Updated 20.54 01/11/15
Competition is now closed and we are delighted we can now announce the winners are:
3rd: 2x tickets to Harrogate Christmas Foodies Festival: Diane Carey @capodemonte
2nd: 2x tickets as above: being redrawn 21.12 congrats Donna @bdonna191
1st: 2x VIP Tickets to Harrogate: Anthony Kelly (by email)
Thank you to all, much greater interest by email this year although all three winner retweeted. Please be aware that we recognised there could have been some confusion in the original phrasing of our question. Although we received only 1 incorrect entry, that too was included/ We apologise for any confusion we inadvertently caused.
All winners will be contacted by their original entry method, can you ensure you remain following us so we can DM you and receive your full details. Thank you
Foodies Festival follows up on a very successful summer season with a festive offering, Foodies Festival Christmas visits Harrogate International Centre 11-13th December and we have tickets - including VIP ones to win.
We ran a competition for the summer show which was hugely popular and all our winners had a fab time, well this Christmas it could be you.
Alongside traditional and modern dishes, chefs at Harrogate will cook their favourite Retro Recipes, transporting you back in time to the 1960s when green piped potato, glacé cherries and multi-coloured cheese and jellies were all the rage. Classic recipes such as the Prawn Cocktail, Baked Alaska, Sherry Trifle, Chicken Kiev, Vol-au-vents and Duck a l’Orange will be brought back to life in each chef's signature style.
Sample and shop from over 150 artisan producers in the Christmas Market, where you can pick-up everything you need to make this Christmas extra tasty and special, and visit the Pudding Hall for festive favourites such as eggnog, mulled wine and cider, mince pies, Christmas cakes, marzipan bonbons and macaroons.
The Yorkshire Gin Theatre offers Christmas Cocktail-Making masterclasses, while wine, champagne and craft beer experts host masterclasses in the Drinks Theatre.
Indulge in flavours from around the world in the Street Food Village and sip on a chilled glass of bubbly from the Champagne Ski Bar while the little ones are entertained in the Elf Cookery School baking snowballs, gingerbread men and cookies to leave out for Santa.
Just like Christmas day there is lots of post-feasting fun to be had with live music, carolers and entertainment throughout the day
Tickets start from just £8 and can be purchased here and at time of press early bird prices were available.
WIN!
We have one pair of VIP tickets and two pairs of adult tickets to win!
To win: Via twitter -
follow @jmyorks and RT any of my tweets with the hashtag #winfoodiesxmas
You can also also email here with subject Win Harrogate include your name and address (1 email per person) with your answer either A, B or C to this easy question:
Foodies are hosting other Christmas Festivals this year in November and December. How many Foodies Christmas festivals are there in total.?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
hint: look here for 'inspiration'
Rules:
1. Competition opens 15.00hrs 22/09/15 and closes 22.00hrs 31/10/15
2. You can enter via twitter you must be following @jmyorks and are permitted to retweet any or all of my tweets with the hashtag #winfoodiesxmas.
3. You can email using the link given and by answering the question. You must include name and address. One entry per email address.
4. You are permitted to both email and retweet, all entries following the rules will count.
5. Tickets will be valid for entry on any day of the event at Harrogate. Tickets supplied directly by the promoters and may not be supplied until the week of the event.
6. Winners names and postal towns will be posted on this blog entry once we have contacted all winners.
7. We will contact winners by the details used to enter if we have not heard back within 72hrs we reserve the right to reallocate the prize.
8. 1st prize winner wins 2x adult VIP tickets, next two win 2x adult entry tickets each.
9. Readers of Just Music and Just Families can also use the entry detailed in the email
With Dr Who returning to screens this weekend (19th) we caught up with the Doc, Peter Capaldi
Coming back to film your second series, how has the atmosphere been on set?
It’s been lovely to be back and everything’s been very positive. I think everyone’s been happy to be on set in Cardiff and the scripts are very good and strong. Everyone’s become enthused with the spirit of adventure that runs through the scripts, it’s been exciting!
How are you feeling about this new series? What can viewers expect?
I think they’ll find a lot of thrills, lot of mystery, a reckless Doctor in pursuit of adventure. It’s very thrill aired, hopefully full of spectacle and adventure - it’s not a sitting back, domesticated, reflective series, it’s the Doctor and Clara roaring through time and space in search of thrills. So I think it’s great, it should be a fun watch for audiences at home.
