Archives for November 2009

It's Monday and here at The One Show we feel somewhat honoured...why?

Firstly, Cliff Richard and The Shadows have to chosen to give their last ever UK performance on the show tonight.

Secondly, we exclusively reveal the 10 nominees for the 2009 Sports Personality Of The Year. We'll be profiling each nominee's career and speaking to their friends and families. So who do you think deserves to win the award? Let us know.

On Tuesday and equally exciting, Dame Judi Dench will be joining Adrian and Christine.

Take That's Gary Barlow will be chatting on the sofa with his new protegée Camilla Kerslake on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Ozzy Osbourne's taking time out from his birthday celebrations to come to The One Show.

To see out the week on Friday, Harry Hill, the man who makes a mockery out of TV will be in the studio.

Also, all week Carol Voderman shows us how maths is part of our everyday lives in our Maths Of Life series from parking to present wrapping.

Obviously all of the above is the great One Show plan but as it's live anything can happen, so make sure you check back regularly to see if anything's changed.

One other thing, if you watch any of this week's shows on the iPlayer you may notice the shows are a little shorter than normal. Due to rights issues with sports footage we cannot play our Sports Personality Of The Year films online.

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Adrian and Christine were joined by Sir Cliff Richard and Hank Marvin.

Cliff and the Shadows also performed their hit song "Move it" at the end of show, in what was their final UK performance.

As the death toll in Afghanistan continues to rise, Kaye Adams met recent war widow Christina Schmid to find out how she's been coping since the recent loss of her husband.

The shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009 was announced on the show.

• Click here to see the shortlist. Who do you think should be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009?

Tonight saw the launch of Maths Week on The One Show. Carol Vorderman explained the maths of parallel parking.

And Mike Dilger travelled to the Bay of Biscay in search of whales.

Plus, The One Show Advent calendar needs you! We're counting down to Christmas with the One Show Advent calendar.

• Click here to be part of The One Show Advent calendar.

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The One Show has revealed the top 10 contenders for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009.

The winner will be announced on Sunday 13th December, during the Sports Personality of the Year programme.

Visit the BBC Sports Personality of the Year website here.

The nominees for the 56th BBC Sports Personality of the Year award are...

Jenson Button - Formula 1 driver
Winning six of the first seven races of 2009, Button still had to battle hard to take the F1 driver's championship, succeeding Lewis Hamilton to the title.

Mark Cavendish - Cyclist
The Isle of Man cyclist sprinted his way to six stage wins in the Tour de France, and became the first ever Briton to hold the green jersey two days in a row.

Tom Daley - Diver
Clinching this year's 10 metre platform diving world championship gold was the highlight of the 15 year old's career so far.

Jessica Ennis - Heptathlete
Having missed the Olympics through injury last year, the 23 year old Sheffield athlete won three of the first four disciplines and achieved world heptathlon gold in August.

Ryan Giggs - Footballer
Voted last seasons PFA Player of the Year, the Manchester United and Wales international star is shortlisted for European Player of the Year.

David Haye - Boxer
The former cruiserweight champion, dwarfed by 7 foot, 23 stone Nikolay Valuev, beat all the odds in November to become WBA heavyweight champion.

Phillips Idowu - Triple Jump
After achieving silver in Beijing last year, he jumped one medal higher by taking gold at the world championships this summer with a personal best jump of 17.73 metres.

Andy Murray - Tennis
As will as winning six titles in 2009, the world number four reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon this year and is looking for his first gland slam in the near future.

Andrew Strauss - Cricketer
The batsman was awarded the England captaincy at the start of the year and led the team to a second home Ashes win in four years in summer 2009.

Beth Tweddle - Gymnast
Already the 2006 uneven bars world champion, her gold in the floor event at the World Championships in October was her first medal of any colour at the discipline.

You'll be able to vote for your favourite sports personality via a phoneline on Sunday 13th December during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year programme. For more information regarding the terms and conditions of the judging and voting, click here.

Who do you think deserves to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009? Let us know below.

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Looking to get credit? Dom Littlewood recommends checking your credit record. Here are his top three tips to clean up your rating...

• Check your credit rating with all three agencies;
• When you move house, don't forget to take your name off all the bills;
• Keep unused credit limits low.

