london tonioght tonight

One of those days where I've clearly not left enough time to beautifully craft a blog so apologies for the brevity of today's contribution!

We start with the story of age discrimination. John Wooster had spent his whole working career with Tower Hamlets council in London's East End. But in 2006, after 34 years service, he was made redundant. His dismissal came just months before his 50th birthday, meaning he would have had to wait until he was 65 to claim his pension. Had he been in his job until after his birthday, Mr Wooster could have claimed the pension almost immediately. It sounds like a huge injustice, a view supported by the courts as he has won his legal battle against his redundancy. There now remains the matter of compensation - yet to be - decided, but it could be over a million pounds. Emma Walden tells all.

Also tonight, the Michael Jackson saga continues: Originally earmarked to perform a staggering number of comeback gigs at O2, fans were left devastated by his untimely death. Rumours about how his life would be marked have been circulating for weeks and after an announcement (in London) that a tribute concert would take place in Austria, comes today's news that it will now happen...in London...but not at O2, possibly Wembley. Confused? Even in death, Jacko keeps is guessing. We'll have the latest.

Now, the poignancy of today's date will have passed none of you by. Everyone remembers where they were when they heard the news about the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York on September the 11th 2001. I was in the office at television studios Nottingham where I was working at the time, putting together a documentary series about football. I remember everyone in the office, even the most hardened journalists, frozen by the events unfolding on our television screens. The attacks claimed almost three thousand lives and ultimately drew Britain into a war in Afghanistan. Among the dead were 16 people from the London region. And today the capital remembered them and the other British victims of 9/11. We report in full.

The legacy of that day still resonates with 27 of the 213 British troops killed so far in Afghanistan in the last 8 years, coming from the capital. Whether you agree with the war or not, few would argue that our servicemen and women are the bravest of the brave. And none more so than Benjamin Kelly, who risked his life recovering the body of his fallen comrade. He's now going to receive the Military Cross for his 'exceptional bravery'. Share his story, and plenty more besides, with us at 6.

Matt and Katie

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LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Good evening,

I was 60 feet above the ground yesterday evening interviewing the head of the arboretum at Kew Gardens on the treetop walkway.

Amongst other things we discussed the onset of autumn & the thorny issue of whether it's early this year. There's no doubt that the leaves are already starting to turn & this was very evident as I made my way around the truly spectacular walkway (all wood & metal, no maintenance & guaranteed for 200 years apparently!). It even has an open air classroom & if you have or know of any children who get the chance to go, make sure they seize it with both hands as it's an experience they'll never forget. Anyway Tony (the tree man) said that the reason autumn is already underway is because it's been a very dry summer (!) meaning the trees are more than ready to go into winter mode & begin the annual leaf drop. It turns out that the best conditions for a really good display of autumn colour are moist ground & widely contrasting daytime & nighttime temperatures.

The nights are getting chillier & it's currently reasonably mild (although not exceptionally so) by day, but with the ground being rather parched it doesn't look as though we'll be treated to an extravagant palette of leaves this year. Mind you I have been known to be wrong so watch this space....

Hope to see you later,

Robin.

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,
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Thank You.

London Tonight Tonight

Hello!

Loads to come on the programme tonight, but in a break from tradition, let's fast forward half way down today's running order to the subject on most people's lips today: England's performance last night. Woeful wasn't it? Out-played in all departments. I'm talking about the cricket, of course. England soundly beaten again by Australia in the one-day series and looking a shadow of the confident side that lifted the Ashes just weeks ago. England's footballers, meanwhile were awesome against Croatia at Wembley last night, beating them 5-1 to secure safe passage to next summer's World Cup in South Africa.

Tonight our attention turns to England's women who take on the might of Germany in the final of the European Championships in Finland. They're massive underdogs against a team they've never beaten, but where there's life there's Hope...Hope Powell to be specific. She's England's Lewisham-born coach who stands on the brink of greatness with an England team packed with London talent. Lewis Vaughan Jones is in Finland for us ahead of the game. Here's a question, though: How much do you think the players who make up the first England team to reach a major final since we won the World Cup in 1966 earn? Can't be bad money, can it, they're representing their country? Well, £16,000 a year is the answer. That's less than Rooney, Gerrard and co earn just by turning up for training each morning. I know the women's game is nowhere near as popular as the men's, but seriously....£16,000 a year? Can that be right? Maybe you think that's more than enough for kicking a ball around? Something to think about.

Spooling back up to the top of the show now and London is to have the world's largest trauma system. The city's to become home to four dedicated "trauma centres" -- each promising faster, more efficient treatment for the 1600 or so major trauma cases seen every year in the capital. It's hoped the centres will save hundreds of lives a year, but not everyone is happy about how they will be run. Campaign groups are worried services are becoming too centralised, spelling the end for some casualty units. Emma Walden has our top story.

