Is David Knijnenburg the next Doctor Who?

Now David Tennant has announced he's leaving the title role in Doctor Who next year, there's an endless stream of speculative press coverage proposing and debating likely candidates to take over control of the TARDIS. [Personally, I think it'd be fun to have a female Doctor. I hereby nominate Emilia Fox, pictured above.] Anyway, here's an Australian newspaper story trying to conjure a local candidate for one of TV's most wanted jobs - enjoy!

Will David Knijnenburg replace Tennant as Doctor Who?

An intriguing set of coincidence has raised the possibility that the next Doctor Who could be a 41-year-old Brisbane actor called David Knijnenburg [below].

Hardly a household name, Knijnenburg is nevertheless a stalwart of the Australian stage.

His recent sudden departure for the UK "for an audition" took on a new light when it emerged the current Doctor, David Tennant, was quitting the BBC series.

Knijnenburg was extremely coy when asked by Confidential if he had put up his hand to pilot the TARDIS.

"If that were true then I probably wouldn't be in a position to be supposed to be talking about it," he said.

Knijnenburg was reportedly spotted several times in the Old Dart with members of the Doctor Who production team, including at well-known entertainment industry lair The Ivy, where deals apparently get inked.

Neighbourhood park all covered with cheese

Never fails to amaze me how few people have seen Sports Night. If you're scratching your head, trying to recall if you know the name, chances are you're one of the many who hasn't seen this US TV series. Sports Night was a sitcom devised and written by Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing [TWW hereafter]. It launched in '98 and ran for two seasons, the second overlapping with TWW's first year on TV. Sports Night got canned, despite rising ratings.

The simply reason why most UK viewers don't know Sports Night is it never got screened on a British terrestrial channel [though you can find repeats on digital channels if you hunt around]. To the best of my knowledge, it's never been released on DVD in the UK [though you can import the new 10th anniversary edition from the US if your DVD player can cope with multi-region discs]. As a result, Sports Night remains an undiscovered gem for many.

In short, the show is set behind the scenes at a sports news show on a major cable network. But Sports Night is about people, not sports. A lot of American sports jargon does fly around, but it's the characters and the comedy that make it worth watching. Sorkin can write a funny behind the scenes at a TV show show, although some might not have thought so after his second attempt at this specialised sub-genre, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, tanked.

Why's Sports Night worth seeking out? There is a crackerjack cast, for starters. Peter [Six Feet Under, Dirty Sexy Money] Krause, Felicity [Desperate Housewives, Transamerica] Huffman, Joshua [The West Wing] Malina and Robert [Soap, Benson] Guillaume are among the main series regulars. The guest cast is just as impressive, including William H Macy, Janel Maloney, Lisa Edelstein, Ray Wise and others who've gone on to notable success since.

Sports Night is the place where Sorkin learned how to write for TV, and tried out many of the tricks and tropes that served him so well on TWW. It was also where Sorkin forged his creative partnership with director Thomas Schlamme. On Sports Night they developed the walk-and-talk visual style that make exposition so energised on TWW. They built a storytelling shorthand that would lead to many, many plaudits and influence many other shows.

Watching Sports Night with the benefit of hindsight, you can see Sorkin trialling storylines and characterisations he would repeat and refine on TWW. Dan Rydell is the forerunner for Josh Lyman in TWW. Whole plots get recycled from Sports Night into TWW, such as Sam discovering his father's been having an affair for 27 years [in Sports Night, that happens to Joshua Malina's character]. This series is John the Baptist to TWW's more messianic success.

Most of all, Sports Night is fun to watch. The first few are a bit clunky and preachy, as the writer finds his TV legs, but things improve rapidly. And there's a laugh track that irks like hell, but it quickly fades into the background. [Literally - the programme makers kept turning down the volume switch on the laugh track.] Best of all, there's 45 episodes of Sorkin goodness you may never have seen before, just waiting for you to discover. Enjoy!

You know you're too busy when...

...you get good news and it makes you go 'Argh!'. In my case, it was a congratulatory email yesterday, saying the first ten pages of my script Families At War had made it to the second round of the Red Planet Prize. Normally I'd be dancing round the room, celebrating. But now I need to devote this weekend to polishing the rest of the script when I'd planned to be writing two other, just as urgent projects. As a consequence, all I could think was 'Argh!'.

