London Tonight Tonight 26th July

Good afternoon,

 

It's a bit of a dark and dreary day out there and unfortunately the first story we bring you tonight is also dark, and depressing. Last night a 16 year old boy was chased, by a gang reportendly shouting threats, through a Stockwell estate. He was caught, shot and pronounced dead at the scene. A horrifying crime but one that's becoming all too familiar on our streets.

We'll have the latest on THAT shooting on the day that the killer of another young Londoner was sentenced to life. Last year Hannad Hasan stabbed 15 year old Kiyan Prince through the heart. Today he was told he must serve at least 13 years in prison. Kiyan's dad is coming into the studio to tell us his feelings on this sentence and to update us on his ongoing campaign.

 

Also ..... were you singing along to Babs Streisand last night, or Joss Stone...or chuckling away at the premiere of the new Simpson's movie. If so did you manage to get home OK ? Thos three huge events all took place at the O2 last night, making it a very busy night for the venue. And it seems many people struggled to get away, some waiting for up to three hours for a cab home. We'll investigate further and let you know what we discover.

 

Plus, the thesbian theologian and his church / theatre project....

The one-off works of art based on your DNA.....

And the subject we've all been obsessed with for weeks now - yep that's right the weather. Chrissie will be here to tell us if there's light at the end of the tunnel.

We'll see you at 6

 

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday 25th July

Good Afternoon Everyone.

Hope you're well. Hope you're not working too hard. And if you've got the day off - keep it to yourself.

 

This evening, we're going to be looking westwards. The floods are coming. We've all watched the misery of thousands of people, forced out of their homes for the best part of a week now. Well, much of Oxford (less than 60 miles from London) is under water today and it looks like our corner of England is next. So, a solid chunk of our programme is taken up with events along the Thames.

Simon Harris reports on the picture in Reading where residents could be hours away from disaster... Phil Bayles will cover preparations in Marlow and Henley (and the plan to divert floods around Windsor)... and Chrissie is at work ON the river, out on patrol with the RSPCA. Later, busy girl, she'll talk us through all the flood watches and warnings we need to know about.

 

Away from the floods, Piers Hopkirk has the story of a man, his medals and the thieves who stole them. Yep, two conmen lied their way into a pensioner's house and took 6 medals in all. Two were for his service in the RAF. The others rewarded his father's duties in the First World War. The search for the really precious possessions is on - and the cops are keen to get them back to their rightful owner.

 

We'll also have a restored organ at the Hammersmith Apollo... and the premiere of 'The Simpsons Movie' - NOT now showing in Hammersmith, but at the O2 (which looks uncannily like the Simpsons' home town, Springfield).

 

Okay, plenty more work to do before we can serve it all up, so away we go...

See you at six.

Ben & Katie

 

 

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 24th July

Hello to you.

 

The sun's shining. Honest. If you're working somewhere that doesn't have windows (or you lost the weekly raffle for the desk by the window) - go outside and see for yourself. Mother said there'd be days like this. And she was right.

However, we - and some of the rest of the country - are not out of the watery woods just yet. As the water that fell out of the sky over the weekend slowly surges down the Thames, there are communities in our parts who's worst fears have, or may soon, come true. That's obviously ONE of the stories we'll be looking at this evening. Chrissie will also have the all-important forecast too.

One thought that will have occurred to lots of people watching the dreadful pictures of flooded homes over the last few weeks - WHY were the houses built so close to the river? They were bound to flood, weren't they? Much the same point is made about future house-building in a Government report - that came out 4 years ago. And yet there are still plans to build on a flood-plain at Barking Reaches. Damien Steward will look at the common sense of it all.

 

And what of the common sense of paying a man MILLIONS of pounds for... well, what DID Bob Kiley do for London transport? The Mayor reckons he's some sort of God. An expensive God, certainly - but now that he seems to be firmly on his way back west, we ask was he worth the money? Mind you, the total bill might not be quite so huge thanks to London's booming property prices ... Confused? Glenn Goodman will try to clear things up for us.

 

Our lead tonight, though, has the 'you have GOT to be kidding' factor. Extraordinary and sickening. Former boxer James Oyebola was in a London club last night when someone started smoking next to him. We know that's against the law. He knows that's against the law. But after he had POLITELY pointed that out... he was shot. He's now fighting for his life in hospital. Liz Wickham will have the latest on the condition of a man described by former colleagues as a 'gentle giant'.

 

On a lighter note, we'll also have Carmen (Jones not rollers)... bike thieves (getting their glorious comeuppance).

It's all on ITV1 at SIX.

 

See you then,

Ben & Katie.

 

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Sorry folks. We've been having a few gremlins! We'll hopefully be back in touch later today.

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London Tonight Tonight Friday 20th July

God to Noah : Build me an ark.
Noah to God: Fine.
Just one question.
What's an "ark" ?
It felt a bit that way this morning in London and , suddenly, as if the dove of peace had landed on my upturned hand and the rainbow of promise had bathed our street in bright pastels, it stopped.
But we have pictures of all that happened in between : from our brilliant cameramen and women, and from you, at your very best, with mobile phones and videos. Get your wellies and sou'westers on and be there at 6. Glen risks the deeps on our collective behalves so you won't miss a frame.
Americans don't do irony but they do in Wandsworth: in the midst of the deluge, a bolt of lightning struck a block of flats causing a rather frightening fire. As gallons of water fell from the sky, yet more gallons of water jetted up - from the brave men and women of the LFB.
The latest on that at 6 as the Met say avoid Wandsworth at all costs. Unless you're a duck.

Our producer Faye is young, beautiful and very gifted: but she is young. OMD were part of the soundtrack to my early twenties - Tamzin, I thought rather cruelly, just pointed out that her dad liked them, too. And then poured salt into my wounds by the sackful by flipantly announcing her dad retires today. Age shall not weary them? Yeah, yeah...
Anyway, Faye was less clear about OMD but bravely commissioned a piece on their comeback. In the hands of Steve Hargrave, all should be well. (What would Faye do, I worry, if they DID find Elvis on the moon? It troubles me).

James King reviews the movies tonight. Apparantly Faye and The Boss have a little competition to see who can write the funniest caption explaining who he is and/or what he does: see if you can spot it tonight and, indeed, in future weeks. It is Friday. We like having a little fun. Yes, I know: it really is a very "little" fun....

Finally, for the political classes, me included, we will confirm what happened in Ealing last night. General Election October 25th 2007. You heard it here first.
Plus papers, weather (if they dare !!) and What Not to Miss for your weekend planning. Faye wasn't sure we had room but Tamzin insisted.
As I conclude, traffic wardens are dealing with cars that were abandoned by their owners when caught in the rain. You won't believe what they are doing but, if you tune in at six, be more than ready to take up arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them. (apologies to Shakespeare)
Tamzin and I, all the whole damp team who can't wait for dry socks and cocoa, hope you will be there at 6.

Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Appeal

Hi everyone,
Time for you to be the journalists!
Are you flooding right now... Is the rain pouring down where you are?
We want to see your video and any pictures you have of the storms, and the wild weather.

Email us at: londontonight@itvlondon.com
Text us: 07738 100 200

Thanks - and get sending!

More from the team later...

Faye (The Desperate Programme Editor!)

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 19th July

Afternoon!

We know how worried Londoners are by gangs of teenagers hanging around on street corners, and with summer holidays looming, I guess there's a concern that problem is only going to get worse. So any courses or schemes to keep young people happy, occuppied and off the streets should be welcome, right? Well .. kind of . Classes are being offered in .. Grafitti. And lots and lots of you think it is the most ridiculous idea they've ever heard. We'll be letting you have a right old ding dong with the government adviser who's dreamed up the scheme.

A sad story of a woman who died of a particularly severe epileptic fit. Her family aren't blaming the hospital that had been treating her .. but they are asking us all to be more aware of the real dangers of this disease that can strike at any time.

An extraordinary tale of canine medical magic.. yes, we're going to introduce you to the world's first bionic dog. No, really, we are! And he swims!

We've got a wonderful happy ending following an ad in the newspaper for adoptive families in the Afro Caribbean community ... we've got the princess of punk herself in the studio, Siousxie Sioux minus her Banshees ...
and we've got Chrissy telling us what we already knew .. that this summer is SOGGY!!! This date last year .. guess what the temperature was... 36 degrees centigrade. Ah well.. I suppose that was a bit TOO hot!

See you at 6, Katie and Al.

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday the 18th July

Good Afternoon one and all.

We hope you're all well and enjoying what's left of your Wednesday.

Busy programme this evening and, of course, the BIG news is the story about one of the companies that's been given an awful lot of money to maintain the tube. Metronet has effectively gone belly up - called in the administrators this morning. They say they're owed half a billion quid for work they've done above and beyond their contract. Not many other people seem to agree - which has left them rather short. So, what of our tube journeys? What of the workers? What of the bills that need paying? Simon Harris is our man with the answers.

Actually, there seems to be rather a lot of people playing the blame game this evening. A businessman who slipped over at Marylebone said rotting petals from a florist were to blame... the owner of the florist said there's no proof... a judge said it probably WAS the petals and says there's rather a lot of compensation due (we're talking over a MILLION). Quite a barney. Lots at stake. Glen Goodman's on top of it all.

Now, every parent will tell you that little boy or girl is one in a million. Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald can rightly claim that their son Lucas is rather rarer. Like, er, doctors didn't know of another living child with his deadly condition. How was he cured? Who cured him? Liz Wickham has been to meet the Family Fitzgerald.

We'll also be looking back at 30 years of rocking against racism... there'll be the latest on the two London schoolgirls accused of drug-smuggling in Ghana... and our Chrissie will tell you just how much rain we're going to have tomorrow.

See you at SIX. On ITV1.

Katie & Ben

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Tues 17th July

Good afternoon from all at London Tonight where Ben Scotchbrook is introducing his delightful son, Noah, to the collective: I smiled but pressed on with work. I was celebrating my daughter's graduation at midnight so toddlers are a distant, but agreeable, memory.

