London Tonight: Monday January 22nd

Afternoon ...

It seems our streets could be safer today with the news - unconfirmed, of course - that the SAS have decided to have a permanent unit deployed in London, to counter the terrorist threat. Of course, we'd never know they were there anyway - but does it make you feel a bit more protected? Or does it worry you that it's necessary at all .. If it's true? Marcus has been investigating, and we want your thoughts.

Surrey is spending millions to upgrade its drains ... Not a glamorous job, granted .. But an urgent one, it seems, thanks to this increasingly odd weather we're having . So much rain, the drains can't cope. But who's paying for it all?

Now, if you're worried whenever you step out of your front door that you may be the next victim of casual street crime, or vandalism, then Damien could have found your dream home. He reports tonight for us from a new estate which has been designed specifically to reduce the risk of crime. Find out more at 6.

The skeleton of the poor little whale who got lost and swam up the Thames goes on show today; we've got the frankly unbelievable story of a studio flat in Chelsea on the market for 170 thousand pounds... I kid you not, it is the size of a snooker table; we have the West End's newest, brightest star in the studio, Connie Fisher ... And we've got an amazing competition for you.
That, and Chrissie with all the details of the proper winter weather that's on its way ...

See you at 6!
Katie and Alastair.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 19th Jan

Hello

Today - the calm (and chaos) after the storm...

The calm bit is TODAY's weather.. the chaos, we're sorry to tell you is that some train services are still being affected the night after the day before. The problem - trees on the tracks and broken power lines.

We've also the full, chilling story of a psychiatrist whose life was wrecked by an obsessed stalker. She broke into his home, flooded him with hate mail and texts, put such strain on his relationship that it ended and ultimately accused him (totally falsely) of rape. That accusation saw Dr Jan Falkowski arrested and bailed for months - before being cleared. Today the stalker, Maria Marchese was jailed for 9 years. One police officer branded her "the most dangerous woman he had ever met". We speak to Dr Falkowski AND get an exclusive reaction to the sentencing from the psychiatrist's ex girlfriend.

Phil Bayles has spent the day with a group of teenage gamblers who are benefiting from a brand new scheme. The first ever out-patients clinic that aims to help people with such an addiction....

Want to go to a star studded premiere and bag a PS2 as well as a game for it - well, watch the show and maybe that dream will come true. New animated movie "Arthur and The Invisibles" stars the voices of Madonna, Robert De Niro, David Bowie and Snoop Dog. And our competition tonight could see you stepping out onto the red carpet too.

Also - as it's Friday we thought we'd fill your screen with sport, showbiz, film reviews and a whole of ideas for weekend fun, aren't we good to you.

Have a great afternoon and we'll see you at 6

Tamzin and Alastair

London Tonight: Thursday January 18

Hello. Hold onto your hats for London Tonight tonight: gale force winds have blasted their way across our part of the world today with roofs ripped off, trees uprooted and transport in a right mess: To say "it's dangerous out there" is to underestimate it. Stay in for a great night's viewing and keep safe.
Simon has all the details and Chrissie will tell us why it happened and whether, no pun intended, there's more to come.
Alastair may also share with you the brutal attack he nearly suffered at the hands of a random flower-pot: so near, dear friends, so near!

Oil prices are falling and so electricty charges should come down before too long. So, Go Ahead, those lovely people who provide some of the trains in the South East, are levying a passenger surcharge due to high electricity prices: they say they just can't afford to carry the cost themselves. Excuse me, Mr. Go Ahead: how do you think your passengers feel? Well, we'll be asking for your e-mails so you can tell them!

And we have a mega-star in the studio: Kevin Spacey talking about the Old Vic's production of Twelth Night. Also with him, Ed Hall, son of the great Sir Peter Hall, who produced it.
If those aren't powerful enough reasons for staying in and watching you must be claustrophobic.

See you at 6.

Alastair & Tamzin

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Weds 17th Jan

Good afternoon - we have, again, been holding a mirror up to life in the capital for you.

