Archives for May 2009
The FA Cup: still the best?
Deserted towns, seemingly 24-hour TV build-up and the only day when it's not frowned upon to start drinking before lunch. The FA Cup used to be really special, and your typical day might have looked a little something like this one sent in by listener Phil...
9.30am - Off to the shops for a quarter of Kola Kubes and a can of dandelion & burdock.
9.40am - Impromptu FA Cup final begins at the Broom School, Ferryhill. You pick the player you will be. I always liked to be Frank Stapleton when he was appearing.
11.00am - Back home. Get old man his first can of McEwans of the day.
11.30am - Dad's mate Jimmy arrives with 12 more cans of McEwans. I get a 'dash' in a glass, topped up with lemonade.
11.31am - TV goes on. Teams are leaving the hotels.
11.45am - Mother sticks her head out of the kitchen taking sarnie orders.
12.00pm - Goal of the Season competition begins.
12.15pm - Ham and pease pudding sarnies are served. McEwans all round.
12.30pm - Steve Davis, Jimmy Tarbuck and Lenny Bennett are interviewed in the studio at Wembley. In front of a backdrop of a kids' 7-a-side match on the pitch.
12.45pm - Novelty item - turns out one of the players featuring in the final is an ace snooker player. He plays a frame whilst being interviewed by Willie Thorne.
1.00pm - Break for news.
1.10pm - Teams filmed on their coaches on the way to the ground.
1.30pm - Goal of the Season winner announced. Usually Cyril Regis.
1.50pm - Teams arrive at the ground. Wander about smiling and punching each other playfully in the arm.
2.00pm - Celebrity match kicks off. A kid from Musical Youth scores a blinder past Daley Thompson. Steve Cram is rubbish and spends most of his time laughing with Tommy Cannon.
2.15pm - Sisters begin complaining loudly about the football being on all day.
2.20pm - Sisters taken to the shops by my mother.
2.30pm - Uncle Lenny arrives, looking flustered. Spends 5 minutes berating my Aunty Ellie and the fact that she made him go shopping in Middlesbrough on 'today of all days'.
2.37pm - Uncle Lenny finishes his third can of McEwans.
2.50pm - Abide with Me. Not a dry eye in the house. My dad won't shut up about the times he's been there watching Newcastle and how the Geordies 'sing this better than anyone'.
2.51pm - 'Except Sunderland' retorts mackem Uncle Lenny.
2.55pm - Players shake hands with Duke of Edinburgh. One wag cracks a joke and laughs heartily. Duke of Edinburgh doesn't.
3.00pm - Game on.
But with at least one team in the Champions League final year after year and the likes of the World Club Championship causing headaches for those who write fixture lists - is the FA Cup still the best cup competition in the world? Our lines will be open from 8am on Saturday morning if you want to join the debate.
Call 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post a message below.
Pat Nevin meets Guus and David
Chelsea play Everton in the FA Cup Final at Wembley tomorrow - There's live commentary in 5 live Sport and build up throughout Weekend Breakfast with Phil Williams and Rachel Burden.
Pat Nevin played for both clubs, so we arranged for him to speak with both the Chelsea and Everton managers - Guus Hiddink and David Moyes.
The interviews are being split up and played out across the network on Friday and Saturday but below are the 2 interviews in full - each one is about 20 minutes.
Click below to listen to Pat interviewing Guus Hiddink ahead of his last game in charge of Chelsea:
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Pat interviews Everton boss David Moyes:
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Nick Clegg takes your calls
In the latest of our Election Phone-ins the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is in the Breakfast studio to take your calls. Mr Clegg says we've got 100 hundred days to save our democracy but his party has also been tainted by the expenses scandal. He claimed £760 for the repair of a garden path, members of his party claimed for a trouser press, flat screen televisions and a rocking chair. So are the Lib Dems the party the save British democracy or just another bunch of MP's on Westminster gravy train?