More of a disagreeable memory is all that money Metronet got, indirectly from you. They got it on your behalf and spent it, only to come back and ask for more. Tim O'Toole was pretty clear, on last night's show, where the blame lay for the debacle and, this afternoon, Ken Livingstone was even clearer: unless you are a Metronet share-holder you may well find yourself in gleeful agreement with him. Harris, who else, is the man with the Oyster card and Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass, poring over the details.

Still on dosh, MPs asked George Galloway MP, (Respect, Bethnal Green & Bow) for the details of where his Mariam charity got all their money from. It wasn't his answers that upset them half as much as his attitude towards them. Two falls, two submissions or a pin-fall and George looks set to spend 18 working days in his Constituency rather than in the House. It's the Parliamentary equivalent of being told to stand in the corner. The whys and wherefores from Ronke.

Noah Scotchbrook is now screaming.
I think my daughter is quietly sleeping it off.
We press on.

A total non-sequitor but a mini Taj Mahal floated down the Thames this afternoon and Joanna Lumley spoke elegantly about it: hear her explanation at 6.

Finally, two horror stories that need little explanation but begger comprehension.
In those halcyon days of April, a man was sun-bathing on Clapham Common. What woke him was sheer agony: Emma has the story.
And we bless them, we use them, we often befriend them: the corner shop angels with a pint of milk at midnight or a paper and (for me) a packet of ciggies at first light. We bring you the terrifying images of what has prompted them to set up a "life or death" reward fund to help catch the people making their lives a nightmare as they try to make our lives easier to live.

It is from a brilliant London Programme and you won't want to miss a frame.

Noah has been taken away and some seem to be getting back to work.
Ha! Good to be ahead of the game.

See you at six.

Alastair and Katie.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Mon 16th July

Good afternoon and welcome to Day One of another week of London Tonight.

Where to start?
Venomous ferocity in Farringdon?
The blitzkrieg on boards, boasting about bountiful estate agents?
Metronet's plea for more millions?
Or Boris?

All is, or all are, there tonight so you don't have to chose: just be there at 6 and feast on it all.

Very few politicians are so iconic that their surnames seem superfluous.
London already has one - Ken.
And we could get another - Boris.

Boris isn't talking, beyond confirming that he wants to ride into battle in Tory colours in search of your votes. "I am not a Tory", I hear many of you scream. Doesn't matter. The Tory party are asking all Londoners who they think should be the Tory candidate for Mayor. So you get not one but potentially two chances to electorally endorse or democratically defenestrate Boris: first, as candidate and next, possibly, as Mayor.
All will be explained when we are joined by the leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, live at 6.

It's all got terribly difficult for Metronet: LT keep changing their minds and asking for extra bits and different standards. They find they need half a billion pounds to get back on the straight and narrow.
No they don't, say LT.
And the man who has to decide between these warring factions has decided who is right: full and frank details at 6 and live reaction from the man who runs the Underground, Tim O'Toole.

There's to be a purge on estate agent's boards - shame it is not the estate agents themselves some might argue but we couldn't possibly comment.

Farringdon has a problem with rattle snakes. Yes, that's what I thought too; so we will attempt to explain, without frightening you.

A lack of the right documents for you and your car used to entail a trip to the Cop Shop - now your pride and joy can end up in the crusher if you are caught short of a license, insurance or road tax: and it is happening with record frequency.

I've run out of ink and energy!

There must be something for you in that lot! And the weather and the papers...and your e-mails on Boris.

Katie and I think you have no excuses left.

See you at 6.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Friday 13th July

Woohay everyone. It's F-F-F-FRIDAY. (Sorry too much coffee.)

Ahead, we hope, a gloriously relaxing weekend. For those who like a drop... a cheeky bottle of white perhaps to waken the palate - or, if you prefer, a case of lager. And for the non-drinkers - Ribena.

Fingers crossed we'll have the weather to barbecue by, or at least, go out without galoshes... Chrissie, of course, will have a the full story - aided by Darth Vader and Princess Leia. Now, THAT's woken some of you up, hasn't it?

What about this? 'Boris Johnson WILL run for Mayor'. That certainly woke US up when we read it this morning - but, from his office today, no word of confirmation. We wait, eagerly, to hear, because - let's face it - love Livingstone, or loathe him, you have to agree when he says 'Boris as Tory candidate' would make for interesting electioneering. Piers Hopkirk will sum up the state of play this evening.

As for the rest of the programme, we start with a man who set out to kill people because he thought they were 'sinners' - you may remember the story we covered last year of a petrol-bombing on a shop in Kennington. Two men died. Tonight we have the CCTV pictures of Robert Torto as he prepares and then carries out his deadly attack - and Phil Bayles will have the full story.

Next up: a tax on old bags - not really. It's a tax on NEW ones. If the London boroughs get their way, every time you buy shopping and you want to carry it out in a plastic bag: "that'll be 10p, please". They say it'll cut down the number of plastic bags going to landfill sites and they'll spend their windfall on being even greener. Glen Goodman is our bag-man.

Damien Steward, meanwhile, will be bashing those estate agents who clutter our streets with their ugly boards... especially when they've nothing to sell, or let, at all.

We'll be also be finding out whether 'Harry Potter Five' is worth the price of a ticket... and, AND... we'll be talking to a 'Teacher' and 'The Master' about their life together on the London Stage: Adrian Bower and John Simm are in to talk about 'Elling' which is on at the Trafalgar Studios.

So... put the Pinot (or 'bena) on ice, gather round the TV, and we'll all start the weekend together - on ITV1, at SIX o'clock.

See you then,

Ben

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 12th July

Good afternoon.
On the tie issue, I choose not to wear one on Fridays because it is a drop-down, unwind, get-ready-for-the-weekend sort of day. That's all. Paxman and Snow can elevate it to an issue of intellect if they want, but for me it is about chilling out. Just wanted to get that off my chest - or neck.
Second, I am told cycling is the second most popular sport in this glorious land of ours, second only to swimming. I'd have sworn fishing was up there but, hey, I'll accept producer Faye's statistics, hook, line and sinker.

More of those sports in a moment but we start with a case of dumb naivity, cynical greed or total innocence.
The drama is unfolding in Ghana, west Africa, as I write. The dramatis personae include two 16 year girls, who we think hail from north London; a team from UK Customs and Excise on an undercover operation in west Africa; and some heavies from the Ghanian authorities who say the penalty for drug smuggling is a minimum 10 year term. At the heart of it all is 6.5 kilos of cocaine: and it's our top story tonight.

Cycling at great speed is, apparantly, compelling. Right. They even do it really slowly and then..... shoot off, at great speed. Apparantly THAT is even more compelling. Indeed, compelling on an Olympic scale. Where they will be doing it in 2012 will be revealed to Simon Harris, our man in the peloton...

Swimming is different: elegant, almost an art-form, it can be enjoyed by giggling babies, thrown in at the deep-end by parents who have read the latest text books, right through to gods and goddesses who glide through the water at amazing speeds, propelled by a range of amazing strokes. Then there are the strange folk who Chrissie found. They have swum across London, via all manner of swim-places and they end up on Hampstead Heath, tonight. Worth tuning in just to fathom, really.

Easier to fathom is why 36 Sat-Navs are stolen every week in London - rapid turn-around and good retail value for the scum who lift them. A good-guys-and-gals guide to how you can avoid becoming this week's number 37.
Also, Dave Stewart on how he picked an Annie Lennox sing-alike for his show at Tower of London from hundreds of wannabes. And an invitation to you to nominate the really good people in your community who deserve a public, and very spendable, pat on the back: details at 6.
Katie and I really hope you can make it... unless you are fishing. In which case, we are so sorry.

Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday 11th July

Good Afternoon from the 'London Tonight' gang,

We hope you're all enjoying the fact that having slaved past midday on this Wednesday, we are now - officially - over half way through the week. That means talk in the canteen and by the noticeboard can legitimately turn to plans for the weekend.

We do still have the day's news to take care of... and we start with a bit of a barney, frankly. And it's a barney which really could effect all of us. Published today - proposals for a massive makeover of the way healthcare is organised and provided here in London. It'll mean benefits for patients says the Health Minister behind it. It'll be a complete disaster says a London health charity. Emma Walden has the details - and after she's presented all the arguments - we'll be looking to hear your points of view... please.

It's likely you'll have an opinion on the three youngsters who've been caught on camera as they run this way and that across a live railway line near Staines. The pictures take your breath away. The kids were lucky a train didn't take their lives away. The BTP gave us the pictures to show and we'll be hearing from a man who's son was hit and killed by a train.

Ronke Phillips probably has the most difficult story to cover this evening - it's the launch of a new campaign by the Met to clampdown on the dreadful custom of female circumcision. Girls as young as four are subjected to the brutal act which many defend in the name of tradition or religion. It's a powerful report.

And we'll be asking whether the elderly should get privileged parking... whether a talented and popular 'music meister' has what it takes to wow the art critics... and what on earth Chrissie is doing on the beach... in Greenwich.

Much to see - all at the usual time, usual place.

See you at SIX on ITV1.

Ben & Katie

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 10th July

Hello: I'm Dan the Director and I wanted to tell you what Al and Katie and Faye and all the others have planned for you. I just have to get it to your screens so here goes!
If the next series of Top Gear did an episode of great getaway cars, I very much doubt a brand new Bentley Continental would come top of the billing, but that's just what happened when two robbers turned up at an unsuspecting high-end jewellers. We have the full amazing story including exclusive CCTV footage.

And the gang behind the Olympics might need a getaway car if a group of MPs are predicting correctly!
The Public Accounts Committee says there's a lot going wrong with the 2012 plans - and there's no-one taking the bull by the horns. Tessa Jowell talks to us LIVE and we will ask if she is the person to grab the horns!

Chrissie's with former Squeeze, Jools Holland. No, not literally - but she is interviewing him about the start of the Summer Swing festival at Kew Gardens. And as if that wasn't enough showbiz for you - Steve Hargrave talks to the artist formally known as Blondie. Debbie Harry is swapping her rock n roll days for something slightly more sedate. In fact she's turning Ben Elton to help do the songs for a new musical hitting the West End.

