Boys keep swinging
I don’t think it’s hyperbole to describe David Bowie as the most significant, the most influential, solo artist of the pop music era. Sinatra, Presley, arguably even...
The hero returns
If nothing else, Iron Man 3 presents another opportunity to decide whether Gwyneth Paltrow is, as People magazine declared, the world’s most beautiful woman. As to that I’d...
THE GATEKEEPERS
The State of Israel was 65 in mid-April. As a native who preceded this by 18 months, I have witnessed Israel’s existence as it proceeded from the excitement and optimism of...
To boldly go…
It is such a terrific joy when you see a film that is so brilliant it almost makes up for the many that are just ‘meh’. Much in the way that the novels of Dan Brown and EL...
Leading ladies
Eve Myles is probably best known as the star of Doctor Who’s ‘young adult spin-off’ Torchwood. It was jolly enough. It differed from its parent show in two crucial...
Ella and me
In recent weeks, this column has become something of a whistlestop tour of my record collection. First it was Wally Stott, then it was Tom Lehrer, and now it’s Ella...
Ghosts of Bush House
We’re not at the stage where all the archive recordings of our broadcast heritage are available, but a lot of progress has been made – 20 years ago, the BBC’s iPlayer would...
'My big love was maths!'
Paco Delgado received an Oscar nominated for his lavish and imaginative designs in Tom Hooper's epic big screen adaptation of Les Misérables. Here he reveals how they...
An American classic
Whenever idiots claim that Americans have no concept of irony, I offer Tom Lehrer and David Letterman as the case for the defence. Lehrer has been one of my heroes since I...
Welcome weather
When I found out that BBC local radio in Yorkshire had a weekly hour-long show devoted to the weather, I imagined it might be like the Four Yorkshiremen sketch from At Last...
Take it to the bridge
A former major label executive once told me about a bizarre conversation he had with the firm’s accountant. ‘I’ve been looking at our releases, and there are an awful lot...
The laser treatment
With the exception of his amazing cameo in Tropic Thunder, and the excellent Mission: Impossible series, Tom Cruise has sailed through some stinkers in recent years. Never...
Goldilocks television
I complain when there aren’t enough good programmes to write about. I complain when there are too many good things and there isn’t room to cover them all. What does it take...
When the going gets...
This is one of the lean weeks of television, as foretold by scripture. One of those weeks where no amount of channel flipping will yield anything that is both new and...
It gets my vote
There have been weeks, I’m sure you will recall, when I have griped in these pages about the slim pickings to be found in the TV schedules and I’ve struggled to find...
The Fantastic Mr Cribbins
I like to use my 400 words wisely. With the exception of the odd rant, I prefer to enthuse about radio I’ve enjoyed. So, I won’t be saying anything about the Radio 4 panel...
Game for a laugh
Well, goodness knows we needed a laugh. I’ve been waiting for a new situation comedy to cheer us up and now three have come along at once. The Job Lot (ITV, Monday at...
Adventures in...
I own a lot of LPs. Not as many as John Peel had but, when it came to moving house last year, it felt like more than enough. Some of them are special and wonderful. Others...
Daily tip from the lady archive
"What makes leisure and holidays delightful is just the fact that they come rarely. If you can have them whenever you like they lose their nature.”
The Lady. The Joy of Work. 14th May 1914
Your vote...
Q: The Queen has received a £5m boost in the funds she receives from the taxpayer to carry out her official duties. Do you approve?
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