Winter Olympics: Britains Amy Williams tells of crazy gold medal joy

By Andrew Alderson, Chief Reporter Published: 7:45AM GMT 20 Feb 2010

Previous of Images Next Britain"s Amy Williams celebrates her gold medal victory in the women"s skeleton event Photo: REUTERS Great Britain"s Amy Williams during the Womens Skeleton Run three during the 2010 Winter Olympics at the Vancouver Olympic Centre, Vancouver, Canada. Photo: PA

The 27-year-old, from Bath, described her triumph as "crazy" as she was crowned the "Queen of Speed" in Vancouver, Canada, after winning the womens skeleton.

"Its all a blur. I cant even remember half of it. I just came out the bottom and looked at my coach," said a clearly-emotional Williams.

Amy Williams wins GB gold Victory in sight Williams in sight of gold Amy Williams wins gold Amy Williams: how I won gold Shelley Rudman wins gold in Bob Skeleton World Cup

She was watched by members of her family, including her father Ian, a professor of chemistry at Bath University, and her mother, Jan, a former midwife.

Shortly after her victory in a competition that she dominated, Williams said that she wanted to "give her mum a hug".

"Never in a million years did I think Id come here and win gold," she added. "I dont think it will sink in for weeks and weeks.

"Its amazing to do this for my country. I had nothing to lose here and I just went for it. I enjoyed every minute. Ive done everything I possibly could in the last four years to get here and to put in my best performance.

"Before the race I was okay: it was a bit weird as I was on my own in the changing room and didnt know when to go out.

"I was a bit nervous before it but I thought Ive got nothing to lose so I thought Id just go out and enjoy it and it was great."

Williams hugged team-mates and wrapped herself in a Union Flag after her win at the track in Whistler, Canada.

"Thanks to everyone at home," she said. I know everyone has been watching me, I know they are all gathered together - I want to say hello to all of you."

Ruth Williams, who is Amy"s twin sister, said of the triumph: "All she had to do was get down there, not make any mistakes and she did it, delivered it - and she got the gold. Fantastic."

She was more than half a second quicker than the rest of the field after the fourth and final heat.

She becomes Britains first gold medallist in an individual discipline at the Winter Olympics since Robin Cousins, the ice skater, who triumphed in 1980.

Williams broke her own track record on the way to Team GBs first medal of the Vancouver Games in a time of three minutes 35.64 seconds.

The athlete - whose sled is called Arthur - was competing at her first Winter Olympics. She is known affectionately by the nickname of "curly wurly" because of her frizzy hair.

She had to survive a second day of official protests - this time from Canada - over her helmet.

Rivals have claimed that ridges on the helmet gave her an illegal aerodynamic advantage, but the allegations were once again rejected by the authorities.

Williams stuck to the game plan of maintaining "a pure focus on performance", her sports psychologist said on Saturday.

Deirdre Angella, of the English Institute of Sport, said: "I am delighted for Amy that results have gone her way. It is a testament to all of the work she, her coach and support team have put in behind the scenes leading up to this point. "

Angella worked with Williams and the British skeleton team in the run-up to Vancouver to help get them relaxed and mentally fit for the Olympics.

"With Amys commitment, focus and talent she has maximised her strengths to deliver a phenomenal performance.

"Keeping controlled and focused she has allowed a pure focus on performance, trusting her own ability, the work she has done and the thrill of sliding."

Williams complained of "not really liking it" after her first go on the skeleton, but she managed to win a silver medal after entering the World Push Championships in 2002.

Last year she won a silver medal in the World Championships and another silver in the World Cup race in Whistler, Canada.

Williams achievement is all the more remarkable as Britain does not have a full skeleton track to train on, apart from a dry starting section near Bath.

Winter Olympics 2010: medal table

Published: 8:00AM GMT 28 Feb 2010

Latest medals table for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

GoldSilverBronzeTotalCanada137525Germany1012729United States9141336Norway88622South Korea66214Switzerland6039China52411Sweden52310Austria46616Netherlands4138Russia35715France23611Australia2103Czech Republic2046Poland1326Italy1135Belarus1113Slovakia1113Great Britain1001Japan0324Croatia0213Slovenia0213Latvia0201Finland0145Estonia0101Kazakhstan0101

Man, 20, charged over fatal stabbing of younger brother

By Andrew Hough Published: 8:00AM GMT 20 Feb 2010

Jack Taylor, 9, was stabbed at a house in the Wibsey area of Bradford on Thursday Photo: FACEBOOK

The young victim was stabbed at a house in the Wibsey area of Bradford on Thursday.

Jack"s 18-year-old sister was also injured in the attack, which is understood to have taken place at her house in a downstairs room.

His brother, Daniel, was arrested and West Yorkshire Police said late on Friday night that he had been charged with murder and wounding with intent.

The accused man will appear at Bradford Magistrates Court on Saturday.

Neighbours of the family described the youngster as a ""normal little lad"" and described their shock at news of the tragedy.

Trevor Bairstow, whose 10-year-old granddaughter Leah went to school with the victim, said he was horrified.

He said: ""He was normal little lad. I used to see him playing out and about.

""He never bothered us. What can you say? He"s a nine-year-old boy who"s been stabbed. It"s shocking.""

A spokesman said officers were called at 7.46pm on Thursday to a house on Rookes Avenue, Bradford, West Yorkshire, after reports of a stabbing.

Police said the boy was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary by ambulance but died from his injuries shortly after 8pm.

His 18-year-old sister was also taken to hospital with a stab wound but her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Police said a post-mortem examination showed the boy died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

Dale Webster, 24, who lives across the road from where the stabbing took place, spoke of his shock.

He described the victim as a ""cute little lad"" who came to collect sponsorship money from him a couple of months ago.

Mr Webster said: ""That was the last time I saw him. He was a cute little lad. He was just a normal kid.

""I used to see him playing on his bike a lot. He came one day and asked me to sponsor him for school.""

He said the street was usually quiet and peaceful but he added: ""I"ve seen police go into that house a lot in the past. And I think a mental health team have gone to the home.""

Mr Webster said he was shocked by the stabbing.

""I saw a police van outside the house last night,"" he said. ""I didn"t think much of it.

""There was no noise or anything like that. But then I heard about it on the TV this morning. It"s appalling.""

Dad jailed for killing six week old daughter

Published: 8:00AM GMT 20 Feb 2010

Olusola Akinrele who was jailed for life after he murdered his six-week-old daughter Photo: PA

Olusola Akinrele, 34, violently shook and slammed his six-week old daughter against a hard surface causing fatal brain damage.

Akinrele inflicted a campaign of violent abuse against Leeya in the three weeks before her death leaving her with a horrific catalogue of injuries.

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When she was not asleep, she was "in excruciating pain" constantly crying after suffering 22 broken ribs, broken fingers, a fracture to the right thigh and skull, and bite wounds to her face and hands.

But Nigerian-born Akinrele, who came on a student visa but overstayed, had no interest in Leeya simply seeing her as a ticket to avoid deportation, the Old Bailey heard.

The little girl was rushed to hospital in December 2006 and 12 days later her life support machine was switched off.

Doctors then discovered the injuries and saw marks to her nose, fingers and thigh.

Branded a man with a short violent temper with "psychopathic traits" Akinrele was found guilty of her murder after a trial at Ipswich Crown Court last November.

he child"s mother, Kelly Inman, 22, also of Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, admitted allowing the baby"s death and was jailed for three years.

Sentencing Akinrele Judge Philip Clegg said: "It"s plain from the evidence the court heard during the course of the trial you have little or no interest in Leeya.

"You simply saw her birth as helping you avoid deportation."

Because Akinrele has already spent nearly three years on remand he is eligible for automatic deportation.

Credit card profits must be investigated

Published: 8:00AM GMT 20 Feb 2010

Ros Altmann, who has advised the Number 10 Policy Unit on pensions and has acted as a consultant to the Treasury, warned that credit card rates of around 18% are excessive.

She believes there could be a case for a regulator to oversee the rates they charge.

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Credit card customers are now paying the highest interest rates for 12 years despite the fact that base rates are at an all-time low of 0.5%.

The card companies say rates are high because of the large number of people failing to pay their bills during the recession.

The government is currently examining some of the charging methods used by card companies, although there are no plans to look at the level of the rates they charge.

But Ros Altmann says credit card rates cannot be justified and is calling for an inquiry into how the market works.

Tributes paid to Alexander McQueen as London Fashion Week opens

Published: 8:00AM GMT 20 Feb 2010

Previous of Images Next British Fashion Council chairman Harold Tillman spoke of the designer"s "extraordinary impact" on the international fashion industry Photo: AFP/GETTY McQueen was one of Britain"s most feted fashion exports Photo: REUTERS

The 40-year-old British designer was found hanged in his wardrobe at his Mayfair home on the eve of his mother Joyce"s funeral.

While McQueen had not attended London Fashion Week since 2001, he was one of Britain"s most feted fashion exports.

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His parent company PPR announced yesterday the McQueen label will continue despite his death.

Launching the event at Somerset House, British Fashion Council (BFC) chairman Harold Tillman spoke of the designer"s ""extraordinary impact"" on the international fashion industry.

He called for a minute"s silence to remember ""this great talent"".

He said: ""I ask you to join me in sharing both respect and reverence for the passing of one of our greatest British designers Lee McQueen.

"His impact on London and this international fashion industry has been extraordinary. And he will be sorely missed.

""I know that we will all remember his incredible achievements and what he did for fashion here in London.""

Praising McQueen"s talent, he added: ""He proved that this industry and this city is one of opportunity. He left school with one O-Level and with a good mix of determination, hard work and genius, he became and will remain one of London"s leading lights.

""To ensure London, his home city, continues to grow as a global fashion centre will be a fitting tribute to this brilliant man.""