How do I check my credit rating?

A copy of your credit record is held by the three credit reference agencies in the UK.

These are: Experian, Equifax and Callcredit.

It is worth checking your credit file with all three credit reference agencies as some information may be different and also with the rise of identity fraud.

You can write to any of the credit reference agencies and ask for a copy of your file. This will cost you £2.

You letter should include:

• your full name -also any other names you have been known by e.g. your maiden name;
• your full address including postcode;
• any addresses where you have lived over the past six years;
• your date of birth; and
• a cheque or postal order for £2 made payable to the credit reference agency.

Experian Ltd
Customer Support Centre
PO Box 8000
Nottingham
NG80 7WF
T: 0844 481 8000

Equifax Plc
Credit File Advice Centre
PO Box 1140
Bradford
BD1 5US
T: 0844 995 0550

Call Credit Plc
Consumer Services Team
PO Box 491
Leeds
LS3 1WZ
T: 0870 060 1414

How do I stop financial associations?

A financial association or link is created by joint credit applications, joint accounts, joint County Court Judgements (CCJs).

This means the other person's name appears on your credit report.

Lenders who are checking your credit report CAN check this other person's credit report as well and MAY take this information into account when deciding whether to grant you credit or not.

If you are no longer financially connected to this other person, you will need to create a financial disassociation so their name no longer appears on your credit report.

The only way to do this is to contact all ALL three credit reference agencies and fill in a form formally requesting "financial disassociation".

Useful links:

The Information Commissioner's Office: Information section on credit, your rights and what to do if things go wrong.

County Court Judgments (CCJ): More about CCJs.

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Adrian and Christine were joined on the sofa by comedian Michael McIntyre.

Matt Allwright was back in Cockermouth to see how the flood recovery operation is going.

Matt was joined by Christine Walkden to bring some seasonal cheer to the residents of Cockermouth by switching on the Christmas lights at the Cock and Bull pub.

• Worried about flooding? More info here.

Christine W. also visited a Christmas tree farm in Quantocks, Somerset, and gave us some Christmas tree hints and tips.

Will we all be driving electric cars? Lucy Siegle investigated.

Hair Week finale! Michael Douglas and Dan Snow looked at the hairstyles popular in the swinging sixties.

In Tyne & Wear, Dom Littlewood helped a One Show viewer to clean up her credit record.

• How to check your credit record.

Miranda Krestovnikoff braved the North Sea to meet friendly seals.

Dance expert Arlene Phillips gave us her pick of the greatest comedy dances as well as a Strictly Come Dancing update.

• Watch The One Show team's 'Fame' dancing.

And Des Coleman met Suggs from Madness, to find out how their hit track 'Our House' came about.

Have a great weekend! We'll see you on Monday. 

What did you think of The One Show? Add a comment.

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• Add your comment

Lucy Siegle has been looking at council tax valuations.

In her film, Lucy met One Show viewer Doreen Evans. After checking with neighbours, Doreen believed that her house was in the incorrect tax band. She challenged her council's valuation of her home - and received a repayment of £2,400.

Council tax bands - a warning

Below there are useful links that will help you to find out which tax band your house is in. But before asking your council to look again at your home's council tax band, please remember Lucy's warning:

"Make sure you do your homework thoroughly before appealing - because your [council tax] band could go up as well as down."

England and Wales

• Find the council tax band for your property (England and Wales)
• Council tax appeals
• Council tax appeals (Wales only)

Scotland

• Find the council tax band for your property (Scotland)
  
• Council tax appeals (Scotland)

Northern Ireland

• What to do if you think you are paying too much rates

Council tax - more information

• More info - council tax

The website featured in the film - www.council-tax-rebate.co.uk

Have you appealed against your council tax band?
Share your hints and tips with other viewers here.

You may also like

• Dom's Sale of Goods Act download letter.
• Bank charges - what now?
• Can you claim back care home charges?
• The car scrappage scheme.
• Heating grants - do you recommend them?
• Auction website scams to look out for
• Making a will - useful tips

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Adrian and Christine were joined by culinary queen Delia Smith.

Cumbria has seen the worst of the bad weather this week. Paddy O'Connell investigated what is being done to maintain our flood defences.

• Flooding - more information

Lucy Siegle offered advice on how to check and challenge your council tax band.