Next, a really infuriating story for anyone who's ever had anything delayed or lost in the post. There are claims that up to 20 million undelivered items of mail are stranded in the capital's sorting offices because of the ongoing strike. Royal Mail refute the union's claims, saying there are between only four and five million items waiting to be delivered...well that's ok then, eh?! We have footage taken on a mobile phone that seems to illustrate the chaos. Simon Harris investigates.

Also tonight, Ben Scotchbrook's been cooking up a storm at the Park Lane Hotel. A group of military chefs have stormed the kitchen and have been attempting to prepare five-star dishes using only army rations. It's all in aid of charity, of course, with the 'Chefs for Heroes' hoping to raise over £300,000 for wounded servicemen and women. Ben has been lending his culinary skills!

Oh, and Robin's been let out of the studio and he's a man in search of answers! Tuesday was a scorcher, yesterday wasn't bad either. Indian summer or something more sinister? Robin's down at Kew finding out if the seasons, they are a-changin'.

See you at 6.

Matt and Lucy.

London Tonight Tonight

Hello hello ..

London's had its share of notorious gangsters over the years; the Krays, mad Frankie Fraser .. and the Richardson brothers. None of them blokes you'd particularly want to take home to meet your mother. You may remember a particularly unpleasant trial back in the 60's, at which Charlie Richardson was put away for many years for torture. So you may be surprised to hear the news today that Charlie Richardson, now an elderly man, is hoping to clear his name. He says the trial was fixed. Publicity stunt or genuine grievance? Marcus Powell went to meet Charlie Richardson to find out.

It's sometimes easy for reports about serious crime to wash over us these days, we seem to hear so many of them. But tonight the son of a man killed in a race attack by a gang of boys puts the tragic loss of his family into heartbreaking perspective. Ekram Haque, who was 67, died on Monday -- a week after he was battered to the ground in front of his three-year-old granddaughter in Tooting. His son Afran has appealed for calm and talks about the profound sense of loss he feels at the death of his father who he describes as his "best friend". He spoke to Ronke Phillips.

Elsewhere, Liz Wickham reports on a baby found wrapped in a cardigan and abandoned in bushes. Nurses have named her 'Rosie' and are caring for her in High Wycombe. Liz is there with the latest for us as the authorities appeal for mum to come forward.

Now, a big night of football in the capital tonight as England's footballers take on Croatia, live on ITV One, as they try and ensure safe passage to next year's World Cup finals in South Africa. But in 24 hours' time, the England team could be bringing home a major trophy. England's men didn't even qualify for last summers Euro's, while the women have made it through to the final. That's the good news. The bad news is that they face Germany in Finland tomorrow.

The squad has a more than healthy smattering of London born or based players and the coach, Hope Powell, was born in Lewisham and came up through Millwall and Croydon's women's teams. Tonight we have Fulham and Arsenal player Rachel Yankey in the studio (who incidentally has more international caps than any of the current men's squad other than David Beckham) to talk us through England's chances.

Showbiz, and a little secret about our correspondent Lucy Cotter. I bumped into her getting a sarnie at lunchtime and she was clearly over-excited about whatever job she'd been sent to work on today. Turns out she's done a preview into next month's London film festival. She'll have no fewer than 15 world premieres to report on in the capital in October and dozens of world stars and directors to hob-nob with. So who, out of all them has got our Lucy all of a quiver? Mr George Clooney. So predictable!

Oh, and if you were watching last night you'd have seen us tease last night's Mecury Music Prize ceremony for the best British album of the year. We told you how the majority of artists up for the coveted prize were from right here in London. And the winner was? Tune in to find out.

Katie and Matt

Weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

Bagpipes.

 

They divide people in a Marmite kind of way.

 

For me they are serious Room 101 material. Although I'm half Scottish they strike a chill into my heart which prevents me from seeing anything positive in them. I can be in a sublimely good mood but one note from that heinous wind instrument can send my spirits plunging into the abyss. I don't hear music I hear noise & it's a noise I want to stop. Obviously this is a deeply personal view with which many will disagree & it has little to do with the weather. It is, in fact, a totally irrelevant topic except that as I walked to work through Westminster this morning observing the weather & assessing the accuracy of yesterday's forecasts I was distracted by a bagpipe player.The same thing happened a matter of hours later when I emerged from the tube in Holborn on my way to the newsroom with the net result that I now think of today's weather in exclusively negative terms, owing to its hateful & seemingly inescapable soundtrack.

 

This isn't fair, of course. The weather's really not too bad. Settled, largely dry, not too cold & sometimes quite bright. I just need to get a grip, find some other music as an antidote & all will be well.

