Bye bye everybody...the final blog!

By Simon Wright (Blogger of HappyDude88)

SO, WE have reached the conclusion of this journey and after 22 months, it is ‘Time to Say Goodbye.’  Or is it, ‘The Final Countdown.’  Either way, each song is good.

When I began my blog, first on LiveJournal, before switching to BlogSpot in February 2010, I thought this might only last six weeks/two months before I got bored.  However, I haven’t and I have enjoyed the majority of the content I have uploaded on here, even if some blogs were far more difficult to write than others.

Before I begin, I have had some questions on why I am stopping now and not continuing.  Well, there is a combination of reasons behind my decision.  First of all, this was something I decided back at the end of June, even before I started my work placement in London with Runner’s World magazine.  I was happy with the decision I made back then and although, admittedly, I’ve had a few doubts in recent weeks, I have to stick to what I decided back then.  If I continued into 2012, I would have felt that I needed to do another year of blogging, not say six months.  I don’t think I would have the time to do that.  Also, I am aware that 2012 poses some significant and massive challenges ahead of me.  I have five months left of my journalism degree at the University of Northampton and need to put 100 per cent focus onto finishing off my dissertation and beginning my TV filming on technology for my Individual Practical Project.  Time will be of the essence and I’m afraid, I’m not going to be able to give the blog the time and dedication it would deserve.  Plus, it is best that I went out on a high, rather than a low and see my standards decrease.  Therefore, it is best that I ended things now, rather than let the site decline.

Of course, there are lots of people to thank for supporting the website, giving me constructive or sometimes, damming criticism.  However, I can’t thank you all personally.  You do know who you are, but I don’t want to send anyone to sleep!  But, I do want to thank some people especially, who have supported me, helped me out and always been there for me over the past two years.

First person I want to thank is my brother, Jason Wright.  Over the past two years, Jason has provided extra content for this website on the world of entertainment.  He has been my entertainment expert.  His witty contributions to The X-Factor, Dancing on Ice and many award ceremonies have certainly added a good vibe to the site.  Jason will go on to start his own entertainment site in the New Year and I urge you all to follow it when I get the link up.  I hope you have as much enjoyment on your own site J, as I did with this one.

Jason is not the only writer who has produced a blog on this site.  A friend of mine through the days at Milton Keynes College, Charlie Gardiner wrote an Avatar review for the site, Rochelle Lye did a blog on Doctor Who for me and Robert Jones contributed a 2010 FIFA World Cup preview with me last year.  I want to thank them for helping the blog in its early stages, before me and Jason took things on in its later life.  Also, thank you to the followers of this blog and again, you know who you are.

Another friend of mate gave me the inspiration to move to BlogSpot in the first place, who deserves a mention and that is Anthony Ashfield.  I was at Milton Keynes College with Anthony or ‘Fat Tony’ as he is better known to his close friends and he suggested I should look at BlogSpot, rather than stick with the less frequent LiveJournal blog.  It was a brilliant bit of advice and I haven’t looked back since, so thank you to Anthony for giving me the encouragement to go with the right blogging provider.

Then, there’s Farida Zeynalova, a very good friend of mine on the journalism course at the University of Northampton.  Farida has always drummed up support for the blog, through her fantastic Twitter account, even going on to say that I have a ‘a big and aspiring future.’  Thanks for your help Farida with this; it really did mean a lot. 

Two more friends of mine at the University, Ellie Birmingham and Tamika Short have always been there for me on the course and on the site too.  I know personal columns and viewpoints were a big plus point of mine and it was Tamika’s funny personal views on her site that gave me the pulling power to give this kind of blog a go.  So, she inspired me while Ellie has been a brilliant friend for me and I know she enjoyed reading my personal blogs especially.  Thank you to both of you too for your kind words of support over the past two years.

Lastly, thanks to everyone who has done any kind of reading on the 660 blogs that have gone online.  Whether that was the personal blogs I did into my life, my obsession with Skins, the entertainment reviews from my brother, my regular reports on the 2010 and 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship and those major events in the news like the General Election, the Royal Wedding, the tsunami in Japan and the summer riots in the UK.

I knew this day was coming and I am feeling a bit emotional, but I have high hopes for my future.  In 2012, I want to show that to everyone and hope that this blog has given me the starting point to a better life.  I will still keep the site online, so if you want to check up on something then come onto this site, it won’t close.  I will also put together a University of Northampton 2011/12 page in due course, when I get more work back this year and who knows, I might pop up at some point in 2012 with a few special blogs.  However, regular updating is over now and I’m so pleased I’ve had the passion and commitment to contribute in recent years.  If you still want to get in touch with me, I am still available on Twitter at @HappyDude88.

So, that’s it folks.  There’s little else for me to say, except I wish everyone a safe and brilliant Christmas and a prosperous and exciting New Year.  It has been a pleasure to share my thoughts with you and after 660….that is it. 

Thank you again and goodbye!

