That was 2011...in news

STUDYING journalism at University, it is essential to keep updated on the latest news around the world, no matter if it has any influence on you.  2011 has been one of the most dramatic news years in recent times, but sadly – there were a lot of dark forces and the stories don’t lie.  Natural disasters, media revelations, economic crisis, uprisings in a new world and man-made riots made it a fairly depressing year for many.

         The heart of Japan was ripped out in March by a devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country.  An 8.9 earthquake on the Richter scale; the most powerful in Japan’s history was followed by a 30ft tsunami which swept away everything in its path.  Cars, people, buildings stood absolutely no chance against Mother Nature’s deadly power.  Many thousands were killed and it is unlikely that the total death toll will ever be recorded, due to the sheer destruction.  It was a year when natural disasters sadly came right to the forefront again.  Flash flooding recently has claimed the lives of 500 people in the Philippines; Brazil was hit by massive landslides which left 15,000 homeless in January.  Australia had to bring in the military following widespread flooding in Queensland and Brisbane, which left at least 25 people dead and nearby neighbours New Zealand were left reeling by the earthquake in Christchurch in February which left over 100 dead.   

         Back at home and the media had its own cross examinations, in the form of a gulfing scandal.  The phone hacking scandal not only stained the reputation of the British print industry, but it has left it with a lot of damage to attempt recovery from.  Andy Coulson, who was David Cameron’s former press aide, was arrested and the chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, eventually resigned from her tainted position.  The Murdoch’s faced severe interrogation from MPs over the actions of rogue journalists, which spelt the end for the News of the World newspaper in July.  The voicemails of murdered teen Milly Dowler were hacked into and many celebrities, including Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller and Andy Gray reported cases of their conversations being taped.  The Leveson enquiry into this summer’s distasteful events is being held at the moment, but the implications are still far reaching for the press sector of media.

         In America, the former doctor of Michael Jackson, Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.  He has since been sentenced to four years in prison.  Meanwhile, student Amanda Knox was cleared on appeal on the murder of fellow British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia.  Knox had spent four years in jail, having been initially convicted in 2007.  

      America also said goodbye to the Space Shuttle, as Atlantis made its final mission in July.  Having been in service for 30 years, the reusable spacecraft has been retired after some success and devastating disasters in American space exploration history.  In Europe, an economic meltdown has seen the Euro on the brink of collapse.  Greece, Ireland and Portugal have asked for emergency bailouts and a recent EU treaty proposal was rejected by David Cameron, which has left Britain playing a dangerous game, but a correct game against Europe.  It has seen tensions rise in the coalition though.  The Liberal Democrats might be at war with the Conservatives with this, but they also lost the AV vote referendum and suffered severe losses in May’s local elections.  In 2010, Nick Clegg was on a crest on a wave, but now, he is among one of the most unpopular politicians ever to have walked in Downing Street!

        The springtime brought about a changing of the guard in the Arab world.  It started with the rebellion in Tunisia, which led to their president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fleeing to Saudi Arabia.  Bahrain’s government also faced upheaval, but survived.  Hosni Mubarak wasn’t so lucky and after weeks of tense fighting and standoff in Cairo, he fled from his position as Egyptian president.  However, there is still great uncertainly about Egypt’s future direction.  Syria, Algeria and Saudi Arabia have also seen scenes of demonstrations in 2011, but it was Libya where the biggest change happened.  Colonel Gadaffi’s cruel regime finally came under stiff attack as world leaders called for him to depart graciously.  Gadaffi held on and declared war; Cameron, Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy reacted and air strikes began on the country, with NATO been called in to help out.  After months of struggle, Gadaffi was captured and killed in September and a new dawn of promise and hope for Libyans might well be on, after years of torture and doom.     

          At the beginning of May, international terrorism came back into the headlines and the world became just a little bit safer.  Barack Obama confirmed the news that Osama Bin Laden was dead.  The Al-Qaeda figurehead was captured and shot dead by US troops in Pakistan; a decade after the search for him began following the September 11^th terrorist attacks.  Ten years on, it will never bring back those who died in the appalling mass murder in America; nor those who suffered in Bali, Istanbul and London in years gone by, but a sense of justice could now be felt.  Despite Bin Laden’s death, terrorism still remains at the forefront of our lives.  In July, Anders Behring Breivik blew up government offices in Oslo, Norway and then, dressed as a policeman, committed a shooting rampage on Utoya Island, where many youngsters were spending a summer holiday at camp.  Around 70 people were thought to have been killed in the two attacks.  More recently, a man threw explosives in Liege, Belgium.  Four died and the gunman took his own life after the four explosions rocked the city centre.    

         In April, Britain had a wonderful day, as millions watched in London and on TV the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  It was a perfect day and put a lot of affection back into our hearts for the Royal Family.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are now officially known brought a tear to many people’s eyes to show that our country can really do something that we should be proud of.

     Four months later, the dark side really came to the force as the UK riots stunned us all.  The shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham began a chain of events within London and spread across many other areas of the UK on a miserable Monday evening in August.  Businesses were destroyed, damage estimated to be in the billions and the leadership seemed to be lacking from the coalition; all on holiday at the time the riots escalated.  Several people died and record arrests were made, as police struggled to control the loonies who were causing such destruction on our country.  The riots disgusted many and brought shame on a worldwide scale.  The cost is still being felt now. 

       One of the greatest geniuses died in October, as founder and visionary of Apple, Steve Jobs lost his battle against pancreatic cancer.  The world also said goodbye to singer Amy Winehouse, found dead in her London apartment in July.  Elizabeth Taylor, the renowned actress passed away from ill health in March, as did Coronation Street icon Betty Driver in October.  Sport also lost three heroes in Wales’s football manager Gary Speed, who took his own life, former heavyweight world champion Joe Frazier to cancer and double Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon, killed in a horrific 15 car pile-up at the IndyCar season finale in Las Vegas. 

           2011 has been a year full of revelations, rebellion and change.  It has brought some cheer, some justice but also, a lot of devastation and uncertainly.  That was 2011….in news.

Talkback Thames to split

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

ERA: Ending as Talkback Thames is set to split

TALKBACK Thames, one of the most prolific names in television production in recent times are to part ways as part of a major shakeup of operations at the company’s owners, Fremantle Media.  The joint-venture, responsible for many of the popular shows seen on screen today, will cease to exist from New Year’s Day next year with both companies reverting back to their original solo identities.  This is because Fremantle is aiming to broaden its programming genres and it plans to do that by launching two new production companies in the process.

