No room left for slow starters

You only get one chance to make a good first impression. It is one of those throwaway lines that litter our lives, particularly in business.
But there is certainly some truth in the cliche.
And it seems to be increasingly the case in the world of television.
TV is still a dominant force in society, but there is little doubt that [...]

Second thoughts about Bonekickers

My second, more considered opinion about Bonekickers is pretty much the same as my first - this is the worst programme currently on TV - albeit with a few tweaks.
Everything that was bad about the debut episode was evident again - over-acting, slack direction, but above all some absolutely appalling writing and a laughably contrived [...]

Writing for fun

Words is my life.
Its official, I’ve even got the t-shirt to prove it thanks to Rachel.
I love reading them, I enjoy writing them even more.
Blogs are brilliant as I get exposed to so many words, ideas, styles, prejudices and plenty of inspiration whenever I want it. Best of all, these words are pinging at me from [...]

Is Bonekickers the worst show on TV?

There is plenty of competition but putting aside the reality TV drivel, the endless property and cookery shows and Jeremy Kyle-style car crash entertainment, is Bonekickers the worst programme currently being aired?
Over-hyped, over-acted and under-written makes for a very poor combination.
Time Team meets Indian Jones, CSI and The Da Vinci Code makes for an even worse [...]

Dress like a Mad Man

Apart from researching and writing a couple of newspaper features, my mind has been wandering to adverts over the last few days.
It started with me wondering what the latest was on the Heinz Deli-Mayo TV advert, pulled by the company after 200 people complained about two men kissing in this humorous take on family life.
Apparently, the Advertising [...]

Editors complain about too much choice

Having mulled over the BBC’s plans to increase its local video output online and the less than enthusiastic response of The Newspaper Society for a few days I’m still left with the same question.
Isn’t one of the big plus points of the “digital revolution” the fact that we now have more choice?
So the Society’s attitude would [...]

Hey sweetcheeks, ain’t you forgetting something…?

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I can’t help myself.
Heinz has been forced to pull its TV advert for the Deli Mayo range after the Advertising Standards Authority received 200 complaints from viewers in less than a week.
The “offensive and inappropriate advert” was also deemed to be “unsuitable to be seen by children”.
The main gripe appears to be [...]

And the winner of The Apprentice is…

Well, now we can all sleep easy in our beds for another year.
The waiting is over, the sense of anti-climax is immense and The Apprentice for 2008 is Mr Shouty.
Aka the diamond in the rough, the dinosaur impersonator, the man who “totally f****** nailed the blue cactus” in Morocco, the one none of us really knew what the [...]

The Apprentice finalists - picking the winner

The job interview from hell, for the viewers rather than the candidates, is almost over for this year at least.
Old Man Sugar won’t have resorted to some old-style fortune telling to decide who will be The Apprentice.

He would have known from very early on in the selection process who was likely to make it this far, [...]

Big Brother Watch - Series 9 launch

Just to clarify my position, I will not be watching any Big Brother programmes or their spin-offs.
I might happen upon some BB9 news as I trawl through the papers and various websites, but it is unlikely I’ll comment on anything that happens - unless it is a genuinely big story and I’m feeling particularly hypocritical [...]