Prime Minister Gordon Brown"s wife Sarah Brown said: ""I have no doubt this will be a creative and inspiring London Fashion Week and also a reflective time with the passing of Lee McQueen.""

Fashion journalists, buyers and designers from around the globe will descend on London for the series of catwalk shows which are to run until February 24.

Dublin-born Paul Costelloe was the first designer unveiling his new collection at the bi-annual event.

He drew on the ""Assassination of Jesse James"" as his defining inspiration with his collection featuring tweed, leather and period-inspired silhouettes.

London Fashion Week guests have the opportunity to pin messages to a board at the main venue at Somerset House, which will be placed in a book at the end of the week and presented to McQueen"s family.

One tribute, from Clara Mercer of the British Fashion Council, read: "So many memorable moments a real British hero."

Another from Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director at Harrods, read: "My favourite McQueen creations are his skull clutches and scarves which fuse contemporary edginess and ladylike chic. His sculptured dresses are also an art form."

Rosanna Falconer of the British Fashion Council wrote: "I have never seen another show hit the theatrical heights of McQueen"s. We have lost an awe-inspiring talent."

An additional tribute will consist of a display wall at Victoria House embedded with 40 iPod touches, each holding images from McQueen collections.

For the first time this season the event will stream shows live online.

The BFC is launching an area on its website where visitors can view shows as they take place at Somerset House and other London locations.

High profile designers due to unveil their new collections over the next week include Julien Macdonald, Matthew Williamson, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood.

Google Buzz prompts legal action by US woman

By Emma Barnett, Technology and Digital Media Correspondent Published: 4:00PM GMT 18 Feb 2010

Comments 1 |

Google invites Microsoft to tell it what went wrong with Buzz Photo: REUTERS

Eva Hibnick, a woman from Florida, instructed her US law firm yesterday to file the complaint against Google in San Joses federal court, alleging that the company had broken the law by using the new tool to share her personal data without her consent.

The complaint claims that Google has broken several electronic communications laws. Hibnick is seeking an unspecified amount of financial compensation and also an injunction to prevent Google from being able to take similar actions in the future.

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A Google spokesperson told The Telegraph: "We haven"t yet been served and won"t be able to comment until we"ve had a chance to review the complaint."

Google Buzz, which allows Gmail users to update their status for other Gmail users to see and easily share content from YouTube and Picasa, is being seen as Google"s attempt to compete more closely with Facebook and Twitter. However, since its launch last week, Google has faced a barrage of privacy complaints.

Earlier this week Google bowed to public pressure and diasbled particularly controversial features -one of which gave users a ready-made circle of friends based on their most frequent email and chat contacts in Gmail.

The Google feature was heavily criticised because users who did not change their default settings, automatically ended up "following" the people they emailed most, and this list was then made public. Many also did not want contacts whom they emailed regularly for work purposes to be included in their online social circle.

Buzz will now only suggest who users may like to include as their friends.

Buzz also no longer automatically connects Buzz to Picasa photo albums and Google Reader items.

However, only two days after Google announced the changes, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a watchdog group, filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging the company had violated consumer protection laws.

EPIC wants the FTC to ensure that Google is barred from using Gmail address book contacts to compile social networking lists.

"This is a significant breach of consumers" expectations of privacy," EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg said in a statement. "Google should not be allowed to push users" personal information into a social network they never requested."

In response to the EPIC complaint, Google said it already has made some changes to Buzz based on user feedback and has "more improvements in the works."

Yesterday, Canadas privacy commissioner joined the ever-growing number of Google Buzz critics, accusing the company of breaching privacy laws.

"We have seen a storm of protest and outrage over alleged privacy violations and my office also has questions about how Google Buzz has met the requirements of privacy laws in Canada," Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart said in a statement.

Separately Google has acquired reMail a mobile email search service which was available, until the deal, through the Apple App Store. The app has now been removed to tech enthusiasts dismay and no plans for how the service will be integrated into Gmail have been revealed by Google.

Using Facebook or Twitter could raise your insurance premiums by 10pc

By Richard Evans Published: 4:20PM GMT 19 Feb 2010

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Services such as Twitter, FaceBook, Foursquare and Buzz can alert criminals when users are not home, according to Confused.com

Services such as Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Buzz can alert criminals when users are not home, according to Confused.com, the price comparison service. Foursquare, for example, shows that people are in a specific spot and, more importantly, that the user is definitely not at home, Confused.com added.

It predicted that the new wave in social media could eventually lead to big rises in home insurance premiums.

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Darren Black, the head of home insurance at Confused.com, said: "I wouldn"t be surprised if, as social media grow in popularity and more location-based applications come to fore, insurance providers consider these in their pricing of an individual"s risk. We could see rises of up to 10pc for people who use these sites.

"Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their information gathering, even using Google Earth and Streetview to plan their burglaries with military precision. Insurance providers are starting to take this into account when they are assessing claims and we may in future see insurers declining claims if they believe the customer was negligent."

The company offered the following advice to users of social networking websites:

1. Never post your home address or other personal information such as your home phone number on social networking sites

2. Don"t follow people you don"t know on social networks and use block others from seeing your profile if you don"t know them

3. Turn off location-based services on Twitter and Facebook unless you absolutely need to use them

British films: why dont we go to see them?

By David Gritten Published: 1:19PM GMT 19 Feb 2010

Britain"s best: Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish in Bright Star

This Sunday, the leading lights of the British film industry will pour themselves into glamorous evening clothes and repair to the Royal Opera House, where they will tread the red carpet before making their way into the Bafta awards ceremony. There they will present each other with awards and bask in an atmosphere of mutual backslapping before a watching television audience.

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I only hope that none of them looks too smug while theyre about it. The fact is, the last year has been a pretty good one for British films, with almost a dozen genuinely worthwhile titles in release. But its been disappointing in the sense that the British cinemagoing public has not turned out en masse to see them.

Even those titles singled out by the Baftas as representing the best our industry has to offer have performed indifferently at British box-offices. There truly hasnt been a breakout hit among them. And for people living in vast swathes of this country, away from urban centres, there have been few chances to see interesting British films.

This is nothing new. Only a year ago, we were celebrating the extraordinary success of Slumdog Millionaire, a huge hit here and throughout the world while some were wondering if the British industry might benefit from its momentum.

Theres a recurring motif here that goes way back to Four Weddings and a Funeral, through The Full Monty, Billy Elliot, right up to Mamma Mia! and Slumdog. Once every few years, a British film (often about the triumph of little underdogs) captures the global imagination, and otherwise rational people start speculating that here, finally, is a bright new dawn for our film industry.

It never happens, of course, and it certainly didnt after Slumdog. Instead, the industry fell into its familiar pattern of boom and bust. Indeed Film Four, the production company that launched Slumdog on the world, found itself in financially straitened circumstances.

In a sense, then, Sundays Baftas will be surveying a year that has found British films in default mode: that is to say, not reaching sizeable audiences.

Youd never know this from the upbeat press releases issued by the UK Film Council, the quango that, among other things, offers completion funding from the public purse to those British films that tick the right boxes. The UKFC never tires of telling us how well our films and the talent in them are performing. Look, heres a Britflick (or a British actor) nominated for an Oscar! Look, British independent films have never been more popular!

One sometimes wonders if the UKFC (which does actually perform several valuable functions) feels the need to indulge in this happy-clappy propaganda to shore up its own comfortable existence and withstand close political scrutiny.

In truth, there is a massive disconnect between the British film industry and the audiences it is meant to serve. Consider Baftas five nominees this year for Outstanding British Film: In the Loop, An Education, Nowhere Boy, Moon and Fish Tank. None has been a sizeable hit, except by the low standards of the industry.

In the Loop and An Education (both also Oscar-nominated) both grossed £2.2 million in British cinemas during the course of their entire run, over several weeks. That sounds fine till you consider that Valentines Day, a mundane Hollywood romcom, just grossed £3.7 million here on its opening weekend.

Nowhere Boy and Moon have grossed some £1.3 million, and Fish Tank only £600,000. To put the fortunes of the last film in perspective, it means that fewer than 110,000 people have paid to see it. Not many, is it?

Its not as if bad notices by British critics, the most popular excuse for failure employed by our film producers, played any part. These five titles were largely reviewed positively. Personally, Id rate all of them, plus the neglected Bright Star (which seems to me the best of all), among my 20 favourite titles of the past 12 months.

So can it be that we simply dont like British films?

Not necessarily. Valentines Day, like so many heavily marketed and advertised Hollywood films in Britain, opened last week on a massive number of screens 432. Fish Tank opened last September on just 47. What hope did it have? At that time, I met its director Andrea Arnold, who told me plaintively that she believed lots of people would like her film if only they got the chance to see it.

But they dont. Some weeks back, I alluded to this in a Saturday Telegraph column, and a reader wrote to confirm that her friends were "not aware of this type of (British) film, whereas they know all about American releases". Popcorn movies, she added, could be seen "anywhere, at all times, but anything else is restricted viewing as far as my two local cinemas are concerned".

Now this was someone with not one but two local cinemas. And she lives within 20 miles of London. If she feels excluded from British films, imagine how someone living in Cumbria or Cornwall must feel.

Still, in fairness, its not as if there were lines around the block to see these British films on the relatively few screens on which they played. Im not quite convinced Fish Tank, with its gritty, uncompromising subject matter, would have found a large audience had it been distributed more widely.

As to whether "we" like British films, it depends who you mean by "we". Tastes have changed, audiences have become progressively younger, and Hollywood simply caters to them more effectively. Id guess that, for example, An Education and Bright Star attracted mainly older crowds, and they alone do not create hit movies.

Still, its a sad reflection if potential audiences are denied the chance to see the best films the British film industry can offer.