The odd thing about mirrors, of course, is that things look very different: back to front and not what you expect.
We are at Gatwick with British Airways who tell us that being a member of cabin crew is the most popular job in the land: little girls no longer want to be nurses, they want to be "trolley-dollies" and little boys don't want to drive steam engines anymore, they want to show you how to fasten your seat belt.
Now, I am sure this has nothing to do with the fact that, just two days ago, the existing army of cabin crew workers voted to go on strike....
Odd, that.

David Beckham signed to play for LA Galaxy so he can lift the footballing prospects of that soon-to-be-great club. So, no longer Manchester, no longer Madrid but now LA- Hollywood! Not the home of soccer but the home of ... movies.
Today we have a preview of David's latest offering on the silver screen.
Odd, that.

Down at City Hall, when the Tories wanted to grill the Mayors senior staff about those 2006 trips to Venezuela and Cuba, you'd have expected them to be poised, guns loaded and fists bared, to give the Livingstonians a right seeing to. And you'd have expected Ken's Gang to be there, primed and briefed with the perfectly reasonable explanation for why the Mayor did what the Mayor did.
But, no: Tory leader Brian Coleman had to call "time" due to an alleged lack of preparation on the part of the Livingstonians. Mr. Coleman is furious. Simon Harris (who else?) is on the case and we'll be talking to Brian on the show..

Down on the farm, what was entirely expected was the reaction of the authorities to a farmer who fed rabbit food, which contained cattle meat products, to ....his cattle: they ordered the slaughter of the entire herd. BSE, Mr. Farmer, BSE? It is a sad but proper reaction and Liz has been down on the farm.

And while Ben explains why a couple of Private Eyes are starting prison sentences tonight for seriously over-stepping the line when it came to prying, Marcus is trying to find out why another man nearly joined them - for leaving a tap running: honest, both tales will take your breath away....

As will Chrissie, doing a Tracey Emin for you with the weather - and it doesn't involve cats or beach-huts... not to be missed!

See you at 6.

Alastair and Tamzin.

London Tonight: Tuesday 16th Jamuary

Hello and hope you're having a good afternoon,

Tonight we hear testimony from the families of two young men who died on Friday Night.
Daniel Elgar and Bradley Chapman were killed after being hit by a train in Barking, the reason they were in harm's way - they were graffiti-ing at the station depot and ran into the path of an oncoming train.
A terrible story, whatever your thoughts on so called "tagging", the families are bewildered and share their thoughts and feelings with us later.

Now then - do you live in Richmond ? Do you own a 4X4 ? Is it parked outside your house ? If so your resident's permit bill could be about to rocket. Some owners are expected to be charged up to £300 a year .... Too much ? Or fair enough considering the environmental impact campaigners say these vehicles have. This is the debate we want to hear from you on tonight.

Glen's been out on the open seas...well on the Thames anyway. A year after the whale came upstream to visit London the RSPCA has launched its first boat dedicated to helping creatures in distress on the capital's river.

Any cheerleaders among you should get ready to star-jump into action. Yes, American Football is touching down in London Town. The NFL have announced they're playing one of their major league games HERE once a year from now on.

Another American export is next - an equally iconic one - Sly Stallone. Live. On the Red Carpet and talking to us. He's over here for the premiere of Rocky 6 (Rocky Balboa) and the man lucky enough to be standing next to him ... our very own Steve Hargrave

If we all recover from that we'll have Chrissie next... in among the blooms at the Winter Flower Festival and asking why some are out earlier than they should be.

That's all...we'll see you at six.

Tamzin and Alastair

London Tonight: Monday 15th January

Good Afternoon!

It's busy busy busy here and the Christmas break already seems a distant memory.
The trial's started today at Woolwich of six men accused of planning suicide bombs in London on the 21st of July 2005.
Phil Bayles has the detail on that.