Can you tell us about the opening episode?
The opening episode of the new series is fabulous - the story is going to take us across the Universe in to all types of dark, terrifying and funny places. It’s a particular epic one to start, with lots of old favourites, Missy and the Daleks are returning and particularly for those who are nostalgic with the Daleks of the 60s, there are some special surprises in store.
Has the TARDIS changed?
There’s been a few changed in the TARDIS. As we came to know my Doctor a little bit more, we needed to reflect that more in the environment that he lived in. I don’t think my Doctor fits in with the whole idea of Edwardian time traveller, there’s a kind of resurge of that in the look of the TARDIS as it was, so I wanted to make it a little sharper. There are a few more elegant, 60s, classic design things knocking around, as opposed to Edwardian or Victorian.
How has the dynamic changed between the Doctor and Clara since series 8?
I think the Doctor and Clara are really having a good time. They’ve had some conflicts and challenges, but generally if you can weather the storms, you often find that your relationship is much stronger. That’s certainly the case with the Doctor and Clara.
They’re very bonded, they’re like a little gang. The Doctor has realised that he’s 2,000 years old and life is short, he wants to enjoy himself and enjoy having Clara around. She’s very good at trying to help him. He’s still rather impatient with human beings, which some people take as being socially inept, but he just can’t be bothered with them, he has better things to do. But she helps him a lot more, she tries to improve his manners and social skills. But they are very deeply bonded. It’s a very curious relationship, it doesn’t really have an equivalent in television. It’s a non-romantic, but deeply bonded pairing which is strangely full of affection, more deeply felt than simple romantic relationships.
What is his relationship like with Missy in the opening episodes?
I wouldn’t say their relationship has changed since he saw her last. Missy’s role is slightly different, but you’ll have to wait and see!
With a wealth of different sets and filming days on locations, would you say they enhance the look and feel of the episodes?
I think the design of the show is always really, really important - it gives a great cinematic feel to the show. It expands it, makes it not simply domestic, but quite cosmic and big. It’s good to have spectacular sets and locations, because it adds more physical texture to the show and opens it up more, it’s all pretty cinematic.
Have you got any favourite moments from playing the Doctor?
For me, obviously to get to play the Doctor, the whole things is a delight. Some of my favourite moments are when we reveal something of the Doctor’s more alien nature. For instance, in Kill The Moon when he’s able to look into time and read it, and communicate that, I think that was fun to do.
What was it like to battle Daleks from the different decades in episode 2? Any favourites?
I don’t have a particular favourite, but I do like to see the little old ones, they’re very sweet as they’re quite small. But actually they’re still strangely brutal, nasty little pieces of work, but are rather handsome and classy. They were great fun and do what is expected of them, you get a whole group of them together in the opening episode. I think we had about 20 of them in the studio so that was very exciting. Once you had them all moving, it was very funny watching Hettie (Macdonald) directing them, because she was directing them like actors - ‘you’re getting upset at this moment, have a look at your friends’ - and they’d look at their friends and then she’d say - ‘you need to look nervous now’ - and they’d actually be able to convey nervousness - it was actually very, very clever. It was like being in a Dalek theme park, with a free ticket, so that was fun.
One of the strongest action thrillers in recent years, this gripping movie cleverly casts actors known for comedy in the central roles. And it works so well that you can't help but see a new trend on the horizon. But the real reason this film is so effective lies, of course, in its script, which never dumbs down for the audience. Instead, it cleverly leaves out irrelevant details, keeping viewers guessing about essentially unimportant elements while getting on with the frantic mayhem.
It opens as Jack and Annie (Owen Wilson and Lake Bell) fly to Southeast Asia with their daughters (Sterling Jerins and Claire Geare) to start a new life after Jack's business back home went under. He has a new job here helping provide drinking water. What they don't know is that their plane lands at just about the same moment as the population uprises and overthrows the greedy prime minister, then sets its sites on interloping Westerners. So before they've recovered from jet lag, this family is running for its life. The only person who helps them is the disheveled Hammond (Pierce Brosnan), who's actually a shady British operative with a helpful local sidekick (Sahajak Boonthanakit) who loves Kenny Rogers. But the mob is on the warpath.