Our cinema chains are partly to blame. Is there another country in Europe that so willingly rolls over for the big studios, and allows Hollywood product, so much of it indifferent, to exclude our own films? Over the years, when in France, Germany, Italy and Sweden, Ive been struck by the prominence of domestic films in cinemas.

There will be people at the Baftas on Sunday who have the power to change this state of affairs. Its about time they started. British film-makers and those who fund them should start by asking themselves if their films genuinely appeal to our film-going public. As it is, an awful lot of television viewers on Sunday may be wondering if this isnt just an insular industry thats talking to itself.

HOW THEY PERFORMED

HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTER

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Critical reaction: "At once loud and boring, like watching paint dry while being hit over the head with a frying pan." Peter Bradshaw, the Guardian

Number of UK screens on opening: 516

UK box office gross: £26 million.

BRITISH FILM

Bright Star

Critical reaction: "It feels special without being at all precious" Sukhdev Sandhu, Daily Telegraph.

Number of UK screens on opening: 118

UK box office gross: £1.05 million.

Pictured: amazing ant that carries 100 times its body weight

By Andrew Hough Published: 8:00AM GMT 20 Feb 2010

An Asian Weaver ant, upside down on a smooth surface, and carrying a weight in its jaws.

The amazing picture was snapped by scientists at Cambridge University by a team in the department of zoology investigating the extraordinary sticky feet of ants and other insects.

The image, taken by Dr Thomas Endlein, shows an Asian weaver ant, upside down on a smooth surface, carrying a 500mg weight in its jaws.

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Other pictures in the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) science photo competition included a crow using a stick to fish food, a killer whale and a salmon caught in a net.

"It won first prize because it was a beautiful image and managed to convey complex science," said the BBSRC.

Weaver ants use their feet and their legs to achieve their sticky feats.

Dr Endelin: said: "Ants can change the size and shape of the pads on their feet depending on the load they are carrying. If they have to carry heavy loads they increase the contact area, and when they need to run they decrease it."

The ants" legs also play a part in the insects" stickiness by making clever use of what scientists call "peeling forces".

"If you think about peeling off sticky tape from a surface, it"s easiest when you peel at a steep, rather than a shallow, angle.

"Ants use the same mechanism: when they want to stick, they keep their legs at a shallow angle relative to the surface, and when they want to release their legs they increase this angle and peel off easily," he added.

Sex and Sex and the City

By Tom Chivers Published: 11:02AM GMT 17 Feb 2010

The Sex and the City girls, Charlotte, Carrie, Miranda and Samantha: Do Sex and the City watchers have more sex, better sex, more adventurous sex?

(A third group, most easily defined as "men", are completely baffled by it, and wonder why they are expected to care about the bleak, self-absorbed life of some vapid New York journalist and her caricatured friends, even if they do have some good one-liners. But they are not relevant here.)

But who is right? Do Sex and the City watchers have more sex, better sex, more adventurous sex? Are they more likely to sleep around? We took a look at the figures; 945 women in total answered the survey, 466 who have watched the programme, 479 who have not.

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A word of warning: the data here is not sub-divided. We know that the average Sex and the City watcher, for example, is much younger than the average non-watcher (76 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds have seen the show, compared to just 42 per cent of 45- to 54-year olds). What we can"t do is assess from this data how much more likely SATC-watching 45-to-54-year-olds are to, say, enjoy their sex lives than non-watching women of the same age. So be a little careful of any shocked conclusions you may draw below.

Sex and the City watchers want good sex (and they want it when they want it)

Your average Carrie fan is considerably more voracious than the non-watcher. 14 per cent of those women who have lost their virginity and watched the show say that they usually initiate sex, compared to just eight per cent of those who haven"t. More Samantha than Charlotte, then. (The national average is 29% however so this is taken out of context slightly)

SATC watchers want good sex (but don"t seem to be getting it)

Asked to rate how happy they were with their sex lives, 24 per cent of SATC-watchers described themselves as "not at all happy" or "unhappy", compared to 22 per cent of those who hadn"t seen it. At the other end of the scale, 43 per cent said they were "happy" or "very happy" less than the 46 per cent of non-watchers who said the same. Shades of Berger and Carrie"s unsuccessful trysts? Or, as the lady herself might say in voiceover: do we have a right to good sex? And, of course, how good? See below.

SATC watchers get good sex (despite what they claim above)

Obviously there"s more to sex than just reaching orgasm, but nonetheless, it seems the show"s fans are being a little demanding. 69 per cent (yes, 69; feel free to snicker) say they "always" or "sometimes" achieve climax during sex, compared to 64 per cent of non-fans. So they"re having more orgasms, but worse sex, which may suggest that they"re setting their sights a bit high. Watchers are also more likely to think about sex all the time; 68 per cent think about it "at least once every few days" or more often, compared to 45 per cent.

SATC watchers are really good at sex (and aren"t afraid to say so)

Intriguingly, while they are less likely to be satisfied with their sex lives, SATC fans are pretty confident they"re not to blame. 42 per cent rate themselves as "Excellent" or "Good" in bed, compared to 34 per cent of non-fans. Conversely just eight per cent of watchers think they are "not at all good" or "not good", compared to 11 per cent of the rest of the population. So all that bad sex they"re having it"s someone else"s fault, it seems.

SATC watchers want good sex (sooner rather than later, please)

They might not enjoy it, but SATC fans certainly can"t be accused of not giving it a proper try. Watchers are more likely to have sex earlier in a nascent relationship (37 per cent by end of fourth date, compared to 20 per cent of non-watchers), and are more likely to lose their virginity earlier (mean age 17.75, almost six months younger than the non-watchers" 18.24). They are also more likely to have had sex recently (56 per cent compared to 49 per cent) and more likely to have it regularly (9.08 times in the average month, compared to 8.84). Still, they clearly aren"t happy about it.

SATC watchers know good sex toys (and aren"t afraid to ask for them in Ann Summers)

A whopping 44 per cent of Carrie fans own a sex toy. That"s almost 1.5 times as many as the rest of the female population who do not watch the show (31 per cent). What is not clear is how many of them are misusing a neck massager, a la Samantha, although we hope that that data will become available in a future survey.

SATC watchers know good sex (but don"t want to look at their partner"s face while they"re doing it)

While the positional thinking of SATC fans is largely the same as that of everyone else, they do have a greater preference for doggy-style sex than everyone else (20 per cent as opposed to 14). It would be cruel to make a Sarah Jessica Parker joke something about not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, maybe so we won"t.

SATC watchers have had good sex (but not for a while)

This might be surprising, on the face of it: although SATC is all about women in late youth and early middle age having lots of sex, the show"s fans are more likely to have had their best sex in their youth; 27 per cent said that their peak came between the ages of 18 and 24, compared to 17 per cent of non-fans. By the time they got to between 35 and 44, just 18 per cent say they were still enjoying the best sex of their lives, while 25 per cent of the rest said that was their best time. However, we suspect that this is at least in part because (as mentioned above) the women who watch Sex and the City are more likely to be younger. A 34-year-old is unlikely to claim her best sex happened in the future.

SATC watchers know unprotected sex (but don"t want a baby)

Fans of the show are nearly twice as likely to have taken the morning after pill than their non-watching compatriots 34 per cent to 18 per cent. However, again, the figure should be treated with caution; they are only slightly more likely to have had unprotected sex (59 per cent to 53 per cent). We think some of the difference is to do with the morning-after pill only became available in the UK in 1984, and was not widely used for some years after that. They are, however, also more than twice as likely to have contracted a sexually transmitted infection, by eight per cent to three.

SATC watchers know good, er, marriage (and aren"t afraid to overuse a lame joke)

As you might predict, far fewer SATC watchers are married than in the general population 38 per cent compared to 58 percent of non-watchers. While it would be nice to think this is because they"re all hunting Mr Big, we should also remind you that they"re likely to be younger; obviously younger women are less likely to be married. They are also less likely to be unfaithful in that marriage (11 per cent compared to 19) although since they are more likely to sleep around when they"re in non-marital but committed relationships (25% to 18%) we think that"s again just because they haven"t had time yet.

Find out more about the sex lives of the nation in the Stella Sex Survey 2010 .

The Stella Sex Survey 2010 was conducted exclusively for Stella by YouGov plc. The 1843 respondents (898 men, 945 women) are a sample of British men and women aged 18+. They completed the online survey between 15-18th Jan 2010. The question "do you use pornography?" was asked to a sample size of 2520 on 18-19 Jan 2010; the question "how many sexual partners have you had?" was asked to a sample size of 2013 on 22-25 Jan 2010

Sexting: the new infidelity?

By Hannah Betts Published: 7:00AM GMT 20 Feb 2010

Ashley Cole and Cheryl Cole Photo: PA

This week brought word that the X Factor judge St. Cheryl Cole is planning to divorce her husband, the dastardly Ashley, following the footballers "sexting, or sex-text shenanigans. Cole would appear to be in a category all of his own when it comes to plumbing the seamier reaches of the zeitgeist. However, his sexting habit appears to be among his more conventional behaviours. Everybodys at it, or so it seems: Tiger Woods, the entire Premier League, even that nice Vernon Kay. Moreover, this is not merely a celebrity predilection. Illicit sexting is as hot as Hades, and the perpetrators will be ones colleagues, friends and, quite possibly, ones partner.

"U looked gr8. I wnt you and h8 it when were apart. Txt me a pic of Lil Mark."

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Mark not, needless to say, his real name proudly shares the latest communication from his latest crush. They average forty or so messages a day, largely concerning what each would like to do to the other. I use the word "like" advisedly, for Mark and his paramour have not yet had sexual relations not because they are teenagers, despite the txt spk but because 46-year-old Mark is married. While he texts and emails choice obscenities, he will be bathing the children or serenely watching television with his wife.

