Fire In Babylon: Facing Devon Malcolm

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DSC_0636 (Small)The first of June. One of those beautiful early sunny days made even brighter by the presence one of cricket’s sporting heroes – and undoubtedly England’s best fast bowler of the 20th century – Devon Malcolm.

After a kind and warm welcome from the Oval’s people and even nicer PR,  my first glimpse of nice guy Devon Malcolm saw him launching his trade mark fast bowling bombs at a brave man in a lion’s outfit. Yes, you read correctly. Not something you get to do every day, granted, but I thought I’d stick to the conventional padding when it came to my nerve-jangling turn.

The whole day was to promote Fire in Babylon, a DVD out on 6th June, about the unstoppable cricketing force that was the West Indies team in the 70s and 80s. For nigh on two decades, the Windies blew everyone away and dominated the world of cricket like no other team. Their skill, talent, genuine passion and  team spirit has rarely been rivalled.

Devon Eugene Malcolm was born on 22 February 1963 in Kingston, Jamaica. Ironically, he settled and played for England and became one of his adopted country’s best-ever fast bowlers. While the man himself would admit that his batting skills at the crease left a lot to be desired, his bowling made him globally known, feared and revered by the opposition.

For all those who are good at arithmetic, you’ll notice that Devon is 48 years old. But having faced the fast balls and the REALLY fast balls from Devon, it’s clear that he is not only in amazing form, but in exceptional shape for someone who was in first-class cricket for almost 20 years without injury hampering his lifestyle and throwing arm – a fact he is clearly thankful for. Whether those at the other end, like me, felt the same way in those seconds before he lets fly with a grenade-like delivery remained unsaid.

After receiving the blurring missiles from him at the crease (and even splitting my trousers dodging a super fast ball)  I was grateful for the experience of few minutes in his company for a calmer interview.

Errol Clarke: How does it feel being part of the historic era that really made cricket?

Devon Malcolm: Although it was a great privilege and honour to play for England, my early influences were totally around that iconic West Indian side. I’m talking about the 60s, 70s and 80s. Most guys in my era, at any age, played cricket. I don’t care where you come from! If you were from Australia, New Zealand, England, whatever, they have to be influenced by that West Indian side. So much so, that one of my heroes was Michael Holding. You’ve got guys like Colin Croft, Malcolm Marshall and guys like that! I was just a young boy growing up in Jamaica and the commentator was talking about Michael Holding taking a long run up to bowl. I didn’t even know what he looked like then, but I used to make a massive run up and ran faster than I used to bowl – and then eventually I learned HOW to bowl. Those guys were a massive influence in the 70s and even before that.

EC: Well, you almost had 20 years at first class cricket, were you not tempted to hit that magic 20?

DM: I had almost 20 years as a first class cricketer and I have played as an international, but to play as a fast bowler for that long without any major injuries is a blessing! I had a good lifestyle and was pretty strong and I am glad to have such a career that I could be asked back today and be able to still turn my arm over – and I am almost 50! And to be honest if you look at guys who have played the amount of international cricket, or first-class cricket that I have, they are pretty sore in the knee and their back and they may not even be fast bowlers. It’s hard work fast bowling! A very, very tough world.! I mean, man, fast bowling is a key part of cricket and a beautiful thing if you’re watching it – and terrifying if you’re in front of it.

EC: I can speak from first hand of it from today’s experience.

DM: You’re a brave man, a brave man. (Both laugh).

EC: Did you know that before you retired that you had THE best fast bowling analysis of the 20th century?

DM (smiling broadly) : Yeah, to be honest, I remember the day and we were playing the game against South Africa here in ’94 and walking off the field after taking 9 for 57. I remember the England captain, Michael Atherton, said: “Dev, do you realise what you’ve just done?” I said: “Every time I go out to play for England, or play cricket, I want to take all ten wickets!” and he replied: “Maybe so, but we will probably never see again one person dominate cricket again at this level!” And I said to him, “I tell you what. If you want it to mean something, then you guys go out and get the 140 runs we need to win the game.” And we went on to win and got the runs. Then it really meant something and the record still stands.

