It's electiontastic around here - Mary Nightingale popped her head round the door during our meeting to announce Geoff Hoon had gone - nice to get breaking news delivered in person!
But on London Tonight, we're mostly watching what's happening in Basildon. Simon Harris is there waiting to see if it's a "Labour Meltdown" and watching to see if the BNP gain seats.
The Al's in his element and is bouncing around the office between meetings. I'm watching my twitter feed for progress after just working out how to read messages - well, tweets with @alexhyndman in them. It's all a bit more complicated than I thought but I'll get there in the end.
James King is an aficionado on the twitterage so I may ask him for a few pointers later. He's in to talk movies and not just tweets. He's going to review Last Chance Harvey - the one with Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman which looks great and the new Terminator movie which I'm not so sure about. I did see an old Terminator movie - can't remember which one, the second I think - earlier in the week. The other half says it's a classic but seeing Edward Furlong in it looking far too young reminded me just how old I am. I remember being quite taken with him - I must have been around the same age so that's ok right? Not now obviously.
Lucy interviewed Emma Thompson on the red carpet and she was brilliant - Emma was pretty entertaining too! Lucy's not here today, she's at the Polo at the Hurlingham. I'm very jealous, bet they're having a lovely time replacing the divots a la Pretty Woman. Emma Walden's there too so will bring us a report on the posh sport's return to the capital. Neil wondered if this meant the sport could start to shake off it's upper class image. But the Al and I agree it should stick to tradition and stay snooty - think the horses prefer it that way.
Shame about the weather though. I'm sure the ladies would be enjoying stomping divots much more if they were a little less muddy. We are blaming Robin for this. The Al got a sunburnt head on Monday and today he got drenched. He's demanded Robin explain himself. He didn't manage it during the meeting but we shall put him on the spot tonight and demand the nice weather return immediately if not sooner.
Weather, movies, polo and ever-changing/developing electionage aside, we've also got the latest on the Tube strike. It's still on for next week but Lewis is watching developments there and will be able to tell us if meetings today have gone any way towards averting a strike.
Back to the movies, it is Friday after all, and Eric Cantona's on the show. But he's a footballer you say - well, yes I know this obviously but he's also an actor now. Most former players turn their hands/feet to coaching or managing or punditing but not our Eric. He's not ours but you know what I mean. He's actually gone to meet some of our promising young players in Mile End and Marcus has followed suit and will be talking to the great man about the love of the game and his new life on the big screen.
Before all that, Mike Pearse is still in France and will bring us parachuting over Pegasus Bridge and Phil Bayles is with survivors of nuclear testing in the 1950s who've been allowed to sue the government for sending them into harm's way.
I'll get back to twitter research - I'm sure it's about time I persuaded The Al to get twittering - not that he has time right now but I reckon he'd be able to rival Stephen Fry.
Breaking news - it's snowed in Essex! Robin's hitting the phone to find out after hearing a cricket match has been cancelled due to the white stuff. He sounds unconvinced. I'm due to go to the cricket on Sunday. If it's not nice by then and snow free he will be in serious trouble. Think he already is!
See you at 6 then,
Alex & Alastair.