Can Nick Clegg convince you to vote for them in the upcoming local and European elections? Call 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post a message below.
Barcelona - a model club?
What lessons can we learn from Barcelona?
Manchester United were well beaten by an exceptional Barcelona side last night. The champions of England were humbled by the best team in Europe. On the pitch, Barcelona play with style and in Pepe Guardiola they have the best young manager in the game. As an organisation, the club is owned by its fans and donates its shirt sponsorship to UNICEF. Is the the way a football club should be run?
Call 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post a message
Henrik - on Utd v Barca
Breakfast is in Rome this morning with all the build up to the Champions League final. We're in the Piazza del Popolo.
Vassos has interviewed Henrik Larsson ahead of the Champions League final. He won the Champions League with Barcelona and was also hugely popular during a brief spell with Manchester United.
You can hear the interview on Wednesday's breakfast programme and you can watch the interview below:
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Sir Alex Ferguson's team are aiming to win back to back Champions League titles against Barcelona tonight. But who will you be cheering for tonight? If you're not a United fan can you put rivalry to one side and cheer for a British team in Europe? If you support Man United does it bother you that other fans hope you lose?
Call us on 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post a message below.
The rise of the "thugette"?
They're traditionally the victims not the perpetrators of violence but are women in Britain more aggressive than ever? Figures suggest that a quarter of assaults in England and Wales are carried out by women. What's you experience? Are binge drinking and a ladette culture making women go wild?
The model Danielle Lloyd is pictured in this morning's papers covered in blood following an incident in a nightclub. Are the streets not safe for anyone on a night out?
Call us 0500 909 693, text 85058, email breakfast@bbc.co.uk or post a message on the Breakfast Facebook page.
Is this the year you'll holiday in the UK?
The country's in recession. People are trying to economise. The exchange rate makes trips to other parts of Europe less attractive. Forecasters say the summer weather looks promising. Is all that enough to stop you going abroad for your summer break? And if not, why not?
Get in touch on 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post a message below.
14 months old and needing a new heart
Our reporter Andrew Fletcher writes:
"Gabrysia Filarowski is a 14 month old girl with a rare heart defect. Doctors believe she may not survive more than 6 months unless she has a heart transplant. Since that heart has to come from a previously healthy child, her family's only hope is if another child dies.
Every Friday they travel from their home in Leeds up to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle where she receives treatment to give her the best chance of a transplant.
I met the family at the hospital and spoke to Gabrysia's mum, Angela.
Listen to my interview here:"
Do you want a General Election?
As the expenses stories continue day after day some MP's have been threatened with de-selection others have said they won't stand at the next election. That could be twelve months away but should we have to wait that long to pass judgement on our MPs? Would a snap general election help cleanse the political system and restore public faith in our politicians?
Get in touch on 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post a message below.
Should there be more controls on dogs?
The RSPCA says the number of aggressive dogs on the streets is rising. Young men are using vicious breeds as macho status symbols and often as weapons.
Does the law do enough to protect people from dog attacks? Do we need to outlaw more breeds and stop people getting around the current law by crossbreeding? Or does the problem lie with the human owners not the dogs?
Get in touch on 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post on the blog
The MP and the duck
A duck house is the latest bizarre addition to the expenses row
You've sent us your pics - A friendly duck on my 'floating island'. Actually it is my canal narrow boat! Ants from Marple
Starting from scratch....
If we were to start from scratch - what would Parliament be like?
Later today MP's will debate new rules on expenses but will this be enough to restore public faith in parliament? Is what's need a more root and branch reform of the House of Commons? Should we ditch centuries of tradition and start from scratch with a modern 21st century legislature?
On the Breakfast phone in we want to hear your suggestions for reforming parliament. You contact us by phone on 0500 909 693, by text on 85058 or via email breakfast@bbc.co.uk
David Cameron on the Phone-In
In the run up to the local and European elections we're talking to all the major parties on the Breakfast phone in. This morning your chance to question the Conservative leader David Cameron.
