London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon

Nurses at an east London hospital say staff shortages are putting their lives at risk after one staff member was strangled by a patient. Senior nurses at the City and Hackney Centre for Mental Health have staged a protest saying they've been warning about the developing crisis for months. Staffing levels, a shortfall in beds and security fears are just some of the problems facing the East London NHS Foundation Trust and tonight we'll be asking Baroness Molly Meacher - the Trust's chair - what they're doing about it.

Now, news that will surprise few, perhaps - London has officially been labelled as the parking fine capital of Britain. In fact, the country's ten highest-charging councils are all in the capital. Now, I've picked up one or two parking fines in my time - some legitimately for going over or parking where I shouldn't, others infuriatingly and officiously harsh (in my opinion)! But the amount of money councils are coining in is staggering. According to the 'TaxPayers Alliance' - who've carried out the survey - £328m was collected in parking fines in the UK last year with Westminster raking in the most at £35m and Kensington and Chelsea creaming the most per head (of daytime population) at around £85 each. In the interests of balance, the overall figure is actually 16% down on last year, but still - £328m quid?!

Anyway, with all that talk of money flying out of our wallets, let's cheer some people up by handing some cash over. More People's Millions tonight as we reveal the result of last night's vote. Producer Neil has spent the last ten minutes nervously writing out the massive cheque to the lucky winner. The pressure of the spelling mistake when you only have one blank giant cheque! How do you pay one of those in, by the way? You'd never get it under the window at the bank, would you?

See you later.

Matt and Katie

Weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

It seems that the language of the comedy photo is a universal one.

 

My walk to work takes me past the London Eye & Big Ben & these landmarks are, inevitably, must sees for the tourists. Recently the strong winds & driving rain have curtailed photo opportunities with only the hardiest visitors grinning gamely at the camera from under the hoods of their Kagools while everything behind them has been reduced to a grey blur. Today's brighter conditions, however, have seen the photographers & their subjects out in force once again & almost all of them appear to be wearing the Eye as a halo or holding it in the palms of their hands or leaning nonchalantly against Big Ben or holding it delicately between thumb & forefinger.

 

And the photo oppportunities will continue for the rest of the week as things are looking reasonably fine, if a little chilly. Maybe we'll be treated to the Houses of Parliament draped in a cashmere scarf....

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin

 

London Tonight Tonight

Hi there,

On the programme tonight: as we go to press, as they say, the convicted murderer Jane Andrews is still on the run, we speak to the brother of her victim, the man she was hoping to marry.

Plus the shocking story of a four year old boy stabbed to death in south London. His body was found at his family's home in Southwark last night. His 17-month-old sister was thankfully left unhurt, but the boy's parents were also found to have suffered stab wounds. Murray Dron is at the scene for us later.

Also coming up: warnings from our friends across the channel that a city-wide bike hire scheme in London could attract thieves and vandals. Police in Paris say eight thousand bikes have been stolen while an astonishing 18 thousand have been trashed by vandals.

Bit of history for you tonight too: If you saw Sunday's evening programme, we had the author of a fascinating book of photographs of London through the ages, some of which showed the destruction caused during the Blitz. It was mostly the East End which came to symbolise the capital's defiance, but another part of London suffered at the hands of the Luftwaffe. Now, the hundreds of civilians who died in Willesden have finally been given a permanent memorial. Lewis Vaughan Jones has been to find out more.

Most excitingly, though - our first grand People's Millions reveal! Lottery grants of tens of thousands of pounds are on offer and yesterday Glen Goodman showcased two very worthy contenders: Romford's Drum and Trumpet Corps and the Pedro Music Project in Clapton. The phone votes have been counted and Glen is no doubt spending the afternoon hiding behind a bin somewhere waiting to jump out and share the good news with one of the contenders! He'll also be showing us two more hopefuls, as well.

Also, a treat for Queen fans as Feltham remembers Freddie.

See you later,

Matt and Nina

FW: weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

We've got a stormy night ahead of us.

 

More rain. "Squally" is how the Met Office is describing it, which for some reason puts me in mind of crossing the Atlantic in a rowing boat. The winds will be very strong -gusts of 50mph inland- which does at least mean that the rain will be fast moving. Small comfort perhaps if we wake up to find branches down or (worse) roof tiles missing.

 

Tomorrow morning will look altogether different; dry, bright & sunny but it'll be feeling colder. The temperature is comparative because values will be hovering around the seasonal average, but given that it's been mild recently we are certainly going to notice the change. Mind you it'll be good to see a slice of blue sky & despite the showers over the next few days there will be bright spells too. Hurrah.

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin

 

London Tonight Tonight

Hi there. Good weekend, I hope? We start the week with another packed show.

Last week, we brought you the shocking story of a murdered mother of two left mutilated in the street in Greenford. Tonight, the understandably emotional family of Geeta Aulakh have spoken of their 'living nightmare' since the 28-year-old was attacked on her way to picking up her two young sons from the child minder.

Also tonight, we report on the extension to the Oyster card scheme and the confusion that even Boris Johnson seems to have over where and when exactly it can be used? And the end of an era at Heathrow as Terminal 2 shuts before a one-billion-pound redevelopment project. Quick stat for you - 316 million check-ins over 54 years at T2! It's seen lots of history too - it's where those iconic shots of the Beatles being mobbed were taken back in the 60's and it's also seen the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly pass through it over the years. Plus, of course, Lewis Vaughan Jones.

Also, 'The People's MIllions' make a welcome return tonight, with the chance for community projects here in the capital to benefit from grants of up to fifty thousand pounds. We'll highlight four very deserving projects this week and then you can help us decide who benefits. Glen Goodman will be employing utter impartiality!

And, live in the studio tonight - an international rock star who's sold millions of records worldwide and has been shocking audiences for over forty years. None other than Vincent Furnier will be on the programme. You know, Vincent Furnier? Massive golf fan, son of a pastor? No? Ok - try his stage name: Alice Cooper - how's that?

Not quite sure what to expect from Mr Cooper, to be honest. I've read the back-in-the-day hell raising stories and I like the classic hits, 'School's Out' and 'Poison'? But you've got to be a tad nervous when someone who's been theatrically killed on stage more than 60,000 times comes on a live 6 O'clock news programme to promote a tour entitled, 'Theatre of Death'? I mean, what could possibly go wrong?! Still, I also hear that in recent years, his love of golf and a quiet cuppa have replaced his rock n' roll ways. So, will the real Vincent Furnier please stand up? Or, better still, sit down and tell us all about it.

See you at Six

Matt and Lucy

By the way, can someone tell Lucy to stop singing Christmas songs, it's November?!?!?! Although, someone's just broken out the Quality Street...ho, ho, ho!

Weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

We had something of a Railway Children moment at the weekend.

 

It didn't involve making flags out of our underwear or stealing coal from the local station, but we did witness a (very minor) landslide. We were driving along a lane, luckily very slowly owing to the stormy weather, when about 10 metres ahead of us the bank gave way & a large old oak fell directly across our path.

 

My immediate reaction was that we were incredibly fortunate not to have been a couple of moments earlier which would have meant that the car & its occupants would have been flattened.

 

It all happened in a matter of seconds but it seemed, like the Railway Children landslide moment, to unfold in slow motion. Although we were involved we felt more like observers & it was only after we'd turned around to retreat home that the shock & relief of our near miss kicked in.

 

Given the recent rainfall & the strong winds our experience is probably not uncommon but it will, hopefully, become more of a rarity over the next few days as conditions turn a little brighter albeit a touch colder.

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

London Tonight Tonight

Good evening,

We've got a densely packed show tonight so I'll press on.

