The Great British television thread

[dave brum]

Did anyone see The Voice tonight? That teenage singer/pianist from East London, Ryan Green who was on last year but nobody turned around was on again. Luckily for him, Rita Ora turned around. Her sister Kia might have done so too if she was on the panel.

[Gill the Piano]

Don't watch it - I can't bear that ar*e William. Ugh.

[dave brum]

I only watch it to see if there are a) any pianists/singer pianists on, and b) anyone from Birmingham. Last night we had a pianist and the first act was from Coventry, so close-ish.

My wife loves will.i.am, even though he's as mad as a march hare.

[Gill the Piano]

H has no grasp of grammar or punctuation and is, besides a monstrous egotist, human sennapod...he irritates the s**t out of me,

[dave brum]

He should really be on Celebrity Big Brother then, never mind about The Voice. He reminds me of a sort of Nina Simone meets (the artist formerly known as but is now apparently once again known as) Prince. Wayward genius with a huge dose of unpredictability and volatility whose bubble is on the verge of going pop.

[Gill the Piano]

What you said, omitting the word 'genius'.

[dave brum]

Michael Portillo's Railway Journeys are good this week. It's the railways of London this week which is pleasing my wife immensely, being a Londoner. Yesterday was Amersham into Baker Street on the Metropolitan line, not far from where we catch the Piccadilly line in at Hillingdon/Ruislip when we go.

[dave brum]

Good 'Voice' this week. We had a bohemian couple who dabble in naturism doing an excellent folksy take of 'The Power' by Snap, also two Brummie builders, one male one female....and, the icing on the cake, classically trained twin girls who both sing in the church choir and play the piano.

Wonder if the vicar has ever had to ask either one of them a favour on a Sunday???

[dave brum]

That 'Cucumber' and 'Banana' on Channel 4 is blooming fantastic (LGBT drama) even speaking from the point of view of somebody who's not gay. I'm beginning to get really pathetically soppy and hope that Scotty and Yvonne get it together in the end, or Henry realises his refusal to have 'relations' is killing his relationship with Lance and they too learn to love each other again, possibly all culminating in a wedding.

I've also seen quite a few Antiques Hunts nearly all of which have been around a land east of the M1 that I've never actually been to. They say 'see Naples and die'. I'd like to see East Anglia, actually.

(actually Leicester and Nottingham both lie east of the M1 and I've been to both, but no further eastwards).

[Gill the Piano]

If you head over that way you should go and see Bill at the Piano History Centre!

[dave brum]

If you head over that way you should go and see Bill at the Piano History Centre!

Sounds interesting. I've been to the Bate Collection in Oxford twice but it's ancient instruments in general, not specifically pianos. But Great Yarmouth looks so far away, we'd never get there and back in one day!!