2011 Chinese Grand Prix - Hamilton wins Shanghai stunner

BOWED: Hamilton accepts the plaudits after a great drive

A BETTER strategy and dynamic passing saw Lewis Hamilton triumph yesterday in the Chinese Grand Prix.  The McLaren driver pounced with fresher tyres to pass Sebastian Vettel with four laps to go, to earn his first win since last August’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.  Vettel maintained his championship lead with a strong second, whilst Mark Webber put in the drive of his life to earn a podium finish from 18^th on the grid.  With stunning drives from the likes of Nico Rosberg and Felipe Massa too, Shanghai 2011 will go down as one of the all-time classics in F1 history.

     On Saturday afternoon, Vettel was 0.7seconds quicker than his closest opposition and it looked like he would probably walk it on raceday too.  Those hopes were quickly dashed by a sluggish start, which saw the champion outfoxed by the McLaren’s of Jenson Button and Hamilton.  Hamilton was even lucky to start the race, after an overflow of fuel flooded the engine and left some frenzied attention from the mechanics in the moments to the start.  Whilst the first stint was fairly uneventful, except for a wheel parting company from Jaime Alguesuari’s Toro Rosso, the race strategy and degradation of the Pirelli tyres turned this race into an absolute belter.

     The chaos began on lap 15 when Button and Vettel pitted together for their first pitstops.  Unbelievably, Jenson lost total concentration of his bearings and attempted to stop in the Red Bull pits!  It was a comical moment and Vettel was gifted the lead by this faux-pas.  That didn’t last long, as Mercedes had pitted earlier than anyone else, and bought both Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher right into contention.  Rosberg led and it soon became clear that managing tyres and a mixture of strategies would leave the outcome totally unpredictable.  Rosberg, Button and Hamilton would be three stopping, whilst Vettel and the flying Massa decided on a two stop race.

      In the end, the three stop route was by far the best choice.  Hamilton made a brave pass on his team-mate, which required a lot of corporation from Button into the first corner.  He then easily passed Rosberg, who was struggling to keep his fuel consumption under control.  Massa put in a brave attempt to hold off Hamilton, but the Ferrari’s lack of aerodynamic force meant the Brazilian was a sitting duck for Lewis.  He quickly caught Vettel and despite Vettel’s best efforts, the Brit used his KERS hybrid energy storage to pull alongside and pass the German into the fast-sweeping turn five and six on lap 52. 

CHARGE: Mark Webber attacks Michael Schumacher

     As Massa faded and Rosberg couldn’t keep up with his car issues, Webber suddenly came into the equation.  A nightmare engineering call by Ciaran Pilbeam had left the Aussie high and dry in Q1 on Saturday and his race looked over early on, when he struggled to overhaul the likes of Sergio Perez and Rubens Barrichello.  However, Webber did have three new sets of the softer, preferred tyre and after getting the initial prime tyre out of the way in his first stint, absolutely flew through the field.  With two laps to go, he overhauled Button to complete a sensational comeback and get a richly deserved podium.  Had the race been a few laps longer, Webber might even have won it.

     Button wasn’t quick enough when it counted and alongside his pitlane blunder, fourth place was the best he deserved.  Rosberg was very disappointed to finish fifth, considering he led a great chunk of the race.  It was also the last race for his engineer Jock Clear.  Clear, who was world championship engineer for Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 is moving into a backseat factory role after this event.  Massa performed well to come home sixth and probably deserved more, if he was on the right strategy.  Fernando Alonso was slow all afternoon and came home a very distant seventh, with a mysterious moment when his DRS was activated outside the overtaking zone his main highlight.  Alonso just about held off Schumacher, whilst the final points went to Renault’s Vitaly Petrov and Kamur Kobayashi in his Sauber.  Scotland’s Paul di Resta qualified a stunning eighth, but dropped back to 11^th, having struggled with tyres too.  Finally, a worthy mention for Team Lotus, who look set to break into the midfield scrap.  Jarno Trulli set a faster race lap than Alonso and Heikki Kovalainen finished a very creditable 16^th, outracing both Perez and Williams rookie Pastor Maldonado.