Doesn't help the household's down with flu, I'm knackered from my round trip to London and a bunch of other stuff. But let's get a sense of perspective. Thousands of people are losing their jobs round the country every day, and terrorism is doing bad things in India right now. On the scale of human tragedy, having too many exciting opportunities happen at once is merely unfortunate. Time to suck it up and get some writing done. Onwards, fingers of fun - onwards!

Back from That Fancy London

Spent the past two days in a London recording studio for the taping of my new audio drama, DOCTOR WHO: Enemy of the Daleks. Contractual obligations prevent me from spilling the beans about who's in the cast, details of the plot or many other juicy morsels. Sorry about that. But I can tell it was a blast listening to my script come to life, hearing actors interpret the roles and make the most of the drama. It's 'ovely when a plan comes together.

I took the sleeper train down on Sunday night [yes, you can still catch sleeper trains in Britain, a fact that took many by surprise when I told them], before heading over to the studio in West London. Enemy of the Daleks is structured like classic series Doctor Who i.e. four episodes each of 25 minutes duration. Taping all the dialogue for such a story takes two days in the studio, so there was plenty of time for green room gossip, banter and badinage.

I took every opportunity to sit in the control room and listen to the script being recorded. There's nothing like hearing professional actors [many with a stunning array of credits] speaking dialogue you've written. On the nose moments become all too apparent, and each actor bring fresh nuances to their part. An educational experience. The director for this story, Ken, proved marvelously adept at getting the best from his handpicked cast.

In truth I wasn't needed, but went along mostly for my own benefit, as a learning experience. I did make a few useful contributions and/or suggestions, but mostly just sat in awe of everyone doing their jobs. A few weeks before I was typing the second draft, now I was witnessing the next stage of its evolution. The audio drama now goes into post-production, acquiring sound effects and music and a thousand other creative moments to finish it off.

The results will be released next May, available to download from the Big Finish website or order on CD from various retailers. [Indeed, you can pre-order Enemy of the Daleks now if you feel the urge.] In the meantime I've got a splitting headache, a sandpaper throat and deadlines to meet. It's lovely to be home, but two days and three nights away have played havoc with life. Onwards!

Snow, Sports and Sore Throats

The much promised snow has yet to materialise. Earlier this week the weather service was predicting an icy blast from the Arctic that would make the colder parts of Narnia look like a tropical paradise. But we're too far inland, so it's just rained a bit and been nippy round the nether regions. Probably just as well, as I'm doing a lot of coughing and spluttering. Some kindly soul has given me their cold and my throat feels like rusting razorwire.

Lovely day of sports results yesterday for an ex-pat Kiwi. Biggest upset has to be the New Zealand rugby league team beating perpetual nemesis Australia in the world cup final. Been a long, long time since they outdid that opposition, and never in a cup final. The All Blacks initially struggled against a resolute Wales team in Cardiff, before winning 29-6. Alas, the NZ cricket team couldn't complete the trifecta, losing to Australia at the Gabba.

It's another thin week here at Vicious Imagery as I'm away from tonight until Wednesday morning. Catching the sleeper train to London so I can observe the recording sessions for my Big Finish audio drama DOCTOR WHO: Enemy of the Daleks. Once I get back there's a helter skelter week of work to squeeze into three days, so don't expect long or languid posts upon my return. Sorry, folks, deadlines comes first - but I'll be thinking of you. Onwards!

I. Am. Waiting for the [Snow]Man

The weather service has been making ominous noises about the first substantial blast of winter, coming by the end of this week. Wind directions are due to change Thursday night or during Friday, so our weather comes from due north i.e. the Arctic. That means a sudden dip in temperatures from recent mild days [8-12 degrees in... err... Centigrade? Farenheit? Can never remember which one's which]. Plus biting wind chill, Maybe even some snow.

We did get snow flurries for about five minutes one day in October, part of a week-long cold snap that didn't come to much. I've yet to have a serious effort getting ice off the car first thing. But sounds like that's about to change. The good news is we've had the chimney swept, so a roaring fire is available. The bad news we don't have any fuel in hand for said fire. A trip to buy some fossil fuels is probably in order. Hmm, fossil fuels.

In other news, I'm headed down to Brighton tomorrow for day three of the Lighthouse screenwriting for television workshop. The story so far: six ideas for a new drama series were pitched, developed and re-pitched. One was chosen for further development, a lot of which took place a fortnight ago. Since then we've each been working up two characters and three story-of-the-day ideas for this putative TV series. Tomorrow it'll be time to review.