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin

 

London Tonight Tonight

Another packed programme in the offing tonight. Here's a brief synopsis of what's to come:

Ronke Phillips has our top story - that of a London woman jailed for six years for drugging her toddler son to death. 20 month old Renzo was fed crushed anti-depressant pills by his mother Laura-Jane Vestuto for weeks before he developed breathing problems and died. The judge at the Old Bailey said that Vestuto had shown little emotion when Renzo died. Ronke speaks to Renzo's father who says the sentence is far too lenient.

Elsewhere, police have named a man from London as the killer of a nine-year-old boy who was raped and strangled 24 years ago. The murder of Imraan Vohra in Preston in 1985 sent shockwaves through the Lancashire town and now, nearly a quarter of a century later, Robert Morley (who died twelve years ago) has been identified through DNA as the murderer. The push to find Imraan's killer was funded by Operation Stealth - a national operation that gives funding to police forces with unsolved homicides. Liz Wickham explains all.

Now if, like me, you open your monthly credit card bill with a sense of impending doom, imagine if you were to see the figure of £1b in the debit column. Well that's the amount Bozza and Tfl have secured in a loan from the European Investment Bank to help fund the Crossrail project. The scheme that will span from Berkshire to Essex has a date set of 2017 for completion. We'll tell you what today's news means for the project that is expected to cost a massive £16b in total. They still need to find over a billion pounds. I wonder if they've tried looking down the back of the sofa?

From the evolution of our transport network to, well...evolution. The Natural History Museum has been celebrating the work of Charles Darwin for more than a century but now the museum's been through a bit of a transformation of its own. Next week, the revamped Darwin Centre will open to scientists and the public alike -- an 8-storey cocoon safeguarding 20 million specimens of insects and plants. Damien Steward has had a sneak preview.

We end the show with a celebration of London's music scene. The capital plays host to the coveted Mercury Prize ceremony tonight with nine of the hopefuls coming from our patch. But the prize for the best job of the day has to go to Glen Goodman who spent the morning on board pop starlet Pixie Lott's private jet ahead of her new album launch in Berlin. Glen catches up with the gorgeous Ms Lott whose career has really taken off over the past 12 months.

Enjoy. Matt and Katie.

FW: weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

After a period of coat & hat weather recently, now it's a case of shorts & flip flops.

 

Being the southeasterly outpost of the British Isles we occasionally get a sample of weather conditions from near Europe & that's precisely what's happened today. A brief dose of French weather - fortunately warm - has been today's offering for which we should say a loud "Merci beaucoup". From tomorrow onwards we'll have high pressure in charge, meaning that once any early spots of rain have cleared it'll be settled, dry & reasonably bright. A Scandinavian breeze (for which "Tack" would be appropriate if I've correctly remembered 'Thank you for the Music' sung in the original at a talent evening in Zagreb; don't ask....) will make things feel a little fresher, but otherwise we'll have little to complain about.

 

All in all perfect weather for picking blackberries & scrumping apples. Time for crumble, I think.

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Afternoon all. Loads to pack in to tonight's programme. Here's a quick overview:

If, like me, you were once again left frustrated at a UK airport this summer as you tried to get to grips with how much 2-in-1 shampoo you can legally get past security these days, our top story offers a chilling reminder of why the rules remain so tightly in place:

Three men have been found guilty of plotting to kill thousands by blowing up planes with home-made liquid bombs disguised as drinks. It was the arrest of the men in 2006 that led to new airport restrictions and it's estimated that, had their plot been successful, they would have caused more devastation that the 9/11 attacks. We have the full story of their east London bomb factory and ask, how safe are we now?

Next, an exciting and no doubt nervous morning for thousands of children across the capital today as they return to school. But why do so many London schools have more pupils than places and why are so many having to use temporary classrooms to fill the void? We investigate.

Also on the programme, how would you like to be paid for your rubbish?
Sounds too good to be true? Well, not if you live in one Berkshire borough which is doing just that. The council's carrot-rather-than-stick approach to recycling sounds sensible enough, but is it that simple? Ronke Phillips has the details.

Now, I seem to spend half my life on trains, but never have I encountered what some lucky commuters have come face to face with unfortunately. Busking is one thing, but it's an impromptu fashion show that's been delighting (and somewhat baffling) tube-users on their way to work. Sangeeta Kandola hopped off the platform and onto the catwalk.

Finally, singer songwriter David Gray's on the show (he of the annoyingly catchy 'Babylon'). He's back with a new album as is Alex Hyndman...not with a new album I don't think (although she is very talented) but she is back. She went to meet him and ended up swapping jam recipes? Rock n' Roll!

Matt and Katie
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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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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.

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

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 

 

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)

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
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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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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
Please Note:

Any views or opinions are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent
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Please note that to ensure regulatory compliance and for the protection of our clients and business,
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