     File the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix into the archive of classic all-time Grand Prix events.  For Lewis Hamilton, it was the drive of his life and I think we all need three weeks before the Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul to breathe again after this epic.  Thank you Pirelli for giving us such a new dynamic to this sport we love.  

ADELE's record-breaking run ends

ADELE’s incredible 11-week record run at the top of the album charts is finally over.  She was displaced last night by the Foo Fighters.

     Foo Fighters, who have sold over 4million albums in the UK since 1995 collected their third album number one with their seventh studio album, courtesy of ‘Wasting Light.’  It sold 114,000 copies in its first week, to see off ADELE’s record-breaking album ’21.’ 

RECORDS: '21' has changed the face of music in 2011

     Nevertheless, London born artist ADELE has taken the music world by storm in 2011 so far, and few would be surprised if she cleaned up at next year’s BRIT Awards.  ‘21’ has collected almost as many records as HMV!  A fortnight ago, ADELE’s album was named as the most downloaded ever on Amazon.  During her reign at the top, she also overtook Madonna’s run in staying at the top for so long.  She now holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at the top of the album chart ever for a solo artist.  ‘21’ was released on January 21 this year, so this highlights the domination that ADELE has had on the failing music album industry.

     Personally, I’ve not listened to the whole album, but I am a fan of ADELE’s music and her breathtaking performance of ‘Make You Feel My Love’ at this year’s BRITS was one of the best ever live performances I’ve ever seen from any musical act.  ‘Rolling in the Deep,’ which is the main multi-platinum hit on the album, is also a very catchy and addictive song.  She isn’t any stranger to success, having had a lot of critical acclaim for her first album, ’19,’ back in 2008.  This particular album was the breakthrough in ADELE’s career, with cracking songs such as ‘Hometown Glory’ and ‘Chasing Pavements.’  Now, she has followed it up with another masterpiece, and I’m confident that ADELE is going to have a very successful and lengthy career in music.  The album sounds stunning and I will be looking forward to listening to the whole of it, and seeing how good it really is. 

     Some don’t like ADELE, in fact; she’s almost the musical version of Marmite!  She is one of those artists who you are either going to love or hate.  However, her music speaks to me and I’m a massive fan.  Her record-breaking run may be over, but she has shattered the music record books and I’m delighted she has.  If you love ADELE, ‘21’ sounds like an absolute must-buy!    

UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals, 2nd leg review - No Miracles

IF A miracle worker is present in the world today, it didn’t turn up last week, as the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals turned out into nothing more than dull formalities.

CATCH ME: Rooney chases after Hernandez, as he breaks the deadlock

     The only quarter-final of interest that had something to play for was the all-English clash between Manchester United and Chelsea.  Ultimately, it was the Red Devils who comfortably prevailed in the tie; winning 2-1 on the night at Old Trafford and 3-1 on aggregate.  Carlo Ancelotti’s appaling tactical gamble in playing a totally new formation confused many Chelsea fans, and the West London club can have no complaints about their elimination this season.  Ancelotti might as well prepare to pick up his P45 at the end of the season, because surely Roman Abramovich will not accept a trophy less season at Stamford Bridge.  Javier Hernandez put the home side infront and only when Ramires was sent off for two clumsy challenges did Chelsea ever look like scoring.  Fernando Torres’s selection ahead of Didier Drogba was startling, and Drogba made his point by equalising in the 73^rd minute and giving the visitors some faint hope.  That disappeared less than a minute later, as United went up the other end and replied in kind through Ji-Sung Park.  The treble dream may be over now, after the weekend events in the FA Cup, but a rich double still awaits Sir Alex Ferguson this season.  Schalke 04 stand in the way of Ferguson and Wembley, after winning 2-1 against Inter Milan in Gelsenkirchen, to complete a highly impressive 7-3 win on aggregate against the defending champions.  There was another goal for the evergreen Raul, who now has 71 goals in UEFA Champions League history.  Thiago Motta was dismissed for two yellow cards, completing a miserable fortnight for Inter, who have also seen their chances of retaining their Serie A title going up in smoke.  Leonardo is an adequate replacement for the unpopular Rafa Benitez, but he’s no Jose Mourinho!

