Various bits of writing on the interweb

David Beckham’s head on a melon

So here’s the final video of this week’s special advent calendar of And Finally reports. It’s my all time favourite And Finally and comes from a few years back, when an artist was carving England footballer’s faces onto melons to support our boys in the World Cup. I didn’t have much to work with, it was basically a man and his melons. I was very proud of the lines ‘the

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Speedy the Tortoise and his artificial leg

This week being Christmas week I’m sharing my favourite ever TV reports with you. Behind today’s Advent calendar window of fun is Speedy the Tortoise. Sadly he lost a leg and his owners made a new one out of Lego. When that fell to bits they were stumped. Fortunately a neighbour who is an inventor came up with a new high-tech leg. The feature has the feel of a Victoria

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The pub full of Rooneys

All this week I’m putting a different favourite TV report on my site each day. It’s a sort of advent calendar without the chocolate. This year, being a World Cup year, I did a lot of quirky football reports for the BBC. I had a drink in a pub where all the bar staff were called Wayne Rooney. The only one not called Rooney was the manager, who despite being

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Mobile fruit saleswoman

Here’s a piece I did with a man who collects everything to do with Carmen Miranda. She’s that actress from old films who wore a lot of fruit in her hats. Enjoy

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The tallest cricketer ever

As it’s Christmas week, I thought I’d create my own version of the advent calendar, but without the chocolate. Like so many of many ideas, I’ve had it rather late, so instead of 25 days worth, there’s just going to be 5. Each day this week I will post one of my favourite BBC TV reports from the past year. Kicking off today with the tallest cricketer ever to have

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Three Aladdins and lots of hats

Here’s my regular BBC East Midlands Today pantomime round-up. It was broadcast yesterday and features me at three different versions of Aladdin in Buxton, Leicester and Nottingham. There’s a running gag of me wearing different hats for every piece to camera. I also wear hats in all the noddy shots, including the head of a Chinese lion, which you might not recognise as a traditional noddy, but that was my

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HMS Belfast

Tonight I’m doing an after-dinner turn on talk on HMS Belfast. I’ve been thinking it was the first time I’ve done an after-dinner on a ship, but checking back I did do a talk on the QE2 back in 1994. That was at breakfast time though, so I’m not really sure it counts as an after-dinner. Jem – London 25 Nov 2010

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Hosting the Children in Need Stage

Tonight I compered the stage for the BBC Children in Need outside broadcast at East Midlands Airport. It was great fun for a brilliant cause. Well done to everyone who gave up their time and helped raise money for children who need our help. Here’s some pictures of the night. Here’s me with first world war flying ace Quentin Ryanair. aka Chief News Correspondent Quentin Rayner. It’s the most impressive

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