HappyDude88

Christmas TV highlights

CHRISTMAS provides us with many pleasing and delightful aspects.  There is spending time with your loved ones, that delicious dinner on Christmas Day and the countless amount of chocolate that needs to be munched.  Another highlight of the next fortnight is the Christmas TV.  Here is a preview of some of the festival treats on offer on the box.

     In soapland, EastEnders has had the top billing for a number of years and their main storyline features the destruction of the Masood family.  Evil doctor Yusef has managed to split Zainab and Masood up and weasel his way in Zainab’s affections.  This Christmas, it all explodes quite literally and not everyone will survive.  I can reveal of a fire at the B&B on Boxing Day, but is this part of Yusef’s revenge plot or the culmination of another storyline.  Elsewhere on the Square, little Tommy Moon has his first birthday, but Kat and Alfie’s turbulent marriage hits a crisis point.  Will a camera recorder spell the end of another Walford marriage?  Also, Bianca is released from prison, but a happy Christmas for the Butcher’s looks highly unlikely, especially as Pat’s financial issues become public knowledge.  Worse is to come for the Square’s matriarch, as her health takes a turn for the worse.  Actress Pam St. Clement is leaving the show, but I’m keeping tight lipped on how she will be departing.

        Another major character is leaving the soaps over the festive period and that is Becky McDonald in Coronation Street.  Depressed at seeing her former husband Steve and her nemesis Tracy Barlow have a family Christmas; she sets fire accidentally to her flat.  Can Nick Tilsley make it in time to drag the fiery Becky out of the fire?  Peter Barlow might have just started a sizzling affair with Carla Connor, but when he misplaces a Christmas present in the back of a taxi, Rovers bar manager, Stella Price becomes nosey and her reaction to Leanne’s Christmas present that she receives from her cheating hubby suggests that Peter must watch his back.  Also, Sophie Webster is set to tie the knot with Sian Powers, but she seems to be struggling to cope with last-minute nerves and growing feelings towards Amber.  Will the wedding go ahead?  In Emmerdale, goodwill will not be in play between Debbie and Alicia.  Christmas dinner or should I say, Alicia’s dinner ends up being poured over her head by Debbie.  Then, she has another plan to help conceive a baby with Andy, in the efforts to save Sarah, but how their partners react to her desperate plan.  Also, factory owner Jai is arrested for the attack on Cain Dingle a couple of weeks ago.  Have the police got their man, or is Cain just out for revenge?  Plus, Laurel and Ashley get prepared to renew their wedding vows, but Laurel is another woman with second thoughts and can dishy chef Marlon stop her making a terrible mistake.  Doctors, Home and Away and Neighbours all disappear on lengthy Christmas breaks, but in Hollyoaks, Brendan Brady and Warren Fox’s bitter confrontation for villain of the year in Chester reaches new heights.  Brendan has a gun pulled on him, is he doomed to end the year in a coffin?

HEAD-TO-HEAD: EastEnders v Downton Abbey on Christmas Day

        Taking on EastEnders head-to-head on Christmas Day will be the award-winning Downton Abbey.  Nigel Havers, Brendan Coyle and Hugh Bonneville take guest roles in this special episode, which will bring a rollercoaster full of emotions and a mixture of cheer and sadness in Lord Grantham’s country house?  On the same day, Matt Smith stars in the seasonal Doctor Who Christmas special.  Alexander Armstrong plays a guest role this year and we’ve been promised a story that will show a different side to the Doctor.  Other leading dramas see the star of Lewis, Laurence Fox take a lead performance in Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me where he and his wife attempt to bring some much needed cheer to a terminally ill child.  

     The final of Strictly Come Dancing is tomorrow evening and on Christmas Day, there will be the regular Christmas special for charity.  This year, EastEnders wicked woman Charlie Brooks, former Blue boyband member Simon Webbe and boxer Barry McGuigan compete in the dance-off.  As Bruce and Tess would say, keep dancing!  Chris Tarrant presents another edition of celebrity Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, while Jimmy Carr and guests including Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr and Miranda Hart compete for a lighter look at 2011 in The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.  Then there’s Ant and Dec and let’s be honest, a Christmas without them would be as dull as dishwater!  They pick up where Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley by hosting the second edition of Text Santa, where the winners at the end of a fabulous night of entertainment and surprises, will be charities.  Schofield’s acclaimed show The Cube has a couple of Coronation Street stars attempt to become the first people to beat The Cube and there’s also a Benidorm v The Only Way is Essex Family Fortunes Christmas Special.

           Other shows to watch out for in Christmas are a lookback at the news from the year in Mark Austin’s That Was 2011.  Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates will provide the music entertainment on Christmas Day with a special edition of Top of the Pops.  In sport, Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea and Liverpool v Newcastle United look like the pick of the Premiership festive football action live on Sky Sports.  Also, can Kauto Star produce one final piece of magic on Channel 4 with the King George VI at Kempton and stop Long Run’s recent dominance of jump racing.  Lastly, Noel Edmonds will present daily editions of Deal or No Deal, which takes a panto feel to this Christmas.  However, don’t expect any festive celebrations from the banker.

So there you go, that is your Christmas TV sorted….

