Must see TV - Week beginning Saturday 1st December 2018

Normal I would not publish such a small list of my TV reconditions but it is what it is so I have decided to look to the future and spy some Christmas offering.

Watership Down the new BBC update of the film is due to be shown and the wife and I are guessing Christmas Day offering. On Christmas, the wife will be excited to watch Call the Midwife and another show that my eye was Les Miserables an offering from the BBC.

Saturday - BBC4 – The Sinner 9pm (New Series) Terrestrial TV

During an afternoon at the beach with her husband and son, a woman consumed by a fit of rage commits a startling and very public act of violence without understanding why. Detective Harry Ambrose is determined to find the answer. Crime drama, starring Hollywood star Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman

Wednesday – Channel 4 – Word’s Weirdest Homes 9pm (New Series) Terrestrial TV

Charlie Luxton explores jaw-dropping homes and unusual residences, and examines why the people who live in them choose to escape the everyday world. Throughout the programme, Charlie meets a group of scientists pretending they live on Mars, a billionaire YouTube celebrity with his own zoo, and a Bible-obsessed Dutch entrepreneur.

Thursday – Sky Atlantic – Fortitude 9pm (New Series) Subscription Channel Sky Only

The concluding series begins with the remaining inhabitants of Fortitude in disarray. After the lynching of Governor Erling Munk, Richard Dormer’s sheriff Dan Anderson is preparing to defend the town from outside forces – but he’s not too busy to get high on psychedelic reindeer urine and take a spin round the living room with the charred torso he keeps in a duffel bag.

As Oslo despatches two new officers to attempt to make some sense of the anarchy in the town, Dan Anderssen (Richard Dormer) continues his descent into madness, bringing him head to head with the grief-stricken Michael Lennox (Dennis Quaid).

 

Friday – Channel 4 – Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast 8pm (New Series) Terrestrial TV

Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty's end-of-the-pier cafe is open once again for business and this series kicks off with Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker dropping in for a cooking lesson that is out of this world. In a cafe about the size of the Tardis, Jodie helps the boys rustle up a packed menu, including roast pork complete with a double helping of crispy crackling, and an authentic Thai beef massaman curry that Jodie's been dreaming about since she was 18. The boys are also back on the road, campaigning to keep sustainable British brown crabs on the menu, and Jimmy uses his DIY skills to create a barbecue out of an oil drum for the Harlequins ladies rugby squad.

WolvesHome, Live On Sky Sports - Football Tonight

Cardiff City have a home game against Wolves tonight the game live on Sky Sports kick-off 8pm. Wolves were promoted champions from the Championship last season along with us and made a massive splash in the summer transfer market spending well over 100million compared with a modest 28million by Cardiff. Neil Warnock says keeping Cardiff in the Premier League this season would be 10 times better than earning promotion last season but within the game Cardiff are given no chance of surviving.

The bad blood between the managers, that surfaced after April’s 1-0 victory by Wolves over Cardiff has disappeared after Cardiff boss Neil Warnock reacted furiously to Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo running onto the pitch at the end of the match at the last meeting of the two clubs. It led to Warnock refusing the customary end of the game handshake. All friends now and there will be handshakes a plenty tonight. In the reverse fixture last season, Cardiff beat Wolves 2-1 at their ground.

Wolves lost at home to Huddersfield last weekend, a major shock losing 2-0 while Cardiff lost 1-0 at Everton. So how does the king of predictions call the game Mark Lawrenson, a score draw while his guest even if I did not like most of his films Dolph Lundgren, gives Cardiff a 2-0 win. Robbie Savage true to form dishing out a defeat for the Welshman.

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock has hinted he will make changes with three games in eight days looming. West Ham away Tuesday night 7:45pm kick-off and on Saturday home to Southampton. I reckon there are points to be had in the next three games.

Josh Murphy will likely be recalled, the winger dropped to the bench for the 1-0 defeat at Everton last weekend. The BBC are reporting Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Jazz Richards, and Gary Madine are being assessed after recent injuries but Kenneth Zohore is still struggling with a calf injury.

Cardiff are in the hat for the third round of the FA Cup Monday with the draw live on BBC2 7pm. I love the FA Cup a nice cup run would be nice but the Premier League will take priority which is fair enough.

Childhood memory ... Airfix

Childhood heaven

In my pre-teens and a bit into my teens I loved making airfix models like a spitfire or a warships they were fun to build but after finishing they never quite looked like the picture on the box.

When I was younger, the boxes of Airfix soldiers were my real love and if I had enough money, which was not that often, I would head to the shop and buy a box to add to my army. The figures were 1/32 scale in a fixed-pose and you would get 29 pieces in the box, a mix of snipers, kneeing soldiers, standing, grenade thrower and an officer.

