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4.9.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Good afternoon.
This is my last blog as a London Tonight presenter and, unlike a hand-written letter, you won't be able to detect the smudge of a tear on your screen.
It has been an extraordinary 16 years and I am grateful for the opportunity to have done it and to have been honoured by your company.
From Monday, Katie will be joined by Matt Teale, who you have already met. I first met him in a studio discussion at Setanta about the ultimate fight championships so I know he is more than capable of a few good moves and the occassional killer blow. Be kind to him and enjoy his company.
Katie, who I treasure as a co-worker and very dear friend, has been a total and undiluted joy to work with. The good news is that she and I will continue to share the ITV Lunchtime News, though not at the same time. But I will miss the pleasure, fun, emotion, focus, gravitas, flexibility and sheer professionalism she has always brought to our joint efforts to inform and entertain you. She is just a wonderful and very beautiful person. Seriously beautiful.....

Tonight we will be trying to make sense of a gang murder; a politician, charged with fraud; an anti-cancer treatment, promoted by a pop-star-actor; an elderly Londoner who gave his all to help others; another, who nearly sailed 'round the world and is having another go; some movies you might or might not enjoy this weekend; a weather forecast from the splendid surrealist Robin McCallum; and a leading barrister, who is also doing a one man show.
It is a classic London Tonight. All life and all emotion is there. Our brilliant camermen and -women, our terrific reporters and producers and the best technical team in the country will all combine to make the half-hour, between six and six-thirty, worthy of your hard-pressed attentions. Hope you are persuaded.

I will bid you farewell at 6.30, confident of the future, secure in the knowledge that those who remain will be just as good, if not better, without me.
But I will always treeausre it - from Stephen Lawrence's murder to the glory of the London Eye; from the euphoria of Singapore to the shock and awe of 7/7; from Rowan Atkinson, Liza Minnelli and Frank Sinatra Junior to Camilla Batmangheligh, Neville Lawrence and all the other souls who make this great city an even better place; from Ken to Bozza; from our glorious parks to our still-in-need-of-attention housing; and all of you, whatever age, sex, race and beliefs: the most wonderful population to have attempted to serve.
Thanks for having me.

And we both hope we can see you at 6.
Alastair and Katie.
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3.9.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon.
You need to sit down and take a glass of cold water. I have just emerged from our meeting in a state of shock.
Tonight we have a tale that makes Hannibal Lecture real, though without the chianti, to the best of my knowledge. No Clarisse either, nor her perfume to lighten the burden and waft sweet odours down the corridor of a high-security mental institution. And no pursuit of a copy-cat or Bill character emulating the brute; but, other than that, too much in common for comfort.
Convicted of a Kings Road murder, incarcerated, only to be released to do it all again whilst residing at a hostel. Reincarcerated only to do it again, inside. How? Why? What if again? We will tell you the sorry tale and ask these and other questions via the sound judgement of Emma who will make it tolerable at tea-time.
Bob Dylan wrote "Money doesn't talk, it swears". Many have said as much about some of the Russian oligarchs. But Roman Abramovich surely just wanted to buy an armada of super-yachts and the best football club in the UK, Europe and the world. With a cheque book the size of his yacht Ecstasea and bank vaults as deep at the seas she plies, Roman could do it, niet problema. So why has he got into hot water over a player few have heard of who was formerly with a club that doesn't trip off the tongue like AC Milan or Juventus? The plot is deep and dark as Lewis, a life-long Pontypridd supporter where succession rather than wealth determines the line-up, will reveal.
Gordon Brown took the Cabinet to the 2012 Aquadrome today. Did they sink or swim? Is David Miliband more of a Butterfly man than a Crawler? Can Tessa Jowell do synchronised swimming? And can anyone compete with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the back-stroke? Phil donned the office speedoes and reveals.... no, tells, all.
The G20 protestors claimed no-one was in charge of the Met. "We are" said the Home Office. "We are, now", claims Kit Malthouse, referring to himself and Bozza to whom he is number two. Cuffs and batons to the fore, a bit of a dust-up is underway in the Met's manor. Ronke says "Evening all".
I liked Alan Cumming as Boris in "Golden-eye". It is a James Bond film and his character was a computer boffin not a Mayor of London though he kept saying "I am invincible" so I may be wrong about the Mayoral connection. Anyway Lucy has been talking to him. He was also very good in "Rob Roy" as a fey, n'ere do well who Liam Neeson gave a sound thrashing to in the name of Scots nationalism. I digress.
As have the native stock of lizards. Well, the sandy type, at least. Sally brings them back. Hope she wore rubber gloves and knows enough about evolution to grasp the dinosaur connection.
We finish with camel racing. Because we can.
This is the last time you will see me with Alex - the Oz, "Oswald"... Ms Hyndman. I hope you can glean from my previous ramblings and our performances together just how much I love, admire and cherish her. She is a star but a time comes in the affairs of men... and Australians, so we move on. I will miss her more than she knows but you might tell her when you see her at 6.
You'll see it in my eyes.
Alastair and Alex

1.9.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon.
There is a time and place for everything but being in the wrong place at the wrong time can prove gravely troubling.
Had Chris Taylor not stepped out of a family charity event to have a row with his girlfriend he might still be alive.
Had an apparently 'good' Samaritan not been passing by, he most certainly would. It is a bizarre tale of good leading to evil, couched in mystery. Glen is our Alfred Hitchcock tonight.
Had Yvonne Fletcher not been on duty outside the Libyan People's Bureau more than a decade ago, she'd still be here. Had tensions between 'us' and 'them' not reached such an appalling low, she almost certainly would. You will remember her but you won't know her killer - none of us do; and you may or may not know the Libyans think we tried to kill their leader Colonel Gaddafi. How these oddities are linked together is in the hands of knot-master Jon Gilbert.
Had millions of children not lived in London and other intensely populated conurbations when Hitler invaded Poland, they might never have seen the country-side. Or at least, they might have seen it but of their own free will rather than at the diktat of Neville Chamberlain. And had Goerring nor ordered the Luftwaffe to bomb London, the capitol's Auxiliary Fire Brigade would not have lost so many souls nor created so many heroes. Ben wraps it up on this 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War.
If Beverley Knight decides she is not going to risk being in the studio at 6 , we have a problem. But she won't, so she'll be there telling us where she's been these last two years, to the echoes of her new album.
"Man swims down river to promote movie about swimming up two other rivers". Not a cross-word clue but an explanation as to why Lucy will be shivering not with the red carpet but with a cozy towel.
And if the No73 bus is not where it ought to be when it ought to be, we have the boy who can spot it in the instant of a "ping-ping". Room upstairs for a bit more explanation, all in the capable hands of Sangeeta "the clippie" Kandola.
Robin says it is the Big A today. I am only five feet seven so it can't be me. He was muttering about solstices and equinoxes so I am hooked. Hope you will be, too.
The Oz is looking at pictures of a small soiree I held at the weekend. They are funny in the sense that the children were supposed to be on the bouncy castle and not the adults. And the adults were supposed to be making intelligent conversation and not the children. Irony, I suppose; or maybe just happy revelry among chums. I can't recall and I don't even drink.
We'll both be there at 6 because we should and because we want to. Hope you exercise your freedoms in our favour.
Alastair and Alex.

Weather blog

 
Good evening,
 
As a weather presenter it's great when the weather does exactly what it's been forecast to do. It minimises the risk of dark looks, wagging fingers & whispered insults.
 
It's great unless you're at an air show as I was on Sunday. As predicted it stayed dry but after a minimally bright start the cloud thickened & lowered. Hours spent standing in a field with not a glimmer of sunshine chills a person to the marrow - regardless of how many flasks of tea & slices of fruit cake are consumed.
 
Although it didn't rain, the cloud base was very low & as a result a number of aircraft (don't ask me which ones) were unable to appear. Those that did, however, kept the crowds happy with endless 'fly-bys' occasionally opening & closing their bomb bays like mischievous toddlers flashing their knickers & the display was rounded off by the Red Arrows whose cavalier disregard for the cloud was truly impressive.
 
It was ultimately a successful event & the spectators seemed happy enough as they headed homewards, but there was no denying that it didn't feel like a summer's day. Now that September's underway & we have a period of blustery weather ahead of us, it won't be long before the A word is being bandied about with alarming regularity. I will try not to let it pass my lips any more than is absolutely necessary....
 