Simon Harris will be in Barking where a BNP meeting will be taking place later this evening. Ahead of that he will be getting the latest from Messrs Griffin & Barnbrook as they visit the area where they hope to win their first Parliamentary seat .

As a nation of dog lovers many of us will be disturbed by the story of a guide dog being attacked at Cricklewood tube station. What would you do if your dog (God forbid) was the aggressor? It won't be easy viewing but maybe lessons can be learned.

Emma Walden will be in Paddington where a schoolgirl from Slough received treatment for swine flu. This story does not have a happy ending as the girl, tragically, has died.

And the theme of violence on the streets continues with traffic wardens (always easy targets) being subjected to both physical & verbal attacks not only by motorists but also passers by. Phil Bayles will fill us in.

The poor souls who lost their homes in Friday's fire in Bockingham Green may have been given temporary accommodation but, as Murray Dron will explain, they are feeling somewhat abandoned.

Liz Wickham has been in Croydon where Dawn Morgan, who was diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago but who has since, thankfully, been given the all clear has become a poster girl for Cancer Research UK.

The future of beleaguered Southend Pier looks shaky. Despite plans being drawn up for a revamp it looks as though the funding to make the proposals a reality are not forthcoming as Damien Steward will explain.

We'll be tackling Christmas from 2 very different perspectives this evening. Sally Rourke will have the latest on the threat of tube & bus strikes which would inevitably bring chaos and misery once again. And Lucy Cotter will be doing a round-up of the panto offerings around the region over the next few weeks. Joy.

So there you are. A veritable feast which I hope you'll enjoy at 6 tonight.

See you then,

Robin & Katie.

London Tonight Tonight

Afternoon all,

First tonight, you are being watched. We all know we live in a CCTV society, but you might not be aware to what extent. Ours is one of the most watched societies in the world with an estimated 4.2 million CCTV cameras in the UK, that's roughly one for every 14 people. It's also estimated each one of us makes up to three hundred appearance on CCTV cameras each day as we go about our daily business. They're on our streets, in our shops, at cashpoints, on buses, on tubes, pretty much everywhere -- and now they're being installed in some homes in an effort to combat anti-social behaviour. Croydon council are trialling the scheme in unidentified houses in an area where they say residents' lives are being made a misery. But privacy campaigners say it's an infringement of human rights. Where do you stand? You might as well tell us, because you're probably being filmed as you stand there, anyway!

Among our other stories tonight: services at private 'out-of-hospital' centres across the whole of north London have been suspended while an inquiry is carried out into whether negligence by a private contractor led to the death of an elderly patient. And a PE teacher at an East London school is annoyed that fifty of her pupils who were taken on a trip to watch a gymnastics competition had to pay for their own travel. Transport for London say the pupils didn't qualify for a free travel scheme because sports events were not deemed to be 'educational'?

One man who won't have to worry about how he pays for his travel for a while is Stuart Tinner. He was plucked out of the crowd at Saracens game against South Africa last night to take part in a half-time competition and ended up £250,000 richer. The 24 year old Job Centre worker had to kick a ball onto the crossbar of the uprights - a virtually impossible task for anyone other than Johnny Wilkinson. But not only did Stuart manage it, he managed it in his socks! He says he's going to blow part of his new fortune on a house and a new car...as well as a Saracens season ticket - the least he can do for relieving the club of a quarter of a million pounds!

And continuing the Rock Gods theme of this week, Status Quo are on the programme as they kick off yet another tour. They're in Croydon tonight so we've sent a camera down there and Lucy will have a chat with the boys for us. They never seem to take themselves too seriously, Status Quo. I mean, their latest album is called 'In Search of the Fourth Chord'. More randomly though, Quo have a triple-cd Christmas album out soon featuring 60 festive classics as well as a new single featuring Rick Parfitt and...er...Rolf Harris!
See you at Six

Matt and Katie

Weather blog

Good evening,

 

I'm not sure I understand wind chimes.

 

Occasionally I have come across them making a soft tubular sound in a gentle breeze. It's not unpleasant but I still don't see the point. For me the unadorned sounds of the outdoors are enough on their own.

 

As usual I was out with the dogs just before sunrise this morning. The overcast skies ensured that there was little evidence of dawn breaking & the wind, as predicted, was howling. Admittedly it wasn't the sort of weather one would necessarily choose but it had a wildness to it I like.

 

In fact, I'd take cloud, wind & even rain any time over the breakdown-inducing noise from one garden I walked past where several sets of wind chimes, blowing horizontally in the wind, were competing to outdo each other. The sound is difficult to describe. Although still intrinsically delicate, the gusts of wind gave the chimes an angry intensity that came in bursts & which could be heard well beyond the confines of the host garden.

 

I'm glad I'm not a neighbour because unless the offending chimes are mothballed within the next 24 hours, with conditions turning increasingly stormy by the end of the week, the dawn chorus in that neck of the woods will be enough to drive people to drink.

 

On the plus side, it will be staying mild.

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

London Tonight Tonight

Hello...

Bit tired today. I was up until 2am with Genesis, who were on the programme yesterday. Technically, I wasn't actually with the band - just in case you had visions of me, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford in some Soho club 'til the early hours. But after the thrill of meeting them yesterday, I went home and started to work my way through their back catalogue. Ok, so it wasn't actually 2am either, it was more like quarter to eleven...not a great story that, sorry! On to tonight's programme then, no classic prog rockers unfortunately, but plenty of other stuff:

On the news front: as a 16-year-old boy fights for his life, the latest victim of knife crime in the capital, the number of primary school children stopped and searched by police has almost doubled in the last year. According to new Met figures, officers detained more than 750 ten year olds in the twelve months to April. Some say police are in danger of adding to the problem by alienating young people, others argue that anything that reduces the number of knives on our streets has got to be worth doing. We want your thoughts later.

Elsewhere, we'll have more on the political row brewing in Romford after a Labour politician described The Queen as "vermin" and a "parasite". They were made on the Facebook page of local Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, by Labour's Peter White, who's due to stand for election to Havering Council next year. Mr White has been told to explain the comments by Party officials and faces the sack.

Also on the programme: two of the worst train stations in the country are right here in London. We sent Murray Dron to investigate, but he hasn't come back yet; the Beatlemaniac who's unearthed some photographic gems in his loft; and two become one when a couple were inspired to become half the people they used to be after they broke their bed. Oh, and Robin delivers the weather forecast whilst skating. Dancing on isobars, you could say?!

See you at Six

Matt and Katie

FW: weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

It's mid November so London is already well into the Yuletide countdown. Window displays & street lights are signalling the imminent arrival of Christmas, tinsel & baubles are everywhere & now the seasonal open air ice rinks are declaring themselves open for business.

 

Today it's the turn of Somerset House & the plan is for me to bring you the weather from this stunning location. It has been suggested that I don skates which could make for interesting viewing because, despite having had to learn to skate for a film role years ago (my on screen skating partner was Eva Gabor would you believe....), I have never really mastered it. In truth I think I would be better at diving for pearls in the Pacific, but if the boss wants me to do it who am I to refuse?

 

Ironically the weather is mild at the moment (wet & windy soon too) so although I'll be surrounded by ice & Somerset House will be a winter wonderland I won't be feeling cold. Instead I'll be channelling my energy into keeping fear at bay & dignity intact.

 

Hope to see you later.

 

I think.

 

Robin 

 

London Tonight Tonight

Right. Only one topic for the blog today: our studio guests. None other than rock Gods 'Genesis'. Well, two of them, anyway.

Sorry, didn't you hear me? Genesis are on the show?

