The Beatles

When it comes to the stuff left behind by the Beatles, it’s fair to say the madness of collectors has overtaken whatever joy can be gleaned from the items themselves. Why else would the conversation around such items be restricted to their rarity, their value, and the exclusivity of access to them? Why else would books that seek to compile personal correspondence between the Fab Four, in happy times and otherwise, be so quickly consigned to the bargain bins, while the original items, at private auctions, would go for thousands?

And this is a situation that will only get worse as the years go by and there are fewer Beatles left to corroborate these fragments, or generate new ones.

So, it’s heartening to hear the tale of Hunter Davies, the band’s biographer, and one of the first to gather together personal items left behind by the boys as they went about their working lives. His collection of hand-written lyrics from the floor of Abbey Road, and various other notes and letters – early drafts of “In My Life” that reference Strawberry Fields,  a drunken letter from John Lennon to Stuart Sutcliffe – has recently been valued at £1m ($1.5m), but is he willing to auction it all off, into the hands of obsessives with deep pockets? He is not.

He told the Guardian: ”In the 1960s, these were of interest to me, the final versions of songs I’d seen the genesis of in the Beatles’ homes, but they had absolutely no value. Now I could have sold them for a fortune, obviously – but then they’d just have gone into some American billionaire’s bunker and never been seen again. I wanted them out where people can see and enjoy them.”

So he has donated his entire collection to the British Library. Not that he is without moments of chagrin over the money he could have earned:

“In the 1970s our house was burgled, and they got all my signed Beatles albums. At the time I put them down for insurance at £2 each. Recently a friend of mine sold an autographed copy of Sgt Pepper for £57,000, and one lyrics sheet went for nearly £1m.

“The further we get from the Beatles, the bigger they get.”

And the fascinating thing is that, in a bid by the Arts Council to encourage more donations of this sort, Hunter can offset the value of his collection (up to £300,000) against income tax for the next three years. So while his donation is generous of spirit, it’s not without its perks.

Or to put it another way, they never give him their money, and he only gives them his funny papers.

The cast returns for ‘Copper’ Season 2. (Photo: BBC AMERICA)

With temps already climbing across the country and Memorial Day around the corner, BBC AMERICA has sent out a press release previewing its summer programming, led by the second season of its original crime drama Copper. Set in Civil War-era New York City, the series stars British actor Tom Weston-Jones as Irish detective Kevin Corcoran, a talented officer who must tame the chaos of the city’s downtrodden Five Points neighborhood while struggling with his own family’s upheaval. The 13-episode second season, premiering Sunday, June 23, will delve into the political machinations of New York’s Tammany Hall as the country nears President Lincoln’s assassination. Additions to the cast this season include Donal Logue, Alfre Woodard, Eamonn Walker, Lee Tergesen, Andrew Howard and William Baldwin.

Meanwhile, Broadchurch, the much-buzzed-about drama starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman as officers investigating the death of a young boy in a seaside town, will premiere Wednesday, August 7 in BBC AMERICA’s award-winning Dramaville block, while the latest miniseries of Luther, starring Golden Globe winner Idris Elba as the titular detective, will roll out as a four-night event beginning September 3. Also, the final season of Being Human will premiere Saturday, July 13 in Supernatural Saturday.

The channel has also announced the series premiere of Dangerman: The Incredible Mr. Goodwin, a series featuring the British escapologist Jonathan Goodwin as he places himself in some extreme situations, all in homage to his childhood heroes like Harry Houdini. And Top Gear‘s landmark twentieth season will air this summer at an as-yet-unspecified date.

The release notes the previously unveiled airdates for the return of the science series Bang Goes the Theory (Tuesday, June 4) and the zombie miniseries In the Flesh (rolling out over three nights beginning Thursday, June 6).