     Talkback was launched in 1981 and launched the careers of many faces like Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith, becoming a major player in comedy production in the 1990s with hits like I’m Alan Partridge and They Think It’s All Over.  Thames roots go back to when it was part of the ITV network, launching in 1968 and holding the London franchise of the broadcaster on weekdays until 1992.  It’s mainstay of programmes were mainly in drama like The Sweeney, Minder and The Bill.

     After Thames was ousted out of ITV, it became an independent production company and in 1996, it was taken over by Pearson Television, predecessor to Fremantle.  Both Talkback and Thames merged to form Talkback Thames in 2003 with its current onscreen name first coming into effect two years later.

      So what happens now to both companies in this production shakeup?  Talkback will now revert to its original roots of producing comedy entertainment/panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks, QI and Celebrity Juice whilst Thames will now focus on just general entertainment programmes like The X-Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and All Star Family Fortunes.  They will also be responsible for producing an upcoming revival of the classic gameshow Blockbusters for digital channel Challenge.  The two new productions labels set up, will be known as Retort, which will be responsible for scripted comedy (PhoneShop and Richard Bacon’s Beer & Pizza Club) and Boundless, which will oversee production of factual shows (Grand Designs and The Apprentice.)

The change in direction has been requested by Fremantle Media UK chief executive Sara Geater, who said in a prepared statement: "This new label structure allows us to showcase the amazing talent within our business by enabling us to be even more creative and innovative to better respond to our customers' needs. We're committed to developing inspiring entertainment for broadcasters and audiences, and I believe that this structure of labels with big ambitions will ensure we better serve our customers with bespoke propositions that will deliver them the hits of the future."

      It’s certainly a bitter pill to swallow, having to say farewell to such an excellent provider of British television over the last few years.  Now though, it’s time to face up to the future and this change seems that it will give a new lease of life to Fremantle’s current programmes and it will certainly attract the attention of potential new investors.

The UK riots - My view

By Simon Wright (Personal column)

SO, ‘BROKEN Britain’ lies in ruins after last week’s horrific scenes of rioting and looting across the country.  Note to toy manufacturers, no batteries have been included in these burnt out shops, homes and businesses.  Some shops look like the burnt out shell that was The Loft nightclub after the 2009 fire in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, whilst others remain open for business as if last week was a storm in a teacup.

     It wasn’t though.  Approximately 3,000 arrests have been made by police, with at least 60 per cent of these having been charged for the crimes.  The damage is likely to end up reaching £1billion pounds and it is a dreadful promotion for the capital city, with the 2012 Olympics now less than a year away.  Chelsea Ives, one of the rioters, was an Olympic ambassador.  That’s an embarrassing image sight for the organisers and I’m pleased the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has backed us.  I’m shocked to realise that we have so many idiots in our country.  London was the worst hit, but there were also severe disturbances in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol, with minor damage reported in Nottingham, Gloucester, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Milton Keynes and West Bromwich.  So, why did we end up all fearing for the establishments we live and love last week in the worst riots seen in this country for many a generation.  Many reasons have been given, which I will go into detail later on in this blog.

     First of all, as I tuned into Sky throughout Monday night last week, I was appalled to see what was happening.  It shook me to a core and I felt sick to the stomach.  Anger was building up inside me; as the pictures saw London look like a disaster movie, with many industries looking as battered and bruised as you would if you’d taken on Mike Tyson in his prime.  I was leaving the country in 48 hours time and when I heard of trouble reaching my own hometown, I started to wonder what I would come back to.  Luckily, it has calmed down since then, but the damage has been done and left so many heartbreaking stories.

    Ashrof Rassle is brave to say he still loves this country and wants to stay.  The Malaysian student is recovering in hospital after he was attacked and robbed on the streets by thugs.  The video was recorded and uploaded to YouTube and is an absolutely disgraceful act.  I feel massively for Trevor Reeves, who could only watch in horror as his local furniture store burnt down in Croydon.  It had survived two World Wars and lived through four generations of family, what a tragic way for the business to end.  Then there’s Richard Bowes, who was attempting to remonstrate yobs that set fires to bins near his home in Ealing, only to be beaten to death in an act of cynical behaviour.  Finally, there are the three young lads in Birmingham, who were protecting their livelihoods (businesses and mosques) and ultimately paid the price, with their lives.  I’m so proud to see the community of Birmingham come together at a time of such overwhelming tragedy.    

     The government has taken a load of stick for their handling of the carnage to have descended on the UK and some of it is fully merited.  More organisation has to be used around holidays, with rotas the only way forward.  I’m sorry, but you cannot have the five main figureheads of the country (Home Secretary, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Mayor of London and Chancellor) on holiday at exactly the same time.  The one politician I did feel sorry for was Boris Johnson.  He was heckled in the streets, but he was trying to help and also got involved in the cleanup in Clapham.  It got worse when Boris was bullied in an interview last Tuesday night (August 9) by ITN anchor and Daily Mirror columnist Mark Austin.  Johnson did really well to get his points across, despite Austin’s ignorant attempts to butt into his answers.  The way he handled the interview was very professional and dignified.  As for Austin, it was a foul piece of journalism and a bad example of how to do it.  For me, a respected news anchor dropped the ball here.

     As the week has progressed, I have been deeply unimpressed by the way David Cameron has handled this national crisis.  If I knew he was going to be this bad, maybe he should have stayed in Tuscany after all, sipping his precious cappuccino!  Despite the destruction, he still wants to cut 16,000 jobs on the police front.  What on earth is he doing!  Has he had his eyes shut throughout?  If anything, we need more police on the frontline as the anarchy broke out.  I’m afraid Mr. Cameron has been just as clueless of late as Arsene Wenger!  One message to Dave; I’m sure they do decent deals on priceless coffees at Starbucks if you really are that desperate for a caffeine boost!

     Last Thursday, he did say this in an emergency Commons debate; “And to the lawless minority, the criminals who have taken what they can get.  I say this, we will track you down, we will find you, we will charge you, we will punish you.  You will pay for what you have done.”  At least he has stuck to that, with magistrates working 24 hours a day to send a lot of the criminals into prison cells for their actions.  However, boot camps might have to be the way forward, because it might teach all of them a lesson in how to behave.  Any confidence I had in the coalition government has disintegrated.  Nick Clegg looks like a spare part, George Osbourne would rather be somewhere else rather than the House of Commons half the time and Theresa May is under huge pressure now, probably fighting a losing battle for her job.