There's lots more than that - but as Director of the show, and guest writer on London Tonight Tonight - I simply haven't got time to tell you... You'll just have to watch Al and Katie to find out.

See you at 6.
Dan.

London Tonight Tonight Monday 9th July

Afternoon.
A child will look you in the eye and say "I didn't mean to !"
Most times, you soften and give them the benefit of the doubt.
And you must have heard "that's not what I meant" a million times.
But a jury was eye-balled by three men who said, despite packing rucksacks with a bizarre and potentially deadly mixture of explosive materials, and setting foot on tube trains and buses with trigger devices at the ready that "they didn't mean to" and that mass murder was "not what they meant".
The Jury told them to take a hike, found them guilty and they await sentencing.
The full, horryfying story of the 21/7 bombers at 6.

I love "Make me Smile" by Cockney Rebel - Steve Harley, lead singer of Cockney Rebel, doesn't. Well, not anymore it seems. He is coming in tonight to explain himself. Not really. He is coming in to explain what he's doing on the West End Stage but we might mention "Make me Smile". He also says he was visited as a sick child by the Rolling Stones. I am deeply envious and would have feined serious illness to win such a benediction. He saw my idols and he dislikes one of my favourite songs? Katie will have to turn referee, me thinks.
Did the Stones wash their hands before and after seeing the poorly young Harley? I have my doubts. Nowadays it is a more serious matter with MRSA and cDiff. We reveal the Hospital which has received a final warning over cleanliness. If the NHS safety people don't get Satisfaction, the Hospital will be told that was The Last Time.

There's a by-election in Southall on the 19th - we look at the runners and riders in what looks like a fascinating race, and a real test for all the parties amid talk of early elections.
Weather, papers and your e-mails on hospital cleanliness and I hope you give us a clean bill of health for what has the symptoms of being a rather interesting programme.
Best wishes from the man in the white coat, Alastair, and the calm but authoritative woman, clutching her referee's whistle, Katie.
See you at 6.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Thurs 5th July

Greetings from the London Tonight team, occupying the same space in the same city in the same land, as usual.

But tonight, our theme is another country.

Ronke reports on the money transfer business which existed to dispatch large quantities of cash for large numbers of people to ... other countries. It is a common practice for many immigrant workers and even second and third generation ethnic minority families who still have loved ones in another country. But the money has gone missing. Possible millions of it, reducing thousands of people here, and abroad, to a state of distraught panic. The company say "sorry" .
Ronke's investigation will find out if it's that simple.

Many of you set off on a tube journey this morning as office workers or shop-keepers or students. But, when a nightmare struck hundreds of feet underground, you turned into video journalists. A derailment sent several people to hospital but, fortunately, none have died. But what country do the people who left debris on the line, live in? And it was on Metronet's manor that it happened, a company we increasingly think occupies a space on this earth that few of us can fathom!

Race tracks are for race cars and Great Ormond Street Hospital is for poorly children. Two very different worlds. Hear how the geniuses of GOSH saw something in what the F1 pit-crews do for Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikenon that could help them help the kids. Brilliant stuff with Tamsin Roberts at the wheel - or in the white coat.

Hairspray premiers in Leicester Square with John Travolta dressed, not as another country but as another gender. Steve is there.

And Rupert Everett, who stared in Another Country, one of my all time favourites, has written an autobiography: hilariously naughty and emotionally frank. Rupert is with us tonight and I think you ought to be, too.

Unless you're off to another country in which case .. au revoir!

If not, see you at 6.

Alastair and Tamzin.

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 3rd July

Good evening. And we hope you'll join us for a very special edition of London Tonight, tonight.
You probably saw on our programme yesterday that a teenaged boy was found guilty of the murder of 15 year old Kiyan Prince last May.
Hannad Hasan took Kiyan's life with a penknife, and left a family destroyed...
For the last year, London Tonight has been given unprecedented access to Kiyan's relatives. To his mother and father, and even his younger sister, as they tackle life without him.
Despite his pain, Kiyan's dad Mark is determined to do something more positive. He's decided that the only way to make sense of his loss, is to make sense of what's happening on our streets. So he's taken his fight to the frontline. He's working with young people to raise their awareness of what happens when you carry a knife, and when you use it.
And during a film to be shown on London Tonight at six o'clock, we witness his courage in action.
We follow him as he talks to the young boys drawn into a life of crime, we join him as he struggles to cope with the pressure of THREE murder trials, and we help him create a campaign that we hope will make Kiyan's life matter.
It's a remarkable story, and one that we should all take courage, and inspiration from.

Make an appointment to see "Put the Knives N Guns Down" here on ITV1 at 6.

London Tonight Tonight Monday 2nd July

Good afternoon and welcome to the London Tonight blog. I hate that term but I am assured that is what this is. I see it more as my note to you inviting you to join Katie and me at 6. Oh well...

Charles Manson claimed the Beatles song "Helter Skelter" was partly to blame for his downward spiral into mindless murder. He was an out of sorts hippy, leading a gang of like-minded n'er do wells in the California of the 60s. Sick and sad stuff.
So what is it that drives a group of men and women from various countries in the Middle East to plan mass murder in London and/or Glasgow and/or goodness knows where? Add to that the disturbing fact that two of them were Doctors, working in the NHS and some of what you believe in starts to crumble. That they were prepared to come from Scotland to London and then go back again to carry out an attack gives a terrible insight into their determination. They haven't all been caught yet. Try to get on a mainline train or fly in or out of one of our airports and you'll get a taste of what is being done to protect you. We seek to give you full coverage of the measures and ask the additional question: where was Sir Ian Blair? Not before the events but after them - conspicuously absent. See what you think and then tell us.

From a plan to committ mass murder to a single act of savage violence that resulted in a single death. Kiyan Prince was murdered and his killer was convicted today. We try to make sense of that, too, but it is even more difficult.

Very difficult to understand, albeit for very different reasons, is why Buffy the Vampire Slayer was asked to open the Harrods sale: many wanted to avoid this story but it is so odd we felt we had to take you there, silver bullets and garlic cloves to hand.

We've a Live Earth competition with great prizes, so tree huggers and pop fans among you hang in there.

And "Working Day 1" of the Smoking in Enclosed Spaces ban and, outside our building, the smokers are thinning out.
We have a powerful story from one elderly lady after 50 years of lighting up. If anything is going to sway me and you (if you are a smoker), it is her experience.

See you ar 6.
Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 28th June

Good evening.
We have got an absolutely packed show for you tonight - here's the menu...
Tuberculosis - disease of the past? Not really. London Tonight has got its hands on a report that will shock you. It says the rates of the disease in our great city are the worst in Europe... and in some boroughs worse than China!
Phil Bayles talks to one young woman who's suffering - and doesn't even know where she caught it. It's gripping so don't miss it.

Also tonight - breaking news. The man who stabbed Cheryl Moss - the nurse who went out for a fag break at work - has been found guilty of her murder. We're at the Old Bailey live to hear her brother's reaction to the verdict.

We've got the sad tale of the Olympic evictee. Navy veteran and pensioner Ron Rowen has lived in the same house for 40 years. Unfortunately for him, it's on the Olympic site. Today, he was thrown out by the bailiffs to make room for the cyclists.
And the lady responsible for turning London into an Olympic city will be joining us live at 6. Tessa Jowell on why she's out of cabinet, but still in charge of the biggest project facing the capital in decades.

Then there's the little matter of the Spice Girls. You know we helped make them don't you?
Well tonight Posh, Baby, Sporty, Scary and Ginger are back together and they're back in Alastair's arms - yes, quite literally. And even he's admitted it's smutty!

So Join Al and Katie at six to see it all.

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday 27th June

I am so sorry to be late with this little missif but Tony Blair finally called it a day, today, and Gordon went to the Palace and, we suspect, stayed on for a sarnie and sherbert which has made everything else run late! Oh what a life. The King is dead, long live.... the right to linger, loiter and keep London Tonight Tonight waiting. I despair.

Bet Tony was on the phone on the way to the Palace to say goodbye and bet Gordon was, too, telling all his mates to tune in and see his magic moment on the telly. That's fine... but if the driver had done it while at the wheel then he'd have been for the high-jump. You know that. Or do you? Lots of you are driving as if you didn't. Phil has the evidence and will remind you of the risks you are running.

Running the Olympics from a sporting point of view is going to be a doddle compared to running it as a property business. How much will the Olympic Park be worth in 2013? One careful, albeit Olympic size, owner? £800 M? £2B? It matters because upon it hinges, like a creeky barn-door, the amount the National Lottery Good Causes will get back. Or not.
Bit of a gamble, then, for the National Lottery to have lent the money in the first place. Harris is the man in the shades at the roulette wheel.

Travelling on a bus shouldn't be a gamble, nor should glancing at a stranger be risky. For Martin Dinnegan, on his way to a Youth Club, both proved fatal. The why's and wherefore's are mind-numbing but Glen will be taking you through them and we'll be asking you what you make of it.
Breather!

Cue the music: Crowded House are reforming - ( I didn't know they had broken up) - just in time to hit the concert circuit as they ban smoking in enclosed places. Will this be good news or bad, for them? Everywhere you go, it seems you can no longer do what you want...
(Only if you are a selfsh polluter: Ed)
Stub it out, guv! It was only a play on the words to a song..
(Oh, alright then: Ed)
See you at 6 ... if he's really forgiven us.

Alastair and Katie

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Tues 26th June

It is just after four o'clock and Henman won so don't drift to the BBC: stay with us for ITV's London Tonight and the other bit of the ITV News Hour...

Our programme tonight is a festival of news, entertainment and officious officials.
On the news front, there's less than 24 hours of PM Blair left - and, which ever way you swing politically, it is a moment of some importance on the national and, perhaps, international stage of politics. So what does our Tony do? To prove even he still has things to learn he goes back to school. And who does he take with him on the day before he says "Goodbye" for the last time? The man who made famous the saying "I'll be back", wasn't and became Governor of California instead.
I just love the irony of it all. So did the kids at the school they both showed up at - as you'll see with Simon.

