The Inbetweeners, Fresh, BBC Switch so much to say…

Simon, Neil, Jay and Will return but have they grown up?

The Inbetweeners, every teenagers life story so far broadcast in front of their very eyes is returning to E4 tonight for a second series. 

The teen drama/comedy set at Rudge Park comprehensive school follows the lives of four very disfunctional friends as they attempt to understand how life works and how to survive the changes of growing-up. 

This series sees Will still trying to be cool in front of his friends but that was never going to be easy. Will he be able to change his ways and not be such an embarrassment? He is definitely the brains though which is more than can be said for Neil, who is adamant his dad is not gay.

Simon, as in the first series is still besotted with Carli, (remember when he was sick over her little brother?) and does whatever she does in an attempt to look cool and attract her attention. And then there is Jay. He is still talking about his sexual experiences and exploits that we all know are a load of rubbish. The thing is though we would not have the four of them any other way. They make the programme more relative. I am sure we can all see one of them in us…

This series will show us how the four of them cope on a field trip and work experience week gives Will and Neil the chance to show how mature they are as they arrange a night out clubbing in London. So be prepared for more funny moments as the guys battle through the perils of growing-up as well as family life and something we all hate, exams.

One thing I am wondering if whether the second series will be as popular as the fourth series of Skins. What do you think? Do you prefer Skins or The Inbetweeners. Vote in the poll below…

 

 

FRESH!

Some of you may have seen the BBC filming a new series called Fresh! at the University Of Westminster last month. The first series that illustrates the beginning of university life is available to watch on BBC Switch and stars none other than James Buckley or Jay from The Inbetweeners. The majority of the scenes are filmed on The Street at the Harrow Campus and it is not a bad mini-series that has a main focus on freshers week, hence the name.

WINGING IT

A new BBC Switch comedy will also be poaching a star from The Inbetweeners. Actor Joe Thomas who is best known for playing Simon in the E4 drama will be appearing in Winging It. The new comedy is filmed for BBC Switch very much like Fresh! However the plot will follow a completely different form. Winging It is all about comedians that are placed in real-life scenarios and they have to get out of them. The series is due to premiere this month.

 

TELLY FACT: BBC Three has commissioned two new comedy series. Gemma Factor and Admin will be shown in six half-hour episodes and production will commence soon.

New Releases … and Reading and Leeds 2009.

Another Monday and another bunch of new releases. Ronan Keating is still riding high in the album charts – who said he was past his best eh?! And Flo Rida is still in the top three of the singles chart, will he ever go away?!

Singles

Jack Penate – Tonight’s Today

Jack is back my fellow students, oh yes he is! ‘Tonight’s Today’ isn’t as catchy as previous tunes such as ‘Second Minute or Hour’ and ‘Spit at Stars’ and it probably won’t be heard at Trinity on a Tuesday night. That doesn’t mean it is a bad song though, it is still very Jack Penate just maybe a bit more mature perhaps? The chorus is particularly strange and wonderful – a mix of ‘today and tonight’ said in a different order. It works strangely well. He also looks particularly attractive in the single sleeve … however there is no trademark check shirt.

 

Doves – Kingdom of Rust

I am quite a fan of the Doves, ‘Black and White Town’ will always be one of my favourite songs, but this song isn’t particularly great. It doesn’t really come to life until halfway through the track and even then it doesn’t really shine. It’s not bad by any means, just I expect more from a band that produced one of my favourite songs! Having said that, I REALLY like the video. It is quite sad but I really like it – make sure you watch it to the end otherwise you won’t appreciate it completely …

Albums

Metro Station – Metro Station

Most people have heard of Metro Station because Miley Cyrus’s brother happens to be the guitarist. Now, normally if anyone mentions Miley Cyrus to me I switch off instantly. However, her brother’s band are really, really good. Think Fall Out Boy meets Hello Goodbye and you’ve sort of got their sound. If you like that American punk/pop/emo type sound (I am a massive fan!!) then these guys are right up your street. The single, ‘Shake it’ is going to sound amazing turned up LOUD in my car with the windows down in the summer. ‘Seventeen Forever’ is a typical tale of young love and the lyrics could no doubt lend itself to a few Facebook status updates and MSN screen names … “we’re one mistake from being together but let’s not ask why it’s not right …”

Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S

Yes guys, MORE FLO RIDA!! His new album is out today – ‘Routes of Overcoming the Struggle’ to give it the full name. It obviously includes ‘Right Round’ and is no doubt being released at the opportune moment to generate as much sales and revenue as possible – gosh how cynical do I sound?! But if you’re into Flo Rida, and apparently a lot of people are, go buy it.

Today’s post could not possibly go without mentioning the fact that tickets for the Reading and Leeds festivals went onsale today. The line up is pretty impressive and of course there is more to be added. Due to the amount of Facebook statuses mentioning the festival I am sure quite a few of you are going this year! Sadly funds being low I can only afford to go to the Saturday – I want to see Arctic Monkeys!

Apparently you CAN mend a broken heart..

Scientists say they have found a way to heal a ‘broken heart’ through a course of medication.