Where once the symbols of infidelity were lipstick on the collar and dubious hotel bills, so today the principal indication is likely to be repetitive stress disorder of the thumb. The technology that has allowed the working day to expand into a 24/7 slog conducted via iPhone and BlackBerry has no less enabled a hot and heavy culture of permanent flirtation; a flirtation, moreover, where the virtual may effortlessly elide into the physical.

We are used to the notion that the young are embroiled in a constant sexting deluge of booty calls and (aptly-named) Facebook pokes. However, the habit is increasingly ubiquitous among older, but apparently no wiser, individuals, many of them in relationships. Where once adulterers were forced to take some trouble to stage-manage an affair, so now he or she can seek out candidates from the family sofa.

Television presenter Vernon Kay, 35, has become the reluctant poster boy for this trend. Kay is married to Strictly Come Dancings fragrant Tess Daly, 38. He is the host of Family Fortunes, she the author of a new book on motherhood. Yet the family values central to the pairs light entertainment appeal have been tarnished by the revelation that Kay has been despatching erotic messages to not one, but a clutch of women. Kay maintains that he has not slept with his fellow sexters, but nonetheless apologised on his Radio 1 show last week, saying that something he had seen as "harmless banter" was inappropriate conduct for a married man.

Paula Hall, a psychotherapist and spokesperson for Relate, has a chapter on the symbiosis between technology and infidelity in her new book, Improving Your Relationship for Dummies. When asked whether she finds this behaviour common, her response is an emphatic: "Yes, yes!" "People can legitimately term these platonic affairs," Hall explains. "The defence is that it involves nothing sexual not even touching. But there is obviously deceit and a breach of trust. The participants are playing with fire.

"It is the holding of secrets from your partner that is damaging," she continues. "Plus youre idealising someone to whom you have constant access. In fact, it may be less about the other person than escapism into a powerfully intense world where the texter has autonomy and feels attractive. There are some couples who can successfully negotiate these boundaries, but for most it will be a case of playing Russian roulette."

A thirtysomething woman of my acquaintance vehemently agrees: "I thought I was being so modish, so virtuous. Id never flirt with a colleague in a bar, but virtual communication seemed like a harmless grey area. I can see now that I was an accident waiting to happen grooming myself and potential partners for an affair.

"Texting was my crack: an exhilaration I wasnt getting in my marriage. The man I fell into a sext affair with was always there for me, like the imaginary friend I had as a child, but with the one-track mind you have as a teen. It was brilliant, intoxicating and disastrous in terms of my marriage. My husband said he would rather I had picked up a stranger for a one-night stand. It was the intimacy of the virtual relationship he couldnt stomach." Her marriage was ongoing, but relations remain strained.

The compulsion of this seduction is that it takes place piecemeal. Spellbound by an intimacy exacerbated by lack of eye-to-eye contact, egging each other on to more graphic revelations, the sext addict craves ever more potent hits. Kay has observed how his exchanges started off "pretty innocent, yet rapidly developed into something more explicit. He also found himself using the computer phone service Skype, which allows users to view each other.

The new iPhone 3GS, among other top-of-the-range mobile phones, enables owners to send video footage, and doubtless a host of lesser models will follow suit. The video files involved are so vast that it would be rare for sexters to use them. However, as with all technology, it can only be a matter of time. Certainly, Ashley Coles alleged adeptness with MMS (sending images via text) suggests it is a small step from saying what activities one would like to engage in with another person, to demonstrating the apparatus one would use, to playing away.

Even where sexts are not made flesh, many may feel the damage has been done. Tess Daly has been reported as saying the trust is gone in her relationship, as anyone who has ever observed their partners clandestine smile on receiving a message will understand. Sexting, like sex, creates a conspiracy of two from which the rest of the world is excluded. And in a culture in which we are inseparable from our phones, the potential is always there, literally to hand.

But perhaps we are in danger of succumbing to sextual hysteria. Penny Mansfield, director of the relationship research organisation One Plus One, remains sanguine. "We tend to stress the damage technology can do to relationships, but a lot of people are using it to sort out problems."

She points to evidence from the Oxford Internet Institute to suggest that couples are using text and email to confront topics they otherwise find too challenging. Mansfield contends that there are situations in which sexting may even play something akin to a positive role. "

Often these flirtations dont involve a sexual relationship, or the break-up of a partnership, but are a way of people dealing with an unhappy time in a relationship, or a period of readjustment. They get over it and things settle down. Relationships wax and wane, but it doesnt mean they cant wax again." The waning may prove terminal for Mr and Mrs Cole. However, Kay and Daly are advised to take note.

Roger Ebert, film critic, given back voice after cancer treatment

Published: 2:45AM GMT 19 Feb 2010

Film critic Roger Ebert is pictured on the latest Esquire magazine cover Photo: REUTERS

Roger Ebert, 67, lost the ability to speak almost four years ago, following life-saving surgery on his throat.

He has since relied on hand-written notes, a form of sign language and a basic voice synthesiser to communicate.

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Now a company based at the University of Edinburgh is using new computer technology to let him communicate with his own voice once again.

Mr Ebert is said to be ""excited"" about the move and he is expected to demonstrate the system in a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Scottish firm CereProc is the company behind the development.

Chief technical officer Matthew Aylett said a prototype was delivered to Mr Ebert two days ago.

He said: ""When Roger first heard it, he was very excited because he never thought he"d be able to communicate in his own voice again.

""We"re very happy to have been able to use our technology in a way which is helping someone express themselves.""

CereProc works with ""text-to-speech"" technology and specialises in producing voices which have character and emotion.

The research team became involved with Mr Ebert after he found out about their work online and contacted them last summer.

Fortunately for the veteran movie critic, his years of TV appearances and numerous DVD commentaries meant the research team had a wealth of audio material to draw upon.

The company was able to painstakingly reconstruct his voice by mining the recordings.

New words and sentences were produced by piecing together snippets of the recordings.

The end result is a comprehensive database of words and a system which can ""speak"" any typed sentence in the voice he had before his operation.

The sounds can also be tweaked by him to get the right intonation and emphasis across.

Dr Aylett said: ""One of the things that we specialise in is trying to produce voices which have got a bit of character and don"t sound neutral or boring.

""Conventional speech synthesis normally involves recording the data very carefully in a studio, where we can control what people say and the environment it"s recorded in.

""In this case we"re using audio that has been recorded for commentaries on Casablanca or Citizen Kane, for example.

""We have to take this audio and try and produce something which sounds smooth and natural.

""This synthesis sounds very much like a natural voice. It"s very important for us that the voices we"re trying to reconstruct sound as close as possible to the original speaker."" It is believed to be the first time that archive audio material has been used to benefit the speaker.

Dr Aylett said: ""This is the first time we"ve actually built a specific voice for someone who needs it.

""Roger Ebert is hoping to use it to produce his blog as an audio piece and he"s even thinking he could maybe use it on radio and television."" Dr Aylett said the technology has moved on ""dramatically"" from the type of speech system developed in the 1980s and famously used by Professor Stephen Hawking.

He said: ""Stephen Hawking is now identified by that voice, so he doesn"t want to change it.

""The difference here is the voice we"re giving Roger Ebert is actually the same voice he had before he had surgery.

""When he uses it, people who listened to his commentaries in the past as a broadcaster will recognise his voice.

""Both are examples of the way the voice is so central to who we are as people and so much of our character and personality is expressed by the use of our voice.""

Map out a walking adventure

By Adrian Tierney-Jones Published: 9:30AM GMT 18 Feb 2010

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On course: modern gadgets might be all the rage but maps give a complete 2D picture of the landscape Photo: CORBIS

The GPS or satnav is not infallible, as anyone who"s witnessed a lorry rammed between two ancient cottages can testify. Satnav has its uses, but sometimes you wish drivers would simply read a map. The same goes for walking if you really want to enjoy the countryside, forget the gadgets and mug up on your basic map-reading skills.

There are people who actively enjoy getting lost. Robert Macfarlane, author of The Wild Places (a sublime celebration of our native wilderness), is a fine example of someone who finds emotional stimulation in not knowing where he is. For most of us, however, there"s little poetry in discovering we"re crossing the wrong field

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Everyone who takes to the great outdoors has their own disaster story: the sudden fog or the snowstorm from hell that obliterated every landmark on a bleak fell. Even a path through seemingly innocent woodland can develop a sinister, fairytale quality as it leads us further away from that nice country pub.

This is where walking guide Mark Reid comes in. Based in the Yorkshire Dales, he has spent the past 10 years covering more than 8,000 miles of footpaths through the north of England. Challenges have come at him like flurries of snow on a desolate January day. Whether it"s a stygian night walk in the midst of winter, or a dense mist draped over bleak moorland, he"s been in the thick of it and has had to develop his own skills.

Reid is now sharing them with other outdoor lovers in a series of Navigation Skills weekend courses that should give even the most nervous walker a sense of place. He is not the only one to offer such courses, but the bonus is that, as author of the Inn Ways walking-and-pubs guides, you know that the post-walk refreshments will be spot on.

"Most people assume good navigation is all about being able to use a compass. In fact it is about good map skills and always knowing where you are. This is what people will learn on my courses. I don"t use a GPS there is no substitute for a map. From a map you get a complete 2D picture of the landscape."

Good preparation is key, says Reid. It might seem obvious, but you hear stories of entire families strolling along a razorback ridge in their flip-flops or walkers taking on mountains without even a waterproof, he says. Sometimes they"re lucky, but all too often the consequences of such a dilatory lack of preparation are serious, as search and rescue teams are scrambled and precious time and resources wasted.

Peter Burgess, a dedicated walker who runs fellwalkingclub.co.uk says that informing others of your whereabouts is essential. "I heard of a group who went up Borrowdale in the Lakes," he says. "They were overdue and several search and rescue teams were out looking for them, but they were already down and tucked up in bed. They hadn"t told anyone where they were going and when they would be back. The teams weren"t very happy."

