The 100 Greatest TV Adverts - Part Two (40-21)

By Simon Wright

The television advertisement has been around on our screens for almost 60 years.  They portray all of our favourite products, promoted by either everyday celebrities or just normal everyday members of the British public.

Christmas officially arrives when the Coca Cola Christmas trucks appear

Adverts (Coca Cola Christmas trucks pictured) have come a long way since a toothpaste company broadcast the first ever commercial on ITV's opening night back in September 1955.  Some of them can be a real nuisance, especially if they pop up in every single advertising break.

It has been over 13 years since a programme was produced by Channel 4 to find the nation's greatest advert, and there have been some real gems since.  Five years ago, I did a top 60 selection on my YouTube account, and have always noticed the commercials that actually can leave you laughing, amazed or even feeling a bit emotional.

In this five-part series for Viewing Perspectives, here is my updated list of the 100 Greatest TV adverts of all-time.  The part covers numbers 40-21, with all years given a rough reference of when the commercial was either first screened or shown most regularly.

40. The AA: You’ve Got a Friend (2005)
In an effort to improve their reputation, the AA produced this advert, with a song that would grab the attention of most.  When you have a breakdown on the road, their message is to call the AA at any time of the day and the year, and they will come and fix the issue.  Whether this happens all the time can't be assured by myself as I don't drive, but their insistence that you've got a friend with the AA made it one of the best ads of 2005.

39. British Airways: To Fly, To Serve (2011) 
In recent years, British Airways have had mixed fortunes, but most definitely have a distinguished history, which is reminded in this advert through the ages.  It provides the audience with a memory of flying with privilege with the world's favourite airline.  This commercial is one for those with a nostalgic feel. 

38. John Lewis: The wait (2011) 
This is such a touching and memorable commercial, and one of the best ever adverts I've ever seen around Christmas time.  A young child is waiting for the big day to arrive, but it isn't to receive gifts, but to give one to his parents.  His anguish in the slow countdown is clear to see and it reminds us that Christmas is totally more than just receiving presents.  John Lewis produced an absolute masterpiece here, and it's low ranking is only because they managed to trump this with the 2012 edition which has made the top 20.

37. Vauxhall: Wacky races (2003) 
Vauxhall Corsa models have always had an element of fun around them and this is real fun.  With the help of some animation, various colours of Corsa get involved in their own rendition of 'Wacky Races,' with some unpredictable results.  However, it does really put the fun back into driving.

36. Guinness: Evolution (2006) 
In 2006, Guinness came up with this interesting take on the evolution of the modern male individual.  Three friends each enjoy the start of a strong pint of Guinness, then go back in time through the ages into various creatures, including sea animals and dinosaurs.  

35. Cadbury’s Smash: Martians (1979) 
Martians from another planet, talking in a different language and wanting to know more about this product.  This is a strange advert, but it does grab the attention of the viewer.

34. Coca Cola: Christmas Trucks (1990s onwards)
One of the first signs of the Christmas holidays nowadays is when this commercial appears on either ITV or Channel 4 for the first time.  First making an appearance in the 1990s, kids and the entire family get excited when the famous Coca Cola trucks come past their town.  This is when you know the festive season is approaching relatively quickly.

33. Mercedes-Benz: Alonso/Hamilton (2007) 
They had a tempestuous relationship driving for McLaren in 2007, but there is healthy respect between Brit Lewis Hamilton and double world champion Fernando Alonso.  When they were team-mates, they did this superb advert for Mercedes-Benz, which highlights their determination to beat one another, whether that is to the hotel room, the race circuit or in the gym.  Eventually, the competition becomes too hot in the steam room, until a rather cool-looking Mika Hakkinen makes a chilled appearance, with smiles all around.  Stunning from start to finish.

32. Toys R-Us: Geoffrey and Helpers (1989) 
The toy superstore Toys R-Us have sadly ditched this advert after over 20 years, but it is one of television's most famous advertising jingles.  When the shop closes for the evening, Geoffrey and Helpers come out from hibernation and reload the store full of stock, from toys to bicycles, before the sun rises.  I wish this returned, as the new commercials just don't have the same appeal.

31. Dunlop: Tested for the Unexpected (1993) 
When advertising budgets simply didn't matter, commercials could range from the stupid to the totally extravagant.  Director Tony Kaye used his budget to the maximum for this advert which sees Dunlop tyres tested to every single element known to the man, including different road conditions and flying objects.  Perhaps Pirelli could look at this example, and improve their own tyres!

30. Kit Kat: Dancing Pandas (1989) 
This advert is actually now on our television screens again, but it first appeared back in 1989.  An observer is keen to see pandas, but gets frustrated by their non-appearance.  When he turns around to take a break from looking at nothing, the pandas appear for a fast-moving dance routine before he finishes his Kit Kat.  They then return into their habitat, as the guy finishes his Kit Kat, turns around and starts looking at nothing again.  The motto to this advert is never turn around.

29. Fiat: Robots (1979) 
The Fiat Strada was handbuilt by robots in 1979 in a two-minute advert which shows the inner makings of the car industry.  Watch it to see a car built from scratch.

28. Skoda: Cake Car (2007) 
Czech manufacturer Skoda has a questionable reputation and has often been the victim of some crude car jokes.  However in 2007, they produced this masterful advert which has one of their models built out of just cake.  Very classy and memorable.  

Watch this advert on YouTube

27. M&M’s: Being British (2012) 
This is a fantastic commercial to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee last June.  Yellow sweet tries to get into the special packs of M&M's, but he doesn't manage to achieve it despite his best efforts.  Featuring some American voices and animation from our good friends in Australia, this makes it into the top 30, but sorry yellow - not into the top 25.

