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

Brighton are today's visitors .... Live on Sky 12.30pm

It was all emotional last Saturday on and off the field! The Leicester visitors were caught up with the death of their chairman and benefactor Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. They left with a bonus three points following a 1-0 victory. Today for the early kick-off due to the game live on Sky Sport Brighton are the visitors.

After eleven games a pundit as predicted, a Cardiff win over the 12th place Brighton and its only Mark Lawrenson highly respected in the punditry game whacking out a 1-0 score line for the Welshman. Robbie Savage in the Daily Mirror could not go as far as a Cardiff win, instead predicting a draw.

Checking the records, we have never met in a top league fixture it is the first time I noticed that stat. On the pitch, Cardiff will be without midfielder Harry Arter as he serves a one-match ban for accumulating five bookings this season picking up his fifth booking in Cardiff's 1-0 home defeat to Leicester last time out. Jazz Richards misses out due to a hamstring injury and Kenneth Zohore remains side-lined with a calf problem. Cardiff could welcome back Joe Ralls, who has served a three-match ban.

The game is in the must-win territory for Cardiff once again, much like with the Fulham home game, which led to Cardiff, only win of the season. In our position, every game his must win and in the press Cardiff boss Neil Warnock said the points to escape relegation would be low this season. Last season Swansea when down with 33 points so what will Cardiff need for an end of season survival.

Must see TV - Week beginning Sat10 November 2018

Next week is poor to say the least. On the TV front that is, I was close to not posting today but a few new shows that caught my attention changed my mind. On Sunday, there is the new David Attenborough documentary an obvious hit for the BBC. Over on Channel 4 ‘Escape to the Chateau’, clashes with Attenborough and his new offering ‘Dynasties’.

But these days the only decision you have to make is - which to watch live so to say because the BBC has the iPlayer and Channel 4 as a +1 channel and their own iPlayer meaning it’s difficult to miss anything. I am also looking forward to the second series of ‘Mars’ over on National Geographic Channel.

Sunday – BBC1 – World War One Remembered – 10pm (New)

David Dimbleby, Dan Snow, and Tina Daheley introduce live coverage of the service of remembrance from the Cenotaph, attended by members of the royal family and thousands of veterans. The programme includes coverage of the two-minute silence, the Royal British Legion's march past, and a procession of 10,000 members of the public in tribute to the soldiers who died in the First World War.

There will be a tear or two shed by myself sometime during the service.

Sunday – Channel 4 - Escape to the Chateau 8:30pm (New Series)

Dick and Angel expand the project by setting up a luxury campsite on the chateau grounds, but they only have six weeks to complete it before the first guests arrive - and the weather is not on their side, with constant rain turning the planned site into a muddy field. They also have to contend with a visit from Dick's family at Easter.

Sunday – BBC1- Dynasties 8:30pm (New Series).

David Attenborough narrates footage of five of the world's most endangered species as they struggle to preserve their social groups, beginning with a chimpanzee troop in Senegal. As the dry season sets in, the Alpha of the pack, who has ruled unchallenged for the past three years, faces a series of challenges and finds little support from the other apes.

Sunday - National Geographic Channel - Mars 10pm (New Series)

It was two years ago that I got addicted to a TV show on National Geographic Channel, Mars. Telling a fictional story about the first Mars coloniser’s years from now, in a documentary format where experts talk about space travel and the future of humanity on Mars.

The continuation of the story is finally here – and it’s unmissable. 

The latest season picks up five years after the conclusion of the first. It is now 2042, IMSF has established, and Olympus Town settlement on Mars is fully developed. Now oil company workers are transferred to the planet to work on resource extraction.

Monday – ITV – Running Wild With Bear Grylls 9pm (New Series)

Tennis legend Roger Federer joins the adventurer on a trip through the Swiss Alps, with the pair descending a frozen waterfall and using tennis rackets as snowshoes to cross a frozen lake. After a snack of frozen fish eyeballs, the two ascend a sheer cliff that is their only way home, and Roger shares details of his private life, including amusing aspects of raising two sets of twins, and his struggle to develop an on-court balance that led to an unmatched string of Grand Slam victories.

