London riots escalate

ONLOOK: Riot police watch a fancy dress shop on fire in Clapham

FEAR, astonishment and disgust are amongst the emotions for many British citizens after the dramatic pictures and videos last night.  For the third successive night, the police were fighting a losing battle against hundreds of violent gangs, simply intent on causing as much destruction and damage as possible.  Hundreds of arrests have been made as London begins to count the cost of the damage.  Homes and businesses have been looted and set ablaze as British society faces upto its biggest problem for many decades.  Prime Minister David Cameron has had no choice but to cut short his summer holiday in Italy and make pleas for calm.  Tonight, 15,000 policemen will be out on the streets of London, but the trouble has now also descended outside the capital.  There were major disturbances in Birmingham last night, along with minor skirmishes in Liverpool, Nottingham and Bristol.

     The trouble began at the weekend in Tottenham, after the shooting of Mark Duggan by police last Thursday.  It spread to Ealing and Brixton on Sunday, with cars being smashed up, shops looted and set on fire, with police seemingly standing back and allowing the mob to take whatever possessions they felt like.  Yesterday, the initial trouble began in Hackney, as hundreds of youths attacked riot police and looted stores in broad daylight.  As the Hackney situation was brought under control, fires began in Peckham, with a Greggs store and a local electrical shop set ablaze; the gangs having no regard for the safety of innocent bystanders.  As YouTube footage came in of a man having his bag pack ransacked, dripping blood on the pavement floor, more London boroughs were targeted.  Gangs flooded the high street at Lewisham, once again, torching cars and looting stores at almost freewill. 

     At Clapham Junction, remarkable footage came in from a Sky News reporter close to the scene of a Ladbrokes store being robbed, with windows smashed, cash points targeted and a plasma TV being hauled off the wall.  Amazingly, it seemed like these idiots were being cheered on by people who found it funny!  The spread of violence has come through organised rumours on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, as well as the BlackBerry private messenger service.  Research in Motion, the Canadian company that owns BlackBerry has promised it will help police to catch those responsible.  In Croydon, a large local furniture store was set on fire and destroyed in one of the most dramatic images of the evening.  The owner is devastated, as it was a business that had gone through four generations of his family.  168 years of graft all burnt out in less than half an hour.

     Prime Minister Cameron has faced a barrage of criticism for his lack of response to the dire situation.  CNN figurehead Piers Morgan wasn’t impressed on Twitter; “Now Cameron’s finally woken up, he should recall Parliament NOW.  This is a national emergency and the British public need protecting.”  This morning, the PM held a meeting with the police and under-fire Home Secretary Theresa May, before revealing in a statement that parliament will be recalled on Thursday for one day.  London Mayor Boris Johnson and Labour leader Ed Miliband are also returning home early from their summer breaks. 

     May went on BBC breakfast this morning to refute claims that heavy-hitting police tactics should be the order of the day, rejecting calls for the army and water cannons to be used, which would be a first in this country.  Yesterday, she pledged that those responsible will face strict action;

“I want to be clear – those responsible for the violence and looting will be made to face the consequences of their actions.”

     The outrage on social networking sites was clear from many shocked onlookers watching on their television screens.  Journalism student at the University of Northampton Chris Ola told me via Twitter the implications will be felt for many; “I can understand the outrage over the police killing the man…but this is ridiculous…it’s going to hurt the taxpayer.”  Another student at the University of Northampton, Stef Ventura fears the worst; “I fear for our country, we might be rewinding to the 1980s.”

     The blame game has already started, with some of the blame being laid at the Metropolitan police, who were over-stretched massively last night.  They made pleas for parents to know where their children were and get them inside as the mayhem continued.  From the skyline, London looked more like a disaster movie, not a bustling capital city that should be looking forward to host next year’s Olympic Games.  Former Labour mayor Ken Livingstone blamed the coalition’s dramatic spending cuts, telling the Daily Mirror; “The economic stagnation and cuts have inevitably created social division.”  Ex-deputy Prime Minister John Prescott expressed his viewpoint by setting-up a Twitter hash tag #where’sthegovernment.