26. Pepsi: Swedish Girl (1974) 
Shy, scared and clearly experiencing fear of talking to girls, this nerdy bloke, played by Mike Grady (from Citizen Smith) approaches a Swedish girl with two cans of Pepsi, and plucks up the coverage to ask her out, only for the girl to respond in the Swedish language that he simply doesn't understand.  Turning to the camera, he wonders why he even bothered, before we get one of the strangest and longest slogans ever: "Lipsmackingthirstquenchinacetastinmotivatingoodbuzzincooltalkinhighwalkinfastlivinevergivincoolfizzin.'  That's not easy to say!

25. Halifax: Howard the Halifax Man (2000) 
Sometimes, adverts can turn normal people into massive UK superstars.  In the year 2000, Halifax began a long-running television advertisement featuring staff singing popular songs with the words changed to reflect the banking products it offered.  Step forward Howard Brown from the Sheldon branch, who became the star of these commercials for eight years, starting with this commercial on Boxing Day 2000.  Brown was moved into public relations in 2008 and left the corporation two years ago, but he will also been known as Howard the Halifax Man.  He even got into the top 15 of the music charts, with a cover of the Barry White Song 'You're the first, the last, my everything' back in 2003.

24. Heineken: The Water in Majorca (1986) 
The late Bryan Pringle appears in this popular TV commercial advertising Heineken, where he is trying to teach a posh girl to say 'The water in Majorca don't taste like what it ought to.' in a cockney accent.  He is failing miserably until the refreshment of Heineken comes in, when after one sip, the girl starts pronouncing the phrase in the cockney accent.  Voice expressions do change on the taste of good beer.

23. Renault Clio: Papa/Nicole (1998) 
The famous 'Nicole' and 'Papa' series from Renault came to an end in May 1998, when 23 million people tuned in to see the finale when it was broadcast.  Comedians Bob Mortimer and Vic Reeves star in this advert, playing out a classic scene from 'The Graduate.'  Who gets the girl and drives off in the Clio, find out by watching!

22. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk: Gorilla (2007) 
Cadbury launched a new advertising campaign entitled Gorilla in the summer of 2007, consisting of a gorilla at a drum kit, preparing and then drumming along to the song 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins.  The advert immediately amassed over five million views on YouTube, and put Collins back into the UK charts.  The meaning of the advert is to relate the joy of playing drums to that of eating a chocolate bar.

21. Evian: Rolling Babies (2009) 
Babies roller-skating, and undertaking some fairly devilsh moves to a rap single for Evian.  Okay, not sure what the connection is, but it is cute and hilarious.

Categories: Britain, Budget, Christmas, Coca Cola, Dunlop, Fiat, McLaren, Pandas, Pepsi, Toys R-Us

Skins Fire - A dark and unhappy ending

By Simon Wright

A few weeks ago, I shared some of my memories and also vindication of the impact Skins has made on British television drama.  However, after the first part of the final series, all it has seen to do is alienated fans even further than it has managed before.

The two-part Skins Fire was the first episode, held over the last two Mondays of the seventh and final series.  Set in the heart of London, it promised much, especially after the trailers and the interviews in the lead-up to the series.  Unfortunately, all it provided was heartbreak, devastation and an ending that provided more questions than closure.

The plot

Effy's job was the main plot for Skins Fire - it ended badly

Skins Fire was mainly based around the character of Effy Stonem (pictured), played by Kaya Scodelario.  Effy was a mysterious character who was part of the first two generations (series 1-4).  Her character by the end of the last time we saw her was one who had gone nuts and ended up in a psychiatric ward.

When it was picked up last week, Effy has landed a job in The City, working initially as an assistant in a financial company.  The job doesn’t hold many prospects, mainly focusing on photocopying documents and making tea and coffee for the big bosses.  However, when Effy stumbles on a financial deal that is dodgy, she uses this to her advantage.

She starts making huge investments for the company, earns a promotion and eventually, starts an affair with her wealthy boss Jake, played by Kayvan Novak.

Eventually, Effy’s actions see her reaching the top, then crashing back down to earth in typical fashion, when the FSA investigate her actions, worth £11m of dodgy asset dealings.

Hoping to be protected by her lover, Effy gets a shock when her boss ships her in.  Realising she has been used; Effy eventually makes a statement to the FSA implicating Jake’s knowledge in the dealings.  However, she is told by ice queen Victoria, played by Lara Pulver that she faces time in jail for what she has done.

A secondary story runs through and that is the declining fortunes of Naomi Campbell.  Played by Lily Loveless, Naomi has not managed to find work since leaving University, and is doing very little in London, annoying Effy who is flat-sharing with her.  Even a crazy idea as a stand-up comedian doesn’t go to plan for Naomi, who left college with perfect scores of three A grades.

However, it is a shock health diagnosis that rocks her world.  Naomi is diagnosed with cancer, and the second episode sees her having to deal with protecting the information from her girlfriend Emily, played by Kathryn Prescott, but also attempt to get treatment.

When radiotherapy and then chemotherapy don’t go according to plan, Naomi’s health starts to decline rapidly and by the end of part two, the audience is left shocked by knowing that she is going to die.  Emily, who has been on a photography internship in New York, doesn’t find out until it is too late and a heartbreaking end for one of TV’s most popular couples sees Emily breaking down in Naomi’s dying arms in the hospital.  If anyone watching last night didn’t feel a tear when this scene played out, then emotional control is not one of your strengths.