Another court case - but this one sounds like the plot of a spy flick. It takes us inside the glamorous world of casinos and involves hundreds of thousands of pounds. The main characters - a trio of Poker cheats - who thanks to cameras hidden up their sleeves managed to net a QUARTER of a a MILLION pounds. Today however their luck ran out as they were sentenced today for cheating (yes there is actually a crime of cheating under gaming law!!!)
We will have the amazing pictures of this scam actually being carried out. Who needs 007 when you've got London Tonight !

Also....the 2021 Olympics. Who's going to pay for any overspends? The woman in Government in charge of this told Simon Harris today she doesn't know - and that they're "looking at a whole range of options".

Has the Tory's policy of allowing residents to buy up their council houses backfired twenty years later ? A report suggests that stocks of council housing stocks are seriously low and warns of a "timebomb".

The History Boys has been a massive hit - on both stage and screen and now it's playing on the West End. Tonight our studio plays host to its new star, Stephen Moore

And of course not forgetting Chrissie. She'll be here with the weather prospects.

That's your lot (and a very good lot it is too !)
See you at 6

Tamzin and Alastair

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 12th Jan

Good Afternoon,

Do you remember the school teacher Sarah Flooks who mysteriously vanished without a trace last March ? She'd left her home in Wanstead at 7 in the morning to go to work and not been seen again. Well today, tragically, we hear police believe they have found her body. The grim discovery was made yesterday in a woodland area in Wanstead Park. We will have a full report on the programme at 6.

Also - what would YOU think if photos of your house and car, with all details including number plates and any security features clearly visible, were made available on the internet. Well, if you live in Camden we have to tell you that those photos are out there. And what makes it worse in residents' eyes is that they are on a council website. We'll be asking for your views on this one.

The English National Ballet faced a protest today - from Anti-Fascist demonstrators. They were calling for one of their dancers to be sacked after she was exposed as a member of the British National Party. Simone Clarke WAS back on stage today but the debate continues about whether her political beliefs SHOULD have a bearing on her future career with the company.

As it's Friday we thought we'd give you a double dose of showbiz....reviews of this weekend's big releases, including Will Smith's latest AND Al Murray live in the studio talking to us about his new TV project.

PLUS all the sport from Willsy...Chrissie halfway up an ice-wall (possibly, if she's got the bottle) and details on what you can get up to in the capital over the next couple of days.

All just waiting for you at 6

See you then

Tamzin and Alastair

London Tonight: Thursday January 11th

Afternoon!

You probaby noticed. It's a bit blowy out there. And in fact, the gales are leading the show tonight .. Because it has been windy enough to cause some pretty serious damage - enough to destroy at least one viewer's business. We want to hear your stories too.

That sad story yesterday about the bodies of a woman and 2 children in East Ham - some confusion, as the police say they're treating it as murder, and yet it could be suicide AND murder. We'll be investigating.

More on Colin Stagg - yesterday the news that he was going to get at least 250,000 pounds in compensation for the year he spent in jail, wrongly convicted of killing Rachel Nickell. Today, we hear from him about how he is hoping at last to rebuild his life with his new partner.

Do you worry that there are always cameras filming you? CCTV on every street corner? Well now there are mobile cctv cameras, fixed to little Smart cars... We've sent Liz Wickham to find out why.

Marcus Powell has been with the Met as they show journalists the new computer simulator for training police marksmen. The idea is it will show the general public just how difficult it is to make a split second decision whether to fire at a suspect or not. Good community relations? Or asking for trouble?

Ben's got more on modern culture in Moscow, and Tamzin's been in Florence as our Savile Row tailors teach those Italians a thing or two about suits.... They're a busy, well travelled lot, our reporters!

See you later, hold onto your hats out there..

Katie and Al.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Weds 10th Jan

Greetings from the London Tonight collective.