     Now onto those who caused so much damage, fear and grief to the innocent.  It is inexcusable what they have done and an utter disgrace.  This was thuggery of the highest order.  Some don’t look sorry at all – I’ve heard stories of them smirking in court and laughing away without a care in the world.  You are a disgrace to society and I only wish we had bigger wheelie bins to tip you into!  I say to the courts, lock them up and throw away the key.  Boo hoo that you can’t afford the latest Nike Pegasus trainers, a Dell laptop or a 4-pack of Carlsberg Special Brew – it’s a tough life and we have all had to make sacrifices in the recession.  If you don’t like it, we don’t need you in the country, bugger off onto another planet!

    Despite some of the compensation packages that have been set-up by the government for affected businesses, it will end up being us that pays for most of the damage, not the loonies who did the damage.  Most taxpayers wouldn’t mind seeing these clowns having benefits and hand-outs being taken away from them.  It might help them learn, though that’s unlikely. 

    The parents need to take some responsibility too for the actions of their children.  For some of the criminals, running back to Daddy is probably the best option.  Oh wait, your Daddy probably encouraged you or is getting smashed out of his head at the local watering establishment!  The parents must take more control of their kid’s actions.  I’m pleased to have seen many parents hand their kids into the police.  Well done to you, no matter how hard it must have been, you’ve done the right thing.  To those parents who are protecting their violent youngsters, hang your head in shame, because you are not much better!

    Historian David Starkey will also probably need to find a new occupation.  His comments on last week’s edition of Newsnight have no place on television and he’d better hope that TalkSport offer him a place on their radio programming for sporting history.  After all, they seem to accept those disgraced professionals who make barbaric comments on TV.  Richard Keys and Andy Gray spring to mind!

     After what has happened last week, I have to ask myself, do I want to be a part of this country anymore?  I have to question it.  Our country might recover – but it will take lots of work to repair the burnt-out buildings and shattered glass windows.  I’m afraid, unless these police cuts are reviewed, the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) is restored and parents take more responsibility, this could easily happen again anytime soon.

     Lastly of course, my symphonies go out to those who have lost loved ones and been significantly affected by these devastating riots.

Fear - A personal experience

By Simon Wright (Personal piece) - Initially done in February 2011 - for my print portfolio at the University of Northampton

WE SHOULDN’T be living in the past.  Yes, everyone is going to have a degree of doubt, no matter what the event/moment is.  However, if we don’t beat the fear and nerves, where will we end up?  I believe, not in a promising position.

I THINK I can safely say that we all think about life in many different forms.  We all take life for granted until the unexpected happens which changes everything.  For some, that might be the breakdown of a rowdy relationship, or a conflict with a personal religious belief.  Having an element of fear in my life is common, like many others.  In fact, I’m sure we all have a fear of some degree.  Staying secure is important and we don’t want to be too insecure.  On one night in July 2009, I found this out to be of great cost.

     As I walked home alone on my way back from a night out in Milton Keynes, I was attacked, just yards away from my family home.  It still feels very painful for me to describe or write about the experience, even eighteen months on.  I suffered a broken nose, general shock and a stolen mobile phone.

     I was extremely lucky, as I could easily have been another fatal victim of street attacks in the UK.  However, it made me look at life in a different way.  I could have locked myself away, not wanting to go out again, be bitter about my injuries and wonder, why me?

     No, I had to make changes for the better.  If I lived in fear of it happening again, then I wouldn’t be where I am today.  Before this incident, I had always taken things for granted.  Yes, I had always looked out for people, but I had always put myself first.  I was far too selfish, greedy, over-confident for my own liking.

     Now, eighteen months on, I understand the importance of life far more than I ever did before.  Every second in life is precious to me now, I know that and I am embracing and enjoying the challenges thrown at me.  By acting tough, showing defiance and determination and getting out of my comfort zone, it makes me a better person, no matter what the final outcome may be.

I feel a stronger person for tougher previous experiences

     Sometimes, I hold back and I know it’s due to fear.  I have a tendency not to throw myself into new situations straightaway, especially on my course at University.  It’s that case of playing the ‘waiting game.’  I think that it’s fairly understandable to still feel some insecurity.  I certainly think so and if people don’t like that, I couldn’t care less.  However, I like a challenge, and after the initial reluctance/concern, I will do it, say it, whatever the final result.  Nine times out of ten, I’m likely to enjoy it too.

     Some of us live in fear and with fear regularly.  We all have it to some form of existence.  However, if we always live with it on our conscience, then success is going to be limited.  We all have elements of fear, but if they are overcome, then you will be able to appreciate life far more.  From my own terrible experience, I know how to bounce back and be a stronger individual.

Eurovision Song Contest 2011 - Azerbaijan pulls off a surprise triumph

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

THE most competitive and campest night of the year always delivers a talking point or two each time.  The 57th staging of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night promised to be a spectacular occasion and it didn’t disappoint.

     For the first time since 1998, the contest did not take place in the capital city of the host nation.  Germany opted for the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf over their capital Berlin.  In its day job, it’s a second division football stadium, but the tenants happily vacated their home for a few weeks to allow Europe’s greatest music competition to take centre stage.  43 countries, equalling the record, participated and the previous week’s semi-final heats whittled the field down to 25 countries in line for the showpiece prize.

IMPROVEMENT: However, Blue couldn't crack the top ten

     In recent years, the United Kingdom has plummeted from Eurovision contenders to no-hopers.  The BBC has had enough with the viewing public’s pathetic decisions of recent Eurovision performers, so decided that the only way it could win Eurovision again was to make the decision on the country’s act.  Step forward former boyband pin-ups Blue with the song ‘I Can.’ Confidence was high and the boys delivered a great performance.  However, it wasn’t their night and they finished a disappointing 11th, though it has been suggested that a sound fault in their dress rehearsal, which was marked by the juries, going towards 50 per cent of the final result was their downfall. Nevertheless, the UK will take this result as a step in the right direction.

     Like the UK, Ireland has also been in the doldrums in recent times.  It stepped up the game this year by sending in X-Factor rejects Jedward.  The quiff-haired twins were surprisingly so liked, a win looked to be on the cards.  Fortunately for those who despise them, that didn’t materialise but they still came ahead of Blue in 8th place.  Jedward got 12 points from the UK and even more shocking still, 12 from the majority of the Scandinavian countries.  Everyone now knows Jedward and so could this be the start of world domination?

GLORY: Azerbaijan celebrate a shock Eurovision success

     Ultimately, the night belonged to Azerbaijan with their powerful pop ballad ‘Running Scared,’ performed by duo Ell and Nikki, one half originating from London no less.  Tipped as a possible contender, not even bookies suggested it could win but they nailed the performance on the night and so deserved the plaudits.  The leaderboard and competition itself showed that at long last, Eurovision is finally returning to its glory days of the nineties when the competition was always close.  Azerbaijan might have runaway with the victory but behind them, margins with separated by just inches of points.  This has certainly been made possible by the EBU’s decision to bring back jury voting in 2009 to curb the political voting of the Noughties.  Yes, some of it is still evident, like high point exchanges between Scandinavians, near guarantee of maximum points for Eastern and Balkan countries and of course, the at least one exchange of 12 points between Greece and Cyprus.  Everyone agrees though, these powers have become less common in the result now.

