There I was, having my dinner, watching David Platt try to intimidate Charlie on Coronation Street (I lead such an exciting life, you know) in the episode cliffhanging ending (not) and I certianly heard the continuity announcer say over the credits...And stay tuned for Tonight with Trevor McDonald with a special report from Colleen McLoughlin...
I nearly fell off my chair. ITV's only prime time current affairs show hands itself over to Wayne Rooney's girlfriend. She's presenting a report on childrens' hospices as I type this. Let's just say she's not a TV natural. Most of the report involves her sister Rosie who uses the facilities of a hoispice in Liverpool and so far Colleen has spent most of her time interviewing her mother. The future of childrens' hospices is a really important issue and it's right that such a programme should look at issues like this. But do they think the only way they can attract viewers is to use Colleen McLoughlin as a presenter? Bring back Esther Rantzen!
UPDATE: 8.20 She's actually interviewing Tyrone's ex girlfriend from Corrie now for her views of childrens' hospices. It seems she's got the whole half an hour. Why on earth does Trevor McDonald allow his name to be associated with this rubbish?
Obvious. They've got to find ways to make Gordon Brown look electable.
ReplyDeleteIain, far be it for me to suggest that I made this argument first, but I certainly made a similar point about three weeks ago:
ReplyDeletehttp://norfolkblogger.blogspot.com/search?q=itv+play&x=0&y=0
However, I completely agree with you. ITV once led and the BBC followed. Now Hello magazine leads and ITV follow !
Why on earth does Trevor McDonald allow his name to be associated with this rubbish?
ReplyDeleteCold hard cash!
ITwhat?
ReplyDeleteAhem, sorry, did someone mention Coronation Street? www.corrieblog.tv
ReplyDeleteShe is just one in a long line of 'star' presenters. She follows on from Peaches Geldof who showed anorexics pictures of models and asked them if they made them feel fat. Paxman need no worry.
ReplyDeleteYep, this is televisual Prozac, chewing gum for the eyeballs. That'll keep the ratings up, won't it....
ReplyDeleteI've set the video. I wouldn't want to miss a single second of it.
Nicely done Peter!
ReplyDeleteEstha Ranthzen has never left us . She is like Orlando and , in male form, is doing great business as Jeremy Clarkson. Why can no one but me see that this conveyor belt journo- bore is the Esther of our time. Is it because I am especially gifted ?Anyway I would have though ,Iain, that you would be rubbing your hands with glee,and the unlovely sight of main stream media`s agonised exhalation of its dying afflatus.
By the way “Afflatus” is a Boris word, and in his book, I read that Ruth Lea, predicted exactly the circumstances leading to Black Monday, and the end of Conservative perceived economic competence.
Today she is saying much the same of Gordon Brown . Be very scared brown-nose. There was hardly any point in aquiring that accesory family in the first place
Television has been banal(except for certain internet TV stations) for 30 years. Nothing new here Iain. My own view on this Iain is that we are fed a load of rubbish for the following reasons.
ReplyDelete1. To dumb us all down
2. To undermine family values
3. To foist the likes of Borat ( not a bad thing )on us.
4. To ensure we don't read excellent articles like Ruth Lea's in today's Daily Telegraph
Now films on the other hand are timeless. Think of Dunkirk, Heaven Can Wait, Of Kind Hearts and Coronets, Dial "M" for Murder................
AHA. Jeremy CJ another Ruth Lea fan.Wasn`t that about the best," I `ve been dying for someone to say so", in ages.
ReplyDeleteSalutations
Whatever next - some political party will dumb down and try and make Nick Tilsley an MP.
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth does Trevor McDonald allow his name to be associated with this rubbish?
ReplyDeleteBecause Trevor McDonald is rubbish and wouldn't know the difference. He's as thick as two planks.
He gave a lunchtime talk before a small group of professionals when I was in London four or five years ago, and first, it wasn't very interesting, although someone else had probably written it for him. But he hissed his way through it. It was OK, although I can't even remember what the subject was now.
He couldn't cope with the after-speech questions. He actually became huffy and snippy when I asked my question, which was asked out of genuine interest and on which he ought to have had, given that he had just given a talk on the subject, an opinion.
He was Britain's first public example of vile, manipulative "reverse discrimination" which is, of course, discrimination.
And I loathe his prissy little accent.
Newmania for Conservative "Mayor" of London.
ReplyDeleteI wish you well but methinks that bloke James Whale will win with a landslide.
James Whale for Mayor
"He actually became huffy and snippy when I asked my question."
