Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. I have had a very busy fortnight doing a whole variety of fun and interesting things. So when we last spoke I was right in the middle of working for Regatta Radio at the Henley Royal Regatta. Once again I had a brilliant week being heavily involved with the station. That brings people full race commentary of all the races from day one right through to finals day. I was responsible for the production side of this service and was based mainly in the studio. Making sure the excitement of the races were captured and broadcast. I had a fantastic time working with a very talented and knowledgeable group of commentators. Who have such an enthusiasm and passion for their sport. Which really comes across during their commentary pieces and draws you in to the races. It really was great fun. Well done to the whole team on an exceptional job in bringing the whole event alive on the air waves. Rowing is a such a brilliant and dignified sport requiring scary levels of fitness and dedication. The set up at Henley means you can have Olympic Gold Medal winners mixing with and racing sometimes straight after school children. Who are sometimes just in their first season of rowing competitions. Everyone is so supportive of each other and the elite athletes are so happy to chat and help the newer competitors. Which makes for a great atmosphere around the boat tent area. Which is where all the teams prepare and recover before and after the races. As well as producing the commentary and the lunchtime and teatime radio shows. I also produced a series of daily podcasts all about the Regatta across the five days it was staged. Which were great fun to do. They enabled me to meet and talk to a whole host of fascinating people and really get a flavour and a feel for the event. It was also great to see so many spectators there to support the event and have a great time themselves. Having a few drinks and a nice picnic. It really is a very civilised day out but then if you stay out long enough, it can become slightly more uncivilised as the evening goes on. It was a great week. Thanks to the whole team for their hard work and assistance. Apparently even the great Sir Steve Redgrave was a fan of the coverage we supplied during this year’s Regatta. Here is the link to the Podcast’s that I made. http://www.regattaradio.co.uk/podcasts/

A couple of Saturday’s ago I dug out my headphones and dusted off my CD’s to perform as the DJ at my Uncle and Aunty’s Fortieth Wedding Anniversary Party. It was while I was still in the middle of working at Regatta Radio. So I had my sound and light man set up the equipment in the afternoon. So it was all ready to go for when I got there. I arrived from Henley with only about ten minutes to spare before I was due to start. But my family being the party animals they are, were pretty much all there early waiting for me. It was a good night and everybody seemed to have a good time. I managed to get the dance floor jumping. I mean literally jumping. It was held in an old pub with a wooden floor. And the place was certainly rocking with everybody moving around and throwing some quite interesting shapes at times. The speeches were great. I had lots of fun doing it. And it was nice to catch up, all be it briefly with most of the family. Although when you are the DJ at a do, you do not have much time to socialise. As you do of course have to keep the music coming. Congratulations to John and Lorraine. I am glad you enjoyed the night and had a great time. I have to confess when you are doing a party where you know most of the guests so well. It does make it a little bit easier when you are selecting the right songs to get everybody up. Specially as us “Quigley’s” have a few family anthems. That everyone has to get up and dance to with no exceptions. It was nice to be back behind the decks again and having a bit of fun on the microphone.

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to a special and private showing of the new Jersey Boys film at a cinema in London. On entering the auditorium we were given a complimentary bag of sweet popcorn. Which I thought was a very nice start to proceedings. The film is based on the musical of the same name. Which is actually one of the few West End musicals that I have not seen. The musical and therefore the film is based on the story of the Four Seasons. How four guys from Jersey managed to get out and break free of what could have been a very different life. By beating the odds and becoming huge stars in the music business. Like most success stories it is a mixture of hard work, dedication to a dream and a chance meeting. With a sprinkling of luck along the way. It also looks at friendship, honour amongst friends and how even achieving your professional dreams, can destroy your personal life. There is also plenty of heartache and disappointment along the way to. Personally I thought it was a great film. The story, the songs, the subject matter and the actors. Who were all absolutely brilliant in their roles. Including the actual lead singer with the real Four Seasons Frankie Valli. Who plays his own dad in the film. It is directed by Clint Eastwood. Who does a brilliant job on something you would not really associate him with. Although the movie does have some guns in it and a little bit of violence. Which was in the script and not just added in by the director to make him feel at home. It is a great story. Which really draws you in and makes you feel for all the characters. It shows the highs and lows and all the pit falls of show business. And the finale I reckon could actually have a full cinema dancing in the isles. If you are in to music history, like great music or just fancy being thoroughly entertained for over two hours. Then I would recommend you go and see Jersey Boys. I think I will have to go and see the musical before the end of the summer now. I just know that would be a top night out.