As a consequence there won't be much blog action round here the next day or two. Such is life. Oh, almost forgot to say - first Christmas presents of the year arrived yesterday! If that seems wildly early, well, they did come from New Zealand. When you're posting stuff halfway round the world, sending early to err on the side of caution is deffo the sensible option. So, a big shout-out to Dad and Catherine for the Kiwi goodies. Onwards!

Phoo Action series gets nixed - belatedly

Back in February BBC3 launched a series of six pilots, each intended to showcase a potential series. Leading the charge was Phoo Action, an action comedy based on an old comic strip by Jamie Hewlett [co-creator of pop culture icons Gorillaz and Tank Girl]. BBC3 talked up Phoo Action a lot and within days of broadcast announced a full series of the show had been commissioned. But then something curious happened, a phenomenon that's still playing out.

Nobody seemed to have a lot of affection for Phoo Action, despite the best efforts of BBC3's publicity department. Some people felt the comedy sequences weren't actually funny, while the budget wasn't sufficient to make the action sequences work. An action comedy without laughs or thrills doesn't have that much appeal - but six further episodes were already commissioned, to be made in Scotland as part of the BBC's drive for regional outsourcing.

Meanwhile the second pilot in the BBC3 series, Being Human, proved to be a critical hit. Soon viewers were launching internet campaigns to get Being Human its own series commission. The BBC seemed surprised by this reaction. Cynical souls might almost suspect the coronation of Phoo Action was a foregone event while Being Human's sudden popularity was both unexpected and almost inconvenient. [Shame on you, cynical souls, shame - don't be so doubting!]

Eventually the word-of-mouth campaign convinced BBC3 to commission a full series of Being Human, currently being filmed in Bristol. But two thirds of the original cast have been replaced - a creative choice that invokes curiosity. Perhaps the pilot of Being Human was guilty of skewing too old for BBC3's target audience? Let's hope the new incarnation retains the unique flavour that made it such an unexpected, breakout hit for the channel.

Alas, fate has not been so kind to Phoo Action. It's emerged that the six-part series has been cancelled, not long before filming was due to start. Six figure sums have been spent building sets and costumes, hiring actors and production staff. Reading between the lines, it seems developing good scripts from the slight source material proved too great a challenge. Someone took the brave step of pulling the plug, before more money was spent.

No doubt there are lessons to be learned from all of this, some of them quite expensive, but hindsight always brings a wonderful clarity. Perhaps it would have been wiser to wait until all six pilots have been screened before choosing one to give a series. Looking from the outside, it's apparent how tough a job commissioners have. Get it right and attached talent gets the credit. Get it wrong and the commissioner takes the blame. A thankless task!

My Doctor Who audio project - public at last

Audio drama makers Big Finish has just announced details of a project on which I've been working most of this year. DOCTOR WHO: ENEMY OF THE DALEKS is a four-part adventure featuring Sylvester McCoy as the seventh Doctor, with Sophie Aldred as Ace and Philip Olivier as Hex. Here's the advance publicity blurb for my story: 'The TARDIS travellers fall in with starship troopers struggling to defend a remote research facility from an all-out Dalek attack. But this time, could it be the Daleks need saving…?'

If you've never heard a Big Finish audio drama, it's like a radio play with enhanced production values. Sold via download or on CD, each story is recorded in a studio with professional actors. An extensive post-production process follows, and each story has its own unique musical score. Officially licensed by the BBC, there have been some significant crossovers between the Big Finish range and the hit TV series, particularly in terms of talent.

I've been writing scripts for Big Finish off and on since 2001. My first efforts were for the 2000 AD range of audio dramas, to which I eventually contributed five Judge Dredd thrillers. Soon after starting on Dredd, I was fortunate to have a story commissioned for the Sarah Jane Smith audio range. Test of Nerve was a break-through, full of plot and excitement and ethical dilemmas for the cast - an early example of my writing voice emerging.

When Doctor Who celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2003, Big Finish was allowed to run wild with a spin-off range called Doctor Who: Unbound. These stories rewrote continuity or presenting new interpretations of the Doctor. I was among the writers who contributed, alongside such heavyweights as Robert Shearman [Dalek] and Marc Platt [Ghostlight]. My effort, Full Fathom Five, was controversial but still wins plaudits for pushing the envelope.