Why is no-one else as excited as I am?

Older viewers might know keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist Mike Rutherford best from the band's 1970's prog-rock early days when Tony would do endless keyboard solos and then frontman Peter Gabriel would confuse audiences with a variety of outlandish costumes. Others might be more familiar with the later Phil Collins-led era where the success of singles like 'Invisible Touch', 'Land of Confusion', 'I Can't Dance' and 'No Son of Mine' made them global chart-toppers. Others...well, let's just say Genesis tend to divide musical opinion and are seen by many as firmly driving down the middle of the rock and roll highway...slowly.

For me though, their 1986 'Invisible Touch' album was the first I ever bought. We were in Newquay on a family holiday and mum and dad gave my brother and I a few quid to spend. I bought a black ghetto-blaster (with high-speed dubbing) and a copy of 'Invisible Touch' on tape. I played it constantly and gradually started to explore their massive back catalogue. They were never seen as particularly cool by my friends and I've never really advertised my love of them. But hey, I'm in my mid-30's and am officially the uncoolest person I know (see use of word, 'uncool'), so who cares? I'm therefore proud to say that I love Genesis - like millions of other people - and they're on the show later to talk about a new collection of live performances out on CD and DVD. We'd ask them to play something for us, but Tony might get started on one of his keyboard solos and we only have half an hour.

Oh...and all the day's news too!

See you at six.

Matt and Katie

Weather blog

Good evening,

 

There are many seemingly futile domestic chores, but we all do them despite this knowledge in a bid to keep standards high, make life pleasant & impose order on chaos.

 

Over the last few days I think I have discovered the most pointless of all these activities & one which provides only the most fleeting sensation of a job well done before the process needs to be started once again from scratch.

 

Raking leaves.

 

Our garden is surrounded by mature deciduous trees which are currently doing what you'd expect. On Thursday not one blade of grass was visible under the carpet of golden brown leaves, so I grabbed the rake & spent the morning clearing the decks. It was mindless & repetitive but at least I was outside & getting some exercise & by lunchtime things were looking good. However a sandwich & a cup of coffee later it was as if the garden hadn't been touched, the only evidence of my endeavours being assorted sacks of leaves waiting to be taken to the tip.

 

Thoroughly demoralising & yet I find myself wanting to get back out there & do it all over again. Perhaps before embarking on such folly I should take heed of my own forecast which is promising only a brief respite from the recent stormy conditions with a dry & bright day tomorrow, before a return to rain & strong (leaf stripping) winds later in the week.

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Welcome to the weekend. I hope you are managing to safely negotiate Friday the 13th.

Tonight, we highlight the best and worst of human nature: Our top story demonstrates callousness in the extreme with shocking CCTV footage of a woman stealing a poppy collection box - with the help of a child that appears to be no more than six years old. It happened at a florists in west London and shows the boy edging the box along the shop counter to a woman who then stuffs it in her bag before making off with it. Dinos and Aphrodite Georgiou who run the shop in Queen's Park were left sickened by the cynical act and have been talking to Marcus Powell.

Elsewhere, Frances Lawrence, the widow of murdered head teacher Philip Lawrence, has received an MBE from the Queen for her tireless charity work. Mr. Lawrence, you'll remember, was killed when he stepped in to break up a fight outside his school 14 years ago. Since his death, Francis Lawrence has championed the achievements of young people through the Philip Lawrence Awards. Speaking after receiving the tremendous honour, Francis Lawrence was even able to spare a thought for her husband's killer, Learco Chindamo, saying she, "hoped for the best" when he is released. Chindamo, who was fifteen at the time, has now served a minimum 12 year sentence.

Also tonight we report on a fire that swept through a block of flats in Basildon. Thankfully no one was badly injured, but Piers Hopkirk reports for us on the material loss that has left families facing the night in an emergency shelter.

Guest-wise. Actress, author, presenter, wine expert, Helen Lederer joins is in the studio to talk about the latest re-birth of 'Calendar Girls' in the West End. Her back catelogue reads like a who's who of British tv comedy from Ab Fab, Bottom and Naked Video to The New Statesman, Harry Enfied - the list really does go on an on. We'll ask her if it was tricky slotting in to a show that had already been such a big hit as well as the strategically placed iced buns!

Finally, James King's in later to talk us through the latest movie releases. I took him at his word on last week's 'A Christmas Carol' recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it - thanks, James! I was worried that early November was simply too soon for something quite so festive but it was just what was needed to get the pre-Christmas spirit flowing. Well, that and the fact that we'd done a bit of Christmas shopping beforehand so I sat through the film with a giant Christmas cracker between my legs?! You can get crackers big enough for eight people to share, did you know that? Massive it is. Anyway, a word of warning on the film. It might be an animated adaptation starring the vocal talents of Jim Carrey, but it's quite dark in places. it is a ghost story, after all, but I don't think it's suitable for smaller children, despite its PG rating. Muppets Christmas Carol, it isn't!

So, let's see what James can offer up today. My weekend may well depend on it. See you at Six.

Matt and Nina.
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.

London Tonight Tonight

Hi there,

I've been a bit preoccupied today. My four year old boy has had a bout of sickness. Nothing serious, just a bug or something he's picked up but the little man spent most of yesterday throwing up and it's left him really drained and somewhat forlorn today. As a parent, all you can do in that situation is to get them the right medication, make sure they're comfortable and try to keep their spirits up. But imagine what it must be like to have a seriously ill child and be told that to give them the best chance of getting better, you not only need to raise over £300,000 for overseas treatment, but you need to do it by January. That's the dilemma facing the parents of seven year old Robyn Higgins from Frimley in Surrey. In May of this year, she was diagnosed with a very rare form of children's cancer called "neuroblastoma". In September, Robyn underwent a nine hour operation to remove a tumour and has also had nine debilitating bouts of chemotherapy. She's spent pretty much the last six months in hospital. At this point, things look ok, but her parents say she still needs further treatment in a specialist New York hospital -- and they need 300 thousand pounds to make that happen. Sally Rourke's been to meet Robyn and her family.

Some of the other stories we're covering tonight include a man who may have abused up to 400 children at a London care home who has apparently committed suicide on the eve of his trial; more commuter misery as First Capital Connect cancelled almost half of its trains after drivers refused to work overtime in a dispute over pay; and police in Australia say they're chasing up new leads in the hunt for the killer of London-born art curator, Nick Waterlow.

Also this evening, Armistice Day may be over for another year but the memorials go on and tonight Damien Steward reports on a very special service held at an Islington primary school. This is probably the right moment for me to correct something I wrote in yesterday's blog. I said that the recent deaths of three World War One veterans meant that 'The Great War' had passed from living memory into history. This is not the case. There are no surviving British WW1 veterans now living in the UK, but there is one living in Australia. Former Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules is 108 years old and lives in Perth. Nicknamed 'Chuckles' and born in Worcerstershire, he is the only surviving veteran in the world to have served in both World Wars. Mr Choules has just completed his autobiography entitled, 'Last Man Standing' and I think I ought to buy a copy to try and make amends. Sorry, Claude!

On the lighter side of life, Liz Wickham's been sent up probably the most famous clock tower in the world as Big Ben goes decimal. And Lucy Cotter's been to meet 'Strictly Come Dancing' judge and popstress, Alesha Dixon. What more could you want?

See you at Six

Matt and Katie

London Tonight Tonight

Good afternoon. On the programme tonight, we'll show you how the capital paid its respects on Armistice Day. It's 91 years since the end of the First World War but the death of the last surviving veterans over the course of the past twelve months means that this year marks the passing of 'The Great War' from living memory into history. Today, those who have lost their lives fighting for their country, including the continuing sacrifices made by our troops in Afghanistan, were remembered across the city.