The film kicks off and never lets up, ratcheting up the tension quickly and propelling these characters into a series of outrageous cliffhanger moments. It's startlingly violent for a film with a fragile young family at the centre, so the peril feels real. And filmmaking brothers John Erick and Drew Dowdle do a terrific job at merging action movie cliches with gritty authenticity.
The script may occasionally feel contrived (and the title clearly not true), but the suspense is often overwhelming thanks to astute direction and solid performances. Wilson and Bell are startlingly good at this kind of thing, holding their own in the most fiercely life-threating scenarios without ever turning into silly action heroes. Their family bond is believable, as is the hint of past tension between them, which adds a strong emotional undercurrent.
By contrast, Brosnan seems to be enjoying the chaos, a salty veteran of much more dangerous missions. Most impressive is that the filmmakers never simplify murder, like the similar Taken films do.
With tonights (Friday) show in Manchester now cancelled it gives me chance to catch up a little, starting with a look at The Libertines new album Anthems for Doomed Youth
The Libertines exploded onto the indie scene in the early 2000s, alongside the likes of The Strokes and The Vines. Wild and unpredictable, they caused a media storm with their well-documented antics and fall-outs. They sounded truly British; The Clash for a new generation, their sound encapsulating every seedy London pub and night out on the town. The relationship between Pete Doherty and Carl Barat was passionate and highly volatile, with the band eventually dissolving in 2004.
After a turbulent few years, in 2014 Doherty disappeared from the limelight and retreated to Thailand where he spent a length of time in rehabilitation. Thankfully, he seemed to find some stability there, and after a while the rest of the band reunited with him, hiring a studio nearby and eventually recording 'Anthems for Doomed Youth'. But 11 years on from their last album, this is quite a different band. They've been through so much together, so many fights, prison sentences, and rehab-stints, that you're suddenly faced with a much older, wiser group. The volume and the passion are still there, but the sense of pure anarchy isn't quite as present any more. Instead, it's been replaced with a much more solid sound, and to be honest it's quite a relief, because if they hadn't evolved at all in over a decade then they probably would have produced a much weaker album.
The last 11 years may have made the band slightly less unpredictable than before, but they're still rowdier than most bands on the current indie scene and its a hugely welcome return. 'Barbarians' is a perfect Libertines album-opener: noisy, a little bit messy, and catchy as ever. It's followed by the single 'Gunga Din', and this is where the album really shines. Reflecting on a long road ahead, the band are not one to take the tougher times lying down. It's loud and defiant, a perfect representation of where the band find themselves today.
As with their previous albums there are softer moments, such as the piano-led ballad 'You're My Waterloo' and the melancholy 'Anthem for Doomed Youth', which is very reminiscent of 'Music When The Lights Go Out'. These songs prove that, despite everything that's happened in the last decade, Barat and Doherty are still two of the best songwriters around. However, there are a few songs that miss the mark, and unfortunately the album falls a little flat towards the end. While there are some truly great moments, these are interspersed with some slightly lacklustre tracks that are quite forgettable.
It's hard to tell if this album will be remembered as fondly as 'Up The Bracket' and 'The Libertines'. The two albums defined what was an incredible moment for indie music, particularly in the UK, and the music scene has changed hugely since then. The band now find themselves in a very different place to a decade ago, and only time will tell how much of an impact this album has. Past albums aside, this is a strong effort, and hopefully the start of a much more settled phase for The Libertines.
Today we have witnessed the inadequacies on Northern Rail and lies (whether intentional or not) of your staff and twitter team.
The 19.11 Leeds to Knottingley arrived at 18.59 on platform 11. We were directed to board the front carriage of the three.
By 19.06 we were loaded and the doors closed, I noted this as I thought I was on the wrong train. At this point we had 11 minutes of the carriages to-ing and fro-ing as uncoupling took place. At 19.17 the doors reopened and at 19.20 we departed.
 |
| A more plausible reason |
The guard later said an incident had occurred earlier which caused some delays, but he said he had witnessed the inept uncoupling and said jokingly that he didnt know what was going on there, This shows he was at the train at (at least) 19.06.
I raised this issue on twitter. They hid behind the earlier delays til I said that the train was still there early. Then they said the new crew were delayed but we know they weren't. They knew they had been caught out and just repeated the same lies. Now they may be looking at logs and so pushing info the believed in. In that case the logs are false.
Why did it take so long to uncouple..why are lies pushed. why were we late AGAIN. Why cant Northern Rail be honest..