When it comes to the satnav vs map and compass debate, pragmatism carries the day with Burgess. "I do carry a satnav," he admits. "But I also take a map and compass as there could be battery failure and once I was scrambling and the satnav butted a rock. You hear of people just taking their mobiles to rely on, which is madness. I take all these things; it"s a double insurance."

Reid"s two-day weekend course covers all aspects of the National Navigation Award Scheme"s Bronze level syllabus, including route planning, weather forecasts, basic map interpretation, grid references and essential clothing and equipment. Both days include a walk and, on Saturday evening, everyone goes to the pub to plan the next day"s route. On Sunday everyone takes it in turn to navigate a leg of the walk.

With its rolling hills, sweeping valleys and high moorland patched with great swathes of heather, the Yorkshire Dales are an inspirational place for walking. Over the course of the weekend you pass impressive waterfalls and traditional hay meadows, and there"s a pint and a bed at a cosy pub in an attractive stone village waiting for you at the end of a long day"s walk.

"The outdoors is here, it"s free and just waiting to be discovered," says Reid. "Some people look at it and see obstacles such as getting lost and bad weather. This course aims to get rid of those barriers."

Mark Reid"s Navigation Skills Weekends take place once a month until October and cost £79; for more details see teamwalking.co.uk/navigation_skills_weekends.html For other courses on navigation skills see nnas.org.uk/course_providers/index.shtml

Property in the Caribbean: Welcome to Barbados

By Anna Tyzack Published: 4:00PM GMT 19 Feb 2010

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Previous of Images Next Pooled resources: Solana, St James, is on sale for $16m (£10.2m) through Knight Frank; Prince Harry Photo: REX FEATURES Monkey Business $6.5m (£4.4m): A six-bedroom house in Sion Hill with open-plan living rooms and a marble terrace. It is within landscaped gardens, overlooking a private gully. Knight Frank: 020 7629 8171 Royal Westmoreland $350,000 (£222,000): Apartments at Royal Westmoreland include access to the golf and beach clubs and spa. Plans are afoot for a second 18-hole golf course. RWM: 01524 782649 Candelisa Weston Resort $144,000 (£91,400): A development of 45 apartments near Glitter Bay and Lone Star Restaurant (where Jerry Hall was recently spotted) with pool. Candelisa: 01943 882302; candelisa.com

It"s a green monkey, not a fox or a rabbit that we swerve to avoid on the road to Apes Hill, a former sugar plantation in Barbados. There are polo ponies dozing in the fields beside the drive, shaded by palm trees, and the Caribbean Sea stretches out in front of us. But for all its exoticism - sun, white sand and rum punch - the island has plenty of Britain about it. According to Fay Davies, a former A Place in the Sun presenter who moved to Apes Hill last year with her dog, Rudy, it is rather like living in a Dorset village and this is why British people like it.

Barbados has a long-standing relationship with Britain. It was a colony and protectorate for three centuries until it gained independence in 1966. The Queen is still head of state and members of the Royal family are regular visitors to the island Prince Harry was playing polo at Apes Hill last month. Families, such as Guinness and Bamford, own large swathes of land and numerous British celebrities and socialites have homes there, including the Kidd family, Cliff Richard and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The red ER letterboxes, children in smart school uniforms and the recent arrival of Waitrose, are reminders of Barbados"s connection with Britain.

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It is hardly surprising then that 85 per cent of the island"s second home owners are British. They appreciate the sunny weather and British connections (English is spoken across the island), but also the sophisticated infrastructure. "I didn"t comprehend before I moved here how switched on Barbados is," Fay says "It has all the simplicity of the Caribbean, but everything works. And because it"s only a four-hour time difference, I can still be available for colleagues in London."

James Burdess, who has lived on the island for the past 13 years with his wife and two children, agrees that Barbados"s infrastructure sets it apart from other Caribbean islands. "The beaches, the sea breezes, the culture and the people are all fantastic, but it is the things you don"t see that make me want to live here the schools, the hospitals and the sport," he says. "Here it"s a return to old-school values the crime rate is negligible, people still get dressed up to go out in the evenings and the golf courses are incredible." There is a vibrant social scene, with international polo matches and Test cricket. "You can do everything you do in England, but it"s warm," James says.

The island is made up of parishes, rather like Guernsey or Jersey. Buyers can choose whether they want a home in the hills, on a golf course, or by the sea. The wild, Atlantic coast to the east is popular with surfers and walkers, while St Thomas, in the centre of the island, has large farms and plantations. Here Knight Frank is selling Clifton Plantation, a 241-acre polo estate with a great house and cottage for $15 million (£9.5 million). St James on the west or "platinum" coast contains some of the most expensive homes in the world, as well as three of the island"s five 18-hole golf courses (Sandy Lane, Royal Westmoreland and Apes Hill). There are fashionable restaurants and bars in the parish town of Holetown, as well as shops such as Prada, Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren. "St James has the most established property market," says Julian Cunningham, of estate agency Knight Frank.

Until three years ago, Apes Hill in St James was a working sugar plantation. Since then it has been transformed into a world class 18-hole golf course and polo club, with about 40 villas some with views of both the east and west coast. It is owned by the Williams family, who moved from Wales to Barbados in the 17th century and will eventually include a spa, fitness centre and clubhouse. "It"s a slowburn project," says Linda Williams, of Apes Hill. "The market will dictate when it will be finished."

Buyers can choose to buy a plot (from $500,000 to $12 million) and build their own home, invest in an off-plan villa at Moonshine Ridge ($3.5 million to $8 million) or buy a home already built (from $1.9 million). Most of the owners are British CEOs and entrepreneurs, who appreciate the traditional coralstone houses dotted around the golf course. Despite the economic crisis, there have been successful resales. "Homes bought for $300,000 off plan are already selling for $430,000 to $750,000," Linda says.

This tallies with recent research by Cluttons, which suggests inquiry levels in Barbados are up 80 per cent since the beginning of the year. At Beachlands, a development of 55 open-plan apartments on the beach near Holetown, a number of the most expensive properties have sold even though the project will not be finished until 2013. Prices range from $2 million to $8.5 million. All the apartments in the boomerang-shaped building will have sea views, there will be landscaped gardens and underground parking. "Beachlands is all about location," says Fay Davies, who is handling the marketing. "You can go snorkelling and swimming with turtles and walk along the new coastal footpath to Holetown in 10 minutes, plus Sandy Lane spa and golf course are just three minutes away."

The main downside for British buyers considering a home in Barbados is that property prices and living costs are similar to those in Britain in fact Waitrose sausages cost more. That"s not to say the island has been immune to the economic crisis. Knight Frank estimates that prices have fallen by 22 per cent over the past two years; the Barbadian government is bailing out the island"s unfinished Four Seasons resort (where Simon Cowell and Sir Philip Green have reserved homes) with a £38 million loan. "There were very few sales in 2008 and 2009," Knight Frank"s Julian Cunningham says.

Estate agents, however, are optimistic about the future. "During an economic downturn, it is always the exclusive locations that win through first," says Kieran Kelly, from Cluttons.

The recession has taught developers to be more realistic about the starting prices. It"s now possible to buy a home in Royal Westmoreland for less than £300,000. For this you will only get a one-bedroom apartment, but maybe that is good. "You don"t know how many friends you have until you have a home on Barbados," James Burdess says.

For more information about properties at Clifton Plantation, Apes Hill or Beachlands call Knight Frank on 020 7629 8171

WHY BUY IN BARBADOS

No capital gains tax, inheritance or estate taxStrong rental market five -10 per cent returnsHot, sunny weather, warm seaStable economy and governmentRegular direct flights to BritainLess time difference than other Caribbean islands

Economists settling old scores over UK finances

By Jonathan Russell, City Diary Editor Published: 10:29PM GMT 19 Feb 2010

Last weekend 20 high-flying economic hawks said "large" and "now" on Friday 50 doves suggested "small" and "later". The interesting thing here are the names.

Leading the hawks we have Tim Besley, professor of economics at the LSE and former Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member.

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On the side of the doves we have David Blanchflower, also a professor of economics and another former member of the MPC .

The thing is there"s history between these two. Back in September last year Blanchflower wrote in his New Statesman blog how Besley came to him in 2008 cap, or perhaps calculator, in hand, and admitted he had been wrong about not cutting rates earlier and that Blanchflower"s more dovish stance was right.

Rates were cut and the two were on the same team for a while. Obviously, not any more.

Which leaves us with just one question, who will be writing the valedictory blog this time?

Mr Payne and his licence to drill

The corporate imagination knows no bounds, another mailbox full of crafty company names for you.

I"m informed of a carpet-fitting outfit in Bognor Regis called Easy Lay Carpets; a home-cleaning firm in Sussex called Dunn and Dusted; a hairdressing salon in central London called Ryan Hair (in fact, it"s just outside Telegraph Towers I never realised) and a grocer in Bristol called Melon Cauli. Here"s hoping things have cheered up for them.

And to finish on we have a dentist from Cheshire called Mr Payne, and apparently he in lived in a house called Toothacre.

Sometimes you just have to take this stuff on trust.

Getting to know your limitations

Hats off to the scribblers at stockbroker Charles Stanley for adopting the best headline so far on the Greek financial crisis, "Acropolis Now".

You may have seen it in these pages earlier this week and we"re only too pleased that they"re keen readers.

Shapps" energy rating goes off the scale

The Tories are having a terrible time with numbers. First it was the misplaced decimal point in the teenage pregnancy figures that caused such delight in the Labour Party, and now I understand that Grant Shapps, shadow housing minister, has joined in.

According to a report in Building magazine, sharp Shapps recently wrote to his opposite number John Healey demanding to know what percentage of domestic energy certificates have had an energy rating of "more than 450".

The answer wasn"t too difficult to work out it"s none. The scale only goes to 100.