And while our fallen heroes were remembered in the traditional way today, one World War Two soldier has been remembered in a very unusual one. London Indie rock band 'Athlete' have written a special song about the lead singer's grandad, who was seriously wounded in action. All the proceeds are going to the Royal British Legion and Liz Wickham has just promised me a very emotional piece.

Also tonight, Lucy will bring us up to speed on the latest film in the 'Twilight' saga, called 'New Moon'. For the uninitiated, 'Twilight' is something of a phenomenon with the films adapted from the books by Stephanie Meyer. The plot? Well, it's sort of an angst-ridden teenage vampire love story. Sorry, I'm not James King?! Think 'Lost Boys' for teenage girls and women trying to recapture their youth. And if you sense a little green-eyed, mid-thirties angst on my part it's because my other half is obsessed with the books, the films and particularly the smouldering young fop who plays the lead role, London's own Robert Pattinson. I've just asked Katie for her opinion on the one dubbed 'pasty-boy' in my house and she is supportively unimpressed. Katie says - and I quote - 'he's a little bit weedy' and 'not very swoonsome'. Unfortunately, it would appear the vast majority of women disagree and guiltily, I actually quite liked the first film. I thought I'd be dragged to this second instalment immediately upon its release, but when I suggested going to see it in what I thought a hugely magnanimous gesture, I was told that a girls' night has been planned and my presence isn't required! Charming! I'm with Katie. He's a little bit weedy...

See you at Six.

Matt and Katie

Weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

Having been driving for many years I've encountered a wide variety of motoring conditions. Standing water, ice, blizzard, flood, heatwave, gales & even fire, but this morning I had my first brush with the threat that fallen leaves can pose.

 

Like many people I'm guilty of an impatient & sceptical sigh at the mention of disruption to rail services due to leaves on the track, but (& I'm reluctant to admit this) I can see the sense of it after my near miss this morning.

 

My journey to work begins with a drive to the station & the leaves which have been steadily falling over recent weeks have now -thanks to a spell of damp weather- become a slimey pulp along some roads. So shortly after breakfast today I had to take evasive action as I rounded a corner to be greeted by a large, shiney 4x4 heading straight towards me. I wasn't moving very quickly but I needed to slow down before pulling into the verge & no sooner had I touched the brakes than I was sliding around with little control over my trajectory. It felt very like the time I aquaplaned my just-bought-with-my-first-pay-cheque car into the side of a milk lorry. Luckily on this occasion disaster was avoided but while the leaves & rain continue to fall I will proceed with extreme caution & urge you (although I suspect you don't need my advice) to do the same.

 

There'll be a bit of everything weatherwise over the next few days, but at least it'll be getting a little milder.

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

London Tonight Tonight

A very big HELLO to you on this pretty chilly November afternoon.

Now - being left out in the cold has a certain exclusive ring to it. Unless, of course, being left out there is down to you. You know, when you've lost the keys or locked yourself out. So you can't get inside to your wife, who's giving birth in the bathroom. That's one of our stories tonight.

Another is that of an old soldier who won the Victoria Cross in the 1st World War. That was tribute 1 for his bravery. Tribute 2 is a statue being unveiled in his home town of Barking today.

We're leading on shoplifting tonight. Incidents in London have shot up recently - not so much by who you might consider the 'usual suspects' but middle class, middle-aged, women who are struggling to come to terms with the impact the recession is having on their lives.

Next up: Sharon Shoesmith is back in court - as is her claim for wrongful dismissal. You'll remember she was given the sack from her job as Head of Children's Services at Haringey Council. Well, in the big legal battle that has ensued it seems Ofsted didn't offer up all the papers they should have.

We're also reporting on the repatriation of Darren Chant - the Regimental Sergeant Major from Walthamstow who was killed by an Afghanistani policeman last week.

And we're talking to another old soldier. I recently saw Sir Michael Caine speaking very clearly about the horrors of the Korean War in which he served. He has a new film out which depicts a pretty grim lifestyle around Elephant and Castle. That's where he's from. That's what it's like, he says. Not so, say others.

So - lots for us to bring you tonight.

We will see you at six.

Ben & Katie

FW: weather blog

Good evening,

 

We have a prolific apple tree in the garden. Year after year the branches are laden with fruit from late summer to late autumn. It looks wonderful; the green of the apples, hinting at a certain sweet tartness, contrasting with the yellow & gold of the leaves.

 

Sadly, however, the apples are not good. In fact they are awful. They are thick skinned with a dry, woody flesh that is not improved by cooking- if anything they become more indigestible, turning leathery & flovourless after a few moments' stewing.

 

Not even a generous helping of blackberries saves the situation & this year we've finally conceded defeat. We must accept that the apple tree is ornamental, its fruit to be enjoyed by the wildlife before we are required to do the mind numbing job of clearing the windfalls which always seems to happen in a cold, steady drizzle.

 

Although there's more wet stuff tomorrow, things do look better for Thursday when it'll be milder too so perhaps that's the day for me to get out in the garden....

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

London Tonight Tonight

Hi there. Hope you had a great and safe bonfire weekend. Not a big fan of fireworks, personally - certainly not the sort you get for the garden, anyway. For some reason, I don't think the mixture of small children and explosives is a good one, but, after much pestering I relented and my two children and their cousins were treated to half a dozen fairly limp offerings from a local supermarket.

I had much higher hopes of explosives between Bermondsey boxer David Haye and seven foot Russian man-mountain, Nikolay Valuev as they squared up for their heavyweight title fight in Germany on Saturday night. As a fight, it was less than sparkling, but Haye did a fantastic job of dodging the Russian's lumbering bombs and landed one or two stealth missiles of his own on his way to a fantastic points victory and a world title belt. He told us when he came into the studio last week that he was going to do it, but after several years as a sports reporter I've learnt to take most pronoucements with a pinch of salt. Katie was less sceptical and was convinced after speaking to him that he would make good on his prediction. "I can see it in his eyes", she said. She was right! We'll congratulate David later.

Talking of fireworks, we'll be talking to Boris Johnson live on the programme tonight as a 24-hour bus strike over pay continues in the capital. Seven hundred and fifty buses from the East London Bus Company are off the roads causing disruption to tens of thousands of people. With crisis meetings also taking place to try to avert further Tube strikes, we'll be asking the London Mayor whether he's lost his grip on the city's transport network. We'll also report on one council's plan to tackle crime by signing up two thousand local people to become 'neighbourhood champions', (or official snoopers, depending on your point of view). Plus the depressing news that pubs in the capital are closing faster than anywhere else in the country - at a rate of six per week.

Finally, the sad news of the death of a much-loved member of one local community, callously mown down by a hit-and-run driver. His passing is being mourned through poetry, shrines and internet tributes as Dorking pays its respects to... Albi the albino squirrel??? What can I say, except that Glen Goodman's on the case so it's bound to be worth a watch. I just hope the shop where he got his full size pumpkin mask last week doesn't do squirrel outfits with angel wings attached. Seriously, I bet he's put the call in!

See you at six,

Matt and Nina

Weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

I've got a very elderly car which I use to drive to the station. It's like an old friend; totally reliable but not above playing the odd trick.

 

The most recent practical joke was to do with the lights. It happened yesterday evening (6-ish; properly dark) as I was driving along a country lane & hit a pothole. The resulting jolt caused all the lights -interior & exterior- to fail. There was something very eerie about it being as pitch black inside the car as it was out. Obviously I pulled off the road (no indicators or hazards) & got out in order to be able to assess the situation.