"From each according to his/her abilities, to each according to his/her needs" - and "nothing is too good for the working classes". Those old school Commies knew a thing or two and we have spared no effort to bring you an heroic programme, taxing all our efforts and meeting, we hope, all your needs. Ben has even been to the Mother Land, Russia, to report on how the Reds intend to take over London, well Trafalgar Square at least, with a feast of entertainment. Alastair thinks it will begin in Trafalgar Square and spread across the nation: leopards, especially Russian ones, he says, don't change their spots. Anyway, the first of three Scotchbrook Specials airs tonight.

Then a hero in anyone's country: the Oldest Copper in the Land: he works at the Houses of Parliament and he's so good they have let him stay beyond retirement age. The REALLY OLD Bill is with Phil tonight.

Talking of old age, what is best for a pensioners contentment? A garret, groaning with gadgets or a friendly face, popping in now and then? Liz has been to some flats designed to help our senior citizens with modern technology but, like many of us, has a soft spot for the friendly approach, too. Her thoughts at 6 and we will be asking for yours, too.

Think wedding cakes and you might think layer upon layer of marzipan, looking not unlike a church, or even a cathedral. Tonight we meet the man who hasn't made a wedding cake but has made a cake version of St. Paul's Cathedral. It is big, has stained glass windows and would certainly do your waist-line no good at all. But it is a joy to behold and you can behold it with Glen tonight.

On a serious note, Colin Stagg, who was cleared of the killing of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common fourteen years ago but served a year in prison, is to receive damages from the Home Office - (not their day, week or year is it?)
Ronke has the details.

And, to lighten your evening, the ever glorious Victoria Wood on why she is taking Acorn Antiques on tour. The darling of stage, screen and cabaret is live in the studio with the two of us!

Chrissie on the weather and it is an offering we hope you will throng to like an invader horde.....at 6.

Alastair & Katie.

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Mon Jan 8th

Hello and a very good afternoon to you all.

Full team here now Alastair is back from his holidays.

Two architectural stories that are miles apart but both fascinating:
First, we've the New York reconstruction of the London bombers flat which they are using for training purposes: why, then, don't the Met have one?
And we have the developers, designing obesity out of estates: a flat to make you fit! Now that makes sense even for Damien, who has the story.

Emma has the remarkable tale of the Billericay family who don't want their child to grow older or bigger. It involves hormone treatment and a lot of real moral dilemmas and pain. You won't want to miss it and we'll be asking for your e-mails, too.

Will Smith is in town and, naturally, has been talking to Tamzin.

And Glen has tracked down the Shetland pony who thinks he is a Labrador - and the labradors who are willing to play along with him. It could only be followed by Robin's weather and it is.

See you for all that and more, at 6.

Alastair & Katie

London Tonight: Wednesday 3rd January

Hello, Hello.

Hope you're all well and happy, despite the sort of weather that leaves you longing for a fortnight away on a hot sunny beach somewhere - with the only thing to worry about being which drink to have at the bar come sunset...

However, come six this evening, we'll have plenty to take your mind off the weather in a packed 30 minutes.

We start with an admission from the Met that they got it wrong. Only this mistake may have cost a young man his life. Almost 4 years ago, Scotland Yard had been warned that a gangland hit was being planned - and yet Jason Fearon was allowed to walk out of a nightclub in Clerkenwell to be shot in the street. It's though he wasn't even the intended target. Police say that, after a review of intelligence available to officers at the time, lessons have been learned. But Jason's family say 'too little, too late'. Marcus Powell has the details on that.

Nick Thatcher has had a day out by the sea. Down at 'Leigh-on-Sea' in fact, where fishermen who've been cockling for decades are worried about the future of their industry. They say say that plans to open up the trade by issuing more 'hand-raking' licences could see the area swamped by outsiders... and spell doom for the lot of them.

Now, how do YOU get about London? On the bus or tube? Naaah, fares have just shot up. In a car? Naaah, you have to pay the congestion charge AND you have to pay for parking. Are you one of the thousands who've switched to mopeds for a cheaper ride round the city. Screeeeeeeeeeech (that's brakes being slammed on)... Westminster City council now wants to CHARGE for moped parking, saying there are just too many bikes to avoid it. Damien Steward will look at both sides of the argument... before we ask you which side YOU'RE on.

