Ed's World

Russia Today Moscow Derby

2010-10-14T06:27:00.001-07:00

Coming Soon - The Moscow Derby

2010-08-16T02:40:00.001-07:00

Smog

2010-08-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

Having been born in London after the industrial revolution their are some things i've missed out on.

The Bubonic plague for instance. Slavery is another, the Crusades could also be added to the list.

But every so often fate deals you a special hand and you get to experience what life would have been like had you been born in a bygone era.

Recently I moved to Moscow, and we are currently enjoying the hottest summer in Russia's history.

I use the word enjoying lightly because along with the sunshine came the bush, forest and peat bog fires, and the Smog.

Smog! That classic ailment for developing nations. I do hope it won't give me Cholera! In-fact it's more likely to give me malignant Lung Cancer.

I'm not a smoker. My whole of my life i’ve avoided smoking, even over here where it’s dirt cheap and a national hobby, but now I read that every time I spend a couple of hours outside i might as well have smoked TWO packets of cigarettes!

This turns going to work, posting letters , getting milk into a lifestyle choice - it's no longer just excessively boring. It does me physical damage....

This morning I saw a man in a cloud of smoke jogging next to River Mockba, I wonder if this guy knew his valiant effort to get in an early morning run was going to be rewarded with a tumor the size of a golf ball- mind you - I couldn't see if he was running from anyone.

The air in Moscow is 7 times more polluted than it was prior to the arrival of the hot, dense ,and pungent ash clouds that sticks you as you walk down the street, seeps through every window, door and crevice in a building, and is constantly trying to fool your brain into thinking people are celebrating Guy Fawks night at 5am on 4th August in city beyond the edge of Eastern Europe.

I know Guy Fawks was a bit of a rascal but that takes it too far.

So then I also found out the stuff that's burning at the moment are leafs, timber etc that could have been cleared years ago, so not only are my lungs being infested by filthy dirty smoke , but it's filthy dirty second hand smoke, i'm getting second hand smoke from a middle aged junkie who nobody has been arsed to pick up off the floor yet.

If this has told you anything, bygone era's sucked.

Varsity Day 2005

2010-02-14T05:40:00.000-08:00

London's 2010 Fireworks

2010-01-06T05:24:00.000-08:00

I watched London's New Years Firework display from the rooftop of Westminster Studios. A truely breathtaking experience. Unfortunately my phone camera doesn't do the specticle justice.

Tsar Tipped for Glory

2009-12-17T00:09:00.000-08:00

'Tsar' lastest Russian film tipped for Oscar honours.

'Tsar' is a rich-looking historical epic set in 16th century Moscow, where the forces of good and evil square off in an epic struggle between the spiritual monk Filipp and his childhood friend Ivan, tsar of all Russia also known as Ivan the Terrible.

Pavel Lungin, winner of Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for his film Taxi Blues in 1990, takes the helm as director and given the films infamous subject and high production values, he will be expecting more success with this film.

An insider on the Oscars panel said: 'the film is both a visual feast and a fascinating look into Russia's past, if it's chosen it could do very well'.

If 'Tsar' is chosen by the Russian Federation's Oscars National Selection Committee to be Russia's latest nominee for the Best Foreign Language film at the 2010 Oscars, it will continue the Russian Film industries rich and successful tradition in this catagory.

Russia's most recent film to scoop the prize in 1994 was 'Burnt By The Sun' directed by Nikita Mikhalkov and since then Russian films have been nominated an impressive 5 times for the award.

The Soviet Union also received a total of nine nominations, which included three winners before 1991.

Amid a Global economic downturn many film studios are struggling to make ends meet but with the Russian film industry producing movies of this quality it looks in rude health.

The announcement for this years nominees is scheduled for February 2nd and everyone involved with film will hope 'Tsar' will showcase the Russian Industries strength.

Bon Jovi and I at Work...

2009-12-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

Just a quick shout out to the Legend Jon Bon Jovi. His new stuff aren't quite the same nostalgic, immense rock anthems we are all used to. But that is mainly because they are not meant to be and it takes time for songs to achieve that sort of credibility...

However a great guy and true professional... Jon Bon Jovi you're a hero

Die Bayern Munchen

2009-11-25T03:36:00.000-08:00

A Day In The Sun

2009-09-17T03:47:00.000-07:00

So there I was listening to the 3rd day of the 5th Test live from the Oval in my living room on Radio 5 Live. When suddenly my phone rings.

'Hello, it's Si (One of my bosses), what are you doing tomorrow?'

'Nothing?' I respond.

'Okay, meet me at The Oval at 7am tomorrow' he says.

'Cool.' I say.

The next day i'm there at 6-30 am my mistake, bloody London transport, always gets you where you want to go.

Anyway, so it was an amazing day I have to admit although at first I was surpremely confident of England beating the Aussies for most of the day it was only until Freddy Flintoff ran out Ponting for 66, whilst the Aussies Captain was building up a solid partnership with Mike Hussey that I actually thought England would wrap up and win the Ashes before the 5th day.

Anyway, it was quite an achievement, both sides were weaker than in 2005 and as the Series wasn't on terestrial TV and I am no longer at Uni I got to watch alot less of it, which is inevitable.

10 Things We've Learnt This Week About The Champions League

2009-09-17T03:01:00.000-07:00

My good friend Ibrahim Mustafa wrote one of these about the Premier League last season, so now i'm nicking his idea. Well done Ibs you've created a winning format...

10 things we learnt from this weeks opening games in 09/10 the Champions League.

1) Qualification from the group stages in the Champions League is now a complete formality for English sides. Missing key players (Chelsea - Drogba), having half your team missing (Arsenal - No keeper etc etc), playing poorly away (Man Utd) and completely lacking in proper form (Liverpool - victories against Burnley and Stoke at home don't count as form) means nothing when you're up against the sides that would struggle to stay up in the Premiership. Harsh??? I think not unfortunately.

2) Most of the sides in this years Champions League are won't be in it next season and for good reason. Wolfsburg, Zenit, CSKA Moscow, Athletico Madrid. One season wonders domestically - or have lost players over the summer.

3) Ibrahimovic is a better signing than Eto'o, yes!!! Eto'o looks slower older and more at odds with his teammates than the Slavic Swede.

4) The 3 of the 4 Italian teams will be lucky to get to the quarter finals and are shockingly short of quality and experience. AC Milan need a proper goalkeeper, not a 32 year old ex Messina and Perugia shot stopper who has never played in the Champions League before, or for that matter dealt with a cross. Juventus have a manager with no Champs League experience, Ciro Ferrara, and this showed in their dismal home display against Bordeaux, which ended 1-1. Fiorentina lost 1-0 Lyon. Nuff said...

5) As much as Jose Mourinho wants to hate Barcelona and win the Champions League he will achieve neither at Inter Milan.