After 12 days of revelations about MPs' expenses, the reputation of British politics has never been lower. Claims for moat cleaning, horse manure and mortgage repayments have led to unprecedented public outcry. So what do you want the Leader of the Opposition to do? What would convince you to vote Tory in the upcoming elections?
Maybe you're more concerned about the state of the economy or our relationship with Europe. Whatever you want to ask David Cameron get in touch with Nicky on the phone in. You can call on 0500 909693 between 9 and 10. You can text 85058 or email breakfast@bbc.co.uk.
Update - You can watch part of the interview below:
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Too tired to work
On Tuesday's programme we'll be talking about the dangers of driving when you're tired. If you want a graphic illustration of the problem have a look at what happened to 5 live's Rowan Bridge when he drove a simulator after staying up all night.
The Police Federation say tired driving's now the biggest killer of police officers in England and Wales.
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British politics isn't really corrupt, is it?
The Speaker of the Commons will address MPs later about the expenses scandal which has dominated the news for the past eleven days. We've heard story after story of dubious claims from MPs but is British politics rotten to the core? Britain has free speech, the right to protest, education for all, the right to vote, representation at every level from parish councils to the Mother of All Parliaments.
We have a democracy which has been in place for centuries. Are we in danger of overstating the importance of a few receipts? Or does this signify a deeper malaise in our politics.
Is British politics really corrupt? Tell us what you think on the phone-in with Nicky. You can take part by phone in 0500 909693 between 9 and 10. You can text 85058.
On the programme this morning, we heard the words of Oliver Cromwell at the dissolution of parliament in 1653:
The expenses scandal - will it affect your vote?
The entire nation goes to the polls on 4 June to vote for the European Parliament. In England there are local elections too.
But for the major parties the current controversy over expenses is troubling. Will it mean people vote for minor parties instead as a protest? Or maybe they just won't bother at all.
On The Phone-in we're asking if the scandal will affect the way you vote. Call Nicky on 0500 909 693, text us on 85058 or leave a comment here on the blog.
Paying it back - is that enough?
Is it enough for MPs to pay back their expenses?
Former Labour minister Elliot Morley says he's returning £16,000 he claimed for a non existent mortgage. Phil Hope the Care Services Minister is writing a cheque for £41,000. Conservative leader David Cameron is handing over £680 for clearing wisteria. So, for those who've returned the cash is this the end of the story?
Nicky's taking calls on the Breakfast Phone-in from 9 and you can also comment here on the blog.
Golden moments
Nicky and Shelagh with the Breakfast team and Frank Skinner after being winning Gold in the Breakfast Show category award at the 2009 Sony Radio Academy Awards. Chris Moyles of Radio 1 got the bronze and Kiss 100 the silver.
And 5live Olympic Breakfast won the Sports Award - appropriately it was Olympic gold medallist Christine Ohurougu who handed our gold to Matt Wlliams, who was one of the team broadcasting with Nicky from Beijing.
Working for a living?
How much work is there in Britain? The number of people out of work in the UK has risen to over two million in the first three months of this year.
Are you one of the hundreds of thousands who have just lost their job? And if you've got a job how safe do you think it is? Call Nicky on 0500 909 693, text us on 85058 or leave a comment here on the blog.
Double delight
5live Breakfast won two gold awards at last night's Sony Radio Academy Awards - we won for our coverage from the Beijing Olympics and also the Best breakfast show award .
There were five golds in all for 5live...Gavin Lee won the News Journalist award, our Wimbledon coverage won the multi-platform award and Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo clinched the Speech Award.
Among the other winners was Electric Radio Brixton which won the award for listener participation.
It's Independence day....
With the European elections coming up, we'll be talking to all the main party leaders on Breakfast.
Today, you can put your questions to the leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage.
What do you want to ask? Post below and we'll put the best of your questions to him.