BURNING: The Sony warehouse in Enfield burns to the ground

     However, it isn’t now London where this is happening now.  Birmingham saw trouble too.  Over 50 businesses were targeted by yobs in the Bullring shopping centre.  Melissa Hicks gave me a quick update of the situation on Facebook; “Birmingham City Centre is being smashed up and the big Primark shop has been burnt down.”  In Liverpool and Bristol, it was a similar, if quieter story.  This morning, the large Sony CD warehouse store on the corner of the M25 in Enfield was still burning to the ground, after it was set on fire in the early hours.  The FA have cancelled tomorrow’s night international friendly at Wembley between England and Holland and Carling Cup matches at Crystal Palace, Charlton, West Ham and Bristol City have been postponed on police advice.  The Premier League is also in contact with the police on a regular basis, with significant doubts over the fixtures taking place on the opening weekend involving Tottenham, QPR and Liverpool.  However, despite the Birmingham trouble, the third Cricket test at Edgbaston between England and India is set to go ahead on time tomorrow morning.

     As the cleanup began this morning, the whole country has to reflect on the trouble and the damage it has done to our society, with fingers crossed that tonight doesn’t bring the same amount of carnage and chaos in the country that last night did.

Skins - A dismal end to a poor series

THE fifth series of E4’s teen drama Skins came to a conclusion last night, and it ended as it started, poorly!

HAPPY?: No wedding, but Grace and Rich seem to have survived the storm

     The whole episode centred on the gang eloping away from Bristol to Southend.  This was to see Rich (Alexander Arnold) tie the knot with Grace (Jessica Sula).  Eventually, Grace’s dad, Professor David Blood, played by the hilarious Chris Addison tracks them down and manages to say enough for Grace to stop the charade.  The other main plot, the ‘love square’ between Franky (Dakota Blue Richards), Matty (Sebastian de Souza), Liv (Laya Lewis) and Mini (Freya Mayor) ended in suspense.  Liv saved Franky from a perilous drop from a cliff in the woods, whilst Mini’s crazy girl crush on Franky nearly spiralled out of control.  As for Matty, he couldn’t seem to decide who he wanted more, Liv or Franky.

     Unfortunately, the whole series has simply failed to live upto expectations.  It was always going to be difficult to follow highly the footsteps of both Generation 1 and Generation 2, but with only eight episodes, it was going to be tough to stamp their authority on the new Skins.  The writing only seems to get worse, and this time, the acting quality, unlike series four, couldn’t save their blushes.  It wasn’t the actors fault.  Dakota Blue Richards aside, none of the cast had any proper acting experience, especially on television.  However, there certainly isn’t any sign of the potential that has taken the likes of Dev Patel, Kaya Scodelario, Nicholas Hoult, Lily Loveless and Hannah Murray to stardom after Skins.  Some people have taken well to the new generation, but the reaction has definitely been mixed and the viewing figures have dropped on the previous series. 

STARS: Mini (Freya Mayor) and Franky (Dakota Blue Richards) were big hits

     The positives were that there were some more light-hearted stories and group scenes involving the characters.  However, some of the storylines seem to be very repetitive.  Liv seems to be a very plain and basic version of Effy, whilst the Franky/Mini story seemed to have strong echoes to the unique ‘Naomily’ storyline in Generation two.  When storylines keep getting repeated, this suggests that either the writers are running out of new material, or the show is starting to lose its appeal to the teenage viewer.

     I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see Skins being on our screens any longer than the end of the already contracted sixth series.  It definitely is a great stepping stone for budding actors, but the appeal and quality definitely seems to have gone downhill and with the criticism of the American series, I’d hope more focus would go into the delayed Skins Movie now and putting the TV series to bed.  Only time will tell to suggest whether this was just a bad series, but I don’t think the series, nor did the finale do Skins any justice this time around.  The future for one of E4’s biggest shows now has to be called into some serious jeopardy.

Skins - New series, new cast, more pressure!

THE time of year has come again, it’s the end of January and next week sees the much anticipated new series of E4’s award-winning teen drama Skins.  The Bristol based show enters into its fifth series, and although everyone should expect some of the usual stereotypes about Skins, such as hedonistic teenage lifestyle choices, sex, drugs and drink – there is a lot of change elsewhere around Roundview College.

