Hi there, how are you doing? I have had another very interesting couple of weeks including doing two things in particular. Which could not have been  more different from each other. So it looks like the weather may be turning then and Autumn is seemingly on its way. I like the way we can have almost eight weeks of sunshine and pretty decent weather. Then after just two days of it being a little grey and wet. We suddenly completely forget about them as if they never happened and then think that it has been damp for what seems like forever. Personally I refuse to accept this and I am still using my summer duvet and have  no plans to turn the heating on any time soon either.

The other week I was lucky enough to be able to go along and see the launch show of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing being recorded. At their brand new studios for this series at Elstree. Now not only did this mean as I went in I got to take a sneaky peak at the outside of the Big Brother house. Where Celebrity Big Brother is currently taking place. But it also meant I got to see what happens behind the scenes of one of the United Kingdom’s most popular television shows. Strictly Come Dancing not Celebrity Big Brother that is, just to be clear. The one hour and twenty minute show that went out on TV last Saturday actually took around eight hours to film over two nights. If you saw the show last Saturday the Red Carpet sequence at the start was filmed on one evening and then the main show, the bit I watched actually took around five hours to film the following night.

It was really interesting to see how they put it all together. As nothing you witnessed on the TV happened in the order it was shown in. To give you some idea about that if you saw it. The first bit we actually saw at the recording was the performance by Rod Stewart. In fact the only bit that was in the right place so to speak was the final dance and the final piece to camera. However when the show went out I have to say it was put together so well there is no way you could tell that at all. The team who make it and produce it are amazing. They are hugely talented. As are its stars. Sir Bruce Forsyth was immense his command of the audience and connection with them was first class.  He came on and did a little bit of a warm up for the audience featuring some jokes, singing and dancing before the recording started. Which showed you exactly why he has been where he has in show business for so long. The man is a legend. Basically it was a great evening out and really exciting to see the performances, celebrities and the dancers live. Plus I was delighted to see my favourite dancer Aliona Vilani back on the show this year. That was a very nice surprise to say the least. The dancers are all good fun and clearly work hard and love what they do. If you are a fan of the show you will be unsurprised to hear that Anton De Beke , Brendan Cole and James Jordan were being the most vocal in between takes and involved in a lot of very good banter with anyone who would care to join in clearly enjoying their work. The judges to all play their parts perfectly Bruno does not stop moving around he is a right live wire and they often turn round and have a chat to the audience behind them in any breaks from the recording.

I think it is going to be a really good series I like the line up. There are some very good dancers amongst the celebrities this year. As well as some great personalities. It will be fun and explosive from what I have seen already. And once again this year I have met one of the contestants before at some point in my life. Although it is not quite as straight forward as last year’s connection with Victoria Pendleton. I have met Sophie Ellis-Bextor before but it was a long time before she was famous or before she had her first number one song. Here is how it happened. When I was about ten my mum took me and my sister to see Mickey’s Christmas Carol and The Jungle Book in a double bill at the cinema in Richmond. As we were outside I spotted Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis. And as a big fan of the show I decided I wanted her autograph. All my mum had on her at that time was some scrap tissue paper and her eye make up pencil. Undeterred and armed with these items I got Janet’s autograph. Which she politely wrote out while leaning on my back. As this was happening standing next to her was a very confused looking six year old Sophie wondering what on earth was going on and who this strange boy was I imagine. I still have the autograph. I have actually interviewed Janet Ellis since for one of my radio shows and although she can’t exactly remember the incident she did offer to update my autograph for me. Best of luck to Sophie Ellis-Bextor in the competition. Slightly strange that both her and Victoria Pendleton got Brendan Cole as their dance partner. If there is somebody I have met in next years show, put money on him being their partner.

Here is the interview with Janet Ellis at the end of it I remind her of our previous meeting as explained above. Enjoy.