OH DEAR: Another clanger from unreliable Gomes finished off Spurs

     Meanwhile, Mourinho seemed delighted to be back in England and returned to Spain, having guided Real Madrid to their first semi-final in the competition since 2002.  Madrid beat Tottenham 1-0 at White Hart Lane last Wednesday to seal an ‘El Classico’ semi-final with Barcelona.  The previous evening, Barcelona had won by the same scoreline against a hard-working Shakhtar Donetsk side, with Lionel Messi on target.  In North London, Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal was the difference.  However, his shot was horribly dropped into his own net by bumbling Hereulho Gomes.  Gomes has cost his side three goals in this quarter-final showdown and I’m afraid to say, doesn’t cut it at this level for me.  If he can’t catch a football, then he has no hope!  Despite the damp exit, Tottenham have captivated everyone in Europe this season and I hope we will see them again next season, because the Champions League needs sides like Harry Redknapp’s.

     Next week sees the first leg of the semi-finals and now just four teams remain.  Can Schalke 04 cause a shock against Manchester United and will the Mourinho magic shine again against Barcelona?  Posing questions, but the final four all deserve to be here and have shown a lot of quality and mental strength in getting to this stage.  Bring on the semis! 

Plato walks away from high-speed crash

British Touring Car champion and presenter of Channel Five motoring show Fifth Gear, Jason Plato walked away unscathed from a dramatic and scary-looking crash this afternoon at Donington Park.

     Plato, driving a Chevrolet Cruize was clipped by the Airwaves Ford of Liam Griffin just moments into the start of the second of the day's three race meetings.  The most successful driver in BTCC history was powerless to prevent his car careering into the gravel trap, before submerging a grass bank at the high-speed Craner Curves.  Although he hit the bank at an acute angle, his car flipped into a serious of dramatic barrel-rolls, before coming to rest in the pit.

     The defending champion, who was trying to salvage something from a disappointing meeting, having had his first race ruined by a puncture, unbuckled himself from the wreckage of his Chevrolet and walked away uninjured, to the relief of his wife, family and team.  The car was completely destroyed however.

     However, less than four hours later, the mechanics did an amazing repair job to get their man out for the final event of the day and Plato charged through to a stunning sixth place finish.

     Who said motor racing drivers had no brains?  After this, there is one thing that Jason Plato has and that's plenty of courage after walking away from one of the most dramatic crashes in the history of the British Touring Car Championship.

F1 classic races - China

     

IN A new series, I will be looking back at six classic races every weekend from the country about to stage an event in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship.  This is my selection, of races in China between 2004 and 2010.  Enjoy the archive!

2004

WINNER: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari), 2^nd: Jenson Button (BAR Honda), 3^rd: Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren Mercedes)

F1’s first visit to China came in September 2004.  The Chinese put on an impressive show for Bernie Ecclestone and a worldwide television audience and Rubens Barrichello stepped out of the shadows of Michael Schumacher to record back-to-back wins.  Schumacher had a nightmare weekend in Shanghai.  He threw away the chance of an all-Ferrari front row by chucking his car into the scenery during qualifying.  On raceday, the German slammed straight into the side of Christian Klien, eliminating the Austrian, endured a wild spin, and then collected a puncture.  Despite setting fastest lap, 12^th was the best he could manage.  His brother Ralf annoyed his Williams team by refusing to return to the event in protest of having to make way for his team-mate’s second pitstop.  Schuey Jnr was eliminated in a clash with David Coulthard.  McLaren attempted to win the race, by employing an aggressive strategy for Kimi Raikkonen, but it cost them second place to Jenson Button’s two-stopping BAR Honda.

