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Demise of The Bill and ITV

I’m not going to write a whole long piece about the final episode of THE BILL airing tonight- The Guardian has not one but two fine such pieces already.

But it is a moment to step back and watch from afar as ITV slowly self-destructs. From next Monday, the channel’s new breakfast show debuts. I looked at the show’s press pack earlier and it’s quite badly put together. Apparently the budget didn’t stretch to new photos of the team aside from Adrian Chiles and Christine “Alex Jones” Bleakley, meaning the pack consists of images snatched from the archives and, amongst others, the Daily Mail and Sky News. One of the photos is a blurry capture from GMTV. It’s like they aren’t even trying.

As previously discussed on this here blog, CORONATION STREET is continuing on its slow transformation in to a Carry On film, even with former DOCTOR WHO producer Phil Collinson at the helm. The network has commissioned new drama, but I doubt we will see anything with the kind of longevity The Bill has enjoyed over the last 27 years. Although I haven’t been watching since the dramatic (and rubbish) changes they made last, I will miss it being on. Still, there’s always [formerly-known-as-UK] Gold.

Update: I watched the last fifteen minutes and the very end was quite nostalgic. It is a shame, but perhaps ITV realised the new format wasn’t working and killed it with some dignity. Slightly more seriously, where will young actors learn their trade now? Almost literally everybody has been in either The Bill, CASUALTY or EASTENDERS – probably all three – from Keira Knightley to Russell Brand.

In other news, ITV News (did you see what I did there?) just hit the pinnacle of ridiculousness with one of the headlines in the bongs: “Raise the Titanic”. And some naughty people in cricket is still more important than floods, apparently.

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Spare some change?

Loose change
© Copyright Gary Kirk 2010

I’ve spent most of the last three years living in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. Whilst walking the streets I have been approached many times by individuals – the same people time and again – asking for money. Often late at night and sometimes twice in the dame day, they have walked in front of me, even when with friends or clearly listening to music, presenting their standard sob story. It was always the same, alleging that the Salvation Army hostel had turned them away, they had nowhere to sleep and would I give them some money?

No.

What was he going to do with it, get a room at the Best Western? It was clearly a con, repeated daily. I called the Salvation Army hostel this group of scammers claimed slammed the door in their faces and was told this would never happen. The hostel manager told me staff would turn people away only if they were intoxicated or recreational drug users.

Today on my way home, somebody stopped me to ask if I had twelve pence. I automatically delivered the old chestnut (“I haven’t got any change”) but it got me thinking. There is a difference between busking or begging and simply asking strangers for cash. It would never enter my head to ask people in the street for money if I didn’t have enough for something. I didn’t know what he wanted the 12p for, nor did I ask. But where do you draw the line? I want good tickets to the LES MISÉRABLES 25th anniversary concert at the o2 Arena in October; is it acceptable for me to go asking strangers for donations to my entertainment fund? Of course not, the idea is ridiculous. But people continue to ask for all sorts, from cash to favours – this week I was asked if I had a lighter and if someone could borrow my phone. Certainly not!