There were other figures in the sets like the British commandos where one or two of the soldiers would have a grappling hook? why. You could also buy ready-made military vehicles to the 1/32 scale to add more to a young child’s experience. On a rainy day, it could help wined the hours away playing with my soldiers’ normally on my bed using my bedspread to make mountains and valleys. Like in real life the British always won and if somehow I messed up with the kill count it didn’t matter it was a easy fix.

I thought maybe I could revisit my childhood and acquire a box or two on E-bay but the prices of the original are pretty steep so putting my momentary quest back into my childhood on hold for now.

Bye Mate It Was Fun

A dear old friend Rob Jarvis passed away some weeks ago and tomorrow it is his funeral. Boy, he made the early eighties more than interesting and a lot of fun. When we first met, he was sitting like a king at the head of the table. We were introduced and give him is due, I was a stranger but he made me feel at home straight away.

I remember he had a massive book open besides him I thought to myself he must be reading the ruddy full version of War and Peace later he told me it was worst then that. I was surprised we hit it off so well and we liked many of the same things, music for one.

Thereafter, we became mates and soon there was a group of us socialising mostly involving pubs, drinking, and we acquired the nickname ‘The Motley Crew’ precisely who we were with Rob the kind of leader. He had a tremendous sarcastic wit, I thought I was good but Rob could wit me under the table and sometimes he would tell you something and you would say yes with no idea what you are saying yes to in reality. He was sharp as a penny humour wise and bloody great fun to be around.

We come out of a pub somewhere in Cardiff and the next minute we would be off for something to eat but not always local! We would find ourselves on the M4 heading for the Seven Bridge services or the other way to the Bridgend services for a bacon or sausage sandwich, at like 1am, it was crazy.

Then there were the crazy singsongs in the car as we drunkenly belted out my version of Stop That Train - Clint Eastwood & General Saint was we headed home from a night in the pub. I jokingly turned it into a gay sonnet to our friend Martyn using the chorus

Hey, mister postman, bring back my Martyn

Hey, mister postman, bring back my Martyn

I need, I need, I need my Martyn (Big-a jump, hey-a)

I want, I want, I want my Martyn (Oh yeah, me wanna)

'Cause if you miss the car I’m in

And then you'll know that I am pissed

And you can hear the whistle blow five hundred miles

It’s a surprise to me we were never pulled over by the plod the car would be bouncing down the road as we fought to get our tune on the tape recorder not that Rob was a drink driver.

How we laughed when Rob on a holiday got so pissed off he decided to go home a night early with Martyn and Ivan the pain in the backside, literary he was complaining of Haemorrhoids, since we had arrived. On the way back to Cardiff from West Wales, Rob his car and passengers took a tumble or two off the road, they were all ok which we were grateful for and that was not funny.

However, it was no simple crash … Ivan had been collecting stones and bought a load of flour from a flourmill he had visited and with him on the back seat, you can imagine stones and flour flying round the car as it tumbled off the road. Somehow, Rob didn’t see the funny side when the police brought them back. Martyn later said it was like been in a washing machine on full spin. A great memory.

There was the time we were out and about and I was desperate to get home because I had a 5am call outside Ninian Park for a trip to Carlisle. Instead of taking me home, we sat outside the ground with a KFC bucket each, extra curried beans for me fixing the world and chatting until the coach arrived.

Remember when pubs would close in the afternoons many a time we would be standing outside waiting for the doors to open at 5pm and leave at last orders. He was the catalyst in the future wife and me coming out as a couple to our friends after he spotted us in Cardiff Bus station. I phoned him the next day to tell we were dating and asked him to keep it quiet, he figure it out and told Martyn we outed ourselves the next day.

There were so many more adventures we had from the happening at the Lighthouse Pub, the early morning fishing trip with ended in the disaster, the skittles night where I would normal end up drunk and stupid, trips to Heath Park for badminton and golf, and even green bowls we could always find something to do.

I haven’t seen him for near enough thirty years we didn’t fallout or something our lives just went in different directions. Married with a young family drunken nights were becoming extinct with no social media back then he became employed working in Bristol and we just drifted apart. He was never out of my mind we always talked about him fondly and I was excited when I found him on Twitter and later Facebook.

It was heart breaking this mountain of a man felled by the ‘Big C’ and the pain he had to endure you could see in his face. On a selfish side I am glad Wifey (Glenys) and myself with friends Andrew, Leighton had our so late reunion with Rob, which he agreed should have happened long ago.

Its Eveton Away Today

Cardiff City fans are on the road this weekend to the City of Liverpool to face off against Everton. Will we see the Bluebirds first league away win of the season? Having won two of the last four games and against Tottenham and Leicester were both only 1-0 defeats shows an improvement in the Cardiff team.

A fact the Welshman have not won at Goodison Park since 1926, been awhile then.

I woke up this morning optimistic about the game today and reckon there could be points for Cardiff. There is a lot of belief needed in your team in the Premier League especially if everyone and there dog expects your team to be relegated even before a ball was kicked.