2005

WINNER: Fernando Alonso (Renault), 2^nd: Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren Mercedes), 3^rd: Ralf Schumacher (Toyota)

Fernando Alonso clinched the constructor’s championship with Renault, ending the V10 era on a high in the 2005 season finale.  He dominated from start-to-finish, despite two Safety Cars.  The first was for a drain gully coming up on Turn 10, which was hit by Juan Pablo Montoya’s McLaren.  Suspension damage and engine trouble finished Montoya’s day.  The second pace car was to recover the Jordan of Narain Karthikeyan, who had a spectacular accident on the last appearance for the Jordan team name.  Michael Schumacher had a day to forget, dwindling into the path of Christjian Albers Minardi on the way to the grid, causing one of the strangest crashes of the entire season.  He then spun off warming his tyres up during a Safety Car period.  Kimi Raikkonen was second and Ralf Schumacher claimed a surprising podium for the Toyota team.

2006

WINNER: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 2^nd: Fernando Alonso (Renault), 3^rd: Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault)

OVERJOYED: Schumacher overcame all the odds to win in 2006

As it stands, this was Michael Schumacher’s 91^st and last F1 win.  On a wet day in China, Schumacher overcame an inferior car/tyre package to take the lead in the 2006 title race.  Having started on pole position, Fernando Alonso cruised into a 15 second lead in the early stages.  However, Renault decided to keep his old tyres on at his first pitstop, which cost them dearly.  Alonso’s lead was gobbled up by team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella and Schumacher.  He was powerless to resist the pair and a sticky wheel nut at his second stop finished his victory chances.  Schumacher jumped Fisichella at the second stops to record a famous win, one of his greatest in his distinguished career.  Kimi Raikkonen would have been in the shake-up at the end, but for a throttle actuator problem.  A chaotic final lap saw Rubens Barrichello shunt into Nick Heidfeld’s BMW Sauber on the penultimate corner.  This handed Jenson Button and Pedro de la Rosa fourth and fifth, whilst a wingless Barrichello crossed the line sixth and Heidfeld was classified seventh.

2007

WINNER: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), 2^nd: Fernando Alonso (McLaren Mercedes), 3^rd: Felipe Massa (Ferrari)

AGONY: Hamilton walks away, after his 07 DNF

This was meant to be the day that Lewis Hamilton completed the fairytale and wrapped up the championship in this, his rookie season.  However, it ended to be the day that his championship bid came off the rails.  Despite starting on pole, Hamilton’s tyres completely disintegrated down to the canvas.  Agony followed, as he came in for fresh tyres, the McLaren slid into the gravel and got beached in the pitlane entry.  Kimi Raikkonen went onto win the race, ahead of Fernando Alonso to ensure a three-way championship battle heading to the final duel in Brazil.  Sebastian Vettel and Vitantonio Liuzzi scored the best ever finish for the Scuderia Toro Rosso team; earning fourth and sixth place finishes for the Italian team from Farenza.  Jenson Button’s fifth place result was the best of the season for the beleaguered Honda squad.

2009

WINNER: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing Renault), 2^nd: Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing Renault), 3^rd: Jenson Button (Brawn Mercedes)

A very wet day and Shanghai 2009 was the start of the Red Bull revolution.  Sebastian Vettel clinched pole position on Saturday, despite driveshaft issues.  On Sunday, he drove impeccably in conditions that got worse with each passing lap.  He led Mark Webber home to a 1-2 finish, the first victory for Red Bull Racing.  Jenson Button earnt himself third place to keep his command on the early stages of the 2009 championship, with Rubens Barrichello holding off Heikki Kovalainen’s McLaren to finish fourth.  Force India lost their chance to secure championship points for the first time when Adrian Sutil aquaplaned into the barriers with only five laps to go, throwing away three points with it.  Ferrari remained without a point, after Felipe Massa retired due to a fuel pressure problem, and Kimi Raikkonen could only muster a very poor tenth. 