Monday – Channel 4 – 24 Hours in A&E 9pm (New Series)

The return of the programme following life at the A&E department of St George's in south-west London. Rich, 35, is airlifted to the hospital after being involved in a high-speed collision on the M25, and doctors are concerned when they discover he has lost feeling below his chest and can't move his legs. Meanwhile, 36-year-old Justin has had a life-threatening accident while playing football and he is put into an induced coma while a CT scan is carried out, which reveals a potentially life-threatening bleed on his brain.

Tuesday – BBC1 – Stacey Dooley: The Young And The Homeless 10:45pm (New)

Street life, a youth homeless charity in Blackpool funded by Children in Need, has eight beds – but there are ten young people waiting outside. Josh, the 18-year-old hero of this enraging documentary, explains that this means he’ll probably end up in a sleeping bag on the doorstep; a few days later, when Stacey Dooley meets him again, he’s definitely kipping outside because his shift at a pizza takeaway has made him miss his place in the queue.

Another circumstance in which Josh sleeps rough is when a girl needs the bed: he refuses to subject young women to the ordeal. The desperately vulnerable teen girls Dooley meets when she moves on to Manchester prove Josh’s point. Their families have booted out most of these blameless kids. Then when they hit 18, the welfare safety net disappears. Dooley’s film offers hope in the form of organisations that try to help, but it’s a shamefully bleak picture.

Friday – BBC4 – David Rodigan: The Unlikely King Of Reggae 10pm (New)

The life of the German-born reggae broadcaster and radio presenter whose love affair with Jamaican music began in the 1950s, celebrating a man whose career is strangely intertwined with not only the evolution of such music in this country, but also the evolution of the culture. In recent years, the 67-year-old's DJ appearances have started attracting a far younger audience, a reflection perhaps of the way different forms of music from the different cultures that have arrived in Britain over the last 70 years have integrated, taken root, and spawned new scenes, attitudes, and tastes.

Mayo wins - I will never eat the stuff

I love a sandwich, as my waistline can testify! However, still the sandwich produces of the UK believe mayo is a sandwich spread. I have written on the subject on mayo as a spread and it is becoming hard and harder to find a non-mayo sandwich. When you do find one you had better get in there quickly because they sell out fast.

The Christmas sandwiches are hitting the shops and I expect that like the last two years I will not be finding a mayo free sandwich. It is so depressing I thought I heard great news of a Christmas related snack new on the market of a ‘Pigs in Blanket’ sandwich that was until finding out mayo spread was in use.

Screw it! I give up I could never win the battle against the curse of mayo and shout out to the few shops that supports people like me. It is not that I want to see the extermination of mayo only as a spread take the humble Ham sandwich and mayo spread. Unholy and sacrilege to a slice of Ham.

I would like to give a shout out to Brutons the Bakers who use margarine and mayo and will make a lush Ham sarnie with margarine if you ask, and if they have the fixings for a sandwich, and the staff are marvellous. And a shout out to Cardiff Indoor Market were the cafés go old school with margarine and stalls like The Market Munch box at least give you the option the ham crusty cob/bap being my favourite.

I still have Pies, Pasty, Sausage Rolls so my waistline will be safe until I am thrown into fatty prison to fat out.

No more really Bonfire Night

I have come to the conclusion that you have to be over about 50 maybe 40 years-old to have great memories of bonfire night and the joy of the build up to the fifth. That period was 'the golden days' when we loved Guy Fawkes Night and built mega bonfires. We can all remember the TV ad with the tune ‘Light up the sky with Standard Fireworks” and the joy it would bring.

We would be excited, you would know when bonfire night was getting closer because the Newsagents would start displaying fireworks in their shop windows and inside there would be a glass display counter that would be full of fireworks for sale.