See you later,
 
Robin 
 

28.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Afternoon all. The bank holiday weekend starts here!!! There's something about knowing that the weekend is followed by Monday off as well that adds a spring to the step. My tip? Avoid motorways, DIY and any attempts to be persuaded to 'nip to the shops' at all costs and you'll be fine. Bank holidays are for doing as little as possible in my opinion (other than watching or playing copious amounts of sport).

Before all that though, best get Friday out of the way first! It's Notting Hill carnival this weekend with over a million revellers expected to descend on West London for the event's 50th anniversary. Marcus Powell reports on how the police are preparing for Europe's biggest street party.

Now, Remember the row over over the US Embassy's unpaid congestion fines? Well now the Americans want to move their embassy from Grosvenor Square to Battersea to increase security. If they do, they'll be landed with a 50 million pound tax bill that they insist they shouldn't have to pay....discuss. We will!

A massive football match in the offing this weekend with Arsenal travelling to Old Trafford to take on Premier League Champions, Manchester United. We catch up with Gunners legend, Charlie George (he of 1971 FA Cup Final goal glory) about how his beloved Arsenal will do against the Red Devils and indeed, this season as a whole.

To finish the week, we turn our attention to entertainment. Lucy Cotter's getting 'loaded in the park'. Don't panic, that's the name of one of London's coolest dance music festival's (like I know?). She's chatting to 'Orbital' (who even I've heard of!). Get your glow-sticks and whistles at the ready!

Finally, James King's in the studio to talk us through the latest movie releases. As an aside...movie going is allowed on Bank Holiday weekend's (just), but remember what I said about DIY and shopping!

Matt and Alex

(Alex here - DIY for me this weekend - will have to give Matt my shopping list! Enjoy)

27.8.09

LONDN TONIGHT TONIGHT

Afternoon all. Matt Teale here with my first London Tonight blog. A quick thanks to everyone in the office for making me feel so welcome and showing me the ropes, as well as where the kettle is. I can't promise I'll be brewing up every day though!

Our top story tonight is that of a Muslim man who claims he was abducted at knifepoint from his home and threatened in Epping Forest, all over a place of worship. Glen Goodman investigates.

Now, what were you doing aged 17? Personally, I was neglecting my studies and trying to get served in pubs. Not so record-breaking Mike Perham, from Potters Bar, who's just sailed 30,000 miles around the world!! Piers Hopkirk went to welcome home the hero from Hertfordshire who battled 50ft waves and gale force winds.

Now, this is astonishing: With the Lib Dems complaining that the Government are demonising young people, our reporter Phil Bayles has discovered a teenage girl whose punishment for drawing on her travel card is breaking rocks?!?! Surely not? Over to Phil.

Next we have stories of teenage success with GCSE pass rates up in the capital and Lucy Cotter's on hand to explain how a dentist from Dorking got caught up in a shootout between police and a french gangster?!

If all that wasn't enough, we have not one, but two sporting greats on the programme as well: Muhammad Ali and Henry Cooper's 1963 heavyweight clash at Wembley remains a sporting classic. Sir 'Enry reflects on their iconic clash for us.

See you at Six.

Matt and Alex
Please Note:

Any views or opinions are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent
those of Independent Television News Limited unless specifically stated.
This email and any files attached are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual
or entity to which they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error, please notify postmaster@itn.co.uk

Please note that to ensure regulatory compliance and for the protection of our clients and business,
we may monitor and read messages sent to and from our systems.

Thank You.

21.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon to you - and welcome to the weekend.

Yes, I appreciate lots of people will have to work tomorrow and Sunday, so they may not be enjoying that Friday feeling. I get that, I really do. Your turn to feel smug next week some time. Now though, it's our turn. Saturday? Bring it on. Sunday? Yes, please.

First though, let's see off Friday. And I hope you'll spend 30 minutes of it in the company of the London Tonight team. Lucy and I on the sofa this evening. Busy girl - she's beavering away on a showbiz story as I type.

Okay, a rattle through tonight's running order.

1. Three men have now been charged in connection with the biggest jewellery heist Britain has ever seen.
2. The AA says private clamping firms are "out of control". Evidence? One woman from Enfield having to cough up £527 to get her car back when she unwittingly parked on private land.
3. A man who was shot dead by police on the steps of Guildford Cathedral was 'lawfully killed', an inquest has found.
4. People living next to Walthamstow Stadium want the dogs to go racing again. One year after it closed, the developers have been told to put their housing plans on hold and try again. But they ain't throwing a bone to the dog-lovers.
5. Two London derbies in the Premier League this weekend. Who's going to drop some points?
6. Some very brave (for brave, read 'barmy') men have been pulling off some amazing stunts on motorbikes at Battersea

That's the news. But that's not all.

James King will give us his lowdown on "Inglorious B******s" (Well, my Mum wouldn't say it out loud) and "Shorts" (she'd be okay with that). And then Miss Cotter will round up what else you might want to get up to this weekend. Unless you're working. Or perhaps, even if you are.

See you at six,

Ben & Lucy

PS Australia have just lost another wicket.
PPS As I was typing that, they lost another one. The weekend starts here, my friends. Whether you're working or not.

20.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon,
It's been a busy day all round - but I've just been handed a lovely cup of tea and earlier I was very naughty and brought little cakes in to ease the pain of Thursday. Gym for me tomorrow!

So first up Marcus is looking at a story which will definitely affect my journey home. En route to Waterloo I always pick up copies of the free papers to read on the train. After months of speculation, one of those - The London paper - is set to close with the loss of around 60 jobs.

Next we remember those people who died 20 years ago in the Marchioness disaster. 51 men and women lost their lives when the boat they were partying on sank.
Ben has been speaking to a lady who lost her son and Simon is reporting on the tragedy itself and looking at what if anything has changed to improve safety over the years.

Now many teenagers across London woke up this morning feeling seriously stressed and most of us can remember that feeling.
It's A level results day and thousands of students will have opened their envelope with trepidation revealing grades which will affect their futures.
However it's not a great time to be coming to the end of your education. As we all know the economy is pretty grim with few jobs around and there is also more pressure on university places.
So we want to hear from you if you've just got your results or if you've got children or grandchildren who have. How are they feeling? What are they doing?

In our second half we have a look at ticket touts at the Ashes, competitors for the ugliest building in the capital and ending on the gorgeous Mica Paris - the Lewisham-born soul singer who's back after 10 years with a new studio album.

Lots to look forward to
Lucy and Alastair

19.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon,
And what a glorious afternoon it is! I know I should be eternally grateful that I was able to eat my sandwich in the park today but all I can think about is the fact this weather probably won't last much longer.
We're all praying it will hold out til next weekend when the lovely Alastair Stewart has very kindly invited the whole team to his house in the country. We're all off for lunch and it would be amazing if the sun is shining!! More on that later from Manali.
First up today we have 2 really shocking incidents of crime involving young people.
A man in Surrey was attacked by four youths while he was cycling on a quiet street near his home - he's now fighting for his life.
The second story involves a teacher who had her hair set alight by kids on a train travelling into Kings Cross. This woman was a tourist going about her business and was cruelly attacked in an incident which could have been an awful lot worse.
They're unrelated shocking examples of crime in the capital but it's a good opportunity for us to get your views on the subject.
Are you worried by youth violence? Or do you think our young people get a bad reputation when stories like this come out.
Only last night we featured a fantastic group of lads who are spending their holidays playing cricket and there are many more examples of kids who stay out of trouble and contribute we could all cite. We'd like your thoughts.
Next Simon has been talking to the family of a man who died while in police custody. They believe there was a cover up and his death needs to be properly investigated.
Then we meet the man who discovered the Hackney triple jumper Phillips Idowu and the plumber who had a kidney transplant only to discover he had a new talent.......
All that and the all-important weather news....will it be good for the rest of the summer, or at least the rest of the week...Manali will reveal all.
Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts .
Lucy and Alastair