From there I got the chance to write a Sapphire & Steel audio for Big Finish, before getting a commission to script all four stories in the second series of Sarah Jane Smith audios. Writing four hours of interlinked drama was a brilliant opportunity to stretch myself as a scribe, and gave me a taste for series work. By this time it was the end of 2005 and my MA screenwriting course was fast becoming an all-consuming activity in my life.

As a consequence I had to step aside from a commission to write my first audio for the main Doctor Who range at Big Finish. I was sad to lose this opportunity, but hopeful I'd get another chance. That finally came this year, with an invitation to pitch for an opening. I won the gig and the project's been inching forwards ever since. My work on the scripts is done and a recording date is imminent. The results will be available on CD and download next May.

ENEMY OF THE DALEKS is my 13th audio drama for Big Finish, and I believe it's among my best work for the company. I've learned a lot about writing since completing work on SJS series two, and - hopefully - my dialogue's improved considerably. I've been fortunate to work with a great script editor and executive producer, both of whom pushed me to extract the most drama from my story and characters. The results should make gripping listening.

Going to see the Changingman

Teaching a session or two about novel writing at the East Ayrshire Book Festival today, before heading into Glasgow for a concert by Paul Weller. I've followed his career since he first burst on the music scene in the 1970s as leader of The Jam [I was raised in the wild by punks, at a time when most Kiwis were listening to Saturday Night Fever]. A lot of fans never forgave Weller for splitting The Jam, let alone forsaking it for The Style Council.

Me, I didn't mind. The Style Council's mix of soul, jazz and funk with a message chimed nicely with me learning to appreciate soul, jazz and messages. [I blame Level 42 for my antipathy to funk.] Weller stepped off that carousel by the end of the 1980s and became a solo artist, rediscovering his musical mojo along the way. Now he pumps out a new album most years, and tours like a Trojan. He's got a massive back catalogue of songs, it should be a good gig.

In other news, Variety contributed a new word to my collection of obscure language today. The Hollywood trade paper has a long history of invented lingo that requires some decoding for newcomers to its pages. For example, nobody leave a project in a Variety article - they 'ankle' it. Chicago isn't a musical, it's a 'tuner'. Today's Variety gives the new Broadway production of Billy Elliot a glowing review, praising the West End transfer from London.

In the midst of that the reviewer talks about the show's gritty 1980s Northern England setting, describing it as 'hardscrabble' - what a great word. I've already scrawled that on a post-it note stuck to the wall beside my writing desk. There it joins samizdat, policier, rustbelt, imbroglio, weltschwerz, kinslayer, cognomen and cartouche - all words that have tickled my fancy. Always handy to have a distinctive word up your sleeve when required.

Working my way through a long To-Do list

I'm not much on To-Do lists, preferring to keep my different projects compartmentalised and work on one thing at a time. This is especially important when I'm writing a novel. If possible, I burn through the first draft in one go, start to finish. Doesn't always work, sometimes I have to break off for an urgent, short-term job. But that can bring its own benefits, especially if you've already broken the book's back. Gives you a chance to review progress.

Sometimes the freelance life throws so many things your way at once a To-Do list is the only sane solution. Write down all the things that need doing and delivery deadlines, assess how long they'll take, and assign priorities accordingly. This week's been particularly madcap with story of the day ideas for Doctors, a novel synopsis to rewrite, plus characters and stories to be devised for the Lighthouse screenwriting project all demanding my time.

Tomorrow I'm taking two sessions at the East Ayrshire Book Festival, so they need prepping too. Just after lunch I'm talking to 15 school pupils about writing graphic novels and various genres, while there's an open session at the Stewarton Library from 4.30pm where I'll be gabbing about novels. Of course, you never know what questions people are going to ask, so there's only so much preparation to do while expecting the unexpected to happen.

On top of all that the final script for a 100-minute audio drama I've written came back to me for a last look-see. The script editor shuffled a few scenes around, added some extra character moments for the regulars and streamlined some clunkier moments. I was more than happy to sign off on the changes - anything that makes the story better and me look good is always welcome. That's due in the studio the week after next, so time's getting tight.

All in all, this is proving to be an action-packed week. But there's still plenty more to do, so it's time to see if I can't get something else scratched from my To-Do list today. Onwards!

