Cllr’s daytime telly review
We asked a Southwark councillor who’s recovering from an operation how they’ve been filling the long hours needed for recuperation.
Daytime telly, came the answer – but much of it isn’t worth watching, she says.
The news bulletins are always full of Brexit doom-and-gloom, she tells us, while the antique shows which fill many a TV slot are “really dull watching.”
Other daytime TV staples are just “people shouting at other people about various infidelities,” she adds.
Cooking programmes were also a little on-the-nose as well, because she had been on a liquid diet.
She’s been holding out for some animal rescue shows, but the programming powers-that-be never seem to put on any during the day.
“Thank heavens for visiting friends!” she laments.
By George he is at Hamlet!
Dulwich Hamlet has a loyal following in the borough, and an almost-as-strong cult following outside of it.
Now the Hamlet can add another unexpected supporter to that number: the controversial former MP, George Galloway.
Outside of presenting his weekly Sputnik show on RT, Galloway seemingly spends his downtime watching the National League South club play at Champion Hill.
He reposted a recommendation to his 300,000 followers that “anybody with a spare Saturday afternoon in London get yourself along to Dulwich Hamlet FC.
“Cracking set up there and extremely friendly/welcoming.”
Conversations firmly to be avoided if you spot the outspoken politician-turned-broadcaster on the terraces could include former PM Tony Blair, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and Brexit.
Piers punch-up
Last week we reported that a Facebook event had invited Piers Morgan for a punch-up at the back of the Tesco Express on Kennington Park Road on Sunday, March 31.
The rules were simple, said the event – no shirts allowed, but bring a pot-luck dish to share.
Piers did not turn up to ‘fight’ the over seven thousand people who had pledged to attend, all of whom had taken umbrage with his views on gender issues.
However, instead of putting their hands into boxing gloves, people put their hands into their pockets for charity.
(The organiser suggested the idea saying, “Hey it will probably p*** off Piers Morgan!”)
Nearly £130 was raised for the charity Mermaids, which works with transgender children.
Bolton brouhaha
A feather in the cap for the James Allen Girls’ School in Dulwich which hosted the flagship BBC debate show, Question Time, last week.
But it hasn’t been without controversy: the show had originally been due for broadcast from Bolton, before the BBC passed it over in favour of the Southwark location.
A think-tank dedicated to towns rather than cities – the Ronseal-named Centre for Towns – has decided to stick up for Bolton over the Big Smoke.
“Heaven forbid any of the panellists had to leave London for a second. We get it,” the centre huffed.
The BBC told us a location change was necessary because politicians wouldn’t be able to make it to Bolton while Brexit debates rage in Parliament.
It vowed to find another venue and broadcast from the Greater Manchester locale “in due course.”
But the Centre for Towns is still not happy.
It’s vowed to have its own Question Time show in Bolton this Thursday evening – and urgently appealed for help with a venue, panellists and equipment “because we’re based in a shed.”
Bermondsey love story
A Bermondsey love story is playing out in the Metro newspaper.
Last week a Bermondsey-based commuter wrote into its letters page to try and track down her rush-hour crush.
“Black guy on the Jubilee Line with bleached hair,” she wrote. “You got on at Canning Town and we were checking each other out. I would love to get to know you. Hit me up.”
On Monday, ‘Black Guy on the Jubilee Line’ wrote in. “To the blonde in the green bomber who got off at Bermondsey who’d love to get to know the black guy with bleached hair – that’s definitely me!”
Get in touch, he said – although quite how she is meant to do this when no contact details were left is anyone’s guess.
Southwark live-streams
Council meetings are broadcast live over YouTube for those residents who can’t make proceedings in person.
It’s a valuable way of keeping up with what councillors are discussing and debating, even after the fact.
But now YouTube has added further restrictions for accounts to live-stream from mobile devices. Under a new policy, accounts need 1,000 subscribers to broadcast their videos live.
The channel has seen an influx of new subscribers after the policy was changed, but still has a shortfall of fifty at the time of writing.
The News has contacted YouTube to ask whether it would make an exception for accounts such as local councils which live-stream meetings for accountability but do not meet the follower requirement.
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