                                                                                                                

Turning the corner

By Simon Wright (Personal piece)

“I know what is around the corner – I just don’t know where the corner is.” – Kevin Keegan (Former England manager)

SORRY Kevin, no-one knows what is around the corner, but the unexpected can happen so easily to derail things.  However, the second part of that quote can sometimes be said when you are looking for love.  However, this isn’t me pining for something special, this is turning around the corner and feeling positive about me again and that’s the first time I can say that about myself in a long time.

      I can’t quite believe it; it has been such a positive week but the trick worked.  As people who know me, follow the blog, I think the problems I’ve faced of late have been well-documented.  I’ve been a troubled soul before ‘production week,’ last week.  I returned feeling refreshed, with as much power from a standard Duracell battery and ready to take on everything again.  However, what was important was to bring my old self back and return to the caring, supportive, relaxed side that had worked so well in the final weeks of second year at University.  I feel that I have achieved this and I’m on the edge of continuing this momentum.

        Mondays can be such a long slog; but the 9-6 day (with a three hour gap in-between) is good practice for all trainee journalists.  Not only does it remind those who have undergone placement and faced this, it is what is to be expected at the minimum after graduation.  I came home feeling that everything went according to plan and that is the first Monday I’ve felt like that since my birthday over six weeks ago.  I got something out of all the timetabled lectures/sessions, was encouraged by progress made in a group project and understood how to reference a dissertation within your work.  Yep, it was all largely encouraging.  If there was a black mark, then it was confirmation of a choice of five topics for a 2,000 word feature; abortion, death penalty, the right to bear arms, freedom of expression and something else that I can’t remember!  Not a great choice, but as one of my close friends on the course Ellie said the other week, it is no good complaining about this in a proper job.  We all have strengths and weaknesses and sometimes you need to work on the weaknesses.  Excitement is not going to feature in this piece when I write it up, but I can stay encouraged by attempting something that might not only help me understand the law a bit more, but you never know what you might find out in your research.  Oh, I’m not writing about abortion or the death penalty, I do have my limits when it comes to this!

It certainly is and something I want to get used to

       The good vibe continued on Tuesday when I went in to have my first detailed meeting with my tutor on my dissertation.  For stating the obvious, I will not be revealing what I’m doing, but I had already written up my first chapter and felt ahead of the game.  There was a lot of red pen on the paperwork I sent in, which could be seen as a bad thing.  However, the feedback was very detailed, very constructive and I know what I can change and attempt to improve; e.g.; my exaggerated use of language.  Criticism can come in many forms and it is something I have struggled time and again to accept.  I’m one of those who would rather learn and improve, rather than someone come up to me and say; ‘Your work is rubbish, start again you imbecile!’  I still feel confident in meeting my dissertation targets and believe I’m well on track to succeed with one of the toughest challenges.

         It doesn’t end there; I’m now feeling like I’m contributing far more to the group project on Silverstone and motor racing too.  I’m helping out with two of the three tasks and only attempting to stay clear of the third task on the worry that a technical involvement (i.e. editing) will end up in me having to change the tougher individual project.  I feel everything is under control with this too and the good news is I can restart the production folder.  Okay, it’s not the most attractive piece, but for me, a crucial one.  For those who probably were ready to write me off and they may have had a point a fortnight ago, my message now is ‘Who’s laughing now!’  I’m not one to brag, never have been but I feel like I have proven myself and I can cope with third year.  Yes, it is a shame that it took seven weeks to get a grip of it, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.  While I am mentioning laughing, I love that song by Jessie J!

         Has there been any frustration this week, not personally anyways.  BlackBerry’s do seem to have a severe lack of application memory space and the bumbling Sepp Blatter still refuses to quit as FIFA president after a disgraceful comment he made about racism in football.  However, both events are out of my control, so I will not let these issues bother me.  On the charging side of things, I would like to know why the FA (Football Association) charged Luis Suarez 32 days after Liverpool played Manchester United in the Premiership.  Suarez is alleged to have said something to United defender Patrice Evra in the 1-1 draw last month at Anfield.  You would have thought that he would have been charged on the Monday after the game, not a month later.  However, it is the alleged bit that really strikes me and can be used so much in journalism.  ‘He allegedly said,’ or ‘I think this guy has no place in society’ allegedly – it is a word that is so often used to protect quotes and sources.  That’s the thing with this; we don’t know what Suarez said and that’s the same with John Terry in the QPR v Chelsea stormy encounter.  The British justice system has been questioned in the past, but I’m maintaining the belief that these two are innocent until proven guilty and they shouldn’t be trialled by media. 

          Finally, Christmas is not far away now and I can’t wait.  It is weird for me to feel like this, especially as it didn’t appeal so much a few years ago (2006, 2007 era).  Christmas is a time of year where you forget the bad times and remember the good moments, not just in the present, but the past year too.  It is a time for reflection, a time to be with family and the time to indulge in all that food, drink and TV.  In fact, the build-up is almost just as exciting as the day itself.  Let’s never forget the meaning of the festive season and for anyone who says; ‘It’s not Christmas yet,’ it's on TV now and here is my vindication that it is;

See you next time!