18.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon.
My late mum grew up in Farnham in Surrey with her parents - my grandad, Sidney Ernest Lord; my nan, Gertrude Irene (nee) Roberts; and her brother, my uncle Alwyn - a welsh name because Gertrude Irene hailed from the valleys. In the early forties, they were joined by "David". I never met him, didn't know his surname nor anything else about him, except that he was something called an 'evacuee'. He was one of thousands of young Londoners who endured the sad trauma of leaving their parents but were blessed with the kindness of folks like my grand-parents and a far greater chance of survival. My mum and my dad, who grew up in Aldershot, remember watching the Battle of Britain - not in the cinema like me, but "live" in the skies over the Home Counties. Not for them, however, the terror of the Blitz, just a few miles north. And, lucky for him, not for David either. Another world, another time - tonight captured wonderfully by Phil, courtesy of some brilliant pictures from our friends at the Imperial War Museum.
Then, courtesy of our friends at City Hall, a slightly reheated story but with a dash of sauce... yet another attempt to ban those smutty cards in phone boxes that offer the dubious charms of Miss Fifi Lamour among other curiosities. Kit Malthouse, who used to run Westminster and tried the same then, has relaunched his mission to purge BT's red boxes of naughtiness and is now using the 2012 Games as his bit of leverage. He says visiting Americans, trying to make a call, will think they've walked into a sex shop. My fear is they'll think they've walked into a public loo but that is grounds for a different "clean-up" campaign. Anyway, Glen reaches up and rips off the offending ads.
These cards are often distributed by teenagers with nothing but naughty intent upon their minds and time upon their hands. Cricket is the answer. Pad up, pad up and play the game. It will, apparently, clear our streets of drug-selling, gun-toting, steaming feral youth. Not too sure about that but if anyone can persuade me it is Nick "middle and leg" Thatcher.
Ben eschews the cricket pitch for the swimming pool and has spent a delightful afternoon with one of our premier paralympians. But no sweet pussy-cat her: she is a serial gold medalist, out for even more. Hope she gave Ben a head start.
Last night Little Boots talked about the return of the Stylophone. Tonight Julian Peretta re-raises the profile of the kazoo. Fans of BBC Radio 4's "Sorry I haven't a clue" will know it never went away but perhaps we are a dwindling population.
Julian is a new star, it seems - a child, to some degree, of the internet, chatroom, blog world of the electronic 21st century. Odd, then, that he goes for a kazoo. Odd, or even ironic. I like that. Sophia, well versed in greek tragedy, will introduce you to Mr P.
And that, I think, is that. Just checking. Ah, yes. Chrissie with the weather. Now last time I looked, it was looking good. So bank that, if you are a pessimist, or go for double or quits with her at the end of the show.
Some papers which may be city-wide or local - depends on the quality of their front-pages. And, if time permits, some more of the evacuees... I'll speak quickly to try and make time, as will the elegant and lovely Lucy.
We both look forward to your company at 6.

Alastair and Lucy

17.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Hello - it seems a long time since I wrote this blog so if I am a bit rusty, blame the hair-dye.
The Spencer Davis Group, magnificent in the 60s but somewhat faded since, penned a terrific song called "Gimme some loving" which commenced proceedings with the memorable -"My temperatures rising and my feet off the floor...."
That is how I feel today though not for reasons of romantic dance-floor frivolity.
I am a passionate supporter of the Royal British Legion and all they stand for - both my parents were in the services. Every November they would observe the Remembrance. Sometimes in the Albert Hall, often in a small rural village at a small memorial stone.
My fury is generated by the desecration of such a memorial in north London and, by the sounds of it, for the sake of scrap metal. Harris is on the case which will come as fearful news to the guilty parties.
Ronnie Biggs was certainly guilty of his part in the "Great" train robbery and was duly sentenced. Biggs took a different view and fled, this way and that, not least to Brazil and into the arms of a Brazilian beauty with whom he had a son, Michael. Slipper of the Yard finally brought him to justice, again. The current Justice Secretary, barely out of shorts at the time of the heist, has dithered this way and that over Biggs but finally, with the old lag at death's door, relented and let him slip peacefully into freedom en route to an imminent accounting with his Maker. Lo, the freed Biggs is suddenly well enough to slip into a nursing home... I am not naturally cynical but you have to ask... well, you don't , because Phil and Marcus will, on your behalf. Suffice to say they have already found a good deal of anger up Barnet way and it's only tea time.
From the days of Metternich and Canning to the glory era of Lord Halifax (actually he was rubbish) and Churchill, international law has protected the rights of diplomats so they don't have to suffer the indignities heaped upon European "jaw-jaw" merchants during the Boxer uprising in Imperial Peking. Their Embassy becomes their soil, and their laws hold writ. This was to effect proper diplomatic relations between law abiding nations, not to allow a bunch of "chiselling little cheats" (Ken's words, not mine) to evade the Congestion Charge. A few bob and we'd probably turn a diplomatic blind eye but £3.4 million is enough to have an impact on our transport system. Glen asks the Yanks why they are over here, over-parked and over-evading....
Also evading their duty are the bosses of Abercrombie and Fitch - frightfully fashionable and frighteningly non-PC on disability. Lewis, our fashion icon of the Valleys explains and talks to a beautiful woman who felt badly done by and won her case.
Little Boots is in the studio. Not "Little Boots ARE in the studio" because the aforementioned modesty of footwear is a new star of "electro pop" ... I am told. I have heard of her but not of "electro pop". I look forward to having my mind, experiences and attitude to footwear all broadened.
Also in the studio is Lucy to which I say "hurrah!" She is co-presenting the show all this week which is great for us but bad news for anyone doing the "red-carpet" thing this week because, as Carly Simon sang "Nobody does it better".
So long as she doesn't sing "You're so vain" to me... [enough Carly Simon (Ed)]

We look forward to seeing you at six.

Alastair and Lucy.

14.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Hello Campers,

Welcome to the weekend. It starts here and now. Well... almost now. And, I suppose, not just here but all over the pla.. shall we get on?

We start tonight with an East End MP who was invited to a constituent's wedding - only to leave when he was told he couldn't sit with his wife. It's not the done thing at a Muslim wedding, or so he was led to believe. Jim Fitzpatrick MP has been very vocal about the damage such traditions could do to a cohesive society. The bride groom has been very vocal about that. Emma Walden rounds it all up for us.

Marcus Powell's mission - should he choose to accept it (let's face it - he has to - it's not a democracy round here) - is to round up the latest on the £40 million gem heist investigation.

TfL has hired some 'bike guides' to help those a little nervous of making their way round the capital's busy streets on two wheels. We've told Lewis Vaughan Jones to get on his bike.

Glen Goodman, meanwhile, is getting down, man, for a big rock festival this weekend. I say 'big'. 'Leefest' started out as a very small affair in a teenager's back garden in Kent. Seriously.

Incidentally, we'll also be looking at other ways you can fill your weekend - Mr King will talks us through his review of two movies and then we'll whistle through 'What Not to Miss'.

Football fans should keep an ear out for Ossie Ardiles' view on the new season - who's going to be up and who's going to be down come the end of play next year.

And - one more thing to tempt you with - well, thousands and thousands of people have already been tempted to head Watford-way this weekend for what is billed as the biggest celebration of the Krishna festival, Janmashtami, outside India. We'll be live at the build-up.

I have to go now as one of our favourite producers has just produced some cake to mark the fact she's about to become a Mum. The omens for her little boy or girl are very good indeed.

See you at six,

Ben & Alex

13.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good Afternoon to you.

Regular readers of our blog may remember I told you a few weeks back that Miss Hyndman was preparing for a party in a park. The theme: 'Mad Hatters Tea Party'. Well, the date is set, the costume has now been decided - and our hostess has now been talking through the menu. I say 'our' host. I won't be there as this is strictly a girlie day. I might crash it though. I love egg sandwiches.

Hyndman's just left the desk to get her make-up done for the programme, saying "Don't make it look like I don't do any work". I'm laughing - honest. She does lots. Really, she does.

Okay - a quick look at the rundown -

We'll be asking you about the old days when there were fewer cars and children played safely in the street. One charity wants a return to the old days. How likely is that?

Things certainly used to be a lot cheaper in the old days - so in a way, the West End is turning back the clock next week. They're running a week where children can get half-price, if not free, theatre tickets - in a bid to encourage more young people and family to come along. We'll be talking to Kacey Ainsworth - Little Mo from EastEnders - all about it. But I say "just as well" - top tickets to top shows can cost over 70 quid. 70 quid. And what if you don't like the show? You don't get your money back. Suddenly, a(nother) night in with a DVD sounds rather inviting.

Or perhaps a night in listening to Peter Andre. There may be rather a lot of people doing that this weekend. He's in the running for the 'number one' spot with his new single - which may offer some sort of silver lining to the HUGE cloud that's been hanging over the rest of his life of late. His collapsing marriage to Katie Price (aka Jordan) has, is, and always will be, well-documented. He's talking to Lucy about all sorts tonight.