Now while I do like watching Cricket from time to time I can’t claim to be a big fan of the sport. But the chance to have a private VIP tour around the home of Cricket Lords was far to good to turn down. When you first walk in to the place it does have a certain aura about it. You do get a little bit excited about being at the place where some great sporting moments from the past have taken place. The tour was taken by the very entertaining Michael. An actual member of the MCC. Who are the elite members of Lords. Who use the name of the original team that used the ground the Marylebone Cricket Club. It started with a very good and hugely amusing explanation all about how the Ashes series started. While we were looking at the actual original Ashes. Which always stay on display at Lords whoever wins. We then got to have a look in the famous long room. Which the players all walk through on their way to the pitch. Before heading in to the away and then the home dressing rooms. The thing that struck me was how much closer the main pavilion was to the edge of the ground. Than I thought it was from watching a game from there on television. In the dressing rooms there are honour boards up. Where players who have scored over one hundreds runs in an innings or taken five or ten wickets in a match, have their name displayed. No need to tell you there are some great players from the past on display up there. But also there are quite a few hugely successful world performers. Who never managed to get their name on those boards during their long careers. I was surprised to find that Cricket is not the only sport played at Lords. They also have a real tennis court there. While I was there I was lucky enough to see a game of it being played. I also got to handle the real tennis racket and the ball. Which are both very different from the more popular form of the game. It looked rock hard to play to with the uneven bounce of the ball and the fact you can bounce it off the overhanging roof. The tour finished with a walk around the ground. With an opportunity to try out the view from a couple of the different stands. And a visit to the space age media centre. Which is kind of like a hanging bubble on the opposite end from the main Pavilion. It is such an unusual design that it was built by ship builders. As they were the only ones who had the know how to supply the structure that was requested. The view from there is sensational. It was lots of fun and very interesting having a good look around the home of Cricket. It has kind of made me want to go there again and actually watch a game.

The football World Cup is over for another four years then. Congratulations to Germany who became the first European team to win the tournament out in the Americas. They were the best team in the competition. So therefore deserved their one nil win after extra time against Argentina in the final. It looked like they had some party back in Germany, to celebrate. Which having been there drinking beer and having fun in the past at Oktoberfest. I know how good they are at enjoying themselves. I enjoyed the whole event despite England’s early exit from it. It now seems weird not having top class football matches to watch every night any more. I think Brazil did a great job as hosts. Someone I know went out there for the group stages of the competition to watch the England games. And despite the results he had a great time. He did quite a bit of sight seeing including a trip up the mountain to see Christ The Redeemer. Which I would suspect is a must if you are there. He also said the atmosphere there was amazing and had a great time socialising with everybody he met from all over the world. I have a feeling the next World Cup in Russia in 2018 could have a little bit of a different feel to it. We now have four years to rebuild the national team before we can start to dream again. That may be just may be we will have the chance in our lifetime to party like the German’s did last weekend to celebrate being champions of the World.

Talking of football this week I had a meeting with a sports production company about some potential football commentary work with them for the upcoming season. It was great meeting the team there. And a fun and interesting afternoon. As I got to demonstrate my reporting skills describing some great matches. This weekend I am up in the Manchester catching up with an old school friend. Who now just happens to run a pub. He has been there for about two years now and I have finally managed to get a free weekend to go up and see him and his family. I can confirm the place is great and he does happen to pour a very nice pint. I will tell you more about this time up in the North in the next instalment.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Hello again, I hope all is well with you. And that you have had a very good couple of weeks. My fortnight has flown by helped by the fun and interesting things that I have either attended or been directly involved in. At the moment I am right in the the middle of working with Regatta Radio supplying full race and behind the scenes coverage of this year’s Henley Royal Regatta. It has been a fantastic week so far with lots of excitement and some brilliant races from out on the Thames. Although I am very busy producing the live coverage and overseeing all of the website content including the daily Podcast’s for the event. I am having an absolutely ball. It certainly has a unique atmosphere. It really does attract its fair share of interesting characters both as competitors and as spectators. Tomorrow it is finals day which is always a spectacular occasion. As is the case with the whole of the Regatta week. It is a very colourful affair with a glittering array of bright and elaborate blazers on display from current and former rowers. Who are members of the many different rowing clubs that are represented. I have spent most of the time working away in the portable studios but I have managed to get down to the waterfront a couple of times and catch a little bit of the action. It is the 175th Anniversary of the annual event. During which. in certain areas of the course you can walk pass a ridiculous amount of Olympic Medal winners in the space of just a few seconds. I will tell you more about my time at the Henley Royal Regatta. Working with the great team at Regatta Radio. When I speak to you next in a few weeks time.

It really is an amazing summer of sport once again this year. With it all seemingly happening at the same time. As well as the Henley Regatta. It is also the Wimbledon Tennis Championship finals weekend, the British Grand Prix and we still have the small matter of the World Cup going on in Brazil. So starting with the tennis it was great to see the reaction Andy Murray got from the Centre Court crowd. When he walked out to start the defence of the men’s singles title he won last year. It was a really nice standing ovation he received before his first match, very well deserved for his efforts last year. Shame it did not quite work out for him this year. It would be nice to have a British winner of the Grand Prix this year. Which looking at the form guide so far this season. It would seem that Lewis Hamilton may well be our best hope of achieving this. The World Cup goes on without England of course. Who were out of the running after just two games. The team I got in the Wembley Stadium sweepstake did not fare much better. I had Honduras in the draw who were not good enough to win the whole event and win me the big money. As they were knocked out at the group stages. But annoyingly they were not even bad enough to win me any of the booby prizes that were on offer. For the first team to get knocked out of the competition or for the team who conceded the most goals in the group stage. I actually thought I might have had an outside chance with those two options but they were too good for them in the end. On the plus side the people that drew out Spain, Italy and Portugal all suffered the same fate as me.