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Now from one extreme to the other. I was kindly offered the chance to go along and see England against Moldova at Wembley in the World Cup Qualifier the other week. An offer which I very gratefully accepted. Before then the last time I saw a match at the stadium was Yeovil v Blackpool in the League One Play Off Final in 2007. And I was presenting and commentating on the game for Ivel Fm that afternoon. I was technically working and sat with all the other media people in the press area, so could not enjoy the game as a fan really. Specially as the day finished with a disappointing land long coach journey back to Somerset with the fans to round it all off. So it was nice to be there just as a spectator this time round. Plus the last time I had been to an England game was to see England play Holland at the old Wembley Stadium. So I was overdue an appearance there. Got some great seats, which is not difficult as there is not really a bad seat anywhere in the stadium. The game itself was pretty straight forward England were in control from start to finish and probably should have scored a few more goals. It was nice to be in the ground when Ricki Lambert got his first competitive goal for England. Pretty sure England Captain Steven Gerrard waved at me at the end of the game to thank me for my support. Also thanks to the bouncer at TGI Friday’s, who when we went there after the game for a beer instructed us that if we wanted a drink, we needed to head straight to the bar as we as we went in. I am just thankful he was there as who knows what we may have done without his expert and precise guidance in this situation. It was a good fun night out and always nice to see England win.

I was walking round London recently when I actually spotted a celebrity which is unusual for me in the Capital. Unless I am in an area where I know particular people work or I will just not see them as a general rule. But as I was passing near Leicester Square I spotted an actress from one of my favourite films. Anna Chancellor, who was in Four Weddings and A Funeral walked past me. As I went past her I thought she looks quite dressed up I wonder what see is doing around here. When I then turned the corner and saw a massive picture of her outside the West End theatre were she is appearing in a play. I didn’t speak to her as she was with some friends and looked busy and not like she wanted to be disturbed by an idiot like me.

I like the fact Kylie Minogue is going to be a judge on the new series of The Voice. I think she will be really good at. She will be able to offer some great advice and who would not want to see her on your TV screen every Saturday night. Now I just need to find some way that I can get to work on that show. When Danny O’ Donoghue was on the first series of it. I bumped into him in the reception of a recording studio in London. I really hope the same thing happens with Miss Minogue during her first run on the show. Fingers crossed!

I am looking forward to catching up with my mate Ben Langley as I watch him perform in his new play also starring Joe Pasquale Ha Ha Holmes and the Hound of the Baskerville’s at the Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe. It will be nice to see him. He has had a very good and busy year, so I am sure he will have lots of good stories to tell me.

I have been spending quite a bit of time working on some new jokes recently. I have some more Stand Up Comedy Gigs lined up in October and November. Which I may look to try some of the new material out at. Good luck everybody.  Also BBC Radio 4’s Newsjack returns to the airwaves on Thursday 19th September, so I will be writing some more jokes for that series in the next few days.

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

Hello again, I hope all is good and that you have had an enjoyable couple of weeks. I have as ever been busy working on several different projects. While still finding the time to get out and enjoy myself. Well you have got to get the work life balance right haven’t you? That is very important I think. Luckily I love what I do so even when I am working a lot I am always enjoying myself, which means it does not actually feel like work at all. I did have a rather nice evening off the other Saturday at my Aunt and Uncle’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Party. It was really nice to catch up with so many family members and friends and one thing is for sure. You can always rely on members of your family to help you keep your feet on the ground and make sure you stay grounded. I lost count of the number of times I was asked when I was going to get a proper job. I also bumped into the man who taught me to drive and promptly found out that he retired from the Driving Instructor game soon after teaching me. I am guessing he wanted a less dangerous occupation like lion taming or being Alan Sugar’s secretary.

I am hoping to be working with the BBC on a new project over the next couple of months and have already had a couple of interesting meetings with them about it. As a result of this it enabled me to get a tour of New Broadcasting House a few weeks ago. It is a very impressive place. The equipment they have in there is space age. The radio studios are like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Just on the way into the building I actually walked past Nick Grimshaw and then on the way out as I was leaving  I walked past Greg James. So in one visit alone I spotted most of the Radio One main daily presenter line up.  I also got to have a look at the newsroom that you see in view behind the television newsreaders finding out the rules that are in place for people who work in that area. So they do not embarrass themselves or the station on national TV. Not sure if this is a big secret or not but they told me so I am telling you the One Show is going to be moving to a new studio there in the near future and it will be set up in such a way that you will actually be able to look in to the set from the outside, which means they are quite exposed. Which could make for some interesting viewing I would imagine.