EC: The sixth best innings in bowling history.

DM: It’s only been done once and I call myself a quick bowler. You have your medium paced bowler and your spinners, but if you want to categorize then I am the only fast bowler to have done it. I have a video at home of Michael Holding bowling in 1976 against England. He was my hero, and watching him take England apart and then to come to the Oval and do the same to South Africa in the same place, it is almost as though it was written in the script for me to come and it’s unbelievable.

EC: You mentioned South Africa which has to be THE iconic match ever for you really.

DM: Indeed and doing a game like that against South Africa who had just come back into international cricket, all of a sudden I am getting calls from President Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu and that was after I had bowled their guys out! I was invited to Downing Street and met the President for lunch and stuff like that. It was a massive thing to do – and it was great!

EC: And tell me about Fire in Babylon.

DM: As we were talking about the iconic West Indies side, Fire in Babylon is a documentary about how they dominated the game for decades and are probably one of the best teams ever. It’s the history behind it all. It’s not something just to keep on the shelf, it’s something you buy to watch, I mean from an educational point of view. Show the kids, because probably a lot of kids playing now, even in the Caribbean, don’t realise where West Indian cricket is coming from. The camaraderie and the history behind it. The West Indies is made up of many islands and the binding force behind them as well.

EC: It is almost like a mantle to pass to the next generation.

DM: Indeed. So I think it would benefit youngsters, even in schools as part of the curriculum!

EC: That would be great, as you don’t see that sort of thing, where they learn from video analysis for sports. This shows the ‘why’, ‘where’, ‘and ‘how’ plus the team spirit and how they got together.

DM: Cricket is a great sport and a very successful one.

EC: If I could ask one last question before they pull you away to do some more bowling. The statement, ‘you guys are history’ and you obviously have a book of the same title as well. Did you ever think coming from where you were, as a youth growing up that you’d create history, write a book and BE in the history books as the best fast bowler of the 20th century? It’s an accolade to go from a boy in Jamaica to representing your adopted country and become a hero of the sport in people’s eyes. How does it all feel?

DM: It’s a great feeling, to have the opportunity to play cricket here and my first tour was back in Jamaica, land of my birth. They adopted me back straight away and cheered for me when I went out to play. I wanted West Indies to do well, but also wanted England to do well and it was a dream come true!

When I was at school in Jamaica, part of my learning to read was ‘Calypso Comes to Lord’s’. I used to read it and be dreaming and dreaming. And the picture I painted of Lord’s was even more vivid than it is right now. So to get the opportunity to come and play for England and play at Lord’s was a massive dream come true! It’s quite amazing. Those that influenced me played at Lord’s and here and to meet my heroes and to play against some of them as well is massive. I played with quite a few of them and I feel worthy. No job in the world would have given me the opportunity to have and do what I have done and I have no regrets at all.

Hopefully, I can promote the game and give youngsters every chance to shine and to promote Britain and get cricket back into schools. Hopefully, I will be able to get across to some of the black boys and get them playing cricket and onto the team like I did.

EC: Thank you for your time today and good luck with everything. All the best for the future.

Devon was then whisked away for more reporters to be terrorised by the youthful fast bowler in the green of the Oval. Meanwhile, I left with my body intact and a pleasant feeling after an interview with a man who was the greatest fast bowler England has ever had, but who remains, criminally, yet to be rewarded for his services to sport. Hopefully, if they do a sequel to Fire in Babylon, Devon Malcolm would have been not only rewarded by then, but featuring in the DVD too.

Fire in Babylon is released on the 6th of June.

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Smokers & Smoking: The Next Generation?

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When the ban on smoking in enclosed public places came into force in July 2007, England joined the rest of the UK in banishing smokers to wretched huddles outside offices, pubs and restaurants.