Here’s the release in full:

BBC AMERICA SUMMER PREVIEW

 

COPPER, LUTHER, BROADCHURCH, IN THE FLESH, BANG GOES THE THEORY, TOP GEAR, BEING HUMAN, DANGERMAN: THE INCREDIBLE MR GOODWIN

 

DRAMA

 

COPPER – WORLD PREMIERE

COPPER, BBC AMERICA’s highest-rated original drama, returns for a second season this June. An American saga set in 1865 New York City, picks-up on the brink of Lincoln’s assassination – with shifts in politics and society altering the landscape for Irish immigrants and African-Americans.  At the center, Detective Kevin Corcoran (Tom Weston-Jones, MI-5) struggles to tame the wartime metropolis while wrestling with personal demons, including the betrayal of his wife and best friend.  And when Tammany Hall’s outspoken General Brendan Donovan (Donal Logue, Vikings, Sons of Anarchy), returns from the Civil War to restore law and order in the Sixth Ward, loyalties will be bought and sold both Uptown and in the slums of the Five Points as Corcoran, and those around him, fight to find their places in an unforgiving city. Guest stars include Alfre Woodard (Steel Magnolias, Twelve Years a Slave, True Blood), William Baldwin (Gossip Girl, Hawaii Five-O), Eamonn Walker (Chicago Fire, Oz), Lee Tergesen (The Big C, Oz) and Andrew Howard (Hatfield & McCoys, The Hangover). The series is created by three-time Emmy^® Award-winner Tom Fontana and Academy Award-nominee Will Rokos, and executive produced by Academy Award-winner Barry Levinson, Fontana, Rokos, Cineflix Studios President Christina Wayne and Thomas Kelly. COPPER returns Sunday, June 23, 10:00pm ET/PT.

 

BROADCHURCH – US PREMIERE

BBC AMERICA’s Broadchurch, which earned critical acclaim, record ratings and became a Twitter phenomenon in the UK, centers on the investigation into the murder of a young boy in a British seaside town. Leading the investigation are two detectives – the strong yet compassionate local Detective Sergeant, Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman), and the by-the-book Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant), Ellie’s newly appointed boss.  By circumstance they are partnered to solve the murder, keeping the newspapers from derailing the investigation and trying to prevent the crime from impacting tourism at the beach where the boy was murdered. The cast also includes Jodie Whittaker as Beth, Andrew Buchan as Mark, Will Mellor playing Stephen Turner and sees Arthur Darvill as the town priest Paul Coates. The series is created and written by Chris Chibnall and executive produced by Chibnall and Jane Featherstone. Broadchurch premieres Wednesday, August 7, 10:00pm ET/PT as part of Dramaville.

 

 

LUTHER – US PREMIERE

BBC AMERICA’s acclaimed mini-series Luther returns as a four-night television event in September. Idris Elba (Pacific Rim, Thor) returns in the title role which won him a 2012 Golden Globe^® for “Best Actor.” John Luther, the near-genius detective struggling to cope with his own demons, is back under intense pressure – with two conflicting crimes to investigate and a ruthless ex-cop determined to bring him down. Luther’s life is his job; that is until love crosses his path and offers him a chance of happiness. Sienna Guillory (Resident Evil, Love Actually) joins the cast as Mary, a woman who works in a vintage clothing shop and meets Luther in a chance encounter.  The series is created by Neil Cross and executive produced by Phillippa Giles. Luther returns September 3-6, 10:00pm ET/PT as part of Dramaville.

IN THE FLESH – US PREMIERE

BBC AMERICA’s In The Flesh, a new zombie mini-series event, will premiere this summer over three straight nights beginning June 6. It follows zombie teenager Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry) and his reintegration back into both the local community and the heart of his family. After his suicide four years ago, his friends and family thought they’d never see Kieren again. But shortly after his funeral, thousands rose from the dead; and after months of rehabilitation and medication, the zombies – now known as PDS (Partially Deceased Syndrome) sufferers – are gradually being returned to their homes. When Kieran arrives, he is forced to confront his family, the community that rejected him and haunting flashbacks of what he did in his untreated state. In The Flesh is created and written by Dominic Mitchell and executive produced by Hilary Martin. In The Flesh premieres June 6-8, 10:00pm ET/PT.

SUPERNATURAL SATURDAY

BEING HUMAN – US PREMIERE

BBC AMERICA’s original hit series, Being Human, returns for its final season. Ghost Alex (Kate Bracken) is adjusting to life after death with werewolf Tom (Michael Socha) and vampire Hal (Damien Molony). Matters become more complicated with the return of Mr. Rook, the shady figure whose government department protects the human world from otherworldly beings.  But they don’t realize they face a bigger threat than Rook and the Men in Grey, when they stumble across the decrepit and repulsive Captain Hatch (Phil Davis). Unknown to our trio, his decrepit exterior hides an ancient evil that threatens not only their friendship, but the entire world. The series is created and written by Toby Whithouse and executive produced by Whithouse, Rob Pursey, Philip Trethowan, and George Ormond. Being Human returns Saturday, July 13, 10:00pm ET/PT as part of Supernatural Saturday.

