebony and ivory"... anyway, it seems someone has been littering the capital with Joannas, courtesy of the Big Lottery and Bozza , a tambourine man if ever there was one. We are all invited to lift our spirits with a tinkle or a scattering of scales, it seems. But what went wrong with Glen? We will accord this all the time it needs but I do remember, as a child, the horrors of piano lessons. Maybe we are guilty of revisiting some of the darker recesses of Glen's growing up. I'm hooked, in F sharp major.....
Alfred Hitchcock always appeared in his own movies and also came from the East End. Rachel marries these two facts to fabulous effect for you tonight. I always loved the cartoon outline of the great man used to front one of the many series his great work inspired. And the way he spoke like Gordon Brown, swallowing breath at the start of sentences, in that curious way. Wonder if he was into cheese, too?
Chelsea have a new manager - statistically, that is not news - they've had four in the last 2 years. But I am assured it matters so Marcus, our resident Gooner, will seek to persuade me... and you. If you are already onside, mea culpa. If you are not, it hinges on the number of opposing players between you and the goalie as the ball is passed....
I think. But, as a rugby player, I am probably wrong. But Chelsea do play in a nice colour and they did win the FA Cup.
That, I think, is that. The Oz is in the edit room cutting her piece on Diversity so I have free reign to say this will be a good programme and you won't want to miss it - especially her piece which is so much more than just a puff for a nice bunch of nice kids who are now £100k richer but still have school things to worry about...
see you at six.
Alastair and Alex.