6) Paul Scholes scores goals . Still!!!

7) Barcelona are still the most entertaining and best team in Europe. Real Madrid will push them close as their 5-2 win at Zurich suggests. But Messi is an act in himself.

8) Rangers will battle bravely to compete in their group but will ultimately end up throwing away their chances of qualifying by losing at home to Romanians Unirea Urziceni.

9) The inclusion of more teams from lesser footballing nations will improve the competition in the long term, but at the moment provides a uncompetitive 4th seed in each group.

10) After a long time in the dulldrums Bayern Munich will once again be a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

WESTMINSTER LIVE!!

2009-08-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

I was recently given the opportunity to be the face of Westminster Live Studios in the middle of Westminster opposite the Houses of Parliament.

I met some great people and very thankful to the team for the opportunity to be a leading figure in the progression of such a dynamic, imaginative and youthful team.

2009-08-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

FINAL CALL FOR THE FA CUP?

2009-06-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

Last night a friend of mine brought up the small matter of whether the FA Cup is as important now as it was, let's say 10 years ago.

A well documented subject but one none the less I feel needs to be discussed. I think it remains a landmark tournament and a trophy that every team would love to win.

However, it is now a fourth rate competition and if you consider side such as Manchester United can now win the Premier League, Champions League and League Cup all in one season, the FA Cup is no longer there only other chance at success.

In addition, sides like Arsenal, Aston Villa would rather qualify for the Champions League for financial reasons than have one day in the sun in North London. Not to mention sides in the Championship would rather get promoted and already have a huge fixture list, so the better ones don't really need the cash a cup run would bring and sides from the bottom half would rather avoid relegation.

This is not to say teams don't want to win the Cup, just incentives aren't there, the competition needs a cash injection. Sides need think of getting to the latter stages of the competition because it makes financial sense to attempt it rather than for prestige or a small cash injection.

The amounts need to be big enough that sides would rather gamble on the FA Cup rather than an outside chance of getting in the playoffs.

But as a spectacle, having been to a couple of finals now, and having watched Chelsea and Everton fans enjoying themselves so much during there day out last weekend. I know the anyone who says the FA Cup is dead, unimportant or worthless are just bitter they missed out on the showpiece final.

Premier League 08/09

2009-05-27T05:38:00.000-07:00

So... A quick review of the Premier League season is in order.

Champions Manchester United are worthy winners, there squad starting eleven and manager at the best in the world and I expect them to go on and retain the Champions League this evening against Barcelona.

Liverpool have closed the ground on the Manks considerably this season, but I can't help feel, without Man Utd's fixture congestion makeing them constantly a point and two games behind Liverpool for much of the run in gave a false sence of rivalry.

Sure United stumbled, slowed and chuffed at times, but they were always capable of winning every game they player in their run in.

Chelsea were disappointing under Scolari and i can't wait to see who comes in for next season and what shape the team form under there leadership.

Arsenal were at times brilliant but generally lacked experience and the consistency that usually brings.

Villa,Fulham and Wigan deserve honourable mentions for performing well above their status.

As for the Relegation battlers. Hull benefitted from maximising their points against teams on poor form at the beginning of the season, i'm think of the Arsenal game fundementally. Newcastle were effectively relegated last season when they started this negative cycle of decline and no Masiah could save them and West Brom were great but came up abit short. Boro the less said about the better, nice Club, Manager, Chairman, but they needed there summer signing Alfonso Alves to come up trumps for them in the final third and he didn't. Top goalscorer Tuncay with just 4 goals will testify that he needed alittle more help on that front.

DEFIANCE

2009-01-05T04:41:00.001-08:00

NO PLOT SPOILER INCLUDED

Daniel Craigs latest offering to the big screen is Defiance and it's alright. The film follows the fate of a small group of Belorussian Jews who 'Defy' the Nazi occupation of Nowogrodek and Lida in present day Belarus and setup their own settlement in the forests.

Craig plays Tuvia Bielski a farmer who leads the large group for two years with the support of his hot headed brother Zus and his younger brother Asael Bielski, both played excellently by Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell.

The Story is based on a true story and is a relatively unknown. I have studied History for all my life and have only ever given passing reference to it.

As for the film, the acting is great, the story is as original as a real story can be and you can feel the cold through the cinema screen. It is also a decent length, about 2 hours and doesn't depress you as certain films from that period can. I'm thinking of Roberto Benigni 's 'Life is Beautiful', which certainly proved life was far from Beautiful.

Being a natural Historian of 'Social Scientist' as we are now labelled, I really liked this film. However i will struggle to give it more than a 6.5 out of 10 because the film lacks mass appeal. Some will find it a solid historical account, some will find it a horrible dramatisation and hollywoodisation of the plight of the Jews during the Holocaust. Others will just find it boring. The film is basically set in one place, the forests, their is limited gun play, gripping horror and no grand battles, which i know attract many to the war genre.

If you know about the Final Solution, the Ghetto's, this is interesting and gives a look into the psychy of those inside them, if you do not you will not learn much. None the less I would encourage everyone to watch the film, the story is great and inspiration to us all.

New Readers

2008-12-31T06:32:00.000-08:00

Good day one and all and a Happy New Year.

This is just a quick message to anyone who reads this blog regulary , by chance or have sought my mindless rambles for some entertainment.

Please leaves some comments for me and tell me what you think of my blog and how you have come to be reading my words.

I recently added a new feature to the blog called a cluster map, which gives a rough indication of where people log into this website from and I noticed someone from Romania has had a look, please say hi and let me know what you thought.

Happy New Year and a Merry Christmas to you all.

IT'S NOT THAT BAD

2008-12-31T06:11:00.000-08:00

so I was reading an article about the worst albums and songs of 2008 and can't help but feel some music critics are a tad negative and general when they critise certain aspects of the music industry.

For those of you who haven't read many music critiques recently, the rough jist of this article and the general opinion held by many of my friends, is that commercial songs are rubbish and this year has seen a sharp increase in the amount of these types of songs and acts created.

The main arguement against ' commercial songs' is they lack soul and are aimed at the lowest common denominator. An article I recently read highlighted Katy Perry's I Kissed a girl, and Beyonce's 'If I Were a Boy' as the highest profile offenders of this crime. Their intention to shock and the basic narrative of the story being based on outdated and super imposed stereotypes of obvious targets, such as cheating men and confused teenage girls make them easy targets.

I would agree with this arguement to a point. The stories are hardly compelling and won't be challenging Bohemian Rhapsody in most peoples all time favourite songs. But to call these songs bad is wrong.

They are liked by people. Katy Perry's song and many similar songs have all done well this year and I don't mind them, and my favourite band is currently System of a Down.

Is this music snobbery on the behalf of music critics and many of my friends, come to think of it? Possibly, granted everyone has the right to an opinion, especially in the choice of Noise they choose to intake, but to call all these songs drivel is wrong.