     This was a night that many favoured failed to step up to the challenge.  France, the bookies favourite finished 15th whilst heavily backed entries from Hungary and Estonia ended up in the bottom four.  The only main liked contender, Sweden, looked at one stage to be winning but fell back the run-in to wind up third.  Host nation Germany, once again represented by last year’s winning act Lena, also had a disappointing night, ending in tenth.

     Meanwhile, the shock of the night came from Italy.  In their first contest since 1997, ironically the last time the UK won the damn thing, the Italians finished runner-up after polling as a rank outsider.  Eurovision of course wouldn’t be Eurovision without a selection of manic acts although only one made the final cut this time.  Moldova brought out six people who should belong in a mental institution rather than on a music stage, ridiculously finishing 12^th!

     In overall, it was night full of excitement and suspense.  Congratulations to Azerbaijan on a brilliant success and for only the second time in Eurovision history, next year’s contest, to be held in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku as many expect, will be outside of Europe, as Azerbaijan is technically within the Asian border.  Hail Azerbaijan!  

The Royal wedding - A perfect day

BILLIONS watched on TV across the globe, millions celebrated in London and around the UK and two kisses on the world’s most famous balcony.  The Royal Wedding was an amazing day, with a beautiful mix of tradition and modernity.

    Tonight, Prince William and Kate Middleton, now known officially as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be attending a party hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.  It completes a day that will be looked back on as a truly perfect day for the nations new Prince and Princess.  Prime Minister David Cameron described it afterwards as a day that ‘Britain was at its best.’  He was most definitely right.

    The ceremony itself at the historic Westminster Abbey was a grand occasion.  William and his best man, Prince Harry arrived at 10am, 90 minutes after the doors opened to the many hundreds of guests invited to the wedding of the century.  They included Prince Albert of Monaco, the Australian Prime Minister and many leaders from the Commonwealth.  David Beckham, Sir Elton John, amateur jockey Sam-Wahey Cohen and former Prime Minister John Major were amongst the celebrities in attendance, as were current political figureheads Cameron, Nick Clegg, George Osbourne and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.  Former leaders Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were surprisingly not included on the guest list however.  Also in attendance were close friends of the happy couple. 

BEAUTIFUL: Kate heads into the Abbey in her stunning dress

    An hour after Prince William arrived, Kate Middleton turned up in the back of a black car.  The blushing bride was escorted to the aisle by her proud father, Michael.  After huge anticipation and weeks of speculation, the wedding dress was simply spectacular.  Designed by Sarah Burton; the successor to the late, great fashion designer Alexander McQueen, it was a dress that bought back memories of Grace Kelly’s dress on her wedding day to Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956.  The thin veil could see every single delightful expression of Kate.  Choosing Burton as her designer for the big day will also be a big boost to the British Fashion Industry.  It also celebrated the legacy of Alexander McQueen – who was a legend in his fashion showcases until his death last February.  The dress was well-executed and there can be no doubt that it was made fit to look like and be worn by a Princess.

    The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams produced the service impeccably, to the happy couple.  They looked very relaxed throughout, although the way William did struggle to get the ring on Kate’s middle finger did suggest the understandable and traditional nerves.  There was no stuttering on the vows, unlike when Princess Diana married Prince Charles in 1981.  The whole service was simply perfect, with a highlight being when ‘Jerusalem’ belted out in the church.

     An hour later and ‘Crown Imperial’ played out as the couple returned from signing the registers in the private residence of St. Edward’s Chapel in the Abbey.  There was a clear seal of approval from the expectant crowd outside, as it managed to deafen out the loud chiming Westminster Bells.  They may have arrived in cars, but the trip back to Buckingham Palace was via the traditional transport in these occasions of horse and carriage.  There were an estimated 1 million people on the processional route from the Abbey to the Palace.  This was followed by some official photographs, lunch for 600 people courtesy of the Queen and then the traditional balcony appearance infront of the crowd outside The Mall.  The crowd got their wish as William and Kate kissed for the millions of people and the worldwide media.  If that wasn’t enough, they kissed again shortly afterwards in a fairytale moment. 

TREAT: The happy couple head back to Clarence House

     The final treat for the crowd was a real surprise, as William and Kate pulled out of the Palace gates after lunch.  William driving Prince Charles Aston Martin with ‘JUST WED’ on the license plate and an ‘L’ plate on the front of the car back to Clarence House for some brief respite this afternoon.  It was specially decorated by Prince Harry and other close members of the Royal Family.

     This was the day when a broad smile appeared on the nation and that is down to William and Kate.  They have given us the opportunity to share their happiness and with the scenes seen today, there seems to be clear genuine affection for the new Royal couple.  The weather was good as well and improved as the day went on, despite the initial forecasted showers.  As soon as the champagne began flowing on The Mall at 8am this morning, the party begun and it will continue long into the night and probably, throughout this extended Bank Holiday weekend.  All the doom and gloom of worldwide economic uncertainty, death in Afghanistan, conflicts in Libya and Syria and natural disasters that have devastated Brazil, New Zealand, Australia and Japan this year, it was so nice and fitting to see something jolly today.  The world watched this global event, with celebrations ranging from Australia and Paris, to Shanghai and Russian and American astronauts toasting their success on the International Space Station.  With an estimated TV audience of 2 billion worldwide, it is likely to be the biggest audience in TV history with only the 1966 World Cup final and the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 likely to rival that in the British audience stakes.  400 million are believed to have watched it live on YouTube!

CELEBRATION: Kate' hometown of Bucklebury salute their girl

    Across the country, there were thousands of parties held in celebration for the Royal Wedding.  Many streets closed on this national day of celebration.  The happiest places include St. Andrews University in Scotland, where William and Kate met as University students a decade ago and in Bucklebury – the hometown where Kate grew up.  Before today, Chris Tarrant was their only claim to fame.  Now they have the new Princess to take that mantelpiece.  William and Kate have travelled a long road since meeting at University, which has included a trying separation four years ago.  However, they now live together in Anglesey in Wales and although recent Royal marriages haven’t been very successful, there is real optimism that this is a marriage that will go the distance.  