It is wrong not to pay your Council Tax. But if you are 77 years old and refuse to pay £31.16 of it because that is how much you think goes on the Olympics and you don't support the Olympics and don't think you'll be alive in 2012 to see them anyway, then.... well, I'm sorry but it is still wrong.
Whether or not Council Officials should pursue you to the courts for the tax and the costs may be a matter of some debate, however. We'll have that debate tonight, with Phil providing the impartial facts.

Now, imagine everything written by Noel Coward and Somerset Maugham, add in Mrs Robinson in the Graduate and conclude with Long Days Journey Into Night (Ist WW, trenches, last-fags-before-going-over-the-top time...) Now imagine the plays with no ciggies because of the ban on smoking in enclosed spaces. It could happen and it won't be the heirs of Ken Tynan or any other brilliant theatre critic who decides: another officious official from Health and Safety will determine if the puff of the carcinogenics is essential to the plot! Full details at 6.

Rod Stewart has been signing guitars at City Hall and you can win a bumper package of goodies including tickets for his Twickenham show and a personal introduction to the master! Tall blondes beware: he may be married to Penny but, on past form... what a rocker!

Bad Girls was an appalling TV series which pulled in staggeringly big audiences because it was so appalling. (His view, not mine! Editor) Anyway, they are putting it on the West End stage. Call me dumb but, with that big gap at the front, once the curtains up won't they all be able to escape? Only a thought.

Chrissie is in Hampton Court with some of the most beautiful flower displays ever, in one of the most beautiful settings, ever.

And I, along with Romilly, warmly invite you to become informed, annoyed and entertained by all or, at least, most of it.

Alastair.

London Tonight Tonight Monday 25th June

Good afternoon and welcome to the start of another week of Lonon Tonight-ery.

Our capital plumbed new depths at the weekend with four murders in two days: to put it in context, there were 8 murders in the whole of the UK at the weekend and we got half of them.
Full reports, particularly on the brutal events in Beckenham which prompted one witness to tell Marcus it was like listening to a pack of "baying animals"; and from Kingston where the events unfolded at the Volts nightclub.
We'll also be talking to the top-cop in charge of the Met's Special Crime unit.

After that, you'll need some lightening up... if not lighting up which, to a greater or lesser extent, will be nearly illegal in London come July 1st. ( I am fuming which is something I'll be doing less of, come July 1st!).
Bingo players count your blessings and bingo hall managers will find their place in smokers' heaven: a balcony will permit those hooked on housey-housey to continue their twin dodgy habits in peace; but there's a twist to the tale of two fat ladies and ducks in a row... Phil "Eyes down looking" Bayles has the story.

Imagine living in Camberley and hearing the drone of an annoying helicopter overhead: not unusual in that military neck-of-the-woods. But "knock knock" on the door, perhaps less common. Open the door and, knock me down with a feather, you are confronted with the face of one of the least likely diamond-divas you might have expected to drop by. And, as for her request, well I am too embarrassed to tell: it all happened to Mrs Amazed of Camberley who tells all to Damian Steward.

You can have too much of Harry Potter, we all agreed at our planning meeting: Daniel Radcliffe - cute, bare-chested in Equus in the West End but those spectacles and the post-punk mop of hair! Enuff. However, it seems he's been snogging so he may just have become slightly more interesting. I am not convinced but Steve Hargrave has been to investigate.

And Va va voom - the latest on the reason for weeping in the streets of Highbury and of giggly disinterest at Stamford Bridge and White Hart Lane.
Katie's working on the Crimewave story but joins me in urging you to be with us at 6.

Alastair.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 22nd June

Hi there.

I know I've done it - I'm sure many of you have too - got to the train station with minutes to spare, seen the queue for the ticket machines and faced with the choice of waiting in line or missing the train - opted to jump on board. Well from now, beware! Do that on South West Trains and you will be treated as though you are nothing better than a fare dodger. Even if you go straight up to the guard on the train and ask to buy a ticket, even if the queues for the ticket machines are half a mile long, even if the machines decide not to take notes or cards just as you get up to them - it won't matter. Piers Hopkirk is going to be investigating how that's going down with passengers and if it gets you a little agitated too, or perhaps you think its perfectly fair, we want to hear from you.

Also on the programme an incredibly moving interview with a soldier's widow. Jane Little will be sharing with us the letter she hoped she would never read, the letter her boyfriend left her when he went to Afghanistan, with instructions that it should only be opened if he was killed in action. It's a heart breaking story - she's only nineteen - but what a brave and inspiring woman.

And then the family man who is in a coma after trying to stop a thief driving off in his car. The police are still looking for the car - a Honda Civic - we'll have the latest on that investigation and his condition.

Now we have reported before on the worrying shortage of bees this year, today we have the story of the bees who have built themselves a super nest, a bee mansion and who don't want to move home.

There's also what to look out for at the cinema, what not to miss this weekend AND what London looked like the night the lights went out.

See you at six,

Romilly and Al

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 21st June

Good Afternoon.

Hope you're all well and - if you were up with the larks rolling around naked in one of London's parks to mark the Summer Solstice - we hope you're not too tired. There are one or two people sitting at their desks round here, looking a little bleary-eyed AND with bits of grass in their hair... No, we haven't asked.

Speaking of mark the longest day of the year, we hope you'll be taking part in the 'Lights Out London' campaign. It's all happening between 9 and 10 tonight. And if you need more details on how you can sit back and feel a bit 'greener'... you'd better watch the programme.

Now, Grease - as we all know by now - is the word. You may have watched the ITV programme and voted for the chap and chapette now lined up to be the new Danny and Sandy. (Don't tell anyone - but someone sitting not too far from here right now was watching 'Joseph' on the other side. Tickets have been bought for one Thursday night in November, ready to check out whether 'Lee' was a vote well cast... or not.) Anyway, Danny B and Susan have begun rehearsals for their first night in just 6 weeks time. Tamzin will be chatting with them to find out just how nervous they are.

The programme starts though on a much more sombre note - the stabbing of Sian Simpson. An 18 year girl has been charged with her murder - and there is still a very real sense of shock around the corner of Croydon where Sian's life was brought so abruptly to an end. Glen Goodman is the only TV reporter who's been speaking to her father and sister - and we'll hear their desperate story this evening.

We'll also be looking at two London institutions that get Londoners' blood boiling. Let's start with the Dome (or the O2, as some very earnest people in suits would want us to call it). Love it, loathe it - the place is back in business - and this time, it's showbusiness. It's now the biggest music venue of its kind in Europe and it opens this weekend. Robyn Ross has been for a sneaky-peak.

Phil Bayles though is riding the Metronet express right into another cash controversy. The people who paid an awful lot of money to do up the tube and make it faster, cleaner, nicer, better (we'll let you judge) now say they've not been paid enough for the work they've done. In fact, they reckon they're owed more than £1 BILLION. We just tell you the facts. You judge for yourselves.

So then - a packed, packed programme. You wouldn't want to miss it... like Alastair...

You see, we've also been speaking to his 'hero of the hour', Lewis Hamilton. At just 22 years old, the terribly nice chap from Hertfordshire just happens to be leading the Formula One Drivers' Championship. Mr Stewart will be spitting feathers... but then, he's going to be a very busy man a little later on ITV1.

We'll tell you all about that too - at SIX.

Ben & Katie

London Tonight Tonight Wednesday 20th June

Afternoon..

Another awful knife death leads our programme tonight. This time it's a 17 year old girl, stabbed in the street in Croydon yesterday. The 2 suspects currently being questioned by police - also teenage girls. It sounds shocking - and if all is as it seems, then it certainly is shocking. We'll have all the latest information and interviews with witnesses and friends of the victim.

You'll remember of course the day that Jill Dando was shot dead on her own Fulham doorstep 8 years ago. The man convicted of her murder, Barry George today won the right to appeal for a second time. He's always claimed it wasn't him, and now his lawyers suggest there is new evidence to back his case. Marcus Powell has been investigating.

We've the tale of the 2 year old boy who waited 4 hours in A and E in Reading with a broken leg. As you can imagine, his parents were NOT impressed.

Phil Bayles been taking a look at the rather macabre new exhibition from the Wellcome Trust and Tamzin's interviewing that old charmer Bruce Willis at the premiere of Die Hard 4 ... will he be wearing a vest?

Meanwhile Ben and I will be scoffing in the studio, thanks to the Taste of London festival.. excellent!
See you at 6.

Katie

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 19th June

Hello and a very happy Tuesday to you.

Bit of a drama going on here at the moment... er, we've just lost our top story. When we say 'lost' we don't mean it's fallen down the back of the sofa. It just wasn't what we thought, that's all.... which means we won't run it... which means we've got a bit more programme to fill. Nervous? Naaah. Excited? "That's more like it"... says the editor.

So, while the team decides what other news we'll get to cover as a result, we'll run you quickly through the stories we're already working on...

Well, the Mayor of London's been issued with an ultimatum over the members of the London Fire Authority. He's refused to sanction the appointment of nine white men to the authority because he says they don't represent the capital. London's fire boss, Ken Knight, has told him to either reconsider his position or, er, expect to hear from some lawyers. It's plenty more complicated than that... but the deadline passes at 5pm, and Simon Harris will cover all the developments.

Mr Livingstone's been a busy man today, as he also unveiled plans for a new rail-line to go round the city. And to run it, we'll be calling on the Chinese and a construction company - obviously. And do the unions not like that! Over to Glen Goodman.

Meanwhile , Liz Wickham's got a good lead on a story (stay with me here). Southwark Council put up signs in a park saying dogs have to be kept on leads 'at all times'. But, actually, they don't. And the council can't enforce it. So the signs were probably a bit of a waste of time, weren't they? And a waste of £36,000 worth of tax-payers' money... I mean, really.

We'll have to leave it up to the ticket-buying audiences at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane to decide whether the millions (and millions) of pounds spent committing 'Lord of the Rings' to the stage was money well spent. However, what we can do - and Tamzin will do - is bring you all the excitement as the clock ticks down to 'curtain up' on the world's most expensive musical.

So - all that - and plenty more at SIX.

See you then...

Ben & Nina

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Mon 18th June

Hello!