The issue I think is quite different. It's the lack of follow up songs and hidden jems produced by the same artist that is what really gets peoples goat. Once you listen to the one song in the album that you have heard on the radio, in a club on the tv, you are unlikely to find another song that is either wholly different or better than the released single.

At this point I might state that I don't buy many albums, but I do listened to them.

The thing that makes songs, albums and artists like Michael Jackson and many other less amazing artist so popular is when you listen to their albums you can usually find at least one more song which wasn't released as a single which you find just as good. I'm thinking primarily of the whole of Metallica's Black Album and Snow (Hey Oh) from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers Stadium Arcadium.

I think this discovery point is what gets music junkies excited and earns artists cudos in their eyes. Abit of variety and depth for fans and listeners to study can make all the difference and give these obviously commercial artists a touch more credibility.

Obviously the name of the game of these artists and record labels is to both make money and entertain, not to earn the respect of audiences who don't buy their product, so it's unlikely much will change. But i do hope this degredation of pop music and those involved in it stops.

It's pop music and does what it sets out to do, be popular. It's always existed and always will, I hope people can accept it and appreciate it for what it is.

Учебная газета факультета журналистики МГУ

2008-12-21T09:20:00.000-08:00

http://gazeta.journ.msu.ru/?q=node/1213

Interview Adam Boulton

2008-12-16T01:28:00.000-08:00

Do Specialist Journalists Benefit From Extra Insight Through Improved Sources Or Do They Lose Their Objectivity?

By Edward Asta 11289267

Legal fights, a contacts book filled with the most powerful names in British Politics and football games with the Westminster Press team. It’s all part of what makes Sky News Political Team one of the most uncompromising and informative specialist teams in the world. The man who handpicked and has run this team over the last 19 years is forty nine year old Adam Boulton, a man who the hosts his own award winning current affairs show on Sunday mornings and was once described by Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, as ‘insanely clever’.

Boulton is widely considered one of the best political editors in the business and is the only reporter to have ever doorstepped the Queen. But Despite his close marriage to his work which includes a happy one to Blair’s very own spin doctor, Anji Hunter, he has managed to maintain a level of impartiality which has earned himself the love, respect and fear of all those who enter his circle of trust. In the midst of a slow Tuesday news day, I grab a quick coffee with the sharp witted and explosive character in is second home, Millbank studios.

The question on my lips is not do journalists get into bed with politicians to further their careers, individual cases are fraught with intricacies, but how does Boulton see the overall state of Political journalism in Britain and what has kept him the fly on the wall in the corridors of power for so long? overage of proceedings at Westminster is the oldest and most scrutinized specialist area in journalism, but why have Editors always considered politics to need expert knowledge from a trusted source. Adam Boulton explains.

News organisations are afraid of politics and feel they need trustworthy people who abide by the rules of impartiality and balanced reporting to do the job. For many people the idea of spending their time exclusively around Westminster is a drawback. As a result, despite Political editors being one of the most valuable assets to a newsroom it is not always the most competitive field.

The outcome of newsrooms needing people to explain complex political and financial matters, ranging from tax budgets to sex scandals and ideological debates, combined with the lack of reporters willing and capable of dealing with such an array of topics means the turnover of political journalists is slow. As a result reporters in Westminster can get too close to their subject matter. Boulton thinks his intimate knowledge of work has many positives, and doesn’t believe there is a natural progression to partisan coverage.

Being in a closed environment for a long time means you can get to know the politicians from the junior ranks as they rise up the pyramid, which can improve your understanding of a their methods and drive, it also means you get a feel for the seriousness of a particular story, for example if it can force a resignation or a major rebellion or more. The danger is some people get too native, as can happen, but we must remember we are always doing the basic job of telling general reader what you’re covering.

As long as journalists remain outsiders looking in and remain true to the core principles of the profession, which are clear and accurate reporting, specialist journalists can use there experience and cultivated bank of sources to shed light into holes where general reporters would struggle to find an entrance.

Alastair Campbell is the highest profile casualty in Politics to cross the line from being an objective news gatherer to becoming the object of the news. The line is also frequently crossed in the opposite direction. Nick Robinson, the current Political Editor for the BBC, is one journalist who has followed this path. It cannot be denied some journalists who work in Millbank, the epicentre for British Political Journalism, have or had a political stance or background. It is argued by Peter Hitchens, the Mail on Sunday columnist, a reporter with a political affiliation can no longer be trusted to deliver fair accounts. Yet Boulton thinks this comes with the territory and doesn’t affect their objectivity.

People who cover politics are quite often interested in the subject and at some stage it manifested itself in political activism, usually at a young age. Nick Robinson is well know Junior Conservative, and his former boss, Andrew Marr, was called Red Andy at Cambridge. I don’t hold people affiliations against them but it’s not my model. I’m not a political animal.

Despite accepting Political Journalists are capable of objective reporting despite being partisans in the past, Boulton does steer clear of making personal decisions relating to politics as he feels it makes his job harder and could compromise his objectivity.

Since I became a Political Journalist I haven’t voted. Making a personal decision just complicates the job and makes it harder for me to understand where other people are coming from. It’s a system I’m comfortable with and I know Sir David Frost is the same. A lot of us vote, I don’t blame them for that but I’m not fascinated in politics, I took this job because during the mid eighties politics was the biggest gig in town and I was offered a shot at it. What interests me is doing a public deliverance and informing people about what’s going on and allow them to make the decision.

Knowing people within your specialist patch through past experiences is always helpful for a young journalist starting out. In Political journalism this is no different but because the journalists cannot name their sources and the issues dealt with are so significant, viewers can conger romantic images of under cover reporters fighting for the truth or the opposite. Yet the reality is far less misty. Boulton explains more sources are developed through the day to day grind of producing news and dealing with people fairly rather than tip-offs.

Communicating is what politicians do, they want people to know what they’re doing, and therefore they are willing to speak to you. In television, what we do is conveying the information in a digestible form, if I want to do a story on housing I speak to the Housing Minister and they are usually happy to speak to me, it’s not all Watergate. The point is you get to know people doing the agenda stuff then your relationship improves and they start to let you know about gossip and other stories, equally it can be difficult sometimes you speak to people who you know are in trouble, so you need a due detachment.

For general reporters keeping a due detachment is easier, stories and people come and go at the whim of your superiors however specialists do not have this luxury. Having said that Politicians and journalists need to be in several places at once and when it is not possible for them to converse face to face or when the outlines of an interview need to be considered Reporters have to speak politicians Press Relations staff. To some, PR’s manipulate the coverage of an event to suit their employees’ line, thus reducing the objectivity of the primary evidence journalists work with, but PR’s do act as a much needed buffer between the specialist journalist and politicians. Adam Boulton sees truth in both arguments.