We'll also be speaking to the WWII veteran who won a medal for his bravery in the war and has now won another one for his charity work. The money he's raised? (London 20-12 should hire him) Makes you proud to be British, he does.

And from one extreme to another. Marcus Powell will bring us the story of the con-men who target people of a more mature vintage... to steal money from them: tricking them into handing over their credit card details and then taking their cash. Makes you ashamed to be British, they do.

Our top story tonight is a family appeal for help. Carl Beatson Asiedu was stabbed to death just under two weeks ago. Just 19 years old, he was a popular young man. He was a righteous young man. He was a talented young man. In fact, the police believe it may have been his talent which prompted jealous teenagers to kill him. I don't know why that's so very shocking. Any murder is shocking - whatever the motive. However, the idea that someone so good should be killed by others just because they're so good struck us as yet another step down the path we need to turn back from. Now.
I wish I had a happier note to end on. The fact that the rail strike has been called off pales a little bit now.
We'll regroup for the programme.
See you at six,
Ben & Alex

FW: weather blog

 
Good evening,
 
I like dogs.
 
We got ours 3 years ago after a lengthy campaign by the children. They are a huge commitment requiring an enormous amount of exercise, but they keep us fit, get us out into the fresh air several times a day (I have never been more aware of the seasons & the weather) & on the whole are a very positive addition to the family. I say on the whole because there is the occasional blip -illness/injury/disobedience- but nothing compared to what some dog owners have to endure. I recently heard about someone whose dog killed a squirrel, ate a condom & then went missing for 4 hours all on the same walk.
 
Naturally I was on dog duty last night & can confirm that, as predicted, the Perseid meteor shower wasn't visible in our neck of the woods due to cloud cover. I was walking again early this morning in time to see things going to plan with cloud & rain moving off to make way for the drier, brighter conditions we've since been enjoying. I only hope that if ever I'm a victim of a triple whammy along the lines of the squirrel/condom/disappearance incident, it happens when the weather's been doing what I said it would & that I can draw comfort from that whilst trying to coerce a wayward hound into behaving respectably.
 
In the meantime I'm enjoying the safety of the newsroom & hope to see you later,
 
Robin
 

Weather blog

 
Good evening,
 
I like dogs.
 
We got ours 3 years ago after a lengthy campaign by the children. They are a huge commitment requiring an enormous amount of exercise, but they keep us fit, get us out into the fresh air several times a day (I have never been more aware of the seasons & the weather) & on the whole are a very positive addition to the family. I say on the whole because there is the occasional blip -illness/injury/disobedience- but nothing compared to what some dog owners have to endure. I recently heard about someone whose dog killed a squirrel, ate a condom & then went missing for 4 hours all on the same walk.
 
Naturally I was on dog duty last night & can confirm that, as predicted, the Perseid meteor shower wasn't visible in our neck of the woods due to cloud cover. I was walking again early this morning in time to see things going to plan with cloud & rain moving off to make way for the drier, brighter conditions we've since been enjoying. I only hope that if ever I'm a victim of a triple whammy along the lines of the squirrel/condom/disappearance incident, it happens when the weather's been doing what I said it would & that I can draw comfort from that whilst trying to coerce a wayward hound into behaving respectably.
 
In the meantime I'm enjoying the safety of the newsroom & hope to see you later,
 
Robin
 

12.8.09

Weather blog

Good evening,
 
I had a day off yesterday which was a treat for a number of reasons.
 
Not only was it a chance to spend time with family & take a break from clock watching & deadlines, but also the weather cut us some slack & provided a lovely summer's day. Some of it we spent by the river watching the world go by, fantasising about a longboat holiday (a less relaxing experience than it looks, I'm guessing) &, of course, feeding the ducks. In fact we could have stayed a lot longer but for a chance remark by a fellow duck feeder who mentioned that the noises we were hearing behind us were rats.
 
She said they were really quite tame & that if my children remained still & quiet the rats would emerge from the undergrowth & run between their feet to hoover up any stray morsels of bread on the riverbank. Needless to say that was the end of it for us. Whilst attempting to appear relaxed & nonchalant we beat a hasty retreat, heading off in search of an ice cream. Her eccentric outfit (quilted orange body warmer, brogues & a sun hat saying 'I LOVE GRAN CANARIA') only struck me afterwards as perhaps indicating she was a less than reliable source of local wildlife info.
 
In fact it looks as though it may just about be ice cream weather for the next few days here in the London region. Elsewhere across the UK it's very unsettled but down in the South East we're doing reasonably well, with any rain most likely to fall overnight. Long may it last.
 
Hope to see you later,
 
Robin 
 

11.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Afternoons,

It is absolutely gorgeous outside but the sunshine hasn't quite helped remove the frown from my face. Reading about the horrid people responsible for Baby Peter Connelly's short and tortured life has left a very dark cloud over my otherwise sun filled day.

You know the feeling you get when you look at a photo of someone who you know has done terrible things - the pictures we're seeing for the first time today - and you can't help but be disgusted. Knowing what we all know about Peter's own mother and the horrific people she allowed into his life, I for one can't bear to look at their faces anymore.

Just when we thought the story couldn't get any worse Ronke's going to bring us more on the mother and brothers behind Peter's death.

Also, Simon tells us why the people of Haringey haven't stopped paying for the actions of these three - and why we're all going to be paying once they're released.

After that we're following up on the story we brought you last night - the grandmother killed by a lift while visiting her grandkids. Phil's speaking to the council responsible.

Lewis is investigating the future of athletics at Crystal Palace and Liz is checking out just how wasteful we are - 400 thousand apples wasteful apparently, every single day!

Then finally, Lucy's been to catch up with the band you chose for stardom a couple of years back - Dolls House.

See you at 6.

Alex & Alastair.

10.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Afternoon,

We start tonight with a story right out of a horror flick. A mother's been crushed to death by a lift in front of her daughter. It sounds like the kind of thing dreamt up in Hollywood but her death now poses the scary possibility that it could happen again. Marcus will tell us if her death was just a freak accident or if we should all be concerned about getting into a lift.

Then the ever expanding being that is Heathrow Airport. We've got the new terminal - all flashy and lovely, I do enjoy the shopping and the champagne oyster bar before a flight. But I do not enjoy the fact that more and more planes are coming in and out and more and more people are having their lives interrupted by the noise and more and more people are predicted to come into said airport. Where does it end..? Well, if latest plans for an overhaul of Terminal 2 are anything to go by - it doesn't - ever! Simon's going to tell us just why the airport needs another billion squids spent on it and what the future holds for passengers, local residents and our environment.

Next up - if you've read or seen My Sister's Keeper - the Jodi Picoult tale about bioethics - then you'll already be tearing up at this next story. Twins born to save their brother - they're the first born here with that purpose in mind and Piers has been to meet the family.

Then we're onto property - first a travellers site - not a place where property prices go up and down as such - but a place where tenants can still be evicted. That's what's happening at Crays Hill - Phil's gone to talk to the residents about what's going on and why they're demanding a new place to live.

People with nowhere to live next - these are the unfortunates who bought off plan before house prices fell - they've now lost their mortgage offers and with it their new homes. But the home developers still want their cash. Daisy's got that story and we'll also chat with a property expert about just how all this happened.

We end with a big pussy cat - no not Alastair who is back with me this evening - although he is a big softie - this is a real cheetah whose owner wants to turn from a domesticated big cat into the big scary hunting variety. It's apparently all to do with the kids - or should that be the cubs who have yet to be born. The owner wants any little ones to be sent to the wilds of Africa and reckons they'll only survive if they know about hunting! Lewis is on Big Cat duty tonight.

See you at 6.

Alex & Alastair.

7.8.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

It's Friday!

And not only that - Robin says it's going to be a nice weekend - so yay for the weather!

But Boo to the evil food in the office.

It's become a bit of a Friday tradition here... Ben brings evil chocolates..sits there and eats his fruit salad and looks down his nose at those of us who have no self control. George is celebrating his birthday today by testing our will power further - plonking not one but two trays of Krispy Kremes on the desk. Luckily they are next to Robyn who is allowed to eat as many as she likes as she is heavily pregnant and it is a well known fact that babies like donuts. I like donuts too but I do not need them post the 5 courses every night on holiday and the slight cold I have which is for some reason driving me to eat everything in sight (why couldn't I have a nice case of appetite suppressing gastro!? Why!?). All this ramble basically means I am distracted by treats and trying my best not to be drawn towards their evilness.