Yes, it is time to welcome the third generation of Skins, as once again, the producers and writers have decided to start with a clean slate.  Unlike the last cast cull, which did have two characters in the form of Effy Stonem (Kaya Scodelario) and Pandora Moon (Lisa Backwell) who provided continuity through Series 1+2 into 3+4, there are no exceptions this time around.  Effy, JJ, Naomi, Cook, Pandora, Thomas, Katie and Emily are no more and have moved onto pastures new.  It’s time for the new cast to fill their boots, and there is no doubt, that the pressure is on.

CHANGE: The new cast of hit teen drama Skins, can they deliver?

This year, there are eight new characters, all with very different backgrounds.  Some of the new actors were chosen from the open auditions held last spring, others with very minor TV credited roles, with only Dakota Blue Richards having a natural acting background.  Dakota starred in The Golden Compass alongside Nicole Kidman and the 16-year old has also been involved in two other high-profile movies.  Now, the London-born actress takes on the role of Franky Fitzgerald and it’s her character that takes the lead as the first episode next Thursday night.  We find out that Franky has moved to Bristol as a last-minute switch from Oxford.  She comes with a lot of emotional baggage, having been bullied at her previous school, and immediately struggles to fit in, especially with the other girls at the college; best friends Mini (Freya Mayor), Grace (Jessica Sula) and Liv (Laya Lewis).  Although Mini takes Franky under her wing reluctantly, she is determined to dig up some home truths that might leave Franky in an even more perilous situation than before.  

The producers have promised that the darker, consequential Series four has been replaced, admitting it didn’t work for the fans.  Skins will return to its hard-hitting approach, with comic appeal and hopefully, some more pleasant endings for the new generation.  To complete the cast, are music mad Rich (Alexander Arnold), rugby captain Nick (Sean Teale), Matty (Sebastian de Souza) and Aloysius (Will Merrick).  After the success of the ‘Naomily’ story in the last two series, there has been speculation of a gay character plot, but the producers and E4 are remaining very tight-lipped about the entire series to date.  Mystery is the best word to describe the goings on.

The lovable and brilliant Doug (Gilles Thomas) returns for a fifth series as head of Roundview and comedian Chris Addison will return in a cameo role as the controversial and cocky college director David Blood.  Model Kelly Brook will also have a guest appearance as a fitness instructor.  Skins has been well renowned for its guest appearances from the likes of Harry Enfield, Ronni Ancona, Pauline Quirke, Paul Kaye, John Bishop, Harry Hill, Morwenna Banks and Simon Day in the past four years, so expect more of the same this time around.

There is undoubtedly going to be more pressure on the third generation, as change has been greeted with a very mixed response from the hardcore Skins fans.  The show continues to remain afresh because of this change in cast every two years, meaning it will still have a place in the TV viewing schedules for a while to come.  With the likes of Dev Patel, Nicholas Hoult and Kaya Scodelario all going onto huge movie roles, Skins has been seen as a brilliant starting point for young actors and actresses to really inspire to.  The jury will be out, but it is only fair to give the new breed some time to settle into the new roles.  Judging them on one episode would be very harsh and unnecessary.

So it’s out with the old, in the new, what impact Generation three will have on us?  Find out when Series 5 of Skins begins next Thursday at 10pm on E4.

Skins - Can The New Cast Deliver?

NEW CAST: from left to right, Alexander Arnold, Dakota Blue Richards, Sean Teale, Sebastian De Souza, Will Merrick, Laya Lewis, Freya Mavor and Jessica Sula.

A fortnight ago, E4 announced the new eight members who will be pioneering the popular teen drama Skins through the next two series.  Series five, which begins in January 2011, will see a new crop of young actors/actresses who will deal with the crazy hedonistic teenage lives, full of sex, drugs and family disfunctionality based around Roundsview College in Bristol. 

Skins changes its cast members every two years and has become one of the most talked about shows on UK television, since it burst onto our screens in February 2007.  Back in April, open auditions were held in London and Bristol, with approximately 7,000 people auditioning to get a role in the third generation.  Five of these new members have come directly from the open auditions.  Dakota Blue Richards is the only member of Generation Three who has previous acting experience before, having starred in the 2007 movie, The Golden Compass.