In most cases you don’t get a chance to speak to a politician directly but the party usually tries to push stuff to you, it can be a legitimate process. It can be the most efficient way of conducting business. They can be very good source. But it is a generational thing. People of the same age tend to get on better with each other and therefore your personal relationship with them grows. I know politicians of my age, for example Peter Mandelson, so if I need them I’ll ring them directly, but the young guy in our office has to go and play football with the PR’s because it’s important to us.

Maintaining a healthy working relationship with your subjects and giving air time to politicians, so they can explain there actions, is a legitimate process. All journalists rely on sources from previous stories to help further their knowledge on current stories and improve their coverage. This is no different for specialist journalists, but within the realm of politics these relationships can also provide a steady stream of major breaking news. Boulton thinks the contact list him and his team have created give them a competitive advantage.

As a result of these relationships we at Sky News have been able to give the result of the last two Liberal Democrat leadership contests, before they were announced.

For a newsroom exclusive inside knowledge is desperately sought after. But all the schmoozing and back slapping is worthless unless both parties accept they are in it for different reasons. There are certain ways that both parties are expected to act to preserve the flow of information. Boulton sheds some light on the Whitehall protocols.

The most important thing is too treat people fairly. When you tell them what you want to do, do it. People feel like they have been burnt when you ring them up and say you want to talk to them about one thing and then speak to them about another. At the same time you’re interested as a journalist and they are interested as a politician, your aims are not the same. Sometimes you just have to publish. On the other hand, Hilary Clinton was absolutely right to get annoyed with Gary Paige when he changed the terms of the interview without her knowledge.

Keeping your contacts informed about what you are doing with their information is essential for journalists to maintain trust with them. The danger comes when a specialist journalist is so well informed others can read too much into their words and start legal action. Boulton has not been in this situation himself, but realises the dangers associated with live broadcasting and Westminster’s rumour mill.

The type of journalism I do is mostly unscripted, so you have to be instinctively sure footed. You need to know what you can and can’t say and how to protect yourself. If you don’t know you can get into all sort of trouble fairly quickly. But it’s also its very very difficult to spot where legal troubles may arise.

Legal issues are a constant threat to all journalists but the nature of Politics throws a couple more curve balls at the Millbank elite. Members of Parliament fight tooth and nail to maintain their credibility, which means even the most obscure issue can cause a scandal. Boulton explains.

The two legal problems I have faced both came from unlikely situations. In one situation, I interviewed a Conservative who said a Labour MP was a liar. I reported this to the Labour MP, who then tried to sue both me and the Conservative MP! I won this case as it was deemed fair and accurate reporting. The other time I was sued for defamation because I used a cut away of the audience applauding Arthur Scargill and a left wing Trade Unionist woman in the audience didn’t want seen to be clapping him. The odd thing about legal issues is they tend not to result from the most difficult and most sensitive stuff.

So the specialists who have to broadcast do not face more unique legal issues compared to general reporters. Yet, there inside knowledge when dealing with squabbles and rumours can draw them into conversations a general reporter may miss.

To conclude, if we are to believe the BBC’s political correspondent Andrew Marr assertion ‘Journalism is the industrialisation of gossip’ we must accept that all journalists are expected to cultivate sources and to improve there and the publics understanding of a story. As a result of there constant exposure to there topic specialist journalists can gather better quality gossip, and some may loose their objectivity. However as long as journalists do not short change their viewers with the information they possess and try to adhere to the basic principles of fair and accurate reporting there is no natural progression for a journalist to partisan coverage.

Within the system there is room for political affiliations, being politically active in the past and knowing people within parties as a result does not necessarily lead to better stories.

When a journalist is so close to a subject for such a long time it can bring with it a lot of assumed knowledge, for instance people can read too much into your actions and reports. This can bring with it the threat of legal action. It does also work the other way around. If you are know as a straight talking person to your sources they will trust you not to talk in innuendos. Those who write about specialist and political journalism in such scandalous tones can be accused of the same tricks of all journalists are blamed of, which is over selling the story.

It’s Not All Watergate.

CAUROSEL

2008-12-06T02:35:00.000-08:00

So i'm late again for another Grand opening for a West End show, this time it's Caurosel at the Savoy Theatre.

After light refreshments at the bar, whilst waiting for the next chance to get to our seats I take a look around the Savoy theatre. I quite like it, the staff are friendly the service good and having once worked at the Savoy Hotel, taking coats, I can't help but feel slightly nostalgic.

So we're Kindly shown to our seats, people stare, as they do, and I get the chance to watch the latest reincarnation of Richard Rodgers musical. This time starring Lesley Garrett as Nettie Fowler.

As I sit down I'm instantly stuck by the behind the stage Graphics which I have yet to see the like of in other productions. At times my interest in this exceeds that of my interest in the play.

It's not that the play is not interesting, It's a classic story, well told and features excellently coriographed dances and fighting. I enjoyed the shows songs , i had to refrain myself from joining in with the chorus of ' you'll never walk alone' on several occasions. However i'm a dialogue man.

I like the Sopranos because of how it happens, rather than what actually visually happens and in the second half of the play a girl dances for forty minutes without and dialougue. It's a nice dance full of meaning and development. None of which is lost on me, please don't misunderstand my meaning, the dance is .... great, but is still a forty minute dance.

So in conclusion a good play, but not really my type. Lesley Garrett does well and the dancing and fighting is both well choreographed and prolonged. The Savoy theatre is now one of my prefered theatre's in the West End and I'm sure unlike oterh recent shows which opened recently Caurosel will survive comfortably.

6/4

MOSCOW

2008-11-29T03:24:00.000-08:00

For good and bad, I love this city.

From the dry chilled air to the warm friendly people, this city has it all. Over my last 8 weeks I have spent 3 of them in this Vortex of a cit, and i'm pleased to say not only have i lived to lived to tell the tail but grew and discovered a new way of life.

Only in Moscow do you get phone calls from friends at 2:30 am requesting your presence at any number of clubs 'Propaganda' in this instance. Then leaving your apartment in zero degree weather jumping into the first car that stops and shout at the driver "PASHALUSTA KLUB PROPAGANDA!" then "SKOLKAH?" and after a rough frantic minute of head shaking finger pointing smiling and laughing do you eventually pay over the odds to get to your destination.

The city is hard as nails, their are few benches, smiles and frivoluties on the streets, on the stunning Metro you can expect to be charged down by the type of middle aged business man that in London you would never have dreamt would act so bullishly.

You can get lost in syrillic alphabets, pronunciations, womens eyes and in apartment court yards. If you are foriegn some may say Muscovites are suspicious of you and watch you like a hawk. I'd rather say they are interested, why the change in perception? Simple, almost everybody in Moscow I met was bloody , almost embarressingly kind, friendly and helpful.

