BBC Entertainment Correspondent. Covered 20 Oscars, won Telegraph’s Fantasy Cricket, been sampled by Jay-Z & travelled to Kazakhstan to watch Scotland lose 3-0.
Only 4 British Sign Language interpreters in the UK are specialists in Grime. Tara Asher signed Stormzy’s Glasto set for deaf festival goers.
She rehearsed each song for a day. This is joyous. She LOVES her job. Have a watch please.
@BritishSignBSL
@deafzone1
#glastonbury19
Daisy May Cooper from This Country has worn a 60 litre bin bag dress, designed by her Mum, to the BAFTAS. “I decided I would donate the money I would spend on a normal dress to a food bank and come as a bin bag”.
#BAFTATV
Happy Gilmours. It was lovely briefly meeting Billy Gilmour’s family tonight. They all piled to the front (including his Mum and Dad) to see him get the Man of The Match award. His Mum was crying with pride.
#ENGSCO
Just unwittingly completely wasted my mother-in-law’s Friday night. Told her to watch my current obsession on Disney+, The Bear, and to watch at least three episodes to get into it. Unfortunately she managed to select a kids show with a very similar title. And stuck with it.
This is a remarkable stat: last night more people watched Line of Duty in the UK (11m) than watched The Oscars in the US (9.85m). The Oscars viewing figures fell year on year by 58.3%.
The viewing figures for Elton John at Glastonbury are in, a staggering 7.3 million. To put this in context, last year Paul McCartney was watched by 2.5 million.
This is Nanny Pat. For her 80th birthday in 2020 all she wanted was a ticket to Glastonbury. Two years later and she is finally getting to go. “I like to get to the front by sneaking down the sides.”
I can't remember whose joke it is, but my favourite alternative lyrics to The Fairytale of New York are:
"You scumbag you maggot, you taped over Taggert."
Banksy has announced his fist solo show in 14 years and he has chosen Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art. The reason? His favourite work of UK art is immediately outside- the cone continually put on the head on a statue of The Duke of Wellington.
It doesn't get pointed out enough that at the moment the most watched half hour of TV, day after day, is the local regional news on BBC1 at 18:30. Almost a million more viewers than anything else on any channel yesterday.
This is so 2020. But my wedding is about to start. We are live streaming it so that my fiancé’s Gran can watch.
Fell free to join in now if you want to see me cry. Bride is already 5 minutes late
Colin and Louise's Virtual wedding :
Well that was scary. Foo Fighters and Fire Fighters.
At 04:50 we were woken by our smoke alarm. Our boiler room was on fire. We got the kids out and dialled 999. Fire brigade came and put it out before my Dave Grohl went out on
@BBCBreakfast
House fine.
@nottsfire
were fantastic
BREAKING: 2021 off to shock good start. Overnight The KLF have arrived on streaming services with a Greatest Hits album and all their videos are now on an official YouTube channel. 2021 is so far justified and ancient.
This is a
@charliemackesy
original. I was interviewing him in his studio about his Oscar nomination for the animated The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. He agreed to draw the characters visiting the
@BBCBreakfast
studio. And turned the desk into a cake.
#Oscar
Louise and I decided to live stream our wedding on Saturday so that her Nannan Dot who is 90 and shielding could watch (pic below). Over the weekend it has gone viral. It now has more than 10 000 views on YouTube. Ridiculous. Ceremony starts 16 minutes in.
Digital viewing figures for 31st Dec are always entertaining. At the stroke of midnight 29K saw in the New Year watching Sky Sports News, 26K opted for 30 year old episodes of Only Fools & Horses on Gold, 20K chose the Catherine Tate Show on W and 71K for Bullseye on Challenge.
Happy news: the Oscar winning “The Silent Child” staring Maisie Sly - who is six years old, profoundly deaf and from Swindon- will be shown on BBC1 at 19:40 on Good Friday (March 30th).
@SilentChildFilm
@RachelShenton
@overton54
Costume Designer Jenny Beavan is having fun at The BAFTAs. In 2016 Stephen Fry joked she looked like a “bag lady”. This time she’s come as a cleaning lady, complete with duster. That is the occupation of Mrs Harris in Mrs Harris goes to Paris, the film she is nominated for.