I also got to have a good nose round the Radio Theatre which is pretty amazing when you think of the history of the place and all the great performers and singers who have played there. I was in the dressing room there the day after the Stereophonics had done a special one off concert for Radio 2 and I have to say they had left the place very tidy. Newsjack is also recorded there. So I got to see the place where my joke was delivered and received by the live audience, to go with my recording of the audiences reaction to my joke. Newsjack returns in September and I am looking forward to offering them more material for the new series of the show.

I am quite excited as I have managed to get some tickets to go and see the Strictly Come Dancing Premiere Show being recorded at the show’s new home for this series Elstree Studios. This is the show where we will see which celebrity’s are taking part this year and which professional dancers they will be partnered with. My only slight disappointment is that my favourite Aliona left at the end of the last series, so she will not be there. I’m not exactly sure when it will be shown on TV but I am guessing it will be the Saturday after the recording. But fear not I will let you know when I know, so you can try and spot my face on the TV. I hope I am sitting somewhere near the judges. As I think they will be good fun both during and in between the recording of the show. It will be interesting to see if I have met any of the celebrity’s before. Just like I had on last year’s show. And below is a picture of this meeting to prove it.

I have to confess that I did actually watch the first show of this year’s Celebrity Big Brother the other night. I was not going to but I then looked at Twitter and felt I needed to witness it and see for myself what was going on. I will be honest I consider that I am quite knowledgeable about famous people and keep up to date with the popular trends but I have to confess I had not actually heard of around a third of the people who entered the house. I was surprised to see Louis Spence and Carol Mcgiffin in there, but the producer’s seem to always like at least one Loose Women in the house. (Insert you own punch line here) Good to see Screech from Saved By the Bell back on TV. I did used to like that show as a kid. Mainly I think because if I was watching it in the morning it meant it was the school holidays. And finally fair play to Abs from Five when asked by the presenter Emma Willis what made him want to do Big Brother he answered “Well I need the money don’t I” I salute you sir and wish all the others taken part were as honest as him. Respect.

Last weekend I went along to a free music concert that was put on in the centre of Aylesbury called Hobble on the Cobbles. Now in the past I have organised and hosted several big entertainment events there. So it was actually really nice to go along and just enjoy the event without any of the other pressures that are around if it is all your responsibility. It was great to catch up with some friends and also the stage crew from Class Act, who I have worked with myself on many occasions in the past. It was nice to see so many local and talented bands and singers performing and that so many people came out to watch and support them. The headline act were The Searchers, who I have seen before and who were absolutely brilliant. Such a tight and talented band with a great stage presence and a nice style when talking to the crowd to. Their current drummer of three and a half years service is Scott Ottaway who is from Aylesbury. So it was a really nice home coming gig for him. Both the crowd and the band seemed to equally enjoy themselves. And well done also to my mates Dez Kay and Andy Holmes for their hosting duties on the day.

Filming has been delayed once again due to other commitments for my appearance in the short film “Behind The Painted Smile”. It is now looking like this will be running on in to September, but I have spoken to the producers and they still hope to have it released by the end of the year.

One of the things I am currently working on is a new idea for a musical. It is something I do not believe has actually been done anywhere in the world before. This project is in the very early stages of planning currently. I have so far just written a very basic outline of the plot. I will be doing some more research first and then speaking to friends of mine who work in the musical world to help give me some guidance with it. I am not a song writer so rest assured it would be a musical that uses already existing songs. Which can work well as We Will Rock You and Mama Mia have proved.

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

Hi there, how is it going? I hope you have had a great couple of weeks. Mine have been pretty full on as ever. And they have included me doing something that I have not done for six years. Which I will tell you about shortly. Unfortunately the Radio Rocks event that I was due to be helping to host last Sunday in aid of Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio was postponed until December. At this stage we are working on dates but I am not sure if I will be available to appear at the re-arranged concert or not at the moment.  The weather has been good though still. So nobody can complain that we did not have a summer this year. Talking of which well done to the England Cricket team on winning the Ashes. It just adds to what has already been a great summer of sport for the United Kingdom.