We're leading with the pretty shocking story that an NHS trust in our patch, Sutton and Merton to be precise, has admitted that it's failed to meet all 3 new government targets on cleanliness and hygiene. The aim was to cut the appalling rates of MRSA and C diff.... the result in this case: rubbish.

There's some good news - we think - from County Hall this afternoon. It seems Ken is cutting bus fares back to 90p for a single if you use your Oyster card. So why the caveat? Well, they were keeping their cards very close to their chest about this one, and we're not sure why they wouldn't shout to the roof tops. It also seems they can afford the cuts because the Tube budget is in surplus to the tune of 150 million pounds this year. Perhaps that money should be ploughed back into the tube system?

We're getting all the details on the footballers arrested for allegedly fiddling their driving license points... we're with the retired naval officer who's the first person to be evicted by the Olympic machine - he's got til tomorrow to move out.

Damien's been off investigating the joys of living in a houseboat.. while Kirstie will be with us to talk about the increasingly cavernous gulf between rich and poor in this city, not to mention the death of community spirit in the suburbs. So plenty of property news for us to get our teeth into.

For a bit of fun we're getting all excited about the man who came 4th in American Idol. No, really. He actually has done significantly better than all his other rivals on the show put together ... he's massive in the States. Tonight he's playing London .. and Jasmine went to meet him.

And that, is pretty much it.

See you at 6!

Katie and Al. x

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 15th June

Good afternoon.

It has been one of those weeks where some of us weren't entirely sure we'd make it, rather like the wonderful men and women from the London I.T. team who are with Ronke, in South Africa, trying to build some outbuildings for a township school. Tonight we have made it to Friday and you can see if they have made it too, albeit thousands of miles away.

Closer to home, a report from the Home Affairs Select Committee (stay awake at the back, there!) all of whom are white (don't get angry, stick with me) has tried to make sense of why so many young blacks get caught up in so much crime. I sat down with comic genius and social commentator Richard Blackwood, who is black and still young-ish, to ask for his thoughts. Worth tuning in for whatever your age or race... and there are some good driving tips, too.

Simon Webbe is black but was Blue - well part of Blue and is now solo: he has toured, provided a song for a movie and is watching his latest album make good progress. He is dropping in, live, so I don't know if he'll have any driving tips but he is a really nice guy and very talented.

As is James King: it is just his dress-sense that worries me, sometimes! He is here, as always on a Friday, to cast an informed yet discerning eye over this weeks big releases... including the movie Simon Webbe provided a song for.( Are you keeping up or still feeling angry about those MPs?)

Tamzin, in my view, is simply someone not to miss and, therefore, casts herself, irrevocably, in the role of purveyor of our What Not to Miss feature, a highlight of what you might consider doing this weekend. She doesn't share my view but does the work brilliantly, nevertheless.

As does Robin, magnificently if not a little surreally occasionally, with the weather.

It is Friday and it is all there, plus some.

See you at 6 with the delicious Ms Sylvester on my arm.

Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 14th June

Afternoon: me again asking you, again, to join us for a tour de force across the landscape that is London's news, entertainment and current affairs.

We're six years on and, after more hours of police-time than you could imagine, the Boys in Blue have arrested Michael Barrymore and two other men on suspicion of the murder of Stuart Lubbock.
All three are currently helping police with their enquiries but we have been making our own, too. Don't know what the cops will discover, but you'll be amazed by what Marcus has already found out. That and more at 6.

Ford of America have put Jaguar and Land Rover up for sale; Wall Street's "venture capitalists" or "vulture capitalists", as some Unions call them, are circling nearly every British business from BA to Sainsbury. But your local school: surely not? Well, Edison, famous for light bulbs and power generation, is also the name of an out-sourcing giant in the States and they're running a school in London and rather well, according to many. We'll tell you the facts and ask what you make of it.
Ronke, with no help from Edison, is in South Africa watching the gang from a London IT company put the finishing touches to a school extension - it was raining yesterday, so fingers crossed! Your hearts will melt....

My heart melted when Victoria Hart came in to see us: she was the London waitress who was flown to Cannes to sing for George Clooney and Brad Pitt at the film festival. Well, she's got a recording contract and is going out for dinner to celebrate: and this time,someone else will be waiting on her! She shared her excitement with Liz.

Equally excited, the bands and the audiences for this weekend's WIRELESS gig in Hyde Park: runners and riders with Tamzin, including the bands you voted for!

And finally, I only make light of this because there wasn't an accident.
Underground trains can go both ways but, at any given time of the day, and on any given platform in the system, they are only supposed to go one way: the right way.
The driver, who clambered in and promptly drove off in the wrong direction but fortunately found the brake with only moments to spare, will feature in our comprehensive coverage of the remarkable range of things that make London London, Tonight.

Katie and I, and the whole gang, look forward to seeing you at 6.

Alastair

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Weds 13th June

Good afternoon and apologies for the delay and the brevity - there has been a flap in the ITV newsroom about Madeleine McCann which has occupied lots of us.

Anyway, a real flap, too, down at City Hall as the cost and problems of former Transport Commissioner Bob Kiley occupied Assembly Members and the Mayor today. They were all behaving like exploding Bendy Buses and Simon, who secured that remarkable recent interview with Mr Kiley about his drinking and how much he was still costing you, has the cut and thrust of an amazing day.

In a flash, the jury aquitted the Judge accused of displaying more than his briefs on the train. It is a very strange story and Glen will reveal.. no he won't, he will "tell" all.

Aircraft carriers on the Thames and London Tonight reporters in South Africa: is there no limit to our ambitions?

Not even landing an exclusive TV interview with Kevin Spacey, back with another exciting season at the Old Vic?

No: it is all there and we will be, too, at 6.

Hope you can find the time to join us.

Alastair

LONDON TONIGHT UPDATE

Some breaking news - a building's collapsed near Scotland Yard in Victoria.

We'll be live on the scene tonight at six.

If you've any pictures of it - then call our newsdesk on 020 7430 4000 or email them to londontonight@itvlondon.com

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LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Tues 12th June

Good afternoon to you one and all...

Well, before we talk about the main business of the day, I'd like to talk 'teasmaids'. My Mum and Dad had one (rather a lot of years ago). Our editor's Gran had one (presumably a few more years ago). Ms Derham said her parents didn't have one... but wished they had. Well, according to one of the papers, John Lewis is looking for a company to start making them again as punters are always asking staff if they stock them. Personally, I feel able, of a morning, to walk all of the short distance from my bedroom to our kitchen to make a hot beverage. Still - as I remember - Mum and Dad's did make a good bubbling noise when the water boiled.

Just felt I had to get that off my chest.

Perhaps a group of Chelsea pensioners we'll be hearing from later might have an opinion - although they probably wouldn't hear the bubbling noise above the rock concert they're being treated to this afternoon. Seriously, we'll have the White Stripes, giving it their all for a more mature audience than they're used to - all in aid of the charity... and all covered by Steve Hargrave.

The programme starts though on a much more sombre note... and an exclusive - the conviction of a man who stabbed and sexually assaulted a young lady in Orpington last year. The lady's name is Carly Furness and we can tell you that because she's waived her legal right to anonymity. Despite her horrific experience though, it could have been worse for Carly - but for the intervention of another brave lady who saw the attack, stopped the attack, and made sure Carly got to hospital. The two woman haven't been allowed to talk while the court case has been pending - but, for the first time this evening, you can see them meet - only on London Tonight. Emma Walden has the story.

Meanwhile, Glen will be reporting on a rather remarkable 'about face' from TfL. After the Mayor promising less than two years ago that there WOULD always be ticket-offices at ALL tube-stations... guess what... an announcement today that 40 ticket offices are to close. Confused? Worried? Cross? We'll want to hear all about what you're thinking.

Wouldn't it be interesting to hear what the International Olympic Committee thinks about the new 2012 logo... well, they're over for a three day inspection of preparations for the London games. Simon Harris is covering that - and took the chance to ask Lord Coe how HE feels about the logo - one week on.

Ronke Phillips won't be with us this week. I should say, she won't be with us HERE - instead, she'll be reporting from South Africa on a Chiswick woman with deep pockets and a big heart... Tamzin will be in Leicester Square being 'fantastic' (obviously) for the premiere of a new 'Fantastic Four' film.... Christie will be telling us, I fear, that the rest of the week's weather looks far from fantastic... AND we'll be revealing the last winner of our 'Unsigned' competition. Er... fantastic.

With all that, you'd be mad to miss it... or busy looking for a teasmaid.

See you at SIX,

Ben

London Tonight Tonight Monday 11th June

Hello - hope you had a great weekend.
Personally, and I can be personal because it has fallen to me to send you this e-mail, I thought it was a fantastic weekend: Lewis Hamilton won his first Grand Prix and the Rolling Stones appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival. But this is London Tonight, I hear you grumble. Well, Lewis comes from Stevenage which is on our patch.
And Sir Mick, who owns a estate agent's window full of property around the world, has a lovely home in Richmond.
Anyway, despite that and despite my best efforts, you escape the Rolling Stones on tonight's show, but there will be a delightful look at Lewis and his historic achievement in Canada yesterday.
Our news agenda is led by possibly one of the saddest and most brutal murders we have had the disagreeable duty to report to you. The victim predicted it, the perpetrators were members of her immediate family, the motive was their disapproval of her choice in love, and the fall-out has been described as the biggest setback in police-race relations for a quarter of a century. Officers simply didn't believe the victim when she told them her life was at risk: the full and troubling details at 6.

More evidence, if evidence were needed, that being a Police officer is one of the most dangerous and stressful jobs in the capital: one Officer, who went to answer a cry for help in Luton, ended up dead; another, called to an incident in Sevenoaks, faced a chilling life or death decision when faced with an armed woman in the middle of the night. He killed her and survives to face a full enquiry.

So, light and shade - weighty matters and a little levity, I hope you agree.
Where, then, would you place the arrival on the red carpet tonight of Justin Timberlake? Or Mike Myers explaining what he would do if he were King? Hard to say. One, or possibly even both, will happen in the charming company of Jasmine Lowson at the Shrek premiere in town tonight.
But can Myers sing rock or Timberlake drive an F1 race car? I have my doubts: what a weekend it was....

see you at 6

Alastair

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 8th June

Hello.