After 12 games Cardiff are, eighteenth the league table just inside a relegation spot sharing the same eight points with Southampton and Crystal Palace with the bottom seven becoming slightly detached from the rest of the league.

The last time we played each other was Cardiff brief visit to the Premier League in 2013/14 season and over the two games Cardiff managed to collect a point in the 0-0 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium and later in that season, Everton picked up the three points.

Neil Warnock is counting down to January transfer window were he intends to get a forward or two to enhance Cardiff’s survival prospects

"I think the main priorities are a full-back, central midfielder and a striker," he said.

"Definitely we are looking. We're only allowed one other loan from the Premier League because we've got Harry [Arter] until the end of the season.

"We have to prioritise which players we can get on loan and then we've got to look abroad to bring the other two or three in, which we are doing at the moment.

"I would think it makes sense if we can get players on loan, rather than spending massive money, until you know if you're in the Premier League or not.

"But I'm sure if the right striker came about and we've got the realistic money, I think Vincent [Tan, Cardiff's owner] would listen to us.

"We need to try and get a move on so we've got one or two in straight away in January, rather than the last minute again."

So how did my favourite pundits see the game going in their crystal balls? There is no surprise with both Robbie Savage and Mark Lawrenson predicting a defeat. So does Lawrenson’s guest this week Mumford & Sons join the footballing expert’s prediction a defeat?

Sean Morrison failed to finish the game against Brighton after a broken nose but has been passed fit for the Everton. Harry Arter returns after a ban and Jazz Richards may be available after a hamstring problem, but a calf injury is likely to sideline Kenneth Zohore.

Must see TV - Week beginning Saturday 24 November 2018

Can it get any worse for new TV releases! Well it is looking at next week but I have my fingers crossed for a better December  Christmas is coming but I think it will be the New Year when most of the new drama to be release.

There is next to nothing on the TV next week that caught my eye maybe the new documentary Warship I am a sucker for anything to do with our armed forces.

Monday – Channel 5 – Warship: Life at Sea 9pm (Series New) Terrestrial TV

Documentary about Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan, following the ups and downs of everyday life for its crew of 280 and capturing dramatic moments in its operations. In the first edition, the crew make final preparations for launch under the watchful eye of Captain Eleanor Stack, before the ship sets out on a seven-month mission to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. As HMS Duncan passes into the Black Sea, the operation begins in earnest with the sudden emergence of a Russian warship that begins to follow it.

Tuesday – BBC 1 – Mrs Wilson 9pm (New Series) Terrestrial TV

In 1963 Alison Wilson is a neat, happy woman with a job in an office typing pool, two fine children, and a husband, Alec, who’s a successful writer at home at his desk in comfortable suburbia.

But Alison’s world implodes when Alec (Iain Glen) dies suddenly and a woman knocks on her door to make an extraordinary claim. Ruth Wilson is tremendous as older Alison and, in flashbacks, as young Alison, a dewy-eyed country girl who leaves Cumberland for London and the excitement of working for the secret service during the Second World War.

Wednesday – BBC 4 – Vic & Bob’s Big Night Out 10pm (New Series) Terrestrial TV

Surreal comedy with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, featuring sketches, slapstick, songs, and stunts, accompanied by a series of special guests. In the first of the four-part series, Vic and Bob disrupt a couple's cosy dinner date with a song and dance routine, before Tom Cruise performing a daring stunt interrupts the comedians.

Thursday – Channel 5 – Oxford Street 24/7 9pm (New Series) Terrestrial TV

Observational documentary revealing the inner workings of the central London thoroughfare. It's all hands on deck at John Lewis as the store open its new rooftop garden to the public, fans queue all night at the Disney Store to get hold of the new Mickey Mouse toy and final rehearsals take place for the Bat Out of Hell musical at the Dominion Theatre. Meanwhile, police target pickpockets and shoplifters and signal failure is causing problems at Oxford Circus underground station.

Thursday – Sky Atlantic – Kidding 10.40pm (New Series) Subscription Channel

A tragicomedy about an entertainer longing to show his public a darker side? It sounds tailor-made for Jim Carrey and, sure enough, he’s terrific in the warped tale of a TV puppeteer who is having his strings cut, one by one.

Jeff, aka Mr Pickles, has been a TV institution for 30 years, a sort of one-man Sesame Street. Now he wants to do a show teaching kids about death – having suffered a bereavement of his own. His full circumstances emerge bit by bit in a first episode full of odd tangents and quirky moments, as when his son tells him to smarten up because, “You look like Rosa Parks’s bus driver.”

Some People Need A Bit Of Help At Christmas

It is that time of year Christmas is coming a time for family and celebrations’ at the forefront of most of our minds as preparations build up but for some this is a time of dread. Please remember the thousands of families who will be dependent on emergency handouts from food banks and other charities with the run up to the Christmas period.

This Christmas I have forgone with an advent crown instead, I will be doing a reverse crown. Therefore, for 20 days from 1 December each day I will put something in a box to donate to the food bank the normal kind of everyday stuff and some Christmas treats. A number of food banks have already started and that is where my idea came from.