Before last Tuesday the last film I had seen at the cinema was The Simpson’s Movie back in the summer of 2007. Which I  actually went and saw one afternoon all by myself when I was on holiday. Just for the record I did really enjoy it and kept the cost of the visit down by not having any Pick ‘n’ Mix. On Tuesday evening I went and watched Alan Partridge – Alpha Papa with a friend of mine, weirdly at the same cinema as my last visit. And despite it being announced as the number one selling film of the week in the UK on that day, there were only actually about ten people in the showing watching it. Which meant we had a whole row to ourselves with nobody sitting anywhere near us. Now I am not saying I was excited about seeing the film but I made sure we were in our seats even before the pre-film adverts started. To be honest it was a film I really wanted to see because I am a big fan of the broadcaster that is Alan Partridge and also with me working in radio it is something I know a lot about and wanted to see how they dealt with it on the big screen. It is a very funny film brilliantly written, produced and directed. Although the focus is a parody of a radio station used very much for comedy effect. It is strange and possibly slightly worrying how much of it is very close to what can and sometimes does happen in those situations in real life radio stations. I am not sure who helps advise Steve Coogan and the team but it is clearly somebody who knows the radio industry very well. It is the best British comedy of year. So I would definitely recommend you see it if you get chance. If you like the TV show’s you will love the film. Classic Partridge. So bad, he is good!

I have been lucky enough to meet a lot of amazing people over the years working in the media and I always like to see people I know doing well. I first met Ben Langley when I was working at a radio station in Somerset and he was starring in the Pantomime in Yeovil. Which he did for most of the year’s that I was there working.  So we would see each other pretty much every Christmas. He would help us turn on the Christmas Lights in town,  come in for interviews about the shows and we would always have a good laugh and enjoy a few drinks after the Panto press launch night. He then came to the local theatre with a new show that he had written himself. Which he also performed in with a great cast of actors that I also knew. Well now I am delighted to announce that next month that show is about to embark on a big national tour starring Joe Pasquale, Ben Langley himself and Andrew Fettes. “Ha Ha Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles” will be at a theatre near you soon including at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil on the 9th & 10th September, The Wycombe Swan on the 14th September and the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on the 16th November. If you get chance go and long and see it.  It is madcap fun with a great cast and will have you laughing out loud. Good luck to Ben and the team, go and get them mate! http://www.hahaholmes.com/

Sometimes I wonder if I am too competitive for my own good although in my defence I do come from a very competitive family, as this story proves. Last weekend I took advantage of the good weather and went to a BBQ at my Uncle’s house. It was really good to catch up with everyone, the food was excellent and we were enjoying a few relaxing drinks in the sun. But then I find out that my uncle has a table tennis table at the top of his garden. So within minutes we are up there just having a friendly knockabout between us. Which then suddenly becomes more serious as we both discover with are both not bad at it. Then before you know it we are joined by the rest of the guests and we are in the process of drawing the first round of the table tennis competition, that is about to start. So then everything else is completely forgotten about and it is game on. Cue about two hours of shouting, arguing, laughing and aggression. As we all play each other to find out who is the best. With plenty of rows starting along the way as wives beats husbands and as sisters beat bothers. Finally it was down to me and the Uncle whose house and table it was in the final and disappointingly I lost. Which then completely spoiled what would have been a lovely relaxing afternoon and turned it into the day I was runner up in the table tennis competition, not the day I went to a family party. Fear not I will practice and come back stronger for next year’s rematch.

One of my best mate’s is getting married later this year. So over the last couple of week’s with his guidance we have been putting together the plans for his Stag Do. Which is going to be a really fun and nice day by all accounts, as they should be. He basically just wanted it to include football, food and comedy.  Which are three of my favourite things in the world.  So I am very much looking forward to it. I am also impressed by how organised we are as the event itself does not even happen until October. But we know exactly what the plan is for the whole day to the second already. Although let us just put that down to my skills as a top producer shall we.