It's the Editor here, putting my first programme together using the new computer programme that we've just started using this week. Faye, who put together the rest of the week's programmes, managed to defeat the technology and get on air - lets see how I cope tonight.

Right - newswise - we start with the story of a teaching assistant who refused to listen to a pupil reading a Harry Potter book. The reason - it's anti-Christian. She later quit - and is now claiming compensation, saying she faced religious discrimination. Find out more at six as Phil Bayles has been there all day.

George Michael was sentenced today after being found slumped at the wheel of his car. He had a few words to say afterwards - find out what they were - and what he was sentenced to - at six.

We've the final part of our fascinating series from Afghanistan. Simon reveals what it's like for those members of the London TA to live at Camp Bastian.

James King is in to talk movies, we've the latest Tour De France countdown, and Jenny Seagrove joins us in the studio to talk about her latest West End show.

All that - the weekend weather - and the incredible, gravity defying Hillingdon Hospital food.

Don't miss it. I hope we don't either.

Stuart

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 7th June

Hello and good evening to you all.
Ever taken your life in your hands tackling London's bendy buses? Well if you have you're not alone. It turns out that it's not just anecdotal... they actually are MORE dangerous than their predecessors. In fact, five crashes happen involving a bendy bus EVERY single day.
So what does Transport for London plan to do about it? Apparently the answer is to put more of them on our streets!
We're pretty mad about it - and so will you be. Phil Bayles explains all at 6.

Simon Harris brings you his final report from Afghanistan. Tonight he's on desert patrol with the young men of London's TA unit as they protect crucial supply drops that support the war effort. They're a proud bunch - and we're proud of them.

They may be on their best behaviour, but as many of you well know, the capital's kids are not so much. And we're live at a fun fair that's come up with a novel approach - it's called a Cliffbo... and you'll need to join Kate live at the fair to find out what that is all about.

Then there's Willsy on the march with the Coldstream Guards - they take Trooping the Colour incredibly seriously don't you know... And Tamzin's met the cast of the new Take That musical - and no Willsy didn't make the cut.

Tune in for all that and much, much more at six.
See you then.

London Tonight Tonight Weds 6th June

Good afternoon!
As a child one of my greatest treats was when my grandfather, who was a taxi driver, took my brother and me to Hamleys: we'd get ten bob each (50p for youngsters, those lovely browny-orange notes for people of my age) and we would buy some short-lived nonsense in the entrance hall but we loved it and we loved him.
Second only to that was to visit the Great Big Blue Whale which hung in the Natural History Museum. And it still does. But it's got a bit dusty, apparently. Personally, I won't hear a word against it save to say it is smaller than I remember... anyway, Glen has not gone to Hamley's but is at the Science Museum as I write to report on the Wash and Brush Up for every child's favourite scientific spectacle.

Not such a favourite yet is the new london 2012 Logo - actually most of you hate it. Some of you have suffered epileptic fits watching it, and hardly any of you seem to agree with Seb Coe that it will grow on you. The latest on the branding debacle at 6 and your chance, again, to have your say.
More fun is what they found when they were digging foundations for the Velodrome, down in the Lower Lea Valley. On your bike we said to Marcus and off he went. They may be defensive about the logo, but it's defences of a different and fascinating sort they found! A clue? Marcus has just reminded us it is the anniversary of D-Day today.

Simon, who'd have been there like a shot, instead has his latest bulletin from our Brave Lads in Afghantistan: one Terry nearly reduced us to tears with what he had to say: you, too, will be moved....
And finally, the delightful Marc Almond drops by to talk about his new album, his continuing recovery from an horrific motor-bike prang, and the Olympic logo - talk about tainted love!

See you at 6.

Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 5th June

Hi everyone,

There is so much on tonight's programme I just don't know where to begin!
We've got an exclusive from Afghanistan tonight - our Political Correspondent Simon Harris has been on patrol with the London TA unit sent to Helmand Province. It's scary, exhilirating and at times, dangerous... but the team have got some incredible stories to tell - starting tonight.

From extraordinary men to an extraordinary woman. Adam Regis was stabbed to death aged just 15 earlier this year. Today, his mother joined police in appealing for help to catch his killers. She announced a 20 thousand pound reward and detectives released some crucial CCTV that could help their cause. Tune in to hear a mother's heartfelt plea.

There's more on that 2012 logo that went down like a lead balloon - we couldn't resist the opportunity to come up with a logo of our own - check out our offerings and find out what the expects thought. You can even vote for your favourite.

There's a green pub, struggling to beat London's red tape... and then there's Hampton Court Palace - in the sun.

It's all to come at six - so don't miss a minute.

London Tonight Tonight Monday 4th June

Hi there,
We're a bit up against it in the newsroom tonight. New technology don't you know... It's tough teaching a bunch of old dogs new tricks! Anyway, watch to see if we manage to get things right!

Here's what's on the programme tonight:
Kate Beagley went out on a date... But she never came home. Now it seems her body has been found by police searching a wood in Watford. And she did all the right things. She rang and texted her friends to tell them where she was going... She even filled in her dad. But it wasn't enough to save her life. Right now police are questioning a man on suspicion of her murder... we'll have the latest from the scene.

London 2012 has gone through a rebranding exercise. Today's launch was star-studded, but will it get a celestial reception. We're not convinced, so tune in to see if you like it. And on that note, just as the 2012 team try to convince us to embrace all things sporting - there's the true story of the gyms, sporting facilities and classes that are having to shut down because they just don't have the funds. Sounds like one to make your blood boil...

Talking of things getting hotter, Tamzin's spent the afternoon with Enrique Iglesias... and Chrissie's here to tell us if the beautiful weather at the weekend is set to continue.
That and loads more, so join us at six.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 1st June

Friday, Friday everyone... hurrah, it's the weekend.

And what better way to start two days away from the coal-face than half an hour of 'London Tonight'..? Well, a whole SIXTY minutes in front of the ITV News Hour. They said, quickly, before one of the bosses sees this...

Nonetheless, it's the capital that kick's it all off and this evening we start with dodgy motors. Only, the people buying them won't have known that because of the international lengths a bunch of fraudsters went to. They ALMOST got away with making four million pounds. But then, when it comes to breaking the law, ALMOST isn't really good enough, is it..? Marcus Powell will explain how the wheels came off their little venture.

Next up - is there anyone reading this I wonder who went to school in Holland Park - the first, purpose-built, comprehensive school in London..? Well - bad news - it's being knocked down. There will be a school there, but it won't be the same school because they're selling a load of land off for developers to build... anyone? anyone? that's right - luxury housing. Cross? Well, after Kate Recordon's take on the story, we want to hear how cross.

Mention 'Heathrow' and ' ANOTHER massive new building programme' in the same sentence and you'd expect people to get cross all over again. But, and BAA will tell you it's a 'BIG but' - the new terminal, replacing T1 and T2, will be greener, more comfortable and won't lead to more flights or passengers. Damien Steward's been checking out the grand plan.

We also - and this is the highlight for one of the presenters tonight - we also - really, he's pretty excited - we ALSO have... Elaine Paige in the studio, talking about her new musical 'The Drowsy Chaperone'. What you might call 'Theatre Royalty'...

There'll be 'Movie Royalty' too... well, James King (give us a break, it's Friday) is here talking movies... there'll be 'What Not to Miss'... and Chrissie, lucky thing, is in Epsom for Ladies Day, ahead of the Derby tomorrow.

And they're off... at SIX.

Ben & Romilly.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Thurs 31st May

Afternoon, afternoon,

Now, don't know about you, but it's a long time since most of the 'London Tonight' team were at school. In fact, for some of us, the memory is just a vague blur interrupted... by the sound of bells ringing... combined with the smell of over-cooked flans. But, however long ago it was - and in SOMEONE'S case, it was a REALLY long time - none us can remember carrying a knife, or a gun.

And yet, the prospect of that is SO real in modern classrooms that new measures have been introduced today, giving teachers powers to search pupils. Do they want the powers? Should they have them? Why, on earth, do we need them? Have a think - because after Marcus Powell has filed his report this evening, we'll be asking for your opinions.

Ever heard of the Pobjoy Mint? It's the largest private mint in Europe. No, that accolade does not belong to the 'Polo', as the director 'hilariously' just suggested. Not even in a French accent. Anyway, the Pobjoy johnnies knock out the coinage for several countries, including the Falklands - and, 25 years after the islands were wrestled back from Argentina, there's to be a collection of special commemorative coins. And who better to see the first pocketfuls of pennies rolling off the production line than Prime Minister of the day, Baroness Thatcher. Liz Wickham was there too. On her best behaviour, presumably.

North London v South London... the age-old argument is, for most of us, a talking-point over a pint perhaps - with both sides agreeing to disagree come 'last orders'. However, one group of South Londoners just wouldn't let it lie and, get this, they've been offering to pay the taxi fare for North Londoners, to take a sort of 'See what you're missing' tour of southern delights. Glen Goodman was there today when they, frankly, struggled to find any takers.

We'll also be hearing about one campaign to switch off London's lights, another to clampdown on dishonest theatrical agents, and one more to improve the weather... well, imagine if there was even a TINY chance of it working...

Okey-dokey, see you at SIX.

Ben & Romilly

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Weds 30th May

Afternoon,

We won't mention the weather today. Firstly, because what more is there to say. Secondly, because swearing isn't big or clever.

Anyway, there are more exciting things to talk about... such as a 'Eurythmic' - just the one mind, but still, if you're of a certain age (which at least one of this evening's presenters is) 'Annie' and 'Dave' had quite an impact back in the 80's. Well, tonight, BOTH presenters are rather looking forward to meeting 'Dave' ('Mr Stewart' to his tailor) when he comes in to the studio to talk about looking for 'Annie Mk II'... to perform with him... live on stage... do you follow?... it could be you. At least one of the team has been overheard ringing up the local hairdresser, asking about the cost of dyeing their hair orange...