     This was the perfect day and a special day that all of us will remember for generations to come.  Congratulations to William and Kate and thank you for giving us such a unique moment, I wish you a very happy, prosperous and successful future together.  

Comic Relief 2011 - Doing something funny for money

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

SINCE its inception back in 1988, Comic Relief has raised more than over £400 million to help disadvantaged children in both UK and Africa, thanks to its successful Red Nose Day campaign.  Over the last few years, the record for fundraising in a campaign has always been broken and this year was no exception.

     A massive £74.4 million was raised on the night on Friday and where as the final total on the last Red Nose Day finished up on just over £80 million, this figure is expected to topple this when the final totals are published in a few months time.  In total, the biggest donations came from the following:

BT raised £1.7 million for their sponsorship of the Celebrity Desert Trek

Sainsbury’s raised £10 million for sales of official merchandise, a new record for the supermarket

TK Maxx raised £3 million for sales of official t-shirts

Maltesers raised £1.1 million for a public competition

Walkers raised £1.2 million for sales of four special crisp flavours

British Airways raised £801,000 for sales of special scratch cards on selected flights

BBC raised £2.9 for some of their stars attempting various tasks

The remaining £53.7 million was provided by public donations

     BBC One again provided a full evening’s worth of entertainment to help fundraising initiatives.  The programme featured comical sketches of Doctor Who, Outnumbered, Miranda and MasterChef, which featured an appearance by none other than Prime Minister David Cameron himself.  Also, Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton attempted to pull off a high wire walk between two of London’s tallest buildings and Radio 1’s Chris Moyles and Comedy Dave succeeded in fronting the station’s longest ever show, at a staggering 53 hours, setting a new Guinness World Record in the process.

     David Walliams also proved his stern material to survive long hours by attempting to appear on as many panel shows in 24 hours.  ’24 Hour Panel People’, which was broadcast on the BBC website, saw Walliams joined by a selection of guests to participate in various shows past and present, including 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and They Think It’s All Over.

     Nine famous faces endured an energy-zapping trek across the Kenyan desert to raise nearly £2 million which featured Scott Mills, Lorraine Kelly, Kara Tointon, Dermot O’Leary and Olly Murs.  Meanwhile, Ant and Dec were challenged by Comic Relief to gatecrash as many shows as they could in 24 hours unannounced and steal various items to auction off.  Daybreak, This Morning, Loose Women and The One Show were among those that were targeted.

     On the music front, the campaign has brought out two songs.  Rising boy band The Wanted provided the official track ‘Gold Forever’, the first original song for Red Nose Day since 2005.  However response of the track was largely negative.  The other is another comical edition which has Peter Kay on board again, reprising his alter ego Geraldine McQueen to team up with Susan Boyle to perform ‘I Know Him So Well,’ originally sung by Elaine Page.  As expected, this has gone down as a huge hit and it won’t be surprising if it claims top spot in the charts next Sunday.

     All in all, it has been another successful night for the charity.  Now everyone is indeed wondering how they will top those events for 2013.  A whole 731 days must pass before then.

Vision Products TV report

Recently, I went to the headquarters of Precision Manufacturing, home to Vision Products.  Vision Products in one of the leading UK manufacturers for aerial and satellite equipment, as well as installation.

As a whole, Precision Manufacturing sends out equipment to many different areas, such as automotive, aerospace and defense.

They held a press launch at its industrial estate in Brickmills and this TV report comes from me and fellow Journalism student at the University of Northampton, Tamika Short.

Enjoy!

Narrated and filmed by: Simon Wright
Edited by: Tamika Short and Simon Wright

Tax demonstrations add to coalition issues

LAST weekend, the fast-growing movement UK Uncut stepped up their campaign over evasion of taxation regulations.  Across the country, demonstrations and blockades of shop entrances led to several major top-chain stores being forced to close their branches on their busiest day of the calendar year.  Why are these big businesses and individual avoiding the system and is it fair?  Journalism student Simon Wright looks into this controversial detail in closer form.

WITH the highly anticipated tuition fees vote in the House of Commons tomorrow, the budget cuts that the coalition government have come under severe fire in recent weeks. 

DEMOS: Protests take place last weekend at Oxford Street

One issue that seems to be dodged by all politicians is the lack of action on tax avoidance by some of the wealthiest in our country.  Last Saturday, campaigners from UK Uncut carried out some deep pop-up protests about the regulations, which force several branches of TopShop and Vodafone around the country to close their doors, on one of the busiest trading days of the year.  Several campaigners and journalists were ejected by security guards as demonstrations took place in 21 towns and cities across the UK.

UK Uncut is a fast-growing movement that is gathering growing support via social networking sites Twitter and Facebook.  Already, demonstrations have been planned this weekend for Aberystwyth, Chester and Bury St Edmunds.  A website was set-up as recently as November 28, with many people already getting involved.

A spokesman for UK Uncut, James Kelly told the Guardian; “Tax avoidance is a big issue and we believe this is the alternative to the cuts the government are making.”  UK Uncut is taking their action on two organisations in particular.

Vodafone dodge

TAXING: UK Uncut's strong opinion of Vodafone

OVER the last ten years, communications giant Vodafone have been fighting tooth and nail to avoid paying the government around £6billion in tax.  After a defeat this summer in court to HM Revenue and Customs, current chancellor George Osbourne let Vodafone off the hook, rather than force through the payment in October.  The UK Uncut called the action ‘shameless’ and furious ex-Vodafone customer Tamika Short agrees; “Everyone has to pay their way and the higher should pay more than poorer families and students.  What Vodafone are doing is an absolute disgrace!”

The campaign continues against Vodafone, and they aren’t the only businesses to be affected, with Boots, HSBC and Barclays Bank avoiding similar laws.

Greedy Green

THE ninth richest man in the UK, Phillip Green is also taking a lot of stick from UK Uncut.  Green, whose wealth was, estimated at £4.4billion in 2008 runs some of the biggest names on Britain’s high streets.  His retail empire includes TopShop, BHS and Dorothy Perkins.  Even though Green lives in the UK, he runs the Arcadia retail group that he doesn’t even own.  His wife does, and by living in the tax haven of Monaco, doesn’t have to pay a single penny.  One of the demonstrators, Chris_Coltrane posted this chant on Phillip Green in London on his Twitter account last weekend; “Where did all the money go?  He sent it off to Monaco!”

In 2005, Green awarded himself a cool £1.2billion, and divided it via tax havens in Monaco and Jersey.  It is costing the annual taxpayer around £300million, which angered protestor Benjamin Neem.  Neem told the BBC; “Phillip Green’s missing millions need to be reclaimed and invested into public services, not his wife’s bank account.”

