It looks like summer might actually have arrived in London this week, but if you're determined to stay inside, here are a few things to help you bide the time.
On TV, Londonist likes:
Monday, 3 September – Wednesday, 5 September
Dumped (Channel 4, 21:00-22:00) We’ve already told you about this interesting concept involving contestants living on a rubbish dump, and since you’re no doubt looking to fill the Big Brother void in your life, you won’t want to miss this. Who doesn’t love rubbish? Well, we don’t actually love rubbish, but we do enjoy the thought of people trying to create a place to sleep out of trash. Wonder if this will make the contestants more passionate about recycling?
Monday, 3 September
Grandad’s Back In Business (BBC2, 21:00-22:00) If rubbish doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps this show will. This first episodes of this show looking at ageism in the workplace and the difficulty older people have finding employment sees 60 year old Raymond is competing against 17 year old Rebecca for a trainee position in a London hairdressing salon. If you don’t have a pension, this show will likely make you think about retirement a bit differently.
Extraordinary People: 7/7 – the Man Who Should Be Dead (Five, 21:00-22:00) Danny Biddle is one of the many Londoners affected by the 7/7 bombings, but he’s a bit different than most. He was just feet away from the bomber on the Circle Line as it left Edgware Road station, and watched as the bomber reached into his rucksack. Moments later, he was lying in pain in the dark, and would lose both legs and an eye. This straightforward documentary is told by Biddle and those who saved his life, and is a tribute to him and the tube passengers who kept him alive and the medical team who saved him on the operating table.
Friday, 7 September
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (BBC1, 22:35-23:35) Jonathan Ross is back with interviews with Keira Knightley, Adam Sandler and Simon Pegg and music from The Polyphonic Spree. The Friday Night Project is finished, so this should give you your Friday night burst of music and interviews. This Londonista prefers Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins, but this will do until they get back.
Saturday, 8 September
Last Night of the Proms, Part 1 (BBC2, 19:30-21:15) It’s been a delightful Proms season, and Alan Titchmarsh is here to introduce the final concert from Royal Albert Hall. There’s a Shakespearean theme with works from Dvorak’s Othello and Ades’ The Tempest. If you haven’t caught any of the Proms yet, this is your last chance, so be sure to enjoy.
On the radio, Londonist likes:
Monday, 3 September – Saturday, 8 September
BBC Proms 2007 (BBC Radio3, times vary) The last week of the Proms are here, so it’s your last chance for a bit of culture with your evening meal. This is it until next summer, so catch it while you can.
Thursday, 6 September
Seven More Days That Rocked The World (BBC Radio 2, 23:00-23:30) In 2003, ten days before the Iraq invasion began, the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines, criticised George Bush on stage at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. The resulting backlash devastated the band’s career and changed the face of country music in America. This programme looks at how the music industry and political world responded to those events.
Online, Londonist likes:
Urban Path - Every once in a while, we like to do some fantasy shopping, and Urban Path, which has suggestions of "nice things in London", is perfect for that. If you're looking for places to have afternoon tea or dine alfresco, this should come in handy. Nice for a day when you want to dream.