Lionel Jeffries

Published: 5:48PM GMT 19 Feb 2010

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Previous of Images Next Photo: JON LYONS/REX Gary Warren, Jenny Agutter and Sally Thomsett in "The Railway Children" Photo: JTAVIN/EVERETT/REX

As an actor, the bald, bewhiskered Jeffries showed a facial mobility and excellent comic delivery that turned him into one of the best-known bumbling figures in British cinema; and however brief his appearances, he was always an asset in films that ranged from The Colditz Story and The Quatermass Xperiment to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Trials of Oscar Wilde.

He gave a fine performance as the Marquess of Queensberrry in the latter film, positively seething with rage when Wilde, played by Peter Finch, replies to his gift of a cauliflower with the line: "Thank you. Whenever I look at it I shall think of you."

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But it was as the director of The Railway Children, one of the most enchanting films ever made for young people, that Jeffries left his mark on the history of cinema; and it was one of his own children who provoked this change of career from acting to direction.

One day his eight-year-old daughter Martha came to him with a book. It was Edith Nesbit"s Edwardian classic, a gentle tale of young Edwardian adventurers round and about a Yorkshire railway line, and as she handed it to him she told her father: "I think that would make a good film."

Jeffries promptly bought for £300 a short option on the film rights. But no producer seemed interested, and for another £300 he extended the option. This time he was backed by the producer Bryan Forbes, who approved the script and agreed that Jeffries should direct.

Jeffries"s script and direction, along with the acting of Bernard Cribbins, Dinah Sheridan and Jenny Agutter and the homely tone of the whole enterprise, earned the film its place as a minor classic.

With this success behind him, Jeffries was inspired him to make more films in the genre, coming up with The Amazing Mr Blunden (set in 1918, it has a widow and her two children living in a country house haunted by the friendly Mr Blunden); Wombling Free (1977) and The Water Babies (1978). None of these, though, rivalled the warmth, simplicity, charm, and eye for period detail that distinguished The Railway Children.

Jeffries enjoyed making its successors and, undeterred by the indifference of producers to many of his subsequent projects, kept on writing scripts and pestering for their realisation. Eventually he was able to draw only one conclusion: "No one wants family entertainment any more. They want explicit sex."

Lionel Charles Jeffries was born in London on June 10 1926; both his parents were social workers with the Salvation Army.

He was educated at Queen Elizabeth"s Grammar School, Wimborne, Dorset. In 1945 he was commissioned into the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, serving first in Burma (where he worked for the Rangoon radio station) and later as a captain in the Royal West African Frontier Force.

After leaving the Army, Jeffries went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he was, he said, "the only bald student". He had lost all his hair by the age of 19, later remarking: "Of course I was upset. Tried a toupee once, but it looked like a dead moth on a boiled egg."

Despite this disadvantage, he won Rada"s Kendal Award in 1947, then spent two years in rep at Lichfield.

Work was hard to come by, with one agent informing him: "I can"t see you getting anywhere for at least 10 years. You"ve got a young face but you"re bald meaning you"re too young for character parts and not good-looking enough for leading roles."

None the less, Jeffries quickly won his first West End engagement, as Major ATM Broke-Smith in Dorothy and Campbell Christie"s Carrington VC (1953), with Alec Clunes in the title role. The following season saw him on the London stage as The Father in Peter Hall"s production of Lorca"s Blood Wedding and The Doctor in Jean Giraudoux"s The Enchanted, both at the Arts Theatre.

Jeffries was soon attracted to the cinema, starting his film career in Alfred Hitchcock"s Stage Fright (1949). But he made his first real impression as one of the prisoners-of-war in Guy Hamilton"s The Colditz Story (1954). Jeffries later recalled: "I went to the cast meeting with holes in my shoes, but I was given the third lead to Eric Portman and John Mills."

Offers of work poured in, and in one year alone he acted in nine different films. In 1955 he was a great success in Windfall, and there followed a plethora of successful cameo roles in which he proved capable of summoning up both dry comedy and menace. Among them were an inquisitive reporter in the Quatermass Xperiment (1955); Gelignite Joe, a diamond robber whose schoolgirl niece contrived for him to impersonate a new headmistress in Blue Murder at St Trinian"s (1957); and a sailor charged with trying to prevent the ship"s captain from knowing about all the livestock being carried on board in Up the Creek (1958).

Other parts included Major Proudfoot in Law and Disorder (1958); an army adjutant trying to impose regulations on Anthony Newley"s conscripted pop singer in Idol on Parade (1959); and a prison officer attempting to discipline Peter Sellers and Bernard Cribbins in Two-Way Stretch (1960).

Jeffries continued in this vein for another two decades, samples being The Hellions (1961); The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963); First Men in the Moon (1964); You Must be Joking! (1965); Rocket to the Moon (1967); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), in which he played Grandpa Potts; and The Prisoner of Zenda (1978). In all he appeared in 70 films between 1949 and 1988.

He once said: "I was constantly rewriting the words of the comedy characters I was given to bring them a comic humanity. Most of the people I played were caught in desperation. In their hearts they knew that they were failures but they would never admit it, even to themselves."

He did not entirely neglect the theatre, treading the boards in the musical Hello Dolly! (1984) and for Ray Cooney"s Theatre of Comedy company in 1985-86 he appeared in three farces, Philip King"s See How They Run, Ben Travers"s Rookery Nook and Cooney"s own Two Into One. In 1987 he was in Shaw"s Pygmalion on Broadway and, back in the West End three seasons later, in Ibsen"s The Wild Duck.

His television credits included the title role in Father Charlie, about an eccentric priest assigned as spiritual adviser to a convent; the sitcom Tom, Dick and Harriet; and the series All for Love, Shillingbury Tales, and (opposite Peggy Ashcroft) Cream in my Coffee.

Lionel Jeffries married, in 1951, Eileen Mary Walsh, who survives him with their son and two daughters.

Ask Gill: portable oxygen concentrators; Australian visas; insurance claims

By Gill Charlton Published: 8:00AM GMT 19 Feb 2010

Previous of Images Next Send your travel queries to askgill@telegraph.co.uk The best places to view polar bears are the Svalbard archipelago in northern Norway and around Churchill in Manitoba, Canada Photo: ALAMY

Grounded by airline"s oxygen ban

Susan Moore, Halifax, writesLast November, my husband Russell and I booked flights to Cyprus with Jet2. We had taken Russell"s little portable oxygen concentrator (POCs) on a Jet2 flight last year to help him breathe, so we didn"t expect any problems.

More advice from the experts Contact Gill Ask Gill: two weeks too long for lost bag Ask Gill: shouldn"t my insurer pay more? Ask Gill: who pays for a cancelled flight? More from Gill Charlton

Before booking I had phoned Jet2"s customer services team to ask whether last year"s medical information sheet was still valid. I was told to send it in again with a doctor"s letter.

A month later we received a call to say that we could not take the concentrator "because it"s dangerous". We could only take oxygen bottles. These are heavy and, in my view, much more dangerous.

I spoke to a supervisor who said that the airline had decided last July to refuse all POCs because certain concentrators "use too much oxygen".

We are very upset because we paid £3,000 for the concentrator so that Russell could go somewhere warmer and drier in winter. Can you find out what"s going on?

Gill Charlton replies

I am afraid that Jet2 is proving intransigent. It cited "safety reasons" and "the increasing number of models being introduced, with different standards of oxygen concentration" as its reasons for refusing to allow the use of any POCs. I asked the airline if it would give you a refund because its customer service agent had not alerted you to the change in policy since your previous flight.

Jet2 has also refused to do this and says that passengers with serious health conditions should fill in the medical form and get permission to fly before making a confirmed reservation.

The Civil Aviation Authority, responsible for health and safety on British airlines, says there are no safety problems with using POCs on board aircraft but that it does allow airlines to make their own decision. Jet2 is the only British airline to refuse the use of POCs on board. Austrian Airlines, Alitalia, Qantas, Qatar, MAS and Wizz Air also refuse.

The US Federal Aviation Authority requires airlines to allow the use of POCs and has an approved list of 15 models. It is hoped that the EU will legislate on the issue later this year. Last month, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association published a report on the attitude of airlines that fly from Britain towards passengers who need oxygen during a flight. Its secret shoppers found an abysmal lack of knowledge about POCs among customer-service staff.

The association"s website phassociation.uk.com has a list of airline policies and charges for using oxygen cylinders and POCs. Click on "Living with PH" and then "Travelling with PH".

Australia visa fees

Valerie Carn, Paderne, Portugal, writes

Having read about people making unnecessary payments for authority to enter the US after using commercial websites, I wonder if I was caught last week when obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) to visit Australia.

I Googled "entry conditions for Australia" and paid £20 for an ETA visa through one of the suggested websites, www.visabureau.com

Gill Charlton replies

You"ve been had. As with the American ESTA system, there are lots of companies trying to make a buck by procuring visitor visas for Australia.

ETA visas are now reserved for non-EU passport-holders and cost £10 to issue.

As an EU citizen you should instead obtain a free "eVisitor" visa. Apply online through the Australian government"s official website: www.immi.gov.au Click on "eVisitor" under "Online Services" on the right.

Ski holiday claim

Philippa Fairburn, London, writes

Over the New Year we took a ski holiday to Borovets in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, there was hardly any snow. We are trying to make a claim for piste closure under our travel insurance with Europ Assistance for £30 per person per day.

However, Europ Assistance would like proof of closure and the reason behind it (lack of snow, in this case). I am struggling to provide this as the tourist office in Borovets is not being very helpful. We booked the holiday independently, so we have no tour operator to ask. Can you help?

Gill Charlton replies

As you have discovered, it"s much easier to obtain this sort of written proof in the resort as there"s no incentive for tourist office staff to help once you have left.