2010

WINNER: Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes), 2^nd: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes), 3^rd: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP)

Last season saw the first British 1-2 since Silverstone 1999 in another wet Chinese Grand Prix.  Jenson Button made a couple of brilliant tactical decisions to stay out on the track when an early rain shower arrived.  This meant the world champion won his second race for McLaren in only four events for his new team.  Lewis Hamilton produced an aggressive drive to seal McLaren’s first maximum score since Monza 2007.  Nico Rosberg recorded a second successive rostrum for Mercedes GP, having led the early stages.  Having started on the front row of the grid together, it was a bad day for Red Bull Racing.  Some shocking pitstops left Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber hobbled down the order in sixth and eighth come the chequered flag.  Despite a blatant jumpstart, Fernando Alonso came home in a strong fourth for Ferrari, whilst another former champion, Michael Schumacher struggled with his car all day and could only gain a point for his hard-working efforts.

Hillsborough - The fight for justice continues

The Hillsborough memorial outside Anfield for the 'Unforgotten 96'

IT IS FA Cup semi-final weekend and fans of Manchester City, Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City will be looking forward to a day out at Wembley.  However, it is time to remember the past and the fight for justice that still continues.  

     On Saturday April 15, 1989, and a sunny Saturday afternoon turned into the biggest catastrophe seen in sporting history.  96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death on the terraces of Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium.  They were meant to be going to watch a football match, seeing the all-conquering Liverpool side take on Brian Clough's entertaining Nottingham Forest outfit in an FA Cup semi-final.  The match was stopped at 3.06pm, when it became evident that problems had arisen from the Leppings Lane stand, where the Liverpool fans were located.  Blunders of the first magnitude by Yorkshire police were criticised in the Taylor report, which ended the debacle of stadium disasters in the 80s.  After Bradford and Heysel, this was the last thing football needed.  The Taylor report pushed for all-seater stadiums at all football grounds across the country and it has certainly made things safer.  Sadly, it took the deaths of 96 innocent people for it to happen.  

     22 years on and accusations have been pointed at some.  On Merseyside, there is still a outcry for justice against those responsible for Hillsborough and against a certain daily newspaper, for their front pages in the aftermath that have led to a boycott of this paper on Merseyside.  22 years on and the pain and grief of Hillsborough still hurts these families and many others who lost friends, relatives or even grow up with the personal affections towards Hillsborough.  Being a Liverpool fan myself, I am fully with the campaign to bring the people responsible to justice and it is a campaign that won't go away, no matter what others may think.  

     This afternoon, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, the current first-team squad, players from the fateful day at Hillsborough and some 10,000 Liverpool supporters will gather at Anfield for the traditional Hillsborough Memorial Service.  The fight for justice continues and a message to the 96 is, You'll Never Walk Alone!

Below is a poem I initially wrote for the 20th anniversary in 2009, as my moving tribute to the 'Unforgotten 96.'

UNFORGOTTEN 96

In the middle of April, the sky is blossomed by the sun

FA Cup semi-final day is meant to be full of drama and fun

Families are brought together by an amazing cup run

The reality is a day out at Wembley’s twin towers is only a dream.

For some, they say football is a beautiful game

Other sports like golf and cricket are in comparison, so tame

Players can in an instant go from mediocrity to fame

Whatever happens, we all feel the same.

When fans go to a massive game, they will arrive in a flock

And very quickly, the stadium will be filled block-by-block

Come 3pm, the gates will be locked

So the unpredictable begins, like the roughness of a jagged rock.

Sometimes, mistakes take place

As fans, we feel like tripping over our own shoe lace

The pain and agony streams down our face

Realising the dream is over; our team has felt the pace.