From the young lad who stopped, organised and arranged my first solo gypsy cab adventure, to the Georgian gypsy cab driver who just wanted to talk about Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

This is not to say Moscow is full of angles. Like all big cities and some small ones naturally it is not. I saw the ugly underbelly of Moscow when I went to the Luzniki Stadium with my friend Ibrahim and we were made to feel quite uncomfortable and in the end decided to leave without seeing the match. This was no surprise the enterance to the San Siro is littered with ultra graffiti and English grounds would still be a meeting ground for certain types if we did not have the forsight and resources to change our games image.

It would also be unfair to tarnish all the fans with the same brush, i spoke to one Spartak Moscow fan who was going on a 16 hour away trip the next day who, although in a slightly UN PC manor, explained how he just prefered his team playing Russians or Moscovites over foriegn players, purely because the related to them more. This isn't a completely alien concept to any football fan.

I was almost beaten up in a resteraunt queue for speaking English to my friend Ibs by a drunkard only to be saved by a beautiful Belarussian girl called Kristina (she could proabably tell you more accurately what the mans obvious grievance with me was).

But that is Moscow and it's brooding, bolshy, crass but essentially well meaning nature make it such a wild place and somewhere so many people want to visit the place but so few people would.

When I was out there first time a friend called it the 'wild west', I know what he means but the term is too loose and dare i say it, American. Moscow isn't Russia and it certainly isn't American, I fear one day it might become so. My Russian friends accept and greet the Wests offerings and Starbucks , Mcdonalds, Subways and Pret A Manger can all be found easily. This is not a bad thing, i'm not one to hark on about globalisation, but i would say the rough and chaotic side of Moscow would certainly be reduced by an increased presence of Western corperation. Is it the 'wild east' no, that's just too rubbish. It's just wild wild Moscow I guess.

My Moscow factfile.

Visa's allow two weeks to organsie and get them. Doing it in person is the cheapest and quickest way, but also the most hassle. Forms , queues etc.

Best Club: Propaganda

Where to eat: Try My My , it's a Russian fast food resteraunt. I have fond memories of the place.

What to eat : Chicken Noodle soup

Where to stay. Obviously the closer to Red Square the more expensive and probably better. But anywhere within the Purple circle metro line is adaquate.

What not to do: Go to the football

2008-08-31T01:57:00.001-07:00

YOU MUST WATCH THIS FILM!!

I was quite taken by Liam Neesons latest action thriller, Neeson seldom puts his name to a bad film and this time he is the star of a great one. Taken's tangibilty is it's real strength and makes it real and gripping film.

The plot is simple one man losses his daughter to an Albania womens trafficking ring and uses his 'acquired set of skills' to find her. Neeson plays the all action dad and somehow manages to turn a somewhat one dimensional character into someone who is much more.

Some synics could claim the idea of a middle aged Neesons attempting such a task is ludicious, but this is where the plots tangibilty and the directing of Pierre Morel turns the film into something abit special.

He does this through uncompromising and rough action, and an easy to follow and oh so believable plot. Anyone who has travelled with a friend and knows abit about the world can relate to it.

And the choice of location ,Paris, a somewhat innocent tourist location just adds to reality of it all.

This isn't to say the film is just an action thriller with no real depth, as some have labelled it. The film does lack the soft lovy dovy scenes, hours of character building and sweet nostalgic music but this doesn't mean the film lacks any emotion it just means the film is refreshingly short , just an hour and half and this leaves you wanting more.

Rating: 5/6

WATCH IT!!!

So you know where you are standing with the rating

1/6:Rubbish avoid at all costs

2/6: I would make no effort to see it

3/6: Think i'd watch it when it's on TV

4/6:Think very good film you might watch at the cinema but will get the dvd

5/6:Think very very good film that you plan to see in the cinema The Dark Knight,Platoon,

6/6:Think a must watch epit like the Godfathers , LOTR's, The Sopranos ,

Der Deutsche Fussball Bund

2008-07-27T04:21:00.000-07:00

A few people have asked me what I make of the current state of the German national football team, given that I am a devoted fan.

So as I sit here on the Sports Desk on a slow Sunday afternoon desperatly trying to find a fresh angle on a Kelly Holmes interview from yesterday, and studying the Russian Open for a interesting angle I think I will give you my thoughts.

My starting off point is from an article I read on Goal.com ,a fantastic football, website. The article argues Germany's decade of not winning anything is abit of a failure, as this is the first time we have doen this since the 60's. My arguement is ...

Germany have done what is expected of them over the past decade and Euro 08. In Euro 08 specifically, we got to the the final relatively comfortably and were beaten by a better team.

We truimphed over our weaker opposition such as Turkey, Austria and Poland efficiently and as we knew we would face Portugal at some stage, we were prepared and stepped up our game for them.

The squad, however, did not have the strength and depth to evolve and beat Spain. It also could be argued this was the only game in the competition we could not really prepare for given the nature of the draw.

As for the squad we took to Euro 08 and in previous tournements Michael Ballack is our only World Class player, but other players have stepped up in other individual tournements.

In 2002 it was Oliver Kahn and Klose, in 2006 Podolski and Klose ran were the heroes, and in 2008 Schweinsteiger was the man.

Obviously it can be argued who did what in these tournements, but fundementally the German teams have been solid units from which only Ballack can consistently be considered a class above.

Euro 08 was no different, and our limitations were obvious, Lehmann is a stop gap Keeper likewise Fritz and, when he is not fit, Frings.

But our unit was one of the strongest in the tournement.

To go one further and win the competition like in 2006 and 2002 what we have needed is an additional World Class offensive player, someone who could play up front and allow Pod to play on the wing or on the wing so Pod could go upfront.

I thought it would be Gomes this time around, needless to say, it wasn't. In 2002 we needed a pace merchant like Podolski but he was still in nappies.

And in 2006 we needed... i dunno, something. But then again we were at home so everyone stepped up.

A decade of failure? No !, A decade of success? Not really.

I'm willing to put our poor performances in Euro 2000 and 2004 down as results of internal disputes, a tough draw and a gearing up for hosting the World Cup.

It has been a decade of beating teams that are worse than us and losing to better teams, very German.

The next Generation will be of a similar ilk, Neuer, Kroos and Marin will be just as effective and good, plus a few guys like Klose will come good out of nowhere.

But like all German teams , and this is sitting on the fence abit, they will do as well as can be expected and maybe abit better. A very high quality of average sometimes crossing over to World Class.

Student ID Cards

2008-07-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here is another one of my packages from University.

Boris Johnson slams Labours plan to test their controversial identity card scheme on students. Jacquie Smith, claims using young people is the perfect way to test run the programme. But critics think the Home Secretary is trying to introduce the cards without on the sly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NleCEum7JBY

Walpole Park

2008-06-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

This was my first go at making a package and i hope i have added the one with the voice over. If i haven't, enjoy the pictures.