• Could you cut your council tax bill? Find out here.

It's Hair Week! Michael Douglas and Dan Snow travelled to the Eden Camp museum in Malton to find out more about the hairstyles of wartime Britain.

• Send us your bad hair day photos and see the gallery.

And Phil Tufnell looked at the 1980s art of the high street poster store, Athena.

What did you think of The One Show? Let us know below.

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Adrian and Christine were joined by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Adam Shaw was in the studio to discuss the Supreme Court ruling on bank charges. He also examined what's behind the record rise in the price of gold.

• Bank charges - what now?

We're halfway though Hair Week on The One Show! Tonight Michael Douglas and Dan Snow examined Victorian facial hair.

• Send us your 'bad hair day' photos and take a look at the gallery.

Mike Dilger looked into the effect of climate change on the Snowdon Lily, a species of wild flower, which could soon become extinct.

And Matt Allwright examined the case for and against reintroducing the death penalty to Britain, as we approach 40 years since it was abolished.

What did you think of the show? Add your comment

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Today, the UK's banks have won a significant victory against attempts to have their overdraft fees ruled unfair.

The Supreme Court has decided that the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) does not have the powers it thought it had to scrutinise the fairness of bank charges.

"The result is that banks can continue charging high fees for customers who go overdrawn without authority to subsidise the cost of providing current accounts to other customers who stay in the black." said BBC personal finance reporter Ian Pollock.

Ian told BBC News: "What is not clear yet is what happens to the refund claims that have been on hold since July 2007,"

"They may stay that way if the OFT attacks bank charges another way, perhaps by triggering a full Competition Commission inquiry. Alternatively, the judicial authorities may simply invite local judges to dismiss the claims that have stacked up before them."

Those who received payments from banks before the test case started will keep their money, because these pay-outs were made as "goodwill gestures".

• Add your comment

Hard up? How to claim back bank charges

People in financial hardship can still continue to request a refund of their bank charges.

Hardship is defined as being unable to meet priority financial commitments; these are things like utility bills, rent, council tax, and food. When contacting your bank, you should also highlight any change in lifestyle such as relationship breakdown, death of a partner or starting a lower paid job.

As was the case before today's Supreme Court ruling, there is no guarantee they will receive their charges back but the bank is still required to treat cases of financial hardship in a sympathetic and positive manner.

People in financial hardship should write a letter of complaint to their bank as they would have done before today's ruling.

Template letter

Here is The One Show's template letter to help you with your claim:

• Download the template letter.

Your bank has eight weeks to resolve your complaint. If you're unhappy with their response, contact the Financial Ombudsman Service who will look at your claim and decide whether the bank should award you some or all of your charges.

More information

• Financial Ombudsman Service

• Banks win Supreme Court case on overdraft charges
• Q&A: Overdraft charges and your claims
• 'No free lunch' on bank charges

You may also like

• Dom's Sale of Goods Act download letter.
• Dom's download letter for online shoppers.
• Can you claim back care home charges?
• The car scrappage scheme.
• Heating grants - do you recommend them?
• Auction website scams to look out for
• Making a will - useful tips

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Around 60% of people in the UK have not written a will. You may not want to think about death, but if you die without a will your loved-ones may not inherit your assets in the way you would want them to.

November is Will Aid month. If you go to a solicitor which is taking part in the scheme they will draw up your will for free in the hope that you'll make a donation to one of the Will Aid charities. You also get free will registration so it's stored safely.

How to write a will

• You can go to a solicitor, use a will writer or even buy a do-it-yourself will kit. But if the will is not drawn up correctly it can lead to complications and even mean that the will is null and void.
• If you are co-habiting, if you have a complicated family situation or if you want to make provisions for a dependant, it's a good idea to use a solicitor who will be regulated by the Law Society.
• Will writers tend to be cheaper but the industry isn't regulated by the Law Society. If you are planning to use a will-writer, choose a member of the Institute of Professional Will Writers who will be fully insured and trained.
• Some trade unions, charities and banks may also offer will writing services.