I am lucky as my local Tesco have a collection box for the local food bank and if you have a quick internet search, I am sure you will find somewhere local to you to drop off your donation. Tesco is not just for Christmas. They run food bank collections all year around.

Remember if you are food poor, you are likely to be suffering Fuel Poverty when people struggle to cover the costs of heating their homes; this issue is particularly serious in winter. However, it is an all year problem and I believe some food banks can help pointing people in the right direction for help.

In addition, it may cost a bit more but there are many families in this desperate situation with children with little to celebrate but the warmness of the family so why not put a smile on their young faces. In Cardiff’s St David’s Centre and I am sure country wide they are having Toy Appeal is running from 1st until 23rd December helping sick and disadvantaged children. Pick up an extra present while shopping for the toy appeal.

Who knows next Christmas it could be you or a family member who could have to rely on the support of a food bank or toy bank. It has been reported 80,000 people, including 30,000 children, will receive help from one of 500+ food banks over the festive period in one of the riches countries in the world, sad or what.

The homeless over the Christmas holiday period find help with many organisations pulling together in offering help and support but keep an eye out to see if they need support it could be voluntary help or donations. In and round Cardiff, some cafes, restaurants, are opening to help the homeless, hard up and the lonely.

Bill Ward cartoonist of glamour

American cartoonist Bill Ward is a favourite and was a prolific cartoonist of what was called 'the good girl pin-ups' and probably the greatest ever. His artwork featured attractively drawn women in comic books, comic strips, pulp magazines, and book covers from yesteryear and unlikely to have many fans in the world of the PC brigade today.

Some of his work can receive high prices at auction some as  much as five figures for the rarer work. Personally I would love to own some of his work but I doubt the wife would be happy.

I prefer these cartoon drawn than naked pictures in fact I have never been a fan of the naked body since I can remember. I would prefer a pair of boobs in a bra or some lingerie than free for all to see that is why I was never a fan of page threes Sun newspaper. definitely along the line of sexploitation this post.

His work has appeared in comics titles such as Humorama Magazine, Sex to Sexty, Joker, and so many other Men's Magazines from the 1950's through the 1970's and was very popular. He only work once for a British magazine if was for a mainstream comic "2000 AD" a comic that never interested me but Ward drew a four-page part called "The Mega-City 5000.

Some people could call his work porn or even soft-porn but I say each to there own what someone will call art others will say rubbish.

One of his most famous and recurring theme is the telephone girl - some of the most prized pieces of Ward's to Pinup Art Collectors. Spanking features regularly but his art is mostly famed for large breasts and high heels with mostly lecherous old men lusting after young woman. I suppose the British comparison would be the sexier seaside postcards although there were some British cartoonist who followed the likes of Bill Ward.

He did hardcore illustrations but I have to say I don't favour them they are of the same high quality drawing but I like what I like.

To be honest I could never pick a favourite, it is nearly impossible every time I delve into his work up pops something I like more than the last one. He is reputed to have a portfolio of over 10,000 cartoons and other works.

Mr. Forbush and the Penguins (1971) - Film Review

Watching David Attenborough “Dynasties” on Sunday and the Emperor Penguins I was reminded of a film starring the late John Hurt called “Mr. Forbush and the Penguins” (1971) a sweet little film so I went about looking for a copy online. It took a while but I found a decent copy, sat back, and enjoyed.

Richard Forbush, played by John Hurt, a very talented and capable biology student who seems too spent is time chasing females round until he runs into Tara played by Hayley Mills where his charms hit a brick wall. He reluctantly accepts a postgraduate field assignment to observe the population of penguins in the Antarctic partly to fulfil his 'debt to science' but more so to impress a beautiful aspiring biology student, Tara.

Soon he finds himself at a dilapidated scientific outpost built by famed arctic explorer Ernest Shackleton decades earlier and alone. With no penguins he just as to wait then several days later he spies a lone penguin, then another, followed by more they had arrived but Forbush yearns for the high life of home and Tara.

His attitude changes almost immediately upon sighting the very first lone penguin ambling down the side of a snowy slope. Hundreds of penguins quickly join him or her, and as the rookery grows Forbush gets down to business and performs all his assigned scientific tasks in a somewhat professional if eccentric manner. The scenes of the penguins and their occasional interaction with Forbush lead to some very endearing and humorous moments.

As time transpires, Forbush finds himself increasingly involved emotionally with the penguins, marvelling at their will to survive, watching them care for the eggs and the eventual birth of the chicks. His haggard appearance is a marked contrast to the fresh faced chopper pilots who stop by and his college buddy Starshot who visits during Christmas, all of whom fear Forbush is taking the penguins much too seriously for his own good.