ReplyDeleteHmmm, Verity met Trevor Macdonald and, to my astonishment, he became a little discomforted.Oh how I would have loved to have heard that question.
" Trevor , I was wondering why you look so pleased with yourself when you should have the word "token" painted on rough wood and hung around your neck ?"
"...what.. I was genuinely interested the, snippy bastard"
JEREMY-Oh that was a local stunt and anti Bole protest. The fix is in as Croydonian put it. I would like to remove it ( and my stupid picture) but don`t know how to.( Note to self , speak to young person)
ReplyDeleteStill I should get to the interview stage which might be an amusing culture clash.I hope so
(Sorry)
Newmania - It is grossly offensive that you have fantasized a question I would have asked of a speaker at a civilised luncheon at which I was a guest: "Trevor, I was wondering why you look so pleased with yourself when you should have the word "token" painted on rough wood and hung around your neck ?"
ReplyDeleteThis is grotesque.
How dare you suggest I so grossly abused the hospitality of my hosts? And would ever address another human being thus?
Should I unwind you skein by skein, beginning with the gross discourtesy suggested that I would address the speaker at a professional luncheon, at which I was a guest, who has a knighthood, as "Trevor"?
I have already left Croydonian because we already have enough mosquitoes where I live.
To put such gross words in the mouth of someone you don't know, at a luncheon you did not attend, and whose nature you do not know, is beyond the pale.
I suspect if you are actually employed, you feel you are beneath your station (a call centre? and only because they couldn't get an Indian?).
Once again, displaying utterly unjustifiable arrogance, Verity says:
ReplyDelete"He was Britain's first public example of vile, manipulative "reverse discrimination" which is, of course, discrimination.
And I loathe his prissy little accent."
I am no fan of ITV, particularly it's news content (the "And finally..." segment is amateur nonsense), but to single out McDonald as "thick" based on one dreary talk he was contractually obliged to give to some disinterested, prejudiced, in-it-for-the-expenses "professionals"...to suggest he was/is some token 'black' who got a leg up due to the colour of his skin is ridiculous and offensive.
You have sank to a new low Verity, true colours flying, it was only a mtter of time I suppose.
McDonald got his accent while growing up in Trinidad and listening to the BBC World Service. By the 60's he was working for them as a producer, by the late 70's he was a well respected presenter and helped raise the profile of ITV. Hard work, not tokenism, got him where he is, you racist fool.
So she won't be appearing on 18 Doughty Street then?
ReplyDeleteContemporary TV is nothing more than a cultural lobotomy. So what did you expect?
ReplyDeleteTelevision has descended into a ratings war, which ultimately means that each channel (including the BBC) will appeal to any group of viewers that will boost their ratings, regardless of the intellectual depths that they have to stoop to in order to gain their often limited attention.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC should be ashamed that it gets involved in this 'race to the bottom'. If ITV do it, I couldn't care less. The only thing worth watching on ITV is Champions League football, and that's on Sky now as well!
If anything proved the need for a publicly funded BBC, Iain, d'you think this might be it? ;-)
ReplyDeleteColleen should not be allowed on our TV screens. Only people with Oxford (or Cambridge) degrees should have that privilege. She is not worthy. We are being dumbed down. Lucky for us we can escape to Iain Dale's blog for intellectual sanctuary. Why doesn't Verity get to do a bit of presenting on Sir Trevor's programme. That would certainly raise the intellectual tone.
ReplyDeleteIf, as some suspect, the female reporters on the channels are often appointed for who their parents are, or because of the casting couch, then you could argue that the appointment of Colleen brings a welcome transparency to the business. Is she really worse than, for example, some brain-dead air-head spouting the BBC official lefty line?
ReplyDeleteI'm no great fan of Coleen Mcwhatsit or Tonight with Trevor MacDonald, which is rarely worth watching, nor did I actually watch this particular programme - but that's no bar to comment, surely!
ReplyDeleteI understand this programme was about children's hospices - and as Coleen has firsthand knowledge, via her sister, and is certainly wellknown via the tabloid Press, don't you think she might perhaps have caused people who would never otherwise have watched any kind of documentary, let alone one about terminally-ill children, to tune in? If it could help any hospice generate more cash, it would be worth it.
It was only 30 minutes after all - how many hours does TV waste on football?
I watched a bit of this programme and I have to say I reached a slightly different conclusion.
ReplyDeleteI care little for Sir Trevor, so lets leave him out of it.