 What to include in a will

• A list of everything you own, including property, savings, cars, jewellery, home contents, bank or building society accounts, any shares and insurance policies.
• A list of all you owe - mortgages, hire purchase agreements, loans or credit. Take these lists with you when you see a solicitor or will writer.
• Make a note of people or organisations who you want to benefit from your will.
• Decide who your executors will be - those responsible for sorting out the estate and carrying out your wishes. You can also appoint guardians for any children under 18.
  

Note on Northern Ireland and Scotland

The rules of intestacy in Northern Ireland are governed by the Administration of Estates Act (Northern Ireland) 1955, and vary slightly from England and Wales in terms of the exact divisions between spouse and children.
The rules on intestacy (or 'succession') are very different in Scotland. Click here for more information.

Need help writing a will? A new BBC Two series may want you!

For a new TV series, Sir Gerry Robinson is travelling the length and breadth of the country, looking for families who need help writing their wills. All families featured will receive free advice from Sir Gerry, and from a top wills lawyer.

Would you like some help with writing your will? Is it something you have been deliberately putting off? Have you got a big family? Maybe you are unsure how to divide things fairly or worried it might cause conflict? 

If you'd like to take part in Gerry's Legacy TV series, email the team at legacy@talkbackthames.tv
with your telephone contact number, and a short paragraph summarising your dilemma.

Have you made a will? Share your hints and tips with other viewers in the comment box here.  

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Adrian and Christine were joined by actress Amanda Holden.

Be part of a new TV series?
Sir Gerry Robinson also came into the studio to talk about his new TV series about wills and inheritance, Legacy. Would you like some help with writing your will? Is it something you have been deliberately putting off? Have you got a big family? Maybe you are unsure how to divide things fairly or worried it might cause conflict?
If you'd like to take part in Gerry's TV series, email the team at
legacy@talkbackthames.tv
with your telephone contact number, and a short paragraph summarising your dilemma.

• Making a will - useful tips.

With more heavy rain forecast, Matt Allwright was in Cockermouth for a second day.

Angelica Bell was in Rutland looking at how stray dogs are being turned into lifesavers in Afghanistan.

It's day two of Hair Week! Michael Douglas and Dan Snow looked at how the Georgians wore their hair.

• Send us your bad hair photos and take a look at the gallery.

You may also like

•  The One Show family performing Fame for BBC Children in Need.
• Prescription drugs on the internet?
  
  What did you think of the show? Add your comment.

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Tonight, singer Will Young will be joining Adrian and Christine.
 
Actress Amanda Holden will be the celebrity guest on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, explorer Sir Rannulph Fiennes will be in the studio.

Delia Smith will Thursday's guest for Thursday.

And we'll be seeing out the week on Friday with comedian Michael McIntyre.

One other thing, can you guess which One Show presenter this is? Ok, here's a clue.....loves   nothing better than getting your consumer dilemmas solved.

Yes, The One Show's very own Dominic Littlewood!

We've put Dom through this humiliation in the name of our Hair Week series.

All week we'll be looking at hairstyles through the ages, starting from Elizabethan times right through to classic 60s Vidal Sassoon-inspired styling.

That and Dom's picture got us thinking everyone has at least one bad hair day that's been captured on camera. Send us your bad hair pics and they could be picked to show on TV this week.

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• Click here to send in a photo of your bad hair.

It's 'Hair Week' on The One Show. So, we want to see photos of your bad hair! Have you sported a matted mullett, frizzy fringe or a cheesy quiff? Send us your pictures and we'll show the very worst on the show this week! Pictured above are The One Show's Gyles Brandreth, Dom Littlewood and Dan Snow in a hairier, dim and distant past...

• Click here to send in a photo of your bad hair.

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Adrian and Christine were joined by pop idol Will Young.

Professor Robert Winston also visited the studio. He's launched The Big Personality test. The test is for adults over 18, and takes about 20 minutes to complete.

• Take the personality test

Matt Allwright was in Cockermouth in Cumbria to see how residents are coping, following the  floods.

Comedian Stephen K Amos wondered if he was he born to be funny.

Rav Wilding investigated the dangers of buying drugs without a prescription online.

It's Hair Week on The One Show! Dan Snow and Michael Douglas joined forces to look at the history of hair - starting with the Tudors.

We've all had a bad hair day, including some of our One Show family. See Dom as you've never seen him before, and... 

• Send in your bad hair photos!