Pondering short-term failings and longer term possibilities

By Simon Wright (Personal Piece)

NEXT week is what the University calls ‘Production Week,’ ‘Reading Week,’ whatever you want to call it.  Once again, it will provide me with the perfect opportunity to go home for the week, which at the end of the day, is where my true heart is and where I belong.  Not only will I use the opportunity to refocus, but it is time to ponder my next move in the long-term.

      I am one of those people who like security and want to sort things out and not have grave uncertainty hanging over me.  I’m afraid I don’t have that privilege at the moment and it isn’t a nice feeling to have.  None of us want to have this feeling and perhaps that explains the tricky start I’ve had to my final year at Uni.  We all choose to study on the degree for the right reasons and have to deal with the constructive criticism, the knockbacks and the disagreements of opinion in a calm and dignified manner.  There are tough times for everyone in journalism and as they say in the legendary bobsled movie Cool Runnings; ‘Rise above It.’ For example, I was annoyed to find out on Monday that a feature piece which I had already planned out has been changed to a series of topics that don’t interest me in the slightest.  Not only did I feel like I had wasted some of my time, but it would have been nice to hear about this at the start of the year, not five weeks into the course.  However, sometimes you need to take a step back to appreciate the compromises that have to be made.  I’m aware that you can’t complain if you get a job and have to write something that you don’t have any interest in.  So, no kidding, writing about the death penalty will not excite me but I’ve got to get on with what has been set.  I took things too far and moaned about it on Monday evening on Facebook and let’s face it, nobody was impressed.  Fair enough, it wasn’t a wise move and following up from last week; I hold my hands up and should have kept my mouth shut on the matter.  If I don’t like it, I know where the exit door is.  It will probably help in the short-term not using Facebook for three whole weeks, letting things blow over and take a much-needed break from the social network site which has taken a grip of control of late.  Christmas isn’t that far away, and I must approach that in the season of goodwill, not be the green-eyed Grinch monster!

       Throughout the first month of my final year, I will honestly say that it has been a struggle, far more than I could have anticipated.  However, have I dealt with things in the right manner?  Probably not!  The relaxed approach to everything at the end of last year will return while I am at home next week because let’s face it, nobody like serious, moody Simon.  Not even I like myself when I’m like that.  It might take a knock on the head to help, but we are now in the beginning of November.  I’m going to treat it as a new month, new start and forget the tough times of the first month.  As one of my closest friends said to me via the wonderful BlackBerry Messenger service on Sunday night; I’m a stronger person that what I have shown so far.  Yes, we all get disappointed and frustrated when certain aspects are changed and if you don’t, I’d nominate you for ‘World’s Strongest Individual!’

      So, that’s the short-term goal; to return to my old self, be more open and deal with disappointment in a more concealed manner rather than blowing up on one of those rants.  However, the long-term is still uncertain and that is a test that might be harder to crack.  I know in myself that I am good enough to make it and I’m certainly not burnt out by journalism.  To be honest, I never have been.  True, I get annoyed with some of the media’s tactics in reporting a story nowadays and of course, the phone hacking scandal of the summer really changed the landscape of how media and journalists are seen to the general public.  I still want to chase my dream of ultimately being successful in this industry, but probably need guidance in the next move I make.  I’m 23 now and don’t want to be doing more years of constant studying, especially as I came to University two years later than most of the rest of the course I currently study on. 

     Where do I go next then is the question?  The possibility to do an NCTJ accredited course is very tempting.  I’ve been checking out prices for a variety of courses.  The cheaper option would be a Distance Learning course, which I can do in my own time, over a maximum of two years.  Unfortunately, my University isn’t NCTJ accredited, so areas like shorthand are not included on my course.  In hindsight, it’s something I probably should have thought about more when I was making decisions on University in the winter of 2008.  Sports journalism is where I wanted to end up then and it still is today, but I don’t know if I should be more specific in what I am aiming for.  I feel that without getting an NCTJ course or training for one in a job, I can’t see myself reaching and fulfilling my goals.  Summer 2012 is certainly the best option for this, but I wouldn’t mind getting a bit more guidance in this area.

     So, this is something I would like to timetable at while I am at home next week.  It’s no harm pondering over your options and actually, it’s a good thing that I’m trying to keep open-minded on this.  Unfortunately, the unpredictable economic climate and the lack of jobs out there mean that an uncertain future is one that faces a lot of us.  I won’t lie; it’s a small world and not a great feeling to have.

       In summary, sort out the short-term faults of recent weeks and return to University on the 14 November as a far better and more positive person for the testing start; something I know I’m capable of.  In the long-term; give your goals some thought over the next week as playing the waiting game is rubbish!

Soapland at Christmas

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

WITH the clocks due to go back on Sunday, it’s an ideal time to look at the three key storylines that are set to strike the three top soaps at Christmas this year.