I really do welcome your comments
Harrogate’s International Centre will be transformed into a culinary winter wonderland, 11-13th November, as Foodies Festival Christmas brings Yorkshire’s top chefs, award-winning artisan producers and international street food together under one roof for a fabulous festive feast.
Festival founder Sue Hitchen said... 'We are delighted to return to Harrogate with our winter instalment. We had such a great time with our summer festival in August and received wonderful feedback from visitors.'
Acclaimed chefs from Yorkshire and across the UK and celebrity cooks will swap their aprons for Santa hats in the Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre, sharing their favourite recipes and top tips to help visitors create the perfect Christmas banquet. Confirmed chefs include (more TBA):
Murray Wilson – Norse
Lionel Strub – The Clarendon Hotel
Louis Troyano - Great British Bake Off
Yves Quemerais – Home
Ashely Kelly McCarthy - Ye Old Sunn Inn
Martyn Hyde – Eat me Café
Rachel Green – TV Chef
Jackie Kearney – MasterChef Finalist 2011
Saira Hamilton – small aubergine
Retro Recipes in the Chefs Theatre will transport festival-goers back in time to the 1960s when green piped potato, glacé cherries and multi-coloured cheese and jellies were all the rage. Inspired by infamous TV chef Fanny Cradock, several chefs will recreate classic recipes such as the Prawn Cocktail, Baked Alaska, Sherry Trifle, Chicken Kiev, Vol-au-vents and Duck a l’Orange in their own signature style.
An Artisan Christmas Market boasts over 150 of Yorkshire's finest producers selling locally produced cheeses, chutneys, chocolates, sauces and jams, biscuits and crackers, cakes, puddings and more for visitors to sample and shop from; perfect for picking-up those little extras that make Christmas extra tasty and special.
A Vegan area in the Christmas Market offers a range of delicious and healthy vegan, veggie and gluten-free treats for visitors to indulge in including desserts, street food, bakes, condiments, beers, wines and more.
Yorkshire Gin Theatre - Gin lovers will rejoice as local gin producers, including Masons Yorkshire Gin, host daily Christmas Gin Cocktail masterclasses. Wine experts Charles Metcalfe and Neil Philips are also on-hand helping visitors match wines with Christmas flavours in the Drinks Theatre and beer expert Melissa Cole champions craft beers as an alternative to wine and champagne this Christmas in masterclasses with local brewers.
Other features of the festival include a Street Food Village where visitors can feast of flavours from around the world; a Cake & Bake Theatre hosted by Yorkshire’s top bakers, chocolatiers and Great British Bake Off contestant Louis Troyano an accompanying Pudding Hall - a haven of sweet treats selling festive favourites such as eggnog and mulled wine, Christmas cake and mince pies, marzipan bonbons and macaroons.
While parents shop and enjoy a chilled glass of bubbly from the Champagne Ski Bar, children under 12 can enrol in the Elf Cookery School with Kiddy Cook, where they can bake and decorate snowballs, gingerbread men, cookies and cupcakes to leave out for Santa.
Just like Christmas day there is lots of post-feasting fun to be had with live music, local choirs singing carols and entertainment throughout the day. Visitors can enter the Chilly-Eating Competition (the winter version of the famous chilli contest), register their team to compete in the Christmas Bumper Quiz and have a group Christmas jumper picture taken in the photo booth.
Tickets are on sale now and are available at www.foodiesfestival.com or by calling 0844 995 1111
Advance tickets are available from £9.50
Friday adult day ticket £10.00 (£8.00 concession)
Saturday or Sunday adult day ticket £13.00 (£11.00 concession)
3-day adult ticket £20.00 (£16.00 concession)
Friday VIP ticket £35.00
Saturday or Sunday VIP ticket £38.00
VIP tickets include a welcome glass of bubbly, access to the VIP lounge with private bar and refreshments throughout the day, priority entry to food and drink masterclasses, a festive goody bag and a showguide.
All children aged 12 and under go free to all Foodies Festivals when accompanied by an adult.