Unlike the last generation, which had Kaya Scodelario (Effy) carry on from the initial generation breakthrough, this is a brand new slate for the new group and over eight episodes next winter, they will get their chance to shine.  They certainly have the backing from the executive producer of Skins, John Griffin.

“More people than ever turned up this year for the open auditions in London and Bristol and the standard of young talent was as high as ever.  It was a huge process but incredibly rewarding and we hope that those who auditioned ended up as much fun as we did.”

The new crop hasn’t been given any character names as yet, though they should be revealed soon.  Though I admit that they seem to miss the sex appeal that many fans saw in the likes of Kathryn Prescott, Megan Prescott and Lily Loveless from the last generation, what matters the most is whether this lot can act.  It will be a tough act to follow from the success of the first two generations, but they need the time to rubberstamp their authority on Skins and I do hope the fans will stick by them and give them the time required to settle into a very daunting proposition.  Kelly Brook has already been confirmed as a guest star and comedian Chris Addison will return to play the dynamic college director, David Blood.

Skins have helped promote the careers to fame of Dev Patel, Nicholas Hoult, Kaya Scodelario and Jack O’Connell.  Its success means that it has been E4’s second highest ratings show, after the US sensation Glee.  For those who miss the old members, there will be a Skins Movie which is being written by former writer of the show, Jack Thorne.  Hoult, Patel and Scodelario are all on the verge of being confirming for the showpiece next summer, with more cast members set to be announced in the near future.   Below is a video that was released by Channel 4 yesterday, which shows the lighter side of filming for the last series.

I wish the new generation the best of luck for the future – they all deserve a chance at the big time.

Skins Movie Is Confirmed - Will It Work Out?

Yesterday saw the new that all fans of E4’s teen-hit drama Skins had been waiting for, official confirmation of the production for Skins: The Movie.  Since the fourth series of the teenage drama concluded in the middle of March, full of sex, drugs and breakdowns, there have been growing rumours that a movie was being planned for the future.  Now, it will finally happen.  Production on the film will be based in the Isle of Man and the traditional home of the show, Bristol and starts this September.  The planned launch date is Summer 2011.

The popularity of Skins is huge, with more than 1.5million tuning into the opening episode of the last series.  The show has made big stars out of Dev Patel, star of Slumdog Millionaire and Nicholas Hoult, both actors as part of the first generation.  Generation two’s cast are already getting starring offers to feature in other primetime shows and movies.  Kaya Scodelario (Effy Stonem) has already brokethrough into the box office, with successful movies, while Luke Pasqualino (Freddie McClair) has already been working on a feature-length which is due for a summer release.  The popular lesbian couple on the show, Emily Fitch and Naomi Campbell, played by gorgeous actresses Kathryn Prescott and Lily Loveless are set to star in new shows over the coming months, whilst Jack O’Connell (James Cook) is rumoured to be cast in BBC’s school drama, Waterloo Road.

It is unclear how many of the former characters will return for the movie, though hints suggest it will be based more around the second generation.  However, there will be parts in the movie for the third generation of Skins.  Already, auditions for Series five and six have taken place, with a new cast to be selected in the summer.  The fifth TV series of Skins will burst onto our screens next January.  The movie is to be made by Company Pictures, the makers of the E4 show.

The transfer to the big screen from a TV show is always a challenge and it remains to be seen whether it can work.  Both Pokémon and Power Rangers failed to complete the transformation successfully, so it remains to be seen whether Skins will buckle the trend.  No doubt it is a gamble, but Jack Thorne, the well-respected scriptwriter and regular writer of Skins and the creator of the show, Bryan Elsley will put their hardest efforts into this ambitious project and give the fans what they want, an unforgettable movie to go alongside the successful TV series.  As an avid fan of the TV series, I personally can’t wait for this to hit the cinemas.  Let’s hope it’s going to be a massive success.   

The Sky News Leaders Debate - Back In The Balance

Last night, the race tightened and got even more interesting in the battle to become the UK’s next Prime Minister.  The second of the hotly anticipated televised leadership debates in Bristol, fronted by Sky News and its highly-respected political journalist Adam Boulton showed no clear cut winner, and put everything firmly back in the balance.