Last Sunday it was the Tringe Festival Roving Comedy Night in Tring. This is the comedy event at which I made my stand up comedy debut a couple of years ago on the back of an eight week course with the comedy guru that is Logan Murray. The night always signals the start of the three week Tringe Comedy Festival. Which features performances from lots of excellent comedians. On the Roving Night the new trainee comedians do four different gigs in four different pubs around Tring. Accompanied by a professional comic. Who headlines their little section of the show. So the audience stays in the same pub all night and the comedians travel round to them at about half an hour intervals. It is a fantastic idea which works really well. Each pub is hosted by a comedian who was a trainee comedian themselves in a previous year. So as they have been through it themselves in the past. They are very sympathetic and supportive to all the newbies. As are the audience who know what the idea of the night is in advance. Plus many of them are often there to support someone they know who is performing. When I did it, it was one of the most fun experiences of my life. The buzz you get from getting your first laughs is amazing. And the excitement of travelling around and facing a new test with a new audience every half an hour. Certainly gives you a constant adrenalin rush for the whole of the evening. But it is all worth it for the feeling you get when you all meet up after to have a chat and a drink with the rest of your classmates. Who have all just shared the same amazing experience as you. I was on a high for the next week after I did it.

So for this year’s Roving Comedy Night I was an audience member at the Robin Hood Pub in Tring. The stage was set up at the back of the venue in their beer garden. I managed to get myself a seat right on the front row. It had been quite a nice pleasant and warm day. So I went along just wearing a shirt forgetting that I was going to be sat outside and that England is very much not a tropical country. Which meant by about half way through the evening. When the sun had gone in I was actually freezing. Which I have to admit did take the edge off the comedy a bit. Through no fault of the performers. Just because I was starting to shiver a bit. Luckily the mate who I was with had looked out a load of clothes to take to the charity shop. Which he had put in his car ready to drop off. So before the last group of comedians arrived he nipped out to his car and lent me a jacket. Which did mean I could stay outside and enjoy the whole of the show in more comfort. Well done to all the trainee comedians doing their first gigs. I thought they were all great. It is a really tough thing to do. I remember what I felt like before my first performances. So I could really feel what they were going through. I hope they all enjoyed the experience and would not be put off standing up and trying to make people laugh again. The four professional comics were all brilliant. It was great to see Arthur Smith and Silky perform again. They were both on the bill when I did The Roving Comedy Night. And they were once again both very funny. I also got to see two new performers, who I had not seen before Paul B Edwards and Gavin Webster. Who were both fantastic. It was a really great night and really made me want to get out and do some more stand up comedy. I really enjoyed watching but part of me wanted to just get up and do a little bit last night. A big well done to Ben Moorhouse and the team for organising a top night. And well done to everyone involved including the audiences for making it such a great success.

I mentioned Arthur Smith performing at the Roving Comedy Night. To do that he had travelled straight from the Glastonbury Festival. Where he was also performing. He did literally turn up in just the clothes he had from the Somerset event, including some of the Pilton farm mud still on his trousers.Taking into consideration that he was a man who I would guess had not had much sleep during the previous forty eight hours. He was still brilliant. The mark of a true performer. From what I have seen it does appear this year’s Glastonbury was as fantastic as ever. With some truly great sets played in front of tens of thousands of very content festival goers. Who did not let a couple of pretty big storms dampen their spirits. I have to confess I would have liked to have been there in that field to see Dolly Parton’s performance. I bet that it was pretty amazing and spectacularly odd in equal measure. When I was working down in Somerset I was lucky enough to be able to experience Glastonbury for myself. One year I went for the whole weekend, camping and hanging out in the backstage area. Which I have to say was pretty cool. The year after I managed to get down there for the Sunday only. It has a very unique vibe, atmosphere and energy to it. There is also so much to see and do there that it is impossible to even enjoy a tenth of what is on offer. You will end up missing lots of things you want to see. As they clash with other performances or because you will not have the time to walk round the site. From where you are to where you want to be. Me and my mate I went with must have spent a good three hours walking around the place and in doing so we probably only caught three or four brief appearances on the stages we were passing. The best thing about having backstage passes was that there was a special pathway from the bar to both the Pyramid and Other Stage. So it was easy to move between them quite quickly. So I could see a bit of the set of each of the two bands playing those stages at the same time. Which if you have ever been to the Festival you will know is impossible if you have to walk round between the stages.  As that is about a forty minute walk.