No. What struck me was this. In a world where big name celebrities make bucket loads of cash flaunting themselves to the highest bidder and then make some cynical headline grabbing "charity" programme as an after thought, this young lady has made it as one of her highest priorities. Sure, she has a certain undeserved fame by association and will undoubtedly make a name for herself in the world of expensive clothes, but associating herself with this sort of cause at the earliest opportuinity is a damn sight more genuine than any others I have seen.
You are a miserable bunch of intellectual snobs and should realise that Hospices rely on the PR that this sort of programme gets them and the donations that flood in from decent ITV watchers.
Which of course brings me to the more important point - why the bloody hell does this or any other govt starve childrens' hospices of the funds they need to give children suffering from insuffrable and terminal diseases a half decent few years of life.
Our wonderful NHS happily affords exuberant healthcare for the millions of people who suffer from self inflicted (smoking and drinking) illnesses, but does not bother to fund healthcare for children with muscular dystrophy who never even make it to their teens.
Stop taking the piss for a moment and ask yourself why such a programme needs to be made in the first place.
God you lot annoy me sometimes.
Dead Pixel - How utterly dreary of you to fantasise about a lunch I attended four years ago. And that you thought the audience were "in it just for the expenses", although that is perhaps the vivus vivendi among your group.
ReplyDeleteIt was a Christmas lunch and the audience were all guests. It was a gift. We were all there for a good time.
to suggest he was/is some token 'black' who got a leg up due to the colour of his skin is ridiculous and offensive. How so? Do tell. Just a bald statement not backed up by any reasoning is not going to convince anyone. I contend that Trevor McDonald was promoted way beyond his competence due entirely to his ethnicity because this was around when the government started to promote "multiculturalism".
Yes, I know he listened to the BBC World Service in Trinidad in the days when BBC presenters spoke with received pronunciation.
I am not going to be gagged by socialist knee-jerk accusations of racism. This is what the socialist shriek in order to close down any argument or shut other people, with opposing opinions, up.
It is my considered opinion that this individual is a perfect example of Parkinson's Law. Trevor McDonald would be as thick as two planks and would demonstrate an absence of talent and ability to think on his feet no matter what colour he was.
By the way, the past perfect of sink is sunk, not sank.
I have never heard of the woman you are all discussing so obviously haven't commented on her. I have personal experience of Trevor McDonald and he is a jerk.
Shouldn't it be children's hospices not childrens' - or is this blog "dumbing down"?
ReplyDeleteP.S. What exactly is the Conservative Party's policy towards funding for children's hospices?
ReplyDeleteVERITY SAID-How dare you suggest I so grossly abused the hospitality of my hosts? And would ever address another human being thus?
ReplyDeleteYou have taken me far more seriously than was my intention.
You were complaining about Sir Trevor’s snippiness and for some reason this rather amused me . I don’t know what came over me , a quiet day in the call centre perhaps ?
i have never read such a load of bullshit!
ReplyDeleterather than getting lost in television politics cant anyone see that the programme in which everyone is slating just because colleen did it was actually to raise awareness.simple isnt it???
on the day where a young girl had raised 5 million for Francis House what is the problem for someone like colleen to raise awareness about a hospice that supports her sisters illness. i find it remarkable that the public are the ones who always come up with the cash for such charities whilst the government sit still quietly in a corner counting their pennies. i am disgusted at the bollocks i have read on this site.
after realising that the blog owner has to approve my text i find it hilarious that freedom of speech is in fact proof read also, what is happening to this world?
ReplyDeleteno doubt because of the negative words spoken by myself it will not be published i would be happy and astonished to see otherwise.
people do not get stuck on the preasenter of a show look for more depth and understanding, if you can do that with a programme god knows what you could do with your life???????
Why the surprise? When the News at Ten was scrapped (btw a far superior news programme to the BBC's then 9 O' Clock news) it should have been apparent to everyone that ITV had abandoned its commitment to serious news journalism. 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald' has always been a lightweight programme with a heavy bias towards soft 'human interest' stories and against anything which might require a thoughtful response rather than emoting. Trevor McDonald IS a lightweight _ surely noone takes hime seriously as a heavyweight news anchor? It is hard to imagine that, if he was white, he would have got this far. The handover of the programme to someone famous only for dating an ugly footballer is merely the continuation of a trend.
ReplyDeleteI would just like to endorse Richard Bailey's comments. As a treasurer of a fund raising group for our local children's hospice I congratulate Coleen McLoughlin on not only producing increased cash donations to children's hospices but equally importantly raising the public awareness of the financial plight which they all face. All of you who have made cynical comments should be ashamed of yourselves. Try doing something positive - a visit to your nearest children's hospice might open your eyes to the wonderful work they do under very difficult financial circumstances.
ReplyDelete