Tobacco advertising had already been prohibited in 2005 –thereby relegating the famous Hamlet cigar ads to YouTube, and now, six years later, the anti-smoking lobby is beginning to make noises about the clouds of smoke drifting around the forlorn groups gathered in doorways throughout Britain.

As the smokers’ world grows ever smaller, a Birmingham company believe they have the answer. E-Lites electronic cigarettes hope to revolutionise smoking and bring the smoker literally back in from the cold.

E-Lites say their cigarettes contain no burning paper, no tobacco, no tar and no cancer-causing carcinogens. Instead, the E-Lite contains a nicotine cartridge, coloured like an ordinary cigarette filter, an atomizer that heats water to give a smoke-like vapour and a rechargeable battery. And just to be on the safe side, the business end glows with a green LED to avoid any confusion with the real thing.

Puffing on their new E-Lite at their display kiosk in Euston, Sales Representative Dan Andrei said: “They’re cheaper than normal cigarettes – about 75% cheaper – and unrestricted, which means you get the freedom to smoke anywhere you want.

“There’s no smell and no smoke, so no passive smoking and they can be ordered online or bought from kiosks like this one.”

E-Lites launched their newest incarnation of their electronic cigarette, the G9, this week and are hoping for big things.

“We only launched two days ago,” said fellow Sales Representative, Reese Barnard. “Obviously, It’s all about getting people to try it. It’s something totally new and totally different so smokers need to try it before they decide to buy.

“The response has been pretty good so far.”

Since the 2011 Budget, a pack of 20 cigarettes costs an average of £7. In comparison, E-Lite nicotine cartridges last for roughly the equivalent of 12 cigarettes. With E-Lites retailing at £40 for 200 and refill cartridges at £8 for £80, smokers could make a considerable saving, both in their pocket and in their health.

With World No Tobacco Day just gone, the lively hubbub around their Euston stall on a Thursday lunchtime suggested E-Lites have enough going for them to garner initial interest. Whether the company has factored in, and can conquer, the ‘cool’ factor and peer pressure remains to be seen.

For more information, go to: www.e-lites.co.uk

TOWIE's Mark and Lauren Get Loved Up

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The Only Way Is Essex stars Mark Wright and Lauren Goodger looked every bit the perfect pair as they visited Chigwell’s TopGolf centre today.

Mark’s BMW X6 is a regular sight at TopGolf as he insists on dropping by to practice his swing at least once a week.

An insider said: “Mark and Lauren looked very loved up. They were very smoochy-smoochy.”

Fresh from the lads’ holiday in Marbs, it looks like Mark only has eyes for one birdie.

Starr Man: Ringo Starr Announces European Tour

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Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band return to the road for the 12th All Starr tour this summer. Joining Starr will be Rick Derringer on guitar, Richard Page on bass, Wally Palmar on guitar & harmonica, Edgar Winter on sax and keyboards, Gary Wright on keyboards and Gregg Bissonette on drums.

The twenty eight-date tour kicks off in Kiev, Ukraine on 4th June, stopping in Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia, Poland, Britain, France, Czech Republic, Italy, Holland and Germany before concluding in Vienna, Austria on 17th July.