     It is a common tradition for the soaps to roll out the big guns in an attempt to draw in the viewers, especially for when it comes to the big 25th date itself.  EastEnders knows how to do it, as it’s been the top rated soap on Christmas Day for nine years in a row.  The burning question is, will they make it the perfect ten this year?  Or will Corrie steal glory for the first time since 2001?  Or could Emmerdale spring a surprise and come out on top?

WARNING: Potential spoilers do not read on if you don’t want to know!

EastEnders – Farwell to an Albert Square legend

GOODBYE: How is Pat heading out of the Square?

IT SEEMS like a regular theme.  Christmas in soapland brings a familiar character leaving.  This year, that honour goes to Albert Square icon Pat Evans.  Actress Pam St Clement is hanging up her alter ego’s famous earrings after 20 years in the role.  The likelihood is that Pat will be killed off but how is still up in the air.  The rumoured ways are a horror fire in the B&B or, perhaps more likely, a tragic short battle with cancer.  The final scenes are set to reunite the Butcher family with Ricky (Sid Owen) and Bianca (Patsy Palmer) returning as are Pat’s sons, Simon and David Wicks (Nick Berry and Michael French), last seen in the mid-nineties.  Either way, it is certainly set to be another tearjerker of a Christmas in the Square.

Coronation Street – Teenage heartbreak on the cards

HEARTBREAK: Sophie and Sian's relationship looks set for a unhappy ending

ONE of Corrie’s most popular storylines over the past two years has been the lesbian relationship between Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) and Sian Powers (Sacha Parkinson).  This Christmas, it looks like the romance could potentially hit the skids.  Last week saw Sophie end up kissing workmate Amber Kalirai (Nikki Patel) and in an act of guilt, decided to pop the question to Sian, setting up a civil partnership ceremony for the festive period.  Whilst it is known that the storyline will get to at least the day of the ceremony, it seems that they may not get to say ‘I do.’  The rumours are that the event will be called off as Sophie decides that it’s Amber that she really wants.  However, Amber might also decide to get her own back and make the secret kiss a public matter, leading to a potential jilt.  With Sacha Parkinson set bid farewell to Weatherfield as Sian at the start of 2012, it looks as if this love story sadly won’t get the happy ending that it deserves.

Emmerdale – Happy Families, unlikely!

WHEREAS EastEnders and Corrie’s plot lines have broken cover, Emmerdale is still being kept mostly under wraps.  However, it looks as if their main plot will centre round the continuing illness of Debbie Dingle’s (Charley Webb) daughter Sarah.  In desperate need of a bone marrow transplant for Sarah to survive, she and Sarah’s father Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) decide to take drastic action that could have several drawbacks in the long term.  It is possible that this could also connect with the birth of Amy Wyatt’s (Chelsea Halfpenny) baby at Christmas, and whether the dad of the newborn Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) will oppose to this decision.  It seems an extremely and complicated based storyline at the moment, mainly as it hasn’t really been fully unveiled.  Soap addicts should remember though, Emmerdale never really does simple and basic storylines, especially at Christmas.

     One thing is certainly agreed, Christmas Day will once again be far from quiet in the land of soaps.  Just what side will the public tune into this year?  There’s only 59 days to go until we have our answer.

TV classics - Noel's House Party

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

THROUGHOUT the eighties, the BBC had discovered a great entertainer in Noel Edmonds.  First was the daring Late Late Breakfast Show before the more applauding Saturday Roadshow.  Then in November 1991, the Saturday Roadshow became Noel’s House Party, the BBC’s first live Saturday night show for a long time.

     Broadcast from ‘The Great House’ in Crinkley Bottom, a fictional Westcountry village, the idea behind the show was to have fun, play pranks, make famous people fools, embarrass members of the public and of course, some rewards.  This was in a period where all kinds of Saturday night entertainment were rolled into one.  A bitter ratings war was subsequently launched with ITV’s common Saturday offerings of Catchphrase, Gladiators, Family Fortunes and Blind Date up against BBC’s line-up of Big Break, The Generation Game, House Party and Casualty.

     The features of House Party usually featured Gotcha! where members of the public and sometimes celebrities were fooled with hidden cameras and had to endure a series of practical jokes.  To prove that the show was well and truly live, NTV placed a secret camera in a living room of someone watching the show, and again, celebrities were caught out in this segment on some occasions, most notably Chris Evans, the late Richard Whiteley and Dale Winton.

     The Gunge Tank was yet again no escape for anyone.  Starting off as a phone-in poll between two celebrities to decide who should get the gunging, it later evolved into a tour around the house whilst being soaked in the slimy mess.  The show did give away some prizes, with Grab-a-Grand.  A celebrity would spend up to 60 seconds, depending on the amount of questions a viewer answered correctly, collecting foreign banknotes in a fan booth.  The cash collected was converted into a prize total using the exchange rate rule.  People could also win money in Number Cruncher.  A special phone booth was placed somewhere in Britain and the first person to find it would play the game, a big cash prize if successful but failure resulted in…you guessed it…a gunging!

DUO: Trouble often followed Noel Edmonds and Mr. Blobby!