UNSCRIPTED

BANG GOES THE THEORY – US PREMIERE

BBC AMERICA’s science-savvy entertainment series, Bang Goes the Theory, returns with all-new episodes featuring spectacular experiments and crazy innovations with hosts Dallas Campbell, biochemist Liz Bonnin, engineer Jem Stansfield and evolutionary biologist Dr. Yan Wong.  The action-packed series goes from the sky (in a human-powered airplane) to the bottom of the sea (in the Royal Navy’s latest search and rescue submarine) and everywhere in between to answer some of the most common, and a few not so common, questions.  Making science both inspiring and engaging, the team investigates the issues that affect people every day. Bang Goes the Theory returns with three back-to-back episodes Tuesday, June 4, 9:00pm ET/PT.

DANGERMAN: THE INCREDIBLE MR. GOODWIN – US PREMIERE

Impossible is merely a challenge for Jonathan Goodwin, a new breed of escapologist and a professional dangerman, who puts himself in the most extreme situations. Emulating his childhood heroes, the great American sideshow acts and comic-book characters, Goodwin takes his unique brand of entertainment onto the streets of Britain and the US. He’ll climb buildings, get buried alive, catch arrows and fire a rifle blindfolded in front of stunned onlookers. But viewers will get to know him even better, witnessing the extraordinary processes Goodwin goes through behind the scenes as he trains intensively for his performances, many of which have never been attempted before. Dangerman: The Incredible Mr. Goodwin premieres Monday, July 8, 10:00pm ET/PT.

TOP GEAR SEASON 20 – US PREMIERE

Hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May return for the twentieth season of the world’s biggest car show. The new season features new adventures, stunts and challenges plus the mysterious racing driver, The Stig. Top Gear returns this summer.

SEE ALSO:
A first look at BBC AMERICA’s The Musketeers
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell series to air on BBC AMERICA in 2014
Steven Moffat previews Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary

An English girl, an Irish guy, an American, and a Welshman walk into a TV studio …

The Voice UK is currently #1 on BBC1.

What’s on: The Voice UK  
What is it: Okay, we’re pretty sure most people are familiar with NBC’s The Voice but just in case … it’s a singing competition reality show. The format consists of: 1) Producer Auditions; 2) Blind Auditions; 3) Battle Phase; and, 4) Live Shows. The panel of judges is made up of Danny O’Donoghue (The Script), Jessie J. (English singer/songwriter), Sir Tom Jones (Welsh solo artist) and will.i.am (The Black Eyed Peas), with hosts Reggie Yates and Holly Willoughby. The panelists are sat in swivel chairs and they only hear the competitor’s voice versus being swayed by their look or choreography. If the judge is swayed by the sound of just the voice, they turn around and become their mentor, coach and add them to their team to compete against the other judge’s assembled teams. The audience is the ultimate decider with their votes.
Air-date: March 24, 2012 – present on BBC1
Who’s watching: 8.86 million Brits
Why so popular: Reality shows are crazy popular probably because of mere curiosity and the ability to peek into someone’s life. If you throw competition into a reality it becomes a different animal with contestants really putting everything on the line. The Voice steers away from airing auditions-go-wrong that could be potentially humiliating but rather focuses on high quality music-making. Sometime’s it’s just so heartbreaking and hard to watch but ultimately, there is a winner. The show is a refreshing change from other competition shows with the seasoned performers acting as mentors versus just ball busting judges.
American counterpart: The U.S. has an American version of The Voice, which has been a huge hit and totally embraced by the public, with the original panel – Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton – providing a nice mix of musical talent ranging from alternative and pop to rap and country.

It’s the same name but is it the same show. Decide for yourself! Here’s the trailer for Season 1 of The Voice UK:

Right, well, the premise appears to be the same but what about the judges. The judges size each other up in this clip:

And, the contestants? We’re gonna sneak ahead to the Season 1 finale where you can check out the final four:

As usual, fans are heading to Twitter to show their support. Makes this lad wanna sing!:

The last guy on #TheVoiceUK will win this years show! Pure voice I’m telling ya!! I wish I could sing soooo bad!!

— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) March 30, 2013

A Season 2 contestant makes a cheeky point with this tweet:

It’s so funny how my Neighbours who blanked me a few months ago now all won a have a chat #thevoiceuk #teamtom — Cherelle Basquine (@cherelleartist) May 22, 2013

Alas, not everyone’s a fan:

Queen guitarist Brian May attacks #TheVoiceUK: ‘It makes me sick’ dspy.me/119FdXq

— Digital Spy (@digitalspy) May 21, 2013

Which version do you prefer? 

Gabriella Wilde has mastered the endless gaze. (MH)

The 1981 teen romance, Endless Love, is getting a makeover starring English actors Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four) and Gabriella Wilde (The Three Musketeers, Doctor Who‘s The Vampire of Venice).

The original film starred Brooke Shields (The Blue Lagoon) and Martin Hewitt (General Hospital) who play Chicago suburban teenagers in an extremely committed and passionate relationship. Shield’s character, Jade, has bohemian parents who don’t mind the two of them shacking up at their house. But, the playing around takes a toll on Jade’s grades. Her parents ask her boyfriend, David, just to let things cool off until the end of the school year which is in 30 days. 30 days! But, you know young love … 30 days seems like a prison sentence.

Rather than just hanging out with the guys or picking up a hobby, David comes up with the brilliant idea to set her house on fire, but just a little bit, and then come back and save the day and be the hero. His plan fails miserably, and, oh, he burn the house down by mistake (oops). Here’s a peek at the trailer of the original:

It’s not known if the remake will follow the same plot but you get the gist of it, it’s an “endless” series of unlucky events testing the couple’s young love. We expect there will be a lot of running around, hand holding, long gazes, meddling parents, scheming plans, more embraces, useless friends, pining for each other … lots of pining.

Do you have love on the brain now? If so, maybe take a long gaze out the window while mulling it over with this lovey dovey ballad, “Endless Love”, playing in the background. It’s like having your own personal soundtrack:

The film is scheduled to come out in time for Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2014.

What do you think of the plot? Where should it take place — UK or U.S.? 

Frances Barber and Mark Gatiss in ‘Playhouse Presents… Psychobitches’

Yep, you read that picture caption correctly. The Joan Crawford on the right there is indeed Mark Gatiss – Mycroft Holmes from Sherlock, among a great many other things. He’s appearing a new show on Sky Arts, as  part of their Playhouse Presents strand. And it languishes under the astonishing title “Psychobitches.”

The (possibly slightly irreverent) idea is that these two are visiting a psychologist, played by The Thick of It‘s Rebecca Front, and of course they don’t really get along, and soon end up arguing over which of them has the more legendary status.

The psychologist is also visited by other notably unhappy women from history, including a neurotic Sylvia Plath (played by Julia Davis), the squabbling Bronte sisters (Katy Brand, Selina Griffiths and Sarah Solemani), an imperious Eva Peron (Sharon Horgan) and a Margot Fonteyn (Sheila Reid) that can’t seem to accept the passing of the years. 

But these are mere details, information about an interesting television show. All well and good, and it does look very good, but we’re basically just here to say “OMG! MARK GATISS IN A DRESS! ET CETERA!”

But if you do want to find out more, the details are on the Sky Arts website.  

Tatiana Maslany from ‘Orphan Black’

The Broadcast Television Journalists’ Association have announced their Critics’ Choice Award nominations today, and BBC AMERICA scored five nominations. Tatiana Maslany received a nod in the Best Actress in a Drama category for her roles — yes, roles — on the channel’s original drama Orphan Black. On the sci-fi thriller series, the Canadian-born star plays Sarah, a British orphan, who discovered she’s one of many clones, all of whom have strikingly different personalities, appearances and accents. She’s nominated in the same category as Claire Danes (Homeland), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Keri Russell (The Americans), and Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel), and comes in ahead of such absent favorites as Kerry Washington (Scandal), Robin Wright (House of Cards) and Brit Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey).

Also, BBC AMERICA’s The Hour and leads Dominic West and Romola Garai scored nods in the Miniseries categories, totaling three nominations for the farewell installment of the drama, and Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan took a spot in a Best Reality Series field. Surveying Britishness beyond the channel, Downton Abbey earned a Best Drama Series nomination, but none of its stars were invited to today’s party. And you’d be correct in noticing there’s no Dame Maggie Smith. Gasp, I know. This was a notoriously uneven third season for the popular 1920s-set primetime soap, but it’s surprising that the solid actors were punished and not the show itself.