Recently, Green was made an advisor on the spending cuts by David Cameron, which adds to the pain for many protestors, including James Kelly; “Phillip Green is a well-known tax avoider and today, we’re bringing our campaign right to the heart of the empire.”  In fact, his £285million dodge could pay the salaries of 20,000 NHS nurses and the full tuition fees of £9,000 for almost 32,000 students, an extraordinary statistic. 

Link with students

I ASKED accounting and finance expert at the University of Northampton, Christopher Cook on the issue, but he declined to comment, only saying “It would cause heated and long debates.”

The evasion of tax payments links in with the tuition fees issue, as these were two of the Liberal Democrats four key pledges that have been broken from their manifesto.  The newly-formed group UK Uncut is also believed to feature public sector workers, the unemployed and pensioners.

This is one debate that won’t go away, and the coalition government have now got major tests infront of them, if they are to control the growing frustration from many on the spending cuts.

Snow returns . . . and it's set to stay

WINTER has definitely arrived and so too has the snow.  Worse still, the Met Office has predicted that this cold snap will last for another ten days at the minimum. 

Police have urged drivers to only drive in these tricky conditions if it is absolutely necessary.  Those living in the North East of England have currently experienced the worst of the wintery conditions.  In some areas, upto five inches of snow have fallen in less than two hours.  Temperatures across the UK have struggle to rise about freezing, dropping to as low as -17 degrees in Wales overnight, the coldest ever temperature in November on record.

FOUL: Cars have fallen to the conditions in Scotland

Luckily, there hasn’t been any reports of major incidents this weekend, largely as the gritting services seem to have been well prepared in advance, and the lack of rush to get to places from commuters.  That could very well change at the start of this week, with heavy snow forecast for Monday evening in many regions.  Winds from the North East are keeping the temperature down and the snow to fall on a constant basis.  Currently, the Met Office has severe weather warnings in place throughout East Anglia, Scotland, Northern Ireland, London, Yorkshire and the South East.  The AA has reported an 80% surge in calls of breakdowns over the course of the weekend, a staggering statistic.

SPIRIT: Communities are pulling together to help out

Health workers are urging people to check on vulnerable neighbours, to make sure that they have all the possible services available to them, such as proper heating and plenty of hot drinks.  Flights are likely to be affected at many of the largest airports in the coming days, especially Stanstead, Newcastle and Manchester.  Trains are likely to be badly hit too, with the 24-hour tube strike being held right now, just adding to the misery for many commuters.  The sporting programme has been hit, although all key rugby union autumn internationals and Premiership football matches went ahead.  Two FA Cup ties (at Hartlepool and Notts County) fell foul to the weather, as did some of the programme in Scotland and several horse racing meetings.

 

Residents in the UK will be used to the white stuff, last winter was the coldest for a long time and snow also caused chaos at the start of 2009.  However, the timing of this snow has caught many by surprise.  This is the earliest time that snow has fallen on a constant basis since 1993.  The big chill is here and it will please some, particularly schoolchildren, who could be set for a number of days off.  However, this cold snap will bite and bite hard.  The UK is bracing itself for more sub-zero temperatures and I’d say, get prepared for it, because it will hang around for a good while. . . 

Pontins on the verge of going bust

PONTIN'S, one of the most established holiday companies across the UK, faces a bleak outlook after the administrators were appointed last Friday.

TROUBLE: Tough times for Pontin's

The news will come as a shock to many, especially as only two years ago, 2,000 new jobs were announced by the holiday firm across its five holiday-owned parks.  Around 850 staff members are currently employed by the company and it is believed that none of these staff have been made redundant as yet.  Pontin's owns five holiday parks in the UK, varying from Prestayn Sands in Wales to Brean Sands in Somerset.

KPMG have been the administrator that has appointed for the company, which has been a seaside tradition with many holidaymakers since World War II.  Three joint administrators have been appointed and they admit that all guest reservations that have already made shouldn’t been affected by this move.

An administrator partner for KPMG told Sky of the move into administration and is still confident of positive future; "Pontin's is an iconic British brand which forms the backdrop to thousands of treasured family holiday memories," "It has unfortunately struggled in the current economic environment but, with some support from new management, we are optimistic that it will be part of thousands of family memories in the years to come."

The administrators may be positive of a recovery, but I fear for Pontin's, it certainly faces a very difficult short-term lookout. 

Honda Recalls Cars Over Brake Faults

JAPANESE car company Honda has continued the worrying trend of worldwide recalls over bugging technical faults.

Their announcement last Friday of a braking fault on some of the models came just 24 hours after bitter rivals Toyota announced a similar problem and had to recall over one million vehicles worldwide.  Luckily, Honda’s issue seems to have only affected cars in the US, so UK owners shouldn’t have to worry too much.

472,000 cars have been recalled, with the inflicted cars being Honda Acura RL saloons and Honda Odyssey minivans that were built and designed between 2005 and 2007.  A Honda spokeswoman confirmed that Honda’s issue is exactly the same as Toyota’s, as the braking parts were built by the same company, an independent make, Advics.

Honda says that no injuries or accidents have been reported over this incident, and they will pray that it will stay that way too.  They have advised all customers with these models to double-check their braking capacity; otherwise it could lead to a far more serious issue.  Although that it is sound advice for the consumer, you can’t help but feel that Honda is already attempting to shift the blame onto the driver, should a terrifying incident occur.  Honda’s advice is that a leak is possible if the system is not checked, and if a spongy feel can be felt by the driver, there could be a dramatic decrease in braking performance.

So, that is Japan’s second highest-selling car manufacturer in trouble then, and the fourth this month who have had to recall models alone, following the trend of Toyota, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.  Lexus and Ferrari have also had to recall motors this year for fears over safety of mechanical parts.  I doubt whether this will be the last incident either this calendar year.

As the leaves get browner and the nights draw in, the short-term future of the car manufacturing industry continues to be called into question, especially if more of this occurs.

The Spending Cuts - A Hard, But Not Disastrous Outcome

IN LITTLE over an hour yesterday, Chancellor George Osbourne has made the deepest cuts in decades.  However, is it a wise move, or George’s great gamble?

Labour have slammed the cuts, with Shadow Chancellor Allan Johnson saying that these ‘aggressive methods could lead to a double-dip recession.’  They think it is a wreckless gamble, but Osbourne claims that it is a ‘tough, but fair’ cut.  I would have to agree with Osbourne’s viewpoint, rather than Johnson’s opinion and we have to stick together through this.