Eventually, Forbush's obsession with the penguins' welfare, coupled with the madness brought on by months of isolation, lead him astray. After weeks of watching, helplessly as the predatory skua gull attack the rookery, destroying hundreds of eggs, and killing many chicks, he discards the scientific creed of strict neutral observation, builds a catapult, and takes action against the predatory birds attacking their nests.

He soon regains his senses; he realizes he was foolish to try to interfere with the pattern of nature that has been going on for thousands of years. His last taped messages to Tara raise questions about his very soul and about humanity's relationship with nature, which are relevant even today. On Sundays “Dynasties”, we saw the camera crew help the penguins out of a steep ravine some had fallen into with their young chicks by digging a few steps to help them.

By listening to these tapes during Forbush's six-month tenure in the wild, Tara keenly senses his maturity as a scientist and as a man. Tara listens to Forbush's tapes in the company of her current suitor, who is understandably bored.

Tara takes this beau's insensitivity to the penguins' plight she eventually decides that the bird-loving Forbush is a better man.

My Rating

Trip Out Shopping For Chopped Pork

There is no Morrison’s close to us and I fancy having a looks see it has been two years since I walked through their doors. We normally head to Cardiff Bay store a good distance from home and would cost us round £25 including a small tip by taxi there and back but now it is a free journey if we want to make it.

Cardiff Buses have a bus running over to Morrison’s the number 13 bus that goes from the Ely area of Cardiff, via the town centre down to the Bay and stops right outside the store. Free because of the wife’s disability. She receives free bus travel along with a helper sounds great if you can get on the bus if you are in a wheelchair.

Our luck was in today no competition for the wheelchair area and we could get on the bus to the Bay. It was an uneventful journey, we were just grateful to be out of the biting cold, it was freezing. Something I noticed when we stopped at the Wyndham Arcade bus stop the whole atmosphere of the bus changed with tourists excited about the Bay even in this weather and the Butetown locals nattering away talking about the old days and remembering.

I like Morrison’s shopping wise and not because they sell Chopped Pork at their deli and my reason for making this crazy trip just for my favourite sandwich filler. On the way home, we face the brutal wind whipping up from Cardiff Bay and it was serious cold luckily it was not to long before we found comfort of the bus and its warmth.

Tutti Frutti (1990 German TV series) Gameshow

I flicked through my Virgin Media box this morning looking for something to watch I noted there are a number of channels were blocked locked to me, I was reminded of the early years of Sky Satellite.

We went with the British Satellite Broadcasting but when it closed down, we transferred over to Sky, which proved to be better. There were more channels and a bonus with many unencrypted foreign channels to view.

One of the channels was RTL a German channel and the only one I can remember due to the TV series “Tutti Frutti” and to be honest the only show I can remember as well. Thanks to YouTube, I refreshed my memory earlier. While researching the show I remembered SAT.1 where they would show soft-core films late at night in a foreign language.

“Tutti Frutti” was the first erotic TV show on German television and was available to viewers across Europe as it was broadcast without encryption via the Astra satellite. It was a kind of game show in German so I had no idea what the hell was being said but the premise was very odd as a male and female answer questions and would strip. The host Hugo Egon Balder was a slimy looking bloke with a mullet to match.

I suppose the show was famed for its showgirls called "Cin Cin Girls" each one representing a particular fruit - strawberry, banana it goes on and wore an outfit to resemble the colour of the fruit and when points given then they would revealed their breasts with a nipple pastie of their fruit covering one. There were a lot of woman on the screen scantily clad but no one is naked I remember it was called the boobs show when the British media got hold of the story.

One of the weirdest foreign game shows I seen on a Friday night or any night really. I suppose I should say would it work today. Why not, because it would make a funky game show but for some reason I believe no production, company would commission it scared of the reaction but we can laugh and have fun watching “Naked Attraction a British dating game show”.

If you have not seen it, the controversial dating show where people male and female stand behind a screen are slowly revealed to potential love interests. I cannot see why but a guy revealing a tiny penis or some fat woman is ok. You know why they are in the line-up, for a laugh will no chance of winning the date.

Egg and Soldiers a Memory

One of those food memories just popped up in my head as I was watching the John Lewis Christmas Advert no not a little me running downstairs the find a piano but a little Peter running down to see an egg cup sitting on a saucer and knowing what that meant Christmas or not.

Egg and Soldiers for breakfast!

As a child it was my out and out favourite breakfast and I would plop myself on the chair mum spooning an egg into my egg cup then cutting a line of toasted soldiers with a nice dollop of real butter. Mum have the soft-boiled egg down to perfection, perfect. They were never under done or over just right for dipping with your soldiers once she had removed the top of the egg, allowing access to the delicious interior.

The humble boiled egg has traditionally been seen as a very simple task for the full hardboiled egg but getting a dipping egg to the right consistency and runny-ness is an art. When I made egg and soldiers for my kids back in the day, the eggs were always cracking and mum explained eggs should be at room temperature and placed in cold water not boiled water she claimed it was an art to getting it right.