4th June, Kiev, Ukraine, Palace Of Ukraine

6th June, Moscow, Russia, Crocus City Hall

7th June, St Petersburg, Russia, Big Concert Hall

10th June, Gothenburg, Sweden, Liseberg

11th June, Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Wood Festival

12th June, Randers, Denmark, Vaerket

14th June, Riga, Latvia, Arena Riga

15th June, Warsaw, Poland, Sala Kongresowa

17th June, London, England, Hampton Court

18th June, Liverpool, England, Empire

20th June, Birmingham, England, Symphony Hall

22nd JuneManchester, England, Opera House

23rd June, Glasgow, Scotland, Clyde Auditorium

24th June, Bournemouth, England, BIC

26th June, Paris, France, Palais des Sports

28th June, Budapest, Hungary, Sport Arena

29th June, Prague, Czech Republic, KCP Congress Centre

2nd July, Lyon, France, Centre de Congres

3rd July, Milan, Italy, Civic Arena

4th July, Rome, Italy, Auditorium Cavea

7th July, Hamburg, Germany, Stadtpark

9th July, Weert, Holland, Bospop Festival

10th July, Dusseldorf, Germany, Philipshalle

12th July, Berlin, Germany, Tempodrom

13th July, Munich, Germany, Circus Krone

14th July, Salzburg, Austria, Halle 1

16th July, Frankfurt, Germany, Jahrhunderthalle

17th July, Vienna, Austria, Open Air Arena

Ringo Starr is one of the world’s brightest musical luminaries. He has enjoyed a successful and dynamic solo career as a singer, songwriter and drummer, an active musical collaborator and as an actor. Drawing inspiration from classic blues, soul, country, honky-tonk and rock ‘n’ roll, Ringo continues to play an important role in modern music with his solo recording and touring.

Ringo Starr’s music, as a solo artist and as a Beatle, is permeated with his personality. His warmth and humour, and his exceptional musicianship have given us songs we all know and love, including ‘It Don’t Come Easy’, ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’, ‘Yellow Submarine, ‘Don’t Pass Me By’, ‘Octopus’ Garden’, ‘Photograph’, ‘Back Off Boogaloo’, ‘You’re Sixteen (You’re Beautiful And You’re Mine)’, ‘Don’t Go Where the Road Don’t Go’, ‘The No No Song’ and ‘Never Without You’.

The All Starr Band has toured consistently since its inception in 1989. Based on the concept “everybody on stage is a star in their own right”, each concert sees Ringo performing songs from his solo and Beatles’ career and each Starr performing hits from their own careers. Over the years the revolving line up has included such stellar artists as Joe Walsh, Dr. John, Todd Rundgren, Timothy B. Schmidt, John Entwhistle, Peter Frampton, Sheila E., Rod Argent and Paul Carrack.

Returning to the stage for the 2011 tour are the six All Starr band members who toured with Ringo in 2010:

Rick Derringer is a noted rock guitarist, vocalist and entertainer who was just 17 when his band The McCoys recorded the No.1 hit ‘Hang On Sloopy’ in the summer of 1965, knocking ‘Yesterday’ by The Beatles from the top spot. He later played with both Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter and found further success with his hit single ‘Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo’ and with his eponymous band Derringer. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s he appeared on numerous albums with artists Alice Cooper, Richie Havens, Todd Rundgren, Cyndi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, Kiss and Steely Dan. In the mid-80’s, Derringer discovered Weird Al Yankovic, producing music for Grammy-winning albums and videos and the 2006 Grammy Awards brought Rick his third Grammy with his participation on the Les Paul 90th birthday tribute CD.

Born in the USA in 1953, Richard Page is best known as the singer/bassist for the multi-platinum, Grammy nominated group Mr. Mister. In the late 70’s and early 80’s Richard recorded three albums under the moniker of Pages with Steve George. Page has retained a cult following in many areas of the world. The pair formed Mr Mister in the mid 80s. The band released three albums and had several world-wide hits, including ‘Broken Wings’ and ‘Kyrie’. They split in 1990 and a fourth Mr Mister album, ‘PULL’ remained unreleased for 20 years. It has been remastered and is currently available on Richard’s own record label, Little Dume Records. Page has recorded two solo albums, ‘Shelter Me’ and ‘Peculiar Life’, as well as providing backing vocals for artists such as Elton John, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Barbara Streisand and Elvis Costello among many more. As a songwriter Page has had songs recorded by Madonna, Leona Lewis, Josh Groban, Celine Dion and Hall & Oates to name just a few.