As it was leaked in the papers yesterday morning, 490,000 jobs have been axed in the public sector, as the harsh economic realities have set in.  One of the surprises was the decision to raise the state pension age upto 66 by 2020.  Within four years, 27% will be cut in council budgets, and there is a 7% cut in welfare.  The most controversial area was the expected demise of child benefits.  As previously announced at the Tory press conference, 2.5billion will be saved in this area, meaning that other affected areas didn’t take as hard a hit as some departments were expecting. 

Despite a 3.4% spending cut in education over four years, meaning there will no new schools for a while, the schools budget will go up overall by four billion.  For the elderly, it was a positive outlook, as the coalition government announced that all elderly budgets will remain untouched.  This means that free eye tests, free bus passes and free TV licenses for the over 75’s will remain untouched, as previously promised by David Cameron during the TV leadership debates.  NHS health spending will rise by 1.5% and there will be good news for current university students too.  With no announcement on an increase in tuition fees and UCAS applications starting within the next month, the current payment of £3,290 will remain in place for the next academic year.

Other areas that were significantly hit were foreign office spending (cut by 24%), police spending (cut by 14%) and the Home Office (cut by 23%).  Rail fares are set to increase by 30%, but Foreign Aid will go up massively, following the staggering donations that the UK gave to the appeals in Haiti and Pakistan earlier this year.  The Treasury believe that the private sector will improve, so unemployment won’t be an issue, despite the significant public sector cuts. 

The theory behind these cuts is short-term pain, long-term gain.  George Osbourne still maintains that there will be a 1.3% economic growth for the remainder of 2010, 2.5% in 2011 and 3% in 2012.  The City in London say that is hugely optimistic and Dragons Den entrepreneur Deborah Meaden isn’t convinced by these figures either.  However, you must praise the current Chancellor for his ambition.  By also confirming that the Tories have come to a final overall cut of 19%, a 1% decrease on what Labour had planned back in March, it was clever politics from Osbourne and it has consequently put the newly reformed opposition in a very tricky position. 

Painful measures had to be taken and some groups in our society will claim that it wasn’t fair, but it was a fairly reasonable spending review.  It is best to take one big hit, rather than smaller dozes over the course of a year.  If the figures are current, 80billion pounds of saving is expected over the next four years.  Millions of people in the UK have been affected by the spending cuts, but fundamentally, there was no choice and it wasn’t as bad as several forecasters had earlier predicted.

25 Years of Neighbours - When Neighbours Become Good Friends!

TOMORROW in the UK, the legendary Australian soap Neighbours reaches its 6,000 episode.  To mark the occasion, the bosses at Ramsay Street have come up with a ‘Who Dunnit?’ storyline, which will see the evil Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) be pushed off the balcony at the Lassiters complex.  It also marks the 25^th year of a show, which has been on Channel Five since February 2008, and has given us some iconic and inspirational moments.  The residents of Erinsborough have had it all happen to them down the years, and here are fifteen of my memories from the Ramsay Street years.

Scott and Charlene’s Wedding                                                  1987

The real heyday for Neighbours was in its early days, the 1980’s.  Just two years into its birth came the wedding of the decade, even more popular to some than Charles and Diana.  Nearly 20million UK viewers tuned into the BBC to watch the wedding of Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell.    Every member of the cast featured in this romantic and groundbreaking episode, which of course set the stone for the legendary careers of Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue.  If this doesn’t bring a tear to your eyes, nothing will.

Susan and Karl get married in London                                    2007

If there is one Neighbours couple that have been through the mill, it must be Karl and Susan Kennedy.  In March 2007, they went to London, where Karl proposed to Susan on the London Eye, which she delightfully accepted.  In a week which starred cameo roles from Emma Bunton, Neil Morrissey and Michael Parkinson, Karl and Susan got married on the River Thames, the third time that they had got married.  However, the wedding was overshadowed by the reappearance of Karl’s former flame and Susan’s bitter enemy, Isabelle Hoyland.  Izzy went into labour during the wedding, with the baby delivered by the faithful Doctor Kennedy.  Susan would find out that Karl was the father of Izzy’s baby, as the pair had a one-night stand whilst Karl was on prescription drugs to help him sleep.  Now that was a dramatic wedding if there ever was one!

Jim Robinson Suffers A Heart Attack                                       1993

Alan Dale has gone onto great success in hit US shows such as Ugly Betty, The O.C and 24, yet has a habit of having characters that end up dying from a heart attack.  His most dramatic death though came in April 1993, when his character in Neighbours, Jim Robinson was written out of the show in smashing fashion.  Dale had disagreed with the producers of the show over his salary, and consequently, his contract wasn’t renewed.  In the show, Jim began a relationship with Fiona Hartman, who was after one thing, his wealth.  Cue several confrontations between the Robinsons and Hartman’s and the stress became too much for Jim, who collapsed in the kitchen floor, flying over a fruit bowl and succumbing to a heart attack.  Rather than help the other half, the deceitful Fiona transferred Jim’s money over to her account and allowed Rosemary Daniels to discover the body instead!  Pure gratitude!

The Waterhole Explosion                                                            1993

Now when you can smell gas, then you have a problem, and the last thing you want to do is ‘Don’t know, best leave it to the experts!’  Famous words from Brad Willis, who got entangled up in a massive explosion that gutted The Waterhole pub, as it was known then.  Brad and his wife, Beth ends up in the cellar when they suspect a leak, but decide to leave the issue to people who know their stuff.  The Waterhole, owned by Annalise Hartman explodes seconds later in spectacular fashion, throwing the owner to the ground.  Coffee shop assistant Stephen Gottieb was tragically paralysed in the explosion, whilst Beth and Brad luckily escaped with minor injuries.  Annalise was dismissed from her position, as she had known about the gas leakage, yet failed to report the incident and The Waterhole was no more.  Lou Carpenter would take over the damaged site, for a new watering hole that went the same way a decade later.

Madge Dies                                                                                        2001

One of the most heart-wrenching moments in the show’s history was the sad final scenes of Madge Bishop in the summer of 2001.  When Helen Daniels passed away in 1997, Madge took over as the matriarch of Ramsay Street.  Together with husband Harold (Ian Smith), they became one of the most famous couples in soap history.  Sadly in 2001, Madge contracted terminal cancer.  She spent her last days in her bed at No.24, with many of her close friends, Susan, Karl and Lou saying their emotional goodbyes.  With Paul and Tad, the two children that they had fostered and a emotional Harold, Madge quietly passed away in Harold’s arms, in an episode that was so emotional.   