The yellowness of the egg inside was beautiful to view and how it clings to the soldier was something to behold as the butter melts. After dipping was over, spoon in hand it was time to clean out what was left in your egg, scrumptious. 

Do kids have egg and soldiers these days?

Must see TV - Week beginning Sat 17 November 2018

Another diabolical week TV wise roll on the Christmas schedule one thing you will not see any mention here about “I’m A Celebrity”. One show I am looking forward to watching this week ‘A Matter of Life and Debt where ethical loans are handed out at a low interest to its members and responsible lenders who help with loans to start up a business, always a fascinating watch. I am a credit union member myself! I would highly recommend joining to anyone.

Saturday – BBC1 - Michael McIntyre's Big Show 8:10pm (New Series)

The lively comedian hosts an evening of entertainment, recorded in front of an audience at London's Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. The first edition features a musical performance by Little Mix, while Michael also makes unsuspecting fans' dreams come true in Unexpected Star and plays Celebrity Send to All with Holly Willoughby, hijacking the presenter's mobile phone to send an embarrassing message to all her recorded contacts.

Sunday – Channel 4 - Tin Star 9pm (New Series)

First aired on Sky Atlantic the highly rated drama is now have a run out on terrestrial TV. A Crime drama set in a Canadian mountain town, starring Tim Roth as a British police chief hoping to make a fresh start in peaceful surroundings and resist giving in to alcoholism. When an oil company makes plans to build a refinery in the area, he fears the social problems it may bring, and in defiance of his friends and neighbours, makes a dangerous stand against the project that risks his family's safety.

Monday – BBC1 - A Matter of Life and Debt 11am (New Series)

The welcome return of the programme telling the stories of people whose lives have been transformed by ethical loans offered by credit unions and responsible lenders, including a car saleswoman who opened a dog-grooming business and chef who needed £3,000 to expand her restaurant business in the Peak District National Park.

Monday – Channel 5 – Blood 9pm (New Series)

Blood is a bit of a novelty, as it’s an original C5 drama and is stripped nightly across the week until Friday. A woman returns to her childhood home after her mother dies, supposedly from injuries sustained in a fall, but she becomes suspicious of the circumstances surrounding her death - and of her father in particular. Feature-length opening episode of the psychological thriller set in rural Ireland.

Monday - Netflix – The Last Kingdom (New Series)

Uhtred returns not on the BBC who drop the show but Netflix after acquired the rights. King Alfred health is failing and with him, his dream of a united England will Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) remain loyal?

With enemies circling Alfred, could Uhtred take command of his army with his son showing little interest in confronting the new threat, Danish warlord Sigrid? He (Uhtred) has gained a reputation of an immense warrior.

Thursday – BBC4 - Tomorrow’s World Live: For One Night Only 9pm (New)

Maggie Philbin, Howard Stableford, and Hannah Fry present this one-off edition of the science and technology show, broadcast live from Pacific Quay in Glasgow. They delve into the archive to look at innovations originally featured on the show, some of which have come to define the modern world - such as the mobile phone - and try out new cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to influence people's lives in decades to come.

The Captive Heart 1946 - Film Review

This is a film about British prisoners of war. After Dunkirk they were marched across Europe until reaching their destinations most going into prisoner of war camps in Germany. Most of these men were ‘in the bag’ (prisoners) and would face nearly five years in captivity.

The film mainly deals with the story of Capt. Karel Hasek (Michael Redgrave) a Czech soldier who having escaped from a prison camp trying to get to safety puts on the uniform of a dead British Captain, Geoffrey Mitchell in the process taking this identity. Other characters amongst the POW's were best friends and business partners from before the war Corporal Ted Horsfall (Jack Warner) and Private Dai Evans who befriend Pte. Mathews (Mervyn Johns) a London wide boy, Lieutenant David Lennox (Gordon Jackson) who due to injury is blind and gives a touching performance.

The other prisoners begin to believe Mitchell is a German spy and when confronted he explains his position. A visiting Gestapo officer is known to Mitchell as Hasek and takes an interest in him unsure if he if who he thinks he is. Later he inquires why Mitchell is not writing home to his wife. To cover his handwriting he arranges an accident. Prior to the war Mitchell and his wife were not getting on and so when she receives the sweet letters from Hasek pretending to be her husband it causes her to fall for him again.

In the camp time drags, and strangely we see no attempts to escape except when injured and sick prisoners are offered repatriation. The Gestapo are close to finding out the identity of Mitchell so he goes before the repatriation board in hope of gaining a place on the boat home but fails.

Pte. Mathews comes to the rescue giving his place but they have to change the name on the list. The list is in the commandant’s officer so they break in and make the changes and the only thing to do is dodge a guard and he is homeward bound.