Skins Fire also saw Craig Roberts appear as Dominic.  He is another financial worker who has a serious crush on Effy, and is left used by Effy’s devious ways to gain the information she wants.

Too many questions

As Effy’s character was the longest serving in the three full generations of Skins previously it was understandable for Skins Fire to focus intensely on her activities three years on from college.

However, the main storyline was weak and at times, underwhelming.  It was difficult to follow, especially if you have no interest in the financial sector.  It did show a lot of financial greed though, which is a common theme of the British banking industry since the recession began to hit us in 2008.

This was meant to be series about closure rather than questions, but that hasn’t happened.  Effy’s final scene is disappearing in the back of a car with a smirk on her face.  That shouldn’t be the case for someone who faces time behind bars?  The ending to Fire was far-fetched and didn’t provide closure.  At times too, everything seemed rushed.  Perhaps the story should have been told in two 90-minute parts rather than two 60-minute episodes.

While the cameo characters played their part, and Novak, who played Effy’s boss, was an interesting character, the lack of information about what happened to the other members of generation two was startling.  While the audience didn’t need too much background information, the majority of us would want to know whether Pandora had been a success on her History scholarship, or where JJ and Katie were nowadays.  

Most importantly, there were no mentions of Freddie McClair, Effy’s former boyfriend who was beaten to death with a baseball bat by mad psychiatrist John Foster (Hugo Speer) in the penultimate episode of series four.

It means we have no clue whatsoever of how Effy found out Freddie was dead, and it was noticeable how much of a lookalike her new boyfriend was to the one she was in love with throughout generation two.  That was a massive disappointment. 

Naomily’s happy ending turns sour

The biggest let down of all though was the unhappy ending the writer gave to Naomi and Emily’s story.

All smiles here, but it wasn't the ending Naomily fans hoped for

Three years ago, fans of ‘Naomily’ (couple pictured) got the happy conclusion they wanted, when after months of punishment and hiding away true feelings, Emily finally forgave Naomi for her fling with a girl at the start of series four.  After new events, Naomi’s emotional speech, which included the words: ‘I’d die for you,’ sound even more touching and poignant now.

It was brave for Skins to go with a cancer storyline and credit has to be given for that.  However, everything again seem rushed and hassled, and when it became clear that there was no chance of recovery for Naomi, social media on Twitter and internet forums probably went into periods of rage and disgust. 

Naomi was a popular character with many, and to give her a storyline like this was brave, but turned out to be massively unpopular.  Why did they mess with the ‘Naomily’ pairing three years on?  It would have been best for them not to have returned for the final series.

As most of us know, happy endings in television don’t happen too much, especially in soaps, but also in dramas.  They probably look too soppy for the writers, and on occasion, too boring to watch for the audience.

However, if one television couple deserved to break that tradition, it was ‘Naomily.’  The relationship between Naomi and Emily was one of the most beautiful portrayals of a same sex relationship.  At the end of the day, it wasn’t just this fact; it was a love story between two characters that fell for one another, without any concern for their sexuality.  

The storyline broke down new boundaries for relationships between two women on television, especially in the UK.  Skins had been the ground-breaking for this, and as the actresses have said in numerous interviews in the past, they’ve had letters of support from people who’ve come out to their families and friends on the true identity of their sexuality, inspired by the story of Naomi and Emily.

We have to remember that this is just a television drama and it didn’t happen in real-life, but it was such a massive shame that the audience and particular fans of the pairing got such a sorry and heartbreaking ending to a passionate storyline.  The only consolation is to remember the happy moments and that Emily was with Naomi in her final moments.  If she hadn’t been, the ending would have been even more insulting.

So, with Effy in jail, Naomi dying and Emily now alone and miserable, a sarcastic round of applause should be given to the team behind Skins Fire for creating such a dark and devastating two-part series.

Time changes people

However, I don’t want to sound bitter, and there were some positives from the story.  Jess Brittain was the writer of Skins Fire, and it would have been massively difficult for her to come up with an idea, write a detailed and emotional script and see it all play out from there.

I didn’t agree with the way how things ended, but she tried her best, and that is all you can ask for at the end of the day. 

Some criticised the Skins team for the way the show has changed, but the aspect is that this is Skins in an adult life.

The days of raving parties, boozing on regular drugs and sexual encounters are a thing of the past.  This Skins series was always going to be different.  There were elements of these in Skins Fire, and so there should be as the show’s identity and appeal would be totally lost otherwise.

However, people grow up and that is a natural aspect of life.  Effy, Naomi and Emily will have all developed by at least three or four years since we last saw them, so they were now playing characters in their early 20s, a time where the excessive partying and not having much of a care in the world should really have stopped. 

Kaya, Lily and Kat stand out

Skins has been the foreground for some young actors and actresses to really go and make their mark.  Joe Dempsie, Nicolas Hoult, Hannah Murray and Dev Patel from generation one have had great success post-Skins.  Jack O’Connell and Luke Pasqualino from generation two stood out, and Freya Mavor and Dakota Blue Richards from the final generation.   

There are bright futures for Kat, Kaya and Lily

However, Skins Fire once again portrayed the stunning work of three actresses (all pictured) who are among the best talent around.  I’d even go as far to say they are three of the best the UK has at the moment.

I never appreciated how strong Kaya Scodelario was in the main series before, but she really stood out in Skins Fire.  Kaya has already made her name in movies, and she will only go onto bigger and better things. 

She has a confidence element to the characters she plays and no-one could have played Effy’s role better.

I’ve said it before, but Lily Loveless is an outstanding actress.  Her comic timing, the emotion she shows in her scenes and the way she portrays her expressions are up there with the best in British television.