Sound of Music

2008-06-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

A new Maria will be gracing the stage in the West End show The Sound Of Music. Summer Strallen's switch from teen Tv soap Hollyoaks to the London Palladium is meant to attract a younger audience, but will it work?

Our showbiz reporter Edward Asta caught up with her to see if it will work.

(A big thanks to Neil Sean for helping me arrange this interview)

MOMA

2008-06-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

During my recent visit to the Big Apple i dropped by the Museum of Modern Art.

What could be better a modern art museum in one of the worlds trendiest and richest cities in the world? I was ready to see something new different, bold, mind bending but i did not find this.

Instead i found the same mediums such paintings, photo's and weirdly shaped object just with a slightly more modern take on things. What did i expect? This is modern art? True, but i would have quite liked to have seen something that Incorporated two or more styles in one piece. Something with abit of a shock and awe factor, something incomprehensible or too complicated for words and pictures.

The closest thing i could get to that was the work of Jackson Pollock and as a result i am now ab it of a fan. His work is craziness on a page and fantastic as a result. If you think about what it means it will drive you crazy as well, trust me i have tried. The picture above is a relatively tame creation but make my point. You couldn't explain or describe this accuarately in any meduim which currently exists.

And if you find yourself looking at a melee of colours ask yourself why did this piece end up like this? You'll soon get lost.

A Hattrick

2008-06-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

I'm at work at 9.45 pm on a Saturday night and may miss Germanys opening game of the European Cup , so i'm in a bad mood and don't have much time to write an indepth piece.

But here are a few of my opinions on a couple of issues.

New York City - An amazing place. It was less glamourous and dirtier than i expected, but was twice as good.

Euro 2008 - Germany or France will win it. No Cannavaro rules Italy out and France's tricky run in means they may could be knocked out at any stage, where as Germany will progress steadily and will only have overcome Croatia, Portugal and Someone else in the final.

Foo Fighters at Wembley Staduim- Awesome- too good to put into words, listen to their albums and imagine 86,000 people singing, dancing, moshing and getting smashed together and you'll be somewhere close to it, but still nowhere near the mark.

My Computer - Exploding piece of rubbish.

Summer Walkers

2008-05-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

The summer brings with it a number of fantastic sights, sounds, smells and spectacles. Flowers in bloom, the sound of merryment and birds chirping, barbecues and beer gardens and World Cups and Olympics.

I don't want to talk about them, these things are great but lets face it you can buy a GQ and read a thrilling article about anyone of these topics from a noble writer. Instead i want to draw attention to and praise the summer walkers.

Who? i hear you ask.

Summer walkers , people you usually drive or take the bus to work but because it's sunny they feel like strolling to work rather than busing it. This group intrigues me most because alot of them clearly don't realise on what they embarked upon when they left home. For instance from my where i live to my nearest tube station is a 7 min bus ride, however it is a 20 minute walk,
and thats at a reasonable pace, and the return journey is up a small hill.

Some people who now join me on my morning walk clearly have not noticed this and one of my great pleasures in the early months of summer is watching the newbies drenched in sweat and clearly agitated try and race home or too work.

My nastier side thinks this is immensely funny whilst my nicer side thinks good on them!

In the meantime a word of caution to all prospective summer walkers, walking around everywhere may look pleasant but it does take abit of effort and please take note of the terrain you will cover. The trail of disgarded clothing left in your wake can't be good for the environment.

Unwritten

2008-05-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

A few years ago Natasha Bedingfield released a song called Unwritten, the song lyrics explained the the process of writing and producing a new song.

Consider yourself lucky this intro is not an elaborate build up, teeing up a blog about writing and making a fifteen minute radio documentary. I can assure you this process merits no song and dance.

Also i have been busy making television and radio documentaries over the past few months, which i will make available for your consumption asap.

Let Kids Choose Their Sport

2008-03-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

I was on the tube making my way into Uni on a cold Monday morning and i saw a typical scene which explains why you can feed the children of Britain the best and most organic food in the world and teach them the value of exercise all day,, but unless children find a sport they like they are unlikely to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

The games and the competition in which students are placed are the most important tools at a teachers disposal. I say this because my daily route tube route takes me past a schools playground and they were clearly having a games lesson.

How did i know this? It sure as hell wasn't because all the kids were running around enjoying themselves in a coordinated and fun game. The only thing, which suggested half the class weren't suggest standing in a field for no good reason was they were all wearing sports kit.

The usual 'sporty' kids huffed and puffed challenged and dived for the ball whilst the rest stood and watched in a perfect defensive line formation across the halfway line. It was a complete waste of time! Those kids who wanted to play- played- and those who didn't- didn't.

Kids who don't want t play football should be allowed to go and play something else. I am a energetic footballer who enjoys toiling for hours on the training ground, but take the football away and i become idle. I have no interest in running for the sake of it.

All kids should have to find a sport they like and can participate in and surely then they will start to trim down.

Scared or intrigued? I am about to meet Winston Churchill

2008-02-17T01:49:00.000-08:00

Now i have met many famous people throughout my life. But in about twenty minutes i'm set to meet an all time legend.

Winston Churchill is coming to Sky News.

Son of Lord Randolph Churchill, surely not, he died in 1965 but , President of the United Kingdom National Defence Association.

Great my dream is destroyed! Like the time i find out Michael Schumacher is coming in, only for him to get sent to bloody Millbank!!

Oh well, i've got plenty of other things to be getting on with instead of chewing the fat with a deceased Prime Minister.

Fulham Doomed?

2008-02-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

Sitting here watching Fulham vs Aston Villa i realise Fulham are doomed to relegation. Being a Q.P.R. fan it doesn't depress me too greatly but i do have a fondness for the West London outfit.

6 Points adrift and a lack of a a striker is the main reason i think Fulham will struggle. The overall quality of their side is high but i feel without a top striker the industrious worker of Murphy, Bullard and Dempsey will go to waste and they will be unable to grab a crucial wins instead of draws.

As i speak they are drawing 0-0 with Aston Villa at home.Hopefully for my sake they snap out of it.

Happy Fluffy Fun Blog

2007-12-30T03:29:00.000-08:00

This Christmas i was given a copy of John Simpson's latest book, Not Quite World's End: A Traveller's Tales . Although i am only at the begining of the book, it has already made quite an impression on me and as i sit at work at twenty to two in the morning surfing the various news sources i have at my disposal Simpsons words grow in virtue.

In the opening chapter of his book Simpson states he thinks the greatest threat to the world are Super Bugs. Having read todays newspapers, and listened to countless programs about the dangers of fanaticalism I would have previously supposed , like most people, Terrorism or Climate Change is the biggest enemy to our world. We are obsessed with developments in Iraq and Afghanistan and the amount of rain which falls each year, however bugs are widely ignored.Simpson's words however, smacked me in the face this morning.