Just interviewed
@richardpbacon
about being in a coma for 9 days. Listen here at 13:00- his old slot on the station. It is quite a story. His mother-in-law insisted on making me a packed lunch for the journey home. How sweet is that?
@bbc5live
Just had an absolute shocker. In a holiday home for the Bank Holiday. My
mother-in-law Sue has just pointed out that I have made an omelette using a fly swot! I really should have noticed given. that it was telescopic. Still ate it, mind. Not bad.
Here is an example of the brilliance of Clive James, he wrote his own obituary in advance for the media to use. "Shorter is better, and that a single line is best."
Sad news. Kirsty Young has decided to step down from presenting Desert Island Discs, having decided "it’s time to pursue new challenges". She did 496 episodes over 12 years. For what it's worth, I thought she was absolutely superb. The podcast was essential listening.
I managed to enlist Dave Grohl as a Celebrity home school music teacher. He picked three albums that he thinks all kids should listen to during Lockdown. Full interview on BBC1 at 0750.
Foo Fighters founder, Dave Grohl told
#BBCBreakfast
which three albums he would recommend children listen to as a music home schooling lesson 🎸👇
More here:
Gary Lineker's just recevived unlikely backing in the shape of Nobel Literature laureate & football fan, Kazuo Ishiguro: "I think he's become one of the really important cultural figures for the country. I think he stands for really good things. I'm fully behind him on this.
To give today's Coldplay story some context, I'd a 20 minute interview with Chris Martin ahead of their two shows in Jordan tomorrow. One question was "How difficult is it for bands who believe in environmental issues to go on world tours?" His answer was thoughful and lengthy.
Eurovision viewing figures are in:
9.9M average for the whole four hour show.
10.8M 15 minute peak.
11M 5 minute peak.
That is pretty pretty sensational.
The BAFTA TV coverage cut out the acceptance speeches of Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell when they won Best Adapted Screenplay for All Quiet On The Western Front. Odd decision given they're the Brits who spent 16 years of their lives getting the film made.
Mid massive clear out. Came upon a piece of school work from 1983 when I was 9. The task? Write an interview with the person you most want to speak to. Then this is me in 2015. A real reminder of what a lucky bandit I have been. Sadly I didn’t use any of the questions. Next time.
Gary Oldman: “I would like to thank my mother who is older than the Oscar. She is 99 years young next birthday. And, she is watching this ceremony from the comfort of her sofa. I say to my mother, thank you for your love and support. Put the kettle on, I'm bringing Oscar home.”
Calling all musicians! 🎵
@tonylivesey
is trying to work out if these pieces of music in
@Adele
's new song are a clue.
Can anybody help him read them?!
📻
@BBCSounds
That moment when Supergrass announce that the first time they played The Other Stage at Glastonbury was 27 years ago…and you realise you were there.
They are even hairier now.
I am not.
Yesterday I watched Jeremy Deller’s history of Rave on the iPlayer, today I came upon an old school Bank Holiday rave during my pre-work run in Manchester. 09:15 am and still going.
The unexpected TV highlight for many this Christmas was the BBC4 Bros documentary.
Just interviewed its director
@joe_pearlman
about the reaction. And asked “Why no Craig Logan?” Hear it after 11pm on 5live
Doc is on iPlayer:
Just had fun hour on Zoom formalising my will. I was asked if I had any funeral requests. It is now in a legal document that "We Have A Dream" by the 1982 Scotland World Cup Squad will be played. Looking forward to my death more than I was before. Anyone else picked a track?
Caller "Steve from Hampshire" confirms the sheet music is not the Adele song. He thinks there is a piece of Baroque from the 1720s-30s, possibly Bach due to the countrapuntals. Bottom left, could be an Impressionist piece from around 1910, possibly Debussy.
Nadine Shah on tonight’s
@MercuryPrize
: “I need that 25 grand a lot more than a lot of the others. Let’s be crude about it, Noel Gallagher would just buy a pair of trousers with it.”
@MercuryPrize
Ending 2020 by rewatching my highlight of the year- my Covid quickie wedding to the spectacular Louise.
Next up Serbia V Scotland (Euro Play-off final).