Lily has had roles in Bedlam on Sky One and in BBC Three’s powerful drama The Crash earlier this year, but she has the world at her feet.  The cancer storyline for Naomi was a sad ending to a popular character, but Lily played the scenes exceptionally, especially the close heart-to-heart moments with Scodelario.

In Kathryn Prescott, Skins has uncovered another gem.  Gone are the days of the timid, shy Emily Fitch from the first few episodes of series three.  The scenes Emily has in Skins Fire see a confidence, a conviction and a belief in her character, helped by the internship work in New York.  It was a real shame that we didn’t see enough of Emily in Skins Fire; her scenes were kept to an absolute minimum.

Like Loveless, Prescott has had a guest role in Bedlam, and also appeared in one-off episodes in BBC medical drama Casualty and in another supernatural drama called Being Human.

Kat is also making her name in photography.  Her first official photographic exhibition is taking place in September, in collaboration with her continued work with The Big Issue.  I’m sure the four-week exhibition, titled ‘What Makes Us Care,’ will be a total success.  It is something I even hope to go and visit when I get a spare day from my new job.

So, high praise for three actresses who made their characters in Skins stand out with incredible acting.  I hope they go on and achieve the success they deserve.  The performances of Scodelario and Loveless in Skins Fire were so good, they should be recognised at award ceremonies, but will probably sadly be ignored like on so many occasions before.

Skins Fire was tough to watch, and far too dark for the show’s usual unique identity.  At least the performance in terms of acting couldn’t be faulted.

Categories: Britain, Cancer, Craig Roberts, E4, FSA, Kathryn Prescott, Kaya Scodelario, Kayvan Novak, Lily Loveless, London, Naomily, Skins, The City, TV, University

Great British sporting moments

By Simon Wright

At 5.24pm on Sunday evening, the longest drought in British sport was finally consigned to the history books.

After 77 years of hurt, pain and close calls, Britain has a men’s singles champion at Wimbledon.  Andy Murray battled through hot temperatures on a scorching day at SW19 and the persistence of his opponent, the world number one Novak Djokovic to beat the Serbian in straight sets 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

The reaction of Murray afterwards was one of finally achieving his dream, and he has turned it around in the last 12 months.  He had a lot of people, me included who struggled to accept him as a great tennis player.  Last year’s agonising four-set final defeat on Centre Court to Swiss master Roger Federer was the turning point.

Murray’s emotional speech after the match showed the pain he felt at losing the biggest match of his career, but since then, the man from a small town in Scotland called Dunblane has turned his career around.

He dismantled Federer just under a month later on the same court to win Olympic Gold for Team GB, before seeing off Djokovic in a five-set marathon to claim his first Grand Slam at the US Open last September. 

Despite missing the French Open through injury in May, Murray has reached the Australian Open final, won three ATP titles including the AEGON Championships at Queen’s Club, and now the biggest prize in tennis.

It is a feat that I never thought I would ever see – and over 17 million viewers tuned onto the BBC on Sunday to see history being made in London.

Sporting fans are going through a golden generation of British success.  Last year was simply unbelievable.  We had Bradley Wiggins becoming the first Brit to ever win the Tour de France, cycling’s ultimate race.  Manchester City won their first league title in over 40 years with a finish we will never see again in the Premier League, there was Chelsea finally becoming Champions of Europe in Munich and of course, the unforgettable fortnight of London 2012 – an event that truly brought sport and the nation together as we witnessed some remarkable feats.

Along with Murray, I've picked out five sporting feats that are among my favourites of all-time.

There are some that have just missed out, including Virginia Wade winning Wimbledon in 1977, Sir Steve Redgrave’s fifth Olympic Gold medal in Sydney in 2000, Liverpool’s breathtaking comeback to win the Champions League in Istanbul in 2005, and the famous Bolero dance in 1984 by Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean that won gold in Sarajevo.

England win the FIFA World Cup, 1966

This memory is way too early for me, but it is something that we will probably never see again – well unless we live in fantasy land.  That is England being football world champions.

It happened on home soil in 1966 and to make it better, West Germany were the opponents in the final.

Bobby Moore lifts the Jules Rimet trophy, England's finest football moment

Sir Geoff Hurst was the hero on the day, as he became the first player in World Cup final history to score a hat-trick.  England did lead 2-1, but were taken to extra-time before a linesman from the country of Azerbaijan declared that Hurst’s second goal did cross the line.

With the Germans pushing forward to score, gaps opened up in the defence and Hurst broke clear to complete his hat-trick, with the famous words from commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme; “And here comes Hurst, there’s some fans on the pitch, they think it’s all over.”

Alf Ramsay’s men won the game 4-2, and it was left for iconic captain Bobby Moore (pictured) to collect the Jules Rimet trophy to declare England as world champions. 

Since then, there were close calls in Italia 90 and Euro 96 for major prizes, before those darn penalties got in the way, and no-one will forget Germany 1-5 England in September 2001, but the drought of no success is set to continue for some time to come.

Rugby World Cup Glory Down Under, 2003

Getting up on a Saturday morning was never more anticipated than on Saturday, 22 November 2003.  Telstra Stadium in Sydney was the venue for the Rugby World Cup final between holders and hosts Australia and Sir Clive Woodward’s England.

England went to the finals as favourites and ranked as the number one side according to the IRB rankings.  However, they hadn’t found their best form in the tournament yet, lucky to beat Samoa in the pool stages and being outplayed but somehow winning the quarter-final with Wales.  Australia meanwhile had stunned the All Blacks to reach the final against the odds.