All the usual stuff, bangers that come in a box of five I seem to remember, sparklers, jumping Jacks, Catherine Wheels, Rockets, and Golden Rain. I am not sure why the Newsagent’s shops were the ones to stock and sell fireworks but not all shops did. My local newsagents didn’t but we had no problem securing our fireworks. There didn’t seem to be a age limit I remember being as young as eleven and having the ability to buy what I wanted, bangers.

library picture

We would go ‘penny for the guy’ as a way of gathering funds for fireworks mostly bangers and some sweets. How it would work? We would build a guy, which was pretty easy all you would need was a pair of your mum’s old tights, some old clothes, and lots of newspaper and something for a head effigy of Guy Fawkes. Then find a spot near to pubs and ask the passer-by for a penny and most times, you would get something but you would need many pennies because there could well be five or six of you in your gang. However, the custom of begging for a ‘penny for the guy’ has almost completely disappeared now I can’t remember the last time I saw someone doing it.

library picture

The heart of bonfire night has gone. We would spend weeks collecting wood and anything that could burn be it door to door collecting or run sacking buildings due for demolition we would be busy. At night, we would sit around a fire guarding our woodpile from rivals who may burn it. If we weren’t sitting around, we would be sneaking off to try to burn down someone else’s hard work.

If you were crazy enough to build your bonfire early, what do you expect? We put ours up on the day. If it was a school day, some others and I would ‘mitch’ from school just to build it putting up the centre pole and building around it. Dad would do our little fireworks display out our back yard and soon as it was over I would bolt out the door to get to the bonfire. We would set it alight and all round Cardiff Bay you could see other bonfires lighting up the night sky.

No more bonfires, health and safety, over 18 to buy fireworks, no more bangers I am so glad I was a child of my time.

Bangers

Sunday Crush - Helen Mirren

Parkinson 1976

I can’t say when or why just let me say that I have had a crush on the English actress from the seventies anyway. Besides been a damn good actress so much so, she started her career with an invite to join the Royal Shakespeare Company playing in a number of productions.

Her first Film was “Press for Time” a 1966 British comedy film starring Norman Wisdom she was uncredited. The film “Caligula” made her name when the producers for the film slipped in a number of hard-core sex scenes behind the stars backs some of the cream of British actors.

Passion of Ayn Rand

Has for Mirren her career went from strength to strength and can say she was never shy of taking her clothes and partake in sex scenes to many to name the Passion of Ayn Rand is a favourite. While looking back at her stuff I re-watched her infamous interview on the Michael Parkinson show who introduced her to the audience as the 'sex queen' of the Royal Shakespeare Company, told her she was good at 'sluttish eroticism' and asked if her 'equipment' got in the way of her being recognised as a serious actress (boobs).

General Boob Shot

She came down the studio stairs in a very ‘sluttish erotic’ way and asked Parkinson if that was slutty enough and I loved her quick put downs, she was great. Yes, she have and still as a great body and she is stacked with a find set of lungs but she has announced that her breasts have gone into retirement, boo. No more nude scenes, no more topless shots – “My pleasure pillows are purely for my husband now” what a lucky bastard.

Helen Mirren is gorgeous at any age, but her confidence and sassiness at the age of 73-years-old still makes her sexy, and damn is she sexy.

Leicester at the Cardiff City Stadium

Another defeat at Liverpool but Cardiff held the score to 2-1 until the final seven minutes of the game before the home team scored two late goals and what did BBC pundit Garth Crooks have to say,

“Liverpool would have won their game against Cardiff with one arm tied behind their backs and a patch over their eye.”

The constant lack of any belief in Cardiff coming from the pundits is really pissing me off now most are not fit to tie-up Neil Warnock’s laces. We won the right to be in the Premier League we were the second best team in the Championship last season we have the right so stop whining.

But this month could see our fortunes change, fingers crossed. Today we face Leicester their first game since the death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha who was among the five people killed in a helicopter crash last Saturday that shock football. Leicester decided to play the game today and Cardiff as a club would have been supportive if they were to ask for a postponement.