During my two trips to Glastonbury I have seen some great performances including sets from Arcade Fire, Kaiser Chiefs, Paul Weller, Manic Street Preachers, Lily Allen Amy Winehouse, Artic Monkeys, Killlers. The Who, Reverend and the Makers, Scouting for Girls and Mark Ronson. I am actually quite a fan of the Sunday afternoon slot where they tend to put on an artist you would not expect to appear there. Like this year Dolly Parton. In the two years I went to Glastonbury the two artists who performed in that slot were Shirley Bassey and Neil Diamond. Both were brilliant and the festival crowd really got in to the spirit of things and really embraced their shows. We all sung along with Neil’s big hits. And I remember the huge reception Shirley Bassey got when walking out on stage wearing a ball gown and a diamond covered pair of Wellington Boots. I have to confess I did not really watch much of the coverage of this year’s event. But that is only because if I did it would have just made me wish I was actually there enjoying it first hand for myself. I would love to go to it again at some point in the future. I have some great memories from the place including standing next to Will Young while having a drink, seeing Stephen Merchant, Dara O’Briain and Mark Owen walking around plus seeing Lily Allen walk right past me wearing an amazing Muppet Babies coat while her dad was standing behind her dressed as a mushroom. It is a crazy, wild, fun and brilliant event. It is even just worth staying in a tent for four nights for. Although if I do go back I might be tempted so see if I can get camper van this time. Just for a tiny bit more comfort.

I am dusting off my CD’s later tonight to DJ at my Uncle and Aunty’s Fortieth Wedding Anniversary at a local pub. It should be a fun party night. I have got lots of great tunes lined up and ready to play. My family to be fair do know how to let their hair down and enjoy themselves. Which with the general lack of hair within the family myself included. That is actually quite an achievement.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. I have had a very busy fortnight doing a whole variety of fun and exciting stuff. Most of which have actually just revolved around either comedy or sport. Last week it was Royal Ascot, which although unfortunately I did not actually get to go to this year. I was a very keen observer of it on the television. Being a fan of horse racing, it was a must watch for me. Credit to Clare Balding and the rest of the Channel 4 racing team who do a brilliant job with their coverage of the event. I really do like the fact that the Queen is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her horse racing. Although I am a little bit jealous that she does not have to face the daily scrum at Ascot train station. And instead gets a horse drawn carriage to the racecourse from her house just around the corner. I would love to have a fanfare played just before I arrive anywhere. During this event you can gamble on pretty much everything. Every day of the meeting most book makers were taking bets on what colour outfit the Queen would wear to the races that day. This is just one of the very many reasons why our country is great. Just for the record. As I have no fashion sense and completely no idea what colours are in this season. I stuck to putting my money solely on the horses, with it is fair to say mixed results.

A couple of Sunday’s ago I went to watch the recording of a brand new BBC radio comedy sitcom pilot called Friends on Benefits written by stand up comedian and writer Lloyd Langford. It starred Lloyd alongside his mate and fellow TV comedian Jon Richardson. Now as it was actually a nice, warm and sunny day in London I managed to meet a former boss of mine for a few drinks on the South Bank by the river during the afternoon. As you would expect it was packed and the atmosphere down there was great. As soon as we have a day off and the sun is shinning. We do all like to make an effort to get outside and enjoy it don’t we? Which looking at how the weather has been since. It appears to have been a very good decision by everybody who was out that day. After chilling out by the Thames. I then made my way to the BBC Radio Theatre at New Broadcasting House for the recording. On arrival they always allow you to relax in the BBC Cafe before you are called through to your seats. From the cafe you can actually look down into the newsroom and see all the journalists at their desks working away, preparing the stories for the evening news. I do always find it strangely therapeutic watching people working hard. While I am just sitting down having a drink and relaxing.

Then around thirty minutes before the recording was due to start we were called into the theatre and led to our seats. Which for me happened to be right in the middle of the front row. So to say I had an excellent view of the proceedings is an understatement. I did really enjoy being that close. It really made me feel part of things. Like my laughter and applause were an important part of the show. Lloyd Langford and Jon Richardson played the main two characters in the show but they were joined by a few others to make up the cast including Eastender Nina Wadia and the comedian Tony Law. I enjoyed the whole experience from a nervous Lloyd coming out to the stage to explain a little bit about the show he had written. And then introduce all the cast members in turn. At one point getting one of their biographies a bit wrong claiming they had been in a hit TV show that they hadn’t. All of which added to the fun and the whole atmosphere. I thought the sitcom itself was very funny with some great and very clever jokes in it. So what happens at these recording is this. They do the whole episode straight through in one go. Then the producer comes on to the stage to request any retakes, that are required from the cast. And sometimes a few different variations of certain jokes. Just in case the original ones do not make it past the lawyers. I am not sure as yet when this will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra but I would advise you to keep an eye out for it and give it a listen. It was yet another very enjoyable trip to the BBC Radio Theatre. Who does not like to end the day laughing at brand new comedy.