It was Australia who started the quickest, as Loite Tuqiri went over for the opening try inside five minutes.  Penalty goals on a blustery evening dominated a tense and nail-biting encounter, but Jason Robinson’s late try towards the end of the first half, coupled with three penalties from Jonny Wilkinson had England going in 14-5 at the interval.

Mistakes allowed the Aussies back into the game and with one minute left of normal time, Elton Flatley converted his third penalty in a row to level the scores at 14-14 and take the game into extra time.

Not much had changed after the extra 20 minutes, with sudden death approaching and the game on a knife-edge at 17-17, when Wilkinson, who had missed three earlier drop goal attempts, got his fourth attempt spot on.  With 25 seconds to go, England were back infront and held on to claim a 20-17 win and be crowned 2003 Rugby World Cup winners.

It was a momentous day, a superb feat and made English rugby the prime sport for a while in this country.  Another final has followed since, although more inconsistent form has been the story of the past decade.  However, rugby union never felt so good than it did on that November morning a decade ago.

England regain the Ashes, 2005

After 17 years of constant defeats from Australia’s legendary cricket side, England finally had a chance with a decent team of taking on the Australians in the 2005 Ashes series.  It turned out to be a momentous seven weeks for the game of cricket, as it became the most talked about sport during this period.

Australia waltzed to a convincing victory in the first test at Lord’s, with legendary bowler Glenn McGrath doing the damage, taking five wickets in his opening spell.  England fought back at Edgbaston where McGrath was ruled out through injury.  Despite the best efforts of Shane Warne, Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz, England won the second test by just two runs in Birmingham in one of the most thrilling games of cricket that was ever seen.

The captains took their turn to control proceedings at Old Trafford a few days later.  Michael Vaughan became the first player in the series to hit a century, before Ricky Ponting defied England’s strong bowling attack of Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Ashley Giles on the final day to ensure the series remained at 1-1.

At Trent Bridge, England dominated, but almost threw the match away with some sloppy shots, and tremendous bowling from Warne and Lee.  Chasing 127 to win, it was the eighth wicket partnership from Giles and Hoggard that got the home side home by three wickets to take a 2-1 series lead.

So it came to The Oval, where England only needed to avoid defeat to regain the Ashes.  Australia had to win and showed early intent, reducing England to a below-par 373, before Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer started eroding the advantage significantly.  Flintoff, who had an unbelievable series, tore through the Australian middle order on the Sunday morning to leave England six runs ahead.

Michael Vaughan lifts the urn aloft after England's 2005 triumph

Then, on 57-3 on the final day, Kevin Pietersen survived two dropped catches and a couple of run out calls to hit a maiden test century, and take the game away from Australia.  The match was drawn and England could celebrate.  There were scenes (pictured) that hadn’t been seen since the dramatic home series of 1981, but were repeated four years later with victory in the 2009 series.

England start as overwhelming favourites to win the Ashes again this summer.  The first test starts tomorrow at Trent Bridge in Nottinghamshire.

Lewis Hamilton wins the Formula One title on the last corner, 2008

The 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship was one full of action, intrigue, stunning drives and some glaring mistakes.  It came down to a final race showdown in Brazil, with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton holding a seven-point lead over the local lad Felipe Massa.

Hamilton only needed a fifth place finish in Sao Paulo to become the youngest ever champion in the sport’s history and was untroubled for much of the day, looking secure in fourth place behind Massa, Fernando Alonso’s Renault and the second Ferrari of reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Then the rainclouds arrived and with five laps to go, all the top runners had to pit for intermediate tyres.  Toyota made a brave gamble and kept Timo Glock out on dry tyres, and Hamilton was now in a vulnerable position as the German slipped past whilst he was being serviced.

With three laps to go Hamilton allowed the lapped Robert Kubica to pass him, but slid wide and the Toro Rosso of Sebastian Vettel dived past into fifth place, meaning Hamilton was now out of the world championship position he needed to be in.

Massa did everything he needed to do, cruising across the line to take his sixth win of the season, and for 30 seconds or so, the Brazilian had done it.  However, the rain intensified and Glock on his dry tyres was a sitting target.  Into the final corner, both Vettel and Hamilton passed the limping Toyota, with the McLaren powering up the hill to become the 2008 Formula One World Champion.

Ferrari didn’t notice this and started celebrating, but they had got it wrong.  It was Hamilton’s ex-girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger and the McLaren mechanics who had got their calculations right.  Hamilton was champion and in the most unbelievable manner possible.  He made history on the final corner of a truly remarkable season, all of this on ITV’s final afternoon of broadcasting the sport after 12 years.

Super Saturday, 2012

There are so many memories from last summer’s Olympics and we all have our own personal favourites.  Among mine was Sir Chris Hoy’s sixth gold medal in cycling, Jade Jones winning the Taekwondo and Katie Taylor taking Ireland’s first gold for 16 years in women’s boxing.

However, none of that can topple the amazing events on Super Saturday.  Not even a predictable Team GB penalty shootout defeat in football could turn the night into a sour one.

The team had already won three gold medals in the day, two more in rowing and one in the Velodrome, but it was the events in the Olympic Stadium that were simply awe-inspiring.

First, Jessica Ennis completed her domination of the women’s heptathlon event.  Ennis took victory in the final event, the 800m to stamp her authority on the two-day competition.  The Sheffield athlete broke her own British heptathlon record for points, and finished over 300 points clear of her nearest rival.  After the injury pain of missing out on Beijing in 2008, Ennis had shown to the world that she was the best all-round athlete.