Many thanks for all the money you've pledged over the past few weeks to Children in Need. One Show viewers have raised £87,275.

• Relive Adrian being covered in gunge for Children in Need.

What did you think of the show? Add your comment.

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Gabby Logan and Matt Baker sat in for Adrian and Christine. They were joined by actor and Hollywood heart throb Zac Efron!

We had the final of our Children in Need challenges. Who did you banish to the Stocks of Shame?

• Find out if it was Adrian or Christine who got soaked.

Angellica Bell was in Washington, Tyne and Wear to discover the origin of the American flag - the stars and stripes.
Dom Littlewood visited another square on the Monopoly board. This time it was the turn of Bond Street.

And in Manchester, Rav Wilding found out how the police are fighting the rise of armed raids on commercial premises and security vehicles.

There's no show tomorrow as it's BBC Children in Need night... but Adrian, Christine and The One Show family will be making an appearance.

What did you think of The One Show? Add your comment.

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Gabby and Nicky were joined by comedian and actor Johnny Vegas.

In honour of Johnny, the studio was turned into sunny Benidorm!

• Dress for the beach and send in a photo!

Matt Allwright asked whether there is any chance of winning the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan. 

John Simpson, the BBC's world affairs editor, was in the studio with his assessment of the situation. He got back from his most recent trip to the country 10 days ago.

Will it be Adrian or Christine stuck in the Stocks of Shame on tomorrow's show? Your donations decide.

• Find out how to donate to BBC Children in need here

Kathy Lette looked at the story of the post war British children who were sent to Australia without a choice.

John Sergeant asked why sitcom writers find suburbia such a fitting location for comedies.

And Mike Dilger was in the Knapdale forest in Scotland, catching up with ten beavers.

What did you think of The One Show? Add your comment.

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1) The weather's rubbish at the moment.
2) Johnny Vegas is tonight's guest.
3) Mr Vegas stars in television comedy-drama Benidorm.
4) Hmmmmm... what photo can we ask the viewers to send in?
5) I know! I know! I've got it! Let's bring a bit of Costa Blanca brightness into the studio... let's ask the viewers to get into their Benidorm togs!

So, banish the gloom and don your beachwear in the comfort of your own homes! Dress for the beach and send in a photo! 

• Click here to send in your photo to tonight's show.

Or - the email address to send your photo to is: theoneshowemailsA@bbc.co.uk

Also: The email address on this page is only used for photos being sent to tonight's programme. If you wish to contact us with a comment or story please get in touch here.

Please see our terms and conditions about sending in pictures but remember that the copyright of your photo remains with you.

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Gabby and Nicky were joined on The One Show sofa by Ronan Keating.

Kaye Adams investigated where we draw the line when keeping children safe.

• Continue the debate: Have child protection measures gone too far?

Miranda Krestovnikoff helped to conduct a photo survey of Risso dolphins off the coast of the Isle of Man.

This month sees the twentieth anniversary of television broadcasts from the House of Commons. Gyles Brandreth looked at the impact the cameras have made.

Ronan talked about his involvement with My Story, a BBC competition for ordinary people with extraordinary true stories.

Finalists will get to tell their story in a major BBC One series. Plus five of these stories will get published and made into a book.

• To send in your story and to find out more, click here to visit My Story.

Don't forget, your donations decide whether Adrian or Christine will be stuck in the Stocks of Shame on Thursday's programme. It's all in aid of BBC Children in Need.

• Find out how to donate to BBC Children in need here.
  

What did you think of The One Show? Let us know below.

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A new body called the Independent Safeguarding Authority went live last month. It's introducing a new registration system for adults wanting to work with children or the vulnerable - on top of the existing Criminal Records Bureau checks. It is estimated that around 11 million adults will have to go through this system, a system that some feel will stop parents from making decisions on their own children's safety.

Kaye Adams met some of those who have concerns, including children's presenter Johhny Ball.

Johhny said to her: "The problem is, the whole concept that we should believe that everyone is presumed guilty - unless they go to the police and prove themselves innocent by asking for a criminal records check is the most ridiculous thing imaginable."

Kaye concluded the film by saying: "Of course it's right we should be doing all we can to protect our children. But there's a real danger that unless we start applying more common sense, overzealous regulations could do more harm than good."

Have child protection measures gone too far? Share your experiences here.