Before we go that far (down the programme running-order) we're going to be reporting on the opening of the public inquiry into the expansion of Stansted. Enjoying your cheap flights? Want to save the planet? Expansion a necessity of life? Want that expansion in the form of a runway at the end of your garden? Take two bottles into the shower? (Actually, that last one's nothing to do with it, but you get the picture.) Piers Hopkirk has the day's story - which includes an appeal from the good people of Greenland, who sort of see the 'global-warming threat' as a little more 'immediate' than some of us.

Meanwhile Liz Wickham's being playing fast and loose at London's newest, biggest casino. Yes, we know the Dome (sorry, O2) lost the supercasino contract, but while the eyes of the capital looked to Greenwich, a huge casino was being knocked together in the West End. You snooze in London, you lose in London.

Now, if you were to 'win big' on the craps tables (it's a game, rather than a comment on the quality of the furniture) you might want to move house, or boat. A rather ENORMOUS liner will soon be berthing on the Thames offering the sort of permanent, waterside, acclamation only the filthy rich can dream of. Still, nice to have a look at what the filthy reach dream of - and that's what Damien Steward will be doing.

So - see you at six o'clock. Let's face it - it's that or doing the washing up...

Ben & Romilly.
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LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Tues 29th May

Hello and a very good afternoon to you.

So, did you all have fun in the sun... giving our new summer wardrobe a run-out... stuff our faces with barbequed goodies...? Nope. Us neither.
Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful weather.

That's ONE thing we'll be addressing in the programme tonight.

The rest of it starts with a special investigation into trouble on London's buses. According to drivers who've spoken to Chris Rogers, it's getting worse - and they say the increase began when free bus-travel was introduced for under 16s. See the pictures. Hear the drivers. We'll then put it all to TfL.

8 days ago, the Cutty Sark went up in flames. This evening, Piers Hopkirk will show you 'up close' the damage that's been done and he'll also report on a concert that will hopefully raise at least some of the millions that'll be needed to put some of that damage right.

Next up: a story to melt your heart. Young Angelina Vidler wants to be a ballerina, but she has an even steeper hill to climb than most four year olds - as she goes through chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat a rare from of kidney cancer. But today - a treat, a REAL treat for Angelina - when she got to rehearse with the Royal Ballet IN Covent Garden. Kate Recordon has the story.

Staying with the arts, but popping over the river to the Royal Festival Hall. Those who always thought it was a bit of an eye-sore were no doubt delighted when a 2 year, £90 million refit began. Look at it now - and it, er, looks the same.
Liz Wickham though has a look round the inside to see where all the money did go, and what £90 million can get you these days.

Steve Hargrave will be speaking to the Manic Street Preachers ahead of their 3 night stay at the Kentish Town Forum... there are two VERY expensive barbeques to be won (it's National Barbeque Week - honest)... and, as we said earlier, Chrissie's got some explaining to do.

It's live - on ITV1 - at SIX.

See you there,

Ben & Romilly

London Tonight Tonight 25th May

Hello.
I am on the point of walking out this afternoon...
First we are featuring sheep racing on Clapham Common - an area of London renowned for curious perambulations by confused former senior politicians, the rather beautiful headquarters of the National Union of Seamen (now part of Bob Crow's RMT) and John Prescott's flat.
But sheep racing?
And the sheep have been given London Tonight names: mine is offensive, inaccurate and very misleading. You will have to tune in to even begin to understand my ire. Ram, bam no-thankyou, mam!

Next we are reviewing Pirates of the Caribbean III and, despite my very best and even persistent requests on your collective behalves, there simply won't be enough Kiera Knightley and no Keith Richards at all. Frankly, the plank beckons for all concerned.

Tamzin will present with her customary authority, skill, charm and dignity WHAT NOT TO MISS but, without Keira and Keith, frankly it has been missed already.
Sophie Ellis Bexter is, however, some considerable compensation: a wise and intelligent young woman, born of Blue Peter stock and seriously gifted in the vocals territory. She is live in the studio.

On the news front, we examine how it could have been that 8 doctors over 4 days missed blood poisoning in a young woman who subsequently died. Surely her GP would have spotted it? Might have done, but the GP was not available as it was a Bank Holiday. Someone else in the practice? Nope: she had to use an Out of Hours Service which proved to be "seriously flawed", to quote the inquiry findings; "fatally flawed", to quote her partner. We talk to the boss of the out of hours service and to the dead woman's partner.

Finally, despite everything we are told about how good trees are for the environment, we don't have enough of them in London. It's partly down to Health and Safety and, before I explode again, and possibly walk out, let's leave it at that: do join us when all will be explained at 6.

Entertaining, informative and sheep? What more could you ask?
Alastair and Tamzin

London Tonight Tonight 24th May

Good afternoon:
I am still recovering from having interviewed Joanna Lumley on the ITV Lunchtime News about the appeal for Darfur.
Elegant and compassionate, she is a remarkable woman.
Talking of such, Katie is tied up at the moment doing an interview for the Independent Newspaper about style: I offered a few tips but it was never a conversation destined to last long, so here I am.

We have two Tamzins tonight: well actually a Tamzin, as in Sylvester, and a Tamsin, as in Roberts - and I think there may be potential for a falling-out!
As you may already be aware, the Sylvester one has a thing about monkeys. But she, the Sylvester one, is at the Ivor Novello Awards which celebrate our finest song-smiths and Peter Tork, Davey Jones, Mickey Dolentz and the one whose surname is, I think, Naysmith, are nowhere to be seen. (Hey Hey, we're the Monkees: keep up!). But she did net some superstars for your enjoyment, later.
The other one, the Roberts one, went to meet the smallest monkey in the world - when I say "a bit of a handful" I mean it. Talk about sweet but the Sylvester person is fuming that she didn't get the gig!

Anyway, less attractive animals, through little fault of their own, also appear on the programme as a couple are sentenced for breeding and training fighting dogs. It shouldn't happen anywhere but it has been happening in Acton; full details at 6.

A long way south from there and there's trouble brewing in Gravesend: a Sikh taxi driver was murdered with his own car but the local Sikh community say they warned it was a murder waiting to happen and the Police didn't do enough to avoid it. We'll bring you both sides of the sorry tale.

And finally, 70 year old Harry is a Hampstead gentleman who has, for years, occupied a shack on the Heath. Squatters rights, you may wonder. You'd be right. But what will knock you off your chair, stool or chaise longue is the amount of money his squatters rights plot has been valued at: you'll need a cold drink when you hear.
See you at six
Alastair

London Tonight Tonight Weds 23rd May

Hello.
We hope you are going to get home in time to watch London Tonight tonight as there's trouble on the tracks again.

Yes, a large fire in Bermondsey under the railway line and near some pretty unstable gas cylinders, could play havoc with your journey home. The pictures are spectacular and Glen is live to tell you exactly which trains are going nowhere.

Now Metronet - does the name ring a bell? It's the group of companies responsible for maintaining the tube lines, and responsible many are saying for doing a pretty shoddy job! Now Ken wants a change in the law so he can get rid of the lot of them. We will be asking whether the tubes really are going down the tube and is it all Metronet's fault?

But it hasn't all been doom and gloom. One lucky, lucky Piers Hopkirk got sent to a Surrey vineyard this afternoon to see if British wines really do sparkle. If you thought home grown sparkling wine was closer to vinegar, think again, this one has been up against the big boys and been winning all the prizes.

Oh yes and there's Damien on the joys of Hampstead, and Johnny Depp on Keith Richards. Irresistible! Oh, and Alastair, too!

See you later,
Romilly

London Tonight Tonight 22nd May

Good afternoon.

After such a dramatic day yesterday we were all braced for a quiet one in the capital... No such luck I'm afraid!!!

There have been huge developments in the case of the murdered spy Alexander Litvinenko...
London says "hand over the suspect, we want a murder trial!" Russia replies... "no way Jose" and things get nasty.
Tonight there's a diplomatic stand off, and a widow left wondering if she'll ever see justice happen.
We look back at the radiation trail... And find out if our city is still glowing green!

Prince Philip is touring what's left of the Cutty Sark. A staunch defender of the teacutter, he's said to be devastated by yesterday's fire. We're in Greenwich live.
One man who can remember sailing on the high seas is Sidney Palmer. Meet the delightful "YOUNG" man who was one of the last to serve on the Cutty Sark herself. He's a sprightly thing at 86. And he'll melt your heart.

Other stuff - the Londoner who won a private jet only to find he's too skint to fly it! Believe me, you couldn't make it up!

And, the movie about Walthamstow Market making waves in Cannes. Tamzin has to keep her very own Del-Boy in check... It's TV gold so don't miss it.

That's not even it - there's more... You'll just have to join us at six!

See you then.

London Tonight Tonight May 21st

Good afternoon and here's what's ahead on London Tonight Tonight.

We're sure you've seen them - the pictures of the Cutty Sark in flames. We've been down at Greenwich all day to capture the fight to save one of our most precious icons of maritime history.
Once she sailed faster than any other on the high seas... Today she burned almost as quickly.
Alastair is live on location with all the key interviews, and Emma Walden has been taking a look back at the history books to tell you just why the Cutty Sark is so important to London and to Britain.
So don't miss it - the pictures are amazing and shocking all at the same time.

In other stuff, Katie's poised in the studio to bring you all the other top stories in the capital. Including Desmond Tutu on a rare visit to his old stomping ground of Lewisham - and he's as full of life as ever.

Developments in Cannes have taken another bizarre twist with Tamzin Sylvester reporting on the publicity for a movie that hasn't even been shot yet.... And wait till you see the star-studded line up for St Trinians - it's got Alastair pretty excited!!!

Plus, our last ever interview with the Prime Minister - find out what he thinks of the capital as he bids Downing Street goodbye.
As you can see, it's jam-packed.

See you at six.

London Tonight Tonight Thursday 17th May

Hello and good afternoon.
We have wonderful people on the show tonight and some utter debris!

Let's start with the debris: they saw a delivery van with the doors open and the keys in the ignition, so they jumped in and drove off. When the rightful owner springs into action to defend his property, they kept going. Hear the horror of what happened next, at 6.