Open times:
Friday 11th December: 10am – 6pm
Saturday 12th December: 10am – 6pm
Sunday 13th December: 10am – 5pm
Look out for competitions and more info - coming soon
The Selecter play Warehouse23 In Wakefield on October10th
"Pauline Black and Arthur "Gaps" Hendrickson reconvened to honour their debut album Too Much Pressure. This current formation is a festival-hardened entertainment spectacle to behold" - The Guardian
Influential and platinum-selling 2-Tone veterans The Selecter released Too Much Pressure, their debut album, in 1980 and it remains a classic touchstone for a generation of ska lovers. Mixing punk, ska and reggae it contains the irresistible hits "On My Radio", "Three Minute Hero" and "Missing Words". Too Much Pressure successfully reflected the social and political issues of the early Thatcher years in Britain and gave a voice to disaffected youth across the racial divide.
One of the most vital, visceral and important ska acts ever, The Selecter returned in 2011 fronted by the original singing duo of the female icon of the 2-tone era Pauline Black and Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson. The dynamic and impeccable duo take centre stage in what is arguably the band’s best line-up since the original one.
The band released 10 track album ‘Made In Britain’ in 2011 featuring covers of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back To Black’ and a hugely popular anti-racist ska/reggae re-working of Woody Guthrie’s ‘All You Fascists Bound To Lose’- re-invented as ‘Big In The Body- Small In The Mind’. Pauline starred in BBC4’s “Reggae Britannia” series, contributing to a 90 mins documentary and a live concert broadcast from The Barbican in London and also wrote a well-received 2-Tone memoir, ‘Black By Design’, that year which has been published by ‘Serpent’s Tail’ and released in the UK and US.
In 2013 they released another new album entitled “String Theory” to rave reviews and toured venues and festivals all over the world playing that album, including the influential Coachella [USA] festival amongst others.
2014 was The Selecter’s 35th Anniversary and not only have they have never sounded better they are also still incredibly exciting and vital. They played “Too Much Pressure” in its entirety plus a selection of other much loved Selecter tracks at tours and festivals around the world in 2014 including Glastonbury and Isle Of Wight.
2015 sees the band touring with new album “Subculture” including this date in Wakefield while still playing all their classic hits live!
For more information on THE SELECTER, check out the following website / social media links:
Website - http://theselecter.net/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheSelecter
Twitter - https://twitter.com/theselecter
Tickets for the WAKEFIELD – Warehouse 23 show taking place on Saturday 10th October are available from:
Wakefield – Warehouse 23
Box Office No: 01924 724523 or try 0844 478 0898
Websites – http://warehouse23.co.uk/events/the-selecter/
/ Eventim - http://www.eventim.co.uk/
Tickets - £17.50 advance
Doors Open – 7.00pm
Doc Martin returns this Autumn on ITV and over the summer we caught up with star of the show Martin Clunes, on clunatics, OBEs and Men Behaving Badly
Doc Martin is as grumpy as ever with his patients, but he is trying to turn over a new leaf to save his marriage according to Martin Clunes.
At the end of the last series it was all off between the Doc and Louisa. Louisa just wanted
space away from him. Martin explains: “Their relationship really deteriorated. It left him sort of broken. So at the start of this series Louisa is with her mother in Spain, and he’s living this solitary life, miserable, but aware enough that if he wants to fix things he’s got to make a change. “So he asks his Aunt Ruth for help. She tells him it would be unethical for her to treat him as he is her nephew, but puts him in touch with a psychotherapist, who is extremely bright and very young, and he starts going to see her. He is making a conscious effort to try and bring about some change in himself, that might mean he can have a proper relationship with Louisa when she comes back.”
But when Louisa returns from Spain with James Henry things are still very awkward
between her and the Doc. He continues with the therapy sessions with Dr Rachel
Timoney, and as they progress the therapist says she’d like to meet Louisa.
“Almost without realising they start attending couples’ therapy which is as revealing about her as it is about him. It becomes apparent that Louisa does have some changes to make in her life too. He’s prepared to do anything to save their relationship.He is quite diligent about them doing the various exercises they are given as a couple by the therapist. As it progresses and doesn’t seem to be making much impact on them, the therapist says sometimes it is as important to break up well, as it is to stay together well. They both freak at the prospect that this could be the end. So we will still be keeping the audience guessing about what happens to them.”
The Doc hasn’t changed his grumpy attitude to his patients, however.
“He still finds his patients as infuriating as ever,” Martin says. And as for the little dog Buddy, who has faithfully followed him around the village, his days may be numbered. The Doc hates him, and in this series he decides enough is enough. “The Doc has always hated the dog, but it reaches a crescendo in episode five where the Doc first of all asks if a vet can be found to put Buddy down, and then decides to do it himself. Louisa and Morwenna stop him from doing it.”