Europ Assistance says that if customers are on a package holiday, a letter from their ski rep is sufficient. If they are travelling independently, it must see written confirmation of piste closure from either hotel/chalet hosts or from an official information centre.

Too many clothes

Jackie Marsden, Yorkshire, writes

We are cruising from Southampton to San Francisco, travelling overland across the United States and flying back from New York. My problem is what to pack because we will need warm clothes, summer clothes and formal clothes for more than a month. We don"t really want to lug heavy cases across the US, nor to have to pay the airline"s excess-luggage charges.

Gill Charlton replies

If you travel a lot, you might consider taking one of the new generation of lightweight suitcases with wheels, packing light, and using laundry services. But it sounds as though you like to dress up a bit.

The solution is to use a luggage delivery service to repatriate your cruise suitcase when you disembark in San Francisco. There are two specialist companies. First Luggage (0800 083 5503; firstluggage.com) charges £175 to transport a 30kg suitcase from San Francisco to your home using its door-to-door service. For a similar service, Excess Baggage (0800 082 1985; excess-baggage.com) charges £190.

Looking for polar bears

Rob Green, Cardiff, writes

My wife is 60 this year and we want to do something special to celebrate. She has always wanted to see polar bears in the wild and I wondered if you could advise on destinations and companies that specialise in this sort of trip. My wife is a teacher, so we are limited to school holidays.

Gill Charlton replies

The best places to view polar bears are the Svalbard archipelago in northern Norway and around Churchill in Manitoba, Canada. Sightings in Svalbard are not guaranteed but they are most likely between June and August.

Discover the World (01737 218 800; discover-the-world.co.uk) advises taking its 10-day "Around Spitzbergen" cruise; £3,570 per person full board. The ships carry 50-100 passengers and use inflatables to get close to bears.

Churchill in Manitoba is the place to go to be certain of seeing polar bears. About 1,000 bears start migrating north from the town to Hudson Bay in early October, so a visit during the school half term would be perfectly timed. You need to book well ahead as the season is short. If you are experienced travellers you could make your own arrangements, flying via Winnipeg to Churchill, and reserving a room in the Tundra Buggy (tundrabuggy.com), white portable buildings on wheels that follow the migration. Wildlife Worldwide (0845 130 6982; www.wildlife worldwide.com) has an escorted tour this autumn for £3,795 per person, including flights.

Contact Gill

Queries may be sent by email to askgill@telegraph.co.uk

Please provide your full address, daytime telephone number and any booking reference. Readers with complicated complaints may be asked for full documentation. We regret that we are no longer able to answer postal inquiries or deal with telephone calls.

Winter Olympics 2010: Lost in a blizzard of Clare Balding

By Sarah Crompton Published: 5:52PM GMT 19 Feb 2010

Comments 10 | Comment on this article

I have been watching the Winter Olympics or I have been trying to, when the BBC will let me. If you tune into Eurosport, you get what you expect: endless hours of bespectacled skiers slogging across country or plunging downhill at impossible speeds on a small sledge.

If you tune into the BBC, you get... Clare Balding. I love and admire Clare Balding. But I don"t love her nearly as much as someone at the BBC seems to. When I tune in to the men"s luge, I want to watch the men"s luge. I don"t want to watch Clare at the luge track saying, "It"s snowing here." Then she"ll say "Let"s go to the crowds watching on the big screen downtown." No! Let"s not! Let"s go to a mountain where a thrilling race is unfolding. The BBC used to be masters of this. Now they are so obsessed with package, they have forgotten about the sport.

Women, wear your wrinkles with pride Clare Balding in remission from cancer Barbers Shop misses Cheltenham Festival prep race because of heavy ground BBC iPlayer choices - Monday 30 March Other TV Highlights: Wednesday 11 March Triathlon: pleasure and pain to the power of three

TV highlights

By Toby Clements, Simon Horsford, Alec Lom and Patrick Smith Published: 2:00PM GMT 19 Mar 2010

FRIDAY 19 MARCH

CRITIC"S CHOICE: Sport Relief 2010

BBC One, 7.00pm & 10.35pm; BBC Two, 10.00pm

Charity begins at home goes the proverb, and the BBC certainly hopes so. Beeb bosses will want the fifth Sport Relief extravaganza not only to raise millions for worthy causes but lift the mood around the Corporation, under siege lately thanks to its controversial strategy document. Tonight is the biannual fundraisers live centrepiece, so Auntie is duly wheeling out her big names and franchises. Match of the Days anchorman Gary Lineker, Top Gears Richard Hammond, Strictly Come Dancings Claudia Winkleman and Big Brothers Davina McCall all take turns at hosting the event and introducing various highlights of the recent celebrity challenges that have been attempted. Blue Peters Helen Skelton proved her courage and adventurous spirit by canoeing 2,000 miles down the Amazon, The One Shows Christine Bleakley plucked up the courage to try to become the first woman to water-ski across the Channel and a convoy of stars got saddle-sore on the Million Pound Bike Ride from John OGroats to Lands End. Theres a mini-episode of Ashes to Ashes, with slap-happy, wise-cracking DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) investigating the theft of the trophy at a golf tournament. The Outnumbered family pop up, preparing to take part in the Sport Relief Mile. The night also includes specials of MasterChef and A Question of Sport, featuring its host, former tennis champion Sue Barker. MH

Sacred Music

BBC Four, 7.30pm

Actor and former chorister Simon Russell Beale travels to Paris and the South of France in the second episode of his documentary series in which he explores the flowering of Western sacred music. Tonight Russell Beale investigates two of sacred musics more idiosycratic composers, the agnostic Gabriel Faur and the fashionable Francis Poulenc. AL

Dom Joly and the Black Island

Channel 4, 7.30pm

Comedian Dom Joly was obsessed with the Tintin comics as a boy and this endearingly indulgent documentary sees him retrace the steps of the intrepid Belgian reporters sole British adventure. Joly dresses as his hero, complete with dyed ginger hair, to visit creator Hergs Brussels studio, searches for (OK, steals) a terrier sidekick like Snowy and tries to catch a Captain Haddock-esque seaman. Finally, hes off by ferry, train and plane to the Outer Hebridean isle of Barra, where legend has it Black Island Castle can be found. MH

Marley and Me (2008)

Sky Movies Premiere/SMPHD, 8.00pm

Based on John Grogans best-selling memoir, this comedy drama stars three doe-eyed blondes Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston and an adorable labrador puppy (although 22 puppies were actually used during the filming). The film charts how Grogan, after moving to West Palm Beach, became a successful newspaper columnist, thanks to his musings on his boisterous puppy. CM

The Mentalist

Five, 9.00pm

The Californian cognitive crime series continues, with the murder of an architect thrown from the window of his remote mansion. When their investigation uncovers ghostly goings-on and hidden treasure, however, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) and the team set up a cunning sting to draw out the killer. MH

Mastercrafts

BBC Two, 9.00pm

In the last of whats been a charming series, Monty Don reveals the secrets of stonemasonry. In the grounds of the Derbyshire stately home Hardwick Hall three keen amateurs have just six weeks to learn the craft, from quarrying their own stone to intricate carving a training process that would normally take five years. Meanwhile, Don explores the role of stonemasonry in British history: from the Middle Ages when it was a key mastercraft to its decline because of the destruction of stone buildings by Second World War bombs and role today in restoration projects. MH

Michael Winners Dining Stars

ITV1, 9.00pm; not STV

It might occasionally betray its daytime roots and has hardly been a ratings hit, but weve enjoyed this four-part foodie oddity. Tonight is the final, which means that Michael Winners two favourites mother Justine, who moved him to tears, and glamorous gourmet Jane get whisked off to a Cornish castle to cook for our hard-to-please host and the locals. The victory prize? Being asked to be Winners chef as he throws a lavish dinner party for an eclectic guest list of some of his famous friends, including The One Show presenter Christine Bleakley, Andrew Neil, the journalist, and former 007 Sir Roger Moore. All this is demented but also somehow compelling. MH

SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY

CRITICS CHOICE:The Virtual Revolution

BBC Two, 8.15pm; Scotland, 7.15pm; Wales, 9.15pm

This is the final episode of the gratifyingly intelligent documentary series about the transformative effects of the internet, and presenter Dr Aleks Krotoski trains her spotlight on the mass of humanity now living with the net as a regular if not a dominant part of their daily lives. What effect is it having on our relationships? Will it eventually frazzle our brains and leave us capable of speaking only in 140-character Twitter haikus? "Im going to plunge into the fear and the hype," says Krotoski and so off she goes, starting in the worlds "most wired nation", South Korea, where 62 per cent of three- to five-year-olds regularly use the net, and internet addiction is a widespread, state-recognised problem. This is grist to the mill of Baroness Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist at Oxford, who believes that the internet distorts childrens sense of reality and can leave its users in an "infantilised state"; but its not all naysaying, with Twitter founder Biz Stone extolling the empathetic qualities of the network while Stephen Fry argues that "we have the knowledge of the ages gathered for us to browse in our pockets, and if we seriously think thats a bad thing, then… we really deserve a slapping". PN

My Life

BBC Two, 11.30am

Following the lives of several extraordinary children from across Britain, this new six-part documentary series from CBBC kicks off today with a film about three 12-year-old boys Jordan, Daniel and Sam from Coventry who are determined to complete the brutal Tough Guy assault course in Wolverhampton, which includes obstacles with such sensitively chosen names as "Somme Surprise" and the "The Killing Fields". The result is touching the boys have each gone through difficult times, from disease to the death of a parent, and are thus keen to prove their mettle. But it is also excessively gung-ho, with a lot of misplaced narration about "separating the men from the boys". PN

Winter Olympics

BBC Two, from 12.00noon

Olympic programming starts at 12.00noon today with highlights of last nights events, including the skeleton, some comparatively sedate curling and the "Ice Dance" figure skating event, in which British skaters Sinead and John Kerr are aiming for a medal. Then, from 5.45pm, Clare Balding presents live coverage of the Womens Super G, in which British ski pin-up Chemmy Alcott is competing. PN

