In this week's Samuel Barnett's Unknown, they start in the ruins of a bookshop and end up meeting the ghost of a cook. Tom still has to film a self-tape and Sam still has to find Shakespeare's Cardenio.

Once again I must stress: If you think I defend the BBC because I've worked for it, you've completely misunderstood. I, and anyone else in this position, am defending the BBC *despite* the fact I've worked for it.

i think Dad's trailer is still on the site and i can even see his car... just not where you'd expect it. can anyone help me get a HUUUGE resolution version of this photo on the BBC news site? 🙏 (suspect this is as big as it gets) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This is a Street Cat explaining that it is time for a pouch of wet food and wet food only

Checked in again on (once handy for news) Twitter to see about Monmouth and it's mostly this madness.

Sad-eyed cat

good morning from the village antique market

Have lost Dad somewhere in the Monmouth Flood Rescue System. Was able to speak to him briefly yesterday but will be spending today on the hunt for Martin who may know where he is and how he's doing.

seen Street Cat pee neatly in the shower drain again. She's amazing.

Thrilled for Dad last night as he'd been able to go away for the weekend. Spoke to him, happy in the trailer, listening to his CDs and the rain, just happy to be in Monmouth. At 2am he was evacuated by boat and is now in a leisure centre. Monmouth is flooded. Waitrose has fallen

Found Street Cat Squeaks hiding in the snow under a car. She has been towelled down, filled with sausage and fuss. i love her.

Home. it snowed.

view from the bus has a weird Polaroid murk

sunrise

3am airport soup

When you win a set of "Doctor Who The Complete History" on eBay and a small fridge turns up

UK politics since 2016 has had a feeling of 'we had a plan for a six year TV show that ends with BAM! They've left the EU by mistake' and it just keeps getting renewed and every year they are chasing the high of that finale with increasingly contrived plots.

Thanks to everyone who has downloaded Samuel Barnett's Unknown so far - here's the bit from episode one where Sam explains The Dead Spot to Tom.

MURDER ON MARS! All episodes just dropped on BBC Sounds. Or, you can tune in today at 14:15 on BBC Radio 4. I’d love it if you gave it a listen!

Jeffrey Epstein's insane email addresses are proof he was a wrong 'un.

"I wonder if this ancient hard drive still works, and if so what's on it?" Oh. Some random DVD clips, and, wait, the Doctor Who Cardiff Premiere, the 2005 EPK, and - madly - an interview with David Tennant on the set of Quatermass where HE KNEW what his next job was but could not say.

Nothing makes me feel as heterosexual as realising I've had a rat nest of cable hiding in a box in the wardrobe

"Hi, this is room 213. I'd like a wake up call" "Certainly, sir. You're in your 40s and have achieved nothing in life" "Tha...wait. What?"

My new game is seeing the Mayor of Istanbul faces 2,532 years in prison on absolutely legitimate charges (and not cos he's the leader of the opposition)... Then checking my Turkish bank account and seeing gold has soared.

Wes Streeting vibes

On the train from Somerset, listening to an audio edit on my phone's headphones.... Realise some gunshots could do with beefing up. Flip open laptop, start playing some samples, going for maximum spray and splatter. Realise to my horror... they're playing on the speakers.😐

Thanks to everyone who listened and said lovely things about Samuel Barnett's Unknown yesterday. İf you think your day doesn't contain enough snippy actors chasing ghosts.... podcasts.apple.com/fi/podcast/s... www.podbean.com/pa/dir-9fe9t... castbox.fm/va/6808248

The first half of the latest News Agents: wow The second half? Oh dear god.

Angry Lewis Goodall is hottest Lewis Goodall #centristtweet

.... And Helen Lewis is on PM. Day 2 of queer people discovering they've been in control of the BBC this entire time.

The last awful month (which has probably lasted 7 weeks) still has its brief moments of joy. Such as this morning watching my 93yo Dad use a circular saw on "that door we'll never get round to using".

Delighted to contribute the music to this new podcast from @gossjam.bsky.social and @scotthandcock1984.bsky.social. Episode 1 out now!

UNMISSABLE

It begins. The first episode of Samuel Barnett's Unknown is available, wherever you get your podcasts. Sam and Tom are on a quest around London for ghosts, a missing Shakespeare play and paid acting work.

"There are three gateways. And the three are one "

Spotted on my walk back through Taunton. So many questions raised. Did someone open a time capsule?

Gazan Food bloggers drinking lemonade from IDF shell casings www.instagram.com/reel/DQNQMV9...

To think we used to think Joey Barton was a philosopher-footballer cos he turned up on Question Time once wearing reading glasses.

Celebrating Mamdani’s victory in Izmir, Turkey

Mild landlord perk: when the tenant's cat turns up in the annual inspection report

Sad to hear that the great Pauline Collins has died at the age of 85. An absolute star of stage and screen, she made two memorable on screen appearances in Doctor Who. She was also nominated for an Oscar for the film 'Shirley Valentine'. RIP Pauline.

Following the critically-acclaimed release of The Chimes, I've produced two more full-cast adaptations of Charles Dickens’ Christmas stories; THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH & THE HAUNTED MAN. Extremely proud of this. It will make your Christmas 100% more Christmassy! Order here: averageromp.com

BBC Sounds: "We're doing a very nuanced look at the Kate Clanchy affair." BBC News: "Publisher apologises to Kate Clanchy" 😐 www.bbc.com/news/article...

I can look at photos from the filming of Marco Polo all day

Zohran is the top story on Turkish radio 📻

Lovely afternoon catching up with that @gossjam.bsky.social

They've improved WiFi at the gym which means the cryptobros are now making calls during workouts. "Hello maaaate"

Middle Aged Health Warning: Went to a Thai restaurant last night and ordered something that was 🌶️🌶️🌶️ not 🌶️🌶️. There is not enough Rennie in the world.

Somewhere in here is an article