However, football means nothing when disaster rips out

A fateful crush means 96 lives are tragically cut

The pain can be felt through anyone’s gut

And now, we must stick together in an oblivious hut.

Enquiries and appeals have meant we can’t dismiss the pain

The results have meant there can be no gain

And as the sunshine is replaced by the April pouring rain

The gloom around the place feels like we live down the drain.

Twenty-two years on, and justice is still being chased

Hopes of the unforgotten being rested have been dashed

Consequently, we will fight till the bitter end

Waiting for someone under pressure to crack and bend.

For many, we can get on with our lives

But for the 96 families, the grief will remain forever

Nevertheless, support will be there for all, ever and ever

As a community, we stick together, side-by-side.

Now it is time to hold hands and show our united front

Not just Merseyside, but the passionate game we all love

Man and woman, hand-in hand, heading for the move

Anfield waits, to remember the unforgotten heroes

We remember those who Liverpool lost

The game has improved, but at 96’s cost

From the deceased, no e-mails, no calls, no post

Whatever happens though, their unconditional love will remain

THE UNFORGOTTEN 96, You’ll Never Walk Alone!

HILLSBOROUGH VICTIMS

John ALFRED Anderson (62)                                

Colin MARK Ashcroft (19)                                       

James GARY Aspinall (18)                                        

Kester ROGER MARCUS Ball (16)                       

Gerald BERNARD PATRICK Baron (67)             

Simon BELL (17)                                                        

Barry SIDNEY Bennett (26)                                     

David JOHN Benson (22)                                         

David WILLIAM Birtle (22)                                    

Tony Bland (22)                                                          

Paul DAVID Brady (21)                                            

Andrew MARK Brookes (26)                               

Carl Brown (18)                                                         

David STEVEN Brown (25)                                      

Henry THOMAS Burke (47)

Peter ANDREW Burkett (24)                                    

Paul WILLIAM Carlile (19)                                       

Raymond THOMAS Chapman (50)                     

Gary CHRISTOPHER Church (19)                         

Joseph Clark (29)                                                       

Paul Clark (18)                                                             

Gary Collins (22)                                                         

Stephen PETER Copoc (20)                                      

Tracey ELIZABETH Cox (23)                                 

James PHILIP Delaney (19)                                      

Christopher BARRY Devonside (18)                      

Christopher Edwards (29)                                          

Vincent MICHAEL Fitzsimmons (34)                     

Thomas STEVEN Fox (21)                                       

Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)                                            

Barry Glover (27)                                                         

Ian THOMAS Glover 20)                                         

Derrick GEORGE Godwin (24)                  

Roy HARRY Hamilton (34)                                     

Philip Hammond (14)                                                 

Eric Hankin (33)                                                          

Gary Harrison (27)                                                      

Peter ANDREW Harrison (15)                                   

Stephen FRANCIS Harrison (31)                             

David Hawley (39)                                                    

James ROBERT Hennessy (29)                                               

Paul ANTHONY Hewitson (26)                               

Carl DARREN Hewitt (17)                                        

Nicholas MICHAEL Hewitt (16)                             

Sarah LOUISE Hicks (19)                                         

Victoria JANE Hicks (15)                                                  

Gordon RODNEY Horn (20)                                     

Arthur Horrocks (41)                                                          

Thomas ANTHONY Howard (14)                         

Thomas Howard (39)                                                

Eric GEORGE Hughes (42)

Alan Johnston (29)                                                     

Christine ANNE Jones (27)                                       

Gary PHILIP Jones (18)                                             

Richard Jones (25)                                                       

Nicholas PETER Joynes (27)                                    

Anthony PETER Kelly (29)                                       

Michael DAVID Kelly (38)                                        

Carl DAVID Lewis (18)                                              

David WILLIAM Mather (19)                                  

Brian CHRISTOPHER Mathews (38)                     

Francis JOSEPH McAllister (27)                               

John McBrien (18)                                                       

Marion HAZEL McCabe (21)                                   