John Armitt is certainly not debris but is he wonderful? That is what 2012 Trio of Ken, Tessa and Seb are hoping because he is the new delivery man for the 2012 Games. Problem is he is also the man who runs Network Rail - huge public sector subsidies and, let's be frank, an improving but not perfect record for..... time-keeping! We ask him if this is a joke or a sound appointment.

Simon Harris is definitely wonderful and he's still in New York making trouble for the Mayor and lots of other Mayors from around the world. See what happened when Harris bumped into Bill Clinton in the Big Apple...

Another Bill - Billy Zane or, as we Brit chaps like to think of him, The VERY Lucky Mr Kelly Brook, doubles his luck in Cannes by bumping into Tamzin who is very definitely in the wonderful catagory!!

Glen has failed to find Gullit the Yorkshire Terrier and has given up! Pathetic! Verging on debris status but he may redeem himself at an animal sanctuary tonight: only time and the edit room will decide. I am not optimistic.

Finally, I have to declare an interest in one of our stories tonight: Henrietta and Michael Spink are friends of mine, seriously wonderful people and they have two absolutely amazing boys: Freddie and Henry. Problem is both boys were born with severe disabilities and when I say severe I am not exaggerating. Long standing London Tonight viewers have met them before as they battled with their local council to try to get the help they needed.
Anyway, it has been not so much a chapter of woes, as a whole wretched library full!
Tonight some good news for them and a documentary about them on ITV1.
It is just one of those amazing stories that lifts your spirits and, whatever problems you have, kind of puts things in perspective. I hope you share my love for, and interest in them, by the time you've finished watching.
See you at 6
Alastair & Katie

London Tonight Tonight Thursday May 16th

Hello.
Sorry this is a bit late but we had a big meeting in the newsroom today, during which we had to ingest a whole workflow of concepts designed to maximise the efficiency of the new hubs, all of which will be devoid of clutter as we explore our new adjacencies: I personally think that is rude but more in hope than expectation!
Then we had another meeting to try to and figure out what it all meant....

You know, Jose Mourinho just shouldn't have a yorkshire terrier. I don't mean this particular dog which may or may not have the right passport, visa and or certification: he just shouldn't have that breed. Jose is a wolf-hound or Setter, or St. Bernard, or Briard, or a Pyrenean Mountain Dog kind of guy. Anyway, full details of the tiff he had with the Met (who only have Alsatisans) at 6.
By the way, Ladbrokes say the dog is 100-1 against to appear at the FA Cup Final at the weekend in the Chelsea dug-out, and 500-1 against to interrupt the game! In a ManU shirt? 10-1 ON!!!!!

Simon is still causing trouble in New York: that is what Simon does, it's only the location that changes. Anyway:
"Green is the colour, environment's the theme:
why are all those lights on? It really is obscene!"
If you read that back, it is poetry: it also gives you a clue as to why you will want to see and hear Simon Harris of London vs Mike Bloomberg of NY.

Damien Steward will also explain why the one thing the Crown Estate is not, is Crown. It boasts some of the most wonderful buildings in London and some of the real dross but there is a fascinating story as to who it belongs to now and why.

Anyone who is anyone in film is in Cannes so that is where you will find Tamzin too. But don't leap on the Eurostar or head for an airport! Stay with us and we will transport you to the delights of the South of France, all things cinematographic and la belle Tamzin - live at 6. C'est very bon indeed.
The French might eat them but we celebrate them as wonderous and glorious creatures, that noble of bloodstock, the horse. In 1923, one made a rather fine fourth official too, so we are profiling Dobbins in dubbin, as the Blues take on the Reds at Wembley this weekend. Great breaking news: the souvenir shop won't be ready - isn't that a result!

See you at 6: workflow permitting, ingest our efforts at a convenient TV hub -

Alastair and Katie

London Tonight Tonight Tuesday 15th May

Hello and good afternoon.
I have a cold which, as my friends here and my entire family will tell you, is more of a drag for them than me. But I struggle on, manfully.
As does Faye, our producer, (though womanfully, to be politically correct and genetically accurate) whose acquisition of two, beautiful kittens was mentioned in last week's LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT. One of them is poorly and has to go the vet tonight: she is in our prayers - though, I must say, the kitten attracted considerably more sympathy at our planning meeting than I did.
Out of our prayers, for the best possible reason, is Roxy the kidnapped Alsatian who was being trained as a guide dog for a delightful Asian gran' when she went missing. But there is a twist you'll want to know about... Kate will unleash it at 6.

Dunsfold is a modest airfield in Surrey which keeps its potentially enormous fame very quiet.
Let me just say Casino Royale, Top Gear, Harrier jump-jets and you'll get my drift. So a helicopter with a purpose, you'd have thought, would be no problem. Wrong. Who wants a do-gooding chopper grounded and why? All will be revealed by Phil.

Simon Harris has a private pilot's licence and owns a small, light-aircraft. He is currently in New York with the Mayor to explore green issues. He did not fly his light aircraft across the Pond to reduce his carbon footprint, but he has found out the very latest on what the Great Cities of the World think they can do to Save the Planet. Is the sky the limit for Ken? "Fly Simon" tonight and find out.

What have Michael "something of the night" Howard QC MP and Ashley "So Solid Crew" Walters got in common? They both think prison works. Asher's in the studio to cast light on this curious coincidence and to talk about his documentary.

Steve is looking for more great acts for 'Unsigned' and Westminster Council is looking for more white foster parents: unconnected, I know, but both life changing if you think about it.
See you at six.

Alastair (and Katie)

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Mon 14th May

Good Afternoon All and a very happy Monday to you,

Hope you all had a top weekend and the next one doesn't seem TOO far away.

We're kicking off the week with an international flavour - the world picture if you like, with an emphasis on little old London's place in that world. We all know that mankind has generally been making a mess of our planet - it's not like it never gets mentioned on the news. And we're always getting told what we could are should be doing to make amends, but how many of us are listening to, and acting on, that advice. Er... not very many, it would seem. Well, not many Londoners are, at least. In fact, a survey Phil Bayles has been looking at shows that fewer than one in four Londoners currently do anything to avert climate change. That makes us bottom of the British table.

Love him, or loathe him, you'd be hard pushed to say that our Mayor doesn't pay much attention to climate change. This week, he's in New York along with leaders from around 40 of the world's biggest cities - looking at the ways in which London can do its bit. Let's face it, we've got a big hill to climb.

Away from the international picture, news of a London tragedy which caught the country's attention - the murder of Peter Woodhams, the young dad shot dead on his own doorstep in Custom House last August. You may remember that he'd been stabbed 7 months before he was murdered and that his family argued the attack was never properly investigated. Well, Marcus Powell will have the latest on news that two detectives are now to face a misconduct tribunal.

Now, hands up if you were ever smoking when, and indeed, WHERE you shouldn't have been... come on, come on, you know who you are. Okay, hands up now, if you've ever been caught smoking in the 10 o'clock family service at St Pauls. Not so many hands, perhaps. Well, that's what London's church-leaders reckon - which is why they're pretty cross that they're being told to stick up 'no smoking' signs at their churches. Kate Recordon will empty the ashtray on that story.

Meanwhile, Damien Steward makes a return visit to an old water tower that's been turned into new flats... Kirstie Allsopp will be here to talk property too... Jasmin Lowson will be talking 'Booty Luv'... and Chrissie's on weather duty.

And... AND... 'London Tonight UNSIGNED' is back - if you're in a band hoping for a bash at the big time, you will NOT want to miss your chance to enter.

So, you'd better tune in at SIX.

Ben & Tamzin

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 11th May

Good Afternoon

Or not such a good one if you're one of the couples who were hoping to tie the knot tomorrow at Orsett Hall in Essex.

It's a tale that will strike horror into the heart of anyone who's ever spent months planning a wedding. Imagine the scenario - everything's ready, the champagne's on ice, the dresses are hanging up, the flowers have been delivered.....and then you get a call saying the venue's burnt to the ground. This morning a blaze swept through the 300 hundred year old building, no-one was hurt but it's left dozens of wedding plans in tatters. Marcus Powell is on the scene for us tonight.

Also - do you ever need to park in central London? If so you might soon find it a lot harder to find a space. Westminster are selling off one of their car parks and looking into the possibility of getting rid of many more. A good idea? Or maybe not? Phil Bayles investigates.

Gill Hicks was the last person to be pulled alive from the Russell Square train on July 7th. She lost both legs in the bombing. Today she's back at the hospital where she was treated for a new exhibition. We find out why later.

Willsy's on his bike again - it's getting to be a bit of a habit but he's so excited about the Tour de France we can't stop him.

James King's talking movies...boxing Oxford dons and crazed zombies.

And Chrissie's got the weather for the weekend.

All that at 6

See you then,

Tamzin and Ben

London Tonight Tonight Thursday May 10th

Hello there . You can imagine what our newsroom is like today... You may have heard there was something of a political story today .... ! But we're leaving that to the national team at 6.30 ... And filling our lovely show with all sorts of other interesting and important stuff. Like the Olympics, and promises that seem to be far from being fulfilled. Remember all the talk of new facilities that will outlast the Games themselves? Well, that's all there seems to have been. Talk. And while that is frustrating in itself, it could mean the end of Olympic dreams for some youngsters who simply have nowhere to train.

A shocking story of the vandals who've wrecked the memorial garden for Mary Ann Leneghan. Remember the Reading girl who was murdered and tortured so awfully 2 years ago by a drugs gang? Well now the garden which was planted in her memory has been trashed - as if her family hadn't dealt with enough already.

In the spirit of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" we thought we'd have our turn talking about Blair - but more specifically, where he's going to be living after Downing Street. Glen Goodman's been exploring his new address, Connaught Square, right in the middle of an area known as "Little Beirut"...

Liz has had the best job of the day, visiting and testing - all for the sake of journalism of course - a wonderful new spa in Bethnal Green, in the old Victorian Baths there. It looks amazing...

What with the weather, and Tamzin talking to Peep show duo Mitchell and Webb about their new film... It's going to be a packed show.

See you at 6!

xx