Moments later, Greg Rutherford from Bletchley in Milton Keynes leapt 8.31m to extend his lead in the men’s long jump final.  No-one else got close and after his own injury nightmares of previous years, Rutherford had pulled off an unexpected but no less deserved gold medal.  He became the first Brit to win the long jump competition since Lyn Jarvis in Oslo in 1964.

Then, it was the turn of Mo Farah to take the limelight.  Against a top field of Ethiopian and Kenyan athletes, Farah showed them up with a brilliant tactical run, before kicking twice on the final lap to pull clear of the field and win the men’s 10,000m.  The stadium went crazy and Team GB had just won three gold medals in the space of half an hour.  It was undoubtedly the best night in British athletics history, and quite possibly, the greatest moment in British sporting history.

Those five moments, together now with Andy Murray’s glory at Wimbledon are my personal favourites.  I’m sure we will see many more great British sporting moments in the coming years, but for now, let’s enjoy and bask in recent glories and accept that at the moment, Great British sport is in a happy and very successful place.

Categories: Andy Murray, Ashes, Australia, Britain, England, Jessica Ennis, Jonny Wilkinson, Lewis Hamilton, Rugby World Cup, Scotland, Sir Geoff Hurst, Sport, Team GB, Wimbledon, World Cup

Skins - All good things have to end

By Simon Wright

I can speak for the majority of people who follow a television programme closely, so much so that they want to know everything about it – from transmission dates to filming behind the scenes and cast interviews.

It doesn’t matter if that might be TOWIE, Big Brother, Shameless, even Coronation Street or Deal or No Deal – we all have prime favourites.

One of mine of recent years has been the E4 teen drama series Skins.  On July 1, the seventh series of this gripping phenomenon will begin.  However, it is the last series to be aired – which is a sad feeling, but also the right decision.

But why has Skins had a core audience, and is a final flourish the right way to go out on?

Core audience

When Skins burst onto the television screens back in February 2007, the show was completely different from your normal brand of drama.  This wasn’t a predictable series of classic actors playing stereotypical characters in a plotline that can often get quite repetitive. 

Admittedly, I never really liked the first generation and only saw the odd clip of the first two series, but that all changed with series three in 2009.

Skins started off with an audience which has now grown up.  For example, those who first watched it six years ago probably weren’t following it so much when the final full series ended around Easter last year, but that is a good thing.  It has a specific core audience range of around 16-22, and I would be concerned if a 50-year-old individual listed it among their favourite programmes.  After all, it is about teenagers and life at college, and that’s as far as it goes.

The second generation of Skins characters were my favourites

Audience figures have generally been impressive, always just under the one million mark.  In fact, the series four opener which began with the death of a mysterious stranger in a nightclub attracted 1.5m combined on E4 & E4+1.  Even the final major generation still were receiving decent figures, despite the decline in writing ability and storylines.

I was a religious watcher of series three, four and five, and watched occasional episodes from series six, mainly if a character’s episode had been impressive in the fifth series (Mini and Franky) as examples.  

Although my interest in the show waned towards the end of series five and into series six, I will be tuning into series seven and see how things have progressed for the cast of the past.

Giving youngsters a chance

I should know this more than anyone, but in David Cameron’s Britain of today, the chances for youngsters are predominately thin.  Things could be better in terms of job prospects, or choices of what we can do.

One thing that has impressed me with Skins is the determination to give young actors and actresses a real chance.  The talent that has come through with Skins has been impressive, and often, the acting really does shine through, especially if a storyline is weak (series four was a prime example of this).

Dev Patel and Nicholas Hoult had the best success out of the first generation.  Patel went on to star in the award-winning sensation Slumdog Millionaire, whilst Hoult has gone into major roles in film, especially in the X-Men trilogy.  

In generation two, Jack O’Connell has come on leaps and bounds.  He has had roles in film and two powerful TV dramas, Dive and United.  Fellow lead cast member of this generation Kaya Scodelario has appeared in a host of music videos for the artist Plan B, whilst Ollie Barbieri, Lily Loveless and Kathryn Prescott have also had a host of different roles since Skins ended.  

Dakota Blue Richards was one of the stars of the third generation, and recently had a lead role in the ITV five-part drama Lightfields and Freya Mavor is currently starring in the gripping BBC thriller The White Queen. 

For the majority of these actors, these opportunities would never have come about had it not been for the successful breakthrough of Skins and the producers must take great credit for this.

Of course, that doesn’t mean to say that famous faces never appeared in Skins – far from it.  

There were plenty of guest characters playing minor roles, from comedians and impressionists, to presenters and normal actors.  Among fans favourites were Harry Enfield, Sally Phillips, John Bishop, Ronni Ancona, Pauline Quirke, the late Geoffrey Hughes, and Scott Mills.

And its success has been recognised.  Skins won the Audience Award at the 2009 BAFTAs, and Best TV Show at the 2011 NME Awards, as well as various other high-profile nominations and critical acclaim.

What happened to the movie?

In 2010, the green light was given to Skins: The Movie, as indicated on my first blogging website.  However, this never happened.  Ultimately, it was probably a good thing.

Unlike shows like The Inbetweeners, it would have been mighty difficult for Skins to have had major success at the box office, just because of the way things get portrayed in the TV series.

Consequently, work shifted more onto series five and six, and the doomed American remake, which turned into a complete failure and was axed after one highly controversial series.

Whilst there was disappointment that the movie dream didn’t quite happen for Skins, a final TV series is a better way to go out.

There has been some powerful storylines, and that is ignoring the drugs, drink and sex that is part of the teenagers’ lives in every series.  Having watched three full series, my favourite storylines were Katie Fitch (played by Megan Prescott) having to deal with the bombshell news that she wasn’t able to have kids in series four, and at the same time, attempt to keep the very popular Fitch family together as the recession starts to destroy their happy lives.  