Whilst many of us would associate the term ‘broken heart’ with a non-physical condition, it has been known that the emotional pain we feel can manifest itself into a physical condition. Discovered in the early 1990’s, the condition known in medical circles as ‘Takotsubo cardiomyopathy’ appears in the form of what could be associated to a heart attack, or some form of heart pain.

Whilst this condition has been known about for quite some time, scientists and medical experts have been unable to find a way of treating the condition as it often occurs without warning and will leave little or no side effects. But in a new study that has taken place in America, doctors have found that what many patients would describe as emotional pain is in fact a very serious physical condition as well, and so, with a course of asprin or heart drugs, the patients can recover, often after having been diagnosed as critical.

Whilst these ‘attacks’ still occur with little or no warning after the traumatic event, doctors believe this is a significant step forward in treating the condition, and at the moment will help, at least, those medical professionals in A&E and in hospitals identify what the problem is much quicker.

Here come’s the rain…

When it was sunny and relatively hot I blogged about summer fashion. So now that its rainy and cold (again!), it’s only normal to blog about crappy-weather-fashion. Not to fear though, we can still look glam in the rain!

So where do I start?…Umbrellas! Don’t you hate walking out of the house, into the rain, only to realise you haven’t got an umbrella? It’s difficult to be glam when your hair has gone frizzy! You most definitely will not be leaving the house without one of these in your handbag, whether it’s summer or winter, a groovy umbrella is a fashion must-have.

Leopard print - Miss Selfridge - £7

Floral print - New Look - £8

Spot print - New Look - £8

We all need a jacket to keep us nice and dry from the temperamental London weather. Good ol’ Topshop to the rescue! They have an amazing range of ‘pac-a-parka’ jackets. The parka’s are waterproof and they fold away into a cute little bag. Perfect for the weather now and even better for those muddy festivals coming up! They come in bright pink, fluro yellow, khaki, dark blue and apricot. At £25 each, why not pick a few colours!

Goodbye University – Hello Live Music.

So today is the last official day of semester two which brings mixed feelings. No lectures and seminars for two weeks – good times. Having to go back home and no doubt have the parents moaning – bad times. I am sure many of you are heading back off to your relevant home towns this weekend so here is what live music is coming up around our beautiful country this weekend …

Newcastle

If you’re heading right to the top of England to the black and white city of Newcastle, you can check out a personal favourite of mine The Dykeenies. They are playing at the O2 Academy 2 on Saturday and would be well worth checking out. They made a bit of name for themselves playing the NME tour a while ago and always put on a storming show. 

If you fancy something slightly more chilled and old fashioned you can check out the legend that is Lionel Richie at the Metro Radio Arena! You can’t mock him until you’ve seen him so if you can get your hands on a ticket why not go and check him out!

Sunday can often be a bit of a bore so why not check out local band, The Longsands at the Star Inn. If you’re a fan of Newcastle United (not that you would admit that in public eh?!) you may have heard them playing at St James’ Park this season. I really like ‘North South Divide’ – probably because I am one of those people who whenever I go above London I think I am going ‘up Norf!’

Sheffield

If you’re heading home to Sheffield this weekend and you fancy checking out something a bit mellow and laidback, the classic Starsailor are headlinging The Leadmill on Saturday. As well as the more recent hits, I am sure they will be belting out some of the old classics such as ‘Alcoholic’ which is a bit of a favourite of mine.

On the Sunday you could get yourself down to The Corporation for something totally different as Wednesday 13 are playing. The US rockers are about halfway through their UK tour so are no doubt in full swing. Obviously not to everybody’s taste but you are bound to get one hell of a show and one hell of a mosh pit …

Brighton

If you are lucky enough to be heading back to the seaside this weekend, Brighton as usual has a whole host of live music to keep you entertained. If you fancy something a bit more ’street’ then N-Dubz are playing Concorde 2. Hits such as ‘Ouch’ and ‘Papa Can You Hear Me’ will no be quite awesome live with a buzzed up crowd singing along.

Sundays sees the best thing since Abba and Ikea to come from Sweden hit Digital. Back with a new single, The Sounds are ready to rock and roll again. The new tune is great and should be a massive crowd pleaser and their Indie/New Wave type sound will no doubt lead to much jumping up and down, crazy dancing and head bopping! Everything you need for a good gig if you ask me! Check out the video below for some vintage Sounds live action – she is the coolest front woman around if you ask me!

Doherty to pen a BBC drama series

Will Doherty's drama be a success? (Source: Direct News)

It has been reported that Pete Doherty will write a Skins-style drama series for the BBC.

A release date has not been clarified but the drama, which will centre around teenagers growing up within the dark side of the music industry will solely be written by the former drug addict and Babyshambles front man. 

A spokesperson at the BBC has allegedly said that Doherty was the perfect choice for such a role as he has experienced the music industry and its darker areas first hand, therefore he will be able to incorporate some of his own personal experiences into his writing. They also believe that Pete has a creative streak and his scriptwriting will prove popular with a younger audience.