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Presenters Gabby Logan and Nicky Campbell are stepping in for Adrian and Christine this week.

But we'll be seeing our usual pair on Thursday when they face the last of The One Show's Children in Need challenges. Who deserves the Stocks of Shame? Find out how your donations will decide.

There's a distinct musical theme running through our celebrity guests this week.

On Monday, performer Michael Ball is back on The One Show.

Boyzone's Ronan Keating will join Gabby and Nicky on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, comedian Johnny Vegas will be on the sofa - ok, Johnny may not be much of a singer but he's sure to entertain.

And attention all High School Musical fans, Zac Efron will be here on Thursday night.

Don't be alarmed on Friday if you switch on your TV set for your daily dose of The One Show and don't find us.

There's no show because it's BBC Children in Need evening.

As always, because The One Show is live anything can happen, so make sure you check back regularly to see if anything's changed.

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Nicky Campbell and Gabby Logan sat in for Adrian and Christine. They were joined in the studio by Michael Ball, actor, singer, radio and TV presenter.

In the Penrhyn quarry, North Wales, Aubrey Manning looked  at slate as part of our geology series.

George McGavin visited Jubilee Fields Community Association in County Durham to see how your donations to BBC Children in Need are making a difference to children's lives.

New Children in Need challenge! This week you decide whether Adrian or Christine will face the stocks of shame on Thursday 19th November.

• Pledge your support for Adrian or Christine to face the stocks.

Dan Snow met commercial airline pilots and found out how they cope with fatigue.

And as part of our series on hygiene, Lucy Siegle and Dr Anthony Hilton swabbed The One Show office and found some bacterial nastiness. Aggie McKenzie came in to make the kitchen spick and span again and to give our surfaces a clean bill of health.

You may also like
 
Phil Tuffnell's last Strictly dance
Animal impressions quiz.

What did you think of the show? Add your comment.

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Christine and Adrian are taking a break this week, so Gabby Logan and Nicky Campbell will be stepping in for them Monday to Wednesday. Gabby will be joined by Matt Baker on Thursday.

More about our holiday hosts

• Gabby Logan profile - 5 Live
• Nicky Campbell profile - 5 Live
• Matt Baker profile - Radio 4

And don't forget...

There's no show on Friday 20th November, as it's BBC Children in Need evening.

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Adrian and Christine were joined by glam rock legend Noddy Holder! Watch a clip of the show above.

Mike Dilger and Dom Littlewood went head to head in the Wall of Death challenge for Children in Need.

• Latest Children in Need challenge news.

Mike Dilger has been busy! All this week Mike and Miranda Krestovnikoff have been talking to animals. Tonight they both tried to communicate with red deer.

Thanks for all your fantastic animal impersonations. Six viewers who rang our 'Creature Call' line came into the studio to showcase their vocal talents.

• Play our Animal Impressions Quiz.

Gyles Brandreth met Lottery millionaires to find out if winning the 'Big One' is all it's cracked up to be.

• Lottery top tips, from a maths professor.

John Sergeant peered over suburban hedges.

Dan Snow looked at the bloody history of the duel.

Lucy Siegle found out about renting out home driveways.

Arlene Philips reminded us of the fashions of the 70s.

And Toyah Willcox told us about the first ever single she bought - Ride a White Swan by T-Rex.

Next week Christine and Adrian are each taking a break, so Gabby Logan and Nicky Campbell will be stepping in for them Monday to Wednesday. Gabby will be joined by Matt Baker on Thursday.

There's no show next Friday as it's BBC Children in Need evening.

Thanks for visiting The One Show website.

Have a great weekend, we'll see you on Monday.

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We asked One Show viewers to call our telephone line and give us their animal impressions. They didn't disappoint!

Can you guess which creatures our One Show viewers are impersonating? 

How well did you do? Compare your scores here.

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• More One Show games and quizzes.

On Friday 13th November, The One Show invited some of the best animal impersonators onto the programme to show us their skills. Watch the video below.

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Share your lottery tips.

This weekend is the National Lottery's 15th birthday. So we asked Marcus du Sautoy, Professor of Maths at the University of Oxford, to tell us some top tips for lottery players. Watch the video above.