     However, the best known character of House Party was Mr Blobby, a spotted mascot who would so often or not get himself or Edmonds into trouble in one way or another.  His popularity spurned a large merchandise line and the Christmas Number One in 1993 with his own title song.  With the show pulling in usually around ten million per week, Crinkley Bottom was given its own park at Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft, Norfolk for people to experience it firsthand.

     As the show continued to screen throughout the years, drastic improvements were made to try and keep it up-to-date with the growth in other modern gameshows and newer programmes.  However, they didn’t have a great effect; people left disappointed as they believed House Party would be one of the shows that should never have had its format tampered with.  Viewers turned off in their droves and Edmonds went into a contractual dispute with the Beeb, claiming they were responsible to making the tweaks that sent the show downhill.  Eventually, he agreed to try one more series in 1998, with a raft of new features, but designed to try and make House Party look original again.  Sadly, only die-hard fans were watching and the BBC decided enough was enough and axed the show.  The final episode was broadcast on March 20, 1999.

     “It's an overworked expression when people say it's the end of an era but for BBC Television, the Entertainment Department, for me and possibly you, it really is the end of an era. I hope your memory will be very kind to us. After 169 . . . bye.”  Those were Noel Edmonds simple but effective final words on the show.  Following the show’s axing, the BBC has not attempted to launch another show that has similar borderlines to House Party whilst Edmonds vowed never to work for the BBC again.  He has kept that vow to this day, with the exception of presenting a one-off National Lottery special in 2006.  Noel can now be found every weekday presenting the Channel 4 show Deal Or No Deal.

     There can be no question that House Party changed the face of Saturday night television for the BBC but if it wanted to survive longer than eight years, it needed to follow the golden quotation of revamping shows, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’  Sadly, it seemed the BBC weren’t paying close attention.

Cardle's Christmas gets even better

NO.1: Album cover

JUST over a week after winning the X-Factor, Matt Cardle’s Christmas has got even better, after he was officially crowned as the winner of the Christmas No.1 on Sunday night.  Cardle’s winners single, his rendition of Biffy Clyro’s massive hit ‘Many Faces of Horror,’ which he titled ‘When we Collide,’ held off challenges from protest campaigns on Facebook about X-Factor’s domination of the coveted prize.

Other competitors included a hit from Rihanna, one of Cardle’s closest friends with ‘What’s My Name,’ which finished in second place and John Cage’s protest against Simon Cowell, known as ‘Cage against the Machine.’  Their idea was to record a 4min 33sec song of complete silence and was supported by bands such as Madness, The Kooks and Pendulum.  In the end, it didn’t launch a serious threat to the final outcome. 

FORMIDABLE: Matt with his mentor, Dannii Minogue

17.2million viewers watched Matt, 27, the former decorator from Colchester overcome Rebecca Ferguson and One Direction in last Sunday’s final.  Mentored by Australian Dannii Minogue, he was the red-hot favourite to win the ITV talent show for a large proportion of the show, highlighted by the fact that he topped the phone votes on nine of the ten live show weeks.  Cowell will be hoping that Cardle’s success starts a new trend of X-Factor domination of the Christmas charts, which has seen No.1’s for Alexandra Burke, Leona Lewis and doomed Scottish singer Leon Jackson.  It was halted last year, by a successful Facebook campaign to get Rage Against the Machine’s 1992 hit ‘Killing in the Name’ to the top of the charts, overhauling last year’s winning single, ‘The Climb’ by Joe McElderrey. 

On hearing the news of his success, Cardle was gobsmacked; "I can't believe it.  As if winning wasn't enough. I honestly didn't think I'd even make it on to the live shows, let alone win and now be the Christmas number one.  "I can't even begin to describe how it feels.”

Congratulations to Matt, a fitting Xmas No.1, I hope he can build on this success for a long-time to come.  

Xmas Unique Magazine - University of Northampton 2010

EVERYONE!

Follow this link for the Christmas Unique magazine, produced by students at the University of Northampton at:

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1qdvi/UniqueMagazineChrist/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F263204%2FUnique-Magazine-Christmas-Special

Produced by: Josie Copestake, Nicole Weale, Jonathan Lee, Lauren Bowen, Amy Fordham, Stephen Frost,  Hannah Smith, Ebony Douglas, Chris Ola, Rochelle Lye, Stefania Ventura, Shane Scanlon, Emily Shears, Sian King, Richard Parker, Rebecca Sharman, Farida Zeynalova, Simon Wright (ME!), Ellie Birmingham, Tramaine Reindorf, Xiaoxiam Liu & Tamika Short

Enjoy reading!!

No longer with us. . .

ONE month to go until the start of a new year, but whilst a load of us our getting ready to celebrate the Christmas cheer, some famous faces are no longer with us.  Here is my tribute to those who sadly will not be around during the festive season. . .

Bill McLaren (Rugby Union commentator)           (Died on January 19, aged 86)

BILL McLaren was the voice of rugby union, commentating on some of the classic moments in the code’s history for over fifty years.  McLaren retired in 2003, and was awarded the CBE, OBE and MBE awards for his services to sport.