I am still doing some work with the FA at Wembley Stadium assisting with their Tour Operation. The place really does come alive when there are big events on. With the Community Shield last weekend and the England against Scotland game this week just gone. The way they dress and change the whole internal look and feel of the stadium for every match is fantastic. As is the speed in which they do it. There is also something a little bit magical standing in the England Dressing Room the morning after a big game when you know all the biggest names in football would have been there the night before. Great fun.

In other news I am still waiting to confirm the exact date I will be filming my cameo appearance in the short film I will be appearing in but it is expected that it will be by the end of this month or early next month at the latest. As soon as it has been done I will bring you the behind the scene photos of the shoot. Despite the delays to this project it is still hoped that the film will be released before the end of year.

All the best to my mates Dez Kay and Andy Holmes who are hosting the Hobble on The Cobble music event with The Searchers headlining in Aylesbury on Sunday 25th August. I saw The Searchers live last year and they were brilliant, still a class act. I am planning on going along to this event myself to watch some of the bands in action.

And finally the football season starts again this weekend and as a Spurs fan the pre season has been interesting to say the least. We are still no nearer knowing if Gareth Bale will start the season in North London or Madrid yet. I am just hoping for a good year where we win more games than we lose and win a trophy. I have no expectations as I have made that mistake before and it is the hope that destroys you ultimately. Good luck Tottenham.

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

Hello again, I hope all is good and that you have had an enjoyable couple of weeks. Mine have been busy as ever with lots of exciting things going on. Since we spoke last we have had the arrival of the new Royal Baby. An event which somehow led to lots of people all camping outside a hospital waiting for the baby to arrive. I know of occasions in the past when even the dad has not been there for the birth let alone a couple of hundred people outside, who do not even know the couple personally. Congratulations to Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge and welcome to the world Prince George. I must admit I did wonder if they might include Spencer somewhere in all the middle names as a tribute to Diana but I think that there is a special list of Royal names you have to use and that one would not have been on the list I guess. Finally I have got a lot of respect for the way they both came out and spoke to the media, while waving to the people also waiting outside the hospital.  I thought they spent a lot longer doing that than they needed to. And fair play to Prince William for fitting the car seat in the back and then driving his wife and new born home to the Palace himself.

I had a rare day off the other Sunday and as the weather was good me and a friend went and spent the afternoon in Marlow. I always like to go there during the summer. It is great to walk along the river and it is usually busy with lots going on. We did take a football with us. So I had a bit of a kick around in the park down by the river and got to show off some of my football skills that I perfected as a kid. For the record I have still got it. Overlooking the park where I go, there is the statue of Marlow’s five times Olympic Gold Medal Winner Sir Steve Redgrave, depicting him holding an oar and in all his rowing gear. It looks great but personally I hope that if I am ever lucky enough to have a statue of me somewhere, that I am not wearing Lycra. It works for him but I am not sure it would be such a good a look for me. I was lucky enough to meet and help interview Sir Steve Redgrave with a colleague once at the Judges Lodgings in Aylesbury at a Buckinghamshire Sports Awards night. He was absolutely lovely and a very inspirational person to talk to.  And just in case you are wondering he is very much a giant in real life in every sense of the word.

So the Ashes series continues with England two test’s up and trying to hopefully win the whole series with two matches still left to play, which would be a fantastic achievement if they can manage to pull it off. Now I will be honest I am not a big cricketer myself but I did actually play in a Celebrity Cricket Match once. When I was working at a radio station in Somerset. The team featured me, the local bishop, the MP Oliver Letwin, a Mick Jagger lookalike called Mick Jogger and our team captain the celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Some of the highlights of the afternoon included the right honourable Oliver Letwin offering to let me borrow his box while I was in bat. I politely declined his very kind offer though. Hugh and I sharing cream teas together, which was a little awkward as they did not have any spoons, so we both had to use the butter knife to put sugar in our tea’s and stir them. Fair play to Mick Jogger as he stayed in character the whole time and even came out to bat wearing his sunglasses. If I am honest I did not really contribute too much towards the teams performance.  I didn’t score any runs, didn’t bowl any overs, nor did I take any catches either. I stayed in bat for just three overs and one of them was from the organisers fourteen year old daughter. Hugh I have to say is an excellent cricketer. He scored runs as a batsman and took wickets as a bowler.  My team did win the match. Although that was largely due to the former West Indies Under  21 international we had playing for us. He was amazing. At the end of the game you could see the gulf in celebrity status between me and Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall. He was filming a TV series at the time and had something important to do early the next day up the other end of the country.  So before the game had even finished a helicopter landed in the field next door and Hugh ran straight from the field of play and got in it. He then flew off, circling us once so he could give us a final wave. I finished the game stayed for a drink and got a lift home with my boss in the radio station outside broadcast Land Rover, that we were using to cover the event during the afternoon. It was a good fun day out and have to say I really did enjoy it. But it is fair and accurate to say I have not played cricket since.