Trailer for 'Damages' season 2 now online

Weaving plot, emotion and themes

Most of this week I'm juggling story ideas. Got to devise a new A-story to replace one in a trickily twin-time narrative intended for a tie-in novel project. Creating three storylines and two new characters for the Lighthouse workshop. Trying to find time to update my Complete Inspector Morse tome for a new edition to be published next February. And I'm speaking at the East Ayrshire Book Festival at Friday, so need to do some prep for that too.

But mostly I've been tweaking one story of the day proposal, and developing another. The first has now gone onwards for consideration, while the second - not sure I've nailed it. It hinges on an unusual medical diagnosis, and the placement of that is crucial to the story, how it's told. My original instinct was to put that right up front, make it matter of fact and explore the consequences thereafter. But that didn't seem to sit right.

Someone suggested I hold the big reveal back as long as possible, to build up suspense, turn it into a mystery for the audience to keep them hooked. That's the version I submitted yesterday, but having slept on it I'm not sure that's work. Yes, we get the mystery element, but deny the protagonist a chance to talk about the consequences of his diagnosis beyond generalities. Can't help but feel that omits what could be a powerful scene.

Want to have another look at it, see if I can't find a better was to weave together the plot, emotions and central themes. But I need to progress all the other projects on my plate. Argh. Not enough days, not enough hours, not enough time. Onwards!

UPDATE: Having done my thinking out loud in the above entry, a better ending came to me almost immediately. I dove back into the synopsis, streamlined the start, rewrote the final scenes and sent off the new [hopefully improved] version - all by eight o'clock this morning. Blog - it's useful as well as therapeutic.

Another year older, what have I done?

No, it's not my birthday. But this Thursday another class of screenwriting students graduates from Screen Academy Scotland at Edinburgh's Napier University. Tutor James Mavor is inviting some of us old lags to come along, catch up and raise a glass. I'm hoping to attend, having gone along last year for my own graduation and the previous year when the first full-time class finished [and I was half way through my part-time MA screenwriting course].

Knowing it's twelve months since I graduated got me thinking about what I've achieved since this time last year. I finished my 19th novel, due to be published in the next few weeks. Read a dozen scripts for Scottish Screen. Wrote half a dozen issues of The Phantom comic for Egmont Sweden. A few bits and bobs of journalism, but that was about all my paying gigs. In purely financial terms, it's probably been my worst year since emigrating to the UK in 1990.

The bulk of my time's been devoted to speculative work, particularly screenwriting. I wrote a trial script for the BBC's daytime medical drama Doctors that got me invited to submit story of the day ideas. Yet to get one banked, but found myself invited on the Doctors shadow scheme for emerging writers [thanks, Caroline, much appreciated!]. Spent months pursuing a tie-in novel opportunity off and on, something that may come to fruition next year.

Wrote a 100-minute script for an audio drama that's due in the studio later this month, but that's yet to be made public. Got one of six places on the much esteemed TV drama team-writing workshop run by Lighthouse in Brighton. Wrote a new spec script that makes me proud. And it looks like I've got a part-time job that will secure my financial futures, freeing me to devote even more time to speculative writing - more details to follow.

All in all, it's been a productive if poorly paid twelve months. Haven't made the big breakthrough I've been working towards, but lots of little victories keep coming my way. Onwards!

Scotland 6, New Zealand 32

Went to see the All Blacks plays Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Scotland had never beaten New Zealand in a rugby union test match, despite 26 attempts in the past - and Saturday was no different. The All Blacks fielded a second string side, giving several players their first cap and holding back superstars like Dan Carter and Richie McCaw until near the end. The New Zealand looked a bit rusty at times, not firing on all cylinders at once.

Scotland spent much of the match camped in the New Zealand half, and had considerable success worrying the All Black scum. The local side took the lead with an early penalty kick. NZ soon responded with a penalty and a well-worked try. There was an exchange of penalties, but after that Scotland never troubled the scoreboard again. The All Blacks managed three further tries in a fitful effort notable for sturdy defensive work and a few moments of luck.

Alas, the match got bogged down with long periods of scrum after scrum after scrum, crushing the life from the game in the second half. The crowd even attempted a Mexican wave to break the boredom, which seemed to galvanise the players back into action. The arrivals of Carter and McCaw kicked things up a gear and I was sorry to see the match end, despite the cold. Happily, a few moments of drizzle were as bad as the weather got, a lucky escape.

Three moments in quick succession proved the most moving. The stadium lights were extinguished and a minute's silence held in remembrance of soldiers past and present, a fly-past by an RAF helicopter underlining the significance of their sacrifices. I don't get to hear the New Zealand anthem that often, so having it big and loud was special. And the All Blacks' haka was a thing to behold in person, powerful, strong and intimidating.

