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Paisley profile

Prince Rogers Nelson has been a carefully engineered enigma since he first hit our collective in 1979 on American Bandstand. Well, maybe not all of us were watching that particular programme but it marked one of his first TV experiences and the main reason there are so few actual interviews with the miniscule musical maestro. He dried up.

If you were expecting this BBC4 documentary to be packed full of exclusive interviews with the man himself, spilling the beans on various personal misdemeanours and swearing to be sisters for life on a pinkie swear, you are in for a disappointment. If you were after a comprehensive examination of the artist’s professional life from start to present day, then you’re barking up the right tree. Which is why it’s a good idea to start with that American Bandstand interview. Read the rest of this article »

Child’s play

Thirty years ago someone had the bright idea to emulate the american Telethons over here with a fundraiser taking over the entire evening’s television viewing. There were only three channels back then, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister and Bucks Fizz had just won the Eurovision Song Contest involving a rather nifty trick with skirts and velcro. Pioneering feminism and stripping for points, all in a single era.

Terry Wogan was one of three hosts in that first all-nighter and he’s still a stalwart supporter, hosting this year’s festivities along with Alesha Dixon, Tess Daly and Fearne Cotton. Read the rest of this article »

Oh Brother!

This Friday sees the close to the social experiment that was Big Brother on Five. Hosted by a former Big Brother winner who went on to become a familiar face on Saturday morning television, rubbing shoulders with the great and the good that would have been on Top Of The Pops if it was still going, Brian Dowling has become the ideal for every Big Brother wannabe. It’s either him or Craig Phillips, the first ever winner who has gone on to be a bit of a daytime telly staple as builder and fixer upper extraordinaire. No one goes along to bare their soul, get their bits out and become tabloid fodder for a day and a half just to be the next Cameron Stout. You know,the chap who wore the wristband asking WWJD? Never mind. Read the rest of this article »

Latest word

A brand new series of Argumental is hitting our screens on Thursday, but rather than more of the same this is being considered a reboot. Gone are John Sargeant, Marcus Brigstocke and Rufus Hound and heralded in their places are Sean Locke taking up hosting duties, with Robert Webb and Seann Walsh as team captains. Interesting. Read the rest of this article »