Wally Palmar, lead vocalist, harmonica, rhythm guitar player, and founding member of The Romantics, is amongst one of the most recognized voices of the 80’s. The group’s self-titled debut album yielded the hit ‘What I Like About You’, which carries on throughout the decades. Other singles include, ‘When I Look In Your Eyes’, ‘One in a Million’, and the international hit ‘Talking In Your Sleep’. The Romantics are continuously being re-introduced to new generations today via the extensive airplay on contemporary, rock and satellite radio, commercials and movie soundtracks. Never content to simply rest on his red-leathered laurels, Palmar continues to write, record and tour around the world with The Romantics.

Edgar Winter is an accomplished jazz, rock and blues keyboard player and saxophonist as well as a vocalist who found success in the early 70s and has continued to record throughout the 80s, 90s and 00s. Edgar has worked with noted guitarists Rick Derringer and Ronnie Montrose as well as his older brother Johnny Winter (a noted blues / rock guitarist). In 1972 Edgar had a #1 hit with the instrumental ‘Frankenstein’, taken from his acclaimed album ‘They Only Come Out At Night’. Edgar also enjoyed great success with the hit ‘Free Ride’ as well as ‘Dying To Live’ which Eminem produced for the hit movie ‘Tupac’. Edgar Winter’s songs have appeared on the soundtracks to over 20 films.

Over the course of his 40-year career which began in the UK with the rock band Spooky Tooth, Gary Wright has played before millions of fans and his music has appeared in blockbuster movies & TV shows as well as being played on radio every day. A pioneer of using synthesizers in pop music as heard on his worldwide hits ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love Is Alive,’ Gary has inspired generations of mainstream artists including Eminem, Mya, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Anastacia and DJ Armand Van Helden all of whom have either sampled or covered his songs. Gary’s world-unifying vision and musical prowess were recently displayed on ‘Connected’ his first pop-rock album for 20 years. Gary joined the All Starr Band in 2008.

Drummer and vocalist Gregg Bissonette comes from a musical family, where his father was also a drummer, his mother a pianist, brother a bass player and sister a violinist. Gregg played on three albums by former Van Halen vocalist David Lee Roth, with the first ‘Eat ‘Em And Smile’ one of the most acclaimed rock albums of the mid 80s. Since then Gregg has recorded and toured with a number of artists, including Toto, ELO, Santana, Andrea Bocelli, The Maynard Ferguson Big Band, Spinal Tap and James Taylor. Having first worked and toured with Ringo Starr in 2003 (alongside his brother Matt on bass and vocals), Gregg has been an All Starr member since 2008 and this is his third tour as an All Starr.

www.ringostarr.com

First Lady Michelle Obama Gives Voice to Women

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Democratic political consultant Lena Kennedy announced today that First Lady Michelle Obama is attending a fundraising luncheon at the private home of Ann and Robert Hamilton in Pasadena on Monday, June 13. The fundraiser is being organized by Southern California Women For Obama, a local grassroots initiative headed by Kennedy to help women get engaged in the political process and ensure their voice is heard.

“We expect about 500 attendees, a turnout similar to earlier Obama fundraisers we’ve hosted in Pasadena during the presidential campaign,” adds Kennedy.

“We are honored to be one of only two fundraisers the First Lady will attend during her visit to Southern California,” explains Los Angeles business executive and Presidential Partner Teena Hostovich, who is co-chairing the event with Kennedy. “Attendees at our luncheon will be a good cross-section of President Obama’s constituents in Los Angeles, one that is diverse culturally, socially, and economically.”

More than 450 women attended a reception rally hosted at the home of Lesley and Rob Levy on May 15 to kick off President Obama’s re-election campaign and offer women meaning ways to get involved in the political process. Hostovich, who served as the evening’s emcee, introduced various speakers including Congresswoman Judy Chu, John Emerson & Ken Solomon, California Co-Chairs, President Obama National Finance Committee, Eric Bauman, Vice Chair California Democratic Party, Honorable Wendy Greuel, Los Angeles City Controller, and Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry.