Marcus du Sautoy writes: When people discover that I'm a mathematician they often ask me whether I know any clever way to win the lottery. Unfortunately I can't produce a magic formula that will tell you next week's winning numbers. If I could I assure you I wouldn't be writing for The One Show's website. I'd be relaxing on some tropical island enjoying myself. But that's not to say that mathematics is entirely useless when it comes to playing the lottery.

A bit of maths can help you to maximize your winnings in case you do hit the jackpot and avoid what happened in the 9th week of the National Lottery when 133 people chose the winning numbers and had to share the £16,293,830 jackpot. The key is to choose numbers that no one else is likely to choose

Tip 1. Clump your numbers together. When people pick numbers they rarely choose consecutive numbers like 31 and 32. But just like buses, lottery balls often arrive in pairs. The maths says that nearly half of the 13,983,816 possible choices have consecutive numbers.

Tip 2. You might take tip 1 to the extreme and choose 1,2,3,4,5,6. Don't. Amazingly 10,000 people are estimated to choose these numbers each week so you'll end up sharing the jackpot with a lot of people.

Tip 3. Pick numbers above 31. People like picking significant dates like birthdays or anniversaries. So the numbers 32 to 49 are not so popular.

Tip 4. Avoid multiples of lucky number 7. The seven times table is a popular choice as punters believe it makes their ticket luckier than others.

Having given you my tips of course the whole thing could backfire. If everyone follows them and chooses high consecutive numbers you'll end up sharing your winnings with lots of other readers. Probably the best course of action is to let the machine randomly pick your numbers. It's not superstitious and probably doesn't read the BBC website.

Marcus du Sautoy is Professor of Maths at the University of Oxford and author of Finding Moonshine: A Mathematician's Journey Through Symmetry. He is reunited next week with Alan Davies in BBC Horizon's How Long is a Piece of String.

More information - recommended weblinks

• Pick a number - The Times.
• The lottery - Understanding Uncertainty.
• The UK National Lottery - a guide for beginners.
• Draw history for Lotto.
• BBC: How Long is a Piece of String?

Are you certain you'll win the lottery? Share your tips with us all here!

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Adrian and Christine were joined in the studio by Jon Culshaw and Debra Stephenson.

In Newcastle, Matt Allwright investigated why so many ex-service people end up in prison.

If you are ex service man or woman and have experiences of the UK criminal justice system please contact the Howard League for Penal Reform.

Continuing her series on wild weather, presenter Carol Kirkwood re-created lightning in a lab, with Dr Ian Cotton from Manchester University.

All week our wildlife pair Mike and Miranda have been talking to animals. Tonight saw Mike Dilger learn some fancy moves from the honeybee.

Do you sound like a squirrel? Can you impersonate an iguana? We want to hear your animal impersonations!

• Animal impersonations - phone them in!
• Can you identify the real thing? Play our animal noises quiz.

And Dom and Mike were both in the studio before their One Show BBC Children in Need challenge on Friday 13th November. Neither want to attempt the Wall of Death challenge... but your donations decide!

• Pledge your support for Mike or Dom and help raise money for Children in Need.

What did you think of The One Show? Add a comment.

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Adrian and Christine were joined by veteran Hollywood actor and voice of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones.

Mike Dilger and Miranda Krestovnikoff are talking to animals all this week. Tonight Miranda attempted to sing like a wren.

• Animal impersonations - phone them in!
• Can you identify the real thing? Play our animal noises quiz.

Dom Littlewood looked at how you can claim back bank charges - if you can prove you're in financial hardship.

• Claim back bank charges letter.

Dom Littlewood is also going head to head with Mike Dilger this week in our Children in Need challenge. Who do you want to see face the Wall of Death on Friday?

• Pledge your support for Mike or Dom and help raise money for Children in Need.

Kirsten O'Brien asked 'What's in a name?' as she looked at the rebranding of St James Park, Newcastle United's football ground.

And to mark Armistice Day, Arthur Smith uncovered the story of the Americans who secretly joined the Royal Navy to fight Hitler, before the United States joined WWII.

Also: The One Show blog has a new look

You may have noticed that the One Show blog has been reorganised - from now on all of our blog posts should all be in place, making them easier to find.

• More info about the new look blog
• Links to the older blog stories and features 

What did you think of the show? Add your comment.