What about 'Mayor Ken v Mike Read'? Yes... that's right, the former Radio One DJ who used to delight breakfast listeners with "You were my First Love" every morning. Anyway, Mike wants to be the Conservative candidate in the next mayoral election. Glen Goodman's been asking why anyone should vote for a man, not famous for his grasp on City Hall expenditure plans. And, for all we know, he may know more about it than we think.

Meanwhile, Liz Wickham has been to the Tower of London to report on the fall of a bastion of male reserve. It's been confirmed that... come September... for the first time in their 522 year history... the Beefeaters will number a... wait for it... WOMAN among their ranks. Extraordinary that it's taken this long perhaps, but can a woman Beefeater, er, cut the mustard?

So, quite a spread, we're sure you'll agree. The only place to get your teeth into all of it is ITV, at six.

See you then.

Katie & Ben

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 5th Jan

Good afternoon,

We have, as usual a very busy show for you tonight with a real mix of stories...starting with a tale that will strike fear into your heart if you've ever eaten in a certain Chinese restaurant in the West End. The Rong Cheng restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue has been shown to be one of the filthiest in the West End. It's boss has been handed a suspended jail sentence after mice, cockroaches and mould were found in its kitchen. We have some shocking pictures of the state of the place - be warned you should save your tea until after this story.

Also....An absolutely horrendous killing.
A man's admitted to robbery and murder after gagging the wife of a close family friend and binding her face with parcel tape so tightly she died. Police have likened the tape to a "death mask" . Marcus Powell's been in court covering this story for us.

On a lighter note - a much lighter note - what are you planning to do with your Christmas tree ? The one in Trafalgar Square's about to be recycled...should we all be doing the same...have you already worked out where you can take your tree to be green ? Let us know.

It's Friday so it's showbiz day ! Steve Hargrave's going a couple of rounds with Amir Khan to find out if the release of Rocky 6 is going to make boxing the keep-fit trend of 2007....

Mark Eccleston's here with the movie review - including Renee Zelwegger as Beatrix Potter AND Mel Gibson's latest spectacular if somewhat historically inaccurate epic, Apocolypto.

AND we're at the Boat Show 2007 to find out what cool creations will be cresting the waves this year.

Enough to keep you entertained we're sure.

See you at 6.

Tamzin and Willsy

London Tonight: Thursday 4th January

Good Afternoon one and all,

It's Thursday and you can almost smell the weekend. Just as well because it's felt like a very long week, hasn't it? Even though most of us had our feet up on Monday, week's end has been a long time coming.

Now. This evening's programme starts on the story that's dominated the news across the country - this morning's tragic coach crash on an M4 sliproad. Two people were killed and many more were injured, some of them even losing limbs. The driver's been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving. It's a desperate start to the year, and Phil Bayles has been following events for us.

We'll also have the latest on another, very sad, story. You may remember how Clare Bernal was shot dead while she was working in Harvey Nichols in September 2005. The man responsible - her ex-boyfriend - then shot himself. Well, Clare's flatmate told an an inquest into Clare's murder today that she was so worried about Michael Pech's behaviour that she had alerted security at the store. Could they have done more to protect Clare? Marcus Powell will have the detail on that.

Liz Wickham, meanwhile, has been in court for the sentencing of a married couple who were caught illegally selling a steroid-cream, which black customers bought to bleach their skin, but, in fact, was so dangerous it could have left them vulnerable to skin-cancer.

Then - a victory for 'People Power'. Hurrah and Ballyhoo! How many of us are fed up with a rail company making our lives a misery day in day out. Well, the good customers on the 'C2C' line no doubt had their 'fare' share of niggles as the trains chuffed in and out of Fenchurch Street... until the company changed the timetable. And that make them REALLY mad. So they complained. And complained. And then complained some more. And now, one month after dumping the old schedule, it's making a comeback. Nick Thatcher will report on that 'feel-good' story for us.