I mentioned Tony Law a moment ago. It was really good to see him again. He was the headline act I worked with when I made my stand up comedy debut at the Tringe Festival two years ago. We did four gigs together that night in four different venues in Tring. As we were walking between gigs I got to chat to him and ask him about the art of stand up comedy. He was really nice and helpful and gave me lots of very good and useful advice. Plus the chance to get to watch him close up in action four times in a row performing to the same audience I had was an invaluable experience. The way he grabbed hold of the audience from the second he walked on to the stage was a master class in stage presence. He was also very funny and good during the sitcom recording. In situations when he was performing with the script and when he was just messing about in between the recording. Tony Law is back performing at the Tringe Festival again this year headlining the Comedy Marathon on Sunday 13th July. The comedy festival kicks off on Sunday 29th June with the Roving Comedy Night. I am hoping to be able to get along to this event. To see the brand new crop of trainee comedians in action. And to catch up with some familiar faces like Ben Moorhouse and Logan Murray. I am working on a couple of potential comedy projects of my own for later in the year. Which if they come off could be very exciting.

So owing to the fact that Dads can sometimes be difficult to buy for. This year for Father’s Day I decided to organise a tour around Wembley Stadium for my dad, mum and sister. So we could celebrate the special day as a family and so my dad could do something that he had not done before. That I thought he would enjoy. As a child my dad had taken me to the old Wembley a few times to see a couple of England matches and to both of Wycombe Wanderers FA Trophy victories under Martin O’Neill. So as he had not even been to the new stadium. I thought it was time to return the favour and take him along to see it. With me having done a lot of work at Wembley this year. The surroundings were pretty familiar to me. But it was fun to see the families reaction as they got to go in to the Press Conference Room, the England Changing Room and the players tunnel. Before walking up the famous one hundred and seven steps to the Royal Box. There was then a nice family picture taken with the FA Cup. After a few more facts and figures the tour ended. Then we ended up having a look around the stadium store before heading home. My dad enjoyed the experience and now after having a look around the place. He has decided that he would not mind watching an England match there. So at least that gives me an idea of what to get him for Father’s Day next year.

The World Cup in Brazil is well and truly under way then. I have really been enjoying the matches so far. It is great to see so many goals going in at this early stage of the competition. Normally these group stage matches are really tight and cagey but its good to see lots of teams are looking to attack this time around. I think it must be to do with the atmosphere in South America. Which seems to be encouraging the players to get forward and try to score. I thought England played very well in their first game against Italy and were very unlucky to lose. That is the best I have seen the team play in a long time and so I really enjoyed it. I think we really did deserve at least a draw from the match. The second match against Uruguay was slightly more disappointing though. We never really reached the same heights as we did against the Italians and a player like Suarez, only needs two chances to score two great goals and win the game it would seem. Then just when we thought it could not get any worse Costa Rica beat the Italians and qualify first. So even before their final game England are out of the World Cup. For the first time ever without even reaching the second round. For the record I will still be wearing my England shirt and tracksuit top for that last game though. I like to think it helps me feel more part of things and it shows my support for the team and the country. Even in times of adversity like this. Plus they are white and pretty much every t-shirt and shirt I own is either black or white. So they do fit quite nicely with my existing wardrobe. To say I am disappointed with England’s showing at the competition is an understatement. To try and cheer us all up a little below is a picture of me with the World Cup. As close as any Englishman will get to it this year now unfortunately.

Last week I had a very interesting meeting at Global Radio’s head office in Leicester Square about a potential feature work opportunity within the radio group. I have to say that has always been a building I have really liked looking at and then walking past every time I went into Central London. I used to listen to Capital Fm when I was growing up. So I always associated the building as a place where cool people worked and where great radio was made. As well as Capital Radio the same building now houses the Capital Extra, Heart, Smooth, LBC, Classic and XFM studios. The amount of times over the years that I have just gazed up at it. Trying to see if I could spot anyone I recognised. Or even on some occasions purposely gone to coffee shops near by just to sit outside and see who I could see just walking in and out of the place. So as you can imagine to actually be able to set foot inside it. Walk up to the reception desk. Say who I was and who I was there to see. And then to be sat down in the reception area, was a far as I was concerned amazing.

