June 2008 Archives

ADRIAN Lester is set to be a guest on Friday's July 4 edition of the Jonathan Ross show on BBC1.

He's one of Birmingham's leading lights across film (Primary Colors), TV (Hustle) and theatre (Hamlet worldwide) having grown up in the Pershore Road / Speedwell Road area.

Adrian caught the acting bug at the MAC and he was also a choirboy at St Chad's, so let's see if he even gets the chance to mention anything about Brum.

He should certainly be held up as a shining example to all inner city children - a far better role model than films like Adulthood.

When Trevor Eve was on this show recently, you'd never have guessed where he originally came from, yet someone like Michael Parkinson, for example, was always able to retain the 'professional Yorkshireman' element when it suited him.

Adrian should make a point of trying to mention Birmingham as often as he can - if only to make up for all of the times when the city is ignored.

It would also be a good way of impressing fellow guest Meryl Streep, star of the fantastic Mamma Mia!

AREN'T the BBC's TV weather forecasts abysmal these days?

1. Every night the presenters send you in to a trance by waffling on.
2. Just when they've finished, you wake up wondering what the forecast is for tomorrow, even though you've just 'listened' to it.
3. The maps of Britain bear no relation to reality - they make country look more brown and flat than a tired pancake.

The solution?

1. Colour the maps properly and identify natural features as well as urban areas to make our fair land look more like it does from space.
2. Instantly say what tomorrow's weather will be before anything else.
3. Instead of swirling round the country over time, the presenter should just start at the north and work south - e.g. Scotland bright and sunny in morning, bucketing down in the afternoon; north west England - pouring down all day; Midlands - Mediterranean sunshine all day (in our dreams) etc.
4. Use better symbols. The old Michael Fish days had better examples than the ones we get today.
5. At the end, add five boxes with forecasts for each of the next five days. If they can do it online, why not on TV?

BBC Breakfast is no different - today they were more concerned with whether the presenter had training shoes on her feet than accurate forecasts in her head.

Meanwhile, enjoy tomorrow's sunny spells before the rain returns!

HAPPY to see I was spot on last night about the Dutch going to town against France.

The Netherlands are riding their luck at the back but look very dangerous going forward.

If they can keep their goals-per-game run going and lift the pot, they will become one of THE legendary teams.

Meanwhile, John Motson should phone a friend in Blackburn to ask how to pronounce the name of Rovers' lynchpin defender Andre Ooijer.

Mouthofax must have changed his mind ten times in 90 minutes.

Ooo-er.

BACK on track after some technical hitches...

I've been struggling all week to find anyone who's watched any of the Euro 2008 matches from start to finish.

Are we losing our appetite for footy, are the games on at the wrong time or is it simply because England's players have been on wedding duty and flying to the Roon that we're not interested in the bigger picture any more?

Either way, tonight's game promises to be a cracker - Netherlands v France.

If the Dutch can string some passes together tonight like they did to destroy the Italians, it should be a fine old night.

Right now, I'd take any two from Croatia, Holland and Spain for a dream final.

But if Croatia make it, Steve McClaren will begin to think that he's a good manager again.