JUST back from the finish of the Boat Race, where the contrast between winning and losing is never more stark.
I was in the boathouse at Chiswick where the two crews arrive on shore to be met by family, friends and supporters.
You didn’t need to watch the race to know who had won – the looks on the faces of the Oxford and Cambridge crews told their own story.
Cambridge claimed their first victory since 2004. The celebrations were just getting underway as I left.
They’ve covered themselves in glory, something that, sadly, ITV failed to do with their live broadcast.
Having now had a chance to watch a recording of the race, questions will surely be asked about how they managed to miss the start.
Author: ianwylie
FORGET Bono, Van Morrison, Ronan Keating and Daniel O’Donnell.
The title of King of the Irish singers must surely go to Val Doonican.
Between 1964 and 1986 his BBC1 show topped the Saturday night ratings.
And Val’s Christmas specials by the fireside are the stuff of TV legend.
His laid back style featured a variety of knitted garments, a rocking chair and the easiest of listening.
That included hits like Walk Tall, Scarlet Ribbons, The Special Years, Elusive Butterfly and, of course, Delaney’s Donkey.
Then Val vanished.
For some reason – and I hope he’ll forgive me – I thought Val was dead.
But he’s not.
IT looked like yet another quiet evening in with a tin of ‘oops and a Life On Mars DVD.
Then the postman delivered an invite to a night out with Gene Hunt.
“There’s no dress code,” the DCI explained on mug-stained North West District Police headed paper, “but try and make an effort, eh?
“The place will be packed with birds, so unless you’re a Catholic priest you might want to try and impress them.”
The occasion was tonight’s London cast and crew premiere of Life On Mars – The Finale.
(Don’t worry about having your enjoyment of next week’s final episode ruined. This blog remains spoiler free and you’ll find no clues below)
A busy day in Coronation Street yesterday.
First came the ratings for Tracy Barlow’s guilty verdict – watched by an impressive peak of 13.1m viewers.
Then last night it was revealed that Tina O’Brien is quitting the cobbles.
The Manchester-born actress, who plays hairdresser Sarah Platt, will leave at the end of the year.
There’s a front page pic and story in today’s MEN.
In essence, Tina, 23, is leaving to try her hand at other roles, possibly starting with a new ITV1 drama.
COULD it be that it’s just an illusion?
The Apprentice is a brilliant format, which began its new BBC1 series last week with five million viewers.
But don’t make the mistake of confusing reality TV with real life.
Most people will know by now that the boardroom and reception area are, in fact, a TV set.
Sir Alan Sugar’s real office is in Brentwood, Essex, miles away from the shiny London Docklands seen on screen in the series.
That means the fired apprentice’s walk to the taxi from Sir Alan’s Brentwood House HQ has to be filmed later.
“SAM. I appear to have killed a man…”
The penultimate episode of Life On Mars highlights a cast and crew working together as a team at the very top of their form.
Screened on BBC1 at 9pm this Tuesday, the mystery of why modern day detective Sam Tyler is in 1973 Manchester continues to unfold.
DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) is arrested for murder and asks Sam (John Simm) for help.
Is the arrival from Hyde of acting DCI Frank Morgan, played by Ralph Brown, significant?
Does this spell the end of the Gene Genie?
And why is the CID office so tidy?
One thing is certain – the final moments will have fans counting down the minutes to the last ever episode on April 10.
THERE’S no need to dig too deep into the TV schedules to find a real character with a passion for her subject.
Christine’s Garden was one of my favourite series of 2006 – and I wasn’t the only one who loved it.
Three million viewers were charmed by Lancashire-born and raised horticulturalist Christine Walkden and her garden.
Now she’s back for a second BBC2 series, along with next door neighbour Reg and her absolute love of growing things.
If you’ve not seen Christine before, then don’t miss tonight’s second episode in the new series at 8pm, filmed in late spring of last year.
HE’S one of Manchester’s finest exports – even if he was born in Wales.
Now Doctor Who writer and executive producer Russell T Davies wants to come home.
But not just yet.
There’s an interview with Russell in today’s edition of trade magazine Broadcast, in which he again says he’s fully committed to the Cardiff-based BBC1 show.
But he confirms that he will eventually be moving on and has been talking to Manchester-based Red Production Company.
“I’ve certainly got things lined up – I want to work with Nicola Shindler again, and I want to live in Manchester again. My house is in Manchester.
THERE was plenty of laughter when Sally Hawkins charmed a table of hacks at ITV1’s Jane Austen launch.
She stars this Sunday as Anne Elliot in Persuasion – the third and last of the network’s adaptations.
You may not instantly recognise the name, or the face, but Sally has almost certainly been in something you’ve seen.
Last year she played Manchester department store personal shopper Nathalie in BBC2 drama Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole In My Heart.
Or perhaps you caught her in Vera Drake, Layer Cake, Fingersmith, Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky, The Young Visiters or Tipping The Velvet?
Sally was an absolute delight to talk to – funny and refreshingly honest on the subject of having to kiss Persuasion co-star Rupert Penry-Jones (pictured below right).
IS television run by “a lot of fools”?
That’s the view of Life On Mars star Philip Glenister, who thinks television is “screwed up”.
In an interview with today’s Radio Times he also described reality shows as “sadistic” and said EastEnders was “up its own ****”.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Glenister had sent his no-nonsense Manchester cop DCI Gene Hunt along for the chat.
But he has always held strong views about the industry he works in and one he has known since an early age.
His father John was a cameraman turned TV director and elder brother Robert – star of Hustle – went into acting before him.
I’ve interviewed Phil several times and he’s always good company, with a sharp sense of humour.
And he’s not afraid to speak his mind.
Life of Wylie 