I am really looking forward to starting work with the Regatta Radio team this week. As we prepare and get ready to bring unrivalled coverage of the Henley Royal Regatta to the airwaves. The Regatta itself runs between Wednesday 2nd July to Sunday 6th July. This week we will be putting the final touches to the station’s sound, production and studios. Before it starts broadcasting on Friday 27th June. Starting with coverage of the qualifying races ahead of the main event. I will be producing some of the live shows and the excellent rowing commentary. As the station brings you full commentary, behind the scenes information and gossip from it studios right at the heart of the event.The races are always exciting. And it is fair to say we always do seem to meet some interesting characters in the breaks from the action out on the water. Plus I will be producing the daily Henley Regatta Radio Podcast during race week. It will all be a lot of fun and an honour to be involved with such a prestigious sporting event. It is going to be great sharing the story of the week with all the listeners as it unfolds. http://www.regattaradio.co.uk/

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Hello again, I hope all is well with you. And that you have had a very good couple of weeks. Once again I have had a lot of fun during the last fortnight getting involved with loads of different things. Meaning the time has flown by. And left me slightly confused by how come we are already nearly half way through the year. June has just kind of crept up on me from nowhere then suddenly jumped on my back. A few Sunday’s ago I spent a lovely afternoon at a friends house catching up with him and his family. Along with another good mate and his family to. The weather was good. So we spent most of the time just chatting in the garden. While enjoying some nibbles and a couple of glasses of wine. Then breaking off occasionally to play a little bit of football and rugby with my friends sons. The children are only three and eighteen months, so it is fair to say I was looking pretty good during these games. As I am basically just a big kid I really enjoyed it. It was an excellent afternoon. Sometimes in our often busy lives now. We do not always seem to spend as much time relaxing with our friends and family as we should. This is something I am going to make a concious effort to do more of. Well at least until their children become better at sport than me anyway.

A couple of weeks ago now I spent a brilliant afternoon at a production company’s office in London. Helping them to run through an idea for a new game show that they are in the process of putting together. I obviously can’t give away too much information about it at this stage. However it is I think a very clever twist on how conventional shows of this nature have always been played. It was a lot of fun to play, very challenging and very exciting. I did get to have a really good laugh with everyone who was there. The people involved in the project are really nice. I believe they already have a big television network very interested in buying the format to the show and making it a focal point of their tea time quiz show programming. It was great being involved with it at this stage. In the reception area of the office that I was in. There was a glass cabinet that had at least five Bafta’s displayed in it. As well as many other recognisable big televisions awards. Looking at that and seeing those awards so close to me. It really made me want to one day win a Bafta. Trust me those things would look great on a shelf in the living room.

Last Thursday I was back in the office to again help with the shows development. It was a another run through of the game show but this time with some executives from a major TV channel there. To see it in action. They had brought with them someone that they were trying out as a potential presenter for the show. Should it actually be commissioned. Now I am afraid I obviously can’t tell you who it is, but I can tell you that they started on children’s television and have been involved in a couple of reality TV programmes during the last few years. So they hosted it and we went through the whole thing from start to finish. Exactly how it would be done if it was being filmed in a studio ready for broadcast. It was great to be involved again and it was a good fun day out. If the idea does make it to the next stage of its development. There is still a very good chance that I could well be part of that process. Which would be amazing. As ever when I hear any more and when I am allowed to say more about it I will do.

I was lucky enough to be at Wembley Stadium to witness the final of the first Nike Cup. It’s a new competition introduced this season for all professional team’s Under 14 development squads. I would have loved the chance at that age to play in a competition where the final was at Wembley.The game between Chelsea and Reading drew a nice little crowd to with lots of family and friends there to support the players. The match itself was a very tight affair and ended up finishing goalless and heading into extra time. Then with the final just two minutes away from being decided by the dreaded penalty shoot out. Reading broke away and grabbed the winner. Imagine getting the winning goal at Wembley at the age of fourteen. You will always be able to tell that story, for ever. It was also nice to see the Reading first team manager Nigel Adkins there making sure that he individually congratulated the whole of the team. Premier League referee Phil Dowd was the man in charge. I am guessing that he had never refereed at Wembley before because when he lead his team of officials up to the Royal Box to collect their medals. I had to show him which way to go.

The countdown to the world cup is well and truly under way. I have been watching all of England’s warm up friendlies. For the final game at Wembley before the squad flew out to Miami for some warm weather training. I looked out my new world cup clothes. Which I intend to wear every time England play this summer. I have an England shirt with the squad number of 20 on it. I appreciate I am not good enough for the starting eleven. But I thought I might have had an outside chance of making the squad. I also have a England Warm up top to wear. I figured with the lateness of the some of the matches and the English summer I might need a second layer to be warm while I am watching. I am hoping these items will act as a lucky charm. Win, lose or draw I will support the team until the end. I do hope the team have more luck than I did when the draw for the sweepstake I have entered was made. I managed to select Honduras. To win the money I need them to some how win the World Cup. Now I am a hugely optimistic person but even I realise that I have no chance here.