Other favourites were the storylines that came through in Mini McGuinness' (Freya Mavor) episodes when she had to deal with an unexpected pregnancy and attempting to revive a relationship with her father, who simply didn’t care about her, and the successful pairing of Naomi (Lily Loveless) and Emily (Kathryn Prescott) as a lesbian couple in series three and four.  'Naomily,' as avid fans titled them, broke down new barriers and also proved that despite a lot of heartache, happy endings do exist in television drama.

The final fling

Last year, it was decided that there would be no more full series’ of Skins.  That might have disappointed budding actors and actresses who would have seen the open auditions as a great opportunity to get their name out there.  However, it is the right decision.

One of Effy Stonem’s lines in series four sticks with me: “Nothing’s ever perfect.”  That’s very true, and all good things at some point need to come to an end.  Last year’s series started to see some slow decline with the show, and another two years would have been a mistake, and left a mark on the legacy of Skins.

Some shows drag on and on, don’t reach a natural conclusion and then become so unbelievable, you just stop watching them.  American shows are particularly guilty of this, whilst the saucy Footballers Wives and fictional Sky football drama Dream Team both attracted huge followings, but probably went on at least one more year past their natural sell-by-date.

Kaya Scodelario returns as Effy in Skins Fire, the first of the final mini-series

The producers of Skins and Channel 4 have done the right thing, and by coming back with a mini-series over the summer is the perfect farewell.  Three classic characters in Effy (Kaya Scodelario), Cassie (Hannah Murray) and Cook (Jack O’Connell) will reprise their roles for two separate episodes each which shows how their characters have developed as they’ve left the crazy teenage world and entered the new adult planet, and how much they have changed.

Effy’s story is first, titled Skins Fire.  Effy gets a job in the city, and when she learns too much about a dodgy financial deal and has an affair with the boss of the company she works for, it puts friendships and people in grave danger.  Fans of ‘Naomily’ will be delighted to know that Naomi and Emily will return to their roles in a cameo backdrop, with Emily known to be studying a photography internship in New York, and Naomi living with Effy in London.  A trailer has been released by E4 for a sneak peak at what’s to come in Skins Fire, and that can be seen below.

Cassie’s story is next and is also set in London.  She is aged 23, two years older than the other returning main characters as she was part of generation one.  ‘Skins Pure’ will be edgy watching involving following people and the forming of a strange friendship.

In ‘Skins Rise,’ Cook is doing what he does best.  Now in Manchester, he hasn’t grown up from his teenage days of drugs, sex and violence on a regular basis, despite a brief stint in jail.  Cook is a drugs dealer and when his employer asks him to find a house for his attractive girlfriend, you can guess the rest.  Expect revenge to be served and a reminder of his previous dodgy past.

And after these six weeks, it will be all over.  Skins has left plenty of good and dramatic memories, given new actors and actresses a real breakthrough and is going out at just the right time.  Let’s hope that it ends on a high with this final mini-series.

Categories: 2009, Audience, Britain, Dakota Blue Richards, Dev Patel, E4, February, Jack O'Connell, Kathryn Prescott, Lily Loveless, NME, Plan B, Skins, Slumdog Millionaire, TV

Testgate - Mercedes lucky to escape severe sanctions

By Simon Wright

The French capital of Paris has recently played host to an international tribunal which could have had major implications on the Formula One season for 2013.

The FIA tribunal virtually cleared Mercedes in 'Testgate'

Petronas AMG Mercedes F1, whose factory is based in Brackley, Northamptonshire were in the dock over an alleged illegal tyre test they had conducted with Pirelli just days after the Spanish Grand Prix in May.  The Italian tyre supplier was also told to face the summons at the FIA International Tribunal (logo pictured).

Discussions, defence and remonstrations were held in a highly charged environment on Thursday, so much so that journalists were not allowed to use Twitter to update fans during the evidence that was given.

On Friday, the verdict was handed down.  Mercedes were found in breach of sporting regulations, and were reprimanded along with being banned from competing in the Silverstone Young Drivers’ Test.

However, they escaped a hefty fine, points deductions or even race bans for what seemingly seems to be gaining a blatant advantage.

So, why did the penalty feel like no punishment at all, and where does it leave the FIA, Mercedes and Pirelli as the sport regroups at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix next weekend.

Background

For those not in the knowledge of why it went this far, it all started after a difficult weekend for both Pirelli and Mercedes at the Spanish Grand Prix.  Mercedes suffered from chronic tyre wear, as their cars dropped from the front row lockout they took in qualifying to a very uncompetitive sixth place for Nico Rosberg and 12^th for Lewis Hamilton. 

Pirelli themselves were heavily criticised (including by yours truly) for tyres that could barely last three laps around Barcelona before they started graining and delaminating on a couple of occasions, including once in the race for Jean-Eric Vergne.  Afterwards, they wanted to do a tyre test and Mercedes agreed to help them out.

While others teams packed up, Mercedes stayed behind at the Circuit de Catalunya, and did a three-day test with their 2013 drivers in a 2013 car.

News of this broke when Rosberg mentioned the test to world champion Sebastian Vettel at the GPDA meeting in Monaco.

Vettel told his team and as more information came out, Red Bull Racing and Ferrari made a joint protest on the morning of the race around the streets of Monte Carlo, claiming that Mercedes were in breach of the FIA Sporting Regulations, which prohibits in-season testing after the first week in March until the end of the season.