Following his overwhelming success with many in the ITV debate the previous Thursday, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has been on a crest wave, even attracting a popular Facebook group, with similar implications to the Rage against the Machine campaign to Christmas No.1 last year.  Was this the night when Clegg’s bubble was going to burst?  Well, it seems like the Liberal Democrats are happy with his performance, though I must admit; I thought he was the weakest out of the three leaders.  By being in the middle of the stage, the pressure was firmly fixated on him and he lacked conviction when coming across with his answers.  The most damming response was when Boulton asked him a simple question about his appearance on yesterday’s Daily Telegraph, in regard to donor money being paid into his personal bank account.  It was an awkward response; “Yes, it is absolute nonsense, but moving away from that.”  It certainly looked like he had something to hide.

David Cameron, the Conservative leader was expected to get the most out of these debates, and last week, he struggled to make an impact.  Last night, he was back to his usual self, and didn’t hold back, like he had seven days earlier.  Cameron looked far more confident and fluent and wasn’t afraid in going on the attack.  His annoyance with Clegg’s stance on MP expenses was impressive and he really was made irate by Labour’s Gordon Brown, urging him to withdraw some posters, slamming the Tories policies for the elderly, such as the removal of free bus passes, eye tests and prescriptions.  Though Cameron admitted live that all of those policies will stay, he clearly was very angry with the leaflet campaign, using the word ‘lies’ against the Labour party.  This was a very strong word to use and I did feel that was unnecessary.  On the closing speeches, he attacked Labour again, saying that Brown’s closing speech to the debate “sounded desperate, in a bid to frighten people.” 

The 90-minute debate, based initially on International Affairs, then on other questions for the audience, was bound to be a grilling for Gordon Brown.  Nevertheless, he can be fairly satisfied with the performance he gave.  He seemed far more punchy and convincing than in the inaugural debate, and not as mundane or pedestrian.  The very commanding approach paid off in some areas, and he was not frightened to go on the attack, slamming Clegg’s ‘anti-American policies’ and the ‘nuclear weapons ignoring’ policy, a real danger with Iran and North Korea still a major threat in the nuclear society.  He told Clegg to “get real, get real,” with that, showing he wasn’t frightened to dish it out, as well as take it.  He highlighted the Tories manifesto to not have the free eye test/prescription, which was very brave, but maybe not give the result he was looking for on that area, following Cameron’s insult back.  However, if Gordon wants to win the commanding votes, he needs to get out there and promote his face further.  Some Labour insiders think the campaign is lacklustre at the moment, and needs a big lift, so he still has the most work to do, in efforts to convince the voters. 

Adam Boulton did an outstanding job last night in chairing the debate, unlike Alistair Stewart who lost control of the debate and probably the occasion, the previous Thursday.  He allowed the debate to flow and as a result, it was a far better watch.  According to ITN’s poll results straight afterwards, Clegg won the debate, with 33%, far lesser than last week’s margin, yet still a victory.  Both Cameron and Brown were tied on 30%.  This seemed to be more of a common debate at Prime Minister’s Questions; the nerves weren’t as bad from anyone from the previous week.

With less than two weeks to go until we go to the polls, it couldn’t be any closer to call.  Nick Clegg was less fresh last night and was missing the bold attitude that came across during the first debate.  David Cameron can reflect on a much more polished performance, but is still looking for a major breakthrough if he wants a majority government.  Gordon Brown did far better than expected last night, and can take a lot of satisfaction from this.  I would give Cameron the edge in round two of the debates, but it is still too close to call and the BBC’s debate next week now has much more significance.  The General Election 2010 is firmly back in the balance.   

Skins: Can It Get Even Better?

This was first posted on January 22nd at http://happydude88.livejournal.com/

Next Thursday sees the return of E4’s award-winning teen hit, Skins. The show, returning for its fourth series follows a gang of teenagers embarking on sixth form life at Roundsview College in Bristol. Skins deals with sensitive issues such as use and effects of drugs, sexuality, disability, anorexia and disfunctionality within the teen’s families, with each character taking a starring role in an episode. So what is in store for Series 4? If Series 3 has anything to go by, this could be the best one yet….