 

I am to mechanics what John & Edward are to opera, so after staring cluelessly at the bonnet & a spot of light swearing I climbed back into my jalopy & did the only sensible thing I could think of which was to start it up again. Miraculously it purred effortlessly & comprehensively back into life & I was able to continue my journey through the light drizzle (more of that to come tomorrow by the way) without further incident.

 

Obviously I was delighted the car was fully operational once more, but I'm left feeling nervous; it's happened once & it could happen again & lights are only ever going to fail when you really need them.

 

Perhaps it's time it went on ebay. The perfect vehicle for anyone planning a motoring holiday next summer to the land of the midnight sun....

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Good Evening. All the day's news from in and around London coming your way at six, but for the moment, I have a bit of a confession to make: I'm not wearing a poppy today. It's not on any moral grounds, a lack of support for our current troops or a lack of respect for our former ones - I simply keep losing them. I must have bought at least five already, which is in no way unusual for me. I expect to have to buy at least two more before Sunday which is, of course, all good for the British Legion, as I happily cough up my cash each time one either drops off or ends up in the washing machine. I was about to say that maybe it's time to update the traditional poppy and pin ensemble in favour of an all-in-one badge design, but that would, of course, stop people like me buying more than one!

One thing I have noticed on my repeated visits to poppy sellers in various cities in the last ten days or so, is that they seem to be busier than usual. In the past, I've sometimes felt a bit sorry for the aging veteran in my local supermarket as he tried in vain to encourage people to support the Poppy Appeal. This year, I had to queue patiently before the same veteran proudly pinned on my poppy (not securely enough as it turned out), and confirmed that he'd been busier than ever.

One man who will be happy to learn about my poor poppy practices is Ben Hancock, who's in the studio later. He's the brain behind 'London Poppy Day', essentially a concerted effort by people in the capital to raise even more money for the British Legion's charity work in supporting both serving members of the Armed Forces and their families. Over 200 volunteers and more than 50 serving soldiers are out in force trying to raise £50,000 today alone. Just under £20,000 was raised when they did the same thing last year so they'll be doing well to more than double it this time. We'll find out how Ben think's they've done later on. So, if you're reading this early enough, dig deep on your way home. They'll be stationed at 21 tube stations around the capital during rush hour. To be honest, though, if they're a few quid short, I might as well buy whatever's left, just in case!

See you at Six.

Matt and Katie

london tonight tonight

Hello. Quick word on last night's programme. Not sure if you saw our Christmas lights switch-on extravaganza, but what a stirling job by Lucy and Ben at St Paul's and Leicester Square! Those sort of things are always a bit of a nightmare, but it looked great from the front row sofa I was on. But how scary was it to see the Christmas lights on and hear carols - we're only just in November? In the words of the Disney adaptation that was clearly the driving force behind last night's epic....'Humbug!'

Ok - lots to cram in tonight and in addition to shocking new figures on gun crime in the capital, we have more on the story of five British soliders killed in Afghanistan. Three were from The Grenadier Guards, based in Central London, the others were from the Royal Military Police.The men were shot by a rogue Afghan policeman they were thought to be training inside a checkpoint in Helmand Province yesterday. The Prime Minister told the Commons earlier that the Taliban have claimed responsibilty for the attack and that the shooter could have been a Taliban infiltrator. A total of 92 UK servicemen have now been killed this year, the highest annual figure since the Falklands War in 1982. Lewis Vaughan Jones will have more for us later.

The latest losses in Afghanistan make the days leading up to Remembrance Sunday even more poignant and tonight, a sometimes overlooked military hero is taking centre stage in Trafalgar Square. Sir Keith Park commanded the RAF squadrons in and around the capital during the Battle of Britain and his role was crucial to the defence of London during the Second World War. So why has his statue on the fourth plinth, in the shadow of Horatio Nelson's, been made out of glass fibre? Not sure, but don't panic - a larger bronze one is being erected next year, the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, in Waterloo Place. Ben Scotchbrook's been to have a look.

Also on the programme tonight, more on the story we brought you yesterday about a woman who was rescued by Boris Johnson from an attack by a group of teenage girls in Camden in North London. Franny Armstrong has called the Mayor her 'knight in shining armour' after he stepped in to chase away a group of teenage girls, one of whom was brandishing an iron bar. The Mayor reportedly chased them away on his bike while shouting 'Oiks!' It's a funny story and great PR for Bozza, but there's a serious question to be asked about when chivalry or a sense of civic duty becomes foolhardy. By stepping in, at least Boris was following his own advice: In 2007 he urged people to 'take a risk' when it comes to standing up to thugs, pointing out that the chances of being stabbed were 'microscopic'. Then he was criticised by police. What do you think? Step in or stand aside? Email us your thoughts.

Finally on the programme tonight, Liz Wickham's been sniffing out a cracking yarn about perfume and Hounslow R & B singer, Jay Sean's on the show. He's already had a number one single in America.

See you at Six

Matt and Katie.
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.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Hello. On the programme tonight there will be news and lots of it, obviously. But one subject seems to have everyone in the office on tenterhooks today - the London Christmas lights switch-on!

We've dedicated a large chunk of tonight's show to it and it will no doubt be fantastic, but it's an annual favourite that's been known to reduce producers, presenters and reporters on news programmes up and down the country to gibbering wrecks. I mean, it sounds simple enough: at a designated time, say 6.15, a celeb flicks a switch and the city centre in question goes from autumnal darkness to illuminated festive brilliance. There are loud, 'Ahhhhs' all round, the reporter says, "back to you in the studio", the presenter replies, "Thanks very much, time for the weather." Simple.

But there are a catalogue of things that can and do go wrong on these occasions that range from the ceremony simply running late, leaving us with less than inspiring shots of dark streets, to the celebrity not turning up on time, to us accidentally blowing the power supply to four local boroughs. I once reported on the 'grand switch-on' in one East Midlands town (that shall remain nameless) only to discover when the button was pressed that the 'stunning display' amounted to little more than a fibre-optic Christmas tree in the window of Greggs the bakers with half of its lights missing. But this is London, the capital, where nothing is done by halves and nothing has been left to chance. Trust me, it will be stunning.

So this is the plan, as explained to me by Ken the producer who, if he pulls this off, should be knighted in the New Year's Honours List. It goes something like this...

The lights are due to be switched on, on Regent Street, at St Paul's Cathedral and on Oxford Street one after the other in 'a cascade of illumination' (Ken's words). It'll happen at 6.15 and 50 seconds, 6.17 and twenty eight seconds and 6.18 and sixteen seconds precisely. On Oxford Street with his finger on the button will be star of Disney's new film, 'A Christmas Carol', Jim Carrey - although goodness knows what Ebenezer Scrooge would have made of the electricity bill. Fellow star Colin Firth is currently tightening the bulbs on Regent Street while rumour has it Bob Hoskins is up a ladder outside St Paul's, as we speak. The movie itself premieres in Leicester Square later while also on hand to entertain the crowds will be the casts of 'Sister Act', 'Hairspray' and 'Oliver', 'Spandau Ballet' and 'The Saturdays'. Oh, and Andrea Bocelli and the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir are on hand to sing the whole thing out for us while attempting to break the world record (which currently stands at 7,514) for the most people singing a Christmas Carol at one time. Following this so far?

Lucy Cotter will be live for us at St. Paul's, while Ben Scotchbrook takes charge of Leicester Square. We also have cameras on Regent Street and Oxford Street, while Katie and I sit in the studio with everything crossed and armed with a string of fascinating facts about lightbulbs, just incase it all goes pear-shaped.