Here is a link for the pre game paper report http://www.yeovilexpress.co.uk/archive/2006/07/19/839720.Celebrities_stump_up_charity_cash/

Here is a link for the post game paper report http://www.yeovilexpress.co.uk/archive/2006/07/26/849356.I_m_a_celebrity__don_t_get_me_out_of_here_/

Here is a link for the game with some added pictures  http://www.kaaboom.com/cricket/

I was watching This Morning last Friday when I was delighted to see the brilliant Nigel Mitchell hosting the Hub section of the show. I have been for a drink with him as he is really good mates with one of my former radio colleagues. He is a really nice guy and very good at his job. So it was great to see him presenting on ITV with Jamie Theakston and Emma Bunton. He used to present the Disney Club and work for Nickelodeon TV.  So as you can imagine he has some fantastic stories about some of the bands and singers he has interviewed over they years. Do keep an eye out for him popping up again on your TV screens again soon.

Talking of TV Presenters if you ever go to Windsor keep an eye out for a very special phone box opposite Windsor Castle that has been painted by Timmy Mallett. He painted it last year for the Jubilee celebrations and it features the Queen, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge but this week in the pram behind the Princess he added the new addition to the family Prince George. It is a really clever piece of work and a good fun tourist attraction  Timmy is a very talented artist. He has sold lots of his paintings and holds regular exhibitions. I have had the pleasure of meeting him on a couple of occasions. And he is exactly the same as he is on the television and how you would expect him to be lively and excitable but so friendly and a really fantastic guy to talk to. A really top fella.

Due to other commitments there has been a slight delay to the short film project I am involved with. However the good news is that this month I should be finally filming my cameo appearance for it. I have learnt all my lines and I am completely ready for it. I am just waiting to find out what day I will be required on set. It is still hoped that it will be released by the end of the year. I am also working on another couple of potential appearances in other TV and film projects including a comedy written by a former Eastender! As always I will tell you more, when I know more about it myself.

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

Hi there, how are things with you? I hope you have been enjoying the glorious weather we have been experiencing. I was surprised to hear on the news this has been the longest spell of continuous warm weather we have had since 2006. It doesn’t seem like that long ago to me I must have a very selective memory or I always just think it is sunny. Not bad at all though is it considering the experts from the Met Office were warning us not to expect too much of a summer this year. They are about as good at predicting the weather as I am at predicting the winning lotto numbers.

I have now recovered from working at the Henley Regatta with Regatta Radio. It was the first time I had ever been to the event and I definitely would recommend it to anyone. The atmosphere, the people you meet, the athleticism and determination of the rowers and the overall excitement makes it such a fun occasion to be at . I was very busy mainly producing highlight packages of the hugely exciting races that were regularly powering down the Thames. While also helping to produce live programmes from backstage at the event during any breaks from the action. During these were heard from Olympic champions and fashion experts alike. I have to say there were certainly some very interesting looks on display. Rowers tend to wear colourful blazers and colourful trousers when they are not on the water.  They also had on moored outside the boat houses the special rowing boat that was built especially for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations last year.  Which led the procession down the Thames in London the “Gloriana” which just looked stunning. If you would like to check out some of the race highlights and relive some of the excitement from this year follow this link  http://www.regattaradio.co.uk/audio_year/2012/

I have also been doing quite a bit of work on my comedy stuff recently including with my sitcom pilot. I have been holding some more interesting conversations with a couple of production companies about moving the project forward. And I have also been doing a bit of writing for a new project that I am just starting working on. But that is in the very early planning stages.  I am still doing a bit of stand up comedy when I can. The other Friday I performed at a Charity Comedy Night at the Essendon Country Club with some of the other comedians who I met through the Tringe Comedy Course I did last summer. It was a really fun evening catching up with everyone, getting some nice food (including the most up market sausage rolls I had ever seen) and more importantly raising lots of money for some excellent causes. I am currently in the process of booking up a few more gigs towards the end of this year, which I will announce in the next month or so.