The former owner has invested heavily in Leicester beyond the football club and the fans of the club and people of the city have appreciated his gestures. Is arrival at the club saw them win the Premier League who would ever thought something like that happening?

If we were to win, I expect to see headlines like ‘Cardiff take advantage’ and ‘Cardiff should gift three points to Leicester’ and shouts to have the points deducted all over social media.

Cardiff fans have organised a Thai flag with both club badges to be passed from the Ninian Stand at the Cardiff City Stadium to the away end before the game against Leicester. The flag will say R.I.P Vichai under the club badgers. A wreath will also be laid before the match and there will be a minute's silence held.

Could November be Cardiff’s month? Three home games Leicester City, Brighton, and Wolverhampton Wanderers with an away trip to Everton there are points in these games no top six opponents for once, winnable games.

Of the ten games, we have played five of the top five Premier League teams and yet to play Manchester United. All our points of come from teams in the bottom end of the league table so there should be something on the card for this month.

The last time the two faced each other was back in 2012/13 season and we drew 1-1 at home and a 1-0 win the season the Bluebirds were promoted to the Premier League for the first time.

Cardiff look to have no meaning full injures midfielder Joe Ralls sits out the final game of a three-match ban while Harry Arter, is only a booking away from suspension, and may return to the starting line-up according to reports.

Must see TV - Week beginning Sat 3 November 2018

A busy week TV wise and I can’t wait. The award winning documentary maker Louis Theroux is back with three new episodes with some controversy hopefully. I hope BBC’s new dinner party is good viewing but 30minutes is too short in my book but it could never match up to Channel 4’s ‘After Dark’ where a drunken Oliver Reed who arrived drunk and attempting to kiss feminist writer Kate Millett, uttering the phrase, "Give us a kiss, big tits". The BBC are the giving channel next week.

Saturday –BBC4 – Back: Flash and Blood 9pm (New Series)

The beating to death of a man in the Middle East and the disappearance of a young woman on her way home from work in Stockholm prove to be related, with Steinar Hovland leading the search for the woman. Despite having quit the force, Martin Beck is drawn into the case when he decides to help the national security police investigate a suspected terrorist. Return of the crime drama, starring Peter Haber. In Swedish, Norwegian, Arabic and English and subtitles.

Sunday – BBC2 – Louis Theroux’s Altered States 9pm (New Series)

The documentary-maker explores the changing face of US culture, beginning with a look at a movement in Portland, Oregon, that seeks to broaden how the worldviews marriage in a time of rising divorce rates, suggesting that monogamy is not essential and that polyamorous or open relationships can be equally fulfilling. However, while Louis meets many who have found happiness with multiple partners, he also discovers tales of heartbreak and jealousy.

Sunday – Channel 4 – Guy Martin: The World’s Fastest Van 9pm (New)

Guy Martin in his element taking up the challenge of transforming his transit van into a vehicle capable of racing at Germany's Nurburgring circuit and breaking the track's lap record. The project takes five months of completely overhauling the van, as well as learning every turn of the circuit's 12.9-mile course, and more than 100 turns.

Monday – BBC1 – I Escaped to the Country 3pm (New Series)

The return of the programme featuring the stories of people who bought properties they were introduced to when they appeared on Escape to the Country, beginning with Jonnie Irwin heading to the Wye Valley to meet two couples he helped find properties for.

Monday – BBC1 – Make Me A Dealer 4:30pm (New Series)

Antiques-buying challenge presented by Paul Martin in which people are shown the tricks of the trade for buying and selling collectibles, before an auction showdown. In the first edition, Don Gayle from Bolton and Clare Whittaker from Rothbury are put to the test in Gloucestershire. I was a dealer once buying and selling football programmes.