The Tringe Festival starts at the end of this month with another amazing line up of comedians. It kicks off on Sunday 29th June with the Roving Comedy Night featuring four professionals and sixteen trainees doing their very first gigs across four different pubs in Tring. One straight after the other. This is the place where I made my stand up comedy debut two years ago. It is a great event for performers and the audience a like. It is so much fun and always very popular. In fact it has very nearly completely sold out. So if you were thinking of going do not delay get a ticket for it today. The next night see’s Arthur Smith appear at the Pendley Theatre in Tring and three weeks later Phil Jupitus brings the curtain down on the festival at the same venue. Some of the other comedians performing at the Tringe include Milton Jones, Sean Walsh, Justin Moorhouse, Mark Watson and Josh Widdicombe. If you want a taste of the Edinburgh Festival but live in Herts, Beds, Bucks or Oxon and want to save yourself the long journey up to Scotland. I would recommend you do get yourself along to at least a couple of the great gigs that are being staged this year.

Tomorrow I am making yet another trip to the BBC Radio Theatre in London to watch the recording of a brand new radio sitcom pilot episode called Friends on Benefits. It stars Jon Richardson and Lloyd Langford. I am really looking forward to it. From the planned pint before hand in my favourite pub in London. To the waiting in the BBC Cafe at New Broadcasting House to be summoned to our seats inside the theatre. Not to mention the actual programme recording itself of course. Writing comedy for radio is something I am currently looking at. Through a couple of different projects I am working on at present. So for me it will be really interesting to see how they go about this recording process in front of a live theatre audience. I am a fan of both of the comics in the lead roles and as ever with these things I suspect they may be a couple of interesting cameo appearances from other actors during the making of this show. I did get to do a tour of Broadcasting House last year. Which included the chance to take part in recording a pretend Radio 4 drama, in the style if the Archers. Which I have to admit was a lot of fun, specially in the sound effects department. I will let you know what the new comedy was like in the next instalment from me here in a few weeks time.

It was my dad’s birthday last week. So as a family we went out for a meal at one of his favourite local places to eat. It was a really nice night. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. Even though my dad had not been there for about three months they remembered him and gave him his favourite normal table in the corner right by the window. I can’t fault the food either. It was really well executed. I selected the belly of pork, with black pudding and caramelised pear served on a bed of sweet potato and cabbage. I have to say it tasted amazing. I then followed that with their Pimms flavoured Eton Mess. Which was again exquisite. The service was great and to be fair the prices were all very reasonable. But most importantly my dad had a great night, we all ate well. And had a good catch up as a family. So well done and thank you very much to the Firecrest in Wendover.

I am in the process of preparing for my association with this year’s Regatta Radio the official radio station for the Henley Regatta. Which I have to say I am really looking forward to. It is always an amazing spectacle to be involved with. It will be a very busy period for me but also lots of fun. You always meet some amazing sportsman and women plus some amazing characters there.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a good couple of weeks. I have had a very busy fortnight doing a whole variety of fun and exciting things. For starters I went to White Hart Lane to see Ledley King’s Testimonial game. As a Tottenham Hotspur supporter I have always been a huge fan of the big stylish defender. Who used to make playing the sport look so easy. I was disappointed for him when he had to retire due to his on going knee problems at the end of last season. So it was very nice to be able to go along to the match. To show my appreciation for his great service to my club over the years. The game was between a Ledley King Eleven and a Spurs Eleven. The Spurs team included current first team players such as Christian Eriksen. Emmanuel Adebayor, Sandro, Lewis Holtby and club captain Michael Dawson. The Ledley King Eleven side featured many great former Tottenham players including Paul Robinson, Teddy Sherringham, Dimitar Berbatov, David Ginola, Darren Anderton, Peter Crouch, Louis Saha and Edgar Davids.

It was played in a real fun and relaxed atmosphere. There were plenty of goals to see as it ended in a 6-3 win for the Ledley King Eleven. The first goal of the night really set the tone for the rest of the match. It was a penalty from the man of the moment Ledley after he had been spectacularly hauled down at a corner by Michael Dawson and Sandro. The other goals for the legends side were scored by Teddy Sherringham who got two and Louis Saha who completed a second half hat-trick. The referee was top World Cup official Howard Webb. Who really got into the spirit of things when in the second half he suddenly started playing for Ledley King’s team. Until he was felled by a terrible two footed tackle from Lewis Holtby. Who was then jokingly pushed to the ground by the laughing Webb. Great fun, brilliant laugh and a great send off for possibly one of the best defender’s the country has ever produced. If only his knee’s were stronger he would have gone on to win many more England caps surely.

The other week I was lucky enough to get to go to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane to see the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical. Like nearly every person in the country as a child I was a huge fan of the work of Roald Dahl. I read all of his books. Including of course the story of the very poor chocolate lover Charlie Bucket, who finds a lucky golden ticket. Which leads to lots of adventure and quite an eventful trip to see a world renowned confectioner at his place of work. I have actually seen the original film version starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. Although I have to confess that I have not seen the remake with Johnny Depp in the lead role. The Theatre Royal itself is an amazing theatre, totally stunning. It is what I would personally describe as a proper West End theatre. Which I really enjoy going to. There is something extra special about seeing a show in the West End I find. I had a brilliant seat to enjoy the performance from. I was sitting right in the middle of the Royal Circle. The show itself was absolutely fantastic. The way it was staged with the clever special effects used to help and enhance the telling of the story was just superb. I thought the whole cast were great but Nigel Planer as Grandpa Joe and Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka were the stars of the show for me. And without giving too much away. I really liked the way that they bring in all the different characters. It’s very clever with a little bit of a modern twist to it to. If you fancy a great night out enjoying a nice family friendly show. I would definitely recommend that you go and see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I promise you that you will not leave disappointed, possibly craving chocolate but certainly not disappointed.