Caroline Quentin is a guest star in that episode, playing the part of Angela Sim, an holistic
vet, and daughter of the previous GP. It is the first time they have worked together for 17
years since Men Behaving Badly. Angela takes on Buddy to save him from the Doc. She charges the doc £94 to rehome Buddy, but he just keeps running away and coming back to the Doc. “It was joyous to work with Caroline again. I see Caroline all the time because we are friends, and family friends. She stayed with us in the house in Cornwall that we rent during filming. When we usually meet we both have our families with us and it becomes a larger thing. But with just Caroline and I together, I laughed like an idiot, the pair of us just laughed like children"
“She is so brilliant. She played her role perfectly, and is terribly funny, and completely
plausible.It was very funny to see the reaction after she had self medicated with animal
medicine when we did a scene on the beach. Martin says it is not out of choice that he and Caroline haven’t worked together for 17 years. “Nobody has asked us to work together. This part was written for her. There was nobody else. If we are ever lucky enough to get to make another series her character could return.There is an historical link because her character’s father was the previous GP, the late great Jim Sim.”
Martin’s real life relationship with Dodger, the dog who plays Buddy, is far different from
the on screen ‘partnership’. “Everything is about play and reward with dogs, and if I have to keep him following me and interested in me, I have to keep playing with him. It has been so lovely having him around so much. He is so well trained by Sonia (Turner) it is effortless. If somebody doesn’t like a dog, to me that is funny.
“Dodger always hits his mark. We seldom go again for another take with Dodger.”
Martin’s own canine family is often around when he is filming in Cornwall. James Henry
the Jack Russell who starred with him in the recent drama series Arthur & George, can’t
resist the limelight.
“Jimmy sits in his basket in the surgery while we are shooting. He wanders onto the set,
but he is generally out of frame because we don’t shoot ankles much. It is proven that
dogs in the workplace lower the blood pressure.”
Martin relished being back in Cornwall to film the eight episodes over four months.
“It has been the happiest of times, which sounds a boring and gushing lovie thing to say,
because it has always been a happy time. But there was something about it even before
we came down that made me really look forward to coming down to Port Isaac.
The crowds who came to watch the filming in the tiny village this year were bigger than
ever, turning the narrow streets into live theatre.
“Huge numbers of people turn up to watch us. I have never felt self conscious filming out
there in the way that I do in other places. For some reason down there it doesn’t bother
me. “It is like live theatre, but I imagine the crowds cannot hear a word because we are not projecting, we are acting for the camera. “I think our American viewers are more vocal and excited. They are beside themselves when they watch the filming.”
One dedicated group of fans who follow the filming have called themselves the ‘Clunatics’. They have showered Martin and his family and the production with presents to show their appreciation. “They are a group of Doc Martin fans who keep thanking us for helping them to make great friendships around the world with other fans. They Skype each other. When episodes go out they have discussions on it, and when there are no episodes going out they start again and have discussions"
“There is one woman logging the process of my ties; she says ‘I don’t think I have seen
this tie since season two, mind you I haven’t logged all the season six ties yet. We’ve had so many presents; paintings of myself and cast members, a fridge magnet of Jimmy, my Jack Russell, paintings of my horses. A lady from Iceland hand knitted a sweater for me, one for Emily and one for Philippa, and one for Brian the props man because he was nice to her in the pub one night.
“ We were given a big jar of M&Ms with DM printed on each one of them for us all.
Some of the Clunatics even found us when we were filming on the Moors. When we started making Doc Martin we could never have imagined it would have this reaction. Our first customers are ITV audiences, and always have been. That’s who we make it for, and the rest is a bonus. But we never anticipated this. You can’t predict how successful something is going to be.
Martin thinks it may have been a ‘Clunatic’ who was responsible for him being awarded an
OBE recently. “They found out what to do and started writing. I found out since from the charities I support that they had been approached.”
When the envelope containing the announcement of the award arrived in the post Martin
admits he feared it was a speeding ticket. The OBE is a tremendous honour, but when it arrived in the post I did think it was a speeding ticket. It had an official stamp with an emblem on the envelope and I thought ‘oh no not again’ and I passed it to my wife Philippa to open. She said ‘ you have an OBE’. I love the fact - I’d be delighted to have an OBE for anything, services to drama, services to charity, but services to the Dorset community, that excites me most about it because it defines who I am, living in Dorset.