At the dock waiting for the ship is Mitchell's wife Celia (Rachel Kempson) she pushes past him looking for her husband. Corporal Ted Horsfall and Private Dai Evans return home but its bitter sweet for Pte Evans. His wife died giving birth to a daughter he had never seen. Young Lieutenant David Lennox goes home to his Mother and Farther but his girlfriend is waiting for him they were engaged but he called it off due to his blindness.

There was also Lieutenant Stephen Harley (Derek Bond) distraught after receiving a letter, which states his wife is being unfaithful. The letter was a case of malice but feeling dejected the wife began an affair

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He goes to see Celia and tells her about her husband’s death and why he took over his identity but she wants to know why he wrote so lovingly explain he fell in love with the letter writer. After she recovers, she begins rereading his letters and realises that she has come to love the writer. When Hasek calls her on the telephone on the day that Germany surrenders, she rush from the garden to speak with him.

All of which combines to create an effective drama with a surprising touching side and I don't mean just the romance but the companionship of the men in the camp. Much of this down to a stellar British cast as whilst Michael Redgrave is perfectly understated as Hasek he has great support from the likes of Gordon Jackson, Mervyn Jones, and Jack Warner.

What this all boils down to is that "The Captive Heart" is a surprisingly touching war movie with not only a decent romantic storyline but an interesting look at life inside a prisoner of war camp.

The Life And Times of David Lloyd George - Philip Maddoc - TV Review

Over the last week or so I have been revisiting the BBC series for the eighties “The Life and Times of David Lloyd George” a classic piece of British TV at spawned a number one single. There are some great actors, of the top of my head Anthony Hopkins, Hugh Griffith and not to forget Richard Burton but I would add Philip Madoc to that illustrious list.

Madoc was mostly a TV actor maybe why he is not so remember but he has been in a number of great TV series. The above-mentioned and the likes of “The Last of the Mohicans” were he played Magua, my two favourite outstanding pieces of his works.

The Life and Times of David Lloyd George is a British TV drama serial from 1981 that follows the life and career of Liberal politician David Lloyd George, Britain’s Prime Minister during much of WWI. His long and eventful life saw him live through most of WWII as well – so his extraordinary story is certainly fine fodder for dramatization.

Philip Madoc as David Lloyd George the role was made for him, but is perhaps the late Welsh actor’s best-known work was in Dad’s Army (he was the German U-Boat commander who noted down Pike’s name after Mainwaring’s famous line: “Don’t tell him, Pike.”) Madoc’s towering central performance is what makes this series great. The syrupy, deep, musical Welsh voice and the animalistic quality of his physicality leaves him not unlike Anthony Hopkins, and whilst Madoc may not have reached such stature, it was not through shortage of acting influence.

Like all BBC television dramas of the time, The Life and Times of David Lloyd George is shot mostly in the studio and on tape, but with some filmed location footage added. The sets are decent, with the House of Commons and Number 10 Downing Street especially noteworthy.

By today’s standards, it is long and ponderous. In fact, it would have felt slow even thirty five years ago. That’s because the drama is approached like a patchwork, through snapshots of Lloyd George’s life, incorporating jumps forward in time that can make the scenes feel disconnected from one another. However, the series gets into the psychology of Lloyd George, and if you’re sucked into the world of the story and the characters, you’re happy for it to take its time.

The series may be dry for casual viewers, but for those with an interest in classic TV and historical drama, The Life and Times of David Lloyd George will hit the right notes. Its use of Ennio Morricone’s Chi Mai as the theme tune is inspired, and sets an appropriately reflective mood and top the UK charts. Whilst not every detail of the changing political landscape is covered, such as the decline of the Liberal Party (later replaced by Labour as the principal opposition to the Conservatives) that would never have another PM after Lloyd George, it is historically accurate, and commendable for that.

The series doesn’t shy away from treating David Lloyd George honestly, and portraying him as a real human being, warts and all. Principally, this is done through his unfaithfulness to his wife, Margaret (Lisabeth Miles), and his callous disregard for her feelings when he keeps a long-term mistress, Frances (Kika Markham), whom he isn’t faithful to either…

There are a few great actors to look out for in supporting roles. David Troughton (A Very Peculiar Practice) plays Lloyd George’s secretary, and Fulton Mackay (Porridge) takes on a familiarly combative supporting role.

Overall, the series is worth seeing for Philip Madoc’s amazing central performance. Although given an excellent make-up job, wig and costume, it is stunning how much he looks like Lloyd George, and his capability as an actor ensures he embodies the part entirely.

Dynasties - TV Review - BBC Nature

Chimpanzees are the species closest to humans and last night watching “Dynasties” David Attenborough’s latest stunning series they looked the part. An extraordinary tale of nature’s power politics in the small troop of Chimps led by David.

The central figure David was not the alpha male because he was a nice bloke but at the beginning of the episode, he was alone with the males in the group waiting on their chance to make a move on his position as leader. Baby chimps’ splash and frolic at watering holes. Mothers watch intently but the ticking time bomb in the group is about ready to explode.