I shall try and concentrate on the program instead which I should probably do anyway - but I am easily distracted..It's not just me - even though the boys seem to be able to avoid the goodies they have been distracted by girls in bikinis. Apparently there are some scantily clad women (who obviously don't eat donuts very often) in Calvin Harris' new video. Something to do with electric paint on theirs hands means they must wear bikinis - or so Ken says anyway. They will be on the program tonight under the guise of Lucy interviewing Calvin about his new album which has something in the title to do with the weekend - which it nearly is - yay again!

This weekend is (along with being one for a barbie) the anniversary of the Great Train Robbery, the Great Train Robber himself is celebrating his 80th and Ronnie Biggs - as we told you last night - will be celebrating his first weekend of freedom.

So we start with him tonight. He may be in hospital, where docs say he has little chance of recovering from pneumonia, but it is still a weekend of celebration for him and his family. Others are not celebrating the fact he's been granted freedom by the government who did a bit of a 180 yesterday - ok a complete 360! Sally's outside the hospital and Phil's bringing all the pieces of his life together. We're wondering if he'll be well enough to come home to Barnet or to make it to Margate for that last pint.

One person heading for jail rather than out of it is Samantha Orobator - she's left one jail for another really. She was in Laos you'll remember where she'd been jailed for life for smuggling heroin. She's pregnant so avoided the death penalty and a deal's been done so she can serve her sentence here. Glen's going to tell us how that all came about and how her family feel about her return - and the imminent arrival of her baby.

A departure now - of a caravan to be precise. Not sure why anyone would want a caravan in the first place, let alone want to steal one but each to their own. This one belonged to a war hero - now as Ben has just pointed out it probably wasn't obvious from the caravan who it belonged to - no sign saying I'm a war hero, respect me on the side. But nevertheless a lack of respect and a lost caravan take us (Piers mainly) to Clacket Lane Services on the hunt for said holiday home.

LVJ's in charge of AFC tonight - the Wimbledon team formed from the MK Dons - Wimbledon malarky - start the season a a high and hope to end it even higher - oh yes, football's back. It starts tonight and ends in 11 months in South Africa - fingers crossed with the England team there (I support England in this instance as the Aussies can't play soccer..but they can still play cricket judging by the score today - moving on..).

We've got filmage with Robbie Collins - The Ugly Truth (the one with the hunky Gerard Butler) and GI Joe (the one with the gorgeous Sienna Miller). Something for everyone!

I must confess - I have just stolen a bit of donut - Salma started taunting me with one so I stole a piece - she has now deposited another bit on my desk. Surely it doesn't count if I didn't actually go and get it myself....? Robin's reassuring me (well, he just picked up one too) with the old feed a cold business - I know it's true but I don't think the saying means feed constantly until you can't move!!!

I'm going for a jog (ok a short totter..) see you at 6.

Alex & Ben.


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6.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Good Afternoon to you - and welcome to the Thursday blog...

I'm reading a fascinating book at the moment. It's called "Don't Forget to Write" and it recounts the wartime memories of a certain Pam Hobbs. I'm sure Pam wouldn't mind me saying there's nothing outstanding about her - beyond her writing abilities - nothing that particularly sets her apart from the crowd. She's not a celebrity. She's not a top sportswoman. But her story - and the way she tells it - is fascinating: how she was evacuated from her Essex home, first to Derbyshire and then to... well, Derbyshire's as far as I've got. One statistic has stuck in my mind so far - at one point, a quarter of the country's population had to leave their homes in fear of the Nazi invasion. London, of course, hit hardest of all.

Makes you think, doesn't it? For instance, I had an absolute mare of a journey into work today, but as I was reading this book waiting for the much-delayed Tube, I felt things slipping into perspective. Don't get me wrong, I was still cross. But I sort of felt I didn't have so much cause to be.

Not for a moment is that a comment on the anger no doubt being felt by the people who can't get into work due to a rail strike on National Express East Anglia trains. They've got to endure two days of it - because the unions and the bosses can't agree on what is or isn't a fair pay deal. I'd love to stick my opinion in here. But I'm not allowed. No doubt there'll be a few opinions flying around the handful of trains running out to Essex tonight. Packed to overflowing no doubt.

Someone who's no stranger to sharing his opinions - it's sort of what he's paid for actually - Mr Boris Johnson. Well, someone expressed their opinion about a little 'summer house' he had built on the back of his house. From the pictures it looks like a glorified shed to me. Anyway, to someone else it was an eyesore - they complained to Islington Council - Islington Council told the Mayor to "get rid". Which he has. Laugh or scowl - you choose when you've seen the pictures.

We've also got pictures of Theo Walcott - Arsenal's young super-whizz - giving something back during a visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital today.... and pictures of 'Britain's Got Talent' winners, Diversity, strutting their stuff.

Oh, and we'll be talking to the lawyer who helped get Samantha Orobator out of jail in Laos and flying home to Britain. Authorities over there wanted her to spend life in prison having found her guilty of smuggling drugs. She's pregnant though. She'll give birth here. She'll serve her sentence here. She's on the plane home right now.

I'd better go now too.

See you at six,

Ben & Alex

Weather blog

 
Good evening,
 
I heard yesterday from some friends who described their camping holiday in Devon as disappointing. As they provided more details it became blindingly obvious that 'disappointing' was something of an understatement. Numerous daytime activities (riding/cycling/being out of doors) had to be at best curtailed or at worst cancelled, but they held on to their fighting spirit until their fourth night under canvas. It was raining -nothing unusual there- but shortly after midnight it became biblical & relentless, flooding the campsite in a matter of moments. Tents came adrift from their moorings as the already sodden ground turned to soupy mush & at 2.30 am the site & all its occupants had to be evacuated.
 
They have now had 2 weeks to recover from their ordeal & a disastrous holiday has now become a successful dinner party story. The only reason I mention this here is that our hardy & resilient friends now want to pitch their tent in the garden in a bid to get their much needed camping fix. I've looked at the weather charts for the next few hours & must call them immediately to encourage them to leave it for another day as we've got heavy, thundery showers pushing in towards us from Northern France. They won't be with us for long but they will certainly make their presence felt before conditions start to settle down for the weekend. So hold on tight, it'll bet wet tonight & then -if things go according to plan- the weekend could be rather nice. Almost summery, in fact....
 
See you later,
 
Robin 
 

5.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Well, hello to you -

Wednesday already. Where does the time go? Do you remember, when you were young, how Christmas took a-a-ages to come round. Of course, when the big day actually came, it was over in a flash. But the rest of the year took forever to plod by. That was then. Now - life seems to be rushing past faster than a fast thing on quite a fast motorbike. Why else would Harrods have opened its Christmas department? Yep, yesterday they opened their doors to all those people who want to be really punctual with their baubles. I ask you.

Someone we're talking to on our programme tonight must think all their Christmases have come at once. Ever heard of Tinchy Stryder? I'll be honest - not that it'll come as a great surprise to those who've seen my taste in ties - I'm not really up with the latest chart news. If I was - and if you are - then Tinchy Stryder would be no stranger at all. He's one of the biggest things in British music these days - he's number one in the iTunes charts and, my friends, he's from Bow. We'll find out a whole heap more later on.

We're talking to quite a range of people this evening: the father of a Royal Marine who died in Afghanistan last year. Georgie Sparks "didn't stand a chance" according to his Dad. He had to wait 50 minutes for a helicopter to evacuate him. Did that affect his chances of survival? An inquest will attempt to determine that on Friday. We talk to father Wayne tonight.

We've another emotional conversation to listen to, as well. The mother of a young lad who died of liver failure tells us why he should have been given a transplant. He was only 22, after all. The issue here is extremely contentious, however. Gary Reinbach had a drink problem and had been told that unless he could prove that he'd beaten the bottle, he wouldn't get that second chance. I'm not going to begin to judge the morality of all this. Some people have. Some people have made their feelings very clear. Gary's Mum, Madeline, will make her feelings clear tonight.

One more 'one-to-one' conversation to bring you. We've reported before on a young girl called Imogin. Just six years old, she needed a stem-cell transplant for a chance of making it to seven. However, the chances of finding a match were something like one in one hundred thousand. Well, we'll let Imogin bring you the happy ending to her story - from her hospital bed.

