gromit unleashed

Two summers ago, 61 life-size, painted gorillas decorated the streets of Bristol. They were a great success – very popular with old and young alike. At the time, I asked “what’s going to be next?”.

Well, the answer is 80 five-foot tall Gromits!
TheTrail opens on Monday 1 July and will last for 10 weeks… at the end of which the figures will be sold to raise money for Bristol Children’s Hospital.
Rosa+I went along to the Harbourside yesterday afternoon to see Nick Park “drive” the steam train carrying 11 Gromits from Aardman’s Headquarters to the M-shed… for a reception attended by sponsors and artists (we’re very lucky to know a number of the artists involved – including Emily Ketteringham and David Bain… and Ruth was also delighted to work as the artist for two Gromits on behalf of two celebrities/contributors, plus a mini Gromit destined for one of the ferries, I think). “GromitUnleashed” is going to be a HUGE success in Bristol this summer… I know the artists have had a great time decorating their individual Gromits and, from all the happy, smiling faces who watched the Gromits arriving at the M-shed yesterday afternoon, the event is going to attract an awful lot of people to the city.
It’s going to be AMAZING!
Photo: Some of the Gromits that arrived at the M-shed by steam train yesterday afternoon (looking a little startled by the enthusiastic welcome they received, perhaps?).
PS: I can’t wait to join Iris, Rosa+Ursula on the Trail over the summer… and am probably feeling even more excited than them at the prospect!!

last big brother (at last)

“Why has it taken so long for “Big Brother” to be terminated?
So asked John Bell (of the Iona Community) on Radio4’s “Thought for the Day” back in August last year. Apparently, the final series has now duly arrived. I say “apparently” because I think I’ve only ever watched half a programme. Somewhat frighteningly, “Big Brother” is a programme that the Head of Channel Four has called “the most influential show of the modern era”. I’ve just read Charlie Brooker’s entertaining “screen burn” in yesterday’s Guardian “Guide” on the final Celebrity Big Brother. In it, he lists the participating “celebrities” and, frankly (and I realise this says more about me than anything else), I’ve only ever heard of two of them (Vinnie Jones and Stephanie Beacham). Rather crudely, but very effectively, Brooker describes some of the current celebrities thus: “Two of the contestants appear to have been invited to participate on the basis that they’ve been inside a famous person, and one because a famous person has been inside them. That’s not celebrity, that’s proximity”! That's just brilliant!!
John Bell concluded his radio piece in the following way: "Big Brother is said to regularly attract more than 2million viewers. Its proponents will say that it caters for an audience. But I doubt if anyone grows ONE INCH in moral stature in what, at times, can be seen as a televisual diet of dysfunction”.
Precisely.
PS: The only worry is that you just know that whatever replaces it is likely to be just as bad.
PPS: I realise that I’ve groaned on about Big Brother before (sorry!).