Now I was still at the Henley Regatta working during the Wimbledon Men’s final this year but I did keep up to date with events from Centre Court and watched the highlights when I got in. I  would like to congratulate Andy Murray on being the first British Wimbledon men’s Singles Champion since Fred Perry in 1936. I have to be honest that at one point during his career I was sometimes a little critical of the Scottish youngster on more than a few occasions.  Although not of his undoubted tennis ability but the way he sounded in interviews. It used to be impossible to tell if he had won or lost by the tone of his voice. He never sounded excited or like he had any emotions at all about the game. Which I did not find very inspiring or motivating. I do think now that he does have a very good dry sense of humour. Which at that early stage of his career nobody really knew about back then. So some things that he said may have been taken the wrong way or out of context. In the last couple of years he has really opened himself up to the media and we have had the chance to witness this great sense of humour that all of his friends kept telling us he had. After losing last year in the final the tears and emotion that he showed finally let us see that he did want to win it badly and was not just a robot. Then couple that with the Olympic Gold last year. Which I think gained him even more support across the UK and finally made be really want him to win it and made me think that he actually could. We know now he has given up so much, he works so hard every day. And has that he has had to deal with the weight and expectation of the whole country on his shoulders since he was a teenager. So that is why I was delighted to see him do it. I was genuinely really happy for him and hope he goes on to dominate the tournament and tennis for the next couple of years. Plus the amount of earnings he has donated to the Cancer Centre that is treating one of his best mate’s deserves a place on the honours list itself. Let alone for his sporting achievements. Well done Andy!

I use to play a bit of tennis as a teenager normally around the time Wimbledon was on. I still have the racket I bought but it does age me slightly, I have an Andre Agassi one. The last time I played was a couple of years ago, but the mate who I kept beating decided that he could not play anymore because he had a bad back. I just think it was because who knew he could never beat me.

It really is an amazing summer of sport this year already. Last weekend saw the exciting climax of the first Ashes test against Australia at Trent Bridge. It all rested on the final day and with England needing just one wicket and Australia needing around thirty runs to win the umpires called for the lunch break. This situation then helped to remind me what I love about Twitter and why I so enjoy using it. Having just posted some light hearted joke tweets about giving the Australian’s a big and stodgy dinner. This then led to me having a bit of fun banter with a guy in Australia about Stuart Broad’s involvement in the game and the match in general. We did not know each other yet we were supporting our countries, while having a bit of a laugh from opposite sides of the world. For me that is exactly what the social networking site should be. Friendly and fun!

Other Twitter highlights from the last fortnight include getting some personal health and fitness advice from the former Olympic swimmer Sharon Davies about how to balance enjoying yourself at the weekend with staying fit and healthy. I also managed to grab a quick chat with England Women’s International Striker Ellen White, as she was trying to fire the Lionesses to victory in the Euro 2013 Championships in Sweden. Unfortunately that did not quite go to plan. But I wish Ellen and the team all the best for this season.

I am really looking forward to working with my old mate Dez Kay at the Radio Rocks concert in aid of Stoke Mandeville Hospital on Sunday 11th August at the Westcott Sports and Social Club. I am going to be doing a bit of hosting and a little bit of comedy. There is a whole host of great local bands and singers performing including Frowser, Paul Adams, Nickita, El Bronson and the Sonny Waters band. The headline act is Brian “Nasher” Nash from Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Tickets are available now. So if you are about why not come along and have some fun with us.  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151463390646780&set=a.10151136456641780.431936.557116779&type=1&theater

For the next few weeks at least I am pleased to reveal that I will be working with the FA at Wembley Stadium assisting with their Tours Organisation. It is going to be a lot of fun and I am looking forward to being at the home of English Football for a time.

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