Three more things for you to tune in for - we'll be hearing some truly shocking statistics on teenage pregnancy. We'll be hearing the details of the second 48 hour train strike that will hit Essex commuters tomorrow. And we'll be sending Damien down the sewers. You wouldn't want to miss that, now would you?

See you at six,

Ben & Alex (who's feeling a bit 'peaky' and has just been handed a leaflet on swine flu by the chemist. Think I might sit a bit further away from her tonight).

3.8.09

London Tonight Tonight

Afternoon,

We start tonight with promises - Bozza's so called "broken promises" to be precise. It's all to do with cash he pledged he'd spend on helping women affected by rape in the capital - well, he's cut the amount he's spending - and even though we're pleased he's spending some to improve the situation - just the one rape crisis centre for the whole capital at the mo! - he did say he'd spend more so we want to know what's changed...? Kit Malthouse - his dep - is coming on to talk to us and explain.

Then Lewis is checking out the bouncers who could be heading for our West End theatres.. Apparently someone did a toilet (nubmer 1 not 2 - but still!) near the stage - someone else heckled - and someone chucked something - this means actors and theatre staff want more security to stop people (who've more than likely had a tipple rather than a tinkle) misbehaving. Hold on...isn't that what we're meant to do at the theatre - I'm sure my English lit degree taught me that heckling the cast of a Shakespearean play was all part of the experience - along with chucking rotten fruit etc..? Tradition is tradition..maybe not the peeing bit though...

So, traditionally speaking you wouldn't think first of the environment when you think of Wembley - more of a football place then a green hub of the future yes? But it's at the centre of a green revolution - the new houses there have some chutes going overground to underground to take our trash towards recycling land. Loverly - Glen's gone to check it out - will he go down the chute I wonder? We've also got our property man coming in to chat all about the way of the future for our household rubbish.

From rubbish we head for the gutter - the gutter press to be precise and Abi Titmuss is coming in to talk about it. Not solely about her experiences of being a tabloid favourite but mainly about her starring role in an opera (yes, an opera..)about the press. She's making quite a name for herself as an actress now and was lovely when she visited us last time so we look forward to chatting again.

Then we're all going on a summer holiday. The horses are anyway - the Household Cavalry have gone to Norfolk for a dip in the sea. I'm heading up there in a couple of weeks and am told it's quite bracing!! Sure the horsies enjoy it though - we shall check it out later.

See you at 6.

Alex & Ben.

Weather blog

Good evening,
 
The weather's hot at the moment. Not in terms of temperature, of course, but as a news item.
 
It seems that almost every time I switch on the TV or radio I hear a litany of complaints about the summer. The Met Office is in the firing line having talked, back in April, of a 'barbecue summer' & there's a general sense of depression that appears to have settled across the country.
 
At this point it's probably worth acknowledging that we are a nation of meteorological malcontents. A month ago when we had a fortnight of hot, dry & sunny weather it took us no time at all to start complaining about heat exhaustion & sunstroke & now we're moaning all over again for altogether different reasons & dismissing the summer as a washout. Well it's not over yet. September doesn't start for another 4 weeks so there's time for some summer weather yet.
 
It can be lovely here, but it can just as easily not be. Our weather is unreliable & this is never more evident than during the school summer holidays. We should simply accept that we must hope for the best but expect the worst (ie. pack as much wet weather gear as sun protection for a trip to the beach) & that way we'll all feel less hard done by. Plan outdoor parties/'staycations'/picnics etc. at your peril. With an anorak in one hand & a bottle of SPF20 in the other (both essential for the rest of this week, by the way) you can't go far wrong....
 
See you later,
 
Robin 
 

31.7.09

London Tonight Tonight

Dear One, Dear All... Welcome to the Weekend.

Got to be a quick affair this afternoon. Not sure sure where all the time has gone. Better get on before much more slips by.

We start tonight with the latest twist in the Gary McKinnon saga. His worst fears were realised this morning when the High Court effectively ruled he should be extradited to America, to be tried for hacking into rather of lot of military computers. It's yet to be decided whether his legal team can challenge this ruling in the newly established Supreme Court. Today is a massive blow to him. We sort of feel rather close to this story on London Tonight. We certainly retain our journalistic integrity and it's not for us to say whether he should be extradited or not - but the mainstay of his defence against it is the fact he's autistic - something an expert diagnosed after he was interviewed on the programme.

We'll speak to his Mum tonight to see how he's getting on and what they plan to do next.

Who else are we talking to? Well, you can expect a completely different conversation with Aly Michalka. She's young. She's, dare I say it, rather a good-looking young lady, and her new film 'Band Slam' hits the cinema next month. She'll tell us all about that and her band '78 Violet' - a double act with sister, AJ.

Oh, and we'll also be hearing from Robbie Collin - in to talk about 'The Taking of Pelham 123' and 'The Land of the Lost' - two movies coming to a cinema screen near you.

Hopefully, if you were to pop along and see one or both of them, they'd make you 'happy'. Or perhaps, it's a decent bottle of red... or maybe collecting stamps or... you get the drift. All sorts of things make all sorts of people happy (sorry, this is a bit like a bad philosophy tutorial, isn't it?), but we hear from a professor this evening who reckons we can all spread a bit of happiness. It can be infectious. At least I think that's what they said at the programme meeting. Truth to tell I'm a bit in the dark on this one. Don't worry, I'll have it licked by the time we go on air.

We'll also have some pictures of bad men stealing cash-machines... and tell you how long they'll be spending at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

Oh - and there's the latest on the train strike hitting commuters going into and out of Liverpool Street. That won't make anyone happy.

Hopefully... overall... we will.

See you at six,

Ben & Lucy

30.7.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Good Afternoon to you...

It's very British to bang on about the weather all the time... and frankly, rather dull. However, I am British and I wouldn't want to disappoint so, here goes.

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THE RAIN I WANT SUNSHINE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE AN UMBRELLA SURGICALLY ATTACHED WHAT HAPPENED TO SUMMER I LIKE BEING OUTSIDE I DON'T WANT TO WEAR WADERS TO WORK

There, that's better.

Shall we look at the programme now?

Actually two of our stories have an element of weather dependency today. We'll be live down at Somerset House as their 'Summer Screen' series gets under way - it's where they show films in tee open air. Rather brave this summer, don't you think? Anyway, we'll be chatting with a couple of people involved in the first film being shown. No, not the projectionist. Ever heard of Penelope Cruz? Lucy Cotter thinks she's "one of the most beautiful women in the world". I couldn't possibly comment. Anyway, I can tell you that she'll be there for a live chat, along with the director of the film. You get plenty of bangs for your showbiz buck on our show.

I'll come to another big name we're featuring in a moment, but let's just take care of that other story where weather plays a part. It all takes place in Trafalgar Square - between 5 and 6 o'clock this evening. I'm not going to encourage everyone to toddle off there now as you wouldn't back home in time to see the show. However, if you've got mates who're going to be in the area, then tell them to make their way over to the fourth plinth which will be holding up our reporter, Nick Wallis, as a shining example of 'man on plinth'. He applied for his slot along with thousands of others and came up trumps. He's even got his Mum going along. Should be fun. I wonder if she'll chuck a tomato at her little boy.

Now the other star I mentioned - lead singer of 'The Clash', otherwise known as Mick Jones. His Mum probably knows him as 'Michael'. Damien Steward - who's been chatting with him - says he's looking like a 'mid-period Humphrey Bogart'. Don't ask. I didn't, and Damien's gone back to his desk now. Anyway, Mr Jones is proof that rather well known adage - 'old rock stars don't die, they open little museums of their old memorabilia'. And you can see the proof of the programme.

I'm finding it rather difficult to concentrate at the moment as various members of the team are hovering round the desk - sticking great fistfuls of cake into their mouths. Toby - one of our freelance producers - is taking a bit of a break from his shifts with us, to go and get married. As a parting gift, the terribly decent chap has coughed for two fabulous cakes to chomp through. It would be un-gentlemanly of me to highlight who has been back for 'seconds'.

I've just seen the time - better run through the rest of the programme, very quickly.

We'll have the latest on the trains strike that's caused such a headache for people commuting in and out of Liverpool Station today. And will do tomorrow.

And we'll also be remembering a man who was born in London, married in Romford and worked in Dagenham. Henry Allingham had a fairly inauspicious life by and large but like too many of his generation he had to fight in the trenches in the 1st World War. He died last week - one of the last two Britons who could say "I was there. I knew what it was like". Sadly, the other wartime hero, Harry Patch died a matter of days later.
Well, Henry's funeral was held today, marking the end of a most extraordinary man.