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Updated 25th November 2009, to reflect 'Banks win Supreme Court case on overdraft charges'

People in financial hardship can still continue to request a refund of their bank charges.

Hardship is defined as being unable to meet priority financial commitments; these are things like utility bills, rent, council tax, and food. When contacting your bank, you should also highlight any change in lifestyle such as relationship breakdown, death of a partner or starting a lower paid job.

As was the case before today's Supreme Court ruling, there is no guarantee they will receive their charges back but the bank is still required to treat cases of financial hardship in a sympathetic and positive manner.

People in financial hardship should write a letter of complaint to their bank as they would have done before today's ruling.

Template letter

Here is The One Show's template letter to help you with your claim:

• Download the template letter.

Your bank has eight weeks to resolve your complaint. If you're unhappy with their response, contact the Financial Ombudsman Service who will look at your claim and decide whether the bank should award you some or all of your charges.

More information

• Financial Ombudsman Service
• Bank charges - what now?

Have you attempted to claim back back charges because you're in financial difficulty? Share your hints, tips and stories here.

You may also like

• Dom's Sale of Goods Act download letter.
• Dom's download letter for online shoppers.
• Can you claim back care home charges?
• The car scrappage scheme.
• Heating grants - do you recommend them?
• Auction website scams to look out for.

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Our wildlife wonders Mike Dilger and Miranda Krestovnikoff are back this week with a series of films about talking to the animals.

So, from Monday, 9th November to Friday 13th November 2009, we're inviting One Show viewers to call our telephone line and leave their animal impersonations on voicemail.

Do you sound like a squirrel? Can you impersonate an iguana?

Leave your impression of an animal on our "creature call" phoneline.

The number is 03700 100 150.

We'll be using the best of the animal impressions in our new online game from next week.

Terms & Conditions

1. Standard geographic call charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher.
2.The One Show will be playing a selection of the impersonations received. Some impersonations will also be selected to feature in a game on The One Show website. Not all impersonations will be used.
3. Impersonations containing any offensive or inappropriate references will be discarded.
4.For information on the BBC Privacy Policy please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/privacy/

You may also like...

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Can you identify the animal from its noise?

• Play our animal noises quiz!

How did you get on? Share your scores in the comment box.

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Welcome to our new blog post about what's coming up on the show. Every week we'll let you know who and what great things you can see on The One Show.

We kick off the week with singer Michael Bolton on Monday, followed by cricketer Freddie Flintoff on Tuesday.

Star Wars acting legend James Earl Jones will be talking about his latest project on Wednesday. 

Jon Culshaw and Debra Stephenson will be our guests on Thursday. No celeb is safe from mimicry with this comedy duo - even our very own Adrian and Christine have popped up in their new show The Impressions Show, so who knows what to expect.

And speaking of impressions although not of the human-kind.....our wildlife presenters Mike Dilger & Miranda Krestovnikoff are trying to talk to a host of animals this week.

That got us thinking, do you have a great creature call or animal impersonation? We've set up the Creature Call phoneline where you can record your chirps, howls, grunts and so on. It could feature on the show or in an online game.

Click me: Find out about the Creature Calls phoneline and test your knowledge with our animal noises quiz.

Noddy Holder is our Friday guest - so we think a celebration of all things in the 70s is in order. From the cheesy tunes, embarrassing dance moves and fashion disasters. If you have any fashion horror photos, send your 70s photos here - we may pick a few to showcase on the programme.

And don't forget The One Show Children in Need challenge - this week it's the turn of Dom Littlewood and Mike Dilger. Who would you like to see face the Wall of Death? Your donations will decide, so pledge your support here.

Obviously this is the great plan but as The One Show is live anything can happen, so make sure you check back regularly to see if anything's changed.

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Hello! The One Show blog has been reorganised - from now on all of our blog posts should all be in place, making them easier to find. If you're looking for stories and features from previous shows, you'll find them here:

• Backstage
• Consumer and lifestyle
• Hobbies and interests

Not commented before?

Watch Mike Dilger finding out how easy it is to get started...

If you're new to the BBC blogs, it's easy to join in. Just click on the word 'register' beneath a blog post and follow the simple steps, fill in a few details. Then get commenting and talking about the programme with other viewers.

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