So, strap yourselves in at 6pm sharp and wait for the fireworks to begin. Hang on, are there fireworks? I bet no one's told Ken!

Matt and Katie
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.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Hello all. Hope your Halloween weekend was a good one? I had a fancy dress get-together at home that culminated in a very rare visit to a nightclub. Wasn't keen on the idea, to be honest - I'm far too old - but a good time was had by all. Too much of a good time if my inablity to get off the sofa for much of yesterday was anything to go by. Shall we have some quiet time in front of a DVD, children? Still, that's the going out for 2009 finally got out of the way. Katie, Nina and Robin had threatened to turn up un-announced just so they could witness the full horror of me dressed up like an idiot. Thankfully, I was able to keep the address a secret and all cameras were rigorously confiscated at the door.

Right, tonight's programme starts with a problem that's becoming more and more prevalent: the extraordinary lengths some parents will go to to get their children into popular schools. To some, bending the rules or stretching the truth to give your child an educational leg-up is perfectly justifiable. To others it's a deviousness that denies places to 'legitimate' students. As well as simply supplying false information about a home address to put the child within the right catchment area, some parents have gone as far as renting a property near the desired school, faking a marital break up or even claiming a cousin or non-ralated child with the same surname is a sibling. It's a problem that is especially acute in London but after a government inquiry, published today, are we any nearer coming up with a suiltable solution? We'll have a full report later and would love to hear some of your experiences.

Also tonight, claims of bullying at The Tower of London with the city's first female Beefeater in over a thousand years allegedly the target of a campaign of harassment. Moira Cameron was made a Yeoman Warder two years ago. Two Beefeaters have been suspended while an investigation takes place with a third also being investigated by The Tower. Nick Thatcher will have all the details.

We'll also have details of a benefit fraud officer being sentenced today for..er...benefit fraud.

Showbiz-wise, the Brixton Academy is the place to be tonight...so, obvioulsy, we sent Lucy! 'The Concert for CARE' boasts some of the biggest names in entertainment including Gary Barlow, David Walliams, Rob Brydon, the Kaiser Chiefs and Dara O'Briain. London's own Speech Debelle, who we had on the programme when she scooped the Mercury Music Prize recently also joins the line-up. Care International is the brainchild of composer David Arnold and operates in over 70 countries, helping 55 million people each year find a way out of poverty.

So, all that and more to look forward to and not a pumpkin in sight!

See you at Six

Matt and Katie
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.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Hello. Welcome to the weekend

At the top of the programme tonight, we have the truely sad story of a five week old premature baby who died at Great Ormond Street Hospital following a series of blunders. Poppy Davies was born on Christmas Eve last year just 24 weeks into her mum's pregnancy. But in January, after she was recovering from a routine operation, a trainee nurse with just three weeks experience in the neonatal unit failed to set up the equipment properly. Poppy died of a glucose overdose on the first of February. Marcus Powell will have the full story for us later.

Now, we newsy types are often accused of giving teenagers a bad name. We're told we cover knife crime, gun crime, gang culture and ASBO's ad-infinitum, but rarely cover stories that show young people in a positive light. I don't happen to agree, I think we do plenty of positive stories on LT but I would say that, wouldn't I? Either way, The "Spirit of London" awards have been designed to mark the achievements of teenagers and young people from various walks of life in the capital and to celebrate some inspirational young role models. The judging panel comprises of an eclectic mix of people from the worlds of sport, music and politics and also include role models like Richard Taylor, father of Damilola Taylor. What's clear is that the judges have an incredibly difficult job ahead of the awards at the end of November. Tonight, we highlight one of the contenders, a really talented young musician.

Friday night is movie night and James King is here to review 'An Education', after we had screen writer Nick Hornby on the show on Monday. I went to the press screening with James earlier in the week, so I'm interested to find out if his opinion differs from mine. In case you missed Nick Hornby, the film is set in the early 60's and charts the romance between a 16-year-old Oxford hopeful, Jenny, and her significantly older suiter, David. I really enjoyed it, but James is the expert! One tip: if you ever find yourself in a press screening for a film don't try and leave before the end credits have completely finished...I did and nearly didn't make it out of there alive!

Also tonight, Sangeeta Kandola has fulfilled an ambition of mine by going to Ronnie Scott's jazz club in Soho. Jazz is a bit like musical Marmite, but I'm firmly on the 'love it' side and Ronnie Scott's is, quite simply, a iconic musical venue. One of the oldest jazz clubs in the world, Ronnie's has been thrilling audiences (although not always at the same location) for half a century. You can tell as much about the club's reputation by the list of people who've been in the audience over the years, as you can by the list of performers. On stage, the biggest names in music, not just jazz, have played there from Miles Davis, Stan Getz and Nina Simone to Nat 'King' Cole, Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton. In the crowd, well, everyone from Judy Garland to The Beatles, over the years. No doubt, Ronnie Scott's will be celebrating their 50th birthday in style and Sangeeta never likes to miss out a party!

And...MORE PUMPKINS! The culmination of our week long search for London's best pumpkin carver today sees Nick Thatcher despatched to the one we deem the best. Just so that you know, this wasn't an official competition, merely a bit of fun and Katie, Nina and I have just come out of a darkened room having gone through the hundreds of pictures you've sent in. It took a while to come to agreement, so Nick has been holed up at a service station somewhere in the capital for several hours waiting with baited breath. Well, the decision's been made so now he's on en route to the winner's house. Let's hope you're in!

See you at Six

Matt and Nina
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.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT

Hello, welcome to Thursday's offering...

As well as all the top news stories from the capital, tonight we'll have memories of war past and present later as we approach Remembrance Sunday next weekend. First, Piers Hopkirk reports for us from Croydon after another of our regiments returned home from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. The men from the 2nd Batallion, The Rifles, endured some of the fiercest fighting the British Army has seen since the Second World War and their homecoming will be another of mixed emotions with the families of thirteen servicemen mourning the deaths of their loved ones rather than celebrating their return. Also, we remember earlier conflicts by way of a re-union held today that highlighted an extraordinary story of how men and women now living in London survived under the Nazi occupation of Europe. Liz Wickham has more on that fascinating story for us.

Also on the programme tonight, British heavyweight boxing title contender David Haye will be live in the studio. He takes on the might of seven foot tall Russian man-mountain, Nikolay Valuev in Germany next weekend and victory will be some ask for the Bermondsey boy. Haye is nine inches shorter than Valuev and around eight stone lighter. Valuev has only lost once in fifty fights and has never been put on the canvas, let alone knocked out. This WBA title fight will only be Haye's second in the division after making the step up from Cruiserweight. It's being dubbed as 'David v Goliath', but anyone who's seen the movie 'Rocky IV', might recognise the plot of this fight as being even less believable. We'll be asking David how he assesses his chances and why he's decided to spend the last few months chucking insult after insult at the man dubbed 'The Beast from the East', effectively poking a sleeping giant with a great big stick! I hope there's a cunning plan, otherwise David Haye could be in for a world of hurt and end up with a face like a squashed...

...pumpkins galore on the show tonight, but with Glen Goodman allegedly on a day off, the baton's been handed to Murray Dron. The bar of pumpkin punnery has continued to rise throughout this week, thanks to Glen and some great pictures sent in by some of you (still time to get your entries in by the way so get carving). I spoke to Murray after last night's programme, just after he'd been given today's assignment. He was nervous, let me tell you. How do you compete with Glen's full pumkin head mask from Monday, or the pumkin Olympics of last night? Only time will tell - good luck Muzza, we're all rooting for you!

