An ode to Ashleigh & Pudsey

The past couple of weeks have been a little - how to phrase this - shitty. Plagued with an inexplicable headache & snowed under at work I've been staying late, sleeping little and as a result, more than a little bit grumpy. All of this has led to a massive dip in my motivation (leading to my huge lack of posting of late), b) staying away from the computer screen as much as possible (leading to my huge lack of posting of late) and c) not really having anything positive or interesting to say about anything, because I've been either too grumpy or too tired (leading to my huge lack of posting of late).

I thought it was time shake myself by the shoulders, stop feeling sorry for myself and get back on that horse, so I thought I'd share with you one of the few things that hasn't failed to bring a smile to my miserable old face over the past few weeks - Ashleigh & Pudsey of BGT fame.

'Oh, Britain's got talent is rubbish', I hear you say. 'Simon Cowell's a horror', you exclaim - of course I agree, but who can deny the joy of watching a teenage girl and her adorable mutt prance around the stage and be crowned the winners of £500,000 and a performance in front of our dear old Queen?

In an age where we're constantly told that "sex sells!" and that the youth of today are lazy/riotous/just a bit rubbish, it's charming to see a girl who bucks this "trend" the tabloids love to harp on about, and just a bit nice to see that so many people thought them worthy of ITV's outrageous voting charge.

I defy you to not enjoy this (just make sure you pause the clip before you get to Alesha/Amanda's personality-vacuuming dribble):

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Fleetwood Mac: Don't Stop

I'm sure you'll already be aware of Fleetwood Mac and of atleast some of their songs - and possibly of the fact that they're pretty much my "fav band like, ever" - but did you know that drummer Mick Fleetwood is the only original member of the band, or that 1977 hit Rumours is the 8th best-selling album of all time? Even if you think you know everything there is to know, documentary Fleetwood Mac: Don't Stop is the incredible story of how the unique British-blues meets west-coast hippy band became one of the most successful in the world in a career spanning five decades (six, if they come through on their promise of one final world tour). 

It's hard not to find their story inspiring - when the two couples at the heart of the band broke up in the mid-70s, it could have spelled disaster. Instead, they realised the band was their priority (see The Chain), penned two of their most famous hits (Dreams, Go Your Own Way) and got on with it - in the end making what came to be their best selling record of all - Rumours. There's a lesson in there for all of us.

This brilliant 'in-their-own-words' documentary was repeated last week after first being broadcast in 2009 and is available on BBC iPlayer until Monday the 14th of May - I couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon. Put the kettle on, sit yourself down & enjoy...

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The Voice

I'm Pretty sure I speak for a lot of you when I say that The Voice UK was the TV highlight of the past weekend, but after almost three hours of what can only be described as contestants shouting senseless vowels at each other, was anyone else just desperate for the 'battle' rounds to give way to the nitty gritty of..well, whatever The Voice will be once it finally settles down?

Don't get me wrong, I'm l-o-v-i-n-g yet again having some form of 'event TV' (I never really can come to terms with the X-factor ending each year) but whilst we always know what to expect from each stage in the X-factor (and every other TV talent show in the UK), I'm finding not knowing what on earth is going to happen next Saturday night for 90 minutes on BBC1 a little unsettling.

Sure, there'll be some form of singing, but will the spinning-chairs be back in action? Will there be mentor-contestant duets? And don't even get me started on the possibility of another mentor-medley - if anyone ever has to see Jessie J grinding up against Sir Tom Jones ever again, it'll be too soon.

What do you think we should expect from The Voice?

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