Joseph DANIEL McCarthy (21)                               

Peter McDonnell (21)                                                  

Alan McGlone (28)                                                      

Keith McGrath (17)                                                     

Paul BRIAN Murray (14)                                           

Lee NICOL (14)                                                           

Stephen FRANCIS O’Neil (17)                                 

Jonathan Owens (18)                                                 

William ROY Pemberton (23)                                   

Carl WILLIAM Rimmer (21)                                    

David GEORGE Rimmer (38)                                   

Graham JOHN Roberts (24)                                     

Steven JOSEPH Robinson (17)                               

Henry CHARLES Rogers (17)                                 

Colin ANDREW HUGH WILLIAM Sefton (23)

Inger Shah (38)                                                            

Paula ANN Smith (26)                                                

Adam EDWARD Spearritt (14)                                 

Philip JOHN Steele (15)                                              

David LEONARD Thomas (23)                                

Patrik JOHN Thompson (35)                                     

Peter REUBEN Thompson (30)                                

Stuart PAUL WILLIAM Thompson (17)                

Peter FRANCIS Tootle (21)                                       

Christopher JAMES Traynor (26)                            

Martin KEVIN Traynor (16)                                      

Kevin Tyrrell (15)                                                         

Colin Wafer (19)                                                          

Ian DAVID Whelan (19)                                            

Martin KENNETH Wild (22)                                     

Kevin DANIEL Williams (15)                                    

Graham JOHN Wright (17)                                        

JUSTICE FOR THE 96

R.I.P: YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

Big Brother returns - Are you watching?

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

LAST Wednesday, the deed was done; one of Britain’s worst kept television secrets was exposed.  After being buried last summer by Channel 4, rivals Channel 5 have now resurrected Big Brother from its grave, to return later this year.

FORCE: Richard Desmond has taken a gamble, will it pay off?

     Richard Desmond, the multi-million newspaper investor and owner of the station, agreed a lucrative two-year deal with format makers Endemol to bring back the innovative show from oblivion, beating fierce competition from Sky1 for the show rights after Channel 4 ditched it last year.  The series will begin its rebirth with a celebrity special series, with James Cracknell, Andy Gray, Sienna Miller, Anne Widdecome and Jedward being widely mentioned to compete.  This will then be followed by the standard version of the show in which members of the ordinary public will take part to win £500,000 and a ticket to celebrity stardom.

     Marcus Bentley, who has achieved some course of fame for being the narrator of the show, with his rather dull and depressing take on events, is anticipated to return to the same role on this new version.  However Davina McCall will not reprise her role as host, deciding to concentrate on her successful Channel 4 quiz ‘The Million Pound Drop’ and possibly work on a few new projects for the broadcaster.  Speculation is thus rife as to who will be the new face of the show.  Top of the channel’s wish list is former housemate Brian Dowling whilst also being lined up is Kate Walsh, Denise Van Outen, Steve Jones and BBLB host George Lamb.  On another matter, it is unclear as to whether BBLB (Big Brother’s Little Brother) will return in this revival to air on one of Channel 5’s digital networks.

     When Big Brother launched back in 2000, it quickly became a national phenomenon.  It made several household names out of the ordinary people that dared to step into the house such as Brian Dowling, Kate Lawler and the late Jade Goody.  It also was very controversial, always hitting front-page headlines for outrageous events.  The racism row between Goody and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in the 2007 celebrity series was most damaging, receiving worldwide condemnation and even then Prime Minister Tony Blair was forced to fly to India to deliver a national apology.  After that, BB went into rapid decline as people could no longer trust the show and Channel 4 finally gave it the axe in 2009, airing what would have been its final series last year.

     This is without doubt as massive coup for Channel 5 as it has long needed a signature show for which it could be easily recognised for.  Richard Desmond has said that this is only just the beginning for big changes ahead at the broadcaster.  The one question is will it pay off?  I think it will personally struggle to captivate the audience watching.  However, only time will tell.