Alexander McQueen (British fashion designer)          (Died on February 11, aged 40)

HAILED as a modern-day genius, McQueen won the CBE and was names British Designer of the Year on four separate occasions.  His presence in the fashion industry has been greatly missed ever since.

Dick Francis (Thriller writer)                       (Died on Valentine’s Day, aged 89)

FRANCIS was the jockey who famously was onboard Devon Loach, when the horse collapsed yards from the finish line and victory in the 1956 Grand National.  Dick Francis went onto to write 42 novels, mainly of the horse racing genre and was acclaimed by many, as one of the greatest thriller writers of the world.

Kristian Digby (TV presenter)                     (Died on March 1, aged 32)

DIRECTED a number of TV programmes and won a junior BAFTA award in 1997 for his short film Words of Deception.  Digby was a property expert and he worked on a number of property developer shows, including House Swap and Living in the Sun.

Keith Alexander (Football manager)      (Died on March 3, aged 53)

ALEXANDER collapsed and died from a brain tumour shortly after managing Macclesfield in a League Two match at Notts County.  The popular manager was in charge of the Silkmen for two years, and also had management spells at Peterborough United and Lincoln City.

Michael Foot (Former Labour leader)    (Died on March 3, aged 96)

IN CHARGE of the Labour party for three years, Foot was a charismatic and funny politician, who liked to crack a few jokes.  He lost the 1983 General Election contest by a landslide to Margaret Thatcher.

Harry Carpenter (Former Boxing commentator)                (Died on March 20, aged 84)

Best known as the ‘voice of boxing,’ for BBC and ITV, Harry Carpenter carried a special torch for the British boxers, particularly Frank Bruno.  Who can forget; ‘He’s hurt Tyson, GET IN THERE FRANK!’  Boxing is a poorer place without Harry’s knowledge and love for the sport.

Malcolm McLaren (Punk rock pioneer)                  (Died on April 8, aged 64)

THE manager of the Sex Pistols, Malcolm McLaren co-owned a Sex shop in Chelsea and had a fun and spectacular attitude towards lifestyle.  His life was never dull, going about with the punk rock behaviour that dominated music for a time in the UK.

Gerry Ryan (Broadcaster)                             (Died on April 30, aged 53)

HUGELY popular in his homeland, Gerry Ryan was often referred to being the individual who created talk radio in Ireland.  His controversial opinions on a variety of topics might land him in hot water, but he had his own show for two decades and was one of the most established figures on Irish TV.

Lynn Redgrave (Actress)                               (Died on May 2, aged 67)

AFTER a brave seven year battle against breast cancer, Lynn Redgrave succumbed to the illness in early May this year.  In a career that stretched over four decades, Redgrave’s acting career was a massive success, being nominated for two Emmys, two Oscars and a Grammy in her time.

Gary Coleman (Actor)                                    (Died on May 28, aged 42)

GARY Coleman achieved huge fame as a child actor on the US show Diff’rent Strokes for eight years.  When he left in 1986, his career started to slowly go downhill, but his impact will always remain.

Stuart Cable (Drummer)                               (Died on June 7, aged 40)

GROWING up in Wales, Cable was part of Welsh rock band the Stereophonics from their formation in 1992 until 2001.  Before his death, he presented a rock show on BBC Radio Wales.

Alex Higgins (Snooker player)                   (Died on July 24, aged 61)

ALEX ‘the Hurricane’ Higgins was one of the finest snooker players of his generation.  He won two world championships, but his problems with smoking and alcohol limited his overall success.  Higgins was banned in 1990 for threatening to have Dennis Taylor shot, and criticised the Snooker governing body on several separate occasions.  He passed away after a ten year battle with throat cancer.

Sir Cyril Smith (Politician)                            (Died on September 3, aged 82)

THE former Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale, Sir Cyril Smith was another character who always had a lot of fun, both in his work and away from the House of Commons.  His outspoken manner made him one of the most well-known faces in British politics, winning a knighthood in 1988.

Sir Norman Wisdom (Comedian)             (Died on October 4, aged 95)

STARRING in 32 sitcoms and 19 films, Sir Norman Wisdom was a popular figure in England and in Albania, where he spent his later life.  Friends described Sir Norman as “a beloved comic genius,” passing away peacefully in a nursing home in the Isle of Man.

Solomon Burke (Soul singer)                      (Died on October 10, aged 70)

HE WAS described as the “best soul singer of all time, Burke started his soul career in 1960 and spent the next decade producing many classic hits.  Some of his music went onto star in movies, which made the former Grammy award winner even more of a household name.

Bernard Matthews (Multi-millionaire farmer)   (Died on November 25, aged 80)

BERNARD Matthews passed away last Thursday, having had a distinguished and largely successful career, despite some harder times in recent years.  Matthews became famous for his “bootiful” catchphrases in his TV advertising the 1980’s, and is credited for bringing cheap turkey masses to the public.