So if I can be acknowledged for contributing to that, then I am glad because I am very
grateful to Dorset. That is the bit that makes me most proud, the rest is sort of doing my
job. I am chuffed to bits. I can’t wait to go to the Palace. We knew six weeks before it was announced but we couldn’t say anything to anybody. I thought they’d take it away if we blabbed.”
And next the women, again a press scrum and conveyor belt but hey
First is Eastenders Linda Carter, Kellie Bright
Why are you taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year?
I’ve always wanted to do Strictly, it’s been a secret desire and I love dancing! When I was a little girl I loved dancing so much and now to have the opportunity to dance again and also learn something new because I’ve never done any Ballroom or Latin before or even danced with a partner. It was just too good an opportunity to miss and I’m going to be 40 next year and I said ‘why not do this before I turn 40?’ It seemed like a good challenge at this point in my life.
Have you any previous dance experience?
I went to the Sylvia Young Theatre School so I danced throughout my school life. When I was younger, dancing was my life, I loved it so much but I started acting when I was nine so as soon as that kicked off, the dancing took a back seat. I have a basic knowledge of dancing which I’m sure will help me on Strictly but it’s been 23 years since I left school so I don’t know what I’m capable of. The biggest challenge will be my bendiness because I’m not naturally a bendy person and even as a child I couldn’t do the splits so if I can manage to do the splits by the time I leave Strictly I’ll be a very happy lady!
What will be your biggest challenge during Strictly?
My biggest challenge is going to be all the other things going on in my life outside of Strictly - I have a family, I have a full on job at EastEnders that can be long hours and I’m doing a huge renovation to our house so I will be micro-managing all of them! Also feeling like I’ve got enough time to give everything my all because I don’t want to feel like I’m letting EastEnders down and I don’t want to feel like I’m letting Strictly down so I don’t think there’s going to be much time for sleeping.
Have you been given any advice ahead of the show?
I talked to Emma Bunton about taking part in Strictly because she’s a really good friend of mine. She said it was amazing and one of the best things she’s ever done. There have been lots of people at EastEnders who have taken part in Strictly and anyone I have spoken to have all said how much they loved it. I’ve not heard one person say a bad thing about it!
Next Kirsty Gallacher
Why are you taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year?
I’m taking part because I absolutely love the show, I always have and always thought ‘oooh wouldn’t it be fun to do?’ It’s exciting and I love a challenge! I’m quite sporty and fit but this is a very different discipline and it’s not something that I’ve done since I was a little girl when I did some Tap and Ballet. Everyone always tells me how amazing Strictly is so I couldn’t really say no!
Which judge do you want to impress the most and why?
It would have to be Craig because he’s damning really isn’t he? I don’t want him to say ‘you are a disaster!’ He’s quite cross, I think the other judges are a little bit kinder and see the fun in it but Craig expects it to be correctly done.
What will be your biggest challenge during Strictly?
Getting over the nerves, having the confidence and not pulling faces when it goes wrong! It’s important not to give the game away because usually the public at home won’t necessarily know when I’ve done something wrong and I might need to ad lib a little bit so that will be hard. I am also quite competitive with sport but dancing is a bit unknown to me so I don’t know my limitations yet and I don’t want to let my partner down. It would be a dream to win it but I’m not expecting that, maybe to get in the last four would be amazing!
Have you been given any advice?
Caroline Flack is a friend of mine and she said the whole experience is an adventure and life-changing. Gabby and Kenny Logan said the same and said it’s such a great journey, you have got to be a part of it and you will love it!
Finally for now Jamelia
Why are you taking part in Strictly Come Dancing?
I'm a huge fan of the show and I remember particularly watching last year and seeing Alison Hammond having an absolute ball and I thought, ‘do you know what, I want in!’ So I did it and here I am! Plus all of my aunties and my Nan have been telling me to do Strictly Come Dancing for years!
What is your previous dance experience?
The experience I have is working with a choreographer for my pop videos but what any other pop artist will tell you, it’s a lot of smoke and mirrors. I wouldn't rate myself highly, I am not the most confident of dancers but I love dancing and if dancing in my kitchen counts I'm very, very experienced!
What will be your biggest challenge during Strictly?
