Regular readers of our blog may remember I told you a few weeks back that Miss Hyndman was preparing for a party in a park. The theme: 'Mad Hatters Tea Party'. Well, the date is set, the costume has now been decided - and our hostess has now been talking through the menu. I say 'our' host. I won't be there as this is strictly a girlie day. I might crash it though. I love egg sandwiches.
Hyndman's just left the desk to get her make-up done for the programme, saying "Don't make it look like I don't do any work". I'm laughing - honest. She does lots. Really, she does.
Okay - a quick look at the rundown -
We'll be asking you about the old days when there were fewer cars and children played safely in the street. One charity wants a return to the old days. How likely is that?
Things certainly used to be a lot cheaper in the old days - so in a way, the West End is turning back the clock next week. They're running a week where children can get half-price, if not free, theatre tickets - in a bid to encourage more young people and family to come along. We'll be talking to Kacey Ainsworth - Little Mo from EastEnders - all about it. But I say "just as well" - top tickets to top shows can cost over 70 quid. 70 quid. And what if you don't like the show? You don't get your money back. Suddenly, a(nother) night in with a DVD sounds rather inviting.
Or perhaps a night in listening to Peter Andre. There may be rather a lot of people doing that this weekend. He's in the running for the 'number one' spot with his new single - which may offer some sort of silver lining to the HUGE cloud that's been hanging over the rest of his life of late. His collapsing marriage to Katie Price (aka Jordan) has, is, and always will be, well-documented. He's talking to Lucy about all sorts tonight.
We'll also be speaking to the WWII veteran who won a medal for his bravery in the war and has now won another one for his charity work. The money he's raised? (London 20-12 should hire him) Makes you proud to be British, he does.
And from one extreme to another. Marcus Powell will bring us the story of the con-men who target people of a more mature vintage... to steal money from them: tricking them into handing over their credit card details and then taking their cash. Makes you ashamed to be British, they do.
Our top story tonight is a family appeal for help. Carl Beatson Asiedu was stabbed to death just under two weeks ago. Just 19 years old, he was a popular young man. He was a righteous young man. He was a talented young man. In fact, the police believe it may have been his talent which prompted jealous teenagers to kill him. I don't know why that's so very shocking. Any murder is shocking - whatever the motive. However, the idea that someone so good should be killed by others just because they're so good struck us as yet another step down the path we need to turn back from. Now.
I wish I had a happier note to end on. The fact that the rail strike has been called off pales a little bit now.
We'll regroup for the programme.
See you at six,
Ben & Alex