The crème de le crème of Series 3 are back for seconds out, round two and in their graduation year, there are sure to be plenty of fireworks, agony, tears and drama. First up, is Effy (Kaya Scodelario). Effy is the only character to still be remaining from the original cast and had a turbulent time last year, enduring a bitter divorce between her parents, plus the nagging attentions and rivalry from Katy (Megan Prescott). That ended in episode 8, when Effy ended up whacking Katy round the head with a rock. Effy also ended up playing a significant part in the series finale, as she was caught in a complicated love triangle with best buddies, Cook (Jack O’Connell) & Freddie (Luke Pasqualino). Initially, she isn't around to begin with, but when she returns to college, expect the usual load of mischief and torment from her.

Pandora (Lisa Blackwell) is the sweetheart of the group. Seen as naïve and enthusiastic, with a weird sense of imagination, her on-off romance with Thomas (Merveille Lukaba) was one of the highlights of last series. This year, an incident at a club night in the very first episode leaves Thomas questioning his beliefs and aspects of his life. It sees a complete change in his character, which means he freezes out his mates. This leaves Pandora with a lot of problems and growing up to do.

The volatile, but cheeky Cook is back and up to his usual way of dealing with life. Smashing up cars, partying all night and never afraid to love the ladies, viewers will meet Cook’s mum this year, will this mark a drastic change? Can Cook also forgive and hang onto his strong friendship with Freddie? At times last year, Freddie kept Cook from completely losing his cool, but ended up stealing Effy away from him. Has that love triangle concluded? I doubt it, so Freddie could have a fight on his hands, to hold onto the girl of his dreams. Completing the dream team is the funny, but always unlucky in love JJ (Ollie Barbieri). JJ is forced to deal with asperger’s syndrome (a scenario that hasn’t really been tackled by anyone other TV drama) and at times, his disability was put to the test by the constant bickering between Cook & Freddie. As childhood friends, will the three be able to stick together forever? JJ’s amazing magical tricks have failed to impress the women, despite a one-off with Emily (Kathryn Prescott), but he does find new love this series in the form of new character Lara (Georgia Henshaw). Will this bring new responsibility to JJ’s life, or will it just make him more vulnerable.

Katy (Megan Prescott) is still feeling vulnerable after the events of last series. Her pride and confidence were dealt a huge blow by a failed relationship with Freddie, the attack by Effy on her and Emily’s determination to move out of her shadow. This series, Katy has taken a new look, will it turn her fortunes around.

Her twin sister on-screen and off-screen Emily (Kathryn Prescott) is less popular with the college, but found a new friend, in more ways than one. Emily’s lesbian relationship with the idealistic and opinionated Naomi (Lily Loveless) was another stand-out storyline of the third series. Emily’s reluctance to admit her sexuality early on, coupled with Naomi’s fear of being unable to keep their relationship a secret saw the two win fans over for some of the most powerful, romantic and juicy scenes of Series 3. So much so, a website named after the couple ‘Naomily’ has been set-up and the writers of Skins, plus both actresses deserve to take a load of credit for dealing brilliantly with a tricky storyline. The fans got their happy ending last time, as Emily & Naomi admitted their love for one another at the College Love Ball. At the start of this series, their romance moves onto another level, all loved-up and happy and Emily even leaves home, in an attempt to become more independent. However, the honeymoon doesn't last as Naomi is hiding a dark secret, which threatens to ruin everything between them. Can they weather the storm and stick together?

Maureen Lipman, Harry Enfield, Sally Phillips & David Baddiel were amongst the guest stars in the third series. Already confirmed for guests roles this time round are the likes of Pauline Quirke, Will Young and Chris Addison.

This year marks the end for the current cast, as they move on after two years. If the success of Dev Patel, who took the lead role in the Oscar winner ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is anything to go by, I predict a bright future for the likes of Lisa Blackwell, Lily Loveless, Ollie Barbieri and Kathryn Prescott, all having star acting quality. Talk of a movie for the future which could see both generations of characters meeting would be interesting if it came true. As for the future of the show, that remains in the balance, as it should do when a whole cast leaves for pastures new. However, the ingredients have been made for what could well be the best series of Skins yet. I personally can’t wait for it to begin….

More info can be found on Skins at www.e4.com/skins
Fans of 'Naomily' should check out www.naomily.com for exclusive Emily & Naomi content.