He argues plagues have always decimated societies throughout history and our society will fall fowl of one sooner or later. He reasons the amount we travel and the size and concentration of the worlds population means there are more people open to infection and we can spread the disease further. All it will take, he reasons, is for a virus like the common flu to pick up a nasty sidekick for us all to be in trouble.

As i was considering this point when this APF wire dropped.

URGENT Bird flu kills four-year-old boy in VietnamHANOI, Dec 27, 2007 (AFP) - A four-year-old boy in Vietnam has died of bird flu, becoming the country's fifth reported victim of the H5N1 strain of the virus this year, a health ministry official said Thursday.

I know it's not an epidemic and this particular strand of bird flu may not bring with it thousands of casualties, but I think the fact we are now educated in the dangers of bird flu and people are dying from it means Simpson may well be onto something.

2007-12-30T02:18:00.000-08:00

During Fabio Capello's first press conference after being announced as the next England manager he was asked - the Premier League is a fast paced league in which strength and workrate and are most important, how does he aim to convert the way the English approach to football into the more savy International style?

Capello answered this question by saying - good question, i don't know. My question is, does he need to change the pace England play?

Although it pains me to say it- the Premiership is the best league in the world, at the moment. Many top international players currently ply their trade in England and the Premiership was the most represented league at the 2006 World Cup. I suggest the English hustle and bustle approach to football may have seeped into these imports alot quicker than any previous attempts to tame Wayne Rooney.

I argue ENgland should play to there strengths and not worry about what pace they play at and Capello should worry more about having a variation on there 4-4-2 tactic such as a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 rather than worrying about how he could slow down players who clearly operate best at a high tempo. Russia's manager, Guus Hiddink, said it best after the draw of the 2008 qualifying groups "we fear Macedonia more than England because we don't know how they play".

I draw my arguement to a close by pointing out Greece and Italy as two examples of teams who have won recent international competitions without any Premier League players. Except the majestic Nikos Dabizas. Perhaps there lack of English footballing experience meant there players had not been put through the great leveller that is the Premiership.

Just a thought.

Happy Fun Fluffy Blog

2007-12-26T18:35:00.000-08:00

This Christmas i was given a copy of John Simpson's latest book, Not Quite World's End: A Traveller's Tales . Although i am only at the begining of the book, it has already made quite an impression on me and as i sit at work at twenty to two in the morning surfing the various news sources i have at my disposal Simpsons words grow in virtue.

In the opening chapter of his book Simpson states he thinks the greatest threat to the world are Super Bugs. Having read todays newspapers, and listened to countless programs about the dangers of fanaticalism I would have previously supposed , like most people, Terrorism or Climate Change is the biggest enemy to our world. We are obsessed with developments in Iraq and Afghanistan and the amount of rain which falls each year, however bugs are widely ignored.

Simpson's words however, smacked me in the face this morning. He argues plagues have always decimated societies throughout history and our society will fall fowl of one sooner or later. He reasons the amount we travel and the size and concentration of the worlds population means there are more people open to infection and we can spread the disease further. All it will take, he reasons, is for a virus like the common flu to pick up a nasty sidekick for us all to be in trouble.

As i was considering this point when this APF wire dropped.

URGENT Bird flu kills four-year-old boy in Vietnam
HANOI, Dec 27, 2007 (AFP) - A four-year-old boy in Vietnam has died of bird flu, becoming the country's fifth reported victim of the H5N1 strain of the virus this year, a health ministry official said Thursday.

I know it's not an epidemic and this particular strand of bird flu may not bring with it thousands of casualties, but I think the fact we are now educated in the dangers of bird flu and people are dying from it means Simpson may well be onto something.

Too Vulgar?

2007-12-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

The headline on Todays Sun 'Three Man U Stars Roasted Girl No 2' did make me laugh. However, one has to question whether if the term 'Roasted' should appear on the front page of a national newspaper.

I'd be lying if i denied i didn't admire the guts the editors at The Sun showed in choosing such a colourful headline, but is it too much?

I can see why they did it, it's graphic, eye catching, informal, and shocking all things The Sun is reknowned for and has intrigued me enough to write about it. However my thoughts are about the kids who catch a glimpse of the headline and wonder, what is a roasting?

Is the term is too vulgar? Any thoughts?

I'm the Unenthusiastic looking one

2007-12-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

It has been brought to my attention i have not filed my Snt Trinians film review. I apologise for this i went to the premiere and did the whole interviewing and piece to camera stuff but as i was suffering from a bad cold i did not watch the film itself. Sorry, i will have to up my game.

Meanwhile here is a funny little thing i found on the net the other day. http://uk.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+who+premiere
For those of you who know me take a look. If you have stubbled across this blog by chance i'm the very bored looking cameraman wearing a fetching purple hat. I wasn't bored as it so happens, it was a good evening, however at the time i was deep in thought (a rare occurance, so i'm glad somebody caught it on film).

Chicargo

2007-12-10T03:08:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged for a while, internet issues, so here is a quick one just to get me back on track.

On Wednesday I attended the 10th Birthday celebrations for Chicargo the West End theatre production.

Having already seen the play once i was concerned i would not get the same enjoyment watching the show a second time around. Boy was i wrong!

It was fantastic, i remind you again at this point, i'm not one for musicals generally. Give me a Kebab, a whiskey and a game of football or hard news story and i'm your man but musicals i can take or leave.

This Chicargo production was abit special, not only did almost all the former cast play some role in the production, in a kind of rolling substitutions of the main characters, but they all competed with each other once they were on stage. For instance, at times there were two Roxy's on the stage balling their lungs out to try and snatch the applause.

In addition, each actor also brought a completely new meaning to each scene and they always went for maximum effect.

This meant the show had a best of feeling to it and completely lacked the professionalism of a normal show, which i liked.

Tonight i will be attending the Saint Trinians premiere, so if i can get on the internet tomorrow i will post a review. Deal?

A Sad Story

2007-11-23T02:00:00.000-08:00

Thank god Steve McClaren has gone.

England were kidding themselves if they thought a he was the man to bring success to a nation bereft of trophies in the last 40 years.

Even had they of qualified, he should have stepped down and someone like Jose Mourinho should have stepped in for 6 months.

My favourite angle on this whole issue is when pundits started to claim Englands 0-0 away draw with Israel was actually a good result and McClaren had actuallly factored Russia's poor away form into his master plan.

Give me a break!

He was unlucky Scott Carson made some errors, Wayne Rooney unavailable and David Beckham now plays Hollywood football, but if your telling me England aren't good enough to qualify for Euro 2008 from that group, i'm afraid your incorrect.

Who next: The Special One hopefully, but i doubt it, otherwise, i think John Gregory is now available for the Job.