We'll also be chatting with Prunella Scales ("Basil!") about her latest stage-role... we've got a terrific 'behind-the-scenes' look at the work of Cirque du Soleil... and.. AND, Chrissie will have the weather.

And if THAT lot doesn't leave you gasping for the weekend... you can jog off.

See you at SIX,

Ben & Tamzin.

London Tonight: Tuesday 2nd January 2007

Hello and a Happy New Year to you all! Hope you had a great one - and if you're back at work that all those batteries are well and truly recharged.

In fact, if you ARE back at work, then you might be one of the millions who were greeted with a whopping fares rise on the buses and tubes! Now, TfL made no secret about the rises - they want to encourage more uptake of the Oyster Card of course - yet all the same, quite a few of you were caught unawares. We've got both sides of the argument and will be asking for your views on that one too.

We'll also be hearing from Lord Coe on how he rates last year's progress on the London Olympics - and what we can expect to see happening to the Stratford site in the coming year.

And if you're still feeling the excesses of the festive period then check out our resolutions double-whammy - Liz Wickham on joining a gym - AND how to stick to it - and Robin Ross on the pubs trying to ease smokers in gently to the inevitable ban this summer. Go on... You know it's good for you...

And apologies in advance if you're a hammer - but what a monumental, resounding defeat at the hands of Reading!! Six-Nil!! SIX. Unbelievable - and more than a few glum faces around the office today - but they're an optimistic bunch and already talk's turning to Curbs and the transfer window.... Bless.

It's Katie and Willsy in the hot seat tonight - see you there.

Ed

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Fri 22nd Dec

Good afternoon,

There's a decidedly Christmas feel in the London Tonight newsroom today .... Robin's baked a cake, Tamzin's made coconut ice, Alastair's eaten both ... and we've spent the past 5 minutes talking about Chilly the Hamster's great escape.....more on that later.

There's also a Christmas feel on the roads...and by that we mean they're busy, foggy and frosty. Yes, the great getaway's underway and for those STILL stuck at Heathrow it couldn't be less festive. We have a whole team of reporters out at ALL the major travel locations tonight for you and we'll try our best to get you home for Christmas in time and safely.

What's your favourite bit of Christmas dinner ? The Turkey ? The sausages wrapped in bacon ? The pud ? We bet it's not the sprouts...BUT maybe sprout ice cream might be a better bet ???? Maybe not - but we'll be tasting it for you to find out later, seriously.

James King's in the studio to tell us about Christmas at the cinema...

And we've had some fantastic news after yesterday's missing person's appeal, it'll be a great Christmas for one North London family.

Plus - a festive treat at the end of the show to get you all in the mood. So stay off the roads, trains and planes, at least until 6.30 and celebrate the start of the holiday with us.

See you at 6

Tamzin and Alastair

(P.S. London Tonight Tonight returns in 2007!)

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Thurs 21st Dec

A day of high-drama and an afternoon of technical hiatus: sorry for the second but join us with baited breath for the first:
a gang of teenagers storm a christening party in a robbery "steam" - they kill the auntie of the family as she nurses the child to be christened. They then rob most of the rest of the party and even steal food on their way out.
Justice done, hear what they got from the courts.

Almost as muddled and confused as our work-place this afternoon is Heathrow airport: hundreds of flights canceled again, thousands of people with holiday plans disrupted and the only things flying are the accusations over who is to blame. OK you can't solve the weather but you can plan for this sort of thing. Who didn't?

We are still running our hand-in-a-phone feature with our friends at the National Missing Persons Helpline and we have another amazing story of a woman who isn't missing but who's identity is: she just can't remember who she is or where she is from. See if you can help out.

McFly are with us, leaving it a bit late for a Christmas Number One but very good nevertheless.....