Matt and Katie.
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.

london tonight tonight

Good afternoon all...

Another busy programme for you tonight including a real acting legend in the studio.
News-wise, we report on the disturbing story of the teenage daughter of a London vicar who, a court has been told, plunged to her death while trying to escape two bullies. Part of the incident which resulted in the death of Rosimeiri Boxall, known as 'Rosie', was filmed on a mobile phone. The jury also heard that as Rosie lay dying on the ground, one of her attackers, a 13-year-old girl, shouted "serves you right". The girls involved deny manslaughter. Ronke Phillips reports from the Old Baily.

Now, love it or loathe it you can't really escape 'The X-Factor' at the moment. It's everywhere: Saturday night tv, Sunday night tv, all over the papers, all over the charts. And for residents of Golders Green in North London, all over the street and all over the walls as well! The acts are holed up in a multi-million pound pad to which hordes of mostly teenage fans gather day after day. But there is collateral damage with those living nearby complaining of lewd behaviour, rubbish and graffiti. We sent Ben Scotchbrook along to report, so now residents will have a camera crew, lights and a satellite truck to complain about as well. Let's just hope the crew don't contribute to the graffiti or lewd behaviour!

There's a bit of a sporting theme to the programme tonight too as Murray Dron reports on what is vastly becomming the curse of modern football. I suppose you could see it as the sporting equivalent of natural selection with the rich clubs becoming richer while the poor clubs become, well...obsolete, if they're not careful. Southend United are the latest to be dragged into the financial mire with the threat of administration looming large. Manager Steve Tilson has been banned from buying new players by the Football League and a court hearing relating to an unpaid tax bill totaling nearly £700,000 is due to be heard next week. But who's fault is it? The clubs? The authorities? The bankers? (we might as well try and blame them) And what impact will it have on the community? Murray will have all the details.

Also tonight, a former world heavyweight boxing champion on the show. Lennox Lewis has spent the day training youngsters at a gym in Central London with the West Ham born boxer giving masterclasses to children who are supported by the charity 'Kids Company'. We sent our very own journalistic heavyweight, Piers Hopkirk to shadow the man widely known as one of the nicest blokes in sport (well, you wouldn't say otherwise, would you - he's huge!)

Talking of heavyweights, in the acting world, they don't come much bigger than our studio guest tonight. He's an Oscar-nominated BAFTA winner who's made over a hundred films. John Hurt is quite simply an acting legend and he's recently been named a Fellow of the Britsih Film Institute. He's starred in some absolute classics including 'The Elephant Man', 'Midnight Express' and 'Alien', of course, but has also graced our screens in some of the biggest blockbusters of recent years too including the most recent Indiana Jones movie. He also played the wand selling Mr. Ollivander in 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'. We'll be chatting to him about his career, which has spanned over half a century and we'll try and get some goss on a couple of his upcoming projects including, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' parts one and two!!

See you at Six

Matt and Katie.

London Tonight Tonight

Brief blog today...bit of a busy afternoon!

Our top story centres on the BNP. We will, of course, be keeping an eye on the growing number of protesters gathering outside BBC Television Centre ahead of leader Nick Griffin's highly controversial appearance on Question Time later. But we'll also show you secretly shot footage of the BNP refusing entry to a group of non-white people to one of their meetings. It was taken on the same day that the BNP was forced to change its constitution to admit black and Asian members. The party says the meeting, held in a Dagenham pub, was members only, yet there are claims that a blonde haired, blue eyed Swedish women - the only white member of the group trying to gain entry but also the only non-British member - was allowed in. Curious. I should tell you that the shooting of the footage was orchestrated by a journalist (sneaky devils that they are), but tune in, take a look and judge for yourselves.

Also tonight, war is being waged on grotesque gardens in east London with Barking and Dagenham Council clamping down on those which might lower the tone of the neighbourhood. Council officers aren't taking any prisoners either, with people being ordered to clean up their fly-tipped and overgrown yards or face fines. What do you reckon? A good idea or 'get off my land!!' Get in touch after you've heard the full story from the green-fingered Emma Walden later.

Next up: Halloween's creeping up on us (spookily, no doubt) and although the practice of 'trick or treating' is seen as harmless fun by many, it really can be a complete nightmare for others. So much so that some people in Waltham Forest have been issued with "not interested" posters. The council has also issued a ban on the sale of eggs and flour to under 18s. I know a lot of people don't really understand why we follow this American tradition at all, but for younger children I think it's pretty harmless. My two are dressing up and heading round the village again, knocking on doors, but there are strict rules to follow: They'll be in a group and accompanied by adults (well, they are only 4 and 7); they'll generally only knock on the doors of people we know and they will be supremely polite at all times, on pain of death! Frankly, I'm not sure why children above the age of ten or twelve would want to go trick or treating anyway and I think the posters are a good idea, in theory. But you do have to wonder whether advertising the fact that you don't want to be visited by trick or treaters is somewhat asking for trouble.

Oh...and if you heard the steadily deteriorating tones of Katie on last night's programme, you won't be surprised to learn that Lucy is covering for her today. Katie's voice has completely gone now, apparently. She's saying nothing...and neither am I!

See you later.

Weather blog

 

Good evening,
 
It's almost as if the weather's trying to make a liar of me.
 
Following yesterday's mini rant in the blog about grey skies & near permanent semi-darkness, we're about to be treated to some very mild days & some decent spells of sunshine. It would be really quite disconcerting if it wasn't for the fact that we'll have to endure 36 hours of heavy showers before we get there; everything, even the weather it seems, comes at a price.
 
No sooner will the clocks have gone back to GMT in the early hours of Sunday morning, than we'll be offered a couple of sunny days with well above average temperatures.
 
It's an act of meteorological defiance that should be cause for celebration.
 
If you're thinking ahead to the weekend my advice to you, based on the current data, is indoors on Saturday (a trip to a Swedish funiture shop for a blazing row & a plate of cheap meatballs) & outdoors on Sunday (a long walk followed by a pub lunch & mumbled apologies).
 
Hope to see you later,
 
R. 

 

London Tonight Tonight

Hello there. A quick word on yesterday's programme first and how nice was Alexandra Burke, by the way? You may have heard me tell her that my seven year old daughter is a big fan and ask if she'd be able to do a turn at her December birthday party. Well, she can't do that, obviously so it'll have to be 'Billy the Balloonman' again, unfortunately. But Alexandra did take the time after the show to write her an early birthday card. My daughter had some of her little pals round to watch Alexandra on the programme last night and I gave her the card this morning before school. She was absolutely thrilled and took it to class for 'Show and Tell'. Daddy-points all round!

Right, tonight's programme then, and a second runway could be back on the agenda for Gatwick, after the airport was sold for a whopping 1.5 billion pounds. It's too early to talk about any possible plans say the new owners, but better services for passengers are the priority, as well as increasing capacity. It's set alarm bells ringing for residents in the nearby villages of Charlwood and Langley Green, which could be flattened by a second runway. Lewis Vaughan Jones has been out gauging the mood for us and reports live later.

More cries of 'fat cats!' today with London's Olympic bosses defending themselves against claims they're raking in huge salaries and bonuses.
It provoked heated exchanges inside the London Assembly with the chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority asked to justify his quarter-of-a-million pound salary for working a three-day week. Our Political Correspondent Simon Harris (who pays ITN to work 8 days a week!) watched the proceedings at City Hall and will report back for us.