Liam Gallagher: “If I ever saw a politician taking drugs he’d get a crack round the head. What are you doing you donut? They are meant to be running the country. I don’t approve.”
On
@BBCBreakfast
BBC1, Monday at 0650, 07:50 and 08:50.
Big moment in my life. After 7 long years of trying I have finally finished The Chef’s Challenge at my local curry house. I may now sleep until Tuesday. The prize? A free dessert. 🍦
The scene at Manchester Art Gallery. JW Waterhouse’s Hylas and The Nymphs has been taken down to prompt debate about how historical paintings with subjects which may cause offence to a modern audience, should be displayed in the future
@mcrartgallery
And that’s it folks. I have done my last Oscars report for the trip. Only 349 days until the next one. They are moving it forward two weeks in 2020.
#oscars
Rick Astley’s stage for tonight’s BBC One New Year’s Eve concert. Those letters are ideal for end of year anagram fun. So far I have come up with TICKLY ARSE. Can anyone do better?
He was a delight as an interviewee, delaying a rehearsal to give me extra time and at the end going "Ask me one more question, the one you really wanted to ask but didn't have time for." Sadly he hadn't heard Kanye West's album, but did have interesting thoughts on God.
One of the most surprising music stories of the year. Rick Astley is to do concerts singing the Songs of The Smiths, with Blossoms as his backing band. Shows in Manchester and London next month. They met once backstage at Top Of The Pops in 1989.
This is an astounding bit of TV. James Corden and Tom Cruise joining the cast of The Lion King for Corden’s final Late Late Show. I cannot imagine how difficult this was to pull off from a production point of view. I watched in awe. And laughed a lot.
The power of the Euros. Charlie who is 8 and had shown no interest in football. Watched his first game last night as he knew it meant so much to me. Just found him playing Turos (Teddy Euros). He’s gone for a 4-4-2. The midfield is lacking in height, despite Tricey the Dino.
Remember, the Oscar winning The Silent Child is on BBC1 today at 19:40, starring Maisie Sly who is six, profoundly deaf and from Swindon. Fantastic that such an important issue is getting such a great slot. 20 mins long.
@SilentChildFilm
@RachelShenton
@overton54
Big day. My wonderful wife Louise Blyth is on Songs of Praise (BBC1, 13:15).
@realaled
interviewed her about how the death of her first husband brought her to faith. Her book is called “Hope Is Coming”.
Louise is on Insta:
@wonderfulnes_of_life
@BBCSoP
It’s Bald Bald v Boom Boom. I’ve interviewed Basil Brush about his views on how the Tier System is affecting the theatre world. Hear his wisdom on
@BBCBreakfast
tomorrow at 0650 and 0820.
@TheatreWindsor
@realbasilbrush
My wife
@blyth_louise
has been on TV talking about the death of her 1st husband George. It was quite an experience watching with our boys who were 1 & 3 when their wonderful Dad died and are now 6 & 8.
If you have the time tonight, please do have a watch.
Maisie Sly is 6, from Swindon, profoundly deaf and in Hollywood for The Oscars.
The Silent Child is nominated for Best Live Short.
Her Oscar prep has focused on eating sweets, visiting playgrounds and going to the zoo.
Maisie is on tonight’s
@bbcone
6&10 O’Clock News.
@BBCNews
This is such a sad story. Tonight's Mastermind final on BBC2, featured a contestant whose funeral was today. Hamish Cameron died from cancer last week, but had said he wanted it to be shown. He holds the record for the most appearances ever on the show.
Well this is exciting. I have been brought in off the subs bench due to Rachel Burden failing a late fitness test. Presenting Radio 5live weekday Breakfast for the first time this morning.
@claremcdonnell1
will be holding my hand on air.
Kenny Rogers told me backstage at Glastonbury 2013 that he once had a World Tennis Ranking in doubles higher than Bjorn Borg. I've just found the audio. Hope you enjoy.
Huge day. My wife wrote a book about the death of her 1st husband George and self-published during Lockdown.
@carolynthorne
at Hodder bought a copy, loved it and signed her. Stuff of dreams.
@taffyagent
@CBGBooks
became her agent. It’s out today! So proud