And Chrissie, having escaped the clutches of the London Gay Mens choir is helping Simon with the fog story and promises Things Can Only Get Better - yeah, she's off tomorrow.

See you at 6.. And sorry for being late.

Alastair and Katie

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Weds 20th Dec

A very good afternoon to you all: cold it may be, foggy chaos at Heathrow there may be, but we had our first mince pies in the office this afternoon! OK, with builders tea but it does prove that Christmas is just around the corner.

So our thoughts turn to pressies, puddings and decorations: 'tis the season of goodwill.

And we have the tale of great, goodwill: superstar George Michael, who hasn't had the easiest of years, is leading the way with a FREE concert for NHS registered nurses at the Roundhouse tonight. It keeps a promise he made when his dear old mum died, nearly a decade ago, to say "thanks" to nurses, some of whom had been wonderful in his mother's hours of need. Good on you George! Jon Gilbert is the man with the Access all Areas pass.....

Less festive and positively Scrooge like are the goings on in Greenwich: residents of the Ferrier Estate have been told their's is a prime site for massive redevelopment with hundreds of new homes and a glistening and glorious future. Only problem is that those EXISTING residents have only been offered the market price for the properties which they bought when they were Council houses under the old Right to Buy scheme. And it is a take it or leave it scenario. Unhappy bunnies all round: Liz has been taking a look.

Also, entirely the wrong sort of decorations have been troubling British Transport Police: graffiti merchants cause what the owners call damage to their trains and stations while some, and only some, say their work adds to the colour and texture of city life. But, strictly speaking, it is of course wrong and rubs railway and tube companies up the wrong way.
What is to be done? Nick Thatcher poses the questions.

A feast of footy fixtures and a relish of results for you, plus another invitation to give up your old cell' 'phones and help the National Missing Persons Helpline this Christmas.

160 gay men will be singing Christmas Carols for Chrissie who will then attempt to regain her composure and tell you when the fog will left. (there used to be a joke about the F in fog... But I can't quite remember it)

Finally, a cryptic end to the second trial of the youngster who has admitted killing Kiyan Prince but denied his murder. Can't say much for legal reasons but what we can say is fascinating.

Tune in for that and much more at 6.
Tamzin and I look forward to your company.

Alastair

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Tues 19th Dec

Good afternoon:

By the time we go on air at 6pm this e-mail may be out of date because the jury at the Old Bailey could have come to a verdict on the sixteen year old, accused of killing promising young footballer Kiyan Prince: the outcome, if there is one, live, with Phil.

The continuing saga of the Bishop of Southwark took an odd turn this morning, as, it is claimed, did the good Bishop a few nights back.
He often appears on the BBC's Today programme, offering his Thought for the Day. This morning he appeared as an interviewee, in an effort to explain just what happened between his leaving the Irish Embassy Christmas Party and appearing the next day, bruised, battered and not a little embarrassed. He says the answers are all on his Oyster Card. Others, including the owner of a Mercedes saloon, suggest a different story. We will try to unfathom the truth, because that's what we do. Up for the craic? Nick Thatcher is on the case of the curious cleric.

No connection, of course, but we are still running our feature with the National Missing Persons Helpline: hand in your old cellphone and NMPH get a fiver to help reunite loved ones who have run-off, drifted apart or ..... just can't remember who they are or why they left home.

Ricky Gervais on his latest escapade: a star role in a Hollywood film, which also features Ben Stiller. Is there no limit to the man's talent? Ricky's pretty hot, too!

We've also got an amazing competition: an all expenses paid trip to MUMBAI, a gem of a place in India. More details and the key to how to get there at 6.

Chrissie has the weather and Katie and I hope you'll join us.

Alastair

LONDON TONIGHT TONIGHT: Mon 18th Dec

Afternoon one and all...

Well, this time next week, we'll all be pushing back from the Christmas table, stuffed to bursting with turkey and all the trimmings. Or we'll be sitting around getting hungrier by the second - arguing over who's job it was to turn the oven on.