Now, yesterday we asked whether you were having any problems picking up a copy of the Evening Standard since it changed its distribution pattern after becoming free. The response on the emails and texts has been huge overnight and it would appear the answer is a resounding, 'Yes!' Just as an example: On the emails, Mike Spellman says he's 'gutted' because he can't get the Standard in any of his local stores around Windsor. Alex from Dulwich has the same problem and says he'd rather pay the 50p and be guaranteed to get hold of it. A sentiment echoed by Pat in NW11 on the text and Suzanne in Hertfordshire. And Brian in Carshalton wonders whether having to get the car out to go and hunt down a copy can be deemed as any sort of progress in the communications industry?

Showbiz and as promised, Daniel O'Donnell is on the sofa later. His musical stats are pretty amazing: In a career spanning a quarter of a century he's sold more than ten MILLION records and has had an album in the charts every year since 1988. He's looking to carry that on with his latest offering. Too quick fascinating facts that fans will no doubt already be aware of about Daniel, but apparently he throws an annual tea party at his home in Donegal for his legion of fans (I don't know if they're expected to bring their own biscuits or not?) And, if you write to him on his website and make a small donation to a children's charity, he'll send out a personally signed Christmas card on your behalf! I hate writing Christmas cards. How much to do the whole lot do you reckon?

See you at Six.

Matt and Katie.

Weather blog

 

Good evening,

 

There are fig trees outside the Houses of Parliament.

 

I noticed them on my walk to work this morning, next year's fruits already looking plump & healthy & the leaves looking waxy & strong. I was momentarily transported to warmer climes & memories of summer holidays.

 

I only mention this because the current weather (mild perhaps, but overcast & wet for many of us) seemed so at odds with this rather exotic tree. I realise that our temperate climate provides good growing conditions for a broad range of plants, but at this point in October with the clocks due to go back imminently, if the weather decides to turn overcast & damp it can get a little depressing. It feels like permanent dusk & we find ourselves living in -as a Spanish friend of mine rather poetically puts it- 'a land without shadows'.

 

So grab your sunshine wherever you can, even if it comes in the guise of a fig tree....

 

Hope to see you later,

 

Robin 

 

London Tonight Tonight

Hello. On the programme tonight, we report on the case of five senior prison officers who are facing disciplinary action after vulnerable inmates were swapped between two London prisons to keep them out of sight of inspectors. Two of the prisoners went on to harm themselves after being shuffled between Wandsworth and Pentonville. Justice Secretary Jack Straw has ordered an investigation and described the practice as 'reprehensible'. Ronke Phillips will have all the details for us

After we bring you the day's other news, there's a bit of a South American theme to proceedings with the mayor of Rio de Janeiro in town to find out what it's like to run an Olympic city. Nothing out of the ordinary for Simon Harris to sink his teeth into there, you'd think, until Rio's answer to Bo Jo (Ro de Jo, maybe?) announced his desire to transport part of the Olympic stadium from London to Brazil after 2012?! All yours, Simon. Then, after mentioning him on yesterday's blog, Jenson Button joins us fresh from his Interlagos escapades at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Well, he's in Bluewater actually. The newly crowned F1 World Champion says if he and last year's winner Lewis Hamilton both have competitive cars next season, we could be in for quite a contest. Now, I like F1, but not half as much as Mr. Alastair Stewart (formally of this parish), who absolutely loves it! Time for a bit of a guest blogette...

"What a joy beckons for us F1 fans next year! The heir to James Hunt, naughty and charismatic, taking on the greatest natural talent currently in the game - and still so young! My only sadness is divided loyalties, having known JB longer than LH. But they are both men we, the sport and the nation can be excitedly proud of. Bring on the opening roar!"
AS

Thanks Mr. S!

Now, I'm genuinely excited about our studio guest tonight - former winner of X-Factor, Islington's own Alexandra Burke joins us to talk about her astonishing rise to fame since winning last year's competition. Not sure if you saw it, but Nina Nannar did a really interesting piece on News at Ten last night about how Simon Cowell has effectively formed his own breakaway wing of the music industry and how a lot of chart success now depends on either doing well on one of his shows as a contestant or, if you're an established artist, showcasing your new material in front of the waistbanded wonder live on the programme. We might touch on that with Alexandra later, but to be honest, she's got an amazing voice, gave a great performance on the programme last week and there seems to be very little that's 'manufactured' about her. I do think, however, that she owes me a favour. Considering my daughter spent all her pocket-money (and most of mine) voting for her last year, do you think it would be rude to ask if she could squeeze in a children's birthday party in December? I feel I've already paid for it!

See you at Six

Matt and Katie

London Tonight Tonight

Hello. Hope you had a great weekend. For me it was a rock n' roll mix of home made pizzas, ten pin bowling, pop corn and Madagascar 2. Brilliant, but a bit more sleep might have been nice, kids! A quick congrats to Jenson Button - a fantastic achievement to win the F1 World Championship. He may regret that awful rendition of 'We are the Champions', as he crossed the finish line, though!?

On the show tonight...more on the story of a doctor found guilty of attempting to spike his lover's drinks to make her miscarry. Married father of two, Edward Erin, from Kensington was found guilty at the Old Bailey this afternoon of attempting to spike his lover's coffee and orange juice. His mistress and former secretary, Bella Prowse, fell pregnant during their affair, but when she refused to have an abortion, Erin crushed up drugs and laced her drinks in the hope that she would lose the baby. She went on to have a healthy little boy. Erin will be sentenced at a later date.

Also coming up: a leading engineer has backed plans by Boris Johnson for an airport in the Thames Estuary and depressing news of a sharp rise in burglaries in the capital. We'll also report on plans to turn Battersea Power Station into thousands of homes, offices, shops and restaurants.

Next, a story that seems to be following me around today - on the radio as I got ready for work, in the paper on the train in and now on tonight's programme. That's not unusual as you try to keep across the news throughout the day, but every so often you hear an interview or read an article that stops you in your tracks. That was the case today with the story of Katie Piper. A former model and tv presenter, Katie was left fighting for her life after sulphuric acid was thrown in her face by the accomplice of a man who had previously violently raped and beaten her. She was left to rebuild her life while doctors used pioneering techniques to literally rebuild her face. She spoke eloquently on the radio this morning about her ordeal and how, while she was recovering in hospital and unable to speak, she wrote her parents a note asking them to end her life, such was her despair. Now, thirty operations later, she says she likes her new face even more than the old one because it means so much to her. Sally Rourke has been to meet Katie, who waived her right to anonymity so she could thank the surgeons at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Joining us in the studio later - Esther Rantzen. In the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal, she recently announced she's going to stand for parliament as an independent candidate for Luton South (the seat that will be vacated by gardening enthusiast Margaret Moran at the next election). Now, I think I speak for most of us when I say that the MPs' expenses scandal has left us all pretty livid and you have to admire anyone who's is willing to put themselves out there rather than just chunter about it over their cornflakes every morning, like I do. But there comes a point after announcing you're going to stand for parliament that you have to actually lay out the nitty gritty of the platform upon which you intend to do it - and that time has come for Esther.

Showbiz - and embarrassingly we have a really popular guest on the show, whose work I am not at all familiar with. After doing a quick internet search it seems that in folk and blues circles 'Seasick' Steve Wold is a bit of an icon. The Californian bluesman spent his working life as a farm hand, a funfair worker and busker, among other things, but found fame after moving to London in his 60's. Tonight he's playing the The Lexington, but took time out to talk to Sangeeta Kandola. I can only apologise for my ignorance. If it's any consolation, I've just spent half an hour trying to (legally) download some of his music on to my phone to experience on the journey home later...no joy as yet though.

See you at six, providing I haven't crashed the whole ITN computer system with 18 attempted downloads of Seasick's new album!

Matt and Katie.