See you at six.

Ben & Lucy
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29.7.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Good Afternoon on this lovely sunny day,
Oh well actually it's very grey and extremely dull out there isn't it. I for one think we've been robbed. Just a few weeks ago we were being promised a 'BBQ summer'. I had visions of sitting out on my now lovely, although very small patio, glass of wine in hand, olives to the ready - taking in some rays. However after only a couple of weeks of, admittedly glorious sunshine - we are back to grey skies and overcast weather. So what has gone wrong?

Have all the weather men and women been lying to us? Well we have our very own weather expert Chrissie is on the case with all the answers.
If the weather hasn't made you angry enough then our next story will. Stan Thorn is in his 80's, he fought in the 2nd world War and probably thought the worst was now over. However he's been robbed by those closest to him twice in the last year - Ronke has been to meet him.
Sangetta has been out talking to pregnant ladies in South London (although in some ways she could have stayed in the office as I think every other woman on our team is expecting!!). The local NHS trust there has cancelled NCT classes because of sine flu and the risks it poses to pregnant ladies - however not everyone agrees this is a good idea.

Simon Harris has got the job of the day - he's been up in a helicopter looking at the first section of the new East London overground Line which will be up and running next month.
Yes I hear you all rejoice - better transport links, however as always there is a 'but' - I'll let him explain.

Next up a really inspirational little girl. 11 year old Annalise Cabrera was diagnosed with leukaemia a couple of years ago but really has an amazing attitude to her condition.

She's won a writing competition with a story comprising of just 6 words (inspired by the famous one by Ernest Hemingway 'For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn) about what she's been through - Liz has been to congratulate her.

And finally - the one the gentlemen in our audience have all been waiting for.
Naked Ladies.....well not quite but nearly!! Calendar Girls is the brilliant story of a group of WI ladies who stripped for a charity calendar. That story is now being told on the West End and we have two of the leading ladies in the studio - June Brown and Jerry Hall - Alastair is very excited (as am I!!)

That's all to come at six - try and stay dry till then!
Lucy and Alastair
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28.7.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Hello and Good Afternoon to you...

Well, we're hoping for a change of fortune tonight after the programme had more than its fair share of technical glitches yesterday. You'll often hear people talking of a 'gremlin in the works'. Well, yesterday it felt like a whole family of them had set up home in our works. However, one of the good things about our job is that each day presents a clean sheet (sort of) so it's 'onwards and upwards' (and keep your eyes peeled for gremlins).

I'm sitting next to Ms Cotter today - she's presenting the programme all week - and she's just come back from a chat with Bill Nighy. A terrific actor, most of us would agree and Lucy says he was a lovely bloke to boot. Makes you sick really. Talented and nice. Anyway, Bill's got a movie out about all-action guinea pigs. (I wish I could say I was joking.) You get to decide whether Nighy's nice or not. And whether you care - providing he cuts the mustard in the fight against rodents.

Now, one imagines Mr Nighy would care quite a lot about another of our stories: DVD piracy. A family has been caught red-handed running a piracy empire here in London. Apparently, they were knocking out so many, shall we say 'adult' films, they were putting legitimate 'adult film shops' out of business. Makes you proud, doesn't it? Anyway, the father and two sons now have plenty of time to reflect on how proud they are of their work... in prison.

What else? What else?

We'll show you the latest bit of kit that's been wheeled out by the London Fire Brigade. When the going gets really tough, it's now a robot that may get going. When it's just too dangerous to send in a fire-fighter (and London's fire-fighters are among the bravest and best in the world) they'll now be able to send in a robot. You may have seen the sort of thing at work, defusing bombs. Well, the LFB is the first brigade in this country to use them in their line of work - we'll show you what they can do with them this evening.

We'll also show some rather unusual job interviews that were held today. No smart suits for these applicants. No neatly styled hair. Got spots? Lovely. Weeping sores would be good too. That is, if you want to play a zombie. The London Bridge Experience has been on the hunt for zombies. And we've been looking at the best - and worst - of them. Seriously. Some of them are really bad. Which may be a good thing.

Damien Steward's just wandered past - he's come over all nautical today. Apparently, people who know about such things have found remnants of what are believed to have been huge 19th Century warships - rotting in the Thames mud down by the Thames barrier. Mr S has been for a closer look and he'd rather proud of a 'nautical coat' (his words) that he's donned for the occasion. I'm not sure if he has a dressing-up box at home, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Our top story tonight is the story we want you to share your opinions on... It's 'kettling' where the police pen in protesters to stop them causing havoc everywhere. The problem is that sometimes 'non-protesters' get caught up in it all and feel unhappy about it too. There's also a fairly large quota of people who believe that we should be able to demonstrate peacefully without being corralled by the cops. All very well, but then not everyone does it peacefully, do they? Some people smash windows and worse. Lots to think about and a Parliamentary Committee have just reported on what they think about the Met's methodology. It's not good.

So - a fairly busy programme then.

See you at six,

Ben & Lucy
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27.7.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Good Afternoon to you...

I fell a bit of a fraud writing this today because - unless something goes horribly wrong - my contribution to this evening's programme can best be described a 'walk-on part', or rather a 'sitting down part'. I'll be the general news boy while Alastair and Lucy take centre stage in our super-duper Olympic special. As I write, Mr Stewart and Miss Cotter are on their way to Stratford to present the programme from the Olympic site.

Unless you've not tuned in to any news programmes today, you'll probably have caught on to the fact that it is three years - to the day - until the London Games get underway. Excited? Dreading them? Cross about them? Well, there's no avoiding them - the London Olympics are happening - and tonight on London Tonight, we're giving you a comprehensive progress report on the preparations.

We'll be looking at the main venues - most of which appear to have become embroiled in a some sort of hoo-hah. The main arena - what will they do with it afterwards? The aquatic centre - how come it's so vastly over budget? The Olympic village? How come the tax-payer is coughing for it all?

You'll be able to see for yourelves how they're all coming on - Lucy's been up in a helicopter for a bird's eye view too.

We'll also look at how the 20-12 athletes are coming along - that's what it's all about, after all.

And to put it all into perspective, we'll be talking live to Dame Kelly Holmes and Lord Sebastian Coe. Lucy and Alastair will put them through their paces. There's a lot at stake here after all.

As I say, I'll pop up briefly to make sure the rest of the day's big stories don't go unnoticed - but the main event is over in Stratford this evening.
It's a landmark today - and we're marking it in style.

See you at six.

Ben
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24.7.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Good Afternoon one and all,

It's Friday afternoon and when I find myself doing the main programme on a Friday I buy a box of chocolates to share with whoever's on duty.. Partly to big up the weekend. Mainly to get people to pretend they're my friends at playtime. Now, today's box has been open for about three quarters of an hour and yet there are loads left. This is somewhat unusual. Normally, Ms Hyndman tucks in quite merrily - but she's just had a big sandwich and a bit of cake which appears to have taken the edge of her hunger. Becky wandered over from planning to take a fistful - which she's going to share out with some others - or so she says. One of our producers, Robyn, is never backwards in coming forwards - but she's rather pregnant and getting over here appears to be too great an effort. Very unlike her. And it's her birthday - so I'll take a couple over to her in a moment. Still - there are rather a few left. Not that I mind. Any remaining at the end of the day will be coming home with me. Should be a good weekend.

Better get on with the programme run-down.

So - bendy-buses. He said he'd get rid of them and, today, Boris started to make good on his word with the first batch being taken out of service. Anyone getting to and from anywhere on the number 507 bus will now not be doing on on a bendy bus. We're not allowed to express our opinions - we have to be objective about these things. You, however, can say what you really think and we hope you will when we open this one up for e-mails and texts later.

We've a horrid tale of a 13 year old girl being abducted and sexually abused by someone - CCTV pictures showing the moment she was snatched off the street. Police would like your help to find her attacker.

In fact we've got two police appeals for you tonight - doing our bit to keep the capital safer. You may remember we reported on a possible arson attack in Tooting a couple of weeks back - where two brothers and two sisters were left seriously ill in hospital. Well, one of those girls has since died - and the police need to find out what happened and who was responsible.

We've also got a report on Amy Winehouse's court appearance - she was found 'not guilty' of punching someone today.

And sticking with the musical theme, Lucy Cotter has been talking to Aha - about performing at the Roundhouse and their upcoming new album.