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Knowing the ladies of the troop were about to become fertile and ready to mate - he (David), knew a challenge was on the cards and he managed to find some support of sort from old a Chimpanzee via some literal back-scratching, is enough to repel one attempted coup, but next time will David be so lucky. He had to keep his eye particularly on two upstarts Luther and Jumpkin, the most likely contenders for his crown.

With a drought and after a fire the group were at a heighten tension and the females came into season. In the night, David was given a right kicking when a gang of the young males took their chance. He was horribly wounded with a finger missing, great gouges in his flesh and foam dried to a white crust around his mouth - he looked to have been killed. The wife said he was dead until we saw a flicker of movement.

The females and young chimps gathered around him to tender the wounds but they needed to move on to search for water. Incredibly alone, he managed to gather some strength and days later began to follow the group to the water. Meanwhile Luther was trying to take over the troop bashing trees and running around but the arrival of David stop that.

The task for David even in his weaken state was to put Luther down and he soon confronted him with the big “Come and have a go if you think your hard enough” kind of attitude he (Luther) run faster than Usain Bolt to get away. He was back, King David. He was no longer fighting fit but time is a great healer and he soon linked-up with the old chimps to former a tidy firm. Nine months later, he was laying back with a new son but the alpha male time will end soon and maybe Luther will get his chance.

Cardiff City - Welsh Cup - FA Cup

It was a happy weekend … Cardiff City won their second league game of the season. This weekend there was a double Cup with both the FA Cup first round proper and the Welsh Cup second round. I have explained before I like to be a nerd and follow a team from the opening rounds just for a little bit of fun. Ok this post is about the Cup games but Cardiff City, I have to have a little mention I just have to.

Our second win of the season with some luck involved and we were due a bit of that coming our way. It was a late winning goal I was beginning to think the game was going to end as a draw against 10 men Brighton after the sending-off of a player mid-way in the first half of the game.

The winning goal by Sol Bamba's was controversial, off side in my book … but the ref and his assistant missed it so no goal, no VAR so end of the story that is due in the Premier next season? You can bet if that were a Brighton goal, they would have been happy to take it and it would have been Cardiff boss Warnock bemoaning the ref.

Vanarama National League Sutton United failed to beat Slough Town of the Evo-Stik League South yesterday so a replay between the two back at Slough Town’s ground will be play in the week.

According to reports, the National League side must be relieved to scrape though to a replay after Slough belied their lower divisional status has they more are less control the game in awful conditions. Both are in the hat for the draw with a few big clubs like Portsmouth in the draw.

Winning through to the next round for the winners of the replay could see a fixture against one of the big Premier League giants. Manchester City or Liverpool and money, money, money could make their season financially.

Route to Wembley (Bold my Team)

First Round Proper (replay) Slough Town v Sutton United Att 

First Round Proper Sutton United 0-0 Slough Town Att 1830 

Fourth Round Qualifying Eastbourne 1-2 Slough Town Att 802 

Third Round Qualifying (Replay) Bristol Manor Farm 0 – 4 Slough Town Att 541 

Third Round Qualifying Slough Town 2 – 2 Bristol Manor Farm Att 486 

Second Round Qualifying (Replay) – Sholing 0 - 3 Slough Town Att 327 

Second Round Qualifying - Slough Town 2 – 2 Sholing Att 465 

First Round Qualifying (Replay) - Hamworthy United 0 - 1 Sholing Att 149 

First Round Qualifying – Sholing 0 - 0 Hamworthy United Att 230 

Preliminary Round - United Services Portsmouth 1 - 3 Sholing Att 131 

The Extra Preliminary Round - United Services Portsmouth 5 – 2 Andover Town Att -

A massive shock in is around of Welsh League with Welsh League Division Two Monmouth Town beaten at home by Gwent County League side Ynysddu Welfare. They will now join the Welsh Premier League sides in the third round draw.

Ynysddu Welfare led the way in the JD Welsh Cup this afternoon as they continued their amazing season of cup exploits by sealing a place in the Third Round with a 3-1 win away at Monmouth Town. 

The Gwent County League side fell behind in the second minute through Leo Ross, but responded with two first half goals through Ethan Shide and Lewis Barnett. Holding Monmouth at bay during the second half, they eventually wrapped things up through Leigh Sharp's late penalty.

From the FAW Website

In the glass bowl for the Monday draw, which should be live around mid-day on Facebook with the Welsh Premier League, teams entering the fray. Ynysddu must be one of the lowest teams left in the competition but what do they want out of the draw. A possible encounter with another team in the same level or one of the Premier teams, The New Saints or Barry Town United maybe.

Route to Final (Bold my Team)

Second Round – Monmouth Town 1 - 3 Ynysddu Welfare 

First Round – Undy Athletic 3 - 4 Monmouth Town 

Second Round Qualifying - Monmouth Town 4 - 2 Wattsville 

First Round Qualifying - Treharris Western Athletic 8 - 1 Aberystwyth Exiles