My biggest challenge I think is going to be learning the routines. When I was doing music videos I would rehearse relentlessly because I would always forget the steps. So that is something I haven't done for years, so getting back to the swing of learning routines, particularly for new styles such as Salsa, I am petrified but also really looking forward to it. The advice I’ve been given from my daughters is that I need to remember to stretch - they have been so supportive and excited!
What are you looking for in a dance partner?
I want a dance partner who is patient and will make me laugh, because I like laughing and definitely someone who will be willing to push me. I think it is going to require a lot of hard work and all my attention but I am definitely willing to do it. I am competitive but I also feel that I need to be able to be confident and I would love to reach the final and even more, I’d love to lift the Glitter Ball trophy!
Over the last couple of days we have been able to catch up, briefly with some of the stars of the upcoming new series of Strictly.. All a bit conveyor belt at the press launch but.. First up the men..
Here we had a brief chat with Peter Andre...
Why are you taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year?
It is the best show on telly and I have always wanted to take part in Strictly. I love performing on stage but this is a whole new area of dance, I have a lot to learn. I’m looking forward to impressing the judges, they are excellent at their craft and any criticism they give you is usually constructive.
What are you looking for in a dance partner?
I want someone who will be strict with me but will also have fun and enjoy our training. My biggest challenge is going to be remembering the moves as they are so technical and I wouldn't want to let my partner down.
Are you a competitive person?
I thought I wasn’t but I must be because I am very focused. I think the competition is more with myself and to prove whether I can still move like I did 20 years ago? Haha! But everyone always tells me to enjoy the experience as the whole thing will come and go very quickly.
Who will be supporting you during Strictly?
Hopefully all my family will come down to watch me dance and my kids are big fans of the show!
Next up was Daniel O Donnell
Why are you taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year?
I love the show and it’s going to be a great challenge for me. When I have been asked before, I could never do it due to my busy schedule but this year I decided to take a break from touring and I was finally able to say yes! I’m excited about taking part and I just hope I can get the steps together on the dance floor.
What will be your biggest challenge during Strictly?
Remembering the steps! When I dance on stage during my shows, I am never on the same spot two nights on a row so I obviously have to be a little bit more choreographed for Strictly and remember to be at the right place at the right time. I just hope I can remember everything and keep the energy up.
Who will be supporting you during Strictly?
I could have the whole of Ireland come down and support me! But my wife, friends and family will be there every week to cheer me on.
Are you a competitive person?
Yes! I want to win at golf and I want to win at cards so I’m sure I will want to win at dancing. I want to go as far in the competition as I’m good enough to go and if that’s all the way then I will be thrilled!
Then Jeremy Vine
Why are you taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year?
I turned 50 this year and although I’m not a natural dancer, I realised this is the time to do stuff you don’t naturally want to do. One of the key moments for me as a non-dancer was at a wedding and there were about a hundred couples and we were all dancing in a rubbish way and then suddenly this pair of 30-something’s came on the dancefloor and did an amazing Rumba or Salsa and I thought I want to be able to do that. That was 15 years ago and now I’ve decided I really want to learn to dance too.
Have you ever danced before?
I danced in suspenders for Children in Need as a ‘Rocky Horror’ take-off with BBC News presenters Andrew Marr, Sophie Raworth and Michael Buerk. I have also done a lot of 80’s-style disco dancing, where you move your arms as if you are trapped in a lift, but the most moving thing that ever happened to me, was when I was a correspondent in South Africa and about 20 grannies asked me to dance with them during a Nelson Mandela event and they were awesome in the way they moved, I just got caught in the moment and forgot all my British inhibitions.
Have you been given any advice or helpful tips?
The tip I’ve been given by most people is to enjoy it. My wife thinks that sometimes the journalist in me - and this is a classic journalist thing - is that you tend to get very mission focused so you’re here to do something, you’ve got to get the story, broadcast it and then you go home. However Strictly isn’t really necessarily about the end product, it’s about the journey. My wife will be nervous watching me on Strictly, my eldest daughter is ready to be extremely embarrassed by her dad but my younger daughter is very excited and will be screaming at the TV!
How far do you hope to make it in the competition?
I would like to get to at least one tense moment in the competition but I am so polite, I will just wave the others past me on their way to the trophy and later think to myself, I wanted that!
To win: Via twitter - 