Drew’s Death                                                                                    2002

Libby Kennedy and Drew Kirk were the golden couple of Neighbours at the start of the millennium.  They had to overcome several obstacles to tie the knot, and their wedding was just as tear-jerking as Scott and Charlene.  In 2002, the couple were considering a move to Oakey and are down in the vicinity, when Drew falls off a horse.  It looked like an innocuous incident, but sadly, the injuries are too great and Drew succumbs to liver damage and a brain haemorrhage.  The funeral was just as sad and Libby was never the same person again, until her departure two years later.  She returned in 2008, and is as strong as ever.  A failed marriage to Daniel Fitzgerald has followed, but Libby’s true love was always Drew.

Lassiters Goes Up In Flames                                                       2004

The 2004 season finale saw the planned wedding of Isabelle Hoyland and Karl Kennedy end up being cancelled at the last moment, as Izzy gets cold feet.  Despite not getting hitched, Karl gives Izzy a second chance, but the main incident of the night is yet to happen.  A mysterious figure in black sets fire to the storeroom in Lou’s pub.  The fire spreads very quickly, engulfing Harold’s Coffee Shop in the process.  The pub collapses, with Stu Parker and Cindi still trapped inside, although both will be found alive and well.  An explosion at the Coffee Shop knocks Max Hoyland out unconscious, to Izzy’s grave distress.  Right at the end of the episode, Paul Robinson returns to Ramsay Street, almost totally unnoticed. 

The Plane Crash                                                                               2005

To celebrate Lassiter’s anniversary, Paul takes a plane into the sky for a joy flight.  Several regulars including Isabelle Hoyland, Elle Robinson, Connor Harvey, Dylan Timmins and Sky Mangel are all aboard the flight.  One of Paul’s enemies, later to be discovered as his twisted son, Robert Robinson plants a bomb on the plane, which explodes in mid-air.  The wreckage ends up in the sea.  A dramatic rescue follows afterwards, with the residents who didn’t travel on the flight such as Max, Karl, Janelle and Harold awaiting news of their loved ones.  Sadly for Harold, his family of David, Lilijana and Serena Bishop all perished in the disaster.  Harold vowed revenge and it would be on an unsuspected Paul. 

Harold Strangles Paul                                                                    2005

Harold Bishop is struggling to cope with the loss of his family in the plane crash, and when Connor Harvey turns his back on him to reunite with his close friends, Stu Parker and Toadfish Rebecchi, Harold is left with nothing.  With Lou away and Sky not being much support either, Harold finds a letter than David had written, damming in his hatred for Paul Robinson (Paul had an affair with David’s wife Lilijana earlier that year.)  Harold heads over to No.22 and sneaks in, while Paul is on the phone to his son, Cameron.  As Paul hangs up, Harold grabs him around the neck and strangles his grip on Paul, until he collapses unconscious onto the floor.  One of the most surprising attacks in Neighbours history!

Stingray’s Death                                                                               2007

Sky Mangel’s baby, Kerry badly needs a transplant to beat leukaemia.  Kerry’s father, Dylan Timmins is unable to proceed with the transfusion, due to a sample that doesn’t match.  Dylan’s brother and Sky’s boyfriend Scott ‘Stingray’ Timmins steps forward, and after a few moments on the operation table when it looked like he might not make it, the transfusion is a success and Stingray makes a swift recover.  Sadly, fate takes a decisive blow and at a birthday party for his mum, Janelle, Stingray sits down and despite the best efforts of the Timmins family, they look on devastated as they realise that Stingray has passed away for the surgery complications. 

Bridget Passes Away                                                                      2009

Another traumatic death in Erinsborough occurred last year, when the very popular Bridget Parker passed away in hospital.  Bridget was involved in a car crash with her family, when father Steve attempts to swerve away from a loose horse.  Although she made out of the crash unscathed, Bridget collapses with baby India in her arms, and when found by Steve, is rushed to hospital for urgent surgery.  It looks like she has survived the worst, but a dream that she has seems to confirm terminal injuries.  Bridget goes into cardiac arrest and soon afterwards, Karl and Dr. Newton have to reveal the heartbreaking news.  Bridget’s husband Declan Napier, Steve and Miranda Parker struggle to cope with this horrific news.  This storyline spelt the exit for the Parkers, who left shortly afterwards.

Susan Finds Out About Karl & Sarah                                        1998

When the Kennedy family moved into Ramsay Street in 1994, we all knew the fireworks that were going to happen over the next sixteen years.  The first test of Susan and Karl’s happiness came in the season finale of 1997, when Karl had a secret moment with his secretary, Sarah Beaumont.  Temptation got the better of Karl for six months, and when Susan found out, via neighbourhood gossip at the wedding of Ruth and Philip Martin, Susan gave her guilty husband one huge slap!  After time apart, they did reunite, but the previous trust in their marriage had been well and truly shattered.

Harold Disappears                                                                           1991

In September 1991, Harold Bishop disappeared and vanished off the screens of Neighbours for five years.  Harold and Made had gone out to sea, and Harold was having a caricature of him drawn.  The last we see of him, is smiling and waving to a besotted Madge.  Then, he get washed out to sea and when his famous glasses are discovered, it is believed that he drowned, though a body was never recovered.  Harold reappeared in 1996, spotted by Helen Daniels whilst working for the Salvation Army.

Toadie and Dee’s Wedding/Dee’s Death                              2003

Toadfish Rebecchi has been one of Neighbours most well-loved characters, but he has never really been in luck when it comes to romance.  It looked like he had found his true happiness, when he met Dee Bliss.  Despite a couple of hitches in the lead-up to their wedding, including Toadie being tied up naked to a lamp-post on his stag night, the wedding day went through without any problems.  That was until they drove off for the honeymoon.  On the way to the airport to grab a flight to the Maldives, Toadie lost control of the car when he leaned over to kiss his new bride.  The car skidded and went straight over the edge of a cliff.  Toadie managed to scramble out, but Dee was never found, and although a body was never recovered, was presumed dead.  What a tragic end to an almost perfect day.

Karl and Izzy’s Break-Up                                                               2005

Karl Kennedy was an absolute fool for giving Izzy so many chances, as she was able to walk all over him.  Her lies came back to bite her for good in 2005,  when she claims that Karl was the father of her baby which she lost, when it actually wasn’t.  When her brother Max confronts her in the office of Scarlett Bar, Karl, having just bought holiday tickets for the happy couple overhears every word.  Despite a vain attempt to sort things out, Karl leaves a devastated Izzy on the ground outside the bar, humiliating her infront of Max, Steph, Paul and Susan.  This storyline marked the start of Neighbours 20^th anniversary week.

So, there you have it, 15 of the best memories from the first 6000 episodes.  Here’s to the next 6000, because this is the show when ‘Everybody needs good neighbours, because with a little understanding, you can find the perfect blend!’