The luncheon will begin at 11 a.m. Individual tickets are $1,000. Special $10,000-a-couple tickets are also available, allowing a photo opportunity and private time with the First Lady. For more information, contact Lena Kennedy at 626-765-6206 or email at Lkennedy@LLKAssociates.com.

Londoner's Diary 13 – by Phil Ryan

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Yes, it’s coming up to the great invasion now. Londoners are bracing themselves for the Tourists. We had the Royal Wedding rush, but now June is coming and so is the world.

I generally avoid the centre of town over the next months (I stay out on the leafier fringes). But a very good place to take the pulse of tourism is in our London street markets. Camden in the north and Portobello in the west have now gradually been reduced to a very long shuffle that takes hours to complete. It looks like a scene out of that penguin documentary film – but without the cute voiceover. Great for the stallholders, mind, but not so much fun for the visitors. And to add to that disappointment is the now almost generic nature of much of the goods for sale.

They’re not very London. In fact they seem to be mainly Chinese and Indian in manufacture. Seems weird to me. You fly in from Spain and go home with a Japanese rubber watch, some Indian scarves, some Chinese jewellery and when people ask where you’ve been, you say London! That said, we do have some great young fashion designers in many of the markets, like Spitalfields in the east, who do sell extraordinarily brilliant and authentic London designs. So it’s not all bad.

I particularly like the visitors who buy those tall Union Jack hats with bells on. Come to London, city of great fashion and style. What do you choose – a felt hat that makes you look like a twat! Classic. I think they just get confused by all the choice. But at least they can lose their money gradually in the markets. The attractions are now charging crazy prices. The London Eye, Madame Tussaud’s, The Tower of London, London Zoo. They’re all close to £20 entry. Last time I was at the zoo, I took a monkey and a meerkat home. Well, I wanted my money’s worth.

Frankly, I’m amazed the tourists still come. London is now one of the most expensive cities to visit. And our beloved Mayor is now pointing out that the tourists are all using his Boris bikes. Hardly surprising, they’re all strapped for cash. An oyster card would probably finish them off financially. They’d probably root in the bins except the locals have probably got there first.

And if tourists aren’t baffled and broke enough, it’s charity running/walking/crawling season here in London with a vengeance. You can’t go near a park or open space without finding scores of grinning sweaty folk dressed as nuns or in pink, blue or green, covered in balloons and sprinting at you waving plastic buckets. It’s all very laudable but annoying. I give to charity in my own way. But it’s like a load of highwaymen without any style have been let loose. Every underground station now seems to have a bucket waver in residence and my local high street has posted at least three a day along its length.

It’s like some surreal computer game. You devise strategies. Maximum points. Cross over. Lift your paper and become invisible. Glare wildly. Mutter ‘no thanks’. Get someone in front of you to block them from seeing you. Pretend to answer your phone. Avoid eye contact. Look at the floor. I’m exhausted after a day out!

I’m all for charity, but not when it walks up to you and demands money with cheery menaces. I’d like a central fund I could pay a tenner into once a month. Then all the charities have to fight it out with pillows in a giant mud-filled arena which you have to pay to go into to watch. Brilliant eh? Money and entertainment. Maybe it’ll catch on.

But London is getting crowded with visitors and the tubes are getting to be even more of a nightmare. I love the recent saga of breakdowns and then the accompanying explanations. A bolt fell off and jammed a door open. Signals wouldn’t talk to each other. My favourite: an animal of some kind loose in a tunnel. An animal? What? Bigfoot?

However, I witnessed a pure London moment last week. I was at Finchley Road waiting for a Jubilee line train. On the platform behind him I heard a Metropolitan line train approach. The station announcement proudly said: “Ladies and Gentlemen. The train now arriving on platform three is one of the brand new Metropolitan line trains now in service.” So I turned around and a new shiny and gleaming train pulled in. It was really brand new. Bright paint job. Clear glass in its windows. Modern. Inviting. It looked very nice. Inside there was about 50 happy people, all looking very pleased to be on such a nice shiny and clean train for a change. Some of them stood up to get off.

