Sky At Night Celebrates

Astronomer Patrick Moore said tonight he was “staggered” to be celebrating the 55th anniversary of The Sky At Night.

The 89-year-old said he hoped the stargazing series would continue “indefinitely”, but that he wished the BBC would schedule it in an earlier time slot.

At a party hosted by BBC director general Mark Thompson, Sir Patrick said: “I’m absolutely staggered. I never thought when I began doing television shows that I’d be on for another year, let alone 55 years.

“I didn’t know if I was going to be good enough or if the subject matter would hold up.”

The programme, which now has several other co-presenters, is celebrating the landmark with an event called ‘The Moore Marathon’ – which encourages viewers to seek out 55 things in the night sky and share their findings on the programme’s website.

But Moore, who has only missed one episode of the programme’s run because of food poisoning decried the show’s current time slot.

“The main programme first goes on after midnight sometimes and I don’t like it a bit,” he said.

The astronomer, who now uses a wheelchair and is unable to look through a telescope, insisted he has not changed since his first broadcast.

“I think I’m exactly the same now as I was when I started. I just haven’t got the voice I once had,” he said.

April 16 2012 - waveguide.co.uk

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London's Digital Switchover

London’s historic switch from analogue to digital TV will be celebrated with a spectacular lightshow at Crystal Palace mast on Wednesday night (April 18).

At 21:15, a two-and-a-half-minute opening sequence will culminate with a beam of light shooting up the tower and radiating out over London.

The tower will remain illuminated until 23:00 and light up again the following night at the same time.

200,000 watts – 7.5 billion candlepower – of energy-efficient lighting, the same wattage used to light the Eiffel Tower in Paris, will illuminate the 219 metre tall structure.

Visible across London, the explosion of light will culminate with a beam of light shooting up the tower and all over London, representing the invisible digital TV signals.

More than 6 tonnes of lighting equipment has been installed on the tower in readiness for switchover. The 7000 watt, billion candlepower search lights that will beam out across London weigh 100 kilos alone have been installed 130 metres above the ground by a team of 20 riggers

In addition to the public lighting display, there is a special event at the foot of the tower to mark the switchover. Hosted by Chris Evans, the event will feature an appearance by Sir David Attenborough, who is celebrating his 60th year in broadcasting and will talk about the evolution of broadcasting during his lifetime.

April 16 2012 - waveguide.co.uk

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Lorraine Kelly Returns

Lorraine Kelly has returned to television, seven weeks after a horse-riding accident.

The 52-year-old was in hospital for more than a week after falling from a horse and then being trampled by the animal.

She had to undergo surgery for a deep wound on one of her thighs.

She told viewers: "I'm fine. I just keep telling myself 'You've got to look on the bright side'. I could have broken bones. It could have been so much worse.

"I have really missed you all so much. Thanks so much for your kind words and messages. It really helped me."

Kelly was treated at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, following the accident and has since been recovering at home.

She had been training for a modern pentathlon for the charity Piggy Bank Kids at a riding school in Surrey. During only her second lesson for the riding discipline she fell from the saddle approaching a jump.

April 16 2012 - waveguide.co.uk

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