Eurovision 2011 Semi-final 1

By | May 9, 2011
84 Comments

I’m really, really, woefully, bitterly underprepared for Eurovision this year, and in actual fact I’m very likely to be busy during the two semi-finals, so for the first time in a long time I’m going to be going into Saturday’s grand final with no preconceptions, other then I reckon Blue will go Top Four and win me some money.

In the meantime Tuesday night is the first of the Eurovision semi-finals, and importantly it is the one that people in the UK can vote in. You will find it on BBC 3 at 8pm with Scott Mills and Sara Cox providing the commentary.

As is usual, Punters are invited to give their opinions of the songs on the night, if you make a separate line of a comment the name of the country and a mark out of ten somebody will probably tot them up and some sort of Bother’s Bar jury decision will be reached.

The BBC has some downloadable scorecards for you if you like and want to know the order of the songs in advance.

Outside of the UK (or perhaps preferable to the BBC3 coverage), you should be able to watch on a livestream on the official Eurovision site from 8pm UK time/9pm Europe. It should last two hours.

Board of Excitement 8th-14th May 2011

By | May 8, 2011
52 Comments

Not much last week but this week I’m convinced I’ve missed something off the list, so if you can think of anything then please shout:

  • The Bother Series of Poker Game 9 – you don’t have to be a regular to play although it’s probably a bit late for a run at the league. But feel free to come and join the fun anyway. All the details are here. Here’s the results page. (8pm, Sunday, Full Tilt)
  • Scream If You Know The Answer! – Cheap and cheerful, it’s Hold Tight for the 2010’s and a new series with Duncan James starts tonight. Really enjoyed the first series, tonight John Thompson, John Barrowman, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe team up with members of the public to compete in games whilst on rollercoasters at Thorpe Park. Pity the punter that gets paired with Lee Ryan. (7pm and 7:30pm, Sunday, Watch)
  • The Cube – (7pm, Sunday, ITV1)
  • Deal or No Deal – It’s Banker’s Birthday week, and everyone’s playing  cowboys and indians. I like it when people on Digital Spy complain when a show has a bit of fun. I also notice they don’t compain that Countdown is on a bit too often. Or the news. (4:30pm Sunday, 4pm Monday-Friday, C4)
  • Show Me the Monet – I have no particular interest in art but quite enjoyed Watercolour Challenge back in the day, and as a Twitchum of mine has worked on this I’ll give it a mention. Chris Hollins off of BBC Breakfast challenges artists to create works to go in the Royal College of Art where if they get past the panel of judges will be put on exhibition and secretly bid on. (5:15pm, Weekdays, BBC2)
  • Eurovision Semi-Final One – I’ve not followed Eurovision at all this year, regrettable. But Scott Mills and Sarah Cawood Sara Cox are here to guide us through the first semi-final anyway. (8pm, Tuesday, BBC3)
  • The Apprentice – New series allowing everyone to compare and contrast twattish remarks. The series opener is on Tuesday, the next episode is on Wednesday and the next Wednesdays thereafter, which is annoying timing for me this year 🙁 (9pm, Tuesday and Wednesday, BBC1)
  • Eurovision Semi-final Two – Back to Dusseldorf. (8pm, Thursday, BBC3)
  • Impossible? Illusionist Philip Escoffey challenges people to decide if something that looks impossible is basically impossible or not under some railway arches for £40,000. (10pm, Thursday, Channel 5)
  • The Eurovision Song Contest Final – We’ve got a tenner on Blue to place top 4. Don’t let me down Europe! Graham Norton provides the commentary. (8pm, Saturday, BBC1)

Amazing Million Pound Drop Moments Of Our Time

By | May 6, 2011
15 Comments

What was Roger Bannister the first man to do on this day in 1954?

  • Put the toilet seat down
  • Go into outer space
  • Run a sub-four minute mile

What did Andrew and Vanessa do with their £75k? They stuck £25k on the right answer (that’s the four minute mile one) and £50k on the toilet seat answer. Amazing.

I should also just like to point out that this Sunday is a BotherSOP Sunday, details in the usual place. Come join us!

Where is Ratings Bear?

By | May 5, 2011
23 Comments

Iain Weaver asks in his latest TV Guide: “where is Ratings Bear”?

It is a good question. I’ve got an inkling he might wake up out of hibernation to bust out some sort of graph on May 15th for whatever reason, although I can’t be certain, obviously.

Incidentally you missed off illusory gameshow Impossible? on your listings for next Thursday on Channel 5 at 10pm. I’ve been told it’s been filmed underneath railway arches, so make of that what you will.

And Cheryl Cole is off to do US X Factor! I think they’re going to have to work harder than expected to make it work over in the States (I can’t imagine LA Reid in the “Simon’s bitch” role that Louis Walsh has done so well over here), and now they’re going to have to work much harder over here to create a panel people can give a damn about. The X Factor has always been more about the judges than the contestants, despite what they’d like you to believe.