Leave it to the Police

2007-11-18T04:46:00.000-08:00

Call me cynical, but the lastest development in the Madeleine McCann story strikes me as, how do i say it, alittle hopeful. If sightings are the only leads available to the Portuguese police, perhaps the McCanns should call an end to this mass search for there daughter.

The new development is, the McCanns private detective says he is just a couple of days away from finding young Madeleine alive and well. This annoucement made on American TV is based on a alleged sighting of Maddy in central Portugal two days after she disappeared.

I hope as much as the next person she is found alive and well but the reality is she won't be. Five months is a long time to conceal a living child from the many organisations activily searching for the young girl. My question is at what point do sightings and the implication of guilt on those pictured become intrusive to families who happen to have a blonde five year old daughter in the region?

Granted the McCanns have the right to look for Madeleine, i wouldn't have it any other way. And nobody has yet kicked up a fuss when accussed, by a stranger, of being a child kidknapper, but when does it all stop. Knowing only alittle media law is it not defamation to suggest somebody is a kidknapper without real proof? I suggest, getting the public involved in finding Madeleine is now a dated and random method of investigation and the McCanns should openly disuade people from looking for Madeleine.

She has now been missing for over 5 months after all and for all we know she could now have brown hair, no eyes and wooden leg. This should now be a strictly police matter and based upon the facts taken from the scene and not random sightings from the public.

Cynical perhaps, but how many kids and there parents are recieving strange stares and having there privacy invaded by people acting on a hunch? I speak primarily of the young Moroccan girl, who would had her face plastered on every newspaper in this land and probably had her entire family history researched only to for people to discover she looked nothing like Madeleine.

This new sighting/ lead will hopefully bring the issue to a successful and happy conclusion, but after so many people have had there privacy invaded with no end result surely a more scientific method of finding Madeleine should be used. Well wishers and a observations aren't to be dismissed but surely the public should be told to step down as the first line of information.

A Life Less Script

2007-11-09T02:33:00.000-08:00

Breaking News

Something has taken place, it involved things on planet earth and the causes are known.

Lets go over to our correspondant on the scene.

Hello, something has happened and it has caused a great stir in the neighbourhood. Obviously some think it was bound to happen but others were shocked to the core. The thing may prove the first of many but the experts question this notion.

We spoke with the Prime Minister to find out his reaction.

PM: Many of us were ready for this to take place, but none of knew when it would happen. At first our thoughts go out to those effected by the event, it was quite big, but now we should move on and focus on the job we all face to maintain the status quo. The event started and ended under supervision but an inquiry will be held to find out exactly what happened. This is not the end of these events and we will strive to understand the causes of them rather than deal with the aftermarks. No individuals are accountable for the event ,it was just one of those things.

Correspondant: A useful insight from thePrime Minster, at the moment it is all quite but who knows what is going on. Maybe the event was revolutionary or just a freak occurance. In the meantime back to the Studio.

The National Television Awards

2007-11-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

Last night I participated in a showbiz marathon otherwise know as the National Television Awards.

Five hours of jostling, chatting, and filming really does take it out of you.

Nevermind the endless search for a fresh question for a celebrity who has just been grilled over there opinion on a worthy topic.

Thankfully all the big names attending and many others knew the game and spoke to the assembled journalists for as long as they could.

Our coverage can be seen on Sky Showbiz.com and Sky News Sunrise between 6 and 9am.

My only gripe is, why do people who know what walking down the red carpet entails look so traumatised and surprised when they are asked for an interview?

I am sure there is more than one enterance into the Royal Albert Hall.

Oh well, that's showbiz.

Heather Has A Point

2007-10-31T03:08:00.000-07:00

Heather Mills McCartney has point about the paparazzi needing a code of practice. However she is going the wrong way about maing one.

Crying on national TV, personalising the issue with stories about her contemplating suicide and receiving death threats will be seen by most as attention grabbing. Rightly or wrongly.

It is sad she considered suicide and recieved death threats i can't imagine what that would feel like.

Her stories though would be better told in a book.

She should should have kept her personal story separate from the facts and campaigned on moral grounds not emotional.

If she could not distance herself from the issue she should sat this round out.

Calling for a boycott of the tabloids will only generate more negative press and hate mail.

I do not care about her story but improvements in the quality of journalism can only be a good thing.

Back To Normal

2007-10-21T04:09:00.001-07:00

Whilst watching the Rugby World Cup Final Last night a very funny thing happened.

A simple question made by a friend of mine, Ed, which threw Englands whole Rugby World Cup success into context.

The timing and direction were priceless.

It proved why rugby will never be England's natioal sport, highlighted how little the English really cared about the their Rugby teams success, and for me symbolised the end of a one month crush the English enjoyed with Rugby.

The question came with ten minutes of the Final to go and England trailing South Africa by 7 points and on the attack.

His question was.

"What time is Match Of The Day on?"

Everything is back to normal!

Ed

The Queen vs The Wizard

2007-10-03T03:20:00.001-07:00

Last Friday i attended the National Movie Awards.

Whilst interviewing Dame Helen Mirren, Daniel Radcliffe arrived bringing with him the usual cheers and jeers.

The problem was, Dame Helen Mirren is a softly spoken graceful women and Harry Potters arrival completely drowned her out.

This ruined a pleasant interview and led to a significant gap in the broadcast the following day.

Despite my disappointment, this whole episode did answer one of those age old questions.

Who would win in a fight between the Queen and Harry Potter?

Harry Potter by knock out.

Ed

I will have something more "high brow" for you soon.

Across the Universe

2007-09-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

Last night i attended the Across the Universe movie premiere.

As a part time showbiz cameraman i've been to a few of these red carpet events before but this one had a relaxed and understated feel to it.

Naturally the place took off when Bono and The Edge turned up- but until then
stars from the film walked around and chatted amongest themselves contently.

I hope film does well- Dana Fuchs seems to be a real boisterous character and interviewing her again will be a pleasure.

Hopefully i will be able to put some of the footage up from last night soon.

Ed

What's the reason Rafa?

2007-09-26T01:51:00.001-07:00

Rafa Benitez can't seriously be considering dropping Fernando Torres at the weekend, as he suggested in a post match press conference.

A hattrick last night against Reading plus the fact he is generally a superior player and Liverpool's most expensive signing ever are surely good enough reasons to keep him in the side.

Isn't this the method which has destroyed players such as Peter Crouch's confidence and consistency?

Honestly Rafa, wake up.

Ed

Movie Premier tonight, i'll let you know how that goes tomorrow.

Just For Starters

2007-09-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

As a new student at Westminster Uni I now face the challenge of writing and maintaining an interesting blog.

My only question is- what do I write about? Drugs? Sex ?Rock and Roll?

Maybe i'll just stick to what I know- Current Affairs, Football, and the magical world of the media.

Stay tuned, i'm about to get interesting.

Ed