A few weeks ago we asked students at Westminster University what they thought of Pete Doherty. The results caused some controversy amongst YouTube users as they watched the video.

So, what do they think and what do you think about the BBC’s choice? Do you think it will outrate Skins or just fall flat on its face?

Let us know your views…

TELLY FACT: Former Football Factory star Danny Dyer is to star in a new lads mag comedy series on Channel 4 later in the year.

Abortion advice adverts could be on TV

The film 'Juno' depicts a teenager who decides to keep her child.

A review by the Committee of Advertising Practice has proposed the showing of Pregnancy advisory adverts on television, which could include advice on abortions.

The review comes at a time when teenage pregnancy in Britain is at a high along with those suffering from sexually transmitted infections. The proposals would also include the showing of condom adverts before the 9pm watershed. What the committee has found is that more recently an increasing number of teenagers are now turning to Television and Radio as their main source of sexual information.

The committee itself has approved the proposals however it will shortly go to a public consultation and it is then that this reviews fate will be decided. There is no doubt that opposition to the proposals will be stiff, many anti-abortionists feel that by giving out advice and information on abortion on such a large scale will simply encourage teens to think of it as a ‘easy option’ without thinking through the moral and psychological aspects of abortion.

However there has been general support from the Television networks, Channel 4 has been showing sex education programs almost since it’s creation, more recently with their program ‘Embarrassing Illnesses’ which contains information about sexually related illnesses. With the review soon to be out in the open, it will be interesting to see just what the public makes of it.

Bye bye heels, hello flats…

Finally, the news every girl has been waiting for…We can all swap our ridiculously-sized high heels for a pair of smart flats. I am tired of wearing heels so high that I cannot walk in them, so this news is fab for me!

Stars like Alexa Chung and Jessica Alba have made smart flats look ‘uber cool! Whether you team them with skinny’s for a casual day look, or that party dress on a night out, your flats will look great with everything!

Okay, you might not feel as glam in a pair of flats, but you can dance without your feet feeling like they are going to fall off, and more importantly, you can run for that night bus! Oh yeah!

Generally, any flats work, but try and keep them smart!

My favourites are shown below. They are from Dorothy Perkins and at £20 they will be snapped up very soon!

Dorothy Perkins - Blush toe-cap, Mary-Jane pumps. £20

What do you think of flats replacing high heels? A definite yes on a night-out…Or a no-no?

Alex Lipinski Interview

After our meeting with music journalist Ben Gilbert, we thought it would be a great idea to interview one of our own musicians that Ben was so impressed with.

Ben was very complimentary about the talents of Westminster’s Alex Lipinski – comparing him to Liam Gallagher, The Libertines and commenting on the highly polished material. Praise indeed!

The Word on The Street met up with Alex today to talk about his music. We discussed his influences, touring the UK and America, what university has done for him and the joys of living in Weston-Super-Mare … enjoy!

You can check out some of Alex’s music and see where he is next playing on his MySpace page or check out his official website.

BAFTA cause controversy by nominating Ross

As some of you may know yesterday BAFTA announced its nominations for the television awards. As always there were some surprises, the biggest for some was news that Jonathan Ross has been nominated for best entertainment performance.

Will Jonathan be taking another BAFTA home this year? (Source: Metro)

BAFTA’s decision to nominate Ross has caused fury among some politicians who think that Ross should still face punishment for his involvement in ‘Sachsgate’ last October. In the past he has won three BAFTA’s for his Friday night chatshow Friday Night With Jonathan Ross and his return after his three month suspension has not affected the popularity of his show. 

Andrew Sachs, the victim of the lewd messages left by Russell Brand and Ross was shocked at the decision. Talking to the Daily Mail, Sachs told of how it all seemed too soon after his suspension to be nominated for such a prestigious award. He also said though the he felt no animosity towards Ross and that Sachsgate was all in the past. 

Sachs’ wife was not so understanding and described the news as disgusting. A spokesperson from BAFTA claimed that the nomination was decided purely on the basis of Ross’ chatshow and the answerphone messages were not even considered.

What do you think? Do you agree with Andrew Sachs or do you think BAFTA have made the correct decision? Ross will compete against Ant and Dec, Stephen Fry and Harry Hill for the gong.

Will June's portrayal of Dot make her a big winner? (Source: Virgin Media)

Other surprises include EastEnders actress June Brown being nominated as best actress. Her portrayal of downtrodden Dot Cotton for nearly 25 years has meant that she is the first soap actress in 20 years to be nominated. Other nominations include, Doctor Who, Spooks, Rob Brydon for his role as Uncle Bryn in Gavin and Stacey as well as QI and The X Factor. Coronation Street have been snubbed for the second year running leaving EastEnders and Emmerdale to battle it out with The Bill and Casualty for the continuing drama gong. The full list of nominations can be seen here. 

The BAFTA Television Awards take place on 26 April and will be broadcast on BBC One.

TELLY FACT: Gemma Bissix is to reprise her role of superbitch Clare Devine in Hollyoaks. She will be part of an explosive storyline and will be back on our screens in May