Monday – BBC2 – Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 7pm (New Series)

The return of the programme in which famous faces compete in the cross-country bargain-hunting challenge. TV presenters Denise Van Outen and Kelly Brook set out on a trip around southeast England in classic cars, receiving expert guidance from Charles Hanson and Tim Medhurst as they visit antique shops and emporiums to find items to sell at auction.

Tuesday – Channel 4 – Lego Master 8pm (New Series)

Melvin Odoom presents a fresh run of the contest to find Britain's best amateur Lego builders, as teams aged nine and up are given access to a room full of the tiny bricks. They are challenged to come up with all manner of builds to put their creativity, construction skills, and imaginations to the test. Design executive Matthew Ashton returns to assess their efforts and is joined by new regular judge, engineer Fran Scott, First the eight teams must construct 1.3m-long bridges, with no prior planning, over which Melvin will be driving a weighted remote-controlled dumper truck.

Tuesday – BBC2 – I’ll Get This 10pm (New Series)

An eclectic mix of five celebrities go out for dinner together. When they arrive at the restaurant, they must place their bankcard in the centre of the table. As the food is served and the drinks flow, they play a series of fun and revealing games, and if they win a game, they can retrieve their card. The person whose card remains at the end of the evening must pick up the bill for the whole group. Taking part in the first edition are Rylan Clark-Neal, Ed Gamble, Carol Vorderman, Ellie Taylor and Anton Du Beke.

Wednesday – Channel 4 – Grand Designs: House Of The Year 8pm (New Series)

Kevin McCloud visits homes in the running for the 2018 Royal Institute of British Architects House of the Year, including a magnificent monolithic dark-rendered block in London, a controversial, cutting-edge glass modernist building in Henley, and a north London townhouse filled with Nicaraguan mahogany.

Thursday – BBC1 – Prince, Son And Heir: Charles At 70 9pm (New Series)

Observational documentary following Prince Charles over the past 12 months, being shown to mark his 70th birthday on November 14. Filmmaker John Bridcut follows the prince at work and behind the scenes and speaks to those who know him best - the Duchess of Cornwall and Princes William and Harry - as he builds an intimate portrait of the longest-serving heir to the throne.

Thursday – Sky One – The Russell Howard Hour 10pm (New Series)

A second run of the matey comedian’s weekly show, offering his funny take on the week’s global current affairs – which at the moment means finding new ways to do comic incredulity – alongside guest performances from musicians and other stand-ups, and a sit-down interview.

Friday – Sky One – The Heist 9pm (New Series)

Ten people team up to plan and execute a raid on a cash-in-transit van, then have to hide their share of the £250,000 for two weeks from a squad of detectives. This grand-scale game show is by the team behind Channel 4’s Hunted. Just as in Hunted, the fun is in confidently asserting that you’d never be guilty of the schoolboy errors the amateur robbers make, and in relishing the showboating badinage of the hard-boiled detectives. The problem is believing any of it: a near miss near the end tonight is far too neat.

Let the Christmas countdown begin

That letterbox of ours! One day it is taking, the TV licence dropped on the floor the next day its giving when our Tesco Christmas points arrive and we pocketed a cool £65.50p free money. Makes a small change the have and not pay out. I say free because its money we would not had if Tesco did not give a point for every pound we spent shopping there and why would you not.

So Christmas as officially begun, we have bought a few presents, I feel Christmas closing in. I spent our Tesco bonus already by shopping via the internet and saving my order and I have to wait until December to get a delivery date closer to Christmas. There is a problem with relying on deliveries … the weather. A few years ago, it was nearly a disaster due to the weather.

My butchers are costing their Christmas prices and if you have a butcher, who does a saving club you would be stupid not to join. I am on plan to reach my target before I have to send in my order and will be hoping for some new little treats having suggested a 12-inch Pig in Blanket all the rage in the supermarkets.

I collect my goodies on Christmas Eve soon as there open, there is always a sizeable queue, and I expect it to be bigger this year the shop has become extremely popular. Around the same time with have Tesco, saving stamps to spend and we are also on target with them. I am very OCD about Christmas and it is planned to the finest detail.