The most bemusing incident came when I bought a plastic bottle of apple juice. The concession stand staff were obliged to remove the plastic top before handing me the beverage, meaning I had to spend the rest of the match taking care not to spill the drink everywhere. Why? Presumably some health and safety regulation was involved. What was I going to do with it, run amok and cause havoc? Let slip the lids of war! Daft. Still, a grand afternoon out.

Off to see the All Blacks versus Scotland

Today I get to savour the last of my birthday presents - tickets to see the All Blacks play Scotland at Murrayfield. It's many years since I've been to a live rugby match, probably not since old mate Vincent Mortimer took me along to see the All Blacks playing at Eden Park in New Zealand. So today's fixture should be exciting, even if being outdoors during November in Scotland is not always wisest. I'll be wrapping up warm, that much is certain.

Had quite a day of it yesterday, sprinting round Edinburgh from one meeting to another. Came home to a surprising phone call that's left me with a big decision to make. Can't say what it is yet, as there's a lot of implications to ponder and I'd rather give myself the time to do that in private. Sigh - never knew I was so coy. Anyway, time for breakfast. I feel a fish finger sandwich [with plenty of lemon juice] calling. Just need to cook it first. Onwards!

Another helter skelter day @ Vicious Imagery HQ

Home from Brighton late last night, after a full day at the Lighthouse screenwriting for television course and a happy meet-up with fellow writer Michelle Lipton. Up early this morning to prep for a full day of meetings, coffee and interviews in Edinburgh. Tuesday was last minute tweaks to a 100-minute audio script that's in the studio later this month. Wednesday was prep for today and a conference call on another project. State of play: frazzled. Onwards!

Brighton, my dear, and not a moment too soon

Heading soon to Brighton tomorrow [Thursday] for the second session of Screenwriting for Television at Lighthouse. Won't get back until waaaaaaay late, so no fresh posts until Friday at the earliest. And Friday's fast turning into a bonkers day as well, with a coffee meeting, a presentation, nibbles, another coffee meeting and an interview thing. Will type more when I can. Onwards!

Change, my dear, and not a moment too soon

Stayed up to watch the US presidential election results come in. I've long been hooked on American politics, and even considered spending this week across the Atlantic to savour the moment that's come. Deadlines made that impossible, but I was still determined to see the US deliver itself from the last eight years. Happily, it did and Obama gave a great, lyrical acceptance speech in Chicago, full of tripling phrases and poetic writing.

Spent yesterday finishing off a project I've been working on since January. Contract obligations preclude me from spilling the beans just yet, but it's due to be announced soon, so I'll reveal much more soon. Three days left this working week and they're just packed. Several hours of prep today for a double meeting on Friday, plus a conference call about another project I'm not at liberty to divulge. [I may end up regretting my late night of Obama.]

Tomorrow it's back to Brighton for the second session on the Lighthouse screenwriting for television course. The team will be getting to grips with its chosen project, plotting the way forward and planning our next steps, both as a collective and as individual writers. Back home late tomorrow night, before spending all of Friday in Edinburgh. Meeting two former MA screenwriting classmates for coffee, followed by several more meetings.

Come Saturday I'll be enjoying the last of this year's birthday presents, a trip to Murrayfield to watch Scotland take on the mighty All Blacks in a rugby union test. The New Zealand side will be a bit jaded from travelling halfway round the world, and a bit ring rusty after several months apart. But they stopped in Hong Kong en route and came back from behind to defeat arch rivals Australia in a special test match on neutral territory.

Scotland have never beaten the All Blacks at rugby in what must be round a hundred years of trying. Can't say I fancy their chances much this time either, but rugby's a funny game and anything can happen. Whatever takes places, it should be an enjoyable experience, albeit a chilly one. Hats, scarves, gloves, thermals and fleeces will be needed to ward off the cold. Haven't seen the All Blacks live for 20 years, so it'll be a blast. Onwards!

Long weekend in North Cornwall

Back from my first holiday in six months, a long weekend in North Cornwall. Spent it at Port Isaac, a fishing village and tourist spot best known for appearing in several TV series and films - most recently the comedy drama Doc Martin. The show's massively popular, and there was a steady stream of tourists having their photo taken outside Fern Cottage. Anyway, here are my holiday snaps.