Throw in a couple of new films hitting London's cinemas and our usual Friday guide to What Not to Miss, and that's going to pretty much fill up our half hour.

Now, anyone for a chocolate?

See you at six,

Ben & Alex
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23.7.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Afternoons,

I'm getting sick and tired of writing about the weather !! One minute it was chucking it down with rain - so much so that Channel 4's studio flooded and they had to do the bulletin from the newsroom! - and now it's hot and sunny and I've had to put my glasses on. That is also to do with the fact that I had to have a drink at a leaving do last night - wouldn't normally on a school night but I did.

Alastair has just introduced me to the fine dining in Andrews Caff - sausage, egg, chips and beans for me, double egg and chips for him. It made me feel better for a while but now I have a headache - he has one too but not because of booze, he thinks it might have been the egg. Either way I've sent him off with two nurofen so I'm sure we'll both be fine for the show.

No bacon for lunch but plenty of pig on the menu tonight. The swine flu has infected 100,000 more people in the last week - more than 800 are seriously ill and as the capital we have the most people with the most cases. There's now a website and a hotline for people who think they've got it to check their symptoms and get their tamiflu prescription. But it's only just gone live and there are still loads of people heading for A & E causing, what Al says is friction on the front-line. Jon Gilbert's been sent to hospital to talk to staff about what they're having to deal with.

Then we've the masked man who gunned down a football coach in front of his players - Lewis Vaughan Jones is speaking to the victim's girlfriend as police try and work out why he was targeted.

Then the good news - the power's back on in south east London, our water bills are going down and Amy Winehouse is looking healthier. She's in court after a bust up at a charity bash - Nick Thatcher's there and will tell us what's been said.

We've also got the song for Gary McKinnon - pop stars are getting together to do a single in support of the computer hacker - they're hoping Barrack will change his mind and stop him being extradited to the States.

That's not all - Quentin Tarantino's talking to Lucy about Brad Pitt (mmmmmm) and his rudely named new movie, Simon's been to meet a fast running man who's about to face the lightning bolt that is Usain on the track. And - the interview I can't wait to see but will have to 'cos it's at the end of the show - is Katie Price! Jordan's talking to Piers about all the stuff - mostly her book and also horse riding at the Olympics. less about the Andre and more about the
Endelay!

I've just said the word Chocolate to Al - and have proof the way to a man's heart is definitely through his stomach. He dribbled visibly at the prospect so I am off to cake shop to get the naughtiest cake I can find to top off a truly naughty day.

See you at 6 hopefully without telltale chocolate smudges on our faces - but I can't promise!

Alex & Alastair.
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22.7.09

London Tonight Tonight

Afternoons,

I'm distracted by Lewis who is talking about the money shot and referring to a fish tank without a lot of fish in it...I'm sure all will become clear later. I'm told it's something to do with evacuating fish from the Thames - news to me there are any in there.. I remember there being a whale at one point, but also remember it didn't survive long enough to call London home. If there are fish, I imagine they look a little like the three eyed ones on The Simpsons. Perhaps I'm being slightly unfair..I do love the river. Actually only this weekend we were at Greenwich Market and stumbled across some old pics which prove that people did actually use the banks as a beach - I had my doubts when told the tale but was proven wrong.

I digress.. but am going to stick with the fish theme as fish - Koi carp to be precise - have become the first victims of the power cut. The lights are still out in 10 thousand homes and businesses in south east London and Kent - and it's not just the lights - tv's are off, computers have powered down and there's no leccy to run the fish tank holding said carp. Glen's gone to get the latest for us and to find out what's happened to the fish.

Away from fish and over to Boris - he's talking swine. We'll be asking the Mayor about all things flu related - can we go on the tube - what about pregnant women - where and when can we get hold of the Tamiflu and what can he do - if anything - about the pandemic.

There's also news of more support for Gary McKinnon - remember the computer hacker with Asperger's syndrome who could be sent to jail in the States - well, the PM's given his support now too.

If that's not enough for you Lucy's got Denzel to round things off nicely..

Sounds good to me.

See you at 6.

Alex & Ben.

21.7.09

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Afternoons,

The weather just can't make up its mind can it? Neither can I - am I wearing summer frocks or wellies!? Either way I have blisters and no umberella so am not a very happy - or dry - bunny.

Could be worse - at least the lights and - more importantly - the TV are on at home. Some of you lot are going to miss the show tonight! The lights - and tvs - have gone off in Bexleyheath after some idiot messed with some cables. EDF haven't managed to sort it out yet - it's been off since yesterday! Maybe they'll fix it by the time the show goes out - maybe not.. Glen's gone to find out.

After that we're looking into wardens or the lack of them in one borough - with London's elderly population hanging around for longer surely we need more people to watch out for them in sheltered accomodation - not less. Blindingly obvious - but not the case. Phil Bayles is asking why?

The old folk might not have enough people keeping an eye on them - but kids - and teachers - in one school have perhaps too many eyes watching over them. They've got nearly 100 cctv cameras pointed at them - big brother or just the ticket? Marcus Powell will tell us.

The swine flu school kids in China have been let out - all except one who is in quarantine - apparently he's passing the time eating mcDonalds and watching DVDs - but I'm sure he'd still rather be with his mates who are now continuing their holiday in the Far East - Ronke's been to speak to some of their parents about the whole ordeal.

We've got Linford Christie's daughter, who's celebrated long into the night after winning Miss England. She'll tell us if the crown - and the chance to compete in Miss World - could ever mean more than an Olympic medal.

And last but not least - Brian Conley - he's here to talk about dressing up as a woman.

Can't wait.

See you at 6 - if you've got the power and tv on at yours.

Alex & Ben
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Please note that to ensure regulatory compliance and for the protection of our clients and business,
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Thank You.

20.7.09

London Tonight Tonight

Dear One and All -

So, let's get the sports news out of the way. Hurrah and double well done to England's cricketers who have just won the Second test against the Australians - their first Lord's test victory over the men in green caps since 1934.

I'm just going to pause for a moment - so should you - so we can all savour that...

Still pausing.

Done. Not that we're gloating - that's a very unattractive past time. But it's not a bad thing to enjoy the finer things in life. And breaking a 75-year-old duck seems pretty fine to me. What's more - the opposition are no slouches, and there are still three tests to go. Let's face it, we could soon be licking our wounds.

And talking of licking wounds. Hats off and double respect to Mr Tom Watson. What a golf legend. What a shame that the impossible dream proved just that. Not least because someone sitting not too far from where I'm sitting now had a small wager on his being crowned Open Champion for the sixth time. Ah well, he can hold his head up high. As can the eventual winner, Mr Cink.

Now - onto the programme - and there's a commonly accepted understanding that if something looks to0 good to be true, it is too good to be true. Today, there are a lot of people who've been ruing the day they were tempted to invest an awful lot of money in a scheme which seemed to offer wonderful returns only to find out that it was a great big con. The victims include the rich and famous as well as just the rich. It sounds ominously like the Bernie Madoff scheme across the pond. He's now in prison - and will be for a very long time.

Our thoughts go out to the family of Henry Surtees this evening. You may have heard of his rather talented dad, John. He's the only man ever to have been crowned world motorbike champion and Formula One champion. He now lives in Surrey. Well, his son, Henry, died yesterday - striving to follow in his father's footsteps. He died after he was involved in an accident in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch yesterday.

There's a strong family theme in another of our stories tonight - a mum claims she's been banned from school after she told another little boy to stop bullying her son. Was she right? Was she wrong?

And from one school report to another (this is going terribly well, isn't it?). It's a sort of 'animals took over the zoo' story - with the 11 year old pupils at a school in Southwark. We can imagine what could go wrong... At the time of writing, I have no idea whether it did.

Sorry to say there's more on swine flu tonight and we're looking at its impact on the international travel scene. It's summer holiday time after all - schools breaking up for the long break but lots of pupils are finding that the great getaway isn't really happening. Or if they've got away, they can't get back home again - that's what's happened to a number of London children in Beijing. They've been quarantined in a hotel over there. While other kids from Esher, a football team, have been told their dream trip to a tournament in South Korea has just been cancelled - in case they take the virus with them. It seems London isn't just the national hotspot for the virus - it's got a world-wide reputation too.

Oh, and there's a story about a rather unhappy Winston Churchill.

We'll all find out more in the programme.

See you at six,

Ben & Alex.