Got an email to say that a teacher, at an international secondary school in France, loved The Wooden Hill so much, she is planning on teaching stories from it to the students. Isn't that just lovely? 😊 AND SURREAL. @epoquepress.bsky.social

This week on ⁦‪@BBCRadio4‬⁩ Sunday: - Was Christianity hijacked at the Unite the Kingdom rally? - Jewish leaders respond to the UK’s recognition of Palestine - As the UN turns 80, is it living up to its original moral ambition? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Great Johnny Mathis night on the BBC.

Robert Redford speech. Man! m.youtube.com/watch?v=zNF9...

Many an annoying podcast out there and, whilst I'm a fan of the presenters and their other talents, this is one of them. Just chattering noise. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

New album from the great Paddy Nash.

America, once a major draw as a visitor, no longer features on my list of places to visit. Vulgar leadership, masked men roaming the streets as vigilantes and gobshite so-called politicians spewing hatred. Sorry my lovely American friends. Good luck.

Great news. But what did they do to "deserve" 8 months in hell, kidnapped by the evil Taliban? Jeez. What a world! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Happy 100th birthday to Pete Murray, man of many broadcasts.

Dan Walker and Helen Skelton on their Yorkshire jaunts. Nice scenery but inane, unbearable commentary. Yorkshire spoiled. Click.

Had dinner one time with Maurice Roëves (1937-2020) with Nigel, a mutual friend, now dearly departed. Nigel arranged this signed photo. for me.

Nick Clegg? Didn't he almost be somebody?

This subscriber says it's a fab mag, nostalgia at its heart and soul. A great companion to @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social

BBC NI. True North: My Stammer, My Story, an inspiring/ emotional look at how stammering affects people's lives and confidence. iPlayer link (29 mins): www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis... Proud of my sister Mary who is a coach with the McGuire Programme, an organisation there to help. It helped Mary too.

Save the date. I’ve a brand new short story about an exorcism in a nursing home on @bbcradio4 next Friday (26th) at 3:45pm expertly read by Seamus O’Hara and produced by the brilliant Michael Shannon (our 20th collaboration for Radio 4) I really love this wee story #ShadowingGordon

I worked with Mark at Asda and thought he was a reasonable guy. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Go on. You know it makes sense.

Happy trails, Sundance. Thanks for all the magnificent movies. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c0...

When I was a kid and a TV western nut, this was the most exciting theme tune. Still is. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdR...

From now, Strictly Come Dancing dominates the BBC with ridiculous coverage, and the tabloids with sob story backgrounds. A prayer, please, for those of us who could not care less. #foxtrotoscar

Getting an editorial response from the rather splendid online magazine Air Mail is like waiting for Godot. airmail.news/issues/2025-...

New album out in October from Paddy Nash - Still We Rise ‒ Out Friday 3rd October 2025 I've had a pre-release listen. Fine album. Great production and a handsome variety of songs. Paddy Nash has long been celebrated as one of Derry’ s most distinctive voices. Seek him out. @paddynash.bandcamp.com

Sixties NI Ep 1 now available on ITVX www.itv.com/watch/news/s...

Thanks Brian.

From next weekend, the awful Strictly Come Dancing hogs TV from then until Christmas. All the non-celebrities. All the background sob stories. Yer woman with the forced grin and ridiculous fringe. All the angst. Ugh. Thank heavens for streaming.

I don't enter literary competitions anymore. Too much of a lottery and expensive. Looking at a couple. £29 entry fee. £20.00 entry fee. Get out of here. I'm doing very nicely with freelance writing. Great money so far in 2025. I call it treats for my grandsons.

Reverend Ian Paisley died this day in 2014 at 88. When I was a kid in Belfast, he was the most frightening man in the world with his bitterness and shouting. As if by magic, he became a statesman. Jeez.

Johnny Cash. A Boy Named Sue. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z1P...

Johnny Cash died this day in 2003 at 71. Hell, I'm 71! www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeZR...

Phil Coulter speaks his mind. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I liked it.

William Shatner wrote about his career in his autobiography Up Till Now. droppedthemoon.blogspot.com/2023/03/will...

Looks very, very interesting.. Hope all well, Brian.

Rod Taylor (1930-2015) one of my favourite actors talking about his movies m.youtube.com/watch?v=zy2u...

INTERMISSION - The magazine they're all talking about! Subscriber Mike O'Hara says "Fantastic magazine. Articles are not only well written but well researched too!" Treat yourself to a subscription: buff.ly/IxcrQY0 Binders also available: buff.ly/gPTzVZC

How many words in a short story for a 15 minute radio broadcast?

Don’t care about his politics. Love his movies.

Clint Eastwood. Come on. One from my autograph collection. Gran Torino (2008)

Don Collier (1928-2021) played Sam Butler in The High Chaparral (1967-1971). Great look. Great voice. He sent me this signed photo.

Stephen Boyd as Rimes in The Man Called Noon (1973). He was pretty good in westerns.

Love this signed photo (actually mine!) of Robert Fuller, Jess Harper in Laramie - 124 episodes, 1959 - 1963 - also on Return of the seven (1966). He's 92, and a TV western hero of mine.

Completely missed that one of my TV heroes from the golden age of westerns died this year at 94. Will Hutchins. As Tom Brewster in 69 episodes of Sugarfoot/Tenderfoot - 1957-1961 -was in the era of Cheyenne, Bronco, Maverick. Happy trails, Will. Thank you.

In this age of screeching divas in pop music, I am reminded of three crystal-clear, beautiful singers - Mary Hopkin, Judith Durham and Cass Elliot. Class.

A fine book.

13 November 🎟️ tinyurl.com/Mickey-Bradl... Leytonstone @mickeyundertone.bsky.social with @jamesjamesbrown.bsky.social @omnibuspress.bsky.social 📕

Blue Sky. Having removed myself from the Frankensteinisation of Twitter, I find this new site just as bonkers.

Ongoing writing & illustration project - I'm the funny words and Vicky is the creative illustrator. Pack of 10 poems with superb illustrations ready to pitch. Here's a link to Vicky's showcase website vickykuhn.com and her illustration of my poem My Dog Ate My Homework.

Never got the Johnny Depp thing. Nope. Not for me.

Watching an old This is Your Life featuring the wonderful Norman Wisdom (YouTube). Interesting in the old days on men not hugging. These days, the man hug is routine. It’s nice.

Joe Dolan. You're Such a Good Looking Woman. www.youtube.com/results?sear...