Last Sunday I again found myself watching another star studded event from the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. This time though I was sat in my house watching the TV BAFTA’s on television. I always like to watch award ceremonies mainly because as I do not watch that much TV. I can catch up on a year’s worth of shows in a couple of hours. I thought Graham Norton did a great job hosting the event, moving it along as quickly as possible not over playing his role but trying his best to keep everything on track. And unlike a lot of these kind of events. They did seem to find people to present the awards who could actually read the auto cue. So there were not too many of those awkward or embarrassing moments your normally get at these things. Nice to see Ant and Dec win a couple of awards for Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway which I still think is perfect early evening Saturday TV, done so well. Those two can bring any programme to life and make it even more watch-able. That doesn’t happen by accident. They do work extremely hard on every project they are involved in. I can’t think of two more natural presenters than them two. Other winners I was pleased for on the night were. Richard Ayoade who I think is very original with his comedy performances. David Attenborough because he is just a broadcasting legend and Cilla Black for some deserved recognition for her services to television over the years. I saw her a few years ago in pantomime. You really could not fault her stage presence, singing and her interaction with the audience. Also it was nice to see Julie Walters get the BAFTA Fellowship Award. Such a great actress and so versatile. If you look at the very different roles she has played over the years. Which of course is the mark of a great performer. And highlights why she is so good and such a worthy recipient of the statue.

I met up with a couple of friends to watch the FA Cup Final last weekend. Bearing in mind which football team I support. I would imagine you can probably guess which team I wanted to win the game. It is fair to say I was pretty happy with the first eight minutes of this year’s Wembley show piece. However once Arsenal pulled a goal back it did very much look like they would win the game. Which turned out to be the case. Fair play to Hull City they gave it a really good go and were may be just a little bit unlucky at the end not to take the match to penalties. I have to say I thought the engravers were taking a risk when at 3-2 during extra time the director cut to a shot of them putting Arsenal’s name on the trophy. While they were still playing extra time. After that moment Hull City had two chances to equalise. Which if they had of done could have been a bit embarrassing for somebody. I was doing a bit of work at Wembley this week when I bumped into somebody who I had not seen for about five years. As I was standing in the home England changing room. The whole of the Leyton Orient squad, who were having a look around the place in readiness for the League One Play Off Final this weekend just walked in. With them was of course their manager Russell Slade. Who used to manage Yeovil Town. At the same time I was working for the radio station in the town. During that period I met and interviewed him lots of times and saw him at various different events. Including on one occasion when we both happened to be at the same New Year’s Eve Party. So it was very nice to have a quick catch up with him and get the chance to wish him and his team all the best for the game on Sunday.

This coming Thursday I am heading up to London to help out with the development of a brand new television quiz show. I am going to spend the afternoon just running through the show with its producers to test the format. And possibly try and tweak a few parts of it here and there. So they can make the final pitch to a major television channel. That they have already very interested in the idea. As ever I’m afraid I can’t tell you any more about it at this stage. But all I will say is that it is quite a twist on how normal conventional TV quiz shows work. And it sounds like it will be a lot of fun to play. I have also applied to be a contestant on another game show. I have already had a brief conversation with one of the researchers about it. If that does come off it will be very exciting and a whole lot of fun.

I have recently made a few improvements to my home recording studio. Which I have to confess I have had great fun setting up. I am really looking forward to using them on many of the upcoming projects that I have in the pipeline. I have to say I have got it all set up perfectly and sounding really good. I am also pleased to announce that once again I will be involved with Regatta Radio this year. It is the official radio station for the Henley Royal Regatta. Which broadcasts live commentary of all the rowing races and all the reaction and atmosphere from the event itself. I am really looking forward to being part of the team. Who do a fantastic job bringing the event to the airwaves enhancing the audiences enjoyment. The main event runs from Wednesday 2nd July to Sunday 6th July.

And finally in a few weeks time I am going to the BBC Radio Theatre in London. To watch the recording of a brand new radio sitcom pilot called Friends on Benefits. It stars Jon Richardson and Lloyd Langford. It has been written by Lloyd, who has previously worked with and written for his old flat mate Rhod Gilbert. As well as being a successful stand up comedian in his own right. Jon is probably best known for being one of the team captain’s on Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats. I am looking forward to it. An evening at the BBC is always good fun. I like sitting in the BBC café before it starts just to see who I can spot in there. Plus I do love seeing new comedy show ideas.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.