That's NEXT Monday. THIS Monday though, we've got a very busy programme for you, starting with the sentencing of six smugglers. They smuggled people, in fact, but not hidden in the back of a lorry, driven off a ferry in Dover. These boys did it in style - flying their cargo in super comfy planes and landing them at air-strips around the M25. Glen Goodman has the low-down on all that.

Now, what's your opinion on organic food? Worth the extra cash? Are you confident that what you're paying for IS 100% organic? We ask because a top restaurant in Holland Park is now looking for £11,500 for a fine they've been given... because the 'organic' food they've been dishing up was about as organic as a bag of Quavers (not that we've anything against Walker's best selling snack, you understand. It's just a phrase). Jon Gilbert will have the full story.

All this week, we'll be covering a number of seasonal stories. Tonight, a story about the big day itself, and a charity's efforts to serve up 800 Christmas lunches to children who don't have the easiest of lives on the 364 others days of the year. It's a huge undertaking but that's what the Kids Company is trying to do. Piers Hopkirk will be speaking to the amazing woman who runs the charity.

Meanwhile, Phil Bayles has been getting into the Christmas spirit over in Docklands, listening to a (hopefully) unique concert of carols. There are members of the London Symphony Orchestra playing - that's good. And then there are some guys on their car-horns - that's, er, unusual. It's also rather entertaining.

We'll also be live in Leicester Square, ahead of the premiere of a new movie, produced by Sir Elton John and his other half... There's a chance to win a new 'hair-do' - yes, really... and Chrissie will have the weather.

Oh - and watch out for our Christmas Tree. The good people from John Lewis are in the studio right now putting it up for us.

Right - time for a mince pie.

See you at six.

Ben & Katie.

London Tonight: Friday December 15th

Good afternoon - a special, pre-Christmas offering for you tonight: cautionary tales and not a little levity and merriment, beside.

First, a staggeringly cautionary tale of the dangers of the demon drink.
We've all done it, or nearly done it: you have a bit too much to drink, or a heck of a lot too much, and getting home becomes your sole your ambition.
It's not that easy: lamp-posts, low-hanging branches, slippy pavement slabs - all out to get you. You might even fall asleep on the train.
Well, falling asleep ON the train is one thing....
But now we get serious. Tonight, we have the man who ticked all the boxes above but went one worse: he fell asleep, not ON a train, but on..... a railway line!
What happened next, at 6!

I fear tomorrow we may face more of the same because tonight, according to all the experts, is the pre-Christmas night when we let our hair down more than any other night: next Friday, true to tell, lots of you (not me!!!) won't be coming to work so you go off on one tonight.... and how!
It is the worst night of the year for office parties and general, bacchanalian bonkers-ness.
But, again, we get serious: London's great ambulance service are worrried for you and for their ability to deal with your worst antics. Some serious words of caution from the people that know, at the LAS.

Also on the show tonight, the one hundredth anniversary of the Piccadilly Line... We look forward to the one hundredth anniversary of the repair work to the Northern Line, too - can't be far off.

We talk to Cliff Richard about his hopes for another Number One - which would make six decades in a row in which he has had a Number One, the '50s being his first.
"Take that!" he might say to all other recording acts, if he pulls it off.
Take That might say "We'll see about that", in reply....

James King is popping in to share his views about movies Branded and Deja Vu to help you decide whether or not to go to the movies tomorrow - if you aren't still nursing your head.
And Tamzin, as always, will delight and tempt you with her collectable confection of clever clues for a carefree or creative weekend in What Not To Miss: don't miss it!

Willsy has all you need to know about who London clubs face in the Champions League, why Ronnie O'Sullivan did a runner and West Ham's prospects this weekend, under Icelandic ownership and Curbishley control.

And finally, Chrissie braves all for you in Wimbledon with Captain "the Fonz" Hook - "oh no she doesn't, oh yes she does"- and gives her own rendition of Peter Pan.
I hope.
I really hope.

See you at six.

Alastair and Tamzin