Elsewhere, the issue of MPs' expenses continues to rage on, and this morning the Daily Telegraph has turned its attention to the Conservative Party. David Cameron insists he feels the system is wrong and says he's sorry about it - but is that enough?
This morning Nicky spoke to the former Tory MP David Mellor - and the interview provoked a big reaction from listeners. If you missed it - have a listen back below:
Teddy and the Trophy
Teddy Sheringham was on Breakfast this morning. He brought the Barclays Premier League Trophy in, and spoke about the Champions League, Sir Alex Ferguson and putting pressure on the ref.
You can listen to the interview below:
Saving lives on our roads
Too many children and cyclists are being killed on Britain's streets. The National Audit Office says our streets are too dangerous for people walking or on bikes... it also criticises advertising campaigns and says the government has to work with others to stop people being killed.
How would you make our streets safer? And who do you blame for the danger on our roads?
Nicky's taking calls on this - 0500 909693
Taking life or taking liberties?
Is it right to tell people how they can kill themselves? Dr Philip Nitschke is in the UK - giving information to people on how to do just that. He believes in the freedom for everyone to end their life.
Australian, Dr Nitschke was the first doctor to give a legal, lethal voluntary injection in the country's Northern Territory. Is he providing a valuable service or encouraging vulnerable people to take their lives?
The Samaritans operate support services for those feeling suicidal - to access their website click here
Nice work if you can get it !
British charity worker, Ben Southall has just landed what's been dubbed the 'best job in world'. He'll be working as an island caretaker in the Great Barrier Reef. So, how does this compare to your job? Have you got, ever had or are you planning to have the best job in the world?
Would you nip or tuck?
Why are liposuction, face lift and breast reduction operations becoming more common for men in this country? One plastic surgery provider, The Harley Medical Group, says it's carried out 1500 procedures on men in the last year alone, the majority of whom are professionals working punishing hours in stressful environments. A breast reduction op would set you back £4,000.
Nicky's talking about this at 9. Would you nip or tuck? Would you want your man to have some work done?
Re-burying the dead
Five Live's reporter Phil Mackie is in Fromelles in northern France today, where the bodies of hundreds of soldiers are being exhumed from a First World War battlefield.
Five burial pits were discovered last May after years of investigation; it's believed they contain the remains of between 250 and 400 British and Australian soldiers who died in the disastrous Battle of Fromelles, in July 1916. [The assault was intended to divert German troops away from the Battle of the Somme, which was raging 50 miles to the south, but failed with devastating loss of life on both the Australian and British sides.]
Caroline Barker is the lead anthropologist and Rowland Wessling is the Forensic Archeologist
The British and Australian governments have asked the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to oversee an operation to recover the remains and to create a new military cemetery at Fromelles for their reburial. The work should be completed by July 2010. After the remains are exhumed, forensic archaeologists will take DNA samples and attempt to identify the bodies so they can be buried. For more information, visit the official website
Who is my MEP?
On Breakfast this morning, we heard from people rather confused about the Euro elections - and many who didn't know who their MEP is.
If you want to find who yours is - click here
Nicky asks: Should illegal immigrants be allowed to stay?
On the phone-in today, Nicky's asking whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay? Thousands of campaigners are meeting in London to call for an amnesty. They argue these people are here anyway and giving them citizenship will give them a stake in society, allow them to pay tax, and stop employers exploiting them. Do you agree?
12 years of Labour...but has Gordon Brown lost the plot?
It's the sort of day when Labour new and old should be celebrating.
It's May Day - that traditional day of socialist celebration - and it's also 12 years since Tony Blair led New Labour into power.
Today former cabinet Minister David Blunkett warns about a "catastrophic meltdown of trust in politics". Read his speech here
So has Gordon Brown and Labour lost the plot? That's the phone in at 9.
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10:14 Mon, 23 Nov 09
Katie Price - or Jordan as she's sometimes known - has walked out of the TV reality show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. She's complained about the public picking on her all week, and she genuinely divides opinion. So is she our creation? Does she simply reflect us?
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