Mercedes claimed they had received permission from the FIA.  Although they claimed to have written documents, the FIA stated this wasn’t the case.  After a stewards meeting after the Monaco Grand Prix, which Rosberg won convincingly for Mercedes, the case was sent to a tribunal on 20 June.

Counter Punch

The teams moved onto Canada, which Red Bull team boss Christian Horner used strong words such as ‘foul’ and even stating Mercedes were guilty of a ‘crime.’  It later turned out Ferrari had done their own tyre test after April’s Bahrain Grand Prix, though this was with a 2011 car and thus were cleared of any wrongdoing.

In public, Horner kept suggesting all they wanted was clarity on the whole situation.  Deep down, his body language suggested he wanted a big penalty applied against one of his team’s major rivals.

Other teams kept quiet.  Lotus were lobbied by Red Bull to join the protest, but refused as they had been unhappy with earlier instances regarding technical decisions in the past year.  

McLaren stayed out of the mess, as they have their own problems sorting out a car that is so bad, Jenson Button and Sergio Perez would probably do better performing in a barbershop quartet!

So the evidence started to unravel at the tribunal hearing.  Mercedes claimed that they had gained no benefit from doing the 1,000km test, and team principal Ross Brawn stated they had verbal permission from regular FIA race director Charlie Whiting to use their 2013 car.

They did admit that by using plain helmets to discard the use of race drivers was the wrong thing to do, and apologised for that and clearly stated that the test was at Pirelli’s request, and it was to solve concerns over tyre safety which have dogged this championship.

The FIA’s response was they had received no written consent from Mercedes to do the test, and were unaware of the situation Pirelli had got themselves into.  Thursday also concluded with Mercedes offering a compromise of being banned for the Young Drivers’ Test to try and negate any potential advantage they had.

Verdict surprise

The general reaction I received from text messages from friends who follow the sport on Friday were one of surprise and disappointment.  Journalists seemed surprised by the leninent action too. 

Most were suspecting of at least a points deduction from the constructors’ championship or even expulsion from that championship for 2013.  This result is perfect for Mercedes – and not only keep Ross Brawn’s integrity intact, it keeps him in a job.

If Mercedes were found guilty, the man who worked so brilliantly with Michael Schumacher throughout his first career, and spearheaded the fairytale Brawn story in 2009 from the ashes of Honda would surely have paid the price at Mercedes.

As reported by BBC Sport, Brawn said: "We have a blemish-free record here and it was very important to Mercedes that the facts of this case were understood.

"It does sometimes strengthen your resolve rather than weaken it but now it's cleared away we can concentrate on the rest of the year,"

In their own statement, the FIA commented: "The FIA wishes that lessons are learnt from this case and from the decision handed down.  To this end, the FIA will make sure, in association with all F1 teams, that its control of the testings' is strengthened." 

No consistency

In the immediate aftermath of the verdict, I thought the whole episode had been a complete waste of everyone’s time and money, and it is not fair for Grand Prix racing.

No matter the reasons of the test, Mercedes used a 2013 car which is strictly against the regulations.  This was even admitted by the tribunal, but the punishment is pretty unfair on the other teams.  Mercedes have done an illegal test – there’s no getting away from it in my view and the book could and well should have been thrown at them.

A race ban was potentially there, although if that was applied – could you have imagined the reaction of the British fans if Hamilton hadn’t been allowed to start his home race next week?  That would have been brave to do in the circumstances, as an appeal would almost certainly have been made.

A fairer penalty would have been a deduction of constructors’ points – at least from the two most recent races after the test, or prohibited to score points in the next three events.  It is a team issue, so the drivers should be cleared and made free to race.

The FIA’s rule-making system is not fair – there is no consistency.  Other penalties such as BAR using fuel as ballast in 2005 and the ‘Spygate’ controversy of 2007 have ended with far more serious penalties.

Mercedes have come out of the whole episode smiling.  Red Bull and Ferrari wanted clarity, and that is something that they haven’t really got I think.  Both seem to have grudgingly accepted the verdict, probably the right thing to do so the fans can concentrate on the racing.

Pirelli's named has been tarnished in F1 2013 and rightly so

As for Pirelli (tyres pictured), they've lost total control of the tyre situation in the sport.  Why they don't have their own test car is bewildering.  They had one last year, with former F1 pilots Lucas di Grassi and Jaime Alguersuari doing tyre testing.  Why have they not got one this year?  No matter if it is a financial problem, this is their mess and Formula One is in a difficult place.

With Bridgestone not willing to supply tyres again until the recession ends, and Goodyear and Continental recently stating no interest in a return, the FIA’s determination to hound Michelin out of the sport at the end of 2006 has come back to haunt them.  

We are now stuck with a tyre supplier who might have spiced up the racing, and ensured pitstop strategy is a factor again rather than a complete non-event, but has taken things totally to the other extreme.  The scenario is not good.  Pirelli will probably extend their contract, largely because the FIA has no other options and that is their own fault for what they did to Michelin after the tyre fiasco at Indianapolis in 2005, even after Michelin admitted their guilt and did all they could to reimburse disgruntled supporters at the time. 

The International Tribunal was a total waste of everyone’s time.  Mercedes have escaped virtually scot-free from doing something completely prohibited by the current rules, and whilst we can now try to get back to ‘racing,’ although that is a strong word to use in 2013 considering the crazy tyre management we’ve often seen, I get the feeling more questions have been raised by the verdict rather than the answers we were all looking for.

Categories: 2013, Britain, FIA, Mercedes, Paris, Pirelli, Ross Brawn, Silverstone, Tribunal, Twitter