Gavin Blyth (TV Producer)                           (Died on November 27, aged 41)

GAVIN Blyth’s tragic death last week came after a short illness and was totally unexpected.  Having grown up as a journalist in Liverpool, Blyth moved into TV and had been the man responsible for turning around the fortunes of ITV soap Emmerdale since his appointment in the role last January.

ALL OF YOU WILL BE MISSED, RIP!

Miracle of the Miners

SOMETIMES in the world, we remember moments and never forget them.  Wednesday’s dramatic rescue of the 33 men who have been trapped for 69 days in a collapsed Chilean mineshaft will go down as one of those moments, where joy, relief and celebration dominated the headlines, rather than the traditional political conflict, wars and deaths that fill up our newspapers and TV news stations.

Mario Gomez, one of the 33 to have been trapped, said on his return to earth: “I have come back to life.”  To survive such extreme conditions underground goes down to a lot of teamwork, bravery, skill and courageous ability.  None of the men gave up on the pure delight of being able to see their beloved families again.  Together with the fantastic rescue teams, who produced a yellow capsule which with every hour, went down the 620ft hole that had been drilled to return another man to human earth.  This is a result that no-one could have predicted nearly three months ago.

The disaster began on August 5^th, when the 33 miners became trapped underground when part of the San Jose mine they were working on collapsed.  Two days later, a second collapse prevents early rescue attempts to free the trapped miners and it seemed like they were doomed.  However, failure was simply not an option to all of those involved and immediately, rescuers recovered from this potentially devastating setback and began drilling in a desperate attempt to find the men.  From this early stage, authorities were warning everyone that the chances of finding anyone alive were very slim.  Hope grew on August 22^nd, when a rescue probe returned with a message, shown by president Pinera to Chilean television, which proved that all 33 miners are remarkably still alive.  Suddenly, the rescue team involved manage to make voice contact with the men and begin sending down the vital supplies they need to keep them alive.  Initial reports suggested it might not be until Christmas when they might end up being rescued, so this result is even better than what first could have been predicted.

With support from millions across the world, the miners have been seen in good spirits from video footage, even managing to see an international friendly in September of their beloved country losing in Kiev to the Ukraine.  Once the first miner, Florencio Gonzalez was winched to the surface amid jubilant scenes, this was going to be a day full of emotion and elation. 

Chile has been in the headlines a lot in 2010, for a varying degree of fortunes.  The devastating earthquake that hit the country in March was followed by the national football team’s charismatic flair and attacking prowess that won over many fans in the World Cup finals in South Africa.  For a country that has suffered its fair bit down the years, and not had the best of international relations, the response to the plight of the miners has redeemed the country in the eyes of everyone across the globe.  It is so nice to see something so heart-warming dominate the headlines.

Some of the miners are receiving treatment in hospital, though it is thought to be mainly precautionary measures.  It is staggering to think that all 33 miners escaped any serious injury, or as a matter of fact, death.  This is a miracle of all proportions.

THE 33 CHILEAN MIRACLE MINERS OF 2010: Florencio Avalos (31), Jorge Galleguillos (55), Dario Segovia (48), Carlos Bugueno (28), Victor Segovia (48), Franklin Lobos (53), Esteban Rojas (44), Renan Avalos (29), Osman Araya (30), Pablo Rojas (45), Claudio Yanez (34), Richard Villarroel (23), Ariel Ticona (29), Carlos Mameni (24), Juan Illanes (52), Juan Aguilar (49), Edison Pena (34), Mario Sepulveda (40), Daniel Herrera (27), Alex Vega (31), Carlos Barrios (27), Jose Henriquez (54), Claudio Acuna (35), Jimmy Sanchez (19), Omar Reygadas (56), Raul Bustos (40), Jose Ojeda (47), Samuel Avalos (43), Pedro Cortez (26), Victor Zamora (34), Luis Urzua (54), Mario Gomez (63), Manuel Gonzalez Pavez (UNKNOWN)

Miracle Miners Are Found In Chile

After being trapped underground for two weeks and with seemingly little hope of survival, a group of Chilean miners have managed to send a message to confirm that they are miraculously, still alive.  The 33 miners were first reported missing on August 6^th and have remained trapped in a cave near the city of Copiapo.

The President of the South American country, Sebastian Pinera confirmed the news by showing the message to local television stations.  The message was written in red paint and in English translation said; “The 33 of us in the shelter are well.”

Pinera also told reporters how the message had been reached from deep underground.  It had been a tied to a drill that rescuers had previously used to bore through to the area near an underground shelter.  Celebrations have got underway after the news brokethrough, with parties being held in the capital Santiago, a country which is still attempting to rebuild itself from the shattering earthquake that ripped through the nation back in March. 

President Pinera has said that it could take months for the miners to be rescued back to sea level, possibly even as late as Christmas.  This is because the miners are about 700 metres underground.  The miners are believed to have a limited about of food accessible to them, but are looking in better shape that what had been previously expected.  Doctors are advising that high energy foods be sent down as soon as possible.  The miners are staying alive, due to a massive tank of water and ventilation shafts being around in the area.

When this news brokethrough on Monday afternoon, these people can only be described as the ‘Miracle Miners.’