EastEnders 25th Anniversary Specials

Watch, from 1.40pm

EastEnders for those of you whove so far missed the BBCs flag waving, ribbon draping and bell ringing on the subject turns 25 this month, and Watch, keen not to miss out on the party, is broadcasting three back-to-back documentary specials this afternoon, focusing respectively on Albert Square weddings, feuds and Christmas fall-outs. PN

Lets Dance for Sport Relief

BBC One, 6.30pm

Steve Jones and Claudia Winkleman return to present this years four-week run of light-hearted, heavy-footed, fund-raising celebrity dance routines. Confirmed contestants so far include Katy Brand, Jenny Eclair, Willie Thorne and Rufus Hound. All will be hoping to match Robert Webbs success last year with his hilarious version of What a Feeling from Flashdance. PN

A Taste of True Blood

FX, 10.00pm

True Blood, a sexually charged US drama about the co-existence of humans and vampires in a small town in Louisiana, began on FX last summer before transferring to Channel 4 in the autumn and was a cult hit on both channels. Season two begins this Friday on FX and so, being no strangers to self-publicity, the digital channel is broadcasting this short documentary to drum up excitement. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage, cast and crew interviews and a complimentary look forward to season two which series creator Alan Ball promises will be "scarier, funnier [and] weirder" it swiftly fails the Jeremy Paxman impartiality test, but will serve as a useful primer for True Blood newcomers. PN

Law & Order

Five, 10.25pm

American crime dramas, like the Duracell bunny, have an uncanny ability to keep on running, notching up hundreds of episodes while their sitcom or reality TV counterparts are mercilessly canned. Top of the pile in terms of longevity is the New York-based crime procedural Law & Order, which began in 1990 and whose 16th season starts on Five tonight with a tense episode in which detectives Green (Jesse L Martin) and Fontana (Dennis Farina) attempt to rescue a five-year-old girl from a pair of desperate kidnappers. PN

SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY

CRITICS CHOICE: The British Academy Film Awards

BBC One, 9.00pm

It must be boom time for flashbulb makers, Brasso and Moss Bros, because awards season is certainly in full swing. The latest sees Jonathan Ross host the star-studded "British Oscars", live from the Royal Opera House in Londons Covent Garden. Critically acclaimed Sixties romance An Education, with its rising star Carey Mulligan, is this years main home-grown hope, along with Kristin Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff for their supporting roles in John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy. As at the forthcoming Academy Awards, however, the battle for the big categories has an intriguing divorce-based twist as James Cameron, the mastermind behind record-breaking 3D blockbuster Avatar, comes up against his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow, director of Iraq war thriller The Hurt Locker. Other talking points will include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (will they arrive? And, if they do, will they appear on the red carpet together?), whether host Ross will be demob happy as he works out his BBC contract, plus of course the A-list fashion parade. Additional frock-watching and backstage build-up can be found over on BBC Three, an hour and a half ahead of this main broadcast. MH

Winter Olympics

BBC Two, from 12.00noon

Day 10 of the Vancouver Winter Games starts with a look back at last night, when Great Britains womens curling team took on the USA. The evenings live action sees mens skiing take centre stage, with the ski cross final and giant slalom. The late-night show then focuses on figure skating, as Brit siblings Sinead and John Kerr perform a cowboy-themed dance to the strains of Johnny Cash. Theres also the Canada v USA ice hockey grudge clash and more curling, with our mens team taking on the Americans. MH

Pineapple Dance Studios

Sky 1/Sky1HD, 6.00pm

Pineapple Studios in Londons Covent Garden is renowned in the dance world as the place where performers are put through rigorous routines before taking to the stage. Madonna, Beyonc and Kylie have all attended classes as have the cast of Dirty Dancing and Chicago. This new fly-on-the-wall documentary is all about the hard work and dedication of the camp and cut-throat world of professional dancing. And the shows characters soon make themselves known: queen bee of the studio and its founder Debbie Moore, flamboyant artistic director Louie Spence, who acts as a series guide, and self-assured "ready-made popstar" Andrew Stone. SH

Dancing on Ice

ITV1, 6.45pm & 9.30pm

The celebrity skating contest glides gracefully past its halfway point. One major talking point might have gone recently when Heather Mills was voted off, but wraparound-grinned judge Jason Gardiner picked up the controversy baton nicely, thanks to his vindictive verdicts. Tonight, the eight remaining couples take to the rink, bidding to avoid the 9.30pm skate-off and elimination. MH

The Bible: a History

Channel 4, 6.55pm

Irish republican leader Gerry Adams fronts the latest film in this series in which prominent figures explore the Bibles significance. The Sinn Fein president looks at Jesuss pivotal role, pondering the contradictions between his teachings and the involvement of Christians in conflict the world over. He meets not just scholars, but victims from both sides of the Northern Irish sectarian divide. Adams might be a controversial figure to give a prime-time platform to, but hes well placed to offer insight into reconciling religion with the support of political violence. MH

Banded Brothers: the Mongoose Mob

BBC Two, 7.00pm; Wales, 5.00pm

Are mongooses the new meerkats, at least in TV nature films? Quite possibly, judging by this new series about a mini-mafia family of banded mongooses living in Ugandas Queen Elizabeth National Park. British scientists have been studying them for a decade and found some fascinating behaviour. In tonights opener, we witness their unique breeding cycle, which means all pregnant females give birth on the same day, then the fight to protect the pups from rival families, giant monitor lizards and deadly snakes. MH

Monsters Inside Me

Discovery, 9.00pm

Its not the beast you can see that concerns this documentary but the critters that are invisible to the naked eye. Microscopic parasites that remain in their host, silently feeding on the victim. The opening episode focuses on sleeper cell parasites, such as the one that invaded the organs and lymph glands of a Vietnam vet, secretly eating away at his body for 20 years. Best not watched during supper. SH

MONDAY 22 MARCH

CRITIC"S CHOICE: Trust in Politics

BBC Two, 7.00pm; Wales, 11.20pm

In the wake of the shocking parliamentary expenses scandal and the current widespread decline in public confidence regarding the integrity, honesty and even relevance of the traditional political process, heres what might be considered the perfect series to air in the run-up to a general election. Presented by the eminent historian, political biographer, broadcaster and Master of Wellington College, Professor Anthony Seldon, its a four-part investigation into what steps can be taken to restore the trust of disenchanted voters in their elected representatives and, indeed, the entire system of parliamentary democracy in Britain. Its a subject Seldon is very much expert in, having penned a couple of biographies of Tony Blair as well as volumes on the premierships of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. In his most recent book Trust, Seldon offered a powerful analysis of how with the economy in tatters and many of our highest social institutions under attack for greed, corruption and incompetence we have never had a greater need for trust in public life. But how to go about healing the rift? Happily, Seldon is never short on suggestions and here with the help of people at home in the corridors of power as well as members of the public eager to see things improve he offers a personal manifesto for change, suggesting ways in which the forthcoming election could mark a positive turning-point in our attitude to politics. GO

Auction Party

ITV1, 3.00pm

Auctioneer Tom Keane presents this new series in which people conduct auctions in their own front rooms. Its not a question of recession-forced flog-offs of family jewels but a Bargain Hunt-style challenge in which enthusiastic amateurs get £500 to go bag some antiques bargains, hoping to make a profit at home later by selling them on to gullib… er, enthusiastic friends, neighbours and passers-by. Today, an Uckfield resident hopes her 20th-century collectables will go down well with bidders. GO

Raymond Blanc: Kitchen Secrets

BBC Two, 8.30pm

Game and mushrooms are the subject of the chefs masterclass this week. Among the delights he conjures up are a delicate cep tortellini, a French pasty filled with pheasant, chestnuts and dried fruits, a salt-crust baked pigeon, and a simple but flavour-packed fricassee of wild mushrooms. GO

Forces Reunited

Sky Real Lives/SRLHD, 8.30pm

Human interest stories from those involved in the Armed Forces are reeled out in this moving new series, presented by Fiona Phillips, which runs throughout the week. The first is of a family awaiting the return of husband and father serving in Afghanistan, while the second unites an airman shot down over Belgium during the Second World War with the daughter of the family who hid his parachute from the Nazis. SH

A Band for Britain

BBC Two, 9.00pm

Its tears, tantrums and more toughest-tests-yet as Sue Perkins brings her terrific series about a struggling brass band to a resounding climax. Despite the triumph of a third-place at the Hardraw Scar competition last week, theres dissent among the ranks over whether winning or having fun is more important to the members of the Dinnington Colliery Band. Faced with a revolt, Perkins has some motivational tricks up her sleeve, including a half-time gig at a Twickenham rugby international and the heady prospect of performing alongside their all-time heroes, the Grimethorpe Colliery Band. GO

FlashForward

Five, 9.00pm & 10.00pm

Its all right, you didnt experience a three-month blackout. This silly sci-fi drama starring Jack Davenport did actually disappear from the television schedules for 14 weeks while its producers and US network ABC wrangled over its bad ratings in America. Now its returning for the remainder of its 23-part run, picking up where it left off with a double episode. If, like everyone else, youve already forgotten what happened (the whole world experienced a communal mental blackout and the only person they could find to do anything about it was wimpy Joseph Fiennes), theres a useful four-minute "starter kit" recap on Fives website (www.five.tv ). GO

Alfie (2004)

Channel 4, 11.00pm

An anodyne, updated remake of the Michael Caine Sixties classic with an impossibly pretty Jude Law as the heartless womaniser, whose chauvinistic habits seem even more unacceptable in the context of Nineties London. Notable for being the set on which Law met Sienna Miller, before his own womanising ways undermined that relationship. SD

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