Meanwhile, people on the platform all looked pretty pleased to see such a nice-looking carriage. You could see it was pretty cool. At last. New trains. Comfortable, wide, air conditioned, a pleasure to travel in. But the doors wouldn’t actually open. So it sat there while various TFL folk appeared and poked it for a bit and then it pulled out. Bizarre. Hapless travellers inside banging on the windows and shouting rude words. Resigned travellers on the platform letting their shoulders drop. It had been a cruel trick. The next train arrived. Old, crammed, dirty but with working doors! Reality restored. When I later got out at Bond Street I asked a TFL bloke about it and he said: “Yeah, the doors are so new they’re sticky and they don’t really open. Give it a year or two and they’ll be fine.” Priceless.

So there you have it. We’re being crowded out with tourists. Prices for attractions are at mortgage levels. The tube doors don’t open. And the streets are full of charity muggers. But do we care? No. It’s a London thing.

Fresh Meat: Channel 4 Announces New Comedy Drama

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From the award-winning creators of Peep Show, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, and with a brilliant young cast, Fresh Meat is Channel 4’s latest comedy drama series, currently filming on location in Manchester.

Spanning eight episodes, the series follows a group of six students about to embark on the most exciting period of their lives thus far – University! Away from home for the first time, on the brink of adult life, they are about to discover who they really are. From the moment they ship up as freshers at their shared house, their lives are destined to collide, overlap and run the whole gamut of appalling behaviour and terrible errors of judgment.

They are: JP (Jack Whitehall), public school boy with good teeth and an inflated sense of entitlement; Kingsley (Joe Thomas), charming, loveable and crushingly insecure; Josie (Kimberley Nixon), overly enthusiastic, determined to experience ‘new things’, however bad they are for you. Then there’s socially awkward and know-it-all Howard (Greg McHugh); straight talking, hard-living Vod (Zawe Ashton); and finally Oregon (Charlotte Ritchie), desperate to be cool and terrified of being boring.

C4 Head of Drama, Camilla Campbell, says: ‘I am delighted to be able to announce our exciting cast of the best of today’s talent for a brand-new comedy drama series for Channel 4.

“Sam and Jesse are bringing their customary incisive comedy to the drama output, and the result is a hilarious and painfully truthful series about being a student.”

Fresh Meat will be made by Objective Productions and Lime Pictures, and produced by Rhonda Smith.The series is executive produced by Judy Counihan and Phil Clarke for Objective Productions, and Tony Wood for Lime.

Bird of the week: Long-Tailed Tit

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As you will have gathered by now, I love all birds – they’re all different, and they don’t need to be colourful to be beautiful. Some are majestic (I will soon introduce you to a bird of prey), some are pretty, some are colourful, some are elegant. When it comes to cuteness, there’s one bird in particular that springs to mind: the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus).

Long-tailed tit

Long-tailed tit - AWWWWWWW!

A small, round ball of fluff with a very long tail, big eyes and a stubby beak – you can’t help but go ‘awwwwwwww’.

These little acrobats always come in flocks and constantly chatter with each other. You can’t watch them and not smile.

Upside down

If you’re lucky, they might come and visit your bird table in winter and feast on nuts and fat cakes, or mealworms as they are insectivorous birds.

Long-tailed tit with food for young

Their nest is a work of art made out of moss, lichen, loads of soft feathers and spider’s webs. And the fledglings that emerge from this nest are…you guessed it: too cute for words.

Long-tailed tit fledgeling

So go for a walk in the park or in the countryside – you might be lucky and come across a family of long-tailed tits that will keep you entertained for hours!

LTT flying

For more LTT photos please have a look here:
http://www.finepetportraits.co.uk/long-tailed-tit-bird-photos.html

Sandra Palme
www.finepetportraits.co.uk