The BBC is a curious organisation

A contestant is eased out of BBC's 'The Voice' for snorting Cocaine. They might have covered themselves in more glory if they'd offered to help her. After all pop stars aren't famous for being drug free beings, the BBC still has the ignominy of having turned a blind eye to child abuse hanging over it and they have a judge on 'The Voice' previously found guilty of assault and false imprisonment. The BBC, Broadcasting that's Bonkers and Confused.

Give em the finger!

Foreign Drama

Once upon a time we were all indoctrinated to think the BBC produced the best drama in the world. I do think the BBC has created some great drama, but I think those telling us it was the best in the world only compared it with America. Lets face it the Brits are very lazy about learning languages and subtitles ha, who needs 'em?

However, with shrinking budgets and more TV channels, suddenly were getting drama from Scandinavia, France and Italy, with subtitles. Now subtitles may detract, but I'm beginning to think not; actually they do force you to pay attention for one thing. However, if they are detracting then it makes the new drama we're seeing all the more remarkable, because it's great.

I really enjoyed the historical Danish drama '1864'; another Scandinavian drama, this time a crime drama 'The Bridge' was unmissable, with great acting and great characters. At the moment I'm watching 'Trapped' which is Icelandic and is also compelling, and then there's 'Thicker Than Water' also Scandinavian, Swedish in this case, which is, once again gripping.

Apologies to Daniel Craig but the Swedish adaptation of Stieg Larsson's wonderful trilogy, 'The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo' series was way better than the Hollywood version. Then there's the 'Inspector Montelbano' and 'The Young Montelbano' series, now sadly no longer being aired here. Italian crime drama with humour, in a style unknown in the UK really, for all that we pride ourselves on our sense of humour. Well done Italy, we got it!

More please and lets keep Europe together and not become a bunch of 'Little Englanders'.

Timothy Spall All At Sea

I think it was called back to sea actually. I've seen two of Timothy Spall's nautical jaunts and several of Timothy West and Prunella Scales great canal journeys in England and France. Have to say that West and Scales are charming individuals and Timothy Spall is a very likeable personality too, something to do with thespian lovies maybe. Timothy West seemed to have trouble getting to grips with the steering when they changed boats and there seems to be quite a lot of bridge and bank bashing, but nothing dangerous. Mr Spall is more of a worry really, says he has years of experience but gave away that much of that was on the canals too. In both the episodes I've watched he seems to have had difficulty with his navigation and planning which is a worry, maybe it was just for TV, to make it more interesting.

His barge is lovely, but not the best blue water boat, I watched it pounding badly the other night, I hope he takes very great care about the weather before going offshore and even then weather forecasters get it wrong, I hope he know his ports of refuge and when it's better to give up and turn back to the port you left. You might think if you're half way it makes no odds, but if a strong headwind comes up with waves to match the second 'half' can be much longer than the first half.

In the episode I just watched Mr and Mrs Spall arrived late (faulty navigation), at a marina with a state of tide sensitive lock. Being late there was not enough depth of water for them to enter and so they had to anchor offshore. Fortunately it was calm overnight even if it wasn't the next day. It was the first time the couple, with years of experience, had ever anchored. No shame in that, I know lots of people who never anchor off until they're forced too, but it's not so stressful with the right equipment, the right knowledge and the right planning. Actually it's a great way to get away from the madding crowd sometimes. Hence this book!

How To Anchor Safely - So You Sleep Well!

Shop Well For Less?

Oh dear, oh dear. Very unprofessional consumer programme from the BBC. Switching people from high price brands to cheaper products shouldn't be hard, where the quality is there, but if you're going to conduct product testing you have to be fair. They tested a number of waterproof jackets from different price brackets by getting Sheffield students to wear them and then spraying them horizontally with a hose. Now rain does occasionally come at your horizontally, but basically if you spray someone in the face, some of it will probably get inside the hood and trickle down. It's a non test. Send them all out rambling for the whole day when it's inclement and see who stays dry and who gets sweaty and who gets cold and all that sort of stuff. Dumbed down waste of time.

Back In Time For The Weekend

Great show, which showed us what life was like in the 50's, 60's, 70's etc, especially in relation to leisure time, right up to the present day. The family they chose were both personable and intelligent. Fun to watch but illuminating too even if you did live through it all as I did. If I heard correctly, I was a bit stunned when I did hear it, then Britain was the happiest country in 1977. Not so now. Where did it all go wrong? Thatcher certainly made everything become about money. Anyway the seventies may be the decade that taste forgot, but I sure loved 'em and I'm determined to try and be that happy always. Try it.

It's your choice!