Meanwhile, The Walking Dead‘s Andrew Lincoln, The Americans‘ Matthew Rhys, and Homeland‘s Damian Lewis spar in the Best Drama Actor category to see which Brit does the best U.S. accent (while Rhys does one better, playing a Russian posing as an American). And Emilia Clarke breaks in for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama for Game of Thrones. (Dame Diana Rigg, who recently appeared as a terrible, terrible woman on Doctor Who, has a Guest Performer nomination for Thrones. At least that’s one Dame nominated.)

Cumberbatch fans, you won’t be disappointed: he’s nominated for Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries for HBO’s Parade’s End, competing against fellow Brits Dominic West and Toby Jones (The Girl). Cumberbatch’s Parade’s End co-star Rebecca Hall is up for Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries against The Hour‘s Garai. Actor-director Peter Mullan is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries for Sundance’s BBC co-pro Top of the Lake. And the Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries group contains two Brits, The Girl‘s Sienna Miller and Imelda Staunton. And major kudos to Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance) and Gordon Ramsay (Hell’s Kitchen and Masterchef), two BBC AMERICANS who are flying the Union flag high in the Best Reality Host category.

And no Sherlock wasn’t snubbed: it just wasn’t on this season. But watch out 2013-14 (or 2014-15, depending on where it airs in the calendar year). Winners are announced June 10 and will be streamed live.

Full list of nominations:

Man of Steel

Things that go boom are very impressive, aren’t they? Especially when you line them up in quick succession, one after the other. It’s like being hit in the face with a sockful of sand over and over and over again. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Whatever else you may say about the experience, the people doing the booming have got your attention. That’s what they want.

This is the new trailer for Man of Steel, the forthcoming Superman movie in which Henry Cavill sorts out his multiple personality disorder by getting seriously into cosplay, and scores a hot girlfriend called Lois Lane, played by Amy Adams.

Actually, there are other strands to the story that I may have left out there. What’s interesting about this trailer is that it follows the trend set by the (many, many) Star Trek Into Darkness previews, the ones that focussed hard on Benedict Cumberbatch’s John Harrison, the epitome of the sneering British baddy. We’re getting a rogues-eye view of the situation, to show how dark things can get for our heroes:

Of course, Benedict brings his own boom. Or is it more of a rumble?

Win the chance to meet, and wait on, Downton Abbey‘s Brendan Coyle. (PBS)

Has it been a dream of yours to appear on Downton Abbey as an extra? To rub elbows with the upstairs and downstairs actors? Well … keep dreaming, because that’s not going to happen (at least this time around). BUT, you can act as a servant to actor Brendan Coyle, who plays valet John Bates, when he’s in NYC this summer. He has agreed to, “let himself be waited on hand and foot by a super lucky auction bidder.”

We’re still trying to wrap our minds around the prize as it’s a little confusing. Here’s the skinny on it: Coyle will be in NYC from August – December 2013; BiddingforGood is hosting an auction on behalf of the Origin Theatre Company, which starts at a $1000 bid, for the lucky winner to wait on Coyle one fine evening; the winner (we use this term loosely) will read poetry to Coyle in a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park (very romantical); the night will continue on to the posh Per Se at the Time Warner center; the winner is then supposed to offer his/her dessert to Coyle; after dinner, the winner will make sure Coyle gets in a cab and is safely on his way home; Coyle, in return, will let the winner know he has made it to his hotel (we are assuming via text or a phone call … but possibly email or pigeon mail).

We get that acting as a servant may be in the same vein as getting zombified like the fans of Walking Dead but this plan is rather flawed. The item is listed as “Get the royal treatment” but it’s actually the other way around. Aghast, a servant wouldn’t sit down to dinner with his employer. Really, the winner should just stand behind Coyle as he eats and wait for any requests or directions. Or, even better (more factual), stand facing the wall. But, you can stare at a wall at home versus make a $1000-plus bid. Most importantly, what if the winner doesn’t want to share his dessert!

Alright, maybe we’re taking this too seriously and reading too much into it and we’ll employ the “suspension of disbelief” theory and go with it as, “Hey, hang out with one of your favorite stars from one of your favorite shows!”

The auction lasts until May, 29 11:59pm Eastern. But, there is a note saying, “After the online bidding closes, this item will be going to a Live Event for further bidding.” It’s like the never-ending auction.

These concerns may be moot as no one has made a bid as of yet.

Does this sound tempting to you?  

Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman and Steven Moffat at the Peabodys. (Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Steven Moffat, Jenna Coleman, and a freshly shorn Matt Smith were in New York last night (May 20) to accept one of the highest honors in media, the Peabody award. Doctor Who picked up a special Institutional Peabody award for its longevity and “evolving with technology and the times like nothing else in the known television universe.” Matt was seen sporting a shaved head for his latest film role in Ryan Gosling‘s directorial debut How to Catch a Monster, which also stars Christina Hendricks, Eva Mendes, Saoirse Ronan, and Ben Mendelsohn.

• Also, look who tweeted a photo with Matt from last night’s event! Perhaps Judd Apatow will cast him in a Time Lord-inspired Knocked Up sequel, This is 1000:

Dr. Who ! twitter.com/JuddApatow/sta…

— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) May 20, 2013

• Announced over the weekend, that Season Eight has been properly officially commissioned. Which means we have the 50th Anniversary show to look forward to in November (plus Mark Gatiss’s Who biopic An Adventure In Space And Time) then the Christmas special, and then a new series of untold wonders and delights, at some point in the not-too-distant future.

And this comes just as we’re all reeling from the astonishing goings on during “The Name of the Doctor.” Here’s our episode recap, so you’re up to speed, and then go back to the beginning.

First there was “He Said, She Said,” the prequel clip summing up Clara and the Doctor’s feelings of admiration and disquiet towards one another:

Then, we had these reports from Strax. Here’s one:

And another:

And finally, the proper behind-the-scenes report:

Oh and if you were at all confused by who all those men in funny coats were in the Doctor’s time stream, might we direct you to the Doctor Who official site’s beginner’s guide to the Doctors?

Now, what else is going on in space and time this week?

• Ah yes! Matt Smith and David Tennant, chatting from the set of the 50th Anniversary shoot:

• Steven Moffat himself gave us some backstage gossip from rehearsals:

• MTV Geek spent some time in Murray Gold‘s NYC studio to chat with the composer about his work on Doctor Who. And he gives a live demo of “Mercy” from “A Town Called Mercy” (accompanied by singer Halia Meguid).

• Neil Gaiman revealed how the character of Clara evolved from Victorian barmaid to the person we now know she is.

• Y’know those wonderful movie-style posters for each episode in Season Seven? We spoke to Lee Binding — the man who designed them — about his work.

• The children’s comic The Beano put out their own special Doctor Who edition, to celebrate their own 75th anniversary, and because the Doctor is a fan.

• Here’s a charming DIY video — how to create your own miniature TARDIS out of polymer clay:

• Natalie Barnes, editor of Doctor Who Adventures, tells Radio Times that it should definitely continue being a scary show.

• Let’s end with a musical restatement of core principles, shall we? Here’s a beautifully compiled and edited romp through all the Doctor Who opening credits, from the very first episode, to the present day.

There will be goosebumps!

TTFN!

Celebrity Gnomes at the Chelsea Flower Show. You can tell which one Sir Elton made, can’t you? (AP Images)

See these hirsute little men? See their pointy hats? I’m ashamed to admit that they have been allowed entry into one of the finest events in the British horticultural calendar: the Chelsea Flower Show, for the first time ever.

Every year, until now, vulgar little gnomes like these have been rightly kept out, by the Royal Horticultural Society, who refuse to allow any “brightly-colored mythical creatures” to grace the displays, lest the tone be irrevocably lowered.

No matter how hard they try, sneaking under hedges, sky-diving in from little helicopters, gnomes have found it impossible to break in, and quite right too. They’re cheesy, they do not decorate a garden in the manner to which Chelsea Flower Show attendees find comfortable, and they are a blight upon the neighbourhood.

But somehow this year, under the umbrella of ‘celebrity makeovers,’ gnomes have been allowed within the hallowed grounds.  This is the Flower Show’s centenary year, and to mark the occasion, celebrities – including Sir Elton John and Dame Helen Mirren – have designed their own gnomes, which will be flogged publicly sold on eBay, with proceeds going to the Royal Horticultural Society’s Campaign For School Gardening.

Dame Helen feels particularly strongly about the idea of introducing gardening lessons to school curriculums, telling the Telegraph:
“Not enough young people garden or even know how to. They should teach it in schools. It’s such a positive thing to do and very useful.”

“It’s important to have a variety of skills.”

Yes, but where does she stand on the vexatious issue of gnomes, the ones that the lower orders seem to be so fond of?

“I’m fond of gnomes, but I don’t have any in my own garden.”

A-HA! Thought as much.